Radio Grenadines

The 2014 Digicel Grenadines Basketball Championship bounced off last weekend at the Ashton Hard Court in Union Island. Four Grenadines teams  are participating in this prestigious national tournament, which is run by the Bequia Basketball Association with assistance from the Southern Grenadines Association and the Canouan Basketball Association.

Registered teams are the Bequia All-Stars, Canouan Islanders, Mayreau Kings and defending Champions Union Island Allstars.

The three week tournament, which began in 2003 runs from October 24th to November 8th. 

Games will be played in Canouan this weekend, Oct 31 to Nov 2nd, and the tournament will conclude in Bequia the following weekend, November 7th  and 8th. Digicel is the title tournament sponsor with additional sponsorship by Il Sogno Villa in Canouan, Frangipani Hotel, Wind and Sea Ltd. 
 
The Official March past of teams took place last Saturday night at the Ashton Hard Court. Bequia Basketball President, also Secretary General of Caribbean Basketball, Mrs. Sabrina Mitchell addressed the patrons thanking title sponsors Digicel for their commitment to the development of basketball in the Grenadines. She spoke of the importance of the annual championship which gives the talented players of the Grenadines the opportunity to showcase their talent, as well as to develop their skills at a top level of competition. She thanked Rohan Henry of Canoaun, Roseman Adams of Union and Monro Forde of Mayreau for their assistance coordinating the games. 

Digicel Representative for Union Island, Miss Isanna Saxon  gave a brief address where she expressed the support of Digicel to the completion.  She wished all the teams good luck. Southern Grenadines Parliamentary Representative Hon. Terrence Ollivierre also spoke wishing all teams a successful and injury free competition. He commended the organizers of the tournament and specifically expressed gratitude to Mrs. Mitchell for her role in ensuring the tournament’s success.
 
Last weekend game results:
Union Island: 3 wins
Canouan: 2 wins, 1 loss
Bequia: 1 win, 2 losses
Mayreau: 3 losses
 
FRIDAY OCT 24th:
Canouan defeat Bequia 81 to 59
-leading scorer Canouan: Damian Harry with 26 pts, 10 reb, 1 asst
-leading scorer Bequia: Kelan Edwards with 13pts, 4 reb, 3 steals
Union Island defeat Mayreau 82 to 43
-leading scorer Union Island: Steveon Taylor with 18pts, 2 reb, 4 steals
-leading scorer Mayreau: Devon Stephens with 15 pts, 1 blk
 
Saturday Oct 25th:
Canouan defeat Mayreau 63 to 58
-leading scorer Canouan: Damian Harry with 16 pts, 7 reb
-leading scorer Mayreau: Noel Laborde with 16 pts, 2 assts
Union Island defeat Bequia 79 to 43
-leading player Union Island: Dario Glasgow with 17pts, 6 reb, 3 assts
-leading scorer Bequia: orando Blugh with 15 pts, 15 reb, 1 steal
 
Sunday Oct 26th:
Bequia defeat Mayreau 65 to 40
-leading scorer Bequia: orando Blugh with 12 pts, 15 reb
-leading scorer Mayreau: Romano Lewis with 10 pts, 11 reb, 2 assts
Union Island defeat Canouan 66 to 62
-leading scorer Union Island: Steveon taylor with 25 pts, 11 reb, 3 assts, 2 steals
-leading scorer Canouan: Warrican Myers with 19 pts, 16 reb, 3 asst. 3 blks
 
NEXT GAMES: in Canouan
Fri Oct 31st:
8pm: Bequia vs Union
10pm: Canouan vs Mayreau


Sabrina Mitchell

Over 40 persons from the Union Island community came out on Friday 24th October 2014 in support of Radio Grenadines as the group move to establish an office base in Clifton.

Persons in the community were asked to place their hand print within a designated area on the wall. Dannis Coy, a local artist plastered paint onto the hands for printing. The entire idea behind the design was to bring awareness to the community so that  persons could be a part and play a role in the soon to be completed facility.

The turnout came from the Clifton Preschool, the Secondary school, Tobago Cays Marine Park and other community based organisations as well as interested individuals.

The office which is located in the heart of Clifton, Union Island will also be the base of an Internet Radio and Media Facility, it will also serve as a training facility for the community.

Our current project is “RAISING AWARENESS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE GRENADINES THROUGH COMMUNITY MEDIA AND INTERNET RADIO”and it is  is funded by GEF SGP, UNDP as well as our In-Kind pardners. A big thank you to all !

Radio Grenadines Inc. is a registered non-profit organisation which served the Grenadines from 2011 to present in written articles, videos, photos etc.

Click Here to View Photos

 

Residents if Union Island came out in numbers to march on Monday 20th October 2014 to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness. The March which was organised by the Nurse Celina Clouden Hospital started at 4:30 pm and was joined by organisations, businesses as well as individuals who wanted to show their solidarity. 

Persons were decked out in Pink and marched from the Clifton Hill to Ashton Crossroad then to Richmond and finished at the Clifton Square. A cake was raffled which was won by a primary school student.

In an interview with Radio Grenadines most persons said that the march was a good exercise as well as to send a message to persons, male and female that Breast Cancer is real and can affect both sexes and persons should have their checks done.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same.

Every year in Union Island the Nurse Celena Clouden Hospital celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month by hosting a series of events.

Click Here to View the March Photos 

 

Sweet Potatoes are an incredibly nutritious food that are packed with antioxidants like beta carotene, vitamins C, E & D, and minerals such as manganese and iron.

They are also high in potassium which helps to lower blood pressure by removing excess sodium and regulating fluid balance in the body.

Sweet potatoes are an excellent anti-stress food and are known to help relax muscles, steady nerves, and balance cognitive function. They are also one of the best anti-cancer foods and can particularly help to prevent breast, colon, lung, skin, and oral cancers.

Sweet potatoes are known for being easy to digest and are very good for ulcers, inflamed colons, digestive disorders, and constipation. Sweet potatoes contain compounds called phytochelatins that can bind to heavy metals such as lead, mercury, copper, & cadmium and safely remove them through the body.

Mothers have even given children who have accidentally swallowed a metallic object such as a coin, plenty of sweet potato so that it will stick to the object and allow it to pass through easier.

The health benefits of sweet potatoes are the most bioavailable when eaten raw, steamed, or baked. Try making a simple fat-free sweet potato soup by steaming sweet potatoes until soft and then placing in a blender or food processor and blend until creamy smooth. Spices such as cloves, cinnamon, ginger, chili pepper, or curry can be added for a flavor and nutritional boost.

Baked sweet potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator and later sliced over a fresh green salad for a hearty lunch or dinner.

Sweet potatoes are also delicious mashed with a drizzle of olive oil, coconut butter, or avocado. Sweet potatoes are a comforting, satisfying, and very healing food, consider finding more ways to include them into your diet.

 

Source:  Health & Fitness Magazine

 

The finals of the 2014 SVG Independence Bible Festival took place on Friday October 10^th and Sunday October 11^th at the Faith Temple Church in New Montrose with nine churches   bringing their best in challenging competitions of Speech, Bible Drama, Bible Boxing and Quizzes.

At the end of the competitions, Faith Temple Church with a total of 163 points, were crowned the new champions of the National Independence Bible Festival in St. Vincent & the Grenadines; winning the title for the first time with defending champions the Kingdom Life Ministries of Kearton’s relegated to fourth position on 114 points.

In front of appreciative audiences, the finals began with the speech competition. Zoe Hambolou of the Glad Tidings Tabernacle out pointed his opponents speaking on the topic: “What did Jesus mean when he said: God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth”. 

In the much anticipated category of Bible Drama where participants had to dramatize an activity or incident involving Jesus, Roy George of the Hope For Life Restoration Ministries,   had the crowd on their feet with his portrayal of ‘Jesus and the Crucifixion’ and walked away with the title of best Bible Dramatist. George also won the award for Most Outstanding Participant.

In a competitive Bible Boxing final, Philvina Deroche of the Church of God Worldwide Mission, Redemption Sharpes defeated Virginia Cumberbatch of the Glad Tidings Tabernacle to take the title of Best Bible Boxer after Cumberbatch repeated a verse in the seventh round.

The six rounds of quizzes went a long way in determining the final places with some 450 points at stake. With strong performances from Cornelia Peters who won the award for Best Young Quizzer, Bradley Douglas who won Most Outstanding Quizzer and Keyon Gaymes in the final round putting in strong performances, Faith Temple Church put themselves in a good position to with the overall title by winning the quiz competition.

In the end, Faith Temple Church was able to just nose ahead of the Hope For Life Restoration Ministries who finished in second position on 159 points and win the title for the first time, to the delight of their supporters. The Glad Tidings Tabernacle came in third with 135 points.

The SVG Independence Bible Festival now into its sixth year has been organized by the SVG Gospel Fest Committee since 2009 under the theme: ‘Study To Show Thyself Approved Unto God’.

Some seven churches have qualified for the finals of the 2014 SVG Independence Bible Festival following the completion of the preliminary rounds which were staged at the Faith Temple Church in New Montrose, last Friday and Sunday evening.

Going through to the finals are: defending champions – Kingdom Life Ministries, Faith Temple Church, Shekinah Worship centre along with a number of first time finalists including: Glad Tidings Tabernacle, Hope For Life Restoration Ministries, Church of God Worldwide Mission and the Bequia Pentecostal Church.

The finals are scheduled for this Friday October 10^th when the Bible Boxing, Bible Drama and Speech competitions will take place and on Saturday October 11^th with the Quizzes and presentation of awards.

The Bible Boxing final will feature participants facing off against each other alternating in quoting scripture verses. The Speech final will see participants speaking on a random question on something said by Jesus and the always exciting Bible Drama final will have churches dramatizing an incident or activity involving Jesus.

The churches are competing for a number of special prizes and trophies which include: Best Young participant and most outstanding participant. This year’s competitions are focusing on the life of Jesus as recorded in the gospels.

The SVG Independence Bible Festival now into its sixth year is being organized by the SVG Gospel Fest Committee under the theme: “Study To Show Thyself Approved Unto God”. The Kingdom Life Ministers Church of Kearton’s is the defending champion.

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, Oct 6 — Two regional experts have warned of the impact of climate change on fish and small ruminants, two important protein sources in the Caribbean.

Susan Singh-Renton, deputy executive director of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism, said on Monday, that as the temperature of the Caribbean Sea rises, species of fish found in the region may move further northward.

“This is referring specifically to the large fish that are very mobile, and some of them are warm water species, so the sea surface temperature provides a natural boundary to their range and, normally, we will find these species distributed just within the tropical seas and they are accessible to us as a result,” she said, adding that these species include dolphin fish, kingfish, and some tunas.

“What you will find is that if you have a warming of a sea water, then that natural range of the fish becomes extended and [the fish] are able to move away; they move northward,” she said in an interview.

Singh-Renton was speaking on the sidelines of a workshop titled “Improving Climate Change Resilience in the Small Ruminants and Fisheries Industries in the Caribbean”.
The workshop forms part of the 13^th Caribbean Week of Agriculture, taking place here until Friday, under the theme “Transforming Caribbean Agriculture Through Family Farming”.

Singh-Renton said experts have seen that in certain years, species of fish found in warmer waters such as the Caribbean are caught outside of their normal range.

“We had recorded lower catches in those years,” she further said.

Singh-Renton also noted that there are factors that increase the population of these fish, but experts have not determined the cause.

“But sometimes you have the productivity plumes from the river outflows — from the Amazon and the Orinoco. As the river flows, that productivity changes, and the fish are following the food.

“So depending on the direction of that flow, if some things, for example, [if] currents, change that flow and take it away from the islands, then those fish will not become available,” she said.

Singh-Renton said it is difficult to determine the impact of climate change on food security and that of lower fish catches on the economy of the region, adding, “there is a lot that we don’t understand about the biology and ecology of these resources and what triggers the migration patterns.

“But certainly, if these fish are less available to our fisherman, we will see less fish production,” she said, adding that this will be the case unless fisherfolk invest in   technologies that allow them to go further to catch those fish.

“And you have to remember now that you may be entering foreign jurisdiction, in terms of you will need agreements to enter some other countries’ waters, for example, if that becomes the case,” she said.

And, Norman Gibson, small ruminants commodity leader at the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, said in a separate interview on the sideline of the same workshop, that there are two critical issues relating to the impact of climate change on small ruminants.

“Small ruminants represent [an] important commodity in the region’s food stocks,” he said, adding that in many countries they are the meat of choice.

He noted that in Trinidad and Guyana, there are some religious festivals that demand the use of either sheep or goats.

“We know that, in the region, in terms of nutrition security, it is a commodity that we have to give some attention to, given how much it is already being used in our cuisine, how much it is demanded by the local population, and the fact that it is actually a much better product than what we import from New Zealand and Australia, in terms of flavor and other characteristics,” Gibson said.

He said climate change now brings “a new dimension to everything we do in agriculture, and the thinking is that if we are going to continue to improve small ruminant production, then we have to consider the impact of climate change and what that will do to existing stocks and whether or not farmers are prepared, at this point, to meet those challenges,” Gibson explained.

“So, when we consider food and nutrition security in the region, we think of all the things that go into that basket. And, of course, small ruminants is one. 

“And climate change affects everyone, therefore we have to consider all commodities in the context of climate change,” Gibson said.

He said that the higher temperatures that result from climate change cause small ruminants to become more stressed, “especially in the context of the Caribbean where in a lot of systems, animals are roaming outside or often grazing in pastures without water during the course of the day.”

Gibson said that as animals become more stressed, they eat less.

“It means that they begin to have respiratory issues, and therefore, as a consequence, they don’t put on as much meat, they don’t produce as much milk…” he said, adding that there may also be saline intrusion into pastures as a result of climate change, making small ruminants less productive.

Gibson explained that while small ruminants might survive extreme weather like hurricanes, the impact may be seen weeks later.

“One of the things that we have noticed is that when you have intense activity, hurricanes and so on, small ruminants tend to sense the intense activity.  Thereafter you begin to see the effects, in a few weeks after the storm has passed.

Because of increased stress brought on by the event, they have more problems with parasites and so on. And the mortality rates can actually be quite high as a consequence of those things,” he said.

By Kenton X. Chance

Agricultural cooperation between Caribbean and Pacific regions moves forward at 13^th Caribbean Week of Agriculture Inter-regional cooperation for agricultural and rural development has moved a step closer with the announcement that the Pacific region is planning to hold a regional week of agriculture in 2015. The event has been inspired by the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), whose 13^th edition is currently under way in Paramaribo, Suriname,  according to the minister of agriculture for Vanuatu, attending CWA at the invitation of CTA and the government of Suriname.

The announcement came during a meeting between the agriculture ministers of Suriname and Vanuatu, brokered by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). Both countries agreed to work together to share best practices and improve agricultural and rural development. The encounter was held during the 13^th Caribbean Week of Agriculture, currently under way in Paramaribo, Suriname from October 6-10.

The future Pacific Week of Agriculture marks a new milestone in progress made by the Intra-ACP Agricultural Policy Programme (APP), which is working to enhance Caribbean and Pacific and interregional capabilities of agricultural sectors to improve food security and nutrition by increasing production and strengthening business linkages.

There are a number of parallels between conditions for agricultural production and the problems faced by producers in the Caribbean and in the Pacific. Both regions face similar challenges from climate change, natural disasters, high food import bills, small internal markets and reliance on a few export commodities.

The Intra-ACP Agricultural Policy Programme is run in partnership with CTA, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). In the Caribbean, other implementing institutions are the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).

Together with partners, CTA has brought together Caribbean and Pacific businesses, producers, experts and public and private sector representatives on a number of occasions in recent years, to exchange lessons on how to strengthen economic gains for smallholder farmers and rural communities, especially women and youth.

At last year’s CWA, held in Guyana, women producers and entrepreneurs interacted with Caribbean and Pacific Ministers of Agriculture in order to engage the voices of women entrepreneurs at high policy level and in key policy processes. During this year’s CWA, Hon. David Tosul Butulso, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biodiversity of the Republic of Vanuatu, together with his Director General, Mr. Howard Aru, are attending at the invitation of CTA and the government of Suriname.

During the meeting with his counterpart in Suriname, Hon. Soeresh Algoe, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, the Minister of Vanuatu expressed his desire to learn from the experiences of the Caribbean about intra-regional cooperation in agriculture, and in particular the organisation of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture.

“The Pacific will build on the experience of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) to host its first ever Pacific Week of Agriculture (PWA) whose partnerships were announced recently in Samoa at the Private Sector Forum at the start of the Third International Conference of Small Island Developing States (SIDS),” said Mr. Butulso. “The next step will be to have discussions with ministers of the Pacific countries, but I think that the first Pacific Week of Agriculture will be held next year, in 2015.”

Earlier, the ministers of Suriname and Vanuatu spoke of the challenges their countries faced, and pledged their willingness to cooperate with each other. Suriname, which has good food security, has succeeded in cutting imports through increased agricultural production and now exports food including rice, bananas, fish and vegetables to other countries in the region, as well as to Europe and the United States of America. Previously an importer of products such as lettuce, sweet peppers and sweetcorn, local farmers were now growing their own varieties, said Mr. Algoe. Challenges for producers included climate change, salt water intrusion and food safety issues, he added.

Vanuatu, a country in which 80% of the population is engaged in small-scale farming, continues to import much of its food, including 300,000 tonnes of rice per year, said its agriculture minister.

“That means our food security is fragile,” said Mr. Butulso. “I need to learn from your experience, how you achieved food security,” he told his colleague from Suriname. “And maybe you can learn some things from me.”

The Suriname minister agreed to help Vanuatu with advice and information on rice production, and offered support with the proposed Pacific Week of Agriculture. “We are here and ready to help with any needs,” said Mr. Algoe.

CTA Director Michael Hailu, who attended the meeting, welcomed the opportunity for cooperation between the two countries. He said it was an example of how South-South partnerships can produce mutual benefits, and he pledged CTA support for moving arrangements to launch a Pacific Week of Agriculture forward as quickly as possible.

“At CTA, we have given support for exchanges between the two regions, the Caribbean and the Pacific, for example in agritourism, which can be a valuable source of revenue, especially for women,” he said. “There are a great many things that both sides, facing similar challenges, can learn from each other. Best practices should cross borders and oceans. That way they have a chance of having much greater impact.”

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, Oct. 5 — The 13th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), the premier meeting of agriculture stakeholders within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), opens here on Monday with a focus on family farming.

The five-day meeting, which is being held under the theme “Transforming Caribbean Agriculture Through Family Farming”, will focus on three main streams of work: value chain development, climate change/climate smart agriculture, policy and strategy for agricultural revitalisation, and food and nutrition security.

And, Executive Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research & Development Institute (CARDI), Dr. Arlington Chesney, said, on Sunday, that family farming has an important role to play in climate smart agriculture.

“… a tremendous amount of our production from farming comes from family farms in one way or the other,” he said in an interview, adding that the Food and Agricultural Organisation is trying this year to highlight the importance of family farms.

“As we look at the link to climate change and sustainability of the environment, there is an issue called sustainable intensification. And basically, this can only be practiced on family farms, because it depends on a special type of agriculture [that] is best suited for family farmers.

“We think it is the way that a lot of people are going. It started off with rice, but it is now into most crops. We can push this for the family farm activity so as to keep our environment very pure,” Chesney said.

Chesney also highlighted the importance of focusing on climate change and agriculture in the Caribbean.

“It is very critical. The Caribbean is one of the more active, in a negative way, in terms of extreme weather activities, be they hurricane or floods and the year before, droughts and the impact of drought and pest control. We need to understand it, how we are going to deal with it and how we are going to plan on it,” Chesney said.

“You will see some emphasis on youth, and we will ensure that in all the workshops that we have a sprinkling of youth. We recognise the development of our culture is changing, [it is] no longer primarily land and labour, it is knowledge and information.”

Chesney said CWA has been compressed into five days, forcing organisations to be more focused in their deliberations.

The Week includes three major workshops on policy, climate change, and value chains. These deliberations will surround the main commodities of fisheries, small ruminants, roots and tubers.

“So it is a really packed week, a very, very packed week,” he said.

CWA is sponsored in part by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), whose director, Michael Hailu, said the theme of this year’s CWA “is not only timely, given that 2014 is the International Year of Family Farming, but is highly relevant to the region’s family farms that contribute so much to its economy and way of life”.

He noted that CTA has, for many years, been supporting Caribbean agriculture through its work with various partners in the region.

“We are also taking the opportunity to highlight our efforts to encourage youth engagement in agriculture and the role ICTs can play in boosting agricultural and rural development,” Hailu said.

He noted that at CWA, CTA will showcase the finalists of the Science and Agriculture Film and Video Competition and ICT applications developed within the framework of the AgriHack Talent Caribbean Competition.

These interventions are aimed at bringing youth into agriculture.

“CTA will do its part to ensure that CWA continues to be a premier event in addressing key challenges and opportunities to transform agriculture as a vehicle for sustainable development in the Caribbean,” Hailu said.