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The jury, after hearing testimony, convicted Hansen of three counts of failure to file tax returns for three years: 2002, 2003 and 2004. The Virgin Islands Daily News reported that Hansen was found not guilty of not filing her 2006 returns, and the jury failed to reach a verdict on the single felony charge of filing a false return for 2005. After the jury's verdict, Assistant VI Attorney General Rhonda Henry moved to dismiss the false return charge, the only felony charge that was laid against the former Senator, and the Presiding Judge Timothy Savage granted the motion and dismissed the charge. Hansen will come up for sentence on April 13 on the misdemeanour offences. Hansen's attorney George Hodge said that the maximum penalty is a year's probation and what is important is that the conviction would not prohibit her from running for public office or holding public office. The Crucian served several years as senator and ran for the top office of governor a few years ago, but was unsuccessful.
Dr. Rawlins, who is President and Founder of The VonFrederick Group, a Sacramento, California, based counter-terrorism and criminological organization is also the founder of The Crime, Violence and Terrorism Blog. He will be among representatives of non-governmental and community organisations including the St. Kitts and Nevis Youth Parliamentarians, (SKNYPA), the Rotary Clubs, Lions Club, St. Kitts and Nevis Trades and Labour Union, the St. Kitts Teachers Union, the St. Kitts Nurses Association and the St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce as well as leaders of political parties attending the consultation. The half-hour opening ceremony will feature the invocation by Father Isaiah Phillip and remarks by St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas and the Premier of Nevis, Hon. Joseph Parry. According to the website of the VonFrederick Group, Rawlins has working experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe, Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East and the Far East, in the capacity of a counter-terrorist and a criminologist. He has appeared on numerous television interviews and talk-radio, discussing homeland security and terrorism issues, as well as criminal profiling and criminal behavior. Prior to founding the VonFrederick Group, he has been an adjunct professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sociology, Ethnic Studies, Physics, Chemistry, and History. Rawlins has also lectured at Gakushuin University, in Tokyo, Japan. Rawlins served as a United States Marine. He was a Marine Corps Drill Instructor (DI) at Parris Island, South Carolina, an NCO Academy Instructor in Japan and an Officer Candidates School Instructor at Quantico, Virginia. Dr. Rawlins also worked as the Executive Director of a (non-profit organization) facility that houses teenage female gang-bangers involved in drugs, prostitution and extremely violent crimes. He was the administrator of another facility for extremely violent adolescent boys with strong gang affiliations. Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas and Premier of Nevis, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas are to address the brief opening ceremony.
 The 62-year-old Trinidadian
leader shocked the nation with the news yesterday that he has
kidney cancer, revealing that it was discovered while he was
in Cuba to attend the Third Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-Cuba
summit. "I also went to Cuba for medical attention. The medical attention went very well, but the results are not very encouraging. It has been discovered that I have a tumour - a malignant tumour - in my left kidney, which has to be removed surgically," a calm Prime Minister Manning told reporters after his weekly Cabinet meeting. "The tumour was discovered in its early stages and, so, surgical removal is all that is required; no further treatment subsequent to that." He will have the surgery either next Thursday or Friday, after which he will remain in Cuba for a two-week recuperation period, forcing him to spend Christmas away from home. His wife, Hazel, will however be with him and he should return to Trinidad sometime in early January. "I have no control over these matters so I just go with the flow...I have no fear of death and therefore I have no undue concern on this matter," Mr Manning said in response to questions about his condition. He also dismissed queries about a succession plan in the event that all does not go as he envisages. Mr Manning made it clear that that was not a matter for him. "At any rate, why are we discussing a successor? There's no vacancy," he quipped. Prime Minister Manning, who has been under the care of Cuban doctors for a long time, has a heart condition that required him to have a heart valve replacement surgery in Cuba in 1998. Four years ago, he also had a pacemaker implanted to regulate his heartbeat. During the post-Cabinet briefing, he said that in order to ensure smooth functioning of government while he is in Cuba, all ministerial leave has been cancelled and all Trinidad and Tobago ambassadors will have to remain at their posts until his return home. Minister of Trade and Industry Dr Lenny Saith is acting as prime minister during Mr Manning's absence.
 Mr Hibbert's residence
and the home of businessman Deryck Gibson were searched on Wednesday
in an international fraud investigation initiated by the SFO.
The government official went in to be questioned the following
day by the British officers who are in Jamaica, but his attorneys
reportedly asked for more time after they reviewed documents
presented by the officers.The searches and interview surround an investigation into UK-based bridge building firm Mabey and Johnson, which is accused of bribing public officials in a number of countries, including Jamaica. The company did work in Jamaica during Mr Hibbert's tenure as Chief Technical Director in the Public Works Department (now the National Works Agency). In May 2003, the government secured a loan agreement for more than £22 million (US$32.8 million) for Mabey and Johnson to supply and construct 45 bridges across the island. Mr Gibson's company - Deryck A. Gibson Ltd which supplies industrial machinery and equipment - also did contracts for the company. He is yet to be interviewed by police. Although Mr Hibbert has made no public statement on the matter, both Prime Minister Bruce Golding and the ruling Jamaica Labour Party have backed him in the matter. Mr Golding told parliament that the MP for East Rural St Andrew had denied any unlawful activity. "I have spoken personally with the member who has denied any knowledge of, or involvement in, any wrongdoing or illegal acts that might have led to these investigations," the Prime Minister said. A statement released by the JLP indicated that after having discussions with Mr Hibbert, the party believed he had committed no impropriety.
 December 11, 2008: A Jamaican national is among the surviving Tuskegee
Airmen, who have been invited to attend President-elect Barack
Obama's inauguration.The surviving 330 of the US's first black military pilots to fly in World War II are set to attend the January 20th historic inauguration of the first black President, as guests of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Major Victor Terrelonge, born in St Andrew, Jamaica, is one of the original Tuskegee airmen. Moving to the USA from Jamaica at age 15 years in 1937, young Victor W. Terrelonge graduated from the Tuskegee University (Army Air Corps) and went on to serve in the second World War in 1941 as part of the first all-black group of fighter pilots that protected B-17 bombers over Europe as The Red Tail P-51 Mustangs. Terrelonge was honored by Congress with the Congressional Gold Medal on March 29, 2007 as a member of the original Tuskegee Airmen. There are other awards, including an honorary doctorate from Tuskegee University. He was also honored this year at Jamaica's 46th year of Independence flag-raising ceremony at Brooklyn's Borough Hall, and the official Jamaica Independence Gala. Other Caribbean-born Tuskegee airmen were from Barbados, US Virgin Islands, Haiti, Martinique and Cuba. The Arlington, Va.-based organization represents 330 of the original pilots, whose ranks were once about 1,000. The Tuskegee Airmen were recruited into an Army Air Corps program that trained blacks to fly and maintain combat aircraft. They trained as a segregated unit at an air base in Tuskegee, Ala. After fighting the Nazis, they returned home to face discrimination. Watson, the New York airman, said blacks weren't allowed to participate in victory parades with other troops returning from Europe during World War II.
 compensate
by replacing Mr. Holt with Gregory Isaacs, Frankie Paul and Courtney
Melody -- leading to additional expenses in excess of $70,000.
While the sold out show was very successful, Mr. Annakie has
decided to sue Mr. Holt for breach of contract and has canceled
his work visa. The Law Offices of Spar and Bernstein have been
retained by David "Squeeze" Annakie and LinkUp Media
to handle the case."It is very unfortunate that I have to do this," explained Annakie. "However, this is the third time that John Holt has done this. As a promoter, I am committed to my patrons to be transparent and deliver as promised. This philosophy extends to all contracted with my organization. I will see Mr. Holt in court." Mr. Holt was issued a valid O-1 work visa at the US Embassy pursuant to a non-immigrant visa petition filed by petitioner LinkUp Media, to whom Mr. Holt was contractually obligated to perform at the Vintage ReggaeFest on December 6, 2008. At the request of Mr. Holt, Spar and Bernstein confirmed the validity of his work visa with the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica on two separate occasions and also received confirmation from U.S. Immigration and Customs that Mr. Holt would be allowed to enter the United States on his O-1 visa to perform at the scheduled concert. Mr. Holt had no excuse, as far as immigration is concerned, not to enter the United States based on his contractual obligations. Both LinkUp Media and Spar and Bernstein put in substantial time and effort confirming Mr. Holt's visa at the US Embassy in Jamaica and at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the United States, and are both puzzled and disappointed that he chose to break his contract by failing to perform at the Vintage Reggae Fest.
 Fashion
40 (202 West 40th Street btwn 7th and 8th Ave). Glenn Toby, Founder
and CEO of The Book Bank Foundation presented Dr. Carlisle L.
St. Martin with the Vanguard award for his exemplary leadership
and achievements within the medical community. Robinson will
be presented with the Hero award for his courageous efforts to
improve the outcomes for all children in the New York City foster
care system.Originally from Trinidad, Dr. Carlisle L. St. Martin immigrated to Brooklyn at the age of 5. The oldest of eight children, he was raised in a poor single parent home by his mother, a public health nurse. As a young child, his eyes were badly crossed. At 9 years old, he went through a series of three rigorous eye surgeries, leading him to his vocation of "helping people like the doctors that helped him." In 1972, he was awarded a scholarship to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and completed medical school at SUNY Downstate. After his residency at Long Island Jewish Hospital, Dr. St. Martin opened his own medical practice in Forest Hills, Queens in 1984. He credits his childhood mentors, the nuns at St Barbara's Elementary School, for giving him the foundation to excel in his studies. "Once you can read you can achieve anything," says St. Martin. As an attributed neurologist who has helped hundreds of people nationwide, he is also an active member of The Book Bank Foundation. Glenn Toby, CEO and Founder of The Book Bank Foundation said, "Dr. St. Martin is one of the most prominent neurologists in our community who has given so freely and quietly that it often appears as if it does not happen at all. I can't count how many times he has given free medical care to New Yorkers in need."
A day after Mr Musa was granted US$100,000 bail on a charge of illegally diverting the money, Ralph Fonseca - who was the Minister of Housing when the grant was negotiated - made his court appearance and was allowed the same bail release. Both will reappear in court in January. Mr Fonseca, who also served as Finance Minister during Mr Musa's 10 years in office, described his arrest as "yet another outrageous, yet characteristic UDP (United Democratic Party) political persecution". "Anyone at all that knows the real facts will also know that this charge is ridiculous. I am confident, and I have been assured by my legal counsel that this will be proven to be ridiculous," he said after his court appearance. "This charge is ridiculous but now we must respect the system of the court. I will be vindicated." It is alleged that under the People's United Party (PUP) administration, Mr Musa diverted the money to the Belize Bank to pay off a loan which his government guaranteed for United Health Services, a tertiary care health facility in the country. After the matter was brought to the public's attention by Prime Minister Dean Barrow, whose UDP won the government in the February 7 general elections, Mr Musa claimed that the loan had been the subject of litigation that could have resulted in the government having to pay the entire sum due from taxpayer funds. The money has since been returned to government coffers.
 Mr Musa appeared
in court yesterday accused of illegally diverting the money,
half of a US$20 million grant, to a privately owned hospital.
He was released on US$100,000 bail and ordered to reappear in
court on January 9 next year. If convicted of the charge, he
faces a maximum 10-year jail term.But Mr Musa has insisted that he did nothing wrong, saying that he was acting in good faith when he used the funds to settle a debt owed by Universal Health Services (UHS). He has been embroiled in controversy surrounding the grant, given by the Hugo Chavez Administration in December last year, since his People's United Party lost the government to Dean Barrow and his United Democratic Party in the February 7 general elections. The former prime minister had said earlier this year that the debt he used the money to pay arose out of a government guarantee of a loan made by UHS and had been the subject of litigation that could have resulted in the Belize government having to pay the entire sum due from taxpayer funds. Following a directive from the country's Central Bank, the money was returned to the government coffers from the Belize Bank which received the funds to clear the UHS debt.
 singer Rihanna and her reported
boyfriend, R&B singer Chris Brown for a cool $1 million.Photographer Luis Santana claims the singers' bodyguards attacked him in the parking lot of a club where the two lovebirds were hanging out. Santana, in the lawsuit filed in a Florida Court on Tuesday, said he was at the club about 2:30 a.m. on May 6 and snapped a picture of Brown and Rihanna in the parking lot. But he claims Brown and his bodyguards came out of a black limousine and chased him through the lot as one of the bodyguards grabbed him by the collar and tore off his shirt. Two others, he claims, then knocked him down, took his camera and repeatedly kicked him. Brown's New York-based attorney has denied that "neither Chris Brown nor his security was involved in the alleged incident` and said his client intends to "vigorously defend the lawsuit." The photograph was reportedly taken during the time when rumors had just began flying that the two were dating and Santana said the photo would have brought him a lot of money.
Reports indicate that King and Rosella Nestor exchanged vows in Miami over the weekend. The two were set to return back to the island on Monday. The marriage came some 12 years after the couple met. King is the second St. Lucian leader to wed in office. Former Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, married in 2000.
 CHICAGO, IL, December 1, 2008: President-elect Barack Obama is nominating
Susan Rice to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He calls her a close and trusted adviser who knows the global challengees the nation faces. Rice, who is of Caribbean background, was a senior foreign policy adviser to Obama's presidential campaign. She's a senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution. She earlier served on the staff of the National Security Council during the Clinton administration.
 KINGSTOWN,
St Vincent, November 28, 2008: For St Vincent radio station,
Nice, and one of their hosts, talk has turned out not to be so
cheap after all. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court yesterday
ordered them to pay a total of over EC$430,000 (US$164,122) for
defaming Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves' character.The judgement came six years after the Vincentian leader sued Elwardo Lynch and BDS Limited, the parent company of Nice, when the talk show host claimed that he used government money to pay for a family trip to the Vatican to see Pope John Paul II. And Prime Minister Gonsalves has insisted it should be a lesson to those who try to destroy his character: "Don't run a campaign against me based on lies and falsehoods which damage my character. I will take action," he told reporters after the judgement was delivered. Both Mr Lynch and the company will each pay EC$160,000 (US$61,068) in damages; EC$33,000 (US$12,595) for Dr Gonsalves' costs in the High Court; as well as for the costs attached to his Appeal Court case, which amounts to EC$22,000 (US$8,396) plus interest. The Prime Minister said that he intends to give the money to charity.
 Browne,
has threatened to sue Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer if he does
not apologise publicly for reportedly accusing him of having
foreign bank accounts with stolen money.A very angry Browne called on Spencer to produce evidence showing that he owns accounts in foreign banks. Browne was speaking at the opening of the ALP Headquarters on Nevis Street over the weekend and said that the Prime Minister was making false allegations. He said that the government was having difficulty getting into accounts of former ALP government members because of an injunction filed by the Opposition members. The Antigua Sun reported that the ALP deputy leader challenged the prime minister to produce evidence that "I Gaston Browne have any money in foreign accounts". Browne accused Spencer of gross mismanagement and said that he should work towards preventing the country to becoming as destitute as Haiti rather than indulge in false accusations against ALP members. He added that the ALP was gearing to take over the government after the next general elections.
 Patrick Gaspard,
who serves as the associate director of personnel for the Presidential
Transition Team and was also National Political Director for
Obama's presidential campaign, has been named the next director
of the White House's Office of Political Affairs.The office he will oversee has been strongly denounced by some Republicans and Democrats. It was created by President Ronald Reagan, and while it has been criticized for as long, it has also been staffed by every president since. Mr Gaspard worked for Governor Howard Dean's presidential campaign and numerous congressional candidates, and campaigns going back to the historic Mayoral election in New York in 1989. The new appointment recognizes that Gaspard is of the country's most talented political organizers. His political skills began to be honed during the 1988 presidential campaign of Jesse Jackson and later the successful NYC mayoral campaign of David Dinkins. For years, even while an 1199SEIU officer, other campaigns-in 2003, the Howard Dean campaign; in 2004, Americans Coming Together--would "borrow" him to head up their field operations. Through it all, his loyalties to the union never wavered. "I grew up in 1199," Patrick told the union's executive officers, "and I will always be an 1199er wherever I am." Later, speaking to the union's Executive Council when his White House appointment was announced, Gaspard urged the 1199 leadership to "always maintain our integrity and fierce independence, even from political friends," to fight on behalf of our members. "I am so fiercely proud of being your brother. I love you," he said.
 CaribWorldNews, MIAMI, FL, Tues. Nov. 25, 2008: Haitian-born musician, Wyclef Jean,
is among the latest Americans losing a home to the foreclosure
crisis.Jean`s unfinished Miami Beach mansion is set to be sold by Miami-Dade county on December 12 after the singer failed to pay the mortgage. The Yele Haiti founder and goodwill ambassador of Haiti reportedly took out a $2 million mortgage from Home Equity Mortgage Corp. in 2004 to purchase the estate through a corporation he owns with several friends, according to The Palm Beach Post. Jean's corporation now owes the bank $2.4 million. But while the home was set to be renovated, it was left unfinished for more than two years because of a number of construction liens and $6,200 in fines from the city of Miami Beach. Court documents show also that a lien was put on the property this year by the project's architects, who have tried to collect $75,000 owed to them since 2004. Jean has not yet commented on the case.
 The Olympic triple
medalist was declared the winner of this year's award last night,
when Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva also beat out his
compatriots Veronica Campbell-Brown and Melaine Walker to take
the award for female World Athlete of the Year. It was the third
time for her, after also taking the title in 2004 and 2005.A dapper Bolt, who captivated the attention of the sporting world with his Olympic 100m, 200m and 4x100m gold medals, each with a World record performance said he felt very honoured. "I have a motto that anything is possible. But this really is such an honour," he said. "Just to be included with every great name in the sport is wonderful. I'll try to do it year after year." He received US$100,000 along with the trophy. Cuba's Dayron Robles, who took the gold in the men's 110-metres hurdles at the Olympics, also received an award for Male Performance of the Year.
Babadian born Holder is a former superior court judge and U.S. attorney in Washington and a former prosecutor in the Public Integrity section of the Justice Department. He was Deputy Attorney General under Janet Reno , during which he was well regarded. At one point, he strongly considered running for mayor of Washington, D.C., but decided being the No. 2 official at Justice was too good to pass up. He also led the search team for Obama's running mate. His only potential hang-up for confirmation is the controversy over the pardon of Marc Rich in the closing hours of the Clinton administration. Holder approved the pardon as acting attorney general, after Reno left, without paying much attention to it, and it turned out to be a big embarrassment to Clinton. So far, the Hill response to Holder has been positive, officials say. The offer to Holder was made last week, officials say, and he accepted it, conditioned on a good reception from the Hill. So this is as close to a done deal as it can get before it's announced. |