Caribbean Report 18-03-1993

Abstract

The new Incomes Policy announced by Barbados Prime Minister Erskine calling for a two year wage freeze for both public and private sector workers. Prime Minister Sandiford has been questioned by Labour Union Leader and Government MP- Leroy Trotman, who expressed reservation son how the government seems to be proceeding with the plan. The matter is up for discussion at a meeting between government and the social partners – correspondent Mike Jarvis reports. A report on complied by an independent commissioner on the Bank of Jamaica Scandal has been released following allegations that the Central Bank of Jamaica was involved in buying foreign exchange at inflated prices. The blame has been squarely out on three senior officials that have been deemed guilty of dereliction of duties and 4 foreign exchange agents as having operated in a way that was not in the best interest of the Central Bank. However, it has absolved the political Directorate and the major leadership i.e. Roderick Rainford - Governor of the Bank and his closest associates of any blame. This may become a political issue and affect the on-going election campaign - correspondent Gary Allen reports to anchor Mike Jarvis from Jamaica. The Caribbean’s banana battle in Europe could be far from over, the British Agriculture Minister - John Selwyn Gummer has indicated at a debate in Parliament to discuss the future of the Caribbean’s banana industry. He noted that there would be some uncertainty over whether the new agreement could stand up to scrutiny in the European Court of Justice – correspondent Mike Jarvis reports. Caribbean ambassadors in Washington are to meet with a group of congressmen to lobby for the retention of the 936 Progamme with Puerto Rico. The ambassadors say that they are also concerned about unclear signals from Puerto Rico, and this has the Caribbean many countries worried because many countries are now benefitting from the 936 Progamme. Correspondent Mike Jarvis reports from an interview with Joseph Edmunds - St. Lucia’s ambassador in Washington. Two British Virgin Islands MPs boycotted a special meeting of the territories at which the Duke of Edingborough was present. However, the protest was not directed at the Duke but actually at the Deputy Chief Minister- Ralph O’Neil who they want out of parliament and the Government. It is alleged that he has breached parliamentary Code of Ethics with Shell Antilles and Guyana’s Limited. Minister O’Neil has denied these allegations. BVI social commentator Elihu Rhymer and British Govenor Peter Penfold give their views to correspondent Yvette Rowe reports.OECS Private Sector Leaders meeting in Dominica hope to have a private sector action plan for the sub region - leading to an OECS private Sector grouping. Sheridan Gregoire – Conference Chairman and OECS representative on the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC) reports from an interview with to correspondent Mike Jarvis. A new report on ethnic minorities in Britain says that a large proportion of black people of Caribbean origin who were born in Britain do not consider themselves as Afro Caribbean. The study was done by Peter Owen of the Ethnic Relations Centre at Warrick University and highlighted that 46 percent of the ethnic minority population was born in Britain and gives other comparative statistics in relation to the white population. The report was based on a detailed study of the 1991 UK census and was the first to include a question on ethnic origins – correspondent Mike Jarvis reports. News relating to the Foreign Exchange Scandal in Jamaica has just been published exonerating Roderick Rainford - Central Bank Governor, Jamaican and the political Directorate of any wrong doing – correspondent Mike Jarvis reports.