Archives for Tuesday, October 4, 2005:

"A nation on the brink of collapse," says Trinidad opposition leader

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: “A nation on the brink of collapse”, was the way Trinidad and Tobago’s Opposition leader, Basdeo Panday began his response to the 2005/2006 national budget presented by Prime Minister Patrick Manning on Wednesday September 28.  The statement came as Mr. Panday spoke on Monday... read more...

Protests in St Lucia against EU negotiators

CASTRIES, St Lucia: Farmers from across the Caribbean took to the streets of the St Lucian capital, Castries on Friday to picket top European Union negotiators, who were meeting on the island... read more...

New Commissioner of Police takes over in St Vincent and the Grenadines

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent:  A new chief of police took office in St Vincent last Friday as Keith Miller took over from retiring Commissioner of Police William Harry during a parade at the Richmond Hill Playing field.  Miller admitted that he is “not a super-hero” but promised to “strive for excellence at all time”... read more...

US Air Force medical team treats nearly 3,000 in Dominica

ROSEAU, Dominica: Dominican men women and children were treated for a variety of ailments over the last seven days compliments of the 56th Medical Group from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.  Under the leadership of Colonel Dr. Jeffrey M. Swartz, ten Air Force Medical professionals saw and treated hundreds of complaints... read more...

Regional ministers in St Kitts for fifth Caribbean Week of Agriculture

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Last week it was regional Ministers of Tourism who descended on Basseterre. This week, it’s the turn of Ministers of Agriculture, who are here to attend the Fifth Caribbean Week of Agriculture under the theme: “Exploring and Enhancing Opportunities for the New Agriculture.” ... read more...

OAS assistant secretary general visits St Kitts-Nevis

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Assistant Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Ambassador Albert Ramdin is to address the opening session of the 5th Caribbean Week of Agriculture at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on Wednesday.  It will be Ambassador Ramdin’s first visit to St. Kitts and Nevis since his election... read more...

St Kitts-Nevis PM accepts invitation to pay official visit to Japan

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas has accepted an invitation from the Prime Minister of Japan to pay an Official Visit to Tokyo.  The invitation was delivered to the St. Kitts and Nevis leader by Japan’s Ambassador to the Federation, Shigenobu Kato from Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi... read more...

Ten-year National Development Plan for Turks & Caicos

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: The preparation of a 10-Year National Development Plan for the Turks and Caicos Islands to be implemented in rolling three year stages and Development Plans for particular Islands will kick into high gear in early October 2005... read more...

Jamaica must use US Gulf reference price to purchase oil says minister

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell has reiterated that Jamaica was not in a position to stop using the US Gulf reference price to purchase oil.  On the recent PetroCaribe agreement, the Minister made it clear that Venezuela was able to offer Jamaica special concessionary financing... read more...

US supports Caribbean Internet Forum

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The United States Government is sponsoring the participation of two technical experts to the Caribbean Internet Forum, being held in Bridgetown, Barbados from October 4 to 5, 2005... read more...

COMMENTARY

Urgent: An International Donors Conference on the Caribbean

A proposal that an International Donors Conference on the Caribbean should be held was one of the ideas that came out of a three-day conference on the Caribbean held in the United Kingdom from 23rd to 25th September.  But, the conference participants were agreed that Caribbean countries had to bring to the table a strategy and regional plan... read more...

Law and Politics: Everything appears to be going - or gone through!

When the people of any country begin to lose faith in those they have chosen to run their affairs; in the systems put in place to regulate the people’s business; and in the very fabric of the society that they have become accustomed to living in social harmony, then the time has certainly come for drastic remedial action... read more...

Some thoughts on God-forsaken Haiti

Haitians face the daunting task of electing a new president next month. Yet, reflecting America’s salutary neglect of Haiti, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice went there on a fly-by diplomatic mission last Tuesday and spent almost as much time talking about democracy and fair elections as she spends talking about football... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

Lara named vice captain for World XI

MELBOURNE, Australia:  West Indies batting maestro Brian Lara has been named vice-captain of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) World XI for the Super Series, team director Sunil Gavaskar announced on Saturday... read more...

Dominican Republic baseball player found dead in Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP): Mario Encarnacion, a professional baseball player from the Dominican Republic, was found dead in the dormitory of his Taiwanese team Macoto Cobras on Monday, sports officials said... read more...

Jamaicans Green and Thomas best Caribbean finishers in World Half Marathon

EDMONTON, Canada:  Jamaicans Rupert Green and Tanica Thomas were the top Caribbean prospects at the 2005 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Edmonton on Saturday... read more...

US Virgin Islands is training venue for NBA’s victorious Spurs

ST. THOMAS, USVI: NBA All-Star and St. Croix native Tim Duncan will introduce his homeland to fellow teammates when the San Antonio Spurs travel to the US Virgin Islands for the championship team’s 2005 training camp October 4 – 11... read more...