“High” Vincentian attendance at Royal Wedding

Vincentians attended the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

While millions worldwide tuned in to the televised nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton (now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge), 12 Vincentian nationals were fortunate enough to be present in Westminster Abbey on Friday for a bird’s eye view of the historic event.

According to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, this meant that St. Vincent and the Grenadines had the highest attendance of nationals at the ceremony in relation to its population size.

PM Gonsalves made this claim at a meeting hosted by the SVG High Commission in conjunction with Bucks University, which took place in High Wycombe. The Prime Minister last addressed an audience in that region in 2008.

Those in attendance were: PM Gonsalves and his wife Eloise, Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne and his wife Sally-Ann, SVG High Commissioner His Excellency Cenio Lewis, managing director of the Mustique Company Brian Alexander and his wife, owner of Basil’s Bar Basil Charles, and villa rentals manager at the Mustique Company Jeanette Cadet.

There were also three other Mustique Co. employees who attended – the head masseur, the tennis coach and the horse trainer.

Full house at PM Gonsalves’s High Wycombe address

Taken from Caribbean New Now! Published May 2, 2011.

HIGH WYCOMBE, England — Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) addressed Vincentian nationals, friends of SVG and other interested parties on developments in the country, at Buckinghamshire New University in High Wycombe, England.

The event was attended by Sir Frederick Ballantyne, Governor General of SVG; Cenio Lewis, High Commissioner for SVG to the UK; Eloise Gonsalves; Dr Christopher Stange, Hon. Consul for SVG to Northern Ireland; Cllr Jane White, Mayor of High Wycombe; other dignitaries; nationals and the respective chairs of the various SVG National Associations in the UK.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves addressing the Vincentian Diaspora in High Wycombe, England
Gonsalves updated the standing room only audience about all sectors of the economy in SVG, particularly around the world economic crisis and what the government is doing proactively to create a better future for all Vincentians.

PM Gonsalves to address UK Vincentians

Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves will be addressing the Vincentian Diaspora at a public meeting set to take place in High Wycombe.

On Wednesday, April 27, the Prime Minister will be the feature speaker at the event, which will be hosted by the High Commission for St. Vincent and the Grenadines in association with the Wycombe Multi-Cultural Association.

The venue is Bucks New University, High Wycombe Campus (The Gateway Building, Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ).

Limited car parking is available on the campus. Visitors are asked to pull into a temporary 20 minute parking bay then proceed to reception to pay £2 for a parking permit. Escorts will then direct visitors to where they may park for the duration of the meeting.

The meeting will begin at 6:30 pm with light refreshments being served. For more information please call 020 7460 1256.

The Prime Minister will also be attending the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday, April 29. His wife, Eloise, will accompany him.

Gonsalves is one of over 300 government officials who will attend the nuptials, scheduled to take place at Westminster Abbey.

Minister Slater addresses London meeting

Hon. Dr Slater's London meeting was well-attended.

At the London meeting, addressed by Hon. Dr Douglas Slater on March 18, the most pressing concern for those in attendance was that of the international airport currently being built at Argyle on mainland St. Vincent. Its projected date of completion was pushed back to 2013.

Dr Slater extolled the benefits of having an international airport – for those living locally, as well as Vincentians in the Diaspora.

“Just imagine when you’re travelling home, you can cut out that part – from Barbados to St. Vincent… that is more money in your pocket!”

Hear ye, hear ye!

For Vincentians living in the UK, have a gander at these upcoming issues and events… they may very well be of interest to you! Anyone with details of other events, please email me (jsoso.vincent@gmail.com) with the relevant information. Thanks!

Increase to UK Immigration and Nationality Application Fees
Changes to immigration regulations (including fees) will take place in April this year.  On February 28, 2011, Immigration Minister Damian Green issued a written ministerial statement that proposes to increase immigration and nationality application fees for all those applying to study, visit, work or stay in the UK.

The new proposed fees will be laid in Parliament in two separate regulations. These fees will not come into force until they have been debated and approved in Parliament, but are due to take effect from 6 April 2011.