CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC - The main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has expressed concern about the service provided by the regional carrier LIAT. UWP Leader Allen Chastanet says the operations of LIAT are critical to the tourism industry and the overall business market of St Lucia, notwithstanding, the dependency on LIAT for the delivery of professional and efficient service.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Chairman of the Council of LIAT Trade Unions Chester Humphrey has said the board will have a difficult time replacing CEO Ian Brunton and warned LIAT could collapse if re-fleeting is derailed. “There are some crucial issues of survivability which I am assuming at this point is what is taking up everybody’s attention,” said Humphrey. “If the re-fleeting is interrupted and significantly derailed this airline wouldn’t survive,” he added.
NEW YORK, CMC – Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer says the collapse of the Trinidad-based insurance conglomerate, CLICO, and the Stanford Group of companies, has resulted in more than EC$400 million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) “disappearing like a puff of smoke from the economy”. But Spencer told nationals residing in North America over the weekend that Antigua and Barbuda continues to be in “steady and safe hands” under his leadership.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - GUYANA'S Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and other Government officials Thursday night hailed the opening up of a direct route from Jamaica to Guyana by Fly Jamaica airline.
According to Hinds, the route represents an expected growth in tourism and commerce in the South American country.
Hinds commended Fly Jamaica CEO Captain Ronald Reece for being "bold and courageous" to open up the route.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana - JAMAICANS may perhaps be too focused with ongoing internal political problems afflicting both the governing Peoples National Party (PNP) and the opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to reflect on the significant strides being achieved in moving their country out of the long period of depressing social and economic woes.
If an apt comparison could be made to illustrate the changes being pursued for Jamaica’s new path to economic progress and social stability, then Barbados, in the Eastern Caribbean, would easily come to mind.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - HAT BARBADOS HAS a serious health challenge on its hand cannot be denied, downplayed or dismissed. We speak of a spike in the incidence of dengue fever that must be a cause of concern for all of us on the island and indeed visitors to our shores. Our fears are made all the more worrisome by the news that there has been one confirmed death so far this year from the mosquito-borne illness. Part of the problem we now face with an upsurge in the mosquito problem has to do with the persistent showers recorded within recent months.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Jamaican writer Rachel Manley has called on Caribbean governments and Central Banks to engage in visionary economic thinking to benefit the region.
She was at the time delivering the feature address at the 27th Dr Eric Williams Memorial Lecture, at Central Bank auditorium, St Vincent Street, Port of Spain, on Saturday.
Manley now lives in Toronto. Her grandfather, Norman Manley, was the founder of Jamaica’s People’s National Party (PNP) and was one of the leaders of the West Indian Federation.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), of which Jamaica is a member and for which we carry the lead on issues of external relations, has a free-trade agreement with the Dominican Republic.
CARICOM and the Dominican Republic (DR) form CARIFORUM, a vehicle for pursuing certain common interests, including a trade pact with the European Union known as the Economic Partnership Agreement.
We assume, therefore, that the Dominican Republic values, and wants to maintain, its relationship with CARICOM, a grouping of 15, mostly English-speaking Caribbean countries.
NEW YORK, CMC – St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says he plans to intensify efforts in addressing the issue of Reparations for Native Genocide and Slavery when he assumes the chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) early in the new year.
“When I take over the chairmanship of CARICOM in January I hope to get letters to Europe,” Gonsalves, who is here for the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Debate, told a standing-room-only town hall meeting in Brooklyn late Saturday.
Hon. John Rahael Minister of Health of Trinidad and Tobago
Other Honourable Ministers
Honourable Chief Secretary and Other Representatives of the Tobago House of Assembly
Ms Carole Ainstey Manager/Director World Bank
Other Distinguished Guests
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen: