Clippers land Paul from Hornets
The NBA-owned New Orleans Hornets have reached an agreement to send point guard Chris Paul to the Clippers, two sources with knowledge of the deal confirmed to SI.com.
While the Clippers will receive the four-time All-Star point guard to pair with franchise centerpiece Blake Griffin, the Hornets will receive an All-Star caliber guard Eric Gordon, veteran center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Faruoq Aminu and the 2012 first round pick from Minnesota that was atop their wish list of assets in these talks all along. Sources said the Clippers will also receive two future second-round picks in the deal.
After the NBA vetoed a three-team deal involving the Lakers and Rockets on Dec. 8 -- and the Lakers backed out of a revised version of the deal two days later -- the Paul trade show continued anew on Monday night. The Hornets and Clippers re-engaged in discussions, with Commissioner David Stern and league associates Stu Jackson and Joel Litvin continuing their relentless push to attain the sort of assets that they saw fit for a rebuilding team.
"I knew we were doing the best thing for New Orleans and that was my job," Stern said. "You have to stick with what you think was right. I must confess it wasn't a lot of fun, but I don't get paid to have fun."
In the process, the most unique of dynamics was the latest black eye for a league looking to re-engage its fans after a contentious lockout had threatened the season. Hornets general manager Dell Demps, who had worked diligently to set the table for a possible Paul deal since coming aboard last season, was circumvented in the final stages of this process while the league officials took control. And while the end certainly doesn't justify the means, there's no mistaking that the Hornets landed quite a haul.
"Our sole focus was and will remain, until we sell this team, hopefully which will be in first half of 2012, how best to maintain the Hornets, make them as attractive and a competitive as we can and ensure we have a buyer who can keep them in New Orleans," Stern said.
In Gordon, New Orleans acquires a fourth-year player who averaged 22.3 points in 56 games last season. The Hornets will have a team option on Gordon for next season and can begin discussing a contract extension immediately. In Kaman, they acquire a top-tier big man with a $12.7 million expiring contract that could come in handy leading up to the league's February trade deadline. Aminu, a 6-foot-9 small forward out of Wake Forest who was a rotation player in Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro's system, has potential as well. Above all else, though, the Hornets landed the draft pick they've coveted all along.
"For the long-term future of the New Orleans Hornets, this is the best deal," Demps said in a statement.
Of all the assets in play in the trade talks for Paul, the Wolves' pick was atop the Hornets' wish list alongside Golden State guard Stephen Curry. Next year's draft is being billed as one of the deepest in years, with Kentucky forward Anthony Davis, Connecticut center Andre Drummond and North Carolina small forward Harrison Barnes among the many players who could do wonders for the Hornets' rebuilding effort. And while the Timberwolves are expected to improve under new coach Rick Adelman, the Hornets will be rooting all season long for a terrible showing that would lead to a high pick.
Sources had said in recent weeks that Paul was open to joining the Clippers long-term, and a source confirmed that he will likely pick up his player option worth $17.8 million for the 2012-13 season as a sign of his commitment. Changes to the rules in the new collective bargaining agreement mean that players are paid less by immediately extending their contract, so the Clippers and Paul will likely sign a new, more lucrative deal in the summer.
ESPN.com first reported news of the trade being agreed upon.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Magic GM said Howard trade talks may stretch to end of season
Magic general manager Otis Smith said Wednesday the team's goal remains to keep Dwight Howard in a Magic uniform as long as they possibly can and that the trade talks "could go to the end of the season."
Smith would not say whether trade talks for the center are off, but did say there was no deal in place.
"We're at the same place we've always been," Smith said. "We don't have a deal until we have a deal. Right now we still have him in a Magic uniform, and that's where we expect him to be until that changes."
Howard, who is entering the last year of his contract, confirmed over the weekend that he had requested a trade to New Jersey, Dallas or the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the 26-year-old center has since publicly softened his stance, saying he would be amenable to remaining in Orlando.
The Magic have said they will not risk losing Howard without compensation, which means they must either sign him or trade him before the March deadline. However, Smith said they could keep Howard beyond that.
"As I've said, our objective is to keep him in a Magic uniform as long as we possibly can," Smith said. "With that said, we could go to the end of the season."
Howard tried to deflect all trade questions Wednesday.
"Nobody will understand what I'm going through, what we as players have to go through, night in and night out, unless you're a player," he said. "I could write a book of all the stuff I've heard from teammates. Other guys around the league hear it. A lot of people have called me to make sure I stayed off my Twitter, my Facebook, so I don't have to go through (the public reaction).
"But it's a process, and I think I'm doing a great job of not letting it affect who I am. At one point it was, but I'm not going to let that affect me . . . It's been a roller coaster, but I'm enjoying it. I'm going on a good ride."
And it could be a long one.
Though there are reports that the Nets have been trying to engineer a multiple-team trade to get Howard, Smith indicated nothing is imminent.
"I think we're going to continue to talk to every team out there, but that doesn't mean anything is going to happen," he said.
Coach Stan Van Gundy said the Magic's practice sessions have been relatively free of distractions. They open a two-game preseason at Miami Sunday night and will open the regular season on Dec. 25 at Oklahoma City.
"I was kind of expecting this," guard J.J. Redick said. "I knew that there would be this cloud of uncertainty around Dwight because I saw what happened last year with Carmelo (Anthony), I saw what happened the year before that with LeBron (James), and Dwight is obviously in their league of superstardom. So there's going to be a lot of attention until something happens."
With the hammer of free agency, Howard appears to be in control of what happens. But for now, at least, it seems the Magic can control when anything happens.
"Dwight and I have talked about this. He has a great heart and he genuinely wants to please people, whether that's fans, teammates, our management, our coaches. He wants to be well-liked," Redick said. "Anytime you run into a situation like this, people take things personally. If he was to get traded, I think people would take that as a knock on Orlando.
"Dwight recognizes and knows that this city has been great for him and he's been great for this city. My hope is that he will continue to be great for this city."
Bravo seeks to revive international career
Dwayne Bravo said he hoped his participation in the Big Bash League Twenty20 would spark his revival and spur his return to the West Indies team. The 28-year-old Bravo arrived in Sydney on Monday following a 32-hour journey that started in his native Trinidad and took in stops in St Lucia, London and Bangkok.
Bravo has signed to play for the Sydney Sixers in the revamped Big Bash and wanted to use the four games he will play to tune up for the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship next month. “I definitely want to get back into the Test team, and these four games for the Sixers will set the tone for me in 2012,” he said in an article appearing in the Herald Sun newspaper.
Bravo has played 40 Tests, 117 One-day Internationals and 22 Twenty20 Internationals, but he has not played for West Indies after taking a self-imposed exile from the game following the second One-day International against India last June in Port-of-Spain.
He said players like his younger brother Darren, Kirk Edwards, among others gave him hope that West Indies could become competitive once again on the international scene. “We have lot of young players, but the talent is there,” he said. “Within the next year or two, you will see good improvement and consistency.” The Sixers face the Brisbane Heat in tomorrow’s Big Bash League opener on home soil at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Close sailing in the 2011 Bacardi National Laser Championships
The 2011 Bacardi National Laser Championships were held in the North Sound by the Cayman Island Sailing Club (CISC) over the weekend of 26th and 27th November 2011. Racing was extremely close and the conditions tested every sailor to their full ability. In the end the two main fleets, the Laser Standard fleet and the Laser Radial fleet were won by a single point.
This is the now the fourth year that Bacardi has sponsored this prestigious national dinghy championship and Maya Ogorzalek, Marketing Manager at Cayman Distributors said, “We are really happy to be sponsoring the most significant dinghy competition in Cayman’s sailing calendar. This year’s event was yet again a great success and it’s fantastic to see so many people from our community taking part in the sport of sailing at such a high level.”
Three races were held on the first day of racing and provided the strongest wind conditions that the competition has experienced in the last three years. Peta Adams, the race officer for the event said, “The conditions on day one made the regatta a real test of seamanship first, before trying to beat your closest competitor”.
The first day saw a broken mast, nose dives, epic surfing sessions on the renowned North Sound chop and plenty of capsizes. The stand out performance of the day was Raph Harvey in the Laser Standard full rig, who won all three races placing a firm grip on the trophy. The other was Aaron Gardner in the Laser Radial fleet who led his class into the second day of racing on Sunday.
After the first day of racing the Saturday night function was full of long stories of the close calls – aided by the regatta refreshment – Bacardi dark and stormy.
On the second day the wind dropped a little, but the waves were still a challenge and after a gruelling first day of racing the competitors were given no respite. Peta Adams set some fast, fun triangular courses to test the sailor’s reaching and gybing abilities.
Nick Taylor found his form winning the last three of the day’s four races, but by then Raph Harvey had amassed an unbeatable lead. Raph said, “Nick and I were battling it out for every moment of every race and were only seconds away from each other most of the time! There was never any let up and while I was pleased to win the regatta the trophy could have easily have gone Nick’s way”.
Kelvin Browne found some consistency to take third and Mike Farrington sailed two good finishing races to come fourth and secure the Clydesdale (or heavy-weight) trophy.
In the Laser Radial fleet, Eduardo sailed brilliantly to come first in the final three races and therefore win the Radial class. Chris Delaney came second by a single point, unable to break Eduardo’s dominating end to the regatta. Last year’s Laser Radial winner, Tomeaka McTaggart, came third.
All the sailors would like to thank Peta Adams and her support crew for putting on two days of perfect racing and course management in harsh weather conditions; Bacardi for sponsoring the event and for the great prizes; and the Cayman Islands Sailing Club for managing and organising another successful Laser Nationals.
Guyana police commissioner accused of rape
Guyana’s Police Commissioner Henry Green is facing allegations that he violently raped and falsely imprisoned a thirty-four year old mother of two at gun-point. The woman, the wife of a Guyana Defence Force officer, said the incident occurred at a guesthouse, for which she said Green had keys to a room.
The alleged victim said she went to see Green on November 15, 2011 about an assault by a police officer whose wife was involved in an extra-marital affair with her husband. She claimed to have been assaulted by the officer over a video recording she secretly had made of his wife and her husband allegedly having sex in October 2011.
The victim related that, after hearing about her plight, Green appeared to empathize with her and assured her that he would investigate the matter. She said the top cop even gave her money to attend to her kids on two separate occasions, on November 15 and subsequent to the alleged incident.
The woman claimed that Green asked her to return the following week. She said upon her return on November 22, she was made to wait for hours until evening. When she finally saw Green it was night and he offered her a ride. She said that instead of taking her to her home, the Police Commissioner drove her to a hotel, forced her into the room and demanded that she remove her clothing.
The alleged victim said Green brandished his gun in the vehicle as well as in the hotel room. When she resisted he slapped her in the face and choked her into submission, she recalled.
She furnished telephone records that purportedly establish that Green made dozens of phone calls and sent several text messages to her cellular phone from his private cellular phone after the incident. The woman asserted that most of the subsequent communication from Green was threatening. She said Green also threatened to kill her on more than one occasion, and expressed fear for her life. She claimed to have sought but only received limited medical treatment.
She has retained the services of attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, and has filed an official complaint at the Brickdam Police station in Georgetown. Reports are that Guyana’s Crime Chief as well as the Head of the Presidential Secretariat were aware of the incident before it became public.
Green has been previously accused of rape during President Desmond Hoyte’s administration. He was a senior superintendent at the time, and was reportedly sent on leave but reinstated after the investigation allegedly stalled over a lack of evidence.
Green’s US visa was revoked in 2006 by the US government for alleged involvement with criminals, including drug lords. The then US Ambassador to Guyana in 2006 warned then President Bharrat Jagdeo not to appoint Green as police commissioner, as he was possibly under DEA investigation and could be indicted by the US Justice Department.
Following these allegations, the New York-based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) has called for Green’s removal as police commissioner.
CGID president Rickford Burke said in a statement on Wednesday, “Although Mr Green himself as police commissioner has countenanced the abridgement of many a citizen’s right to natural justice, as well as egregious violations of human rights, he is entitled to due process and a presumption of innocence until convicted in a court of law.”
Burke added that the Institute’s call for Green’s removal is in no way a rush to judgment on the rape allegations.
“This position is not a rush to judgment but was informed by a distressing accumulation of red flags including substantiated allegations of other criminal and unethical conduct; a determination by the US government that Commissioner Green ostensibly has criminal associations with and may have benefited from narcotics traffickers; the revocation of his US visa; the unchecked political bias of the police under his leadership and their systemic failures to adequately fight crime,” he noted.
Burke also called on recently-elected President Donald Ramotar to end the culture of lawlessness in Guyana by demanding accountability from public officials, beginning with Green.
“It is time to end the cycle of injustice in Guyana. If these allegations are deemed by the DPP to have merit, CGID expects that Mr Green will be arrested, charged and prosecuted like any other citizen facing similar allegations would be.”
Burke called on Ramotar to “end Green’s tenure, as he is unfit to lead a law enforcement agency while under this cloud of alleged impropriety.”
Green, who has passed retirement age, has been retained by the PPP government on a month to month basis. Police sources say his retention has stagnated promotion among the force’s top ranks.
Bahamas earning too little to make ends meet, says IDB
The Bahamas “is just not earning enough to make ends meet”, according to the lead economics specialist for the Caribbean at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The forecast from Valerie Mercer-Blackman follows the Debt Analysis & Fiscal Sustainability Workshop held in Nassau last week.
The concern also expressed by Mercer-Blackman is that with increased public debt, the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio could enter the critical range if measures are not taken.
One of the chief concerns at the two-day event was rising debt in The Bahamas over the last five years.
“It is simply not making enough tax revenues given their expenditures,” Mercer-Blackman told Guardian Business from Washington. “The Bahamas is just not earning enough to make ends meet. It means they have to borrow and the deficit is getting worse. This is not because of a specific project. Its overall revenues are not keeping up with expenditures.”
As a general rule of thumb, the country has adequate capacity to pay its debt if interest payments on public debt are less than 15 percent of all government revenues. Mercer-Blackman said The Bahamas is not quite there yet, but “it is getting very close at around 13 percent”.
Meanwhile, illustrating the rise of national debt over the last five years, she told Guardian Business that the IDB pegged the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio at 31.7 percent in 2007. In 2011, it has risen to 48.7 percent.
“It could easily get to 60 percent by 2014,” she said.
“So far, that’s a huge increase over four years, even though it’s still below the standards of the Caribbean in terms of debt.”
The IDB specialist warned that taking on so much debt means spending is restricted in other areas, which ultimately discourages outside investors. It ends up having a “dampening effect” on growth, she added.
Given the nature of the economy, one of the main culprits for a decline in tax revenue is the drop-off in tourism. Although arrivals have been picking up, according to the IDB, total revenue has taken a hit.
“People are not spending as much. You have a rise in group sales, meaning people are coming on deals and a general lowering in spending. I think the way people save is by going, but for less time and trying to restrict costs,” Mercer-Blackman explained.
However, the IDB did see some hope in the situation.
A slow and steady recovery for tourism is expected in the next year, with a 2.5 percent rise over 2011.
Mercer-Blackman also credited the Baha Mar project’s role in aiding the economy in terms of construction and boosting GDP growth for next year.
“Overall, we are in agreement with the projection on growth.”
Nassau Guardian
St Kitts hosts regional security conference
St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas discussed local, regional and international security issues on Monday with Commander of the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), General Douglas Fraser ahead of a Caribbean Nations Security Conference 2012 (CANSEC).
Fraser and Commander of the St Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, Lt Colonel Patrick Wallace, paid a courtesy call on Douglas, who was due to deliver the feature address at the December 12-14 conference.
The three-day conference, which is co-hosted by USSOUTHCOM)and the St Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, is an annual executive level conference that affords regional military chiefs and the combatant commander of SOUTHCOM, a forum to discuss US military support to regional information sharing.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Regional Information Sharing; to Counter Transnational Organized Crime (C-TOC) and assist Foreign Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HA/DR).”
The meeting is attended by military chiefs of those CARICOM member states with military forces; those countries without military forces are represented by their commissioners of police.
Also attending are the interim director of CARICOM IMPACS, the Co-ordinator of the Regional Security and observers from other regional organisations.
Caribbean News Now
Cuba appreciates solidarity from CARICOM on US blockade
“Cuba appreciates that CARICOM countries share a clear position against the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba and openly express themselves publicly in this regard”.
These were the words of Cuban Ambassador to Barbados Lisette Perez Perez on Tuesday night during a CARICOM-Cuba lecture and cultural event at the Barbados Community College library, which was held to mark the 39th anniversary of established diplomatic relations between Cuba and Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
She further stated: “Of the 19 countries of the region that expressed their rejection against the blockade in their speeches at the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly, 10 are members of CARICOM, including Barbados, which we really appreciate,” she said of the blockade that has been in effect for over 50 years.
She went onto say that this support is beneficial and necessary to both the CARICOM states and Cuba, as we face significant challenges likely insurmountable as individual islands.
Perez also reaffirmed Cuba’s pledge to commit to the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
“We know this is going to be a long road full of obstacles, including those arising from ourselves. One of the key issues in the midst of that diversity however, is to have tolerance and patience and to move steadily, little by little, but always moving and never becoming stagnant as President Raul Castro expressed also in Port of Spain.”
However, she opined that there are many opportunities on offer with Cuba’s willingness to continue to strengthen relations with CARICOM member countries and to execute collaborative projects.
Meanwhile, for next year’s 40th anniversary, it was revealed that Cuba’s international book fair – the most significant cultural event of the Cuban publishing movement – will be dedicated to the Caribbean.
Eurozone faces winter recession, Ernst & Young says
The eurozone is facing a "bleak" winter, according to audit firm Ernst & Young.
A "mild" recession is likely in the first half of next year, leading to economic growth of just 0.1% for the whole of 2012, it predicted.
Ernst & Young also said unemployment in the eurozone was unlikely to fall below 10% until 2015.
Meanwhile, Greece - Europe's most indebted country - said that it would have its worst recession ever in 2011.
Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos warned on Wednesday that his country's contraction would be greater than the 5.5% currently forecast.
Greece's economy shrank by 4.5% in 2010, when it received its first bailout from the EU and International Monetary Fund.
'Uncertainties'
Last week, 26 of the 27 members of the European Union backed new fiscal rules to keep budgets in line, with only the UK abstaining.
But many fear that the budget pact will still not be enough to prevent more countries from seeking a bailout.
On Wednesday, the euro fell below $1.30 for the first time since January.
"The reforms agreed at the summit on 9 December were a step in the right direction and the response seems to have been mildly positive," according to Ernst & Young.
"Yet investors remain very concerned about the commitment and ability of eurozone governments to implement reforms quickly."
The audit firm predicts that eurozone growth will recover to between 1.5% and 2% in 2013.
"The uncertainties hanging over the Eurozone can only continue to dampen the enthusiasm for European companies to make long term investment and recruitment decisions," said Mark Otty, Ernst & Young's managing partner for Europe, Middle East, India and Africa.
UK’s unemployment at highest level in 17 years
Austerity measures, prolonged economic weakness and a eurozone crisis have taken their toll on Britain’s work force, with figures published yesterday showing that unemployment has reached a 17-year high. Britain’s government has staked its reputation on a strategy of cutting costs and jobs in the public sector while trying to boost private sector growth. Yesterday’s unemployment data, which show that unemployment is rising and that women and young people are hardest hit, raise doubts over whether that strategy is working, and leave Prime Minister David Cameron open to criticism that he is taking away opportunities for some parts of society.
The highest level since 1994, 2.64 million people were unemployed in Britain at the end of October—128,000 more than in the previous quarter, according to government statistics. Britain’s unemployment rate is now 8.3 per cent, up 0.4 per cent on the quarter and at its highest level since 1996. In particular, unemployment among 16 to 24 year olds has reached the highest level since records of youth employment began to be kept in 1992 with 1.03 million young people out of work. “I’ve applied for hundreds and hundreds jobs and not got anything,” said 17-year-old Tamika Dodd of North London. “I keep getting told I don’t have experience, but they won’t let me get any.”
Tamika, who left college because she “wanted to earn her own money” is convinced her youth is against her in the sales assistant and receptionist jobs she has applied for. “I keep being told I don’t suit the job,” she said. “What does that mean? They don’t even know me.” This section of society—labeled NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training)— was held widely responsible for the riots and looting across Britain in the summer and is now finding it hard to get work. “Young people do get a very bad press at the moment, and employers are getting reluctant to take them on,” said Emma Aeppli, who works for Camden Jobtrain, a north London charity that helps young people find work. “There are also simply not as many apprenticeships and training schemes for young people as there once were, and they don’t have the experience to just walk into a job,” she said.
The figures open old wounds—unemployment under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher hit 3 million in the early 1980s and gave the Conservative party a reputation for not caring about joblessness. Statistics show that in the third quarter of the year, 67,000 jobs were cut in the public sector, while only 5,000 private sector jobs were created. The public sector cuts also hit women hard because they are more likely than men to work in the public sector, pushing the number of women unemployed up by 45,000 to 1.1 million, the highest since 1988. Dave Prentis, leader of the public sector union Unison, said the figures showed the government strategy is failing. “The government continues to ignore the human cost and push ahead with its hard and fast cuts, clinging to the hope that a struggling private sector can pick up the pieces,” he said. “These figures deliver a cold hard dose of reality.”
Cameron was careful this time to describe the unemployment figures as “bad news and a tragedy for all those involved” and promised to help people find work. The youth unemployment figures have allowed opposition leader Ed Miliband of the Labour Party to repeat his accusation the government is “betraying a whole generation of young people.” But Tim Leunig, an economic historian at the London School of Economics, said youth unemployment is a worldwide problem, not unique to Britain. “People just don’t want to employ people without any skills, and if you are 16 or 17 and job hunting, the chances are you are doing that with very few qualifications,” he said.
Leunig pointed to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that showed that Britain’s young people are actually more likely to be employed than youths in other countries, including Germany, Sweden and France. The organisation said unemployment across the eurozone had risen to 10.3 per cent in October, but there are wide variations between Spain, the hardest hit, and Germany, the best off. The US had an unemployment rate of 8.6 per cent. “British unemployment is not that bad compared to other countries but it is still a tough thing to live with,” Leunig said.
“We had hoped we would be coming out of recession by now. In any other era we would be close to improving. We certainly wouldn’t be expecting unemployment to be rising the rate it is.” The danger appears to be that the longer it takes to find work, the harder it becomes. “When I go for a job, people ask me what I’ve been doing in the last few months and if I tell them I’ve been looking for a job I can see they don’t believe me,” said 16-year-old Asharani Kaur, who has been seeking work since the summer. “They ask why I don’t get a job in a shop or something when that’s what I’m trying to do.”