Bruce Springsteen Plays Surprise Set At New Jersey Benefit Concert
To someone passing by the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park last night, the sight of fans standing in the freezing cold, desperately pleading with complete strangers for extra tickets probably seemed a little odd. After all, the biggest names on the bill for the Light of Day Parkinson's benefit were David Bromberg, Garland Jeffreys and Southside Johnny. They'd probably be even more shocked to learn that the face value of tickets ranged from $47 to $381, and the show sold out in seconds.
The vintage Bruce Springsteen shirts that some of the fans were wearing would be a good clue as to what was going on. Anyone who lives in New Jersey knows that anytime any artist plays anywhere near Asbury Park rumors start flying that Bruce might show up. Usually he doesn't - but the Light of Day is a different story. He's been to nearly every one since the benefit shows began in 2000, and since the concerts got upgraded from tiny clubs to the Paramount Theater a few years ago, Springsteen's presence has pretty much been a guarantee. Some fans actually travel in from Europe for the show. I imagine that they did not leave disappointed.
The night began with sets by local acts RockNRoll Chorus and Lisa Bouchelle, though I didn't get to my seat until shortly before Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan began to play around 7:45 PM. Like many acts on the bill, D'Urso is a regional artist with a long history of playing on the Jersey Shore, but not a lot of national recognition. His energetic set featured his original composition "Noisy Guitars," which he mashed up with The Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated." He wrapped it up with a lovely rendition of the Steve Van Zandt-penned "All I Needed Was You," which Southside Johnny recorded on his 1991 disc Better Days.
Next up was Garland Jeffreys, a New York songwriter who cut a series of acclaimed albums in the 1970s, but never moved beyond a cult audience. His set focused on material from his new LP The King of In Between, though at the end he did break out a great cover of "96 Tears" by Question Mark & The Mysterians. "I have a special guest in from the country," Jeffreys said shortly before wrapping up his thirty minute set. "I'd like to invite him onstage…Mr. Bruce Springsteen!" The crowd instantly jumped from their seats like they'd been electrocuted, and out came a ludicrous number of cellphone cameras. Springsteen added some tasty guitar licks to Jeffreys' most famous song "Wild In The Streets," which was memorably covered by the Circle Jerks in the early 1980s. You could feel the collective sigh of relief from everyone who dropped $381 on a ticket with the (well-placed) hope that Springsteen was going to show up.
John Eddie - yet another longtime Jersey Shore rocker who never quite made it big - had the difficult task of following that up. Eddie started in the 1980s recording Springsteen-like songs (even working with the E Street Band at the behest of his label), but his recent work has shifted more toward country rock. Kid Rock covered his song "Lowlife" on his mega-hit album Rock N Roll Jesus in 2007. "For the first time in my life, my rent was paid on time," Eddie said to the crowd before playing his own rendition of the tune. Eddie deserved that windfall. He's a great performer, and his ode to alcohol "I'm Gonna Drink You Pretty" had the entire crowd laughing and singing along.
Folk icon David Bromberg was originally billed as the headliner of the show, but after the schedule was laid out he wound up playing fourth to last. He had the challenge of doing a quiet acoustic set accompanied only by a poorly-amplified trombone player to a crowd growing increasingly impatient to see Springsteen come back out. He won them over with his incredible fingerpicking, and his mash-up of "Bring It With Me When You Come" with "Wooly Bully."
After some filibustering by by the show's host, Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore, the curtain lifted and Willie Nile and his band began a blistering set. At the risk of sounding repetitive, Nile is another critically acclaimed New York rocker who released a series of well-regarded albums in the early 1980s but never managed to reach a wide audience. His original song "Cell Phones Ringing In The Pockets of the Dead" and a great punk medley of "Blitzkrieg Bop/California Sun/Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" had the entire crowd on their feet, and just when they were about to sit down, his close friend Bruce Springsteen came out to play guitar and sing background vocals on the Nile-original "One Guitar." Nile often comes onstage at the end of Springsteen concerts, so it was nice to see Bruce return the favor.
Southside Johnny's new group Southside Johnny And The Poor Fools were a late addition to the bill. Featuring E Street Band violinist Soozie Tyrell, the group performs stripped-down, acoustic versions of songs from Southside Johnny's vast catalog. Classics like "Love On The Wrong Side Of Town," "This Time It's For Real" and "I Don't Want To Go Home" have been performed countless times in Asbury Park, but they never sounded this quiet and mournful. Tyrell took over on vocals for a cover of the Lucinda Williams tune "Can't Let Go," and they wrapped up with "Trapped Again." Springsteen co-wrote that song, but he stayed backstage during the entire set by his good buddy. Maybe Southside wanted to showcase his new band without the whole thing being overshadowed by Bruce.
The curtain rose for the final act of the night to reveal Bruce Springsteen standing alone with an acoustic guitar. For only the second time in his career, he played "Incident On 57th Street" solo acoustic. A wonderful moment like that often gets swallowed up in a giant arena, but in a tiny theater it was absolutely spellbinding. The crowd sang along to every word, and was clearly savoring every moment of the long, beautiful song. Bruce then went back into the wings and gave the stage to Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers. Joe's story is very different from many of the previous night's performers. Yes, he released a series of beloved albums in the early 1980s and was pegged as the "next big thing," only to get dropped from his label and fade into obscurity. Yes, he's a friend of Bruce Springsteen. But he's not from New York or New Jersey. He's from Pittsburgh. (For more on Grushecky, check out this article.)
After bringing out David Bromberg for a blues number, Grushecky kicked off his set with "East Carson Street." It's a wonderfully powerful song that explains why he never left Pittsburgh. "Please understand," he sang. "The roots they run deep. I can feel this town breathe. I can feel its heart beat…It's where I had my best times. Where I want to grow old." It's hard not to admire a guy who never gave up on his rock and roll dreams. He has a full-time job as a special education teacher in Pittsburgh, but he's out playing bars and clubs whenever his schedule allows. About twice a year, however, he gets to play with arguably the single biggest rock star in the country.
The camera phones came back out when Springsteen walked onstage to join Grushecky and the Houserockers for "Darkness On The Edge of Town." This is the seventh time that Springsteen has performed with this group since the last E Street Band tour ended in late 2009, and by this point they have the routine down cold. Bruce and Joe take turns leading the band as they alternate between Springsteen classics and songs that Joe and Bruce wrote together in the 1990s. Special attention was played to Darkness On The Edge of Town, with the group breaking out "Adam Raised A Cain" and the recently resurrected outtake "Save My Love."
The highlight of the entire set may have been the back to back Nebraska songs "Atlantic City" and "Johnny 99." Both are stark, depressing songs about men with "debts no honest man can pay" who are reduced to crime. But they played them both like party anthems, with Springsteen jumping on top of the drum riser, teasing the crowd with false endings and guitar solo after guitar solo. It was absolutely incredible. If the much-fabled electric Nebraska actually exists, they really should release that thing one day. The world needs a Bruce Springsteen Bootleg Series.
Before kicking into "Because The Night," Bruce called Willie Nile, John Eddie and Garland Jeffreys back to the stage. By this point it was well past 1:00 AM and much of the crowd had been there since the show began at 6:30 PM. Nobody seemed to mind in the least, though there must have been some babysitters in New Jersey last night making a killing on overtime pay. Springsteen dove into the crowd to lead a sing-along on "Waiting On A Sunny Day," and after the Grusecky original "Pumping Iron," Max Weinberg ran onstage and took over on drums for the concert's theme song "Light of Day." Every performer from the night came out of the wings to sing along, and they stuck around for a chaotic "Promised Land."
It was now 2:00 AM and that sure seemed like a closer, but Bruce called out for "Twist and Shout" that went for a predictably long time. Big Pussy got in on the fun, walking to the center of the stage and breaking out some dance moves. Even the Bruce hardcores seemed drained at this point, but Springsteen was still a beam of energy. Someone brought out a birthday cake for Light of Day founder (and Parkinson's sufferer) Bob Benjamin, and Bruce shared some hysterical memories of how he met Bob at the opening date of the Darkness On The Edge of Town tour in Buffalo in 1978. "I was stalking you," Benjamin admitted.
The night ended with a sing-along version of "Thunder Road." Like at last year's Light of Day, the crowd managed to almost completely drown out Springsteen. I've heard the song countless times, but it always takes on a special meaning at events like this. The song may be about a man trying to flee a "town full of losers," but last night it was about that town coming together to battle a horrible disease and throw a giant party. It was Springsteen's first appearance of 2012, and hopefully the kick-off of a busy and productive year.
NFL playoffs: San Francisco 49ers upset New Orleans Saints in thriller
San Francisco are one game away from the Super Bowl after edging out New Orleans 36-32 in one of the finest playoff games in NFL history.
The lead changed hands four times in as many minutes at the end of an enthralling encounter, with the 49ers sealing victory with just nine seconds remaining.
Alex Smith masterminded the winning drive before Vernon Davis somehow survived a brutal hit to cling onto the quarterback's 14-yard touchdown pass for the decisive score.
The 49ers - who dominated the sport for much of the late 1980s and early 90s with future Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Steve Young and Jerry Rice - will meet the New York Giantswho beat the Green Pay Packers 37-20
San Francisco's success under rookie head coach Jim Harbaugh was not widely predicted but his pragmatic and unspectacular approach could yet prove the old adage that while "offences win games, defences win championships".
Many thought that old cliche was dead in the modern era, which is dominated by high-scoring offences largely reliant on the passing game.
None more so than the Saints, whose quarterback Drew Brees recently smashed Dan Marino's 27-year-old record for the most passing yards in a regular season.
But it was to be another old saying that would really do for the Saints - that turnovers often prove fatal.
The 49ers twice intercepted Brees and forced three fumbles. To put the 49ers' defence and special teams' heroics into perspective, the Saints had only previously suffered five fumbles all season.
Even so, Saints fans will consider themselves unlucky after bravely battling back from a nightmare start which saw them trail 17-0 at the start of the second quarter following Smith's touchdown passes of 49 yards and four yards respectively to Davis and Michael Crabtree.
Brees responded with a pair of touchdown passes of his own, to Jimmy Graham (14 yards) and Marques Colston (25).
Defences then took over, restricting both teams to field goals to leave the 49ers 20-14 ahead with little more than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Then the fireworks really began.
The diminutive but eel-like Darren Sproles caught a 44-yard pass from Brees to level things up before the point-after gave the visiting Saints the lead for the first time.
Not to be outdone, Smith restored the Niners' lead with a cleverly designed and perfectly executed 28-yard touchdown run down the left sideline.
But still the Saints were not done. Graham caught another long pass from Brees, evaded the 49ers' lunging secondary and completed a 66-yard touchdown to silence the majority in the Candlestick Park crowd.
A successful two-point conversion then meant the Saints, with only 1.37 remaining, led 32-29.
And so began the drive which will cement Smith - who has until now largely struggled to cope with the pressure of being the number one pick in the 2005 draft - a place in 49ers history alongside Montana and Young.
Down to one timeout and starting from his own 15 yard line, he marched his team down the field in one last, do-or-die, effort.
Having successfully got into David Akers' field goal range, most assumed the 49ers would play conservatively, kick the three points, and take the game into overtime.
But Smith seized the day and his accurate bullet pass found Davis to the delight of the Red and Gold army and set up a meeting with either the Packers or Giants next Sunday.
The first AFC divisional playoff, however, was far less dramatic as the New England Patriots blitzed the Denver Broncos 45-10.
In a game billed as the battle of the quarterbacks - the classical style of consistently brilliant Tom Brady against the young upstart Tim Tebow - the old master firmly put on a masterclass for the rookie.
Brady, who tied a playoff record with six touchdown passes, including three to one of the standout players of the season tight end Rob Gronkowski, was practically perfect.
Meanwhile Tebow, famed for his devout faith and "Tebowing" celebrations in which he kneels down to pray, simply could not compete.
He completed only nine passes from 26 attempts, for just 136 yards, and will know that he needs to do a lot more in future seasons to win over critics yet to be convinced of credentials to be an elite quarterback.
With homefield advantage guaranteed throughout the playoffs, courtesy of their outstanding regular season record, the Patriots will next Sunday welcome to Foxborough the Baltimore Ravens.
BBC
Duncan helps Spurs improve to 9-0 at home
Tim Duncan spent the summer trying to improve his jump shots.
It showed Sunday night as the two-time MVP and 13-time All-Star scored 24 points, many on jumpers, to lead the Spurs to a 102-91 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, keeping the Spurs perfect at home.
"Especially this summer, I worked on it a lot trying to extend my range a little bit," Duncan said. "Be a little more consistent. It's been up and down so far but great tonight."
Tony Parker had 17 points and nine assists for the Spurs, who have won three straight and improved to 9-0 at home - their best opening since they won their first 13 at home to begin the 2007-08 season. San Antonio is also 0-4 on the road.
DeJuan Blair added 14 points and rookie Kawhi Leonard had 12 for San Antonio.
"It was a good night for us," Duncan said. "We made some shots down the stretch for us, which was big. Tony's been great this season, especially in the fourth quarter for us."
Marcin Gortat had 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead Phoenix. Markieff Morris added 14 points, Jared Dudley had 12 points, and Shannon Brown had 10 as the Suns, beginning a five-game road trip, have lost four straight.
Suns veterans Steve Nash and Grant Hill returned after missing Friday's loss to New Jersey. Nash was out with a right quadriceps contusion and Hill missed the game with a right quadriceps tendon strain. Nash had 20 points and 10 assists, while Hill had just four points.
After the Suns closed what had been a 19-point game in the first half to five in the fourth quarter, San Antonio scored six straight, capped by Duncan's 17-foot jumper. to remain in control.
One spot that was consistent for much of the game was the Spurs' defense, which has been a sore spot for coach Gregg Popovich at times this season. San Antonio entered the game ranked ranked 26th in opponents' field goal percentage. Duncan sees things improving, though.
"It's progressing," Duncan said. "Yeah, it's progressing. It's been way too high for the first couple of games of the season here. It's been up and down. We're not at the consistency where we need to be at. All in all we're getting there. It's a work in progress. We know it's a long season. We use the season to get where we want to be. But defensively we have to be a lot better."
Phoenix's problems were easy to pinpoint: the second quarter, when San Antonio held the Suns to 6-of-23 shooting in building a 19-point lead.
"You just can't spot them 19, especially playing at home," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "It was an uphill battle from there. We gave ourselves an opportunity to make it interesting at the end but, you know, once again, we dug a hole and spent a whole lot of time trying to dig ourselves out of it."
Phoenix finished 38 of 91 from the field, while the Spurs hit 40 of 81 shots.
"We just didn't quit," Hill said. "We fought hard. The problem was we gave them a big lead. When you're down 19 against a good team, you spend so much energy trying to get back in the game. We fought hard, we're playing hard, we're not playing to our fullest potential. But we're certainly playing hard. There's never any quit."
NFL playoffs: New York Giants beat sloppy Green Bay Packers
The New York Giants took advantage of a sloppy performance by the Green Bay Packers to spring a major upset in the final game of the divisional playoffs with a 37-20 victory.
As seen in the other three games, an inability to avoid turnovers cost the Packers dear, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers throwing an interception and losing one of three fumbles on an error-strewn night.
The Giants' offence was praised during the run-up to the game, but their defence was equally hot on a wintry evening at Lambeau Field where the partisan home fans were largely silenced from the start.
After trading field goals, Giants' quarterback Eli Manning found Hakeem Nicks who raced into the endzone for a 66-yard touchdown.
Still, few gave the Giants much chance though. While they only sneaked into the playoffs at the last minute, the Packers cruised through the regular season seemingly with plenty to spare.
Courtesy of having one of the two best records in the NFC, the defending Super Bowl champions even had an extra week off to rest their aching limbs and prepare themselves tactically for the Giants.
But if anything the Packers seemed to have lost momentum and looked ring-rusty as the Giants soon announced their presence.
Sloppy defending during the final play of the first half resulted in Eli Manning's speculative Hail Mary pass being caught for a touchdown by Hakeem Nicks as the Giants went into the break with a 20-10 lead.
The Packers gave themselves hope with a field goal in the third quarter, but the Giants were simply too strong in the fourth with Mario Manningham (four-yard touchdown reception) and Brandon Jacobs (14-yard touchdown run) running up the score either side of a 16-yard touchdown catch by Donald Driver.
The Giants will now travel to San Francisco for the NFC Championship game on 22 January, knowing that a Super Bowl appearance against either New England or Baltimore is now tantalisingly within their grasp. The 49ers on Saturday edged New Orleans in one of the finest postseason games in NFL history.
Earlier, Baltimore secured an AFC Championship showdown against New England after their mean defence helped them to a 20-13 victory over Houston.
The Ravens fully capitalised on a pair of Texans turnovers to race into an early 17-3 lead, courtesy of Joe Flacco's touchdown passes to Kris Williams (one yard) and Anquan Boldin (10 yards).
The visiting Texans - their offence fighting to make themselves heard against a deafening Ravens crowd - fought back in the second quarter through a one-yard touchdown run from star running back Arian Foster.
Defences dominated the third quarter and were again on top at the start of the fourth until Billy Cundiff's 44-yard field goal opened Baltimore's lead to seven points.
There was enough time for the Texans to get a tying touchdown though, but their rookie quarterback TJ Yates's deep pass was snaffled by future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed.
It was Yates's third interception of the game, and Houston's fourth turnover, and ultimately those errors proved decisive.
The Ravens will now travel to New England, who thrashed Denver 45-10 in Saturday's other AFC divisional playoff game, with a place in the Super Bowl up for grabs.
Tyler Butterfield Wins In Argentina
Another big performance from Bermuda’s Tyler Butterfield saw him claim the win in yesterday’s [Jan.15] 2012 La Paz PATCO Triathlon Pan American Elite Men Championship in Argentina.
Butterfield topped an international field of competitors from Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, United States, Argentina, Costa Rica, Guam, Columbia, Panama, Barbados and more to win the title.
He overcame a 46-second deficit out of the swim, broke away to a minute lead on the bike and then held fast against a blazing run by Canada’s Brent McMahon to take top honors in Argentina.
Butterfield’s 19:43 swim was 46-48 seconds slower than Canada’s Brent McMahon and Brian Lamar of the USA, an average of 30 seconds slower than a large pack that included Canada’s Kyle Jones, Jason Wilson of Barbardos, Ben Collins of the USA and Crisanto Grajales of Mexico.
Butterfield then slashed through the field with a race-best 57:52 bike that was between 90 seconds and 2 minutes faster than his toughest competitors.
After a slower-than-average 37 seconds T2 transition, Butterfield had a 1:08 advantage on the closest of the chase group – and 1:16 on McMahon, the most dangerous runner in the field. Butterfield kept a lid on the race with a 5th-best 34:52 10k run which surrendered just 44 seconds to McMahon.
When Butterfield hit the finish tape, his 1:53:36 time was 31 seconds better than runner-up McMahon and 54 seconds better than third place Kyle Jones of Canada.
Bermuda’s Flora Duffy was also in the field, and finished a strong 12th in the Women’s Elite Race. Duffy recorded an overall time of 2:13:35, she completed the Swim Course in 19:37, she then finished the 1:06:25 and then completed the Run Course clocking 45:23.
Lisa Blackburn Breaks Record…Twice
Bermudian swimmer Lisa Blackburn continues her record setting ways, breaking the Bermuda 200m Breaststroke record twice in a recent meet in Texas.
Competing in the preliminaries of Women’s 200m Breaststroke on Day One of the USA Swimming Grand Prix Series, Ms Blackburn broke the Bermuda National Record when she clocked 2:38.70. This broke her own record she set in 2011 during the Central American and Caribbean Championships in Puerto Rico.
Ms Blackburn’s time in the Final proceeded to break the record she just set, this time lowering the record to 2:38.40.
Politics dominated 2011 in the Caribbean
For political historians, 2011 has provided lots of fresh fodder.
Never before in the history of the region have there been general elections in two Caribbean countries on the same date; coupled with a state of emergency in another; allegations of assassinations against two prime ministers; the surprise resignation of a prime minister, not to mention the democratic change of government in Haiti, all within a 12-month period.
In addition, Barbados' Prime Minister Freundel Stuart warned leading members in his administration that any attempt to derail his government would have "certain consequences".
"If I understand history at all, if a coup is attempted and it succeeds, the person against whom the coup was aimed usually pays for it with his neck. If the coup fails, the plotters and those who were trying to execute it pay for it with their necks," he said.
His Finance Minister Chris Sinckler acknowledged that he and 10 of his colleagues were seeking an "urgent audience" with Stuart because some members felt that the Democratic Labour Party's level of public engagement on issues affecting the country was found wanting.
"I am hoping that by putting this on the record that those who feel that I am after some office and I spend all of my waking hours thinking about how to unseat this person or the other, or cause confusion that would lead to that, I really hope that they would stand down," he added.
alleged plot
At the start of the year, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves stunned parliament with his disclosure of an alleged assassination plot against him.
"Cocaine traffickers and money launderers are conspiring actively with others to kill the prime minister, and on the public airwaves people are being exhorted by some to use any means necessary to remove a democratically elected government," he added. This statement followed public pronouncements by Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace that the government would fall by the end of 2011.
Nine months later, Gonsalves' counterpart in Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, caused an even bigger stir when she announced that the police had uncovered a plot to kill her and senior government ministers.
"I am advised by the law-enforcement authorities that they have, through their intelligence resources, uncovered an assassination plot against members of my government and myself," she told the nation, adding that the assassinations were as a direct result of the "successful" 105-day state of emergency that had severely disrupted the activities of the criminals.
But in the end, despite the detention of 17 people, police were unable to lay any charge and the opposition termed the "assassination plot" as nothing more than "an exaggerated political stunt" by the government.
Whether he was forced out of office or not, Bruce Golding (of the Jamaica Labour Party) surprised Jamaicans with his announcement that he was stepping down as head of the government in October, less than five years after taking the oath of office as prime minister.
"The challenges of the last four years have taken their toll and it was appropriate now to make way for new leadership to continue the programmes of economic recovery and transformation while mobilising the party for victory in the next general election," Golding said in a farewell statement.
His successor, Andrew Holness, 39, became the youngest-ever prime minister since political independence in 1962, but also now has unenvious record of being booted out of office just after two months.
Holness gambled and called a general election on December 29, but the voters decided that Portia Simpson Miller, the first-ever woman prime minister they sent packing in 2007, was a better choice to lead the country. They gave her People's National Party an overwhelming 41-22 margin of victory.
Simpson Miller, affectionally referred to as 'Sista P' and 'Comrade Leader', faces deep problems as she takes over the Government, with debt running at approximately 130 per cent of the gross domestic product and unemployment at more than 12 per cent.
The new Government has already said it will be seeking to renegotiate the multibillion-dollar standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
Jamaica's Holness to make tough Senate decisions
OPPOSITION LEADER Andrew Holness will today announce the names of the eight persons who will represent the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) as senators.
Holness last Friday made it clear that he did not subscribe to the view that rejected politicians should not be imposed on the people by way of the Senate.
The Gleaner understands that Holness plans to announce the appointment of Deputy Leader Dr Christopher Tufton, Deputy Chairman Robert Montague, Marlene Malahoo Forte, Danville Walker, Dr Saphire Longmore and Paula Kerr-Jarrett as senators.
All six were rejected by the voters on December 29.
Kamina Johnson Smith, who joined the Senate midway through the last term, is said to be favoured for reappointment.
If Holness goes the route of appointing the six persons who lost elections as well as Johnson Smith, it could mean trouble for party functionaries such as Aundré Franklin, Ian Murray and Warren Newby.
Franklin is the general secretary of the JLP and Newby is a deputy general secretary of the party, likewise Murray who was in the last Senate.
Watchdog of democracy
"We want to have a strong Senate, first and foremost. Now that the Government has a two-thirds majority in Parliament, you would have heard me say the Opposition must be the watchdog of our democracy," Holness said.
He added: "The Senate that will emerge on Monday, when we announce the opposition senators, will be one that is strong, one that is faithful to the principles of our democracy, and one that represents the future of the Jamaica Labour Party."
Holness has the task of determining whether to reappoint Dorothy Lightbourne, Tom Tavares-Finson, Hyacinth Bennett and Dennis Meadows. He will have to consider whether to promote Marlon Morgan, Robert Miller or Delano Seiveright.
St Vincent PM to speak at Peaceful Caribbean conference
St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves will be one of the featured speakers at the “Peaceful Caribbean Conference 2012: Focus on Solutions” to be held in Barbados on April 20, 2012.
The conference is being put on by the Peaceful Caribbean Initiative, in conjunction with Caribbean News Now, and according to the organisers is an effort to highlight the increasing problem of crime in the Caribbean and to focus on enabling the region to regain its rightful place in the world as a peaceful and stable place.
Conference Director Rebecca Theodore said, “Whilst each country and territory in the region has its own unique set of complex problems, we believe that much more can be achieved by sharing what works and what doesn’t in this respect, rather than trying to achieve results in isolation.”
The conference will feature top personalities and experts from the Caribbean and North America, as well as editors and contributors from Caribbean News Now. There will be key addresses and panel discussions on the major issues confronting peace and stability in the Caribbean. It promises to be a hugely important event for anyone interested in the future of the Caribbean as a place to live and visit.
During his recent Budget Address in the St Vincent and the Grenadines parliament, Gonsalves, who also holds the portfolio as Minister of National Security, remarked that the nature of man results in a propensity to break the law and a crime-free society will exist only in Heaven.
“However, in this earthly city we must strive to curtail crime and reduce it to an acceptable minimum, consistent with the highest possible level of civilised living,” he added.
“When discussing this subject we must present facts; seek the truth from the facts; analyse the issues dispassionately and rationally; make practical and effective proposals to tackle crime; and then let us all work together on fighting crime,” Gonsalves continued.
After hearing Gonsalves’ remarks, Theodore said she was confident that his clarion call was not only for the government and people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, but that it was for the entire region, and every stakeholder who is passionate about a Peaceful Caribbean.
She added that she looks forward to Gonsalves’ contributions in not only making the Peaceful Caribbean Conference a success, but in also paving the way forward for the discussion of crime outside the partisan political debate.
The Peaceful Caribbean Initiative is the brainchild of Dominican-born Theodore, who has been on the frontlines of the international political scene for over a decade, writing and speaking in print, online and broadcast media within the Caribbean, the US and Canada on national security and political issues. The vision and mission of the Peaceful Caribbean Initiative is to have the Caribbean regain its rightful place in the world and to re-establish the perceptions and realities of the region as a peaceful and stable place for residents and visitors alike.
For more information and to register for the Conference, visit www.peacefulcaribbean.com.
Caribbean News Now
Anguilla set to attend 30th Anniversary of The CHTA Marketplace in The Bahamas
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Caribbean Marketplace – the industry event that has revolutionized the way business is conducted among industry stakeholders. CHTA anticipates that the 2012 edition of the event will continue the successes achieved at Caribbean Marketplace 2011 which saw the third largest attendance over the past decade as well as an increase in the number of crucial buyer companies by twenty percent and buyer delegates by seventeen percent.
“Over the course of the past thirty years, the packaging of Caribbean vacations has changed because of the role Caribbean Marketplace has played in shaping the way business is conducted between tour operators, hoteliers, attractions and restaurants,” said Mr. Josef Forstmayr, CHTA President. “In 2011 , we saw a twenty-two percent increase in wholesaler buyer companies in attendance at Caribbean Marketplace which is a clear indication that there is a tremendous interest in Caribbean vacations across the globe.”
Caribbean Marketplace is the premier business-to-business marketing event for the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism industry which follows the “All Tourism, All Caribbean, All Business” mantra throughout the entire program. The format of the event is two days of pre-scheduled business appointments that allow the buyers and suppliers to meet face-to-face in discussion regarding existing contracts, as well as develop packages and contracts for future business
Caribbean Marketplace 2012 will be held at the Atlantis Paradise Island, January 22nd- 24th and presented by CHTA, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, the Bahamas Hotel Association, the Nassau/ Paradise Island Promotion Board, MasterCard and Virgin Holidays. Caribbean Marketplace is the requisite business-to-business marketing event for the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry. At Caribbean Marketplace hoteliers meet, network, negotiate and conduct business with buyers from around the world.
A delegation of (11) eleven accommodation members, industry partners, and Government officials will travel along side Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for tourism, Mr. Haydn Hughes, and Mrs. Mrs. Sherille Hughes, 3rd, Vice President and President of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association. Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Gilda Gumbs Samuel, Executive Director of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association (AHTA) will leave the island earlier to attend executive committee meetings.
The following members of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association, Anguilla Tourism Board, overseas hotel representatives, and Government Officials will attend the conference.