China pledges ‘new chapter’ in ties with Barbados

BRIDGETOWN — The People’s Republic of China has pledged to “open a new chapter” in the development of “friendly cooperation relations of mutual benefit” with Barbados.

The assurance came yesterday from China’s ambassador to Barbados, Yang Zkikuan, as the Chinese diplomatic mission here marks the 25th anniversary this month of the PRC’s diplomatic relations with this Eastern Caribbean state.

Barbados followed in the tradition of earlier independent English-speaking Caribbean states like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, in ending a then prevailing “two-China” policy, by establishing diplomatic ties on May 30, 1977.

Ambassador Yang is currently engaged in arrangements to ceremonially observe the 25th anniversary of Barbados-China “friendship”.

In reflecting on the deepening of ties between Beijing and Bridgetown, he has pointed to more recent visits to China by Prime Minister Owen Arthur and leading private sector business representatives, as well as China’s involvement over the years in various development projects as well as technical and cultural relations.

“The Chinese Government,” he said, “cherishes the friendship and cooperation with Barbaos and is ready to work together with its government for lasting and stable relations and cooperation.”

He feels that China’s recent accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has created a “good business environment” for further cooperation with Barbados and other Caribbean and developing nations.

With the exception of Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis, all the independent countries of the English-speaking Caribbean Community have diplomatic relations with China.

The five countries that do not have relations with China maintain ties with Taiwan, which is not a member of the United Nations and is treated as a “renegade province” of China.

Trini RC priest quits over relations with teenage boy

PORT-OF-SPAIN — A Roman Catholic priest of Trinidad and Tobago has resigned from priesthood following a controversy over his relationship with an 18 year-old male altar server.

Archbishop Edward Gilbert, an American who last year became the new head of the Roman Catholic denomination in this multi-ethnic, multi-religious twin-island republic, has confirmed the resgination of the priest, Felix Harricharan who is currently sharing accommodation with the teenage boy, an A-level student.

The Archbishop has written to Pope John Paul about the matter informing him, according to a report in yesterday’s Express, of the “escalating scandal”.

Both the mother of the teenage boy and the Archbishop have expressed their deep disappointment and sadness over the affair.

Archbishop Gilbert said that while he was disappointed, “I have been in this thing too long not to know that you can tell people what to do but you cannot force them to do anything. So I have informed Rome.”

Harricharan officially quit the priesthood in March this year and his resignation, now being confirmed, was accepted by the Archbishop.

Woman soldier detained in payroll fraud

PORT-OF-SPAIN — A female soldier of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force has been placed in detention in an army cell for 42 days following discovery of an alleged payroll fraud.

Her alleged collaborator, a corporal, is also facing disciplinary action but the army would not release the names of either. They were both attached to the Defence Force’s payroll division and are reported to have been paying each other extra sums of about TT$3,000 to TT$4,000 (TT$6=US$1) in addition to their entitled monthly salary.

The corporal is facing demotion and both may eventually be discharged from the Defence Force, according to army sources.

Discovery of the payroll fraud was made a fortnight ago.

Guyana president knocks opposition on prison escapees

GEORGETOWN — The president of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, has accused “some elements” of the main opposition People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) of being involved in collaborating with the five armed and dangerous criminals who escaped from the Georgetown Prison on February 23 and who remain at large.

The PNC/R has, however, been constantly distancing itself from any involvement with the fugitives from justice and the series of killings and armed robberies that have rocked the country while the manhunt expands to capture the escapees.

But the oppoisition party also maintains its attacks on the police for what it claims to be “extra-judicial killings” in so-called shoot-outs with people wanted by them in their investigations of various crimes, including murder, gun-running and armed robberies.

Now President Jagdeo, who raised the issue of “criminal violence and terroristic behaviour” at last week’s European Union-Latin America and Caribbean Summit in Madrid, Spain, has told a rally of his governing People’s Progressive Party that the government had confirmation of the links of “some of these PNC/R elements with the escaped prisoners”.

He said that this would amount to engagement in “terroristic behaviour” and reiterated what he had said at the Madrid Summit that the international community had an obligation in the fight against terrorism to also ensure that governing and opposition parties of any country are in no way involved in such activities.

Meanwhile, the head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, who is also secretary of the Defence Board, has told a post-cabinet briefing here, that the government intended to press ahead with its legislative agenda, whether or not the PNC/R chooses to maintain its boycott of Parliament.

The PPP/Civic has a majority in the 65-member parliament. Dialogue between President Jagdeo and Opposition Leader Desmond Hoyte was suspended some two months ago, at the request of Hoyte who has complained of the government’s failure to implement decisions taken through the dialogue process.