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CONTENTS
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For the Life of Laetitia
by Trinidad -born Merle Hodge
Price: $10.54a wonderful book about a young girl in the Carribean, the first of her family to go to secondary school.
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March 2005Bruce Golding Takes over JLPOnly a few years ago, Bruce Golding bolted the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) to form the National Democratic Movement (NDM) political party. Despite all its fanfare and struggle it could hardly get 5% of the vote and Bruce soon threw in the towel and resigned to go back to the JLP. Now the prodigal son has been dished up the fatted calf of leadership of the JLP at the recently concluded JLP conference. It was not exactly dished out to him as before the conference he had to beat back challenges from Pearnell Charles and other aspirants and also incurred the wrath of outgoing leader Eddie Seaga. However, record crowds attended the conference held at the National Stadium in Kingston and the theme of unity seemed to indicate that differences have been resolved. Even out going leader changed his mind and showed up to be greeted with tumultuous applause. The ruling Peoples National Party is in the process of finding a new leader too as PJ Patterson is stepping down. Main contenders are Portia Simpson-Miller, Dr. Peter Phillips and Dr. Ken Blythe. Let us hope new leadership will bring a new day for Jamaica in which political expediency, tribalism, and hostility will no longer dominate.
Monsterratians face expulsion from USThe US department of Homeland Security is scheduled to expel the approximately 300 Montserratians living in the US as refugees from the volcano which destroyed most of Montserrat. They have been living here since 1995 under the classification of Temporary Protected Status which also allowed them to work legally. Not anymore. They have been ordered out, back to their volcano ravaged home or to their mother country, Great Britain, of which Montserrat is still a colony. They face a very uncertain fate now. The US has refused to extend the stay of this paltry 300 while it is reported that they have for over 248,000 Salvadorans, 81,000 Hondurans and 4,300 Nicaraguans. This expulsion is despite the best efforts of several congressmen and senators including Hilary Clinton.
China forges ties with the CaribbeanAs the neglect of the Caribbean by the US becomes more obvious, ties with the Peoples Republic of China are becoming stronger. Dominica, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and Barbados joined Jamaica in signing agreements aimed at deepening co-operation in tourism, the economy and trade with the People's Republic of China. China has added these countries to a list of approved tourism destinations and will work to deepen economic and trade co-operation. Only days before the others, Jamaica and China signed eight agreements aimed at strengthening economic and cultural ties. Probably the most important was a Memorandum of Understanding to get Jamaica’s public railway service back on track. This would take a miracle as many attempts to do that has failed. Since 1992 when the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) ceased operations. In a privatization frenzy, the Government sold off the money-making freight service and was stuck with the money-losing passenger service. Since then the Government has been searching for an investor to revive the railway passenger service. But, during that time, tracks, trains and facilities have crumbled into disrepair and junk.
For decades China and Taiwan used dollar diplomacy to win over small Caribbean nations where small projects building roads, bridges, wells and fisheries go a long way. But Beijing's growing economic clout is tipping the scales in the region. Caribbean trade with China reached $2 billion last year, a 42.5 percent increase from 2003, the Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. This year, two Caribbean countries — Dominica and Grenada — switched allegiance to China, abandoning Taiwan, which China calls "a renegade province." Two weeks before Dominica changed sides, Taiwan gave it $9 million. China promised Dominica $112 million over the next six years. Now only four countries still maintain relations with Taiwan — the Dominican Republic, Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Historic trade talks between Belize and GuatemalaBelize and Guatemala will hold a second round of negotiations in early April on a historic new trade agreement. It is one of a series of confidence building measures aimed at ending the long-standing border dispute. Guatemala’s claim to Belizean territory has long put a stranglehold on economic relations between the two neighbours. The first round of talks had just ended in Guatemala City.
Bob Marley’s bodyBob Marley’s body lies a-moldering in the grave in Jamaica. But, maybe not for long. Rita Marley, his widow and former member of his backup singers, the I-Trees, has created a raging controversy by stating her intention to rebury his remains in Ethiopia. Such a move faces vocal and virtually unanimous opposition in Jamaica. She says that she is only fulfilling Bob’s wishes. Her legal right to do that is unclear. Jamaicans are really incensed. So far the Government reports that they have not received a formal request and also have served notice that they will oppose such a move.
Privy Council shoots down CCJThe England-based Privy Council has ruled that the legal process used by the government to establish the Caribbean Court in of Justice in Jamaica is unconstitutional. final court of appeal. The Privy Council sided with the appellants, including the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights, the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and others, ruling that to establish the CCJ as the country's final appellate court, without it being entrenched in the Constitution, would undermine the protection given to the Jamaican people by entrenched provisions of Chapter Seven of the Jamaican Constitution. It is a body blow to the ruling PNP government and they are standing firm on its vow to establish the controversial Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the nation's final court of appeal. This rulng not only affects Jamaica, but the whole CARICOM. Already it has forced the delay of the inauguration of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados were scheduled to sign on to the CSME during a ceremony in Guyana this coming Saturday, February 19, 2005. The other 12 CARICOM member-states would officially join at a later date, after completing the necessary processes required to enter the single economic space. This ruling could also affect the agreement between Jamaica and Trinidad about the price of liquefied natural gas, LNG. After more than a year of negotiations the Governments of Jamaica and Trinidad agreed to a deal for the supply of LNG. However both parties are waiting on the Caribbean Court of Justice to rule on the price. The Jamaican Government has argued that, under the Caricom Single Market and Economy, LNG should be sold to Jamaica at the same price that it is sold on the Trinidadian domestic market. But Trinidad says it should sell its gas at an agreed price, but higher than what it sells for in Port-of-Spain. The PNP have agreed to negotiations with the jubilant JLP. It could come down to a referendum, in which case the CCJ might be decided not on its merits, but on the popularity of the party which is for or against it. We had a referendum on the West Indian Federation many years ago and we know what happened then.
Anniversary of US overthrow of AristideThe first anniversary of the US overthrow of the democratically elected president of Haiti, Jean Bertrand Aristide just passed. Violation of human rights and violence particularly against supporters of the legitimate president continues unabated. Haiti is an example of the hypocrisy of George Bush’s talk of bringing democracy to the world. Lord help the world from that kind of democracy. If George Bush won the presidential elections, then we are among a minority of Americans who care about Haiti. CARICOM is bravely sticking to its guns by not recognizing the illegal US-imposed government of Haiti. We must not forget that ongoing injustice.
CARICOM disunity again over OAS Secretary GeneralThe election of the top post in the Organisation of American States is fast approaching but the jockeying for the post has already begun. The vote is expected to take place at the June 2005 meeting. Three candidates are vying for the job. They are:
Not surprisingly CARICOM is divided in their support again. There are recent reports that Belize and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will continue to support Mexico's Luis Ernesto Derbez, while the remaining 13 members appear likely at this point to vote for the Chilean candidate, José Miguel Insulza. Others contend that a number of islands in the Insulza column could switch at the very last moment. The US is supporting El Salvador’s Francisco Flores. Like "Lola" in the song, whatever US wants, US gets. So with division already in CARICOM ranks and support not solid, plus a little carrot and stick from the US, CARICOM members might bolt to the US choice, Flores. Time and time again, CARICOM fails to vote as a bloc but are easily picked off one by one by coercion or bribes. It is time for CARICOM to maintain solidarity and earn international respect as an impregnable bloc rather than cave in by succumbing to insular self-interest. So far, I am proud of the CARICOM stand on their support of Aristide and the rejection of the US–installed Latortue regime in Haiti. Even then it is my understanding that Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines courageously stood firm to that position from the start while other members like Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and the Bahamas wanted to cave in to the US pressure. We also should be proud of the CARICOM stand against US pressure for their close relations with Cuba. Several CARICOM members would bolt CARICOM for the North America Free Trade Association (NAFTA) right now. Several U.S. cities, including Miami, and Caricom candidate, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, are in the lobbying war to get the FTAA headquarters. Other cities in the running include Panama City, in Panama; San Juan, Puerto Rico: Puebla, Mexico. Let us hope CARICOM solidarity holds up there.
St. Lucia teachers walk off jobsTeaching staff and other support workers at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in St. Lucia walked off the job to protest against the Government’s delay in paying them higher wages. Bargaining agents for the teachers, the St. Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU), says the salary negotiations for the period 2003 to 2005 began in April last year and are yet to be completed. A union official said that negotiations have been at a standstill because the Government’s negotiating team is yet to put forward a wage proposal. The union called the strike to force the hand of the government negotiating team to act immediately.
Belize civil servants go back to workTeachers joined civil servants in Belize too to walk off their jobs. They went back when the Government agreed to pay them their promised five per cent and eight per cent salary increases immediately. Prime Minister Said Musa in presenting the 2005-2006 budget had announced the Government’s intention to delay the salary increases and stagger implementation over three years. The Government also agreed to delay implementation of tax measures announced in the budget, which were to have come into effect on February 1. The new implementation date is now March 1. As part of the agreement, the administration said it would not withhold money from the salaries of teachers and public officers who had been on strike for 10 days.
Reggae Boyz take Caribbean football titleJamaica’s Reggae Boyz took the Digicel Caribbean Football Cup to become Caribbean champions. They defeated T&T 2-1 and Barbados 1-0 to reach the final showdown against Cuba. Cuba was also undefeated after beating Barbados 3-0 and T&T 2-1. In the showdown, Jamaica became champions by a 1-0 score. T&T took 3rd place by beating Barbados to join Jamaica and Cuba later in the US for the Gold Cup competition. For the tournament Jamaica and T&T were without their European- based players as their clubs did not have to release them as they would have to for World Cup competition.
Another earthquake rocks CaribbeanAn earthquake on Valentine’s Day shook Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent. The quake measured 5.2 on the Richter scale. There were no initial reports of injury or damages. Less than three months ago, a 6.0 quake caused extensive damage to Dominica and claimed one life in Martinique.
Onandi Lowe freedJamaican international football star Onandi Lowe walked free from a
British court Friday, intent on resuming his career. The
31-year-old player was acquitted of being part of a plot to smuggle more
than 100,000 pounds of crack cocaine into the UK.
Toots take reggae GrammyVeteran Toots Hibbert of the legendary Toots and the Maytals copped the 47th annual Grammy in the reggae category at the awards in Los Angeles. His 2004 album, ‘True Love,’ on the V2 Records label, beat out Jimmy Cliff's ‘Black Magic,’ Sly & Robbie's ‘The Dub Revolutionaries,’ Steel Pulse's ‘African Holocaust,’ and ‘Def Jamaica,’ a compilation of recordings by various current dancehall acts, to take the prestigious title. True Love is a remarkable album featuring some of Toots’ classics performed with other famous artists. The title cut, "Tue Love is Hard to Find" is performed with Bonnie Rait. Other artists joining Toots on the album include Willie Nelson, Bunny Wailer, Eric Clapton, Shaggy, Bootsy Collins, Keith Richards, U-Roy and others. This award seems especially fitting since the May-Pen-born singer is credited with originating the term for the music, "reggae". He probably made up "Maytals" too for I cannot find any evidence of such a word. So take that Verizon and Cingular! Toots made up names long before you.
Bunji Garlin and Chalkdust win big in T&T carnivalBunji Garlin and calypsonian the Mighty Chalkdust emerged as big winners in the recently concluded T&T Carnival 2005. Buji Garlin took the Soca Monarch title for "Blaze the Fire". Chalkdust copped the Calypso title with "I In Town Too Long and "Ah Doh Rhyme". For more details: International Soca Monarch Calypso Monarch NATIONAL PANORAMA CHAMPION (Large Bands) ROAD MARCH
FIFA World Cup CONCACAF FinalsT&T Soca warriors are the standard bearers as they are the lone representatives of the Caribbean as they get set to take on the other ffive qualifiers for the CONCACAF finals for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. The other five qualifiers are Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago and USA. The top three finishers will qualify to move directly to the finals in Germany. The CONCACAF fourth-place finisher will compete in a home-and-away playoff against the fifth-place finisher of the Asian Football Confederation, for one of the last berths into the FIFA event. These games will take place in 12/13 and 16 November 2005. Results and Fixtures (Home team first)
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