WILLEMSTAD, Curacao: The State Secretary of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles, Alex Rosaria, has taken note of the fact that his country has been put on the OECD “gray list” of international financial centers. According to Rosaria any listing should be transparent and not a guessing game. read more...

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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Nine Caribbean islands on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a United States law enforcement agency which will greatly enhance their ability to track and fight firearms trafficking and illegal possession in the region through a paperless firearm trace system. read more...

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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Ten regional countries will sign an agreement with the United States to make the tracing of illegal weapons easier. The Memorandum of Understanding signed with the regional governments will provide for the electronic tracing of illicit firearms under a system called eTRACE read more...

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GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: The Net News Group (NNG), a widely-read media publishing and communications company based in the Cayman Islands, has established a contributor partnership with McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), one of the largest media groups in the United States. read more...

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LYON, France: An international alert has been issued by INTERPOL at the request of the Netherlands Antilles for four dangerous criminals who escaped from Curacao’s Bon Futuro prison on 17 March. They are wanted for offences including murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and aggravated theft. read more...

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DUBAI, India (Reuters): Abu Dhabi National Energy Co TAQA.AD (Taqa) paid $320 million for a 50 percent stake in Marubeni Corp's Caribbean power portfolio, which it had agreed to purchase in February, Taqa said. The Marubeni portfolio has equity stakes in power generation and transmission facilities. read more...

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KRALENDIJK, Bonaire: Tourism Corporation Bonaire has announced that Jeffrey Levenstone has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Tourism. A Bonairean native, Levenstone has held positons in social affairs and human resources and as Head of the Department of Economic and Labour Affairs.  read more...

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West Indies Power’s geophysical team and their equipment are in Saba to begin exploration work that will assess the size and location of the geothermal reservoir located on Saba. The results of this work will be used to determine the best place to drill geothermal development holes and at what depth. read more...

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As an Island Territory in the Netherlands Antilles and part of the Dutch Kingdom, Sint Maarten took an innovative approach that is different from the conventional way other Countries in the region and throughout the world are taking to face the challenges of the present “Global Financial Meltdown”. read more...

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MIAMI, USA (AFP): Jimmy Rollins and Adam Dunn blasted home runs while Roy Oswalt struck out five in four shutout innings to power United States past Netherlands 9-3 in a World Baseball Classic elimination game. The victory sent the Americans, who lost to Puerto Rico 11-1 Saturday, into a do-or-die matchup. read more...

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WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao: Understanding that travel has become more difficult for US travelers in this tough economy, Curaçao is putting “vacations” back into reach. The island is launching its high profile awareness building campaign on March 16 via a dedicated website. read more...

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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The current global economic crisis and its impact on the workforce will be among several key subjects to be discussed when Caribbean tourism human resources professionals meet for the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Tourism Human Resources Conference  in Curacao. read more...

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LONDON, England (Reuters): An appeal by the Netherlands Antilles to have sprinter Churandy Martina reinstated as silver medallist in last year's Beijing Olympics 200 metres final has been rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Martina was disqualified for running out of his lane. read more...

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KRALENDIJK, Bonaire: This year, a very popular Bonaire tradition will return to the island, when the Fifth Annual Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival takes place on June 4 through 7, 2009. A variety of music styles will be heard around the island when internationally famous musicians mingle with the island’s local bands. read more...

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GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The Copyright Advocacy Group for Music and Arts (CAGMA) has launched a project aimed at edifying Caribbean recording artistes, publishers, writers, performers and music industry stake holders about the administrative aspects of copyright, its advancement and challenges. read more...

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WILLEMSTAD, Curacao: In the global economic crisis, many countries are now more than ever taking action against “tax haven” jurisdictions but, according to State Secretary of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles, Alex Rosaria, unfortunately many countries subjectively blacklist jurisdictions. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters): Sidney Ponson will pitch for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic, the first Major League player to confirm his participation in the event, officials said Thursday. The 32-year-old right-hander, a native of Aruba, was 8-5 with a 5.04 ERA last season with the New York Yankees. read more...

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CHARLESTOWN, Nevis: The Nevis Geothermal Project is expected to move to its second phase in the first quarter of 2009. Word of this has come from Minister of Communication, Works, Public Utilities and Posts, Carlisle Powell. Powell was part of a welcoming party that engaged Saba officials in discussions. read more...

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PHILIPSBURG, St Maarten: Leeward Islands captain Runako Morton scored an elegant ton against Barbados at the Caribe Lumber Ballpark in St Maarten on Sunday, but that was not enough to save his team from the embarrassment of an innings defeat. Barbados won the toss and batted first on a hard track. read more...

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MIAMI, USA: Triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt led the way for Caribbean athletes, who secured ten top places on the 2008 Track and Field News Male World Ranking, released on Monday. Bolt, the Olympic sprint double champion and world record holder in both events, was ranked number 1 in the 100m and 200m. read more...

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WILLEMSTAD, Curacao: The Netherlands Antilles and Jamaica will begin negotiations next week in Curacao for concluding an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion. The Netherlands Antilles has firm negotiating commitments in the first half of the year. read more...

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WILLEMSTAD, Curacao (Reuters): The 320,000 barrel per day Isla oil refinery on the Caribbean island of Curacao was in restart after a power outage forced the facility offline less than a week after a similar outage, the refinery said in a statement. Several power outages this year have hurt production at the refinery. read more...

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DUBLIN, Ireland: ezetop has announced the extension of its international relationship with Digicel with the addition of Honduras, Panama, the British Virgin Islands, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. With this service, friends and family of Digicel customers can purchase top up from any of ezetop’s 50,000 retailers. read more...

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WILLEMSTAD, Curacao (Reuters): Some units were offline on Sunday after a power outage hit the 320,000 barrels-per-day Isla oil refinery on Curacao run by Venezuela's state oil company, a refinery statement said. Several power outages this year have hurt production at the refinery on Curacao. read more...

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WILLEMSTAD, Curacao (Reuters): Flights from Venezuela to nearby countries are packed with travelers clutching credit cards and looking to make fast bucks under rules leftist President Hugo Chavez introduced to prevent capital flight. Curacao is a favorite spot for Venezuelans on lightning tours. read more...

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LAUSANNE, Switzerland: Netherlands Antilles sprinter Churandy Martina has had his hearing over a medal disqualification in the 200 metres final at the Olympic pushed back until January 15, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Wednesday. The sprinter’s original hearing date was set for this Friday. read more...

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ST MAARTEN, Netherlands Antilles: The Maritime School of the West Indies announced Monday that they will again give the possibility to youngsters to sail on board a sail training "Tall Ship" in 2009 as they did this year. Two young people from St Maarten have been to Bergen in Norway last August and sailed as trainees. read more...

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WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao: The Netherlands Antilles State Secretary of Finance Alex Rosaria will host a summit on the local international financial services sector (IFS), this in light of the recent developments in the international financial markets. The IFS is a vital economic sector of the Netherlands Antilles. read more...

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HAVANA, Cuba: The unspoiled city of Havana, Cuba, was the setting for the second group of the Digicel Caribbean Championships’ Stage Two as four countries, speaking three languages, all spoke the universal language of football and played for a place in the DCC Finals. read more...

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HAVANA, Cuba: Barbados secured its place in the Digicel Caribbean Championships Finals with a 2-1 victory against an improved Netherlands Antilles on Monday night. Barbados was on the front foot from the get go, knowing that an outright victory would secure its place in the next round. read more...

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ATLANTA, USA: Delta Air Lines has announced flight service expansions in Latin America and the Caribbean, including nine new flights and increased seasonal schedules to six sunny destinations starting in just a few weeks. Expanded seasonal schedules will start in December from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. read more...

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GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: With the US election looming on November 4, whoever is elected as the next president will have a major impact on global issues. According to Stephen Platt, Chairman of the BakerPlatt Group, a Senator Barack Obama victory could be a particular threat to offshore centres. read more...

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HAVANA, Cuba: Suriname scraped to a narrow 2-1 victory, to settle their Dutch derby against the Netherland Antilles in its second match of Group G in the Digicel Caribbean Championships. The first half of the match was a war of attrition with neither side willing to commit themselves fully in attack. read more...

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HAVANA, Cuba: Cuba crushed the Netherland Antilles 7-1 as they cruised to three points in their opening fixture of Group G in the Digicel Caribbean Championships Thursday night. The on-field revolution began in minute 23 after continued pressure in the opening minutes from Cuba. read more...

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KRALENDIJIK, Bonaire: Bonaire located in the Dutch Caribbean, announces that after 48 hours of rain and heavy surf due to Tropical Storm Omar, the island remains open for business. Flamingo Airport Bonaire did not close and is fully operational with slight disruptions in flights. read more...

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WILLEMSTAD, Curacao: Omar, the 15th tropical storm of the Atlantic season, had a minimum impact on the Netherlands Antilles island of Curacao on Thursday. On the island, just off the coastline of South America, damage was limited to the islands beaches and beach infrastructure. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters): Valero Energy Corp's 275,000 barrel per day Aruba refinery is at reduced rates after a power loss on Wednesday morning due to Hurricane Omar, a company spokesman said on Thursday. Power was restored and the company expects the refinery to resume full rates within several days. read more...

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands: State Secretary of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles, Alex Rosaria and the Minister of the Treasury of the Isle of Man, Allan Bell will meet to talk about ways to combat the arbitrary listing as “tax havens” by some countries, especially members of the European Union. read more...

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WILLEMSTAD, Curacao: State Secretary of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles, Alex Rosaria, has sent his congratulations to the Curacao financial services industry. For the second year in a row, the Global Custodian Hedge Fund Administration Survey has concluded Curacao outscores all other mutual fund locations. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters): Valero Energy Corp's 275,000 barrel-per-day oil refinery in Aruba was running at slightly lower rates, a company spokesman said Thursday. "I can confirm that the Aruba refinery is at slightly reduced rates," Valero spokesman Bill Day told Reuters without elaborating. read more...

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