At least seven dead as heavy rains pound Havana
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): The death toll from the heavy
rains that pounded the Cuban capital this week has
risen to
seven, as flooding and power cuts continued
to plague the coastal city, Cuban authorities said
Thursday.
Haitian Senate endorses prime minister nominee
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Haiti's Senate on
Wednesday voted to endorse the nomination of
Jacques-Edouard Alexis
as Haiti's new prime minister,
a post he held from 1999-2001.
Trinidad government steps up fight against crime
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: The Patrick Manning-led
administration in Port of Spain, Trinidad has taken
further
measures to clamp down on criminal activity
on the island.
British MPs to visit BVI
ROAD TOWN, BVI: Chief Minister of the British Virgin
Islands, Dr Orlando Smith, has welcomed a May 27-
31 familiarisation
visit by four UK Members of
Parliament, saying it will improve their knowledge of
the Territory.
Grenada parliamentarians participate in Visioning Workshop
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada: Parliamentarians and officials
of political parties came together on Wednesday to
share
their insights for the establishment of
Grenada’s National Strategic Development Plan
(NSDP).
Public health concerns addressed at IICA luncheon
WASHINGTON, USA: The Inter-American Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) brought together
private
and public sector decision makers in
Washington, DC, to address public health concerns in
the Hemisphere. Ambassador
John Lange served as
key speaker for the event.
One-day international boosts local cricket in St Kitts-Nevis
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: St Kitts and Nevis and the
cricket world continue to reverberate from the
thrilling victory
of the Windies in the 3rd One-Day
International held May 23, in St. Kitts. A loud voice in
the chorus is that of St
Kitts Cricket Association
President Ingleton Liburd.
Antigua-Barbuda presses for online gaming dispute resolution
ST JOHN'S, Antigua: Minister of Finance and the
Economy, Dr Errol Cort, on Thursday reassured the
nation that
his government remains seized with the
matter of the WTO dispute on Internet gaming
between Antigua and Barbuda and
the United States.
Castro brands US and Forbes magazine 'liars and slanderers'
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): President Fidel Castro on
Wednesday branded the US government and Forbes
magazine as "liars
and slanderers," and demanded an
apology for saying he had amassed a personal wealth
of 900 million dollars.
Commentary: Divorce British style...
Contrary to popular belief, the British have a laudable
legacy as political and social pioneers. And, in
keeping
with this legacy, their reputedly stodgy Law
Lords issued rulings in two divorce cases that
advance the cause of women’s
rights.
Letter: Mixed experience dealing with civil servants from Grenada
I write in response to Mr Brown’s letter published on
May 25, 2006 and in doing so must point out that I
have
no knowledge of the forum he has referred to or
the contents of what was forwarded to Grenada.
However; I have had
some mixed experience dealing
with civil servants from that country.
Letter: Best of Barbados madness
It was with absolute incredulity that we recently
received notification that the Barbados Tourism
Authority has
yet again resurrected the highly
discounted Best of Barbados programme in our
second largest market (United States)
for this
summer.
Powell, Gatlin lead superstars for Prefontaine Classic
EUGENE, USA: It may not be a head-to-head clash,
but the gala between joint world record holders
Asafa Powell
of Jamaica and Justin Gatlin of USA will
headline this year's Prefontaine Classic on Sunday,
May 28 at the Hayward
Field in Eugene.
Bandits in Guyana target bank customers
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Police in Guyana have
alerted the public to a new risk of bandits, using
great skill and
communication, trailing customers who
have conducted transactions at commercial banks in
the country's capital, Georgetown.
St Kitts-Nevis moves forward with electoral reform
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: Moving forward on a
commitment to electoral reform, St Kitts and Nevis
Prime Minister,
Dr Denzil Douglas, goes to the Federal
National Assembly on Thursday to seek parliamentary
approval for the establishment
of a National Advisory
Election Reform Committee.
Visa-free entry for Dominicans to French departments gets closer
ROSEAU, Dominica: Dominica’s Attorney General, Ian
Douglas, leads a delegation to Guadeloupe on
Thursday on a
mission to put in place the
mechanisms that would give effect to the
implementation of visa-free entry for Dominicans
into
the French Departments of the Americas.
Human rights activists to develop regional advocacy for HIV/AIDS
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Human Rights and HIV/AIDS
advocates from across the Caribbean will meet in
Kingston, Jamaica
on 25 to 26 May 2006 at a
workshop to develop strategies for rights-based
responses to HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean.
Guyana to contibute to Suriname flood relief
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Guyana will be giving GY$10
million (US$50,000) to assist its eastern neighbour
Suriname.
Suriname has been experiencing
widespread flooding in the hinterland regions that
resulted in the evacuation of residents
from more
than 100 villages.
FirstCaribbean and CDERA strengthen partnership
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The commitment of
FirstCaribbean International Bank to the Caribbean
region, particularly
in providing support for hazard
mitigation and prevention, continues to be solidified
through its ongoing partnership
with the Caribbean
Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA).
Letter: Concerning violence in Guyana
Does cultural identity lead to violence? This was the
question of Nobel Laureate’s Amartya Sen’s recent
deliberations
carried on the on-line community called
developmentgateway.
Letter: Careful phrasing in the Holloway case
I would like to thank you for the inclusion, in your
Monday, May 22 article 'New arrest in the Holloway
case',
of the following sentence:
Letter: Regarding Grenada
As a Grenadian living in Manchester, UK, I frequently
take an interest in Grenadian affairs via the internet
and
speaking to other UK based Grenadians.
India go with youth for West Indies Tests
MUMBAI, India (AFP): Indian selectors on Wednesday
named off-spinner Ramesh Powar along with batsman
Suresh Raina
and paceman Vikram Rajvir Singh in the
squad for next month's Test series in the West Indies.
Bolt, Collins confirmed for Ostrava Golden Spike
OSTRAVA, Czech Republic: St Kitts and Nevis' 2001
World Championships 100-metres champion Kim
Collins is set
to make his first appearance this
season, following a late start in his preparation, when
he goes up against Jamaican
World Junior record
holder Usain Bolt at next Tuesday's Ostrava Golden
Spike in the Czech Republic.
Flood situation remains critical in East Suriname
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Although the situation in
several parts of Suriname’s flooded territory is
stabilising,
the situation in the south-eastern part of
the country remains critical.
Arrested Aruba suspect to be released
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (UPI): A Netherlands man
arrested in connection with the disappearance of an
Alabama teenager
in Aruba was to be released but
will be available for questioning, says his lawyer.
Trinidad's economy remains under inflation watch
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: As Trinidad and Tobago
continues to experience high liquidity, the latest data
released
by the Central Statistical Office suggest
that inflation continues to be a major economic
challenge for the country.
BVI chief minister urges residents to fight against crime
ROAD TOWN, BVI: Dr Orlando Smith, Chief Minister of
the British Virgin Islands, has again called on every
person
in the community to join in the fight to deal
with crime in the territory.
Russian minister in corruption allegation involving Bahamas fund
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP): A Russian government
minister was Tuesday the focus of renewed
corruption allegations after
a Swiss court alleged he
had misappropriated funds using a Bahamas fund, a
newspaper said here Tuesday.
Investment grade bond rating sought by USVI
CHARLOTTE AMALIE, USVI: The US Virgin Islands,
experiencing an unprecedented economic expansion
and budget surplus,
is seeking an investment grade
bond rating for the territory from key rating agencies.
Digicel appoints CEO for French West Indies
FORT DE FRANCE, Martinique: Digicel, the fastest
growing mobile operator in the Caribbean, has
announced the
appointment of Eric Viel as CEO for
Digicel French West Indies.
Commentary: Cuba on the 'terrorist' list: Miami rides again
In the State Department’s near-universally
discredited series of annual certification reports,
Cuba found itself
once again lumped in with Iran,
Libya (only briefly), Syria, North Korea and Sudan as
a “state sponsor of terrorism.”
Sarwan leads West Indies to another nailbiting victory
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: Ramnaresh Sarwan hit his
third One-day International hundred to anchor West
Indies to a
thrilling four-wicket victory in the third
ODI against India on Tuesday at Warner Park.
Lara praises Sarwan and Chanderpaul after West Indies victory
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: West Indies captain Brian
Lara, the triple world record holder with the bat,
praised team
mates Ramnaresh Sarwan and
Shivnarine Chanderpaul after the West Indies
defeated India in the third One-Day International
cricket match.
Guyana government denies engaging accused drug kingpin
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The Government of Guyana
has denied entering into an agreement with
Shaheed 'Roger' Khan
on the issue of law
enforcement, either during the 2002 crime spree or
even presently. Head of the Presidential Secretariat
and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, made the
disclosure.
Montserrat’s tourism sector open for business following volcanic dome collapse
BRADES, Montserrat: Montserrat is open for tourism
business following the collapse of the lava dome at
the Soufriere
Hills Volcano on Saturday May 20,
2006. The Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO)
confirmed that the lava dome collapsed
over a three-
hour period on Saturday.
Illegal cross-border trade fuelling crime in Guyana, says minister
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Illegal cross-border trade
between Guyana and Suriname, is facilitating the
passage of guns,
narcotics, and other prohibited
substances, and is contributing to an upsurge in
crime and violence in Berbice, according
to Guyana's
Minister of Home Affairs.
CARICOM team heads to Suriname for discussions on CSME
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) Secretary-General, Edwin Carrington is
expected to lead a team
of officials from the
CARICOM Secretariat on an official visit to Suriname
to discuss the country's participation
in the
Community, in particular the CSME.
Cayman, Jamaica relations are fine, says cabinet minister
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: Reciprocal visa arrangements
between Caribbean neighbors, Jamaica and the
Cayman Islands
are working fine, says Charles
Clifford, Cayman's Minister of Tourism Environment,
Investment and Commerce.
Curacao to negotiate tax convention with Trinidad
WILLEMSTAD, Curacao: Last week, Curacao's State
Secretary of Finance, Alex Rosaria, met with Conrad
Enill, Minister
of Finance of Trinidad and Tobago, in
Port of Spain.
Bids invited for construction of new BVI hospital
ROAD TOWN, BVI: The government of the British
Virgin Islands is inviting local and overseas companies
to submit
bids for the construction of the new
Peebles Hospital.
Longer hours for BVI courts to reduce backlog
ROAD TOWN, BVI: The Magistrate’s Court in the
British Virgin Islands will next month begin evening
sittings in
order to address its increasing caseload
and provide for the timely dispensation of justice.
Air Jamaica adds extra flights to meet summer demand
KINGSTON, Jamaica: In response to passenger
demand, Air Jamaica will increase the number of
flights it operates
out of select destinations this
summer.
Third Annual Turks & Caicos Music and Cultural Festival set for summer
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: The stage
is set for another exciting Caribbean music
extravaganza
when the 3rd Annual Turks and Caicos
Music and Cultural Festival strikes up on "Provo," as
the locals fondly call
Providenciales, from July 31 to
August 7, 2006.
St Kitts-Nevis Development Bank celebrates silver anniversary
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: The St Kitts and Nevis
Development Bank celebrated its silver anniversary
with an Appreciation
Day for its customers on
Monday. General Manager of the bank, Aukland
Hector, said that the bank’s 25th Anniversary
is
significant and it is an appropriate time to recognize
clients.
Antigua-Barbuda pushes sales tax registration
ST JOHN'S, Antigua: The Antigua and Barbuda Sales
Tax Act 2006 is presently before parliament but the
Inland
Revenue Department is proceeding with a
registration drive commencing this week at the Multi-
purpose centre.
Antigua-Barbuda to launch Freestay Caribbean Cruise Conversion Programme
ST JOHN’S, Antigua: The Ministry of Tourism in
Antigua and Barbuda, through its private sector
partner Tropical
Shipping, will soon be officially
launching the country’s involvement in the Freestay
Caribbean Cruise Conversion
Programme.
First Annual Caribbean-American Health AIDS Awareness Day scheduled
ST JOHN, USVI: On June 8, 2006 Caribbean-
Americans, Caribbean immigrants and community
organizations on the mainland,
including the Center
for Disease Control and Prevention, will hold a day
long event to highlight the health disparities
facing
people of colour.
Commentary: Law and Politics: To wait, or not to wait on promises?
Our political history in the Commonwealth Caribbean,
since the independence fever started to spread its
heat
in 1962 has been loaded and inundated with
promises, and promises, and more promises.
Commentary: The UN Human Rights Council: Just a New Name?
There was much optimism when, on 15th March
2006, the General Assembly of the Untied Nations
finally adopted
the draft resolution that created the
new Human Rights Council to replace the old and
ineffective Human Rights Commission.
Campbell highlights Caribbean performances at Adidas Track Classic - Full Report
USA, CARSON: Jamaican Olympic champion Veronica
Campbell was the Caribbean headliner at the Adidas
Track Classic
held at the Home Depot Center here in
Carson, California, on Sunday.
Montserrat’s volcano threatens the region with tsunamis
BRADES, Montserrat: Around 7:20am, Saturday, 20
May 2006, residents of Montserrat witnessed the
first dome collapse
pyroclastic flow as it reached the
sea. Scientists at the Montserrat Volcano
Observatory say they recorded signals
of increased
activity around 6am Saturday.
New arrest in Holloway case in Aruba
THE HAGUE, The Netherlands (AFP): Police have
made a new arrest in the case of the disappearance
of a United
States teenager in the Caribbean island
of Aruba last year, the public NOS radio 1 reported
on Sunday.
Political impasse threatens elections in Guyana
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: A cloud of uncertain hangs
over the holding of General Elections in Guyana after
the Guyana
Elections Commission failed to decide on
the contentious issue of verification of the voters'
list to be used at the
elections scheduled to be held
before September 4 this year.
Serious health concerns for Suriname disaster regions
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: The overall situation in the
interior of Suriname is stabilising, although the risk of
new
and more flooding remains, as it is still raining
and more torrential rains are forecast. In the east,
however, water
levels are still rising in some areas.
Bush vows to help create 'peaceful' Cuban government
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): President George W. Bush
said Friday the United States was committed to
helping Cubans
create "peaceful" government in a
message ahead of the island's independence day.
Castro healthy enough to live till 140 years old, says doctor
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Cuban President Fidel Castro,
who turns 80 this year, enjoys vibrant health and will
live
to 140, his chief doctor said Friday.
Donors to meet in Brazil to pledge short-term aid to Haiti
UNITED NATIONS, (AFP): Donors and countries
contributing troops to the United Nations mission in
Haiti will meet
in Brasilia next Tuesday to marshal
funds to assist newly elected Haitian President Rene
Preval, the outgoing head
of the mission said Friday.
African immigrants join prison protest in Trinidad
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Several African immigrants
imprisoned at the maximum security prison in Trinidad
are
joining a remand yard prisoners' hunger strike in
protest of alleged wrongful imprisonment.
Brazilian officer held hostage in Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (UPI): A Haitian gang took a
Brazilian colonel hostage but released him after two
hours,
O Globo reported Friday. The colonel -- who
only gave his last name, Odair -- was taken hostage
Thursday.
Pensions in Dominica under threat
ROSEAU, Dominica: The Dominica Social Security
(DSS) has advised that pension reform is a must,
warning further
that reserves of the facility may be
depleted within twenty years.
Appeal Court paves the way for CWC 2007 preparatory work in Grenada
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada: The Eastern Caribbean Court
of Appeal has overturned an injunction blocking the
Grenada
government from going ahead with its plans
to improve the infrastructure around the stadium.
Commentary: Last chance for Haiti?
“The Haitians are a proud and energetic people, and
given the tools they can do the job of their own
development”.
This is the view of Cecil Pilgrim, a
former Caribbean diplomat, who observed the Haitian
Presidential and Parliamentary
elections.
Letter: Good stuff - keep the faith
I saw a copy of your article just after our official
launch of the new Caribbean brand and logo here in
New York.
The new logo is the combined effort of the
32 member Caribbean Tourism Organization and the
36 member Caribbean Hotel
Association.
Bravo goes from zero to hero as West Indies win
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): In the twinkling of an
eye, Dwayne Bravo was transformed from villain to
hero, when
he bowled Yuvraj Singh with the third
last ball of the second One-day International on
Saturday at Sabina Park to
hand West Indies a heart-
stopping one-run victory.
Bravo to West Indies after thrilling victory
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): Dwayne Bravo admits
that being entrusted with the final over of Saturday's
second One-day
International between West Indies
and India at Sabina Park was daunting.
Learn from this thrilling victory Lara tells teammates
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): West Indies captain Brian
Lara wants his side to learn from their sensational
one-run
victory in the second One-day International
against India on Saturday at Sabina Park for future
use in tight matches.
India to warm-up against Antigua-Barbuda
ST JOHN'S, Antigua (AFP): India will prepare for next
month's first Test against West Indies with a two-
day fixture
against Antigua and Barbuda.
Trinidad's Yorke to return to Australia's A-League
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP): Trinidad and Tobago
skipper Dwight Yorke intends to honour his contract
with Australian
A-League champions Sydney FC next
season, it was reported here Sunday.
Campbell runs 10.99 to win at Adidas Track Classic
CARSON, USA: For the second time in a row, Olympic
champion Veronica Campbell of Jamaica broke 11
seconds to
win the women's 100m dash at the
Adidas Track Classic held at the Home Depot Center
here in Carson, California, on
Sunday.
Reggae Boy King to play Premiership football next season
CARDIFF, Wales: Reggae Boyz striker Marlon King and
his Watford team secured promotion to play
Premiership football
next season following an
emphatic 3-0 win over Leeds in the English
Championship play-off final.
