Caribbean News Report 7.21.08

Cayman Net News: While Cayman Islands’ legislators were previously in talks over the Tobacco Bill, which “seeks to prohibit the promotion of tobacco products and smoking in enclosed workplaces and enclosed public places,” sources say the law is “up in the air.”

In response to a request from Cayman Net News seeking clarification on the progress of the bill, the Ministry of Health issued the following statement:

“The Ministry is currently reviewing what is hoped will be the final draft, having taken representations from a variety of sources. In keeping with the Ministry’s vision of ‘Optimal Well Being for All’, the Tobacco Bill remains a top priority.”

Christine Sanders, Chief Operating Officer of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society (CICS), said she hoped the Bill would be brought before the Legislative Assembly “sometime this year”.

Jamaica Gleaner: Jamaica’s Minister of Justice has called for Jamaicans to help to decrease the “alarming” number of domestic violence incidences that plagues the country.

During yesterday’s launch of the 10th anniversary of the Victim Support Unit (VSU) in Portmore, St Catherine, it was revealed that since 2005, 22,739 cases of violence were seen by officers working from the 13 VSU offices in Jamaica. Of this number, 13,979 victims were females, while 8,760 were males.

There were 9,625 incidents of domestic violence in 2007, a 29.2 per cent rise over the previous year, according to the latest edition of the Economic and Social Survey. Approximately 4.4 per cent of last year’s national murders were attributed to domestic disputes, a 0.1 percentage-point decline over 2006.

Stabroek News: Residents living along the Arau river are complaining about the mining operations, saying that they have “polluted [and] diverted the river.”

A report dated June 30, 2008 for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) acknowledged that there had been some environmental damage to the river but differed on other points. When contacted on the issue, GGMC Commissioner, William Woolford told Stabroek News that though commission officials had visited the area, in light of the information brought to his attention by this newspaper, a technical team will visit the area. Woolford noted that the GGMC position is zero-tolerance for operations not in compliance with the regulations.

Caribbean Net News: Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo announced charter flights will be allowed to enter the country for CARIFESTA X.

Jagdeo, who said he was thus far satisfied with the preparation for the ten-day event, came to this decision following growing concerns of insufficient flights and the increase in the price for airline tickets.

Caribbean Net News: The Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Ralph T. O’Neal recently condemned last week Wednesday’s double murder that brought the countries total murder toll to four.

Police reports indicate that two men, one of them a BVIslander and the other, a Vincentian national, were fatally shot outside a supermarket in West End. The killings bring to four the number of murders in the BVI so far this year.

Aaron “Sonny” Erickson, 39 years old, of Tortola and Winston Oliverre, 38 years old, of St Vincent and the Grenadines, both died as a result of multiple gun shot wounds in an incident that took place on Wednesday evening at about 10 pm. Oliverre was pronounced dead at the scene, while Erickson was transported to Peebles Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.

Caribbean Net News: Puerto Rico’s government is coming through on its promise to “go green” by converting it’s public properties into eco-friendly buildings. The Puerto Rico Convention Center and the Coliseum of Puerto Rico are the first to make the transition.

With an investment of $250,000 aimed at reducing the use of electricity and water within the District, the Puerto Rico Convention Center and other developments within the 113-acre District will decrease the use of water by 30 percent and the use of electricity by 50 percent, for ongoing savings of $450,000 per year once the project is completed.