By Staff, Sustain Lane:

You would never cross the street without looking both ways, walk alone down a dark alley alone at three a.m., or tell your child to accept rides from strangers. So why let hazardous, toxic, and even carcinogenic chemicals into your home everyday?

The message driven home for millions of Americans each day via TV and internet commercials is this: No need to scrub or scour. With just one squeeze of the spray bottle, you can wipe away dirt, grime, and bacteria.

Alas, there’s that dark alley again. Air fresheners, disinfectants, and cleaners found under your sink are more dangerous than you think. Mix bleach with ammonia, for example, and you’ve got a toxic fume cloud used by the military in WWI. And they weren’t cleaning kitchens.

Here is a list of the ten products you should ban from your home -- forever -- along with suggested alternatives.

1. Non-Stick Cookware

When non-stick pans were first introduced into American households in the 1960s, they were thought to be a godsend. Gone were the days of soaking pans for hours and scouring pots with steel wool. In the forty years since then, however, we’ve learned that the ease of cleaning comes at a steep price: the coating that makes Teflon pans non-stick is polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE for short. When PTFE heats up, it releases toxic gasses that have been linked to cancer, organ failure, reproductive damage, and other harmful health effects.

The problems with PTFE-coated pans seem to occur at high temperatures, so if you must use Teflon, cook foods on medium heat or less. Avoiding non-stick pans altogether is the safest option. If you’re able to do so, try anodized aluminum, stainless steel, or cast iron pans with a little cooking oil. SustainLane reviewers like LeCreuset cast iron pans and more cost-effective ones like Lodge Logic. Using a lower setting on the stove will reduce the chances that your food will burn, which is how it usually gets stuck to pans the first place. If you’re worried about the extra calories cooking oil adds, try baking or steaming your food.

2. Plastic Bottles

By now you’ve heard of dangers of BPA in those ubiquitous neon water bottles. BPA mimics the effects of hormones that harm your endocrine system. While the company at the heart of the controversy has switched to BPA-free plastic, those aren’t the only toxic bottles. Single-use plastic bottles are even worse for leaching chemicals, especially when you add the heat of the sun (think about bottles left in your trunk) or the microwave. Aside from the fact that bottled water sold across state lines is not as regulated as tap water, the bottles themselves are spawning grounds for bacteria and are a source of needless waste. Each year, more than one million barrels of oil are used to manufacture the more than 25 billion single-use plastic water bottles sold in the U.S. Choose a reusable, stainless steel or glass bottle instead. SustainLane users have reviewed several water bottle alternatives.

3. Conventional Cleaning Supplies

These routinely make the top ten lists of worst household offenders. They contain toxic chemicals that negatively affect every system in your body. All purpose cleaners often contain ammonia, a strong irritant that has been linked to liver and kidney damage. Bleach is a powerful oxidizer, which can burn the skin and eyes. Another danger lies in oven cleaners, which can cause chemical burns and emit toxic fumes that harm the respiratory system. The American Association of Poison Control Centers reports that more than 120,000 children under the age of five were involved in incidents involving household cleaners in 2006, the most recent year for which data is available.

To protect you and your family from the hazards conventional cleaners pose, choose non-toxic, or natural cleaners. SustainLane reviewers have particularly enjoyed Method and Seventh Generation, which are commonly found on supermarket shelves. Bon Ami is a safe alternative to Comet and Ajax. If you have the time and want to go the extra mile, you can even mix your own using common household items like vinegar and baking soda. Check out these easy-to-make recipes household cleaners.

4. Chemical Insecticides and Herbicides

Since the purpose of these products is to kill pests, you can bet that many of them have ingredients in them that are also harmful to humans. For example, the active ingredient in Round-Up -- a weed-killer popular with gardeners -- is known to cause kidney damage and reproductive harm in mice. And cypermethrin, one of the active ingredients in the popular ant and roach-killer Raid, is a known eye, skin and respiratory irritant and has negative effects on the central nervous system.

There are several companies that sell natural and organic weed- and pest-control products. Buhach makes a natural insecticide from ground chrysanthemum flowers that controls ants, flies, fleas, lice, gnats, mosquitoes, spiders, and deer ticks, among other pests. Boric acid is an effective, natural solution for cockroaches as well; sprinkle it around baseboards, cracks and other places likely to harbor roaches. You can use this boric acid recipe to control ants. For weeds, check out E.B. Stone Weed-N-Grass or try spot-spraying with household vinegar.

5. Antibacterial Products

The widespread use of antibacterials has been shown to contribute to new strains of antibiotic-resistant “super-bugs.” The Center for Disease Control says that antibacterials may also interfere with immune system development in children. Triclosan -- the most common antibacterial additive found in more than 100 household products ranging from soaps and toothpaste to children’s toys and even undergarments -- accumulates in the body. In a study conducted by the Environmental Working Group, 97 percent of breast feeding mothers had triclosan in their milk, and 75 percent had trace amounts of the chemical in their urine.

Make it your goal to be to be clean, not germ-free. People who are exposed to household germs typically develop strong immune systems and are healthier overall. Avoid buying antibacterial products or soaps containing triclosan. Soap and water is really all you need to clean most things. There are plenty of eco-friendly hand washes and other cleansers that are safe for you and easy on the planet.

6. Chemical Fertilizers

These are notorious for causing damage to our water supply and are a known major contributor to algal blooms. Whenever it rains or a lawn is watered, the runoff goes straight into storm-drains, and untreated water is dumped into rivers, streams, and the ocean. This causes an imbalance in delicate water ecosystems, killing fish and degrading water quality.

If you have a lawn, choose organic fertilizers rather than chemical ones.

As another alternative to harsh chemicals, consider starting a compost pile to create nutrient-rich soil for your flower beds and vegetable gardens. You’ll be creating your own inexpensive fertilizer just by letting food scraps and yard trimmings sit. An added benefit: it’ll also help divert waste from landfills. SustainLane users have reviewed several compost bins here.

7. More Bulb for Your Buck

A Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulb uses just a fraction of the energy regular light bulb uses. When your current bulbs burn out, swap them with CFLs, and start calculating your savings. General Electric has an online calculator that shows you just how much money you can save by making the switch.

One caveat of the low-energy bulb is that it contains mercury. Even so, CFLs are still your best bet, according to EPA Energy Star program director Wendy Reed. Coal-fired plants are the biggest emitters of mercury. Using CFL bulbs means you draw less power from the grid, which means less coal is burned for electricity. Because of the mercury, take precautions when disposing of these CFL bulbs. Rather than throwing them in your household trash or curbside recycling bin, take them to a hazardous waste collection or other special facility. This story from National Public Radio has a more through discussion of this topic.

8. Air fresheners

Just like cleaning supplies, these are incredibly toxic and can aggravate respiratory problems like asthma. Even those labeled “pure” and “natural” have been found to contain phthalates, chemicals that cause hormonal abnormalities, reproductive problems and birth defects. Try simmering cinnamon and cloves to give your home an “I’ve-spent-the-whole-day-baking” scent, and leave a few windows open to let in fresh air. You might also boil a pot of water on the stove with a few drops of your favorite essential oil, or use an essential oil burner.

9. Flame Retardants

A common flame retardant that was used in mattresses -- polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) -- is known to accumulate in blood, breast milk and fatty tissues. This chemical is linked to liver, thyroid, and neuro-developmental toxicity. According to the Environmental Working Group, new foam items often do not contain PBDEs, but foam items purchased before 2005 (like mattresses, mattress pads, couches, easy chairs, pillows, carpet padding), are likely to contain them. Household furniture often contains flame retardants and stain repellents that use PBDE’s as well as formaldehyde and PFOA (the same chemical used in non-stick cookware).

If you are in the market for a new mattress or sofa, ask manufacturers what type of flame retardants they use. Look for products that don’t use brominated fire retardants. Organic Abode sells natural and organic furniture. If you’re looking to keep your existing mattress, but make it safer, use a cover made of organic wool to reduce PBDE exposure. You can find organic furniture and interior décor here.

10. Plastic Shopping Bags

Remember: Like diamonds, plastics are forever. Ever heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? It’s a giant mass of plastic twice the size of Texas that’s floating 1,000 miles off the coast of California. In the United States, only two percent of plastic bags are recycled, which means that the remaining 98 percent is dumped into landfills or blown out to sea. According to Californians Against Waste, the City of San Francisco, which recently banned plastic shopping bags, spends 8.5 million dollars annually on plastic bag litter.

The good news is, we can easily decrease our plastic bags use. Bring in your own reusable cloth bags when you go shopping. If you have kids, ask them to remind you to bring them. Or keep them in a place by the door where you’re most likely to remember them on your way out.

Watch this informative cartoon on your own or with your kids

July 9, 2009

alternet

Bahamas Caribbean Blog International]]> Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:02:00 EDT http://zephyr.tigblog.org/post/729795 25.0833333 -77.3525.0833333-77.35 http://zephyr.tigblog.org/post/728355
Loan loss provisioning at the country's commercial banks continues to lose ground against growing arrears, says the latest Central Bank report. It's a phenomenon only expected to worsen.

"Banks augmented loan loss provisions by $3.0 million, boosting the ratio of provisions to total arrears by 18 basis points to 23.44 percent," reads the May economic survey. "This corresponded to new loan provisions of $10.0 million, partly offset by a $6.9 million net write-off against loans provisioned for earlier.

"However, as the growth in non-performing loans outpaced the increase in provisions, the ratio of total provisions to non-performing loans fell by 5 basis points to 42.43 percent."

The gap between the cash the banks put aside to cover bad debt and the actual bad debt is expected to widen as the institutions continue to grapple with the growth in delinquent accounts.

Their hesitance to move revenue out of the plus column and into the minus one is also part of the equation, although all are expressing confidence in their respective levels of provisioning.

The quality of their collective book continued to deteriorate in May, however, says the bank report, with the value of private sector loans in payment arrears of at least one month growing by $6.1 million (0.7 percent) to $847.3 million. The associated ratio of arrears to total loans extended by 28 basis points to 13.98 percent.

The number of arrears now beyond the 90-day mark has also started to increase.

"The average age of delinquent loans increased, arrears in the 31-90 days segment waned by $12.0 million (3.1 percent) to $373.3 million," says the Central Bank. "However, non-performing loans — those over 90 days past due and on which banks stopped accruing interest — advanced by $18.2 million (4.0 percent) to $468.2 million."

The discrepancy between provisioning and bad debt has actually grown since the dark days of September and the resulting uptick in layoffs as area hotels and, indeed, businesses across all sectors felt the brunt of the global recession.

While layoffs have slowed, the long-term effects of a depressed income are now being felt by those still on the job. Work weeks little more than one or two shifts have obliterated their ability to keep current with loan payments. That reality suggests the commercial lenders have months and possibly years of growing non-accruals to deal with.

The divide also runs counter to the expectations of one financial advisor. Last January, Ken Kerr of Providence Advisors told Guardian Business the banks would move quickly to close the gap.

"I expect that in the next reporting period we'll see provisioning grow to reflect the growth in arrears and the state of the present and future economy," he said. "If they don't do that then they're very confident about the quality of their loan portfolio or expect a turnaround in the global economy much sooner than everybody else or they could be extremely aggressive in going after borrowers as a way of encouraging growth of their book and because those still able to qualify have more options open to them and the competition to win their business is greater."

That same reduced number of fully-employed Bahamians — with earnings holding against recessionary forces — is also making it tougher for banks to put relatively risk-free loans on their books.

July 8, 2009

The campaign is focused on convincing the world not to eat chickens, pigs, and other animals #8212; just one day per week (on Mondays, as you may have guessed).

Since it#8217;s sponsored by a slew of public health schools, the campaign was set up to promote health, and since I#8217;ve already written extensively about the fact that eating meat leads to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and lethargy (for example here), I#8217;ll skip extended analysis of these facts, other than to say: When Johns Hopkins, Columbia, the American Dietetic Association, and dozens of other health organizations argue that the less meat you eat, the better off you#8217;ll be, it#8217;s worth listening to them.

Chris wrote to share the fact that Michael Pollan had just argued in favor of the campaign on Oprah, saying, #8220;[w]e don#8217;t realize it when we sit down to eat, but that is our most profound engagement in the rest of nature#8230; To the extent that we push meat a little bit to the side and move vegetables to the center of our diet, we#8217;re also going to be a lot healthier#8230;#8221; I wasn#8217;t surprised, since Pollan#8217;s most recent book calls on all of us to eat #8220;mostly plants,#8221; and his new movie (Food, Inc.) offers a stomach-turning look at factory farming and slaughterhouses (I highly recommend it).

As an aside on Food, Inc.: The scene that I found most interesting is the one where Joel Salatin, proprietor of Polyface Farm, was slaughtering chickens and talking a mile-a-minute through the process. He was talking about treating the animals with respect, but in the theater where I saw the film, this scene elicited perhaps the most audible shock of the entire movie because you can actually see the animals being slaughtered (contrast this with the secrecy of factory farms and slaughterhouses #8212; no one is allowed because, as Paul McCartney likes to say, the process would turn everyone vegetarian). Anyway, this scene seemed to shock a lot of people, even though this is poultry slaughter at its most humane. Actually, the scene reminded me of that Sarah Palin interview that she conducted in front of the turkey slaughter; it#8217;s worth remembering that most chickens and turkeys have a far more horrific experience in the factory farms that process more than 98% of the birds we eat.

Chris also wanted to share their new video, in which their scientists tell us that if all Americans switched from eating chickens and pigs to eating beans and grains for just one day per week, that would stop as much global warming as if everyone in the U.S. shifted to ultra-efficient Toyota hybrids (which is the weekly equivalent of using 12 billion fewer gallons of gasoline). Of course I have to point out the obvious: If we all stopped eating animals completely and shifted to vegetarian foods, that would save 84 billion gallons of gas per week (and all the troubles that go with that kind of consumption).

I know that some readers will argue that the issue is not the meat industry, but factory farmed meat. But in fact, environmentally, all meat requires exponentially more resources to produce than eating grains and beans, as eloquently discussed in the Audubon Society#8217;s magazine a few months back. And all meat contributes to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and so on. Some meat may be #8220;less bad,#8221; but according to the science, no meat is good.

And I know that some vegetarians pooh pooh Meatless Monday as not enough. I#8217;m sympathetic to that view, but I think it#8217;s unnecessarily strident. For people who think that going totally vegetarian is too challenging, the Meatless Monday campaign offers a gentle entrée into the idea of eating without eating animals. My hope is that people will use the campaign as a stepping stone #8212; first one meatless day per week, then three, then five, then seven. As we lean into meatless eating #8212; switching out more and more meat meals for meatless meals #8212; we end up feeling better, both physically and ethically.

And another point for those who might think that Meatless Monday is not enough: The first family of vegetarianism #8212; Sir Paul McCartney and his daughters #8212; recently launched the campaign in the UK. Stella and Mary have been vegetarian since birth, and Paul has been a vegetarian for more than two decades.

For recipes and cooking information, check out the Meatless Monday site. And for tips on making the transition to vegetarian eating, please click here.

Happy eating!

alternet

Bahamas Caribbean Blog International

“Going it alone or fragmenting into unworkable reconfigurations of the regional project cannot be an enduring solution”, Thompson stated. He was at the time speaking at a press briefing in Georgetown, Guyana, on the eve of the 30th Meeting of The Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government.

Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson

Thompson who is also Lead Head of Government with responsibility for the Single Market and Economy in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet stated that in the current economic crisis, it was easy for stakeholders to become impatient due to what they saw as the slow pace of the integration project and to declare it “dead on arrival”. Alternatively, he posited, what was needed was the strengthening of the core ideals of the integration movement rather than “proliferating the periphery.”

“In the midst of global crisis and regional upheavals, now is not the time for CARICOM to retreat from its strategic purpose,” the Barbadian Prime Minster emphasised. He added that the crisis had highlighted the need for the refocusing of many of our national institutions from purely domestic visions to the wider regional horizon.

“The successful implementation of the interlocking elements of the CARICOM Single Market and eventually the Single Economy demand this of us,” he stressed.

“It requires of us to put in place number of regional institutions dealing with accreditations, standards, and the exchange of information amongst other infrastructure to facilitate the CSME. If we do not do this carefully, we would endanger the fabric of the very societies regional integration aimed at sustaining” Thompson added.

Outlining the progress of the CSME, he stated that all of the provisions for the rights of establishment and the free movement of the goods, services, and skilled persons had been implemented.

Included in the successful implementation of the Single Market, Thompson said, was the establishment of the CARICOM Development Fund, which has been established to assist disadvantaged countries, regions and sectors.

He said while the time table for the Single Economy may have been delayed, recent developments in the Region have shown the true extent of the financial interdependence that already existed, and this has given new urgency to the policy coordination efforts of the Region’s regulators and Ministers of Finance.

Reflecting on the historical Grand Anse Declaration and Work Programme for the Advancement of the Integration Movement, crafted at the 10th Meeting of The Conference, 1989, in Grand Anse, Grenada, Thompson said that it was now time for the Community to “regroup and refocus to find strategies irrecusable of survival”.

Prime Minister of Barbados is expected to lead a discussion on the developments within the CSME at the July 2-5 Meeting of The Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government.

July 4, 2009

caribbeannetnews

Bahamas Caribbean Blog International

Not so very long ago, humans -- like the rest of the animals and plants on earth -- moved through our natural cycles at nature's pace. Time was marked by the passing of the seasons, the life cycles of human, animal and plant life and the yet grander cycles of the moon and the other celestial bodies.

Homo sapiens, a late-appearing species in the long history of our unimaginably ancient planet and universe, evolved during the recent (as the universe views these things!) Pleistocene era, adapted for a life intimately connected with and expressive of our natural surroundings on the African savannah and beyond.

And this is how we lived for millennia.

In the last 150 years, however, the human relationship with time has radically changed. Some say the problems started earlier, with the development of agriculture or writing, but it was really the Industrial Revolution -- the rise of the Machine -- that put humans in thrall to mechanical processes and machine time. And the recent exponential speeding up into Cybertime has accelerated the process still further. Industrial time was bad enough (Charlie Chaplin did a wonderful job of visualizing that "cog in the wheel" feeling in his film "Modern Times") but Cybertime can be dizzyingly discombobulating for a Pleistocene primate.

And that's how many modern people feel -- completely frazzled and out of synch with our deepest selves.

The results of this disconnection from nature and nature's pace show up in therapists' and doctors' offices every day. Living under unnatural time pressures causes a myriad of psychological, social and physical ailments. Delinked from the natural rhythms of our bodies and the rest of the planet, we struggle with diminishing success to adapt to the strange mechanical and disembodied world we have created.

As a practicing psychotherapist and ecotherapist, when I see patients who are suffering from depression or anxiety I ask them to keep a time-journal in which they record the hours and minutes spent each day outside, as well as the hours spent inside in front of a screen. My clients are often shocked to realize how disassociated they have become from nature and our species' natural ways of living, and the effect this disconnection is having on their psyche. In fact, a 2007 study from the University of Essex shows that a daily "dose" of walking outside in nature can be as effective at treating mild to moderate depression as expensive antidepressant medications that can sometimes have negative side-effects.

Time poverty is now a recognized psychological and social stressor. In a speeded-up, highly complex society, there just isn't enough time for everything: our demanding jobs, our interlocking bureaucratic responsibilities (taxes, insurance, legal issues), our loved one, kids, our community (including the rest of nature), plus commuting and keeping up with traditional media and endless 24/7 online communications. Constantly rushing to keep up as we inevitably fall further behind, we find ourselves destroying not only our own health, but our habitat and the habitat of the people, plants and animals with whom we share the planet.

In my recently published book, Ecotherapy:

Healing with Nature in Mind (Sierra Club Books, 2009) therapists and experts from many backgrounds discuss some of the ways that nature can help to heal problems like stress and anxiety. What suggestions can ecotherapists offer to help us slow down to a more natural pace of living? Here are a few simple things that can make a difference:

• Reconnect with place. We can learn to resist the constant rushing around and settle into and tend a beloved location, taking time to learn its secrets and hear its whisperings.


• Reconnect with companion and wild animals. Animals slow us down to our natural animal rhythms, which is why animal-assisted therapy works so well at lowering blood pressure and healing psychological ills of many kinds. The simple act of petting a cat or watching the birds flit through the trees is profoundly healing.


• Reconnect with plants. A simple pot on a windowsill slows us down to the pace of a seed, a seedling, a leaf and a flower. A tree on the street, if contemplated and touched, offers its blessings during a busy day.


• Reconnect with the cycles of human life. Instead of demanding that we remain in perpetual-teenager mode (the preferred state in our society, it seems), allowing ourselves to become true initiated adults and then elders honors the natural pace of human life rather than fighting it. Nature teaches us that seeds emerge, plants flourish, bloom, fruit and then wither and slip away -- valuable wisdom for our own lives when we encounter the inevitable transitions in our own and others' lives.


• Reconnect with our wild bodies. Untamed nature is to be found not only in far-away wilderness but in the wilds of our bloodstream, our digestive processes, our breath. Any practice that brings our attention back to our bodies is wilderness ecotherapy. Yoga and ecstatic dance offer release from the controlling modern ego and access to what ecopsychologists call "the ecological self." And once we reach peace with our animal bodies, our souls naturally open up to the larger Spirit in which we are embedded.


• Spend more time outdoors in wild nature. Most of us are indoors most of the time. Our bodies and souls cry out for long walks on a beach, contemplation in a forest or a few minutes in a nearby vacant lot near a stream. These times slow life down to a healing, natural pace.

Making just a few of these simple changes can radically shift how we feel. Ecopsychological research is now proving that reconnecting with nature and more natural living performs a host of psychological miracles, including lowering depression, improving our sense of well being, calming our anxieties, raising self-esteem and giving us a sense of belonging to the great whole of which we are a part.

July 2, 2009

alternet

Bahamas Caribbean Blog International

The media is very powerful, so much so that depending on the ‘perspective’ that is put forth, one’s view can be highly influenced.

Based on the information I have uncovered, it appears as though "the system" has (to this point) stumped the efforts of Jose Manuel Zelaya to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, President Hugo Chavez. His initial attempt to run amuck of his nation’s laws, on a grand level, was thwarted.

In my opinion, Honduras’ Congress and Supreme Court did the right thing. Indeed, Zelaya is the constitutionally elected leader of that country. But does that mean the he can defy the laws as set forth in the constitution and beyond that, defy the judgment of the Supreme Court? I don’t think so.

What I perceive to have occurred is a failed attempt at a grab for increased power. One need not look any further than the case of Venezuela, to gain some insight as to what Zelaya attempted to do.

One of the fundamental differences in this case involved a critical miscalculation by Zelaya. Initially, unlike the Venezuelan President, Zelaya presumably does not have an adequate level of loyalty from the military, as does President Chavez.

Second, it appears as though those who are vested with the responsibility to ensure that the different branches of Honduras’ government remain separate and accountable through checks and balances, were not asleep at the wheel. Kudos to those who did their job, as required, under what must have been a highly stressful situation.

Frank Edward Paco Smith, Jr. is a Belizean who currently resides in Belize. He has a BA in Social Sciences from the University of California at Irvine (USA), an Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) from UWI Cave Hill and an MSc. in Governance and Public Policy from UWI Mona.

Certain, mainstream, media houses have presented a neat little package which depicts the events in Honduras as a “military coup”. Certainly, it depends on how one defines such an event, but given the history of Latin America, that term carries a negative connotation.

I have come to understand that Zelaya ignored a judgment of Honduras’ Supreme Court and set upon a path to hold a referenda vote, which was not sanctioned. Apparently, he instructed the Army Chief to mobilise security forces to facilitate the vote. When his order was not carried out, Zelaya fired the Chief.

The Supreme Court informed as to the illegality of his actions and requested that the Army Chief be reinstated. In all, Zelaya took it upon himself to attempt to hold the referendum vote, without the logistical support of the Army and, incidentally, in contravention of the judgment of the Supreme Court.

It has been revealed that the Supreme Court informed him of not only the illegality of such an act, but also told him of the potential consequences. When faced with the facts, it is said the Zelaya was given an option; either proceed with the vote and face prosecution under the law or resign as President and receive safe passage to a neutral country.

My understanding is that he signed a letter of resignation and opted to go into exile, rather than face the music.

With that said, and if it is indeed fact, this is where I take issue with those organizations and countries which provided a knee-jerk reaction to the unfolding situation in Honduras.

Specifically, I take issue with the Organisation of American States. This entity, which is led by Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, immediately called for the re-instatement of the “democratically elected President of Honduras”. My disdain with the OAS runs deeper than just this matter, but I will attempt to remain focused.

By no stretch of the imagination do I claim to be an expert on the affairs of Latin America, but being a Belizean, I have a keen interest in matters that can potentially affect the well-being of my country.

The OAS has based its position on the notion that Article 19 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter should be applied to the present situation in Honduras. Admittedly, I am no expert on the aforementioned charter, but I am someone who believes in the equal application when invoking judgments.

To my knowledge Article 19 can be applied to matters which cause any unconstitutional interruption of the democratic order. I do not share Secretary General Insulza’s view that Article 19 should be applied in this instance, especially given the fact that unlike how matters have been characterised in the mainstream as a ‘military coup’, there are more substantive and critical inputs which have contributed to the critical mass.

Case in point, when one talks of “any unconstitutional interruption of the democratic order”, how exactly does the trampling of individual’s rights to the freedom of speech and expression factor into the equation?

There is a nation in South America, where the voice of any and virtually all opposition is being summarily silenced. Opposition leaning television and radio stations are being shutdown, based on trumped-up charges. There is even the case of a leader of the major opposition party having to seek asylum in a neighbouring country, in order to escape persecution from the newly self-styled Latin American strongman, who incidentally appears to have the tacit support of Secretary General Insulza.

Let’s be real. How is it that the OAS, who is tasked with addressing and facilitating regional matters, appears to be so overtly biased when taking positions on matters of concern? Maybe I missed it, but has the OAS expressed any concerns, let alone taken any action against the South American government who has undoubtedly engaged in the aforementioned activities?

Getting back to the matter of Honduras, it was reported that the Venezuelan President expressed something to the effect that he would fight and defeat those who have taken over in Honduras, following Zelaya’s departure. Can someone tell me whether such a vow contravenes some statute of the OAS?

What it sounds like to me is that a leader of a foreign country has publicly expressed his intention to proactively meddle in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. Where is Mr Insulza’s castigation of such expressed intentions? To date, I have heard nothing from the OAS which calls upon President Chavez to temper, what I hope is, his rhetoric.

Again, I see a great disparity in the manner in which the OAS selectively chooses to address issues. My friends, I detect a very insidious and certainly dangerous trend. I won’t go as far as calling the Secretary General a “Chavista”, just yet. But if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, there is a strong likelihood that it very well may be a duck.

Concerning a different issue, the recent moves by the OAS to specifically facilitate the potential for Cuba to re-enter the regional body also deserves closer scrutiny. I am not against Cuba’s re-entry, but I have a concern when special concessions are made for specific countries in order to appease certain, regional leaders. If one of the basic tenets of the OAS involves the need to facilitate and promulgate democracy and democratic institutions, I think that precept should remain paramount. Again, the matter of Cuba is a completely different issue, but I believe it is important to acknowledge especially when one perceives a certain trend in the anglings of the OAS.

Although I am a stickler for the rule of law, one must give credit where it is due. Prior to the current situation in Honduras, President Chavez had proven rather effective in co-opting support throughout Latin America to legitimise his self-styled socialist revolution. This can be attributed to many factors, including his capacity to: plan, evoke stirring rhetoric and above all capitalise on the frustrations of many disenfranchised individuals throughout Latin America, who have developed a lingering disdain for the systems and structures which have perpetuated considerable economic inequalities.

In all, President Chavez has proven a very astute tactician. I do not agree with many of his tactics, but I admit that he has proven rather effective, to this point. Bearing this in mind, I hope that my fellow Caribbean counterparts are taking a critical view of these issues, for the lure of ‘petro-dollars’ is appealing.

Yet, I do not wish to see the general tradition of freely contested elections become a thing of the past in the Caribbean. Choice is important and the potential for certain elements of a self-styled socialist system do not appear to share synergies with this concept. In other words, be mindful of those who bear gifts, for more often than not, they come with invariable conditionalities.

I applaud Honduras’ Congress and the people of that nation for stopping former President Zelaya in mid-stream. My disquiet is ever-growing for the position taken by those nations and organisations, worldwide, who wish to focus primarily on Zelaya being the 'democratically elected' president of Honduras. They should stop with their knee-jerk reaction and realise that although Zelaya was democratically elected, within his capacity as the Executive...he is not above the law, as set forth in Honduras' Constitution.

Unfortunately, the entire realm of International Relations is becoming perverted much like the notion of Human Rights. The latter began as a meaningful concept, but has morphed into an internationally sanctioned sorry excuse for perpetrators of (local) crimes; whereby they commit atrocious violations (e.g. murder, rape, etc...) and once apprehended, their rights and not those of the victims, become paramount. Unfortunately, it appears as though the major players in the realm of international relations have succumbed to this misguided concept.

In sum, I applaud those who stood up to Mr Zelaya, a presumptive authoritarian in the making. As for the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean, wake up! Stop these aspiring autocrats before they gain a strangle-hold on your respective: seat(s) of power, economies and ultimately your destinies. It is interesting because they are a new breed; one which consistently reminds the masses of the atrocities brought about by leaders who were propped-up by “the Empire”.

What they fail to explain is that similarly, yet uniquely, they are constructing their personal fiefdoms, at the expense of the masses. I guess at the core level, it is politics as usual. This time, at least in one case, it has taken on a distinctively local dynamic and is backed by wealth derived from natural resources.

With the misguided calls proffered by the OAS and other organisations, it will be a challenge for Honduras to defy their calls for Zelaya's re-instatement. Yet, I encourage them to stay the course, for once they are convinced that their actions were within the legal parameters set by the Constitution of Honduras, the law is on their side. Don't let the external forces dictate your internal matters, on this level!

On the whole the recent activities in Honduras have opened a ripe discussion as to whether the questionable reasoning of a regional body holds primacy over the laws of a sovereign nation, in such instances.

Bahamas Caribbean Blog International

With Betty Ann Blaine

Dear Reader,
It took 144 years since the abolition of slavery in 1865 for the United States to issue a formal apology. I'm not sure if the saying "Better late than never" is apropos, considering the length of time it took for that government to say that it was sorry. Nevertheless, the announcement is significant, and signals a victory for descendants of slaves all over the world in general, and the unflagging work of the global reparation movement in particular.

In what was described as a "fiercely" worded resolution, the United States Senate last Thursday apologised for the "fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery" of African Americans. One report stated that "the unanimous voice vote came five months after Barack Obama became the first black US president, and ahead of the June 19 "Juneteenth" celebration of the emancipation of African Americans at the end of the US Civil War in 1865.

House of Representatives approval, which could come as early as next week, would make it the first time the entire US Congress has formally apologised on behalf of the American people for one of the grimmest wrongs in US history. The bill, which does not require Obama's signature, states that the US Congress "acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and 'Jim Crow' laws that enshrined racial segregation at the state and local level in the United States well into the 1960s". And the Congress "apologises to African Americans on behalf of the people of the United States for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow laws."

While people no doubt are celebrating this historic development all across the world, it is important to point out that the resolution came with an important caveat stating that "nothing in this resolution (a) authorises or supports any claim against the United States". In other words, apology yes, compensation, no! And so, for the reparations constituency the struggle continues.

It is important to note that the issue of compensation is not a new phenomenon. Calls for compensation in some form to slaves and their descendants preceded the founding of the United States, dating back to at least the 1760s and continued to be sounded in relatively unbroken form for some two-and-a-half centuries up to the present. This long history of reparations, arguments and practices included a range of individuals and groups prior to the Civil War. Hundreds of 18th-century Quakers, who freed their slaves and personally compensated them for their unpaid time in bondage; a few newly freed slaves in the North after the American Revolution, who sued in court for a portion of their former masters' wealth; dozens of penitent masters in the upper South, who set their slaves at liberty (especially in their wills) as acts of "retribution" and gave them plots of land; a small cadre of 19th century black and white abolitionists who argued that it was important not only to emancipate the slaves but to "compensate them for the crime", and hundreds of thousands of slaves on Southern farms and plantations before the Civil War, who sounded calls for both freedom and reparations in their folk songs and tales, claiming that they were due "Egypt's spoil" for their "unrequited toil".

Those various threads converged after the Civil War as African Americans and their white allies pressed unsuccessfully to redistribute "40 acres and a mule" to each family of recently freed slaves. After agreeing to the compensation, President Andrew Johnson reversed the order after the assassination of Lincoln, and the land given to ex-slaves were returned to their previous owners. In 1867, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens sponsored a bill for the redistribution of land to African Americans, but it was not passed.

Since then the issue has been revisited time and again by leading civil rights activists. In 1963, for example, Martin Luther King Jr called Sherman's (the American general who issued the "40 acres and a mule" order after the Civil War) promise "a cheque which has come back marked 'insufficient funds'". King called instead for "a cheque that will give African Americans upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice". Advocacy groups like the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (NCOBRA) and our own Jamaica Reparations Movement have fought gallantly to keep the issue on the front burner.

Those opposed to reparations cite the enormity of the task of calculating compensation. Various estimates have been given if such payments were to be made. A leading American magazine in reviewing a book on reparations published an estimate that the total amount in reparations due is over US$100 trillion, based on 222,505,049 hours of forced labour between 1619 and 1865, with a compounded interest of six per cent. The article stated that "should all or part of this amount be paid to the descendants of slaves in the United States, the current US government would pay only a fraction of that cost - over US$40 trillion, since it has been in existence only since 1789".

But NCOBRA leaders and others point to the precedent already set with other racial groups. They are adamant that the US Congress not only apologised to Japanese Americans for internment in World War II concentration camps, but paid US$1.25 billion to camp survivors and their descendants. In 1988 the US government paid eight Sioux Indian tribes US$122 million dollars for tribal lands illegally seized in 1877, and Jewish Holocaust survivors continue to receive US tax benefits from reparations paid by the German and Austrian governments.

So the question remains, if others have been paid, why not blacks?

With love,
bab2609@yahoo.com

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

THE decision of the United States Supreme Court
which, in response to a petition from that country’s
government, did not agree to review the case of our
Five Heroes, is a resounding slap in the face for
those of us who are fighting for a world that is
truly respectful, just and free of the scourge of
terrorism.

We young Cubans, who feel proud to have brothers
of the stature of René, Antonio, Gerardo, Ramón and
Fernando, call for and demand together with our
people the immediate release of the Five, which is
the only way to do real justice in this case.

We call on organizations and associations of
youth and students and young people of goodwill all
over the world to join us, as they have so many
times, in a fight for the truth, which is being
trampled by those who are making double standards a
veritable symbol of that discredited and shameful
judicial system.

The government of the United States of America,
which is harboring, protecting and supporting
terrorists like Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando
Bosch, whose hands are stained with the innocent
blood not only of Cubans but of many sons and
daughters of other nations, uses its rhetoric in an
attempt to deceive the world, while its real policy
is led by mafia interests in south Florida.

We have grown up in a country that has lost 3,478
of its sons and daughters as a consequence of acts
of terrorism, but our people are devoid of hatred or
sentiments of revenge; that is why we have
sufficient morale to denounce the dirty process
followed against our brothers, which is a bald-faced
manifestation of reprisal against the firm position
taken by these anti-terrorist fighters, and of
impotence in the face of this little island that U.S.
governments have been unable and will never be able
to bring to its knees.

The fight for the truth to make way and for
justice to prevail will not stop, and now it will
grow. Our arguments and the overwhelming evidence
that the judges did not want to consider, as well as
the demands that, like never before, reached them
from extremely prestigious individuals inside and
outside of the United States, are a stain on the
government of the most powerful nation in the world
that will be difficult to bear or ignore.

Those who express their visceral hatred toward
the Revolution through evil deeds and resentment
against our finest sons and daughters are really not
doing anything new. Throughout these 50 years,
thousands of young people have paid with their lives,
and thousands more of us are willing to continue
doing so in order to live in a country that has
committed the sin of not going down on its knees
before the chaotic and brutal North that despises us.

In the message that our five anti-terrorist
fighters sent to the U.S. people in June of 2001,
they expressed important truths that are essential
to remember:

"In our prison stay we have had the time to
reflect on our conduct in this country and we can
say, without the shadow of a doubt, that neither
with our attitude nor our actions have we in any way
interfered with, or jeopardized the security of, the
American people. What we have done is to contribute
to exposing terrorist plots and actions against our
people, thus preventing the death of innocent Cubans
and Americans…. The best service that can be lent to
the American people is to liberate them from the
influence of these extremists and terrorists who are
doing so much damage to the United States by
conspiring against its own laws… We…simply take
comfort in the fact that we have honored our duty to
our people and our homeland. Our loved ones
understand the reach of the ideas that guide us and
they will take pride in our commitment to humanity
in the struggle against terrorism and for the
independence of Cuba."

FREE THE FIVE!

¡PATRIA O MUERTE!

¡VENCEREMOS!

Translated by Granma International




granma.cu



Bahamas Caribbean International Blog •

 ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:43:00 EDT http://zephyr.tigblog.org/post/704375 25.0833333 -77.3525.0833333-77.35 http://zephyr.tigblog.org/post/703135 Deisy Francis Mexidor

"WE never placed our hopes on the U.S. judicial
system," but this day will be "marked forever as one
of the most shameful in U.S. jurisprudence," Alicia
Jrapko said told Granma newspaper via email,
after learning about the June 15 decision of the U.S.
Supreme Court not to review the case of the Cuban
Five, the anti-terrorist fighters held as political
prisoners in that country since September 12, 1998.

Jrapko,
who lives in California and is an activist in the
Free the Five movement, commented that "thousands of
people all over the world are horrified by this
latest infamy of the Barack Obama government," and
she emphasized that "the responsibility of those of
us who live in the United States is much greater,
and our commitment should be greater" to ensure that
Gerardo, Ramón, Fernando, Antonio and René are freed.

It was precisely in California, in San Francisco,
that protesters marched in front of the Federal
Building and Court, holding up placards with images
of the Five and demands for justice.

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A POLITICAL CASE

In Miami, the Alianza Martiana organization
issued a statement saying that with its refusal to
review the case, the Supreme Court is reaffirming
what has been evident to millions of people in the
world since the details of the trial of the Five
became known, that "this is a case that has nothing
to do with justice" and that "it is, and always has
been, a political case."

The Alianza affirmed that since the Cuban
Revolution in 1959, the U.S. government "has
maintained a policy of permanent aggression against
the Cuban people."

"As we understand it, the only possible solution,
which is the immediate release of the Five, is
through a presidential order, which is a
constitutional right of the president of the United
States," the text emphasizes.

Meanwhile, messages and actions of support for
this cause continue. From Ukraine, Manuel Lopez, a
friend of Antonio Guerrero’s, told Granma of the
indignation provoked in that country by this latest
farce.

Marta Speroni, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, says
that now is not the time to demobilize. And Rosa
Bernal, a member of the Cuba Solidarity Association
in Denia, Spain, noted that "in the end, we will
find a way to free the Five."

Attorney Leonard Weinglass in the United States
used the words "historic" and "unprecedented" to
describe the submission on March 6 in Washington of
12 amicus curiae ("friends of the court") briefs
urging the Supreme Court to review the case of the
five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters.

However, despite the fact that world opinion made
itself heard, urging an end to this tragic situation
and the restoration of their rights to the Five, the
Court, without any explanation whatsoever, made its
decision, and the judges did what the Obama
administration asked them to do.

That is why it is worth recalling in this context
that today, June 17, just a few hours from the
eighth anniversary of the message from the Five to
the people of the United States, their words of then
are still valid:

"The defendants in this trial are in no way
repentant of what we have done to defend our
country. We declare ourselves not guilty and simply
take comfort in the fact that we have honored our
duty to our people and our homeland. Our loved ones
understand the depth of the ideas that guide us and
they will take pride in our sacrifices for Humanity
in this struggle against terrorism and for the
independence of Cuba."

Bahamas/Caribbean Blog International
 




]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:44:00 EDT http://zephyr.tigblog.org/post/703135 25.0833333 -77.3525.0833333-77.35 http://zephyr.tigblog.org/post/701001 Pan American Health Organization -


Tobacco is the only product that kills half the people who use it, even when they follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Therefore, in order to save millions of lives, the public must be clearly warned about the harm caused by tobacco use, as we underscored during the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day.

The warnings, however, must be effective. They must really show the harm, the pain, and the lethal impact of tobacco use on health, informing people about the real magnitude of the problem and encouraging changes in behavior and a reduction in the use of this drug.

Studies in a number of countries reveal that users of tobacco products do not know enough about the risks of tobacco use and its consequences. The general public is equally in the dark. This is especially true for children and young people, who are the primary targets of the tobacco companies, whose goal is to get them hooked on this vice.

It has also been demonstrated that to raise awareness, spread the truth about the harm caused by tobacco use, and keep the tobacco companies from deceiving young people, health warnings must employ images, especially those that make a real impression. To guarantee their effectiveness, these images must appear on the upper half and principal sides of the packaging of all tobacco products (not only cigarettes), be as large as possible, and be changed regularly.

When health warnings on tobacco products meet these criteria, they are very effective in providing information on health hazards, motivating smokers to protect nonsmokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, and encouraging smokers to quit or cut back. In fact, data from Brazil show that six months after the widespread use of graphic warnings on packaging, there was a ninefold increase in calls to the hotline from people seeking help to quit smoking.

Seven countries in our Region have already issued regulations requiring effective graphic warnings on the packaging of tobacco products, beginning with Canada in 2001, followed in chronological order by Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay, Panama, Chile, and Peru, warnings that will enter into force in this latter country this month.

The Pan American Health Organization is calling on the remaining countries of the Region to follow these good examples and issue policies and regulations that will put them at the forefront in the fight against the dangers of tobacco use. We are certain that in doing so they will respond to the growing social awareness about the inescapable need to tell the truth about the harm caused by tobacco in order to protect the health of millions of people in the Americas.


June 16, 2009

caribbeannetnews]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:40:00 EDT http://zephyr.tigblog.org/post/701001 25.0833333 -77.3525.0833333-77.35 http://zephyr.tigblog.org/post/699231 J'cans love Cubans, say diplomat


By HG HELPS Editor-at-Large icu@jamaicaobserver.com:

THE recent decision of the Organisation of American States (OAS) to end its expulsion of Cuba has vindicated Jamaica's staunch 50-year friendship with its socialist neighbour to the north.

GARCIA RIVERA... people say that Jamaicans are violent, but in Cuba we regard Jamaicans as decent, hard-working people

It is a friendship which has survived the divisive Cold War pitting the West against the former Eastern bloc, as well as a local diplomatic tiff resulting in Jamaica severing official ties between the two Caribbean states.

In Honduras, the OAS voted to revoke a 1962 measure expelling Cuba, reversing a landmark of the Cold War in the hemisphere. The United States had won expulsion of Cuba in 1962 as the Castro government veered into the Socialist bloc. But in recent years, every country in the hemisphere, except for the US, has re-established relations with Cuba.

Jamaica's foreign minister, Dr Kenneth Baugh, was among those speaking for countries which showed open glee at the OAS decision for which it had fought long and hard and across political administrations.

"Jamaica and Caricom are delighted to have been part of this historic decision that rescinded Resolution 6 which suspended Cuba's participation in the Inter-American system," he said after the vote in San Pedro Sula.

"It is a victory for the pluralistic, democratic leadership of the member states of the OAS." Baugh gloated. "It augurs well for the continuation of the very commendable effort already undertaken by the USA and Cuba for the normalisation of bilateral relations and eventually for the lifting of the embargo," Dr Baugh added.

MONTAGUE... still maintains his Cuban links

Cuba was catapulted to the centre of world history when Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz and his group of revolutionaries took control of the island in January 1959, toppling General Fulgencio Batista, a right-wing leader whom critics felt was allowing the island to look too much like another state of the United States.

Castro, an atheist who demonstrated his rebel traits from age 13 when he instigated a strike among workers on his father's plantation, ruled supreme until 2007, when poor health forced him to vacate the office of president, paving the way for his younger brother Raul to take charge.

Fidel, who survived several assassination attempts, some allegedly traced back to the United States, formed alliances and maintained friendships with administrations that were tolerant of his socialist state.

Jamaica's own involvement with Cuba took a negative turn during the 1960s when the conservative Jamaica Labour Party, whose leaders during the period - Sir Alexander Bustamante, Sir Donald Sangster and Hugh Shearer - all shared an anti-socialist philosophy, came to power.

But a dramatic ideological shift in 1972, saw the emergence of the Michael Manley-led People's National Party (PNP) with its Democratic Socialist philosophy, that brought with it a change in the relationship between the two countries.

There was a flood of activity on both sides of the fence, with Jamaica benefiting from an outpouring of generosity from its Spanish-speaking neighbour, including training in the fields of medicine, construction, engineering and agriculture, among others. The Cubans also built micro dams across the island, primarily to assist farmers with their crops in time of drought. The dams are all now out of use.

Two technical high schools, Garvey Maceo in Clarendon and Jose Marti in St Catherine, along with one tertiary institution, the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport at Angels, also in St Catherine, were among the structures put up by Cuban labour.

The symbols of education and further training still take pride of place on Cuba's local diplomatic mission's 'keep in touch' list. And based on the upbeat attitude of Cuba's senior envoy here, the relationship between the embassy and the schools seem better than the condition of most marriages.

"We maintain contact with the schools and we always invite them to our activities," Cuba's ambassador to Jamaica, Gisela Garcia Rivera told the Sunday Observer in an interview. "We always try to have students from Jose Marti and Garvey Maceo in our scholarship programmes."

Garcia Rivera was referring to the vibrant scholarship activity, part of the wider education assistance initiative which is also one of several co-operation projects between Jamaica and Cuba. The list also includes medicine, agriculture, fisheries, engineering, energy, transport and works, the eye care programme, sport, and telecommunications.

"There are lots of things that we would like to assist Jamaica with, but we are not able to do so now, like the restoration of some heritage sites," Garcia Rivera said.

Relations between the two friends would freeze again in 1980, arising out of the bloody general election that cost Jamaica over 800 lives. The then Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica Ulysses Estrada came under fire from the Opposition JLP which accused the diplomat of direct interference in Jamaica's internal affairs by publicly criticising the Edward Seaga-led JLP.

Estrada was swiftly expelled from Jamaica by new Prime Minister Seaga.

Diplomatic ties were severed, but promptly restored upon the PNP's return to power after the 1989 general election. Since then, there has been no semblance of the 1980 firestorm.

"Jamaicans love Cubans," said Garcia Rivera. "I have never seen or felt any hostility here. We have a lot of history of situations where Cubans were in danger and when ordinary Jamaican citizens realised that they were Cubans they assisted them. I am talking about situations involving shootings.

"I also had an accident in western Jamaica and I was amazed by the number of people who assisted me when the accident occurred and later with their prayers. I have never felt hostility towards us. When Jamaicans realise that we are Cubans they often say "Cuba, Fidel, she said.

Many Jamaicans still maintain contact with Cuba, the land of birth of their fore-parents.

"There is a historical closeness between both countries, Garcia Rivera reflected.

One prominent Jamaican, State minister with responsibility for local government reform, Bobby Montague still maintains his Cuban links.

Montague's grandmother was born in Cuba, which explains the strong literacy programme that he has in the town of Gayle, part of his western St Mary constituency that was started with Cuban help and continues to be supported by their friends from up north.

"Jamaicans fought in our battles and gave our people refugee status when we sought it from them. People say that Jamaicans are violent, but in Cuba we regard Jamaicans as decent, hard-working people," the ambassador said.

Cuba intends to continue its generosity to Jamaica with a state-of-the-art ophthalmology centre in Kingston. The centre is expected to meet the needs of hundreds of Jamaicans who need eye care. "Cuba will be donating equipment to do surgical procedures, like removal of cataracts, so instead of sending Jamaicans to Cuba for surgery, it can be done right here. Every 21 days, a plane goes to Cuba taking people for eye surgery, so this will be reduced.

"We will have specialist nurses and doctors from Cuba working at the centre and we will be training Jamaicans so that the project can be sustained after our people have left. We are in the process of signing the agreement," Garcia Rivera said.