CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Dominica
Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit
says that his administration will
table legislation this year to adequately
honor people who serve as head of a
government in Dominica.
He lamented the fact that the island’s
first prime minister is receiving a
monthly allowance of EC$500.
Skerrit said it is important that people
who make contributions at the
national level should
not be living on pauper’s
assistance.
Speaking on the
state-owned DBS radio
recently, the prime
minister said it is irrelevant whoever
the person is, but he wanted the population
to take into consideration that
the individual would have made a contribution
to the social-economic development
of the island.
He noted that another Prime Minister
Edison James gets EC$1,400 a
month, while Oliver Seraphine, who
served as head of a government of
“National Salvation” between 1979-80
following riots that led to the removal
of the John administration, was not
receiving a monthly allowance.
Skerrit said Cabinet took a decision
some months ago and granted OJ Seraphine
EC$2,000 in terms of a compassionate
allowance every month.
Guyana
Exxon Mobil Corp said its oil drilling
and development activities offshore
Guyana were not affected despite Venezuela’s
navy stopping two seismic survey
vessels the company had hired.
The closest of ten oil finds Exxon
has made off Guyana’s coast is 68 miles
away from the northwest
part of the Stabroek
block, where the
navy halted seismic
data collection recently,
the company said.
Both governments say the incident
took place in its territorial waters.
In a statement An Exxon said exploration
and development drilling is continuing
in the southeast area of the
Stabroek Block.
Guyana’s foreign minister said the
government is “in discussions” with
Exxon on next steps.
A century-long territorial dispute
between the two neighboring South
American countries has flared up after
Exxon announced the discovery of more
than five billion barrels of oil and gas
offshore Guyana.
Jamaica
The ban on single-use plastics went
into effect in Jamaica from January 1,
2019, but the government is examining
the possibility of strengthening the
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Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit addresses the United Nations General Assembly, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, at U.N.
headquarters. Associated Press / Craig Ruttle, File
legislation so as to ensure there are no
breaches to the law.
Minister without portfolio in the
Ministry of Economic Growth and Job
Creation Daryl Vaz says the Andrew
Holness administration will examine
the archaic and out dated legislation.
While noting that the fines ranging
between J$50,000 to more than
J$1million for breaches of stipulations
under the National Resources Conservation
Authority and Trade Acts, Vaz
said “too often we are using archaic
outdated legislation
and laws that are
totally inadequate in
terms of the consequences
through fines
and imprisonment.”
From January 1, 2019, the government
commenced imposition of the ban
on the importation, manufacture, distribution
and use of specific categories
of plastic packaging material.
St. Kitts
The St. Kitts and Nevis government
has survived a no-confident motion
brought by Opposition Leader, Dr. Denzil
Douglas, who claimed a “grave injustice”
had been committed against the
people of the twin-island Federation.
Douglas said that the right of citizens
to “hear their representatives” in
the debate had been stifled by actions
of the government to move for a vote
after only one government legislator,
Mark Brantley, the Premier of Nevis
and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, had
responded.
The opposition leader said a “grave
injustice” has been committed against
the people and their right to hear their
representatives to debate matters.”
Douglas, a former prime minister
who lost the last general election three
years ago, said while members of the
“silent majority” were awaiting the date
for fresh elections, the country could
not afford to have the present administration
remain in office.
He accused Prime Minister, Timothy
Harris administration of being corrupt
and engaged in acts of nepotism among
other ills.
In the 2015 general election, the coalition
Team Unity won seven of the 11
seats with the remainder going to the
Douglas’ St. Kitts-Nevis Labor Party.
St. Lucia
The authorities in neighboring Martinique
have dismantled a major drug
trafficking operation
between St. Lucia and
the French Caribbean
territory.
Reports out of Martinique
said the success came as a result
of French law enforcement officials carrying
out investigative work.
Media reports quoted Martinique
Prosecutor Gaudeul Renaud as saying
that the trafficking in narcotics was
between St. Lucia and Fort de France,
the capital of Martinique.
The anti-drug operation on Dec. 18,
2018 resulted in arrests in four communities
and the seizure of just over
50 kilos of cocaine, more than 20 kilos
of marijuana and a semi-automatic
pistol.
Martinique officials say that five persons
were also arrested.
St. Vincent
The St. Vincent and the Grenadines
government has received the green
light to borrow US$50 million from
Taiwan.
The Ralph Gonsalves administration,
which has enjoyed a
long period of diplomatic
relations with
Taipei, said the money
would be used to fund
the construction of two hotels, including
one at an airport in Diamond, on
the island’s eastern corridor.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sir
Louis Straker, said the loan is from
the Export-Import Bank of Taiwan,
which also financed the “cross-country
road” and the Argyle International
Airport.
He said Taiwan provided EC$80 million
to construct the tower and terminal
building at the Argyle International
Airport, which began operating in February
2017.
Continued on Page 14
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THE NEWS FROM BACK HOME
Dominica’s PM stands up for colleagues
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