Caribbean Report 09-05-2000

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1. Headlines (00:00-00:30)
2. Head of Puerto Rico’s Pro-Independent Party, Ruben Berrios, says he will defy the US Navy and set foot on their installation on Vieques to continue his protest against bombing practice there. It was he who first occupied the US bombing range following the death of a civilian who was killed by a stray bullet last year. (00:31-04:14)
3. Preparation is underway for a crucial referendum in Dutch Saint Marten on June 23. Voters will have their say on whether their half of the island should remain in the grouping of the Netherlands Antilles, become a separate part of a restructured Netherlands Antilles, become a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, or independence. (04:15-05:54)
4. The Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic says he expects the Presidential election scheduled for later this month to go ahead as planned despite an outbreak of political violence. The Minister is confident that normalcy will be restored before the elections which is due in about a week. (05:55-06:23)
5. The observer group, The International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) has refused to comment on the expulsion of one of their members by the government of Haiti. The member was asked to leave the country by the Prime Minister for criticizing the government in a report to IFES. IFES is one of several groups monitoring the elections in Haiti. (06:24-06:45)
6.The strike continues at the prison in Saint Vincent. Prison officers are calling on the government to improve their pay and working conditions, and to recruit more officers. They are also recommending that the Barbadian jurist, Sir Frederick Smith’s report be implemented. (06:46-09:32)
7. West Indies cricket legend, Sir Vivian Richards, has commented on the match-fixing debate. He was quoted as telling the magazine, “Cricket Talk” in India that he suspected foul play since the 1970s. However he dismissed any suggestion that the Windies may have thrown away the 1983 World Cup final, a match they were heavily favoured to win against India. (09:33-11:00)
8. The second test match is now taking place in Barbados after the rain had such a big say in the first test match of the West Indies/Pakistan series in Guyana. It is being argued that the match should not have been played in Guyana during the rainy season. (11:01-14:28)

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