BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Advocate - One of the goals of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic (SJPP) is to make this island the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) destination of choice. This was revealed by Principal, Hector Belle yesterday during the Opening Ceremony of the National Training Workshop in Pattern Design and Garment Construction Techniques at the SJPP.
WASHINGTON, CMC – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the economy of Trinidad and Tobago is poised for a modest recovery in 2013, after disappointing growth in 2012 that was due largely to supply constraints, including maintenance operations in the energy sector and an industrial dispute in the non-energy sector. The IMF is projecting that the real gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 1.5 per cent in 2013, with risks slightly to the downside, should development spending be under-executed.
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is blaming a “lack of discipline” by some members of the regional airline, LIAT, for some of the problems being experienced by travellers in recent months. Speaking on a radio programme here on Monday, Gonsalves, who is chairman of the LIAT shareholder governments, recalled instances over the past few days where the airline had been delayed as a result of non-scheduling circumstances.
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace is calling on the St. Vincent and the Grenadines government to re-think its position on the issue of economic citizenship programme. The Ralph Gonsalves government repealed the citizenship by investment (CIP) programme soon after it came to power in 2001 and Prime Minister Gonsalves has already said he has no intention of following other Caribbean countries in providing the programme that is aimed at luring foreign investors.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Contractors who won a three million EC dollar (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) judgement against the “Mayor and Citizens” of Castries are calling on the St. Lucia government to honour the High Court ruling. Attorney Lydia Fasial said the judgment was granted after the Castries City Council failed to put in a defence within the 28 days as required under the procedures of the High Court. "So on the 28th day I got my default judgement," she told reporters.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – The St. Lucia government Monday denied regional media reports that Police Commissioner Vernon Francois had been sent on leave in the wake of a decision by the United States to bar him from attending a conference in that country. “The attention of the government of St. Lucia has been drawn to a story on the online news site, Caribbean News Now allegedly written by a ‘Caribbean News Now Contributor’.
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, CMC –Police say they have arrested two men following violent attacks on a British Red Cross Mission Chief and his Haitian gay partner while they were organising a ceremony in the capital. Police Inspector in the Petion-Ville district, Patrick Rosarion, told the Haitian website, HCNN, that a mob in the Bourdon area attacked a group of gay individuals on Saturday night while they were attending a betrothal ceremony. "When people in the neighbourhood learned about what was going on, they launched an attack against the house with molotov cocktails and other means.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Guyana government Monday said that the total public debt for Amaila Falls is “zero” and insisted that there has been “considerable confusion” in recent weeks regarding the cost of the multi-million dollar project.
In a statement which the Donald Ramotar government said was aimed at “clearing this confusion” it said Guyanese citizens will pay for Amaila Falls in two ways.
ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – A prominent Dominican businessman Monday said the regional airline, LIAT, is contributing to the damage of fragile economies in the Caribbean through its poor service, especially over the past few weeks.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC– the regional airline, LIAT, Monday warned passengers to brace for more travelling woes this week after one of its new aircraft was grounded “as a result of a technical issue”. In a statement, the airline told passengers that “its operations continue to be affected by numerous challenges throughout its network” and that despite the re-fleeting exercise LIAT continues to operate its scheduled passenger and cargo service and carry out scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on its entire fleet of aircraft including the Dash 8 and new ATR 72.