.

High Court Rules Gerald’s Dismissal Unconstitutional

The High Court in St. Kitts this week returned a mixed judgment in the case of Claude Gerald versus the Governor, The Public Service Commission and the Attorney General of Montserrat. The decision is nevertheless seen as a landmark decision as it is popular felt that there are several situations in General Orders and other laws of Montserrat that are deemed unconstitutional.

Mr. Gerald sued for damages and other remedies after he was transferred as Director of Agriculture to the Ministry of Finance after a controversial speech he made at the 16^th December, 1999 Agricultural Exhibition.

In its mixed ruling, the High Court declared that section of General Orders on which Mr. Gerald’s dismissal was based is unconstitutional. It also ruled, however, that his transfer was not punitive, accepting as valid the argument of the Governor, “the decision was not to punish him. The decision was based on the needs and best interests of the Ministry of Agriculture after the aforesaid event.”

The High Court accepted that the Governor’s discretion in that regard was clear.

Finally it awarded Mr. Gerald costs in the sum of $25,000, to be paid by the Attorney General.
It rejected many other pleadings and redresses sought by Mr. Gerald, including that of his return to his substantive post as Director of Agriculture, and refused to award damages.

At immediate issue was Mr. Gerald’s dismissal under General Orders 311 (iv) of the Montserrat General Orders because “at the opening ceremony of the Agricultural Exhibition you spoke in public, namely in your praise of the Honourable P.A. Bramble and in your failure to address any welcome to or recognition of the newly appointed Honourable Minister of Agriculture (Brunel Meade).”

He was charged with general misconduct contrary to General Order 311(iv) to have spoken on a matter reasonably regarded as of a political or administrative nature, namely the appointment of Mr. Meade in place of Mr. Bramble.

Mr. Gerald was represented by Sydney Christian Q.C. of Antigua, whilst Ann Weekes, Q.C. of the U.K, defended the Crown.

Legal sources close to Mr. Gerald say it is almost certain that Mr. Gerald will tender an appeal to this judgment in the Higher Courts, and in a veiled reference Mr. Gerald himself said, “This matter is not over. Nothing else but total vindication is acceptable.”  

Following Mr.Gerald’s appearance before the Public Service Commission where he was asked to explain his remarks at the exhibition, he eventually wrote a letter of apology, approved by the Commission to the new Minister of Agriculture. But on 18 April, 2000 the Permanent Secretary of Administration wrote to him advising that H.E. the Governor had decided that the interests of the public service required that he be transferred from the Ministry of Agriculture. On June 6 he was advised he had been relieved from his post of Director of Agriculture and appointed to the position of Principal Assistant Secretary a position which reportedly had no work for Mr. Gerald.

Baroness Amos Rebuffs Evacuees’ Letter to Straw

Kelsick & Kelsick, the law firm representing aggrieved evacuees from the exclusion zone expanded by order of Governor Anthony Longrigg last October 7, has received an official response from Baroness Amos to their petition of complaint sent to Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on March 7.

The letter, dated April 28 and signed by the Baroness’ personal secretary, assures the complainants that “the petition has been considered carefully by Baroness Amos as Minister responsible for the Overseas Territories.” It says the Baroness “understands that their sudden evacuation and continued exclusion from their homes must be distressing for the residents concerned,” before adding, “(b)ut she fully supports the Governor’s position.”

The letter asserts that “(t)he Governor took the decision to extend the Exclusion Zone only after careful consideration of the scientific advice and in consultation with the Chief Minister and other members of the Government of Montserrat.  They are fully aware of the implications for individuals and Montserrat’s economy.  However, safety of life must be paramount, and the Government of Montserrat must be guided by the scientific assessments of the volcanic threat.  At present this continues to grow.”

The letter cites the January special risk assessment which said that “ ‘as long as there is a substantial mass of new dome material perched above the NW flanks of the volcano, the danger of a very sizable and energetic collapse entering the Belham Valley will persist and areas in the vicinity remain exposed to a substantial volcanic threat.’  These are views not only of the MVO but also an internationally respected panel of scientists.  It is unreasonable to ask the Government of Montserrat to ignore them.”

The letter dismisses the evacuees’ proposals to sign waivers to release government from any liability.  “Such waivers of liability,” it says, “would not be appropriate where there is such a grave risk of loss of life.  Nor is it possible to ensure that if you return, you could be given adequate warning of danger.  Large pyroclastic flows can occur without warning.  On past experience they could reach Belham area within three minutes.”

In a phrase immediately challenged by some of the petitioners, the Baroness’ representative writes,  “I understand that the Governor would have been prepared to meet with you to discuss this issue before his departure to London for the annual Governors’ conference but this was inhibited by your decision to seek judicial review.  The Governor is still happy to meet you on his return to Montserrat in early May, but as the judicial review will not have been heard, any discussion may be constrained.  If you wish, however, to arrange a meeting, you should contact his office.  Baroness Amos has asked him to keep her fully updated.”

Meanwhile as the Belham Valley and surrounding areas evacuees ponder their next move they wait the hearing of their legal petition before the court to have the Governor’s Evacuation Order reversed and hope to get compensation for their expenses.

Sewage Effluent Addressed On Carrs Bay Beach Anger

There is a growing concern among the residents of the Carrs Bay Beach area, that effluent from the Davy Hill Sewage Treatment Plant, which empties via a pipeline onto the Carrs Bay beach then into the sea, is creating a potentially dangerous health hazard.

Speaking to The Montserrat Reporter, visibly angry residents said the situation had become unbearable, and it was not until MP Chedmond Browne brought up the issue and demanded answers, in the House at the last Legislative Council meeting on April 22^nd that the Government took immediate action to clean the mess.

When the Davy Hill Sewage Treatment Plant was built around 1997-98, Montserrat was considered to be in a state of emergency, and it was agreed by the Montserrat Water Authority (MWA), that the emptying of effluent from this sewage plant through the pipeline into the sea, would be temporary, and would cease after a year of its establishment. By that time an alternative method of disposing of effluent was to be employed.

However, after nearly five years this temporary measure is still in place.

The residents reported that last week workers from Eddie’s Construction went to the beach where they scraped up the effluent and buried it in a hole nearby, after which they cut a drain to allow the water to flow freely to the sea, thus reducing the build up of effluent deposit on the beachfront.

Many residents feel that this temporary measure does not remedy the situation, but rather worsens it, as many children bathe and swim in the water, and the likelihood of their picking up terrible skin diseases is great.

Meanwhile Emile Duberry, manager of the MWA, told The Montserrat Reporter, “as of Tuesday, April 29, the situation was under control and it is expected that it will be fully remedied in the near future.”

He explained that a polishing pond, constructed in the year 2000-01, would be used to further treat the effluent from the sewage plant, after which the discharge from the pond will be used for irrigation purposes.

Mr. Duberry said the pond has never been used as the pumps and irrigation systems were not yet in place, mainly because of the lack of funds. Now that they are, he said, the effluent would be transferred from the sewage plant directly to the pond.

He pointed out that an orchard is currently being cultivated, at Davy Hill next to the pond, and will utilize effluent from the pond, therefore minimizing the flow to the beach, by which time the effluent would be at 90 percent bacteria free.

Mr. Duberry said that from May 8^th, they would be adding chlorine directly to the sewage plant to further eliminate the bacteria and provide a better quality of effluent that would also be environmental friendly.

EDITORIAL

"Recovery Followed Past Hard Times; Our New-Start Opportunity is Fading"

Back in the 1980s there were those of us who are old enough to remember that while some were calling it the good times, there was a falseness to it all. Today there is little pretense that even those foundationless times indeed were not the stark contrast to what we are experiencing.

Nearly everyone living in Montserrat today is doing so with some hope or dream -- or just existing -- figuring it is the simpler way on out. Yes, that is perhaps the second statement so far that will cause frowns and raised eyebrows. But let’s concede that although the first statement, at least if taken at face value, seems wrong, simple analysis would prove it right. In the first place, whatever good there was from seeds of 15 years ago, one seemingly small economic fact will remind us of the difference: remittances, mainly from north America, and to a lesser degree elsewhere.

The people who came to Montserrat to join the workforce came with their families or started one here. They were not reversing the remittance treasure. Today some of those families are still here sticking it out good, bad or indifferent; take a look at the police force, leading contractors, some still in the business, others specializing in other areas.

The off-shore business, which began about 1978, was supposed to be a gold mine. But it was never very publicly said that one of the reasons the British government stepped in and shut it down, destroying it, was not only because of the lack of good management of this lucrative revenue earner, the treasury made less than a few individuals well off, with the rest struggling to get a bit of the dregs.

The earnings from construction at the time were different and much more significant than today. Almost every home that was built not only brought money in from the outside, but foreign currency as well. Today there are times you can go to the bank and cannot buy U.S. dollars; you can get a draft perhaps, but not cash. Now the only money coming in is the British aid money, which guarantees the civil servants their salaries and wages, while it corrupts the system and is ineffective to the economy.  And to those who suck their teeth and frown, answer this question. Why is it that every government official, civil servant and most businessmen would say, “We are doomed, things bad, the economy dead.”?

When the British government brought a halt to the off-shore business in 1989, placing it under the direct management and control of the Governor, at the same time rolling back the Constitution although we were reeling from the ravages of the disastrous hurricane Hugo, our economy suffered a severe set back. But by 1995, when the recovery seemed to have taken hold, the tragic volcanic crisis created a catastrophe for the economy.

Some preachers said that it was the hand of God, that because of our sins God was sending us a message. Of course it was the hand of God, since Christians do believe that God controls nature. But it could not be punishment for our sins. The same preacher will tell you in other circumstances that those comments are coming from the minds of men since “God’s ways are not like the ways of men.”

One thing is still certain; that Montserrat, because of the natural forces of the Soufirere Hills volcano, found itself in the unique position of being able to start fresh. That was just over five years after hurricane Hugo, and the island had begun to feel the effects of a recovery. Now it will soon be eight years since the advent of the tragic volcanic crisis and the opportunity to start fresh, yet we degrade our people into beggars instead of actively encouraging the British to use the aid to honestly get an economy going. When are we going to learn that it is we who must take the initiative and dare to teach the British how to use their aid money developmentally.

They are giving plenty aid to build prisons and fire stations, and even police stations that we do not need, while players here strategically position the chosen-five (and not include the ministers in this count) to prey in seclusion and suppression.

If the balance of the Montserrat Chamber of Commerce, the civil servants, those who will suffer from the move over to Social Security scheme, and those dreamers and hopefuls do not take note and do something, there will not be any people and a Montserrat left to warrant a civil service. So civil servants better take note. It could be very surprising how quickly three years can creep on you.

We should congratulate the people who are planning the memorial fund for a monument in honour of the 19 persons who tragically died directly from the volcano. We must warn, however, that they will also be challenged to continue the work that has already begun, to get government to honour its obligations, particularly after the results of the inquest into the 19 deaths, and compensate the families of those lost.

SCRIPTURE VERSE THIS WEEK

New Opportunities- Read Acts 16:1-10

We immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. - Acts 16:10 (NSRV)

For years I had been the Lord’s servant and witness as an ordained minister in a wide area. Then I moved to housing for senior citizens, and the door to former opportunities closed. As I knelt by my bed each night to pray, I asked God to open some door where I could serve Christ. The answer I received was not dramatic as Paul’s vision to come to Macedonia, but it was prompt and sure.

Week after week in my new residence, people needed help and Christian counsel. Since there was no provision for this need, they began coming to me. New doors opened day after day. Now on some special days, many of us gather for worship in response to our renewed awareness of God’s presence with us.

Residents here are also discovering the ties that join all Christians. The door has opened for me to serve the Lord in a new location, among new people, with a fresh word of Christian hope. The Lord has guided me to new opportunities, and I give thanks daily for the chance to continue in God’s work.

Prayer: All-wise God, your guidance turns the trails of life into opportunities. Lead us in sharing the wonder of your love and the grandeur of your grace. Amen.

Thought for the Day: If we ask, God will open doors to ministry. –Robert W. Schumm (Illinois)

Prayer Focus: Those Adjusting to New Surroundings

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

However You Read It, It’s FCO Balderdash

Dear Editor,

If Baroness Amos really believes that the only impediment to Governor Longrigg’s readiness to discuss evacuees’ grievances is their legal action against him, how do you suppose he explained why their letter of complaint to Jack Straw wasn’t dated and sent until March 7, six months after the “temporary” evacuation was ordered?

J. Donald Brandt

Foxes Bay 1, Woodlands 2,

Old Towne 3, Woodlands 4

Response to Letter placed by E. H. Dryson

 Dear Editor,

We would like to thank you for publishing Mr. Dryson’s letter in the Montserrat Reporter of 11^th April, 2003. 

As you are aware, Cable and Wireless is committed to providing the best quality service to its customers in Montserrat.  When customers share their queries and concerns with us, it provides us with the opportunity to either improve our service even further or to clear up any misunderstandings or misconceptions that our customers may have. 

I would like to highlight what I see as the concerns raised by Mr. Dryson and respond to each in turn:

1.                Cable and Wireless’ inability to disconnect customers at a preset credit limit.

2.                Customer control of telephone usage.

3.                Cost of long distance service.

4.                Customer Service.

5.                Operating License.

Cable and Wireless has always informed customers that the management of ‘Credit Limits’ is a manual process and further advises customers that it is not a fool-proof system and, sometimes, disconnection will not occur at the stated amount.  However, we are pleased to advise that this problem will soon be alleviated, as we will offer a new service called Over the Credit Limit Application.  This service will provide for the international service of a customer to be suspended when they reach a pre-determined Credit Limit set by our credit control department in discussion the customer.  Customers will then be notified via our Interactive Voice Response System that they are approaching their credit limit and what their recommended course of action should be.

In any event Cable and Wireless as a Service Provider cannot be responsible for controlling the telephone usage for customers.  This is the sole responsibility of the customer in whose name the service has been provided.  Having said that, it is not in the best interests of our customers or Cable and Wireless to have customers incur bills that they are not in a position to pay.  Therefore we do have mechanisms in place to help minimize this risk and reduce exposure for both parties. Customers can :

1.                Dial 311, our Dial-a-Balance platform and type in their twelve-digit account number found at the top right-hand corner on the first page of the telephone bill.

2.                Call toll-free 211, press the menu choice “1” and speak directly with our local Customer Services Department.

3.                Call toll free 1-800-804-2994 press menu choice “1” and enter their 12 digit account number identified above and speak with an agent at our Regional Contact Centre.

As regards the cost of international calling, since 1999 Cable and Wireless has been providing opportunities for customers to reduce their expenditure on international calls.  These reductions are offered in an environment where the costs of all other services and commodities are increasing. In fact customers can now make calls to the UK and USA for less than $1.00US per minute.

Mr. Dryson also voiced some concern about Customer Service.  Twice every year, Cable and Wireless West Indies conducts it “Voice of the Customer Survey,”: in an effort to hear and answer to our customers’ key needs and concerns.  Cable and Wireless Montserrat has been rated by our customers as providing the highest level of customer service in the region as indicated by one of our most recent Voice of the Customer surveys carried out in 12 islands where Cable and Wireless operates.

Finally, I would like to respond to the concern about our operating licence (monopoly).  Cable and Wireless Montserrat provides national and international telephone service to the Government and people of Montserrat under the auspices of the Operating License granted by the Government of Montserrat.  We are aware of these obligations, take them very seriously and try to meet or surpass these obligations in every way.  As a result, even though our customer base and revenues have been significantly eroded due to the ongoing volcanic crisis, Montserrat has been able to enjoy world-class telecommunications services at very reasonable costs due to the relationship between Cable and Wireless Montserrat and the Cable and Wireless group as a whole.  This, I am sure you would agree, is a demonstration of our commitment to the Government and people of Montserrat.

I would like to end by stating that Cable and Wireless is committed to operating in the Caribbean including Montserrat for the long term.  We will endeavour to continue to provide our customers with the best possible products, services and customer care, well into the foreseeable future, even as the environment in which we operate regionally and locally continues to change.

Yours sincerely

Joseph Cassell

Major Accounts Executive

Virginia Reader Sends Warning on Lotteries

Dear Editor,
I enjoyed your April 4th edition.  As a past visitor to your island, I continue to access The Montserrat Reporter via the web to get the latest news on the local economy, local events, the progress on rebuilding and, of course, the volcano.  I have several comments and observations.
First, I do not know the facts about having a lottery, but Montserrat does NOT want one.  A lottery impacts those persons at the lower end of the pay scale.  They will spend the little money they have on the prospect of being rich.  It does not happen.  They will not get rich.  In the states of Virginia and Maryland (USA), lower income people expend their much needed income on a game of chance.  Once spent, they are unable to pay for housing, food and day-to-day basic needs.  It DOES NOT WORK. 
Secondly, I am appalled at Marion F. Hale of Memphis, Tennessee, using The Montserrat Reporter, to voice his antiwar rhetoric.  I would think he could find a local Memphis publication to spew his uninformed opinions.  Montserrat has enough problems already. I am thankful for our relationship with Great Britain and our ability to support each other to address various world issues.  Mr. Hale also appears to be one of the 99 percent of Americans that he ridicules for having limited English skills.  The majority (98 percent) of those Americans are from Tennessee. He could use his time more wisely by taking some grammar courses at a local community college.
And lastly, I am so glad the people of Montserrat are taking steps to rebuild a beautiful island.  I only wish the government would allow homeowners to reoccupy or at least maintain their property in some of the exclusion areas.  The government is only allowing those towns and homes to become ghettos.  They may well be part of the future of Montserrat.
May God look down on Montserrat with his grace.  God Bless Montserrat, Great Britain and America.
 

Randall M. Grottke
Fairfax, Virginia

Sir Howard Says More On Speaker’s Citation

Dear Editor,

Please publish this note, which is a minor variation on a matter raised in the article in your last edition, entitled “Speaker’s Vote on Penal Code Passage Draws New Heavy Fire.”

To say I would rule or decide or proceed differently is not really a criticism of the Speaker on procedure. Speakers do interpret rules differently and in fact they sometimes create precedent. Some of the rules we now follow in the Erskine May book evolved in this way.

Actually, Mr. Speaker Meade cited the correct section in Erskine May, in my view.

In reality, the Speaker was placed in a very difficult circumstance. The Bill before the House was not open to a free vote. It was apparently an important Government policy bill. If as usual the government went into the House assured of the majority vote, Mr. Speaker would not have had this very rare situation to deal with. These are lessons in the episode for many of us to learn.

Sincerely

Howard Fergus.

Reader Offers Example For Honours Nominees

Dear Editor,

The time is coming around again for our nomination process of locals for British Honours so I thought a brief synopsis of an article in the Sunday Times of June 30, 2002, might be helpful.

“Asian pop musician turns down MBE from ‘colonialist’ Britain.”

“A leading Asian pop musician has turned down an MBE because he believes the award is associated with the “exploitation” of subjects under the former British Empire.

“John Pandit, a member of Asian Dub Foundation (ADF), was nominated  ‘for services to the music industry’ in the Queen’s birthday honours. . . .

“Last week Pandit, 39, revealed that one of the reasons why he had rejected the MBE was because of its colonial connotations. Pandit, a DJ and a sampler who performs under the stage name Pandit G, said “ My black and Asian friends said I would be mad to turn it down, but I told them, ‘How would you feel if it was your name with the words member of the British Empire after it?’ . . .

“As the son of an Indian father and an Irish mother, Pandit argued that ancestors on both sides of the family had suffered under British rule. ‘There are people out there who deserve recognition and I don’t want to belittle their achievements, but I think there needs to be more appropriate alternative to the existing honours system, which is archaic and shrouded in secrecy,’ he said.”

Jon Bradis

Oriole Researcher Responds To Dr. Wolf Krebs’ Letter

Dear Dr Krebs,

Thank you for your letter regarding the Montserrat oriole research and conservation project. This species, which is considered “critically threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (The World Conservation Union), is found only on Montserrat, and is the subject of a collaborative project between the Montserrat Forestry Department (Ministry of Agriculture), the Montserrat National Trust and RSPB. The work was prompted by a very serious decline in oriole numbers that occurred subsequent to the main volcanic eruptions. If the rate at which the species declined between 1997 and 2000 were maintained it could risk total extinction within just a few years. The current project aims to identify the causes of this decline, and to test practical measures that could prevent the loss of such a unique component of the island’s – and the world’s - biodiversity.

The results from very detailed monitoring have shown clearly that the oriole's breeding productivity is distinctly low compared to similar species and that rats are a principle cause of this low productivity. Nest micro-cameras, and detailed observations of study pairs make this conclusion unequivocal. Given these results, we are now attempting to develop practical emergency measures to prevent extinction; one such measure involves using rat poison to control rats around oriole nests. Although we accept that rats have probably been established on Montserrat for a long time, they are an introduced rather than a native species and, with the added complexity of the volcanic eruption, it is highly likely that rat populations are contributing to the orioles’ decline. Our observations have shown that rat populations increased greatly from 1999 to 2001.

Rat control is now a widespread feature of conservation programs on many islands around the world, because of their predatory effect on much island wildlife. Prior to initiating this experiment, we consulted widely with relevant experts, to gather information on potential risks to non-target animals.

We are highly sensitive to the dangers of using any toxic substance in the environment. With this in mind, we have planned a small-scale test of the control method, to see if this will make a real difference to the orioles themselves, without causing any harm to the wider forest environment. In practice, only a tiny proportion of the Centre Hills area will be affected. We have taken every precaution with the selection of the poison baits, the design of the bait stations, and the selection of study sites. In addition, we are also monitoring other species in the area to check for any adverse effects on them; should any be detected, our methods would be adapted or curtailed accordingly. Our Research Biologist and the Forestry Department would be happy to show you, and anyone else interested, how the trial is being undertaken in practice.

We are very conscious that the oriole is not the only important species on Montserrat. A detailed program of wildlife monitoring by the Forestry Department, supported by RSPB and others, has shown that other bird species in Montserrat’s Centre Hills have not declined significantly since 1997, and indeed some are increasing. There is, however, good evidence that rats are significant predators of two other species for which Montserrat holds a large proportion of their global population, the forest thrush and mountain chicken.

Ultimately, the RSPB can only suggest conservation measures that we believe in good faith could assist Montserrat to conserve its unique biodiversity. It is then for the Department of Agriculture, our project partner to decide on any implementation of such recommendations.

We do take your concerns seriously, and it is only after much deliberation that we have considered these measures to be worth testing. We are more than happy to give further details on request.

Yours sincerely

Dr Mark Avery

Director, Conservation

RSPB

LOCAL NEWS

Hurricane Awareness Campaign Under Way

A release from the Government Information Unit (GIU) reports that one month before the official start of the 2003 Atlantic Hurricane season, Emergency Department officials are planning to step up their public awareness campaign.

Officials have already had a meeting with the District Committee chairpersons and another is being planned later this month.

The Department is currently preparing to host a major conference of regional emergency and disaster preparedness officials on May 11-16.

The Atlantic Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30.

According to the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR),  during the past decades, the world has experienced a significant increase in human and economic losses caused by so-called natural disasters.

In the last decade, according to the ISDR, 4,777 disasters caused by natural hazards took more than 880,000 lives, affected homes, health and livelihoods of 1.88 billion people and inflicted economic losses of around US$685 billion on the world's economies.

The 2003 Atlantic Hurricane names are; Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Erika, Fabian, Grace, Henri, Isabel, Juan, Kate, Larry, Mindy, Nicholas, Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, Teresa, Victor and Wanda.   

Volcano Memorial to 19 Lost Being Considered by Committee

A voluntary committee is canvassing public support for the establishment of a national memorial to the 19 persons who died in the volcanic eruptions in June 1997, the Government Information Unit (GIU) has reported.

The committee, which has chosen not yet to be become public, has started work on the setting up of a Memorial Fund by opening an account at the Bank of Montserrat.

Their initial aim is to raise EC$50,000 for the Fund.

The GUI said that letters are being sent out to Montserratians and friends of Montserrat at home and abroad, through the various Montserrat Associations in the United Kingdom and North America.

The committee said, “they are 'very sensitive' about the feelings of the families who lost their loved ones in the eruption just under six years ago.”

They said they are seeking the involvement of the entire community in deciding on a suitable memorial, and will shortly be launching a news conference to discuss and receive feedback on the issue, as they “believe all Montserratians should have an input in what is truly a national issue.”

At least three family members who lost relatives due to the volcanic eruptions have been invited to be part of the voluntary committee.

A news conference is planned for May 14 to officially launch the Memorial Fund in Montserrat. 

Montserrat Nurses Plan Week-long Celebration

Under the theme, “A Friendly Smile, a Warm Embrace, a Gentle Touch, Nursing means so much,” local nurses will have a week-long Nurses Week celebration, beginning Sunday May 11.

Nurses Week will begin with a Church Service on Sunday at the St. John’s Anglican Church at 9:00 a.m..

Activities throughout the week include a radio message by Miss Roselyn Tuitt, President of the Montserrat Nurses Association, an exhibition at the St. John’s Health Centre and Mental Health Department, the annual general meeting, “Buy your favorite nurse a flower,” blood sugar screening, a concert by the nurses, and daily educational radio spots. 

Fishermen’s Tournament On Labor Day Monday

Come Labour Day on Monday, there will be lots of action at the Little Bay beach, when the local fishermen take to the seas to participate in the annual fishermen’s tournament.

Bruce Farara, President of the Montserrat Fishermen Cooperative Society, told The Montserrat Reporter at least 18 local fishermen are expected to compete.

He explained that the competition begins with the fishermen leaving the Port Authority Pier at 5:30 a.m. Monday morning and they have to be back at Little Bay beach, (the section in front of the Festival Village) no later than 3:30 p.m. the same afternoon.

Weighing in of fish and the judging of the competition takes place in Festival Village.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the first- and second- place winners for catching the heaviest of each of the fish species; the marlin, Wahoo, kingfish, tuna, mackerel, dolphin, bream, silk, grouper and shark.

Mr. Farara is encouraging all competitors to practice safety at sea.

The annual fishermen’s competition began in the 1980s and used to be a two-day tournament, with both local and overseas fishermen competing, but due to the volcanic eruptions in the mid 1990s it was stopped.

The competition restarted, however, in 2001, this time with local fishermen competing.

Mr. Farara said they hope to include the overseas fishermen in future tournaments.

Culture Coordinator Francis Sees Venues for Carifesta VIII

Herman 'Cupid' Francis, Montserrat's Coordinator of Culture, was the island's lone representative at the eighth meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) held in Paramaribo, Suriname on April 24-25.

Reporting on his trip, Mr. Francis told the GIU that it was a good opportunity to see the venues that will be used during the Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta) in August this year.

Delegates at the recent COHSOD meeting recognized that Carifesta VIII offered an excellent opportunity for the region not only to showcase its creative talents, but also to demonstrate the economic value of its cultural products.

"The organizers in Suriname are enthusiastic about hosting the event," said Mr. Francis, a former school teacher and one of Montserrat's veteran calypsonians.

He said that a small committee was set up recently to begin preparations for Carifesta VIII and that at a meeting next week the composition of the island's delegation will be decided.

While he could not say how many people will be in the delegation, the Cultural Coordinator confirmed that Montserrat will definitely be represented in Paramaribo.

Participants at the COHSOD meeting agreed that there is need for a comprehensive regional programme to support cultural industries in the Caribbean.

COHSOD also noted that the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) cultural centers in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic had completed two years of operations and that the CARIFORUM Foundation for Culture and the Arts had been established with support from the European Union and the Ford Foundation. 

Play Readers Donate $900 To Special Needs Class

Mrs. Dorothy Burbank, Director of the Montserrat Play Readers group, donated an EC$900 cheque to the Special Needs Class in Brades, which will help in the funding of the Special Olympics group.

The Play Readers group started in the 1980’s but was suspended during the volcanic crises, then restarted in 1999.

Due to the closure of the Grand Vue Hotel the group was forced to relocate their show to private homes.

Mrs. Burbank said, “Since our existence we have donated to various organizations and groups, which include the St. Augustine Primary School, the National Trust, and Montserrat Animal Protection (MAPS), and since we were not able to give donations for the last two years, we have a little extra to donate this year, so we decided to give the money to the Special Need Class.”

Mrs. Tammy Foote, a United Nations volunteer and occupational therapist, said, “The money will help to fund the local Special Olympics athletes, who are expected to participate in the upcoming Special Olympics meet to be held in St. Kitts and Nevis on 16-17 May.

The athletes will also benefit from a full visual assessment by doctors associated with the “Healthy Athlete" Special Olympics initiative.

The group will also be hosting a fund-raising drive; starting this week as Special Olympics athletes prepare to attend the invitational games in St. Kitts.

The funds will be used to cover traveling expenses, uniforms and food for the athletes participating in St. Kitts,” Mrs. Foote said.

Special Olympics week will be celebrated from 11th to 17th May, so the games will be the climax to the activities scheduled for that week.

Montserrat labour leader highlights meaning of Labour Day

Montserrat, CMC - As the Caribbean joins the international community in celebrating International Labour Day, a Montserratian trade union leader believes it is important to highlight the real meaning of the day set aside for workers.
The General Secretary of the Montserrat Allied Workers Union (MAWU), Hylroy Bramble, says in Montserrat the significance of Labour Day has been somewhat overshadowed in recent years and is not even recognised.
"To many it is just another holiday for fun and frolic or two days pay to some if they have to work," according to Bramble.
He urged workers in Montserrat to "come to grips with reality and understand that the fun and frolic, which they now enjoy, the double time they get when they work on Labour Day, all came out of a struggle".
He noted that in the struggle working men and women lost their lives fighting for recognition and the preservation of workers rights.
"Therefore what we should be celebrating today is a remarkable act of courage, which began in Montserrat when Bob Griffith and William Bramble brought workers together seeking to rid this country of the system of plantocracy and improve their living and working conditions," said Bramble in his Labour Day message to be broadcast on Radio Montserrat on Monday May 5 - a public holiday here in observance of Labour Day.
Some Caribbean islands observe Labour Day traditionally on May 1, while others have opted to choose the first Monday in the month of May for the public holiday.
According to the MAWU General Secretary the road to Labour Day has been a long and arduous one but "we cannot become complacent for the battle is far from won".
"In fact it is apparent that in today's globalised world the struggle for workers rights, better living and working conditions is high on the list of immediate priorities of the labor movement," he added.
Bramble believes that a lot can be achieved when workers are united and they stand together in solidarity.
"We need to take a united stand if we want to see a minimum wage put in place here. The social safety nets in this country of economic fragility will deteriorate if workers don't fight for their rights. Maternity protection falls short of international standards. Therefore the struggle to protect pregnant working women must continue," Bramble noted in a copy of his speech made available on Thursday.
He also pointed that security of employment was under threat worldwide.
"There are governments now who are offering foreign investors as part of incentive packages, union free workplaces where the workers in these workplaces are excluded from even the minimum provisions of the law," Bramble said.

CM Osborne, Claude Hogan Leave for 2 Weeks of Talks

Chief Minister John Osborne and Geralds Airport Project Manager Claude Hogan left the island Tuesday for the United Kingdom.

During their visit to London, Chief Minister Osborne and Mr. Hogan will be involved in a series of talks with high-level British officials, including Secretary of State for International Development Clare Short.  The prioritizing of some projects for the island and their financing will dominate the deliberations between the Chief Minister and the UK Secretary of State.

The Montserrat leader will also meet with officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) including the Minister with responsibilities for Britain’s Caribbean Overseas Territories, Baroness Amos.

The Chief Minister’s agenda also includes meetings with the UK-based Halcrow Group about the airport development project at Geralds.

According to Mr. Hogan, he will be talking to Department for International Development (DFID) officials about the main tender documents for the construction of the runway at Geralds. Work has started on the construction of the new terminal building.

Mr. Hogan told the Government Information Unit (GIU) that the tender evaluation period will run from May 7-23.   He said they will be conducting administrative appraisals, including the competency of the eventual contractor to perform the work required.

Both Montserrat and British officials have said that the airport at Geralds should be completed by August/September 2004.

DFID has confirmed EC$192 million in funding for Montserrat between 2003-2006, according to the Aide Memoire which sets out the agreement between Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) of the United Kingdom and the Government of Montserrat.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Osborne has planned a series of meetings to Montserratians in Britain about developments at home.

He is due back towards the middle of May.

Island Prepares for Visit Of Torch of Unity May 8

Sports Officer Fitzroy Buffonge and senior officials in the Office of the Chief Minister are making final preparations for the CARICOM Torch of Unity Run on Montserrat on Thursday May 8.

According to Mr. Buffonge, the Torch will arrive from Antigua on the helicopter at Geralds on the morning of May 8.  It will then be taken by five runners en route to the Government Headquaters in Brades.

Mr. Buffonge said that a brief ceremony will be held at Government Headquarters and will include an address focusing on Caribbean integration by the acting Chief Minister Mrs. Margaret Dyer-Howe.

Chief Minister John Osborne left the island Tuesday on an official visit to London for talks with senior United Kingdom officials. He is expected to be out of office for at least two weeks.

The ceremony for the CARICOM Torch Unity Run will also feature a poem by a student and a steel pan rendition.

The route for the run follows:  Heliport to the Gas Station in Sweeneys, Gas Station to Silane’s Grocery in Davy Hill,  Silane’s Grocery to Carrs Bay,  Carrs Bay to Government Headquarters.

According to officials, the Torch will be presented to the Acting Chief Minister by a child from the Special Needs Unit – who will do the final leg of the run.

The CARICOM Torch of Unity will leave Montserrat on the ferry on May 9 bound for Anguilla.  Since the torch was lit in Trinidad and Tobago on February 14, 2003, by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, it has successively toured Suriname, Guyana, Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis.

 It will be handed to the incoming CARICOM Chairman P.J. Patterson, Prime Minister of Jamaica, at the Heads of Government meeting scheduled for Montego Bay, Jamaica in July.

Montserrat Blazers Tell Of Antigua League Play

The newly formed Montserrat Blazers Women's Basketball Team traveled to Antigua last weekend, as guests of the Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association (ABBA), to witness and take part in the (ABBA) league.

During their stay, the team took part in coaching sessions, participated in the league, and observes the ABBA in action.

The team included four students from the Montserrat Secondary School (MSS); Janelle White, Nadea Lee, Naseka Carty and Rudine Tonge.

Other team members are: Rona Greenaway (captain) Natasha Browne-Pantilitz (vice-captain), Danelda Henry, Maxine Lee, Marsha Meade, Sharon Charles, Roselle Osborne, Lauraine Bramble, Anita Gordon, Vicki Stevenson, Rachel Logun O’brien and Rachel Collis (coach).

Team captain Greenaway said, “It was a good experience for me and the rest of the team, especially the four juniors, to be a part of the league; we were very excited to see so many other females with interest in the game.

“We even had the opportunity to compete against two of the teams in the league, Sipper and Eagles from Antigua, and witnessed other teams compete against each other, and I can truly say that we performed well considering our late start, but there is still more room for practice” 

“We are looking forward to visiting and the visits of other teams.” 

Two Montserrat Officials At Jamaica Trade Workshop

Angela Greenaway, Director of the Development Unit, and Jacqueline Yearwood, Development Officer represented Montserrat is being at a regional workshop on the Relationship between Trade and Investment on Monday and Tuesday of this week in Jamaica.

Delegates at the meeting looked specifically at the implications of a closer multilateral cooperation in the area of long-term cross-border investment, particularly foreign direct investment.

The workshop was organized for the Caribbean countries jointly by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Institute for the Integration of Latin America and the Caribbean (INTAL) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), in collaboration with the UNCTAD Secretariat, the Caricom Secretariat and the Government of Jamaica.

It is a follow up to a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the IADB and WTO in February 2002.

This Memorandum included an agreement to set up and manage a joint technical assistance programme for participants from Latin American and Caribbean countries, taking into account the priority needs of the countries in the sub-region in accordance with the Doha Development Agenda.

Male Students’ Concerns Heard at MSS Exchange

Due to concerns raised by teachers for the male students in the Montserrat Secondary School (MSS), a special meeting was held last Friday for male students with special invitees Eugene Skerritt, Permanent Secretary, and Superintendent Steve Foster.

Mr. Skerritt and Mr. Foster were asked to address the problems indicated by teachers with the hope that they would somehow make an impact on the students’ outlook on life change their behavior.

Some of the topics highlighted in the meeting were discipline, absence in class, conduct in and out of school, and the school dress code.

Mr. Skerritt said, “I explained to the students the need for discipline, especially self discipline; setting positive goals and being the best that you can be in what you do.”

He went on to say, “We explained the consequences of their negative action, (and) Mr. Foster outlined the legal complications involved in their action.

“We not only discussed these problems, but we also allowed the students to take part in the discussion, sharing their views and their opinion on the claims made by the teachers,” he said.

Many of the students made suggestions to what they would like to see done in the school. Among the suggestions were; school should commence at a later time; the lunch hour should be extended; the need for lockers; the school must be closed down when there is an ash fall; the need for more computers; wearing jeans once a week and electing their own prefects,” he said.

One of the students said, “The meeting was very informative and caused me to look at some of my actions, and how they affected me and those around me.”

New Shamrock Rescues 2 Dominican Yachtsmen

Police from the Marine Division of the Royal Montserrat Police Force (RMPF) rescued two Dominican seafarers, Anthony Acki and Bernard Ignatius, who were traveling in a 26-ft, 4-on yacht, on the evening of the 24^th April, about 12 miles off Plymouth.

Sergeant Joseph Chambers, who led the rescue operation, told The Montserrat Reporter that the men radioed the Port Authority for assistance at about 6:15 p.m after which the Marine Division responded in the newly acquired Shamrock.

According to Sgt. Chambers, the men said they were returning to Dominica after having left Sint Maarten, where they went to repair one of their boat engines.

He explained that they had just passed the uninhabited rock island of Redonda when one of their engines cranked out, after which they began using a 15-hp outboard engine, which ran out of fuel as they were passing Plymouth.

He said when the Port Authority got the call, the men said they were about five to six miles away from Plymouth, and by the time the Marine Police reached them about 7:00 p.m. they had drifted another few miles.

Sgt. Chambers said it took two hours to bring the men and their boat ashore to Port Little Bay.

The men declined to comment on the incident before leaving last Friday evening for Dominica.

OECS Chairman Osborne Seeks New Economic Union

Montserrat Chief Minister Minister John Osborne, new OECS Chairman, told the OECS Heads of Government meeting in Antigua last weekend that an OECS Economic Union is “our firm and lasting hope for survival as a people,” and added, “this solution has been with us for decades.”

Calls for the urgency of such as Union among the smaller territories in the wider Caribbean Community (Caricom) region have also been echoed by Prime Ministers Lester Bird of Antigua and Barbuda and Dr. Denzil Douglas St. Kitts and Nevis.

Chief Minister Osborne put forward a number of recommendations for progress:

1. We have to take decisive measures to ratify at the national level all outstanding legislation which will move us towards an OECS Economic Union.

2. We must explore ways to maintain the strength of the EC dollar. We should re-encourage Barbados to fully participate in the OECS Economic space and so further strengthen our sub regional economy.

3. Caribbean people everywhere must be encouraged to buy Caribbean.

4. Food Security is of utmost importance to this region and the countries of the Caribbean must be in a position to feed themselves.

5. Our tourism and hotel services should be encouraged, if not mandated, to develop linkages with our agricultural sector.

6. We must expand institutions that promote our culture as an economic asset that contribute to the lives of a vast number of our people.

7. As leaders we must reduce the level of duplication of committees at the OECS and Caricom levels and place emphasis on technology which can reduce significantly the number of meetings.

8. We need to improve inter island transportation as a means of developing intra regional trade.

9. Our people have to be provided with the opportunity to learn and adapt with ease to new computer technologies in this digital age. We should set the year 2005 as the target date for each household to have access to computers.

World Press Freedom Day Celebrated in Jamaica

Over 150 delegates from countries around the world are expected in the island for the World Press Freedom Day Conference, to be held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston from May 2 to 3.

Conducted in English, French and Spanish, the Conference will see the participation of a number of Caribbean delegates, including officials from Jamaica, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Montserrat and Anguilla.

 The prestigious international gathering will also see delegates from the nearby Central American nation of Ecuador, the far away north European country of the Netherlands, while delegates from the Kabul, Afghanistan; Madras in India; Bogota, Columbia and Washington DC in the United States, are also expected to attend. 

 Europe’s participants will hail from France, the United Kingdom and Spain, among others.  The continent of Africa will also be represented, with delegates from Harare, Zimbabwe; Windhoek, Namibia; Conakry, Guinea; and the North African country of Morroco, located at the southern tip of Spain.

 Asia’s participants will include delegates from Karachi in Pakistan, Bangkok in Thailand and the landlocked nation of Nepal, which is snuggled between China and India.

 The Conference, which is being held under the theme “Freedom of Expression: Early New Millennium Challenges”, is expected to attract extensive media coverage.

Bennette Roach editor of The Montserrat Reporter is participating at the Conference.

In an early report from the conference Mr. Roach reports that at the opening of the conference delegates witnessed a very moving and thrilling performance to the theme of the conference by a host dance company.  

REGIONAL NEWS

Jamaica Prime Minister addresses international media conference

Jamaica, CMC - Jamaica's Prime Minister P.J. Patterson on Friday acknowledged the need for a "continuing process of evolution" regarding the libel and defamation laws in the Caribbean, but stopped short of endorsing a call by regional media owners for changes to ensure greater press freedom in the Caribbean.
"I am aware of the continuing lobby by publishers, media owners and managers in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean for constitutional changes and amendments to libel and defamation laws which, they contend, are required to better secure press freedom and reduce the financial and other risks arising from defamation," Patterson told a two-day international media conference here.
But he said while his legl background allows him "to accept that the law must be subject to a continuing process of evolution", such changes must take into account "changes in technology and the consequences of instant communication within a global network".
"It is however my view that the public interest concerns and the policy implications for the wider society require the broadest possible considerations," he added.
"If we accept that there are attendant responsibilities attached to every right, 'that for every wrong there must be a remedy', it is evident that the questions raised by Heads of the Caribbean media cannot simply be answered by legal expertise," he added.
The two-day conference, which has attracted delegates from as far as Afghanistan and Israel, forms part of the global observance of World Press Freedom Day on Saturday.
The two-day conference has been organised by UNESCO under the theme "Freedom of Expression: early Millennium Challenges".
Patterson's position on the libel and defamation laws in the Caribbean comes less than 24 hours after a forum held at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) endorsed calls for regional governments to review the laws.
Patterson said he and other Caribbean leaders were looking forward to the  recommendations of the UNESCO conference here.
"Dare I suggest that in order to secure the response you seek, the climate would be greatly enhanced by the presentation of media houses and journalists of a responsible code of conduct, which eschews censorship, while imposing professional penalties to protect any citizen or institution which has been undeniably wronged?" he said.
Patterson said while Jamaica does not claim perfection, it nonetheless has created "structures on which we can build the platform for sharing information, facilitating dialogue and ensuring that there is a good measure of understanding between people and government".
Earlier, UNESCO's Director General Koichiro Matsuura told delegates that since the launch of World Press Freedom Day six years ago, it has served as a reminder that "press freedom, like all other freedoms cannot and must not be taken for granted".
"Press freedom is too often the target of those who impose their will upon us and deprive us of our rights and liberties. However press freedom is endangered not only by heavy-handed oppression but also by public indifference," he said.
"If we ever become indifferent to attacks on press freedom and the denial of freedom of expression, then you can be certain that democracy is in trouble.
It has been wisely said that the condition of liberty is eternal vigilance and this applies particularly to press freedom," Matsuura, who is also on an official two-day visit here, told delegates.

Jamaica police kill two men who attacked police station

Jamaica, CMC -Jamaica police shot and killed two men who attacked the Alexandria Police Station in the northern parish of St. Ann on Monday.
Police said that the men were part of a three-member group that also attacked a police constable on duty.
Police said the third unidentified man was under guard at a nearby hospital.
According to the police, the three men attacked the station just after midday on Monday after informing the constable on duty that they had come to report a robbery.
The police said that they had recovered a home-made shotgun with two cartridges from one of the gunmen. The authorities have not yet released the names of the dead men.

US counter money laundering agency withdraws advisory against Grenada and Dominica

WASHINGTON, CMC - A United States agency set up to fight money laundering has withdrawn a financial advisory issued against two Caribbean states.
In issuing the withdrawal notices for Grenada and Dominica, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the US Treasury Department said that the two have enacted significant reforms and taken concrete steps to bring such reforms into effect.
"Because of the enactment of new laws and the beginning of effective implementation, enhanced scrutiny with respect to transactions involving Grenada, as called for in Advisory 31, is no longer necessary," said the notice issued on Grenada.  A similar notice was also issued for Dominica.
Both Eastern Caribbean countries have also been removed from a list of non cooperative jurisdictions in the fight against money laundering, issued by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Regional public sector officials attending IMF sponsored workshop in St. Kitts

ST. Kitts, CMC -A two-week workshop on Financial Programming has started here with delegates being warned of the need to develop appropriate macroeconomic responses to the changing global economic environment.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the workshop on Monday, Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas told regional public sector workers and economists that there was need for swift, practical and appropriate macroeconomic responses in order to achieve sustainable economic growth and development within the currency union.
Also addressing the opening ceremony was the deputy Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Errol Allen who reminded delegates "knowledge is the new capital but remains worthless unless it is accessible, communicated and enhanced".
He said there was need for an active knowledge transfer process within the respective government ministries for ongoing human capacity building.
During the two-week workshop, participants will be lectured on a number of topics including macroeconomic adjustment policies and structural reform, forecasting output, expenditure and prices, as well as money and credit variables.
They will also be exposed to the techniques on preparing and monitoring stabilisation and structural adjustment programmes for their respective governments.
The Financial Programming workshop is a collaborative effort between the IMF Institute, the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) and the ECCB.

Jamaica to assist Antigua and Barbuda prepare for general elections

Jamaica, CMC -The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) says it has secured a US500, 000 dollar contract to assist in organising the electoral system in Antigua and Barbuda.
Neville Graham, EOJ's public relations officer said that the contract was signed last weekend and that the EOJ had already commenced its work on the voter registration process in Antigua and Barbuda where political observers say Prime Minister Lester Bird is contemplating an early general election.
"We are determined to make sure that this is the best (Voters) list that Antigua and Barbuda ever had," Danville Walker, Jamaica's Director of Elections, said.
Graham said that the EOJ would be transferring some of its technology and collecting demographic data, fingerprints and photographs. It will train Antigua and Barbuda Electoral officials, as well as collaborate on public education programmes.
The EOJ is to assist establish 52 registration centres throughout Antigua and Barbuda, Graham said.

OECS announces appointment of new Director General and other diplomatic posting

ST. Lucia, CMC-The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) on Tuesday announced the appointment of St. Lucian Dr. Len Ishmael as its new Director General.
Dr. Ishmael who last served as head of the Trinidad and Tobago-based United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN/ECLAC) takes up her new appointment as from May 12, the OECS Secretariat said.
It said she replaces George Goodwin who acted in the post following the resignation of Swinburne Lestrade who has since taken up a post with the Dominica Government.
The statement said that Dr. Ishmael was formally welcomed at the 37th OECS leaders meeting in Antigua last weekend.
Outgoing OECS chairman and Prime Minister of St. Kitts-Nevis Dr. Denzil Douglas praised. Goodwin for his "untiring work over more than two decades to the regional integration movement".
The OECS Secretariat also announced that former St. Lucia Attorney general Lorraine Williams had been appointed High Commissioner to Ottawa, while Ambassador George Bullen will replace Edwin Laurent as High Commissioner to Brussels.
Laurent is to return to the Secretariat to assume special responsibility for specific areas of external economic relations and trade negotiations, the Secretariat said.
It said both Williams and Bullen would assume their new appointments "as soon as all necessary arrangements with the host governments are finalized".
 The OECS groups the islands of Antigua-Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla and the British Virgin islands.

Antigua health officials deny SARS outbreak

Antigua, CMC - A school in Barbuda was closed on Tuesday as health authorities sought to determine the nature of a mysterious virus that left 21 students hospitalised.
But the officials have indicated that the closure of the Holy Trinity School was not linked to any outbreak of the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that has killed over 300 persons mainly in Asia and Canada.
Since last week the students have been complaining of headache, fever and coughing but Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carlos Mulraine has ruled out any cases of SARS.
Education officials said that the school would be closed for the next 48 hours to allow for additional testing in a bid to identify the mystery illness.
"Based on the report I have received from Dr. Mulraine it is not SARS, I think it is a psychological reaction, because of SARS everyone is panicking," Health Minister John St. Luce said.
Health officials say two teams will be travelling to Barbuda soon to examine the situation and that a shipment of medical supplies would also be sent to the island to meet the needs of those affected by the mystery illness.
Blood samples from the affected patients have been sent to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) for further testing.
Last year, the Holy Trinity School along with the pre-school and day-care centres were closed after an outbreak of gastro-enteritis.

Jamaica banana industry to benefit from EU grant

Jamaica, CMC - The European Union is to provide Jamaica with J$279 million dollars (US 4.9 million dollars) to support the further development of the island's banana industry.
The grant is being provided under the European Union funded Banana Support Programme through the EU's Special Framework of Assistance to traditional African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) suppliers of bananas to the European market.
The Banana Support Programme is geared primarily towards increasing the competitiveness of Jamaican banana exporters, against the background of the implementation of full liberalisation of agricultural trade in 2008.
The agreement will fund the upgrading of farm access roads and flood protection structures, as well as an Export Banana Certification Programme.
It will also facilitate the application of research in banana production, and the development of a Plantain Diversification Programme to help banana farmers who can no longer meet the changing requirements of the global export market.
The financing agreement will also provide training in business management and marketing for estate workers.
This is the fourth Financing Agreement under the EU's Special Framework of Assistance programme, and takes the total assistance over the past four years to nearly J1.2 billion dollars.

Antigua Barbuda Opens US$25-million Casino

ANTIGUA (CMC) -- Antigua and Barbuda, seeking to maintain competition with some of the world's gambling and entertainment places, has opened the US$25-million Grand Princess Casino and Sportsbook, which its investors have dubbed  "unique and unrivalled."
”We can compete with places like Atlantis in the Bahamas, Las Vegas," Prime Minister Lester Bird said at the opening of the facility earlier this week.
"If we are going to market Antigua and the service doesn't measure up, then we will still lose the competition to other countries. So I want to urge all Antiguans and Barbudans, those who work here, to make sure you give maximum effort to make this the best entertainment complex in the Caribbean," Mr. Bird said
Minister Molwyn Joseph said Antigua and Barbuda would concentrate on the high-end of the tourism market as it seeks to become one of the premier destinations for quality entertainment and gaming and facilities.
"Here we are as a third world with first world service and facilities."
American investor Tony Velardi said the impressive structure, which features 71,000 square feet, 24 tables for gambling and 250 slot machines, was the culmination of a four-year dream.
He said the project that also include a roof-top spa and bar, a night club, cyber cafes, restaurants and boutiques, was " unique and unrivalled."
"We promised to become apart of the whole family as we strive to cater to the entertainment need of Antigua and beyond," he added

Italy Donates US$5 Million For Regional Food Security

ITALY (CMC) - -Italy is providing US$5 million towards a project aimed at promoting food security in the Caribbean.
The project, jointly launched by the Caribbean Community, the Caribbean Forum of  African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM), Italy and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), is the first technical cooperation project to be launched from the FAO Trust Fund for Food Security, created during the 2002 World Food Summit.
The project was signed by David Harcharik, FAO deputy Director-General, Mario Bacinni, the Italian Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and Byron Blake, the assistant Secretary-General of CARICOM, during a meeting held at the Milan offices of the Inter American Development Bank recently.
Funded by the Italian government, the project is the first of its kind to focus on regional food security with support from the Trust Fund.
The fundamental aims of the cooperation agreement include strengthening of the policy, planning and services capacity of the different regional, national and community institutions and organisations working to promote food security in the region.
"This is the first in a series of initiatives aimed at putting into practice the commitments made by the Italian government during the World Food Summit last year," Giandomenico Magliano, Director General for Development Cooperation at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.
At the World Food Summit in 2002, Heads of State and Government signed a declaration committing themselves to renewed support for the goals set during the 1996 World Food Summit which include halving the global number of hungry people by 2015.
The US$500-million Trust Fund for Food Security was created by FAO's Director-General Jacques Diouf following the summit to provide new impetus to the global fight against hunger.

Barbados Ruling Party Is Confident of Victory

BARBADOS (CMC_ -- The ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP), confident of a third successive term in office, said on Wednesday its election campaign would give the electorate an account of the government's performance in office and the plans for the future.
"We must not leave this election until the whole society has a shared perspective of what is before us .and how we should govern the country in the event that the people of Barbados gives us a third term,” Prime
Minister and BLP leader Owen Arthur told reporters.
Mr. Arthur, flanked by senior party and Government officials including Attorney General Mia Mottley and Foreign Affairs Minister Billie Miller, promised a vibrant but clean campaign in the run-up to the May 21 General Elections.
"We will seek to put up a creditable fight in every constituency. There will be no arrogance, no trivialism, we are the people's servants and we will relate to the people in that capacity."
The BLP announced that the party would conduct its campaign in two phases starting on Saturday night on the outskirts of the capital.
Mr. Arthur said the first phase of the campaign would entail the presentation of the party's 30 candidates, while the party's manifesto would be launched during the second phase.
Mr. Arthur also dismissed opposition concerns that the election was being held during a period of examinations for secondary school students, pointing out that elections had been held in the month of May in the past.
But he said he welcomed the challenge by opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) leader Clyde Mascoll to engage in national debate.

Grenada Delays Passage Of Labour Relations Act

GRENADA (CMC) -- Grenada has delayed the passage of amendments to its Labour Relations Act "in the national interest" amid wide spread criticism from a number of organizations, including the Barbados-based Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL).
Labour Minister Lawrence Joseph said in a nation-wide address on Tuesday that the decision was taken in the national interest, as well as the interest of workers and employers.
He said the delay should give additional opportunities not only to trade unions and the private sector for broader based consultations but also organisations including the Conference of Churches.
The decision by Cabinet to take the amendment to the Labour Relations Act was based on the information provided by Mr. Joseph as a result of his discussions with the Trade Union Congress and the written responses from the private sector, a government statement said.
It said that Mr. Joseph had advised Cabinet that he did not receive a negative response from the TUC after weeks of waiting for a written response to his letter outlining Government's intention.
The amendment to the Act that was passed in the House of Representatives on April 4 dealt with dispute settlements procedures.
But the CCL adopted a resolution earlier this month "forcefully [condemning] those amendments and [calling] for their complete and unconditional revocation."
The resolution also committed the CCL to give "all forms of active solidarity possible to the Grenada Trades' Union Council".
GTUC President Derek Allard said the unions were prepared to challenge the government since the act now calls for jail terms for persons who resort to strike action to solve industrial disputes. 

Regional Women’s Leaders Plan 2-day Barbados Seminar

BARBADOS (CMC) -- A two-day seminar on the theme "Preparing Caribbean Women for Greater Leadership Roles" will get underway here on May 26, organised by the Caribbean Women's Network (CWN) in conjunction with the NuHan Caribbean Associates in Barbados.
Over 300 regional public, private sector and non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) managers are expected to attend the seminar, the organisers said in a statement.
A number of regional and international personalities will examine a number of issues affecting the development of women.
Among them are St. Lucia's Minister of Social Transformation Menissa Rambally, considered the youngest legislator in the Commonwealth, who will address the theme "Women, Politics and Power in the 21st Century," the organisers said.
Other presenters include the regional programme director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Veta Brown, British anthropologist Dr. Esther Figueroa and gender expert Linnette Vassell.
"We are seeking to present experiential perspectives in politics, governance, medicine, media and business," CWN President Jennifer Nunes said.
She said that the plenary sessions will feature: A Scientific Assessment Process to ascertain "Leadership Potential," Dynamics of Leadership, Profiles on Women in the Business and financial sectors, Entrepreneurship, Financial management, Imaging, and "Networking Up the ladder."

St. Lucia 4^th OECS Country To Ease Work Permit Rules

ST. LUCIA (CMC) -- St. Vincent and the Grenadines will join an arrangement between Antigua and Barbuda and Montserrat which removes the requirement for work permits for nationals moving from one island to the other, according to an official statement issued here.
The statement by the Secretariat of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) said the Governments of the three islands reached agreement on the matter during last weekend's meeting of OECS leaders in Antigua.
"The three countries have agreed, on the basis of reciprocity, to remove work permit requirements for self employed professionals and their immediate family, and self employed service providers, their technical and managerial staff and their immediate family," the statement said.
It said that St. Kitts-Nevis is currently part of the arrangement with Antigua and Barbuda and Montserrat, and has agreed in principle for an extension to include St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
But the statement said that Basseterre has deferred a final decision until further discussion among the island's Cabinet of Ministers. Grenada also plans to discuss the matter at its Cabinet, but has also expressed agreement in principle, the statement added.
The statement said that the other OECS Governments have undertaken to study the proposals and communicate their positions to the OECS Secretariat "as soon as possible".
OECS member countries have identified free movement of people as one of the planks for the proposed Economic Union of the sub-region.
Last year seven member countries, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts -Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, passed travel facilitation legislation in their respective parliaments which allow OECS citizens to travel around the region on a valid photo ID card and to make visits of up to six months.

Barbados opposition fancies its chances of winning

Barbados, CMC  - The political leader of the opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP), Clyde Mascoll, says is confident that the party will defeat the incumbent Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in the May 21 general elections.
"Our mission here to the people in this next campaign is to put the policies and programmes to ensure that we are able to get that vote that has moved away from the Barbados Labour Party and then to inspire our people who arethere still to come out and vote," stated Mascoll.
"In that regard, it is highly possible, depending on the quantity of swing, that the Democratic Labour Party can and will win the next election," he added.
Flanked by other members of the DLP's campaign team during a press launch which took place at party's headquarters here on Thursday morning, Mascoll said the DLP refused to be dissuaded by the outcome of recent public opinion polls since it felt the samples taken were too small and therefore could not adequately reflect the views of the electorate.
He said the DLP had been preparing its campaign for several months and would be basing it on the theme "A Share For All" in the country.
Mascoll, an economist, emphasised that the DLP's policies and programmes to be unveiled in its manifesto would focus on the needs of all segments of the population "from the cradle to the grave".
He also used the opportunity to attack government's economic policies, while describing as "laughable" recent statements made by the Central Bank Governor Dr. Marion Williams that the country was out of a recession.
Mascoll said that as was predicted by the DLP last August, the Owen Arthur administration ensured an early start to the island's sugar harvest. This, he charged, was part of a plan by the regime to artificially increase economic growth and to create the impression that "once you have three consecutive quarters of economic growth, we are out of recession".
DLP Campaign Director Dr. Erskine Simmons told the launch that the DLP also plans to focus on issues such as unemployment, roads, crime and transportation on its platform, while promising that its programmes would be "people centred" and its campaign will be a clean one "and will dwell on the issues and the relief of the suffering of the people of Barbados".
The party holds its first major public meeting in the city on Sunday and will present its 30 candidates on Wednesday at the Bay Street Esplanade.

Nevis Premier Calls Secession A Benefit for the Caribbean

NEVIS (CMC) -- Premier Vance Amory believes that the Caribbean stands to benefit from an increase in voting power, resulting from Nevis' plans to secede from the Federation with St. Kitts.
Addressing a consultation here on Monday on the best way forward for Nevis, Mr. Amory noted that while concern has been expressed about "the disintegration of the region," the Caribbean would soon begin to see that its plans to take charge of its own affairs "will add, and can add an additional vote to the region" in groupings such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation.
The Premier also touched on the viability of an independent Nevis, calculating that it would cost the administration an extra EC$13.1 million (US$4.9 million) per year to assume the responsibility that is currently being handled by the Federal Government.
However, he said revenue now being collected by the Federal Government on behalf of Nevis, in the form of corporate and direct taxes and departure taxes, amounted to EC$16.5million (US$6.17 million).
"We are weighing the cost and we feel that the project is quite healthy," he told the consultation.
He further disclosed that Nevis' total debt currently stands at EC$176 million (US$65.9 million), which is about 14 percent of the total debt of St. Kitts and Nevis, while the island is contributing between 26 and 30 percent of the economic activity in St. Kitts and Nevis.
He added that since Nevis was presently servicing its debt, it would not impose any additional hardship on the people.

Mr. Amory's ruling Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) is seeking to invoke Section 113 of the Federation's Constitution, to allow for the island's total economic and political independence from St. Kitts.

He expressed the view that a referendum on the issue of whether Nevis should proceed to becoming an independent state was the best way forward, while stating that constitutional reform would be long and would not bring the kind of conclusion that was expected.

St Kitts will not stand in Nevis’ route to secession

Nevis  -- The ruling Labour Party on St. Kitts has affirmed that the Nevis Island Administration has total and exclusive power to invoke Section 113 of the Federation’s Constitution to secede, and that it would not stand in Nevis’ way.

The assurances came from the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Mr Sam Condor, and the Federation’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice and Legal Affairs, the Hon Mr Delano Bart, Tuesday night at a town hall meeting organised by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Reform, held at the Nevis Cultural Centre.

The town hall meeting was the first one called by the Parliamentary Select Committee, since it was established in 1999. It saw emotionally charged Nevisians open up their hearts and articulate the constitutional direction they felt was best for their island to take. The Centre was filled to capacity while thousands followed the discussions live on Voice of Nevis Radio, national radio station ZIZ, WINN FM and on Nevis GIS Cable TV Channel 8.

They came with varied reasons as to why Nevis should stick with St. Kitts in the present Federal set-up, and why it should secede from the Federation. An irate woman questioned what the Labour Party ministers were doing in Nevis, as she had never seen their names on any ballot paper on Nevis.

Secessionists, spearheaded by a renowned Nevisian-born, St Kitts-based lawyer were adamant and categorically stated that the time for Nevis’ secession was right. One told the committee that it had no mandate in terms of the time frame for the constitutional reform and even went ahead to call for a 2005 political separation from St. Kitts.

Those who were against secession cited the loss of rights and privileges that Nevisians enjoy under the current political set-up, should the island succeed in its quest for political independence. Attorney General, the Hon Mr Delano Bart, was forced to interpret to one such person the legal and constitutional implications.

He also pointed out that Section 113 of the Constitution, which allows for Nevis to secede was a fundamental right for Nevisians. “It is not a sunset clause; it is there forever,” pointed out Mr Bart. “In order to remove (section) 113, two thirds of the people in St. Kitts would have to agree, and two thirds of the people in Nevis would have to agree.”

As for the reason why the Labour Party Ministers were in Nevis, the Attorney General explained that they wanted to ensure that in exercising clause 113, both parties in Nevis did not come out of it at any disadvantage, and therefore the need for dialogue to listen to the exact view point on issues by Nevisians. 

When Mr Sam Condor was challenged to state the clearly defined position of his party, he said: “The Labour Party’s position is unambiguous, unequivocal. We have said and we continue to say that our philosophical and ideological position is that we believe in the territorial integrity of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, but we recognise and respect the constitutional rights of the people of Nevis to exercise (section) 113 and to secede and we will not stand in the way of doing that.”      

Premier, the Hon Mr Vance Amory, who was one of the last persons to air his views, put forward his CCM party’s stand: “The Nevis Island Administration, led by CCM, will seek to discuss through consultations with all political parties, all interest groups and put forward as the most likely, and the best option going forward, that of independence.”

He explained that he had made it quite clear to the Parliamentary Select Committee what CCM and Nevis Island Administration’s position was, that Nevis wanted to achieve total economic, social and political independence, without any rancour or any claim and counter claims.

What CCM was putting forward to the Parliamentary Select Committee for it to put to Parliament was that the people of Nevis, based on the party’s and the government’s position, that the people of Nevis must have their own identity and must, therefore, be respected by the people and government of St. Kitts and by all the governments of the region.

Premier Amory contented that by invoking of Section 113 families would not be broken. “Families are indivisible wherever they are, however large or however small,” he pointed out. “Whether they intermarry with other people of other nationalities, those families, based on blood ties, and even based social ties, are indivisible.”

When a speaker suggested that Premier Amory was using the consultations as a means to bring back the issue of secession, Mr Guishard observed that secession was always CCM’s party’s stand and that they had always believed that Nevis should become an independent country, while Mr Delano Bart asserted that the consultations were indeed a Federal exercise.

The Attorney General further added: “The question of (section) 113, is an exercise that the Nevis Island Administration has total and exclusive authority or power over. The fact that they may decide to proceed along that route does not mean that the Federal Government must abrogate its responsibility of seeking to address the question of constitutional reform.”

He pointed out that if it turned out that the Nevis Island Administration seceded by way of section 113, those in the Federal Government recognised that Kittitians and Nevisians were a people who were very much interlinked, and as a result the Federal Government could not close its eyes to the reality.

“And it seems to me that whilst we are pursuing this exercise we have to take cognisance of possibilities and simply prepare ourselves to address those possibilities if they come,” he said. “But the important point is that we would have to do it in an atmosphere of family cordiality and reality that at the end of the day, there has to be life after 113 and whether we like it or not, we will still be interdependent on each other and it is in our own interest on both sides to work together, to solve it.”    

When the meeting opened, it was clearly stated that members of the committee had come to hear views and submissions from the public. But no sooner than that was said they found themselves on the defensive and ended up answering questions shot at them by emotional Nevisians from both sides of the ideological and political divide.

On the question as to whether Nevisians living in St. Kitts would have the right to vote in Nevis, the Mr Guishard said that “only persons who are registered to vote in Nevis will be able to vote on Nevis, whether it is in a referendum or if it is an election for representatives to the Nevis Island Assembly or representatives to the Federal Parliament.”

The Chairman revealed that while it was mandatory for all political parties to submit ‘Position Papers’ to the committee, it had only received such papers from the CCM. He also noted that it was optional for NGOs that had met with the committee to submit the papers, and so far it had received them from the Business and Professional Women and the St. Kitts Christian Council.

Meanwhile, it was explained that the St. Kitts’ PAM party was not represented on the Parliamentary Select Committee, as it does not have an elected member, while the opposition Nevis Reformation Party, through Mr Patrice Nisbett, confirmed that it had not submitted ‘Position Papers’ as it had just received some information from the CCM party and that they were studying the financial implications of an independent Nevis before presenting ‘Position Papers’ to the committee.

St. Lucia High Court sentences two men to death by hanging

ST. Lucia, CMC----A High court here has sentenced to death two men found guilty of murdering two members of the Roman Catholic Church three years ago.
Kim John 23, and Francis Phillip 37 showed no remorse when Judge Indria Hariprahshad-Charles on Wednesday handed down the death sentence.
 The two men had been accused of killing Sister Theresa Egan and Father Charles Gaillard at the Roman Catholic Cathedral on December 31, 2000.
The court was told during the eight-day trial that the two men had entered the Roman Catholic Cathedral in the city center on the morning of December 31, and began setting people alight with petrol and torches. Thirteen other parishioners were severely injured during the ordeal.
 "We were striking a blow to rid the country of oppressors, the symbols of the Queen and the Vatican", said Kim, the more articulate of the two men during the trail.
They also told the court that they did not recognise its authority as they had acted on behalf of a more supreme authority.
John later told CMC prior to their removal from the court that they had no reason to feel any remorse.
"We would do it again if we had the opportunity to, as our people must be set free from oppression which the Catholic Church represents, taking money from poor people under the guise of religion", John said.
A mixed jury last week returned a guilty verdict of guilty on all counts after deliberating for two hours, rejecting the defense plea of insanity.
Prosecutor Anthony Astaphan QC said that the state wanted the death penalty.
"This is a case of murder which was willful and premeditated. It was an attack of brutality on all innocent persons. There was no self-defense, no nexus that triggered these acts of premeditated violence. The murders of Father Gaillard and Sister Egan were selective and deliberate," he told the court.
Astaphan said Lucy Myers, a probation officer had prepared a report in which both men had told her, "If they got the opportunity they would do it again", and quoted from a previous case involving the death sentence.
The convicted men giggled during Astaphan's submission as they did while giving evidence during the trail.
Turning to the accused Astaphan said, "And they still laugh like it's a big joke. They showed no mercy for their victims. They rained terror on persons in prayer. There was a clear intent to kill".
"I am asking the court to put an end to this delusion of the accused. There is no prospect of reform. The only permissible sentence of this court should be that of death".
Defense lawyer Kenneth Foster QC said that the behaviour exhibited by the two accused had to be expected when persons are suffering from a delusion.
"The accused believed what they were doing was right. They appear normal but in fact are as mad as a cracker. They keep laughing. They have got to be mad to be doing this. As they saw it, all the subjects at the Vatican  were demons. They are mad," he said.
Foster contended that in countries that retain the death penalty it was already an already established principle that the sentence of death should only be imposed for the most serious crimes.
"The right to life is in direct conflict with the mandatory death sentence which finds support in Section 5 of the St.Lucia Constitution which stigmatises Section 178 of the Criminal Code by providing that cruel, degrading, and inhumane treatment is unconstitutional", Foster added.
He said further there was compelling justification for the supposition that the execution of mentally retarded or mentally sub-normal or defective minded persons violates the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society.
"The church does not support hanging. I am asking that you temper justice with mercy. I would suggest life", he said.
After the verdict was announced Foster immediately announced his intention to file an appeal. 

Nevis Premier Calls Secession A Benefit for the Caribbean

NEVIS (CMC) -- Premier Vance Amory believes that the Caribbean stands to benefit from an increase in voting power, resulting from Nevis' plans to secede from the Federation with St. Kitts.
Addressing a consultation here on Monday on the best way forward for Nevis, Mr. Amory noted that while concern has been expressed about "the disintegration of the region," the Caribbean would soon begin to see that its plans to take charge of its own affairs "will add, and can add an additional vote to the region" in groupings such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation.
The Premier also touched on the viability of an independent Nevis, calculating that it would cost the administration an extra EC$13.1 million (US$4.9 million) per year to assume the responsibility that is currently being handled by the Federal Government.
However, he said revenue now being collected by the Federal Government on behalf of Nevis, in the form of corporate and direct taxes and departure taxes, amounted to EC$16.5million (US$6.17 million).
"We are weighing the cost and we feel that the project is quite healthy," he told the consultation.
He further disclosed that Nevis' total debt currently stands at EC$176 million (US$65.9 million), which is about 14 percent of the total debt of St. Kitts and Nevis, while the island is contributing between 26 and 30 percent of the economic activity in St. Kitts and Nevis.
He added that since Nevis was presently servicing its debt, it would not impose any additional hardship on the people.

Mr. Amory's ruling Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) is seeking to invoke Section 113 of the Federation's Constitution, to allow for the island's total economic and political independence from St. Kitts.

He expressed the view that a referendum on the issue of whether Nevis should proceed to becoming an independent state was the best way forward, while stating that constitutional reform would be long and would not bring the kind of conclusion that was expected.

CAREC Team Helps Plan Against HIV/AIDS, STI

The Ministry of Education, Health and Community Services has started work on a National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI).

Members of the Planning Team Committee met Monday to formally outline the programme and what will be needed from the various stakeholders.

Currently on island to assist the Government of Montserrat to develop the National Strategic Plan are two officials from the Trinidad-based Caribbean Epidemiological Centre (CAREC).

They are Dr. Robert Lee ( epidemiologist) and Beverly Andrew – a statistician in the epidemiology division.

Health officials said in another two weeks, another CAREC team is due to visit Montserrat to assist in taking the process forward.

The objective is to launch the National Strategic Plan on December 1, 2003 – World AIDS Day.

The in-country core planning team is responsible for coordination of the strategic planning process and for the development of the National HIV/AIDS/STI Plan for an expanded response.

Information is being gathered on the island and sent to a CAREC consultant in Trinidad and Tobago.

Local officials are currently organizing interviews and field visits for the consultant with marginalized and vulnerable groups and key stakeholders for the Situation and Response Analysis (SARA).

A two-day workshop is being planned for May 13-14 for senior management officials. According to health ministry officials, the aim is to commit personnel and resources to the National Strategic Plan.

Jamaica to Help Organize Antigua/Barbuda Elections

JAMAICA (CMC) -- The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) says it has secured a US$500,000 contract to assist in organising the electoral system in Antigua and Barbuda.
Neville Graham, EOJ's public relations officer, said that the contract was signed last weekend and that the EOJ had already commenced its work on the voter registration process in Antigua and Barbuda where political observers say Prime Minister Lester Bird is contemplating an early general election.
"We are determined to make sure that this is the best (Voters) list that Antigua and Barbuda ever had," Danville Walker, Jamaica's Director of Elections, said.
Mr. Graham said that the EOJ would be transferring some of its technology and collecting demographic data, fingerprints and photographs. It will train Antigua and Barbuda Electoral officials, as well as collaborate on public education programmes.
The EOJ is to help establish 52 registration centres throughout Antigua and Barbuda, Graham said.

St. Kitts Three-sponsor Workshop  Features Financial Programming

ST. KITTS (CMC) -- A two-week workshop on Financial Programming began here Monday with delegates being warned of the need to develop appropriate macroeconomic responses to the changing global economic environment.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas told regional public sector workers and economists that there is need for swift, practical and appropriate macroeconomic responses to achieve sustainable economic growth and development within the currency union.
Also addressing the opening ceremony Errol Allen, Deputy Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), who reminded delegates "knowledge is the new capital but remains worthless unless it is accessible, communicated and enhanced."
He said there was need for an active knowledge transfer process within the respective government ministries for ongoing human capacity building.
The two-week workshop is a collaborative effort among the IMF Institute, the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) and the ECCB.

OECS Names St. Lucian As New Director General

ST. LUCIA (CMC) –- The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) announced Tuesday the appointment of St. Lucian Dr. Len Ishmael as its new Director General.
Dr. Ishmael, who last served as head of the Trinidad and Tobago-based United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN/ECLAC), takes up her new appointment May 12, the OECS Secretariat said.
It said she replaces George Goodwin, who acted in the post following the resignation of Swinburne Lestrade, who has since taken up a post with the Dominica Government.
The statement said that Dr. Ishmael was formally welcomed at the 37th OECS leaders meeting in Antigua last weekend.
Outgoing OECS chairman and Prime Minister of St. Kitts-Nevis Dr. Denzil Douglas praised. Goodwin for his "untiring work over more than two decades to the regional integration movement".
The OECS Secretariat also announced that former St. Lucia Attorney general Lorraine Williams had been appointed High Commissioner to Ottawa, while Ambassador George Bullen will replace Edwin Laurent as High Commissioner to Brussels.

SARS Ruled Out as Cause Of Barbuda School Closing

ANTIGUA (CMC) -- A school in Barbuda was closed on Tuesday as health authorities sought to determine the nature of a mysterious virus that left 21 students hospitalised.
But the officials have indicated that the closure of the Holy Trinity School was not linked to any outbreak of the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that has killed over 300 persons mainly in Asia and Canada.
Since last week the students have been complaining of headache, fever and coughing but Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carlos Mulraine has ruled out any cases of SARS.
Education officials said that the school would be closed for the following 48 hours to allow for additional testing in a bid to identify the mystery illness.
"Based on the report I have received from Dr. Mulraine it is not SARS; I think it is a psychological reaction, because of SARS everyone is panicking," Health Minister John St. Luce said.
 Last year, the Holy Trinity School along with the pre-school and day-care centres were closed after an outbreak of gastro-enteritis.

Jamaica Banana Industry Gets Significant EU Grant

JAMAICA (CMC) -- The European Union is to provide Jamaica with J$279 million dollars (US$4.9 million) to support the further development of the island's banana industry.
The grant is being provided under the EU-funded Banana Support Programme through the EU's Special Framework of Assistance to traditional African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) suppliers of bananas to the European market.
The Banana Support Programme is geared primarily towards increasing the competitiveness of Jamaican banana exporters, against the background of the implementation of full liberalisation of agricultural trade in 2008.
The agreement will fund the upgrading of farm access roads and flood protection structures, as well as an Export Banana Certification Programme.
It will also aid research in banana production, and the development of a Plantain Diversification Programme to help banana farmers who can no longer meet the changing requirements of the global export market.

Grenada's PM Pleased  With OECS Labor Post

GRENADA (CMC) -- Prime Minister Keith Mitchell has underscored the need for closer cooperation between the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL).
Mr. Mitchell was appointed chairman of a special OECS committee that will examine ways of improving relations with the Barbados-based CCL.
The establishment of the committee was taken during last weekend's OECS summit held in Antigua.
The communiqué issued at the end of the summit said that the leaders had "considered a request from the Caribbean Congress of Labour  (CCL) for assistance" and that the committee would "meet with the CCL to determine and define the nature of the assistance that could be provided by the OECS Member States collectively."
"The importance of the labour sector to the developmental process in the sub-region is of extreme importance. We need to work together to ensure the regional labour movement has the resources its needs, since it is a vital social partner," Mr. Mitchell said.