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UNITED KINGDOM 2005 GENERAL ELECTIONS
United Kingdom: General Election 2005 Results
The
Queen's speech at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Uganda
23 November 2007
President Museveni, Prime Minister Gonzi, Secretary-General, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for your kind words of welcome. I am delighted to be joining you here in Kampala and to see for myself a Commonwealth in such good health. This is the last such occasion to profit from the leadership of Don McKinnon as Commonwealth Secretary-General. He has brought energy and passion to the stewardship of the Commonwealth through the first years of a new century. His determination to preserve and promote the relevance of the Commonwealth in the service of its two billion people has been truly outstanding. Secretary-General, we owe you a very substantial debt and will miss you greatly.
When I first addressed a meeting of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth thirty years ago, Papua New Guinea and the Seychelles were welcomed as its 32nd and 33rd members. Since then, our association has continued to attract new members while addressing the great preoccupations and concerns of our times.
Uganda's rich history is longer. Humankind has been present here as far back as our archaeology and history will allow us to go. And just as the people and ideas that originated in this part of Africa spread out to other parts of the globe, so too the wider world has come to touch the lives of Ugandans. This week, it comes here to Kampala in the form of the Commonwealth.
The theme chosen for this CHOGM,
'Transforming Societies', conveys a clear commitment to change for the better.
No single society has achieved perfection, and there is no single recipe for
success. No-one could expect that. But we do know that giving people
the greatest possible voice in the way they are governed, and the greatest
possible access to education, are two of the most important ingredients.
Our Commonwealth theme over the whole of this year is 'Respecting Difference,
Promoting Understanding'. Recognising that each one of us is made up of
layer upon layer of identity and that each of our unique personalities has ties
to culture, religion, community, country and beyond, is the essence of open and
tolerant communities. I hope that, in your discussion about transforming
societies, you will consider this abiding principle: that we should treat those
around us as we would wish to be treated ourselves.
That is the case for governments, as for communities, as for us all individually. Moreover, the importance we all attach to dialogue; to hearing the voices of governments but also many of the other voices in society; to respect for fundamental human rights. These qualities still place the Commonwealth in a strong position to lead.
I am especially pleased that, this year, fresh attention is being turned to young people, who make up nearly half of the Commonwealth's population. The conclusions drawn from the Youth Forum earlier this week show an almost limitless optimism and enthusiasm. This is an energy that should be tapped more fully. Young people can and should play a part in the many global challenges that cannot be resolved by older generations alone, whether in the Commonwealth as a whole or in each of its member countries.
Brown appoints new Cabinet team
Cabinet at a glance
The
Sir Vivian Richards Information and Facts 
><>
Terror
threat 'critical' as Glasgow attacked
Why
some jihadi militants can be keen to get their retaliation in first
Terror
fugitives sought after London attacks
How
did car bombers slip through the net?
Leader:
Our democracy is the best defence against terrorism
Hassan
Butt: My plea to fellow Muslims: you must renounce terror
Blair
launches stinging attack on 'absurd' British Islamists
'There
was a man on fire. It was terrifying'
A
wisp of smoke - and lethal device was spotted
Bomb
alerts and travel chaos fail to deter West End revellers
Favoured
tool of Iraqi insurgents, Kashmir separatists - and al-Qaida
New
home secretary thrust into centre of the storm
People across the UK who have made a difference to society or helped out in difficult situations have been recognised in this year's New Year's Honours list.
It pays tribute to "outstanding achievement and service right across the community and the nation as a whole", the PM's official spokesperson said. The list is based on recommendations made the Prime Minister.
Hurricane
KATRINA News and Bulletins
In
pictures: Hurricane Katrina
Ashes schedule BBC Ashes coverage
Cricket-Jones hopeful of making Ashes showdown Cricket-Lee relishing Flintoff contest Cricket-England will attack at The Oval vows Fletcher Cricket-England's unlikely heroes happy to be centre stage Cricket-Ponting demands improvement as Ashes begin to slip away Cricket-Injured McGrath doubtful for Ashes finale Cricket-Time to axe Hayden among bold moves to keep Ashes: Aussie press Cricket-England wait on Jones fitness
Man
shot was innocent Brazilian
· Met regrets London shooting 'tragedy'
· New armed raid in hunt for bombers
Two
bomb plots 'linked'
Fear
of faith-hate reprisals
Comment:
Andrew Rawnsley
Leader:
Safer if we know the truth
Special
report: attack on London
Panic
as London is hit again
· 3 tube stations and bus hit
· Police: attacks intended to kill
· Armed police enter hospital
Experts
examine rucksack on bus
Armed
police search hospital
Audio:
Patrick Barkham in Shoreditch
Comment:
Mark Tran
Map: where
the attacks happened
In pictures:
London explosions
Special
report: attack on London
Blair:
situation 'back under control'
PM meets intelligence & police chiefs.
Met
chief: 'Very serious incident'
TV
switches to rolling news
Eyewitness
reports
Events
at a glance
Analysis:
Richard Norton-Taylor
Were
you caught up in the incidents?
LATEST BREAKING NEWS
Egyptians
arrest 70 after bombings
Free
books mark new literacy drive
Bombs
may have killed many Britons
Beckham
and Blair hail Foundation
Clarke
not home for terror crisis
Red
Cross launches Niger aid effort
'No
reason to suspect Brazilian'
Tube
killing: Brazil seeks answers
'More
could be shot' - Met chief
Huge
response to police appeal
Messages
of defiance posted on web
Schools
should fly Union Flag - Fox
Tube
blasts spark new London panic
Intention
'must have been to kill'
Hospital rooms sealed off by police
More on the London bombings
Police
swoop on capital's estates as hunt intensifies
· Two held as armed officers move in
· Detectives seek link with African cell
Expose
truth, says leader of 9/11 inquiry
In pictures:
CCTV footage of suspects
Comment:
David Rose
Terror
fears scare off tourists
Despite pleas for business as usual, London hotels and shops suffer fall in
trade.
How
the world clamped down on the threat of more violence
Brits
hit abroad get less cash
Comment:
Mary Riddell
How
migrants and militants are linked
Second generation of Islamic terrorists feel displaced away from 'homelands'.
Inside
the mind of a suicide bomber
Comment:
Abdul-Rehman Malik
Comment:
Shahid Malik
Special
report: Attack on London
Clarke
widens terror net
· Index of militants may lead to UK bans and deportations
· Plea bargain plan for jailed terrorists to turn informers
Pakistan
questions Briton on 'key role' in bombings
Case
for and against leading Muslims
Special
report: terrorism threat to UK
In
the line of duty
When London was attacked, emergency services had to turn a complex plan into
immediate action. Oliver Burkeman reports.
Doctors
to pay tribute to bus bomb victims
There
are apologists amongst us
Comment: The 'We told you so' lot have been bleating on about Iraq ever
since the atrocities of 7/7, writes Norman Geras.
More
comment and analysis
Dynamic
people who left an impression on all they met
Tributes: Anat Rosenberg and Anthony Fatayi-Williams.
More tributes
Special report: Attack on London
Brazil
Doesn't Believe in British Cover-Up photo
LONDON (AP) - Brazil's ambassador said Tuesday he has no reason to believe at
this point that British police tried to cover-up the circumstances of the
fatal police shooting of a Brazilian mistaken for a terrorist in London's
subway. The...
London
Police Deflect Criticism of Slaying photo
LONDON (AP) - London's police chief said he wants to ensure Britain's
anti-terror investigators are not affected by criticism about the killing of
an innocent man, telling a Sunday newspaper their most important task is to
prevent further...
Official:
No Link Found in London Blasts photo
LONDON (AP) - Investigators have yet to find evidence that last month's
bombings against London's transit system were linked to each other or
connected to an international terrorist network, Britain's top security
official said Tuesday. However,...
Britain
Crackdown Raises Rights Concerns photo
LONDON - (AP) - Secret trials. Curbing free speech. Three months in jail
without charge. British authorities have hesitated to crack down in the past,
largely because of human rights concerns and court actions that allowed
radical Islamic...
London
Bombing Suspects Formally Charged photo
LONDON (AP) - Three suspects in the failed July 21 London bombings were
formally charged Monday with attempted murder, as a British citizen wanted in
the United States for allegedly trying to set up a terrorist training camp
said he would fight...
Radical
Muslim Cleric Said to Exit Britain photo
LONDON (AP) - A fundamentalist Muslim cleric facing possible treason charges
in Britain has left the country, British media reported Monday. Sheik Omar
Bakri, founder and spiritual leader of the radical Islamic group al-Muhajiroun,
has been...
Former
British Foreign Secretary Cook Dies photo
LONDON (AP) - Former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who quit Prime
Minister Tony Blair's Cabinet in 2003 to protest the Iraq war, died Saturday
after collapsing on a Scottish mountain while walking with his wife. He was
59. Scotland's...
U.K.
Institutes New Deportation Measures photo
LONDON (AP) - Prime Minister Tony Blair proposed strict anti-terror measures
Friday that would allow Britain to expel foreigners who preach hatred, close
extremist mosques and bar entry to Muslim radicals. "The rules of the
game are changing"...
First
Suspect in July 21 Bombings Charged photo
LONDON (AP) - British police filed their first charges in the London terror
investigations Wednesday, accusing a 23-year-old man of withholding
information about the July 21 transit bombers. Police say that in the week
after the attack, Ismael...
Imams
Facing More Scrutiny in Europe
PARIS (AP) - Since the deadly terror bombings in London, Italian authorities
have deported eight extremist Muslim prayer leaders for not holding the proper
residency papers. France has expelled two imams and plans to ship home another
eight. And...
Two
Subway Sections Reopened in London photo
LONDON (AP) - London Underground operators on Tuesday reopened sections of two
subway lines that had been closed since the deadly July 7 bombings, while
police maintained a high-profile security operation throughout the network.
Officers
London
Police Nab 7 More in Failed Blasts photo
LONDON (AP) - Police arrested seven people Sunday during a raid on an
apartment in southern England, bringing to 21 the number in custody in the
relentless hunt for accomplices in the failed July 21 transit bombings.
Investigators determined to.....
Man
Admits Role in Failed London Attack photo
ROME (AP) - A suspect in the failed London transit bombings admitted Saturday
to a role in the attack but said it was only intended to be an
attention-grabbing strike, not a deadly one, a legal expert familiar with the
investigation said. Osman...
London
Police Question Bombings Suspects photo
LONDON (AP) - Police interrogated suspects Saturday in the botched transit
attacks and sought the extradition of another alleged bomber from Italy. As
they hunted for accomplices possibly still at large, authorities warned
Londoners not to let...
Last
Suspects in Failed Bombings Nabbed photo
LONDON (AP) - Police swooped down on a posh London neighborhood and traced
cellphone calls across Europe to a Rome hide-out Friday, netting the remaining
suspects in the failed transit bombings without firing a shot. The arrests
capped an...
9
More Arrested in Botched London Attacks photo
LONDON (AP) - Anti-terrorist officers arrested nine men in raids early
Thursday in connection with the botched July 21 attacks on London's transit
system, bringing to 20 the number of people police have in custody, including
one of the alleged
A
Fifth Man in U.K. Blasts May Be at Large photo
LONDON (AP) - British police Monday identified two of four men believed
responsible for last week's botched transit bombings and said an explosive
found in a park was like those used in the attempted attacks, raising fears a
fifth bomber was on...
Brazil
Demands Explanation of U.K. Death photo
SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Brazil's government demanded an explanation Saturday
for the fatal police shooting of Brazilian citizen on a London subway car.
London police initially said the man chased down and shot to death by
plainclothes officers...
Man
Killed in Subway Not Linked to Blasts photo
LONDON (AP) - Police identified the man who was chased down in a subway and
shot to death by plainclothes officers as a Brazilian and said Saturday they
no longer believed he was tied to the recent terror bombings. Friday's
shooting before...
British
Police Kill Man in Dramatic Hunt photo
LONDON (AP) - Undercover police shot and killed a man Friday in front of
stunned subway passengers and arrested another while snipers and bomb squads
fanned out in a dramatic hunt for the culprits behind London's latest terror
attacks. Using...
Two
Arrested in London Subway, Bus Blasts photo
LONDON (AP) - Police in London have arrested two men in connection with four
attacks on three subway trains and a double-decker bus on Thursday, a scene
hauntingly similar to deadly explosions set off by four suicide bombers
exactly two weeks...
Officials
Pursue Clues to London Bombings photo
LONDON (AP) - A Pakistani official said Monday that three of the four
suspected London suicide bombers traveled to the southern city of Karachi last
year, and investigators searched for clues in the northern British town of
Leeds, where some of...
Pakistan
Probes Ties to London Bombings
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Intelligence agents swooped down on a religious
school suspected of links to one of the London suicide bombers, questioning
students, teachers and administrators about the alleged attacker, school and
intelligence...
Egyptian
Biochemist Jailed in U.K. Attacks photo
LEEDS, England (AP) - Police in Cairo detained a biochemist who studied in the
United States and taught at a university in Leeds - the home base for at least
three of the London bombers. Investigators in Britain raided an Islamic book
shop and...
Muslim
Scholars Condemn London Attack photo
LONDON (AP) - Muslim leaders and scholars condemned the London bombings Friday
but stopped short of criticizing all suicide attacks, with some of them saying
those targeting occupying forces are sometimes justified. The 22 imams and
scholars...
London
Identifies Four Suicide Bombers
LONDON (AP) - Police believe they have identified all four suicide bombers who
carried out the deadly attacks on London subway trains and a bus last week,
the city's police chief said Thursday. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian
Blair told the...
Britons
Fall Silent to Honor Victims
LONDON (AP) - Office workers wordlessly filled the streets, construction
workers removed their hard hats and London's famous black cabs pulled to the
side of the road as Britain silently paid tribute to the victims of four
terrorist bombs that...
Hurricane
Emily Tears Through Grenada photo
ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada (AP) - Hurricane Emily pounded Grenada Thursday, tearing
the roofs off hospitals and other buildings, destroying crops and causing
widespread flooding. The storm, which strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane
as it moved...
British
Examine Material Seized From Homes photo
LEEDS, England (AP) - Police hunting for clues Wednesday in the investigation
of the London suicide bombings examined material seized from homes in Muslim
neighborhoods where three of the four suspects lived. The British Broadcasting
Corp.,...
Call
Helped Break London Bombings Case
LONDON (AP) - A phone call from an anguished mother searching for her teenage
son after London's terror attacks gave investigators a key break in the case.
The eventual answer to her query was even worse than she had dreaded - her son
is...
London
Probes Attackers' Deaths in Blasts photo
LEEDS, England (AP) - Police are investigating whether four attackers -
possibly suicide bombers - died in last week's London subway and bus
explosions and have arrested one suspect after a series of raids Tuesday in
Leeds, a northern city with...
London
Terror Bombings Kill 37, Wound 700 photo
LONDON (AP) - Terror struck in the heart of London on Thursday as explosions
ripped through three subway trains and blasted the roof off a crowded red
double-decker bus. At least 37 people were killed and more than 700 wounded in
the deadliest...
London
Attacks Bear al-Qaida Trademarks photo
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - The explosions in London have all the trademarks of al-Qaida:
Attacks on crowded trains and other hard-to-guard public places, an effort to
wreak maximum chaos and timing in concert with a high-profile political event.
The goal...
U.K.
Officials Face Big Task in Bombings photo
LONDON (AP) - British investigators face the daunting task of scrutinizing
hours of closed circuit television footage, sifting through tons of wreckage
and analyzing tiny traces of explosives to find those responsible for
Thursday's deadly...
Blair
Insists Passion for Politics Intact
LONDON (AP) - Wrinkles, receding graying hair and a furrowed brow attest to
the difficulties of Tony Blair's eight years in power. Yet despite a heart
condition, back pain and the ever present rumblings of dissent within his
governing Labour Party,...
Clues
Emerging in London Bomb Blasts photo
LONDON (AP) - Police issued a stunning revision Saturday, shrinking the time
between deadly explosions in the London Underground to just seconds, not 26
minutes as first reported, and saying the blasts were so powerful that none of
the 49 known...
One-day cricket just changed: 12th man now gets to bat, bowl
Cricket-England confirm 2006 Sri Lanka and Pakistan matches
ECB security experts arrive in Pakistan
England crushes Bangladesh, notches second-highest one-day total
Blair
wants ideological task force
Tony Blair says 'task force or network' will be created to tackle extremism
'head on'.
Intelligence
'warned of Iraq link'
£20m
for anti-terror measures
Controversy
over cleric's visit
Pakistan
militants linked to attacks
Poll:
two-thirds believe Iraq war link
In pictures: the
London bombers
Special
report: attack on London
UNITED
KINGDOM UPDATE
Alleged
bomb ring arrested
All five suspected members of a suicide bomb gang under arrest.
How
the day unfolded
Fourth
suspect arrested in Rome
Profiles
of the five men in custody
Leader:
Our will to win
Special
report: attack on London
Freak
wind leaves locals shocked
Clean up begins in Birmingham but sense of disbelief remains.
In pictures:
tornado in Birmingham
Special
report: weather
Error
in law saves parliament protester
Anti-war protester who has maintained a four year vigil outside parliament can
stay.
A
brief cheer but no triumph
Special
report: the anti-war movement
More
on the London bombings
Grief,
anger and questions at funeral of Brazilian
Thousands of Brazilians gathered in Gonzaga for the funeral of Jean Charles de
Menezes, killed by British police last week.
CCTV
film to aid fatal shooting inquiry
Stay
calm, the government says, in a mad panic itself
Proposed new anti-terrorist laws will be counterproductive, says Louise
Christian.
Today's
comment and analysis in full
The
ABC News footage
In pictures: Images of July 7 from US.
CCTV footage of
suspects
The July 21
attacks
Special
report: Attack on London
The
July 7 bombings
Interactive: All the details of the terrorist atrocity that rocked
London.
More interactive guides
Break-up
threat to University of London
Mother's
agony at son's Bulgarian jail plight
Maria Shields breaks down as she considers the plight of her child - locked up
in a Bulgarian prison cell for up to 24 hours a day.
Briton
on terror charge
A British Muslim man being held by police in Zambia has been charged by the
American authorities with being an al-Qaida.
Special
report: terrorism threat to UK
Blair
takes helm of EU with eye on economy
Pope
Tells Journalists to Search for 'Truth'
Pope
Benedict XVI enters the Vatican's Paul VI Hall to meet with hundreds of
journalists and thank them for coverage of the transition.
Royals
attend naval ceremony
The
Duke of York and Prince Michael of Kent have attended the International Drumhead
Ceremony to commemorate the sacrifice of war at sea.
John
Paul II Placed on Path to Sainthood photo
ROME (AP) - The Roman Catholic Church placed Pope John Paul II on the path to
sainthood Tuesday during a joyous ceremony at a Roman basilica - the fastest
start to a beatification process in memory for a man many considered a saint
long before he...
Blair
Challenges His European Foes to Face the Future
The E.U. can emerge from its crisis by embracing new
members and modernizing its economies, Prime Minister Tony Blair said.
Cricket-First blood to England as they humble Australia Inspired England romp to victory
Dennis
Slams Cuba, Approaches Gulf Coast photo
HAVANA (AP) - Hurricane Dennis bore down on the U.S. Gulf Coast on Saturday
after slamming Cuba, sweeping away coastal homes and sending waves crashing over
Havana's seawall. At least 10 people were killed, pushing the Caribbean toll to
20. Strong...
Tube
blasts 'almost simultaneous'
· New al-Qaida group claims attack
· Death toll stands at 49
· Two-minute silence on Thursday
Attention
turns to hunt for bombers
The
rescuer's story
Suspect
packages cause new delays
Bus
passenger's suicide bomb theory
Newsblog:
what the papers say
Special
report: Attack on London
Survivor
thanks public for support
Burned survivor of tube bombings praises emergency workers.
Victim
identification begins
Posters
of missing bring faint hope
In pictures:
missing people
Huge
task to identify victims
Could
they strike again?
Leader:
Containment strategy
Special
report: Attack on London
G8:
hope for Africa
10 out of 10 on aid says Geldof.
Little hope
on climate change
Special report: G8
More on the London bombings
Amid
carnage and debris, a recovery operation
At least 21 bodies remain trapped in the wreckage of the Piccadilly line train,
say Scotland Yard.
Security
stepped up across country
UK-based
dissident denies website link
Need
to get on with life outweighs sense of alarm
Stunned
but dutiful workers return to the tube
Most
routes running but one line is out
Bookshop
acts on terror novel
80
still in hospital but services begin to return to normal
Doctors operate through the night as authorities praise the efforts and teamwork
of everyone involved in care.
'Nobody
refused to do anything that was asked of them'
Press
review: 'Bloodied but unbowed'
Press
review: What New York and Spain said about London
Praise
for hospital staff
Feelings
of siege amid fear of blame
Luton Muslim youngsters condemn bombs but fear reprisals.
Move
to limit backlash against Muslims
Families
in Baghdad phone to check on loved ones in Britain
Stories
of screaming, despair and courage
Witness accounts of the destruction inflicted by the bombs continue to surface.
Unanswered
messages add to fears
Victims
capture unfolding events on mobile phones
Vow
to shame any owners caught profiteering
Fox
News slammed over 'callous' line
Blair
returns to security briefings
Parties show support, but Galloway breaks ranks.
Markets
bounce back
'Terror
is now part of our daily menu'
I
pray for the victims, here and in Iraq'
Edited comments from contributors to Guardian's Muslim youth forum, which meets
annually for discussion and debate.
Tariq
Ramadan: Living together takes effort
Faisal
Bodi: Blair put us in the firing line
Leader:
Containment strategy
G8 UPDATES AND MORE
350
arrests made during G8 summit
Suspects
sought after death of girl
G8
deal's 'huge benefit' - Blair
Two-minute
silence for victims
Fears
grow for missing after blasts
Dozens
fight for lives in hospital
Bombs:
Grim recovery task continues
Blair
praises British 'resilience'
Blasts
almost simultaneous - police
· At least 38 dead and 700 injured
· Al-Qaida cell claims responsibility
Where
the bombers struck
Comment:
Jonathan Freedland
Leader:
In the face of danger
Newsblog: the bloggers' response
In pictures:
London blasts
Special
report: terrorism threat to UK
Tube,
bus and train shutdown
Thousands find alternative routes home.
'They
were crying and screaming'
Emergency
plan hits phones
Audio:
'Please help me'
Blair's
plans end in painful dilemma
PM is forced to desert his G8 duties.
Full
text: Tony Blair's statement
MPs
angry but united
Sketch:
Simon Hoggart
Mayor
says attack is 'mass murder'
Witnesses
describe bus blast chaos
Anger
and sadness as victims helped
We
won't be intimidated, vows Blair
37
killed in London bomb blasts
Theatres
cancel shows after blasts
Survivors
describe scenes of horror
More
on the London explosions
Emergency
powers help tackle chaos
Ministers take charge of response teams.
Hospitals
clear decks for victims
Advice
for people in London
Your
eyewitness accounts
Intelligence
officials lowered threat levels
Group linked to al-Qaida cites UK's Iraq actions.
'Why
attack a tiger when there are so many sheep?'
Full
text: statement claiming responsibility
700
arrests; 17 convictions
Comment:
Crispin Black
World
markets shaken by terrorism fears
£44bn wiped off FTSE 100 in 90 minutes.
Companies
shut down early
Bank
holds steady on rates
City
puts emergency plans into action
Tourist
industry braced for downturn
Analysis:
Larry Elliott
'The
evil people who planned this want to divide us'
Muslims fear hate attacks in wake of bombings as threats pour into Islamic
organisations.
We
must stand together in crisis, say faith leaders
Comment:
Sher Khan
Special
report: religious affairs
'Savagely
woken from a pleasant dream'
James Meek walks through a suddenly pedestrian city.
Ian
McEwan watches oddly familiar scenes unfold
As
mark of respect, the shows won't go on
Comment:
Peter Taylor
Summit
thrown into confusion
Blair's departure forces changes to programme.
Comment:
Robin Cook
Special report: G8
Experts
to trace footprint of blasts
Forensic experts will pick through four scenes across the capital to try to
piece together what happened.
Plastic
explosives seen as most likely material
G8
summit and Olympics proved irresistible
London
games safe, IOC insists
Security now top of agenda for Olympics organisers.
Met
chief tells of readiness for attacks
Comment:
Polly Toynbee
Special
report: Olympics 2012
The
price of occupation
Comment: Ever since 9/11, Tariq Ali has been arguing that the 'war
against terror' is immoral and counterproductive.
Special report:
Iraq
Special report: terrorism threat to UK
West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) seeks new president
Lara stays on top of world rankings
The drivers, and Kaneria's case The drivers, and Kaneria's case Out for a Buck Caribbean Media Exchange Stars for Winston Davis benefit Kaneria banks on Essex stint to cement ODI berth
Gough
calls for England arrogance Giles
vital for England Ashes bid England
so keen for fashionable Ashley to recover
LETTER TO
PRIME
MINISTER TONY BLAIR
FROM
PRIME MINISTER P. J. PATTERSON OF JAMAICA
OPPOSING
NEW EC THINKING ON SUGAR
8th June 2005
Rt.
Hon. Tony Blair
Prime Minister
United Kingdom
Dear Prime Minister,
I
am writing to you on a matter of great concern to my Government, concerning the
future of the sugar sector.
In July 2004, the European Commission published a Communication setting out its thinking on a new EU regime for sugar. By extension this suggested that ACP sugar producers would experience a 33 per cent price cut over a three-year period up to 2007/8. It also proposed a further review in the light of the outcome of the Doha Development Round and the EC’s appeal against the WTO challenge brought by Brazil, Australia and Thailand against aspects of its sugar regime.
Subsequently we have heard that instead of adopting a two-phased approach, the EC intends to introduce on June 22 a regulation that will propose a once and for all 39 per cent price cut over the two years to 2008/9.
At no stage has either my Government or the ACP been formally consulted about any of these proposals or the likely impact that they may have. Instead we have learnt about the EC’s thinking through the media, leaked documents and consultants’ studies.
In parallel we have been given to understand that there would be an ‘action plan’ for the ACP that would address the issues of transitional support for ACP sugar producers affected by the dramatic cut in price envisaged by the DG Agriculture. Although the outline of this ‘action plan’ was made public earlier this year, neither my government nor the ACP have been able to formally consider this document or its implications with the EC.
Subsequent exchanges at a technical level on the ‘action plan’ have been sporadic. While there has been some dialogue with EU Delegates about the terms of reference for studies on restructuring, the pace of progress has not borne any relationship to the urgency implied by the time scale for change that Europe is proposing.
Most critically of all the EC has failed to formally engage in dialogue with my Government or the industry about the impact that the EC’s proposed price cuts or timetable will have on the viability of any action plan.
This is despite the fact that throughout this period the Government of Jamaica and the sugar industry has made clear in European capitals and to the EC that it accepts change but that it requires a finite but longer period with a remunerative price if it is to undertake a successful transition.
Jamaica and its industry cannot withstand a 39 per cent cut in price over two years starting in 2006. This is unrealistic. Without a support mechanism similar to that being offered to wealthy EU farmers, our industry will collapse before it has a chance to adapt. An adequate, properly funded preparatory period is vital if we are to successfully restructure, re-skill and develop newer industries. We require a reasonable period of time to undertake the necessary studies.
Jamaica is realistic about the need for change in relation to sugar. It is actively engaged in identifying alternative uses for cane, including ethanol, co-generation and refining. To achieve this Jamaica needs a remunerative price for sugar over a period of at least six years while it adapts its industry. It also requires transitional assistance in Jamaica in the form of grants and soft loans of US$200M in order to adapt and develop its cane industry. It is undertaking pre-feasibility studies to indicate the precise quantum of assistance required but this also takes time.
Previous Caribbean experience with bananas and rum suggests that the EC’s bureaucratic procedures cause programmes to move forward at a glacial pace. If history is our guide, programmes associated with restructuring are unlikely to be implemented until well after the two-year transition envisaged by the EC.
Jamaica cannot afford this to happen to an industry on which 250,000 persons are dependent.
If the EC’s proposal proceeds as suggested, the impact on rural Jamaica will be severe. Crime and security concerns will be exacerbated by the consequent increase in rural to urban migration. None of us can afford any development that creates further instability.
I believe that Britain, as a long time friend of Jamaica, has a responsibility to encourage a solution for the ACP, based on a much higher degree of realism as to the impact that the EC’s proposals will have. I expect the UK to fight for a reasonable transition period for Jamaica.
Yours sincerely,
P.
J. Patterson
Prime Minister
Copy:
Jacques
Chirac
Presidence de la Republique
Dr
Gerhard Schroder
Chancellor of Federal Republic of Germany
Jose
Manuel Barroso
President of the European Commission
Mr
Louis Michel
Commissioner
for Development
Rt
Hon Peter Mandelson
Commissioner for Trade
Mrs Glenys Kinnock MEP
Co
Chair EU/ACP Joint Assembly
European Parliament
The
Rt Hon Donald McKinnon
Secretary-General
Commonwealth Secretariat
Mrs
Mariann Fischer Boel
The EU Commissioner for Agriculture
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June 01, 2005
International Cricket Council
Cricket: Lara snatches top spot from Kallis in LG ICC Test batting
rankings
LG
ICC TEST CHAMPIONSHIP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
London, 1 June 2005
Brian Lara has returned to the top of the LG ICC Test batting rankings
following his century in West Indies' win over Pakistan in the Barbados Test.
He is now just two points ahead of
Shivnarine Chanderpaul moves up five places to eighth following his
scores of 92 and 153 not out in the same match, with the result that he now has
a batting ranking over 800 points for the first time in his career.
