Archives for Monday, January 10, 2005:

Pope calls for lifting of US embargo on Cuba

VATICAN CITY (AFP): Pope John Paul II implicitly called Saturday for the lifting of the US embargo on Cuba, when he received the credentials of the communist Caribbean state's new ambassador to the Vatican, Raul Roa Kouri.  The pope did not make a direct reference to the US embargo imposed in 1962 and toughened last year... read more...

CARICOM nations to clear way for regional integration

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Foreign ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations have unanimously agreed to clear the way for the region's integration, according to reports last week... read more...

Caribbean Community will not re-admit Haiti until after elections

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Haiti will not be allowed back into the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) until the country hold elections in December this year and democracy is restored, Jamaican Foreign Minister Keith Knight said Friday... read more...

Antigua-Barbuda committed to keeping LIAT flying

ST JOHN'S, Antigua: Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer, along with the Advisor in the Ministry of Communications Mr. Brian Challenger, attended a meeting on Saturday in Barbados of regional leaders and members of the Board of LIAT 1974 in another bid to address the financial woes of the regional carrier... read more...

Politics at the crossroads in Antigua and Barbuda

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: The political landscape in Antigua and Barbuda appears to be at the crossroads as the people of the twin-island nation seek to put into place a government that does justice to the country as a whole... read more...

EU delays plan to cut price of sugar

KINGSTON, Jamaica: The European Union (EU) has agreed to delay the implementation of the price cut on sugar from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries until July 2006 instead of the July 2005 date originally proposed... read more...

Enumeration of electors in St Vincent-Grenadines

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Electoral Office will be carrying out a nation wide enumeration of electors beginning on March 14th 2005... read more...

Trinidad and Tobago gives US$2m to tsunami victims

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning has announced a US$22 million dollar disaster aid package, of which US$2 million will be given to the victims of the Asian earthquake and US$20 million earmarked for a local disaster relief fund.  Manning says that Trinidad can also contribute to those in need... read more...

New ferry to Tobago brings more problems

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: After months of complaints by Tobagonians for an efficient sea transport, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has finally sought to resolve the situation by simply leasing a brand new ferry known as the “MV Sonia”, at a daily cost of US$24,000... read more...

Bermuda insurance subsidiary gets subpoena from NY Attorney General

PEMBROKE, Bermuda: Bermuda-based insurance company, Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd, reported last week that its US subsidiary, Endurance Reinsurance Corporation of America, has received a subpoena from the New York Attorney General requesting documents in connection with an investigation into contingent commission agreements... read more...

Literacy campaign kicks off in St Vincent

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent: St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is throwing his full support behind the country's teachers engaged in the recently started literacy campaign.  Gonsalves made the disclosure at the commencement of the National Literacy Campaign (NLC) which recently got off the ground... read more...

Virgin Gorda could lose airport

VIRGIN GORDA, BVI: In just under three weeks, the people on the tiny island of Virgin Gorda could lose the island's lone airport which came into being just over 40 years through the assistance of American philanthropist Laurence Rockefeller, during the construction of the Little Dix Bay Resort... read more...

Increase in Jamaican GDP for manufacturing and processing

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the manufacturing and processing sector in Jamaica was estimated to have increased by 2 per cent for the July to September quarter last year, compared to the corresponding period of 2003... read more...

St Kitts-Nevis Government responds to work permit controversy

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: The Ministry of National Security of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has responded to what it describes as reports in the regional media describing Clive Bacchus, a Guyanese citizen who is presently working in St. Kitts, as a victim of an attempt to drive the Guyanese out of St. Kitts and Nevis because of a request by the country's Government that the post be advertised to allow nationals to apply... read more...

'Creeping tsunami' of sea level rise

WASHINGTON, USA: Last month’s tsunami disaster in the Western Pacific and Indian oceans is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of small island developing states (SIDS) to natural and man-made disasters... read more...

Kick 'em Jenny currently poses no tsunami threat, says UWI

ST AUGUSTINE, Trinidad: The recent tsunami in Asia has caused widespread concern over the Caribbean’s vulnerability to tsunamis. While it is possible for the region to be hit by a tsunami such as the one recently experienced in Asia, scientists currently believe that there is a very low probability of this phenomenon occurring in the Caribbean... read more...

Private sector urged to support China-Caribbean trade fair

KINGSTON, Jamaica: The staging of the China-Caribbean Trade Forum and Trade Fair in Kingston must be seen as an opportunity to foster economic development in Jamaica, and by extension the entire region, said Christopher Denny, Regional Manager, Retail Banking Division at the National Commercial Bank (NCB)... read more...

COMMENTARY

2005: Ringing in the Caribbean Single Market? Part 2

A system of regional governance of CARICOM’s economic arrangements remains an unsettled question amongst governments. But, the establishment of such a system is vital to the successful operation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).  Already, there are signs that vested interests have begun to undermine the project.. read more...

TRAVEL NEWS

Air Jamaica sorry for stranding 9-year-old

ORLANDO, USA (UPI): Air Jamaica is apologizing for circumstances that left a south Florida 9-year-old stranded alone in Orlando for most of a day... read more...

USA3000 announces service from Chicago to Aruba

NEWTOWN SQUARE, USA: USA3000 Airlines, a low-fare, full-service airline, last week announced a new weekly scheduled service to Aruba from Chicago O'Hare. Flights are available for booking at USA3000.com and fares start at $199 per one-way segment plus taxes effective January 23rd, 2005... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

West Indies fold to Australia A in Lara's absence

HOBART, Australia (AFP): The West Indies lost their last seven wickets for 34 as they went down to Australia A without their skipper Brian Lara in their one-day cricket match at Bellerive Oval here on Sunday... read more...

Windies batsmen must look for 250-plus runs in one-day series

HOBART, Australia (AFP): West Indies batsmen must look for innings totals of 250 and greater to be successful in this month's triangular one-day cricket series with Australia and Pakistan, skipper Brian Lara said Sunday... read more...

Olympic champions to train in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): Olympic 100 metres champion Justin Gatlin and Olympic 200 metres champion Shawn Crawford of the United States will be arriving in Jamaica next Tuesday to begin training for the upcoming outdoor track and field season... read more...