SAN FRANCISCO, USA – Google yesterday gave its free e-mail service a “Buzz”, adding Twitter and Facebook-style social networking features.
Google Buzz product manager Todd Jackson equated the enhanced offering to “an entirely new world in Gmail” during an unveiling presentation at the Internet giant’s headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Buzz began rolling out yesterday with Google web-based e-mail service getting updates about what friends are doing online and ways to share video, photos and other digitised snippets with others of one’s choosing.
Google’s move comes as a direct challenge to social-networking stars Facebook and Twitter, which thrive on enabling people to share experiences, activities and thoughts as they go through their days.
As is the case with wildly popular microblogging service Twitter, Buzz lets users “follow” people that share updates with the world.
Yahoo! added a similar feature to its e-mail program, Yahoo Mail, last year, allowing users to see whether friends have uploaded a photo to a photo-sharing site such as Flickr.
In what could signal an escalating battle between Google and Facebook, the leading social-networking service celebrated its sixth birthday last week with changes that included a new message inbox that echoes the Gmail format.
Facebook boasts some 400 million users while Gmail had 176 million unique visitors in December, according to tracking firm comScore.
A new front has opened up in the ongoing legal battle between former banking executive William ‘Bill’ Clarke and the institution he headed for 13 years prior to his departure under controversial circumstances in November 2008.
Clarke has filed a defamation suit against the Bank of Nova Scotia Jamaica (BNS) over a fake profile that was set up last year on the social networking site Facebook on which material was posted as if coming from the ex-banker, who is currently locked in a bitter legal battle with the bank over his retirement package.
Construction company Pavement and Structures Limited has been named as second defendant in the suit filed recently in the Supreme Court by the firm Henlin Gibson Henlin Attorneys- at-Law.
Clarke, who served the bank for over 40 years, is claiming damages for libel, exemplary damages plus interest and costs.
“…On diverse days between June 18, 2009 and July 3, 2009 the defendants created and published, or caused to be created and published, and transmitted a false profile on the social networking site Facebook that contained words and images that were defamatory of the claimant as a result of which the claimant suffered injuries, loss and damages,” the suit says.
Facebook has since shuttered the web page on which comments attacking the Observer’s reports on Clarke’s legal battle with the Canada-based bank had been posted. The page also featured racial and sexual postings.
Philip Hamilton,
GOVERNMENT YESTERDAY gave its clearest indication yet that it is streamlining preparations for the sale of the national airline, Air Jamaica, as well as taking care of the liabilities for which the state will be responsible.
In a statement to Parliament yesterday regarding the privatisation of the airline, Prime Minister Bruce Golding said the Government would be making a provision of $27 billion in its next Budget to cover its costs for transferring responsibilities for Air Jamaica.
Golding told members of the House of Representatives that Government had no intention of providing any financial support to Air Jamaica beyond March 31.
He stressed, however, that the Government remained hopeful of securing arrangements for the airline’s privatisation before the start of the 2010-2011 financial year.
“If not, the arrangements for its closure would be triggered by the first of April, which means that the necessary notices would be served, and the funds provided in the Budget will be dedicated to winding it up as quickly as possible. I hope we will be able to avert that,” the prime minister said.
March 31 target
Regarding the ongoing negotiations with Caribbean Airlines for the sale of the cash-strapped Air Jamaica, Golding said these were well advanced, as a non-binding letter of intent had been signed with the target for completion by March 31.
He also told the House he would report the outcome of the current negotiations with Caribbean Airlines at a later date.
Golding also revealed that the airline would be selling the two aeroplanes it owns to cover outstanding taxes owed to the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as well as the United States Department of Agriculture.
Six other aeroplanes are currently in service with the airline.
“We owe a lot of money. We have had to use diplomatic channels to avoid our planes being seized for non-payment of fees owed to the US government, the IRS in particular,” said Golding.
Additionally, the airline is currently in negotiations for the sale of the five floors it occupies on its Harbour Street building in downtown Kingston.
Proceeds of this sale will be used to help continue operations over the next few months until a decision is made.
Golding noted it was made clear in the negotiations that the Air Jamaica brand was not for sale, as this would be retained by the Government.
In addition to keeping the name Air Jamaica, Government will also retain its popular Fort Lauderdale, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto and Baltimore destinations.
Redundancy payments
He said that of the J$27 billion being earmarked for Government to pay its creditors, US$25 million (about J$2.2 billion) of this figure was being set aside for redundancy payments.
“The Government understands the emotions that are aroused in determining the future of Air Jamaica,” Golding said. “All of us share the pride that those colourful aeroplanes evoke, whether we are seated in one of them or watching from the ground as they soar to their wuthering heights. But that pride has come at a huge cost … and it has helped to deprive us of the pride we should have been able to have in seeing our children go to good schools and the sick to good health facilities. We have to get our priorities right!”
The prime minister said that, since its inception in 1969, Air Jamaica has accumulated losses of J$126 billion, including losses of J$31 billion over the last three years.
By RUKMINI CALLIMACHI, Associated Press Writer Rukmini Callimachi, Associated Press
DAKAR, Senegal – Senegal is offering free land to Haitians wishing to “return to their origins” following this week’s devastating earthquake, which has destroyed the capital and buried thousands of people beneath rubble.
Senegal’s octogenarian President Abdoulaye Wade told a meeting of his advisers that Haitians are the sons and daughters of Africa, because the country was founded by slaves, including some believed to have come from Senegal.
“The president is offering voluntary repatriation to any Haitian that wants to return to their origin,” said Wade’s spokesman Mamadou Bemba Ndiaye late Saturday following the president’s announcement.
“Senegal is ready to offer them parcels of land — even an entire region. It all depends on how many Haitians come. If it’s just a few individuals, then we will likely offer them housing or small pieces of land. If they come en masse we are ready to give them a region,” he said.
He stressed that Wade had insisted that if a region is handed over it should be in a fertile area — not in the country’s parched deserts.
Senegal, a nation of 14 million roughly the size of South Dakota, is considered one of the most stable and developed in the sub-region. Still nearly half of working-age adults are unemployed and the country has been burdened by high food prices, frequent blackouts and spiraling energy costs.
Many have criticized Wade for being a dreamer, proposing lofty projects that do little to alleviate poverty or address endemic corruption. Others see him as a statesman who dares to have a vision for Africa.
BY GFBC Staff: Is there justice in the works, or will the two unsuccessful candidates of the SKNLP elections just bow out gracefully.
STORY BELOW:
BASSETERRE, St Kitts, February 8, 2010 – The two unsuccessful St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) candidates have lodged petitions in the High Court challenging the return of their People’s Action Movement (PAM) opponents in the January 25th general elections.
Medical practitioner Dr Norgen Wilson and former parliamentarian Cedric Liburd are challenging Shawn Richards and Eugene Hamilton respectively.
They are arguing that the victories of both PAM candidates should be declared invalid, null and void and of no legal effect because on Nomination Day, January 25th, they were not qualified to run for office.
Dr Wilson and Hamilton were the only of the eight SKNLP who did not win their seats in the January poll.
Meantime, another one of the overseas missions observing the election – the Organisation of American States (OAS) – has contended that the poll took place in a calm and dignified atmosphere.
“From all indications, the people of St Kitts and Nevis were able to exercise their civic responsibility in a free manner and voting took place in a calm and dignified atmosphere. This is a tribute to the culture of democracy for which your country and the rest of the CARICOM Caribbean countries are well known,†said the OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza.
CARICOM and Commonwealth also sent observer missions for the elections.
The six-member CARICOM team has already issued a preliminary statement in which it said that “voters in St Kitts and Nevis were able to cast their ballots without intimidation or harassment which augured well for the conduct of an orderly and peaceful election†and the counting of the ballots was “conducted in a transparent manner in that all stakeholders and observers: local, regional, and international were given approval to witness the countâ€.
However, it said there were concerns about certain aspects of the election process which will be addressed in the full report on its findings and recommendations which will be submitted to the CARICOM Secretary-General.
Nobody’s safe!Reverend Donald Roberts in St. Andrew, Jamaica is in the hospital struggling for dear life after he was stabbed multiple times by thugs in a surprise attack.Luckily for him and his community, he’s expected to make a full recovery after going through an emergency surgery.Now, I know I should free my mind of negative thoughts but according to The Star, the attackers met Reverend
BY GFBC STAFF:
It is always easy for some to pass judgement on Haiti, when it comes to the island nation’s economic debacle. However, it is also important to point out and reflect the amount of assets stolen from Haiti in the past. Let’s just hope the money returned is received by the proper authorities.
Story Below:
WASHINGTON, United States, February 10, 2010 – The World Bank has welcomed the efforts of the Swiss Government to hand over to Haiti millions of stolen assets held by the Duvalier family in Switzerland, money that could be used for development purposes following the devastating earthquake in the Caribbean country.
The Swiss authorities announced last week that the Federal Supreme Court had ordered the release of US$5.7 million to the family of Haiti’s ex-dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc†Duvalier. Whilst upholding judgments of lower courts on facts, the court decided that funds would have to be released to the Duvalier family because the statute of limitations had expired.
Following the announcement, the Swiss Government, the Federal Council, immediately ordered the assets to be frozen on a constitutional basis.
“We welcome the decision by the Swiss authorities to freeze the looted funds. They should be returned to Haiti, especially now when the humanitarian needs have increased after the earthquake,†said World Bank Managing Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
“This case highlights the technical difficulties countries face when dealing with stolen assets, and the importance of undertaking ambitious and creative legal actions by all financial centers to overcome this problem.â€
In its written decision, the Supreme Court advised that the legal constraints that hindered the return of assets in this case would have to be addressed by strengthening legislation. The Swiss authorities have indicated they are already working on legislative proposals aimed at improving the legal framework. Solutions may be found in extending the statutes of limitations on international corruption cases and facilitating the process of legal assistance between national authorities.
“The legal challenges in the Duvalier case are shared by many other jurisdictions,†said Okonjo-Iweala. “We need pro-active global action to set up a more flexible international framework on asset recovery. Recovering and repatriating looted assets to countries where they belong sends a far more powerful message than aid.â€
At the request of the government of Haiti, the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR), a joint effort of the World Bank and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has provided technical assistance to help further the freezing and restitution of the Duvalier assets.
The trial for embattled reggae artiste, Mark ‘Buju Banton’ Myrie, is now scheduled to take place in April, and not March as had been previously announced.
Buju has been languishing in a Florida jail since December last year and is facing drug and conspiracy charges, in that state.
According to Buju’s attorney, David Markus, the case was re-scheduled to ensure that it continues without a break.
“It has been pushed back because there were so many conflicts. The prosecution’s agent will be having a baby in March and April 12 is the only date convenient for all parties,†Markus is quoted as saying.
Banton was arrested at his Tamarac home in South Florida after Federal Agents accused him of negotiating with undercover agents to purchase five or more kilograms of cocaine at Sarasota in Tampa, Florida.
The agents claim to have footage showing the artiste tasting cocaine in a Federally controlled warehouse.
BY GFBC Staff:
Air Jamaica, continues to lose market Jet Blue and West Jet begin offering more flights into the Caribbean. As the Jamaican government continues to play politics regarding the sale, jobs and money are being lost. Jamaica recently approved for an IMF loan, claimed they could not secure a loan because of Air Jamaica debt.
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica (JIS) — Jamaica’s tourism industry continues to demonstrate positive outlook in the country’s economy, with Jet Blue’s inaugural flight from Orlando, Florida to the Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, on Monday with 65 passengers on board.
This flight marked the beginning of a daily non-stop flight from the busy and lucrative tropical Orlando/Miami area to Jamaica’s tourist capital, Montego Bay, by way of a Jet Blue100-seater aircraft. This increases to four the number of flights being operated by the carrier between the USA and Jamaica.
Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Regional Director, Rose-Marie Johnson, said that the flight symbolized a very strong show of confidence in destination Jamaica by Jet Blue Airlines.
“Today is a very upbeat day for Jamaica’s tourism. It is a very good show of confidence in the destination, in the fact that Jet Blue has launched another service into Jamaica. That means that the confidence in the destination is very high and we are very appreciative of Jet Blue, our strategic partner,” Johnson told JIS News.
She said it was very important to have these airlifts into Montego Bay for it to be successful.
“I would say that they have certainly helped in the success we are experiencing just now,” she noted.
She hinted that current successes were set to be multiplied when three new destinations are launched on Thursday.
Manager of Jet Blue Caribbean and Latin American operations, Chad Meyerson, told JIS News that Montego Bay and Jamaica’s air travel have been ‘incredibly successful’ for the organization, and are the most successful in Jet Blue’s history.
He said that Jet Blue was always looking for destinations customers want to travel to, and where the airline feels it offers a superior product to serve its customer-base.
“Honestly, Montego Bay and the entire island of Jamaica is a destination that has been requested by Jet Blue for many years, and everything came together last year,” he said.
“We have since seen such a great response in this market, and that has to do with not only the USA customers loving this as a vacation destination, but also the Diaspora from the United States coming back to visit and participate in the events here on the island,” Meyerson told JIS News.
He reiterated that the airline started with just one flight to Jamaica, which has since been increased to four.
“We are now going to focus on nurturing and cultivating these markets, getting them built up and making sure that the awareness is there, not only in the US markets, but for Jamaicans here who want to go New York, Orlando or Boston,” Meyerson told JIS News.
BY GFBC Staff:
While Air Jamaica tries to get it right, West Jet is going in hard on Caribbean flight destination. Market share is apparently up for grabs as Air Jamaica tries to figure what move to make next. Story Below:
Ottawa — Feb. 9, 2010 — Canada’s Transport Minister, John Baird, and the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister of International Trade, today (Feb.8) announced that effective immediately airlines can provide more flight options between Canada and the Caribbean.
Canada has successfully concluded an expanded air services agreement with Cuba, allowing more airlines from both countries to immediately operate scheduled air services between any Canadian and Cuban cities. In fact, effective today two additional Canadian airlines will be able to apply to the Canadian Transportation Agency to offer new flights between Canada and Cuba. Minister Baird also announced the designation of an additional Canadian airline, effective immediately to offer new flights between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.
“In the past few years, the Government of Canada has moved at an incredible pace to negotiate new or expanded international air service agreements, and today’s announcement provides even greater options for Canadians traveling south,†said Baird. “Over the past four years, we have worked to provide airlines with more flexibility to increase the number of convenient flights and cheaper fares to help travellers, businesses, shippers and the tourism industry.â€
“Canada is leading the way in creating better trade and travel links throughout the Americas and the world,†said Minister Van Loan. “Today’s announcement builds on the agreements we have signed or updated since 2006, which now totals nearly 50 countries including with Barbados, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Mexico.â€
Minister Baird announced the designation of WestJet and Sunwing to operate scheduled international air services between Canada and Cuba. He also took the opportunity to announce the designation of WestJet to operate scheduled international air services between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago. The carrier plans to introduce seasonal daily service from Toronto to the Port of Spain as of May 2010.
Since January 2006, the Government of Canada has negotiated open, new or expanded air service agreements with nearly 50 countries:
Open skies-type agreements with eight countries: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and South Korea;
Expanded agreements with eight countries: Portugal, Mexico, Japan, Jordan, Singapore, the Philippines, Morocco and Cuba;
New “first-time†agreements with eight countries: Algeria, Kuwait, Serbia, Croatia, Panama, Turkey, South Africa and Ethiopia; and
A comprehensive air transport agreement between Canada and the European Union’s 27 member states. This includes Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia, with which Canada did not previously have air agreements.
Contacts:
Monika Bujalska
Office of Canada’s International Trade Minister,
the Honourable Peter Van Loan Ottawa
(613) 992-9304
Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International
Trade Canada
613-996-2000
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SHABBA, SHAGGY TO PERFORM AT POST ADIDAS GRAND PRIX CONCERT IN NY
Foundation dancehall artiste Rexton Rawlston Gordon, popularly know to fans as Shabba Ranks is set to perform at the “adidas Jamboree” concert, Randall’s Island, New York on Saturday, June 9. The concert – which will serve as a 50th anniversary celebration for both Jamaica and Trinidad – will take place at the conclusion of the [...]
One Caribbean International Presents: CELEBRITY SOCCER CULTURAL FEST – THE BIGGEST FAMILY FUN DAY!
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