MINISTER of Education Ronald Jones is urging parents to step up to the plate to confront the menace the cellular phone fever is posing to their children.And he says by the end of the term, every single parent will receive a brochure outlining the rules on cellphones in schools.Delivering the keynote address at a graduation for theological students and a thanksgiving service for benefactors of Codrington College yesterday, Jones said he was concerned that over half a billion dollars was pumped into education annually only to be frittered away “by persons who can’t settle down in any classroom”.Before an audience that included Archbishop John Holder, former bishop Rufus Broome and ex-Cabinet minister Sir Frederick Smith, Jones said parents needed to understand the uncontrolled use of cellphones could have on primary and secondary schoolchildren.“We can’t have our young people caught up in all kinds of behaviours that are not good for them as individuals. They are using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to transfer images that they don’t understand and when they come across an image, it just spreads like fire on dry grass.“I love the use of technology, but I am an adult and I know how to take the decision as to what flows into my being, but many of our young people, six, seven, eight years-old, have not reached that maturity to be facing the barrage of what they have to face,” he said.The outspoken minister said he had an unequivocal position on the use of cellphones within schools and would not retreat.“I keep telling people I am not a politician, I am a community worker. Sometimes we make measurements as ‘if I do this, I am not going to get that vote’.“Let me say I don’t worry about the vote, because if I worry about the vote, then I slip, the country slips and all of us are destroyed. Somebody has to step to the plate and say enough is enough. “I have been challenged to work with young people as Minister of Education and therefore I don’t apologise.“The phones are yours, keep them at home. Do not bring them into the school,” he said.Jones told budding priests and their relatives the modern-day technology and its spin-offs presented a far different challenge to yesteryear. “It isn’t the black-and-white television with everyone sitting around it anymore. It is every child with a cellphone with technologies that are way beyond what the black-and-white TV had,” he said. The minister said the major reason for attending school was to learn values and be enriched in education rather than “having a cellphone for cheating in an exam, to provide pornography or all manner of negatives”.
• mikeking@ nationnews.com
Jones: Step up, parents
Google to sell Nexus One offline, close Web store
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google Inc. will close an online store that it set up to sell its Nexus One phone and rely on traditional retailers instead.The shift announced Friday ends Google’s attempt to develop a new sales model for the mobile industry. Google had hoped to shake things up by establishing its online store as the only place to buy the Nexus One, which the company hailed as a “super” phone when it debuted amid fanfare in January.But consumers didn’t embrace the idea of buying a phone without any hands-on experience.“As with every innovation, some parts worked better than others,” Andy Rubin, a Google executive overseeing the Nexus One, wrote in a Friday blog post.Rubin said Google will stop selling the Nexus One in its Web store as soon as it lines up other U.S. retailers to carry the device.Google hasn’t disclosed how many Nexus One units it has sold so far.Nexus One is just one of many different smart phones that rely on Google’s free Android operating system.The alternatives also are proving to be an obstacle for the Nexus One. Two major carriers, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp., recently decided not to support the Nexus One because they prefer other Android-powered phones.
Browne: It’s up to govt
RESTORING CONFIDENCE in the market after the CLICO crash was Trinidad and Tobago’s key action and responsibility.And while not seeking to offer Barbados a prescription for how to handle the controversial CLICO International Life Insurance Company, Trinidad’s junior finance minister Mariano Browne said where there was no market-based solution, it is incumbent on the state to step in.“What we have sought to do is to return confidence to the market by indicating that [government] will guarantee the survival of the insurance company,” said Browne, a former Butterfield Bank (Barbados) managing director who was asked to serve in the Patrick Manning Cabinet two years ago.“As you are aware, CLICO is not just a financial entity. It is very much a conglomerate with a number of financial interests and those interests were financed by policyholders’ funds. So it acted very much like a bank, effectively, in real terms but without many of the controls of a bank, so we in Trinidad and Tobago had to act in a fashion that is wide-ranging,” he told BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY in an interview in Port-of-Spain last week.“We had a diverse approach to what is a multifaceted and difficult problem and we have operated to give confidence to the marketplace to ensure that depositors are protected in all instances,” Browne pointed out.The junior finance minister said there were precedents for how to deal with insurance companies that ran into difficulty.According to Browne, the parts of the insurance company that were “salvageable” should be taken over by the marketplace.“Where there is a market-based opportunity, use the marketplace. Where there is none, then the role will have to be taken by the state. The state will have to make a determination . . . . I am not in a position to give Barbados advice on what it should do but to point out that there is [a] precedent elsewhere, and the precedent in the Caribbean would be Jamaica.“They had a significant financial collapse involving insurance companies and non-bank financial intermediaries in the 1980s and 1990s and they had to take some decisions and work out some solutions. The relevant example would be Sagicor, which grew substantially by purchasing many of the insurance companies that got into difficulty,” he noted.After pumping more than TT$5 billion (BDS$1.5 billion) into the CL Financial group, the ultimate parent company of CLICO Holdings Barbados Limited, Browne said going forward, financial sector regulation in Trinidad would be more “robust”. He said a number of pieces of legislation governing the financial sector would be heading to parliament in the next session.
Consulting firm: Exciting times ahead
While the regulatory fallout for international business jurisdictions has been viewed with trepidation by some since the global financial crisis, one international financial consultant thinks Barbados is in a good position to profit from coming changes.Jérôme de Lavenère Lussan, founder and chief executive officer of the London-based Laven Partners consulting firm, is of the opinion that there are “exciting opportunities” ahead for this island as businesses look to move away from jurisdictions that have not been as “cautious” as Barbados has been in terms of the types of businesses it licenses and regulates.As he addressed the April monthly luncheon of the Barbados International Business Association (BIBA) recently, Lussan said that Barbados’ immediate positioning on the top tier of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development “white list” of tax- transparent jurisdictions was “phenomenal” in helping firms like his promote Barbados to international investors.He added that Barbados needed to use the momentum gained from that to go “one step further” and enthusiastically market the island, especially in the area of fund management, because it had the potential to be “the Luxembourg of the Caribbean”.Lussan told BIBA members at the Savannah Hotel in Hastings, Christ Church, that despite Barbados’ being a well-regulated, well-respected jurisdiction, it was not as well known for its financial industry among international investors as the Cayman Islands or the British Virgin Islands. Lussan raised the concern that Barbados’ lack of membership in the international Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was harming its chances as a jurisdiction of first choice. Although Barbados is a member of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, Lussan noted that some international institutions were prohibited for compliance reasons from conducting business in countries that were not FATF members. (PR)
FIREARM CHECKS
THOROUGH BACKGROUND CHECKS are a must before you can possibly get a firearm licence. Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin stressed this point yesterday as he responded to critics of the time it has been taking for licensed firearm applications to be processed.“As was said by a member of staff, issuing firearm licences is not issuing for the importation or sale of bread. These are implements or weapons that are lethal,” the police chief told the SUNDAY SUN. “And so I think that you have to be certain about whatever measures that are put in place, and that they don’t put the society at risk.”Dottin’s comments followed recent charges by local gun dealers that the slow process by police was seriously affecting their businesses.But the top cop said:” [Processing applications] is going to take some time, given the increase in the number of applications, given the background checks that have to be carried out, just to make certain that firearms don’t fall into the hands of undesirable persons.“So I think that is a small price to pay for our security in this country.”Noting there was a significant increase in applications for firearms over the past years, Dottin said the approval rate had been “veritably stable”.“In 2008 we processed 157 applications; in 2009 we processed 204. In 2008, 94 applications were refused, 57 approved; and we granted 27 changes of [firearm] calibre. In 2009, 41 applications were refused and 64 approved; and [there were] 71 changes of [firearm] calibre.”Dottin also said that a number of the applications made for firearm licences were in most cases status quo requests.“I think that by far and away the majority of the applications we get are [from] people [drawing] attention to their personal property. Also it’s about the type of job they hold. There are some people who feel that because they are law-abiding citizens, that gives them an entitlement to have a firearm,” he said. The police chief also spoke specifically about a concern to firearm dealers.“We have had a recent audit of all firearm dealers and there are some findings that have caused me some concern; and I am going to be having a meeting with firearm dealers to bring some observations to their attention.“Such that we can improve some of the practices and standards that we feel are required for the functioning of firearm dealers. We certainly would also be having those discussions with shooting clubs,” he said.Dottin also disclosed that countries that exported firearms and ammunition to Barbados were also concerned about the significant quantities of ammunition being used locally.
T20 FINALE
by HAYDN GILLFOR THE second time in three years, the eyes and ears of the cricket world will be on Barbados and Kensington Oval.A packed ground of 14 000 and a global television audience of more than one million viewers will turn their attention to the finals of the ICC World Twenty20 today.A short, snappy tournament packed with drama, intrigue and excitement on the field and filled with entertainment, energy and enthusiasm beyond the boundary will climax with decisive matches in the men’s and women’s competitions.After 40 games spread over 16 days at four venues, there was a huge sense of anticipation yesterday in the build-up to the day of decision.The men’s final, which bowls off at 11:30 a.m., is a showdown between awesome Australia and title-starved England in a match where no one will dare call a winner because of the unpredictable nature of the shortest form of the game.At 4 p.m., the women’s final will be a battle between Trans Tasman rivals Australia and New Zealand.While Kensington, which was also the venue for the World Cup final three years ago, was going through its final preparations, those involved in the action were waiting for the moment.Paul Collingwood is leading an England side which has never won a global title.“This is literally the ultimate. You’ve got through to a World final, you’re playing against the old enemy Australia. It doesn’t get much better than this,” he said.England were losing finalists in the 1979, 1987 and 1992 World Cup finals and the 2004 Champions Trophy. Victory here will mean the world to their many supporters.In contrast, Australia have an outstanding record – having won the last three World Cups and two Champions trophies. The only missing piece of the puzzle for Michael Clarke’s team is a World Twenty20 title.“It would be fantastic [if we won]. We came here to try and win. We haven’t won it before. We’d be much happier leaving Barbados with that one last trophy,” Clarke said.
Obama rooting for LeBron
WASHINGTON, DC – Include President Obama as another Chicago Bulls fan rooting for LeBron James to move to Chicago, Illinois.
“He doesn’t want to tamper,” senior adviser to the president – and former Bulls season-ticket holder – David Axelrod said.
“But as a Chicago fan, the president thinks LeBron would look great in a Bulls uniform.”
James, whose Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated from the play-offs pn Thursday by the Boston Celtics, becomes a free agent on July 1.
Many believe he could be headed to the Bulls.
The president, a former United States senator from Illinois and state senator from Chicago, has never shied away from his sporting roots.
He frequently wears his Chicago White Sox cap; has attended a Washington Wizards victory over the Bulls last season; and also hosted the Bulls on a tour of the White House. (AP)
Jackson fires first Lakers salvo
EL SEGUNDO, California – When the Los Angeles Lakers clinched a berth in the Western Conference finals on Monday, Lakers coach Phil Jackson had nothing but praise for his team’s upcoming opponents, the Phoenix Suns, saying that the Suns are playing their best basketball of the season.
On Friday, Jackson retreated from praise and started posturing when asked if it was difficult to simulate the Suns and their star point guard Steve Nash in practice during the long lay-off before Game 1.
“Yeah, because you can’t carry the ball like he does in practice,” Jackson said, smiling as he moved his arm and turned over his palm, the symbol for an illegal carry in the unofficial sign language of basketball.
“You can’t pick that ball up and run with it.”
The 36-year-old Nash is averaging 17.8 points and 9.0 assists per game in the post-season after averaging 13.8 points and 9.0 assists in four regular-season games against LA.
Jackson called Nash the Suns’ “provocateur” in their offence and said the point guard was an equal threat as both a scorer and a distributor, so the Lakers’ defence would have to “balance out,” stopping both aspects of the 14-year veteran’s game.
“He’s a great passer, great penetrator and he’s a great shooter,” Kobe Bryant said.
“You put those things all in one player and now you’re in a situation where you have to pick your poison. They surrounded him with great shooters and finishers to make things very challenging.” (AP)
Cavs shake-up looming
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland Cavaliers are keeping coach Mike Brown – for now.
Team owner Dan Gilbert refuted a report on Friday that Brown had been fired.
“That’s not true,” he said during a news conference. “We are right now just going through the evaluation process.”
He said the team expected to have answers in the next week to ten days.
“I don’t think it’s a secret coaching is one of the things we’ll look at,” Gilbert said.
Brown was the league’s Coach Of The Year last season when the Cavs won 66 games.
Cleveland lost to Orlando in the conference finals, however, and it was assumed Brown would have to get the team closer to a championship to keep his job.
Instead, the Cavs regressed.
They were badly outplayed by the Celtics, who won the last two games played in Cleveland by a combined 50 points. But Gilbert insisted the team didn’t quit against Boston.
“It’s one of those things that you can’t believe it after it’s happened,” Gilbert said. “I feel bad for the fans more than anybody.”
The loss opened up the possibility of a major shakeup as two-time MVP LeBron James prepares for free agency.The LeBron watch began at 10:53 p.m. on Thursday, when Rondo dribbled out the last 14 seconds and the Celtics began celebrating their 4-2 victory in the best-of-seven series.
James is eligible to opt out of his contract this summer, a move that would make the two-time MVP – and zero-time NBA champion – a free agent and set off a scramble for his services from New York to Miami to Los Angeles and, of course, back in Cleveland.
“Of course, we fully believe that, sweepstakes, in the running, whatever, I think this is the best franchise for him to play at,” Gilbert said. (AP)
Aussie teen youngest to sail world
SYDNEY – An Australian teen completed her around-the-world trek yesterday, becoming the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world after a seven-month journey.
Thousands cheered as 16-year-old Jessica Watson manoeuvred her pink 34-foot yacht into Sydney Harbour, the finale to an adventure in which she overcame 40-foot waves, homesickness and critics who said she’d never make it home alive.
“She said she’d sail around the world and she has,” a tearful Julie Watson said as she watched her grinning daughter cruise past the finish line from a nearby boat. “She’s home.”
Jessica Watson was set to touch land for the first time in 210 days when she docked at the Opera House, where she was greeted by her parents, whose decision to let their daughter attempt such a feat was highly criticised.
“I don’t think any of us would ever doubt Jessica Watson again,” said New South Wales state Premier Kristina Keneally, who was waiting at the Opera House to welcome the teen.
“I’m completely overwhelmed. I just don’t know what to think and what to say at the moment,” Watson said, her voice trembling, in an interview broadcast live on a screen outside the Opera House.
“It’s all a bit much but absolutely amazing.”
Watson, from Buderim, north of Brisbane in Queensland state, sailed out of Sydney on October 18. She travelled northeast through the South Pacific and across the equator, south to Cape Horn at the tip of South America, across the Atlantic Ocean to South Africa, through the Indian Ocean and around southern Australia.
Australian Jesse Martin holds the current record for the youngest person to sail around the world solo, nonstop and unassisted, after he completed the journey in 1999 at the age of 18.
He boarded Watson’s boat and took over as she cruised toward the Opera House, so she could relax and wave to the fans – many wearing pink clothes and waving pink flags in honour of her pink yacht.
Watson’s feat, however, will not be considered an official world record, because the World Speed Sailing Record Council discontinued its “youngest” category. (AP)