Synopsis:

It’s California, 1959 and greaser Danny Zuko and goody two shoes Sandy Olsson are about to fall in love. Danny’s the leader of the T-Birds at Rydell High School, a group of leather jacket greasers while Sandy starts to kick it with the Pink Ladies, a group of tough but sweet girls. Sandy thought she’d be leaving after the summer and never see Danny again, but her parents stay in town and just her luck…she begins to attend Rydell High. What happens next, come find out for a rocking, singing, and dancing good time!

When:   June 1st 7pm, June 2nd 3pm & 7 pm

Where:  Dorsey High School Theatre, 3537 Farmdale Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90016

Ticket prices: $10 student $20 adult $30 VIP

Purchase online: www.icefgreasemusical.eventbrite.com

Contact:Amarpal Khanna, Director of Visual and Performing Arts, ICEF Public Schools, (323)290-6919, akhanna@icefps.org. Proceeds go to supporting theatre classes at ICEF Public Schools

“On the Road with the Rapids” is a photo contest hosted on the Colorado Rapids Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ColoradoRapids) where fans are encouraged to upload their favorite Rapids fan photo that shows their passion and creativity. The photos will be judged by a panel of Dick’s Sporting Goods and Colorado Rapids employees, as well as other Facebook users, with two participants being chosen as the ultimate Rapids fans. Adidas is also providing merchandise and other perks to the lucky winners.

A direct link to the contest can be found by clicking here.

There will be two winners, who will earn the chance to travel with a friend to see either the Rapids take on Seattle Sounders FC on July 7, or the LA Galaxy on September 16. Fans can enter the contest starting today, through June 15 for the Seattle trip, and from June 22 to August 17 for the LA trip. The winners will be announced at the Rapids home games prior to the Seattle and LA away matches.

The winner of each trip will receive:

- Roundtrip airfare for two from Denver

- Up to two nights stay at the Colorado Rapids team hotel

- Two tickets to the match

- Autographed Rapids merchandise

- $150 gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods

- VIP field passes and experiences

- adidas merchandise, and more!

To enter the contest, or for more information and the terms and conditions of the promotion, visit www.facebook.com/ColoradoRapids. For more information on Dick’s Sporting Goods, please visit www.dickssportinggoods.com. Every Season Starts at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

www.ColoradoRapids.com

Agudelo will be available for selection this weekend as Chivas USA take on the LA Galaxy in the first leg of the SuperClásico on Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 pm (PT) at The Home Depot Center. The match’s live television broadcast will be on ESPN 2 for English and ESPN Deportes for Spanish, and Radio through KWKW 1330 AM (locally).

Agudelo, 19, a product of the Red Bulls Academy, is in his second professional season. He has appeared in 33 matches including 13 as a starter, scoring 6 goals with the Red Bulls. The Red-and-White have traded away defender Heath Pearce, who appeared in 40 games (39 starts) during his tenure with Chivas USA. Per League and team policy, details of the contract were not revealed.

“I am certainly excited to have Juan Agudelo joining our team, he’s a dynamic young forward who has an incredible future ahead of him. The caveat is you have to give up an asset to get an asset, so in order to get a player like Juan you have to give up a very good player like Heath,” commented Chivas USA Head Coach Robin Fraser. “So we are sad to see him go but this is part of the business. I want to thank Heath for all he´s done for us in his time here and we wish him the best.”

Agudelo, 19, a Colombian-born forward, became the fourth youngest player in league history to start in the MLS Cup Playoffs when he started the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at San Jose, and became the youngest player in franchise history to record an assist in the playoffs in the second leg. Earned first cap for the senior United States National Team on Nov. 17, 2010 and scored the winning goal in a friendly against South Africa in Cape Town, becoming the youngest player to ever score for the United States senior national team. Prior to being called up by the senior national side, he featured for the U.S. Under-20 National Team. Helped lead the U-20’s to the 2010 Milk Cup Championship, scoring in the final on July 30, additionally represented the United States at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The Rojiblancos have traded Heath Pearce, defender and member of the United States National Team, whom originally signed with the club on February 15, 2011. Pearce had an extraordinary 2011, making 30 appearances (29 starts) with Chivas USA, receiving various call-up’s to the U.S. National Team, as well as his second-consecutive MLS All-Star Team and receiving Chivas USA’s Defender of the Year Award. The Modesto, Calif. native has played professionally in Denmark and Germany before joining Dallas in 2009, and the University of Portland alum played 28 games (27 starts) in 2010, notching six assists and helping Dallas to the Western Conference Championship.

Chivas USA return to the Home Depot Center this coming weekend for the first leg of the 2012 Los Angeles SuperClásico, as they play host to their cross hall rivals, the LA Galaxy on Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 pm (PT) at The Home Depot Center. The match’s live television broadcast will be on ESPN 2 for English and ESPN Deportes for Spanish, and Radio through KWKW 1330 AM (locally). For more information about the game and for tickets, please visit cdchivasusa.com or call 1-877-CHIVAS-1. Follow us on Twitter @cdchivasusa and Facebook.com/chivasusa

JUAN AGUDELO

Nombre/Full Name: Juan Sebastian Agudelo

Número/Number: 17

Posición/Position: Delantero/Forward

Nacido el/Born: 1992-11-23, Manizales, Colombia

Residencia/Hometown: Barnegat Township, New Jersey

Nacionalidad/Citizenship: USA

Estatura/Height: 1.85 m / 6’1″

Peso/Weight: 83 kg / 183 lbs

Último Equipo/Last Team: New York Red Bulls

Adquisición/Acquisition: Acquired via trade with New York Red Bulls on May 17, 2012, in exchange for defender Heath Pearce/Adquirido en intercambio con New York Red Bulls el 17 de mayo de 2012, en intercambio por el defensa Heath Pearce.

cdchivasusa.com

About Chivas USA

Founded in 2004, Los Angeles-based Club Deportivo Chivas USA has achieved remarkable success in seven full seasons in Major League Soccer. From 2006-2009, the Mexican-owned club qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in four consecutive seasons, to the delight of its passionate supporters. In addition, Chivas USA’s innovative grassroots programs demonstrate its deep commitment to the Southern California community, while the club’s youth teams and Soccer Academies offer unprecedented opportunities to the region’s best young talent. For more information on Chivas USA, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.

Califf will be available for selection this weekend as Chivas USA take on the LA Galaxy in the first leg of the SuperClásico on Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 pm (PT) at The Home Depot Center. The match’s live television broadcast will be on ESPN 2 for English and ESPN Deportes for Spanish, and Radio through KWKW 1330 AM (locally).

Califf, a veteran from California was signed by the Union on January 21, 2010 after rights were previously acquired from Danish Superliga side FC Midtjylland on December 3, 2009. He has appeared in four matches, all as a starter for the Union in this 2012 season. The Red-and-White have traded midfielder Michael Lahoud, who appeared in 23 games (17 starts) in 2011, for Chivas USA, and has two appearances so far in 2012. Per League and team policy, details of the contract were not revealed.

“Obviously, losing Heath, our thoughts were to acquire a center back and we had the ability to get Danny Califf who’s a player who has played in a lot of places, he has some good experiences, he’s a very experienced and hard-nosed defender and again, as we said, to get an asset you have to give up an asset and the cost for this one was Michael [Lahoud],” commented Chivas USA Head Coach Robin Fraser. “Certainly Michael has been here for a while and we wish him the best and thank him for all that he did while he was here.”

Califf, 32, a Montclair, California native, served as captain of Aalborg BK of the Danish Superliga, and has been capped 23 times with the USMNT. In 2009, he captained the side’s 3-2 win over Sweden and helped the U.S. to a first place finish in the CONCACAF region to earn a trip to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The physically imposing center back was drafted by the LA Galaxy in 2000 and captured three championships with the team, including the 2002 MLS Cup, the 2001 U.S. Open Cup and the 2000 Champions’ Cup titles. After being traded to the San Jose Earthquakes in 2005, Califf made 20 starting appearances, scoring twice, and was rewarded with a spot on the MLS Best XI team.

Michael Lahoud joined Chivas USA after being selected by the club in the first round (9th overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, and has made 39 appearances in two seasons with the club, including 29 starts, scoring once and adding four assists. A four-year starter at 2007 NCAA National Champion Wake Forest, Lahoud enjoyed a distinguished college career with the Demon Deacons, finishing with 14 goals and 20 assists in four seasons. Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone and moving to the Washington D.C. area at the age of three, Lahoud played both forward and midfield in his college career, but finished in a defensive midfield role. In 2011, Lahoud joined forces with the non-profit organization ‘Schools for Salone,’ charity that aims to help schools in Sierra Leone. For his efforts, Lahoud was named Chivas USA’s Humanitarian of the Year in 2011.

Chivas USA return to the Home Depot Center this coming weekend for the first leg of the 2012 Los Angeles SuperClásico, as they play host to their cross hall rivals, the LA Galaxy on Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 pm (PT) at The Home Depot Center. The match’s live television broadcast will be on ESPN 2 for English and ESPN Deportes for Spanish, and Radio through KWKW 1330 AM (locally). For more information about the game and for tickets, please visit cdchivasusa.com or call 1-877-CHIVAS-1. Follow us on Twitter @cdchivasusa and Facebook.com/chivasusa

DANNY CALIFF

Nombre/Full Name: Daniel Benjamin Califf

Número/Number: 4

Posición/Position: Defender/Defensa

Nacido el/Born: 1980-03-17, Montclair, California

Residencia/Hometown: Montcalir, California

Nacionalidad/Citizenship: USA

Estatura/Height: 1.88 m / 6’2″

Peso/Weight: 84 kg / 185 lbs

Último Equipo/Last Team: Philadelphia Union

Adquisición/Acquisition: Acquired via trade with Philadelphia Union on May 17, 2012, in exchange for midfielder Michael Lahoud/Adquirido en intercambio con Philadelphia Union el 17 de mayo de 2012, en intercambio por el mediocampista Michael Lahoud.

cdchivasusa.com

About Chivas USA

Founded in 2004, Los Angeles-based Club Deportivo Chivas USA has achieved remarkable success in seven full seasons in Major League Soccer. From 2006-2009, the Mexican-owned club qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in four consecutive seasons, to the delight of its passionate supporters. In addition, Chivas USA’s innovative grassroots programs demonstrate its deep commitment to the Southern California community, while the club’s youth teams and Soccer Academies offer unprecedented opportunities to the region’s best young talent. For more information on Chivas USA, please call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or visit cdchivasusa.com.

Currently, foreign-based players comprised the group, those who have completed their seasons and are ready to prepare for the series of matches that culminate in the start of FIFA World Cup qualifying on June 8 against Antigua & Barbuda in Tampa, Florida.

Expect more players to round out the training camp, including domestic players.  An announcement will be made on May 20 to add up to 13 players.

INITIAL U.S. ROSTER

Goalkeepers (3):

Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders (4):

Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin)

Midfielders (8):

Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)

Forward (1):

Clint Dempsey (Fulham)

U.S. Men’s National Team – 2012 Schedule (EST)

U.S. MNT

Earlier this year, a small contingent of U.S. Marines joined American military contractors at a training base nestled in Uganda’s rolling countryside about 2 1/2 hours drive from the capital, helping fill gaps where the al-Qaida-linked fighters have found weaknesses. The base, called Singo, was built by the U.S. and is a key part of the Obama administration’s strategy to bring stability to Somalia.

The United States has sent in only small units of Special Forces to attack al-Qaida members in Somalia or hostage-taking pirates since U.S. troops withdrew from the nation in 1994, while other African countries have deployed thousands of troops to bring order to a country plagued by lawlessness, insurgents and hunger.

Many of the American trainers give firsthand knowledge of what works and what doesn’t from years of learning to deal with improvised explosives, fighting insurgents in cities and other experiences from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Al-Shabab militants recently figured out how to take out AU tanks with the help of makeshift obstacles and traps, so a group of about 20 Marine reservists is now in the middle of a 10-week program teaching Ugandan forces combat engineering skills, like ways to quickly bridge trenches to permit the tanks to pass.

On a recent day at the base, three U.S. military medical specialists showed how to properly apply a tourniquet in a combat situation and other medical skills. The State Department’s training program also includes marksmanship, urban warfare and explosives handling.

“We’ve been experiencing some really ugly things for the past 10 years, so we’re taking that experience over here,” said Maj. Mark Haley, 41, from Knoxville, Tennessee. “We’re giving these guys some real important skill sets to keep them alive when they get sent over there.”

Inside the base is a training area known as “Lil’ Mogadishu” or the “Tin Village” _ stacks of shipping containers making up a small “town” built by U.S. and British trainers for the Ugandan soldiers to practice house-to-house fighting. Soldiers move in and out of doors cut into the containers _ which have been garishly spray painted with violent or provocative slogans like “death is here,” “war only” and “we hate the AU” _ and practice maneuvers along dirt streets and paths.

“This has taken us a long way, especially in achieving the operations in Mogadishu,” said Singo’s Ugandan commander, Col. J.B. Ruhesi.

About 3,500 Ugandan troops are currently undergoing training at Singo under the State Department’s Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program, which also trains soldiers from Burundi and several other African nations. The training should allow the soldiers from different countries to operate with each other more smoothly after they’re deployed to Somalia. The contractors have been training African Union forces since 2007.

Paddy Ankunda, spokesman for the African Union mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM, said Ugandan forces there currently number about 6,000 and make up the largest contingent.

Virginia-based MPRI has the current contract to conduct the program at Singo, and up to two dozen trainers work along with French, British and Ugandan military personnel. The contractors were not permitted to speak on the record to reporters during a recent media visit to the base, but one said all are ex-military and most have had experience in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

U.S. funding for the program is expected to be $3.8 million this year for the training, with another $300,000 for the non-lethal equipment that will be given to the Ugandan forces _ things like body armor, helmets and mine detectors.

Ugandan forces commander Gen. Aronda Nyakairima said the urban warfare exercises have proved invaluable for soldiers to meet “fresh challenges” when they’re deployed to Somalia. Despite the danger, he said the soldiers have been eager to participate in the AU peacekeeping mission.

The average soldier can make several times his normal salary by serving with the AU _ which pays about $1,000 per month.

Somalia has been mired in conflict since the 1991, when long-term dictator Siad Barre was overthrown by warlords who then turned on each other. Al-Shabab has had a grip on much of south-central Somalia for the last several years but security in Mogadishu has improved markedly over the past year after AU and Somali government troops pushed al-Shabab insurgents out of the capital.

The militant group has also been facing increasing military pressure from Ethiopian troops in the west and Kenyan troops in the south.

Associated Press Wire

Under a federal deadline, the California High-Speed Rail Authority has until September 2017 to finish the first segment of the line in the Central Valley. In that time, the project will need to acquire some 120 permits, 1,100 parcels of land and a huge workforce.

At a projected cost of $6 billion, California would be spending $2.7 million a day to finish on time, according to an estimate by John Popoff of Parsons Brinckerhoff, a consulting firm working with the rail authority.

The figure could reach $3.5 million a day when the cost of buying land is added to construction, management and environmental costs, construction experts told the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/JxaT3p).

By comparison, the spending rate for the $6.5 billion Bay Bridge replacement project in Oakland is tagged at about $1.8 million per day.

Construction of the Alameda Corridor freight rail line in Los Angeles, completed in 2002, also ran about $1.8 million per day.

“It is a very aggressive plan,” said Manuel Garcia, associate director at the Construction Industry Institute affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin. “It does appear that it will be a challenge.”

Delays caused by legal, political or technical problems could leave the first segment uncompleted by the deadline, which potentially could halt the flow of federal money.

The project is nine months behind schedule in securing approval from the Federal Railroad Administration, a consultant for the rail authority said in a status report this month.

Land acquisition also is facing problems, Mark Ashley said.

“It is dicey right now whether that is going to hold up our construction or impact our schedule,” he said.

Contractors must submit bids by September to build the first section, from Madera to Fresno. The rail authority contract terms call for builders to face $1 million per day in penalties for failing to meet final deadlines after March 1, 2017.

Associated Press Editors Note Corrects spelling of Popoff, deletes fourth and final paragraphs, High-Speed Rail Authority spokeswoman says information is incorrect

“Like so many others,” she said, “I was awed and inspired by those athletes.”

Mrs. Obama admitted that she was still in awe Monday, when she took the stage with about two dozen Olympic and Paralympic athletes to announce a plan to get more than 1.7 million children involved in sports through her “Let’s Move!” initiative to combat childhood obesity.

The first lady is partnering with the U.S. Olympic Committee, the Partnership for a Healthier America, U.S. Paralympics and numerous national governing bodies that have pledged their time and resources toward introducing young people to their sports over the course of the summer.

“When we first met with these organizations, we challenged them to commit to helping 1 million kids get active in their communities. That was our first target, and we thought that was ambitious,” said Mrs. Obama, who will also be leading the U.S. delegation to the London Games.

“They not only met that goal,” she said, “they added another 700,000 to that commitment.”

USA Cycling is offering free memberships and clinics nationwide, while USA Field Hockey is launching the “FUNdamental Field Hockey” program at 250 locations reaching 15,000 kids.

USA Gymnastics plans to reach 40,000 additional children, the U.S. Soccer Federation will engage 12,000 youth in afterschool programs, and USA Track & Field is expanding its youth program by 35 percent, and the U.S. Tennis Association plans to reach 750,000 new kids this year. USA Swimming hopes to enroll 530,000 new learn-to-swim participants in its “Make a Splash” program, and engage 70,000 new youth member through local chapters.

“The `Let’s Move!’ campaign is amazing, and it’s something I believe in,” said three-time Olympic gold medalist Natalie Coughlin, who introduced the first lady on Monday.

“I’ve been volunteering with The Edible Schoolyard Project to teach children healthy lifestyles through food, and knowing where food comes from, and `Let’s Move!’ is the other side of that,” Coughlin said. “It’s getting out there and being active and not being sedentary.”

The U.S. Olympians Association recently began a “Walk to London” program during which 5,456 children will walk a total of 5,456 miles _ the distance from Los Angeles to London. Meanwhile, U.S. Paralympics is engaging a combined 87,500 young people through a variety of programs.

USA Volleyball and USA Basketball are also involved in the initiative.

“Many of these kids will be playing sports for the very first time, and that is so important, because sometimes _ as all of you know _ all it takes is that first lesson, or that first class, to get a child interested in a new sport,” Mrs. Obama said.

She began the “Let’s Move!” initiative in February 2010 as a way to promote a healthy and active lifestyle in the United States, where nearly one in three children is overweight or obese. The first lady recently hosted a mini-Olympics event for local school children along with Samantha Cameron, the wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron. She has also appeared on the hit TV show “The Biggest Loser” and with celebrities such as Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon.

“The national governing bodies have all signed an agreement to outline what they’ll do,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “We’re very proud to support the first lady.”

Mrs. Obama has been actively involved in the Olympic movement for years, joining President Obama in Denmark during the final presentation for Chicago’s failed bid for the 2016 Olympics.

In March, it was announced that the first lady would lead the U.S. delegation at the London Games, with the opening ceremony scheduled for July 27. She’ll be following in the footsteps of Hillary Clinton, who led the delegation at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, and Laura Bush, who led the way at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

“I am beyond proud to be leading the U.S. delegation,” Mrs. Obama said. “When I’m sitting in that stadium in London, cheering on Team USA, I’ll be thinking about all those young people cheering at home. I’ll be thinking about the power of the games to truly inspire a generation, and I’ll be thinking about how our Olympic and Paralympic athletes can serve as role models for our young people, as examples of the values we want our kids to learn.”

Associated Press writer Dave Skretta

The major bust took place on Martinique where the drugs were hidden in packages of mustard and coffee on a yacht rented by the Croats in Martinique.

In all, 11 people suspected of smuggling 174 kilos of cocaine from Columbia to Europe were arrested in a multi-state international police operation according to media reports.

It was the first major cocaine smuggling operation masterminded and carried out by Croats, Dinko Cvitan, the head of Croatian anti-drugs agency, was quoted as saying.
Croatian, Dutch, Italian and French police and the US anti-drug agency DEA were involved in the bust following investigation that opened in October 2011 at the behest of the Croatian police.

The cocaine, estimated to be worth eight million euros, was destined for three potential buyers in Europe, whose identity wasn’t revealed, the reports said.

Cvitan said the suspects were known to possess property whose value far exceeded their legal earnings, and which will be confiscated if they are found guilty.

The Balkans has become a major route for cocaine smuggling from South America to Europe in recent years, a business mainly involving Serbian and Montenegrin citizens.

Tickets to the match will go on sale to the public at www.ColoradoRapids.com or 303-825-GOAL starting Saturday, May 26 at 10:00 a.m. MT. A special presale will be available for Season Ticket Holders, with their usual seats available at MLS regular season pricing, from Tuesday, May 16 through Friday, May 25. General tickets for the friendly match start at $22, with tickets for a special two-pack with the September 5 match against the Portland Timbers starting from $40.

“Everyone at the Rapids is thrilled to welcome Swansea City to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park this summer,” said Colorado Rapids President Tim Hinchey. “They are a rising club that plays a great style of football, and we’re looking forward to an exciting and fun match for all our fans.”

With one game left in the EPL season, Swansea City sits in12th place in the standings, with an 11-15-11 (W-L-T) record. Among other impressive results in their first season in the EPL, the Swans captured a 1-0 win against first-place Manchester City on March 11 and had a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Arsenal on January 15.

The Swans are the first Welsh club to reach the Premiership since the league was formed. Founded in 1912, the club has won the Welsh Cup 10 times, third-most in the history of the competition. Additionally, they have twice won the Football League Trophy, also commonly known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

This will be the first match between the Rapids and Swansea City, whose two-match American tour was organized by the UK-based soccer agency PSC Ltd. (www.pscltd.co.uk). This will be Colorado’s second-ever game against an English Premier League team, having faced Everton on August 3, 2008. The Rapids have hosted four previous international friendly matches at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, most recently a matchup against Mexico’s Club América in 2009.

The Rapids will visit D.C. United next Wednesday, May 16 before returning home against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, May 19. For more information on the Rapids, or to purchase tickets to any match, please call 303-825-GOAL or visit www.ColoradoRapids.com.

A big game for Mark Gasol and Zach Randolph .  Gasol with 23 points, 9 Rebounds while Randolph added 18 points and 16 boards.

At stake is rum production in several CARICOM countries together with the foreign exchange earnings and employment that it generates.

The problem has not arisen out of direct action by the US government. It has originated in the US Virgin Islands (USVI) and Puerto Rico both of which have been long-time rum producers in competition with CARICOM manufacturers. But, now, these two US affiliates are taking advantage of US government refunds to them, of excise taxes on rum, to subsidize vastly increased rum production and marketing in their territories. The huge increase in rum exports to the US mainland, at a subsidized cost, would squeeze-out CARICOM rums; and subsidized marketing would make it virtually impossible to compete.

The US Virgin Islands, adversely affected by the closure of the oil refinery on St Croix, is desperate to create opportunities for employment and economic growth, and it has hit upon the idea that it could use the refund of the US excise taxes called “the rum cover-over” programme to lure large rum producers by offering them huge incentives and subsidies. The USVI government actions, originally caused protests from rum producers in Puerto Rico before that island’s government joined in using the proceeds of the “cover-over” programme to subsidize its own rum producers.

An already concluded-contract in the USVI with one big company alone will add 20 million proof-gallons of rum production capacity in the region – more than 50% of the current U.S. market. Moreover, known and reported subsidies to other producers in the USVI and Puerto Rico are resulting in additional new capacity for existing facilities. The enlarged production from this new capacity will affect not only the US market, but other world markets as well, since the US cannot absorb all the rum that can be produced at these new or expanded subsidized facilities.

Further, the USVI Governor has stated publicly that the new contracts will raise the island’s “cover-over revenue” from $90 million to $240 million per year. With much of that money dedicated to subsidizing production and marketing of rum, producers from CARICOM countries simply cannot match it.

If the USVI and Puerto Rico are allowed to continue to use the US mainland’s refund of the excise taxes to subsidize both the building of greater rum producing capacity and marketing, the US, by allowing it, could be in violation of WTO rules in three ways. These are: Article 3.1(a) of the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM Agreement) which prohibits all subsidies that are “contingent, in law or in fact, whether solely or as one of several conditions, upon export performance”; while GATT Article III:8(b) does permit WTO Members to provide subsidies exclusively to domestic producers, the WTO Appellate Body has already ruled, in previous cases, that this exception does not justify subsidies that amount to the direct remission of excise taxes to domestic producers. Thus, the USVI contracts may not be defensible under this provision; and Article 5 of the SCM Agreement prohibits WTO Members from using actionable subsidies to cause “adverse effects to the interests of other Members.” Because all the subsidies in the USVI contracts are specific to the rum industry, they surely meet the test of being “actionable” subsidies. Additionally, the magnitude of the subsidies is so large – approaching 100% of the cost of production in some cases – that the subsidies are certain to cause substantial competitive harm to the rum industries in CARICOM countries.

Rum-producing CARICOM governments would have little option but to file for a dispute settlement with the US at the WTO. The governments could not sit by idly while CARICOM rum producers lose their market share in the US mainland due to unfair subsidies, and probably face collapse with consequential foreign exchange and job losses. But, the WTO process would a long and costly exercise for all the governments concerned.

This, of course, highlights the inadequacy and unfairness of the WTO remedies for developing countries when its rules are violated by rich nations.

But, that is another issue.

The record of the US at the WTO in relation to the interests of small CARICOM countries – on bananas and internet gaming – has been harmful.

Additionally, the US has made no major contribution to economic development in CARICOM countries in recent times. If this is official US policy, it is perplexing. If it is an accidental position it needs correction. For, unless the US has decided to leave Caribbean development – and therefore co-operation and mutual assistance – to others, the Caribbean could become as indifferent to US goals, as the US now appears to be to Caribbean aspirations. This would be a shame given the long and traditional links and values that the US and the region share and which could be strengthened and expanded to their joint benefit.

There is a clear need for renewed and improved relations between the US and CARICOM countries particularly in economic matters that improve the areas and levels of aid and investment.

The current situation over rum offers a special opportunity for all the players to come to the table to discuss how the rum market in the US mainland can be shared in a mutually beneficial way. In particular, CARICOM Foreign Ministers and Trade Ministers and the US Secretary of State and US Trade Representative should hold meaningful discussions on how best to avert a WTO case, while addressing the issue of no unfair advantages to producers in the USVI and Puerto Rico.

If they fail to do this, relations between the US and CARICOM will sour with the Caribbean, once again, feeling let down.

The “Oscars Outdoors” series will devote every Friday night to classics and contemporary favorites aimed at adult audiences, and every Saturday night to family-friendly fare. The final Friday night presentation, on August 17, will be an “Audience Choice” selection, determined by fans who cast votes on www.oscars.org/outdoors. Most features will be preceded by surprise animated or live-action short subjects.

“We are very excited to expand on our innovative programming and provide the community with a new venue that will deepen our ties to Hollywood,” said Sherak. “The events we are planning for the rest of the year are an ideal way to share our love of movies with a wider audience.”

The Jamaican contingent includes Olympic and world 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown and reigning Olympic medalists Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson.

Team USA finest includes Allyson Felix, LaShawn Merritt and Jesse Williams.

Watch the Diamond League on Friday, May 11 at 9 pm PST on Universal Sports channel