Caribbean Report 28-03-1995

The resumption of hanging in Barbados has, once again, been delayed. Queen's Counsel Alair Shepherd, one of the lawyers for Caribbean Rights, gives the reasons why a last minute constitutional motion was filed on the condemned man's behalf. Common Cause, an American lobby group, alleges that Latin American banana interests funded US political parties just before Washington decided to investigate Europe's banana protocol. Belize's Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel continues to lobby for the US to drop their action against Europe's banana regime. In Dutch St. Martin there is debate on the language of instruction in schools. Mr. William Marlin, Commissioner of Education wants an all embracing policy to be put in place. In Guyana, concerns are raised over plans by the Omai Gold Mine to pump cyanide wastes into the Essequibo River. Guyana Environmental Monitoring and Conservation Organization (GEMCO) Secretary, Joshua Ramsammy speaks about his fears for residents in the river area and what GEMCO plans to do about the situation.