Archives for Saturday, June 4, 2005:

Trinidad Opposition plans rally for arrested leader

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Calling the arrest and subsequent charging of their party's leader "wicked and politically motivated," the Parliamentary Minority United National Congress is preparing to hold what party operatives say will be a "giant public rally" in one of their strongholds to show solidarity with their leader Basdeo Panday... read more...

Dominica election challenge fails

ROSEAU, Dominica: Justice Claire Henry-Wason ruled on Friday that the court found "no injustice" in the electoral authorities' decision to award the Castle Bruce seat to the ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) last month... read more...

Alabama teen missing in Aruba

BIRMINGHAM, USA (UPI): An 18-year-old Alabama high school senior is reported missing on her class trip to Aruba.  Natalie Holloway of Mountain Brook was last seen leaving a nightclub early Monday with a man she had befriended, officials say... read more...

Dominica okay with gay tourists

ROSEAU, Dominica: Dominican authorities said on Friday they had an open door policy towards all tourists despite public concerns that several gay cruises had been planned for the country, beginning November... read more...

Drug bust catches nine from the USVI

ST THOMAS. USVI: DEA Agent, Gene Hawk, has reported that indictments have been handed down for 16 individuals on charges of shipping cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, from St Croix to Fairbanks, Alaska. The indictments are a result of an apparent four year investigation, which was referred to as "Operation Frostbite", and include nine individuals from St Croix... read more...

Belize-Guatemala trade pact talks extended

CHRIST CHURCH, Barbados: Belizean and Guatemalan negotiators met in Antigua, Guatemala, May 23 to 27, in a bid to conclude talks for a Belize-Guatemala Partial Scope Trade Agreement (PSA), substantive negotiations for which began in February this year... read more...

Norwegian Ambassador supports economic ties with Nevis

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis: Norwegian Ambassador to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, Mr Dag Mork Ulnes, who was on a one-day visit to Nevis Wednesday, expressed the satisfaction of his government that a Norwegian group was developing a hotel and a fish farm on the island.... read more...

Antigua-Barbuda ready for hurricane season

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua: Antigua and Barbuda is fully prepared for the 2005 Hurricane Season, which began on Wednesday 1st June and runs until November 30th.  Minister of Housing, Culture & Social Transformation, Hilson Baptiste, under whose portfolio the National Office of Disaster Services falls made the statement... read more...

Barbados to receive trade databases next week

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Barbadians who wish to learn more about world trade, negotiations and trade-related aspects will soon have easier access to that information... read more...

CCJ says it will be ready for Barbados

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Caribbean Court of Justice will be ready if Barbados wants it to hear the appeal involving two convicted murderers whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.  That’s according to CCJ President, Michael de la Bastide who says the court is finalizing the rules that will govern appeals... read more...

Regional radio reporters gather for training in St Lucia

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Junior radio reporters from eight Eastern Caribbean territories will gather next week in St. Lucia to further develop their skills... read more...

Sweden promises help to transform St Kitts-Nevis sugar economy

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Sweden made a commitment Wednesday to assist St. Kitts and Nevis in transforming its sugar-based agricultural economy by sending ethanol and information technology experts to conduct feasibility studies on the establishment of viable industries.  Prime Minister Douglas welcomed the offers of assistance... read more...

Abortion drug abuse discovered in Antigua

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua: The Antigua and Barbuda Pharmacy Council is appealing to persons to desist from the indiscriminate use of the drug Misoprostil widely known as Cytotec for the procurement of abortion... read more...

Antigua-Barbuda and Guadeloupe get culturally closer

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua: Antigua and Barbuda is seeking to forge a closer relationship with Guadeloupe.  The initiative was taken on Thursday when Cultural Attaché in the French Embassy of the OECS, Mr. Philippe Girerd, paid a courtesy call on Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing, Culture & Social Transformation, Eleston Adams... read more...

St Kitts-Nevis cabinet receives reports from sugar transition team

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: A Special Session of the St. Kitts and Nevis Cabinet, under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas, was convened on Wednesday to hear update reports from members of the Sugar Transition Management Team.  The Cabinet also received reports from the Caribbean Agricultural Research & Development Institute... read more...

Abandoned buildings in Jamaica to be transformed

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica: The Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced plans to undertake an inventory of all abandoned buildings in the city, with the aim of transforming them into community and homework centres for young people as well as police posts and stations... read more...

St Lucia welcomes new Austrian Ambassador

CASTRIES, St. Lucia: After years of multilateral relations with the Federal Republic of Austria via the European Union (EU), St Lucia and Austria are set to commence diplomatic relations along bilateral lines... read more...

TRAVEL NEWS

St Kitts featured as 'idyllic destination' by Virgin Atlantic

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: St. Kitts is one of two Caribbean islands being featured as new destinations in Virgin Atlantic’s new 260 page brochure.  “New destinations this year include the idyllic island of St. Kitts and the tropical island Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands,” said a feature article in a Barbados daily... read more...

US Airways to launch additional non-stop flight from Charlotte to St Croix

ST. CROIX, USVI: US Airways has announced an additional non-stop weekly flight from Charlotte, N.C., to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, on Tuesdays. This new service begins June 7 and continues until August 16, 2005... read more...

Delta starts non-stop flights to Montego Bay, Jamaica

ATLANTA, USA: Beginning June 4, sunny Jamaica will be a short trip away from "The Queen City" with the launch Delta's first-ever non-stop service between Cincinnati and Montego Bay... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

Younis and Collymore keep their teams in the scrap

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): Younis Khan hit his ninth Test hundred, and Corey Collymore bowled his heart out, as neither Pakistan nor West Indies conceded an inch in their second and final Test on Friday... read more...

Lara back on top in LG ICC Test rankings

LONDON, England: West Indies batting star Brian Lara returned to the top of LG International Cricket Council (ICC) Test batting rankings after his century in the first Test against Pakistan at the Kensington Oval in Barbados this week.  Lara, a former West Indies captain regained the lead from South Africa's Jacques Kallis... read more...

Strong Caribbean contingent at Pre Classic

EUGENE, USA:  Athens Olympic gold medallists Felix Sanchez and Tonique Williams-Darling headline the Caribbean athletes competing at this year's Prefontaine Classic at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field on Saturday.  The Dominican Republic star Sanchez, is back to defend the title he won at last year's meet... read more...

A new look for Digicel Derby Race Day in Jamaica

ST CATHARINE, Jamaica: All is now set for the 85th running of the Digicel Jamaica Derby at Caymanas Park in St. Catharine, Jamaica on Saturday June 4. The race day is a new programme which attracted five sponsors... read more...

Brian Lara honoured at 2004 WIPA awards

KINGSTON, Jamaica: At the First Citizens Bank West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) 2004 Awards Ceremony, former West Indies captain Brian Lara won three awards including that of the International Cricketer of the Year Award.  His other two awards were the Test Player of the Year a special accolade for his record-breaking 400 not out... read more...