ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A former Barbuda Council member has accused government of failing to pay the same attention to air travel between Antigua & Barbuda as it does to regional travel.
George Burton said he is very concerned that central government is giving financial support to regional air carrier LIAT while Barbudans are left out of the loop.
He said he doesn’t understand why two dedicated airplanes to jaunt between the two islands, owned and operated by the council, can’t be made available.
Member
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A month after projecting it would make a “modest” $7 million profit in 2013, LIAT says such an achievement is no longer possible.
The company had hinged its profit making ability on complete re-fleeting that got off to a late start, due to a lack of funds and reconstruction of aircraft records destroyed in a blaze seven months ago, which LIAT failed to quickly complete.
Management now hopes to break-even year-end – which it considers would still be a significant achievement, since the airline has been hemorrhaging millions in recent years.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (Trinidad Guardian) – Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj said more of T&T’s agricultural produce may soon be available in Caribbean market. At the re-commissioning of the Orange Valley Wholesale Fish Market in Couva yesterday, Maharaj said Namdevco will soon start construction of five packing houses at the cost of $8 million each. He said the packing houses will absorb local produce with the objective of selling the excess to customers in regional markets.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - The rout of the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) in Monday’s elections for the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) settles many questions. There is no doubt now where the sentiments of the people of Tobago lie. The rejection of Ashworth Jack, ousted from the Mason Hall/Providence/Moriah constituency seat he’d held for 16 years, was as much an endorsement of the PNM governance and campaign management as it was an electoral condemnation of the TOP and the very present People’s Partnership Government.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - There is no minority leader but this is not going to prevent the victorious Orville London-led slate from the PNM’s Tobago Council from being inaugurated as the new Tobago House of Assembly tomorrow. “My lawyers have said there is nothing to prevent the THA from functioning without a minority leader and a minority council.” London said yesterday, as questions arose as to whether the THA Act allowed an assembly to be constituted without a minority leader in the wake of the PNM’s 12-0 sweep over the Tobago Organisation of the People in Monday’s THA election.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - A NATIONAL holiday in Barbados yesterday afforded me the opportunity to reflect on a few current political developments of relevance as T&T prepares for Carnival 2013 and loses no sweat over domestic party politicking; after all, it's the official season for fun and frolic. First, the understandable jubilation by Tobagonians over achieving a stunning, historic clean sweep of the 12 seats in the People's National Movement-controlled Tobago House of Assembly that the incumbent has dominated for a dozen years.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Police Commissioner Vernon Francois is calling on Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to implement measures, including the CARICOM Warrant Arrest treaty, which will ensure criminals are brought to justice. Francois said the introduction of the treaty has become imperative given the widespread increase in organised crime across the regional community. "With the increase in criminal activity we are seeing within the community and the ubiquitous nature of organised crime, the full implementation of the pact will help bring criminals to justice," he said.
This is the third cabinet change in President Michel Martelly’s 20 month presidency, and it comes after months of speculation about the stability of his government. For the second time in five months, Haiti’s government has reshuffled the cabinet, ending months of rumors about who would survive growing political intrigue. Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, who remains in his post as minister of planning and external cooperation, announced the pending shakeup via Twitter on Tuesday afternoon in French.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Rescue teams have recovered one body and are continuing their search for eight other people after two boats with at least 20 people on board collided in the Mazuruni River, Essequibo late on Tuesday. A government statement said that members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) had joined the Coast Guard and Infantry troops in searching the river following the accident that occurred at Crab Falls, 25 miles from Bartica.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - The world has not yet escaped the risk of a collapse in the global economy despite some renewed confidence heading into 2013, the founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF) told The Associated Press on Monday.
Swiss economist Klaus Schwab, speaking on the eve of the elite annual gathering in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos, called for the business and government leaders heading there to focus on "cautious realism" and a recovering public trust to avoid another major financial crisis.