Caribbean Report 07-05-1997
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1997-05-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The British Broadcasting Corporation
Abstract
From Barbados to Washington there is a growing concern about the future of the banana industry. In Washington a high profiled lobbyist dumped two thousand pounds of bananas near Capital Hill. The protest was against the World Trade Organisation ruling in favour of the United States criticism of Europe’s banana regime. In Barbados, the Head of the European Commission for the Eastern Caribbean expresses his concern for the ruling. He believes that it would affect negatively the prices for growers in the Windward Islands. He further believes if the prices drop drastically farmers may stop producing and one could imagine the effects of such a turn. Would banana farmers be able to find alternative crops? He said in the meanwhile the European Community was already looking at medium term help. Also, a team of European MPs is on its fact finding mission examining the banana industry in the Caribbean. The Head of this team believes that it would be very difficult for banana farmers to find an alternative crop and that this decision would have an effect on the United States. Next, as the American President’s visit to the region continues the American leader today presses home his message on free trade during his visit to Mexico. Caricom leaders meet in Barbados to finalise their agendas for a week of discussion with the American President. Next, Britain’s Overseas Development Minister says that the new Labour government will increase the aid budget as the economy picks up. She gives a strong indication that the government’s international development policy will be more wide ranging in aid. Next, the official newspapers in Cuba today accuses the United States of deliberately introducing the island to a microscopic insect that attacks crops. Finally, the environment and development in Guyana was the subject of a conference in Southern England. The coordinator of the conference said that the primary concern was the effects of a larger number of logging and mining operations on Guyana’s Amerindians. Still in Guyana, the agreement with the Malaysia Vijaya Timber Group covering three quarter of a million acres continues to be met with some opposition in Guyana. Guyana has no environmental legislation and the investigation into the Omai Gold Cyanide spill found official monitoring to be weak.
Description
Table of Contents
1. Headlines (00:00-00:28)
2. From a protest in Washington to European MPs in the region there is a growing concern about the banana industry. A high profile lobbyist, Randall Robinson and a Member of the European Parliament, Glenys Kinnock are interviewed. Roy Osana reports (00:28-07:17)
3. Caricon leaders prepare for their meeting with President Bill Clinton. President Bill Clinton is interviewed (07:18-09:42)
4. Overseas aid will increase under a new Labour government. Minister of Overseas Development, Claire Short is interviewed (09:43-11:06)
5. Cuba accuses the United States of introducing a pest to the island. Tom Gibbs reports from Havana (11:07-13:02)
6. The environment and development in Guyana was the subject of a conference in Southern England. Michael Eden of the Royal Holloway University of London is interviewed (13:03-15:22)
2. From a protest in Washington to European MPs in the region there is a growing concern about the banana industry. A high profile lobbyist, Randall Robinson and a Member of the European Parliament, Glenys Kinnock are interviewed. Roy Osana reports (00:28-07:17)
3. Caricon leaders prepare for their meeting with President Bill Clinton. President Bill Clinton is interviewed (07:18-09:42)
4. Overseas aid will increase under a new Labour government. Minister of Overseas Development, Claire Short is interviewed (09:43-11:06)
5. Cuba accuses the United States of introducing a pest to the island. Tom Gibbs reports from Havana (11:07-13:02)
6. The environment and development in Guyana was the subject of a conference in Southern England. Michael Eden of the Royal Holloway University of London is interviewed (13:03-15:22)