Archives for Thursday, August 25, 2005:

Chirac joins sombre tribute to Martinique plane crash victims

FORT-DE-FRANCE, Martinique (AFP): French President Jacques Chirac joined the people of Martinique in paying homage Wednesday at a moving, simple ceremony to the 160 victims of a plane crash in Venezuela.  There were no speeches by politicians despite the presence here not only of Chirac, but also his Venezuelan counterpart... read more...

Jamaica and Venezuela sign US$200 million PetroJam agreement

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica: As the Caribbean and the rest of the world looked on, Jamaica and Venezuela on Tuesday signed an agreement on what has been described as the "broad outlines of an original US$200-million modernisation and expansion of the Petrojam oil refinery in Kingston."... read more...

New parliament building in Antigua is a curse on nation says MP

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: A United Progressive Party (UPP) parliamentarian wants an immediate change to the design of the building now being constructed to house the country's new parliament. Arguing that the nation will be sending the wrong message to the rest of the world with the building resembling a Muslim mosque... read more...

Exploitation of immigrant female workers raises concern in the Cayman Islands

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: Immigrant female workers in the Cayman Islands are being exploited and paid salaries well below subsistence levels. In particular beauty salon workers and domestic helpers are being paid far less than the remuneration figures their employers placed on their Work Permit documents... read more...

Tropical storm Katrina forms over Bahamas

MIAMI, USA (UPI): Tropical storm Katrina formed over the central Bahamas Wednesday, prompting storm watches in the Bahamas and storm warnings in southern Florida.  The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 11 a.m. EDT, the center of the Atlantic storm was 50 miles east-southeast of Nassau... read more...

Antigua magistrates court staff stage protest walk-out

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: Workers at the St. John's Magistrates Court in Antigua "walked off" the job on Tuesday in protest over what has been termed "horrible working condition" under which they are forced to perform their duties.  A report on the state-owned ABS Television stated that the building which houses the court has already been condemned... read more...

Armed bandit robs Antigua supermarket

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: Police in Antigua are carrying out investigations into an armed robbery which took place at the Miami Supermarket on the lower end of the All Saints Road on Sunday morning.  Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sources told Caribbean Net News that a lone gunman entered the popular supermarket... read more...

Caribbean should invest in renewables, says energy expert

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic: If you can't sell them abroad then keep bananas at home because they could be used to fuel your car, asserted an energy expert.  Instead of continuing to burn valuable money importing expensive fossil fuels, Caribbean states should look at investing in developments in the area of renewable energy... read more...

Three burned Haitians die in Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AFP): Three Haitians who were severely burned by attackers died in a Santo Domingo hospital from their injuries, a hospital official said Tuesday... read more...

US Coast Guard ends search for 31 Cubans lost at sea

MIAMI, USA (AFP): The US Coast Guard said Wednesday it had suspended its search for at least 31 Cuban migrants who were missing after their 28-foot (8.5-meter) boat capsized last week between Cuba and Florida... read more...

St Kitts-Nevis graduates from Cuban universities praised during recognition ceremony

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Twenty five students who have just graduated from several universities in the Republic of Cuba were congratulated Monday night by St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas.  Prime Minister Douglas used the opportunity to congratulate the students, their parents and children for the sacrifices made... read more...

Nine OECS countries promote yachting sector in France

CASTRIES, St Lucia: OECS Member States are finalizing arrangements for their joint participation in one of the world’s biggest boat shows, the Grand Pavois in La Rochelle, France, September 7 to 12, 2005... read more...

Trinidad & Tobago celebrates 43rd Independence Anniversary

NEW YORK, USA: The bright red, white and black colors of the flag of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago fluttered all night long at Brooklyn Marriott Hotel on Saturday, August 20, at the gala Ball commemorating the 43rd Independence Anniversary celebrations of the twin island republic.  Guests were treated to melodic and scintillating sounds... read more...

COMMENTARY

CARICOM must act now to save nursing in the Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda like the Bahamas, St. Lucia and a number of other Caribbean countries are in dire need of nurses in order to have a well-run health care facility.  For several months now, we have been told of the many nurses leaving the region. In fact, Antigua which has some highly trained nurses has lost about 40 per cent... read more...

For what shall it profit a man?

Televangelist Pat Robertson is a devout proselytizer of Christian fundamentalist dogma which holds that America should have dominion over the whole world. And, he seems prepared to lose his soul in furtherance of this political mission. Therefore, it came as no surprise on Monday when Rev. Robertson issued a fatwa ... read more...

Misinterpretation and confusion continues to haunt Montserrat’s Soufriére Hills eruption

A decade after its initial eruption, Montserrat’s Soufriére Hills Volcano remains a subject of confusion, misinterpretations and fear, as the Government continues to attempt to educate the world about the true reality of the country... read more...

Look no further than the case of Amy Lynn Bradley

I thought the commentary about the "Natalee Holloway" madness was very interesting. As a journalist myself, I was wondering where he got the information about the dissention within the Twitty camp... read more...

LETTERS

Prime Minister's speech leaves Barbadians perplexed

Every time the Prime Minister of Barbados speaks, he leaves Barbadians more and more perplexed, confused and angry. His latest "speech" with regards to the situation of the army of Guyanese nationals here in Barbados did nothing to further endear him to the Barbadian public... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

Campbell happy with her season’s progress

SHEFFIELD, England: Veronica Campbell of Jamaica, the 2004 Olympic 200-metres champion from Athens Greece said that although she did not win a gold medal at the World Championships in Helsinki earlier this month, her season has gone the way she wanted... read more...