Noted US team cuts hurricane forecast for Atlantic
MIAMI, USA (Reuters): The number of hurricanes
churning through the Caribbean toward the United
States this year
is likely to be less than once feared
and may even be less than normal, a noted U.S.
hurricane research team said
on Friday.
Guyana urges more US anti-drugs help
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (Reuters): Guyana's President
Bharrat Jagdeo urged Washington to provide more
resources to
help fight drug trafficking and said he
will press through a tough new law to combat money
laundering.
Chavez seeks 'indefinite' term as Venezuelan leader
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez, who is running for re-election
in December,
has said he would call a referendum in
2010 to change the constitution, allowing him to hold
office without any term
limit.
Ban on US operations of Antigua gambling operator extended
CHICAGO, USA (Bloomberg): Betonsports Plc., the
internet sports book indicted for illegal gambling, with
offices
in Costa Rica and Antigua, has been barred
from resuming business in the US while prosecutors
try to serve legal papers
on the company.
New water supply project opened in Dominica
ROSEAU, Dominica: Prime Minister of Dominica,
Roosevelt Skerrit, and Minister for Public Works and
Public Utilities,
Ambrose George, were among the
many invited guests for the official opening ceremony
for the long-awaited Wotton
Waven/Trafalgar/Copthall
Water Supply Project.
BVI delegation attends parliamentary conference in Nigeria
ROAD TOWN, BVI: A three-member delegation from
the British Virgin Islands led by Speaker of the House
Inez Archibald
is attending the 52nd Commonwealth
Parliamentary Conference in Nigeria from September 1-
10.
Court bailiffs enhance skills in the BVI
ROAD TOWN, BVI: Court bailiffs from five Caribbean
countries and territories enhanced their skills at a
one-day
workshop hosted by the British Virgin Islands
High Court Registry this week.
Chavez uses oil ties to woo 'Mother Africa'
LUANDA, Angola (Reuters): Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez has offered his country's oil expertise to
Angola,
sub-Saharan Africa's No. 2 crude producer, in
a strategy to boost ties with what he calls "Mother
Africa" and counter
U.S. influence there.
Commentary: Guyana-not business as usual
The Governments of the United States, Canada and
Britain as well as the governments of the Caribbean
Community
and Common Market (CARICOM) breathed
a collective sigh of relief when there was no violence
on polling day in Guyana.
Powell set to shine at final Golden League meet
BERLIN, Germany (AFP): The world's fastest man,
Asafa Powell, heads into the season's sixth and final
Golden
League meet here Sunday in full knowledge he
will be a richer man when he leaves Germany.
Guyana's president wins re-election
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (Reuters): Guyana's youthful
President Bharrat Jagdeo has won re-election in the
former British
colony, authorities said on Thursday.
Jagdeo, a 42-year-old ethnic Indian, won 64.6
percent of Monday's vote.
Cuba sees first cabinet change with Raul Castro at helm
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): In the first cabinet change
since Raul Castro, 75, took communist Cuba's interim
presidency
a month ago, a seasoned 74-year-old was
named Thursday as new communications chief.
Local residents give thumbs up to US$300m St Kitts resort
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: Residents of Newton Ground,
St Paul’s and the surrounding areas have given the
thumbs up
for the construction of the US$300 million
Kittitian Heights Resorts in the Belmont area of St
Kitts. The mixed-use
resort set on a total of 390
acres will employ 300 construction workers.
Trinidad prison officers call for protection from inmates
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago: The Prisons
Association in Trinidad has called for the authorities
to deal
with outstanding issues affecting officers,
which it believes contribute to disorder at the
nation's prisons.
Air Jamaica increases flights to St Lucia and Barbados
NEW YORK, USA: Air Jamaica has announced an
increase in service to the Eastern Caribbean nations
of St. Lucia
and Barbados, effective January 11, 2007.
Cuba: a month without Fidel at the helm but little visible change
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): In the month since an ailing
Fidel Castro ceded power to his brother Raul, very
little appears
to have changed in communist-run
Cuba but residents say an almost 48-year era has
ended.
Commentary: The End of the World – according to ABC News and Al Gore...
Only weeks ago, I promised that I had written my last
word on global warming. But on Wednesday night,
ABC News
reported - during its “Last Days on Earth”
edition of 20/20 – that “climate change” is the “No.
1” threat facing mankind.
Guadeloupe prepares to host Group F in Digicel Caribbean Cup
POINTE-A-PITRE, Guadeloupe: As Guadeloupe
prepares to host three countries in the Digicel
Caribbean Cup, the
tournament got a kick when
former international French player, Jocelyn Angloma
gave his full endorsement.
Yorke joins Keane's Sunderland revolution
SUNDERLAND, England (AFP): Dwight Yorke on
Thursday was reunited with former Manchester
United team-mate Roy
Keane at struggling English
Championship club Sunderland.
Powell takes 100m dash in poor conditions in Poland
WARSAW, Poland: Three Jamaicans, including 100-
metres World record holder Asafa Powell secured
victories in appalling
wet and cold conditions at the
Pedro's Cup meet in Warsaw, Poland on Wednesday.
Guyana president sails toward easy election win
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (Reuters): Guyana's youthful
President Bharrat Jagdeo sailed toward a comfortable
re-election
victory in Monday's general election,
official poll results showed on Wednesday.
Trinidad government moves to ease inflationary pressures
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: As budget day nears, the
Trinidad and Tobago Government is expected to
remove Value
Added Tax (VAT) on specific items in
the next fiscal year. This is one of several measures
that would be undertaken
by the current
administration.
Venezuela's Rosales pledges to review PetroCaribe agreement
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuela
presidential challenger Manuel Rosales has pledged to
review all oil
and economic agreements entered into
by President Hugo Chavez, including the country's
PetroCaribe oil initiative
if he wins the December 3
election.
Bermuda death still a mystery
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: It is now one year
and one month since the body of Cayman Islands
businessman, Dimitri
Pappas, was discovered hanging
in a clothes closet in Bermuda on 20 July 2005 and
the official inquiry to unearth
the facts relating to his
death has been repeatedly postponed.
Major tourism players confirmed for CMEx St Lucia talks
WASHINGTON, USA: The Caribbean's travel and
tourism industry's leading decision makers will
headline the fifth
anniversary of the Caribbean Media
Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx), set for St
Lucia this October 12-16, 2006.
EU offers extra aid to reforming Caribbean countries
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters): The European Union is
to offer extra aid to poor African, Caribbean and
Pacific
(ACP) countries who can show they are using
the money effectively.
Digicel's emergency text messaging service helps combat crime in Jamaica
KINGSTON, Jamaica: Caribbean mobile
telecommunications provider, Digicel, has announced
that its new emergency
text messaging service,
launched in partnership with the Jamaica
Constabulary Force (JCF), is helping to combat crime
in Jamaica.
Montserrat misrepresented again?
BRADES, Montserrat: Temporarily relieving the media
as the main culprit, some residents of Montserrat are
claiming
that the Montserrat Animal Protection
Society is responsible for the misrepresentation of
the situation facing the
country.
French ambassador visits Nevis
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis: A number of matters came in
for discussion when David Doyle, France’s
Ambassador to the Federation
of St Kitts and Nevis
paid his first official call on Premier of Nevis, Joseph
Parry, on Tuesday, August 29, 2006.
Parry outlined
some of the matters discussed.
Council of Legal Education to honour Caribbean legal luminary
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: The Council of Legal Education
will pay tribute to one of the Caribbean’s legal
luminaries
when it holds its 38th Annual Meeting in St
Kitts next week. Chairman of the Council, Emile
Ferdinand said the Council
meets here from Thursday
September 7 to Saturday September 9.
UN food body issues bird flu guide for the Caribbean
ROME, Italy (AFP): The United Nations food and
agriculture agency said Wednesday it had produced a
booklet preparing
small-scale poultry producers in the
Caribbean and Latin America for the possible arrival of
bird flu.
Commentary: Debby does nothing
At time of writing, Tropical Storm Debby is moving in
a west-northwest direction and is expected to
continue
thus until early next week. Debby is now the
fourth of the 21 named tropical storms "carded" for
2006.
Letter: CGID fires back at Randy Persaud
I read, with measured interest, a letter
captioned "Beware of CGID's propaganda" by Dr
Randy Persaud, which was
published in the August
23, 2006 edition of the Caribbean Net News (CNN).
Letter: Christians have a responsibility for political stewardship
I usually regard Lloyd Noel's pieces as good reading,
and I agree with much that he says in regards to
Christian
involvement in politics, but when he uses
the Maha Sabha Hindu group's decision as an example
for Christians to follow,
leaves me with great
disappointment.
Letter: On the Baldal/Cline debate
I regret not being able to join in the exchanges
between Mr Baldal and Ms Cline sooner. I hope it has
been informative
for Caribbean readers if only to see
the dangers of using simplistic religious
interpretations.
Letter: Government should seriously consider this new fuel
In response to the David Coard article "Grenada does
not need a new spice product", I am in total
agreement with
Mr Coard's comments. We can see
the impact of recent events on the price of oil.
Powell could race in the 200m at IAAF World Cup
OKLAHOMA, USA: Already a dominant force in the
100-metre this season, world record holder, Asafa
Powell of Jamaica
is now seeking a new challenge and
a half-lap personal best may very well be his new
objective for the latter part
of the outdoor season.
Guyana elections results to be declared Wednesday
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The Guyana Elections
Commission (GECOM) has assured that it is
working "around the clock"
to ensure that the
declaration of results is made sometime Wednesday.
Raul Castro says his brother's recovery is 'satisfactory'
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Provisional Cuban leader Raul
Castro said his brother Fidel Castro's recovery from
gastrointestinal
surgery was "gradual and
satisfactory," the official newspaper Granma said
Tuesday. The statement on Fidel Castro's
health
came during a meeting Sunday.
Guyana president confident as votes tallied
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (Reuters): Guyanese
President Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday said he was
confident of victory as
authorities tallied votes from
Monday's election, but his chief opponent denounced
irregularities and accused the
ruling party of fraud at
one polling station.
Drug abuse reported to be on the rise in Trinidad schools
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: A recent survey conducted
in Trinidad and Tobago has revealed that the use of
alcohol
and illicit drugs among students in public
schools is on the rise.
Costa Rica's Arias urges democracy in Cuba
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters): Costa Rican
President Oscar Arias, a respected elder statesman in
Latin America,
said on Tuesday he hoped Fidel
Castro's health crisis would help move Cuba toward
democracy. Arias also urged the
United States to lift
its embargo on the communist-ruled island.
US foe Venezuela's Chavez arrives in Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (Reuters): Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez arrived in Syria on Tuesday to show
solidarity with
the Arab nation that has defied
Washington for years. Chavez's popularity in Syria
and the Arab world has shot up
after he ordered
Venezuela's envoy in Israel home earlier this month.
IRS warns of resurfaced internet scam
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Embassy of the United
States of America to Barbados and the Eastern
Caribbean has alerted
the public to an internet scam
purporting to come from the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) that has resurfaced.
Dominican Republic ambassador to open Holocaust exhibit in New York
NEW YORK, USA: Commemorating 1,000 Jews rescued
from Nazi Germany by the Dominican Republic, the
Dominican Republic
Ambassador will open an exhibit in
New York on Sunday, September 10, 2006, to honour
the Dominican Republic community
for its heroic role
during the Holocaust.
OAS observer mission congratulates people of Guyana on elections
WASHINGTON, USA: On election day, 28 August,
2006, the OAS Observer Mission deployed a team of
123 observers
in the 10 regions in Guyana to observe
General and Regional Elections. The OAS Observer
Mission has extended congratulations
to the people
of Guyana for the peaceful conduct of the polls.
FirstCaribbean’s the best, says Euromoney
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: A positive performance in
2005 and an “impressive” start this year have earned
FirstCaribbean
International Bank a benchmark award
from Euromoney Magazine, one of the most highly
regarded financial publications
in the industry.
Seventeen Eastern Caribbean students granted full scholarships in Mexico
CASTRIES, St Lucia: The embassy of Mexico for the
OECS countries, based in St Lucia, has announced
that seventeen
Eastern Caribbean students have
received full scholarships granted by the Instituto
Tecnológico de Monterrey.
Venezuela fines US oil firms
CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuela fined two US oil
service firms in the country and closed the offices of
one for
alleged bookkeeping irregularities, El Universal
reported Tuesday.
Commentary: Questions and answers about national health insurance in The Bahamas
The Nassau Institute Health Insurance Report has
been circulated to the public. Some individuals and
groups are
wondering how they, and the Bahamian
economy will be affected.
Brown names 22-man Jamaica squad for friendly international
KINGSTON, Jamaica: Jamaica’s newly appointed
interim head coach Carl Brown has named a 22-man
squad, which includes
four English-based players, to
begin preparation for next Monday's friendly
international against Canada in Montreal.
Australian cricket mourns passing of Walcott
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP): The late West Indies legend
Sir Clyde Walcott will always hold a special place in
the
hearts of Australian cricket lovers, Cricket
Australia said Monday.
Powell to run 100m in Poland
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): World 100 metre record
holder Asafa Powell is set to race Wednesday at the
Pedro's Cup
meet in Poland. The meet, which will
feature mainly Polish athletes, will also showcase
Powell, the sprinter's manager
Paul Doyle said.
Ernesto douses eastern Cuba en route to Florida
HAVANA, Cuba (Reuters): Tropical Storm Ernesto
drenched eastern Cuba on Monday and headed for
the Florida Straits,
where it could regain hurricane
strength and hit Florida's most populous region.
Ernesto briefly became the Atlantic
season's first
hurricane on Sunday.
Guyanese go to polls; incumbent favored to win
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (Reuters): Braving bursts of
tropical rain, Guyanese voted on Monday in the
former British
colony's fourth election since
independence and were expected to re-elect free-
market advocate President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Polls
show that Jagdeo is likely to win a second 5-year
term.
Cargo vessel capsizes in BVI
ROAD TOWN, BVI: Director of the BVI Shipping
Registry (BVISR) Captain Baboucar Sallah has said
efforts are being
made to reduce the impact of any
environmental hazard, following last Friday’s incident
when a cargo vessel capsized
and ran aground at
Brandywine Bay just outside of the capital Road Town.
City businesses take measures against possible violence in Guyana
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Several businesses in the
main shopping district in Georgetown, Guyana's
capital, hurriedly
moved to erect steel shutters and
plywood sheets to protect their businesses from
possible damage in the event of
riots. Post-election
violence caused millions of dollars in damage in the
past.
US National Guard heads from the Caribbean to Ecuador
ST JOHN, USVI: US National Guard members from the
Caribbean region are spending required annual training
this
year helping those in need of basic medical
screening and treatment in Ecuador. The 35 member
team includes 20 individuals
from the US Virgin
Islands National Guard Medical Command.
Record number of students takes CSEC examinations
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: A total of 522 492
candidates from across the region took the Caribbean
Examinations Council
examinations for the Caribbean
Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) this year.
BVI airport security officials complete service training programme
TORTOLA, BVI: The first of 5 groups of airport
security officials in the British Virgin Islands
completed a specialized
training programme earlier
this month developed by the British Virgin Islands
Tourist Board (BVITB) known as the Tourism
Industry
Service Standards (TISS).
Nevis Culturama to get a facelift
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis: Plans are afoot for a major
facelift for Nevis' major cultural festival Culturama.
Minister
of Culture in the Nevis Island Administration
(NIA) Hensley Daniel made the announcement
recently on the heels of
the recently concluded
Culturama Festival earlier this month.
Montserrat offers upscale villa vacations at budget prices
BRADES, Montserrat: Travelers looking to get away
from big, bustling resorts can look to the ideal
alternative
relaxing in the comfort and tranquil
surroundings of their own private Montserrat villa.
Guyana goes to the polls
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Over 400,000 Guyanese
across the country exercised their right to vote on
Monday and, as
they did so, Chairman of the Guyana
Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally,
has assured that the polls
will be properly conducted
in a manner free from fear and anxiety.
New public transportation policy for the BVI
TORTOLA, BVI: The public in the British Virgin Islands
is being asked to comment on a draft public
transportation
policy that would introduce a new
class of license plates for hired vehicles not operating
as a taxi.
Netherlands Antilles policy towards the Caribbean is one of committed neighbour
WILLEMSTAD, Curacao: In preparation for a trade
mission of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of
Curacao to
Barbados during the first week of
September, State Secretary of Finance, Alex Rosaria,
recently delivered a speech
about the policy of the
Government towards the Caribbean.
Commentary: Multiculturalism - endangering British society
Unmanaged multiculturalism does not work within
nation states. For instead of contributing to a strong
single
society, it fragments society and weakens the
nation through the creation of separate groups with
individual identities.
Commentary: Law and Politics: PetroCaribe and Beijing Stadium - On Course!
Despite the many other areas that are not nearly up
to mark in our Spice Isles for some time now, the two
biggest
projects in our foreign policy portfolio seem to
be on stream and progressing according to plan.
Reggae Boy Francis on the scoresheet, but Watford fail to gain a point
LONDON, England: Jamaican international Damien
Francis hit the back of the net, but his newly
promoted Watford
team suffered a 2-1 defeat at the
hands of Manchester United in the English Premier
League on Saturday, August 26.
Curacao prepares for Digicel Caribbean Cup
WILLIAMSTAD, Curacao: As Curacao prepares to host
the Group A countries in the Digicel Caribbean Cup
Football
Tournament, the country’s sports
administration is gearing up to put on their best
football show.
Ernesto weakens as it pounds Haiti; Cuba in sights
MIAMI, USA (Reuters): Hurricane Ernesto weakened
to a tropical storm as it hammered flood-prone Haiti
on Sunday
and Florida and Cuba started evacuations
as the storm headed for the Gulf of Mexico a year
after Hurricane Katrina
swamped New Orleans.
Incumbent tipped to return in Guyana's presidential poll
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFP): Guyana President
Bharrat Jagdeo is favoured to be returned to the
office in Monday's
general elections despite an
upsurge in violent crime that has marred his seven-
year leadership. Jagdeo will, however,
be pressed to
score a 51 percent majority in the National Assembly.
Suriname sends troops to border with Guyana
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Concerned over possible
election violence in Guyana the Suriname government
has sent army
troops to Nickerie at the border with
Guyana. Over the weekend 200 troops were
dispatched in the so-called security
peration ‘Surwest’.
London's Notting Hill dances to Carnival beat
LONDON, England (Reuters): Europe's largest street
party got under way on Sunday as festivities began
in the
narrow streets of London's Notting Hill with
organisers saying 500,000 visitors had come to enjoy
the first day of
the annual carnival to the sound of
whistles, steel drums, and Caribbean music.
2006 re-DISCOVER the Caribbean Show to be held in Barbados
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Anguilla, Antigua-Barbuda,
Barbados, Bequia, British Virgin Islands, Dominica,
Grenada,
Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, St
Lucia, St Maarten, St Martin, St Vincent and the
Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
are all represented
at the fourth annual re-DISCOVER the Caribbean
Show in Barbados.
Three St Kitts-Nevis nationals honoured at USVI-Caribbean Friendship Week
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: Three nationals of the
Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis were among four
Caribbean persons
honoured Sunday in St. Thomas
for their contribution to Virgin Islands-Caribbean
Friendship Week. Cultures of the
US Virgin Islands
and island nations throughout the region are being
fused together.
Head of hurricane center to step down
MIAMI, USA (UPI): Max Mayfield, director of the
National Hurricane Center in Miami and a familiar
television
figure to many Caribbean residents, has
decided to step down and take some time off after
two of the busiest seasons
ever. Mayfield plans to
leave at the end of the current season January 3.
Trinidad labour unions demand more for working class
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Labour unions in Trinidad
and Tobago are threatening to take serious action if
steps
are not taken soon to increase salaries of the
working class.
Strong election warning from Guyana's president
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Guyana's President Bharrat
Jagdeo has sent a strong signal that the security
forces will
not be 'soft' with anyone who violates the
peace during General Elections.
Cubans brace for Ernesto without Fidel Castro
HAVANA, Cuba (Reuters): For the first time in four
decades, Cubans on Sunday faced the possibility of
confronting
a hurricane without longtime leader Fidel
Castro personally leading the nation through the
storm.
CARICOM team to observe Guyana's elections
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The 13-member Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) Observer team, representing
11 countries is in
Guyana to observe Monday's
elections process and has promised to reach out to
as many communities as possible.
easyCruise heads for St Kitts-Nevis and the Caribbean
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: Cruise line, easyCruise, which
is getting rave reviews from budget-minded 20 and
30 somethings
and is charting a new course through
the canals of Holland and Belgium, is adding St Kitts
and Nevis to its new schedule
of Caribbean sailings
during the upcoming cruise ship season.
Commentary: The sterility of radio broadcasting in Barbados
Radio broadcasting in Barbados has become a daily
challenge of separating the chaff from the wheat.
Everybody
can broadcast. All you have to do is take
up your phone and dial a radio station and, as the
late Leslie Seon used
to say...
Commentary: Caribbean issues summit keeps hope alive
West Indian-Americans are the largest homeowners in
Hartford, own many businesses and have economic
clout. But
when it comes to politics, they sit on the
backburner. So says Hartford’s Councilwoman
Veronica Airey-Wilson.
Commentary: Bahamian healthcare costliest in world
On January 31, 2004 the Blue Ribbon Commission on
National Health Insurance (the “BRC”) delivered its
proposed
plan to the Prime Minister. The initial
implementation of this plan may begin shortly.
Letter: The History of Guyana
As a young Guyanese, I feel the time has come for a
proper and balanced presentation of the history of
my beloved
country to be told (I put my creditability
on the line - not meant to embarass anyone but to
set the record straight).
West Indies legend Walcott dies, age 80
LONDON, England (AFP): West Indies cricket legend
Sir Clyde Walcott died in a Barbados hospital on
Saturday at
the age of 80. Walcott was one of the
three Ws along with Sir Frank Worrell and Everton
Weekes who shot to fame in
the 1950s.
Brown set to join Powell’s training camp
FLORIDA, USA: According to reports from Kingston,
Jamaica, former World Junior champion, Darrel Brown,
is gearing
up to join the MVP Track and Field Club,
which also includes 100-metre world record holder
Asafa Powell.
Powell swipes at officials after missing world record in Brussels
BRUSSELS, Belgium: An angry Jamaican sprinter,
Asafa Powell, blamed officials at the Memorial Van
Damme Golden
League meeting on Friday for a poor
start, which he said may have denied him the shot at
breaking his 100-metres World
record.
