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Australian Government provides training to Caribbean diplomats
The Australian Government has funded a training program created specifically for Caribbean diplomats, prepared by the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of the West Indies (UWI).
Running from August 2nd to September 4th, 2010, The Contemporary Political and Diplomatic Challenges for Small States: Caribbean Perspectives program has prepared mid-career diplomats from across the region for some of the major political and diplomatic challenges that beset Caribbean countries, such as climate change and trade.
Emerging from the Australia-CARICOM Development Assistance Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in November 2009, the program welcomed participants from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. The program began at UWI in Trinidad and Tobago and was continued in Australia, with participants returning to Trinidad for the third and final leg.
The program has fulfilled the expectations of trainers and participants alike with Professor William Maley, Director of the ANU’s Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy, stating that the various governments could not have found “finer representatives to take part in such an undertaking.”
Mr. Ché Phillip, Foreign Service Officer Grenada, said that he was highly impressed with the speakers, whom he described as “very qualified and credentialed”. Also impressed was Ms. Simone Young, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, Geneva. Ms. Young stated that the “depth of knowledge of the speakers enhanced the lectures and encouraged more interaction.” Other participants emphasised the timeliness of the training and the quality of the presentations, noting that the training would be very useful on return to their respective foreign ministries, particularly in the lead up to the United Nations General Assembly in late September.
Speaking at the opening ceremony at the final leg of the program, Mrs. Joan Mendez, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed her gratitude to the Australian Government for affording Caribbean diplomats this opportunity.
Blind Cricket: The W.I. v. Australia
On Wednesday June 16, 2010, Australian High Commissioner, Philip Kentwell, hosted a reception at the Savannah Hotel, Barbados, in honour of blind cricket teams from the West Indies and Australia.
Held in the midst of a hotly contested Australia vs. West Indies Tour, the reception was hosted in conjunction with the Australian Sports Outreach Program (ASOP). Mr. Mark Mungal, ASOP’s Caribbean representative, was on hand to welcome members of both teams, match officials and representatives from cricketing and government bodies. Several participants were delighted to win Australian-brand door prizes including a Kookaburra bat and gloves, and several bottles of Penfolds wine.
The Tour consisted of several One Day Internationals (ODIs) and matches, including a history-making game at Kensington Oval: the first time blind cricket has ever been played on this hallowed field. The Windies battled their way to a 3-0 victory in the 40/40 series, but several of the 20/20 matches were washed out by heavy rains.
Blind cricket can be played by the legally blind as well as the partially blind, and utilises a white ball made with noise makers inside and covered in holes to release the sound. The ball must be bowled under arm and be made to bounce at least twice before reaching the bowler.