TOURISM INFORMATION GAPS

Ben Harrison, International Correspondent

Last week, The Vincentian responded to a call from a couple from England, who were vacationing for two weeks in St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

Prior to leaving their home in England, Dr. Falkner (Rao) and her husband Brian did considerable research to prepare for their first visit to our island. They had a copy of our Ministry of Tourism map and a long list of places they wanted to visit. Because both are enthusiastic home gardeners, they were looking forward to visiting Montreal Gardens.

Arriving at ET Joshua Airport in Arnosvale, they noted telephone numbers, listed for Tourist Information Services. During the week, anxious to find out directions and information about several destinations, including Montreal Gardens, Dr. Faulkner repeatedly called the listed numbers repeatedly during the day, but the telephone was never answered.

She then called the number listed in the Cable & Wireless directory for the Ministry of Tourism and when she eventually talked to some one, she was given a telephone number for a Parks Department , which she called. The person at the Parks Department said that Montreal gardens was a private garden , with which they had nothing to do and were unable to supply any information. They told her to call Tourism Information Services.

Not wanting to go full circle once again, she found a telephone number for Montreal Gardens in the directory; called the number listed and spoke to owner Timothy Vaughan, who promptly arranged a visit and provided directions.

The Faulkners were staying with friends on the Leeward side and arranged with a taxi to take them to the Gardens from Kingstown at a negotiated fee of $150.00 which was increased by an additional $30.00 demand for a tip on their return to Kingstown.
It is unfortunate that what otherwise was a very positive experience for the Faulkners, was compromised by the difficulty they experienced in getting information about the Gardens and the unacceptable taxi fee, plus the less than professional attitude of the driver.

The Vincentian made several attempts to call the advertised tourism information numbers at various times throughout the week making one last attempt on Tuesday morning. The airport number did not answer, there was no answer from the Tourist Information number listed at the Cruise Ship Terminal, and although a very helpful operator at the Ministry of Tourism attempted to connect us with two different lines in their offices. Neither line was answered. The best the operator could suggest was to call later.

It would be presumptuous to second guess the professionals in our Ministry of Tourism, whose business is to disseminate information about St. Vincent & the Grenadines around the world. But one wonders if their global perspective is not overshadowing the importance of little details in our own backyard that are so important to facilitating the enjoyment of visitors to our shores.

It has been said that “You only have one opportunity to make a good first impression.” Not everyone travels in organized groups. Like the Faulkners, they do their homework over the internet in their home country and arrange their own exploration to the sites that interest them the most. How many people have given up in disappointment and frustration when confronted with communication obstacles similar to those experienced by the Faulkners?

On a final note: The Faulkners did say that their visit to St. Vincent was “Love at first sight.” They liked the friendly people they met, enjoyed many other tourist destinations and were amazed at the unparalleled beauty and creativity of Montreal Gardens, in spite of their difficulty in getting there.

SKY HIGH - 2008

Nearly everyone has dreamt of flying high in the sky, following the birds as they ride thermals of air and ocean breezes? Nearly everyone at some time has wanted to build and fly a kite to help follow their dream?

Kite flying has no age parameters: Last Sunday hundreds of boys and girls, as young as two years and men and women in their 70’s and 80’s, followed their dreams at Argyle Beach participating in one of the largest kite flying exhibitions and competitions in the Eastern Caribbean.

Like a life metaphor, some would be flyers stood on the sidelines and watched as many creations flew high, a few tangled with their neighbours and crashed while others never quite got off the ground.

Again this year St. Vincent & the Grenadines great Kite Flying Competition 2008 was very generously sponsored by Karib Cable. Karib Cable President Janke Glass was at Argyle beach on Sunday supporting her hard working staff and greeting Karib friends and customers. She told The Vincentian that helping to keep old traditions alive by sponsoring the Kite Flying Competition was one of their ways of saying “Thank you” for the support they have received from the people of St. Vincent through the years.

“Thank you” Karib Cable and a big “Thank you” to all the kite building and kite flying participants.

It’s not important whether you won or lost, what is important is that you followed your dreams into another year of gravity defying creativity at Kite Flying 2008.

This year Category winners include:
Youngest Flyer – Kyla Gibson, age 2
Oldest Flyer – Kingsley Davies
Best Female Flyer – Lauren Dalzine
Smallest flying kite – Mowat Cruickshank
Largest flying kite – Vic Dalzize
Most patriotic kite – Ed Smith
Most original kite – ed Smith
King of the Park – Conrad Viera

DEAR GRANNY

Ben Harrison & Dr. Sheila Pennington

Reflecting on a lifetime of meaningful memories with her grandmother, a twenty something young woman from St. Vincent has been thinking of the many feelings she wished she had expressed when her Granny was alive.

She is not alone. Many of us have had parents, grandparents, teachers and friends who have been important catalysts in actually changing the direction of our lives. Many of us have regretted avoiding quality time with our elderly and/or ill relatives and special people during their last few years, months or even days before death.

Perhaps when we think about visiting family or friends confined to hospitals or home we feel uncomfortable, wondering what to say or not say, or what actions would be appropriate. Your presence or the touch of your hand is so reassuring. Rather than analyzing how we should visit or communicate; just “Do it!” And if the person has already passed on, it is still not too late to express those feelings that were left unspoken.

On the anniversary of her Grandmother’s death, the above mentioned granddaughter felt disappointed in herself by her own lack of participation in her Granny’s funeral; and discouraged by the lack of respect and gratitude she witnessed from certain family members and friends on this first year anniversary of her Granny’s death. She remembered fondly the love they had shared, and the heart-felt meaning of all that had happened during their times together. She decided to take action and express those feelings. She wrote her a letter to her Granny and she has given The Vincentian permission to share that letter with our readers.

Dear Granny:
So much has changed since you left. I always knew that you were the glue that was keeping this family together. But now we are all strangers. I still think that this is all a bad dream, that sometime soon I’ll wake up and we’ll all be around your dining room table, eating and talking, laughing about the past and making plans for the future. Maybe we’d come to your house for lunch all sitting and hoping against hope that an hour would last forever.

Life is complicated. I feel bad Granny because I know that your children loved you but they never knew how to show you. I feel bad because you couldn’t live forever and that’s something that I have to accept. That’s the way things are, I can’t change them. I hate that I can’t.

I know that you had a good life and that it was well lived. I see you alive in nature, I know how much you loved it, how much you cherished every blade of grass and every smell and organism that the earth produced. I miss you. Everybody and everything has changed.
I’m ready to leave this stiff, ugly part of my life and move on. Some days are better than others, just like the attitudes and words of some people.

I wish you were still here. I wish I’d spent more time with you. I hope that you know that I love you and I wouldn’t give up the memories that I have of you for anything. I’m glad that I knew you, that I loved you and even though it hurts when I think that I’ll never hear that voice or walk into your house and smell your delicious cooking or help you comb your hair. I know that I once did all of those things and more than that even though I may cry I’m glad that you influenced my life positively and that you loved me.

I’m happy and fortunate that I knew and loved Angela Dalrymple

Signed: Magpie

As we celebrate Easter weekend, what better time than now to follow “Magpie’s” example; relive the memory of those persons who have been special in our lives. Find a quiet space and say or write those things you wish you had shared with them when they were alive. You cannot mail or send your thoughts and feelings through the internet, but metaphorically, through your memories, they will find the place they need to rest, and you will feel closer to the one(s) you miss and love.

The result will bring closure and renewal, an Easter gift to yourself and to their memory.

MORE ENTHUSIASTIC VISITORS TO ST. VINCENT

On March 4th, four Canadians who live in Calgary Alberta docked their 60 foot yacht at Cumberland Bay. The home port of the French build yacht is Vancouver, British Columbia (on Canada’s Pacific coast). Owners Don and Fiona Horton, who live in Calgary Alberta where the winter temperature routinely falls to the sub zero range have been cruising the Caribbean from January to May for the past seven years. On this occasion, two friends from Calgary were vacationing with them.

Only one of the travelers had been to St. Vincent and the Grenadines previously. Surprised that we had no docking facilities on our Windward coast, they sailed into Cumberland Bay where they lunched at Beni’s Bar. Over lunch, They shared with The Vincentian their enthusiasm for our island, its beauty and its friendly people.

After anchoring they went for a long walk stopping at a local school. The principal welcomed them into the school and introduced them to the students. These young Vincentians talked openly and asked, as well as answered many questions. They left with wonderful feelings and a photograph of themselves and the class to share with friends back in Canada and to remind them of fond memories in the years ahead. They also promised to send copies of the picture back to the students.

This is just one more example of how the citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are giving great support to our Ministry of Tourism. No tourist wants to go where they feel unwanted or unsafe. In St. Vincent they feel both welcomed and very safe.

SIGNS OF TRAGEDY

It’s a tragedy when fatal motor vehicle accidents occur. It’s a tragedy when people are injured and sometimes permanently disabled in an accident. It’s even a tragedy when a motor vehicle, often obtained at great cost, is damaged or totally destroyed.

When driving almost anywhere on the island these days, it is rare to not see strange markings on the road; geometrical shapes drawn in chalk that could resemble ancient symbols or at least some form of graffiti message. These markings are police markings; “Signs of Tragedy” identifying the location and point of impact of a recent motor vehicle accident.

When the police are called to an accident scene, they mark the position of the wheels of the vehicle(s) and the point of impact, so the road can be cleared as quickly as possible allowing the flow of traffic to resume.

What happens after an accident makes sense; what happens in the moments leading up to a crash does not. When we as defensive drivers see a car overtaking or approaching at a high rate of speed, especially on a hill or a curve, we react defensively thinking, “There is an accident looking for a place to happen.” The reality is: most accidents are avoidable.

The cost of a motor vehicle accident is huge, to the owners of the motor vehicles, to anyone killed or injured and to society. The good news about our tremendously improved highways is the pleasure we all enjoy not having to navigate crumbling roads and pot holes. The bad news is that portions of these roads have become speedways, with many drivers accelerating far beyond their capacity. Higher priced, more powerful automobiles create higher cost accidents which in turn will drive insurance rates beyond the reach of many drivers.

The Vincentian recently interviewed several police officers, including an inspector. All agreed that a large percentage of their duty time was spent either attending accident scenes or in writing up lengthy reports for subsequent court proceedings and insurance company needs. There was general agreement that they are seeing more accidents and the severity of these accidents is increasing.

It makes sense then, that rather than hand writing traffic reports, police officers could be focusing their efforts on our national crime prevention. Rather than going through the hassle and inconvenience of an accident investigation, increased insurance rates and the embarrassment of spoiling a perfect driving record, we could all better use our time becoming responsible, defensive drivers reducing the police drawn signs of tragedy on our roads.

ACCESS DENIED – RAWACOU SALT POND

For generations we have marveled at the beauty of Rawacou; its picturesque point and the surf crashing on its sand covered beaches. We have also grieved over the number of tragic drownings that have occurred at the Rawacou beach through the years.

Our government has posted signs on Rawacou grounds, warning of the dangers of unpredictable currents and undertow. The government should also be commended for developing a rock reef, creating a huge, safe soaking area for all to use with relative safety: All who are physically fit that is.

Unfortunately, access to the pool for the elderly and/or handicapped is all but denied. The approach to the pool is a reasonably easy walk, however balance , agility and water shoes are required to actually enter and exit the water. The addition of a simple hand rail and several steps cut from the level ground to the water’s edge at a relatively modest cost, would greatly facilitate access to and enjoyment of the pool.

We recently watched a man with a handicapped child on his back carefully entering the water. At the same time an elderly couple turned back in fear of slipping.

Our Ministry of Tourism is doing an excellent job of identifying and funding the development of locations of interest to tourists, such as the Owia Salt Pond, Dark Falls and until the most recent rock falls and high wind/water dock destruction, the Falls of Baleine. This is commendable and necessary as we develop our tourism infrastructure, but let us not overlook the interest of our seniors and less mobile and/or less affluent citizens who deserve courtesies at least equal to our visitors.