Buckie Got It : St Kitts and Nevis News

International Sports, Sports

Miguel Francis: Usain Bolt training partner switches allegiance to Great Britain

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/miguel-francis-usain-bolt-training-partner-switches-allegiance-great-britain-1615773 #

Published 7 April, 2017

Francis is free to compete for GB with immediate effect.Getty Images

Usain Bolt‘s training partner Miguel Francis is eligible to compete for Great Britain with “immediate effect” after transferring his allegiance from Antigua and Barbuda. The 22-year-old, whose 200m personal best of 19.88 seconds made him the seventh-fastest man over the distance in 2016, was eligible for the switch having been born in Montserrat – a British overseas territory – despite the International Associations of Athletics Federations [IAAF] planning to cease such moves.

President Sebastian Coe had announced that changes in nationality would be outlawed earlier in the year, claiming the rules which allowed such acts were “no longer fit for purpose” and “open to abuse”. But with Francis’ attempts to join GB having started before the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in August he has been handed special dispensation. The IAAF claimed in February that all applications for transfer had been put on hold.

Francis has represented Antigua and Berbuda at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 World Athletics Championships, but missed the Rio Games through injury. His sprinting exploits make him a valuable asset to Britain, while his background training with Bolt’s mentor Glen Mills means he joins the team with an already substantial reputation.

A statement from British athletics read: “British Athletics can confirm it has received confirmation from the IAAF that Miguel Francis is eligible to compete for the British Athletics team with immediate effect.

“The 22 year-old sprinter who was born in Montserrat is eligible for transfer of allegiance to GB with his birthplace a British overseas territory. Francis started the process to transfer allegiance from Antigua & Barbuda in August 2016, prior to the Olympic Games in Rio, and is now eligible to compete subject to meeting the required selection criteria for a Championships team.”

The timing of the transfer means Francis could represent Britain during the Diamond League season which begins in Doha in May. The European Athletics Team Championships follow at a venue still to be confirmed before the World Championships take place in London in August.

International Sports, Sports

Kim Collins in Grenada for April 1 Saturday’s first ever Grenada Invitati

Published 7 April 2017

Kim Collins in Grenada for April 1 Saturday’s first ever Grenada Invitational!

Education, Local news, News

UNESCO Programme specialist on Youth Policy Pays Courtesy Call on Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Shawn K. Richards

http://timescaribbeanonline.com/unesco-programme-specialist-youth-policy-pays-courtesy-call-deputy-prime-minister-hon-shawn-k-richards/ #

Published 7 April, 2017

(NATCOM) – Basseterre, April 3, 2017: Programme Specialist for Social and Human Sciences Sector and Gender Focal Point in the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean Ms. Gisselle Burbano, visited the Federation last week to participate in the final consultation on the Youth Policy towards which UNESCO has provided substantial technical and financial assistance.

According to Secretary General of the National Commission for UNESCO Mr. Antonio Maynard, Ms. Burbano came to participate as a means of solidifying UNESCO’s continued commitment to seeing the project through to completion as well as its implementation in the various sectors thereafter in collaboration with its partner in this venture, the Commonwealth.

Mr. Maynard stated that UNESCO in keeping with its mandate obligates itself to ensuring that young people are empowered to benefit from the communities in which they live and to be equipped to contribute significantly as well.

The visiting consultant on the Youth Policy took the opportunity to meet with Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture Hon Shawn Richards on whose initiative the revival of Youth Policy development was sparked.

UNESCO’s role has been outstanding as one of the United Nations agencies most visible in the pursuit of the youth agenda. The framework for the youth policy and development is largely set by the United Nations (UN) and its various agencies, subsidiary organs and affiliated organizations to establishing strategies, targets and indicators that guide actions, targets and indicators on the issues of girls, women, males, marginalized populations and young people, that are relevant in the development of youth policy.

Minister of Education Hon Shawn Richards said the drafting and implementation of a National Youth Policy is a “win-win” across sectors. He noted specifically that “as a tool that would guide governmental agencies in support of youth development as well as a lobbying instrument for youth-serving agencies and organizations, it would assist in the advocacy for obtainable targets and goals for young people.”

The consultant and Deputy Prime Minister Richards also took the opportunity to discuss related matters including Gender Equity; Doping in Sports and other youth centered projects and programmes in which UNESCO’s role has been outstanding and invaluable.

Minister Richards stated that the support from UNESCO and the Commonwealth has been insightful and laid the groundwork for a successful endeavour as his ministry has sought to ensure that the Federal Youth Policy 2017-2022 is being done in consultation with the Global Agenda for Youth Development as well as the OECS and CARICOM Agendas which outline global themes and priorities.

In the national context the following have been identified as priority goals: Economic Participation; Safety, Security and Protection: Education and Lifelong Learning; Health and Wellbeing; Youth as Agents of democracy, development and nation building: Youth and Sustainable Development as well as Youth Development Work

According to the document the youth policy is predicated within an image of success for all young people, and ideal vision of the Federation with young women and men as enablers and assets to current and future development.

A national youth policy is a clear framework, based on rights, needs, youth talents and assets that establishes the agreed agenda and investment strategy for cross-sectoral supports for youth wellbeing.

It provides the comprehensive framework for inclusive participation of young people as assets to national development; cooperation and integrated supports to build resilience and strengths for young people’s empowerment; a national system of accountability on the impacts of investments in youth development as well as building national capacity for the quality conduct and management of youth work and development as an enabler of national development.

Local news, News

Nevis Min. Of Tourism Invites Public To Thanksgiving Church Service

Published 7 April, 2017

NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (April 06, 2017) — The Ministry of Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), is inviting the public to attend a Thanksgiving Church Service at the Church of God, Eden Brown on Sunday, April 09, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.

The service forms part of the Ministry’s month of awareness activities for Exposition Nevis 2017 from April 06, to 09, 2017. The theme is ‘All Things Tourism, Sustainability is our Responsibility’

Crime/Justice, Local news, News

http://www.nevispages.com/nevisian-appointed-judge-of-second-high-court-in-st-kitts-and-nevis/ #

Published 6 April, 2017

Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 06, 2017 (SKNIS): The opening of the new second high court at the Sir Lee Llewellyn Moore Judicial Complex in Basseterre, St. Kitts, which will help to expedite the dispensation of justice, has seen the appointment of a second judge to serve the St. Kitts Circuit – the Honourable Justice Pearletta Lanns, a daughter of the soil.

At his (Wednesday, April 8) monthly press conference, Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris welcomed Justice Lanns, when reiterating the government’s promise of having a second high court, which “goes to the heart of law and order and our democracy.” Dr. Harris said that such an initiative forms part of the government’s good governance agenda which promotes transparency and accountability.

“We have now delivered on both, and for this I want to thank the Chief Justice of the [Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court], the Honourable Dame Janice Pereira for working with us to ensure that we can deliver this so soon in 2017,” said Dr. Harris. “The second high court is now served by the Hon. Justice Pearletta Lanns who hails from the Federation. We welcome her and we wish her well in this high office. We will now have continuous sittings relating to criminal matters all year long and, similarly, we will have continuous hearings of civil matters.”

Prime Minister Harris said that the opening of the second high court and the appointment of a new judge will speed up the workings of the justice system.

“This should lead to a significant diminution in the backlog of cases. Justice, then, will be more swiftly obtained in St. Kitts and Nevis and this is good for the country. It is good for business, it is good for citizens that the long delays [will no longer be] part of our judicial system. Justice delayed, justice denied,” he said.

In 1985, Justice Lanns, on completion of her library degree, attended the University of the West Indies University Centre in St. Kitts and joined the Challenge Programme, which had offered a first year Law LLB of the degree programme. She later obtained her legal education certificate in 1995 from the Sir Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago and was admitted to the Bar in the Federation that same year.

Justice Lanns has served as Crown Counsel, Registrar of Companies, Registrar of the High Court, Provost Marshall, Additional Magistrate, Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Registrar of Lands and Deeds, Registrar of Probate and Registrar of Intellectual Property. Justice Pearletta Lanns was appointed to the post of Master of the Supreme Court in 2007. She was the first female in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis to be appointed to the position.