CARIBBEAN NEWS , VOL. 12
CHATHAM, TRINIDAD (EXPRESS-11/1/03)- Sulphur fumes shooting up
from the earth are posing a threat to the lives of scores of villagers here
in southern Trinidad. Exposure to the fumes from a smoldering fissure
has led to a number of illnesses, villagers believe. All the vegetation
within 20 feet of the fissure have been killed.
Sally Balkaran, whose family owns the land on which the fissure was
discovered, said when they first saw the smoke in April they thought it
had been caused by bush fires. But the foul odor led them to believe it
might be burning sulphur, due to volcanic activity in the area.
They called the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), who
responded 2 days later. They took samples, and informed residents that
it was burning sulphur and would consume itself within weeks. They
were also told that the fissure was not volcanic and posed no health
risk.
More than 5 months later the fissure continues to belch out white, foul-
smelling smoke that blankets the entire village at times, especially when
it rains.
At first the fumes were treated as a discomfort- until residents noticed
a red, itchy rash appearing on their skin. Children especially, began
complaining of headaches, nausea and stomach aches. Some elderly
people have been treated for chest pains. Villagers have been told by
doctors that continued exposure to the fumes might be dangerous.
EMA officials visited the area a second time in mid-October and were
surprised to find it still burning and attempted to persuade the residents
that it would burn itself out in a month.
"We can't wait for this thing to burn out; people are suffering....children
are getting sick; somebody has to do something now", said Chatham
resident Ramdai Dillah.
ST. CROIX, VIRGIN ISLANDS (VI DAILY NEWS-11/1/03)- Scientists
cannot determine whether the expanded boundaries in the Buck Island
National Monument are helping sea life to recover - or whether possible
restrictions on fishing in the new East End Marine Park will make a
difference - unless they find out what is there now.
Officials with the National Park Service and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration called a press conference to update the
public on their efforts to inventory sea life at Buck Island since 2001,
when the monument was expanded from 880 to 19,015 acres. New
regulations prohibiting most forms of fishing at the monument took
effect in May. (See related stories: Archived News, Vol. 10)
To get an idea of what is living beneath the waves, scientists twice a
year select 120 locations at random from the maps of Buck Island and
East End. In each of these locations, a team of divers take notes of
every form of life found on the ocean floor, inventories their types and
sizes and inventories all marine life above the ocean floor.
Experts did not want to make sweeping statements about the health of
the ecosystem based on surveys taken so far, but did say it was
"relatively healthy". They hope with time, fish will live longer and get
larger.
Although the coral reefs appear fairly healthy around Buck Island,
experts noted that 9 species of coral in the U.S. and British Virgin
Islands had been "bleached".
CLARENDON, JAMAICA(OBSERVER-11/1/03)- Small and medium
banana growers in Clarendon and St. James are soon to be added to the
list of farmers benifitting from the European Union Banana Support
Program. At present, the support program advises banana growers in
St. Mary, Portland and St. Thomas on water management, technology
and disease control.
To date, donated equipment has been used by 271 farmers on 1300
hectares of land. Additionally, it has been used to construct 420
kilometers of new drains and to rehabilitate 910 kilometers of old drains.
The program has also donated 140,000 high-yielding tissue culture
plants to farmers.
Since the program was set up in 1996, the EU has contributed more than
$2 billion in direct support and its commitment to the Jamaican banana
industry remains as strong as ever.
BRIDGETOWN,BARBADOS(DAILYNATION-10/31/03)- Concorde is
now confirmed to arrive in Barbados in time to be part of a Barbados
Aviation Museum. British Airways, the operators of the retired fleet
of super sonic jets, has agreed to place one here, and a special
facility built.
The museum will also showcase aircraft manufactured in Barbados.
Minister of Tourism Joel Lynch stated, "This is an outstanding
achievement for all Barbadians and it speaks to the quality of our
country and to the quality of Barbados as a tourism destination".
TOBAGO(TOBAGO NEWS-11/1/03)- Tobago's Main Ridge Rain
Forest is tops in the world as an eco-tourism destination, as voted
by the Travel Awards Committee. The Tobago tourist attraction was
selected #1 from a field that included Murramarang Resort, Australia,
Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia and Bouma National Park,Fiji.
World Travel Awards, established in 1993, is the world's most
comprehensive travel awards ceremony. "It is like the Oscar of awards"
said one official.
TOBAGO(TOBAGO NEWS-11/1/03)- Englishman's Bay, the 6th most
beautiful beach in the world, between Castara and Parlatavier is
suffering from a loss of visitors because of rivalry between beach
vendors. One major operator has apparently declared war against
other operators on the beach.
There have been several outbreaks of violence involving cutlasses
and missle throwing. One vendor said,"It seems that this big operator
does not want anyone else to sell on the beach. He is always causing
problems for us. It is like he wants to be a dictator."
Tourism Secretary Neil Wilson has constantly stressed the need for
adequate security at the beach.
Englishman's Bay, on the north side of Tobago, is regarded as one
of the islands unpolluted beaches and its environment makes it the
ideal get-away resort.
ST. CROIX,VIRGIN ISLANDS(VI DAILY NEWS)- Men, women and
children of all ages carried torches and marched to the beat of drums
chanting "fireburn" through the streets of Frederiksted. The crowd
of more than 50 people gathered to re-enact the night laborers
attacked the fort and 3 "queens" led the Fireburn of 1878, which left
50 St. Croix estates and half of Frederiksted in flames.
In 1878 the sugar industry was declining and the Danish West Indies
was suffering an economic drought. Former slaves (laborers) found
themselves barred from leaving the islands and bound to the same
plantations where they worked before their emancipation.
Groups of laborers torched Frederiksted and plantations as they
made their way east to Christiansted. They were led by Queen Mary,
Queen Agnes and Queen Mathilda.
Terence Nelson, president of the Our Virgin Islands Labor Union
said the demonstration was a celebration. "Many have forgotten
the cost of the struggle," he said. "The plantations and conditions
have changed; however there is still oppression." (10/2/03)
ST. THOMAS, VIRGIN ISLANDS(VI DAILY NEWS-10/1/03)- The
VI Port Authority and the West Indian Co. will share $1.5 million
in federal funding to secure the territories ports. The money is
coming from the Homeland Security Dept.
The money will be used to purchase emergency responder
equipment, detection equipment, communications equipment and
patrol vehicles.
PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD(VI DAILY NEWS-10/1/03)- Officials
from countries throughout the western hemisphere gathered here
to negotiate terms for the proposed Free Trade Area of the
Americas, set to be the world's largest free trade zone.
While countries such as the U.S. have touted the potential benefits
of the agreement, poorer nations in the Caribbean and Latin
America have said their smaller economies would suffer with the
increased competition.
Ken Valley, Trinidad's trade minister said, "One expects there will be
an enlightened appreciation of the needs of developing countries."
ROSEAU, DOMINICA(VI DAILY NEWS-10/1/03)- Delegates from
a dozen island nations around the world began a 4-day conference
on developing environmental standards and programs to protect
their environments.
Dominica, for example, has tried to observe sustainable principles,
but economic vulnerabilities have made some efforts unsuccessful.
Because of its small size, they have been unable to fund projects
such as waste disposal or recycling.
Participating nations have formed the Alliance of Small Island States
to better lobby large world bodies like the WTO.
SPORTS:
BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS(GLEANER-11/1/03)- With the full
knowledge of the contractual obligations to their commercial
partners, the International Cricket Council will not allow the
Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies to flop.
"The ICC CWC 2007 will be hosted in the West Indies. We are
going to be involved in the whole process", said Ehsan Mani,
president of the ICC. "If there are problems we will pick them up
early. The West Indies will not be left on their own to either sink or
swim. We will minimise the chance of anything going wrong."
Mani noted the islands bidding for the CWC 2007 would have to
provide the infrastructure for the event. Newspaper reports in
Australia surfaced that they had a chance of hosting CWC 2007
because of growing fears that the cricket infrastructure of the
Caribbean might not measure up.
Mani also revealed that 16 teams, divided into 4 groups of 4 teams
each, would contest the preliminary competition of the CWC 2007.
CULTURE:
PORT OF SPAIN,TRINIDAD(11/1/03)- Perhaps because we are not
all of a culture that automatically records indigenous art shows in
hard, retrievable formats, "The Calypso Story",may also be described
as a product of our collective delinquency.
Mounted by the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Org. as part of its
observance of Calypso History Month, The Calypso Story walks its
viewers through consecutive periods of 20th century performance
images, portraits and pictures of selected singers and pieces ranging
from Roaring Lion's trademark canes and hats to Ronnie McIntosh's
trenchcoat designs.
There are pictures of the artforms greats: Roaring Lion, Growling
Tiger, Railway Douglas, Atilla the Hun and Lady Trinidad contrasting
with images of latter-day heroes.
The photo exhibition is currently on at the National Museum and Art
Gallery.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
"Jamaica haunts me. If I see anything that reminds me of yard, I buy
it, wear it, stick it on my bumper or my forehead. If I see words reggae,
jerk or yard-style, my attention is immediately drawn. If I so much as
hear about a Jamaican event my ears prick up. Sometimes all it takes is
a traffic light to turn red to gold to green and I am transported."
Tony Hendricks, comedian
