Archives for Wednesday, November 2, 2005:

Kidnapping and rape mar Antigua-Barbuda independence celebrations

MARBLE HILL, Antigua: Celebrations marking Antigua and Barbuda's 24th anniversary of political independence from Britain has been marred by the attack and rape of the President of the Senate, and the kidnapping and alleged torture of a youth, all in the space of 24-hours, events that have caused many residents to become very angry... read more...

Haiti in uproar over American candidate for presidency

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): The prospect of a candidate for the Haitian presidency holding a US passport has caused an uproar in the troubled, impoverished Caribbean nation as it heads for landmark elections... read more...

Bahamas police chief tackles tourists rapes

NASSAU, Bahamas: Several organizations involved in the tourism industry are coming together with The Royal Bahamas Police Force to address the growing problem of tourist rapes.  Commissioner of Police, Paul Farquharson, pointed out that this move is designed to bring all the agencies under one umbrella... read more...

St Kitts-Nevis residents to pay more for fuel and electricity

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Residents of St. Kitts and Nevis will begin paying more for fuel and electricity from November 1, but Government has put in place a mechanism to assist the more vulnerable groups to cope with the rise in energy costs... read more...

British navy makes $350m cocaine bust in Caribbean

LONDON, England (AFP): British Royal Marine snipers firing from a helicopter blasted out a speedboat's engines in the Caribbean and seized 353 million dollars worth of cocaine, a newspaper reported Tuesday... read more...

New police commissioner for BVI

TORTOLA, BVI:  Fifty-one-year-old Reynell Frazer has been confirmed as the new police commissioner for the British Virgin Islands. He replaces former police commissioner Barry Webb, who opted not to extend his contract after he was shot by a disgruntled police constable last October. Frazer had been acting as commissioner since the shooting... read more...

Cable & Wireless assists Antigua-Barbuda police

MARBLE HILL, Antigua: As Antigua and Barbuda marked its 24th Independence Anniversary on Tuesday, the nation's police force is faced with strong criticism and charges that they are losing the war on crime, especially in the light of last weekend's attack of the President of the Senate, in which she was allegedly raped and robbed... read more...

Bahamas and United States renew anti-drug trafficking agreement

NASSAU, The Bahamas: The Governments of The Bahamas and the United States on Friday renewed an agreement that provides continued US funding for narcotics control and law enforcement... read more...

Jamaica to implement ballistic ID system

KINGSTON Jamaica: By the end of November 2005, state-of-the-art crime fighting technology, in the form of the Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS), will be a part of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s arsenal... read more...

Russia to vote to cancel blockade of Cuba

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP): Russia will vote in favor of a UN resolution calling for an end to the US blockade of Cuba, which Moscow considers "a Cold War anachronism," the foreign ministry announced... read more...

Castro taunts Bush in TV chat with soccer star Maradona

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina (AFP): Cuban President Fidel Castro taunted US President George W. Bush in a televised chat late Monday with Argentine soccer idol Diego Maradona, saying Bush would not be welcome at a summit this week in Argentina... read more...

Abducted Haitian children rescued

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (UPI): Authorities in Haiti have rescued three children who were kidnapped earlier in the week by men posing as police officers.  The children, ages 3 to 7, were nabbed when men stopped the car driven by their mother, Haitian radio reported Tuesday... read more...

Grenada Land Utilization Survey introduced

ST. GEORGE’S Grenada: The field workers who will conduct the interviews with Grenadian farmers for the Land Utilisation Survey being coordinated by the Agency for Reconstruction and Development Inc. (ARD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture were introduced to the media.  The survey will begin on Wednesday, November 2... read more...

Caribbean leaders urged to do more to fight HIV/AIDS

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: The Caribbean region has recorded an increase in HIV/AIDS infections especially among homosexual males and sex workers.  This was revealed on Monday by the Executive Director of UN AIDS, Dr. Peter Piot... read more...

Barbados minister to address PAHO Media Awards ceremony

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada: Barbados Deputy Prime Minister, Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Mia Mottley, whose portfolio covers responsibility for information, will deliver the keynote address at the 13th Annual PAHO/Caribbean Health Journalism Awards ceremony at the Barbados Hilton on Friday, November 4, 2005... read more...

Rising oil prices increase St Kitts-Nevis government expenditure

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: The worldwide rise in oil prices has increased government expenditure in St Kitts and Nevis by two percent of GDP, amounting to EC$23 million, says Minister of Public Works, Utilities, Transport and Posts, Dr Earl Asim Martin.  Minister Martin said there is a need for a mechanism to offset such an increase... read more...

COMMENTARY

Educating the Jamaican Diaspora

Few people know about efforts to mobilize the Jamaican Diaspora. Even fewer know what the Jamaican Diaspora Movement is.  That’s because there is a serious disconnect between the people who are leading this movement and the people who make up the Diaspora. What gives?... read more...

Could a slight thaw in US-Cuba relations be in the offing?

In an almost unprecedented move on October 28, Cuba publicly agreed to allow three USAID officials to visit the island to assess the recent heavy damage inflicted by Hurricane Wilma... read more...

2005 tourism performance from a Barbados perspective

Speak to the restaurant owners, car rental agencies, activity and attraction operators, taxi persons and red caps and you will realise that Barbados has endured one of its poorest tourism summers for some time... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

West Indies trio declared fit

BRISBANE, Australia:  West Indies trio, Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Daren Powell, who sustained minor injuries in the first warm-up tour match in Australia, have all been declared fit to play in Thursday's first Test match against the hosts at the Gabba in Brisbane... read more...

Bowling greats at odds over West Indies' chances against Aussies

BRISBANE, Australia (AFP): Bowling greats Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding differ on the chances of the West Indies making a fist of their three-Test cricket series against Australia, getting underway here Thursday... read more...

McGrath feels he has the edge over Lara

BRISBANE, Australia:  Australian strike bowler Glenn McGrath believes he has the edge over West Indies' double record holder Brian Lara and is looking forward to renewing their rivalry in the forthcoming Test series... read more...

Langer ruled out of West Indies Test for Hussey to make debut

BRISBANE, Australia (AFP): Injured Justin Langer was Tuesday ruled out of Thursday's first Test against the West Indies making way for Mike Hussey to make his Test debut for Australia... read more...

Simmons fights deportation

HARARE, Zimbabwe:  Former West Indies all-rounder Phil Simmons has sought the services of a lawyer, who appeared in the high court in Harare to settle a dispute between Simmons and the Zimbabwean cricket board... read more...