Archives for Monday, May 9, 2005:

Task force another 'Mongoose Gang' says Antigua Labour Party

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: A special task force designed to halt "organised crime and corruption by government officials" is nothing more than a "modern-day Mongoose Gang" whose aim is to terrorise and arrest former Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ALP) government officials says the ALP... read more...

Dominica re-elects prime minister

ROSEAU, Dominica: Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit won re-election in a race focusing on international loans and choosing between trade ties with Taiwan or China.  Skerrit -- whose Labor Party reportedly won 12 of 21 parliamentary seats -- campaigned on the results of an International Monetary fund program... read more...

Bahamas PM recovering from 'slight stroke'

NASSAU, Bahamas: Bahamian Prime Minister, Perry Christie, is recovering after suffering what authorities referred to as a "slight stroke" last week.  Notwithstanding the discovery of the abnormalities, Christie's progress is encouraging.  Deputy Prime Minister, Cynthia Pratt, is acting Prime Minister until Christie returns to work... read more...

Antigua-Barbuda PM calls for talks to resolve flour issue

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua: Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister, Baldwin Spencer has sent a letter to his Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) counterpart, St. Vincent and the Grenadines' Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves regarding accusations of Antigua and Barbuda breaching regional trade laws... read more...

Canadian company drills Guyana for oil

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFP): A Canadian oil company is to begin drilling in one of the world's largest remaining oil basins next week, Guyanan officials said Saturday... read more...

JA$16 million agreement to increase fruit crop production in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica: The Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture has signed a JA$16.68 million (US$269,000) project agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) aimed at increasing the production of fruit crops in Jamaica.  The Research and Development Division of the Ministry of Agriculture will be implementing the project... read more...

Regional firms need a reliable supply of labour

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Medium-size and large firms in some Caribbean countries say they are getting more opportunities than they have human resources to drive them... read more...

Call for Caribbean countries to develop a common WTO policy

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: There’s a call for Caribbean countries to develop a common policy on negotiating offers and demands at the World Trade Organisation, particularly on the issue of cruise tourism... read more...

Barbados losing competitiveness

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Director of the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies, Professor Andrew Downes says Barbados is losing its competitiveness... read more...

Regional banks criticised for being too conservative

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Banks in the Caribbean have been accused of being conservative to the point of absurdity, and making it difficult for small businesses to get financial assistance... read more...

Many benefits for Caribbean nationals from the CSME, says Grenada Ambassador

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada: The overall objectives of implementing the CSME are economic integration, foreign policy coordination and functional cooperation. “The economic integration process has as its goal, a Single Market and Economy,” according to Dr Patrick Antoine Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO and Strategic Trade Policy Advisor to the Government of Grenada... read more...

Cricket and hurricane media talks heading for Antigua

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: Caribbean and international journalists meet in Antigua next month with industry and government leaders to continue their examination of the economic opportunities offered by Cricket World Cup 2007. Better preparedness for hurricanes and other natural disasters lashing the Caribbean with increasing frequency is also up for examination in Antigua... read more...

Help the homeless, urges St Lucia's PM

CASTRIES, St. Lucia: Prime Minister of St Lucia, Dr Kenny Anthony, has again sounded a plea for families of persons housed at various homes on the island to show more interest in their welfare. Dr Anthony was at the time addressing the handing over ceremony of a Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF) project... read more...

Cuban political prisoners' wives warn against dissident congress

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Wives and mothers of 35 Cuban political prisoners warned Saturday that a congress organized by fellow dissidents could endanger the detainees' lives and trigger a new wave of repression from the communist regime... read more...

Jews enjoy new religious freedom under Castro

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): At the Beth Shalom synagogue in Havana, the Cuban flag flies next to that of Israel, even though the two countries have had no diplomatic relations since 1973.  Even Fidel Castro went to one of the Cuban capital's three synagogues in 1999 in a sign of the emerging religious freedom in Castro's communist state... read more...

Cuban exile leader Diaz Balart dead at 79

MIAMI, USA (AFP): Rafael Diaz Balart, a leader of the Cuban exile community in the United States and former brother-in-law to Cuban President Fidel Castro, died Friday at 79, his son said... read more...

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Audioslave rocks communist Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Thousands of young Cubans rocked until early Saturday to the heavy sounds of American rock band Audioslave in a raucous concert in front of the US Interests Section in Havana, the first open air American rock concert on the island... read more...

WEEKEND SPORTS ROUNDUP

South Africa pile on misery for West Indies in second ODI

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): South Africa defied a 75-minute stoppage for rain to complete an eight-wicket win in the second one-day international against the West Indies on Sunday... read more...

Bravo won't apologise to Smith in race row, says West Indies boss

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): West Indies team manager Tony Howard insisted on Sunday that Dwayne Bravo will not apologise to South Africa skipper Graeme Smith over the race row which has cast a shadow over the current one-day series between the two sides... read more...

Smith propels South Africa to one-sided win in first ODI

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): South Africa captain Graeme Smith hit his fourth one-day International hundred to lead his side to a comfortable eight-wicket victory in the first match of their series against West Indies on Saturday... read more...

Asafa, Bolt delight local fans at the Jamaica International Invitational

KINGSTON, Jamaica:  World number one 100m sprinter Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt gave the Jamaican and track and field leaders a ray of hope for the future with two world class performances during the Jamaica International Invitational meet at the national stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday... read more...

2005 IAAF Japan Grand Prix: Review

OSAKA, Japan: Olympic champion Justin Gatlin continued on from his fine performance at last weekend's Penn Relays by winning the men's 100m dash at the 2005 IAAF Japan Grand Prix in Osaka on Saturday.  While Gatlin raced to the line ahead of his rivals, China's Liu Xiang and Grenada's Alleyne Francique retained their respective titles... read more...

Martinique-born Pognon challenges Americans

FORT DE FRANCE, Martinique:  Martinique-born European indoor 60 metres record holder Ronald Pognon, who now competes for France, is preparing to battle with American sprinters in order to gain full confidence ahead of this summer's World Championships in Helsinki... read more...

Commentary: If ever West Indies batsmen had a point to prove, it’s now

For the run feast at the Antigua Recreation Ground (aptly renamed by cynics the Antigua Records Ground), to have any meaning, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and company must show they have made long term gains from the Test series against South Africa.  The first of three clear opportunities to demonstrate meaningful improvement starts... read more...

South Africa beat Jamaica in warm-up match

KINGSTON, Jamaica:  South Africa warmed up for the start of Saturday's one-day international series against the West Indies with a 29 runs win over a Jamaica XI at Catherine, Jamaica on Thursday... read more...

Kallis regains top batting spot from Lara

LONDON, England:  South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis' knock of 147 in the first innings of the drawn Test match in Antigua moved him ahead of West Indies' star batsman Brian Lara to regain the top position the latest LG International Cricket Council (ICC) Test batting rankings.  Only 23 points separate the top four batsmen... read more...