Caribbean Report 30-06-1993
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Date
1993-06-30
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The British Broadcasting Corporation
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Table of Contents
1. Headlines (00:00-00:38)
2. Belizeans vote in the general elections. The poll comes at the end of a vigorous campaign between the two major political parties, the ruling People’s United Party led by Prime Minister, George Price and Manuel Esquival of the opposition United Democratic Party. David Reid reports (00:39-04:07)
3. A US judge has ruled that the NAFTA violates national environmental laws. The judge has block the Clinton’s administration from proceeding with the pact until it prepares an environmental impact statement. The ruling comes in a suit filed by three US environmental groups. District Court Judge, Charles Richey says the NAFTA will have significant environmental effects and may worsen environmental problems already existing in the US/Mexico border area. Meanwhile, President Clinton in a press conference with Argentinian President Carlos Menem says that he will seek a free trade agreement with other Latin American countries once NAFTA is ratified (04:08-04:57)
4. There is a call for CARICOM to accelerate its development strategies to respond to the NAFTA and the European Single Market. The call comes from the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC). Interview with Pat Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, CAIC. Sandra Baptiste reports (04:58-08:15)
5. UN negotiator, Dante Caputo says some aspects of an accord aimed at resolving the crisis in Haiti have been agreed upon. As the UN negotiated talks continued in New York, Mr. Caputo says much would depend on the willingness of the constitutional government and the military to reach those agreements (08:16-08:50)
6. When CARICOM Heads of Governments meet in Bahamas next week, they will have to confront the question of the cruise ship passenger tax. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is promoting a uniform tax and was endorsed by CARICOM leaders at a recent meeting in St. Lucia. The issue has become a contentious one between some regional governments and the cruise ship companies. Interview with Carlyle Dunkley, Minister of State responsible for Tourism, Jamaica (08:51-12:00)
7. Claude Wathey, former leader of St. Maarten’s Island Council and a number of other officials have been implicated in a multi-million-dollar corruption scandal on the island. It stems from an investigation initiated by the Dutch government in The Hague into the awarding of contracts for extension work on the island’s air and sea ports. They are due to appear before a local magistrate. Eddie William reports (12:01-13:55)
8. In The Hague, the Dutch Parliament will discuss the issue of the future constitutional status of its Caribbean dependencies. Minister for Antillean Affairs, Hirsch Ballin, will report on recent talks with the islands’ governments. The islands’ governments have agreed to present individual plans for their future relations with The Hague in time for the new status to take effect next January (13:56-14:38)
9. Honduras and other Latin American countries are to ask the GATT to test the European Court ruling supporting the EC banana regime. The Honduran Economy Minister says the EC now faces arbitration by a GATT commission. The new banana import rules come into effect on July 1st (14:39-15:04)
2. Belizeans vote in the general elections. The poll comes at the end of a vigorous campaign between the two major political parties, the ruling People’s United Party led by Prime Minister, George Price and Manuel Esquival of the opposition United Democratic Party. David Reid reports (00:39-04:07)
3. A US judge has ruled that the NAFTA violates national environmental laws. The judge has block the Clinton’s administration from proceeding with the pact until it prepares an environmental impact statement. The ruling comes in a suit filed by three US environmental groups. District Court Judge, Charles Richey says the NAFTA will have significant environmental effects and may worsen environmental problems already existing in the US/Mexico border area. Meanwhile, President Clinton in a press conference with Argentinian President Carlos Menem says that he will seek a free trade agreement with other Latin American countries once NAFTA is ratified (04:08-04:57)
4. There is a call for CARICOM to accelerate its development strategies to respond to the NAFTA and the European Single Market. The call comes from the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC). Interview with Pat Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, CAIC. Sandra Baptiste reports (04:58-08:15)
5. UN negotiator, Dante Caputo says some aspects of an accord aimed at resolving the crisis in Haiti have been agreed upon. As the UN negotiated talks continued in New York, Mr. Caputo says much would depend on the willingness of the constitutional government and the military to reach those agreements (08:16-08:50)
6. When CARICOM Heads of Governments meet in Bahamas next week, they will have to confront the question of the cruise ship passenger tax. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is promoting a uniform tax and was endorsed by CARICOM leaders at a recent meeting in St. Lucia. The issue has become a contentious one between some regional governments and the cruise ship companies. Interview with Carlyle Dunkley, Minister of State responsible for Tourism, Jamaica (08:51-12:00)
7. Claude Wathey, former leader of St. Maarten’s Island Council and a number of other officials have been implicated in a multi-million-dollar corruption scandal on the island. It stems from an investigation initiated by the Dutch government in The Hague into the awarding of contracts for extension work on the island’s air and sea ports. They are due to appear before a local magistrate. Eddie William reports (12:01-13:55)
8. In The Hague, the Dutch Parliament will discuss the issue of the future constitutional status of its Caribbean dependencies. Minister for Antillean Affairs, Hirsch Ballin, will report on recent talks with the islands’ governments. The islands’ governments have agreed to present individual plans for their future relations with The Hague in time for the new status to take effect next January (13:56-14:38)
9. Honduras and other Latin American countries are to ask the GATT to test the European Court ruling supporting the EC banana regime. The Honduran Economy Minister says the EC now faces arbitration by a GATT commission. The new banana import rules come into effect on July 1st (14:39-15:04)