GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Stabroek News -The delivery of health and education is to get a further boost with the arrival of yet another batch of United States Peace Corps volunteers. The American embassy here announced, through a press release, that 30 more Peace Corps trainees arrived in Georgetown today to complement their 35 colleagues already in service. The new trainees will make up the 25th group of Peace Corps volunteers to serve this country and will be officially sworn in on July 3, after completing their pre-service training.
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Twenty of the world’s most troubled countries have made progress in efforts that range from reducing poverty to improving the education of girls and cutting down on the deaths of women in childbirth, the World Bank said yesterday. The improvement is a big shift from just a few years ago for the 20 fragile and conflict-hit states.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Advocate - THE Central Bank of Barbados will today unveil a new family of Barbadian banknotes – for the first time since the institution issued notes in 1973. The launch of the new series coincides with the Bank’s 41st birthday. The new notes have the same value as the current series, but will feature modern designs and upgraded security features. De La Rue Limited printed the bills and representatives from this British-based company will be on the island for the launch.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Stabroek News - Last week, Prime Minister Kenny Anthony of St Lucia presented his Budget for the year 2013-14, an event that followed a three-week strike by the country’s civil servants in protest against the government’s wage offer for a triennium ending in 2013. The Budget was presented, and the strike was held, against a background of a certain level of dissatisfaction with the government’s original wage offer of 0%-0%-0% for the triennium, a figure which was eventually raised to 4%, and still rejected by the Civil Service Association.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago government Wednesday said it would move to amend the existing libel and defamation legislation so as to ensure that journalists were not jailed “for the malicious publication of any defamatory libel.” Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, speaking at a news conference following talks with a delegation from the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI), the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) and the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA), said she would take a note to Cabinet on Thursday t
ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Prime Minister Roosvelt Skerrit has confirmed that his Health Minister Julius Timothy had been flown to the French island of Martinique for medical treatment after he collapsed at his office on Wednesday. “Last night he complained about numbness in certain parts of his body,” Skerrit said on state-owned DBS radio, adding that “in due course a medical update on his progress will be given and we ask all Dominicans to pray for his well being”.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Jamaica government has named the Principal of the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Gordon Shirley, to head a National Task Force (NTF) that will coordinate the critical infrastructural and labour factors regarding the logistics hub initiative. Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller’s government has said that the initiative, which is intended to have Jamaica take advantage of the increase in the movement of goods when the expanded Panama Canal opens in 2015, is a major plank of its overall growth strategy.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - Jamaica’s Public Defender, Earl Witter has recommended that a Commission of Enquiry be established to look into the incursion that took place in the Corporate Area community of Tivoli Gardens nearly three years ago as security officials went on the hunt for the then fugitive Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - Leader of the main opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Andrew Holness has praised Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller for what he says is a level of maturity in promising to consider suggestions from the opposition concerning the 2013/2014 budget. During her contribution to the debate on the J$531 billion (One Jamaica dollar = US$0.01 cents) budget on Tuesday, Prime Minister Simpson Miller said in the interest of democracy, her administration has welcomed all suggestions placed on the table by Holness, the former prime minister.
HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Bermuda says it will sign an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) with the United States and Britain saying the decision will further cement the British Overseas Territory as a reputable jurisdiction for conducting business in a transparent manner. Finance Minister E.T. Richards said the accord with Washington follows widespread discussions with local stakeholders and US Treasury officials. He said London has already produced an official draft IGA Model 2 for consideration by Bermuda.