Moontown

It’s one of several projects of government which is also working on holding a Literary Festival in October, said Junior Culture Minister, Senator Arley Gill.

Senator Arley Gill (GIS photo)

He made the remarks to local and regional delegates attending a four-day “UNESCO Sub-Regional Meeting on the Cultural Diversity Programming Lens & Intangible Cultural Heritage.’’

“As one of our goals, we would like to collect, copy and properly archive all available local songs – such as folk songs, calypso and soca,’’ Gill said. “We also would like to have the ability, with the right equipment and enough trained personnel, to document the stories of our cultural and sporting heroes and heroine, and to record these stories on video and document them in books with photographs.’’

Senator Gill admitted that the plans are ambitious, adding that “we believe that it can only be done with backing from an agency like UNESCO.’’

He suggested that UNESCO could also play a part in efforts to turn the Town of St George into a “Green City,’’ a more environmentally friendly place.

“We look to UNESCO support for this project,’’ said Senator Gill, who is also Minister responsible for Information and Information and Communication Technology.

The opening session of the meeting in St. George’s was attended by Education Minister Sen. Franka Alexis-Bernardine, chairperson of the Grenada National Commission for UNESCO. She is also an elected member of the Executive Board of UNESCO.

Gill revealed that Grenada is currently a candidate in the race for a position on a cultural committee of UNESCO. He appealed for the support of other nations for Grenada’s candidature, pointing to the need for more involvement of small-island states in international bodies.

“We have put up our candidature for the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage,’’ Gill said. “Election of candidates will take place later this month and Grenada has already received pledges of support for our candidature from Chile, Uruguay and Brazil. Columbia is also expected to do the same.’’

The Senator thanked UNESCO for its ongoing support of local projects and highlighted current and upcoming cultural events across the nation.

He said: “Between now and the end of August, Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique will be a washed with cultural activities: Regatta in Carriacou and Petite Martinique; Spicemas – the annual carnival celebration which will be official launched at the National Stadium in Grenada on June 12; Emancipation Day celebrations; Rainbow City Festival in St. Andrew; and a host of other community festivals in parishes across the country. These are indeed exciting times for our nation and we invite the region and the world to celebrate with us.’’

The visiting UNESCO delegates were treated to a cocktail reception Tuesday evening. It was attended by Prime Minister Tillman Thomas, who is also Minister of Culture, and Senator Gill, who was serenaded on the celebration of his birthday. (Caribnet)

“We’re sick of losing. We don’t like losing. We don’t enjoy it, but it is not something we can just turn around in one day. It is going to be a slow process, but we’re trying to do the right thing,” Nash declared in a radio interview in Trinidad on Wednesday afternoon.

“Nobody wants to lose, we’re doing what we can with the resources we have and the structures we have to try and turn things around,’ Nash said while speaking on 103 FM on the eve of the First Digicel Test.

The 32 year-old left hander said the process of returning to winning ways will be a long and tedious one but he will draw inspiration from the Digicel Series 2009, when West Indies prevailed over the much-fancied England 1-0.

“I hope everyone remembers the Digicel Series last year against England. It came down to the last match. We were one up and we held on for a draw to win the series. Hopefully the Trinis put their minds back to that and support us . That’s what we needed at that time and that’s what we need at this time,” said Nash, as he appealed for fan support following the 5-0 whitewash inflicted by South Africa in the Digicel One Day International Series.

“We haven’t had the best of runs in the shorter format of the game. (Tests) are different and we showed some good signs against Australia at the end of last year, and this is the next Test series since then so hopefully the fans will come out and support us,” reasoned Nash who has played 12 Tests for the Windies since debuting in December 2008.

On Thursday Nash will return to the Queen’s Park Oval where he scored his maiden Test century against England when he made 109 in the first innings of the final Test in 2009. He is also coming off a successful West Indies A Team tour of Bangladesh where he scored 202 runs in four innings of two unofficial Tests and 188 runs in three limited overs matches.

Nash was only dismissed once in the two four day games and had scores of 44, 27*, 99* and 32* along with limited overs scores of 60, 71 and 47* to average 202 and 94 respectively in the two formats.

And the Australian, who qualifies to represent the regional side through his Jamaican parents, said that he is pleased to be back in the Caribbean and that home advantage will weigh in favour of the Windies.

“Playing in the Caribbean is a different feeling. We understand the wickets a little bit more and the people rally around us. When we’re not doing as well as everyone would like, it’s still nice to see the people on the sidelines dressed in our colours and cheering for us,” Nash explained.

Nash said though that intermittent showers on the days leading up to the Test have disrupted preparations.

“Practice has been) a little bit disrupted. We’ve made the most of it and tried to get on the field we could and get in the indoor nets,” Nash explained. (Caribnet)

Following initial investigations, the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Bureau of Standards found that the 7oz tin of Grace Corned Beef imported by O D Brisbane & Sons (Trading) Ltd and the 12oz tin of Libby’s Corned Beef imported by Ram’s (Trading) Ltd originated from the Brazilian firm SIF 337 and may be contaminated with Ivermectin, which is a de-worming agent in live animals.

Consumers and shopkeepers are advised to check their purchases.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs has advised that with immediate effect all beef products from Brazilian firm SIF 337 are prohibited from entry into St. Kitts and Nevis, pursuant to Part VI, Section 28 of the National Bureau of Standards Act No.7 of 1999. (Caribnet)

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding

Prime Minister Bruce Golding will assume Chairmanship of the regional grouping from July to December. Haiti’s President Rene Preval was slated to become Chairman but these plans were changed as a result of the devastation caused in Haiti by the earthquake of January 12.

The decision was taken at the CARICOM Heads level, that Jamaica should assume Chairmanship in July.

Important topics to be discussed from the wide-ranging agenda will include, CARICOM in the contemporary world; Progress in the Implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, Update on External Trade Negotiations; The region’s recovery process in light of the Global Economic and Financial Crisis; Haiti’s Recovery and Development; Crime and Security in the Community; and Climate Change Priorities for the region.

The Opening Ceremony will be held on Sunday, 4 July, beginning at 5 pm . A number of working sessions are scheduled as well as a retreat of the various Heads of Government and specially invited guests.

The conference programme also includes a Brand Jamaica Trade Showcase. (Caribnet)

Specifically designed to resist heavy rains and for extended living, the tents will be distributed through organizations which have been assisting people in securing shelter since the earthquake. They will be disbursed to individuals throughout the affected area, so that individuals can locate them where best suits their needs, for example, close to their collapsed home or to their place of work.

Digicel Haiti CEO, Maarten Boute, said; “We have a group of 120 volunteers made up of Digicel employees who will manage the distribution. These volunteers will be divided into groups of 40 and sub-groups of four and, over the next week, they will distribute the 19,000 tents to more than 150 organizations

“This initiative means that 100,000 Haitians currently living on the streets with inadequate shelter or in makeshift dwellings will be housed in one of these tents which provide improved shelter until a more permanent solution is found,” he continued.

Some of the organizations who will receive tents include; Red Cross Haiti, World Vision, Food for the Poor, Catholic Relief Services and the national police. According to shelter cluster figures, approximately 63,000 tents have been distributed to date. Digicel’s programme will increase this number by 30%.

The tents have a 10×10 foot coated polyethylene ‘bathtub’ floor, separate from the tent walls - and give protection from groundwater. The tents – purchased from a manufacturer in the US – were shipped on fourteen 40 foot containers and arrived in Port-au-Prince earlier this month.

Digicel Group CEO, Colm Delves, commented: “With the rainy season upon us, we are doing everything we can to improve conditions and give some of the one million homeless people in Port-au-Prince some dignity and protection.

“However, the situation in Haiti is still grave. While the tents we are distributing will go some way towards temporarily improving sheltered accommodation, we need more organizations from across the world to continue to step in and provide support in any way they can.”

Director of Red Cross Haiti, Mme Michelle Amedee Gedeon, said; “The donation of these tents is a blessing for the people under our care who are currently living in dire conditions with the spread of disease rife.

“With the provision of tents, families can live together in their own unit which is clean and protected from the elements as they continue to try to rebuild their lives,” she continued.

As the single largest investor in Haiti with a total investment of over US$370 million since its launch in 2006, Digicel has over two million customers in Haiti. The Digicel Haiti Relief Fund has donated US$5 million to NGOs in Haiti to support the relief efforts and to date over US$800,000 has been raised by Digicel customers across the Caribbean and Central America through a text and voice donation line. Digicel also gave each of its two million customers US$5 in free credit – totalling US$10 million. (Caribnet)