Moontown

DISCOVERY BAY, Jamaica (Reuters) — Chris Gayle is happy to take on the West Indies captain’s role again following an end to the bitter dispute between the players and the West Indies Cricket Board, the opening batsman has said.

“If I am asked to do the job I will be committed. It is always honour to captain the West Indies,” Gayle told Reuters in an interview. “I am always committed to do it.

Olympic 100m champion and world record holder Usain Bolt(R) poses with West Indies captain Chris Gayle as he arrives for a charity invitational celebrity cricket match at the Kaiser Sports facility in St Ann, Jamaica. AFP PHOTO

“Support-wise the players have been really good and it shouldn’t be a problem. Once I am asked to do it then, definitely.”

The 30-year-old hard-hitting left-hander captained West Indies to a 1-0 series win over England in the Caribbean earlier this year and looked well settled in the role until the players boycotted the home series against Bangladesh in July.

In the midst of the conflict over contractual and payment issues, 37-year-old Barbadian Floyd Reifer took charge of a mostly makeshift team and failed to win a single match against Bangladesh or at the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

It would be a major surprise if Reifer, whose batting performances were well-below test standard, would be asked to lead the team to Australia next month.

Gayle’s return to the role he first took on in 2007, however, has been questioned by new WICB chief executive Ernest Hilaire.

Hilaire suggested last month the selectors would be wise to ask Gayle to clarify his future given his comments during their tour of England in May when he said he did not see a long future for himself in test cricket and preferred the Twenty20 format.

He also said he was looking forward to a break from the pressures of captaincy. But, having had time off during the dispute, Gayle is clearly refreshed, willing to take on the responsibility again and no longer interested in discussions about his preferences for different formats of the game.

“I am committed to whatever cricket I play. Once I step across the line I am 100 percent committed — it doesn’t matter what kind of cricket we play,” Gayle said.

Significantly Gayle’s comments come after he received the backing of all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, an influential dressing room figure.

“I am happy with Chris as West Indies captain. He has done a fantastic job and all the guys have a lot of respect for him,” Bravo said recently.

Gayle said the recent strike and series defeat to Bangladesh was a “heartbreaking situation” but he is hopeful that last week’s agreement between the players’ union and the board will allow for a fresh start.

“I’m happy agreements have been reached but at the same time, hopefully things will be better for our infrastructure so that we can work as one unit and leave the controversy behind, put it to one side and go out and enjoy the game.

“I think it will happen. Let’s keep our fingers crossed, everyone is looking to work together.”

CMEx to remember the life and legacy of Andria Hall

Andria Hall’s legacy will be honoured at the opening of the conference, at Coco Palm’s Conference Centre in Rodney Bay Village.

Hall, an Emmy award winning journalist, Christian communications strategist and a key member of the CMEx production team, passed away last January after a two year battle with breast cancer.

“All the innovation, spiritual uplift, underlying intellectual elegance and divine optimism evident at CMEx was influenced in some way by Andria,” said CMEx director Lelei LeLaulu, who recalled Hall was a gentle force who deeply touched the lives of those with whom she connected.

LeLaulu said he was pleased that members of Andria’s immediate family along with several of her close friends will make the journey for a Caribbean Memorial of Andria.

“We miss her deeply,” said fellow CMEx director Dr Basil Springer, who admitted he still cannot believe Andria has departed the earth. “The CMEx family looks forward to gathering in Saint Lucia to reassure her family that Andria’s mission continues both on earth as well as in heaven,” he added.

The theme for the CMEx December meeting is “Multicultural Marketing: A Climate for Change.” Underlying the provocative presentations and lively discussion is how tourism can improve the health, wealth, education, environment and culture of destinations in a “climate-friendly fashion”, as delegates examine how to “climate proof” Caribbean tourism as well as build resilience into a recessionary environment.

The workshop is organized by the CARICOM Secretariat with funding provided by the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) and Caribbean Integration Support Programme (CISP).

Topics to be presented and discussed during the two-day workshop include Establishing a Business in the CSME, The Benefits of Competition Policy and Journalists’ Professional Development in the CSME.

Resource personnel for the workshop are drawn from the private and public sector, the University of the West Indies and the CARICOM Secretariat.

This activity is a continuation of the CARICOM Secretariat’s public education programme on the CSME. Earlier this month, more than twenty Broadcasters took part in a Broadcasters CMSE workshop which was held in Saint Lucia.

Guyana tied 39th with Bosnia, Herzegovina and Chile, overtaking Suriname (42) with only Jamaica at 23 and Trinidad and Tobago at 28 ahead.

However, both Trinidad and Jamaica have slipped down the table with Jamaica placing 21st in 2008 and Trinidad 27.

According to RWB this leap in Guyana’s rankings is an indication that the country is becoming more and more democratic as there is less tension between the media

It noted, as is common with most English-speaking countries in the Caribbean, Guyana has a satisfactory record in fundamental freedoms as journalists here, experience very few threats or assaults

However, the press concerns are chiefly focused on relations with the government and the continuous state monopoly on radio, which is being increasingly contested within the profession.

The other issue the report cited is that of the ban on Capitol News reporter Gordon Moseley from office of the president and state house

“The hot-headed president’s extreme sensitivity to criticism complicates the job of some media. A producer and journalist on privately owned television station, Capitol News, Gordon Moseley was banned access to the Office of the President, in July 2008, because the head of state was displeased by his report on his visit to Antigua in which he referred to comments about safety problems in the capital Georgetown and failed to respond to government calls to apologise,” the report cited.

It has however lauded the administration for reversing the policy of withdrawing advertisements from Stabroek News backroom.

Other Caribbean countries on the index are Suriname 41st, Haiti 57th, Dominican Republic 98 and Cuba continuing to slip down to 170.

Meanwhile, focusing on other parts of the world the report said “It is disturbing to see European democracies such as France, Italy and Slovakia fall steadily in the rankings year after year”

it added that the approach of President Barack Obama has enabled the United States to recover 20 places in the index, to 108, however this is not enough as that country continues to claim it is the fortress of democracy

Reporters Without Borders’ annual index is based on questionnaires completed by journalists and media experts around the world.

This year’s index reflects press freedom violations that took place between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009.

The vaccine will provide immunisation for the Community’s most vulnerable groups - children, pregnant mothers, persons suffering from Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and young people - against an anticipated second attack of the H1N1 virus.

“The bad news is this virus is expected to intensify its attack during the colder months of December to January; the good news is that the Caribbean is more prepared to deal this virus the second time around as most Member States are seeking to acquire the vaccine,” said Dr Rudolph Cummings, CARICOM Secretariat’s Programme Manager, Health Sector Development.

The United States contributed significantly to a Global Fund which was used to develop the vaccine that could be delivered at no cost to some Member States. However, Dr Cummings pointed out that this was not enough and some countries that did not benefit from the Global Fund would have to buy additional doses. The costs he said would be kept to approximately US$7 per vaccine.

“We have passed the panic stage,” Dr Cummings asserted, “and for the majority who will be affected, the virus will just pass like the common flu.”

According to Dr Cummings the approach to testing and treating the virus has changed since its first appearance in late May. He said that initially, tests were done for all flu like symptoms now it will be done in the public sector for severe acute respiratory infections.

Dr Cummings was one of three participants in a recent panel discussion titled Caribbean Connections, a new media product launched by the Guyana-based Internet Radio and Podcaster, Demerara Waves, and web cast to a New York audience through the New York based One Caribbean Radio. The programme is managed and moderated by Caribbean Journalist Denis Chabrol.