Moontown

DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN- THE DEBATE

NOVEMBER 1, 2007

Dodds as a prison will shortly be commissioned and nobody will be able to accuse Government of attempting to transfer prisoners to a place that was not a prison. This designation will save some face and all of us should be glad that we do not have a constitutional crisis to deal with. If the prisoners were kept at Dodds before it was proclaimed as a prison, the relatives could have brought a class suit.

I am hoping that now we have spent the money on a new prison which should have been spent building a second hospital that more care and attention will be taken when dealing with this one. It is not doubt that those incarcerated must be treated as human beings, but those citizens who have rights also and are suffering from some ailment must also be housed in facilities which will not make them sicker.

It is no doubt that because of the nature of usage, a place like a hospital should be allowed some down time for refurbishment. We must ensure it is given a thorough cleaning to rid it of any impurities.

We have to ensure that we continue to believe that a healthy country is a wealthy country. With this in mind and realizing what occurred at the prison, we should see this as an example and start preparing for eventuality. We cannot wait for any further crisis at this institution to react. We will not be able to find another suitable place in St. Lucy to house the patients in the hospital as we did for the prisoners.

It is noteworthy that after damaging our roads, the prison will be moving and the roads traversed will be in a worst state than previously found. We have made life easy for the officials and they cannot leave us with these roads that are worst than those that donkey carts had to travel on.

Previously, I did not complain bitterly about the road leading from the corner shop to Crab Hill because I was aware of the security risk that could be created if we allowed too much activity on that road.

Now that the prison is moving, I am requesting of the officials at the Pine to carry out the long delayed road works on the road leading from Colleton to Crab Hill and from Nestfield to Crab Hill. These two roads could not have been properly attended to because of the security risk.

I have taken a lot of political lashes from the traveling public but being a responsible politician, I had to put the security of our country first. Now that this sorry episode is over, I am now calling on the authorities to have a heart including the board of the BWA that had this road ceased for over two years laying a pipe line that took too long to be completed and depleted the resources of the depot that it can also carry out road works in Well Road, Little Bay, Hope Bridge, Spring Garden and many other areas including Checker Hall #2.

I have always said that St. Lucy has the greatest demand for tenantry roads in Barbados. This problem has been tackled by the workers at the depot but the lack of various inputs has stopped them from putting a serious dent in the demand. I have always said that I have confidence in the workers at the depot and that these workers will deliver once given the tools.

Government would save a lot of money if they were to follow the lead set by the depot in the north. Give them the equipment, personnel and the material and in five years the demand for tenantry roads will be a thing of the past.

The fishermen to the north of the island have been deprived of their livelihood for the last eighteen months and I have requested of Government not to ignore the request of those residents of St. James, St. Peter and St. Lucy. These persons had to give up their livelihood in the interest of national security. A simple thank you is not enough.

The location of the prison at Harrison Point has caused the country to fork out a lot of foreign exchange for Sea Cat and Pot Fish. We sometimes ignore the contribution to the economy by the fisherfolk, but in these times every foreign dollar counts. We need to know the difference between revenue and foreign exchange and the need to ensure that we save or earn it.

Those fishermen that we discarded for the prisoners were helping us with important substitution. Once we see food on our plates, we do not care how it got there and at what cost.

We have to understand the contribution of each productive sector to the economy.

The people of St. Lucy have given up a lot in the last eighteen months and some types of amenities have to be offered for their professional approach to such a testing situation.

The residents elsewhere might have behaved differently. I had constituents who had to go to sleep earlier than usual and persons who were accustomed traversing certain areas having to restrict their travels in the interest of national security.

For years, we have played second fiddle to persons that we have bettered without grumbling. It appears that others who have now arrived on the scene believe that they can do the same.  These persons need to know that even though we treat everybody fairly, that we still believe in pride and independence. We do not play people first. Those who believe that they can insult the sons and the daughters of Lucy, should stop and think about our place on the map. You are not insulting us, you are destroying yourself without knowing it.

We also give people three chances to trick us and most persons have used up their three chances. “Every skin teeth is not a laugh”. “Those who need the doctor’s medicine should not speak evil of him, nor should not talk about him publicly least he hears about it.”

Politics is not a game. Once you have been accepted you can attempt to make it a game, but you must first be accepted.

Peace, love, unity, humility, humbleness, experience, Kellmanomics, wisdom and understanding.

 

As drought conditions continue to affect the Corporate Area, the Mona Reservoir in St Andrew exhibits diminished levels yesterday. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

A MAJOR plank in the Government’s drought-mitigation efforts has collapsed, leaving the National Water Commission (NWC) under more pressure to provide even short-term relief to parched Jamaicans.

Legal challenges have put paid to the Government’s plan to borrow almost $500 million from the National Housing Trust (NHT) to finance the ambitious drought-mitigation programme.

With most of the island facing serious drought conditions and the NWC warning that the situation would become worse before it gets better, Water Minister Horace Chang late last year announced the plan to get a $477-million interest-bearing loan from the NHT to address some of the problems.

“I am anticipating that the agreement will be signed by next week,” Chang told The Gleaner on December 29.

That expression of confidence came despite clear indications from the chairman of the NHT, Howard Mitchell, that he was opposed to the deal.

“My personal view is that the National Housing Trust Act is very specific about what must be done with the funds and, as such, I think it should stay within the terms of the act. No decision has been made by anybody to lend money to the National Water Commission,” Mitchell said

“A request was made, which is under consideration but, in the process of that consideration, legal advice has been sought,” added the NHT chairman.

However, Chang was adamant. “We have agreed in principle but we are still sorting out some knotty legal issues,” he had said.

Yesterday, Information Minister Daryl Vaz indicated that, in the final analysis, Mitchell was right.

“Because of legal impediments, (the loan deal) was not done and that has caused a major shift in how we had wanted to address the drought situation,” Vaz told the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House.

“Minister Chang will give some information on that and I think they are in the final stage of devising new measures,” added Vaz.

The water minister had previously indicated that, the $477 million from the NHT would allow the NWC to spend $102 million over six months trucking water to households.

In addition, $142 million was to be spent for well development, $17 million for public education and awareness, and $18 million for operation and maintenance.

That would amount to $279 million of the money borrowed from the trust.

Another $195.1 million was to be turned over to the Local Government division in the Office of the Prime Minister to assist in the trucking of water islandwide.

Of that amount, $155.1 million was to be spent on trucking water, with $40 million to be spent on acquiring 20 new trucks.

The remaining $3 million was to be spent on the black tank programme, intended to assist householders with storage capacity.

On Tuesday, the NWC announced that the water crisis was threatening to get even worse as the continued absence of rain was causing the inflows into the most critical water supply systems to dwindle even further.

The NWC warned its customers to brace for scheduled and unscheduled water lock-offs.

There was some rainfall in sections of the island yesterday, but not enough to make a major difference. (Jamaica Gleaner)

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com

As of today, Jamaican citizens will have to dig deeper into their pockets to meet the first Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) fare hike in five years, along with property-tax increases.

Despite criticism from trade unions, and disapproval expressed by those who take public transit, the increases made by the JUTC take effect today.

Passengers will now pay $80 as their regular fare. The concessionary rate, which applies to children, the elderly and disabled, is $20, up from $15.

Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry cited increases in wages, as well as the cost of fuel, operation and tyres as the reasons for the hike.

Credit for gov’t

Henry said, in a release from the ministry, that the Government should be given credit for containing the fare hike despite the “tight fiscal position”.

Meanwhile, property with an unimproved value of up to $300,000 will yield $1,000 in property taxes.

Property with unimproved value more than $300,000 will now be taxed 0.75 per cent for every additional dollar. (Jamaica Gleaner)

The visas of five of Jamaica’s top entertainers have been revoked.

According to information from the Fraud Prevention Arm of the United States Embassy in Kingston, the visas of Bounty Killer, Mavado, Beenie Man, Adonia and selector Ricky Trooper are now being cancelled.

A document obtained through our sources advised airlines not to allow any of the entertainers on flights bound for the United States.

The cancellations follow that of businessman Wayne Chen who recently found out his visa had been revoked while he was about to board a flight to America.

University law professor David Rowe had predicted that there would have been visa cancellations as backlash for the Government’s denial of the extradition request for West Kingston strongman, Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.(Jamaica Gleaner)

CHICKPEAS AND RICE; MACARONI PIE

FRIED PLANTAIN; CREAMED GROUND PROVISION

ROAST PORK; BAKED CHICKEN

BBQ SPARERIBS; BBQ PIG TAIL

GRILLED SWORDFISH; FRIED CHUB FISH

LAMB STEW; FISH GRAVY

STIR FRIED VEGETABLES; TOSSED SALAD

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Former US president Bill Clinton said Wednesday that he and the Haitian prime minister would lead an interim panel overseeing billions in international pledges for quake-ravaged Haiti’s reconstruction. Former US president Bill Clinton. AFP PHOTO Clinton, the UN special envoy to Haiti, told a pledging conference tasked with raising 3.8 billion dollars for Haiti’s rebuilding that he accepted an invitation from Haitian President Rene Preval to co-chair an Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC) with Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive. “The Haitians are committed to building back better… They want to create a new future for themselves and I am committed to assisting them through the IHRC,” Clinton said. He made the announcement at a major fund-raiser for Haiti at UN headquarters in which his wife, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, pledged 1.15 billion dollars in American aid to Haiti’s long-term recovery and reconstruction. The chief US diplomat said the funds would “go toward supporting the government of Haiti’s plan to strengthen agriculture, energy, health, and security and governance.” Some 138 countries, international bodies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, non-governmental organizations and representatives of Haitians abroad are attending the one-day conference. Meanwhile a statement from the Clinton Foundation said the IHRC “will support Haiti’s vision for its future, with a new and transparent partnership with the international community.” The IHRC, which will have an 18-month mandate, is meant to give the Haitian government “influence over how and where aid is spent and will ensure that the reconstruction is well coordinated and addresses the needs of Haitians in all 10 regional departments.” It will then transition to a newly formed Haiti Development Authority, which will oversee longer-term reconstruction efforts. An IHRC Board will comprise officials of the Haitian government and representatives of the Haitian Parliament, civil society, the private sector, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and major donors. The Haitian diaspora, the Organization of American States, and Haitian non-governmental organizations are expected to have observer status at the board, which will be backed by an executive director. (Caribnet)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled that the oral claim for a finding of contempt against Guyana was not properly raised in the case of Trinidad Cement Limited and its subsidiary TGI versus the government of Guyana. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Senior Counsel Charles Ramson told reporters on Wednesday that Guyana had complied with the ruling in August last year to reinstate the Common External Tariff (CET) on cement sourced from extra-regional sources. The Trinidad- based cement producer had moved to the CCJ against the Guyana Government and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) secretariat for importing cement from outside the region and removes the CET. But Guyana has been arguing ever since that the move was one of national interest since TCL was unable to meet the local demand for the construction commodity and coupled with that was the increase in the price for the TCL cement. Ramson said this allowed investors outside of the region to export their cement to Guyana at competitive prices. But TCL/TGI moved to the CCJ claiming that the Guyana Government was in breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and the government conceded such in their plea during the trial. “At the end of the trial their case for the US$3 million was dismissed but no emphasis has been placed on that, but the CCJ issued a declaration at their request that the Guyana Government was in breach of article 83 (of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas) which we had conceded even in our pleadings, obviously our explanation was rejected…so something that we conceded they succeeded,” Ramson told reporters. The Attorney General added that the case for the US$3 million US was dismissed and the CCJ ordered that the common external tariff be reinstated but the cement company was not satisfied and proceeded further and filed an application to the court. “This Application, a sequel to the failure of Guyana to comply with the courts order of August 2009 within 28 days fixed by the order entitled us to reinstate the CET from the date of the rejection of date of our application only with respect to orders made by business after that particular date,” Ramson added. The judgment of the Court stated that, “For the reasons set out below the Court declares that Guyana failed to obey the Order promptly pursuant to Article 215 of the Revised Treaty. “ But Ramson is arguing that even if the Court had jurisdiction to make orders for civil contempt for disobedience of its orders, which is highly doubtful, the evidence would not justify fixing the Attorney-General, an agent of Guyana but not a party to the proceedings, with any responsibility for disobedience of the Order. The CET was reinstated in January 2010 in keeping with the CCJ judgment order, Ramson stated. (Caribnet)

TORONTO, Canada (Reuters) — Royal Bank of Canada said on Wednesday it has opened an international investment advisory and full-service securities brokerage office in Barbados to increase its wealth management presence in the country and in the Caribbean. RBC, Canada’s biggest bank, said it now has one of the largest and most complete investment platforms in Barbados. “As a jurisdiction, Barbados continues to be attractive to both high net worth and institutional clients,” Gordon Anderson, managing director of RBC Wealth Management, Caribbean, said in a release. RBC, which has operated in Barbados for nearly a century, said the island nation’s proximity to markets in the southeast Caribbean, Central America, Venezuela and Colombia added to its appeal as a hub office for RBC Wealth Management. “The enhancement of our Barbados operations aligns with RBC Wealth Management’s core strategy of expanding internationally in select markets and continuing to build out and add scale to our hub offices internationally,” said Michael Moodie, head of the Americas region for RBC Wealth Management. “We continually look for opportunities to grow in specific geographies where our history and brand are strong and where we can meet the needs of our clients.” On Tuesday, RBC Wealth Management’s group head, George Lewis, said the bank plans to build up its asset management business through acquisitions outside Canada. He told analysts at a Canadian financial services conference that RBC has a particular focus on European and U.S.-based operations that have strong investment performance and distribution in their home markets, as well as in emerging markets. The international arm of RBC Wealth Management serves over 35,000 high net worth people and institutions through more than 30 offices in Britain, Continental Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Latin America and North America. (Caribnet)

By Horace Helps KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters) — The West Indies Alumina Co., whose majority shareholder is UC Rusal, laid off its remaining workers on Wednesday and said it would close its two refineries in Jamaica, labour leaders said. The Jamaican company, known as Windalco, has a production capacity of 1.2 million tonnes of alumina annually. It halted bauxite mining and suspended operations at its Kirkvine and Ewarton refineries a year ago due to a worldwide downturn in demand for aluminum. Windalco said at the time that the suspension would last at least a year, and cut its workforce of 1,119 to 762, keeping the latter group on the payroll with reduced hours and wages. Windalco began laying off those workers on Wednesday and said it would cease operations after the sector failed to rebound from the effects of the global recession and falling world alumina prices. “The company will terminate its employees at all levels,” trade union leader Vincent Morrison said. “I am concerned about what will happen to the bauxite and alumina sector from this point onward.” Jamaica’s government did not immediately respond to the decision, which dealt another severe blow to the Caribbean island’s mining industry. With the closure of Windalco, Jamaica has only two companies operating in the bauxite and alumina sector. Aluminum is made from alumina, which is produced from bauxite ore. Jamalco, owned by Alcoa Inc  and the Jamaican government, is still producing both bauxite and alumina. Noranda Bauxite, previously known as St. Ann Bauxite, exports crude bauxite only. It is owned by privately held Noranda Aluminum Holding Corp and the Jamaican government. The island’s one-time largest alumina producer, Alumina Partners of Jamaica, closed a year ago and laid off more than 1,000 workers. That company, known as Alpart, was jointly owned by UC Rusal and Norsk Hydro. (Caribnet)