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APRIL 1ST-APRIL 6TH 2013
TURKS & CAICOS SUN
CARIBBEAN NEWS
Bermuda Parliament to debate legalizing of marijuana H
AMILTON, Bermuda – The Bermuda parliament will “soon” debate a motion to decide whether or not to legalise the use of marijuana in this British Overseas Territory. “We will bring to the House of Assembly a ‘take note’ motion so we can have a public debate on the issue. I don’t advocate one way or the other, but it’s something we should have a debate on,” Attorney General and Justice Minister, Mark Pettingill, told the Bermuda Sun newspaper. Pettingill said that the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries had
opted for decriminalization or watering down the legislation regarding the possession of the illegal drug. “There are many Bermudians who indulge in the use of marijuana in one form or another. Anybody can be effectively criminalized for that use because of the law as it currently stands,” Pettingill said, following his appearance on a local radio station. “It was part of the continuing discussion that we need to talk about legalization of marijuana or decriminalization in some form,” he said, not-
ing that the majority of callers to the show appear to support a relaxation of the law on marijuana. “I got the feeling that there were a lot of older people who called in who were in support of a change — it’s been the elephant in the room for a long period of time. Everybody who was calling in was very pro-legalisation. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. I think that, across the board, across the island and across the political divide, that’s certainly the type response I have had,” he said, reiterating that he is neither for nor against the measure.
Jamaica to host conference on small islands developing states K
INGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica will host the Caribbean Regional Preparatory Meeting ahead of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), to be held in Samoa next year. The Jamaica meeting is scheduled for July 2 – 4 and according to Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister A.J. Nicholson, it is one of three regional meetings to be held this year as groundwork for the Samoa conference. The meeting here is intended to provide a forum for Caribbean countries to formulate their response in
relation to commitments made under the 1994 Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) and the 2005 Mauritius Strategy of Implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action. Discussions will also focus on the steps to be taken to address the many challenges faced by SIDS. These issues will be raised at the Conference in Samoa, which is expected to provide an opportunity for increased attention to the concerns of Caribbean nations. “More importantly, the opportunity will be presented to advocate
for more concrete actions to be taken in relation to these states,” Nicholson said, adding that due to the small size and geographic location of a number of SIDS, including Jamaica, these countries face severe developmental challenges characterised by an increased vulnerability to the effects of external economic and other global shocks, susceptibility to natural disasters as well as the effects of climate change. The year 2014 has been declared the International Year for Small Island Developing States and as such, increased focus will be placed on
addressing their vulnerabilities and challenges. Among the measures to be addressed are: ways to build resilience to natural disasters and adaptation to climate change; ways to bolster the countries’ small and open economies through equitable trading arrangements and a strategic approach to trade in services; ways to build on issues of critical relevance to SIDS – energy, education, and health; and ways to place on the international agenda the problems faced by SIDS in accessing financing for developmental purposes.
Man from Dominican Republic who lives in New Jersey wins $338million Powerball lottery A
New Jersey convenience store owner has stepped forward to claim the winning ticket in the $338 million Powerball lottery, several media reported on Monday. Pedro Quezada, 44, walked into a Passaic, New Jersey, liquor store where the winning ticket was sold and handed a ticket over to be validated late Monday afternoon, The Bergen Record newspaper reported. The owner of the store scanned Quezada’s ticket and a message of “Jackpot!” appeared, NBC 4 New York reported. “I’m very happy,” Quezada, who is originally from the Dominican Republic, told reporters in Spanish. He said he is a father of five. Earlier on Monday, the New Jersey Lottery said the winning ticket had been validated at the New Jersey store but said it didn’t know the winner’s name. The winning ticket could be claimed as a lump sum payment of $211 million. Lottery officials said the $338 million pot was the fourth largest in Powerball history. The winning ticket was sold on
Powerball winner owes thousands in child support Saturday at Passaic’s Eagle Liquor store. Manager Ram Yadav said the store sells a half dozen or so winners each year and last year had a $159,000 winner. “The neighborhood says this store is a lucky store all the time,” Yadav said. “I feel good that I made
somebody lucky.” Eagle Liquor gets $10,000 as the seller of the winning ticket. Passaic is struggling economically. Nearly one in three of its nearly 70,000 residents lives in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The record jackpot for Power-
ball nationally was $587.5 million in 2012, lottery officials said. Meantime, Quezada is wanted on charges of unpaid child support, according to the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office. An arrest warrant was issued for Pedro Quezada in 2009, the sheriff’s office said. He has five children ages 5-23 and owes a total of $29,000 in back child support, spokesman William Maer said. It is not clear which children the payments are for. Quezada’s son, Casiano, said his father has hired an attorney and is “working through it.” A child support warrant usually results in payment, an installment plan or arrest, Maer said. He declined to comment on the Quezada case because the investigation is ongoing. Every person who wins more than $600 in the New Jersey Lottery is checked for outstanding taxes, liens, child support payments and the like, lottery spokeswoman Judith Drucker said. The funds owed are deducted from the winner’s final payment, she said.