Archives for Monday, August 15, 2005:

Regional crime wave fueled by gangs and deportees

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: Down in Antigua, it is seen by some youths as the "in thing", as gangs such as the Red Shirt Gang, the Royal Flock and the White Shirt Gang, to name just a few, roam the streets.  In Bermuda, more than a dozen violent offenders have been arrested as police there began a crackdown on gangs and drugs... read more...

Former Antigua-Barbuda government officials to be arrested says justice minister

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: During the 2004 general election campaign in Antigua and Barbuda , the Baldwin Spencer-led United Progressive Party accused the ruling Antigua Labour Party  (ALP) of years of massive corruption in office and promised that, if successful at the polls, everything that was done wrong under the ALP would be put right... read more...

American to face corruption charges in Trinidad on Monday

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad:  Eduardo Hillman, 70, of Coral Gables, Florida, one of two businessmen involved in a 1.6 billion dollar corruption scandal in the building of the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad, is to be extradited on Monday from the United States to face charges in Port of Spain... read more...

Guyanese presidential hopeful survives hit and run accident

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Cheddi 'Joey' Jagan, Leader of the Unity Party (UP) and son of the late President of Guyana Cheddi Jagan and former President Janet Jagan,  was injured in a hit and run accident Thursday morning shortly after 10:00am in busy Robb Street, Georgetown.  Police have detained one of their own ranks... read more...

Trinidad bombing suspect released

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: The first suspect held in connection with Wednesday’s bombing in Port of Spain has been released.  The disclosure was made on Friday during a news conference by the island’s Police Commissioner, Trevor Paul... read more...

Suriname president starts third term in office

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Setting a record in Surinamese politics, President Ronald Venetiaan, 69, started his third term in office on Friday. Venetiaan is the only politician elected for a third time as president of this Caribbean nation, having already been the record holder with two terms as head of state... read more...

Suriname MP’s son sentenced to jail

PARAMARIBO, Suriname:  A criminal ring, headed by the son of Suriname's former military dictator Desi Bouterse, was on Thursday sentenced to serve time behind bars... read more...

St Vincent opposition leader dismisses airport promise as 'political'

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: Leader of the Opposition, Arnhim Eustace, says he considers St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves’ national address on airport development “... as a plea for being in office for another two terms...”  Eustace was speaking on the New Democratic Party-sponsored New Times programme... read more...

Antigua police take further anti-crime measures

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua:  In a move designed to help bring an end to the crime wave that has been affecting the country, Antigua and Barbuda police are continuing their pro-active stance, which newly appointed Acting Commissioner of Police Delano Christopher ordered weeks prior to the 2005 Carnival Season... read more...

Castro urges US to free suspected Cuban spies

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): President Fidel Castro managed to speak by telephone with a suspected Cuban spy jailed in the United States and urged Washington to free the man and four others whose US convictions were recently overturned, official media said Sunday... read more...

Castro reaches 79 still driving Cuba's revolution

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Fidel Castro turned 79 on Saturday, regaining strength from a close alliance with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez that also helps him keep the United States at bay and ignore dissident voices... read more...

Castro backers block dissident meetings with shows of force

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Scores of supporters of Cuban President Fidel Castro rallied and chanted Friday outside the home of leading dissidents, successfully derailing a planned gathering of activists opposing the only communist regime in the Americas... read more...

Haiti shanty seeks respite from Aristide gangs

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): The Bel Air district of the Haitian capital has a grand name that belies its reputation as one of the world's danger spots for UN peacekeepers... read more...

Guyana's Opposition and Government square off over national elections consultation

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Organisers of a major stakeholders meeting ahead of next year’s general elections in Guyana have opted to postpone the meeting that was scheduled for Saturday.  The postponement comes on the heels of statements that “there was no basis for the meeting.”... read more...

Dominica: a role model for sustainable tourism development

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO: Caribbean destination Dominica was featured as a role model for sustainable tourism development yesterday, at the First International Conference on Environmental and Sustainable Development held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, August 10-12, 2005... read more...

India offers assistance to Grenada

ST. GEORGE’S Grenada: The Government of India says it will go beyond the token level of support to offer substantial assistance to Grenada in the wake of destruction by Hurricanes Ivan and Emily... read more...

Browne claims to be biggest political threat to Antigua-Barbuda administration

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua:  Opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP) Parliamentarian, Gaston Browne, has claimed that the Baldwin Spencer-led UPP Administration is attempting to "de-focus" him because he is seen by some as the future leader of the ALP who will be the greatest threat to the UPP come the next general election... read more...

Preparation of Antigua's International Airport master plan forging ahead

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: With time now on the chase, an official from the United Kingdom-based consulting firm of Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick, the company contracted by the government of Antigua and Barbuda to undertake the rebuilding of the V.C. Bird International Airport, is on an observation visit as work moves ahead on the preparation of a Master Plan for the entire project... read more...

New secretary general says CTO intends to own Caribbean brand

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Caribbean is today the world’s best known, un-owned brand and it is the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s intention to own the Caribbean brand as we aim to find ways to leverage the region’s advantages for the benefit of all its people, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, the CTO secretary general, has said... read more...

USVI reparations leader invited for talks with African Union

DIMONA, Israel: Shelley Moorhead, president of the African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance, has been asked to travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia by Alpha Oumar Konare, Chairman of the African Union (AU), formerly the Organization of African Unity. The AU is Africa's premier governing institution... read more...

BUSINESS NEWS

New CEO for Caribbean Star and Caribbean Sun airlines

ST JOHN’S, Antigua: Caribbean Star Airlines Limited and Caribbean Sun Airlines Inc. on Thursday announced the appointment of William E. “Skip” Barnette, most recently President of Atlantic Southeast Airlines, to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2005... read more...

EDUCATION NEWS

Another medical university to open in St Kitts

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Another medical school will officially open in St. Kitts later this month. Saint Theresa’s Medical University, which opens on August 27, will bring to five the number of medical institutions operating on St. Kitts and to six the total number providing services in the twin island Federation... read more...

Jamaica allocates $100 million for back to school furnishings

KINGSTON, Jamaica: The government of Jamaica will be spending approximately JA$100 million to acquire furniture and equipment to prepare schools for the new term in September.  The Education Ministry had identified suppliers and schools, and the quantities that were to be ordered for each institution... read more...

Regional educators end four-day workshop in Tobago

SCARBOROUGH, Tobago:  Ministers of Education from member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) on Friday ended a four-day workshop in Tobago titled “Education for Democratic Citizenship in the Americas: An Agenda for Action”. Trinidad and Tobago’s Education Minister, Hazel Manning gave the opening address... read more...

HEALTH NEWS

St Kitts-Nevis gets eye care assistance from Cuba

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: St. Kitts and Nevis, in common with a number of other Caribbean countries, are making good use of an initiative by the governments of Cuba and Venezuela called the “Miracle Mission” under which persons identified with chronic illness will travel to Cuba, the region's largest island, for surgery or further examination... read more...

WEEKEND SPORTS ROUND UP

New javelin world record for Cuba’s Menendez in Helsinki

HELSINKI, Finland:  Cuban Osleidys Menendez broke her own javelin world record by 16 centimetres in recapturing the event at the 2005 IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland on Sunday evening... read more...

More medals for the Caribbean in the relays

HELSINKI, Finland:  The Caribbean snatched up two more medals on the final day of the 2005 IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland on Sunday... read more...

Big loss for Campbell in women’s 200m

HELSINKI, Finland:  Jamaica’s Olympic champion Veronica Campbell was surprisingly shut of the medal places in the women’s 200m at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland on Friday... read more...

Kittitian-born USVI resident gets basketball scholarship

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: A Kittitian-born United States Virgin Islands resident has for years envisioned basketball as her ticket to college.  Now, Chynelle Rogers has parlayed four years of hard work on a hot outdoor court in Nadir into a NCAA Division 1 scholarship, signing a letter of intent to attend George Mason University... read more...