“Significantprogress” has been made to ensure a successful meeting of the 9thCommonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (9WAMM) from June 7-92010 in Barbados.

Mr John Hollingsworth, Director Bureau ofGender Affairs said he looked forward to welcoming all participants toboth the Ministerial Meeting as well as the Partners’ Forum, which willprecede 9WAMM.

Over half the participants attending Commonwealth programme are women

Policyadvisers and businessmen and women from 23 Commonwealth countries aremeeting in India this week to learn new ideas and listen to practicalexperiences in the development of micro, small and medium enterprises(MSMEs).

Participants will hear from experts from allregions of the Commonwealth on how best to harness good practices ofthriving companies. During the six-day programme, which began on 21February 2010, they will visit successful Indian businesses such asJaipur Rugs and Arth Micro Finance.

Neighbouring Mozambique and Namibia share their experiences at Commonwealth meeting

Seniorpolicy-makers from the Kingdom of Swaziland met last month to discussthe significant challenges in implementing local government reforms.

Leadershipskills, reform options that are suitable for the country, and recenttrends towards decentralisation in other Sub-Saharan African states,were all debated by the senior officials at a CommonwealthSecretariat-organised workshop which took place in January 2010 inManzini, one of Swaziland’s four regional districts.

Morethan forty participants attended, including officials from theParliamentary Sub-Committee on Decentralisation, the Cabinet Committeeon Decentralisation, and the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration andDevelopment.

Despite the negative press that the twin island nation has receivedover the past few weeks, visitors have continued to visit our shoresand continue to enjoy the amenities the country has to offer.

One such person is Valerie Oliver-Durrah president and CEO ofNeighborhood Technical Assistant Clinic who indicated that aftervisiting Antigua and Barbuda in the past she returned with 25 guestsfrom the United States to enjoy her 50 birthday dubbed “Don’t get ittwisted”.

Durrah who visits the country twice a year said the all white affair was held at the Ocean Inn in English Harbour.

"In fond memory of my good friend Mr Pelle owner   of Ocean Inn, wehad an all white gala last Saturday and 75 persons attended and we alsorecognised Eustace Potter and also made introduction to the tourism andcruise department."

Durrah further explained the event was also well attended by tourism stakeholders on the island.

President of the Antigua and Barbuda National Olympic Committee(ABNOC) Sen. Paul “Chet” Greene has hailed the anticipated arrival ofthe Queen’s Baton to Antigua and Barbuda on 13 March, as an opportunityfor the entire nation, to join hands and hearts in promoting thetwin-island state as a top notch and safe tourism destination.

Greene, during a press conference to launch the 13-15 March eventheld at the Jolly Beach Resort on Thursday, highlighted the fact that aAntigua and Barbuda, is currently been hit in the international mediaon a number of issues but stated that through the hosting of theQueen’s Baton Relay, the nation could restore some pride and portraythe Antigua and Barbuda that many visitors has come to know and loveover the years.

FEDERAL Opposition Leader TonyAbbott has called for the resignation of Environment Minister PeterGarrett as part of a coalition censure motion.

"Enough is enough, it's time to take responsibility and to resign," Mr Abbott told parliament.

"It'sa fundamental principle of our system of government that ministers areresponsible for the administration of their portfolios."

MrGarrett is under political pressure over his handling of the householdinsulation scheme which the government dumped on Friday.

The program has been linked to four deaths, 93 house fires and left an estimated 1000 roofs electrified.

MrGarrett had misled the parliament about what he knew and when he knewit, Mr Abbott said referring to a damning risk assessment thegovernment received in April last year.

Mr Garrett has admitted he did not read the report until earlier in February this year.

FREEPORT, Bahamas -  Hutchison Port Holdings Bahamas announces the appointment of James Turner as Business Development/Commercial Director, Freeport Container Port (FCP), Freeport Harbour Company (FHC) and Grand Bahamas Airport Company (GBAC) as of February 8, 2010.

Gary Gilbert, CEO of Hutchison Port Holdings, Bahamas in announcing the appointment of Mr. Turner said the 21 year veteran of destination marketing, airline and cruise negotiations, James Turner “will be an asset to FCP, FHC, GBAC as we continue to build and expand our vibrant businesses in the Bahamas. Hutchison’s commitment to Grand Bahama future growth is enhanced by James Turner joining our team” said Mr. Gilbert.

Mr. Turner for most of his career led the private sector tourism partners at the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board where he functioned from 2006 – 2010 as the Executive Vice President responsible for both the Grand Bahama and Florida offices and all associated business interest.  He specialized in government and private sector relationships and destination marketing.

Mr. Turner held several leading positions at the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism over the course of some 17 years. While based in the USA with the BMOT he was the Director of Bahamas.com, E-Commerce and the Bahamas Airlift marketing team based in Florida.  At one point he also held the position of Director of Strategic Planning and Marketing for Grand Bahama Island.

The nation on Sunday paid homage to the Language Movement martyrs marking the Amar (immortal) Ekushey with a fresh vow to materialize the dreams of valiant sons of the soil, who sacrificed their lives for the Mother Language.

The day was also observed as the International Mother Language Day in 188 countries across the globe as the UNESCO on November 17, 1999 declared Ekushey February as the International Mother Language Day in recognition of sacrifices of the Language Movement martyrs of 1952.

The Central Shaheed Minar premises in the capital was decorated with paintings, buntings and selected verses on the mother language as streams of barefooted people poured into it at one minute past on Saturday night to pay homage to the immortal martyrs of the great Language Movement.

Tight security was enforced around the main altar of the Shaheed Minar by deploying 8,500 personnel of the law-enforcement agencies and installing closed-circuit cameras.

Fresh tension sparked in Sajek area of southeastern hills with recovery of one more body of a tribesman increasing the official toll to two in Saturday's ethnic violence, officials and witnesses said.

“You are indeed good Barbadian role models for your peers”.