Hosted by Quality Entertainment, the concert dubbed the Best of Both Worlds will feature the three as headliners alongside some of the island’s top acts including: Ricky T, Sir Lancealot, TJ, Pringles and TJ Project with musical offering courtesy of local radio jocks; DJ Iwa, Selector Twis, Levi Chin with a special guest appearance by Darkcide International’s ZJ Wah Wa.

No stranger to the island both Blak Ryno and ZJ Wahwa left their imprint late last year at the staging of Hot FM’s Lovefest 2011 and Heineken Green Synergy Finals respectively. However resurgent entertainer Ninja Kid who will be making his inaugural visit says he is very upbeat and promises an energetic set.

“This will is my first time in St. Lucia and they can expect nothing but an energy-filled performance, just know say it ago tun up” – he intimated.

Kid, currently signed to Darkcide International, recently shot the medley video for his singles “Have Nuh Gal Like We” and “Tongue Ring Shot” produced on the Christopher Birch and Markus Myrie imprints respectively. The deejay is expected to premier the projects ahead of his departure.

Meanwhile, ZJ Wahwa currently featured in the latest episode of Trabass TV online viral videos dubbed ‘Insecure Boyfriend’ is expected to release his first official mix cd for the year, later this week titled “The Chronicles of ZJ Wah Wa: Chapter 2: Man Of Interest”

Both the President and Prime Minister of Haiti emphasised those points in their meetings with the Bureau led by Chairman, His Excellency Desi Bouterse, President of Suriname and including the Rt Honourable Dr Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Phillip Pierre Deputy Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, representing the Prime Minister, Dr the Honourable Kenny Anthony, and Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Secretary-General of CARICOM.

Haitian President His Excellency Michel Martelly stressed the importance of job creation not only for Haiti but also for the Community. With jobs and economic opportunities at home, he said, his people would not need to migrate as it was the lack of those prospects that forced them to go elsewhere. President Martelly saw agriculture as a major factor in the economic renaissance and in creating employment given the “vast amount of land available.” It is an area in which the Community has been assisting with the distribution of crop seeds to farmers through the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) in conjunction with the Inter-American Institute and the support of the Government of Australia through AusAid.

The President added that a strong Haitian economy would be a benefit to CARICOM given the size of the Haitian market. It was a point reinforced by President Bouterse who pointed out that in helping Haiti “we are helping ourselves”.

Minister after Minister of the Haitian cabinet stressed the importance of CARICOM’s continuing involvement in Haiti at a working lunch in the National Palace, a building which shows significant signs of the heavy damage wrought by the 2010 earthquake. The ministers outlined their priorities and indicated how the Community could assist them in meeting the challenges.

Those priorities were codified in large measure through the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Secretary-General and Haiti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs the Honourable Laurent Lamothe. Noteworthy was the fact that in large measure the priority areas for Haiti were in consonance with those identified for the Community by the Heads of Government following their retreat in Guyana last May.

One of the major players in creating the necessary jobs and opportunities, the private sector underscored to the delegation which included the Special Representative of Heads of Government to Haiti, the Most Honourable PJ Patterson, OCC, the need to make CARICOM work for the benefit of all its members.

They expressed their concern that travel between Haiti and the rest of CARICOM was hindered by visa issues, a point also raised by President Martelly. The Heads of Government had decided that business people with United States, Canadian and Schengen Area visas would not require visas to enter CARICOM States but this has not yet been fully implemented. The Bureau assured the private sector representatives that this matter would be raised at the forthcoming Intersessional Meeting of the Heads of Government on 8-9 March in Suriname.

There were also calls for improving transportation and communication links and it was noted that three airlines based in the Community were exploring the possibility of regular service between Haiti and the rest of CARICOM. The establishment of such links would enhance the possibilities for partnerships and exchanges, buttressed by another suggestion for a fund to facilitate cross border investments. Already one company from Jamaica has made a significant investment in Haiti.

“How does one strengthen the capacity of the Haitian government”, was the question posed by Prime Minister Garry Conille. The Prime Minister argued that there was need for a paradigm shift in the way aid was delivered to Haiti and called on the Community to advocate on behalf of Haiti for that shift. He suggested that Haiti should be made a pilot project in that regard with donor projects including performance criteria, one of which would be training Haitians to replace the foreign experts. Such a move would build capacity and also assist in job creation.

Both the Haitians and their CARICOM colleagues were pleased at the outcome of the mission. Prime Minister Douglas summed it up well when he stated that he had heard clearly from the Haitians what their priorities were and their message that they wished CARICOM to advocate on their behalf to the international community.

Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), Sir K. Dwight Venner make the presentation on radio and television stations throughout the member countries of the ECCU – Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The presentation will focus on some of the major issues at the international, regional and national levels which have affected and continue to affect the development of the ECCU economies and the ECCU member governments’ response to the challenges.

Sir Dwight will also outline the framework for addressing the long-run growth and development prospects of the ECCU member countries in a rapidly changing environment.

Immediately following the presentation, a cross-section of residents from the eight ECCU member countries, linked through the use of video-conferencing technology, will engage the Governor in discussions on the issues arising from the presentation.

The ECCB said persons can also email their questions or comments to: info@eccb-centralbank.org.

During the weeks following the presentation, a series of post presentation discussion programmes will be hosted on radio and television stations in the various countries to give members of the wider public the opportunity to voice their views on the issues that would have emerged from the presentation as well as matters pertaining to their well-being and the overall economic development of the ECCU.

Director of Cargo and Quikpak Wilbur Edwards explained that with the new Interline Agreement, LIAT Cargo has opened up its entire network to San Juan via Antigua with tremendous capacity and excellent frequency. “There is no other carrier offering this level of service; it is simply unmatched,” he said.

The Director further said that the Colombia service operates every Sunday and also connects to the LIAT network. “It is important to note that Colombia is the second largest producer of flowers in the world so purchasers of this commodity should be well advised to use this cheaper option to book their flowers and also cut transit times for a fresher product.”

LIAT Cargo operates five days a week throughout the airline’s 21 destinations; and utilises automated cargo systems to make bookings, generate manifests, and provides rate calculations and cargo tracking on its website www.liatcargo.com.
LIAT’s dedicated cargo aircraft is also available for charters.

ABOUT LIAT
LIAT is one of the leading Caribbean airlines. It is owned by regional shareholders, with major shareholders being the Governments of Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. More information about LIAT may be found at www.liat.com.

Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), issued a statement deploring the murders of Paulo Roberto Cardoso Rodrigues on 12 February and Mario Randolfo Marques Lopes on 8 February.

“These killings are an intolerable attack on the profession of journalism and on an individual’s basic human right to free speech,” Ms. Bokova said, adding that thorough investigations of the deaths were needed “to enable journalists to continue reporting without having to fear for their lives and for the safety of their relatives.”

At least 11 journalists or media professionals have been killed in Brazil since 2002, and a UNESCO-backed research project is currently examining the issues facing community media operating in violent or difficult areas in Rio de Janeiro.

Mr. Cardoso, also known as Paulo Rocaro, served as the editor of Jornal Da Praça, a daily newspaper, and the website Mercosul News. He was driving home in Ponta Porá, close to Brazil’s border with Paraguay, when two men on a motorcycle shot him dead.

Mr. Marques was the editor-in-chief of the Vassouras na Net website when he was abducted and shot dead with his girlfriend in Barra do Piraí in Rio de Janeiro state.

UN

“Uruguay has achieved significant progress in terms of access to water and sanitation, but it is now urgent to prioritize access for vulnerable and marginalized individuals,” said Special Rapporteur on the right to water and sanitation Catarina de Albuquerque, who recently finished a visit to Uruguay.

“Every person without exception must have access to drinking water and sanitation in an affordable, acceptable, available and safe form,” Ms. Albuquerque stressed during a press conference. “States must continually adopt measures to ensure that access to these fundamental rights is guaranteed,” she added.

Ms. Albuquerque emphasized that the right to sanitation goes beyond sewerage and urged authorities to adopt a national plan that focuses on alternative sanitation options.

“The water and energy services regulatory unit must be given more capabilities and independence, as well as more financial and human resources so it can monitor these essential rights,” she said.

“It is important that Uruguay knows how to maintain the progress it has achieved, which is why it is essential that the Government reinforce its monitoring and controlling capacities of big agro-industrial and mining projects,” she noted.

During her visit this week, Ms. Albuquerque visited various neighbourhoods in Montevideo, the capital, and in other parts of the country. She also met with local authorities as well as with representatives of civil society.

Ms. Albuquerque will present her full report on the visit to the UN Human Rights Council in September this year.

UN

The announcement comes less than a month after he was presented with an ‘Achievement Award’ at the 16th annual Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival in Trelawny for his twenty seven year contribution to the reggae industry.

Stephens has had a whirlwind year since he and Gentleman released “Live Your Life” last summer. The song topped charts in Florida, Atlanta, Canada, Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean and was voted “Song of the Year” on New York’s Irie Jam Radio ‘Top 100 Songs for 2011,’ ahead of Vybz Kartel (Summer Time); Mavado elilah); Popcaan (Ravin); Shabba (None A Dem); Popcaan (Only Man She Want); I-Octane (Ramp Wid ); Laza Morgan featuring Mavado (One by One); Beres Hammond (No Goodbye) and Sean Paul/Alexis Jordan (Got To Love Ya).

“I’m excited about the success that I have enjoyed since the release of ‘Live Your Life.’ Fans have embraced it all over the world and I am just thankful for the outpouring of love” the singer said.

Aside from getting awards, Stephens has been winning new fans with several electrifying performances in Germany, Holland, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Croatia where he was the special guest of Gentleman last fall. His most memorable performance was before a crowd of 750,000 in Poland, at the biggest festival in the world — Woodstock.

“The response when we performed ‘Live Your Life’ was just amazing! It was a wonderful feeling to see the impact the song had on everyone” he disclosed.

Stephens kicked off 2012 in Jamaica with a memorable performance at the 16th annual Jazz & Blues Festival, the same night that pop singer Celine Dion delivered a historic performance at the festival. He has a number of upcoming performances lined up for 2012 (including a few US dates with Gentleman), while his current single ‘Warrior,’ has started to make inroads on stations across the globe.

“Caribbean radio has embraced ‘Warrior’ and fans are loving it as well. Our next move is to take it to urban radio in the USA and Europe. This is a powerful song that I feel will do big things for us in 2012 and beyond” he said.

One artiste among many, who have capitalized on the exposure gained from having participated in the 2011 Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall competition is young Dwayne Edwards a.k.a. Mr. Charge. He became one of the lucky competitors to be named, Judge Scatta Burrell’s Wild Card where he advanced to the top 12.

Though he had hoped to go further or possibly winning the competition, the exposure gained from the widely televised talent show was enough for Mr. Charge to leave a favourable impression upon a London based company, Shadia Records which particularly became interested in working with him after seeing his performance on show.

Shadia Records signed the West Kingston born artiste by the end of 2011 and has officially launched a promotional campaign for further advancement of his career and potential of him being an internationally acclaimed Reggae/Dancehall artiste. Shadia Records also dropped two singles entitled, You Hot and Soon My Time then moved quickly at shooting a follow up video. The beach scene video was directed by Nordia Rose and is expected to hit local cable/tv channels soon click for behind the scenes view here.

Mr. Charge became an ardent music fan while he was in school and by the time he was out of school, would often attend dancehall events in his hometown. He admitted that not long after attending the Dances, his interest in music surpassed an admiration for stalwarts like Bounty Killer (who was at the pinnacle of his career back in the day) to become a life -long dream to which he is passionate and relentless in his pursuit of becoming a popular Artiste/Entertainer.

Mr. Charge recorded a couple of tracks earlier in his career with producer Junior Andy, son of veteran Horace Andy that received airplay. These included tracks such as his patriotic, Jamaica song as well as, Anything You Waan Me Wi Give You and Nah Kill Mi Friend. He has performed on the Irie FM and Roots FM Cross County Road Show respectively before entering the Magnum Kings and Queen competition.

While in the ninth grade Recruit began showcasing his talents through his penmanship. “Many things influence my lyrics. My best lyrics come out when I write about lovemaking.” During his last year of high school, he started taking music more seriously. “The first song I recorded was in 2005. To date I think the song that will resonate well with fans is “Galang Gal” on the Trailer Reload Riddim.” Since then, he has emerged on the entertainment scene and has been steadily making his mark through his performances. He has opened for top billing artistes such as Serani, Spragga Benz, I-Octane and has performed as a solo act on “Rock with Squeeze” at SOB’s in Manhattan and “Africa Meets Jamaica” at De Island Breeze in New Jersey.

As a multi-talented artist, Recruit’s style is classified as a diverse mix of dancehall with a little reggae and pop. “I listen to everything, even the music that sounds like gibberish. I love R&B, Hip Hop, Rock and Soca. Other than my brothers, my favorite artist of all time is Denis Brown.” On a regular day Recruit can be found in the studio working on new material. He has worked with French producers Daddy and Hyper from D &H Productions, Konvict Yard Music, Shango Productions, Subkonshus Music and LMR Productions. “I do music because it’s my way of expressing my thoughts on different aspects of life. I can safely say that music is my second love because I have been surrounded by music all day, every day for as long as I can remember.”

With his feet firmly planted and with hopes of carving a niche out for himself, Recruit is certain that he has something a little different to offer. Something that will set him apart from his older siblings.

The Music, Entertainment and Lifestyle magazine released its first issue in October 2011 with featured artists such as Third World Band, Delus, Keida, I-Octane, Timberlee, Natalie Storm, Denyque (cover of the January issue), Tiana, Gramps Morgan, Tessanne, Zagga, Recruit, Elly Ess, Tifa, Protoje, Ce’Cile, Shaggy, DJ’s Karyzma, Chromatic, G-Money, Babey Drew and Project Runway Season 9 winner, Anya Ayoung-Chee.

Editor-in-Chief, Stacey Bethel, who is also the CEO for Triple 7 Entertainment LLC, remarks, “I am ecstatic about the launch of the magazine and my team is doing a stellar job in making sure that everything goes off without a hitch. It was only fitting to have the first launch in Jamaica since a large part of the features in the magazine are of Jamaican artists. It’s really a celebration of our culture and the music. Music, particularly reggae music, is my life -it’s what I know. So I am really happy with the direction of the Magazine thus far and the positive feedback that we have received.”

In an effort to not exclude the public, there will be a pre-launch party hosted by LEON and DELUS at O’neil’s Place located at 33 Hagley Park Road, Kingston on Saturday, March 3, 2012. Doors open at 10pm and patrons will be able to party with LEON, Delus and other artists. There will be a door charge of $1000.00 and music will be provided by DJ Karyzma and Chromatic.