Caribbean Report 21-05-1997

Abstract

The election campaign in St. Lucia has been an intense and costly affair with forty one candidates seeking the attention of the electorate. However, the main election issue that has dominated the election campaign is the state of the national economy and which political party is best capable of leading St. Lucia into the 21st century. Next, in Jamaica the much anticipated general elections have been dominating the headlines. Questions are being raised about whether international observers will be invited and whether the police force is ready. Next, in the Dominican Republic the President has sacked two of is leading law enforcement officials – the chief of police and head of the country’s drug enforcement agency. The government has been dogged by growing violence and social unrest caused by economic problems and an increase of the number of deportations from the United States. Next, the Caribbean Development Bank has announced that mainland China is to be admitted as a CDB member. The Board of Governors has accepted China’s application during the Bank’s annual meeting in Toronto, Canada. However, Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell said he was disappointed with membership to the Bank for Taiwan was not tabled nor actively considered. Also, China and the Bahamas are said to be holding talks to establish diplomatic ties after relations with Taiwan and the island were severed this week. Next, the World Trade Organisation has a responsibility to cater for the vulnerability of small countries like the Caribbean banana producing countries even though it is essentially an organisation based on free trade according to the European representative of the Caribbean Banana Exporters Association. Next, a study of ethnic minority groups in Britain says they are no longer disadvantaged. According to the report some minority groups are doing just as well economically as their white counterparts. The independent Policy Studies Institute puts Indians in the Caribbean in the middle range in relation to the financial success. Next, the Jamaican Badminton Team suffered their second defeat at the World Mixed Badminton Championship, the Sudirman Cup in Glasgow, Scotland.

Description

Table of Contents

1. Headlines (00:00-00:27)
2. St Lucia's two main political parties lash out at each other ahead of Friday's general elections. Pete Invalle reports (00:27-02:49)
3. There may be general elections soon in Jamaica. Jennifer Grant reports (02:50-03:56)
4. Trinidad and Tobago opposition, the National Alliance for Reconstruction is embroiled in a quarrel with its Tobago arm. Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Basdeo Panday is interviewed. Tony Fraser reports (03:57-05:35)
5. Two top law enforcement officials fired in the Dominican Republic. Jean Michel Cairot reports (05:36-08:27)
6. Mainland China is to be admitted as a Caribbean Development Bank member (08:28-10:19)
7. Does the World Trade Organisation have a responsibility to cater for the vulberability of small countries? Gordon Myers, European representative of the Caribbean Banana Exporters Association is interviewed (10:19-12:03)
8. Ethnic minority groups may no longer be disadvantaged (12:04:13:55)
8. The Jamaican Badminton Team is defeated in Glasgow, Scotland. Tim Maitland reports (13:56-15:27)

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