February 2000
04 February 2000
Despite a last minute stay of execution for five condemned prisoners last week, the
Antigua and Barbuda government indicated it retains a firm commitment to the death
penalty. Attorney General, Dr Errol Cort, February 2, communicated that government was
committed to ensuring the death penalty is enforced.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
British Airways' Caribbean Manager, Elvin Sealey, at a February 2 meeting with Caribbean
agents, reported that the airline will review the March 1, deadline for introducing a cut
in the commission paid to these travel agents. The meeting was called to discuss ways of
minimising the effects of what the agents said was a 33 per cent reduction.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
CARICOM and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA signed an agreement for
CDN$100,000 dollars to finance a regional electoral observation mission to Haiti. The
agreement was signed February 2, by CARICOM Secretary General, Edwin Carrington, and
Director General of the CIDA Caribbean Programme, Stephen Free. The funds will be used to
partly finance the electoral observation mission for the planned elections on March 19.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
05 February 2000
At a
news conference, called to review the performance of the bank's members during 1999,
President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Sir Neville Nicholls, remarked,
yesterday, about the low level of national savings among the 17 borrowing member countries
(BMCs) and asserted it had to be increased. "One feature of the regional economy,
which continues to cause concern, is the lower than desirable level of savings having
regard to the declining aid and capital flows to the region," Sir Neville specified.
Nicholls also noted that a "substantial increase" in the savings rate in the
BMCs was a critical imperative if the Caribbean states were to meet successfully, the
developmental challenges which they all face.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
06 February 2000
Bermuda Transport Minister, Ewart Brown, recently commented that government would continue
consultations with the cruise industry before any decision is made on whether different
sized ships will come in the future. The comments come following reports that the
government wants to restrict the visits of "mega-cruise ships" because of the
strain they would put on the island.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Law
courts across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) are to be upgraded under
a CDN$ five million package, the Canadian government announced here at the weekend. The
money would be disbursed over a three-year period to strengthen and improve the court
system of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St
Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Designated areas of priority include training
magistrates, improving court registries and access to information.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Four
convicted murderers in Guyana scheduled to be hanged February 7 and 8, however, whether
the executions will take place remains in the balance as their legal counsel prepare to
file for stays of execution.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
07 February 2000
Four
men who were scheduled to hang in Guyana this week have won a reprieve. A judge yesterday
stayed the executions until a hearing later this month. Three of the men have appeals
before the United Nations Human Rights Committee, and all four claimed their cases were
not properly handled.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
09 February 2000
St.
Vincent and the Grenadines' Opposition Leader, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, will head a
fact-finding mission to St Lucia later this week. His mandate is to try for a resolution
of a banana dispute, which started when the St Lucia Banana Corporation stated that it was
bypassing the Windward Islands Banana Development and Exporting Company (WIBDECO) - the
traditional buyer - to sell its fruit directly to Geest Bananas. The decision prompted a
joint statement of concern and condemnation from St. Vincent and the Grenadines' Prime
Minister, Sir James Mitchell, and his Grenadian colleague, Dr. Keith Mitchell.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Sir Neville Nicholls accused the
regional staff of the World Bank of "disinterest" in small states, referring to
a study on small states which the World Bank was requested to carry out in collaboration
with the Commonwealth Secretariat. Sir Neville was delivering the opening address at a
two-day conference, February 8, organised jointly by the CDB and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) on coping with globalisation" at the Almond Beach Hotel.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
10 February 2000
Antigua and Barbuda's free trade zone, expected to be completed in another nine months,
will accommodate mainly data processing companies, electronic and electrical assembly
plants, and warehouses. Maurice Murphy, Commissioner of the Free Trade Processing Zone
(FTPZ), noted that yesterday, that within the past two weeks, two companies have set up
operations to assemble electronic musical components and electronic circuit boards.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Cuba's Foreign
Minister, Felipe Perez Roque, left St. Lucia yesterday, after a brief official visit. He
headed for Grenada, continuing a 10-day visit through the Caribbean aimed at consolidating
and deepening Havana's relations with CARICOM. The Minister is expected to sign a number
of co-operation agreements and to express Cuba's appreciation of CARICOM's continued
support of Cuba against tough USA political and economic policies.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
18 February 2000
The
government's Telecommunications Bill, the law for the removal of Cable and Wireless'
telecommunications monopoly in Jamaica, is passed its first hurdle. The Bill, which
proposes removal of the monopoly over three years, passed through parliament February 16
and goes to the Senate today.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Trinidad and Tobago's Foreign Ministry disclosed that Brazil's North-eastern state of Para
is interested in buying natural gas from T&T. During discussions between T&T
Foreign Minister, Ralph Maraj, and Aloisio Augusto Lopes Chaves, the Secretary of State
and Industry, Commerce and Mines of Para State. Chaves indicated that Para is interested
in natural gas from Trinidad to fuel its mining industry.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Whilst
in London, Barbados Prime Minister, Owen Arthur, urged the international community to give
small, poor states a better deal, asserting that some nations could be wrecked by
globalisation. Prime Minister Arthur declared yesterday that while small developing
countries moved to improve their lot by such things as re-engineering their domestic
economies, these efforts alone would not suffice. "The changes involved in
globalisation are so profound that the implications for small developing countries cannot
be addressed only by the pursuit of conventional economic policy," he expanded.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
19 February 2000
A
US$52.9 million airport construction project in Tortola began yesterday with a
ground-breaking ceremony. The project entails construction of a new 46,000 square foot
terminal building, a new approach road and car park providing 150 spaces, an enlarged
aircraft apron and a runway extended by 1000 feet to 4,700 feet. Construction of the
terminal building is expected to begin next month and the runway extension in May. Both
projects are scheduled for completion in July 2001.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
The
Jamaican government, which has already secured 100 million euros (US$97.3 million) from
the euro bond market, has another 100 million euros, which was raised, after re-opening
the bond issue. Finance Minister, Omar Davies, indicated that the additional sum came at a
lower cost. Davies intimated that the money from the latest bond issue and another loan
currently being negotiated would help to strengthen the island's Net International
Reserves and ward off currency speculation
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
20 February 2000
A
telecommunications bill had easy passage through the Jamaica Senate after a walkout by the
opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), February 18. The Gleaner newspaper reported
that the JLP senators walked out after opposition Senator Anthony Johnson was denied an
opportunity to conclude his presentation as the 10 government members voted against an
extension of his time. The paper reported that the bill then breezed through the senate
despite concerns raised by independent senators.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
The
International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommended that Dominica scale down its public
investment programme since borrowing for this scheme could see a sharp increase in debt
service obligations. The IMF spoke of the country's plan to build an international airport
and a stadium with money borrowed on commercial terms and advised that such credit should
be minimised while securing greater participation of multilateral lending institutions,
the private sector, and donors. The IMF recommendations, published February 16, were put
forward in a Public Information Notice on the Dominica economy based on consultation that
was concluded in January.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
21 February 2000
Some
41 Haitian refugees are in the custody of Bahamian authorities after being held just off a
beach last night. The Nassau Guardian newspaper reported today that the arrival of
this group follows 54 who came ashore, February 19.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Britain's Prince Charles arrives in Trinidad and Tobago this afternoon. Upon arrival, the
Prince will pay a visit to President, Arthur Robinson. Prince Charles, who is accompanied
by a staff of seven and 25 British journalists, leaves the twin-island republic for Guyana
on February 24.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
22 February 2000
The
Miami relatives who want to keep Cuban shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez, 6, will have
their day in court today. A court official indicated that the hearing would continue as
scheduled but furnished no details.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister, Lester Bird, disclosed, last week, following the
House of Representatives approval of amendments to the International Business Corporation
Bill, that he is prepared to take the British and USA governments to the United Nations
and World Trade Organisation (WTO) to have a financial advisory placed on the country
lifted. "The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development)
countries are seeking to dictate to us. However, Antigua and Barbuda has been in the
forefront of amending its money laundering laws, and all we are trying to do is to meet
these obligations," Bird charged.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Sir Neville Nicholls, yesterday called
for the integration of the region's financial sectors to improve its efficiency and
stability. "Certainly the risk management function would become more complex in an
integrated environment but that itself would help to improve the sector's performance and
the competitiveness of the institutions operating in the sector," Sir Neville noted,
speaking at a CDB/ Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) symposium. He continued
"...what I am suggesting is that on balance, financial integration would help in
development of the region's financial sector by improving the sector's efficiency and
stability".
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Protesters forced drivers from cars at gunpoint and blocked main highways in the Caribbean
nation of Haiti yesterday in an election-related dispute between the two towns of Cabaret
and Arcahaie over jurisdiction over the village of Boucassin, police disclosed.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
24 February 2000
The
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) secured a loan equivalent to US$60 million on the
Japanese capital market. The CDB pronounced today that the money is for use in its
ordinary operations to finance social and economic development projects. The lender is a
single investor, and the loan was arranged by the London office of ABN AMRO Bank N.V., one
of the largest banks in Europe.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
The
Dominica government plans examining alternative measures for public sector investment, to
avoid imposing additional taxes on the population. This announced plan comes on the heels
of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) caution against borrowing on commercial rates to
fund construction of an airport and a stadium. The IMF recommended that the government
seeks easier lending terms and grant financing for public sector projects.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Newly
elected Prime Minister of Dominica, Rosie Douglas, will visit the USVI, February 26 and
27, to hold discussions with Dominicans living in St Thomas and St Croix. He will also to
pay a courtesy call on Governor Charles Turnbull and other senior government officials.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
The
closure of the Four Seasons Resort in Nevis puts the island's biggest hotel out of
commission and a major portion of its labour force out of work. Later this month, 420
workers will be laid off when the hotel closes, with 300 workers already laid off. For
Nevis, with a population of about 10,000, and for the country of St. Kitts/Nevis overall,
with 43,000 people, this has major economic consequences.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
