SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) — International news agency Reuters has suspended coverage of Cricket Australia matches and events for a second season because of a long-running dispute over media rights and freedom of the press.

Reuters said on Friday it was unable to provide text, pictures or audio-visual coverage of the 2009/10 international season against West Indies and Pakistan after Cricket Australia refused to change its conditions of accreditation.

The agency said it could not agree to terms which impinge on its ability to fairly and freely report on, and disseminate, news.

“We are very disappointed that, yet again, Cricket Australia is not prepared to facilitate full and impartial news coverage of their upcoming season,” said Christoph Pleitgen, Global Head of News Agency for Thomson Reuters.

“We remain prepared to enter into discussions and negotiations to secure acceptable accreditation terms for our journalists and we sincerely hope that we will be able to bring news of cricket from Australia to viewers and readers all over the world but, at present, we are unable to accept the limitations that Cricket Australia is imposing.”

Reuters, along with fellow news agencies Associated Press and Agence France-Presse, also suspended coverage of Cricket Australia events last season over the same dispute, prompting the Australian government to conduct an inquiry to find a balance between the commercial interests of sporting bodies and the rights of media to get fair access to those events.

The inquiry committee agreed that sporting organisations had a right to protect their copyright and explore business opportunities but not at the expense of media freedom.

The committee agreed with media organisations that sporting events were of genuine public interest and urged the sporting bodies to stop using accreditation conditions to control access to events.

“The committee recommends that stakeholders negotiate media access to sporting events based on the principle that all bona fide journalists, including photojournalists and news agencies, should be able to access sporting events regardless of their technological platform,” the report said.

Last week, the head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission was called to chair a roundtable meeting with media and sporting organisations after they failed to reach agreement on the committee’s recommendations.

Both sides were warned that if they could not agree on a voluntary code of conduct the government would consider taking matters into their own hands by introducing legislation.

Peter Young, general manager of public affairs for Cricket Australia, said many of the issues had been resolved at the meeting and his organisation remained hopeful a full agreement could be reached.

“This is a complex issue but we are hopeful that the current roundtable talks between the media and sporting organisations will result in a solution that is satisfactory to everyone,” Young said.

A Reuters advisory issued to clients on Friday said that the news agency “holds firmly to the belief that there can be no better promotion for any sport than the availability of timely, unbiased information to as many newspapers, websites, broadcasters and magazines as possible” and that it would welcome any move by Cricket Australia to review its decision.

In a statement on Friday the grouping said the song commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the CARICOM Secretariat was written and performed by Barbadian performance poet Adisa “AJA” Andwele

It focuses on the threat posed to small island states by climate change.

“The theme of the song refers to the Centigrade degree limit to which global surface temperatures can rise before Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are severely compromised in their ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), of which Caribbean islands are members, and the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) joined to form a coalition of about 80 countries demanding that global efforts be concentrated on keeping temperature increases under 1.5°C to lessen the devastating impacts on these highly vulnerable countries,” the statement said

It adds that these impacts include sea level rise with accompanying coastal erosion and destruction of coastal infrastructure, damage or death to coral reefs and fisheries, saline intrusion into aquifers thus diminishing freshwater supplies, and more intense hurricanes and storm surges.

“The continued social and economic survival and environmental integrity of these countries, particularly low-lying islands such as the Bahamas, which face the possibility of complete inundation, is questioned as their risk and exposure increase. The AOSIS Declaration on Climate Change, agreed at their High-level Summit on Climate Change in September this year, in addition to the 1.5°C limit, also calls for peaking of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2015 with subsequent decline, and long term stabilisation of atmospheric concentrations below 350ppm (parts per million) of carbon dioxide.” The release adds

The song brings to fore the fears and concerns of people living on small islands, some of which are already being experienced in the region and is threatening the homes and livelihoods of Caribbean populations.

As leaders of developed and larger developing nations are currently proposing to commence climate change negotiations around 2°C, others are adamant that this cannot be the level of minimum acceptable risk since it ignores the human rights of millions at the outset.” The statement added

“1.5 To Stay Alive” is written in the “rapso” tradition, which combines poetry performed to calypso and other rhythms from the Caribbean.

The song also features the dynamic vocals of Barbadian singer, Indrani, with support from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and in conjunction with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), UNDP is assisting CARICOM leaders in their preparations for Copenhagen as they solidify their unified position to be presented at COP XV. This song demonstrates part of these regional efforts to promote more ambitious, fair and effective global action on climate change. (C’bean Net News)

Aretha Welch awelch@trinidadexpress.com

The voice and concerns of small, poor states cannot be ignored at next week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Port of Spain.

This from Christine Platt, president of the Commonwealth Association of Planners, who met at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain, on Thursday.

In light of the upcoming CHOGM meeting which will heavily focus on formulating solutions to tourniquet global warming she said: ’However, much of you might think small island states don’t matter, people must understand the impact of anything that happens anywhere will be felt around the world.’

Speaking to the Express, after the meeting, she said: ’People in slums are the most vulnerable to climate change. These people have often had to settle on most marginalised land, in places which ought not to have been developed, flood plains, low-lying coastal areas and very high hillsides.’

She also warned: ’People living in small island states (like the Caribbean) are also most vulnerable, some of the countries will disappear.’

The average citizen’s stand on climate change is not nearly strong enough, and the magnitude of the catastrophic effects which the earth’s eventual over heating will have on us is not understood by those who will be most affected.

More information must be dispensed and people must understand their plight.

These were the sentiments echoed by several town and country planning experts who were present at the meeting.

Platt alluded to the damaging effects of carbon fuels on the environment and said, ’We must focus on stopping the urban sprawl and making people commute long distances for employment. Public transport must also be effective.’

She said planners who have studied the effects of climate change now know that ’we must restructure our cities so people are not forced to commute by car’.

She said people should be able to rely on public transport, as this would not only lessen time-consuming traffic pile-ups but help the environment. (Trinidad Express)

Camille Bethel cbethel@trinidadexpress.com

US President Barack Obama has found a potential Ambassador for this country almost one year after the departure of Dr Roy Austin-whose tenure has been criticised in a US State Department report.

Dr Austin’s tour of duty ended last January after eight years. He was appointed by former US president George W Bush.

Obama has announced his intention to nominate Beatrice W Welters as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the US, according to a White House press statement.

Welter is founder president and chairman of the AnBryce Foundation, an educational charity. She will face the problems highlighted in a report done by the Office of Inspector General on the US Embassy in Port of Spain between January 26 and February 11 this year, days after Dr Austin left the posting.

The report, published on the US State Department’s website, is described as ’Sensitive but Unclassified’.

The report describes the problems at the Embassy as ’systematic and endemic-almost beyond the ability of anyone, including the newly-elevated charge d’affaires, to remedy’.

The current acting charge d’affaires is Len Kusnitz.

Asked whether the report was the reason for the delay in appointing a new ambassador, Alice W Borrell, the US Embassy’s public affairs specialist, said the embassy’s public affairs officer, Matthew Cassetta, would be unable to respond until Monday as he had already left office for the day.

The report states, ’The charge d’affaires is atop a mission lacking cohesion, in part because of its sprawling physical facilities and the former ambassador’s distaste for traditional lines of authority-conditions also noted in the 2003 inspection.’

The report states that in 2003 when the inspection team came to Port of Spain, it highlighted the Ambassador’s hands-on role in personnel matters, which included the hiring of local employees.

Ambassador Austin was advised to desist from the activity that undercut the embassy’s supervisory officers.

’The Ambassador did not take this action,’ the report states.

The report added that in 2009, there was ’palpable tension’ existing between the American and local employees, made worse by Austin’s ’ill considered, semi-public criticism of his consuls, his management officer and even his deputy chief of missions’.

It also stated that raising the morale of local staff while toning down the local employees’ inflated sense of mission role posed a further challenge, since Austin had empowered local staff ’explicitly or implicitly’. (Trinidad Express)

Curtis Rampersad Business Editor

There has been a sharp deceleration in the rate of inflation in the country.

Headline inflation fell to 2.7 per cent in October from 4.9 per cent in September, the Central Bank said yesterday. It is the lowest rate since January 2003, the bank said.

Food inflation, the main driver of the headline inflation rate, slowed to 3.5 per cent, in the 12 months to October, from 6.8 per cent in the previous month.

This was the first instance food inflation had dipped below four per cent since late 1999.

Slower price increases were recorded for meat, oils and fats, fruits, sugar and confectionery compared to September, the bank said.

Core inflation, which excludes food prices, also slowed in October. On a year-on-year basis, the rate of core inflation fell to 2.2 per cent from 3.9 per cent in September.

Inflation on recreation, culture, clothing and footwear all declined in October.

The slowdown did not apply to health services, alcoholic beverages or tobacco products.

’The decline in economic activity and the delayed impact of lower international commodity prices, particularly of food items, have contributed to the sharp fall in the inflation rate,’ the Central Bank said.

In the more subdued economic environment, private sector credit by the consolidated financial system contracted by 0.4 per cent, the first time in seven years-compared to growth of 11.8 per cent in the same period one year ago.

Against the background of a continuing contraction in economic activity and declining credit demand, the Central Bank has lowered its main policy rate or ’repo’ by 50 basis points to 5.75 per cent. (Trinidad Express)

Aretha Welch awelch@trinidadexpress.com

Labour Minister Rennie Dumas says the call from the People’s Democracy for citizens to stay away from work on Monday and Tuesday will fall on deaf ears.

The People’s Democracy, comprised mostly of major trade unions such as NATUC, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGOs and the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), and other groups such as YesTT, had earlier this week called for citizens to wear red yesterday, attend a rally tomorrow and stay home on Monday and Tuesday, in a show of disgust over Government’s handling of several issues, including the proposed property tax.

But speaking yesterday after the launch of the Youth Rise business programme at the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs in Port of Spain, Dumas said, ’When people ask for two days of shutdown, what are their reasons? Their reasons are arguments against progress.’

He also said neither he nor anyone in his Government could say the two days would lead to productivity, but noted he believes any calls for people to stay home is a ’deliberate plan to disturb lives and deprive people of goods and services’.

He said, however, that the Government did not have a contingency plan in case people in the public sector do stay home in droves. But he said he knows that people will still be coming out expecting goods and services on Monday and Tuesday and as such, he does not think ’business as usual’ will be greatly affected. (Trinidad Express)

Julien Neaves jneaves@trinidadexpress.com

POLICE officers throughout the country are currently training in the use of the new breathalyser devices and will be out on the nation’s roads with them ’soon’, said Assist ant Commissioner of Police (Mobile) Wayne Richards.

Speaking in a telephone interview yesterday, Richards said there was no delay in implementation of the breathalyser, but noted police were getting resources together.

He added that it was a few days ago that they were informed by Transport Minister Colm Imbert of the type of device to be used.

On Monday, President George Maxwell Richards proclaimed the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Amendment Act, which has allowed for the use of the breathalyser.

Yesterday, Richards (ACP) said they never had those devices before and now they were aware of them, they were training officers. He added that not every single police officer will be trained in the devices, but they are training ’as many as possible’ throughout the country.

He said they were now in position to do final training and the National Security Ministry had to acquire the devices to distribute throughout all nine divisions.

’We are very anxious to have those devices in our hands throughout the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service,’ he said.

Kirk Waithe, chairman of safe driving lobby group, Arrive Alive, yesterday said law enforcement has been anxiously awaiting this law and access to this technology for a long time, and predicted they will be on the roads ’sooner than later’.

He noted, however, that success can only be realised with effective and sustainable implementation.

’That means that Government has to move with great efficiency to get police the tools and the training,’ he said.

He said Government must also embark on an aggressive public education campaign, one as well-done as the campaign on the new property tax system.

Waithe pointed out that the breathalyser represented only one aspect of road safety and Government should move ’post haste’ to ’amend the seatbelt law making it a ticketable offence applicable everywhere a seatbelt is available; child restraint laws to protect our children; and pass legislation to implement the radar gun to measure speed’.

The Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce said in a release this week that ’while the breathalyser will not halt the road carnage, it will certainly help to address one of the problems plaguing our society’.

’It is our hope that implementation of the legislation will be given priority since enforcement is the key to its success together with the necessary police presence on the roads,’ the chamber said. (Trinidad Express)