Caribbean Report 29-05-1997

Abstract

Trinidad and Tobago's conflict with Venezuela over mutual fishing territories is to be presented at the OAS General Assembly being held in Peru next week. Next, diversification appears to be the main focus for leaders gathered in St. Kitts today for the annual OECS Summit. Only by seeking alternatives to the banana industry can the sub-region achieve economic security, that was the message of the host Prime Minister, Denzil Douglas of St. Kitts and Nevis. He also called for Caricom to use the OECS single currency as the example to follow if it was serious about a single market and economy. At a luncheon for the St. Lucia’s Chamber of Commerce, Edwin Laurent, OECS Ambassador to the European Community said that Caribbean countries have been called on to make the protection of the region’s banana industry a fundamental point of their foreign policy. He also stressed the point to diversify banana dependent economies to reduce reliance on the crop for income and employment. Next, in Jamaica police have been out in force in the normally quiet south western town of Savanna-la-Mar. Hundreds have converged on the streets to protest the police shootings. Next, a British Foreign Office Minister is to travel to Montserrat within the next few weeks to begin work on a new policy for the island following its two year crisis caused by the active volcano. Next, Cuba’s Foreign Ministry’s spokesman says that relations between Cuba and Jamaica are strongly based and would continue to improve. He says the recent visit by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson underscores the strengthening of Jamaica/Cuba relations. Finally, in Britain Home Secretary Jack Straw may reopen the case of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence who was killed in an unprovoked racist attack.