Diplomacy vital for democracy

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - IT HAS OFTEN BEEN SAID that democracy thrives in a turbulent climate. It is also true that for it to function effectively there will be winners and losers, who must accept the verdict and the will of the majority of the people. The situation in Venezuela is the latest example...
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After Venezuela’s elections

GEORGETOWN, Guyana - The presidential elections in Venezuela indicate that the country, without the influence of former President Chávez’s extraordinary charisma and influence, remains essentially democratic in form and practice as it has tended to be since the end of the Jimenez dictat...
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Boston bombings: resilience in the face of horror

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - It is very difficult not to be impressed and humbled by the reaction of Bostonians to the bombings that ripped lives and limbs apart on their marathon day. The scenes on Boston’s streets on Monday have echoes of things that happen with awful frequency on the street...
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Sympathy for Boston

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - he savage attack on the crowds viewing and participating in the Boston Marathon on Monday was a ruthless assault on innocents that will serve to remind all in authority in democratic nations that cowardly attacks on civilians remain the most potent weapon in the arsenal of ...
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Hopes, challenges with Maduro

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - WELL, the fierce battle to elect a successor to the late president Hugo Chavez is over. However, a heavy cloud of uncertainty hangs over Venezuela amid official arrangements for Friday’s oath-taking ceremony of Nicolas Maduro as new Head of State of that influential ...
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Cariled gets new director

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - The Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (Cariled) has a new programme directo. Alix Yule will direct the six year CIDA funded Local Economic Development (LED) project within 14 Caribbean countries.  She will first be based at the Federation of Canadian Municip...
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T&T, Guatemala negotiate Partial Scope Agreement

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Senior government officials are in the final leg of negotiations with Guatemalan officials to sign off on a Partial Scope Agreement. The T&T delegation includes senior officials of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment; the Customs and Excise Division of the Mi...
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IMF cuts growth forecast for Jamaica

KINGSTON. Jamaica - THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered its 2013 growth forecast for Jamaica, with the country now projected to grow by .5 per cent, down from the one per cent estimate in October 2012. But the country's economy should strengthen in 2014, with real GDP growth of 1.2 pe...
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Help small and vulnerable economies

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday used an international forum to issue a call for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to increase their aid to small and vulnerable economies. Persad-Bissessar was speaking at the United Nations General Asse...
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