Caribbean Report 29-01-1993

Abstract

Scotland Yard detectives investigating allegations with links to drug traffickers in the Trinidad and Tobago’s Police Force have recommended that a number of police officers be suspended. Correspondent Tony Fraser reports Russell Huggins - Minister of National Security, in an interview as stating that there was no substantial evidence of the existence of a drug cartel within the police force. However, Minister Huggins does support combating criminal elements, enforcing common drug trafficking laws within the Caribbean in order to bring to justice convicted offenders. The Regional Human Rights Organization - Caribbean Rights, an organization that strongly advocates the abolition of the death penalty; is objecting to moves in Europe to apply economic sanctions on countries regarded as violating human rights. British MP Gerald Kauffman is a firm advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. Victor Cuffie - Executive Director of Caribbean Rights says that these trade sanctions are unacceptable, he was responding to the EC move to impose trade sanctions on Jamaica. There continues to be significant disparities between experts on Barbados’s economic outlook for this year. The Barbados Economic Society forecast that the economy will grow by over 6 %. However, Peter Odle - President of the Barbados Hotel Association comments on the Central Bank growth projections of up to 2% as being too optimistic. These sentiments of a gloomy economic outlook are also shared by David Seale prominent business man and Dr. Mr. Michael Howard, UWI economist - correspondent Sandra Baptiste reports. There is a debate in the US Virgin Islands to whether it should retain its independence status or be included as a US state. Gerard Emmanuel in an interview with correspondent Mike Jarvis explains the immigration concerns and implications of voting rights eligibility. The dispute between the European Community and the Latin American Banana Exporters over banana importers into the EC is not insurmountable. President Rafael Caldero says that the Latin American exporters are likely to improve on their 60% share of the EC banana market over the next ten years. The West Indies have won all three of their Test appearances, and the scene for the deciding Test match between the West Indies and Australia is set for a thrilling finale - correspondent Tony Cozier reports.