Caribbean Report 12-04-2002

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1. Headlines (00:00-00:28)
2. Violent anti-government demonstrations leave dozens dead and injured and Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez languishing in a military prison after resigning under pressure from the army. Head of Venezuela’s business association, Pedro Carmona, heads a transitional government and elections will be held within a year. Adam Eastern reports (00:29-03:32)
3. The Venezuelan army reject the appeal of ousted Hugo Chavez to be exiled to Cuba while Directors of the state-owned oil company announce suspension of oil to Cuba. The Cuban government strongly criticizes the circumstances surrounding the downfall of Mr. Chavez and the BBC’s Daniel Schweimler says the removal of Hugo Chavez is a major setback for Fidel Castro (03:33-06:29)
4. The Dutch Antilles are also closely monitoring the political situation in Caracas as they get the majority of their oil from Venezuela, and there is bound to be economic fallout for them. Curacao’s Economic Affairs Commissioner, Ramon Chong gives a statement. Neil Nunes reports on the relationship between the Dutch Federation and Venezuela’s Amuay-Cardón oil refinery and comments from the Dutch Antillean Ambassador to Caracas (06:30-08:46)
5. Eighty percent of Venezuelans now live in poverty, and have not had democracy since 1958. The Venezuelan economy is heavily dependent on oil but the oil sector has had six weeks of disruption. London-based Regional Director for the Latin American region at the Economist Intelligence Unit discusses what is likely to occur under a new Venezuelan administration (08:47-10:13)
6. In Guyana the opposition, People’s National Congress, goes ahead with its demonstration in Georgetown to protest the killing of a villager by a policeman of the Black Clothes Squad and to press demands for disbanding this squad and trouble breaks out when a small section deviates from the approved police route and head for the grounds of the Test Cricket match, West Indies v India. Frank Smith reports (10:14-11:35)
7. US tax authorities, IRS Commissioner Charles Rossotti, Washington Attorney Jack Blum, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, and Republican Member Charles Grassley comment on tax avoidant schemes, particularly in off-shore financial centres. The Head of the International Revenue Service says such schemes cost the US government tens of billions of dollars. Bertram Niles reports on this issue and legislation being introduced to curb it (11:36-13:15)
8. Prime Minister P. J. Patterson is to issue a statement following the resignation of Water and Housing Minister Dr. Karl Blythe over irregularities. Opposition Leader, Edward Seaga says Dr. Blythe should be barred from contesting upcoming elections and Lecturer in the Department of Government at The University of the West Indies, Professor Trevor Munroe says the damage to the PNP will not be known until other investigations are completed. Conrad Hamilton has details (13:16-15:18)

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