News
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Suriname to introduce pardon for illegal migrants
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC – Suriname is to introduce a general pardon for people living in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country as well as provide a grace period for those residing here illegally to fix their papers. The government had initially intended to grant the pardon to members of the Chinese community residing here illegally, but widened the initiative to…
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Ruling party to focus on economic growth and national development
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has assured supporters of the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) that her administration is working towards economic growth and national development, with job creation the target. Simpson Miller, who is also PNP President told hundreds of supporters who gathered at the National Arena in the Corporate Area on Sunday , that…
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Mighty Sparrow doing well – says daughter
NEW YORK, CMC – The family of Slinger Francisco, widely regarded as the “Calypso King of the World”, says the “Mighty Sparrow” is responding very well to treatment. Sparrow who was admitted to a New York hospital two weeks ago is no longer in a coma. “He should be up and about soon but not too soon,” said his daughter…
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Caribbean lagging in wireless broadband use — UN report
UNITED NATIONS (CMC) — With nearly two out of every five people in the world expected to be online by the end of the year, more than two-thirds of those living in developing countries, including the Caribbean, will not have access to the Internet, says the United Nations in a global survey of broadband access. The report, the second produced…
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One scapegoat does not fix LIAT or Caribbean Airlines
Some might believe that, for the second time in only three years, Captain Ian Brunton has been made a scapegoat by the board of directors of a Caribbean airline company – fired as CEO of Caribbean Airlines Limited in late 2010 and, this week, he resigned as CEO of LIAT. Indisputably, the overall operation of LIAT has continued to be…
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High time indeed to review marijuana policies
KINGSTON, Jamaica – On September 17, the Bureau of the Heads of Government of the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) discussed the decriminalisation of marijuana and its production for medicinal purposes. The discussion was prompted by the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves who, prior to the meeting, is reported to have said “it is high…
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Policing marijuana—the UK experience
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Countries all over the world take different approaches to the policing of marijuana possession and consumption. In many places it is widely assumed that the drug is legal, whereas in fact it is technically illegal, but tolerated in specific circumstances, such as a decision not to prosecute those who possess small amounts for personal use.…
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Legalising marijuana would be wrong
KINGSTON, Jamaica – An edited portion of Government MP Dr Dayton Campbell's contribution to the debate in Parliament on the motion to legalise marijuana. A third of Jamaicans have used ganja in any form and 30 per cent of Jamaicans have smoked marijuana with males reporting this three times more frequently than females. Fewer than a half of reported users…
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Marijuana a gateway drug? Jury still out
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Sometimes I feel like I have spent my life in court with teenage boys charged for possession of marijuana. I’m sure that’s part of the reason why I support Chief Justice Ivor Archie’s idea of decriminalising marijuana. I can personally testify that being charged for possession of marijuana means a case that will go on…
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