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Friday, December 29, 2006
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been accused of money grubbing by cricket fans in Australia and New Zealand. The allegations were made after fans down under complained that they were being exploited by the US 100 dollar price of the CARICOM special visa which they need to travel to the Caribbean for the Cricket World Cup. The CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) has discarded the accusations made by the Australians. "Any notion that this [visa] is a money-making venture has been completely rejected since the revenue raised will barely meet the costs of the acquisition of this Secure Visa Issuance System," IMPACS said. The disgruntled fans have also accused the Caribbean of discriminating against Australia, New Zealand, India and Pakistan while exempting other countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, and South Africa. Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley who chairs CARICOM's sub-committee on security said that the exempted countries had invested a lot in the cricket venture and constituted some of the regions major tourist markets. Mottley said that the committee had taken a decision to establish a temporary physical consular presence in Australia to reduce the inconvenience to Australians and New Zealanders. Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago's Honorary Consul in Australia, Mike Agostini, resigned from his post after he was not repaid for a six-month lease for office space he had secured for CARICOM to set up the visa issuing site in Sydney. |
