Dominica PM says he will not call early elections
Dominica's Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skeritt has dispelled rumours that he will call early elections.
He told members of the annual delegates conference of the ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) that he has no intention of calling early elections as contended by opposition members.
He said that elections will be held on the constitutionally due date in 2014.
Skeritt has been asked to stand down on the grounds that he had dual citizenship – Dominica and France.
He has, nevertheless, been re-elected as leader and president of the DLP.
Campaign in full swing for opposition presidential candidate in Guyana
The campaign is in full swing for the presidential candidate for the main opposition People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) in Guyana.
Five candidates, including two former ministers of government, are vying for the top post. They are: former finance minister Carl Greenidge; former public service minister Faith Harding; Brigadier David Granger; vice chairman of the party, Basil Williams; and young attorney James Bond.
The current party leader, Robert Corbin, has announced that he is not running for president, but he wants to remain as leader of the PNCR.
The candidates have had town hall meetings trying to woo members of the PNCR to support them. A couple of them have made overseas trips to whip up support.
February 25 is the date scheduled for the election.
Trinidad government accepts results of critical opinion polls
The Trinidad and Tobago government said it has accepted the results of recent opinion polls, which showed that people are disappointed with its performance, as a wakeup call for them to improve.
NACTA released findings of a poll conducted by pollster Vishnu Bisram that showed that the popularity of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar had slipped and that people were not happy with the government's performance.
An ANSA McAL poll, supervised by senior lecturer in the Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Dr Derek Chadee, also showed that people surveyed were not satisfied with the government's performance.
Both surveys showed that Jack Warner is the most hardworking and competent minister.
After nearly nine months since the People's Partnership coalition government was voted into office, blunders and a failure to deliver on some aspects of its 120-day immediate action plan are responsible for the prime minister and the government’s popularity slipping.
A total of 509 respondents rated the performance of Persad-Bissessar and the People's Partnership in five categories -- excellent, good, fair, poor and extremely poor. The biggest faux pas to date, according to the respondents, is the controversial hiring of former Strategic Services Agency (SSA) director, Reshmi Ramnarine. This has hurt the prime minister's image the most.
Ranking the performance of Persad-Bissessar as fair, 38 percent of respondents felt the prime minister has failed to be proactive and suggested that she adopts the more action, less talk approach. However, the respondents said the prime minister's decision to apologise on certain matters gained her some points, but she needed to get a grip and control of some of her ministers.
CARICOM security agency launches weapons initiative
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) has launched an initiative aimed at reducing the use of guns in the commission of violent crimes across the 15-member regional grouping.
IMPACS has partnered with the Canadian-based non-governmental organisation Project Ploughshares, the Institute of International Relations at the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and various regional civil society organisations in launching the initiative.
"When a project is focused on the expressed needs of member states it strengthens their commitment, thereby providing greater likelihood of long term sustainability," chairman of the CARICOM Council for National Security and Law enforcement (CONSLE) Dr Errol Cort said in highlighting the project's precision with which it responds to the critical needs and priorities of CARICOM.
Trinidad and Tobago's National Security Minister, Brigadier John Sandy described the project as a "meaningful step in the ongoing efforts in the Caribbean Community to control and reduce crime in all its jurisdictions."
CARICOM officials said that the initiative is designed to strengthen the capacity of officials at regional and national levels by providing training, technical assistance, research and a much need infrastructural upgrade.
Cruise ship passenger arrested in USVI for selling drugs on board ship
During a random inspection of passengers on board the cruise ship “Allure of the Seas” on Wednesday, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in the US Virgin Islands arrested a passenger who was selling narcotics to fellow passengers from his cabin.
CBP officers arrested Steven Krumholz after finding 2.83 grams of methamphetamine, 142-1/2 ecstasy pills, a quantity of ketamine, $51,020 in cash, and a US Postal Service money order in the amount of $960 in his cabin.
One passenger, who was found in possession of narcotics, pointed out to CBP officers the cabin where he purchased the narcotics.
The custody of Krumholz, the narcotics, and currency were transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for further proceedings.
“CBP officers are always vigilant of criminals who try to engage in illicit activities and elude detection,” stated Marcelino Borges, Director of Field Operations for Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.
Barbados signs US$40 million loan for energy and coastal protection
| The Barbados government has signed a US$40 million loan agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), to kick-start the island's energy conservation and coastal zone management initiatives.
This signing ceremony between Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno took place during Moreno's one-day official visit to the island on Monday. The two loans -- one of US$10 million for the establishment of an Energy Smart Fund and the other for US$30 million -- will be used to support a Coastal Risk Assessment and Management Programme to preserve the island's beaches. Stuart said he was "flabbergasted" to discover that what the island spent on the importation of oil could be compared with the amount of money spent on education. "This is a situation that is not satisfactory to us and therefore the issue of renewable energy is a front-burner agenda item for Barbados," he underlined. The prime minister further stated that government was working towards reducing the island's heavy dependence on fossil fuels over the next 10 to 15 years by at least 30 percent. Regarding the coastal assessment programme, Stuart said the information gathered would allow technocrats to handle any challenges that may arise as a result of climate change. "Our coastlines mean a bit to us and issues such as coastal erosion have to be a matter of concern to Barbados particularly because it is a tourist destination among other things. So, this loan agreement is intended to deal with issues of preservation of our coastlines, assessing the risk and dealing with the issues that will flow from that assessment and Barbados considered itself fortunate to be able to secure this loan for that purpose. "There are issues of climate change that also are impacting and I suppose, in the foreseeable future, would continue to impact on Barbados and it is important that we have information at our disposal that allows us to handle the challenges that may arise from the impact of climate change on our coastline and issues of coastal erosion," he added. Meanwhile, IDB president Moreno said the bank was committed to a strong partnership with Barbados. "The visit is an opportunity to reaffirm its support for Barbados and to discuss how we can continue to respond effectively to the country's development needs." |
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Guyana, Venezuela forge draft agreement on narco-trafficking
Delegations from Guyana and Venezuela were able to successfully complete consideration of a draft agreement on the prevention of illegal consumption and the suppression of illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors, as well as related offences, during a meeting in Georgetown.
The Guyana Chronicle reported that a release from the Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the two sides had agreed on a text that would now be submitted to the respective governments for approval, with a view to early signature.
When signed and brought into force, the new agreement will succeed the March 27, 1987 Agreement between the governments of Guyana and Venezuela for the prevention, control and suppression of the unlawful consumption of and traffic in narcotics and psychotropic substances.
Guyana and Venezuela both agree that the new conditions that have emerged require the strengthening of cooperation in the area of the illicit trafficking of drugs because of the changes in the modus operandi of traffickers, and the 1987 agreement does not contain all of the necessary provisions to facilitate strengthened cooperation, given these changes.
The delegations of Guyana and Venezuela took the opportunity to discuss cooperation in combating the illicit trade in small arms and cooperation in the fight against narco-trafficking. They exchanged information on their respective national drug strategies as well as the scope for mutual legal assistance on criminal matters.
Regional coast guard and crimes task force needed, says security co-ordinator
A regional coast guard and a serious crimes task force are on the cards for the Regional Security System (RSS).
The Barbados Nation newspaper reported that Grantley Watson, coordinator of the RSS, disclosed this on Thursday at the end of a meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Security Cooperation Conference in Christ Church, Barbados.
Watson said the coast guard and task force were critical to RSS strategic plans, which they were seeking to achieve through assistance from the United States government and military.
According to Watson, RSS plans also included the establishment of a training institute and a trends and analysis institution.
Charge d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Barbados, D. Brent Hardt, promised support, saying that through Operation Secure Seas, the United States Military Liaison Office could work with the Regional Security System and its member countries to enhance the maritime domain awareness and interdiction capabilities.
Man sentenced to death in St Lucia for shooting a police officer on duty
While a debate is going on whether or not the death penalty should continue in the Caribbean, a high court judge in St Lucia has sentenced a man to be hanged for shooting to death a police officer while he was on duty.
Justice Kenneth Benjamin at Castries High Court ordered Michel "Bage" Joseph to be hanged for the shooting death of a police officer. The death sentenced was imposed in the presence of scores of spectators, including several police officers who were in court to hear the death sentence.
Constable Lester Garvin Remy was shot four times while he and other colleagues were executing a search warrant on a home in Ciceron in South Castries.
CMC reported that the incident sent shock waves through the St Lucia Police Force and the rest of society, as it was the first time a police officer was killed in St Lucia in the line of duty.
The sentence marked the culmination of several weeks of pre-sentencing hearings after Joseph’s December 6, 2010, conviction.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Victoria Charles-Clarke and defence attorney Al Elliot were at odds on the sentence imposed.
The DPP said that she was satisfied that justice was served, adding that a strong message needed to be sent to criminal elements in society concerning the value of life.
The defence attorney was unhappy, stating that there were some legal issues that were not addressed and he plans to appeal.
During the hearing it was revealed that Joseph shot Remy at point black range and had six previous convictions.
Kim Clijsters regains number one world ranking
Kim Clijsters will replace Caroline Wozniacki as world number one on Monday after beating Jelena Dokic 6-3 6-0 in the quarter-finals of the Paris Open.
Clijsters, 27, has held top spot three times before, twice in 2003 and once in 2006 before retiring in 2007 to have a child, only to make a stunning return.
The Belgian won the 2009 US Open, retaining the title last year and then adding the Australian Open this year.
Her next opponent is Kaia Kanepi, who beat Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 2-6 6-2.
Having lost the first four games of her match against Kristina Barrois on Wednesday, Clijsters was again slow out of the blocks against Dokic, going 3-0 down early on before finding her rhythm with her serve and dominating her opponent at the net.
In the second set Dokic was hitting the ball harder, but top seed Clijsters was in full control of the match and eased to victory as her opponent crumbled under the pressure.
Afterwards, Clijsters said age and experience enabled her to get more satisfaction out of her success second time around.
"I'm able to enjoy all the things that are happening now in a different way," she said.
"I'm able to share it with a bigger group and with my team. That's what I enjoy the most about this second career."
The other semi-final will be between world number 48 Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who beat Germany's Andrea Petkovic 7-6 2-6 6-3, and fourth seed Petra Kvitova.
The Czech player secured her place in the last four with a 5-7 6-3 7-6 win over Yanina Wickmayer.