Many challenges to be overcome on road to CARICOM Single Economy
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): The road to be
traversed by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states
towards its destination
of a Single Economy in 2015 is
one with many challenges and for it to be successful
much work at the policy, legislative,
taxation and fiscal
levels must be undertaken.
IDB and China debt write-off to push development in Guyana
GEORGETOWN, Guayan (GINA): Guyana will be
removed from the 'highly indebted' status through an
Inter-American
Development Bank initiative to provide
debt relief amounting to US$355.5M that would be
retroactive to January 1,
this year.
Venezuela lawmaker says gas likely to be nationalised this year
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuela, holder
of Latin America's biggest natural gas reserves, is
likely
to nationalise gas production by the end of the
year, continuing an effort that has already reached oil
companies
and utilities, a lawmaker said.
ING to close banking operations in Cuba
HAVANA, Cuba (Reuters): ING Groep NV, whose joint
venture with Cuba was blacklisted by the United
States last
year, will close down its banking
operations in Havana, a spokesman for the Dutch
financial group said on Friday.
ING was the first major
Western bank to set up business in Communist Cuba
in 1994.
Cuba, Russia renew aviation partnership
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Longtime aviation partners
Cuba and Russia have renewed their alliance in a
deal promising
increased cooperation in services and
training, the Cuban official daily Granma reported
Friday. Cuba allied
itself with the Soviet Union some
30 years ago, and began using Soviet aircraft.
Cuban commercial mission arouses interest in Dominican Republic
HAVANA, Cuba (ACN): Goods and services offered by
36 Cuban companies that will participate in a
commercial fair
next week in the Dominican Republic
have caught the attention of many business people
interested in boosting trade
and economic exchange
between the two nations.
Grenada Red Cross reaches out to community; offers tips on hurricane preparation
ST GEORGE'S, Grenada: Grenada Red Cross (GRC)
volunteers have briefed scores of people on tips to
better prepare
for the expected intense Hurricane
season 2007. On June 1, the official start of the
Hurricane season in the Caribbean,
many visited the
GRC booth at the Grenville Car Park.
Six-month passport stamp to be implemented in Guyana next week
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Guyanese travelling
to other Caribbean countries will have their passports
stamped
for six-months starting next week. This
announcement was made by President Bharrat
Jagdeo, who said this will be possible
once there is
no law preventing Guyana from using this system.
Jamaica to benefit from two new direct flights from the UK
LONDON (JIS): Jamaica is expected to benefit from
two new direct flights from the Midlands in the United
Kingdom
(UK) to Montego Bay, which the Jamaica
Tourist Board has said could bring a potential 9,000
extra visitors to the
island.
St Kitts-Nevis ICT strategy focuses on empowerment
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: The establishment of an
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Centre in St Kitts
and Nevis will serve as an additional
human resource development tool to prepare
residents for the challenges and
benefits to be
enjoyed by a unified region and globalised world.
Caribbean countries learn more about tsunami warning system
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Over forty participants from
more than twenty countries in the Caribbean and Latin
American
region convened on the Trinidad St
Augustine campus of The University of the West
Indies for a six-day Caribbean Training
Course in
Seismology and Tsunami Warnings.
Brazil and Mercosur at crossroads over Chavez
BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters): Following Venezuela's
threat this week to withdraw its bid to join the
Mercosur trading
bloc, Brazil must decide whether it
wants to lead a large and divided group or keep it
small and agile to pursue trade
deals around the
world, analysts say.
Caribbean Business Council supports need for more private sector, government cooperation
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): The Caribbean
Business Council (CBC) during a meeting with
CARICOM Heads at the 28th
CARICOM Heads of
Government meeting in Barbados supported the need
for the private sector and governments of the
Caribbean
to have more cooperation.
CYP Caribbean Centre now broadcasting live online
LONDON, England: The Commonwealth Youth
Programme Caribbean Centre (CYPCC) created
history on June 26 when it
began broadcasting live on
its new internet radio station, 'Youth Vibes Radio', in
association with the Caribbean
Internet Radio Portal
(CIRP) and UNESCO.
OAS countries to address labour aspects of free trade agreements
WASHINGTON, USA: The Organization of American
States (OAS) will hold an international meeting next
week in Port
of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, which will
bring together representatives from over 28 countries
to address the region's
progress, priorities and
challenges related to labour.
OECS trade ministers and officials to meet in St Lucia
CASTRIES, St. Lucia: OECS Trade ministers will meet
in St Lucia on Wednesday, July 11. The Ministers
meeting
will be preceded by the Thirteenth meeting of
the OECS Trade Negotiations Group (TNG) on July 9
to 10. The primary
objective of the TNG is to facilitate
the formulation of OECS positions on external trade
negotiations.
Commentary: Planning for Zimbabwe after Mugabe
The political and economic crises in Zimbabwe are
rapidly getting worse; the vast majority of the people of
Zimbabwe
are suffering with many hundreds crossing
borders into neighbouring countries seeking refuge. It
is time for the international
community to put plans in
place to rescue the country from certain disaster,
Commentary: Outside View: Chavez vs US - Part 1
MOSCOW, Russia (UPI): Hugo Chavez, the
Venezuelan president, has repeated his intention to
further develop economic
cooperation with Russia,
which he calls a "strategic union." One of the
components of this cooperation will be the
strengthening of Venezuela's defense capabilities, but
prospects in fuel and energy are looking good, too.
West Indies confident of Chanderpaul fitness
LOUGHBOROUGH, England (AFP): West Indies
coach David Moore is confident key batsman
Shivnarine Chanderpaul will
be fit for Saturday's
decisive one-day international against England at
Trent Bridge. Chanderpaul, who averaged over
148
during England's 3-0 Test series win, showed his
ability as a one-day batsman,
Bahamian Atkins dominates 100m again to win in Paris Golden League
PARIS, France: Bahamas' new world-class sprinter
Derrick Atkins continued his impressive form this
season with
another sparkling performance to win the
men's 100-metre dash at the Meeting Gaz de France
Paris Saint-Denis in Paris,
France on Friday, July 6.
Hurricane season forecast eased by storm risk group
LONDON, England (Bloomberg): Tropical Storm Risk,
a London-based group, has slightly reduced its
forecast of
a more intense hurricane season to about
40 percent above the norm. TSR, comprised of
forecasters and companies, had
predicted June 4 that
the season was likely to be 55 percent above the
norm.
Reggae luminary dazzles USVI carnival crowd
ST JOHN, USVI: The ball field in Cruz Bay in the US
Virgin Islands slowly swelled to thousands as off-
island
Rastafarians, reggae lovers, and amazed
tourists waited until the early morning hours on July 4
to watch a performance
of the last living member of
the Wailers, de' Jamaican king, Bunny Wailer.
CARICOM Heads agree on development initiatives
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): CARICOM Heads of
Government, in an effort to achieve the goal of the
regional integration
process to enhance the well-
being of all the Caribbean people, have agreed on
several initiatives.
No human rights progress under Raul Castro, say dissidents
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Almost a year after Raul Castro
took over as communist Cuba's interim leader,
blanket human
rights violations remain the rule,
dissidents said Thursday. The Cuban government
maintains it has no political
prisoners, but does
acknowledge jailing people it deems US-
paid "mercenaries."
New oil investment opportunities for Barbadians
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Barbadians will eventually
have an opportunity to invest in the blocks currently
available
for hydrocarbon exploration once oil is found
in them. Word of this has come from Minister of
Energy and the Environment,
Elizabeth Thompson.
Cuba to increase wind power generation
HAVANA, Cuba (ACN): By the end of the decade, Cuba
could see its power-generating capacity increase
through the
use of wind energy by some 300 MW a
year -- output close to that of a major regional
generating plant. This eco-friendly
power source is
under study on the island as part of the
nation's "energy revolution."
Fruit flies prompt US to block Haiti mango exports
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters): The United States
halted mango imports from Haiti and returned 50
shipping containers
of the tropical fruit to Haitian
exporters after discovering fruit flies in crates sent
from the Caribbean nation,
officials from both
governments said on Thursday.
St Kitts-Nevis government moves to create more jobs
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM): Several small
manufacturing and service-oriented businesses in St
Kitts and Nevis
have been granted duty free
concessions in a continuing effort to create jobs and
empower local entrepreneurs. The
Cabinet has
approved the waiver of duty for small manufacturers.
Trinidad Transparency Institute to call for policy on political party funding
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Acting Chairman of the
Transparency Institute in Trinidad, Victor Hart says
they will
soon be making an official call on all political
parties in the country to establish a policy position
regarding the
ways in which they are funded prior to a
general election.
US protests Venezuela's detention of football security agents
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): The United States
protested Thursday the brief detention in Venezuela of
two US security
agents assigned to the US team
participating in the Copa America football (soccer)
tournament.
Musings on the music and philosophy of Bunny Wailer
ST JOHN, USVI: There may be only a handful of well-
known entertainers today who seek to use their stage
presence
as a vehicle for deeply felt, personal
religious expression. Bunny Wailer has successfully
managed to go a step further,
using his highly
charismatic "star power" as a venue to spread the
political word.
St Kitts-Nevis PM calls for greater access to US President's HIV/AIDS Fund
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Prime Minister of St
Kitts and Nevis Dr Denzil Douglas has called for more
accessibility
by CARICOM Members States to the US
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
(PEPFAR). Dr Douglas made this call
during a press
conference in Barbados.
US Internal Revenue Service warns of new scam
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: According to the US
Embassy in Barbados, the Internal Revenue Service
has alerted taxpayers
to the latest versions of an e-
mail scam intended to fool people into believing they
are under investigation by the
agency's Criminal
Investigation division.
ACS-CHA dialogue on tourist safety in the region begins
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: The Regional Policy
Dialogue on Tourist Safety and Security, organised
jointly by the
Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), with the
technical and financial
support of PRO-INVEST,
commenced on Thursday morning in Port of Spain,
Trinidad.
Book review: The iPINIONS Journal: Commentaries on Current Events - Volume 2
Every week, Anthony Hall enlightens and entertains
our readers with his regular column in Caribbean Net
News,
as well as many others through his daily online
commentary on the latest events and issues. And,
once again, Mr Hall
provides us with his annual
retrospective compendium of insight and
observations.
Commentary: Calling on environmental heroes - Caribbean style!
I salute the many men and women whose steadfast
ability to state the obvious about many environmental
concerns,
have led then to transform verbal critique
into solid action. Environmental hazards (either man-
made or natural) affect
all, but in particular the poor
among us are most vulnerable.
Caribbean contingent ready for Paris Golden League meet challenges
PARIS, France: The stage is all set for some of the
Caribbean's best athletes, who assembled in small
groups
all this week, to take part in the Meeting Gaz de
France Paris Saint-Denis - the second meeting of the
IAAF Golden
League series in Paris, France, on Friday.
Anderson fined for Morton barge
BIRMINGHAM, England (AFP): England fast bowler
James Anderson has been fined 50 percent of his
match fee after
shoulder-barging West Indies
batsman Runako Morton during the second one-day
international at Edgbaston.
Walsh impressed by prospects in Cuba
ST JOHN'S, Antigua (Reuters): Former West Indies
fast bowler Courtney Walsh believes that Cuba has
natural cricketing
talent and could become a force in
the game. Walsh said on Thursday he had visited the
communist country several times
and had been
amazed by the talent on show.
Haiti tries to put troubles aside for PanAm games
SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters): Troubled by political
turmoil, Haiti arrives for the July 13-29 Pan American
Games
in Rio de Janeiro hoping its delegation of 37
athletes will bring home four medals. That would
mark the best showing
yet for the poorest part of the
Americas.
Caribbean leaders evaluate regional integration
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM): Caribbean Heads of
Government at the 28th Heads of Government Meeting
in Barbados
have been evaluating the issues of
functional cooperation as one of the main foundation
pillars on which the community
pursues its integration
process.
Caribbean countries back Antigua in US trade dispute
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Antigua and Barbuda says
it has gained the full support of fellow Caribbean
Community (CARICOM)
member states in its ongoing
Internet gambling dispute with the United States. The
WTO recently ruled against the
US in an online
gaming dispute with Antigua.
Castro justified in raising biofuels food supply risk, says UN official
HAVANA, Cuba (Reuters): The head of the UN
Environment Program said on Wednesday Cuban
leader Fidel Castro and
others are justified in raising
concern about the potential for ethanol production to
threaten food supplies for the
poor.
Venezuela's Mercosur entry unlikely, says Brazil senator
BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters): Brazil's Congress is
unlikely to approve Venezuela's entry into the South
American
trade bloc Mercosur within a deadline set by
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the head of the
Senate Foreign Relations
Committee said on
Wednesday.
Chinese firm to build power plant in Dominican Republic
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic: President
Leonel Fernandez and the Dominican Republic
government have announced
that, as a result of
seeking international trade and business
investments, a Chinese company will build a coal-
fired
power plant in the northwest part of the country,
More storm damage in northern Dominican Republic
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic: After
suffering flooding and heavy rains that have already
caused damage and
destruction to property and crops
this year, another violent storm has hit the Monticristi
areas in the north of the
Dominican Republic.
Guyana will not contribute to regional airline, says president
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Guyana will not be
offering any financial support to financially-troubled
regional
airline Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT),
according to Guyanese Head of State President
Bharrat Jagdeo. He contends
that any efficient airline
should be able to face competition.
Guyana government has zero-tolerance for police corruption, says minister
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Guyana's Home
Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has repeated the
government's zero-tolerance
for corruption in wake of
the recent surfacing of a taped conversation
purporting to be the voice of a senior Superintendent
of the Guyana Police Force and a businessman,
OECS-USAID workshop in Disaster Risk Management opens in St Kitts
CASTRIES, St Lucia: The fifth national workshop in a
series being hosted by the Organisation of Eastern
Caribbean
States (OECS) Secretariat and USAID-
COTS, to train Member States in the use of a Disaster
Risk Management Benchmarking
Tool (B-Tool)
opened in Basseterre, St Kitts, on Tuesday July 3.
USVI Emancipation celebrations come to a dramatic close
ST CROIX, USVI: All roads led to "Freedom City"
Frederiksted as the 159th Emancipation Day activities
in the
US Virgin Islands came to a close with a
reenactment, oral history presentations and dance
productions. Residents
and visitors watched as the
Caribbean Dance Company reenacted the events.
Venezuela insulted, detained US agents, says envoy
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): US federal agents
guarding the American team at South America's top
soccer tournament
were insulted as "terrorists" and
threatened with arrest by Venezuelan officials, the US
ambassador said on Wednesday.
Regional Heads agree to implement CARICOM travel card
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Heads of
Government of the Caribbean Community have
agreed on the implementation of
a CARICOM travel
card that will be issued to every CARICOM national
except those on the Community's watch list. The
card
will feature facial and finger printing biometrics.
CARIMAC and UNESCO to offer online media courses
CASTRIES, St Lucia: The premier media training
institution in the Caribbean, the Caribbean Institute of
Media
and Communication (CARIMAC), will for the first
time offer three of its courses online through a
partnership with
the UN Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization and the University of the West
Indies.
ACS and CHA keeping regional tourists safe
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: The issue of Tourist Safety
and Security will be analysed at a meeting being
organised
by the Association of Caribbean States
(ACS) and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) on
July 5-7, 2007, in Port
of Spain.
Commentary: Restoring Community in a Disconnected World
I receive emails from all over the world. The question I
am asked the most is: "How can I learn more about
conflict
resolution?" "Where can I find
information?" "Are there any programs that would help
me understand?" President and
Founder of IIRP; Ted
Wachtel, is an amazing person.
Commentary: The Bahamas and the legislative curve
There are many circumstances where being behind
the legislative curve is good, but here in The Bahamas
we seem
to be behind in areas that are detrimental to
the good of all Bahamians, these areas are:
Letter: Intimate hotels
'It was to be the lead event for Barbados and the
Caribbean, however, as most of us can certainly attest
this
was not the case. I will even go as far to say that
the event was just short of a disaster'. These were
among the
comments made by Chairman, Denis Tull,
of the 40 member group.
Chanderpaul hundred anchors West Indies win
BIRMINGHAM, England (AFP): Shivnarine
Chanderpaul's unbeaten century set up West Indies'
61-run win against England
in the second one-day
international (ODI) at Edgbaston here Wednesday.
Left-hander Chanderpaul, batting at No 3, made
116
not out in a total of 278 for five after West Indies, lost
the toss.
Texas billionaire gives US$100 million to West Indies game
ST JOHN'S, Antigua (Reuters): Texas billionaire Allen
Stanford has given West Indies cricket US$100 million
over
three years in what he described on Wednesday
as a bid to bring the game into the 21st century.
Caribbean athletes beat the conditions for victories in Croatia
ZAGREB, Croatia: Jamaica's Delloreen Ennis-London
and Cuban Dayron Robles battled through the wet
and cold conditions
to win their respective sprint
hurdles events on a night when the Caribbean had
three wins at the Hanzekovic Memorial
Grand Prix -
IAAF World Athletics Tour 2007 meeting, in Zagreb on
Wednesday.
Trinidadian sprinter arrested in New York
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: A report reaching Trinidad
indicates that police in the US state of New York have
arrested
and charged a Trinidadian national, who they
say is a serial rapist. The report says police officials
arrested 30-year-old
Alvin Henry, who is a former
member of Trinidad and Tobago's 2000 Olympic team.
Belize to impose 'child protection curfew'
BELMOPAN, Belize: Effective Friday, July 13, no child
under the age of 16 years will be allowed to loiter or
wander,
be in a street, park or other public place in
Belize City between the hours of 8:00 pm and 6:00
am. The objectives
of implementing this curfew are to
protect children from criminal activities.
Bahamas prosecutors told to do their jobs
NASSAU, Bahamas (BIS): Public prosecutors in the
Bahamas must not seek to secure convictions in
criminal trials
at all cost, Attorney General Senator
Claire Hepburn said. Addressing the Senate during
debate on the government's
$1.5 billion budget, she
was critical of the previous administration's 'Swift
Justice' initiative.
CARICOM Heads agree to provide statistics on free movement of skills
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Guyana's President
Bharrat Jagdeo said on Tuesday that the 28th
CARICOM Heads of Government
Summit discussions
thus far are going well and are very frank and
comprehensive. He said the Heads of Government
have
agreed to monitor the free movement of skills of
nationals.
Barbados lifts ban on UK poultry products
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (GIS): Commercial
importers as well as travellers are now free to import
poultry and poultry
products into Barbados from the
United Kingdom. This follows the lifting of the ban that
was placed on these products
earlier this year after an
outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the
UK.
Senior Chinese official leads high level delegation to Dominica
ROSEAU, Dominica: A high level delegation led by Gu
Xiulian, Vice-Chairwoman of the Standing Committee
of the
National People's Congress of the People's
Republic of China will arrive in Dominica on Thursday
for a two-day visit.
Grenada reaches World Cup target
ST GEORGE'S, Grenada: The government of Grenada
is expected to collect close to eight million dollars in
ticket
revenue from the 2007 Cricket World Cup. This
was announced by Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell,
who received a report
from the ICC/CWC 2007
Committee on the region's hosting of the event.
Canada's engagement with Guyana could increase, says official
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The Canadian
government's policy to increase activity in the Western
Hemisphere, including
the Caribbean, may soon see
enhanced engagement with Guyana, a top official
said. To enhance its competitiveness,
Canada has
developed a framework called a Global Commerce
Strategy.
President challenges Japan's private sector to visit Guyana
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Guyana, a country
with much untapped potential, is being marketed
aggressively by
both the Guyana Office for Investment
and the Head of State President Bharrat Jagdeo, who
met with Japan's External
Trade Organisation and the
Japan Association of Corporate Executives.
Jamaican Diaspora urged to help improve education system
WASHINGTON, USA (JIS): Former Jamaican
Ambassador to the United Nations, Curtis Ward, has
urged the Jamaican
Diaspora to form partnerships
with the government to help improve the country's
education system. Ambassador Ward
was delivering
the keynote address at an annual fundraising dinner.
Final agreement signed for new resort in St Kitts
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM): The St Kitts and
Nevis Cabinet has disclosed that the final agreement
for a US$600
million project on St Kitts' South East
Peninsular that will bring investment, employment and
general economic activity
in the Federation of St Kitts
and Nevis, has been signed.
St Lucia committed to regional integration says Acting PM
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Speaking at the official
Opening Ceremony of the Conference of Heads of
Government of the
Caribbean Community, acting
Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Stephenson King says,
his country's commitment to the ideals
of regionalism
and to the deepening of the integration process of
CARICOM will increase.
Trinidad to host Regional Drug Commander's Conference
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Trinidad and Tobago is to
host the 13th Regional Drug Commander's
Conference on July
10 in Tobago. The activity is
sponsored by the United States Drug Enforcement
Administration and the Department of
State's Bureau
of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.
British navy delivers equipment to Turks and Caicos fire service
GRAND TURK, Turks and Caicos Islands: HMS
Portland, a British naval ship that has recently been
patrolling the
waters around the Turks and Caicos
Islands has also delivered vital equipment to the TCI
Fire Service. A UK-based
fire service charity has
facilitated the generous donation from Dutch
manufacturer, Holmatro.
USVI increases hotel bookings through special promotion
ST THOMAS, USVI: The 90th Anniversary Celebration
promotion spearheaded by the US Virgin Islands
Department of
Tourism in conjunction with the USVI
Hotel and Tourism Association is already proving to
be a major success. The campaign
is designed to
boost spring and summer travel to the Territory.
Chavez gives Brazil, Paraguay ultimatum over trade zone
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez stepped up pressure on Brazil and
Paraguay Tuesday
to ratify his country's entry into a
South American trade bloc, giving them a September
deadline to do so. Chavez
threatened to drop
Venezuela's bid to join Mercosur if the congresses fail
to ratify it.
Iran to buy petrol from Venezuela, says report
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP): Venezuela has agreed to sell
petrol to its anti-American ally Iran after Tehran
implemented
a rationing scheme which sparked
angry protests across the nation, a press report said
on Tuesday.
US orders new workers to process passports
WASHINGTON, USA (Reuters): The US State
Department ordered about 200 recent hires on
Tuesday to report to Louisiana
and New Hampshire
for two months to help work through a huge backlog of
passport applications, officials said.
Gayle confirms Chanderpaul move
BIRMINGHAM, England (AFP): West Indies one-day
international captain Chris Gayle has said Shivnarine
Chanderpaul
will move up the order for the second
limited overs clash against England at Edgbaston.
The 32-year-old has been one
of the few successes
for the West Indies of a tour of England.
Powell ruled out of Paris Golden League meeting
PARIS, France: Jamaican world record holder Asafa
Powell has withdrawn from the IAAF Paris Golden
League meeting
on Friday, to give himself sufficient
time to recover for the World Championships in
Osaka, next month. Powell picked
up a groin injury
while competing at the Jamaica Championships in
Kingston,
Iran-Venezuela seal anti-US alliance
ASALUYEH, Iran (AFP): Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo
Chavez sealed
their anti-American alliance Monday by
laying the foundation stone of a joint petrochemical
plant. The two leaders
pledged to "stand against all
enemies," a reference to the United States,
Cuban doctors in Angola to reinforce hospitals, links
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters): Cuba has sent some 60
doctors to Angola to reinforce the African nation's
crumbling health
system and strengthen ties between
the two Cold War allies, Angola's state-run news
agency said on Monday.
Guyana's Jagdeo Initiative to be implemented, says CARICOM Chairman
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): President Bharrat
Jagdeo's initiative 'Strengthening Agriculture for
Sustainable Development'
is among the actions
CARICOM is proposing for implementation over the
next 18 months. The Jagdeo Initiative is a mechanism
to put in motion the Regional Transformation
Programme on Agriculture,
Jamaica and EU sign poverty reduction agreement
KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS): Jamaica and the
European Union have signed a Euro 10.1 million
agreement to provide
funding for the second phase of
the Poverty Reduction Programme (PRP II). The
programme, which will be implemented
over a six-
year period, targets poverty alleviation through
sustainable growth.
OAS supports Guyana's process for new list of registrants
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Assistant Secretary
General of the Organisation of American States Albert
Ramdin has
been in discussion with Guyana's
President Bharrat Jagdeo on moving forward with the
process of establishing a new
National Register of
Registrants' by house-to-house registration.
Nevis seeks greater legislative autonomy
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis: Legal Advisor in the Nevis
Island Administration Patrice Nisbett, has issued a
call to members
of the legal fraternity on St Kitts and
Nevis to assist the Nevis Reformation Party-led Nevis
Island Administration
(NIA) in its efforts to move
forward the process of greater autonomy.
St Lucia utility workers in protest action
CASTRIES, St Lucia: Grade one workers of St Lucia's
lone electricity company , Saint Lucia Electricity
Company
Limited (LUCELEC) are into their third week
of protest action. For the past eleven months, the
worker's representative,
St Lucia Seamen Waterfront
and General Workers Trade Union, has been
discussing salary.
Emancipation celebrations continue in USVI
ST CROIX, USVI: The Fort Frederik Museum on St
Croix in the US Virgin Islands was the backdrop for the
pictorial
exhibit "Journey to the 2006 Celebration of
Ghana's Emancipation" and an exploration into
traditional dance commemorating
the Virgin Islands'
159th Emancipation Celebration.
CARICOM Single Space programme captured 400 illegal applicants
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM): The Caribbean has
been outlining the successes derived from the
operationalisation
of a safe and secure CARICOM
space during the recent Cricket World Cup 2007. The
system, which processed over 1 million
passengers
during the six weeks of its application, captured 400
illegal applicants.
Caribbean summit on communicable diseases to be held in September
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM): A Caribbean
Summit on communicable diseases in the region will
be held in September.
St Kitts and Nevis Prime
Minister Dr Denzil Douglas told Colleague Heads of
Government, United States representatives,
Ambassadors and officials at the recent Conference
on the Caribbean.
Commentary: Law and Politics: Was it a sad, or a blessed day?
In the nineteen seventies or early eighties, the Roman
Catholic Bishops of the Antilles, which represented all
the
CARICOM states, published a booklet that was
named "Justice and peace in a new Caribbean". It
made good sense then
and still does today. It quoted
extensively from publications worldwide.
Commentary: Jacmel and the Highlands of Haiti
It is said that two Haitis exist -- one in Port-au-Prince,
the other everywhere else in Haiti. With a two hour
drive
from the capital one can observe the traditions of
the countryside in calm surroundings. The first town
one encounters,
86 km south of the capital is Jacmel,
a florid port city.
Letter: Spirit Airlines flying soon to Trinidad & Tobago
In June 2006, then BWIA signed a US$20 million
contract with a British firm to advertise and brand
BWIA internationally
(an illogical move seeing that
BWIA only serves Trinidad from the UK, I don't quite
understand the strategy here).
Moore looking to stick with West Indies
LONDON, England (AFP): Stand-in coach David Moore
admitted Monday that he was keen to be involved with
the West
Indies set-up when the current tour of
England and Ireland ends next week. Moore was
drafted into the role for the
Test series and one-day
clashes on a temporary basis,
Chanderpaul could move up the order
LONDON, England (AFP): West Indies captain Chris
Gayle revealed that Shivanarine Chanderpaul could
move up the
batting order in the wake of their defeat by
England in the first one-day international at Lord's.
Chanderpaul went
in at number five and ran out of
partners finishing 53 not out,
Atkins sets new Bahamian national record in Athens Grand Prix
ATHENS, Greece: Bahamian sprinters Derrick Atkins
and Debbie Ferguson McKenzie and Cuba's Dayron
Robles highlighted
a somewhat gloomy day of
competition for Caribbean athletes competing at the
IAAF Athens Grand Prix in the Athens
Olympic Stadium
on Monday.
Kim Collins back with 10.27 win in Moscow
MOSCOW, Russia: St Kitts and Nevis' surprise 2003
World Championships gold medallist Kim Collins
started his
silent 2007 campaign on a winning note,
after taking the men's 100m dash at the Moscow
Luzhniki Cup 2007 on Friday.
Iran, Venezuela bash US, seek stronger ties
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP): Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
on Sunday
slammed arch-foe the United States and
pledged to boost trade ties. Chavez arrived in Tehran
on Saturday for a two-day
visit on the last leg of a tour
of nations at loggerheads with Washington,
Concern over delay in investigating Trinidad's Chief Justice
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Concerns are been
expressed about an apparent delay in the formal
setting up of
a tribunal charged with the responsibility
of investigating whether the Trinidad and Tobago
Chief Justice, Satnarine
Sharma should be removed
from office based on alleged misconduct in office.
USVI territory granted Border Patrol Security
ST JOHN, USVI: Scrutiny at US Virgin Islands borders
on land and by sea is closer to becoming a reality, in
large
part because of Delegate to Congress Donna
Christensen's persistence and the visit of a House
Committee. Christensen
announced Friday that plans
are underway for a Border Patrol unit.
