Caribbean Report 18-03-2002
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Date
2002-03-18
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Publisher
The British Broadcasting Corporation
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Table of Contents
1. Headlines (00:00-00:33)
2. At the public enquiry into the Medical Benefits Scheme in Antigua and Barbuda Doctor Thomas Martin, an American paediatrician residing in Antigua, testifies that patients top government officials refer are given preferential treatment. E. Ann Henry a lawyer representing the quantity surveyor in the Antigua benefit enquiry says the scheme is badly managed by the government and there is evidence of theft (00:34-04:27)
3. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) confirms the Bahamas, the latest country to be taken off the OECD’s list of uncooperative tax havens, is committed to improve the transparency of its tax and regulatory systems and information sharing on tax matters. Finance Minister William Allen insists however, the commitment rests on the OECD living up to a level playing field pledge it agreed to. Ken Richards reports (04:28-07:02)
4. Jamaica’s Prime Minister Percival Patterson decides not to continue plans to introduce an electricity tax for street lighting across the island. There has been pressure from business leaders, newspapers and opposition politicians to scrap the cess as they claim it is excessive and uneconomical. The Jamaican Observer breaks the story and Rosie Hayes interviews its News Editor Vernon Davidson (07:02-09:45)
5. The Cuban government requests a formal agreement with the United States (US) to tackle drug trafficking while Cuban authorities announce the capture of suspected Colombian drug trafficker Rafael Miguel Bustamante and the extradition of an American national Jessie James Bell. Despite having no diplomatic ties, Cuba and the US cooperate regularly on the issues of immigration and drugs but the US is reluctant to formalise that arrangement while Fidel Castro remains in power (09:46-10:23)
6. A troika of Commonwealth leaders from Australia, Nigeria and South Africa meet in London and are mandated by the Commonwealth Summit to jointly decide what action should be taken on Zimbabwe, taking into account the views of Commonwealth Election Observers who say that systematic intimidation of the opposition and other abuses did not allow a free expression of the people’s will. Barnaby Mason reports (10:24-12:32)
7. Most Commonwealth countries are anxious to learn what decision will be made in Britain over the future of Zimbabwe. Rosie Hayes interviews Sir John Compton, former Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, who explains what he thinks should be done making reference to the Harare Declaration and its principles. He says it is unfortunate that there is the perception that Commonwealth countries are addressing the issue along racial lines (12:33-14:49)
8. Britain’s Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) says British cities hit by race riots should encourage white and ethnic communities to live together to avoid any further disturbances. The CRE says clashes happen because authorities fail to address deep rooted segregation and stated that the practice of dumping Asian and Afro-Caribbean Families in the worse housing must end (14:50-15:35)
2. At the public enquiry into the Medical Benefits Scheme in Antigua and Barbuda Doctor Thomas Martin, an American paediatrician residing in Antigua, testifies that patients top government officials refer are given preferential treatment. E. Ann Henry a lawyer representing the quantity surveyor in the Antigua benefit enquiry says the scheme is badly managed by the government and there is evidence of theft (00:34-04:27)
3. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) confirms the Bahamas, the latest country to be taken off the OECD’s list of uncooperative tax havens, is committed to improve the transparency of its tax and regulatory systems and information sharing on tax matters. Finance Minister William Allen insists however, the commitment rests on the OECD living up to a level playing field pledge it agreed to. Ken Richards reports (04:28-07:02)
4. Jamaica’s Prime Minister Percival Patterson decides not to continue plans to introduce an electricity tax for street lighting across the island. There has been pressure from business leaders, newspapers and opposition politicians to scrap the cess as they claim it is excessive and uneconomical. The Jamaican Observer breaks the story and Rosie Hayes interviews its News Editor Vernon Davidson (07:02-09:45)
5. The Cuban government requests a formal agreement with the United States (US) to tackle drug trafficking while Cuban authorities announce the capture of suspected Colombian drug trafficker Rafael Miguel Bustamante and the extradition of an American national Jessie James Bell. Despite having no diplomatic ties, Cuba and the US cooperate regularly on the issues of immigration and drugs but the US is reluctant to formalise that arrangement while Fidel Castro remains in power (09:46-10:23)
6. A troika of Commonwealth leaders from Australia, Nigeria and South Africa meet in London and are mandated by the Commonwealth Summit to jointly decide what action should be taken on Zimbabwe, taking into account the views of Commonwealth Election Observers who say that systematic intimidation of the opposition and other abuses did not allow a free expression of the people’s will. Barnaby Mason reports (10:24-12:32)
7. Most Commonwealth countries are anxious to learn what decision will be made in Britain over the future of Zimbabwe. Rosie Hayes interviews Sir John Compton, former Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, who explains what he thinks should be done making reference to the Harare Declaration and its principles. He says it is unfortunate that there is the perception that Commonwealth countries are addressing the issue along racial lines (12:33-14:49)
8. Britain’s Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) says British cities hit by race riots should encourage white and ethnic communities to live together to avoid any further disturbances. The CRE says clashes happen because authorities fail to address deep rooted segregation and stated that the practice of dumping Asian and Afro-Caribbean Families in the worse housing must end (14:50-15:35)