Cane producers challenge EU delegate
Secretary of the Cane Producers Association Seukeran Tambie is challenging statements made on Thursday by Stelios Christopoulous, Charge D’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union, that producers are not entitled to the EU grant funding. Tambie charged that there seemed to be some attempt to deny the cane farmers their legitimate rights. He called on Winston Dookeran, Minister of Finance and chairman of the Cabinet appointed inter-ministerial committee looking into the issue to ensure this did not happen. Christopoulous has agreed to meet the cane producers in two weeks’ time to discuss the issue. Tambie is also seeking a meeting with Agriculture Minister Vasant Bharath.
“Mr Christopoulous seems to be playing with words, sending the wrong message to the population in respect of this funding and causing anxiety among cane farmers,” Tambie said in an interview. For years cane farmers have been arguing that they have an entitlement to a €72 million package from the European Union (EU), which was promised to the farmers as an exit strategy, following the closure of Caroni (1975) Limited in 2003. Tambie said all other (African Caribbean Pacific) ACP countries had moved ahead to access the EU grant funding to the tune of billions of dollars since 2007.
“We are in 2011 and this country has been having serious problems accessing the funding. There seems to be some change along the way, shifting the funding away from the cane farmers,” Tambie said. He noted that the previous PNM administration breached the EU regulations when it attempted to divert the funding from the benefit of cane farmers. “We will not allow this to get out of hand. This government has to address it, because this has far reaching consequences,” Tambie warned. He said on December 17, 2010, the cane producers met with Dookeran and the other members of the team, including Cabinet ministers Prakash Ramadhar, Faizal Karim, Vernella Alleyne-Toppin and Vasant Bharath.
Tambie said at that meeting, Dookeran gave the commitment that in light of the long delay already experienced, the issues would be addressed with full transparency and accountability in the shortest possible time. He explained that Dookeran was supposed to provide a copy of the financing agreement between the Government and the EU, giving access to the EU funding to T&T. That agreement resulted from the European Union Regulations number 266/2006 of the European Parliament and Council, establishing accompanying measures for sugar protocol countries affected by the reform of the EU sugar regime.
“This was to be done early in January 2011, followed by which there would be a meeting between both parties at the end of January for further discussion.” He said Bharath was given the responsibility to co-ordinate this meeting. “Despite numerous letters to the ministers, three months after the scheduled date of the follow-up meeting, there has been no official correspondence on the issue,” Tambie stated. He pointed out that Dookeran was in the process of dealing with the Clico issue, having already resolved the public servants’ issue, and was now moving to pay farmers whose producing fields were bulldozed.
Rappers Help Raise $5 Million For Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami Victims
Eminem, Cee Lo Green, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj are among the artists who helped raise over $5 million dollars to benefit the victims of an earthquake/tsunami, that devastated Japan.
The Songs for Japan CD was released digitally on March 25th and physically, on April 4th.
Since then, Songs for Japan has sold over 500,000 copies, generating $5 million in revenue.
The entire $5 million was sent to The Japanese Red Cross Society for victims on behalf of the artists on the CD, who waived their royalties and proceeds for the project.
In addition to Eminem, Cee Lo, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, artists like The Black Eyed Peas, U2, Bob Dylan, Sade, Bruno Mars, Ne-Yo, Justin Bieber and Elton John contributed tracks to the Songs for Japan album.
Jay-Z Could End Up In Court Over 'Big Pimpin' Sample
Rapper Jay-Z could end up in court over a new lawsuit that claims the rap mogul illegally used a sample in his hit 2000 song "Big Pimpin."
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jay-Z is being sued by the family of Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi, who wrote the song "Khosara, Khosara" for a 1957 Egyptian film named Fata Ahlami.
Hamdi's children are suing EMI, MTV, Paramount Pictures, UMG and Warner Music over the track.
Although Jay-Z's team obtained a license to use the song under United States copyright law, the lawsuit claims he didn't have the proper rights to loop and rap over the sample.
The lawsuit claims that although Jay-Z obtained a license to use the sample, he didn't have the rights to loop the sample and rap over it under Egyptian copyright laws.
Jay- also failed to get permission from all of Hamdi's children, who each own an interest in the composition.
Big Pimpin' was featured on Jay-Z's hit album, Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter., which has sold millions of copies.
Hamdi's children are seeking an unspecified amount in damages.
Brilliant Gayle fires Royal Challengers to big win
Under-fire West Indies opener Chris Gayle uncorked an exhilarating all-round performance in the Indian Premier League yesterday, blasting his second century in four innings and snatching three wickets to propel Royal Challengers Bangalore to an 85-run win over Kings XI Punjab. The giant left-hander belted 10 fours and nine massive sixes in a pulsating 107 from a mere 49 balls, as the hosts raced to 205 for six from their 20 overs after being sent in at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. He then returned with his off-spin to capture three for 21 from his four-over quota to help restrict the visitors for 120 for nine off their allotted overs.
Gayle’s performances come on the heels of his recent brouhaha with the West Indies Cricket Board over his decision to opt out of the One-Day International and Test series against Pakistan in the Caribbean, in favour of the lucrative IPL. The Jamaican, who opened his IPL campaign with a sensational unbeaten 102 against his former side Kolkata Knight Riders last month, lost opening partner Tillakaratne Dilshan (16) after a 43-run stand off 29 balls. Gayle then dominated a 111-run, second wicket stand with Virat Kohli (27), racing to his half-century from 28 balls with five fours and four sixes.
He smashed 22 off one over from fast bowler Praveen Kumar to reach his 50 and then stepped on the accelerator to raise three-figures off 46 balls, thumping a low full toss from seamer Ryan McLaren to long off for four. Gayle eventually fell in the next over from leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, holing out to Ryan Harris at deep mid-wicket. In reply, McLaren top scored with 28, Dinesh Karthik got 21 and Paul Valthaty scraped 20 but left-arm seamer Sreenath Aravind snatched four for 14 to undermine the Kings XI innings. Bowling a stingy spell, Gayle accounted for Valthaty and Karthik before also snapping up Chawla to round off his success. (CMC)
SCORES
Royal Challengers Bangalore 205-6 (20) (Chris Gayle 107 (49), AB De Villiers 27 (14), Ryan Harris 4-1-38-3, Piyush Chawla 4-0-37-2) vs Kings XI Punjab 120-9 (20) (Ryan McLaren 28 (32), Paul Valthaty 21 (16), Sreenath Aravind 4-0-14-4, Chris Gayle 4-0-21-3, Daniel Vettori 4-0-14-1). Bangalore won by 85 runs.
Bulls take 2-1 series lead over Hawks
Finally, the real Chicago Bulls showed up in the playoffs.
Naturally, Derrick Rose led the way.
Looking every bit like an MVP, Rose sliced up Atlanta for a career-high 44 points as the Bulls seized control of the Eastern Conference semifinals with their best performance of the postseason, romping to a 99-82 victory over the Hawks in Game 3 Friday night.
The Bulls lead the series 2-1, putting Atlanta in must-win position heading into Game 4 Sunday night.
Rose was dominant from the opening tip, slashing into the lane for a basket that prompted Atlanta to call a timeout before game was a minute old. He finished off the Hawks midway through the fourth with back-to-back three-pointers, hopping down the court, serenaded by chants of ''MVP! MVP!'' from a hefty contingent of Bulls fans.
The Hawks fans began heading for home. Jeff Teague was about the only highlight for Atlanta, scoring 21 points. That wasn't nearly enough against the D-Rose onslaught. He made 16 of 27 shots from the field, including four threes. He dished out seven assists, grabbed five rebounds, came up with a steal and even blocked a shot.
MVP, indeed.
After struggling to put away Indiana in the opening round and losing at home in the opener of this series, the Bulls looked every bit like the team that won 62 games during the regular season. While everyone will point to Rose's performance, the Chicago bench played a key role in a decisive second-quarter spurt. And everyone chipped in on the boards, leading the Bulls to a 47-34 edge that included 18 offensive rebounds.
The Hawks hadn't played a home playoff game of this magnitude since 1997, when this same scenario presented itself after Atlanta split the first two games in Chicago against the Michael Jordan-led Bulls in the East semifinals.
That one didn't work out too well for the Hawks, who promptly lost both games at the old Omni and were finished off in Game 5 back in ChiTown. Judging by the way things went Friday night, this series could be headed toward a similar result.
The Hawks stunned the Bulls in Game 1 and kept it close most of the way in Game 2 before losing by 13. Atlanta returned home with plenty of confidence, believing it survived Chicago's best punch and showed it could match up just fine with a team that won 18 more games during the regular season.
Not on this night.
Not against Rose, who finally seemed to shake off a nagging sprained ankle.
Coach Tom Thibodeau has called on his star to get more aggressive. The dynamic guard sure took that message to heart right from the opening tip, throwing an immediate damper on a raucous sellout crowd.
Luol Deng got it started by knocking down a 19-foot jumper. After Joe Johnson missed a long one for Atlanta, Rose slashed into the lane for his first points and a 4-0 lead for the road team. Hawks coach Larry Drew called a quick timeout, sensing this wasn't going to turn out well.
Rose was virtually a one-man team in the first quarter, scoring 17 points to push the Bulls to a 29-23 lead.
Teague, who wouldn't have been playing much if not for an injury to Kirk Hinrich, kept up his strong play from the first two games. He scored 11 of Atlanta's first 17 points, but couldn't keep the Hawks in it all by himself.
And, boy, he sure could've used some help at the defensive end trying to guard Rose. Teague, who did a respectable job on the Bulls star in Chicago, was left standing in his tracks over and over, unable to keep Rose from doing pretty much whatever he wanted.
He burst into the lane when the Hawks left the slightest of openings. When Teague stepped back, Rose launched three-pointers that hit nothing but net.
Chicago turned to its bench at the start of the second quarter, and those guys really delivered. Ronnie Brewer stole the ball from Jamal Crawford on the opening possession. C.J. Watson scored on a layup, then connected on a jumper to quickly push the lead into double figures for the first time while the starters rested. Taj Gibson chipped in with a block, stuffing Marvin Williams on a drive to the hoop.
The Hawks seemed to weather the storm, cutting it back to 35-29 on Johnson's turnaround jumper. But Kyle Korver responded like he does so often: A three-pointer that sparked a 19-6 run to stun the home crowd and force Drew to call two more timeouts in a futile bid to slow the Bulls. Even though some of the starters returned, it was the backups who kept delivering, scoring 12 points during that span.
Atlanta put together a brief rally near the end of the first half, but only because the Bulls seemed a little winded from the way they were running up and down the court. The Hawks had the last shot with a chance to get within 11 going to the locker room, but even that ended ugly. Crawford had the ball slapped away, put up a long airball, then complained vehemently that he'd been fouled.
That got him a technical, meaning Chicago went to the line for a free throw before the second half started. Rose made that one, then followed with a three in Teague's face. Keith Bogans made another three, and just like that the Bulls had stretched it back out to an 18-point lead.
Chicago fans began chanting ''MVP!'' every time Rose touched the ball. The Atlanta fans got plenty of chances to boo, and much of their wrath was directed at Josh Smith.
The enigmatic hometown player did some good work on the inside, scoring 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, but he kept insisting on putting up outside jumpers that clanked off the rim time after time. Each time they did, the crowd screamed in disgust.
He was hardly the biggest problem, though. Johnson was held to 10 points on 4 of 12 shooting. Crawford managed only seven. It was those two who dominated Game 1.
Rose made that seem like a distant memory.
AP
Special Olympics set for National Games
Every year in May athletes from the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama head to the capital to compete for the coveted gold medals.Every year in May athletes from the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama head to the capital to compete for the coveted gold medals.
Grand Bahama has registered 58 athletes and Abaco 45. The Panthers track club fromm Turks & Caicos Islands also took a small team down to compete at that level.They will join with the athletes from New Providence to comprise the 200 athletes who will compete in the sports of Bocce and Track & Field. They train year-round and look forward this opportunity.
Currently, Special Olympics trains in the sports of Tennis, Bocce, Basketball, Bowling, Track & Field, Judo, Soccer and Swimming, and provide competition events throughout the year.
On Saturday, the Opening Ceremony and lighting of the Torch begin at 9:00 in the morning at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium and lasts until 5:00 in the evening. Finals in Bocce and Track & Field take place all day.
In June, a team of 38 athletes will travel to Athens, Greece to participate in the Special Olympics World Games. They will compete in 7 sports. This event is a warm-up for the international games.
The public is invited to have the experience of a life time by sharing in the competition and winning spirit of our Special Olympics athletes. Admission is free and volunteers are welcome.
West Indies seek winning finish
With a whitewash avoided, West Indies will be looking to wrap up an otherwise disappointing one-day international (ODI) series against Pakistan, with a win in the fifth and final match starting today.
The regional side lost the first three games to concede the series meekly, but rescued a measure of pride when they won the fourth ODI in Barbados on Monday, by a run under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Skipper Darren Sammy said yesterday he was hoping to use the momentum from that victory to engineer another success at the National Stadium at Providence, where first ball is slated for 9:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. Jamaica time).
"Coming off the win in Barbados, of course the guys would have gathered some confidence from that win," the all-rounder told a media conference.
"We're going to look at the things we did well, especially with the ball and in the way we chased down (the target) with the Duckworth/Lewis (DL).
"That was a positive and I think we're looking to build on that momentum and take it into the final game."
building momentum
West Indies have been troubled by their batting in the series, despite the enterprising form of recalled opener Lendl Simmons. The right-hander has cracked 202 runs in the four games to date, including three successive half-centuries culminating in a superb 76 from 70 balls at Kensington Oval in the last game.
However, totals of 221, 220 and 171 were hardly imposing and left Pakistan with easy victory targets.
Chasing a revised 223 from 39 overs after Pakistan made 248 for nine in the last ODI, West Indies were ahead (154 for four off 29.5 overs) on the DL method when rain ended the game prematurely.
"The batting is improving, like we saw in the last game. We have been (dealing with the spinners) a lot better. It is something we havebeen working on in the nets with the batting coach (Desmond Haynes)," Sammy noted.
"The good thing to see is that we are not getting out (relatively easy to the spinners). We occupied the crease a lot and if we could rotate the strike during that period that would be a plus for us."
The Windies' best bowling performance also came in the last game, after they failed to make any serious inroads into the Pakistani batting in the previous three matches.
"I think so far in the series, the bowlers have done well. The bowling ... has not been a problem for us," he pointed out. "We've restricted teams like we did in the World Cup and in the series with the small totals we've had to defend. I think the bowlers have done a great job, I would just urge them to continue doing that."
Despite the Windies poor run, a capacity crowd is expected for the game, which coincides with a national holiday celebrating the arrival of the first Indian indentured servants to the country.
Pakistan, meanwhile, have never won more than three games in any ODI series against the West Indies, but will be looking to break this trend.
Misbah-ul-Haq, who takes over the Test side following the one-day series, has led the batting with 183 runs from four innings, while opener Mohammed Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad have both hit centuries already.
Their bowling will be led by the dangerous off-spin pair of Saeed Ajmal and Hafeez, with captain Shahid Afridi supporting with his leg spin.
SQUADS
West Indies: Daren Sammy (captain), Daren Bravo, Carlton Baugh Jr, Devendra Bishoo, Dwayne Bravo, Kirk Edwards, Anthony Martin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons.
Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Abdur Rehman, Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Hammad Azam, Junaid Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Salman, Sadaf Hussain, Saeed Ajmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Taufeeq Umar, Umar Akmal, Usman Salahuddin, Wahab Riaz.
Latin America and the Caribbean was the region with the strongest growth in foreign investment in 2010
In 2010, Latin America and the Caribbean was the region with the strongest percentage increases as a recipient and source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), according to a report presented today in Mexico City, Mexico, by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
Last year, the region’s FDI inflows were 40% higher than in 2009, representing 112.634 billion dollars, while outgoing FDI almost quadrupled in the same period to reach a historic high of 43.108 billion dollars, which highlights the buoyancy of transnational Latin American and Caribbean enterprises, known as trans-Latins.
In a context of falling foreign investment in developed countries (-7%) and rising investment in developing countries (10%), Latin America and the Caribbean increased its share of the recipient market from 5% to 10% between 2007 and 2010.
For 2011, FDI flows to Latin America and the Caribbean are expected to maintain this trend and increase by between 15% and 25%, which could take them to unprecedented high levels, according to the projections of the report launched by the Executive Secretary of ECLAC, Alicia Bárcena, and the Mexican Minister of Finance and Public Credit, Ernesto Cordero.
“The figures we are presenting today point to the growing integration of Latin American and the Caribbean in the process of economic globalization. The region’s countries not only remain attractive to foreign investors, but they are also increasingly daring to conquer other markets by means of trans-Latins”, stated Bárcena.
Nevertheless, the senior official did emphasize that “in order to improve the capacity to absorb the benefits of such investment, we are stressing the need to implement productive development policies focused on innovation and on the strengthening of local capacities to promote the creation of quality employment. FDI must help the region to grow with equality”.
According to the report Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean 2010, the region’s main recipient was Brazil, where FDI inflows posted a record surge of 87%, going from 25.949 billion dollars in 2009 to 48.462 billion dollars in 2010.
The second main recipient was Mexico (17.726 billion dollars), followed by Chile (15.095 billion dollars), Peru (7.328 billion dollars), Colombia (6.760 billion dollars) and Argentina (6.193 billion dollars).
In Central America, foreign investment flows to all countries grew, except in the case of El Salvador (-79%). In the Caribbean, inflows fell 18%.
Mexico was the country that invested the most abroad in 2010 (12.694 billion dollars). This was followed by Brazil (11.5 billion dollars), Chile (8.744 billion dollars) and Colombia (6.504 billion dollars).
The factors that resulted in the increased FDI receipts in 2010 include the improved performance of developed economies and the buoyancy of certain emerging economies that boosted some sectors thanks to increased demand.
United States remains the main investor in the region and was responsible for 17% of the FDI received in 2010, followed by the Netherlands (13%), China (9%) and Canada and Spain (both 4%).
The thirteenth version of this ECLAC report highlights the emergence of the Asian giant (China). In 2010, Chinese companies invested almost 15.0 billion dollars in Latin American and Caribbean countries, fundamentally in the form of mergers and acquisitions.
Over 90% of confirmed Chinese investment in Latin America has targeted the extraction of natural resources. In the medium term, this country’s transnational enterprises are expected to continue to be active in the region and diversify into infrastructure and manufacturing sectors.
Through its analysis of the sectors targeted by FDI, this United Nations Commission points out that the investment flows are reinforcing the region’s production pattern.
In South America, the main recipient sectors in 2010 were natural resources (43%) and services (30%). Compared with the period 2005-2009, a greater share of investment takes the form of primary sectors. In Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, investment continues to target mainly manufactures (54%) and services (41%).
The share of Latin America and the Caribbean as a recipient of investment with a high technology content remains small compared with other regions, although there has been an increase in the number of FDI projects in medium to high technology sectors and those associated with research and development.
The ECLAC publication also deals with FDI and export platforms in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic. According to ECLAC, transnational enterprises still wish to invest in Central American countries to generate export platforms, but the target sectors have changed from manufactures to services (especially tourism, property business and remote business services).
Lastly, the document reviews the main foreign investments and the business strategies observed in the regional telecommunications industry, where there is a convergence towards broadband, as well as the growing involvement of Latin America in the software industry, which has become a driver of economic growth.
Price Inflation and Food Shock
Today some of what passes for new information has to do with the fact that the price for practically everything with the possible exception of labour is set to move upward.
This is what the economists mean when they talk about inflation; that situation where things fetch more and more while – on occasion – income marches in an opposite direction.
On occasion, situations arise when some people are hard-pressed to find money sufficient to pay for basics like food, shelter, heath and protection.
Sadly, this is becoming a reality for more and more Bahamians, particularly those who are ill, home-bound, indigent or otherwise marooned on Death’s door-step.
We now have another looming crisis on our hand. This time around is a situation where the government and people of the Bahamas must respond.
While we are quite certain that Social Welfare and charities galore in Civil Society can and will do what they must, we are also certain that these actions will only suffice to delay the coming of that day when some of those who are in distress might be pushed to take desperate action – with some of what they do bordering on the criminal.
But while this might yet become a reality in this already blighted and blasted place, we are sufficiently hopeful in our advocacy for the development of policies and strategies that could be of some great help, moving forward.
Bahamians can and should so gear themselves that they can produce more of the food they consume; and for that matter, more of the foodstuffs consumed by visitors.
The time is precisely now for our leaders and their Caribbean counterparts to come together with a view towards harnessing regional capacity.
This process could have the salutary effect of making the entire region less dependent on the rest of the world.
Information reaching us suggests that even if – by some magic- things were to return to some semblance of normalcy, food prices, fuel prices and the prices attached to technology and other commodities would continue to rise.
This analysis has evident implications and ramifications for countries such as the Bahamas that just happen to be ultra-dependent on the export and sale of services to sustain the life-styles to which they have become accustomed.
Put simply, all currently available indicators suggest that the Bahamian people should – as of now – brace themselves for the onset of any number of wrenching changes.
One such change involves this nation’s and our region’s speedier access to food that is inexpensive, nutritious, available and accessible, all at once.
Acceptance of such a formula immediately brings with it a slew of implications for labor law, immigration policy and relations with our neighbors in the region.
We deem this matter one that should be given priority attention: this because, the Bahamas unlike some of its sister nations in the Caribbean – inclusive of Jamaica, Cuba and Barbados, among others – is a net food importer.
This fact of life now underscores the grave importance of news coming in to the effect that, "... Rising international food prices could trigger an acceleration of inflation in several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean this year…"
The Inter-American Development Bank indicates that this now underscores what it describes as "…the need for policies to protect the urban poor…"
There are thousands of Bahamians who are today suffering from a double-barreled food whammy.
This two-pronged disaster derives not only from the fact that tens of thousands of them are obliged to eat food that is not only expensive, but also massively devoid of nutrients. Very many of them now have next to nothing with which to buy food.
These people are sometimes reduced to begging.
This situation is one that will be with us for the long haul; precisely because of the parlous situation in a United States that is itself battling with unemployment, a fractious political system and forces over which it has little control.
This suggests that even when recovery does come, tens of millions of Americans will work harder, save more and therefore spend less on luxuries such as a vacation-visit to the Bahamas.
While some of our fellow Bahamians wait for things to return to normal, there are some other Bahamians who have sought to suggest to a skeptical public that no such return is in the offing.
These people routinely call on the authorities to do what they have to do so as to help our people as they do their level-best to get through these hard times.
The Bahamian people can and should – with the help of appropriate labour – produce more of the food its people consume.