Caribbean Net News Daily Headlines

Commentary: Cuba keeps ill writer jailed as Norway awards prize

2009-07-04

(Bloomberg) -- A few weeks ago, Normando Hernandez Gonzalez got the kind of news that usually prompts cheers and emotion-filled toasts. The Cuban journalist and poet had been awarded the annual Freedom of Expression award by the Norwegian Writers’ Union. A delegation traveled from Oslo to Cuba.

Stanford Antigua liquidators win fight over assets

2009-07-04

LONDON, England (Bloomberg) -- Allen Stanford’s liquidators from Antigua were awarded control of 120 million pounds ($196 million) in UK assets seized in a fraud probe in a London court battle with US receivers. Liquidators appointed in the US and Antigua failed to agree on who should have control of the funds.

Stanford's lost Antigua passport found at receiver's lawyers, US says

2009-07-04

HOUSTON, USA (Bloomberg) -- Allen Stanford’s expired Antiguan passport was found among possessions seized by a court-appointed receiver for the financier’s companies, three days after prosecutors told a US judge they didn’t know where it was. Stanford, 59, has been in custody since June 18.

CARICOM leaders staying the course, no alternative to intergration

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- CARICOM Leaders, on Thursday, were on one accord regarding the future of regional integration and subsequently the Community, as they opened the 30th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Georgetown, Guyana. Leading the charge was Dean Oliver Barrow.

Stanford clients sue insurance broker Willis Group

2009-07-04

NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) -- Several Mexican clients of Stanford Financial Group have sued insurance broker Willis Group Holdings Ltd, contending it was a willing participant in a $7 billion fraud at the Texas-based investment company. The investors are seeking more than $1 billion in damages from Willis.

Venezuela, China may sign new loan-for-oil accord, Chavez says

2009-07-04

CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg) -- Venezuela and China Development Bank Corp. are discussing a third $4 billion infrastructure loan to be paid in oil, President Hugo Chavez said. “This bank is the one with the most money in the world,” Chavez said late Thursday on state television.

Venezuela bans ad campaign against property law

2009-07-04

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) -- Venezuela pulled the plug on Friday on a publicity campaign against the left-wing government's proposed changes to property legislation that critics dub "the Cuban law." Diosdado Cabello, a senior official, ordered think-tank Cedice to withdraw a series of advertisements.

India win 3rd ODI against West Indies

2009-07-04

GROS ISLET, St Lucia (AFP) -- India dodged the showers to eke-out a workmanlike six-wicket victory over West Indies in the rain-hit third One-day International on Friday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground. India take an unbeatable 2-1 lead the four-match series with the final match to be contested on Sunday.

Powell wins Golden League 100m in Oslo

2009-07-04

OSLO, Norway (AFP) -- Former world 100m record-holder Asafa Powell won the men's 100m at the Golden League meeting at Oslo on Friday in a time of 10.07sec, edging Antiguan Daniel Bailey in a photo finish as he took full advantage of scheduling problems which ruled out triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt.

Interesting discussions at CARICOM, says Jamaica's PM

2009-07-04

KINGSTON, Jamaica (OPM) -- Jamaica's Prime Minister Bruce Golding told journalists on Friday that "interesting ideas have been discussed" at an informal caucus of Caribbean heads about the role of CARICOM in governance; and he hoped that a way forward would emerge. The conference continues until July 4.

St Lucia has much to learn from Nevis geothermal experience, says minister

2009-07-04

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis -- St Lucia’s Minister of Physical Development, Urban Renewal, Housing, Environment and Local Government Richard Frederick said Thursday that his island had much to learn from the Nevis geothermal experience. The Minister was on Nevis to attend the Geothermal Conference.

Board of Directors meets as CARICAD nears milestone

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- The Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD) will hold the twenty-ninth Meeting of its Board of Directors in Guyana July 7-9, 2009. CARICAD is a CARICOM institution, located in Barbados, and was established by the CARICOM Heads of Government in 1979.

Commentary: Haiti's culture and politics of social exclusion

2009-07-04

The concept of social exclusion and its corollary, hospitality for all, have been the hallmark of my inquiry in most of these columns. As such, when the Haiti National Observatory on Poverty and social exclusion in coordination with the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation organized three days colloquia.

Banana Industry Trust strengthens management of St Lucia's natural resources

2009-07-04

CASTRIES, St Lucia -- Pressure is mounting on St Lucia’s natural resources as the demand for land for agriculture, housing, industrial and hotel development increases. Over the past two years, the Banana Industry Trust (BIT) has therefore undertaken several initiatives, with funding from the European Union.

Bermuda signs tax information agreement with Germany

2009-07-04

HAMILTON, Bermuda -- Bermuda’s Minister of Finance Paula Cox announced on Friday that Bermuda has signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with Germany. The bilateral agreement, which was signed at a ceremony at the German Embassy in London, provides for a full exchange of information.

Guyana president slams 'rhetoric' of Barbados PM

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo, responding to questions pertaining to the controversy surrounding the deportation of Guyanese from Barbados said on Thursday that to ask non-natives to leave a particular state and to actually deport them are one and the same.

Regional integration is the last best hope for the Caribbean, says Barbados PM

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- David Thompson, Prime Minister of Barbados, said this week that the Caribbean was faced with global economic convulsions of unprecedented proportions, which had reinforced convictions that regional integration “is the last best hope” for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

CARICOM Heads highlight urgency in addressing financial crisis, climate change

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- The concerns by Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo about the threat of climate change on the fabric of human existence and the impact of the global financial crisis on the Caribbean Region have also been the concerns of several heads of government of CARICOM.

Jamaica discussing LNG supplies from Algeria

2009-07-04

KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) -- Jamaica's Ambassador to the United States, Anthony Johnson, is currently in discussions with Algerian officials about supplying Jamaica with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG),. Minister of Energy and Mining, James Robertson, told a Post Sectoral Debate luncheon on Thursday, at his Ministry.

OAS Secretary General condemns Honduras government overthrow

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Jose Miguel Insulza, has added his voice to the condemnations expressed by the Guyana Government and other countries in the Caribbean Region and the hemisphere of the Americas about the recent deposing of...

Guyana's president Jagdeo hosts pre-CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting caucus

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- In light of the fact that the 30th Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will be held in two days instead of the usual three, Head of State of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, hosted a caucus to address issues which are less contentious or pressing.

Commonwealth Secretary-General praises Guyana initiatives

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- Guyana is being recognised for its many creative initiatives as it works to show how sustainable development can take place in its country and no lesser person than the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma has highlighted that...

Maltreatment of CARICOM citizens repugnant, says Guyana president

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- The free movement of Caribbean nationals within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), one of the central goals of the regional integration movement, was once again brought to the fore by Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo at the opening ceremony of the 30th CARICOM Heads...

Who will stand up for CARICOM, asks former Jamaican PM

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Percival James Patterson, on Thursday, charged Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to stand up and be counted for the Community. In accepting CARICOM’s highest honour, the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC)...

Trade must be rule-based within a single market, says Jamaican PM

2009-07-04

KINGSTON, Jamaica (OPM) -- Prime Minister Bruce Golding has emphasized that within a single market, trade has to be rule based and cannot be dependent on an exporter getting hold of a Minister to call his counterpart in another country to sort out the situation. He said a smooth flow of trade is needed.

Belize targeted for technical support in drug rehabilitation

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Against the backdrop of reported alarming growth in the mis-use of illegal substance such as marijuana, alcohol, cocaine and alcohol, most obvious among teenagers, in Belize, the National Drug Abuse Control Council (NDAAC) of Belize has decided to take matters in its hands.

Moment of performence is here, says CARICOM secretary general

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- 'The time for preparation is past and the moment of performance is here,’ Edwin Carrington, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) said on Thursday. Secretary-General Carrington was confident that there would be free and frank discourse during the Meeting.

Organised crime is threatening sovereignty of region, says Jamaican senator

2009-07-04

KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) -- Jamaica's Minister of National Security, Senator Dwight Nelson, has said that all independent states within this hemisphere have been severely affected by an infusion of organised criminal activities, which threaten the sovereignty of these nations. He was speaking at a luncheon on Thursday.

Heads of government acknowledge strides, share vision for CARICOM's development

2009-07-04

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- The Thirtieth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) opened Thursday evening at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown, Guyana, with Heads of Government acknowledging the strides the integration movement.