ARAWAKROOTS NEWS
News from the Caribbean
Vol. 7; No. 1
April, 2009
ST. CROIX, US VIRGIN ISLANDS(VI DAILY NEWS-2/27/09)- A man fishing off St. Croix caught a Pacific Lionfish, raising concern among biologists that the voracious predator that can devastate coral reefs, may be establishing itself in territorial waters. It is the fifth one recovered off the coast of St. Croix in 4 months.
A predator with a voracious appetite for smaller reef fish, the lionfish is a native of the western Pacific. Recent studies done in the Bahamas showed drastic drops in the density of native fish species on coral reefs after lionfish appeared in the area. Lionfish radidly reproduce, disperse and establish themselves in new areas. They have spread throughout the Bahamas in less than 2 years. A single lionfish can reduce juvenile fish on a 4-square-meter reef by an average of 85%.
Scientists believe lionfish were introduced into the Atlantic in the 1990's through people releasing them- they are a popular aquarium fish- and through the ballasts of traveling vessels. The striking, striped fish with fan-like fins and venomous dorsal spines has thrived, spreading along the East coast of the US and into the Caribbean.
PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD(AP-4/18/09)- US President Barack Obama made a splash on a stage of leaders from across the Americas and promised to offer them a new style of US politics: more pragmatism, less arrogance.
"We have at times been disengaged, and at times we sought to dictate our terms", Obama said. "But I pledge to you that we seek an equal partnership. There is no senior partner and junior partner in our relations."
Barack & Michelle Obama arrive in Trinidad.
Obama's drive to reshape the image of the US as a humble, cooperative partner is perhaps the most significant mission while in the Caribbean. Grappling with an economic swoon that has touched them all, the heads of 34 nations have gathered for the first time in almost 4 years to fashion a fresh agenda.
Obama's concessions came after reversals of decades-old policy toward Cuba. Cuba is not a participant at the summit, but the potential for a sudden upward shift is dominating attention. The summit itself is not expected to produce any major breakthroughs. The final document is an already locked-in declaration of joint efforts on the economy, energy and security. But Obama's mission is broader. It is to get the countries in this part of the world- a mix of emerging, hurting, tiny and overshadowed places- to believe the US is truly engaged.
ST. THOMAS, USVI(VI DAIL NEWS-4/4/09)- Government officials told senators that video gambling contractor Southland Gaming could owe the territory more than $20 million, based on unresoved disputes about how revenues to the government are calculated and unpaid taxes.
The video lottery terminals are all connected to a central computer system housed in Southland Gaming's offices. The system electronically tracks money put into the machines and winnings throughout the islands. The system also calculates how much money goes to the VI government and how much is kept by Southland. The VI Lottery does not have access to the computer system. Assistant Attorney General Paul Paquin- who serves as legal counsel to the Lottery Commission- told senators that the contract between the government and Southland is flawed. For example, the contract breaks down how much profit goes to Southland but not how much goes to the government.
Paquin said the Justice Dept. also believes Southland Gaming owes approximately $2 million in unpaid gross receipt taxes. A 2007 audit by the US Interior Dept. Office of the Inspector General found that the company should be paying gross receipt taxes, which it has not since beginning operations.
The contract took effect in 2003, after the 24th legislature in its last session voted to override Gov. Charles Turnbull's veto of legislation allowing the gambling machines on St. Thomas and St. John.
The contract lasted 5 years, but automatically renewed for a second 5-year term last July. It will automatically renew for a 3rd term in 2013. The contract can only be terminated 2 ways: if Southland Gaming decides not to renew it; or if the government finds that Southland has defaulted.
Throughout the hearing, senators expressed outrage about the vague language in the contract, the proliferation of the gambling machines, and the money the company may owe the government. Later this month the VI Lottery Commission will publish a request for bids to obtain a central computer system mirroring the one at Southland to provide more accountability for the government.
TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS(AP-4/7/09)- More than 400,000 companies share a few local addresses in tha British Virgin Islands, where there incorporation papers are kept in a grey 2-story building. The vast majority have no employees on the islands. All conduct their business elsewhere and many avoid paying taxes back home.
And yet the BVI welcomes their business, which provides more than half of the government's revenue, making it one of the Caribbean's most prosperous places.
An estimated $7.3 trillion is stashed in offshore financial centers worldwide by corporations and wealthy individuals seeking to shield their operations and lessen their taxes. Now these havens are under scrutiny like never before.
Leaders of the G-20 meeting in London, warned that countries refusing to share tax information would face tough sanctions. Hammered by the financial meltdown, the world's richest countries say they are serving notice they won't tolerate shady offshore operations anymore. Some of the havens capitalise on secrecy. Others, like the BVI, provide incorporation registries so businesses can claim they are based in the islands and avoid taxes in the countries where the work is performed.
The amount of money involved in this global shell game is staggering. Between 30 and 40 percent of global trade is billed outside the country it actually takes place according to the Tax Justice Network. In the US alone, $100 billion in tax revenues is lost. The Boston Consulting Group estimates that $7.3 trillion flows through offshore financial centers.
The BVI government insists it cooperates with money laundering probes, but doesn't have much to share with investigators: financial records aren't required to be kept on the island and the incorporation paperwork need not include the identities of shareholders or directors.
ST. CROIX, USVI(VI DAILY NEWS-4/6/09)- Fishermen have harvested the seas around the Virgin Islands for hundreds of years to supply residents with a consistent, fresh local food source. Now however, the Caribbean Fisheries Management Council(CFMC) has made proposals that it says will protect fish stocks around the islands, but that fishermen say will push them over the brink financially.
Fishermen, scientists and administrators have known this day was coming for some time. The Magnusson Stevens Reauthorization Act of 2006 requires that catch limits be set by 2010 for species in federal fisheries that are subject to over-fishing. Annual catch limits must be set for all species in federal waters by 2011.
The CFMC has proposed action that will change regulations for taking silk, blackfin, vermillion, queen yellowfin and cardinal grouper; tiger, black and red snapper; queen conch and parrotfish. Fishing for Nassau grouper is already banned in the Virgin Islands.
What fishermen do not want is any more areas closed to fishing. Several permanent and seasonal closures already are in effect in territorial waters. Fishermen say they are concerned that any more closures will put a strain on any fisheries that are left open.
Already closed to fishermen are spawning aggregates of several species. These are set for times of the year when vast schools of fish congregate to breed in shallow offshore banks, making them vulnerable to fishing. The goal of the fisheries council is to find a sustainable optimal yield for a given fishery. This is defined as the maximum amount of a particular fish that can be extracted over time without decreasing the population of that species.
A group of local fishermen and community leaders has formed to create a set of regulatory proposals. These will be discussed during meetings May 6 on St. Thomas and May 7 on St. Croix. The public input will then be discussed and voted on by the CFMC at its next meeting on St. Croix on June 24th and 25th.
PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD(AP-4/18/09)- Leaders of so-called Caribbean tax haven countries say they will ask US President Barack Obama to oppose a planned crackdown on offshore tax evasion that they consider a threat to their financial services industries. A proposed US law would make it harder for Americans to keep money in such places, and similar efforts in Europe have exerted pressure on offshore banks and corporate registries.
Obama has said he supports the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act and was one of the bill's co-sponsors when he was still a US senator. The bill would make it harder to hide assets in more than 30 tax havens including Belize, Panama, the Bahamas and Antigua/Barbuda.
ST. THOMAS, USVI(VI DAILY NEWS-2/27/09)- Lt. Governor Gregory Francis publicly received his new passport card to drum up enthusiasm for the new form of identification that is a less expensive option to a full passport.
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, new laws were passed mandating that US citizens have passports to cross US borders. Previously international travel within North America- Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico- did not require a passport. So, the federal government is offering this option to those who travel by land or sea within the North American region. The cards are not good for international air travel. A passport is still required. In the territory, passport cards are a good option for residents who travel by ferry to the BVI.
A first-time applicant for the card will pay $45 and $35 for children. Renewals (every 10 years) are $20.
SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC(AP-4/9/09)- Gunmen killed 5 people in a raid to oust farmers from a contested parcel of coastal land in eastern Dominican Republic. Seven people were also injured in the shooting in Miches, a fishing village where the fast-developing tourism industry has sent real estate prices soaring.
Ownership of the property has been disputed for weeks between a farming community of about 150 people, which currently occupies and says it holds the title to the land and another party that police and prosecutors refuse to identify. Police have arrested 2 suspects.
Miches, on the northern coast between Samana and Punta Cana, is one of the Caribbean nation's fastest-growing tourist destinations. Once known as a stopping point for migrants making voyages to Puerto Rico, it now markets itself as a premier location for ecotourism. Tourism development over the past decade has produced other cases of poor people facing eviction from hot-selling property,
usually with dubious claims to the land.
The people of Miches say the raid began when 10 men arrived in the same vehicle and began shooting into the air. When some of the farmers took up machetes to defend themselves they were shot. Police say they have bolstered security in the area to prevent further clashes.
ST. JOHN'S, ANTIGUA(AP-3/14/09)- Antigua's ruling party will stay in power, but with a narrower margin in Parliament, following an election shadowed by US fraud allegations against R.Allen Stanford.
The United Progressive Party won 9 of the 17 seats, compared to 12 before the election. It was however, enough to keep Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer at his post. The Antigua Labor Party won 7 seats, with the remaining seat going to the Barbuda Peoples Movement. One of the seats went to former Prime Minister Lester Bird, who helped Stanford establish his business empire here.
The country has been struggling in recent weeks to deal with the fallout of US allegations that Stanford operated a massive Ponzi sceme through his Antiguan-based offshore bank. Spencer's government has seized some of Stanford's assets in hopes of keeping the businesses operating and preventing them from being seized to compensate investors.
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS(AP-3/17/09)- Britain plans to dissolve the Cabinet and legislature of this territory following a corruption inquiry that found "clear signs of political amorality and immaturity", the London-appointed governor said. Gov. Gordon Wetherell also said an order has been drafted to suspend parts of the constitution and transfer the authority of government ministers to him.
The inquiry into the island territory located between Haiti and the Bahamas began last year after a Parliament report found complaints of rampant corruption, including claims that government officials misused public money and profited from the sale of government-owned land. The lead investigator could recommend criminal investigations in his final report.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI(AP-3/10/09)-Bill Clinton and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon are trying to refocus international attention on Haiti with a visit that they hope will lure more aid to keep the impoverished country from sliding back into chaos. The former US president and the UN chief toured the run-down capital and met with officials who have been struggling with high food prices and a devastating series of storms during a period of relative political calm.
They were met at the airport by a delegation that included Haitian-born singer Wyclef Jean. The delegation stopped at a school in the rough Cite Soleil neighbourhood, once the site of violent clashes between gangs and UN peacekeepers, to view a food program for children. Clinton was pleased to see efforts such as the program, run by Jean's charity, Yele Haiti, and UN World Food Program. Clinton, who last visited Haiti in 2003, is popular for his past support of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was forced to flee following a violent uprising in 2004.
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO(AP-3/14/09)- US authorities said they have seized more than $11 million worth of cocaine from a high-end yacht based in the BVI. US Customs reports finding the cargo on board the Black Sea in the Puerto Rican coastal town of Fajardo. The 248 bricks weighed 633 lbs.
The 54-foot Viking vessel is valued at $1.6 million and is registered to MDS Caribbean Seas Ltd. in the BVI. No company with that name is listed in the BVI phone book. Authorities have arrested 4 US citizens from Puerto Rico.
KINGSTON, JAMAICA(AP-3/1/09)- Jamaican regulators say they are forbidding all explicit references to sex and violence over the airwaves. The new rules from the island's broadcast commission ban any song or music video that depicts sexual acts or glorifies gun violence, murder, rape or arson.
The announcement follows a Feb. 6 ban that specifically targeted Dancehall tunes and videos depicting "daggering"- a dance style popular with Jamaican youth that features pelvic grinding simulating sex. The beat-driven fusion of rap and reggae known as dancehall music is hugely popular in Jamaica despite recurrent controversy over lyrics and the dance style.
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO-(AP-3/1/09)- Sismologists say a light earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.5 rattled the US and British Virgin Islands. The seismic network of the University of Puerto Rico says the afternoon quake was centered about 66 miles from Anegada in the BVI.
Disaster officials had no reports of damage or injury from the undersea quake, which had a depth of 18 miles.
ST. JOHN, USVI(STJ TRADEWINDS-4/21/09)- A Tennessee man visiting St. John Didn't even make it to his rental villa before an attack by several young men in downtown Cruz Bay sent him to the emergency room with extensive injuries and an empty wallet.
The 54-year-old man arrived in Cruz Bay on the midnight ferry from Red Hook, St. Thomas. He then walked down the street looking for a taxi. However, the man was jumped, robbed and severely beaten on Easter Sunday morning, April 12. The beating left the tourist with a sprained leg and ankle, a fractured nose, a fractured left eye socket and a number of cuts and abrasions. He'll need reconstructive surgery on his eye socket.
While the attack was reportly caught on a surveillance camera, it is uncertain how clear of a recording it is. VI Police officials are investigating the incident and expect to make an arrest shortly.
"I'm recovering, but it's really unfortunate what happened", the Tennessee man said. "The police were very professional and everyone has been very compassionate. Despite my reservations about safety, my fears are being offset by all the responses I'm getting from people."
SPORTS:
PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD(AP-3/11/09)- West Indies endured nervous moments to cling to a series-clinching draw against England with 8 wickets down on the final day of the 5th and final test at the Queen's Park Oval. The home team set a target of 240 to win off 66 overs, preferred to defend and just avoided defeat at 114-8.
West Indies won the 5-match series1-0 and regained the Wisden Cup for the first time since 2000. The series victory was West Indies first against an opponent since June 2004 when it defeated Bangladesh at home.
In a thrilling finale featuring 7 centuries, England declared twive at 546-6 and 237-6, while est Indies finished with 544 and 114-8. England lost the first test in Jamaica by an innings but was one wicket away from victory in the third test in Antigua and just 2 wickets away here.
Other highlights of the final Test:
West Indies captain Chris Gayle scored his 10th century on Day 3 as his team cruised past the follow-on target and reached 349-4 at stumps. Brendan Nash hit 70 not out and Shivnarine Chanderpaul 52 not out to share an unbroken stand of 146 for the 5th wicket that spanned the last session and a half and dulled England's attack. Nash arrived at his 4th Test half century off 98 balls while Chanderpaul took 142 deliveries to reach his landmark.
Chanderpaul cracks a 6.
Left-handers Chanderpaul and Nash completed defiant centuries on Day 4 to lead West Indies to within 2 runs of England's first innings total. Chanderpaul carried his 21st test century to a marathon, unbeaten 147 as he and Nash shared a record fifth-wicket stand of 234 that anchored the West Indies innings. The 34-year -old Chanderpaul, the reigning ICC Player of the Year, cracked 13 fours and a six off 361 balls in 522 minutes. The 31-year-old Nash, in his 7th test, hit a fine 109 which spanned 257 balls and 329 minutes and was decorated with 17 fours.
ST. THOMAS, USVI(VI DAILY NEWS-4/15/09)- The Leeward Islands have finally done it. After 6 years of taking the field at Addelita Cancryn cricket grounds, Leeward broke through and finally beat the Windward Islands. Windwards, needing 138 runs- 249 overall- to win with 3 wickets remaining, lost on strong bowling by Leewards, especially Garvin Tonge, who took 5 wickets in the second innings. Windwards managed 220 runs, 29 shy of victory.
