OECS leaders sign declaration of intent to form economic union
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: OECS Heads of Government
have signed a Declaration of Intent signaling their
desire to
form an Economic Union. The signing
ceremony took place during the official opening of
the 43rd Meeting of the Authority
in St Kitts and
Nevis on Wednesday.
US indicts Puerto Rico utility for 'environmental crimes'
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): The US government has
indicted a Puerto Rico utility company
for "environmental crimes",
and sealed a deal with
the utility which will see it pay a record nine million
dollar fine for partly polluting US
waters.
BVI to seek economic diversity
ROAD TOWN, BVI: The government of the British
Virgin Islands will place strong focus on finding new
sources of
economic strength in the coming year by
means of an initiative called “Future of the BVI
Economy.”
Test match is sweet relief for rebound St Kitts
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (AFP): After 129 years, 93
previous venues and a two-and-a-half hour delay
over a soggy
outfield, Test cricket finally made it to
the tiny Caribbean island of St Kitts Thursday. Indian
pace bowler Munaf
Patel sent down the historic first
ball to West Indies opener Chris Gayle.
Cuban exile admits plot to kill Castro
MIAMI, USA (AFP): A Cuban exile acquitted of
plotting to assassinate Fidel Castro admitted in an
interview published
Thursday that he had indeed
planned to kill the Cuban leader in 1997.
Woman accused of spying for Cuba released
MIAMI, USA (UPI): Elsa Alvarez, who was arrested in
January for allegedly spying for Cuba, has been
released
on $400,000 bond from a Miami Federal
Detention Center.
Commentary: Fatuous anti-whaling argument: Free Willie or we’ll destroy your economy...
A dire warning was expressed in a UPI commentary
published here on Wednesday. And it fairly
summarizes the sentiments
(and, perhaps, the
perverse wish) of those who opposed the motion to
resume commercial whaling.
Letter: Events have motivated me to visit the Caribbean
Do the NGO groups based in developed western
nations that have leveled suggestions of boycotts at
the Caricom
nations have the best interests of the
peoples of the Caribbean at heart?
Gayle and Ganga give West Indies early advantage
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (AFP): Chris Gayle and Daren
Ganga hit half-centuries to help West Indies make a
confident
start to the third Test against India on
Thursday at Warner Park. Gayle was dismissed for 83
and Ganga was unbeaten
on 64, as West Indies,
choosing to bat, reached 207 for one.
Powell set for 200m at Jamaican championships
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): Joint 100-metre world
record holder Asafa Powell will be chasing his first
national
200m title at this weekend's Jamaican
Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.
Jamaica’s Smith looking to improve multi-event record
RATINGEN, Germany: Jamaica's Commonwealth
Games silver medallist Maurice Smith, will look to
improve his own
Decathlon national record when he
takes part in the "International Mehrkampfmeeting in
Ratingen this weekend.
Merlene Ottey sets masters world record
DONNAS, Italy: Former Jamaica and Caribbean sprint
queen Merlene Ottey, who now competes for
Slovenia, set a
new masters record for ages 45-50
years at EAP Meeting in Donnas, Italy last Sunday.
Greenpeace activists fined over St Kitts whaling protest
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (AFP): A magistrate in the
Caribbean state of St Kitts and Nevis fined six
Greenpeace activists
more than 9,000 dollars
Wednesday, a day after their seaborne protest made
a splash at world whaling talks.
US asks Suriname to extradite Guyanese drug fugitive Khan
PARAMARIBO, Suriname (AFP): The United States has
asked Suriname to extradite Shaheed "Roger" Khan
on drug charges,
US embassy spokesman Cliff Djamin
confirmed on Tuesday. The United States made the
extradition request on Monday following
a meeting
with Suriname government officials.
Canadian missionary kidnapped in Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): A Canadian missionary
was kidnapped from an orphanage he heads in Port-
au-Prince,
and his captors are demanding a ransom,
police and witnesses said Wednesday.
UK insurer may redomicile in Bermuda
LONDON, England (Reuters): UK-listed insurer Hiscox
Plc said on Tuesday it had made a good start to the
year
and was progressing in its possible move to
redomicile to Bermuda.
Caribbean still home to one of the world's worst
BERLIN, Germany (Reuters): On the day the World
Cup final was played in 2002, the Caribbean island of
Montserrat
played the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan
in a specially arranged match between the two
lowest ranked teams in the world.
Cuba imprisons Communist leader for corruption
HAVANA, Cuba (Reuters): Cuba has sentenced a
leading member of the Communist Party to 12 years
in prison for
corruption in what the country's only
legal political organization said was proof no one
stands above the law.
ACLU files lawsuit over Cuba book ban
MIAMI, USA (Reuters): The American Civil Liberties
Union filed a lawsuit against Miami's public school
system
on Wednesday, saying its ban on a children's
book about travel to Cuba was unconstitutional.
CARICOM Heads to consider free movement expansion
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: A case for the inclusion of
artisans, nurses, domestics and teachers to move
freely as skilled
nationals under the CARICOM Single
Market and Economy will be presented to Heads of
Government of the Caribbean Community.
Digicel partners with Chinese mobile handset manufacturer
KINGSTON, Jamaica: Digicel, the fastest growing
mobile telecommunications company in the
Caribbean, has announced
a strategic and ground-
breaking partnership with KONKA Group, a leading
television and mobile phone manufacturer in
China.
BVI constitutional talks to continue next week
ROAD TOWN, BVI: Members of the British Virgin
Islands Constitutional Negotiating Team are preparing
for a second
round of talks with their counterparts
from the United Kingdom over recommended changes
to the BVI’s Constitution.
Bravo a worry for West Indies
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (Reuters): West Indies will
monitor the condition of all rounder Dwayne Bravo,
who has a
virus, before naming their team for the
third test against India, which starts on Thursday.
Pakistan reject West Indies request for tour change
KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters): Pakistan have rejected
a request from the West Indies cricket board to
change the
itinerary for their tour later this year.
Soca Warriors lose battle, but heads held high
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany (AFP): Trinidad and
Tobago coach Leo Beenhakker admits his Caribbean
side still lacked
the competitive pace to keep up with
some of the world's top sides. But after the Soca
Warriors' 2-0 Group B defeat
some of his players are
already looking towards the World Cup in 2010.
Yorke enjoys World Cup memories before career decision
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany (AFP): Trinidad and
Tobago talisman Dwight Yorke said he was still in the
dark over his
future after the West Indians' dramatic
exit from the World Cup on Tuesday. Leo
Beenkakker's tournament romancers
lost their final
Group B clash to Paraguay 2-0.
Greenpeace activists arrested in St Kitts
FRIGATE BAY, St Kitts (Reuters): Ten Greenpeace
activists were arrested in St Kitts on Tuesday after
they tried
to plant cardboard whale tails on a beach
to protest the slaughter of whales while an
international whaling group
was meeting.
Caribbean seeks further postponement of US passport plan
NEW YORK, USA: Caribbean tourism officials are
pushing for an additional extension to the
implementation date
of the United States Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).
CCJ hears Barbados death penalty appeal
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Caribbean Court of
Justice was on Tuesday due to consider an appeal
brought by the
Barbados government, that will seek
to overthrow a legal precedent that blocks execution
of murder convicts after
five years of being
sentenced.
Human rights group warns of rise in violence in Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): About 100 police
officers have been shot dead in the past two years,
a human rights
organization said Tuesday, warning of
a resurgence of violence in Haiti.
EU adds Suriname airline to safety ban list
BRUSSELS, (AFP): The European Union on Tuesday
added three airlines, including Suriname-based Blue
Wing, to its
list of carriers banned from flying EU
skies on account of safety concerns.
Caribbean nations may pay for whale votes
FRIGATE BAY, St KItts (UPI): The Caribbean
countries that helped Japan win a narrow victory at
the International
Whaling Commission could face a
backlash from environmentally concerned tourists.
US, Jamaica to screen for radiation
WASHINGTON, USA (UPI): The United States and
Jamaica have agreed to install radiation detection
equipment at
Jamaican ports. The equipment will
screen seagoing cargo containers to protect both
countries against nuclear terrorism.
Whaling vote could affect region's eco-friendly image
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The approval of a motion
for the future resumption of commercial whaling could
have disastrous
effects on tourism in the Caribbean,
says an environmental activist in Barbados.
USVI ordered to send 'bomb dog' back to the mainland
ST THOMAS, USVI: Explosive Canine
Detective "Gracie" has been returned to the United
States Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms, and
Explosives by the US Virgin Islands Police Department
after serving in the USVI for nearly
one year.
Commentary: The Caribbean walk of change: The road to social transformation Part 2
History was made at the just ended historic forum
that brought together Caribbean ministers and other
high level
officials involved in social transformation/
development, which was held at the Jolly Beach
Resort, Antigua.
Letter: The anti-whaling view is not the only one on earth
According to the letter from Matt Settlemire dated
20 June, the response to some of the Carribean
countries'
decision to vote in favour of commercial
whaling at the IWC conference by the anti-whaling
nations and pressure groups
is to boycott tourism in
these countries.
West Indies and India look to Warner Park pitch to break deadlock
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (AFP): International Cricket
Council pitch consultant Andy Atkinson has a
reputation for
producing result-oriented surfaces,
and West Indies and India would love nothing better
when they face each other
in the third Test.
West Indies players threatening industrial action
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (AFP): Members of the West
Indies team chosen for the third Test against India,
starting
at Warner Park on Thursday, have given the
West Indies board until Wednesday to settle matters
related to their contracts
or face some kind
of "industrial action."
World Cup dream over for brave Trinidad and Tobago
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany (AFP): Trinidad and
Tobago's dreams of qualifying for the second round
of the World Cup
came crashing to Earth after a 2-0
defeat to already eliminated Paraguay here Tuesday.
UN reform tops agenda as Rio Group Foreign Ministers meet in Guyana
10:42 am edt
Trinidad-born US labour leader calls on workers to speak up
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Trinidad-born US labour
union leader, Roger Toussaint, has called on the
Trinidad working
class to be vigilant and not to let
government or foreign multi-national companies rob
them of their wealth from oil
and gas.
Regional security for Cricket World Cup 2007
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Several security exercises
for Cricket World Cup 2007 (CWC 2007) have already
been carried
out in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago,
Barbados and other CARICOM States. The region is
at present collaborating with
regional law
enforcement bodies and international agencies.
US Supreme Court rejects Cuban cigar appeal
WASHINGTON, USA (Bloomberg): The U.S. Supreme
Court has refused to question Swedish Match AB's
right to sell
cigars in the U.S. under the Cohiba brand
name, turning away an appeal by a company owned
by the Cuban government.
Former airline executive backs Air Jamaica’s new focus
NEW YORK, USA: Former Air Jamaica executive, Allen
Chastanet has added his support to Air Jamaica's
new non-stop
flights to St Lucia, saying that this
service is critical to the success of tourism on the
island. "The new flights
couldn't have come at a more
opportune time,” said Chastanet.
Digicel reaches over two million customers in the Caribbean with the launch of VoluBill’s Charge-it solutions
PARIS, France: VoluBill on Monday announced the
successful launch of its latest versions of Charge it
for Browsing,
Charge It for Delivery and Charge it
for IP solutions in Digicel’s mobile network operations
in Trinidad & Tobago
and Haiti.
BVI chief minister to deliver State of the Territory Address on Tuesday
ROAD TOWN, BVI: People in the British Virgin Islands
are watching and waiting in anticipation of the Chief
Minister"s
annual State of the Territory Address on
Tuesday.
Trinidad government to purchase third blimp next month
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: National Security officials
in Trinidad have confirmed that a third anti-crime
skyship,
commonly referred to as a blimp, will arrive
in the country by July of this year, costing
government an initial US$15
million.
Commentary: Law and Politics: Is reality coming home to roost?
It seems that the people in authority, who control
and direct our affairs delight in, or perhaps get a kick
out
of, leaving even major decisions for the ninety-
ninth hour before saying or doing anything worthwhile
to inform the
people.
Commentary: The future of mobile telephony - but will Caribbean operators be ready to make money?
VoluBill’s recent collaboration with Jamaican-based
mobile provider Digicel highlights the financial benefits
of
ensuring networks are capable of rating and
charging for advanced mobile services -- especially in
Caribbean markets.
Letter: Whaling versus tourism
There is something that I feel your readers should be
aware of. I am an avid sailor and many of my friends
who
are avid sailors, yachtsmen, and charter
companies are discussing not allowing any of their
yachts into the waters
of those nations that have
been voting pro commercial whaling.
Letter: The Barbados government must feel lucky this year
The Barbados Government, fresh from a crushing
defeat of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago at
the Permanent
Court of Arbitration, now has the legal
precedent of the Pratt and Morgan ruling in its cross
hairs.
Letter: The Soca Warriors
I am a Trini at heart and I am very proud of my
homeland. I know if God is for us, who in the World
Cup can be
against us.
Carew discusses West Indies selection policies
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AFP): Joey Carew,
convenor of the West Indies' selection panel, agrees
that pitches
in the Caribbean need to improve, but
he failed to give reasons why Brian Lara's appeal for
a genuine fast bowler
for the third Test against India
were ignored.
Yorke calls on England allies to boost Soca Warriors bid
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany (AFP): Tiny Trinidad and
Tobago are bidding to cause an upset and create
World Cup history
when they face Paraguay in what
promises to be a nail-biting Group B decider here on
Tuesday.
Rooney can fire Trinidad to second round, says Birchall
ROTENBURG, Germany (Reuters): England's fit-again
Wayne Rooney can be the key to help Trinidad and
Tobago reach
the second round of the World Cup,
the Caribbean team's midfielder Chris Birchall said on
Monday.
Jamaican Beckford leaps to season-best in Poland
WARSAW, Poland: Former Olympic Games silver
medallist James Beckford of Jamaica produced his
best effort so far
in the sand to win the men's Long
Jump crown at the 52th Janusz Kusocinski Memorial,
in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday.
Caribbean nations accuse rich Western countries of hypocrisy and colonialism
FRIGATE BAY, St Kitts (AFP): Caribbean nations
accused rich Western states of hypocrisy and
colonial-style discrimination
Sunday, as they rejected
attempts to force them into the anti-whaling camp.
Guyanese fugitive planned assassinations of Surinamese officials
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Fugitive Guyanese
businessman Shaheed Roger Khan who was captured
Thursday in a sting operation
in neighbouring
Suriname had reportedly planned and ordered the
assassination of several key government and judicial
officials in Suriname.
Taiwan to assist construction of international airport in St Vincent
KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: Taiwan will grant US$15
million and a US$10 million soft loan to aid in the
construction
of an international airport in St Vincent,
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves announced last
week. Dr Gonsalves secured
the assistance during his
most recent visit to the Asian ally.
Suriname police seize 213 kilos of cocaine in raid
PARAMARIBO, Suriname (AFP): Police have arrested
seven men and seized 213 kilograms (470 pounds) of
cocaine in
a raid on two residences in Suriname's
capital, authorities said Friday.
Haiti, IMF launch aid talks
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): The IMF said Haiti has
a "unique historical opportunity" to improve its
political
and economic situation, as talks opened here
on a three-year aid program for the Caribbean nation.
England offered Caribbean island trip for World Cup win
LONDON, England (AFP): Virgin Atlantic airways boss,
the British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, offered
England's
footballers a trip to his private Caribbean
island Friday, but only if they win the World Cup.
Malaria outbreak in the Bahamas prompts screening
NASSAU, Bahamas (Reuters): Health officials in the
Bahamas are screening illegal immigrants for malaria
after
an outbreak of the potentially fatal disease was
confirmed on a sandy chain of islands southeast of
Nassau.
Japan to pay for Dominican Republic move
TOKYO, Japan (UPI): Japan will give money to
citizens who immigrated to the Dominican Republic in
the 1950s based
on false information from the
government.
Hurricane forecasting may become more precise
MIAMI, USA (UPI): People who live in warm-water
coastal areas may have to put up with hurricanes,
but they may
soon get more precise hurricane
warnings.
Three children in Grenada perish by fire
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada: A Grenada family is mourning
the death of three children in a fire on Friday.
According
to reports, the fire gutted the house in
which the children were staying in Glebelan in
Sauteurs.
Demonstrators oppose Cuban travel ban
MIAMI, USA (UPI): Nearly 100 protesters gathered in
Miami to oppose a ban on traveling to Cuba, the
Miami Herald
reported.
Commentary: Reflections on the OECS at 25
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
started twenty-five years ago on 18th June 1981.
The OECS
is a grouping of some of the smallest
States in the world. Their combined population is less
than 500,000 people.
West Indies selectors ignore Lara's plea for pace
ST JOHN'S, Antigua (AFP): An appeal from West
Indies captain Brian Lara for more teeth in his bowling
attack
has again fallen on deaf ears.
Atkinson overseeing St Kitts pitch for third Test
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (AFP): West Indies captain
Brian Lara may not have got the fast bowling attack
he requested
from the selectors but he may get a
Warner Park pitch with a lot more bounce and life.
India need an extra bowler to beat West Indies, says Gavaskar
NEW DELHI, India (AFP): Former batting great Sunil
Gavaskar on Friday blamed India's team selection for
missing
out on two successive Test victories on their
tour of the West Indies.
Soca Warriors set for history-making battle
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany (AFP): Tiny Trinidad and
Tobago are bidding to create an upset, and create
World Cup
history when they face Paraguay in a
Group E decider here on Tuesday.
Jack set to replace Hislop in goal for Trinidad
ROTENBURG, Germany (Reuters): Kelvin Jack looks
set to start in goal for Trinidad & Tobago against
Paraguay
on Tuesday, with Shaka Hislop dropping to
the bench, sources within the camp said on Sunday.
Grenadian Roberts linked to West Bromwich Albion move
LONDON, England: Grenadian striker Jason Roberts,
who is said to be leaving Wigan Athletic following a
new contract
breakdown last week, is said to be
linked to a 1.5 million pound move back to his former
club West Bromwich Albion.
Reggae Boy Davis lands Premiership deal with Sheffield United
LONDON, England: Reggae Boy Claude Davis has
battled to make his dream come true and now that
ambition is a reality
-- the Kingston-born defender is
now a Premier League man.
Former England star Barnes in talks with Jamaica
LONDON, England (AFP): Former England winger John
Barnes has been approached to become coach of
Jamaica's national
football team, it was revealed on
Saturday.
