Now that cricket fever in St Lucia has toned down citizens might want to pay attention to the fact that a ten-year-old boy is still missing. Ronald Jai Dickenson disappeared about one a month ago. His frantic mother has been all over St Lucia trying to find her son, yet no one seems to be the least bit concerned. She has told the STAR of the little help that she has received from the police and lamented that her funds are running out.

A press release last week stated that plans are well underway for St Lucia Jazz. The Jazz line-up had been changed quite a bit this year to feature more jazz artistes, meaning that the big name R&B singers which had become a feature of the event were cut out.

The Canadian team, which won the hearts of cricketing fans around the world due to their impressive performance in the World Cup matches, have returned home to sub-zero temperatures.

Twenty small business persons from across the island who had been selected to benefit from grant funding under the National Development Corporation’s Micro Business Fund project, engaged in a two-day training program last week. The 20 recipients are the first batch of an estimated forty persons who will receive grant assistance as part of the initiative.

Saint Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) was one of several regional utilities represented at the 2007 Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) Occupational Health & Safety Conference in Aruba recently. LUCELEC was represented by Mr John Charlery, Health, Safety, Environment and Security Supervisor, and Mr Nigel Fulgence a member of LUCELEC’s Health and Safety Committee.

Several weeks ago  drawings began to appear on the walls next to the St Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA). Curious passersby were anxious to find out who was the mastermind behind this magnificent piece of artwork. 

Scotiabank announced yesterday the launch of their new ScotiaCard with Visa Debit.  The new card, with the added power of Visa, will allow customers to shop anywhere Visa is accepted at home or abroad. It is being issued free of charge to all customers.

Trade ministers and high level officials of the G-33 alliance of developing countries met in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday and Wednesday to consider the status of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Round negotiations and to discuss specific flexibilities for developing countries including those of the OECS.

When police officers were executing an order given to them by Cabinet to arrest Leonard Ogilvy, who had earlier that week been deemed an inhibited immigrant, neither Ogilvy nor his lawyer Horace Fraser had been given notice of the action.

On March 12, Magistrate Ann Marie Smith found Demetrius Francis guilty for use of threatening words in an incident which occurred on December 18. Francis was represented by Robert Collis Barrow and on the day in question was placed on remand until March 14 for the purposes of being interviewed by a probation officer.

Cable & Wireless, official sponsor of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and the only full service telecom provider in the region, has launched a region-wide advertising campaign featuring great personalities and memories of cricket in the Caribbean.  Six new television adverts and three radio spots feature Dwayne Bravo, Brian Lara, and Courtney Walsh, enabling cricket fans to celebrate the past, hope for the future, and “feel the buzz.”

Education is essential for personal development. In keeping with its corporate social responsibility policy the East Caribbean Financial Holdings Company Limited presented a check of $10,000 to the National Enrichment and Learning unit (NELU) at a ceremony on Thursday at the Financial Center training room.

It was a mixture of joy and disappointment at the High Court on Thursday as Justice Sandra Mason presided over a six-year-old case. One family was left in tears while another was jubilant. It was the end of a four-day carnal knowledge re-trial.

This month, SHE Caribbean is not only celebrating the release of an all new issue but also the appointment of Sherry Dixon as the Editor in Chief. Dixon, who was born in Guyana, comes to SHE with a wealth of experience in publishing, having been the Editor for Pride Magazine in the UK. Starting out as a Beauty Editor of the magazine, which has become ‘the lifestyle bible for women of color in the UK’, Sherry became the Editor and a leading name in health and beauty for women of color in the UK.

Tuesday was observed as “England Day” in honor of the England cricket team now on the island to play in the Cricket World Cup 2007 tournament. The team, along with the three other teams—Kenya, Canada and New Zealand—who will be playing at St Lucia’s Beausejour Cricket Grounds arrived on the island Monday afternoon, amidst much fanfare and a grand welcome from St Lucians who lined the roads, waving welcome to the visitors.

All applicants who are applying for machine-readable passports are advised that their application will be treated like it was the very first time that they are applying for a passport.

The St Omer name is synonymous with art in St Lucia. One of the first things children learn in school is that the Honorable Dunstan St Omer was the designer of the island’s national flag. St Omer is also the creator of the magnificent art which adorns the inside of the Cathedral. But how much do we really know about the man behind the art? And about his equally talented offspring?

There has been little opportunity where Sir John Compton—elected to office in the December 2006 elections—has missed out on a chance to address the nation at certain pivotal times. He delivered a New Year message and most recently the prime minister addressed citizens on the Independence anniversary. It came as no surprise that the PM  would also address the nation on Commonwealth Day (March 12).

Lovers of Presidents Choice and No Name brands will soon have to bid farewell to the two lines. Brand representative, Super J supermarkets announced this week that its suppliers Loblaws, the brands’ owners have halted the international distribution of the brands.

Surely we can all remember the day when the lifeless body of a baby was fished out of a septic tank in the community of Trou Rouge. Many of us can still remember a fetus found in the vicinity of the Millennium grounds. But does anyone know anything more about the two incidents?

FirstCaribbean International Bank is committed to partnering with those that are differently abled and facilitates them in achieving in life. The bank’s switchboard operator, Yasmine Houson confirms the fact that FirstCaribbean International Bank is one that seeks to enable persons of both genders and abilities.

As part of plans to improve the quality of service being provided to their customers Bank of St Lucia in collaboration with Super J on Thursday launched their cash dispensers service. Present at the launching were Guy Mayers, minister of trade and commerce, Andre Chastanet, managing director of Consolidated Foods, Anderson Lake, senior manager at ECFH and representatives of Consolidated Foods and Bank of St Lucia.

The searching of police officers in Barbados by ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 security officials has been condemned by Caribbean officials responsible for regional security mechanisms for the tournament.

More than 20,000 Caricom special visas have already been issued since the launch of the new visa system on February 1, 2007 as part of the security arrangements for the Cricket World Cup (CWC).

Super J Supermarkets is partnering with the local chapter of the Junior Achievement Programme to help secondary school students hone their business skills.

In a school of over five hundred students it’s no easy task for one teacher to keep track of the entire student population. But it is still expected by most that when a child is sent to school that child is well minded and taken care of.

Courts St Lucia has embarked on yet another innovative initiative to give back to St Lucia—this time particularly to children. Courts Free Books for Schools was launched on Tuesday at the Cara Suites hotel. In attendance were officials from Courts St Lucia, the ministry of education and teachers and principals islandwide.

St Lucia’s tourism industry is now critically positioned from which it can either take a leap to world class status or fall apart bringing down with it everything which we value. As St Lucians we are left with only one choice and that is the creation of a master plan for the sustainable development of the industry. In creating any master plan involving tourism we must never forget that the industry has the potential to destroy the very social, cultural and physical environment on which it depends.

Sandals Resorts International has revamped its community initiatives for 2007 by creating a dedicated team to undertake charity projects around St Lucia every single month.  The resort chain has been working consistently with a number of charities since its inception but this new approach will ensure the process is more proactive and results in maximum value for all involved.

A few weeks ago it was reported that some beach vendors operating on the Reduit Beach were going to be affected by the opening of the Bay Gardens Beach Resort.  The management of the hotel had issued a statement confirming that the hotel would be opening soon and noted their intentions to clean up the beach and erect their umbrellas. Therefore, the vendors had to relocate.

The newly built Gros Islet Secondary School at Beausejour has finally opened its doors. But the school is hardly finished. The students, who had previously occupied the grounds of the Rock Hall School in Castries, now have to endure some finishing touches still being applied to the new location.

In a press release sent to the STAR this week the St Lucia Labour Party called on the United Workers Party government to clarify its links with Taiwan and the future relationship between St Lucia and the People’s Republic of China. 

In August 2002 a new entity named the National Community Foundation came into being. The NCF is a non-governmental, non-profit, philanthropic organization established to alleviate the plight of the disadvantaged in the society.

The Castries/Gros Islet Road Improvement Project, Phase 1—which runs from the John Compton Highway to Choc Bay––is nearing its state of readiness in time for the ICC Cricket World Cup. Whilst all the components of this project will not be completed by the start of the World Cup (March 14), the full length and width of the highway project will be fully surfaced and useable.

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court on Tuesday held a special sitting to mark its 40th Anniversary. In attendance were members of the law fraternity, the Chief Justices of the ECSC, Speaker of the House Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, Attorney General Nicholas Frederick, Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy, President of the Senate Rosemary Husbands-Mathurin, as well as other dignitaries.

There are some people who view Venezuela’s attention to the Caribbean with a degree of skepticism and suspicion, while others welcome it, for the great powers, in Western Europe, and in particular, the United States of America, have sadly neglected the region; first Western Europe since the abolition of slavery, and the U.S.A. since the end of the Cold War. They see us as of being no further use to them.