Housing Minister Reginald Austrie Expresses How Long  A Time It Has Been Since His Ministry Has Received Such Grand                  By Rena Auguiste – Saturday January 13th, 2007

Housing Minister Reginald Austrie says it has been a long time since the Ministry of Housing has had that level of funding to execute some of its programme. Mister Austrie says while this is an indication of the Housing Resolution, there are really six components to it. Mister Austrie told those gathered at the handing over ceremony of more than $3 Million to the AID Bank for Housing Development in Dominica, that citizens will have the opportunity to decide whether or not they would invest in any of the two types of model houses which will be made available later this month. He says although housing will be a major challenge, it will mean a great deal to the people of Dominica.

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Executive Director Of The NDC Has Great Remarks On Dominica's     Carnival                                                                                         By Rena Auguiste – Saturday January 13th, 2007

Executive Director of the National Development Cooperation (NDC) Val Cuffy believes that Dominica's Carnival has emerged as one of the leading carnivals in the Caribbean. Mister Cuffy says among the many carnivals in the region, it is seen as the one which offers the most authentic and indigenous forms of African and Caribbean culture. Mister Cuffy says this year the NDC expects a more successful outcome of the Real Mass 2007. 

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Dominica Queen Pageants Sign Contracts To Partake In Show          By Trisha Scotland – Saturday January 13th, 2007

Seven young ladies have signed contracts with the Dominica Festivals Commission (DFC) to participate in the Miss Dominica Pageant. Q95 news interviewed the young ladies vying for Miss Dominica 2007 at the contract ceremony, Monday. Miss Ndala Mills says that she is elated and proud to be a contestant in this year pageant. Meantime Miss Sonilia Laville says that participating in the National Queen Pageant is a dream that has come to reality.

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Hopes For A  Reunion In The Village Of Wesley                             By Rena Auguiste – Friday January 13th, 2007

A reunion for persons of Wesley could become a reality in 2008. Senator Gloria Shillingford says the idea of a reunion was in the making since 2005 and escalated in 2006. She says persons in the community have come to realize that having a reunion is one way of bringing unity within the people. Mrs. Shillingford says although a date has not been set for the event, preparations for Wesley Reunion 2008 are progressing satisfactorily.

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Conditions Of Thibaud Primary School On Road To    Improvement                                                                           

Parents and teachers of Thibaud are much more contented than they were a few days before. Earlier this week, PTA President of the Thibaud Primary School Frances Royer, had expressed concern over the conditions of the restroom facility at the institution. According to Miss Royer, parents and teachers therefore saw it best to keep students at home until the matter was rectified. Miss Royer told Q95 news Thursday, she is pleased to announce that after much request, the school body has received the necessary materials to repair the roof of the school’s restroom.

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Purposes Of The Green House Component Of The SNC Workshop     

By Trisha Scotland – Friday January 12th, 2007

The Green House Component of the Second National Communication (SNC) on Climate Change Workshop will commence today Friday January 12, 2007. Coordinator of the workshop, The Environmental Coordinating Unit (ECU) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment, intends to effectively utilize resources and create awareness on practical methods of Greenhouse Gas Emissions reductions. According to Environmental Coordinating Unit Officer, Collin Guiste, the workshop will identify the sectors that emit Green House gases.

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Dominica's Cultural Minister Says That We Must Work Together To Promote The 'Real Mass'                                                                                      

Minister of Culture, the Honorable Mathew Walter, is of the view that if we should promote Dominica as the “Real Mass”, we must work together as a unit. He says, supporting our Carnival, is not only meant for the National Development Cooperation, the Carnival Development Committee or the Dominica Festival’s Commission. Minister Walter says in order to achieve this, we must first observe the things that hinder the originality and success of our Carnival. Mister Mathew Walter is also calling on the media to play their role to ensure that Dominica’s Carnival is well promoted. Minister Walter indicated that many a times, the Post Carnival Headlines are that of violence. He added that the media with the organizers must come together and strengthen their relationships. Minister Walter added that the media has its responsibility as Dominicans and to sell Dominica and the products that it has to offer.

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Turks & Caicos Election Date                                                 caribbeannetnews.com – Saturday January 13th, 2007

Premier Dr Michael Misick has announced the date for General Elections in the Turks & Caicos Islands as February 9, 2007. Nomination date according to Misick is January 22, 2007. This announcement came during a live press conference where the Premier, flanked by his Cabinet Ministers and those running as Progressive National Party (PNP) candidates in the upcoming General Elections, along with a host of supporters, gave a synopsis of his government's accomplishments under the slogan, "A Promise Made, A Promise Kept". He stressed that every major manifesto promise has been fulfilled and that his government has touched every island throughout the Turks & Caicos chain bringing development, a better quality of life for the people and empowerment for Turks & Caicos Islanders.

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Inquest Into Death Of Cayman Islands Businessman To Open In Bermuda This Month                                    caribbeannetnews.com – Saturday January 13th, 2007

The long-delayed inquest into the 2005 death in Bermuda of wealthy businessman, and long-time resident of the Cayman Islands, Dimitri Pappas, will finally get under way on 23 January 2007, according to Dwayne Caines, Public and Media Relations Manager of the Bermuda Police Service (BPS). Caines spoke with Cayman Net News on 9 January 2007 and gave the latest development on the investigation. “The inquest for the Dimitri Pappas case is set for 23 January 2007. It will be held in open court,” he said. With the controversy that has surrounded Dimitri’s death, 23 January is therefore set to receive significant international attention. This is because high-profile human rights attorney and wife of British prime minister, Tony Blair, Cherie Booth Blair, was recently confirmed as lead lawyer for a highly controversial, re-opened case in Bermuda -- the Rebecca Middleton murder. Dimitri’s body was discovered hanging in the clothes closet of a hotel room in Smiths parish in Bermuda on 20 July 2005.

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Protests Swirl On Fifth Anniversary Of Guantanamo Prison              caribbeannetnews.com – Saturday January 13th, 2007

Demonstrators in mock prison garb rallied here and around the globe Thursday calling for the US prison in Guantanamo, Cuba, to be closed, five years after its first "war on terror" detainee arrived. Around 395 people are being held at the controversial US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, most without legal safeguards such as access to courts or legal counsel. UN chief Ban Ki-moon joined in the world refrain, saying "like my predecessor (Kofi Annan), I believe the prison should be closed. "His comments came as the London-based human rights group Amnesty International appealed to world powers to press the United States to shut down the prison at the US enclave at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. "The US government must end this travesty of justice. Equally, it is not enough for world leaders to express concern about Guantanamo and carry on business as usual with the USA," said Amnesty's secretary general, Irene Kahn.

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