SVG GOES INTERNATIONAL!

The history of the Argyle International Airport

On 8^th of August 2005, Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Ralph .E. Gonsalves in a public address to the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, introduced his party’s plans to construct the Argyle International Airport, citing it as a ‘solution’ to the “very real problem of air access to and from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.” Initially, the people of Saint Vincent were promised this airport by the year 2012, assured that our country’s contribution would amount to less than thirty percent of the overall cost- (a measly US $216 million). The project was financially supported by a number of other international countries, namely the Republic of Cuba, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Austria, Malaysia, Turkey, and Iran. Work on the airport commenced on 13^th August 2008.

Why was it important to have an international airport?

According to Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Ralph .E. Gonsalves”…the full realization of the potential of our country’s growth and development hinge on an international airport, among other vital considerations. The requisites of economic diversification and regional and international competitiveness demand an international airport.” 

In a nutshell, the main purpose of the Argyle International Airport is to facilitate wider opportunities for increased traffic and tourism in Saint Vincent, strengthening our chances of experiencing strong economic performance.

Benefits and drawbacks of the project

ü  Opportunities for new business development- improving employment levels

ü  Greater accessibility

ü  Increased production- Caribbean islands with international airports have been observed to achieve greater GDP when compared to those without.

o   Increased demand for foreign produced goods Increases the cost of imported goods

o   Environmental degradation

o   Increased competition to nearby businesses

My general feelings about the project

Since the introduction of the project, the Argyle International Airport has been the topic of many politically driven arguments. I can agree that it was an ambitious project- the largest ever in Saint Vincent. It was something we had never done before and our country, at that time, was in need of infrastructural development. I, personally, had long anticipated such news, and was appreciative of the announcement. It was interesting to hear the opposing arguments, though many had no logical base, the logic of many of them was understandable- costs, recent tourism statistics, lack of tourist attractions to support increased traffic, location- it is my view that the long term will reflect the true benefits of having the airport. We no longer have to depend on one airline- LIAT- which was riddled with problems such as constant delays, lost baggage, and increasingly disappointing service coupled with increased costs (contributions) which saw us gaining little benefit to our islands (Flights to St. Vincent and the Grenadines from other Caribbean ports always seem higher and thus less attractive). It is with these many considerations in mind that I chose to support the Argyle International Airport project. 

Mathematics: Friend or Foe?

Why are so many of our students so mathematically afraid?

Primary school teachers are given the responsibility of teaching the four core subjects without possessing sufficient knowledge and understanding of mathematics to teach it effectively. In stating this, here are some implications.

Teaching the traditional way makes mathematics boring. For example, even though many teachers consistently use concrete materials to introduce ideas, they use them only for an introduction; the goal is to get to the abstract, symbolic, established mathematics.  Students may be unable to visualize the concepts taught by the teacher, therefore, their interest levels go down, which leads to a disassociation with the subject.

 

Moreover, students may have had bad recollections of their attempt in mastering skills in the subject at the lower levels of education and hence they shut themselves out. In addition, a poor math teacher who has no personal appreciation for the subject would not be able to create ways to make it interesting for students. “Poor” could also mean neglecting students in class who are slow. Such slow students give up after some time, noting that the teacher loves being around the ones who get most of their answers correct – not the “slow ones”.

Why do so many of them appear so distant and so disinterested in so many aspects of classroom mathematics?

Math teachers often do not inspire students with an appreciation for mathematics, instead the subject is taught by rote memorization. In doing so, children are unable to troubleshoot math problems using different strategies.

 

Furthermore, students may fail to progress in a math class, they may feel incapable and avoid math as much as possible in the future, because they do not know the value of math (the importance of math).

Personally, I can recall from my math class at the primary level, how my teacher would often incorporate the use of a strap in his lesson, this made math intimidating. Learning multiplication tables was more of a drill sergeant to squad, in that the teacher will approach each child with his strap asking questions, failure to answer resulted in a student receiving lashes. This experience made me developed a fear for mathematics.

 

Why do so many of them find it so easy to speak vividly about so many bad experiences they claim to have encountered within the realms of school mathematics?

Bad experiences often leave a lasting impression on the mind.

For many students, the bad experiences always seem to have outweighed the good that they have encountered in learning mathematics. Teachers have created an environment where student’s confidence has seemed bootless, for instance, constant pressure on a student from a teacher to learn mathematical operations or face punishment. This is often not experienced with other reading subjects, such as, Social Studies and English.

  These questions are likely to challenge educators and teachers of mathematics to reflect on a more direct and fundamental question, Why have we performed so poorly at mathematizing the minds of our students?

This takes us back to the point that teachers did not possess sufficient knowledge and understanding to teach mathematics effectively. If teachers possessed this knowledge they would have been better able to strategize. For instance, allowing students to invent their own ways of adding and subtracting numbers rather than telling them how. If pupils can play a board game with one die, simply introduce a second die and let them figure out what to do. Some teachers rely heavily on the traditional method of teaching, “chalk and talk” in that they show children what to do as opposed to allowing them to explore other methods of solving a problem. As a result, children do not understand what they are doing so learning is not meaningful.

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