News
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Yes to trade and aid: What of rule of law?
KINGSTON, Jamaica – CARIBBEAN Community (CARICOM) governments often reveal surprising reluctance to publicly respond to challenges relating to violations of fundamental human rights and the rule of law when, generally, the United States of America is involved. This attitude was quite in evidence prior to and during meetings with US Vice-President Joseph Biden last month in Port of Spain, where…
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New after-school project launched for CARICOM youths
Young people in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will benefit from an after-school programme designed to use creative techniques to reduce at-risk behaviours, increase health-related awareness, impact educational aspirations, self-esteem and social connectedness among the youth in all CARICOM Member States. Framed through a partnership among the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) sub-regional Office in Barbados, the CARICOM Secretariat and the…
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Lessons from Turkey
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – What began on May 28 as a protest against the planned redevelopment of a park in Istanbul, to accommodate the construction of a replica Ottoman-era barracks and a mosque, has snowballed into a national political crisis for Turkey’s Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his Islamist-leaning Justice and Development Party (known by its Turkish acronym, AKP). But,…
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Government names date for by-election
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar Thursday announced July 29 as the date for the by-election in Chaguanas West, almost two months after her embattled national security minister Austin “Jack” Warner resigned on April 26. Warner, who had also submitted his resignation as the chairman of the United National Congress (UNC), the biggest member in…
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St. Lucia PM says Cuba cutting back on assistance to region
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – The St. Lucia government says several policy changes taking place in Cuba will severely affect Havana’s contribution to the health sector of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries. Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony, who recently ended a week long official visit to Cuba where he held talks with President Raul Castro and other senior government officials, said…
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Government defends take over of merchant registries
BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Prime Minister Dean Barrow is defending the decision of his government to take over the International Business Companies Registry and the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize even as the Belize International Services Limited (BISL), the private company managing the two companies, has warned of legal action. BISL insists that it has a contract with the…
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‘Don’t even think about it’ – King warns against int’l debt default
KINGSTON, Jamaica – After a couple of highly successful debt-swap programmes in the last three years, two economists have warned that Jamaica should not even contemplate a similar move for its foreign obligations. Such a move, warned Dr Damien King, head of the Department of Economics at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, would have devastating consequences for…
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Multinational loans won’t stabilise dollar – IMF rep
KINGSTON, Jamaica – DR GENE LEON, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) senior resident representative to Jamaica, has branded as illusionary, the view that an inflow of hard currency from the multinationals will bring stability to the country's foreign exchange market. Leon, who was a guest at The Gleaner's Editors' Forum on Wednesday, said stability results from earning enough foreign exchange…
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Import duty hike will punish J’can consumers – economists
KINGSTON, Jamaica – A LEADING economist says Jamaicans would be punished with higher prices if the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association (JMA) is able to successfully lobby the Government to increase import duties to protect local markets. “You have to realise that the JMA sector and … consuming Jamaicans have diametrically opposed interests. If the JMA gets its way, you pay more…
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