Leathon Khan

EC Global Insurance is giving back to the community in a very tangible way.

For the second year, EC Global has partnered with the Kiwanis Club of St. Lucia in the staging of their 2013 Car Raffle – in aid of ongoing charitable projects.

EC Global provided an unbeatable fully comprehensive insurance offer for the first year on the top prize of a brand new Suzuki Celerio. The lucky winner will enjoy the full benefits of one of EC Global’s specially branded motor policies, the Global Supreme Policy or the Angel Advantage Policy. The Angel Advantage plan was developed exclusively for female drivers.

Additionally, the winner will enjoy the security and peace of mind knowing that their newly acquired car is safely insured with a strong, reputable company and that the strength of EC Global is on their side.

EC Global CEO, Leathon Khan said, “EC Global is very pleased to again be associated with this major fundraising project. We place a high priority on our involvement in the community. As part of the ECFH family, EC Global is happy to collaborate with like-minded groups like Kiwanis in undertaking projects and initiatives which benefit the community. These initiatives are well aligned with the ECFH Group philosophy of a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility.”

The Kiwanis Club of Saint Lucia has been a very active service club in St. Lucia since 1982 and has undertaken a number important community service projects which have positively impacted the lives of St. Lucians.

EC Global recognizes the critical importance of the projects and charities supported by the Kiwanis Club as well as other charitable groups and had made a concerted effort to provide assistance wherever possible to such groups and associations.

Bank of Saint Lucia has lent its support to the Grow Well Remedial Reading Programme for another consecutive year.

The programme was designed as a youth development tool to improve the literacy level of youth in the Gros Islet community. The programme provides instruction in the areas of: remedial language, life skills and independent reading.

The programme staff consists of volunteer educators including principals, teachers, special education instructors, peace corps personnel, volunteer coordinators and evaluators. The overall goal of the programme is the gradual assimilation into the school curriculum.

Assistant Manager Corporate Communications, Omari Frederick says “Bank of Saint Lucia is proud to back this great initiative since reading skills are critical to the wholesome development of our youth. This fits in nicely with our CSR philosophy which has a heavy focus on youth development in the areas of education, sports, the arts & culture.”

The Grow Well Programme was started by the Rotary Club over 17 years ago and has achieved a number of successes to date. Some of the former participants no longer require the remedial support and have comfortably assimilated into the classrooms at various schools.

This year the programme has registered a number of children from the Gros Islet community Grow Well Inc. programmes include the After School Library, Girl’s Circle, Arts & Craft, Annual School Quiz, CARE School programme, Club 60 and Junior Golf.

St Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) has added a new dimension to its live line work, introducing eight members of its Transmission and Distribution Department to the rubber glove method of line maintenance.

During live line work, linesmen repair high voltage lines without shutting off the power. The rubber glove method allows these crews to work directly on the lines with their hands protected by gloves.

Previously, the company used the “hot stick” method of live line maintenance where crews use insulating poles to maintain a specified distance from the lines while working.

The new method builds on the “hot sticks” technique and in some instances will be used in tandem with them. Training in the new method was done during a three day session held at the company’s Cul-de-Sac compound.

LUCELEC’s Transmission and Distribution Manager Mr Gilroy Pultie says the company has been repairing and upgrading its electrical network under live line conditions for the past five years. This, he says, has had double rewards. First, it ensures service to customers is not interrupted during these operations. Secondly, through regular maintenance, upgrades and improvements to the electricity infrastructure, customer satisfaction remains high.

“Because we are doing it live, nobody’s actually being affected and so from our customer’s point of view it is very good that we are able to maintain our system to a large extent without outages,” says Mr Pultie.

He adds that introducing live line work to LUCELEC personnel through the “hot sticks” method has resulted in even greater improvements in the company’s safety culture. This in turn, laid the foundation for adding the rubber gloves method.

“A lot of training has gone into it and there are many levels of protection. The lines are covered with insulating material, the crews use gloves that are fully tested and even the truck that they work from is designed to protect them if the other two levels of protection fail,” Pultie noted.

Sixty-five per cent (65%) of the maintenance conducted on the LUCELEC network is done under live line conditions. For the time being, only pole replacements are done exclusively in conditions where the power to the lines must be cut. However, that is projected to change by the end of 2013 when Transmission and Distribution crews are expected to use live lines in all aspects of their work on the network.

The National Workers Union (NWU) has penned another letter to Labour Minister Robert Lewis requesting his intervention in dealing with a recognition claim it submitted to his department regarding employees at Renwick and Company Limited.

According to the letter, written by the union’s President General Tyrone Maynard, the unresolved claim has left workers in a “vulnerable” and “unprotected” position, to the extent that some have already been dismissed “with no justification”.

Employees at Renwick and Company Limited joined the NWU in April this year, after which a recognition claim was submitted to Acting Labour Commissioner George Melchoir on their behalf on May 3, 2013.

“While the delay seems to be inflicting more pain on workers, the company has conveniently used the outstanding period to terminate the services of workers without justification. The workers are totally frustrated, feel unprotected by the government’s Labour Act and can no longer maintain their confidence in the Department of labour,” the NWU said in its letter dated August 7, 2013.

“Sir, it must be understood and made abundantly clear that the workers who receive termination notices have mortgages, bank loans and children to feed as well as meet other domestic obligations. I must also point out that should the plight of workers be ignored the time will come when workers no longer access the democratic process but would attempt to take matters into their own hands,” it further stated.

“Please understand that this is no threat to anyone. It is a mood that is beginning to swell on the ground. In the interest of assisting these poor workers we are requesting your intervention,” it went on.

The letter was copied to Melchoir, the deputy labour commissioner, the prime minister and employees at Renwick and Co.

This is the latest of several letters forwarded to the minister on the issue.

Many customers in Saint Lucia would be getting increasingly familiar with smartphone operating systems, like Android and iOS and BlackBerry 10.

Now, Saint Lucia and the Caribbean’s leading mobile service provider is opening new Windows for mobile users. The much-awaited Nokia Lumia 620 has finally landed in the Saint Lucian market and it’s available exclusively at LIME.

The Lumia 620 is a one of the most popular Windows Phone 8 smartphones available on the global market. Powered by a 1GHz Dual Core Snapdragon S4 processor, it comes with 512MB of RAM, 8GB mass memory and supports up to 64GB SD cards. This makes it perfect for running on Saint Lucia’s fastest mobile network.

Bright and colourful with an eye-catching design, the Lumia 620 comes equipped with a 3.8 inch LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 800×480 pixels. The phone sports a 5MP primary camera with LED flash and can record HD video at 720p resolution. it is loaded with lots of other great features, all offering superb functionality.

“We continue to lead in bringing to our customers the latest technologies such as the Lumia 620, so they can do more on the go, enjoy faster speeds across Saint Lucia and a superior mobile experience, backed by the best local and international coverage, far surpassing that provided by any other network on island,” said LIME Saint Lucia General Manager, Chris Williams.
The Lumia 620 is available in a variety of colours from all LIME retail outlets.

Brian Finn *http://www.digicelsamoa.com/

Starting October 1, 2013 Digicel customers who travel within the region and the US will not be required to pay roaming fees.

That’s the word from Digicel in a press release on August 8, 2013.

According to the telecommunications provider, this will apply to voice, SMS and date roaming charges.

The release states that customers will be able to communicate for the “same great rates that they pay at home when they travel in the Caribbean and the US. It will be in place across the region by 1st October 2013 and Digicel customers will not be charged an activation fee when roaming in the Caribbean”.

“As the first operator in the region to dispense with roaming rates, Digicel is reaffirming its commitment to customers and to ensuring that they always benefit from best value,” the company said.

According to the release, this decision came after a “fantastic customer reaction to Digicel’s “Same Rates a Yaad” plan launched in Jamaica which has since been mirrored in markets like Barbados, Panama and Trinidad and the company’s ongoing mission to ensure that customers get more for less”.

Jamaica’s Minister of Technology Phillip Paulwell in welcoming the news commended the company for taking a “step in the right direction”.

Meanwhile, Brian Finn, Digicel Group commercial director, said that his company is continuously seeing ways to bring value to customers.

“We are proud to be the first operator to be making this move and to be ensuring that our valued customers can communicate easily and economically wherever they are in the region,” he said.

“This is all about giving our customers the freedom to communicate as they wish when they travel without the fear of running up high bills,” he continued.

A Bank of St Lucia employee left the island to attend a Caribbean strategic planning event in Antigua.

Valdez James is expected to join over 25 other participants who represent 16 trade unions from across the Caribbean at the forum. He is expected to make a brief presentation at one of the sessions, a press release states.

The Bank of Saint Lucia is a branch of the National Workers Union (NWU) which is in turn an affiliate of the Union Network International (UNI) the sponsors of the program.

The event is being hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union.

The two-day meeting began on Thursday 8th August at the Jolly Beach Hotel.

One of the aims of the gathering is to identify urgent areas for capacity building among member unions.

Among the countries represented are the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Saint Lucians now have more options available to them for paying a wide variety of bills, especially in some of the island’s smaller communities, thanks to a series of new agreements concluded by JE Bergasse & Company Ltd.

JEB operates the SurePay bill payment facility in Saint Lucia, and the company has now added 10 new collections points to its network, which already included United Insurance at the JE Bergasse Building in Vide Boutielle and at the Scotia Bank Building in Vieux Fort, Glace Supermarket locations, gl foodmarket, the Document Centre, Southwell Inc and the West Coast Credit Union.

The new SurePay locations cover the communities of Mabouya Valley, Dennery village, Mon Repos, Laborie and Choiseul. They comprise the Choiseul Credit Union, Dennery Community Credit Co Op Society, Laborie Co-Operative Credit Union, Mabouya Co operative Credit Union in Richfond, Mon Repos Eastern Co operative Credit Union and Saint Lucia Workers Union on Grass Street in Castries and Gablewoods Mall, Sunny Acres. This brings the total of SurePay locations to 20 across the nation.

Officials from JE Bergasse and LIME have declared their satisfaction at the conclusion of these latest agreements and the expansion of SurePay.

“Customers have been telling us how pleased they are with SurePay since we began partnering with them earlier this year,” says Joanna Marius, LIME Head of Customer Experience. “The more options you have for bill payment, especially closer to home or after regular working hours, the better for you as a consumer. Being able to pay with cash, a debit card or credit card, means that settlement of bills is easier than ever, and you can even do part payment.”

JE Bergasse Business Development Manager, Theresa Belizaire says: “We are delighted to have expanded into several new communities, and we are actively working towards further expansion of the SurePay network. This is yet another expression of the confidence that consumers, our partners, and the business community at large have in the product we are offering. Last month, we added the electronic payment option, and as we approach our first anniversary of operation in Saint Lucia, we are thoroughly pleased with the impact we have had on the way Saint Lucians go about their business.”

Customers can pay their LIME landline, Internet, LIME TV and postpaid mobile bills, Digicel, LUCELEC, NicNatDirect, United Insurance and WASCO, with more partners being added on a regular basis. The service is free and all payment records are transmitted directly to LIME’s systems and customer accounts will be kept up-to-date. SurePay also operates in Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Guyana and Trinidad.

To get your SurePay account, visit any SurePay collection point today, present your bills and identification, complete a simple registration form and start your payment transaction. You will never have to walk with a bill again when using the SurePay electronic bill payment service. For more information please contact JE Bergasse & Company Ltd. at 456-6500 or via email atsurepay@jebergasse.com.

Regional Communications Ltd, manufacturers of Cellestial branded cell phones, tablets and laptops in St. Lucia has sponsored one its team-members for participation in the annual international Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme camp – dubbed the Caribbean Award Sub-Regional Council.

Every year the Award Program holds an international gathering in the region attracting young people from all over the Caribbean and parts of the USA, Canada and the UK. This year, the two and a half week event will be hosted in Barbados.

Lana Dujon, a technical supervisor at Cellestial is one of 14 Saint Lucians who qualified for the multi-cultural leadership immersion programme. According to Dujon, selection was based on her high level of achievement in all local Scheme activities. She is also one of the few female leaders attending.

Dujon, who has been a member of the Scheme for nine years and a technician at Cellestial for the past 14 months, says the annual opportunity has proved invaluable for millions of young people internationally, whose life path it has positively impacted. Coincidentally Lana just passed her Level One Cellular Engineering International Certification with distinction at Cellestial last week.

“People all over the world come to experience an international Expedition and Exploration. The purpose of this activity is for participants to complete their qualifying journey for their Silver or Gold award and for Leaders to become qualified and gain global leadership experience. My attendance at CASC will internationally qualify me to run camps and functions more efficiently. It will also be of personal benefit socially, physically, spiritually and mentally. I will learn about cultures from all over the region and hopefully make many new life-long friends.” states Dujon.

Not having the financial means to attend was solved when Regional Communications intervened with a sponsorship offer she could not refuse. The Company, in its quest to become a model employer, advocates personal empowerment, skills training and the elevation of the human condition as brand ideals.

It is this same brand philosophy that has resulted in the ground-breaking partnership with the NSDC to deliver a series of success stories by recruiting and training technicians through the Single Mothers in Life and Employment Skills program (SMILES).

The Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme is about personal development through goal setting and personal challenge in the areas of Service, Adventurous Journey, Skills and Physical Recreation. Cellestial’s Executive Director, Castries-born George Benson says there is a strong resonance between the Scheme’s philosophy and that of his company as they both seek to promote a balanced sense of purpose, self-esteem, self-respect and personal independence.

“I am familiar with the impact that the Scheme has had on world youth and this is one of the few awards in which the total person is developed – from medical training to outdoor survival to academic achievement. It takes seven to eight different dimensions of the human being, and creates the conditions for participants to excel in all of them” states Mr. Benson.

“As a St. Lucian owned and managed company, we’re very proud that one of our own is positioned in such an elevated and respect role at this event. St. Lucia should be equally proud that one its daughters represent us at this esteemed venue.” concludes Benson.

Johnson officially signing his contract to be a Digicel sports endorsee.

The ‘Be Extraordinary’ network Digicel is at it again in signaling its firm support and commitment for yet another promising and inspiring St. Lucian.

This week company officials along with West Indies cricket player Johnson Charles affixed their signatures to a one-year contract that effectively makes him Digicel’s latest extraordinary endorsee.

Charles is a resident of Millet in the east-coast near Anse La Raye. He is the second St. Lucian to secure a regular spot on the West Indies cricket team, featuring prominently in One-Day Internationals and Twenty/20 matches.

Charles expressed delight at receiving the Digicel endorsement, noting: “It is indeed an honour to be chosen by Digicel, a company with such a strong people-oriented brand ideal, as an endorsee. This achievement reassures me that I am extraordinary, but even more so, signals to sportsmen and women across St. Lucia and indeed young people in general, that if they are disciplined and hardworking, recognition will come.”

The Digicel endorsement of Charles results not only in much needed financial support for the promising athlete but highly publicized corporate engagements, sporting interactions and other community-centered developmental activities backed by Digicel.

“As a company deeply rooted and closely linked to the society in which we operate, we are constantly on the lookout for ordinary St. Lucians, who through their dedication, determination and outright dependability continue to distinguish themselves as being extraordinary. The accomplishments of Johnson Charles is exemplary and inspiring to up and coming athletes,” says Digicel’s Marketing Manager Kerchelle Jn Charles.

Charles impressive stint on the team thus far has resulted in him scoring two centuries for the West Indies at the One-Day level. Charles, who is also a prolific cricket keeper, plays with South Castries at the local level.

Cricket fans got an opportunity to see Charles in action when he played for ‘Antigua Hawksbills’ in the first match of the Caribbean Premiere League (CPL) Twenty/20 tournament on August 6 at the BCG. To date several outstanding St. Lucians in disciplines ranging from sports, to music, to entertainment have been endorsed by Digicel.

Digicel extends best wishes to Johnson Charles as he continues his promising sporting career.

A LIAT aircraft

LIAT wishes to advise that its operations continue to be affected by numerous challenges throughout its network.

The Company is currently modernizing its fleet by replacing all of its Dash 8 Aircraft with ATR Aircraft. During this transition, LIAT continues to operate its scheduled passenger and cargo service and carry out scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on its entire fleet of aircraft including the Dash 8 and new ATR 72.

LIAT is also responding to traditionally high demand during the summer peak. This combination of factors has resulted in significant challenges for the company exacerbated by the grounding of one of the company’s new ATR aircraft in Barbados yesterday as a result of a technical issue.

LIAT’s Maintenance Department has advised that the grounded ATR aircraft is likely to remain out of service for the remainder of this week as the matter is being addressed.

The technical issue concerns a higher than normal oil consumption. The safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount importance and as such the Aircraft will only be returned to service after the issue is resolved.

Meanwhile, the challenges being faced by the company have been further exacerbated by recent station staff issues in Dominica and Barbados.

While the company is doing everything to minimise the effects on its customers, they are being advised that for the coming days further disruptions to the schedule are likely to take place.

LIAT will continue to make every effort to mitigate the disruptions. We will also continue to issue timely, informative and up-to-date Passenger Communication Advisories at all stations; through our web siteliat.com; LIAT Facebook and the media; and directly to our customers where contact information has been provided.

The company regrets and would like to sincerely apologise for the inconvenience to its customers as a result of the current challenges. We are doing all we can and we will provide open and honest communication to you while we seek to normalize the situation for our valued customers by providing the care and support that you deserve.

For further information customers are advised to contact – from Antigua – 1-268-480-5582; toll free from the rest of the Caribbean – 1-888-844-5428 and from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands – 1-866-549-5428.

Derek Walcott *http://arcthemagazine.com/

A book highlighting the work of “local literary legend” Derek Walcott has been released.

Entitled “Interlocking Basins of a Globe – Essays on Derek Walcott” the publication features discussions on Walcott’s earliest poetry and some of his recent collections such as The Prodigal (2004) and White Egrets (2010).

It is said to have been acclaimed as an essential addition to the understanding and appreciation of Walcott’s work.
The book was published by Peepal Tree Press.

Founder of that company Jeremy Poynting said, “I like very much that this was a book with a very real Caribbean center of gravity. It’s a book which brings Derek Walcott back home and that I really like about it. I will say a special thank you to the Thomas Fisher rare Book Library for giving permission to and giving us access to their work there and to Derek Walcott himself for giving us permission to use his artwork, the beautiful painting which is on the cover of the book that I think is just right.”

According to him, the essays enclosed in the new publication also features several contributors including Monsignor Patrick Anthony.

According to the official review on the book, “The contributors to this collection are predominantly, but not wholly, Caribbean-based, which ensures that, whilst his position as poet of the world is celebrated, the Caribbean, and more specifically Saint Lucia, is seen as the source to which Derek Walcott’s writing constantly returns.”

Dr. Jean Antoine Dunne edited the book. She is a Trinidadian and Senior Lecturer in Literatures in English at the University of the West Indies.

Capella Hotels and Resorts (CHR) has assumed management of Discovery Hotel at Marigot Bay after it was acquired by an international development group.

CHR, which manages ultra-luxury hotels in Singapore, Pedregal, Mexico and Washington, said it is pleased to add Discovery to its portfolio of “award-winning hotels and resorts.”

In a press release, Horst Schulze, Chairman and CEO of CHR spoke of plans for the establishment.

“We will begin instilling the Capella service philosophy into the property immediately. Additionally, extensive renovations will begin shortly, which we expect to complete by mid next year when it will be branded Capella Marigot Bay. The resort and world class marina will remain fully operational during this time frame,” he said.

Described as a veteran of Capella Hotels, Seán Carney who arrived on island is set to serve as interim general manager of the resort.
Discovery currently features 124 rooms which include 57 suites with their own private plunge pools, spacious balconies and extensive sea views.

“ The property is also home to the ultra-exclusive Capella Marina at Marigot Bay which accommodates some of the most luxurious mega yachts in the world,” the release said.

A yearly back-to-school promotion by the Saint Lucia National Lottery is affording lucky lottery players a chance to win a $5,000 scholarship, among other prizes.

According to a press release, customers can qualify when they purchase $6 or more on Big 4. Upon their $6 purchase, a voucher containing a letter from the words “CASH” and “KINDLE” will be issued. These vouchers are then collected until a customer has all the letters to spell either of these words.

Customers will also receive a raffle voucher with every play, which should be secured for a chance to win the $5,000 scholarship during a draw on August 19, 2013.

“We have had eight CASH winners and three KINDLE winners thus far. There are lots of cash left to be won and some more kindles as well. Take a chance on Big 4, not only can you win $5000 with a $1 bet, you can also win more cash, gadgets and a scholarship too,” the release said.

“The promotion runs until August 17, 2013 but the raffle for the scholarship will be drawn on Monday, August 19 in the evening during our normal draw,” the release stated.

The promotion was launched on July 8, 2013.

Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Richard Branson and Commentator Tony Cozier (Photo by Sandy Pitt)

Sir Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group, has given the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) his seal of approval after attending the Antigua Hawksbills/Barbados Tridents clash.

The Virgin Group is a founding team sponsor for the Hawksbills and Sir Richard’s presence had a galvanising effect on the team as they overcame the table-topping Tridents in a low-scoring thriller.

“I love this league,” he said as he watched the action. “I love the fact it is not stuffy (and) I love the fact that you arrive and there is music playing. People are partying as you only get in the West Indies. The great thing about this cricket is that it is exciting – it is designed to entertain and people want to be entertained.

“”Equally there are cricket buffs who want five-day cricket where no-one wins at the end of it and that is very British and that has a place as well, but from a pure entertainment perspective nothing beats this.”

The Hawksbills’ win against the Tridents ripped up the form book and it was a result that gave Sir Richard cause for celebration.

“It is great to be involved with (Sir) Viv (Richards) and his team,” he said. “We always like to be involved with the underdogs and at the moment the Antigua team is the underdog but that means there is only one way to go –which is up.

“We will have to see how they do in this first season but over the next few years I am sure you will see them competing with the best teams.”

Sir Richard also took time to explain the value of the Virgin Group’s association with the LCPL.

“I think Virgin flies to more destinations [in the Caribbean] than anyone else in Europe and we bring an awful lot of people into the Caribbean and we are very proud of that,” he said.

“We are about to put on brand new planes on all our Caribbean routes and that will be happening in the next few months. The Caribbean has been kind to us and hopefully Virgin’s been kind to the Caribbean,” he added.

Hawksbills coach Sir Vivian Richards presented Sir Richard with his own Hawksbill playing shirt but was diplomatic about his chances of making the squad.

“He will have to do some practice and then we will assess it from there,” said Sir Viv, to which Sir Richard replied, “At least he is considering me!”

Sir Viv added: “It [the LCPL] has been a great format for the region with the excitement and the different side of things it brings with the music, the entertainment and the spectacle.

“To have Sir Richard and his company Virgin involved is great. It is great to have heavyweights behind you.”

The Virgin Group is a tournament partner with Virgin Atlantic the official airline of the LCPL, while Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Media and Virgin Holidays all support the competition.

The inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League runs until 24 August with the two semi-finals and final taking place in Trinidad.

Tune in to SportsMax2 on LIME TV to see if Manchester United can win it again

LIME TV customers in Saint Lucia are set to get twice the volume of exciting English Premier League football this coming season, thanks to the introduction of a new SportsMax channel on the island’s leading cable service provider.

On August 15, Caribbean sports cable broadcaster SportsMax launched a second 24-hour sports channel, SportsMax2, across the Caribbean. With the doubling of the number of Barclays Premier League matches to be broadcast by the two channels, SportsMax and SportsMax2 will offer the region’s most expansive and exclusive sports coverage of cricket, football, track & field, tennis, golf, high school sports and more, including additional content from Premier League TV.

SportsMax2 is on channel 84, which was previously occupied by Fox Soccer Plus. Subscribers to LIME TV will continue to enjoy Fox Soccer Channel on channel 85. The original SportsMax will remain on channel 81, as part of the comprehensive package of sports coverage offered on LIME TV. To access SportsMax2, LIME TV customers can do a Factory Default on their set top boxes, then scan the box using 435000 as start frequency and 705000 as end frequency.

The MaxPak package therefore now includes SportsMax and SportsMax2, allowing for more LIVE coverage of all sports carried by the channels. In addition to exclusive UEFA Champions League matches and international friendlies, the MaxPak will be the only place for viewers around the region to watch LIVE international cricket from England, Australia, South Africa, India and the Indian Premier League.

The two channels will air an astounding 320 BPL matches (an increase of 70 matches more than ever broadcast in the Caribbean before) over the course of the season which kicks off on August 17 with “The Special One” Jose Mourinho leading Chelsea against Hull, and Manchester United, without Alex Ferguson, facing Swansea. Fans can look forward to even more live broadcasts of the world’s most watched football league, including content from Premier League TV.

SportsMax2 will carry the majority of the BPL and UEFA matches as well as the content from Premier League TV while SportsMax will continue to broadcast international cricket such as the current Ashes and the upcoming Australia tour to India in addition to WTA tennis and IAAF track & field.

Tanya Lee, Caribbean marketing manager of SportsMax TV, explains, “SportsMax2 will not only guarantee the sports fan more sports content options, it will now allow us to show more live content simultaneously. For example, cricket fans enjoying matches from South Africa will now see their matches in its entirety while BPL is live on another SportsMax channel.”

Lee continued, “Having 2 channels also gives us the opportunity to produce and acquire more content that is in demand by the Caribbean audience that these channels are tailored for; more cricket, more football, more track & field, more tennis, more of everything our Caribbean subscribers wants, when they want it.”

Chris Williams, General Manager of LIME Saint Lucia, shows off the BlackBerry Z10

Results are in at all levels, and students from infant school to university are preparing to return to the classrooms.

And with all the expenditure associated with the start of a new academic year, LIME is helping parents save a bundle with some great back-to-school deals this year.

LIME is ready to help families with back-to-school shopping and is offering massive discounts and specials for new and existing customers, on all of its services. The new offers are part of a grand Back-to-School promotion which runs until September 7.

LIME mobile customers will get the chance to win a BlackBerry Z10 by simply texting QUIZ to 2929. Each text cost $1. In addition, new customers signing up for postpaid mobile service will get a chance to win a Nokia Lumia 620. The winners will be announced on September 10, 2013.

All new customers signing up for broadband service get a free basic modem and a chance to win a Lenovo Netbook. This offer does not include the Mega Pay-As-You-Go plan. Customers can upgrade to a wireless modem for just $99.50. Four lucky customers will win a Lenovo Netbook.

New customers signing up for landline service get free installation and a free landline phone, plus free voicemail and call-waiting features, and 80 minutes of free calls to LIME landlines monthly.

New customers signing up for LIME TV get 25 percent off the basic pack for 12 months and the first set top box is free. They also get 50 percent off additional boxes for 12 months, for up to 4 boxes. Installation and activation are free, plus customers get a waiver on the monthly fee for one month.

One lucky LIME TV customer will win three months of free rental for the basic pack from October to December 2013. The winner will be announced on September 10.

Existing customers who switch to LIME TV digital service get free activation and the first set top box is free. They also get 50 percent off additional boxes for 12 months, for up to 4 boxes.

“With these fantastic offers we’re making it easier than ever for customers to get the latest amazing handsets and the best deals on telecoms services in the market,” said LIME Head of Marketing & Communications, Laurencia Cadette. “By taking advantage of these back-to-school offers, parents and students can save hundreds of dollars on broadband, mobile, cable TV and landline services, all of which they need for home and school and can be enjoyed by the entire family,” she added.

Amid tough economic times loyal Digicel customers are being offered cold hard cash to help ease the back to school blues. Still proving to be the “Bigger, Better Network”, dozens of Digicel customers continue to receive loyalty rewards to the tune $500.

Parents and customers generally across the length and breadth of St. Lucia have been responding positively to the cash rewards under the Digicel ‘Back to School’ promotion, as they prepare to have children return to the classrooms for the 2013/14 academic year which begins in September.

Digicel prepaid customers have the convenience of replenishing their accounts in several ways. One way which allows customers the opportunity to win and receive cash is by use of the Digicel website. By logging on to www.digicelstlucia.com prepaid customers who top up $51.75 or more instantly qualify for the “Back to School” promotion to win $500 cash, given just in time to purchase back to school supplies.

Corey St. Hill, Whitfield Jack and Martha Eugene are the three latest winners who have received the cash prize of $500. On receiving the phone calls from RCI’s announcer ‘Superman HD’, all three winners were ecstatic about their cash winnings, as it came at an opportune time.

Marketing Manager Kerchelle Jn Charles commented, “Digicel is delighted to continue to give back in such a profound way to loyal customers who top up online. This tangible reward of cash back in such a significant amount will no doubt greatly assist customers, many of whom are parents, as they preparing their young ones for the new academic year.”

A grand prize of $3000 cash is still up for grabs as customers can continue to top up online to win. School is almost here and many families are caught in the hustle and bustle of back to school preparations. Keep qualifying for this fantastic promotion by topping up $51.75 on Digicel’s website to be a winner with Digicel, the “Be Extraordinary” network.

Promotion ends September 5th 2013.

Three of the 5 Lucky winners of the Ultimate VIP Party at the CPL Match.

Five extraordinary customers and their friends have received the ultimate VIP experience compliments Digicel, at the last of three cricket matches played at the Beausejour Cricket Grounds during the Limacol Caribbean Premiere League (LCPL) Twenty/20 cricket tournament.

Digicel customers Sean St. John, Nathaniel Emilien, Tasha Moise, Christine Moise, and Sian Smith together with their dear friends took in the action of the August 10 match in grand style as the home team, the St. Lucian Zouks, battled against the Jamaica Tallawahs.

The highly anticipated final LCPL match to be played on home soil was filled with excitement and intrigue, attracting thousands of fans who came out to support the Darren Sammy lead team. To enhance customer experience at this exciting match, Digicel embarked on a promotion for all customers allowing them to text to participate and win a VIP party in their very own cooperate box for them and their friends.

A total of five customers won this unique prize and got a chance to invite five friends each to share in this opportunity. Sean St John, Nathaniel Emilien, Tasha Moise, Christine Moise and Sian Smith had the time of their lives as a total of thirty got food and drink catered for in their very own private box. In addition to inviting friends, the five winners each walked away with a Digicel Samsung Galaxy S4.
Nathaniel Emilien exclaimed, “I was truly thrilled to be one of the winners of such a great prize and thoroughly enjoyed the extraordinary VIP experience that was afforded me and my friends as part of this exciting tournament.“

Digicel’s Marketing Manager Kerchelle Jn Charles noted, “Bringing this ultimate VIP experience to the winning customers and their friends and to have it done at such a historic matchup of teams, is precisely the one-of-a-kind customer outreach Digicel prides itself on. All Digicel customers are extraordinary and we seek to reward that in exemplary ways. We also note customers unwavering passion for the game of cricket making such interactive promotions, which place them in the midst of the game, all the more dear to us.”

Digicel encourages all to continue supporting the LCPL as matches continue to be played leading up to the final on August 24.

Joint Communique Signing Ceremony

A joint communiqué has been officially signed between Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony and President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Ma Ying-Jeou.

The document, which summarizes relations between the Taiwanese president and the St. Lucian government during President Ma’s visit to the island between August 15 -18, 2013, was signed today, August 16, 1013.

Among the matters highlighted in the document are talks between the President Ma and the St. Lucian government on issues relating to climate change, possible economic interventions from Taiwan and the current global economic crisis.

The entire document has been reprinted below for your viewing:

JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ

BETWEEN

THE HONOURABLE DR. KENNY D. ANTHONY,

PRIME MINISTER OF SAINT LUCIA

AND

HIS EXCELLENCY MA YING-JEOU,

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN)

At the invitation of the Honourable Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, His Excellency Ma Ying-jeou, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), paid a state visit to Saint Lucia from the fifteenth to the eighteenth of August, 2013. The President and his delegation received a warm welcome at the Hewanorra International Airport, where they were met by ministers and other officials of the Government of Saint Lucia.

During the visit, President Ma and Prime Minister Anthony cordially exchanged views on current world events and issues of mutual interest.

1. President Ma and Prime Minister Anthony underscored the importance of peace and stability for the welfare, prosperity and development of all people. As such, they reaffirmed their commitment to closer cooperation in an effort to promote peace, prosperity and human dignity in their respective regions.

2.Prime Minister Anthony welcomed President Ma’s efforts to improve “cross-strait” relations and encouraged all initiatives geared toward the peaceful resolution of these issues. President Ma expressed support for Prime Minister Anthony’s efforts in promoting the welfare of the people of Saint Lucia and acknowledged that both countries treasured the fundamental values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.

3.Prime Minister Anthony expressed admiration for the efforts of President Ma to bring to justice those engaged in corrupt activities in his country. The two leaders emphasized that corruption retarded economic growth and development, led to penury, inequity and undermined good governance. The two leaders concluded that corruption, therefore, must be denounced and vigorously tackled in accordance with the rule of law.

4. Prime Minister Anthony reiterated Saint Lucia’s support for the aspirations of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to seek membership in international organizations, such as the World Health Organisation, and expressed his belief that the international community has much to gain from the contribution, expertise and experience of as many stakeholders as possible.

5. Prime Minister Anthony and President Ma confirmed the importance of the need for climate change adaptation and mitigation, particularly to Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Prime Minister Anthony noted that Saint Lucia is highly vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change. He indicated that this has had the coupled effect of stunting economic growth and increasing debt levels as Saint Lucia has had to take actions to mitigate the impacts of climate change and to respond to the debilitating effects of disasters.

6. President Ma expressed the understanding of the Republic of China (Taiwan) that cooperation on disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and mitigation is important for the future development of Saint Lucia.

7. Prime Minister Anthony noted and supported the participation of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in global climate change action through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

8. President Ma reaffirmed that the Republic of China (Taiwan) will continue to provide assistance to support the development programme of Saint Lucia and, in particular, its agriculture and tourism sectors; science and technology; healthcare; sustainable energy; public sector modernisation; community infrastructure; and poverty alleviation. The Republic of China (Taiwan) will also share other aspects of its social, human and economic development experiences with Saint Lucia.

9. Prime Minister Anthony emphasized the importance of private sector investment to Saint Lucia’s sustainable economic growth and invited the Republic of China (Taiwan) to encourage foreign direct investment, particularly in tourism and manufacturing, so as to deepen economic partnership.

10. As a consequence, President Ma and Prime Minister Anthony concluded that the two countries should pursue an agreement for the promotion and protection of investment, as well as arrangements for the promotion of trade, technology transfer and travel.

11. On behalf of the Government and People of Saint Lucia, Prime Minister Anthony expressed his gratitude for the assistance of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in improving Saint Lucia’s infrastructure at the national and community levels. He also expressed appreciation for partnerships in the field of agriculture, health, education and human resource development, which all redound to the benefit of the people of Saint Lucia.

12. The two leaders pledged their continued cooperation and friendship as they seek to further the common interests of their peoples.

13. President Ma expressed sincere appreciation to Prime Minister Anthony, as well as to the Government and People of Saint Lucia for the warm hospitality and courtesies extended to him and the members of his delegation.

Done in duplicate in the English and Chinese languages, in Castries, Saint Lucia, on the sixteenth day of August in the year Two Thousand and Thirteen, corresponding to the sixteenth day of the eighth month in the One Hundred and Second year of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

…………………………………….                           ………………………………………

Kenny D Anthony                                               Ma Ying-Jeou
Prime Minister President                                Saint Lucia Republic of China (Taiwan)