BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, 14 May 2013 (CMC) – Two former senior government ministers, including former deputy prime minister Sam Condor, have hinted at the possibility of forming a new political party that could likely contest the next general elections in St. Kitts-Nevis. Continue reading
Category Archives: Government & Politics
St. Lucia government presents budget reducing subsidies on basic food commodities
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, 15 May 2013 (CMC) – The St. Lucia government has presented an EC$1.32 billion (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) budget to Parliament late Tuesday reducing the subsidies on basic food commodities such as rice and flour and increasing the Value Added Tax (VAT) for the hotel industry.
Political parties in St. Kitts and Nevis gearing for general election
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, 7 May 2013 (CMC) – The two main political parties used Monday’s Labour Day celebrations to encourage voters to be prepared for a general election that though constitutionally due by 2015, could, according to political observers be held long before that deadline. Continue reading
First female Governor General of grenada sworn into office
Dr. Cecile La Grenade
ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, 7 May 2013 (CMC) – The first ever female Governor General of Grenada was sworn into office on Tuesday with Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell saying that her inauguration serves as a “beacon of hope that can inspire a whole nation”.
Former head of the Public Service Commission, Dr. Cecile La Grenade, took the oath of office before Justice Margaret Price-Findlay and becomes the second woman to be head of state of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique. Continue reading
Central Bank says Barbados economy contracted during first four months of 2013
Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, Dr Delisle Worrell
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, 9 April 2013 (CMC) – The Central Bank of Barbados Tuesday said that the Barbados economy contracted by 0.4 per cent in the first three months of 2013 and urged the authorities to put “back on track” the fiscal consolidation strategy as well as a new medium term adjustment strategy to turn around the island’s economic fortunes.
In its review of the Barbados economic performance fore the first quarter of this year, the Central bank said that on current trends there may be no real increase in the contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) from the tourism or international business sectors in 2013. Continue reading
St. Kitts and Nevis Government presents tax free budget
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts, 9 April 2013 (CMC) – Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas Tuesday presented an EC$528.1 million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) tax free budget to Parliament outlining a reduction in corporate taxes as well as extending several incentive packages that his administration had earlier implemented in a bid to stimulate the economy of the twin-island federation.
Opposition legislators boycott budget presentation
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, 9 April 2013 (CMC) – Opposition legislators Tuesday boycotted the presentation of the national budget insisting that the long tabled vote of no confidence in the Dr. Denzil Douglas administration be debated.
“We the majority of Elected Representatives in the National Assembly of St. Kitts and Nevis will not participate in the debate of the 2013 Budget,” the six opposition legislators, including former deputy prime minister Sam Condor and senior minister Dr. Timothy Harris said in a statement. Continue reading
New Governor General for Grenada
Dr. Cecile La Grenade
ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, 10 April 2013 (CMC) – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has named Dr. Cecile La Grenade, a United States trained food technologist, as the Grenada’s new Governor General.
In a nationwide radio and television broadcast on Tuesday night, Mitchell, whose government came to office seven weeks ago after sweeping all the 15 seats in the general elections, said the first ever female Governor General will replace Sir Carlyle Glean “who has expressed the desire to step down at the earliest convenient date. Continue reading
Prime Minister warns Grenadians of challenges ahead
Dr. the Rt Hon. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada
ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, 10 April 2013 (CMC) – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell says his seven-week old government has been able to reverse a lack of confidence in the local economy, but warned Grenadians that “these are early days and there are obviously many challenges ahead”.
In his first radio and television broadcast since his New National Party (NNP) swept the February 19 general election, Mitchell was also critical of the policies adopted by the former Tillman Thomas administration prior to leaving office. Continue reading
Dominica PM praises ALBA and PetroCaribe
Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica
ROSEAU, Dominica, 10 April 2013 (CMC) – Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has stoutly defended the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) and PetroCaribe saying they underscored a determination of a people to write their own script for their future socio-economic development.
The two Venezuela initiatives had been at the forefront of efforts by the late President Hugo Chavez as he sought to build an alliance among Central and Caribbean countries. But the moves had been criticised by countries like the United States that regarded them as plans by Chavez to spread his “revolution” across the hemisphere. Continue reading
Haitian Finance Minister resigns with immediate effect
Marie Carmelle Jean-Marie
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, 10 April 2013 (CMC) – Haiti’s Finance and Economy Minister Marie Carmelle Jean-Marie resigned Wednesday with immediate effect.
Jean-Marie, who has been in the post for a year, sent her letter of resignation to Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe. Continue reading
Grenada Opposition to fill three seats in Senate
ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, 21 March 2013 (CMC) – Three former ministers of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will be appointed to the Senate to fill the three opposition seats in the Upper House of Parliament. Continue reading
OECS Assembly to sit on March 26
The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda – home of the OECS National Assembly
CASTRIES, St.Lucia, 21 March 2013 (CMC)- Nearly eight months after its official launch the OECS Authority has scheduled a sitting of the OECS Assembly for March 26.
The Castries based OECS Secretariat has announced that in preparation for this sitting a seminar has been planned to facilitate discussion of the Rules of Procedure for the OECS Assembly and aspects of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre that support the work of the Assembly. Continue reading
Barbados Government to inject millions into local economy
Hon. Christopher Sinckler, Minister of Finance and Economic Affiars, Barbados
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, 19 March 2013 (CMC) – The Barbados government says it intends to invest BDS$600 million (One BDS dollar = US$0.50 cents) as part of a new stimulus to improve the local economy and create at least 1,000 new jobs.
“Together when the BDS$355 million taken from this new stimulus package and the BDS$300 million from traditional estimates, we anticipate an injection of BDS$600 million in capital works spending.
Former judge sworn in as Trinidad and Tobago’s fifth head of state
His Excellency Anthony Carmona, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, 18 March 2013 (CMC) – Former High Court judge, Anthony Carmona, 60, was sworn in as Trinidad and Tobago’s fifth head of state on Monday at a public ceremony held at the Hasley Crawford Stadium, on the outskirts of the capital.
In a ceremony carried live on radio and television, Carmona, a graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Hugh Wooding Law School, succeeds educator George Maxwell Richards, who ended a 10 year term in the ceremonial post on Sunday. Continue reading