ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
Last Modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Antigua prime minister drops defamation suit against two journalists
Prime Minister Lester Bird has dropped a defamation lawsuit against two journalists who videotaped a teenage girl alleging she had sex with him, one of his lawyers said recently. Bird's attorney, John Fuller, declined to say why the prime minister decided to withdraw the suit against the writers. Bird, however, will continue his suit against the 15-year-old girl, the Antigua Observer media group that employed the journalists and opposition members for showing the video at public meetings.
Barbadian broadcaster Julius Gittens said Bird's decision to drop the lawsuit was a victory for journalists who have a responsibility to uncover "high crimes and misdemeanors and other infractions of the law." In his lawsuit filed last May, Bird accused Gittens and Canadian-born newspaper reporter Bettye J. Reed-Aitken of conducting the videotaped interview without the presence of the girl's legal guardian. The girl, who claimed she had sex with Bird and his brother and did drug deals on their behalf, is suing Bird for rape.
In the videotape, she said she met Bird and his brother, Ivor Bird, at a party in 1999 and had a sexual relationship first with Ivor and then with Bird. She also alleged she made payments for cocaine deals on behalf of Bird, his brother, and Chief of Staff Asot Michael. Bird has denied meeting the girl and denied being involved in drugs. Government investigators cleared Bird of any wrongdoing last October but they said in a report that charges could be leveled against Ivor Bird, who they said had an inappropriate relationship with the girl. No charges have been brought against Ivor Bird.
The whereabouts of the girl are unknown but she was apparently born in Suriname and carries a Guyanese passport. A hearing on Bird's lawsuit against the girl, media group and opposition members is scheduled for Feb. 17.
Antiguan Principal Charged With Aiding Sniper Suspect
An Antiguan judge has charged a woman with conspiracy for allegedly signing a passport application falsely vouching that U.S. sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad was an Antiguan citizen. Janet Harris, the principal at the school Muhammad's three children attended between 2000 and 2001, was charged with two counts of conspiracy Wednesday for allegedly signing the applications of both Muhammad and an alleged Jamaican associate, Norman Manroe.
Ms. Harris was detained recently at Greensville Primary School. In an application for an Antiguan passport in 2000, Harris certified that Muhammad was an Antiguan and that she had known him for 18 months. But according to a government-appointed task force, Ms. Harris later said she had only known the U.S. Army veteran for about two months.
Muhammad allegedly falsified his U.S. birth certificate to make it appear that his mother was an Antiguan, Eva Ferris. Authorities say Muhammad used the Antiguan passport to remain in the Caribbean country without needing a work permit. He allegedly made his living helping immigrants, mainly Jamaicans, falsify documents to travel to the United States.
Muhammad, 42, and 17-year-old Jamaican John Lee Malvo are accused of killing 13 people and wounding five others in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., last year. They are being tried first in Virginia in separate trials. Ms. Harris was released on $2,500 bail, pending her next hearing on April 3. If convicted, she could face up to five years in prison.
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BAHAMAS
Last Modified on Saturday, January 18, 2003
Scotia bank robbed police hunt for three men
The police has launched an intensive man-hunt for three men responsible for the robbery of the Bank of Nova Scotia, Nicholl's Town, North Andros. The robbery occurred shortly before 10 a.m. when three masked gunmen entered the bank ordering employees and customers to lie on the floor.
One of the robbers gunbutted a customer just before the men reinforced their demands by firing several shots in the building. The men got away with a "minimal amount of cash" from two tellers as their attempts to force employees to open the bank's vault failed.
And as they were about to make their escape they were met by police officers outside of the financial institution. In a frantic state, the men ran back into the building taking an employee and customer hostage, using them as "human shields." According to the police report the robbers escaped in a late model Chevy Cavalier with their hostages, with officers in hot pursuit. Gun shots were exchanged during the high-speed chase.
The police said the gunmen got rid off their hostages at two separate locations, the first being in Nicholl's Town, and the next at Conch Sound. The females, whose identity were not released up to press time, were unharmed by their captors. However, the Guardian was informed that the bank employee received minor bruises and a possible sprained ankle as she ran from her captors through the bushes. She was treated at the local clinic. A senior bank official, who appeared to be shaken by the ordeal thanked God that no one suffered serious injury. "We know now that God was with us," she said. "I'm not taking it well, I think the aftermath of it, is just hitting home. Thank God we are all okay and that is the best part of it. They got away with minimal cash," she said.
The employee said with the robbery occurring just two days before Christmas, her spirit has been dampened. "But we are all thankful and we know we are protected. We know that God was our shield, because when you think about three guns in a small place like this it is scary, and I'm thankful we all are safe," she said. Although unconfirmed, the Guardian was informed that several persons were assisting the police with their investigations. Up to press time, there was no confirmation as to when a charge will be levelled in this matter.
Fashion Mogul Nygard Robbed at Bahamas Estate
Masked bandits breached the tight security at exclusive Lyford Cay in the Bahamas and robbed Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard in his home, Bahamian police said recently. The robbery alarmed residents at the private development near Nassau, which is home to actor Sir Sean Connery, novelist Arthur Hailey and billionaire businessman Joe Lewis, and others who prize Lyford Cay for its stringent security measures. Police said the robbers fled Nygard's sprawling treehouse-style home with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The three men, dressed as security guards, invaded the home as Nygard was hosting a party and forced Nygard to open his safe, a witness said. They scaled a fence and jumped into the sea, leaving behind a knapsack full of burglary tools. The development has its own security staff and a checkpoint at which all visitors have to make themselves known. Police are working on the theory that the raiders gained entry to the complex by sea, possibly paddling ashore in a small craft. "At first I thought the whole thing was a joke," Nygard said.
The robbery came in the same week that Nygard was honored in Women's Wear Daily for reaching his 35th anniversary as a rags-to-riches success story. n 1967, Nygard borrowed capital and used his life savings to buy 20 percent of a ladies garment manufacturer. Within a few years he owned the business outright and developed it into an international women's ready-to-wear business with annual sales of more than $500 million.
Prosecutors Say They Have Leader Of International Drug Ring
Prosecutors say the leader of a drug smuggling ring that reached from the Bahamas to South Florida is finally behind bars, The DEA and Royal Bahamian police arrested Austin Knowles and several others for allegedly smuggling cocaine and marijuana into South Florida. Federal agents made the arrests during Operation Bluewater, which also yielded more than 750 kilograms in seized cocaine.
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BARBADOS
Last modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
BWIA Blow
At least one locally-based BWIA employee has joined 617 of her Trinidad and Tobago colleagues on the breadline. BWIA West Indies Airways’ reservations manager Janis Osbourne yesterday received official notice of her termination and was escorted from her office after 27 years with the regional airline. More than 100 BWIA workers are employed locally.
Though word from BWIA’s Corporate Communications Department in the twin-island republic indicated that layoffs would only affect employees in Trinidad at this stage, Osbourne’s departure is likely to cause concern among local staff.
The 617 workers laid off in Trinidad, include mechanics and customer service agents, and make up about a quarter of the 2 400 employees of BWIA West Indies Airways Ltd. The layoffs are effective immediately, but the company will pay the workers for 45 more days, said Christopher Abraham, president of the Aviation, Communication Allied Workers Union.
The airline experienced a net loss of about US$9 million through the first half of 2002 and has instituted a plan called “New Business Model 2003” to combat the downturn in business, blamed on a world-wide economic slowdown and the drop in air passengers following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. Aleong said the company would spend Trinidadian $60 million (US$10 million) on separation packages for employees, but did not provide details. Counseling and job training will be offered.
PM Warns Barbadians Of Challenges Ahead
Barbados, CMC - Prime Minister Owen Arthur has warned nationals to brace for tremendous challenges that lie ahead, as Barbados seeks to find its way in the new global economy. "As I speak to you, there is a Caribbean Single Market and Single Economy Unit located at the Central Bank of Barbados to convert the 15 Caribbean economies that were separate economies for 500 years into one Caribbean economy," he told party supporters recently at a nomination event.
He noted that the region was also involved in negotiations that will change its relationship with Europe and the United States, as well as the rest of the world. In addition, he said, Barbados faces many more tests, including closer scrutiny from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organisation, as well as audits of its money laundering and financial intelligence systems.
Confident of victory in the upcoming polls, Mr. Arthur is urging the BLP to gird itself up to lead the country during the most complex and challenging five years ahead, telling party supporters that plans were being drawn to make our world "a more dangerous place within which to live." With elections constitutionally due here by next year, the BLP is seeking a third straight mandate to lead the country but faces a challenge from the opposition Democratic Labour Party, which currently holds two of the 28 seats in parliament.
Barbados Opposition Moves To Replace Controversial MP
The main opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has moved to replace controversial rural St. Lucy parish MP Denis Kellman after he failed to support a resolution moved by the leader of the two-man opposition in Parliament. At a spirited meeting of the DLP's General Council at party headquarters, just outside the city recently, it was decided that Kellman would not be the party's candidate for the upcoming elections.
In making the announcement, Party Spokesman Dennis Lowe said the General Council has also instructed the DLP Executive Council to proceed with the selection of a new candidate for the rural constituency. The action came as a direct response to Mr. Kellman's refusal to support a private members' resolution moved by Opposition Leader David Thompson during the recent sitting of the House.
Mr. Kellman took the Chamber by surprise and forced a 10-minute suspension of the sitting after he snubbed the resolution, aimed at reducing the number of MPs required to form a quorum for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which Mr. Thompson chairs. Mr. Kellman said, the amendment should not be based simply on numbers. He added that Thompson's resolution, though sanctioned by both the DLP Parliamentary Group and the General Council, was not in the interest of the Opposition and he could not support it. The resolution was eventually defeated.
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BELIZE
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Last Modified on Tuesday, December 17, 2002
Belize to Crack Down On Criminal Deportees
Belizean deportees who fail to report at the times specified by the Commissioner of Police will be prosecuted effective November 1, 2002, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs This follows police reports of an increasing number of criminal deportees failing to report, thus, necessitating stricter enforcement. Under Summary Jurisdiction Offenses legislation, criminal deportees are required to report at the discretion of the Commissioner of Police. Failure to do so could result in the offender being tried by a magistrate and on conviction fined or imprisoned. The police department will first publish in the print media, names and photographs of criminal deportees who fail to report. Those offenders will be subsequently charged and sentenced by the courts.
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BERMUDA
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Last Modified on Wednesday, November 13, 2002
‘High Priest’ Jailed After Cannabis Appeal Turned Down
Cannabis campaigner Gershwyn Smith, who walked free from court despite possessing a huge stash of the drug, has been jailed for four years after the Court of Appeal ruled a judge was wrong to treat him differently from other users just because of his beliefs. Smith was found with 2,173 grams of cannabis and 545 cannabis plants at his home in Spanish View Road, Smith's, in January 2001, and was fined $30,000 in February when he pleaded guilty to possession and cultivating the drug.
Smith, who is also known as High Priest Mohatma Shiloh Mhadi, told the court in February that cannabis was part of his religion and that he used it for medicinal purposes, food and sacrament.
Fining the six-time parliamentary candidate, Judge Archibald Warner said he did not want make Smith a "martyr" by locking him up. But the Court of Appeal has ruled Smith should be jailed for four years for cultivation and two years for possession, running concurrently, on the grounds that "the sentences imposed by the judge were wrong in principle and they are manifestly inadequate".
"No convincing reason has been shown why the Respondent (Smith) should be treated differently from anyone else," wrote Appeal Court President Sir James Astwood in his ruling. "Because the Respondent holds the opinions which he has expressed in his mitigation speech, this is not sufficient reason why he should be given preferential treatment." The Crown, which accepted the cannabis had been for Smith's use and was not for supply, appealed against the fine, and urged the Court of Appeal to jail Smith for between 18 months and three years. At trial, the Crown had asked for a sentence of five to seven years. The Crown had also argued that not jailing Smith would send a message to Bermudians that cultivation of cannabis is not taken seriously.
Bermuda Prison Fears Use of Tainted Drugs
Fears have been raised that the illegal drugs being used by prison inmates may have been mixed with contaminating substances after four prisoners were taken to hospital suffering from chest pains recently, The Royal Gazette has learned. Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into the death of convicted bank robber Rupert Elroy Archibald, adding fuel to suspicions that the former Westgate Correctional Facility inmate's apparent heart attack last month was drug related.
Home Affairs and Public Safety Permanent Secretary Robert Horton said three prisoners from Westgate and one from the Prison Farm were treated at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after they complained of chest pains last week. He said he had no knowledge of the incidents being related to drug use.
Police Media Relations spokesman Dwayne Caines confirmed that Police had been conducting an investigation into Mr. Archibald's death on July 15 after an autopsy was completed. Mr. Archibald, 41, was serving a 30-year prison sentence for a 1997 armed robbery at the Somerset branch of the Bank of Bermuda.
Drive to lure local nurses to the U.S.
Leave our nurses alone! That is the message from local medical officials as a new recruitment drive is launched on the island on behalf of American hospitals. The RGB Group, which recruits medical staff for 77 institutions across the U.S., has issued a press release on the island in a bid to lure nurses to Florida and elsewhere in the U.S.
Provided the RGB Group does not enter the island to take part in active trading here, there is nothing the hospital can do to prevent them from advertising locally. "It’s business," says the hospital’s human resource director Scott Pearman. RGB is offering salaries of $38,000 to $48,000, depending upon the nurses’ expertise, as well as life and health insurance and other benefits. They also promise that as long as applicants make it through the U.S. immigration process they will help the nurses find housing, settle in and adjust to living and working in America.
Salaries for nurses in Bermuda start at around $50,000.
Mr. Pearman said: "This certainly is unique, it is one of the few times we’ve really been targeted as a recruitment source." He added: "The Bermuda Hospitals Board provides competitive salaries. Overall our salary packages are well positioned against the U.S. east coast norms — taking into account their income tax and our high cost of living." In April U.S. recruitment agency Assignment America ran local advertisements aimed at registered nurses. Three months later RGB Group is looking to help fill the approximately 26,000 nursing vacanies in Florida and is also in the process of branching out to other states to help fill nursing positions. "The problem right now is very serious," said RGB’s operations manager Rolando Medina, "and it is not projected to improve for the next eight to 10 years." He said the island’s nurses have been selected by RGB because they speak English and are considered well trained.
Mr. Pearman assures that should a number of local nurses take up positions in the U.S., there will not be a shortfall here. Over the past year, Mr. Pearman said KEMH has had between 95 and 100 per cent staffing by nurses — with an average of 55 per cent Bermudian nurses. "Over the past year or two the hospital has changed its procedure from screening applicants to going out and recruiting them; we have developed procedures, targeting journals, regions as well as an Internet strategy. "We will not be caught flat-footed. If we need to, we can access pools of staff and we have an excellent working relationship with Immigration to ensure a smooth process."
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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Last Modified on Saturday, January 18, 2003
British Virgin Islands authorities detain 67 illegal migrants
Police detained 67 illegal migrants who arrived aboard two wooden boats in this British Caribbean territory, officials said. Authorities initially said 40 migrants had been detained recently.
The first boat, holding 21 Haitians, seven Dominicans and one St. Lucian, ran aground on the northeast end of Virgin Gorda, Chief Immigration Officer V. Victor O'Neal said. The group included 16 women, one of whom was pregnant, he said. A doctor treated two people who had said they felt ill after the voyage, O'Neal said, but gave no details.
Authorities detained a second group of 38 Haitians on Norman Island, 10 miles (16 kilometers) from where the first group landed. Authorities apprehended 11 Haitians at first and 27 more were detained later, O'Neal said.
The recent detentions were the largest seizures of illegal migrants at one time that authorities have on record in the British Virgin Islands, he said. Police were questioning the migrants, who are being held at a hotel in the capital, Road Town. Except for the St. Lucian, all would likely be repatriated to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, O'Neal said.
Thousands of Haitians each year risk voyages aboard rickety, crowded boats to try to escape the misery of poverty compounded by a political crisis that has frozen aid. Many subsist on $1 a day. Though they make three times as much as Haitians, Dominicans also make the trip hoping for better economic opportunities on U.S. soil.
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CAYMAN ISLANDS
Last Modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Cayman ministers demand attorney general resign over money-laundering scandal connected to British agency
Five Cayman Cabinet ministers have demanded that the attorney general resign over a failed money-laundering case in which a lead investigator destroyed evidence — apparently at the request of a British intelligence agency. The scandal threatens relations between Britain and its Caribbean territory and raises questions about the anti-money laundering fight on the island, which is the world's fifth largest financial sector. Five of the Executive Council's eight ministers wrote to Gov. Bruce Dinwiddy on Thursday calling for the removal of Attorney General David Ballantyne and all members of the Cayman Financial Reporting Unit.
Chief Justice Anthony Smellie ordered a jury to find five Eurobank Corp. managers innocent of money laundering after chief investigator Brian Gibbs admitted shredding evidence. Smellie said Gibbs, a Briton who heads the Cayman Financial Reporting Unit, admitted destroying evidence on instruction from his "controlling agent" from an "agency of the United Kingdom government." He found that Gibbs had lied to the court throughout the trial, which began July 2.
The Miami-based Offshore Business News and Research newsletter said Friday that Gibbs "has been selling banking and other secrets about Cayman clients to the British intelligence unit known as M16." Gibbs apparently fled recently, when Immigration Chief Orrett Connor said a passenger by that name left on a Miami flight.
Smellie said Gibbs lied to hide his relationship with a British agency and with an unidentified Eurobank assistant manager who told the court that he had fed Gibbs information. Smellie's judgment said the territory's British-appointed governor, its attorney general and the police chief were aware that Gibbs had had a relationship with the British agency since the early 1990s, but government ministers were not aware. He said Gibbs admitted being paid 1,000 pounds (US$1,610) monthly by that agency. Attorney General Ballantyne, speaking in court Monday, pleaded that he had "no hidden agenda beyond upholding the law fairly."
Smellie said that in what became known as the "London Plan," prosecutors allegedly agreed to the British agency's stricture that they would not be allowed to take copies of evidence without editing it to protect secret relationships. The prosecutors agreed. In a recent editorial, Cayman Net News said the British territory was a victim that "cannot in anyway be blamed for this complete legal fiasco and debacle." The newspaper questioned the right of a British government agency to assert ownership and control over evidence that came from the Cayman Islands. "We believe that no country, no matter how large or powerful, has the right to impose their will upon us," the newspaper said.
Caymanians Muster MP's To Support Euro Fax Fight
London-based “Friends of Cayman” and members of the Cayman Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group of MP’s have solidly backed the Cayman Islands Government in its fight against the EU Tax Directive and for a continued independent Cayman judiciary. Mrs. Jennifer Dilbert, Cayman Islands Government Representative in London, hosted a lunch on 21 January to introduce MP’s and Lords to the Friends. At the well-attended meeting, Michael Hobson, Chairman of the Friends of Cayman, said that UK business “recognised the quality and transparency of Cayman financial services and supported the fight against the imposition of unfair regulatory regimes.” In response Lord Davies of Coity, Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group, said that all Parliamentarians in the Group “would work to help protect the future of Cayman.”
Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group have tabled Parliamentary Questions to the Foreign Secretary asking for a statement on various issues, including the UK’s relations with Cayman, and Bermuda’s exemption from the EU tax package. Conservative MP Nick Hawkins said “ this will be a long fight and we must work together and maintain the pressure."
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CUBA
Last modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Castro Predicts Flood of Visitors If U.S. Lifts 30-year Travel Ban
President Fidel Castro is predicting a mass influx of U.S. visitors should the White House ease the travel ban on citizens travelling to the Havana. Speaking at the opening of the 944-room Playa Pesquero Hotel -- the largest in Cuba --Mr. Castro noted that currently the United States was not included among the countries sending tourists to the Cuban eastern zone of Holguin.
" It will be necessary to wait until the White House respects its citizens' rights to travel to Cuba," he said, indicating that tourists were coming from Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and France. Canada provided the bulk of the visitor arrivals here with 36 percent, followed by Germany with 24 percent and Britain 11 percent.
The United States has maintained a trade embargo against Cuba for more than three decades and has indicated it had no intention of lifting the embargo until there was democratic rule in the country.
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DOMINICA
Last modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Death Threats Continue Against Dominica Leaders
Dominica police have confirmed that death threats are continuing to be made against top ranking government officials, with House Speaker Alix Boyd-Knight, the latest to fall victim. Police Public Relations Officer Cyril Carrette said a white powdery substance was found in a letter at the Speaker's office recently.
According to Mr. Carrette, the letter was dated January 13, 2002 and addressed to Ms. Boyd-Knight but also repeated threats against the lives of Prime Minister Pierre Charles and unnamed Government Ministers, as well as prominent attorney-at-law Anthony Astaphan. He said the letter, sent by a fictitious group called the Antigua Dominica Mafia Defense Force, makes reference to the aluminum plant in Dominica and the Layou River Hotel, alleging that the Prime Minister got money from those deals and built a castle in Grandbay in the south of the country.
Police said they also received warnings that the group was also planning to attack a major supermarket in the capital Roseau, before the end of next Saturday.
The supermarket, J. Astaphan and Co. Ltd., is one of the largest in Dominica and is owned by the family of Anthony Astaphan, who is a supporter of the ruling Dominica Labour Party. He is also heading investigations into allegations of corruption in the former United Workers Party administration.
As police investigate the latest threats, which Prime Minister Charles said were designed to paint a negative image of Dominica, the Opposition UWP has sought to clear its name of any involvement. UWP Leader Edison James has described as "ridiculous and depraved" suggestions that the party was involved in any plot to assassinate the Prime Minister.
Dominican Opposition Rails at St. Kitts Minister
The opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has written to St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas expressing strong dissatisfaction over recent comments made by a member of his cabinet. In delivering the feature address to the ruling Dominica Labour Party's delegates' conference, St. Kitts and Nevis Foreign Minister Dr. Timothy Harris launched a stinging attack on the UWP, blaming it for the current state of the local economy.
Dr. Harris also called on government to pursue investigations into allegations of corruption made against the Edison James-led, former UWP administration, stating that the probe was in the interest of the people. But the UWP has strongly condemned the statements, while charging that the Foreign Affairs portfolio of St. Kitts and Nevis was in dangerous hands. The party also accused Dr. Harris of meddling in Dominica's domestic affairs.
In the letter to Dr. Douglas, the opposition party said it was concerned as to whether Dr. Harris's statements represented the views of the government of St. Kitts and Nevis.The party claims it was unfortunate that Dr. Harris spoke without informing himself of the facts. "His claim that our political leader, Edison James does not want an inquiry into allegations of corruption against our party is profoundly contrary to the truth. Indeed it is a matter of public record that we have, since February of 2000, been urging the government to set up such an inquiry." The UWP’s General Secretary Brian Linton signed the letter.
Caribbean Banana Producers Tackle Low Quality Problem
The Windward Island Banana Development and Export Company (WIBDECO) says it is working with companies in four banana-producing islands to address the problem of low quality fruit being exported to Britain.
Dr. Errol Reid, WIBDECO's Operations Manager, told a news conference that the company still had issues with the quality of bananas from the islands and was working with each island to try to find a solution to the problem as quickly as possible. Earlier this month, WIBDECO, which sells fruit on behalf of Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, announced concerns over the deteriorating quality of fruit. The company warned that if the situation persisted, it would no longer be able to pay the contracted prices to banana farmers. Dr. Reid told reporters that WIBDECO was devising new strategies to enable the Windward Islands to compete on an open market and to minimize the risk to the region's fruit.
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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
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Last Modified on Wednesday, November 13, 2002
Dominican police detain Pakistani man at airport with 5-inch (13-centimeter) knife
Airport police detained a Pakistani man trying to board a flight for last month carrying a 5-inch (13-centimeter) knife. The man was detained when police found the kitchen knife in his hand luggage at Santo Domingo's Las Americas International Airport, said Gen. Fernando Cruz, director of the National Department of Investigation.
Their attention was caught as the man walked toward a security checkpoint but turned and strode toward an exit when a police officer approached to question him. Police said they quickly stopped the man and found the knife in his luggage.
Officials described him as a 30-year-old medical student who had been studying in the Dominican Republic. The man was in the Caribbean country illegally and didn't have an entry stamp in his passport, police said. The suspect has not been charged and was being questioned by Dominican authorities.
The detention came a day after U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Otto Reich told the Dominican newspaper El Caribe that U.S. officials were concerned terrorists could reach the United States by way of illegal migrant routes through Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which share the island of Hispaniola.
Mormons to award educational loans
The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints announced an educational loan program Monday that could help 31,000 poverty-stricken young adults in the Caribbean.
The program, called the "Perpetual Education Fund," would not give money directly to students. Instead, the Mormon church would write out checks to educational institutions, church spokeswoman Kathy Loyd said. Students would begin paying back their loans in small amounts beginning the first month of school instead of waiting for graduation, she said. Single church members between 18 and 30-years-old would be eligible. More details are to be announced at the program's inauguration on October 20.
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GRENADA
Last modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Strike action declared against GBN, as media company sacks protesting workers
The militant Technical and Allied Workers Union on Thursday formally declared a full-blown strike against the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN), after the media company began issuing letters of dismissal to over 20 unionised employees who have been off the job since late last month.
TAWU is also warning that GBN's actions threaten the overall peace and stability of the country, while calling on "all sections of the Union as well as other workers to rally to the cause of GBN workers and to stay tuned for further announcements and actions". The stepped up action against the company, which is 60 per cent owned by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Communications Network and 40 per cent owned by the Grenada government, also comes in response to what TAWU views as "the absurdity and ridiculousness of the Company's actions" in withdrawing letters of retrenchment issued to four of 10 targetted staffers on January 7, and then proceeding to fire even those workers whom it had already retrenched.
But labelling TAWU's behaviour as "reckless", GBN said it was left with no other alternative but to take disciplinary action against all workers who participated in "wildcat industrial action", which the Company said jeopardizes its efforts towards viability. In light of a work stoppage called for by the Union after management issued the letters of retrenchment last week, GBN said it was also forced to take action to protect the integrity of the Collective Agreement "as it would not be worth the paper that it is written on if every time there is a disagreement over an interpretation of a provision, the procedure for the settlement of such differences is not followed, but instead the union and workers engage in wildcat industrial action".
The Company also rejected recommendations made by Labour Minister Lawrence Joseph for settlement of the dispute, saying that although it agreed that the procedure for the settlement of industrial disputes as laid down in the Collective Agreement ought to have been followed, GBN did not agree with his interpretation of Article 21 of the Collective Agreement and further that even if it did agree, "to implement his recommendation could result in the total closure of GBN". The Labour Minister intervened in the dispute after the Union threatened to escalate its protest action. He has sided with the workers and their union in calling for the letters of termination to be revoked and the affected workers reinstated to make way for the immediate restart of discussions between the two sides on a proposed policy of retrenchment. But amid a cost cutting exercise started last year at the company, GBN has refused. TAWU is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting of all shop stewards and union activists at 5PM Monday at union headquarters here.
Grenada Puts Stress on Information Technology
Grenada is moving to maximize the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to spur economic growth and development in this decade, according to Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell. Addressing a recent regional Public Sector Management Workshop on E-Government and Information Technology, Dr. Mitchell said that the objective is for Grenadians to qualify in the field at every level. He noted that it is very essential at this time for people to utilize the opportunities that are becoming available in the local, regional and international ICT markets.
The Ministry of Education, the T.A. Marryshow Community College and the Department of Human Resources are coordinating efforts to continue ICT literacy training in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. In addition, an extensive public sector training program is being instituted and national computer literacy programs have been expanded to reach rural areas.
IMF Lends Grenada US$4 million In Emergency Aid for Lili's Havoc
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved US$4 million in emergency assistance for Grenada to support the government's efforts to deal with the devastating effects of Tropical Storm Lili, which struck the island on September 24 last year. The emergency loan, which is being made available immediately, currently carries a charge of 2.51 percent. It will be repaid in eight equal quarterly installments over three to five years from the disbursement date.
"The authorities are to be commended for their speedy response to the effects of Tropical Storm Lili, which caused extensive damage – equivalent to nearly 2 percent of GDP -to infrastructure and the nutmeg crop, Grenada's main agricultural export," said Shigemitsu Sugisaki, the deputy managing director and acting chairman, at the conclusion of the Executive Board's discussion on Grenada. He noted that essential infrastructure was repaired and emergency assistance provided to the affected population. He also noted that the Keith Mitchell administration has allocated funds in the 2003 budget, approved by Parliament in November, for infrastructure rehabilitation and for strengthening its disaster management and emergency relief operations.
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GUYANA
Last modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Guyana's main opposition party names new leader to replace the late Desmond Hoyte
Guyana's main opposition party elected an attorney as its new leader to replace the late Desmond Hoyte who died of a heart attack late last year, officials said. Robert Corbin, a 55-year-old attorney, was elected at a special one-day meeting of the People's National Congress party late last month.
At a rally of several thousand party supporters in downtown Georgetown following the meeting, Corbin criticized alleged government corruption and extrajudicial police killings. Human rights groups have accused the government of tolerating extrajudicial killings of blacks by an elite police squad. Guyana's population of 700,000 is almost evenly divided between blacks, who mainly support the opposition, and people of East Indian descent, who support the government. Police have killed eight civilians they referred to as suspects so far this year, while five law enforcement officers have been killed.
Corbin, a former party chairman, also spoke about working to ensure that the People's National Congress wins the next general elections due in early 2006. Hoyte, a former president, died Dec. 22 at his home. He was 73.
Mash program to go on as planned
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ms. Gail Teixeira has dispelled rumours that the annual Mashramani activities are not likely to go on as planned because of possible interruption by the current crime situation. The minister and members of the Mashramani Committee have already met security officials who gave assurances that all necessary measures will be in place for the events to be trouble-free, she reported at a news conference at her office in Georgetown recently.Teixeira noted too that there is a flier in circulation claiming that the Calypso quarter finals due to be held in Linden "will not be held because of power outages".That was "fictitious", she said, adding that it was part of a machinery to instill fear in people so the event will not gain full participation.
The flier, which the minister displayed during the news conference, has no signature and has not been identified with any particular organization. The minister is urging the general public to ignore any such notices. She said if the circulation of any such fliers should continue during the course of events leading up to the main Republic anniversary celebrations, persons should contact Mash Coordinator, Mr. Lennox Canterbury. She assured that tonight's event at Linden will go on as planned, although there are some problems with electricity supply in the town.
Twenty-six calypsonians will be competing for the crown and the Linden Power Company has assured that there will be no interruption in power supply during the event. However, standby generators will be in place in the event of any outages, the minister reported. Teixeira said members of the Mash committees of the various regions met recently and are satisfied with the way things are going.
About $16M has been allocated for the ministry to stage the events for this year. She said the auditions for the Calypso competitions have gone well. The road-march songs are being played and several are of a high quality, she noted.
As part of Mashramani celebrations in Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands), a jamboree was held at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara last weekend and there was tremendous participation, she said.The semi-finals for the Calypso Competitions are scheduled at the Sophia Exhibition Centre, Georgetown on February 8, while the finals would be staged at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast on February 15. Teixeira also announced that Banks DIH is sponsoring the entire Junior Calypso competition, but the costumes would not be designed to advertise alcoholic products. The company would be using the event to advertise Coca Cola, she said.
Contestants for the competition will be drawn from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and 10. The Children's Regional Costume competition, which is under way, is on schedule and will continue during next week. The finals will be held February 12-14 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Georgetown. The Children's Parade will be on Saturday, February 15.
Teixeira said the ministry would be hosting the Brazilian Youth Choir, the `Canaries of the Amazon', which would be performing in the last week leading up to the Republic Day celebrations on February 23. Celebrations will be held in Corriverton on February 24 while Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) and Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) will hold their Mashramani celebrations the following weekend. On Friday, March 7, participants of the events will be presented with their prizes.
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HAITI
Last modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Former Haitian Army Officers Imprisoned
Two former Haitian army officers who lived for years in the United States were returned to their homeland and imprisoned for alleged involvement in a 1994 massacre, officials said recently.
Former Col. Carl Dorelien, 53, and former Lt. Col. Herbert Valmond, 52, arrived Monday in Haiti escorted by U.S. immigration officers. They were being held at Port-au Prince's National Penitentiary, said Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, director of the National Migration Office. They were among 38 former soldiers and army henchmen who in 2000 were convicted in absentia of murder in the 1994 killings of slumdwellers in Raboteau, a shantytown in Gonaives about 60 miles north of Port-au-Prince. Sixteen others are now imprisoned for the slaughter, largely serving life sentences. During the massacre, soldiers and thugs burst into dozens of homes, beating and arresting people. People who tried to flee were shot. No one knows how many were killed, because soldiers prevented victims' families from retrieving bodies.
Witnesses who reported the names of at least 15 people killed said dogs ate some bodies and others were washed out to sea. International pathologists testified they could identify only three victims. Dorelien and Valmond deny involvement in the Raboteau killings, and under Haitian law may seek new trials.
The slayings were part of attacks carried out to break support for deposed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide following his ouster in a 1991 army coup. Dorelian was a coup leader. Soldiers and paramilitary thugs killed at least 3,000 people and maimed thousands more before U.S. troops invaded in 1994 to end the bloodshed and halt an exodus of boat people to Florida.
Dorelien, who won $3.2 million in the Florida lottery in 1997, faces a damage suit by the family of a victim in the Raboteau massacre, Michel Pierre. His widow, Marie Jeanne Jean, filed the suit recently in Miami federal court.
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JAMAICA
Last Modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Senior Jamaican Judge: Faults the Privy Council
A senior Jamaican judge has expressed concern over recent decisions handed down by the London-based Privy Council, stating that while the English Speaking Caribbean's highest court had served the region well in the past, in recent years it has not been consistent in its judgments.
"There is no doubt that the Privy Council has served the region well. Notwithstanding that fact, in recent years, so far as capital punishment is concerned, the Privy Council, in my view, has appeared to be continually shifting the goalpost," said Court of Appeal Judge Seymour Panton.
"I say this, not in criticism or condemnation, but more to explain the fact that sometimes the impression is created that the Appeal Court in Jamaica has done something wrong in upholding convictions for this offence," he added.
Justice Panton was delivering the main address at an awards dinner hosted by the Cornwall Bar Association earlier this week to honour three Jamaican judges for long and meritorious service. The Appeal Court Judge said the actions of the Privy Council had caused a lot of unfair criticisms to be levied at Jamaican judges. But the Judge said that he did not wish his arguments to be interpreted as being in support of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), noting however, that the time has come for Jamaica to move to a different and higher level.
Over 11,000 Jamaicans Work in ICT Industries
There were 11,873 persons employed in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector as OF March 2002, 60 percent of whom were women, whilst investment spending on capital equipment and training, exceeded $6.8 billion for the 2001/02 fiscal year.
Julian Robinson, Investment Promotion Manager at Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), revealed the figures in a recent interview with Jamaica Information Service News. He said a recent study commissioned by the investment and promotions agency indicated that the employment figure represented an increase of 36 percent from 8,741 in March 2000, with an 18 percent growth rate per year over the two-year period. A total of 2,369 jobs were added in 2002, Mr. Robinson said.
Undertaken by Research & Analysis Associates (RAA), the survey revealed that companies, whose main business was data processing, were the leading sources of new jobs, accounting for 60 of every 100 new jobs added to the sector since March 2001.
Data processing and voice telephony sub-sectors were the leading sources of jobs, employing 2,913 and 4,031 respectively. Women held six in every 10 jobs in the sector. In addition, nearly $7 billion was spent on capital equipment and training during the last financial year. Of that amount, over $6.7 billion was spent on capital equipment, while another $100 million was spent on training. The survey showed that the voice telephony and data processing sub sectors, accounted for $900 million of every $1 billion spent by the entire ICT sector on capital equipment and training.
Jamaica Senator Calls for Waiver of UK Visa Rules
Government Senator Naval Clarke called last Friday for a waiver of new visa requirements imposed by the United Kingdom government against Jamaica, in the interest of nationals who once lived and worked in Britain. He told the Upper House that he had made representation to the British High Commission in Kingston on the matter and had received a favorable response. "They are taking the matter to their government because they think it has merit," Mr. Clarke said.
He explained that Jamaicans who previously resided in the UK and were seeking to visit that country wanted to be spared the embarrassment of being refused entry into the UK and sent back home, if they failed the new immigration interview. Mr. Clarke, who once lived in the UK, said he resented the "broad brush" approach taken by the British immigration authorities on the issue, adding that the contribution of Jamaicans to the development of the British society was being ignored. The recent announcement by the United Kingdom of restrictions on Jamaican nationals seeking to enter Britain coincided with the release of figures by the Home Office showing that during the months January to June 2002, more than 1,000 Jamaicans absconded after being granted temporary admission to the country.
It said, in the six weeks leading up to 17 December 2002, 1,233 Jamaicans were denied entry into the country at the 12 busiest gateways, including the Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester. Additionally, the Home Office revealed that during 2002, British Airways reported the arrival of 1,202 unaccompanied minors at Gatwick on its Kingston flights. The records reportedly show that only 592 of these children subsequently departed.
Winston Lalor, who is Jamaica's Honorary Consul to Bermuda, said authorities there were also concerned that too many Jamaicans who arrived on the island as visitors were involved in criminal and immigration offences.
Following Bermuda's announcement last Wednesday of new visa requirements for Jamaicans, there were also concerns that other British administered territories may also follow the UK lead. But to date those fears have not been substantiated. However, in supporting Mr. Clarke, Opposition Senator Dorothy Lightbourne suggested that at least British pensioners living here should be given multiple entry visas.
Citizens mob man accused of murder
A 25-year old man, accused of hacking a teenager to death, was chased and chopped by citizens in the resort town of Negril late last month.
Robert Lewis, of Whitehall Housing Scheme in Westmoreland, has been admitted to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital under police guard and is expected to be charged with the murder of 17-year-old Dwight Brown. The Constabulary Communication Network reports that Brown and Lewis were involved in a fight over a woman at the bus park in Negril. It is alleged that Lewis left the park and returned shortly after with a machete, which he used to inflict wounds to Brown's body. Brown sustained injuries to his head and various parts of his body. He was rushed to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital and was later transferred to the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) where he succumbed to his injuries. Citizens, who witnessed the incident, chased Lewis and began chopping him all over his body. He was later taken to the hospital where he was admitted in a stable condition. Brown's murder is the third recorded in the parish since the start of the year.
Canadian company takes over management of Montego Bay's airport in Jamaica
A Canadian company took over management of this resort town's international airport from the government, with officials scrambling to build a new terminal to meet growing demand. Vancouver Airport Service signed a 30-year lease agreement with the government on Wednesday to manage Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.
MBJ Airport, subsidiary of Vancouver Airport Service, is a consortium of Canadian, Chilean, Israeli and Spanish companies that will be managing the airport, officials said. The one-terminal airport, in this Caribbean resort town on the island's north coast, opened in the 1970s, and has experienced nearly double growth over the years. And the long lines at ticket counters and security checkpoints are expected to grow, officials say.
The terminal was designed to handle a maximum of 1,000 passengers per peak hour, but now has to accommodate as many as 1,800, officials said. Air Jamaica has implemented a hub at the airport, putting a severe strain on available aircraft parking spaces, said the airport's former owners, The Airports Authority of Jamaica.
The initial costs of building a new terminal are estimated at US$130 million (Jamaican $6.5 billion), officials said. Four bidding groups have been selected to participate in a second bidding round scheduled for later this year. If Sangster's facilities are not improved and expanded, the airport will fall below minimum acceptable international standards, said Transport Minister Robert Pickersgill at the signing ceremony on Wednesday. "The development program for the airport is intended to address these critical problems," Pickersgill said.
Among the major airlines serving the airport are American Airlines, Air Jamaica and British Airways.
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MONTSERRAT
Last modified on Saturday, January 18, 2003
'Pops' Morris Reigns As 40th Calypso Monarch
With his emotionally moving tune "Thank You" Joseph Anthony Morris, aka "Pops" Morris, reigned supreme as he was crowned Calypso King 2002 at the Festival Village. He bested a field of 11 contenders.
Facing some stiff competition from the other 10 finalists, Pops Morris, clad in a green cape trimmed in heavy gold embroidery, belted out his heart-rending calypso "Thank You," which undeniably stole the crowd's heart and got the judges nod, making him Calypso Monarch. The calypso won him prizes and while there were expressed public disagreements over the placing of some of the runner-ups and other placed contestants, Pops was indisputably and unanimously accepted as the King. His winning also put to rest the uneasy and much discussed dispute among a few that the crown should not be won by one of the Montserratian returnees from England.
Lyrics, rendition of music, melody, creativity and clarity were among the criteria used to judge the calypsonians.
Masters of Ceremonies for the show, local radio personality Basil Chambers and Barbadian comedian Trevor Eastman, kept the crowd alive with their hilarity and hard-hitting satire. Other supporting acts included songs performed by veteran Bear, who resides and successfully competes in Antigua calypso competitions, as well as the popular Rick Tyson, whose ballads were still favorites with the crowd. Other calypsonians who were eliminated in the semi and quarter-finals of the competition also took part.
Back up music was provided by local band, Black Rhythms. A one-minute silence was observed in honor of four deceased Calypsonians; "Black Prince," "Red/Pole," "Wrangler" and "I-Rod," all of whom contributed to the Festival celebrations during the last 40 years. Herman "Cupid" Francis, won the prize of a $1,000 for the Most Creative Calypso with his tune "Sniper in Town," and Calypso Monarch Morris’ also won $1,000 for "Thank You," judged as Best Social Commentary. The Bank of Montserrat donated both prizes.
"Pops" Morris amassed a total of 1,125 points for his songs "Let’s Team Up" and "Thank You" to win the grand prize of EC$7,000. The remaining calypso contestants received monetary prizes ranging from last place who received $700, to the second runner-up Cupid, with 1,108 points, $3,300 – one point behind 1st runner-up Tabu who received $4,800. "Kandie," the lone female finalist, placed sixth with 1,043.5 points
The judges for the show were Fitzroy Buffonge, Terry Bunkin, Al Gerald, Gerald Gray, Trevor Howe, Basil Morgan, Charlesworth Phillip and Peter White. Observers believe there were at least 2,000 up to 3,000 people in attendance at the five-hour show.
New York Montserratians Return with Gifts for Elderly
"Emerald Isle Creative Vibes," a group of Montserratian residents in the United States, presented a number of gifts including three wheelchairs, nine walkers, 10 canes and gift baskets to the senior citizens of the St. John's Hospital on December 26.
The group of 20, chaired by Al Gerald, a former teacher, said, “Upon learning in 2001 that the senior citizens homes were in need of wheel chairs, I, along with a few Montserratians living in New York, decided to do something tangible in support of our island, and to assist in the rebuilding effort.” The group's release stated that it held a series of fund-raising events in New York last year to support the senior citizens homes administered by the St. John’s Hospital.
"Emerald Isle Creative Vibes" is a collection of friends who meet socially on occasion in the Bronx, New York, and decided as an informal entity to contribute in a significant way to the redevelopment efforts of Montserrat.
The group is committed to raising funds to help worthy causes in Montserrat, to make as many persons as possible aware of the devastation of the island by the volcano, and to promote Montserrat as a viable tourist destination that its members and all Montserratians consider “ Still home, still nice.” The group also donated the Soca Monarch and Calypso Crown Monarch Crowns as well as prizes for all of the Festival Queen Show.
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PUERTO RICO
Last modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Puerto Rico Gov. Wants U.S. Base to Stay
Puerto Rico's government hopes the U.S. Navy won't close its Roosevelt Roads Naval Station after it halts bombing exercises on the nearby island of Vieques in May, the U.S. territory's governor said.
Gov. Sila Calderon, who had pressed for a halt to the training, said recently that her government will lobby for the base on the main island of Puerto Rico to remain open. With some 4,800 employees and temporary contractors, Roosevelt Roads is one of the the region's largest employers.
"The people of Puerto Rico don't have any interest in the closing of the Roosevelt Roads base," Calderon said. "The government of Puerto Rico is interested in that base staying in Puerto Rico, for all the economic benefits."
The Navy says training now under way is the last scheduled on Vieques. It will abandon its firing range there by May 1, turning over the island's eastern third to the U.S. Department of the Interior to become a wildlife refuge. The United States stopped all live-fire training in Vieques in 1999 after a guard was accidentally killed. It has used non-explosive bombs and shells since then.
Once the Navy leaves Vieques, all operations at Roosevelt Roads associated with Vieques will be discontinued, Navy officials have said. Adm. Robert Natter, commander of the Atlantic Fleet, went further last week, saying: "Without Vieques there is no way I need the Navy facilities at Roosevelt Roads — none." Other Navy officials said any decision about closing the base in eastern Puerto Rico would have to be made by an independent commission that has yet to begin its work. The Navy estimates the base injects some $300 million each year into the Caribbean island's economy.
Training continued recently with two U.S. warships firing inert shells at the island. The USS Arleigh Burke and USS Cape St. George participated in the training, said Lt. Cmdr. Kim Dixon, a spokeswoman.
President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the base built in 1940, and it was used for World War II naval operations. The Navy has trained on Vieques since 1947. Opponents say the exercises have damaged the environment and the health of the island's 9,100 residents, but the Navy denies the accusations.
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ST. LUCIA
Last modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
Lack of Quality Threatens St. Lucia's UK Banana Share
The Windward Islands Banana Development and Exporting Company (WIBDECO) has repeated calls for production of top quality fruit if the islands are to maintain their presence on the British market. Paul Hilaire, WIBDECO's chief operating officer, has warned that if inconsistent and bad practices of some farmers are not curtailed the Windward Islands could lose their banana market in the UK.
Mr. Hilaire's concerns follow the inability of farmers to meet a 10,000-pound weekly contract to Wait Rose Supermarket in the United Kingdom last week. "As a result we have now being placed on a gag for this week and next week that if we cannot get it right, then that's it, they would be left with no option but to opt for a more reliable market," Mr.Hilaire said.
The WIBDECO official said that the future of the industry demanded that farmers adhere to the need for improved quality fruit for shipment to the European market. "But it is clear that as long as we cannot achieve this then we stand to lose our market," Hilaire said, adding that, "we are very inconsistent suppliers and what we require now is more production planning".
St. Lucian Urges Region To Harness its Resources
St. Lucia's Minister of Agriculture Calixte George has called for a more united approach by Caribbean states to ensure that the region is not further disadvantaged by globalization and trade liberalization. Mr. George told a meeting of the St. Lucia Agriculturists Association in addition to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), regional states now have to keep abreast of negotiations in other theatres such as the Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA), the Caribbean Community Single Market and Economy (CSME) and between the European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific States.
"Each of these present new challenges and opportunities and each will influence the way in which we trade in agricultural products", he said. But he said that St. Lucia, like all other small island developing states, had minimal influence in these negotiations and very often its requests for special and differential treatment, on account of its vulnerabilities, were ignored. "For us to survive in this new world order we must present a united front," he stressed. The region's strength, he said, is in its numbers, "and we must harness the collective resources of the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) and the wider CARICOM Member States if we are to ensure that we are not further disadvantaged by globalisation and trade liberalisation".
St Lucia UWP Fires Leader of Opposition
The United Workers Party (UWP) recently announced a party decision to sack Marius Wilson as leader of the three-member Opposition in the Parliament, following a weekend meeting of the UWP's Central Executive. In a statement, UWP Political Leader Dr. Vaughn Lewis said the two other UWP Parliamentarians had already indicated to Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy, their support for retired school principal Arsen James, representative for Micoud South, as the new Opposition Leader in the House.
Mr. Wilson's removal has not come as a big surprise, since his 11&Mac218;2-year tenure as Opposition Leader was characterized by controversy and several allegations of improper conduct. The meeting of the UWP executive was called specifically to deal with these concerns. Mr. Wilson declined to attend when it became evident that he did not enjoy the support of the other two opposition MPs, whose support is required under the party's constitution to remove him as leader. The ruling SLP government currently holds the remaining 14 seats in the House.
Clinton Stresses Region, U.S. are Interdependent
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has been stressing the interdependency that exists between the United States and its Caribbean neighbors. "We have a responsibility to share the benefits of the future with you and do more to promote the economic growth of poor countries," Mr. Clinton told a packed audience of local and regional public and private sector officials here last weekend.
Mr. Clinton, who has established an HIV/AIDS Foundation, also assured the region of continued U.S. support in combating problems such as HIV/AIDS. He said that major strides had already been made in making healthcare more affordable for persons living with the disease. "In the Bahamas, for instance, we have already been able to negotiate an 80-percent reduction in the price they were paying for medication that will help keep people alive." The focus of his 30-minute presentation, however, was on interdependency and relations between the Caribbean and the United States.
"We know we are neighbors, we know generally we like each other, we have had friendly relations, but we have undervalued the extent to which we are completely dependent on each other in going forward," he said. If the Caribbean does well, he said, the U.S. also prospers. He said that while the tendency was to categorize increasing world trade and investment as evidence of globalization, he preferred to describe the world as interdependent, even though he believes nations need to go even farther in establishing an integrated community, with shared benefits, responsibilities and values.
He identified two major obstacles, however. One, he said, was represented by terrorists and the other, which is less obvious, by the many people who were doing well in the world just the way it is. The large audience included the Governor General of St. Lucia, Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sir Frederick Ballantyne as well as the Prime Ministers of St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
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ST. MAAARTEN
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Last Modified on Wednesday, November 13, 2002
St. Maarten Tests New Emergency Alert System
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) of the Island Government Disaster Emergency Management Services Department was tested recently.
The EAS is a new and improved Emergency Broadcast System. The aforementioned has been developed as a means to communicate with the island community in the event of a national emergency, Winston Salomon, Fire Commander and Coordinator of the Office of Disaster Management, told the Government Information Service (GIS). The system is designed primarily as a public information and warning system in the event of a Hurricane strike, but can be used for other disaster types as well. Currently the EAS is only applicable to radio stations, however, there are plans to work on integrating the technology into Cable TV broadcasts.
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ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
Last modified on Saturday, January 18, 2003
St. Vincent/Grenadines Get New Taiwanese Aid
Mr. Roger Luo, Charge d’affairs of the Republic of China on Taiwan, handed over a cheque for US$728,710.66 to the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Of that total, US$82,612.90 will go towards continuation of the Youth Empowerment Programme, US$72,911.24 will go towards providing additional facilities at the Community College, US$557,562.68 will go towards the computerization of schools, and US$15,623.84 towards the upgrading of equipment at the Agency for Public Information.
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves expressed the appreciation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the assistance, saying the relationship between this country and the Republic of China on Taiwan continues to be strengthened. Charge d’affaires Mr. Luo reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the continued development of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Meanwhile Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves announced that he and a five-member delegation will be visit the Republic of China on Taiwan in February/March of next year.
OAS Meeting Focuses on Security Threats
Concerns that terrorists could move undetected through the Caribbean on their way to carry out attacks are the focus of security talks involving officials from throughout the Americas. The officials, attending a three-day Organization of American States meeting, plan to discuss how to prevent terrorists from using the Caribbean as a way-station. If terrorists slip into U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, the mainland United States is only a short plane ride away.
Officials have said they are concerned terrorists could pass through small airports or step off boats on poorly patrolled coastlines as they head for their targets. The vast chains of remote islands, notoriously difficult to police, could become stop-off points for terrorists, officials say. The meeting's host country St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for instance, comprises dozens of islands and cays. Ferry boats move between many islands.
"The Caribbean is full of places where security is pretty relaxed," professor and terrorism expert Paul Wilkinson said in a phone interview from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Many islands have little money to spend on security measures, particularly with the slow economy and the decrease in tourism following the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. The officials were planning to discuss an emergency security fund to be shared among small island states.
Experts say there are few, if any, terrorist groups based in the region. It is the threat of outsiders using the Caribbean as a staging point that causes more concern. Some also point to the October bombing of a nightclub on Indonesian island of Bali that killed 192 people as proof that Caribbean tourist resorts could be targeted by terrorists. "They have shown that they are willing to attack targets anywhere they can be found," said Lance Selman, chairman of a Caribbean Community task force on crime and security. Selman said small island states must cooperate to confront such a complex threat.
As in many regions, terrorists could try to use falsified documents to travel between countries. U.S. sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad made his living in Antigua and Barbuda selling falsified documents to immigrants — most of them Jamaicans — trying to reach the United States, officials say. U.S. authorities have accused Muhammad, a U.S. Army veteran, and 17-year-old John Lee Malvo of Jamaica in the shootings of 18 people in five states and Washington, D.C. Thirteen of the victims died.
In the Caribbean, terrorist attacks have been relatively rare and generally have stemmed from the region's own political conflicts. The 1976 bombing of a Cuban passenger jet over Barbados killed 73 people, and in 1997 a string of hotel bombings in Cuba killed eight. Cuba has blamed government opponents. Between 1974 and 1983, Puerto Rico's Armed Forces for National Liberation was involved in 130 bombings in the United States that killed six people and wounded dozens. But such attacks have faded in recent years.
Now some experts warn that cruise ships frequenting the islands could be targeted, or that terrorists could board cargo ships headed for the United States. Cruise line officials say they have tightened security and added personnel since the 2001 attacks, making their ships less vulnerable than airplanes. Officials at the meeting also plan to discuss regular shipments of nuclear waste through the region. Environmental groups have often protested the nuclear shipments between Japan and Europe through the Panama Canal, and some Caribbean officials say they are concerned the ships could be targeted by terrorists.
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ST. KITT/NEVIS
Last modified on Monday, February 3, 2003
St. Kitts/Nevis Labour Party Delivers Promised Hospital
The opening of the new multi-million-dollar Joseph N. France General Hospital yesterday fulfilled the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party's campaign promise in the run up to the 1995 General Elections to provide better healthcare for the people of the twin-island Federation. The Labour Party said then that the incumbent PAM Government had failed dismally in its health policies, pointing out that under previous Labour Party Administrations the health system in St. Kitts and Nevis “was the envy of the Caribbean” and was “used as a model for developing countries.”
“The new Labour Government will construct a new general hospital,” said the Labour Party in the Manifesto going into the 1995 General Election under the leadership of Dr. Denzil L. Douglas. Since becoming Prime Minister in July 1995, Dr. Douglas and Health Minister. Earl Asim Martin began the task of constructing a hospital as a center of excellence.
Construction of the new Sir Joseph N. France General Hospital began in 1999 and comprises the Psychiatric Ward, funded by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis at a cost of EC$1,648,000; the Medical and Surgical Wards, funded by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association IBRD/IDA (World Bank) at a cost of EC$5.6 million; the Private Ward, funded by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis at a cost of EC$3.2 million, and the Pediatrics Ward, funded at a cost of EC$2.7 million by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and administered by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
Funds for the retrofitting of the Ophthalmic Ward were secured through the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Disaster Relief Fund, while the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis funded the expansion of the building at a cost of EC$420,693. The Rams Group of Companies and Government provided the funding for the equipment. The Accident and Emergency Department was funded by the European Union at a cost of EC$12.9 million. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) funded the new Obstetrics Ward and Delivery Ward at a cost of EC$5.1 million. Governor General His Excellency, Dr. Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, a former Medical Superintendent of the Joseph N. France General Hospital cut the ribbon to officially declare the facility open.
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TRINIDAD
Trinidad Suspends Most of Soccer Team
Almost all of Trinidad's national soccer team was suspended shortly before Wednesday's game with Finland after players skipped practice because of a pay dispute. The Trinidad and Tobago federation suspended 18 of the 20 players late last month. The other two players are members of the nation's army. The federation said it has recruited replacement players for the exhibition game.
The suspended players walked out of practice, saying the federation didn't provide proper playing conditions and weren't paying them for past games. Former national captain Travis Mulrain, one of those suspended, said the players do not even have proper tape for their ankles. "We are asked to train for up to three hours or more five days a week," he said. "And all we get are sandwiches and water after that." The players contend they have not been paid for four recent games. They are requesting $1,000 a game for players with 15 or more international appearances and $750 for players with fewer. The federation is offering $200 to all players for each of the four games.
Regional Task Force on crime and security to meet in Trinidad
The threat of terrorism, the proliferation of illegal guns and the issue of criminal deportees will be high on agenda of a special two day meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Regional Task Force.
"Firearms are a high priority. We really have to try and find a way of getting the guns off the streets of the region," said Task Force Chairman, Lancelot Selman, while pointing to a disturbing trend in crime in Trinidad and Guyana. Selman acknowledged that lawlessness was escalating, lamenting that the region had ignored the problem for a long time. He said the cause and manifestation of crime must be addressed.
"We must address what is leading to crime and increased violence. We have to look at the education system, the influence of television, family values," he said. Selman also believes the region is at risk of terrorist activity and he revealed that the Task Force will examine proposals to deal with the threat.
"We are proposing that enhanced border control measures be implemented to prevent the entry of terrorists. That will also address the issue of illegal firearms and drugs, which are major issues. We still see drugs as a major threat because that is the crime that spawns other things like illegal possession of firearms, corruption," he said. On the issue of deportees, Selman said a Regional Research Project into the problem has already been commissioned.
The meeting at the Trinidad Hilton comes against the backdrop of a spiralling crime situation in parts of the Caribbean - the situation in Guyana, which recorded over 150 murders last year, in Trinidad, where there were 172 killings, as well as in Jamaica, which recorded over 1,000 murders in 2002, are among the most troubling. The regional task force has been set up by CARICOM governments to offer solutions to the problem.
Trinidad government distances itself from BWIA sackings
The Trinidad and Tobago Government has distanced itself from the decision of the national carrier, BWIA, to dismiss over 600 workers in an effort to become more competitive. "It is not for the government to be comfortable or uncomfortable about retrenchment there, once it is done in accordance with the law," Prime Minister Patrick Manning told reporters recently, following the weekly cabinet meeting here.
The airline unveiled a new business model it says will make the airline more competitive, but at the same time announced it would be sending home 617 employees by the end of this month. It said the new business model entails streamlining the company along the lines of the new low cost carriers.
BWIA's Chief Executive Officer Conrad Aleong said the company had no choice but to lay off the employees, as the airline seeks to turnaround a net loss of US28.9 million dollars last year. But the trade unions representing BWIA various categories of workers accuse the airline's management of deception, saying that the workers were the only casualties of the new plan.
Manning told reporters that the airline was a private company and was free to make decisions to keep its operations viable.
Junior Finance Minister Conrad Enhill confirmed that the Government would be providing a letter of comfort to BWIA to borrow US7.7 million dollars as part of the Government's financial assistance package of US 13 million dollars to the airline. The Trinidad and Tobago Government owns 33.5 per cent shares in BWIA, but it has made it clear it has no intention of nationalizing the airline that was semi-privatized in 1995.
Manning said he was also concerned over the "wild-cat strikes" occurring in various sectors of the economy, saying "the time has come for the Government to make it clear that it is going to begin to invoke the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act". In recent weeks there have been strikes by medical doctors, employees of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and the Telecommunication Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT). Manning said that his Government had a general concern about employment in the country and Cabinet had spent a "considerable part" of this week's meeting and thinking about how it could create full employment in Trinidad and Tobago within a two year period.
Trinidad & Tobago Acts To Re-establish Gallows
Trinidad and Tobago is drafting new legislation to allow for the execution of convicted killers, Attorney General Glenda Morean Phillips has said here.
"We may or may not succeed, because of the fact even if you have legislation, that legislation would be subject to challenge. But as a Government we have to do something and we're doing it," Ms. Morean said on television here recently.
The Privy Council -- the Commonwealth Caribbean's highest court -- has ruled that states cannot carry out the death sentences while human rights petitions are pending. In a bid to circumvent that ruling a few years ago, Trinidad and Tobago withdrew from a number of international human rights organisations, even though the present Patrick Manning administration has indicated it will seek re-admission.
The country's attempts to resume hangings have also been affected by the ruling by the Privy Council that condemned persons had the right to be heard before the Mercy Committee and that if not satisfied with the decision of the Mercy Committee, had the right to apply for judicial review, a decision court observers here say could take more than five years. In its 1993 ruling regarding the murder case of Jamaicans Pratt and Morgan, the British law lords further upheld that states had five years to carry out the death sentence or that the killers must be spared, while in March last year, the Privy Council ruled that imposing the mandatory death penalty for a murder was a violation of the Constitution of some Caribbean states. There are 68 men and five women on death row in Trinidad and Tobago.
Gang warfare erupts in Tobago’s community of Moriah
There are fears that a Trinidad-style gangland warfare has erupted between young men representing the neighboring village communities of Moriah and Mason Hall when violence flared recently in Moriah.
Three cars parked along Broadway in Moriah were attacked by a group of men in the early hours of Sunday morning during which their windscreens and windows were smashed. One resident, who preferred to remain anonymous told a local newspaper that this latest violent episode appeared to be a retaliatory strike stemming from a recent fight between the rival gangs.
Ryan Gibbs of Les Coteaux, who owned one of the vehicles that suffered the worst damage from the vicious onslaught, said that he had given his car to a man in the village “to work” for him. “When I came this morning to collect my car, ah nearly feint when ah see the condition of meh car,” he cried.
Gibbs said that when he asked his driver what happened, he was told that after bringing up a trip from Scarborough around three o’clock that morning, the car was parked. “The driver said that suddenly another car pulled up behind my car and some men who were armed with chinee chopper, hoe, cutlass and big stone jumped out and began attacking my car and the others that were parked. This thing is terrible and could affect our tourism industry,” moaned Gibbs.
Chief Secretary Orville London had appealed to Tobagonians in his New Year’s message not to allow the crime wave sweeping the sister island of Trinidad to be imported to Tobago.
Trinidad-Tobago to Get New Head of State Feb. 14
The Trinidad and Tobago Electoral College will elect a new Head of State on February 14, Prime Minister Patrick Manning has recently revealed. Attorney General Glenda Morean Phillips told legislators that the new bill became necessary after it had been impossible to use the prescribed procedure to elect a new President after the current holder's term of office expired last March.
She said this was because no Speaker was in place to summon the Electoral College, as the 18-18 deadlock occasioned by the December 2001 general election had stymied the election of a Speaker. Outgoing Head of State Arthur N.R. Robinson, who has already indicated that he does not want to be considered for the post, had agreed to remain in office for one year. He was elected head of state on February 14, 1997.
With speculation rife over who will replace Mr. Robinson, Mr. Manning told reporters on Sunday that he planned to meet with Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday to reach a consensus on a candidate. He said bipartisan support for any candidate is important "because you want to de-politicize the Office of President."
Record visitor arrivals to Tobago this year
The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is preparing for a record number of tourist visitor arrivals this year, Tourism, Transportation, Enterprise Developments and Settlements Neil Wilson announced recently.
He recalled that the highest number of tourists visiting the island was in 1999 when there were 61,000 arrivals and hoteliers were claiming between 55 and 60 percent occupancy. The arrivals took 49,000 in 2001 but increased to 57,000 in 2002 when the hoteliers were reeling with under 50 percent occupancy. However, he added, with all the work so far that had gone into marketing the island as an exclusive destination, he was expecting a record number of arrivals in the vicinity of 70,000 this year.
Wilson recalled that in 2000 the Basdeo Panday administration established an Airlift Task Force under his chairmanship and said this task force had recommended a marketing plan and a drop in aviation fuel to international air carriers from US$1.35 to US88 cents a gallon to put the island in a better position than other Caribbean islands. He said it was also decided that Tobago must be marketed more aggressively and as a result $30 million was allocated to market the island. However, before the funds became available the government changed.
Wilson recalled that at that time the hotels were not doing as well as expected, although the 49,000 arrivals in 2001 were not catastrophic but what made it telling in the industry was the coming on stream of an additional 1,000 rooms with the opening up of Hilton Tobago, Stone Haven and Blue Haven hotels. He said there were more rooms on the island than arrivals and the solution was to try to increase these to fill the 4,300 available rooms at present. With this in mind the Airlift Sub Committee of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Tourism in Tobago has recommended a number of initiatives aimed at almost doubling the arrivals.
Wilson said discussions were being held with a number of international air carriers and tour operators in North America, United Kingdom and Europe and these were likely to bear fruit shortly. The first of such air carriers to come would be the prestigious British airline, Virgin Atlantic on May 5 with its Boeing 747-200 series jetliner with a capacity for 422 passengers. This service in which 375,000 pounds sterling has been invested for marketing support would be shared by Grenada. However, because of the absorption of that island’s hotel stock, Tobago stood to have a greater share of the market.
Wilson also revealed aspects of the government’s $305 million three-year rolling plan for developing the tourism industry, adding that the details were no mystery.
He said the sum was not as much as that spent by Barbados but was a tremendous increase, adding that this year the sum of $121 million had been budgeted of which $44 million would come to Tobago instead of $1.9 million that was set-aside for the THA. The money would be used for airlift stimulation, human resource development in the industry, promotions generally, tourism awareness and niche marketing, as well as a fair amount on local and regional marketing. He admitted that one of the problems of local marketing was the inadequate supply of seats on the air bridge. He said he was not sure that the situation was being addressed and pointed out that there were 400,000 persons using the air bridge both ways last year.
He added that with the reduced return airfare of $200 it was anticipated that some 522,000 persons would fly between the islands this year. He said he was not sure there was the capacity to meeting this expected demand unless national carrier BWIA Airways Ltd brought on its jet service between the islands.
Published 'Terror Threat' Continues to Rock Trinidad
Aftershocks of a Sunday Express newspaper report of a "Terror Threat" by an unnamed local Muslim group aimed at British and U.S. interests here continued to rock the country this week.The Trinidad and Tobago Government accused "sinister politicians' of prompting British and Australian Governments to issue travel advisories against the twin island republic.
Police moved to question Darryl Heeralal, the journalist who reported that an unknown Muslim group was planning terrorist activities on the island. National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee loudly condemned Mr. Heeralal, whom he accused of publishing a "tremendous amount of misinformation, and our fear is that there may even be a deliberate attempt at disinformation.". "Ladies and gentlemen, your Government has no problem with a vigorous, enterprising media. This Government has never, and will never, confuse the message with the messenger, or rail against reporters doing their job." But, he said, Mr. Heeralal had not even provided the information about the so-called terrorist plot to the authorities so that the journalist and indeed the wider society could be saved from such a threat.
In Parliament, Planning and Development Minister Dr. Keith Rowley slammed the weekend newspaper article, adding, "never have I seen more irresponsibility." Dr. Rowley said that most of the chemicals shown in the newspaper could be obtained in any school laboratory "so anyone could come and say I have all these things to blow up the country." Mr. Heeralal on denied he was part of any conspiracy to terrorise the country. "I am a journalist," he insisted, saying that he had been following the story "for months".
Sunity Maharaj, Editor in Chief of the Express newspapers, said that the response from the authorities to the newspaper article had been anticipated and that the paper would cooperate "within the boundaries of professional journalism". But the paper carried another front page story in which it quoted a spokesman for the unnamed Muslim group as saying that it had only decided to go public with its intention to attack British and United States interests here because it would be against the religion "if it attacked without giving warning first."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, addressing members of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce recently, said, "the Government will proceed in the battle against crime with or without the support of the Opposition, especially as prudence dictates that the Government should be extremely wary of a group of politicians whose singular consistency has been their inability to honour any agreement and to about-face on their word."
In an editorial, "Shooting the messenger," The Express newspaper said in response to the Government's charges that it had no intention of being conceived as "just another arm of the Government protective services," despite the National Security Minister's criticisms that they had an obligation to inform the protective services about the threat. Meantime The Islamic community here has sought to distance itself from a reported threat of terrorist activities against British and U.S. interest in Trinidad and Tobago, should Washington decide to wage war with Iraq. Head of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) Nobel Khan told a news conference on Tuesday, "Islam is a religion of peace. Acts of violence and terrorism are not parts of the Islamic faith. People who have problems and hate in their hearts must solve them through prayer, not through violence," he said.
New AIDS Treatment Drug Has Trinidad Doctors Wary
Local doctors have expressed reservation over a drug developed by the Nation of Islam religious group for the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients. However, the organization has announced that at least 20 persons in Trinidad and Tobago have already accepted its offer of free medication over a five-month period.
The doctors met with the Nation of Islam's Minister of Health, Dr. Alim Mohammed, to discuss the new drug recently, but many felt that they were not satisfied with research information given on the drug, which is yet to be approved by any medical authority or institution worldwide. One local doctor, Neil Singh, said that statements made about the drug "Alpha Inter-feron" were not supported and not proven during the meeting, while others said that even though they were in favor of new drugs to deal with the deadly virus they were opposed to "jumping into bush medicine."
Another medical practitioner, Dr. Sonia Roach, said the organization should first get the drug registered before it is administered to patients. But Dr. Mohammed told the doctors that while his organization was not saying it had the final solution to the epidemic, the low dose, low cost medication was worth consideration.
Trinidad and Tobago has recorded some 17,000 cases of persons infected with the HIV virus, but health officials say that the number could be much higher.
Trinidad Offers to Help Grenada Carnival 2003
Trinidad and Tobago, the premiere Carnival center in the Caribbean, has offered to provide technical support to Grenada in preparation for its 2003 Carnival celebrations. In light of attracting this assistance, Grenada will analyze its needs. Currently, the stakeholders and representative associations are in early preparation for the event.
Last year, the representative Associations for Mas, Steel band and Calypso, received thousands of dollars in subvention from Government and have been asked to give account for the money spent.
Culture Minister Brenda Hood has stated that no further disbursements will be made until the reports are submitted. The representative bodies have expressed the need to properly put structures in place so that the governing body, the NCCDC, can conduct its work without hitches. In establishing Carnival as a unique part of Grenadian culture, Minister Hood called for a business-like approach to the way things are done.
It is her view that Culture must now be seen as a profession for which training should be offered, including scholarships, and that professionals should also be brought in to train cultural exponents to develop their area of expertise. Carnival this year will be August 11-12.
‘Anti-crime plan working’
Police Commissioner Hilton Guy has said the recent anti-crime plan has resulted in the arrest of several people for murder, arms and ammunition and traffic offences.
In a release recently issued on the heels of reports of three murders and a kidnapping, the Commissioner said 12 murders were solved for the month of January. Of these, seven were committed last year and five this month. Seventeen people have been charged for those offences. For the year so far, there have been 17 murders.
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TURKS & CACOIS
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Last Modified on Wednesday, November 13, 2002
First Traffic Lights Due At Tortola Intersection
The Territory’s first set of traffic lights is now being installed at the Blackburn Highway and Station Avenue intersection in Road Town as part of a major attempt to ease traffic congestion and reduce accidents at that junction. Government contracted A&B Electrical Systems of the Bahamas to supervise the installation and to train personnel in the transportation section of the Vehicle Licensing Department, the Ambulance service, the Police and the Town and Country Planning Department to ensure proper maintenance of the system.
According to the Budget Estimates 2002, the projected cost for traffic lights at the Blackburn Highway and Station Avenue intersection, and another location to be determined, is $342,258. Statistics from the Police Traffic Department show that there were 48 reported road accidents at the intersection last yea,r and 14 between January and June this year. Along the dual carriageway between Port Purcell and Wickhams Cay II, there were 129 accidents in 2001 and 70 in the first six months this year.
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