Archives for Tuesday, April 5, 2005:

UN Security Council to meet in Haiti

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The UN Security Council will hold an extraordinary meeting in Port-au-Prince to discuss the Haitian political and security crisis, China's ambassador to the United Nations, Wang Guangya, announced Monday... read more...

Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman developer fails to meet bills

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: Sub-contractors in the Cayman Islands are losing patience with the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman developer, Condoco Grand Cayman Ltd, as outstanding invoices mount up.  Several local contractors are reportedly complaining that since October the Ritz developer has failed to pay their bills... read more...

Fidel Castro mourns pope at Havana cathedral

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Monday mourned Pope John Paul II at a mass in Havana's cathedral, as the once officially atheist communist regime fondly remembered the late pontiff.  Cardinal Jaime Ortega, who led the mass, welcomed Castro, who was dressed in a dark tailored suit ... read more...

Pope's visit to Cuba remembered

HAVANA, Cuba (UPI): Cuban Catholics are remembering fondly the visit to Cuba by Pope John Paul II in 1998, but many doubt it had much of a concrete impact.  "People thought the pope's visit would wash away the church's obstacles," said Monsignor Jose Siro of the province of Pinar del Rio.. read more...

Jamaica fully prepared for CSME

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Jamaica is fully prepared for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) having instituted all the legal and administrative requirements to facilitate the implementation of the Single Market aspect of the process... read more...

Jamaica’s tourism rebounds from Hurricane Ivan

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Following a very active hurricane season, which included the deadly category four Hurricane Ivan, which hit Jamaica in September last year, the tourism sector remains a very active and buoyant one with even brighter prospects for 2005/06... read more...

International agencies continue Guyana relief

WASHINGTON, USA: Counterpart International in collaboration with the Guyana Embassy in Washington, D.C., the Pan-American Development Foundation (PADF) and Humanity First USA has helped deliver three containers of medical supplies, valued at US $700,000, to those affected by the recent floods in Guyana... read more...

Caribbean luxury resorts prep for banner year

BEQUIA, St Vincent and the Grenadines: The pricey luxury Caribbean hospitality market is booming -- at last! In this sector, room rates often soar into the stratosphere: twenty five thousand dollars a week, or more… and, at this writing, availabilities are already scarce for 2005... read more...

COMMENTARY

Zimbabwe: The Caribbean should speak out against Mugabe

When Zimbabwe became an independent African nation under majority rule it owed much to the Commonwealth in particular and to the independent Caribbean states at the time. President Robert Mugabe has now squandered the struggle of the African majority in Zimbabwe for a place of respect in the international community ... read more...

The Forum of Federations is a biased observer

The Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas of St. Kitts recently announced that he held talks with a representative of the Ottawa-based Forum of Federations on the future relations between St. Kitts and Nevis. As is normal and customary, he made no mention of any one from Nevis participating in last week’s meeting. This practice is deeply troubling ... read more...

LETTERS

A Rude Awakening: An open letter to Mr Patrick Manning and Mr Basdeo Panday

The winds of change are constantly blowing, it is your obligation to this country to lift your sails and charter a reformatory course towards stability and prosperity to this nation. Or to ignore the realities of the present crime situation, and allow this nation to drift hopelessly in an ocean of despair, as dissident forces fans the flame of racial hatred perpetrated upon its defenseless citizens ... read more...

Appalled at the actions of the Nevisian Port Authority

As a gay man, a dual citizen of the US and St. Kitts, a person with long family roots throughout the Caribbean, and an administrator and teacher in Christian Seminary, I am appalled at the actions of the Nevisian Port Authority and police on March 23rd by turning a cruise ship away for the sole reason that gay people were on board wished to visit Nevis ... read more...

A Garifuna sister speaks out from Tampa, Florida

First, I would like to congratulate you for a wonderful and informative website. Now I know where to come whenever I need information about the Caribbean, specially St. Vincent and the Grenadines. There's that special space for St. Vincent in my heart because it was my ancestors first home on this side of this world nearly three centuries ago ... read more...

I support the United States regarding the upcoming elections in Suriname

I hereby support the position of the United States in regards to the upcoming elections in Suriname, as reported on March 8, 2005 by Arny Belfor in the Suriname daily De Ware Tijd ... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

South Africa salvage draw against West Indies

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFP): Jacques Kallis completed a record-equalling 21st Test hundred to help South Africa salvage a hard-fought draw in the opening cricket Test against West Indies on Monday... read more...