Archives for Thursday, May 26, 2005:

Voters head to polls to choose new parliament in Suriname

PARAMARIBO, Suriname (AFP): Voters in Suriname headed to the polls Wednesday to elect new parliamentary and regional leaders.  Voters must choose 51 out of 383 candidates for the National Assembly and 844 regional councils. The new parliament, in turn, will choose a president and vice president by a two-thirds majority... read more...

Former Antigua-Barbuda PM slams government over treatment of police

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: Antigua and Barbuda's former Prime Minister and political leader of the Opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP), Lester Bird, has lashed out at the Baldwin Spencer Administration, saying that it has "crudely and in a vulgar manner decimated the police force.".  Bird was at the time speaking on ZDK Radio... read more...

Jamaican PM calls for new democratic paradigm that protects vulnerable societies

WASHINGTON, USA: Jamaican Prime Minister P. J. Patterson has called on the international community to fully recognize the inextricable link between democracy and development, and to adopt a new democratic paradigm that seeks to empower the more vulnerable sections of society, “and address the basic rights of all citizens”... read more...

Former Haitian prime minister faces judge

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (UPI): Former Haitian Prime Minister Yvon Neptune appeared before a judge Wednesday to face charges he ordered several political killings... read more...

Haitian police deplore UN absence in operation

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Haitian police criticized a decision by UN forces to stay away from a police operation in one of the toughest neighborhoods of the capital, during which one policeman was killed and six others were wounded... read more...

St Kitts-Nevis GDP growth in 2004 driven by tourism

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS: The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says the economic rebound in St. Kitts and Nevis in 2004 was “driven by the rapid expansion of tourism and related services.” The tourism sector activity increased with strong growth in both stay over visitors and cruise ship arrivals despite severe challenges... read more...

CSA President urges shipping industry to prepare now for the 2005 hurricane season

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent: The President of the Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) has urged port managers and all businesses in the shipping industry to review their disaster preparedness plans before the start of the 2005 hurricane season... read more...

Jamaica wins Silver Gilt Flora Award at Chelsea Flower Show

LONDON, England: The Jamaican entry in this year’s Chelsea Flower Show in London has received the Silver Gilt Flora award. This award is the highest in the Silver Gilt category, which is the second highest award at Chelsea.  The seven-member team from the Jamaica Horticultural Society were delighted with the performance this year... read more...

BUSINESS NEWS

Caribbean Food Delights to franchise its operations

NEW YORK, USA: Caribbean Food Delights, a Jamaican-owned company based in New York, will start franchising its restaurants under the JerkQzine name this summer.  Founder and Chief Executive Officer Vincent Hosang, told an audience of prospective owner/operators that the product line would offer customers “a vacation from ordinary food”... read more...

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

British judge sends himself to Cuba in music royalties row

LONDON, England: (AFP): A senior British judge chose Wednesday to send himself to Cuba in September to hear evidence from witnesses in a legal dispute over music, rather than force them to travel to London... read more...

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Pan-regional text messaging soon to be a reality

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: Cable & Wireless is currently testing cross-network text capabilities with Digicel across the Caribbean. When testing and agreements are finalized, Cable & Wireless customers will be able to exchange messages with all mobile customers in the region... read more...

TRAVEL NEWS

Winair test flight at Gerald’s airport - big first step for Montserrat

BRADES, Montserrat (MMP): Who among us Montserratians would have imagined that, roughly half a century after the first air strip was carved out on a tiny estate plot of land at Olveston, a former rugged and dusty cricket ground would now be home to the Emerald Isle’s main gateway (air access) to the outside world?... read more...

Air Jamaica in-flight meals ranked #1 among Caribbean/Latin American carriers

MIAMI, USA: Air Jamaica has added to its long list of awards and accolades by achieving the #1 ranking among Caribbean and Latin American carriers for in-flight food and beverage service... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

Barbados all-rounder Bradshaw happy with Test call-up

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (World-Track):  Barbados all-rounder Ian Bradshaw says he is happy to be selected in the West Indies team for the first Test against Pakistan in Barbados, starting on Thursday... read more...

Jamaica’s Mullings to face rivals again

MISSISSIPPI, USA (World-Track):  NCAA's top 100m male sprinter Steve Mullings of Mississippi State (MSU), will once again face up against the Arkansas' sprint pair of Tyson Gay and Wallace Spearmon in the men's 100m and 200m at this weekends NCAA division I Mideast regional championships... read more...