FICS co-founder Lusca Theophilus is laid to rest

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Issue 200
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FICS co-founder Lusca Theophilus is
laid to rest
St. Lucia over the past week mourned the loss
of a consummate educator and business woman
Lusca Theophilus, the wife of banking and
finance guru George Theophilus. The two grew
up in the shadows of Gros Piton in Choiseul.
Both teachers eventually got married and Lusca
Theophilus went on to establish sterling records
of achievement in education.
In 1991 George Theophilus and his wife embarked
on their life’s mission – the establishment of their
own financial institution – Financial Investment
and Consultancy Services FICS.
Co-founder of FICS Lusca Theophilus
It was incorporated in November 1991 and opened its doors to the public on February 24, 1992. FICS was started with an injection of $140,000.00 and to date has an asset base of over $140M
and has operated at a profit ever since.
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....Creative Media Solutions
October 29, 2012
➤➤ FICS co-founder Lusca Theophilus is
laid to rest
➤➤ Laurie Barnard, Managing Director of
St. Lucia Distillers has passed
➤➤ St. Lucia at 53, still top-ranked for
doing business
➤➤ Britain’s House of Commons to
debate APD on November 1st
➤➤ St. Lucia is asked to consider
investing in LIAT
➤➤ Greater support needed for young
entrepreneurs
➤➤ SLASPA seeking new design
concepts for Hewanorra Airport
➤➤ Chris Williams is General Manager of
LIME St. Lucia
➤➤ Viking awards featured in
publications
Lusca Theophilus has been a pillar of support for her husband who’s been at the helm of the
organisation since inception.
➤➤ LUCELEC powers 2012 Jennes
Kwéyòl Pageant
Mrs. Theophilus was laid to rest on Saturday.
➤➤ Piton beer celebrates twentieth
anniversary
The Caribbean Business Report extends condolences to Mr. George Theophilus, Wendy Theophilus
[daughter] the Acting Managing Director, the staff of Financial Investment Consultancy Services
Ltd and Lorne Theophilus, [son] the current Minister for Tourism, Heritage and the Creative
Industries.
➤➤ Gladys Noel treated royally for
winning Miss SLHTA
➤➤ Sandals Halcyon scores big rating on
TripAdvisor
➤➤ Sandals coming to Grenada in
December, says finance minister
Calabash TV and the Caribbean
Business Report will provide
special coverage of Global
Entrepreneurship Week
November 12th -18th 2012.
Stay tuned for details.
➤➤ LUCELEC launches electricity theft
reduction initiative
➤➤ Biggest, newest renewable energy
plant opens in Barbados
➤➤ Consuelo Dupal wins Miss Caribbean
Tourism Queen Pageant
»»Headlines
Laurie Barnard, Managing Director of St. Lucia
Distillers has passed
A true titan of local business has passed. Laurie Barnard,
who’s synonymous with the development of the rum industry
in St. Lucia, also served with distinction as chairman of the
St. Lucia Tourist Board.
The staff of St. Lucia Distillers was saddened to learn of the
passing of former Managing Director Laurie Barnard. The
company which is among the leading rum distilleries in the
region was built on the vision and drive of Laurie Barnard
and his family.
Former Managing Director of St. Lucia
Distillers Laurie Barnard
His great-great grand parents came to St. Lucia in the 1830s
and at the turn of the century bought a sugar estate. They
eventually moved into rum production with Laurie Barnard
himself getting involved in 1963 and as they say the rest is
a proud history. St. Lucia Distillers has won global awards
for their quality rums, branded under the slogan, “The Spirit
of St. Lucia”.
Laurie Barnard was an astute business man and a passionate rum producer.
Saint Lucia’s Tourism Minister Lorne Theophilus along with the Board of Directors and staff of the Saint
Lucia Tourist Board are mourning the unfortunate passing of former Chairman of the agency Mr. Laurie
Barnard.
Tourism Director Louis Lewis says the former chairman provided sterling leadership for the SLTB during
his tenure which spanned February 2007 to December 2011 and helped steered the agency throughout
some of its most trying times.
Current Tourist Board Chairman Matthew Beaubrun says, “Laurie, as he was affectionately called, was an
iconic businessman that pioneered the development of world class entrepreneurship on Saint Lucia.”
Beaubrun went on to praise Laurie Bernard’s sharp business acumen, noting that “the SLTB and the entire
business sector here on Saint Lucia and indeed the region, have lost a mentor and champion.”
The Board of Directors, management and staff of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board have expressed deep
condolences to the wife and family of Laurie Bernard on his untimely passing.
The Caribbean Business Report extends condolences to Margaret Monplaisir and the staff of St. Lucia
Distillers and the Barnard family.
CTV NEWS
Prime Minister pleased UK Parliamentarians have heeded letter
St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony a few months ago in his capacity as CARICOM chairman wrote the British
Prime Minister requesting a rethink of the Air Passenger Duty [APD] which has been deemed discriminatory and damaging
to the region’s tourism industry.
Dr. Anthony said he has received a reply to his letter from the British Minister for Finance George Osborne and said that he
would be circulating it to tourism authorities. Dr. Anthony promised that the letter will be made public within a few days.
Word came out late last week that the House of Commons will on November 1st debate the APD and as a result UK
Parliamentarians are being lobbied by Caribbean interests to get the UK government to reconfigure the tax on airline
passengers to the Caribbean. [see story below]
Kenny Anthony on APD
The Caribbean Business Report caught up with Dr. Kenny Anthony at Jounen Kweyol celebrations yesterday and asked
for a reaction to the announcement of the debate. Dr. Anthony said he was exceedingly happy that the APD was on the
agenda noting that the work that has been done among members of the British Parliament was bearing fruit. Dr. Anthony, on his last visit to the UK met with some
members of the Parliament there and stressed the need to get the government to rethink the APD.
“SO finally I think the message is coming through and I am delighted that UK Parliamentarians have finally understood what we are trying to say and at least have
managed to raise it and I look forward to the debate”.
St. Lucia at 53, still top-ranked for doing business
For the second year in a row, St Lucia is the top-ranked CARICOM
country for ease of doing business, according to the Doing Business
2013 Report from the World Bank.
St Lucia was ranked 53rd worldwide on the list, although that represented
a drop from its ranking of 51 in the 2012 report.
Puerto Rico was the highest-ranked place overall in the Caribbean for
the ease of doing business, coming in at 41st.
Coming in at second in CARICOM was Antigua and Barbuda, which
was ranked 63rd overall, followed by Dominica at 68th.
Fourth on the CARICOM list was Trinidad and Tobago at 69th, followed
by St Vincent and the Grenadines at 77th.
The report looks at a series of regulations that apply to an economy’s
businesses during their life cycles, from startup to trading across
borders and paying taxes.
Worldwide, Singapore topped the rankings for the seventh year in a
row.
Britain’s House of Commons to debate APD on November 1st
The Caribbean community in the United Kingdom is mobilizing support for a
debate in the main chamber of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom
due to take place on Thursday. The Air Passenger Duty is a sore point for
Caribbean governments and tourism interest and the Caribbean diaspora in
the UK has been contacting their Members of Parliament encouraging them to
participate in the debate.
The APD is being roundly criticised for being discriminatory as it unduly favors
the United States, a competitor destination to the Caribbean. St Lucia’s Prime
Minister, Dr Kenny Anthony, in his position as Chairman of the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM), wrote to the UK Chancellor in July 2012 highlighting
the damage that APD is doing to Caribbean tourism, the Caribbean community
in the UK and the UK Caribbean relationship.
A recent study by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) confirms fears
that APD is squeezing the Caribbean’s UK market. British Airways has reduced flights to the Caribbean due to rises in APD.
The APD is applied through a four band system. In 2009, with the introduction of the four band system, the British government placed the Caribbean in
Band C because Caribbean capitals are just over 4000 miles from London. However, because Washington DC is just under 4000 miles from London, the
whole of the United States (US), including Los Angeles (over 5,300 miles from London) and Hawaii (over 7,200 miles from London), were placed in Band
B. South Florida - a competitor destination - benefits from this. The APD cost for a family of four flying to the Caribbean is currently £324 in economy,
whilst the equivalent APD cost to the US is only £260.
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St. Lucia is asked to consider investing in LIAT
A delegation from the regional airline,
LIAT, has held talks with the St. Lucia
government urging Castries to invest
in the cash-strapped Antigua-based
airline.
The LIAT delegation, headed by its
chairman, Jean Holder and including
newly appointed chief executive officer,
Ian Brunton, discussed with Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony various matters including a proposal
to reduce the number of flights to more than eight locations, a move observers say is likely to affect
the hospitality industry across the region.
SLASPA seeking new
design concepts for
Hewanorra Airport
Holder while not indicating whether he obtained any renewed commitments from St. Lucia regarding
investment in the airline, said the company was not doing well financially and is now implementing
a business plan that will make LIAT viable.
The LIAT chairman said that the plan also includes improving its customer service, since over the
last four years; the airline has recorded a slump in the demand for regional travel.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who chairs LIAT’s trio of
government shareholders, has been urging St Lucia to invest in the airline LIAT even as he noted
that his St. Lucian counterpart has some concerns about “LIAT’s management and the like”.
The airline, which is owned by the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the
Grenadines and Barbados, is set to be joined by Dominica as a fourth shareholder.
LIAT is seeking to replace its existing fleet of 17 Canadian-made Dehavilland Dash-8s with the
Bombardier Q-400.
Source – Antigua Observer
The Government of Saint Lucia has asked
the St. Lucia Air and Seaports Authority,
SLASPA, for additional reviews and analyses
of
the
Hewanorra
International
Airport
Redevelopment Project.
A release from SLASPA notes that government
held discussions with the organisation during
Greater support needed for young entrepreneurs
President of the St. Lucia Chamber
of Commerce Gerard Bergasse
which detailed presentations on project plans,
financing options and economic impacts
Global Entrepreneurship Week 2012 has been
launched here with calls for the public and
private sector to pay greater attention to young
entrepreneurs and start-up companies which
will be the ones generating new jobs.
were discussed.
Speaking at the launch the President of the St.
Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and
Agriculture Gerard Bergasse said the drive of
entrepreneurs will turn the economy around
and lead to economic growth, wealth creation
and improved quality of life.
and contribute to sustainable development of
Mr. Bergasse said if St. Lucia makes it more
attractive to do business, then it will be easier for the business community to innovate, create,
employ, generate wealth, new products and services.
The release says government is in support
of the need for an improved airport that will
enable growth of the vital tourism industry
Saint Lucia but is mindful of the effect on our
debt portfolio of any significant borrowing.
As a result SLASPA has invited Request for
Proposals to submit design concepts for the
redevelopment of the airport to SLASPA.
Designs are expected to be cost effective
and inspired by Saint Lucia natural beauty,
He said the Chamber of Commerce was committed to ensuring the business climate is more
conducive and called on government to put intellectual capacity and time into dealing with the
problems and challenges facing entrepreneurs and business people. Mr. Bergasse says solutions
must be found and implemented sooner than later.
He called on government to partner with the Chamber in developing the St. Lucia Youth Business
Trust through a Public-Private Sector Coalition as has been done in Barbados and the United
Kingdom.
while ensuring passenger comfort.
Chris Williams is General Manager of LIME St. Lucia
LIME has announced the appointment of Mr Chris Williams as
the General Manager of LIME Saint Lucia effective October 1,
2012.
A Saint Lucian national and former Vice President of LIME
Saint Lucia Operations, Chris has over 30 years of experience
in telecommunications technologies, business strategies,
networks expansion and service delivery. He has served in
various senior executive management-level positions, including
Head of Residential Service Delivery and Manager of Planning,
External Networks, Support Services and Cable TV where he
spearheaded the upgrading of LIME’s analog cable TV system
to a fully digital service.
Chris Williams - General
Manager LIME
In his new role as General Manager of LIME Saint Lucia, Chris
will be responsible for delivering excellence in the customer
experience which will be at the core of the LIME business
strategy.
“I’m thrilled to be entrusted with this new responsibility,” said Chris. “It’s great to be part of the
Caribbean’s leading communications company”.
Gerard Borely, CEO of the Barbados, Eastern Caribbean, British Virgin Islands and Turks & Caicos
cluster of markets said, “I wish to congratulate Chris on his new appointment. He brings expertise,
leadership and the drive to deliver more for customers and for country.
Viking awards featured in publications
Viking Traders has been featured in two more publications for winning the Arch of Europe
Award.
The magazines are “GPerson” and “Business Focus St. Lucia” and both have profiled the win by
Viking Traders at the ‘International Arch of Europe Award for Quality and Technology’ received
in Frankfurt, in April 2012.
Viking
Traders
Ltd
was
founded
by
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Ed
Zephirin
in
Jan
1979.
A range of top quality products starting with Curry Powder (which is made up of 32 different
spices), Black Pepper, Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk has now been expanded to include
Caribbean Pepper Spice, Grenadine Syrup, Pepper Sauces (Dam Hot placed 1st in a competition
of 275 Pepper Sauces in Albuqurque, New Mexico 1997) “Health Choice” Banana Ketchup
and its recently launched pioneering product Banana Bar-B Que Sauce. The company also
manufactures a very smooth Caribbean Liqueur “White Satin: Coconut Punch.
Piton beer celebrates twentieth anniversary
Thirteen years after Saint Lucia’s Independence from Great Britain, the island
birthed its first local beer, on October 7, 1992. It was only natural that the
symbol of the Pitons which had come to represent our nation’s pride, history
and natural heritage would become synonymous with this beer which was
proudly and boldly named “Piton Beer.”
Conceived as a fun filled brew, as refreshing as the cool waters that flowed
from the mountains of the scenic Soufriere, this pilsner lager is made with
specially selected hops, malt, yeast and maize to give an easterly floral and
hoppy aroma. “It was only natural that we come up with a product as exciting
as Piton to reflect the rich cultural heritage of the people and today I am
happy that the beer has been supported and embraced not just by Saint
Lucians locally, but those overseas and visitors as well,” says Shelley Black
Marketing Manager at WLBL, home of Piton Beer.
LUCELEC powers
2012 Jennes Kwéyòl
Pageant
This month Piton Beer is celebrating 20 years and the month long celebrations started at “Oktoberfest
En Kweyol” on October 7, the actual Birthday of Piton Beer and will culminate this weekend during the
island’s Jounen Kweyol Celebrations. The limited edition 20th anniversary bottle features the original
logo which started the journey which has seen Piton win a silver medal in Brussels in 1993 and gold in
France in 1994 at the Monde Selection product awards.
Gladys Noel treated royally for winning Miss
SLHTA
The winner of the 2012 Miss SLHTA Gladys Noel
has been celebrated by her fraternity. Gladys
who represented Sandals Resorts International
said it was her dream to become an Ambassador
for her employer, her industry and her country.
Gladys Noel, Miss SLHTA 2012
Well now she is getting an opportunity to make
that dream a reality. Gladys has won a full
scholarship to Monroe College, a round trip to
Germany, jewelry, resort stays and a tablet.
Other contestants were also celebrated with gifts and congratulated for their role in creating greater
awareness of the role of tourism in national development.
In second place was Nadege Maximin, Miss Windjammer Landing Resorts and in third place Glenda
Willabus, Miss Duty Free Caribbean.
Sandals Halcyon scores big rating on TripAdvisor
One of the world’s leading travel-consumer
advisory website has been heaping much praise
on one of St. Lucia’s renowned hotels. Sandals
Halcyon is the latest St. Lucian hotel to receive
TripAdvisor’s certificate of excellence reserved
for resorts and hotels that display brilliance in
service. The feedback comes from hundreds of
customers who have visited Sandals Halcyon
over the past year. An elated General Manager,
Lennox Dupal says the award is testament of the
attitude of the resort’s employees to service.
“We could not have won this without the commitment of our employees who spare no effort to please
our guests. They are the bedrock of what we do. It is also because of the high premium that Sandals
resorts places on exceeding customers’ expectations,” Dupal explains.
He explains that the resort has been investing unrelentingly to the development of its 234-employeess.
“We believe that the success of our company is not merely how well develop the infrastructure of our
resorts which we continue to do, but it is how committed we are to developing exceptional employees,”
Dupal remarks.
Trip advisor recognizes the power of traveler feedback and awarded Sandals Halcyon with a 4.0 rating
earning the Choc bay resort among the very best.
Winner Tamara Similien of the Marigot
Secondary School
Tamara Similien of the Marigot Secondary
School emerged the winner of the 2012
Jennès Kwéyòl Pageant on Tuesday,
October 23. She triumphed over four
other contestants from the Castries
Comprehensive, Micoud, Vide Bouteille,
and Sir Ira Simmons secondary schools.
The Jennès Kwéyòl Pageant is organised
by the Folk Research Centre (FRC) and
formed part of activities for Creole Heritage
month. The show is designed to encourage
positive affirmation of local culture among
young people, and the student population
particular.
The contestants made three appearances
before the judges – Talent, Special Wear
and Pawòl Jennès.
Tamara Similien
won the talent segment, Gabrianne
Charlemagne from the Micoud Secondary
won the Special Wear component, and
Shenell Delise of the Sir Ira Simmons won
the Pawòl Jennès component. But Tamara
Similien was deservedly the overall winner
for her consistently excellent performances
in all categories.
Sandals coming to Grenada in December, says
finance minister
The government of Grenada is awaiting documents from Sandals Resorts International that Finance
Minister Nazim Burke says will be doing business in Grenada by mid-December.
“If all goes according to plan, Sandals will open its doors in Grenada on December the 15th,” said
Burke.
Consuelo Dupal
wins Miss Caribbean
Tourism Queen Pageant
His pronouncement about Sandals’ arrival in December follows a similar one made recently by
Information Minister, Senator Glen Noel.
Sandals Resorts, established in 1981 by Jamaican businessman, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, is reported
to be eyeing La Source Resort that ceased operations in Grenada on October 15.
According to Burke, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed and sent to the US “so
that the principals of Sandals can also sign that document and send back to us signed, completed
copies.”
Burke signed the MOU on behalf of the Grenada government.
Source – Caribbean News Now
LUCELEC launches electricity theft reduction
initiative
The Saint Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) has launched a major campaign aimed at
reducing electricity theft.
LUCELEC Chief Engineer Goodwin d’Auvergne explains, “Beyond the fact that legitimate customers
are, in fact, subsidising persons stealing electricity, electricity theft is an extremely dangerous practice
which can lead to persons getting electrocuted, electricity related fires, and increased incidence of
damaged appliances as a result of reduction in power quality. This is because illegal connections
do not meet LUCELEC standards and are placing greater loads on some parts of the system than
intended.”
St. Lucia’s delegate to the Miss Caribbean
Tourism Pageant held in St. Kitts has outshone
the competition to secure the coveted title.
There are three main methods used by persons seeking to obtain electricity illegally. These include
making direct connections to LUCELEC power lines, meter tampering to cause the meter to underregister the amount of electricity actually consumed, and by-passing the meter so that all or some of
the electricity consumed is undetected by the meter.
Unofficial results we have indicate that
Beginning immediately, the company will be stepping up its efforts to detect illegal connections and
meter tampering. Additional resources will be directed towards this effort including support from the
Royal St. Lucia Police Force since electricity theft is a criminal offense.
overall with St. Vincent coming in second
Based on reports being received by the Company it appears that in some cases perpetrators of electricity
theft are being aided and abetted by persons with expert knowledge of electrical installation.
Consuelo Dupal also won in the Swimwear
and gown categories. St. Lucia placed first
and St. Kitts 3rd .
Consuelo Dupal is described on her web
page as vibrant, articulate and down to earth.
Biggest newest renewable energy plant opens
in Barbados
On October 20, 2012, Solaris Energy Limited
opened the Caribbean’s newest and most
modern renewable energy manufacturing
facility. With this new 8,000 square-foot factory
in St Phillip, Barbados, Solaris Energy enhances
its 30-year history of providing solar powered
products by increasing its production of solar
water heaters, expanding its portfolio of
products, and reaching out to new international
markets.
Solaris Energy’s subsidiary Solaris Global
Energy Limited will continue to produce flat
plate solar water heaters, including the popular
Solaris 500; and add to its product line new vacuum tube solar water heaters and photovoltaic (PV)
electricity products and systems.
The factory opening was celebrated with an opening gala attended by Senator Darcy Boyce, Minister
in the Office of the Prime Minister of Barbados, who also was the featured speaker.
Boyce, who has responsibility for Telecommunications and Energy, Immigration and Invest Barbados,
said, “This expanded and upgraded facility [is] helping this country get a little bit closer to realizing the
vision of this administration for a dynamic and strong renewable energy sector.”
She has a passion for the Tourism Industry
and has completed a Bachelors Degree in
Hospitality Management and works as a
Concierge/Sales agent at the Morgan Bay
Beach Resort in Saint Lucia.
Consuelo is no stranger to the stage, as can
be seen, through her love for theatre arts
and modeling including her fascination with
the World of Pageantry. She also has a keen
interest in the field of Event Planning and
Promotions and has established Sofyerie
Promotions, one of the leading promotional
agencies on the island.