Snail danger!!!

We really must watch what we eat and I say this not only for the obvious health reasons, but also to prevent fatalities from happening.

Take for instance the workshop organised by the Ministry of Agriculture here in Antigua in collaboration with UNAIDS and the University of the West Indies. The workshop wants to increase awareness about the Giant African Land Snail, that was sighted in the Jolly Beach/Bolans areas in March of 2008.

The workshop drew numerous participants from the private, business and government sectors to help spread the word why the Giant African snail is not to be trifled with. Minister of State responsible for Agriculture Senator Joanne Massiah called on the relevant agencies to educate students especially those in primaries schools about the danger this snail poses to humans.

To the untrained eye, it looks like any other harmless slug, but according to the experts be very cautious and Do NOT HANDLE with your bare hands!

It feeds on anything ... vegetation, animal excretions and its own dead! It decimates agriculture affecting a country's economy and not only that, humans can contract meningitis(deadly infection which can kill in a few hours).

Dark in colour and growing to huge proportions this is not dinner nor a delicacy to be enjoyed by my Creole or French friends! Any sightings should be reported to the nearest plant protection agency.
www.wvagriculture.org

And to my beloved friends who love smuggling plant cuttings/fruits for the fun of it, or because they look pleasing to the eye ... STOP!! ... as hidden pests and diseases often lurk and cannot be seen by the naked eye. By bringing in these problems you introduce a threat to the local flora which incidentally will not have any known controls for the new invader.

So do the right thing and use the proper channels to import a plant or better still just take a photograph.

Stanford 20/20 cricket for $20m

I will always uphold the peoples right to free speech, but sometimes certain individuals should think before they utter a word!

Take for instance the negative comments from certain individuals about why the Stanford 20/20 for $20 million should be included in the country's independence celebrations!!

Not only has Sir Allen Stanford revived interest among the Caribbean islands through his cricket tournament, but it has also enabled talent that would not have come to the fore thru the West Indies Cricket team be actively pursued!

But say we forget that particular aspect, what about the business it generates with people coming into Antigua spending their money on taxis, accommodation, restaurants and souvenirs! With Big brother America coming to grips with economic recession shouldn't we be thankful that the country is getting some hard foreign exchange that will eventually help government improve the services they continually cry need to be improved?

Some may argue that it is not much , but in my book every little in these times of rising costs helps.

So instead of crying foul especially whenever the Stanford name is mentioned, think about how you can also cash in!

Insightful HIV workshop

I was recently in Barbados for a Live Up the show programming (iliveup.com) workshop for journalists, organised by the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/Aids & the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Usually when you attend such functions you can't wait to finish for the day, but this one held from the 27-28th of October was quite exceptional.

The format was very interactive and allowed media practitioners from Antigua (yours truly), Belize, British Virgin islands, Cayman islands, Turks and Caicos,St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Tobago, Trinidad and not least Nevis to learn from each country's experiences.

Much kudos to the organisers and various speakers who gave of their time and experiences about the need to educate our audiences of the importance of protecting against HIV infection.

My memories will forever be enriched by the brave HIV+ persons who came to speak to us about how as journalists we should look beyond the story and meeting deadlines. The negative images in the past of HIV infected persons have played a part in fostering stigma and discrimination, but nowadays the message should be of love, protection and respect!

Remember it is a chronic illness and if you reject someone because of your misinformation, you may just find yourself in the same place if we don't change our sexual habits.

Get tested today.

College Students in windfalll

The Antigua and Barbuda government in line with its people first policy has rolled out another initiative that will benefit atleast 200 students at the Antigua State College.

In collaboration with Cable and Wireless under the Connect Antigua Initiative, which seeks to make the country's citizens technologically savvy, second year students in the business and A level faculties will be provided with an hp laptop. Apart from this, the mobile company has also pledged to connect each student's home with free internet service for at least one year.

Each student will be required to make a down payment of EC$350, which will be reimbursed if the laptop is returned in good condition.

Makes you want to go back to college and get on the band wagon doesn't it?

Congratulations to the government and Cable & Wireless for investing in our youth. We pray that the students will put the laptops and internet service to good use so that that programme can be extended to other students at the college.

Reprive!!!

The last time I was complaining of the restrictions concerning coverage of Antigua & Barbuda's Romantic Rhythms festival, but fortunately for the media some of these have been lifted.

Knowing how some unscrupulous individuals will use footage from the event for monetary gain, the festival's committee and artists management are trying to safeguard their product from being exploited.

So far media personnel will now be able to record audio, video footage and photos of the artists for the first 10 minutes of two songs. This is far much better than the proposed deal where no audio or video was to be entertained.

Also on the plus side, we will now be able to interview the artists for 10 minutes after each show, though in the case of Country & Western musician Kenny Rogers, this will be one hour before he goes on stage on Saturday the 14th of June.

So be cool you will certainly get the scoop on the artists from Antigua & Barbuda's Romantic Rhythms music festival.

Romance is in the Air!!!

Yes Halleluia!!

Antigua & Barbuda's first International music festival dubbed "Romatic Rhythms" seems to be getting off to a fantastic start as local, regional and international media converged on the venue, Sir Vivian Cricket stadium. The journalists will be bringing you the highlights of the festival which runs from the 13th of June to the 15th.

Briefing the media today, the country's Tourism Minister Harold Lovell says while several international artists who include Lionel Richie and Keyshia Cole will perform during the three days, local musicians are also part of the mix. He says the music festival is being used as an avenue to promote economic growth, and it's also a way to showcase local talent and improve production skills in sound, stage and artist management.

Apart from the famous Burning Flames, Claudette C. P. Peters and the Taxic Band, Tizzy Sebastain and the El A Kru band, other local notables taking part are Calypso icons King Short Shirt, and the Mighty Swallow. Several steel pan performances by the Gemonites, Hellsgate and Harmonites steel bands will be part of the festival's mixing pot.

See u where there's Romance in the Air!!

Music Festivals Stipulations

With just a day to go before the start of the first International Music festival in Antigua and Barbuda, the local media is in an uproar about the tight coverage restrictions.

According to the Romantic Rhythms Festival media committee it will not be business as usual for still photographers, radio stations and local TV stations.

Taking of photos is restricted to a particular time, which will be clarified I hope by Thursday before the event takes off on Friday at 7 p.m at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium. Video and audio recording is totally banned for the international artists who include Lionel Richie, Kenny Rodgers, Keisha Cole, Damian Marley, Musique Soulchild, Heather Headley, Shaggy and Maxi Priest.

So far we don't expect to have so much tying of the hands from the local artists who include the famous Burning flames, Tizzy Tanzania Sebastian, and Claudette C. P. Peters.

Hope the issues are clarified soon as spectators entering the venue are expected to leave their cell phones at home, in case the performances are posted on Google videos or God forbid YouTube.