Farmers to benefit from new scheme
CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):
Officials from the National Fairtrade Organisation in Britain will visit farms across the Windward Islands in a move designed to encourage farmers to boost production under the Fairtrade label.
"Since we started Fairtrade in 2001, we have not been able to closely monitor production of the crop," operations officer Cornelius Lynch said.
He said during the last year, many farmers had become involved with the organisation and that it was important to "maintain this prestige movement in the banana industry, especially in light of the expected increase".
Japan, UN to aid Grenada
ST GEORGE'S, Grenada (CMC):
Grenada is to receive more than US$1 million from Japan and the United Nations for a project to assist persons affected by the damages caused by Hurricanes Ivan and Emily more than two years ago.
A government statement said that the money will come from the Trust Fund for Human Security for a project entitled "Resorting Livelihoods in Grenada after Hurricanes Ivan and Emily".
Dominica doubtful of return to IMF
ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says Dominica has no intention of re-introducing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme that helped rebuild the island's failing economy.
"If at all we were to go into an IMF programme, we would certainly be focusing on the growth imperatives of the country. It would be in great sense different from the stabilisation and adjustment programme," Skerrit said.
Dominica entered into an IMF stabilisation and adjustment programme in 2003 following a collapse of the economy as a result of a downturn in the banana sector, the island's main revenue earner.
New code for health workers
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):
The Guyanes government has approved recommendations ensuring that all health practitioners comply with certain code of ethics.
"The initiative would bring Guyana into conformity with conventions applicable in other states and, of course, modern practices," said the head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon.
The code will encompass the function of doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and other health practitioners, and Luncheon said it would be implemented two-fold.
Carib marina sold to US interest
CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):
The United States-based Island Global Yachting (IGY) has paid US$24 million for the Rodney Bay Marina in St. Lucia regarded as one of the Caribbean's leading centres for yachting and sports fishing.
IGY, which manages luxury marina facilities, says it intends to invest substantially in the property to enhance both the marina facilities and the upland amenities to a level consistent with its other facilities around the world.
