RTC Director

Russia willing to help Caribbean

Russia says it is willing to help the Caribbean explore for oil and gas as well as deal with the impact of the global economy.

Russia’s ambassador to Guyana, Nikolay Smirnov, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that relations with the Caribbean remain strong spanning economic, tourism, communication, sports and politics.

But the diplomat said that while Russia may not be able to engage in direct investment in the search for oil and gas, it was nonetheless in a position to assist in “specific projects like the seismological study of the Caribbean Sea”.

He said the study “can be used for oil and gas research, to seismic study, fisheries and especially climate changes.

“All those things will be available to Caribbean countries free of charge because it will be done by Russian scientists with participation with local scientists if they will like and that data will be available without any pre conditions without any restrictions”.

Ambassador Smirnov told CMC that trade with the Caribbean remains at a low level.

“It is not as large as we will like to have due to the distance, maybe because of the competition from other countries in Latin America but we hope it will change…so we hope trade ties will be growing, tourism will increase because right now it’s on the rise to the Caribbean.

“For example, last year from the Dominican Republic we had about 60, 000 tourist from Russia. Second to our destination is Cuba because with Cuba we have traditional ties and of course Jamaica is also on the rise, (regarding) Barbados, we also have a number of growing Russian tourist.”

The diplomat said that, like the Caribbean, Russia has to deal with issues of climate change, global warning and the economic crisis.

He said a solution to the financial crisis should not be left only to the developed countries.

He said while he is not a palm reader, an economist or in possession of a crystal ball, Caribbean countries should look to deal with unemployment, particularly among the youth, fight against corruption, and manage government expenditure in a bid to stimulate their economies.

“…those things should be addressed and international institutions like IMF, World Bank, regional banks, (like) the Inter American Development Bank…they also should be providing some specifics assistance towards needs not for overall programmes but to improve fields in the economy like tourism.”

The Russian diplomat said that his countries would continue to use its influence in fora like the G20 and G8 “because as you know, traditional times we have quite friendly relations with a number of Caribbean countries like Cuba, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Guyana and we hope to continue”.

Caribbean Media Corporation

by RTC Director

Terrified Brit would rather DIE than serve sentence in Dominican Republic prison

Nicola Reyes, 37, originally from Cardiff, has been in jail for 14 months and claims she will kill herself rather than face a 30 year sentence.

The mother-of-two who is accused of murdering her husband has said she would rather die than face serving 30 years in a Dominican prison if she is convicted.

Nicola Reyes, 37, has described the horrific condition in which she has been kept for 14 months, allegedly without charge.

Even her own lawyer in the Caribbean fears she will be convicted, and her parents Micheal and Jeanette Clements claim the British Embassy and Foreign Office have failed to provide assistance.

Nicola Reyes ran over and killed her husband as he drove his motorbike alongside her SUV after a night out. They have now started a petition asking for Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene.

Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Nicola, a former holiday rep from Cardiff said: 'If I am convicted - and I truly think I will be - I will get 30 years. I will kill myself. I have worked out a way to do it.'

In one incident inside the prison dubbed Devil's Hotel she says she listened as guards beat a man to death in the cell next to hers, then watched in horror as they dragged his body out and left it in full view of the other inmates until morning.

She said: 'I saw other male prisoners chained up so high by their hands they were forced to stand on tip-toe. 'Guards would beat them with sticks until the sticks broke.'

Even though she was moved to a private prison after six weeks her health has suffered due to the appalling conditions and she complains of intestine and bladder infections which mean she cannot eat the porridge served each morning.

She also worries she might have cancer after two smear tests carried out by the prison doctor showed something was wrong.

'There's a bucket behind a screened off curtain for a toilet and rats the size of cats in the corridors. 'In the mornings I cry in the shower - it is the only privacy I get.'

Jorge's family initially demanded £360,000 blood money but dropped the amount to £40,000 'compensation' Her time in the Devil's Hotel haunts Nicola.

She received death threats and feared she would be killed after Jorge's brother said he would offer male inmates money to do it.

One night the power went out. Huddling together in the dark with the 15 other prisoners sharing her 12ft by 12ft cell, they told her that means either a breakout is happening, or a contract killing is being carried out.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said they were aware of the arrest and had been providing consular assistance.

When Nicola first visited the stunning Caribbean isle of the Dominican Republic in 2000 she fell instantly in love with the country's white sands, palm trees and glorious sunshine.

She loved it so much that just three years later she moved there along with her two children, Leah and Luke, and her parents Jeanette and Micheal.

Jorge used to visit the family to help them out with their garden and pool. After a whirlwind romance Nicola married him in 2007 and the couple made a home for themselves in Puerto Plata.

But one night last July that was all due to change as the couple argued over money while out with friends.

Struggling to get by, Nicola became angry with Jorge when she spotted him wearing a T-shirt she didn't recognise with 'Live Life To the Best' written on the front.

She accused him of spending money on extras that they couldn't afford and a 'minor argument' happened.

Afterwards the couple drove home, Nicola in her jeep and Jorge riding beside her on his motorbike without wearing a helmet, the norm in the Dominican Republic.

After swerving to avoid a group of people Nicola says she heard a 'horrible bang' and jumped out to search of Jorge in the dark.

Police arrived at the scene, threw Jorge's body into the back of a van and told Nicola they were taking her to hospital, but actually to her to jail.

Once there she was told Jorge's family were accusing her of murder and demanded £360,000 in blood money.

Four months ago, after Nicola said she couldn't pay, Jorge's parents dropped the amount to £40,000 'compensation' but the district attorney refused the deal.

Having already spent 14 months behind bars she could now face a wait of up to two years before the case even reaches trial, and a potential 30 year sentence if convicted.

by RTC Director

Cubans wear yellow ribbons for agents jailed in US

Cubans tied yellow ribbons to homes, trees and lampposts across the capital last week, in an organized mass campaign to press for the return of several espionage agents imprisoned in the United States on the 15th anniversary of their arrest.

By using a symbol with deeply held cultural significance for many Americans, the campaign aims to raise support for the so-called Cuban Five in the United States where the public is largely unaware of their case, even if it’s a daily cause celebre in Cuba.

‘‘The symbolism of the yellow ribbon has a strong impact in the mind of Americans. It is a message of love that appeals to emotions,’’ said Rene Gonzalez, the only one of the Cuban Five who has been released from prison.

‘‘We are trying to send a message that we are human too,’’ added Gonzalez, who has been heading the campaign.

The Five were arrested Sept. 12, 1998, and convicted three years later of spying on U.S. military installations in South Florida, as well as exile groups and politicians. Havana maintains that they were only monitoring militant exiles to prevent terror attacks in Cuba, and posed no threat to U.S. sovereignty.

Gonzalez was paroled in 2011 after serving most of his sentence. Earlier this year a U.S. judge allowed him to renounce his citizenship and return to Cuba. The other four remain in prison, with one set to walk free in February.

Thousands of ribbons could be seen around the Cuban capital Thursday, from government buildings to private homes and small businesses. A huge strip of yellow hung from the iconic lighthouse at El Morro fortress at the mouth of Havana Bay. Many people wore yellow clothing, and young schoolgirls fixed yellow ribbons in their hair.

Students held a demonstration on the steps of the University of Havana, and Cuba’s association of artists and intellectuals marched from its headquarters to the U.S. Interests Section along the Malecon seafront boulevard.

by RTC Director

Dominican Republic and Haiti to fight drug trafficking

Haitian and Dominican security forces are teaming up to neutralize drug trafficking, after their shared island of Hispaniola is used as a major transit route for narcotics shipments en route to the United States.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti agreed to pool their resources, intelligence and armed forces to intercept drug shipments and combat human trafficking. Combined efforts and a united front are essential, as Hispaniola is a focal point of the drug cartels’ route for cocaine and other drugs to the US.

Both nations were somewhat distant neighbours over the years, but this changed after Haiti's earthquake. Their police forces are also now sharing training programs.

by RTC Director

Warner to name candidates soon

The Independent Liberal Party’s (ILP) candidates for the local government elections will be announced in two weeks’ time.

Interim political leader of the party, Jack Warner, yesterday said he intends to introduce the candidates during a mass public meeting on September 29.

On Saturday, Warner said that over 460 people had been screened for the various areas. He said screening had also been done for the position of aldermen.

Warner told reporters that the ILP had also finished its first phase of screening for the St Joseph seat, which was declared vacant last Monday by House Speaker Wade Mark.

On that day the Member of Parliament for that area Hubert Volney was ordered to cease from performing his functions as a member of the House of Representatives with immediate effect.

 “I am advised by Wednesday formality shall be done in terms of that constituency. We shall await what happens when Mr Volney speaks to the country,” Warner said, adding that although the first phase of screening was over, the ILP was open to others who wished to be screened for the St Joseph seat.

 Warner was speaking during a consultation on the 2013-2014 National Budget at his constituency office at Savannah Road, Chaguanas yesterday.

The Chaguanas West Member of Parliament used the forum to obtain views which he said would be used today during his contribution in the budget debate.

He said he had collated 14 pages of notes which he intended to review.

 Topics discussed included property tax, agriculture and local government, issues which were raised during the budget presentation last Monday.

 Presenter Stephen Kangal said there was a contradiction on the issue of property tax. He said that while Finance Minister Larry Howai said the tax will be back, the Prime Minister has said there will be no property tax. Kangal suggested that consultation with stakeholders be done early to clear up this issue.

by RTC Director