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HAITI-MIGRATION-UN refugee agency says Haitians interdicted at sea not screened for asylum

UNITED NATIONS, CMC - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says the United States and other countries have failed to properly screen Haitian migrants interdicted at sea to ascertain whether they have “a credible fear” of violence and persecution. “People should be screened for credible fear, rather than having the burden of having to shout their way to be noticed,” said Leslie Velez, UNHCR’s senior protection officer.

ST. VINCENT- DEVELOPMENT-

Government confident of accessing millions to complete new international airport KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, Feb 8, CMC - The St. Vincent and the Grenadines government says it is confident it will this year raise the US$80 million needed to complete the international airport at Argyle. The EC$652 million (one EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) airport is scheduled to become operational by 2014 and Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said he recently held talks with the Venezuelan government and it seems that the application for a US$10 loan “is progressing well.

Happy 39th Birthday Grenada

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Grenada Thursday celebrated 39 years of political independence from Britain with Prime Minister Tillman Thomas telling citizens of the “significant strides” made and having “accomplished much in every sphere of life as a nation”. In an address delivered during the traditional Independence Rally at the National Stadium, Thomas, who is facing a general election on February 19, said despite the global economic crisis, Grenada has been able to withstand the shocks because of the policies of his administration over the past four years.

CARIBBEAN-DEFAMATION-Damning report from International Press Institute on Caribbean

Grenada, CMC - As he gets ready to face an electorate in a general election on February 19, Grenada’s Prime Minister Tillman Thomas is patting himself on the back as it relates to repealing legislation regarding criminal libel in his tiny Caribbean island.

“We are the only country in the Caribbean that has spoken about repealing the legislation and actually doing so,” he told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), citing the need for the media to “be able to carry out its function without much hindrance”.

Caribbean organisations call for air passenger tax removal

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, Guardian - Richard J Doumeng, president, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), and Beverly Nicholson-Doty, chairman, Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism, are supporting a recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) which shows that the abolition of the UK’s Air Passenger Duty (APD) could bring a lasting boost to the UK economy, generating a net tax gain for the Treasury and creating almost 60,000 new jobs.

To boost regional security US marine general visits T&T

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, Guardian - United States marine corps general John Kelly, commander of US southern command, who visited Port-of-Spain yesterday, said he was delighted to have met with the Government and defence leaders on his Caribbean visit. Kelly met with prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, national security Minister Jack Warner, foreign affairs minister Winston Dookeran and members of the T&T Defence Force led by chief of defence staff, Maj Gen Kenrick Maharaj.

Amazon forest more resilient to climate change than feared-study

OSLO, (Reuters) - The Amazon rainforest is less vulnerable to die off because of global warming than widely believed because the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide also acts as an airborne fertiliser, a study showed yesterday. The boost to growth from CO2, the main gas from burning fossil fuels blamed for causing climate change, was likely to exceed damaging effects of rising temperatures this century such as drought, it said.

Act Now On Energy - Private Sector Gives Gov’t Ultimatum To Online Policy, OUR Apologises To Paulwel

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Gleaner - THREE OF the country's leading private-sector groups have given Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell and the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) 30 days to lay out a clear road map to secure massive reductions in electricity rates. The Government was banking on the introduction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to reduce the cost of electricity by up to 40 per cent. However, the fate of the LNG project hangs in the balance following the withdrawal of the Government from the process.

Jamaica looking beyond region for trade opportunities

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica says it will continue to promote technical and economic co-operation with developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as with traditional partners Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and the European Union.

All eyes on next OECS Assembly

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Observer - With a month to go before the second meeting of the OECS Assembly in Antigua, concerns are being raised about its format, in light of previous controversy. During the inaugural meeting here in August, the authorities removed the mace, Queen’s image, national flags and laws of Antigua & Barbuda from the building. The event was attended by legislators from the nine-member sub-regional grouping.

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