Archives for Monday, June 20, 2005:

Judge questioned in Aruba disappearance

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (UPI): The Aruba judge whose son is being held as a suspect in the disappearance of an Alabama teenager has been questioned by police.  Paul Van Der Sloot, father of 17-year-old Joran Van Der Sloot, was questioned Saturday by police in Oranjestad, CNN reported Sunday... read more...

A twist in the tale between prime ministers of Barbados and St Vincent

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent: As news broke last week of unease between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados over "Vincie weed shipments," one official in the Foreign Affairs Department of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is standing firm behind Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and calling "shameful" statements made Barbados' Prime Minister Owen Arthur... read more...

Caribbean countries allege dirty tricks at international whaling meet

ULSAN, South Korea (AFP): Western governments and environmental groups have threatened and intimidated other states because of their opposition to a ban on commercial whaling, delegates from two Caribbean countries alleged Sunday... read more...

Italian woman kidnapped in Haiti freed

ROME, Italy (AFP): An Italian woman kidnapped by armed men in Haiti on Friday has been freed, an Italian foreign ministry source said Saturday... read more...

CTO responds to Caribbean blacklisting

ORANJESTAD, Aruba: The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) on Friday issued a statement, (a copy of which was e-mailed to Caribbean Net News), in response to a campaign launched by two radio announcers in Alabama, USA, calling on the listeners not to visit Aruba and by extension the Caribbean, as a result of the fallout over the disappearance of an 18-year-old high school graduate on May 30 in Aruba... read more...

Prime Ministers of Barbados and St Vincent square-off over ganja

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: The people of the region are looking on with interest as a real good Caribbean "cuss out" appears to be in the making between the Prime Ministers of Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines... read more...

Fourth arrested in Aruba missing teen case

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (UPI):  A fourth suspect was in custody Friday in the disappearance of an Alabama high school student who had been vacationing in Aruba with classmates... read more...

Caribbean Star pilot nabbed with counterfeit currency in St Vincent

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: Officials at Caribbean Star Airlines have moved speedily to make it clear that the airline was not in anyway connected to the actions of a St Lucian-born pilot, Shaan Branford, who flies for the airline and has been charged by authorities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with possession of US$3,400 in counterfeit currency... read more...

New Caribbean security treaty approved

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Caribbean Attorneys- General have approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Regional Security System (RSS) and non-RSS countries on a Regional Rapid Response Mechanism and the Caribbean Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Serious Criminal Matters... read more...

Brazilian general heading UN troops in Haiti wants out

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Brazilian General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro, who heads UN forces in Haiti, said Friday his mandate will shortly expire but that he will not seek an extension, saying his much criticized troops have been the target of a "campaign."... read more...

Call for legal education reform in the Caribbean

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: The Eleventh Special Meeting of the Legal Affairs Committee (LAC) has recognised the impact of globalisation and liberalisation on the delivery of services including education, the importance of reform in the system of legal education and the need for curriculum reform in the Caribbean... read more...

Antigua-Barbuda calls for unanimity in application of regional tariffs

ROSEAU, Dominica: Antigua and Barbuda’s delegation at the 41st Meeting of the Authority of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States OECS, has called for the unanimity in the application of tariffs instead of Quantitative Restrictions in the administration of the regime... read more...

Caribbean court president calls for submission of national legislation

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Michael de la Bastide, has informed regional attorneys general that the Court is moving speedily to establish the Rules of Court in both the Original and Appellate Jurisdictions.  He told Attorneys General that the Rules of Court had to be placed on the front burner... read more...

Caribbean called to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Inter-American Heart Foundation (IAHF) wants Caribbean countries to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) by the time Cricket World Cup starts... read more...

Grenada government calls for participation in youth outreach

ST. GEORGE’S Grenada: One week after UNICEF officially announce its plans to launch the Xchange Movement in Grenada on July 8; the Ministry of Youth Development in the Prime Minister’s Office is calling on young adults between the ages of 16 and 30 to register to participate in its Xchange related programmes... read more...

ARD and MOA plan new agricultural strategy for Grenada

ST. GEORGE’S Grenada: A new strategy for agriculture that modernises the sector through effective planning and marketing is being worked out by the Agency for Reconstruction and Development Inc. (ARD) and the Ministry of Agriculture... read more...

bpTT agrees to sell Trinidad oil fields for $229m

LONDON, England (AFP): BP Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT), a joint venture of British energy giant BP and Spanish peer Repsol, agreed Friday to sell its Trinidad oil fields for 229 million dollars... read more...

Canadian minister spattered with paint at Haiti conference

MONTREAL, Canada (AFP): Canadian foreign minister Pierre Pettigrew was spattered with paint by a protester Friday during a press briefing on the situation in Haiti... read more...

International mission to check upcoming Haiti vote

MONTREAL, Canada (AFP): An international mission will examine Haiti's elections, scheduled for later this year, to give Haitians confidence in their violence-torn country's electoral process, Canadian officials said last week... read more...

Antigua-Barbuda supports extension for introduction of US passport requirements

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua: Antigua stands firmly behind the stance taken by the Caribbean Hotels Association (CHA) chairman, Berthia Parle, with the new US passport requirement for travel to the Caribbean... read more...

WEEKEND SPORTS ROUNDUP

Another contract brawl in West Indies cricket

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad:  For the second time leading up the start of a Test series this year, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is in a contract brawl with the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA)... read more...

Martinique-born Ronald Pognon takes European Cup 100m

FLORENCE, Italy:  Martinique-born French sprinter Ronald Pognon came back from a one month layoff, following a strained leg muscle injury, to win the men’s 100m on the second day of the SPAR European Cup in Florence, Italy on Saturday June 18.  Pognon, 22, clocked 10.02 (+2.1m/s) to beat Britain’s Mark Lewis-Francis at 10.10... read more...

Brian Lara doesn't want to become a liability to West Indies cricket

LONDON, England:  Trinidad and Tobago's veteran batsman Brian Lara insisted he will not over-stay his welcome in the West Indies team and will also cut down on the amount of one-dayers he plays in order to concentrate on the longer version of the game.  Lara also stated that he only wants to play only if his form is justified... read more...

Tarver holds on to win rematch over Jamaica's Johnson

MEMPHIS, USA (AFP): American Antonio Tarver took a unanimous decision from Glen Johnson in a 12-round light heavyweight bout on Saturday, avenging a loss to Johnson six months ago... read more...

Jamaica run amok against Trinidad in under-21 netball warm-up

KINGSTON, Jamaica:  In a rare start to any competitive series, Jamaica's under-21 netballers knocked off fellow Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago 62-38 in their pre-tournament warm-up game on Saturday... read more...

Expect no 'fireworks' at Jamaican national trials says Powell’s coach

KINGSTON, Jamaica:  Stephen Francis, the coach of 100-metre world record holder Asafa Powell, is warning the Jamaican public in general not to expect any fireworks from the record holder at next weekends national team trials to pick the island’s squad for the 10th IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland this August... read more...

Jamaica remains top CFU team on FIFA’S world ranking

MIAMI, USA:  The Jamaican Reggae Boys are still the top ranked Caribbean team according to the latest release of FIFA's world rankings on Wednesday... read more...

Jamaican Jason Euell to sort out his future at Charlton

LONDON, England:  Reggae Boy Jason Euell is unlikely to play premiership football with Charlton Athletic in the upcoming season, following reports reaching Caribbean Net News by his agent Tony Finnigan... read more...