Archives for Friday, October 10, 2003:

Vincentian PM speaks out on banana crisis

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent: St. Vincent & the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, says a national effort is required for the salvation of the region's banana industry... read more...

Murder among leading causes of death in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Murder is the fifth leading cause of death in Jamaica after cancer and lifestyle-related illnesses such as heart and cerebro-vascular diseases like stroke and diabetes, the Jamaica Gleaner reported yesterday. Jamaica's murder rate of 44 per 100,000 puts it among nations with the highest such rates in the Americas... read more...

Legislators in French St. Martin want a referendum

MARIGOT, St. Martin: French St. Martin wants to be a distinctly separate territory from Dutch St. Maarten. Legislators in St. Martin have sent a proposal to the French Minister of Overseas Departments, Ms. Brigitte Girardin, asking that a referendum be held on 7th December to determine the issue... read more...

Grenada to deport six with fake Taiwanese passports

ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada: Two men and two women, claiming to be from Taiwan, will be deported later this week... read more...

Antigua parliament sets new date for voters' register

ST JOHN'S, Antigua: Antigua & Barbuda's new voters' register will be published by 15th of November, once parliamentary approval is given at its sitting later this month... read more...

Haitians are repatriated every month from Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic: Haitian migrants seeking a better life in the Dominican Republic are being repatriated in the droves each month. The Associated Press last night reported that as many as four thousand illegal Haitian migrants are repatriated each month... read more...

Trinidad opposition threatens to boycott budget debates

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Trinidad & Tobago's Opposition party, the United National Congress, may not show up at today's 2003-2004 budget debate. The Trinidad Guardian quoted Opposition Leader, Mr. Basdeo Panday, as saying he is still unsure whether he would lead the debate today... read more...

Belize-Guatemala trying to end border problems

BELMOPAN, Belize: Belize and Guatemala may finally be agreeing on the border issue, the Organization of American States says.
Representatives of the two countries recently met at OAS headquarters on 8th October "to review the implementation of the confidence-building measures contained in an agreement signed by both countries on 7th February, 2003." Guatemala and Belize have been embroiled in border disputes. The OAS statement added, that the measure aims "to strengthen peace and security between the two neighbours," CMC reported.

Grenada opposition party says California recall is relevant locally

ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada: Grenada's opposition People's Labour Movement says the recall of the governor of California has some relevance to the politics of the island. CMC recently quoted PLM leader, Dr. Francis Alexis, as saying, that the recall of Governor Gray Davis was based on the huge public debt "involving gross mismanagement." ... read more...

Bahamas MP calls for committee to review missing boys case

NASSAU, Bahamas: A Bahamian Member of Parliament is urging for the appointment of a select committee to review the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of five Grand Bahama boys... read more...

Two more arrested in death of 7-year-old in London

LONDON, England: A 43-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman are being held in north-west London as detectives there continue to investigate the murder of seven-year-old Jamaican national, Toni-Ann Byfield and her father, British newspaper report... read more...

Jamaican jailed for trying to smuggle cocaine into Bermuda

HAMILTON, Bermuda: A Bermuda court on Wednesday sentenced a 48-year-old Jamaican national to 14 years in prison for trying to import nearly US$3 million worth of cocaine into the British colony. 
Law enforcement authorities say the discovery was the largest haul so far this year, AP reported last night. Mr. Errol Keith Fenty, a naturalized Briton and father of two, reportedly picked up the drugs in St. Maarten before arriving here on 23rd April. Bermuda customs and police were alerted after cruise workers became suspicious of his actions and a search of his cabin by a sniffer dog turned up the drugs. 

Jaguar Cars supports research into its namesake in Belize

NORWICH, England: According to talk: Wildlife, a team of young scientists from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, arrived in Belize this week to carry out research that will benefit wild jaguars... read more...

BUSINESS NEWS

Caribbean countries must integrate says U.S. ambassador

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Caricom countries must integrate their markets if they are to survive in a liberalised trading environment. That's the word from U.S. Ambassador, Dr Roy Austin who on Wednesday addressed the Caribbean Latin American Action Forum entitled "Financial Integration - One Regional Capital Market.".. read more...

Cable & Wireless names new CEO for three Caribbean islands

ROSEAU, Dominica: Cable and Wireless has named Mr. Ian Blanchard, as the new chief executive officer for Cable and Wireless with responsibility for Dominica, Guadeloupe and Martinique. In his new post, Mr. Blanchard, the former general manager of C&W Dominica Limited, will oversee Cable and Wireless operations in the three Caribbean Islands... read more...

New oil exploration off the east coast of Trinidad

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: According to the Calgary Herald, Canadian Superior Energy Inc. has entered a joint venture off the east coast of Trinidad with the government-owned Petroleum Co. of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd... read more...

LEGAL NEWS

Jamaican-born alleged sniper Malvo may plead insanity

FAIRFAX, Virginia: Lee Boyd Malvo, the Jamaican-born sniper suspect in the Washington, D.C. attacks last year, has been urged by his lawyers to use the insanity defense when he goes to trial next month, CNN television is reporting.... read more...

TRAVEL NEWS

Air Jamaica adds four more aircraft to fleet

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Jamaica's national airline, Air Jamaica is adding four new fuel-efficient aircraft to its fleet of 20. The Jamaica Gleaner recently quoted Mr. Christopher Zacca, the airline's deputy chairman and chief executive officer, as saying the new carriers will save the company about J$1 billion annually in fuel costs... read more...

United starts daily service to San Juan

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: United Airlines has announced that it will start daily direct service to San Juan in December... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

Bad weather forces Red Stripe matches to be abandoned

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: Not a ball was played in Antigua yesterday in the Zone B Red Stripe match-up between hosts Antigua & Barbuda and the University of the West Indies at the Antigua Recreation Ground, CMC reports indicate... read more...
 
Stay tuned to Caribbean Net News for more on the Red Stripe Bowl.

Barbados cyclist still proclaims innocence

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Barbadian cyclist, Mr. Barry Forde, says he's innocent and will redeem himself though he was stripped of his double Pan American Games gold medals and the World Championship bronze medal. Mr. Forde forfeited his medals after testing positive for the drug ephedrine, which he claimed he took by accident through a cough medicine... read more...