DHTA Vice President underscores potential in Dominica’s tourism product 
By Tyrella Alexander- Wednesday 14th May 2008

“Nobody is sitting on the gold mine of eco tourism like Dominica” These are the words of Vice President of the Dominica Hotel & Tourism Association (DHTA) Simon Walsh. Besides being unique, Mr Walsh strongly believes the country’s tourism product has massive potential. “Its not just people sitting in Dominica who say that. We have such a unique product especially in the region of the Caribbean.” He lists better access and consistent marketing, as a few of the things that are needed to enhance the country’s tourism.  Mr Walsh also underscores the attitude of locals as a great part of Dominica’s tourism product.            

Prime Minister says a regional response is needed to resolve banana dispute     
By Jozef Faddoul- Wednesday 14th May 2008 

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says a regional response is the most appropriate way to respond to the current banana dispute. The dispute between the Windward Island Banana Development and Exporting Company (WIBDECO), the Windward Island Farmers Association (WINFA) and banana companies of the region, has been negatively impacting the farmers there. Prime Minister Skerrit speaking with DBS radio reiterates his concern about the matter. He says it is not about taking sides. Mr Skerrit intends to speak with the Prime Ministers of St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines on the matter.       

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Teachers to participate in one day Motivational workshop Thursday                                                                                                                  By Merville Defoe- Wednesday 14th May 2008 

Teachers of the Pierre Charles Secondary School will be better able to manage male students after they participate in a one-day workshop Thursday. The workshop is being held under the theme “Motivating our Young Men to Achieve Academic Excellence - A Gendered Perspective”. In an interview with q95 news Wednesday, Course Coordinator of the workshop Julian Benjamin said the seminar aims to equip teachers with the necessary techniques that they could employ, in motivating their male students to achieve academic excellence.   

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Windward leaders urged again to meet to end banana dispute      By Tyrella Alexander- Wednesday 14th May 2008   

Lawyer, Anthony Astaphan is urging governments in the Windward Islands to intervene in the banana dispute involving WIBDECO, the Windward Island Farmers Association (WINFA) and banana companies of the Windwards. Mr Astaphan told the Hot Seat Tuesday, serious harm will result in the banana industries of the Windward Islands, if the issue is not handled in the said manner.  Astaphan has written to the leaders to hold a meeting. According to him, Prime Minister Skerrit is the only leader who has so far responded.      

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DGS observes Career Day today   
By Sandy Alexis- Wednesday 14th May 2008 

Third formers at the Dominica Grammar School are participating in a Career Fair today. Teacher and Organizer of the event Emalyn Anslem says the day is meant to help to prepare and assist students choose their subjects for their future careers. A number of professionals addressed the students this week, about different careers. Some of the careers that were highlighted at the school this morning include lawyers, doctors, bankers and accountants.  

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DHTA hosted first ever Tourism Industry Concert/Talent Show     By Sandy Alexis- Wednesday 14th May 2008 

The first ever Tourism Industry Concert took off last weekend with performances by several local artists. At the even, held as part of tourism awareness month, the Dominica Hotel & Tourism Association sought to bring out some of the talents of persons in the Industry. Fred "Granny” Langford doubled up the small crowd at the Tourism Industry Concert/Talent Show held at the Old Mill Cultural Center on Saturday May 3rd. There were also performances by Gospel singers "The Starnets”, Ophelia Marie, Athie Martin, and the Genesis Steel Band. The occasion was supported by the National Cultural Council and the Cultural Division.      

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2^nd hiking trip carded for today      
By Sandy Alexis- Wednesday 14th May 2008  

The second planned hike by the Dominica Hotel & Tourism Association, The Dominica Discover Authority in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism is scheduled to take place today. The hike will be to Morne Diablotin, and forms part of Hike Fest and Tourism Awareness Month, being observed during the month of May. The first hike was held May 11^th to Cold Soufriere and from Penville to Capuchin. Tourism Awareness Month is being observed under the theme: ‘Tourism for Today & Tomorrow.’          

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Twelve named storms predicted for this hurricane season
caribbeannetnews.com - Wednesday 14th May 2008    

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season will be near average in the number of storms, but there is a higher risk of a destructive storm hitting the US East Coast, AccuWeather.com predicted on Monday. Joe Bastardi, AccuWeather's chief long-range and hurricane forecaster, said in an updated forecast he expects a total of 12 named storms in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. Two or three of the named storms would likely affect energy production areas in the Gulf of Mexico, which produces 25 percent of US domestic crude oil and 15 percent of domestic natural gas, Bastardi said. "Every three years there's usually one major storm in the Gulf," Bastardi said in an interview in Houston. A weakening La Nina weather anomaly in the Pacific Ocean and near-normal or below-normal water temperatures in most of the tropical breeding grounds of the Atlantic Ocean off the African Coast "will reduce the overall number of storms," Bastardi said.

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Jamaica and Guyana leaders to meet to resolve rice dispute
caribbeannetnews.com - Wednesday 14th May 2008 

Guyana’s president Bharrat Jagdeo and Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding are to meet shortly and discuss the current rice impasse between the two countries and report on the outcome to CARICOM‘s secretary general Edwin Carrington. This decision was taken at the just-concluded Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) meeting in Antigua. The rice issue between the two countries came to the forefront after Guyana had opposed Jamaica’s request for a suspension of the Common External Tariff (CET) to import rice from extra-regional sources, on the basis that it could supply Jamaica’s demand for the commodity. However, Jamaica’s need for an emergency stock of rice and Guyana’s ability to supply the commodity were highlighted by trade ministers.    

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Chavez nationalises biggest steelmaker
caribbeannetnews.com - Wednesday 14th May 2008 

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Monday nationalized the country's biggest steelmaker Ternium-Sidor, which is majority owned by Argentina's Techint. Chavez signed the decree after announcing last month he would nationalize the company, which employs around 12,000 workers, following a breakdown in union contract talks. "Today marks the beginning of a historic new era," Chavez told workers at the Ternium-Sidor steel mill in Ciudad Guyana, 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Caracas. "Here, beside these furnaces in the middle of Siderurgica del Orinoco (Sidor steel company), I have enacted the law by which we reclaim steel making," he told hundreds of company employees. Chavez set a June 30 deadline for transfer of all Ternium-Sidor assets to the government.

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