Archives for Tuesday, August 2, 2005:

St Kitts losing its youth to crime, nationals deeply concerned

BASSETERRE, St Kitts: As the prevalence of youth crime and the flourishing of gangs has become a hot topic for debate across the Caribbean, deep concern is being expressed on the island of St Kitts.  "It has become quite alarming to note the frequency in which our young men are turning up before the courts," according to the Sun Newspaper... read more...

EU loses banana war with Latin America at WTO

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP): The European Union has lost a World Trade Organisation dispute with nine Latin American countries over its planned new tariffs on banana imports, according to a WTO ruling released Monday... read more...

No trace of missing Guyanese sailors, private search mounted

GEORGETOWN, Guyana:  A frantic search that was mounted for four Guyanese sailors who were reported missing over a month ago has proved fruitless, but Shirab Sears, the owner of the vessel, has told family members that he has mounted his own private search for the crew... read more...

UN troops in Haiti secure abductees release

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (UPI): UN peacekeepers in Haiti have secured the release of two kidnapping victims, said a UN statement on Monday... read more...

Cuban paper assails new US Cuban affairs official

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP):  The leading Cuban newspaper on Monday branded Washington's new "Cuba transition coordinator" as a gross and subversive effort at interfering in Cuban affairs... read more...

UN official calls for more money for Haiti

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AFP): Haiti's crumbling institutions, political violence and extreme poverty require more economic resources from the international community, the head of the UN peacekeeping program in the struggling Caribbean country said Monday... read more...

Babonneau aerial tram project under way in St Lucia

CASTRIES, St. Lucia:  St Lucia is set to add a new feature to its tourism product through an aerial tramway which is about to be established in the north of the island... read more...

COMMENTARY

Cuba: Should CARICOM be tougher on human rights?

Should CARICOM countries be tougher with Cuba on human and civil rights? This question was posed to me last week by veteran BBC Producer and Reporter, Orin Gordon. Discussion of it subsequently became the subject of an interview on the BBC’s Caribbean Service.  Political protests have recently become bolder than in the past... read more...

The implications of easyCruise

I wonder if our regional tourism policymakers have even considered the potential ramifications of the November launch of easyCruise, the budget cruise ship line. Not just on the established cruise companies but also on regional airlines... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

NBA star to visit Grenada

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada: The UNICEF Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, in collaboration with other partners in Grenada, will host internationally known NBA player Ethan Thomas -- recently named NBA Champion for UNICEF -- who will be visiting the island as part of the NBA/UNICEF partnership to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention among young people from 4-8 August... read more...

Jamaica U-21 netballers slip to fourth in the world after Aussie defeat

FORT LAUDERDALE, USA:  Jamaica’s Under-21 netballers were defeated 61-44 by Australia in their third place play-off spot at the World Youth Netball Championships here at the Broward Convention Centre in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday... read more...

Cunningham’s late double seals MLS All-Star victory over Fulham

COLUMBUS, USA:  Jamaican-born Jeff Cunningham struck two late goals to lead the US Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Stars to a comprehensive 4-1 thrashing of English Premier League team Fulham at the Crew Stadium on Saturday afternoon.  Cunningham came on as a second-half substitute to score two goals in the final five minutes... read more...