DAILY NEWS

Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) observes 32-year anniversary

CASTRIES, St Lucia – Tuesday, June 18, 2013, will mark 32 years since the establishment of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Thirty two years of facilitating efforts by the nine member states to further develop the people of the OECS region through various programmes and projects in several cases with the help of the international donor community. Much attention has been given to two of the key pillars of economic development in the OECS, namely, agriculture and tourism; collectively because of the nexus of the two sectors and individually through specific needs. The OECS Secretariat is coordinating a collective plan of action by member states towards enhancing the region's agriculture sector... read more

Four Caribbean countries meet anti-hunger target

ROME, Italy, Monday June 17, 2013 - (CMC) – Four Caribbean leaders will be honoured at a high level ceremony to be held here on Sunday for meeting the international target on hunger eradication. The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has identified the leaders of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Cuba, Guyana and the Dominican Republic for the role they have played in reaching the anti-hunger goals... read more

World Bank issues warning on Caribbean growth

WASHINGTON D.C., United States, Friday June 14, 2013 (CMC) – The World Bank has warned that growth in the Caribbean "will be held back" by large fiscal adjustments necessary to bring fiscal deficits to sustainable levels and help reduce public debt burdens. "Growth in the Caribbean continued to disappoint, decelerating to 3 percent in 2012 as growth decelerated in the Dominican Republic and in Haiti, while Jamaica's economy fell into recession," said the Washington-based financial institution in its "Global Economic Prospects, June 2013."... read more

Jamaican national pleads guilty plea to defrauding hundreds of US senior citizens in lottery scam

WISCONSIN, United States, Thursday June 13, 2013 (CMC) – A Jamaican national has pleaded guilty for his role in a telemarketing lottery scheme that defrauded hundreds of senior citizens. The United States Department of Justice said O' Brain J. Lynch, 28, the first Jamaican to be charged in the US for this type of fraud, pleaded guilty to wire fraud... read more

Caribbean agricultural sector seeking China's assistance

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, June 12, 2013 (CMC) – Caribbean countries are looking to China to help develop their agricultural sector and are seeking to take advantage of a US$50 million fund established by Beijing. Caribbean agriculture ministers joined their counterparts from Latin America and China for two days of talks this week, ... read more

Scientists continue search for life on Caribbean Sea floor

MASSACHUSETTS (CMC) – A team of oceanographers and astrobiologists in the United States is continuing their "systematic" exploration of one of the deepest points in the Caribbean Sea, searching for life in extreme seafloor environments... read more

ACP countries please with outcome of deliberations with European Union

BRUSSELS, Jun 10, CMC – African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries say they are pleased with the outcome of deliberations with the European Union (EU) on a number of issues including the European Development Fund (EDF) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)... read more

Caribbean urged to be prepared for "very active" hurricane season

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The 2013 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on Saturday June 1, and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Management Agency (CDEMA) has urged Caribbean people to be prepared for a very active season. Noted hurricane forecasters Dr William Gray and Philip Klotzbach of the Colorado State University have predicted an above-average season with 18 named storms, nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes likely to occur during the six-month period... read more

Caribbean is open for business

NEW YORK, June 5, 2013, CMC – Senior Caribbean tourism officials are hoping for a turnaround in fortunes as the region Wednesday continued efforts to lure visitors to its shores. "We are truly convinced that high tide floats all boats and together by marketing the region ... collectively is extremely important," Chairperson of the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Beverly Nicholson-Doty told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC)... read more

Fly Jamaica gets green light to operate two Guyana routes

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Thursday June 6, 2013, CMC – The Guyana government Wednesday announced that it had granted the Jamaica-based airline, Fly Jamaica Airways, the green light to operate two routes out of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Government spokesman Dr Roger Luncheon told a news conference that Cabinet gave the approval on Tuesday and that the airline would service the Guyana - New York route and the Georgetown -Toronto routes... read more

Gastro outbreak

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Jun 5, CMC – Health authorities are investigating whether or not the death of a seven-month-old baby is linked to an increase in cases of gastroenteritis in Jamaica. The baby died at the Bustamante Hospital for Children prompting the Ministry of Health to determine whether the quality of water being used by residents and consumed by the infant had been contaminated... read more

Convictions of Guyanese in JFK airport bomb plot upheld by US court

NEW YORK, United States, Monday June 3, 2013, CMC– A United States appeals court on Friday upheld the convictions of two Islamic militants charged with participating in a plot to bomb New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The court declined to throw out a 2010 jury verdict against Guyanese nationals Russell Defreitas, 69, and Abdul Kadir, 61, who were found guilty of conspiracy to carry out acts of terrorism... read more

Presidential Proclamation -- National Caribbean-American Heritage Month

June 1 marks the beginning of June as Caribbean American Heritage month. The month long celebration is a time for Caribbean-Americans to bring awareness to the countless contributions of Caribbean-Americans in the United States. To that end, President Barack Obama issues a proclamation: For centuries, the United States and nations in the Caribbean have grown alongside each other as partners in progress. Separated by sea but united by a yearning for independence, our countries won the right to chart their own destinies after generations of colonial rule. Time and again, we have led the way to a brighter future together -- from lifting the stains of slavery and segregation to widening the circle of opportunity for our sons and daughters... read more

World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that deadly new virus threatens the world

GENEVA, Switzerland, Friday May 31, 2013 – Within weeks of demonstrating that it can be passed between people in close contact and has a mortality rate of more than half of those infected, the novel coronavirus has officially acquired a name, as well as a disturbing reputation. Middle East respiratory system coronavirus, or MERS-CoV, is "a threat to the entire world," the World Health Organisation's (WHO) general director warned on Monday... read more

CARICOM leaders to meet with China's president

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, May 30, CMC – China's President Xi Jingping arrives here on Friday for a three-day visit during which time he will meet with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders. The visit follows that of the United States Vice President Joe Biden earlier this week and according to a Chinese Embassy statement the visit is to "further increase political trust and consolidate friendship and cooperation with the entire region"... read more

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden held "frank and cordial" talks with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders

By Peter Richards PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, May 28, CMC – United States Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday held "frank and cordial" talks with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders and pledged Washington's assistance on a wide range of issues affecting the socio-economic development of the of the 15-member regional grouping... read more

Improving US-CARICOM relation

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, May 27, CMC – United States Vice President Joe Biden arrived on Monday night for a 21-hour visit to Trinidad and Tobago where he will hold talks with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders on Tuesday. Biden, who is accompanied by his wife, touched down at the Piarco International Airport at 8.30 pm (local time) and was met by Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar and members of her Cabinet... read more

President Obama Delivers Memorial Day Remarks at Arlington National Cemetery

President Barack Obama participates in a Memorial Day wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., May 27, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Today President Obama traveled to Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate Memorial Day, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and delivering remarks. The President thanked members of the armed forces and veterans for their service to the United States, and paid tribute to our fallen heroes laid to rest at Arlington... read more

Active 2013 hurricane season

WASHINGTON, CMC, May 24, CMC - The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting an active or extremely active season this year. In its 2013 Atlantic hurricane season outlook, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, said 2013 would be prolific in raising storms out of the Atlantic and the Caribbean... read more

Caribbean Development Bank signs US$20M loan agreement with IDB for small Caribbean economies

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Wednesday May 22, 2013 - The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) signed today a US$20 million for a Global Loan Program with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for projects in the four IDA-eligible Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) member countries. This loan was approved Monday by the CDB's board... read more

Senate panel approves major overhaul of US immigration

(IRISH TIMES)/Photograph: Drew Angerer/The New York Times
WASHINGTON D.C., United States, Wednesday May 22, 2013 -
Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy, left, and Senator Chuck Schumer, centre, shake hands with supporters after the committee approved legislation to overhaul US immigration laws, in Washington, last night... read more

U.S. doctors indicted for federal tax crimes in the Caribbean

United States, Tuesday May 21, 2013, CMC – The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) says a federal grand jury has indicted a married couple for federal tax crimes in the Caribbean. The DOJ said that David Leon Fredrick and his wife Patricia Lynn Hough were indicted for conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by concealing millions of dollars in assets and income in offshore bank accounts at UBS and other foreign banks... read more

Caribbean to dominate global saving - World Bank

WASHINGTON, May 19, CMC – A new World Bank report predicts that in less than a generation, the Caribbean will be among developing countries dominating global saving and investment. The World Bank's Global Development Horizons (GDH) report says that by 2030, half the global stock of capital, totaling US$158 trillion (in 2010 dollars), will reside in the developing world, compared to less than one-third today, with countries in East Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean accounting for the largest shares... read more

Quotable Caribbean

"This is a very exciting development and we are pleased that Seaborne Airlines has taken over the San Juan-Fort-de-France route, allowing convenient connections with major US cities and the Caribbean. This new route, thanks to the interline agreement with American Airlines, will also allow more possibilities for Martinique locals to travel to North America." - Karine Roy-Camille, Tourism Commissioner, Martinique "We applaud JetBlue's decision to begin flights between JFK and Fort Lauderdale to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as of December 2013. This news is welcomed by the Haitian community which has been waiting for the happy day when we can enjoy JetBlue's award-winning service... read more

Copyright infringement warning

NEW YORK, May 16, CMC - The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), has placed Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago on a watch list of countries that have failed to make the adequate copyright payments for U.S. musical compositions aired in the broadcast media. The USTR also decided to retain Jamaica although the country has taken steps to enforce regulations related to copyright payments... read more

Caribbean Airlines records estimated losses of US$70m

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Thursday May 16, 2013, CMC – The state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) recorded losses estimated at US$70 million last year, Finance Minister Larry Howai has said. He told the Senate on Tuesday that the figure does not include the US$40 million in fuel subsidy to the airline even though he insists that the airline remains solvent... read more

BELIZE Government announces investigation into destruction Maya archaeological site

BELMOPAN, Belize, Wednesday May 15, 2013, CMC – The Belize government says it has launched a "vigorous" investigation into the into the circumstances surrounding the near total destruction of the Maya archaeological site known as Noh Mul in northern Belize... read more

T&T Government to disclose financial position of Caribbean Airlines

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Tuesday May 14, 2013, CMC – Finance Minister Larry Howai is expected to detail the financial position of the state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) on Tuesday amid media reports that the airline has had to write off millions of dollars in losses owing to mismanagement and credit card fraud... read more

Haiti lawyers give UN cholera compensation deadline

NEW YORK, United States, May 13, CMC – A United States-based human rights group has given the United Nations 60 days to reach a compensation deal or face a lawsuit from victims of Haiti's cholera epidemic.The United Nations has already indicated that it is immune from legal action over the epidemic that afflicted some half a million people. read more

Dominica issues warning relating to companies seeking to destroy banana industry

ROSEAU, Dominica, May 10, CMC – Dominica has launched a scathing attack on countries and companies seeking to destroy the local banana industry as the European Union launched an EC$54 million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) banana support package to help the island adjust to the new trading arrangements for bananas... read more

US vice president scheduled to visit Trinidad to meet CARICOM leaders

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, May 8, (CMC) – United States Vice President Joe Biden is due here for talks with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders as part of a three-nation tour in May, the Office of the Prime Minister here has said... read more

CARICOM has reiterated the need for an amicable solution to the rum dispute with the United States

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (CMC) - Wednesday May 8, 2013 – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) has reiterated the need for an amicable solution to the rum dispute with the United States... read more