Bahamas bank delisted
A Bahamas-based bank is among firms and individuals removed from an international blacklist by the UN Security Council’s Taliban and al Qaeda sanctions committee.
Bank Al Taqwa Ltd of the Bahamas was among those delisted after a review, according to Austrian UN Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting, chairman of the committee. Human rights experts have long complained that some of the people under sanctions did not belong on the blacklist. The people and companies on the list face global travel bans and assets freezes.
Solar concessions for USVI
Funds from President Obama’s economic stimulus package will be used to encourage Virgin Islanders to use solar energy. US Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh said residents will soon receive financial assistance to buy and install solar water heaters.
Mr deJongh said his administration’s objective is to achieve “energy efficiency”.
Stressed cows in PR
The heat seems to be getting to the cows in Puerto Rico.
For the first time in a decade, officials are importing fresh milk from the United States, saying high temperatures have stressed the island’s cows and production has dropped.
Agriculture secretary Javier Rivera said about 1 million litres (260,000 gallons) of milk have been shipped from Florida since early October.
Puerto Rico has been experiencing higher temperatures than normal, but Rivera said he expects cooler days to come.
Arthur explains vote boycott
Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur has been explaining why he boycotted a leadership vote of the opposition Barbados Labour Party.
His successor as party leader, Mia Mottley, successfully called the snap party vote in an attempt to shore up her position. Arthur said that his absence from the leadership vote was not because he plans to come back, but because he does not think the vote should’ve been called in the first place.
He claimed Mottley’s leadership problem was not simply within the BLP but due to a wider perception amongst the Barbados public at large.
He blamed her apparent failure to win over the public on ‘natural transition issues’ and understandable nostalgic affection for a previous leader.
BA strike threat
Travel between England and the Caribbean could be seriously disrupted during this Christmas season for people who fly British Airways. Cabin crew at the airline will vote on whether to strike over cost-cutting plans by BA’s management, the workers union has announced.
The decision of the ballot of 14,000 cabin crew will be made known on November 2.
The workers’ union has been in talks with management since British Airways announced it planned to cut 1,700 jobs, freeze pay for current staff, and offer lower wages for new employees.
