Archives for Thursday, March 18, 2004:

Haiti swears in new government, gangs hand in weapons

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Haiti's new government was sworn in as gangs loyal to exiled ex-president Jean Bertrand Aristide handed in their weapons, raising hopes the Caribbean nation was recovering from its deep-seated political crisis... read more...

Aristide vows to stay out of politics while in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): Former Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide on Wednesday promised Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson to stay out of politics during his stay in Jamaica, an Aristide spokeswoman said... read more...

Guyana supports Jamaica's hosting of former Haitian president

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Foreign Affairs Minister Rudy Insanally says Guyana fully supports the Jamaica administration's decision to have Haiti's former President Jean Bertrand Aristide visit the island... read more...

Amnesty Int'l calls on Cuban government to release prisoners of conscience

LONDON, England: A new report by Amnesty International calls for the unconditional release of 75 prisoners of conscience incarcerated for almost a year and expresses serious concern about their treatment... read more...

Cuba slams criticism, defies UN rights forum

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP): Cuba defied the United Nations' top human rights body on Wednesday by rejecting a UN expert's criticism of abuse in the country and barring her from the country... read more...

BVI delegation hosts financial services presentation In New York

NEW YORK, USA:  Representatives from the government and the financial services sector of the British Virgin Islands recently held a presentation and reception in New York designed to highlight the advantages of doing business in the jurisdiction... read more...

CARICOM outlines scope of electoral observer mission to Antigua-Barbuda

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: On the invitation of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) agreed to mount an Electoral Observer Mission to monitor the electoral system and processes, as well as the conduct of the General Elections to be held on 23 March 2004... read more...

'Criminal offence to be gay in Jamaica' says British newspaper

SHEFFIELD, England: In a report about an asylum seeker who claims she was persecuted in Jamaica for being a lesbian faces deportation from Britain, The Star says the 39-year-old mother of four faces being sent back to Jamaica where, the paper claims, it is a criminal offence to be gay... read more...