标签： Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

In a significant cultural exchange, Nona Aquan, a Trinidad-born spiritual leader residing in New York, made a profound visit to the northeastern community of Fancy on Thursday, March 26, 2025. Despite being recognized as a “Carib queen,” Aquan prefers the maternal titles of “Mama” or “Aunty,” emphasizing her role as a community elder and spiritual guide rather than a monarch.

During her exclusive interview with iWitness News, Aquan articulated her philosophy of community support, stating: “I am here for the community as an elder who provides guidance in health, social matters, mental and physical wellbeing. My mission is to remind people to embrace sustainability by consuming what we cultivate in our gardens rather than manufactured foods.” She passionately advocated for a return to traditional practices, noting that “everything needed for healing, nourishment of body, mind, and soul can be found in the garden.”

The spiritual leader expressed particular concern for women and children, whom she identified as the foundation of community future. “Children offer unconditional love and honesty that adults often withhold,” Aquan observed, highlighting the special connection she shares with younger generations.

Her visit to Fancy left Aquan visibly moved, describing the experience as “wonderful” and “a blessing.” She recounted being brought to tears by the community’s singing and feeling a deep connection to her ancestors during the visit. The cultural exchange included Aquan sampling local delicacies such as boiled peanuts for the first time and noting similarities between Vincentian doucana and Trinidadian pastels.

Accompanied by a seven-member delegation including North Windward MP Shevern John (who also serves as Minister of Social Welfare, Community Empowerment, Disaster Management, and National Heritage), Aquan witnessed exhibitions of traditional crafts and foods at Fancy Government School. The display featured woven baskets, coconut oil, root crops, and indigenous foods including doucouna, sweet potato pudding, and farine, with meals served traditionally in calabashes.

Despite celebrating the thriving Garifuna culture in Fancy, Aquan raised concerns about the community’s declining population, evidenced by small classroom sizes. She humorously yet earnestly encouraged procreation, stating: “The classes should be like 20-30, not six or seven. The land provides for us.”

Fancy Government School holds distinction as the only educational institution in St. Vincent and the Grenadines where Garifuna language, heritage, and culture are formally taught, despite not being part of the official national curriculum. The school regularly performs the national anthem in Garifuna at national events, serving as a vital repository of indigenous cultural practices.

A 19-year-old British national from South Wales received a substantial fine in St. Vincent’s Serious Offences Court on Thursday after being intercepted with 2.5 kilograms of cocaine at Argyle International Airport. Warren Lee Davies was arrested on March 18 when authorities discovered three taped packages of the illicit substance concealed within his carry-on luggage as he attempted to board a Virgin Atlantic flight.

Defense attorney Grant Connell presented a compelling narrative of coercion, asserting his client acted under severe duress rather than criminal intent. “This case presents extraordinary circumstances,” Connell addressed the court. “The young man was vacationing here when he was compelled to transport a package under threat of death.”

The prosecution highlighted that Davies initially refused to open the suitcase when instructed by authorities, requiring police to employ a boltcutter for access. However, the defense emphasized the suitcase featured a combination lock to which Davies had never been provided access codes, suggesting his unawareness of the contents.

Connell challenged the drug trafficking characterization, noting the packaging methodology—cocaine wrapped in tissue within taped packages—deviated significantly from typical cartel operations. “There are no brand markings, no scorpion symbols, nothing indicative of organized crime involvement,” the lawyer stated after examining the evidence firsthand.

Further supporting the coercion argument, Connell revealed the suitcase contained four T-shirts twice Davies’ size, indicating the belongings did not originally belong to the defendant. The attorney controversially asserted that police protection guarantees in St. Vincent constituted “an oxymoron,” questioning the feasibility of witness protection.

Throughout court proceedings, Davies displayed minimal emotional expression, described by his lawyer as having “gone catatonic” since the airport incident. During sentencing, the defendant remained largely motionless until discussions turned to potential imprisonment, when he exhibited visible nervousness through physical twitches and restless movements.

Chief Magistrate Colin John ultimately convicted Davies on three counts: possession with intent to supply, attempted exportation, and possession for drug trafficking purposes. The court imposed a $20,000 fine for each count, payable immediately, with alternative one-year prison sentences for each default to run concurrently.

Following sentencing, Davies’ demeanor transformed dramatically. After returning to the prisoners’ bench, he received an encouraging smile and wink from his attorney. During court recess, the previously catatonic teenager became effervescent, enthusiastically using his lawyer’s phone to communicate with an unknown party while displaying visible relief.

In a Kingstown Magistrate’s Court ruling on Monday, a 40-year-old electrician from Redemption Sharpes received a 13-month prison term for residential burglary, marking his eighth criminal conviction within the past decade. Gideon Quow appeared before Senior Magistrate Tamika McKenzie, where he admitted to unlawfully entering the dwelling of Don Phillips between February 22 and March 1.

The court heard that Quow, who had been previously employed by the victim for construction work, stole building materials totaling EC$267.23 from Phillips’ residence. The stolen items included a white tarpaulin (EC$80), a Rubis gas cylinder (EC$40), multipurpose cement (EC$60), a kitchen faucet (EC$89.09), and a bathroom shower head (EC$40).

Prosecutor Akeem Solelyn presented evidence indicating that Phillips discovered the burglary upon returning home on March 1 at approximately 5:30 PM, noting an open window and missing construction materials. Following a police report, PC 151 Defreitas conducted an investigation that led to Quow’s residence. Although initial searches revealed nothing, Quow subsequently directed officers to the home of Keron James, where the tarpaulin and gas bottle were recovered.

The defendant provided a written confession to the offense, resulting in his arrest and formal burglary charges. During mitigation, Quow appealed for leniency, citing his parental responsibilities for two children and expressing remorse, stating he ‘could not sleep at night’ and requested forgiveness from the victim.

The prosecution emphasized Quow’s extensive criminal history, which includes convictions for theft, attempted burglary, and assault occasioning bodily harm. Notably, this offense occurred less than two years after his previous sentencing for similar crimes. Magistrate McKenzie imposed the 13-month custodial sentence alongside an order for EC$150 in immediate compensation, with a three-month imprisonment alternative should payment not be forthcoming.

A devastating minivan accident in Overland on Thursday afternoon resulted in one fatality and left multiple individuals hospitalized, including students from local communities. The incident occurred approximately at 5:20 p.m. near the Bailey bridge approach toward Sandy Bay, where a white Toyota Hiace van (registration H8860) veered off the roadway and descended an embankment.

Authorities confirmed the deceased as 74-year-old Mary Bracken, a domestic worker from Sandy Bay. Initial police reports inaccurately indicated two fatalities, which was subsequently corrected to a single death following further investigation.

The vehicle, which typically transports students from Fancy and Owia to Georgetown Secondary School, was carrying 18 passengers in addition to the driver and conductor at the time of the accident. Notably, investigative sources indicate that the van’s regular student transport driver was not operating the vehicle during the tragic incident.

Emergency services responded promptly to the scene, transporting injured individuals to medical facilities where two remain hospitalized. The Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force has launched a comprehensive investigation to determine the exact circumstances and contributing factors behind the accident, including road conditions, vehicle mechanical integrity, and driver credentials.

A tense confrontation between a traffic officer and a bus conductor near Calliaqua Playing Field escalated dramatically on Thursday afternoon, culminating in a police corporal discharging his firearm twice to restore order. The incident occurred during peak afternoon traffic as students were returning from the Inter-Secondary School Athletics Meet at Sir Vincent Beache Stadium.

According to eyewitness accounts and official reports, the altercation began when a traffic officer signaled an overloaded passenger bus to stop while it was en route to Kingstown. What started as a routine traffic intervention rapidly deteriorated into a physical altercation, with witnesses reporting the traffic officer throwing his helmet at the bus conductor during the heated exchange.

The escalating violence drew significant public attention and created substantial traffic disruptions along the busy roadway, with vehicles backing up in both directions due to the obstruction. The situation reached a critical point when a uniformed police corporal arrived on the scene, running along the opposite lane before discharging his service weapon twice into the air as a deterrent measure.

Authorities subsequently escorted both the bus conductor and the vehicle to a nearby police station for further investigation. No injuries were reported from either the physical altercation or the firearm discharge, with police characterizing the shots as a necessary de-escalation tactic rather than directed fire. The incident highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in maintaining public order during high-traffic events involving large student populations.

In a significant drug trafficking case at Argyle International Airport, a 19-year-old British national faced substantial penalties for attempting to transport cocaine out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Warren Lee Davies from South Wales, England, received fines totaling EC$60,000 after pleading guilty to three cocaine-related charges during his first visit to the Caribbean nation.

The incident unfolded on March 18 when Sergeant DaSouza of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, acting on intelligence, monitored Davies as he prepared to board Virgin Atlantic flight VS198 to England. At the security checkpoint following immigration, aviation security personnel requested police intervention after Davies refused to open his red-and-black carry-on suitcase.

Using bolt-cutters to access the luggage in Davies’ presence, officers discovered three taped packages containing a white substance later confirmed as cocaine, along with four jerseys. The narcotics weighed approximately 2,500 grams (2.5 kilograms) with an estimated street value between EC$62,500 and EC$75,000.

During legal proceedings, defense counsel Grant Connell presented mitigating circumstances, noting his client’s employment as a farmer, parental status, and immediate guilty plea. Connell argued for suspended sentencing and financial penalties rather than incarceration, emphasizing the substantial cost of imprisonment to the state.

Chief Magistrate Colin John determined that suspended sentencing would be impractical for a non-national and instead applied sophisticated calculations based on Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Sentencing Guidelines. After considering the drug’s value, applying punitive multipliers, and incorporating discounts for mitigating factors including Davies’ youth and immaturity, the court arrived at the EC$60,000 fine.

The structured penalty requires immediate payment of EC$20,000 for the export attempt charge with a one-year prison alternative, plus equivalent fines and prison alternatives for the remaining charges. Davies was remanded to custody pending payment but could secure release upon satisfying the financial penalties.