01 August 2000
With 84
percent of the votes in yesterday's election counted, Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez,
was re-elected with 59 percent, a clear majority however, not the two-thirds Chavez wanted
to complete his overhaul of Venezuela's political and social landscape. Main opposition
leader, Francisco Arias Cardenas, conceded defeat yesterday but pledged to continue his
fight against Chavez's regime.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.1)
The first aircraft for newly
formed airline, Caribbean Star, arrived in Antigua, July 27. The airline is scheduled to
commence its service from Antigua to Puerto Rico and Trinidad soon.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.8)
Haitian officials tallied
results yesterday for the final round of voting in national elections that were meant to
push the Caribbean country toward a stable democracy but instead were mired in
controversy. "We expect the electoral council to complete the electoral process, and
to submit the results," Yvon Neptune, a senator-elect and spokesman for the ruling
Lavalas Family party said. "The senators and deputies will soon take their
places." International observers charged that Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council
miscalculated the first-round results for senatorial seats, which yielded a big victory
for the Lavalas Family, the popular party of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Trinidad and Tobago and
Nigeria signed an agreement to return deportees to their native countries within the
shortest period following their incarceration. "Desirous of avoiding incarceration of
each other's nationals for long periods, both parties agreed that nationals who
contravened the Immigration Laws would have their cases speedily determined and, with the
assistance of their governments, deported with the minimum of delay," a joint
communiqué signed by the countries specified. The signing comes as four Nigerian
detainees who flouted immigration laws have been flown back to their country after almost
three years in a Trinidad and Tobago jail.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
02 August 2000
The Jamaica government
requested, in a memorandum of understanding sent to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
monitor the country's economic and financial programme for 2000/2001 and 2001/2002.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.12)
The police service of St.
Vincent and the Grenadines was the beneficiary of a donation of a jeep to assist in their
crime fighting efforts by the Taiwanese Embassy in St. Vincent.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.15)
03 August 2000
Chile's Supreme Court has
stripped General Augusto Pinochet of immunity from prosecution, paving the way for the
former dictator to be forced to stand trial for alleged human rights abuses.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.9)
04 August 2000
President of Guyana, Bharrat
Jagdeo, sent congratulations to Venezuela President, Hugo Chavez, on his recent
re-election, despite tensions existing between the two nations over a renewed claim by
Venezuela to the Essequibo region. President Jagdeo remarked, in his message, that he was
certain "that the coming period of your renewed mandate will create opportunities for
our countries to deepen and strengthen our relations generally."
(Trinidad Guardian, p.11)
President of the African,
Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP), Prime Minister Anicet-Geroges Dologuele of the Central
African Republic, whilst on a visit to Cuba, August 2, indicated that he hopes to woo Cuba
into joining the group. Dologuele asserted his visit to Cuba was to demonstrate the ACP's
backing for Cuba's membership in the trade pact.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.13)
The USA Justice Department's
Organised Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force revealed that a four-month effort to round up
the most elusive indicted drug traffickers, netted 1,015 arrests. Officials noted that 119
fugitives from Florida, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and other parts of the
Caribbean are now in custody.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.6)
06 August 2000
The Republic of China on
Taiwan will consider a US$2.5 million package for Dominica to assist that country deal
with a fall in banana prices. Dominica Prime Minister, Rosie Douglas, made the
announcement, August 4, at the conclusion of the Fourth Summit of Foreign Ministers of
Taiwan and the Eastern Caribbean.
(Sunday Guardian, p.17)
Following an eight year
absence, the USA Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) announced plans to resume
insuring the assets of American investors in Guyana. OPIC, a USA government agency which
insures American investments in lesser developed countries, pulled out of Guyana in 1992
over a dispute involving the Guyana government and a USA contract firm which worked in
Guyana's bauxite industry between the 1970s and 1990s.
(Sunday Guardian, p.17)
The St. Lucia government
announced 100 percent duty-free concessions on vehicles imported for banana farming and
similar fiscal incentives to lower the cost of fertilisers and other banana inputs. The
announcement by Prime Minister, Dr Kenny Anthony, is part of the government's continuing
efforts to assist banana farmers as the industry grapples with the effects of declining
prices. Prime Minister Anthony told representatives of banana companies that the original
five per cent duty-free concessions on all vehicles imported for farming will remain for
vehicles imported for non-banana agriculture.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
07 August 2000
Jamaica's Ambassador to the
United States, Dr Richard Bernal, has encouraged the leadership of the Organisation of
American States (OAS), to increase its involvement with the Haitian political process. The
ambassador's comments came, August 4, at the close of a special session of the Permanent
Council of the OAS, which was convened to further explore ways of promoting stability,
democracy as well as economic and social development in Haiti. Dr Bernal called on the OAS
leadership to constructively engage the Government and people of Haiti, in their quest to
establish and sustain democratic institutions in that country.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Jamaican judges, jurors and
their families are to be given protection from criminals under legislation being
considered by the government, according to the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper. The
legislation - the Justice Protection Act - is being drafted to reflect the CARICOM
Regional Justice Protection Programme Agreement that Jamaica signed last year, the paper
stated. The agreement is said to be an effort by CARICOM members to foster regional
co-operation by enacting legislation to ensure that justice is not undermined by the
intimidation of those working to bring criminals to justice.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
08 August 2000
The first shipment of
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from the Atlantic LNG plant in Trinidad is said to have
arrived in Puerto Rico. The gas was earmarked for Puerto Rico's first independent power
plant and LNG receiving terminal, the EcoElectrica facility, under a 20-year agreement.
Located on the island's southern shore near the city of Ponce, the new 507-megawatt
natural gas-fired power plant is designed to generate as much as 20 per cent of Puerto
Rico's electricity demand, according to a statement from Atlantic LNG.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.8)
The local telephone service
provider, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T), says the
establishment of formal relations with SPRINT, a major long distance carrier in the United
States, will lead to an improved service between Guyana and the United States. "With
the SPRINT development, USA-based Guyanese and businesses can now utilise the carrier's
enormous capacity for overseas telephone traffic. In addition to this new arrangement, the
longstanding agreement with MCI remains in force," GT&T said in a statement at
the weekend. Recently, customers in the USA who use AT&T, another major long distance
carrier, have been experiencing difficulty in getting through to Guyana.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
09 August 2000
The Trinidad and Tobago
Ministry of Trade and Industry and Consumer Affairs performance report for April recorded
a "substantial" trade surplus for the nation. According to the report, a surplus
of TT$696.6 million resulted from exports of TT$1.872 billion and imports of TT$1.175
billion. Statements from the ministry indicated the surplus was due to an increase in
exports from the same period in 1999, up 82 percent, and a 7.6 percent decrease in
imports.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.8)
Crude oil prices again rose on
expectation that a report on USA inventories, from the American Petroleum Institute, grew
to little to negate the effects of a three- percent drop last week. Oil prices have
rallied some 6 percent since an announcement by the Institute, August 1, that plunging
imports caused USA stockpiles to decline nine million barrels, the largest decline in six
months.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.9)
The St. Lucia government and
Geest Bananas continue to clash over the company's decision to seek liquidation and the
issue appears to be threatening to divide banana concerns in the Windward Islands. Geest
has outlined its position to the St. Lucia Banana Corporation (SLBC) following its
rejection of what it described as the latest unilateral decision by Geest to lower banana
prices this time by 15 cents per pound. SLBC and the other local banana companies are
receiving support from the government, which is supporting demands for fresh multilateral
negotiations with Geest, in a common search for mutually satisfactory solutions to
problems confronting the industry.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
After its first four months of
operations the Caribbean's newest airline EC Xpress is reporting a better than average
start up and remains focus on becoming the Caribbean's most reliable intra-regional
carrier. General Manager, Eugene Pieterse, disclosed August 8, that despite the delay in
the arrival of the airlines third aircraft; the airline is on target with its financial
goals having transferred 30,000 passengers on board 1,900 flights.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
10 August 2000
UN Good Officer, Oliver
Jackman, will complete a summary of his meetings in Guyana and Venezuela on the latest
disputes on the border controversy between the two nations for UN Secretary General, Kofi
Annan. Guyana has argued its right to attract and pursue investments in the Essequibo,
whilst Venezuela sees the granting of any concessions in the Essequibo as a violation of
the spirit of the 1966 Geneva agreement.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.11)
Venezuela President, Hugo
Chavez, August 7, began a tour of the other nations of the Organisation of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) indicating that he wants to strengthen OPEC as a global force.
Chavez's planned visit to Iraq has upset the USA, as Chavez has ignored USA stipulations
that democratically elected leaders should seek USA permission before visiting Iraq.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.9)
Following his re-election July
30, Venezuela President, Hugo Chavez, requested his entire cabinet resign as part of a
plan to reorganise the government and revitalise the flagging economy. Vice -president,
Isalias Rodriguez, made the announcement August 8.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.9)
USA President, Bill Clinton,
August 9, confirmed the appointment of James A. Daley as the new USA Ambassador to
Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. Ambassador Daley's accreditation will include Antigua
& Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the
Grenadines.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
United Nations Good Officer in
the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, Ambassador Oliver Jackman, disclosed that the
leaders of the two neighbouring states recognise the need to "tone down" the
rhetoric in the long-standing controversy, following visits to both nations. The
governments of Venezuela and Guyana, following recent statements by both sides, which
appeared to heighten tensions, invited the UN Good Officer for discussions. Venezuela is
claiming the entire Essequibo region but Guyana's position is that the 1899 Paris Tribunal
Award determined that Essequibo is part of Guyana.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
12 August 2000
A high-level seminar on
Caribbean development, involving regional and international experts, will take place in
Grenada September 29-30. The seminar is being organised by the London-based Caribbean
Council for Europe (CCE), in association with Oxfam, Washington's Georgetown University
Caribbean Project and the Institute of Caribbean and International Studies at St. George's
University, Grenada. David Jessop, Executive Director of CCE, specified that as the
Caribbean moves out of preference and new arrangements for trade with Europe and the
Americas are put in place, "new private sector-led models of development will be
necessary". "Alternative Approaches to Caribbean Development - A Seminar for
Experts" is being organised with this in mind", according to Jessop.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Haiti will hold presidential
elections on November 26, according to an excessive order announcement issued August 11.
The announcement came on the same day as an Organisation of American States (OAS)
announcement that it will send a mission to Haiti to try to resolve the current
controversy between that country and the organisation over recent elections.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.10)
Following a visit to Iraq
recently, Venezuela President, Hugo Chavez, called for the lifting of UN sanctions against
that country. Chavez charged that the sanctions were an injustice and were causing misery
mainly for the children of Iraq
(Trinidad Guardian, p.10)
Barbados' Prime Minister Owen
Arthur recently raised the idea of an ad hoc ministerial group to resolve the problems
Caribbean countries have with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) over its labelling of some countries as "tax havens". Prime Minister
Arthur noted, "The idea of an ad hoc ministerial group drawn from the OECD and the
countries affected within CARICOM is an excellent initiative and it would help us to move
forward the process because we are talking at each other and not to each other at the
moment and it is important that constructive engagement begins."
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Suriname's new President,
Ronald Venetiaan, took office August 12. He replaced Jules Albert Wijdenbosch. At his
swearing in ceremony, Venetiaan promised to fight corruption and speed economic
development. Commenting that Suriname's foreign debt had reached excessive heights, he
vowed to review the state's financial situation.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
14 August 2000
Venezuela President, Hugo
Chavez, followed up a controversial visit to Iraq with a visit to Libya, August 13, a
nation frequently also at odds with Venezuela's main trading partner, the USA. Chavez
extended an invitation to Libyan leader, Moammar Gadhafi, to attend a Organisation of
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Summit to be held in Venezuela in September.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.10)
15 August 2000
According to the Trinidad and
Tobago Central Statistical Office (CSO) Trade Bulletin for April, T&T exports to
CARICOM for the period of January to April 2000 continued to increase. T&T exports
increased 24.5 percent, a value of TT$201 million compared to an increase of 3.3 percent
in imports from CARICOM at a value of TT$22 million.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.12)
Oil prices rose to US$31.00
yesterday following comments by Venezuela President, Hugo Chavez, asserting that the
Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member nations should not let prices
drop below current levels, as any fall would be detrimental for producers like Venezuela.
Chavez, speaking in Nigeria, after discussions with President Olusegun Obasanjo, stressed,
"What we want is a fair price - not high but fair. That is fundamental to the
development of our economies."
(Trinidad Guardian, p.13)
16 August 2000
St. Kitts, CANA - The Eastern
Caribbean on Tuesday formally took the first step in integrating its intelligence and
operations in the fight against drugs trafficking and providing better search and rescue
services. It's in the form of the National Joint Headquarters of the Project Management
Office for Maritime Co-operation and Training in the Eastern Caribbean (PMOMCTEC) based
here. Head of the Unit Lieutenant Walter Bass said the new system includes a network of
communication among the coast guards of the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean islands.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Attorneys-General and
Presidents of Bar and Law Associations from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) were meeting
in St. Lucia Wednesday to discuss the proposed Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). The
one-day meeting will provide an opportunity for dialogue between CARICOM and the leaders
of the legal profession on the court that is proposed to replace the Privy Council in
England. The first session of the meeting focused on providing an overview of the draft
instruments establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice. Attorney General of Barbados,
David Simmons, was expected to lead off the presentations with an overview of the
structure and composition of the CCJ and the Judicial Services Commission.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
17 August 2000
Attorneys General and
presidents of Bar and Law Associations from CARICOM met in St. Lucia yesterday to discuss
the proposed Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
(Trinidad Guardian, p.5)
Oil prices held onto 10-year
highs, at US$32.50 a barrel, as USA inventories remained below normal levels. The
Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Acting Secretary General, Shokri
Ghanem, indicated that it is unlikely that OPEC would hold an emergency meeting prior to
the scheduled meeting in Venezuela in September, as it saw no shortage of OPEC crude on
the market.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.13)
Director General of the UN
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Dr. Jacques Diouf, during discussions with
Barbados Foreign Affairs Minister, Billie Miller, revealed that the organisation is
interested in assisting the Caribbean region.
The Caribbean is concerned
about dwindling international assistance to regional coast guards operating under the
umbrella of the Regional Security System (RSS), according to St Kitts and Nevis Prime
Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas. "We are therefore deeply concerned to learn the
contemplated scaling down their operations and their commitment to the regional
effort," Douglas disclosed, in address at the August 15 opening of the National Joint
Headquarters of the Project Management Office for Maritime Co-operation and Training in
the Eastern Caribbean (PMOMCTEC).
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
St. Lucia Prime Minister, Dr
Kenny Anthony, warned the legal fraternity against leaving the public out of the process
of setting up a Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Dr Anthony was addressing Attorneys
General and Presidents of Bar and Law Associations from eleven Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) states as they met in St. Lucia August 15 to consider further the ramifications
of the CCJ to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region's highest Appellate
Court. Noting that the Castries meeting was part of a regional programme to acquaint the
Caribbean public to the operations of the Court, Dr Anthony asserted that unless the
public understood the workings of the court, no real progress could be made.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
18 August 2000
The Secretary General of the
Organisation of American States (OAS), Cesar Gaviria, arrived in Haiti yesterday heading
an OAS delegation for a meeting aimed at resolving a conflict over the methods used to
obtain recent election results.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.9)
Premier of The Bahamas, Hubert
Ingraham, recently announced that The Bahamas will fully co-operate in international
investigations and scrap secretive laws which have resulted in the country being included
in a black list of nations branded uncooperative in the fight against money laundering.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.11)
Stressing that the rapid growth of information technology provides
unprecedented opportunity for economic development, the Chairman of the Inter-American
Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), Jose Pileggi, yesterday challenged the countries of
the Organisation of American States (OAS) to use that technology to speed up development.
"CITEL is definitely a vehicle for change," the CITEL chief told the
representatives of OAS member countries at a meeting of the Permanent Council in
Washington, asking for their support to make the agency even more productive. Pileggi
noted that the region's countries as a whole must put more emphasis on developing
homegrown Internet technology infrastructure and other Internet services. Surveying the
exponential growth of Internet use worldwide, he noted that over 200 countries are now
connected to the Internet, compared with only 20 a decade ago.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
The Isle of Man recently
assured Antigua and Barbuda that it will not weaken the position of countries labelled
'tax-havens' by signing a letter committing it to a set of standards of the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Antigua and Barbuda High Commissioner to
London, Ronald Sanders, commented yesterday. "The Isle of Man government
representatives assured me that they knew nothing about a deal (on the letter) being
close. They say they had rejected the OECD-dictated "commitment" letter and done
one of their own which, in turn, was rejected by the OECD," Sanders reported.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
19 August 2000
The Caribbean's largest
cultural festival, Carifesta, opened in St. Kitts/Nevis, August 17. St. Kitts/Nevis Prime
Minister, Dr. Denzil Douglas, during the opening ceremonies commented, "The festival
is an opportunity for us to think about the way forward, our future, and our aspirations
as Caribbean people. We must be prepared to move on, chart new courses, to reach new
horizons and to take our place among the great countries of the world. None of this is
beyond us."
(Trinidad Guardian, p.9)
The Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development's (OECD) inclusion of Barbados on its list of countries with
harmful tax practices was the main focus when British High Commissioner, Gordon Baker,
recently called on Minister of Industry and International Business, Reginald Farley,
according to the Barbados Government Information Service. "Pointing out that the
report lacked technical depth and specific commitments to Barbados, the minister noted
that this country could not sit back and allow itself to be blacklisted as a tax haven by
the OECD when that organisation itself was unclear as to what the harmful tax practices
were and had not issued any concrete list of practices that were considered harmful,"
the information agency reported.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney
General Ramesh Maharaj, August 18, accused Amnesty International of being involved in a
"political act to destabilise" Caribbean countries that uphold the death
penalty. "It is clear that Amnesty International is involved in a political act to
destabilise Caribbean countries by using the death penalty as a human rights issue and is
of the view that by doing this, it can coerce these countries to abolish the death
penalty," Maharaj told reporters. "The people of Trinidad and Tobago want to
retain the death penalty and are against Amnesty International's lobby which is to present
false facts and engage in a mischievous campaign."
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
The Jamaican Bar Association
(Jambar) recently restated the association's position as regards the proposed Caribbean
Court of Justice (CCJ), asserting that it is not against the concept of the court but
rather its timing. Jambar's position is that the current court system in the Caribbean
needs to be overhauled and provided with adequate tools and support services.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.12)
The government of Guyana and
the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) -- the private sector investment arm of the
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) -- signed a US$1.1 million deal for the reform and
modernisation of the telecommunications sector, August 18. Prime Minister Sam Hinds, who
signed on behalf of the government, noted that the deal allows for the local
telecommunications sector to become truly competitive in another two years. He indicated
the deal paves the way for increased investment in the sector and the introduction of
other technological benefits to Guyana.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
21 August 2000
During a visit to Guyana,
Canada Secretary of State for Latin America and the Caribbean, David Kilgour, commenting
on the current Guyana/Suriname maritime border dispute, professed that the new government
in Suriname "augurs well for the future in terms of trying to bring the two sides
together in something like joint jurisdiction/management until the matter can be sorted
out."
(Trinidad Guardian, p.8)
Brazil has increased security
along its border with Colombia in preparation for an anticipated spill over effect from a
USA-backed war against drug traffickers. Brazilian soldiers are stationed along the 960
mile (1,600km) border against possible border incursions.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.8)
Venezuela Guardia Nacional
seized 5 tonnes of cocaine, worth some US$400 million, scheduled to be smuggled to Europe,
in the largest ever drug seizure in that country. The operation, Orinoco 2000, in
the northeastern region of Venezuela also involved the governments of the UK, Colombia,
France, Greece, Italy and Panama and could result in further raids.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.13)
The board of the Windward
Islands Banana Development and Marketing Company (WIBDECO) decided on a programme to
restructure the organisation, following a two-day meeting of the board and shareholders
recently. Also determined was the establishment of a sinking fund from which farmers could
receive income support in the event of depressed prices. Money from trust set up in each
of the Windward Islands with funds provided by the European Union would be used to
subsidise imports to encourage farmers to remain in banana production, board members said
at a news conference following their meeting.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
St. Vincent and the
Grenadines' Finance Minister, Arnhim Eustace, took over the reigns as president of the
governing New Democratic Party, August 20. He succeeded the party's only other president,
Prime Minister Sir James Mitchell, who is also expected to give up the prime ministership
by the end of October.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
22 August 2000
Trinidad and Tobago police
authorities indicated that there may be a link between the record drug seizure in
Venezuela and packets of cocaine being washed ashore on Trinidad's southeastern coastline.
Authorities indicated that the packaging of the drugs will be compared with that seized in
Venezuela to confirm whether they originated from the same shipment.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.1)
23 August 2000
Trinidad and Tobago police
seized some 104 kilos of compressed cocaine, worth over TT$50 million, following a massive
drug sweep in Southern Trinidad. The drugs, believed to have washed ashore, are suspected
to be part of the shipment recently seized in Northeastern Venezuela.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.1)
A team of Canadian officials,
headed by Secretary of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, David Kilgour, is
currently in Dominica discussing, among other things, a report listing Dominica as a
"harmful tax haven" with government officials. The Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently issued a report which has listed Dominica
among harmful tax havens, and Dominica is seeking assurance that the country is taking
steps to get off the list. Prime Minister, Rosie Douglas, who has invited the Canadians
during a recent visit to that country about two months ago, told them they were also
considering ongoing development projects which are receiving Canadian funding as well as
potential projects which may qualify for assistance.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
The Princess Cruise Lines, one
of the major lines calling at Port Kingstown, dropped St. Vincent from its itinerary at
least for the next two years, tourism officials disclosed. The MV Ocean Princess,
one of the ships in the line, made its first stop at the newly constructed cruise terminal
in the capital, Kingstown last March 4 during a formal opening ceremony at which Prime
Minister Sir James Mitchell gave a welcome address. It was the first of four test calls.
Director of Tourism, Vera-Ann Brereton said the passengers complained about the conditions
just outside the cruise ship terminal which was battered by heavy waves associated with
the passage of hurricane Lenny last year a few days before it was due to be officially
opened.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
A new Prime Minister for St.
Vincent and the Grenadines is to be sworn in on October 27, 2000. He is the Finance
Minister Arnhim Eustace, who was elected President of the governing New Democratic Party
(NDP) replacing Sir James Mitchell, the current Prime Minister. New general elections are
scheduled by March 2001, some two years ahead of the NDP's elected five-year third term,
based on a "peace" agreement brokered by the Caribbean Community in May amid
widespread industrial and political disturbances sparked by a bill providing for pension
and gratuity benefits for parliamentarians.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
24 August 2000
Venezuelan officials uncovered
another two tonnes of cocaine in an inaccessible area on the banks of the Orinoco River in
Northeastern Venezuela, brining the total seizure to 7 tonnes worth some US$600 million.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.5)
26 August 2000
Suriname President, Ronald
Venetiaan, indicated yesterday that he will resume discussions with Guyana President,
Bharrat Jagdeo, at a regional summit in Brazil in September, over the current maritime
border dispute.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.10)
27 August 2000
Dominica will take concrete
steps to bring its counter-money-laundering regime into compliance with international
standards, Finance Minister, Ambrose George, announced August 25. George indicated that
the introductions of anti-money laundering legislation, and the amendment of existing laws
governing the offshore financial sector, are among measures being taken by Dominica to
reverse its black listing by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). He added that the
actions were being taken to convince the FATF that Dominica was committed to meeting its
obligations to combat drug trafficking and money laundering.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
The successful conclusion of a
US$225 million bond placement on August 24 completes the major part of a Finance Ministry
plan to borrow US$400 million on external capital markets, Finance and Planning Minister,
Dr. Omar Davies, reported at the weekend. According to the Jamaica Information Service
(JIS), Davies specified that the bond issue, at a coupon rate of 12.75 per cent, provides
additional support for the government's macro-economic programme.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
28 August 2000
Closer collaboration between
Haiti and the rest of the Caribbean will be pursued under the Haiti Caribbean Civil
Society Regional Integration Programme, which has as its main objective, the integration
of Haitian civil society into the Caribbean region for the promotion of democracy,
regional stability and social peace. Towards this end, Islands Incorporated, an non-profit
organisation has established a St. Lucia Chapter to facilitate this integration process,
which will serve as the administrative support unit for the Haitian-Caribbean Institute.
(Trinidad Guardian, p.19)
31 August 2000
Trinidad and Tobago Foreign
Affairs Minister, Ralph Maraj, will open the country's Honorary Consulate in Guyana on
September 6. The opening of the office comes a year after Manniram Prashad was appointed
Trinidad and Tobago's honorary consul in Guyana. The Foreign Ministry disclosed that
Prashad's appointment and the opening of the Consulate's Office would re-establish
Trinidad and Tobago's representation in Guyana since the closure of this country's High
Commission in Georgetown in 1989. Prashad's mandate includes the development of
commercial, political and cultural linkages between the two countries. He is also expected
to promote greater interaction between the public and private sectors of Trinidad and
Tobago and Guyana.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)
Antigua and Barbuda has
delayed the full implementation of regulations, which would scrap work permits under the
free movement of skills regime for CARICOM. It has cited the need for reciprocity by other
countries, need for accompanying regulations to activate laws and the harsh impact free
movement can have on revenue. Parliament has already passed the CARICOM Skilled Nationals
Act (1997), following a decision by regional leaders to abolish the need for university
graduates to obtain work permits.
(Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Web Site)