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The Caribbean Court of Justice |
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Sunday, 14 September 2008 |
It seems that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which was on the
back-burner for more than three years is no longer there, since it has
been completely removed from the stove and is tuck away in some corner.
At least the leaders of Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St. Lucia and St.
Vincent and the Grenadines are more concerned about an OECS unity with
the twin island republic than to initiate steps to remove the Privy
Council as the final Court.
One wonders why so much time is being spent by Trinidad and Tobago
Prime Minister, Patrick Manning to jet to Jamaica, Bahamas, Belize and
OECS to sensitize the leaders on his wider OECS initiative rather than
to move to join the CCJ as the final court and encourage the OECS
states to do likewise.
Moreover, more attention is being paid to the implications of the
European Partnership Agreement (EPA) as to whether or not Caribbean
countries should sign.
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Sunday, 14 September 2008 |
The Caribbean is experiencing another devastating hurricane season.
Within a span of three weeks three tropical storms – Fay, Gustav, and
Hanna, and a hurricane, Ike, have blown through the region, seriously
impacting The Bahamas, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos Islands, Dominican
Republic, Cuba and Haiti. While there was serious damage and tragic
deaths in most of the islands, nothing compares to the devastation and
horror that has affected Haiti.
How much more suffering can that unfortunate country take? Hardly a
year goes by without Haiti being affected by a hurricane, tropical
storm or flood rains. Each impact by severe weather sets the people
further back in the throes of poverty, in a country that is already the
poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Prior to being ravaged by four
storms Haitians, particularly those living in the rural areas, were
suffering from shortage of basic foods, and soaring food prices for
what food existed. As if this was not enough, the situation in the
country has been steadily exasperated by high unemployment, poor
education, housing, healthcare, and political turmoil. Now, the images
and reports of the wide scale death, destruction and grief resulting
from flood waters caused by the impact of quadruple storms are hard to
believe.
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Opportunities grasped and lost |
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Sunday, 07 September 2008 |
Recent events showed that hardly anything in life is certain, and that opportunities can arise and disappear when least expected. One week Jamaicans were overjoyed and giddy with excitement with the tremendous success of the Jamaican Olympic team at the Beijing Olympics, the next they were reeling from the effects of flood waters brought by then Tropical Storm Gustav.
Last week some Americans were enthralled by events at the high-profile Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. The highlight was by Barack Obama’s powerful acceptance speech watched by an estimated 38 million people on TV and 85,000 at the Mile High Stadium in Denver. It was anticipated that the speech would provide an opportunity for significant media coverage in the days immediately following, but that kind of coverage lasted just over twelve hours.
At noon the next day Republican presidential candidate, John McCain, seized his own opportunity and surprised the country by selecting the relatively unknown governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, as his vice presidential choice. The surprise selection was a media-magnet, pulling it to focus on analyzing who this Sarah Palin is, and the reasons why McCain selected her over other nationally recognized potential candidates. Suddenly, Obama’s speech became yesterday’s news. |
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Palin could be that bridge... to nowhere |
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Sunday, 07 September 2008 |
In a last ditch attempt to rally the base and win over the women vote, Republican Presidential nominee, John McCain named as his running-mate the virtually unknown small town governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin.
There has already been much ado about the situation, continuing speculation of McCain's judgment. They question the selection which in essence passed over other very qualified female candidates (if he needed a female so badly) and male candidates who could have supplemented him in his weak areas. But no, he opted for the gun-toting, self-proclaimed 'hockey-mom' who has been a mayor for a city of a little more than 9,000 people and a governor of 20 months for a state whose population is one of the smallest in the nation.
But this means very little to the Republican base which is now energized, seeing that this 44-year-old vivacious woman, shares many of their pastimes. She's a hockey mom, an avid hunter of bears and wolves, she upholds the idea of 'abstinence only' and to them she is right up there on the 'family values' tip. She is just the thing that McCain needed to bridge the divide... but whether this bridge will lead to the white house is anyone's guess. |
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Monday, 01 September 2008 |
Making the cut in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) may
soon not be determined by how well you play the game, as beginning next
year players will have to pass an English proficiency test or face
suspension.
Although this is likely to spark legal ramifications, it is almost
unthinkable (except that this is golf) that a sporting fraternity would
even dream of such a policy.
Never mind globalization and the global economy.
According to the LPGA’s Player Executive Committee president Hilary
Lunke, entertaining sponsors is as important as shooting under pars.
And with the big dominance so far this year by overseas players, some
of whom speak little or no English, the powers that be are citing that
it’s hurting corporate sponsors’ relationship.
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