PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) – The exclusive rights of television and radio for the next matches of the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) team in the World Cup Brazil 2014, were sold to the American company Media World.
AlterPresse reported that the FHF announced that the media and national bodies will not broadcast any live or the next matches of the national team at Sylvio Cator Stadium without prior agreement with Media World.
Several previous information, the broadcasting rights for matches selection Haitian football were sold by the federation with the international firm to cover travel expenses of the national team of Haiti.
The contract, which amount to $125,000 dollars [US], covering the first phase of the qualifications of Haiti for the Football World Cup 2014 in Brazil.
The Federation states that “Radio and TV rights for the World Cup belongs to FIFA, which in turn yields to the national associations that can negotiate with production companies.”
Haitian Football Federation recalled the mission of the federations and FIFA have a duty and obligation to ensure respect for and protection of official broadcasters.
November 11 on the road and at home on November 15, Haiti will face in Antigua and Barbuda to seek qualification for the next round of qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup in 2014 in Brazil.
In its last match against the Netherlands Antilles Port-au-Prince, Haitian football selection conceded a 2-2 (halftime 1-2), Tuesday, October 11 at Sylvio Cator Stadium.
Source: Defend Haiti
(Athens, GRC) – Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou won a nail-biting confidence vote in parliament early Saturday after vowing to start talks to form a government of national unity in the crisis-hit country.
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou addresses the socialist party parliamentary group at the Greek Parliament in Athens on November 3. Debate on a confidence motion against him began Friday.
Papandreou carried the vote, watched nervously by financial markets and fellow European leaders, despite a razor-thin majority for his socialist party and a rebellion within the ranks.
A total of 153 deputies among 298 present approved the motion, the parliament speaker said to sustained applause within the chamber.
The result hung in the balance amid unbearable tension as each MP voted in favour or against the motion, with the “yes” and “no” camp neck-and-neck right to the end.
The vote makes it more likely Greece will be able to implement the terms of a massive EU bailout designed to keep the near-bankrupt country afloat and is likely to be cheered across Europe.
Calling for a “broad” coalition to put into action the EU package, the hard-pressed premier told parliament he was open to a government of national unity.
Shortly before lawmakers began voting, Papandreou had announced he would see the Greek president later on Saturday to hand in his mandate and start talks on the formation of such a government.
“Honest and broad backing is called for,” he told deputies ahead of the vote. “The changes that need to take place are historic and require citizens’ participation.”
He dismissed opposition calls for an early election, saying such a vote would be a “catastrophe”.
And it was not clear whether he would be the person to lead the coalition government when it is formed.
But, in a clear hint that he might step aside, he said he would not put personal considerations before saving the country.
“I am not interested in a chair, the last thing I am interested in is whether I am re-elected.
“If by my deeds I can give a message that we are not enemies … then I will have made the greatest contribution to the country in my 30-year career,” he said.
“The tradition of my family would not permit me to do anything different,” said Papandreou, whose father and grandfather were also leaders of Greece.
As the debate took place, several thousand communists staged noisy protest in front of the flood-lit building.
Chanting, banging drums and waving red and Greek flags, the protestors overflowed the central Syntagma Square under the watchful eye of several hundred police officers carrying riot gear.
In a poignant expression of the hardships ordinary Greeks are suffering, one little girl, high on her father’s shoulders, carried a sign which read: “My grandma needs care, my mother wants a job and I want schoolbooks.”
The vote capped a tumultuous week for Greece that began with Papandreou’s disastrous call to hold a referendum on the 100-billion-euro ($138-billion) EU bailout package that sparked revolt in his own party and roiled markets.
Analysts had warned that renewed political uncertainty could halt the disbursement of a new eight-billion-euro loan package that Greece needs by December 15 to pay the bills.
Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said that early elections could be held once negotiations on the EU bailout package are complete.
Papandreou’s call for a referendum earned him a humiliating dressing-down this week from European leaders, who warned it could derail the rescue package and even raised questions about Greece’s continued EU membership.
On the street, people appeared to be in favour of a government of national unity. One pensioner who gave his name as Takis told AFP: “As matters stand, nothing can save us.
“There must be a government of national salvation with all the parties until we have elections. They way things are now George (Papandreou) cannot continue.”
On Syntagma Square, where violent demonstrations have taken place during the crisis, Sofia Papadimitriou, a 25-year-old student said: “Papandreou must go.”
“He’s had it. He can’t get anything done. He hasn’t got any energy left.”
The Ta Nea daily said the country was “on the edge of a cliff” and Eleftheros Typos rounded on Papandreou, saying he was “destroying Greece.”
For the first time, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and others raised the spectre of Greece leaving the euro, hiking the pressure on the politicians in Athens to strike a deal if they wanted to remain in the bloc.
Bemoaning the fact that “Greece is once again in the world media spotlight for all the wrong reasons,” the Athens News said the country was in a state of “confusion and inconsistency.”
Vangelis Ipadimou, a worker studying the headlines at one of the several newspaper kiosks in central Athens, said he wanted power removed from politicians.
“We should give the responsibility to technocrats, not to politicians any more,” he said.
Kingston Container Terminal to undergo US$780 million expansion, says Jamaican Port Authority Chairman
The Chairman of the Jamaican Port Authority, Noel Hylton, has announced details of US$780 million public and private investment at the Kingston Container Terminal.
Speaking at the Caribbean Shipping Association conference in Barbados, Hylton told reporters of the ambitious expansion plans for the terminal in its bid to become an important hub for vessels navigating the Panama Canal.
The expansion plans include, as previously reported by PTI, a $100 million investment from CMA CGM for the operation and management of the Gordon Cay Terminal at the South of the port and $400 million of private investment in Fort Augusta.
The investment at Fort Augusta will include the construction of two new deepwater berths. However, the plans are still awaiting the approval of the Jamaican Government, according to FairPlay.
The Kingston Container Terminal, Jamaica. Image: KCT
Further funding includes an additional $160 million for the dredging of Kingston’s access channels to a depth of 17 meters, $30 million to expand the West Terminal and up to $90 million in upgrading the ports’ infrastructure and port related equipment, including 37 straddle carriers and four Super-Post-Panamax cranes.
The Kingston Container Terminal has a current annual capacity of 2.2 million TEUS, the planned expansion will see this figure rise to 3.2 million TEU.
Source: Jamaica Port Authority
(Media-Newswire.com) – Nairobi, 1 November 2011 – The environmental changes that have swept the planet over the last twenty years are spotlighted in a new compilation of statistical data by the UN Environment Programme ( UNEP ), released today in a report entitled “Keeping Track of our Changing Environment: From Rio to Rio+20″.
The report is produced as part of UNEP’s “Global Environmental Outlook-5″ ( GEO -5 ) series, the UN’s most authoritative assessment of the state, trends and outlook of the global environment. The full GEO-5 report will be launched next May, one month ahead of the Rio+20 Conference taking place in Brazil.
UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner, said, “Today marks the deadline for governments, business and civil society to submit their submissions for how Rio+20 can deliver a transformational outcome in terms of accelerating and scaling-up sustainable development for now seven billion people”.
“The indicator report gets us all back to basics, underlining the rapid buildup of greenhouse gases to the erosion of biodiversity and the 40 per cent increase in the use of natural resources-faster than global population growth. But the report also underlines how, when the world decides to act it can dramatically alter the trajectory of hazardous trends that threaten human well-being-action to phase-out ozone damaging chemicals being a spirited and powerful example,” he added.
“Rio+20, under the two themes of a Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and an institutional framework for sustainable development, can with the requisite level of leadership trigger the necessary switches that may ensure that the balance of negative versus positive trends moves from the red into the black and that the Right to Development is enjoyed by the many rather than the few,” said Mr. Steiner.
Through data, graphics and satellite images, the UNEP report offers wide-ranging information on a number of key issues:
On population
. As the world’s population reaches 7 billion, urban population has grown by 45 per cent since 1992
. Yet the percentage of slum dwellers has dropped from 46 per cent in 1990 to a third in 2010, thanks to improved housing and sanitation
. The number of megacities with at least 10 million people has grown from 10 in 1992 to 21 last year – a 110 per cent increase
. 1.4 billion people globally have no access to reliable electricity or the power grid.
Climate change
. Global C02 emissions continue to rise due to increasing use of fossil fuels, with 80 per cent of global emissions coming from just 19 countries.
. The amount of CO2 per US$1 GDP has dropped by 23 per cent since 1992 underlining that some decoupling of economic growth from resource use is occurring.
. Nearly all mountain glaciers around the world are retreating and getting thinner, with severe impacts on the environment and human well-being.
. Diminishing glaciers not only influence current sea-level rise, but also threaten the well-being of approximately one-sixth of the world’s population.
. Sea levels have been rising at an average rate of about 2.5 mm per year since 1992.
Energy
. Tracking energy trends since 1992, the report indicates that the contribution of renewable energy ( including biomass ) to the global energy supply stood at an estimated 16% in 2010.
. Solar and wind energy accounted for only 0.3% of the total global energy. Increased recognition of the need to move towards low carbon, resource efficient energy solutions can be seen in the 540% increase in investments in sustainable energy between 2004 and 2010.
. Due to the decreasing prices of the technologies and adoption of new policies, growth in biodiesel as a renewable energy source has jumped 300,000 per cent, use of solar energy has increased by nearly 30,000 per cent, wind by 6,000 per cent and biofuels by 3,500 per cent.
Resource Efficiency
. The global use of natural resources rose by over 40 per cent from 1992 to 2005. The report warns that unless concerted and rapid action is taken to curb and decouple resource depletion from economic growth, human activities may destroy the very environment that supports economies and sustains life.
Forests
. Despite the net reforestation now seen in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, ongoing forest loss in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean means that global forest area has decreased by 300 million hectares since 1990.
. The annual 20 per cent rise in the number of forests receiving certificates for sustainable forestry practices shows that consumers are exerting influence on timber production. However, only around 10 per cent of global forests are under certified sustainable management.
. A growing percentage of the world’s forests are one that have been replanted-an area equaling the size of a country like Tanzania.
Food Security and land use
. Food production has risen by 45% since 1992. These increased yields are heavily reliant on the use of fertilizers, which as well as enriching soil fertility, can also have a negative impact on the environment, such algal blooms in inland and marine waters.
. Land used for organic farming is growing at an annual rate of 13 per cent.
Drinking Water
. The world will meet, or even exceed, the Millennium Development Goals target on access to drinking water; indicating that by 2015 nearly 90 per cent of the population in developing regions will have access to improved sources of drinking water, up from 77 per cent in 1990.
The data compiled also indicates that environmental target-setting works best for well-defined issues such as phasing out leaded gasoline or ozone-depleting substances.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, for example, used mandatory targets to phase-out the pollutants that were damaging the planet’s protective shield.
Over 90 per cent of all ozone-depleting substances under the treaty were phased out between 1992 and 2009. Similarly, only a small number of countries still use leaded gasoline and they are expected to make the switch over the next year or two.
Other facts and figures from the report include:
. 13 per cent of the world’s land surface, 7 per cent of its coastal waters and 1.4 percent of its oceans are protected.
. There is a growing concern that the oceans are becoming more acidic. This could have significant consequences on marine organisms which may alter species composition, disrupt marine food webs and potentially damage fishing, tourism activities.
. The ocean’s pH declined from 8.11 in 1992 to 8.06 in 2007.
. The number of tanker oil spills recorded has declined in 20 years.
. Biodiversity has declined by 12 per cent at the global level and by 30 per cent in the tropics.
. Eco-tourism is growing at a rate three times faster than traditional mass-tourism.
. Plastics production has climbed by 130 per cent.
The UNEP publication also notes that many environmental issues, which were only emerging in 1992, are now firmly part of mainstream policymaking in many countries.
Some examples include:
. New Multilateral Environmental Agreements and Conventions which have been established or entered into force to address emerging global environmental issues.
. The greening of economy has taken off as a viable pathway of low-carbon, climate resilient and resource efficient economic development.
. Carbon Trading has put a monetary value on Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
. Recycling, or processing waste into new resources, is becoming policy and practice in many countries.
. Commercialization of renewable energy, with biofuels, solar and wind energy production growing.
. Chemicals Management has led to the banning of a number of deadly chemicals.
. Organic Products and eco-labeling are growing thanks to consumer demand.
. Nanotechnology is growing, especially in the fields of energy, health care, clean water and climate change.
The authors of the report point out that the lack of sufficient, solid data and monitoring systems to measure progress remains an obstacles to achieving the environmental goals set by the international community. The report highlights the missing pieces in our knowledge about the state of the environment, calling for global efforts to collect scientifically-credible data for environmental monitoring.
The Eye on Earth Summit, to be held in Abu Dhabi next month, presents one such opportunity, where scientists, policymakers and governments will work together to define the key challenges and solutions related to environmental data access and sharing.
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For Rastafarians, the goal for many is to move back to Africa to live in the land where they believe the Messiah came from: Ethiopia. But the relationship with Ethiopia is intense, where the locals object to the Rastafarians’ separate culture.
Caribbean artist Bandi Payne settled in Ethiopia decades ago. He's on of a number of Rastafarians who have made the country home. (Photo by Megan Verlee.)
Story from PRI’s The World. Listen to the above audio for a complete report.
Rastafarian artist Bandi Payne leads visitors through the jungle-like garden that surrounds his house in Shashamane, Ethiopia, pointing out the many trees he’s planted in his two decades here.
“That’s guava, my guava tree. Tangerine, banana trees and… that is cassava,” Payne said pointing to the shrubby plant.
Payne was born on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent, but long wanted to make Ethiopia his home.
Rastafarians – whose religion follows an Afro-centric reading of the bible – believe that Ethiopia’s last emperor, who died in 1975, was the Messiah, fulfilling the Biblical prophecy that kings would come out of Africa.
That belief that Africa is the Promised Land makes moving here a life goal for many Rastafarians.
“Rich is not the right word for it – it’s more than rich, it’s sweeter than honey, more valuable than pearls the culture, very strong,” Payne said.
Source: PRI
KINGSTON — The region’s Transport Ministers are in talks regarding connectivity and integration in air travel across the Caribbean.
Minister of Transport and Works, Hon. Michael Henry, said he has had discussions with the Ministers of Transport for Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago and further talks will be held next month.
“We are also scheduled for a meeting in October where we can begin, as Ministers of Transport, to discuss the development of an integrated air travel for the Caribbean and to make it more economically viable, more speedily attainable and that we will develop better interconnectivity,” he stated.
Minister Henry was speaking at a seminar on ‘Air travel in the Caribbean: Challenges and Opportunities,’ held on September 29, on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).
Turning to options available to ensure that the Caribbean benefits globally from air travel, he mentioned the creation of regional hubs, and adopting a structured open skies policy.
“We have to plan well ahead, we have to look at hubs, we have to analyse the costs. We have to recognise all the issues that relate to air transport,†he stated.
“We have to fully appreciate that there will be many countries in the region that could not benefit from the larger development of the air-nautical industry and therefore, we must begin to regionalise hubs and have those hubs created that we can fly more quickly between each country,†he added.
Mr. Henry stated that Jamaica is well on its way in this regard as it has signed open skies agreements with as 46 countries across the globe including Brazil, Turkey, Canada and Singapore. He said the aim is to position Jamaica as an international hub.
“We are very alert in Jamaica to the needs of air travel and the expansion of air travel and the connectivity which relates,” he stated.
Former Barbadian Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Noel Lynch, in the meantime, joined the call for a single airline to serve the region.
He argued that a single Caribbean airline, owned and operated by regional interests, is the best option for CARICOM.
“Air transport has an integral role to play in the development of the integration movement. One Caribbean airline that leverages the resources and expertise in most of our countries, coupled with a combination of successful, homegrown policies, is in my opinion, still the best model for air transport success in this region,†he stated.
“Ironically and noteworthy is the fact that most of the endeavours and practices for which we as a region have received global acclaim and for which we are renowned for global excellence are the efforts that we have undertaken collectively. West Indies cricket and the UWI are just two that I can mention. I believe that one, true Caribbean airline awaits our early action,†he argued further.
Other speakers at the seminar, hosted by the UWI’s Centre for Tourism and Policy Research, included: Director General, Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, Lt. Col. Oscar Derby and Chief Executive Officer, REDjet Airlines, Ian Burns.
The publication, ‘Caribbean Tourism: Perceptions, Economic Development and Air Travel’ was also launched at the seminar. The book is the first issue in the series of working policy papers on issues related to tourism and development in the Caribbean.
Source: JIS
GFBC NEWS NETWORK
September 29, 2011
EURO
Germans approve European bailout fund, The vote passed the Bundestag by a large majority — 523 in favor to 85 against, with three abstentions. European leaders agreed in July to provide another €109 billion bailout for Greece. But some economists and investors see a structured default as the inevitable and necessary path for Greece to repair its fiscal woes.
Monitors from the so called troika of IMF, EC and ECB are expected to return to Athens Thursday after abruptly leaving the country earlier this month.
The original stability fund was meant to stem the crisis, but this has not happened. Instead, the crisis has intensified, feeding global instability and driving the eurozone to the edge of recession.
Many economists and investors believe that even the expanded fund is not big enough to be effective in the event that some of the larger eurozone economies, such as Spain and Italy, fail.
GFBC NEW NETWORK
September 27, 2011
Honorable G.A. Dwyer Astaphan, Former Security Minister of St. KItts
According to an article published in SKN Vibes, a Kittian online publication. Former Minister of Security of St. Kitts and Nevis challenged people of the region to read and become independent thinkers. The Former Minister of Security, tendered his resignation of the 31 July of 2008. Minister Astaphan, was a member of Parliament for thirteen years and won three consecutive terms in general elections. Minister Asatphan has always been an arch enemy of the incumbent Prime Minister, Denzil Douglas.
It was to the credit of Minister Astaphan, who informed the people of the Federation debt of the EC$3 Billion, 70% is owed locally. Further, the Government has not kept up with it’s debt obligation. Arrears have been accumulating since 2008, in addition the Government is missing payments to it’s external creditors as well. The Federation is accumulating additional expenses; due to the need of legal teams necessary to restructure the Government’s debt.
You can peruse the IMF Report here…….
MARIGOT, St. Martin – Following on from the success of last year’s Caribbean Sustainable Tourism Awards, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and Travelmole today announced the launch of the 2012 Awards.
The revised programme will see awards presented in six new categories will include: accommodation, community, heritage, events, wildlife and a special award, all of which will have distinct judging criteria. Nominations will open in mid-October 2011 and the final results will be announced at the Caribbean’s 13th Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC-13) in Guyana, April 2 – 4, 2012.
Travelmole’s Graham McKenzie commented: “For some time we have worked hard at reporting and supporting the general area of sustainability and responsibility in travel and tourism. In particular we have put great effort into reporting all the good work going on in the Caribbean region as a whole and now have a dedicated ‘Vision Expressed’ newswire. It is important that we recognise and support those communities and individuals who have gone that extra mile to make sustainability a high priority.â€
According to the CTO Sustainable Tourism Strategy, sustainable tourism development is understood as the optimal use of natural, cultural, social and financial resources for national development on an equitable and self sustaining basis to provide a unique visitor experience and an improved quality of life through partnerships among government, the private sector and communities.
Hugh Riley, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization said: “We have a very clear sustainable tourism strategy and are delighted to be launching these awards again in partnership with Travelmole. Sustainability of the environment in the Caribbean is critical to the economies of the region. This is an area that is of increasing importance and we are proud to be leading the way in the Caribbean, demonstrating initiatives that will not only support environmental conservation but also help generate increased revenue from tourism.â€
GFBC NEWS NETWORK
September 17, 2011
Miss Universe 2011
Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes’s reign was questioned Wednesday, after allegations that false documentation was used to help her earn her participation in the prestigious pageant. Although pageant officials at Donald Trump’s organization have denied the involvement of alleged forgery of documentation that allowed Leila Lopes to participate.Lelia Lopes qualified for the Miss Universe pageant through her participation in the Miss Angola UK pageant.
Allegations have surfaced that Lope’s is actually Cuban, and speaks spanish. In addition, report form Infobae states that Charles Mukano helped Lopes reach the Miss Angola UK pageant, in which only Angolan women who live in Great Britain participate, in spite of the fact that Lopes presumably lived in Angola. It has been alleged that Charles Mukano committed the fruad by forging documents for the Angolan beauty to participate. It has also been alleged that Mukano was questioned about false documents he obtained after a Cape Verde citizen came close to winning Miss Angola.
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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!
Fort Lauderdale – On Memorial Day, May 28th all roads will lead to the greatest Celebrity Soccer Cultural Festival in South Florida “Celebrating Jamaica’s 50th Year of Independence.” One Caribbean International’s will be hosting its’ 7th annual festival and Yes Jamaica’s 50th Year of Independence at Central Broward Regional Park, located at 3700 NW 11th [...]
About One Love Reggae Fest The One Love Reggae Festival will unite diverse cultures within South Florida through “One Love, One Heart and One Music”. This event will be held on Sunday, May 13, 2012 in West Palm Beach, Florida at the Cruzan Amphitheater. The 2011 Festival boasted a huge attendance of more than 5000 [...]
PM PORTIA SIMPSON-MILLER DA ZYNC BUZZ HEDA ROSE (NY LINKZ/ZYNC TV): May 4 – 11
BY ZYNC TV ON THIS WEEK’S EDITION OF NEW YORK LINKZ: JAMAICAN PRIME MINISTER PORTIA SIMPSON-MILLER VISITS THE NORTH-EAST DIASPORA; A PREVIEW OF THE FUN AND EXCITEMENT AT 2012 PENN RELAYS; A PREVIEW OF GRAMPS MORGAN AND RAGASHANTI TAKING OVER NEW YORK CARIBBEAN RADIO; PLUS SHERMAIN GIVES TIPS ON IMPRESSING YOUR BOYFRIEND’S PARENTS IN IMAGE [...]
Lloyd Brevett, founding member of The Skatalites, passes away aged 80
Lloyd Brevett, the Skatalites’ inimitable double bass player, has died following complications from a recent stroke. As The Washington Post report, Brevett fell ill in March following the murder of his son in Kingston. Anyone lucky enough to have seen The Skatalites live will be able to testify to Brevett’s remarkable charisma. His on-stage presence [...]
GFBC WORLD NEWS
