Regional Briefs

Relief for Caribbean immigrants facing deportation for some non-violent crimes

NEW YORK (CMC):

The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has announced a major initiative that could lead to the reduction or removal of criminal convictions for Caribbean and other immigrants who entered into plea agreements and have convictions for non-violent offences that subject them to deportation, according to the Brooklyn-based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID).

CGID’s Guyanese-born president Rickford Burke, an international law consultant, said the decision could prove a relief for thousands of immigrants, adding that "the law and society never intended to inflict the double jeopardy of deportation as a second punishment for the same crime”.

Burke said individuals with convictions for non-violent offences that are categorised by the federal government as crimes of “moral turpitude”, who believe they are eligible for consideration under the initiative, should, through their attorneys, immediately apply to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for relief.

 

 

CARICOM appeals for calm, meaningful discourse to resolve Haiti crisis

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Chairman Allen Chastanet is calling on all stakeholders in Haiti to engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve the political crisis that has paralysed the normal functioning of all sectors of the country and created a situation of extreme hardship for the people.

In a statement on Tuesday, Chastanet, who is St Lucia’s prime minister, said CARICOM is willing to facilitate that dialogue.

Dozens of people have been killed and wounded, while foreign embassies and other property have been attacked in ramped up demonstrations across Haiti in recent weeks as opposition parties try to force President Jovenel Moise out of office. They have accused Moise of mismanaging funds from the PetroCaribe initiative but he has denied all allegations.

Chastanet said CARICOM is “saddened and concerned” by the deepening of the crisis and stands ready to "facilitate a political dialogue between the parties”.

 

 

Regional leaders not meeting enough, says Mottley

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has called on her Caribbean Community (CARICOM) counterparts to have more regular meetings to discuss issues critical to regional integration.

She suggested that Caribbean heads of government follow the lead of those in Europe who meet regularly.

“Maybe because of Brexit we’ve seen it, but almost every two or three weeks, the Heads of Government of the European Union are meeting. But we believe a smaller group of people – [CARICOM] – needs to meet only twice a year, and what happens in between the two meetings then depends on what happens at the subcommittee level or potentially if there is a crisis.

“That, in my view, has to change if we are going to bring our movement into fully the third decade of the 21st century, which, in fact, starts in less than 60 days. Unless we quicken the pace of discussion and implementation we are going to marginalise the region without even realising it,” Mottley said.

 

 

St Vincent and the Grenadines to export largest single shipment of livestock to Grenada

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC):

A bilateral agri-export agreement between Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will see the export of 100 heads of cattle and 400 pigs to Grenada later this month. It will be the largest single shipment of animals to be exported to Grenada in the island’s history.

Since the establishment of the agreement, over EC$10 million (J$518 million) worth of products have been traded on the platform.

Minister of Agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saboto Caesar, welcomed the continued support from the government and people of Grenada and outlined plans to further deepen regional trade relationships.

The Ministry of Agriculture in St Vincent and the Grenadines is expected to obtain help from the Government of Grenada before year end regarding planting material for spices.