Back to Hot Calaloo

UNDILUTED pays tribute to John Maxwell by featuring two previous columns by him from the Hot Calaloo UNDILUTED archives:

September/October 2012

Haitian women for Barefoot College in India

To be admitted to the Barefoot College in India to become a solar engineer, you must be 

But you may be illiterate and at the completion of the 6-month course you will be a solar engineer. Students need not even share the same language!

The first four rural Haiti women have set off to start the September
2012 six-month Barefoot College session in India to become solar engineers,
return to Haiti to run a mini-energy plant to electrify their villages and bring it 
basic clean water. This is a Haiti community managed, community controlled
project in Haiti.

This was made possible by Erzili Danto’s Hatian Lawyers Leadership Network (HLLN) who selected the women and raised the necessary funds. Pro-democracy and human rights activist attorney and performance poet, Ezili Dantò founded the HLLN in 1994. She formed the capacity building organization by bringing together a network of lawyers, artists, students, Haitian activists, cultural experts, workers and human rights organizations, advocates, government officials and progressive radio, press and media outlets to support and work cooperatively with Haitian freedom fighters and grassroots organizations promoting the civil, human and cultural rights of Haitians living at home and abroad

The Barefoot College was founded in 1972 by Sanjit "Bunker" Roy in the village of Tilonia in Rajasthan, India, with just this mission: to provide basic services and solutions in rural communities with the objective of making them self-sufficient. These "barefoot solutions" can be broadly categorized into solar energy, water, education, health care, rural handicrafts, people’s action, communication, women’s empowerment and wasteland development. The Barefoot College education program, for instance, teaches literacy and also skills, encouraging learning-by-doing. (Literacy is only part of it.) Bunker’s organization has also successfully trained grandmothers from Africa and the Himalayan region to be solar engineers so they can bring electricity to their remote villages.

"Roy's idea is that India and Africa are full of people with skills, knowledge and resourcefulness who are not recognised as engineers, architects or water experts but who can bring more to communities than governments or big businesses."

Check out these videos:

1.Video: Solar Mamas
http://itvs.org/films/solar-mamas

2. The Rural Women Solar Engineers of Africa-Latest
Video- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khgdpf1hkOU

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

If Chavez loses, Jamaica loses

The government has estimated that there would be a US$600-million annual impact on Jamaica's balance of payments if Venezuela discontinues its deferred financing arrangement of the PetroCaribe Energy Cooperation agreement at this time.

Venezuelans vote on October 7 to elect a president and there are conversations that the seven-year-old agreement could be reviewed or discontinued if the incumbent Hugo Chávez does not get a third term. The impact would be about US$50 million per month (or US$600 million per annum) that Jamaica would have to find, as a balance of payment due. Since 2005, approximately US$2.3 billion has accrued to Jamaica under the arrangement, which is repayable at one per cent interest. Roughly two-thirds of the crude oil imported into Jamaica comes from Venezuela. All the other Petrocaribe countries are probably similarly affected.

Petrocaribe is an oil alliance of many Caribbean states with Venezuela to purchase oil on conditions of preferential payment. The are Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Haití and Nicaragua and Guatemala.

Breaking news: Chavez won!

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

T&T to cut VAT on groceries

Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) grocery shoppers are due some relief. The government has announced plans to cut the value added tax (VAT) on some 7,000 food items beginning November 15, 2012. This is a temporary move. The Government estimates this will cost TT$400 million. This loss in revenue is burdensome as the The State already owes Petrotrin $7 billion in subsidy payments, while State-owned Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission owes National GasCompany some $300 million.

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

T&T to raise gas prices by 43.75%

Trinidad’s Minister of Finance Larry Howai’s first budget presented yesterday in the Parliament saw an increase in premium gas by TT$1.75 per litre- from TT$4 to $5.75 effective today. That represents an increase of 43.75 %.

That means if motorists paid TT$160 to fill their 40 litre tanks before the presentation of the 2013 budget, they would now pay TT$230.

However, diesel and super gasoline were not affected. This means that the majority of the travelling public who use taxis should be spared increases in transportation costs.

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

600 bauxite jobs saved in Jamaica

600 jobs at the Ewarton bauxite plant in St Catherine Jamaica, was in jeopardy until the recent announcement that the Russian-based aluminium producer, UC Rusal, will be investing US$100 million (J$9 billion) in the facility.

The investment will fund the establishment of a coal-fired electricity generating plant at Ewarton with construction set to begin next year and earmarked for completion in 2015.

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell announced that the Government has signed a concessionary agreement to waive the bauxite levy on the operations at the company's Ewarton plant for a year. The concession takes effect from October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013. During the period of the concession, it has been agreed by the Government and UC Rusal that the employment level at the plant will be maintained at the current 600 local jobs.

The terms of the accord also state that over the one-year concession, the company will maintain the level of production at the refinery. At present, the company is operating at 300,000 metric tons per annum, representing half its total capacity.

Meanwhile, during the construction phase of the coal-fired electricity-generating plant, UC Rusal is expected to provide employment for 800 persons, and at the end of the period the refinery will return to full production and employment. The billion-dollar investment in the Ewarton facility will provide a 30-megawatt capacity to run the bauxite plant.

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

Jamaicans to benefit from Cuban anti-cancer drug

The anti-cancer homeopathic drug Vidatox 30 CH will soon be available in Jamaica.
Hungarian drug distribution company Medimpex has been granted exclusive rights to import and sell Vidatox to retailers in Jamaica.

The drug was developed by Cuban scientists. They contend the benefits of Vidatox 30 CH has raised life expectancy and quality of life in a group of patients undergoing cancer therapy. Vidatox is already being used in Asia, Europe, North, South and Central America and it is expected to be available in Jamaican pharmacies before the end of October.

During the recent LABIOFAM International Congress in Havana, Cuba, Dr Eva Solomon, head of the Cancer Control Group, said the drug was administered to 845 people with advanced cancer in their breast, lungs, colons, prostate and cervix, with favourable results. It also reported to reduce swelling and improves overall mental and emotional conditions of patients and families The drug is obtained from the venom of the Rhopalurus junceus scorpion.

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

High-ranking members of Grenada ruling party expelled

The internal strife within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) continue to result in political casualties as seven members of the ruling party, including General Secretary Peter David and trade unionist Chester Humphrey, were expelled at  the annual convention (September 30) in the eastern parish of St Andrew’s.

The other high-ranking members who the convention voted overwhelmingly to expel were, former cabinet ministers Joseph Gilbert, Karl Hood, Arley Gill, Glynnis Roberts, and disciplinary committee member Siddiqui Sylvester.
Former Government Minister Phinsley St Louis reportedly moved a motion for the party delegates to expel the seven members, who are all known supporters of David.

David, who had been general secretary for more than a decade, had announced early in September that he would not be seeking reelection to the NDC executive. The former tourism minister, who resigned in April, is a parliamentary backbencher and member of parliament (MP) for the town of St. George.

The expulsions were the highlight of a dramatic gathering of the party faithful as acting party chairman, Stanford Simon, was also thrown out of the convention, after executive member Vincent Roberts moved a motion calling for his expulsion.

Former environment minister Roberts was the most recent minister in the Tillman Thomas cabinet to resign from her position, following paths set by Hood the former foreign affairs minister and David.
 According to the grenadabroadcast.com website, the expulsions were a response by supporters of Thomas to an offensive launched by David to capture control of the executive of the party.

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

Jamaica dominates World Travel Awards

Jamaica copped several awards at the 2012 World Travel Awards Caribbean and the Americas gala held recently at Beaches Turks & Caicos. The destination and local tourism partners dominated the competition, collectively winning more awards than any other destination, according to a release from the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment.

Jamaica won awards in the categories of the Caribbean’s:
• Leading destination,
• for having the leading tourist board,
• the leading airport which went to Sangster International,
• leading cruise destination,
• leading cruise port which went to Ocho Rios,
• leading sports tourism destination,
• leading meetings and conference centre for the Montego Bay Convention Centre,
• and the Port of Falmouth named the Caribbean’s leading tourism development project.

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

Haitians get TPS extension

Haitian have been given an extension on their Temporary Protected Status, living in for another 18 months, beginning Jan. 22, 2013, according to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

Next week, the Department of Homeland Security will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing this decision.

The 60-day re-registration period for current Haiti TPS beneficiaries will begin on the day the Federal Register notice publishes. Individuals who have not continuously resided in the United States since Jan. 12, 2011 will not be eligible.

"The extension of Temporary Protected Status is yet another lifeline for tens of thousands of Haitians living in the U.S., especially South Florida. I applaud the decision by Secretary Janet Napolitano and the Department of Homeland Security. This is the right thing to do given the post-earthquake conditions that still exist in Haiti," says Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, (D-Fla.).

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

Georgetown Not Looking Good: Partisan Strife in Guyana

(Reposted article by Elizabeth Briggs, Research Associate at Council on Hemispheric Affairs)

The current tensions between Guyana’s major two parties boiled over during July in the country’s second largest city, Linden, a traditional stronghold of Afro-Guyanese electoral strength and political muscle. On July 18, three Lindeners partaking in an allegedly APNU-supported demonstration were killed and dozens more were injured while protesting the government’s increase of electricity rates in the region. Resulting protests and acts of arson inflicted significant infrastructural damages on the city, including the burning of the One Mile Primary School. The PPP/C pointed to the protestors, who they believe were incited by APNU agent provocateurs, for the damage. In turn, the APNU has accused the police force, acting under PPP/C influence, of being racially motivated. PPP/C defector Khemraj Ramjattan, now the leader of the opposition Alliance for Change, went as far as stating "It is my firm view, I can’t prove it, but my firm opinion that there are state agents involved (in Linden) operating under the arrangements of some of the people in senior government offices that are creating these burnings. I cannot believe that Lindeners are going to burn a school that 800 students go to. It has to be state agents doing that. The PPP thrives on these situations and the situation has the capacity to bring back their supporters into their wagon and they want that to happen." The state-run Guyana Chronicle fought back against these accusations with an editorial titled "Ramjattan has gone into pure, unadulterated evil," which accused Mr. Ramjattan of treason and adamantly denied any governmental involvement. The venerable Eusi Kwayana, himself a former member of the PPP/C, came out strongly against PPP/C actions in Linden, denouncing their one-party administration and accused the government of a "barefaced and cowardly attack" on critical journalist Freddie Kissoon.]

On August 21 President Ramotar signed a pact with Linden leaders, finally bringing to an end the four weeks of chaos and negating the provocative rise in electricity costs for Lindeners. In response to a request from the Guyanese government that was also approved of by the APNU, a CARICOM committee consisting of Justice Lensley Wolfe, KD Knight of Jamaica, and Ms. Dana Seetahal of Trinidad and Tobago will investigate the situation and is expected to announce its findings by the end of September. It is certain that the late President Cheddi Jagan would have just cause to weep for the rack and ruin of contemporary Guyanese politics gutting the nation’s political life.

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

Jamaican engineer tops energy innovation contest for Caribbean

Jamaican engineer Eaton Haughton, who for several years served as managing director of Econergy Engineering Services, pioneered the provision of energy services in Jamaica and the Caribbean, has emerged a winner of the 2012 IDEAS Energy Innovation contest for proposals to promote sustainable energy technologies in the Caribbean.

Out of 180 entrants Haughton is actually one of eight Caribbean winners, including two others from Jamaica who, now qualify for grants to develop the projects submitted in the contest.

"My project is an energy efficient hybrid solar agro-products drying technology, utilising alternative energy, renewable energy and liquid desiccant technology," Haughton explained.

"It will utilise a minimal amount of energy taken from the grid and will utilise used automobile oil for the heating energy source," Haughton added.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Country Office, Jamaica, hosted the launch of the 2012 IDEAS Energy Innovation contest for the Caribbean in April, inviting applicants from 15 Caribbean countries for awards of up to US$200,000 for projects and enterprises that promote energy efficiency and access to renewable energy in the Caribbean region.

The contest was funded by the United Kingdom Department for International Development, Global Village Energy Partnership, the IDB and the South Korean government.

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

World Cup football continues

The heat is on for Jamaica, the only Caribbean team with a chance to advance. Although they are in a three-way tie with the US and Guatemala for first place in Group A, they are in 3^rd place by goals scored. They will pretty much have to beat or at least tie Guatemala in Guatemala, a pretty tall order even though they did beat them in Kingston.

The top two in each group advance to the final playoffs of 6 teams. The top three teams advance to the World Cup finals in Brazil, while the 4th place team advances to an intercontinental play-off.

Schedule

Groups and Standings

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo

West Indies win World Twenty20 cricket final

Marlon Samuels produced a brilliant all-round performance to guide West Indies to a 36-run victory over Sri Lanka in the World Twenty20 final in Sri Lanka.

Samuels hit six sixes and three fours in his 78 off 56 balls to lift West Indies to 137-6 after they were reduced to 87-5. Samuels then bowled a tidy four-over spell of 1-15 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 101 in 18.4 overs.

Off-spinner Sunil Narine grabbed 3-9 from 3.4 overs and captain Darren Sammy picked up 2-6 in two overs with Sri Lanka losing their way through the innings to the despair of 35,000 home fans at R Premadasa Stadium.

 Top       Back to Hot Calaloo