Preparing for CARICOM’s July Summit

BRIDGETOWN — The Caribbean Community is currently engaged in a series of meetings at the technical and ministerial levels in preparation for its 23rd regular annual summit of Heads of Government scheduled for the first week in July in Guyana.

Just back from participating in two separate summits in Madrid involving the deepening of CARICOM’s relations specifically with Spain and, more generally, Europe and Latin America, the Community’s secretary-general, Edwin Carrington, will today be involved in a three-day meeting in Georgetown of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

The May 22-25 ministerial meeting, preceded by that of the region’s technocrats yesterday at the Secretariat headquarters, will address outstanding issues relating to arrangements for the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

On June 1, there is to be a meeting of the Community’s Council of Ministers in Barbados, ahead of the June 2-4 General Assembly of the Organisation of American States (OAS).

A number of the participants for the Council meeting are expected to also be involved in the 32nd OAS General Assembly for which all member states will be represented.

As the second highest organ of CARICOM, outside of the Heads of Government Conference, the Community Council meeting to be hosted by Barbados, which has lead responsibility for CSME arrangements, will finalise the agenda for the July Summit in Georgetown at which President Bharrat Jagdeo will assume, for the first time, chairmanship of the Community.

…Issue of visas for Anguilla to be addressed

THE Council will be expected to approve a draft agenda for the Heads of Government Summit that includes the latest in arrangements for launching of the CSME, the creation of the Caribbean Court of Justice, approval or otherwise for new associate members, among them Bermuda, freedom of movement of skilled personnel and also the final report of a mandated review by Community leaders on the structure and functioning of the CARICOM Secretariat.

One of the sensitive issues that Secretary-General Carrington will have to address before the CARICOM Summit in July is engaging in a dialogue with Anguilla, the British dependent territory, on the issue of requirement of visas for Jamaicans and Guyanese to travel to that island that was once part of the Federation of St Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla.

As an associate member of CARICOM, Anguilla is not legally bound to ensure travel for CARICOM nationals without visa requirement.

But at their recent meeting in St Lucia, foreign ministers of the Community agreed that the visa requirements being made on Guyanese and Jamaicans were “contrary to the spirit” of an agreement applicable to full-fledge member states as well as those with associate status.

Consequently, they have mandated Secretary-General Carrington to seek a satisfactory resolution to the problem ahead of the forthcoming CARICOM Summit. Carrington is expected to travel to Anguilla following ministerial and OAS meetings in Barbados next month.

Following the decsion taken by Anguilla, which said it did so to protect jobs for Anguillans as well as avoiding immigration problems, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), another of the overseas departments of the UK, is reported to be also considering introduction of visas for CARICOM nationals visiting that associate member territory.

‘Porn’ TV sparks review of T&T station’s licence

PORT-OF-SPAIN — The return of pornographic or X-rated materials on Channel 63 cable television has sparked protests leading to a pledge by Telecommunications Minister Hedwige Bereaux to review the station’s licence to determine if it had breac hed its broadcast licence.

Phil Cleary, managing director of Cable Company of Trinidad and Tobago (CCTT), is maintaining that according to his interpretation of the licence issued to his company, his station could broadcast pornography to adult viewers.

An official of the Ministry of Telecommunications has disclosed that following a review of the licence issued to CCTT, a submission would be made to Attorney-General Glenda Morean to determine what further action needs to be taken on the matter.

The official, according to a report in yesterday’s Express, said that even if the licence somehow allows porn to be broadcast, CCTT “cannot breach the general law of the land”. And Minister Bereaux firmly declared that since the station appeared determined to broadcast pornographic movies, “then we may need to do something about that”.

CCTT had originally suspended broadcast of X-rated movies in 1999 because of difficulties, it claimed, to unscramble that made viewing access available to persons without payment.

The adult Channel 63 is now available to cable subscribers for an additional fee of TT$80 (TT$6=US$1).

…Row continues over airing of videotape in Guyana

Meanwhile in Guyana, a controversy continues over the failure by an Advisory Committee on Broadcasting (ACB) on the airing of an unsourced, unedited videotape showing a wanted criminal dressed in army fatigue and cradling an AK-47 rifle, and making personal attacks on the police and government.

The wanted man, Andrew Douglas, is among the five fugitives from justice being sought by the police since their escape from the Georgetown Prison on February 23 when they killed a prison warder and severely wounded another.

Prime Minister Sam Hinds, under whose portfolio the ACB falls, was yesterday expected to brief cabinet on the matter at its weekly Tuesday meeting.

Brother of slain businessman robbed of G$2m

GEORGETOWN — One week after his brother and sister-in-law were robbed and murdered, execution-style, businessman Ramesh Persaud was attacked by six armed bandits who robbed him of about G$2 million (G$185=US$1) in cash and jewellery.

The Persaud brothers, well known businessmen living some one mile apart on the East Coast of Georgetown, are the latest victims of armed criminals who have been on a rampage, including a series of car hijackings and criminal violence over the past two months in particular.

Ramdeo Persaud and his wife Sita were killed a week ago at their Annandale home when gunmen forced their way into the building and demanded money.

On Monday morning, Ramesh, businessman of Mon Repos, and his wife were attacked by a group of six armed men who stole their money and jewellery before making their escape in a gold coloured Carina car.

A traumatised Ramesh said that he was now seriously thinking of migrating abroad as the law enforcement agencies seem incapable of coping with the spate of crime or capturing any of the criminals.

Lambert Electronics Contracting Services was also robbed of some G$600,000 in US and local currency on Monday.