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   The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Tuesday launched a programme to foster the development of mobile services for people at the base of the socio-economic pyramid in Latin America and the Caribbean.

It said the project is aimed at addressing poverty problems in sectors such as health, education, social protection, employment and business.

The bank said that nearly 80 per cent of the region’s population have cell phones and “almost half of them have incomes below US$300 a month. Mobile technology could expand their access to many additional services to improve their living standards”.

The Mobile Citizen programme, designed and managed by the IDB’s Science and Technology Division and funded by the Italian Trust Fund for Information and Communication Technologies for Development, will provide grants totalling US$750,000 to organizations interested in developing such services.

“The programme will be supported by a network of partners that includes leading regional and global players in the field of innovation and mobile technologies,” the IDB said, adding these partners and others that join the programme at a later stage, could assist in the development of innovative wireless solutions for the poor by providing knowledge, services and technology.

“One of the biggest barriers for the poor is a lack of timely access to relevant information. The innovative use of cell phones, especially of their ability for messaging and data transmission, can help reduce this barrier, creating new opportunities for economic and social inclusion,” said Rafael Anta, senior ICT specialist at the IDB.

“Mobile Citizen is the first programme in this region to promote the development of mobile services with an exclusive focus on its poorest citizens,” he added.

The first phase of the programme will consist of a “call for problems” to identify relevant needs and challenges that affect low-income people in Latin America and the Caribbean and could be addressed using mobile services.

This call, which will accept submissions until November 19, , is open to public and private institutions, for-profit and non-profit organizations, research and development centers and academic institutions in the region, the bank said.

It said two of the main selection criteria are the ability and the commitment of applicant institutions to work with the IDB on the design and implementation of innovative solutions.

   The Obama administration will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they conform to state laws, under new policy guidelines to be sent to federal prosecutors Monday.

Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state laws.

The new policy is a significant departure from the Bush administration, which insisted it would continue to enforce federal anti-pot laws regardless of state codes.

Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

California is unique among those for the widespread presence of dispensaries -- businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their services. Colorado also has several dispensaries, and Rhode Island and New Mexico are in the process of licensing providers, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that promotes the decriminalization of marijuana use.

Attorney General Eric Holder said in March that he wanted federal law enforcement officials to pursue those who violate both federal and state law, but it has not been clear how that goal would be put into practice.

A three-page memo spelling out the policy is expected to be sent Monday to federal prosecutors in the 14 states, and also to top officials at the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The memo, the officials said, emphasizes that prosecutors have wide discretion in choosing which cases to pursue, and says it is not a good use of federal manpower to prosecute those who are without a doubt in compliance with state law.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the legal guidance before it is issued.

"This is a major step forward," said Bruce Mirken, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project. "This change in policy moves the federal government dramatically toward respecting scientific and practical reality."

At the same time, the officials said, the government will still prosecute those who use medical marijuana as a cover for other illegal activity. The memo particularly warns that some suspects may hide old-fashioned drug dealing or other crimes behind a medical marijuana business.

In particular, the memo urges prosecutors to pursue marijuana cases which involve violence, the illegal use of firearms, selling pot to minors, money laundering or other crimes.

And while the policy memo describes a change in priorities away from prosecuting medical marijuana cases, it does not rule out the possibility that the federal government could still prosecute someone whose activities are allowed under state law.

   

A paramedic had to use medical supplies to put down an American pit bull terrier that had its jaws locked on a terrified Melbourne man's hand as police tried to restrain the frenzied animal.

Intensive care paramedic Robert Voss couldn't believe what he witnessed when called to Arundel Avenue in Reservoir, in Melbourne's north, where a roaming pit bull had attacked a man walking his two small dogs about 7.20pm (AEDT) on Sunday.

The pit bull killed one of the smaller dogs and injured the other, before clamping down on the man's hand when he tried to intervene.

The incident has renewed calls for the controversial breed to be banished from Australia.

Two policemen were trying to restrain the dog and free the injured man's hand when Mr Voss arrived.

"Usually that fear and terror you see after a major disaster," Mr Voss told ABC Radio on Monday.

He said the dog's owner, later taken in for questioning by police, wasn't sighted.

Mr Voss' immediate reaction was to ask the police officers how he could help.

"They said they had called the ranger to come and euthanase the dog," he said.

"I said that we could assist with that.

"As a last resort, we euthanased the dog for them.

"We used some sedation and then some paralysing agents."

Even then, everyone was still "scared and frightened".

"I've got to say all the gentlemen were reluctant to get off the dog, even though the dog was deceased, they were a bit apprehensive because they thought the dog was going to come back again," Mr Voss said.

He said the police were loath to fire their weapons at the dog.

"They were going to euthanase the dog with one of their firearms but unfortunately, it was too dangerous to do so," he said.

"There were people there, the bullet could have ricocheted and hit somebody.

"It was a frenzied attack. You probably couldn't have got a clear shot anyway."

The injured man was taken to hospital and, according to Mr Voss, was fortunate to escape with lacerations.

"The patient had blood all over him," he said.

The vicious incident has sparked another call from the RSPCA's Victorian president, Dr Hugh Wirth, to have the breed exterminated.

Dr Wirth says the dogs are a menace and are not suitable as pets for anyone.

But the president of the American pit bull club of Australia, Colin Muir, said responsibility of ownership - rather than a dog's breed - was the issue.

   A mud bath in St. Lucia, a Reggae on the Water cruise in Jamaica, a sail around Antigua’s 365 beaches or a pit stop at a conch-and-beer shack in the Bahamas are not the norm for most tour excursions in the Caribbean.

Island Routes Luxury Adventure Tours, a Jamaica-based company that set up shop in June, is all about raising the bar on guest experiences with tours and excursions that spotlight the history, people and attractions of each island where the firm operates.

With more than 80 excursions in its Jamaica inventory, Island Routes will roll out its offerings in Antigua and St. Lucia on Nov. 1, followed by the Turks and Caicos in late December and the Bahamas in early 2010.

Island Routes, a division of Sandals Resorts International, “was the natural evolution for our company, which has been headquartered in Montego Bay for more than 25 years,” said Sandals CEO Adam Stewart.

Through its Certified Partners Program, Island Routes handpicks local companies to guide excursions “that are the best of the best and capture the essence and allure of each island,” said Dominique Peterkin, general manager.

Tour desks at participating resorts in Jamaica –which, for now, include the 12 Sandals, Beaches, Royal Plantation and Grand Pineapple properties- are manned by Island Routes specialists who guide guests through the tour selection process.

The average price for Island Routes’ popular river-tubing programs in Jamaica “runs about $70 per person, but swimming with the dolphins at Dolphin Cove can be $200 per person,” Peterkin said.

   The Banana Industry Trust (BIT) is calling for partnership and collaboration among primary stakeholders as well as strong community support for the Choiseul Economic Revitalization Project scheduled to commence next week.

The EC$1.4 million project, funded by the EU under the SFA 2003 ‘Environment Management Fund’, will see the installation of a 150,000 gallon water storage tank and a 9,385 foot water transmission pipeline with an intake on the Anse L’Ivrogne River. In addition, 13,000 feet of pipes with fittings will be supplied to farmers to facilitate the connection to the water storage tank. This will enable them to irrigate their holdings and thereby improve agricultural production.

BIT’s Executive Officer Bertram Clarke states that as the European Commission has provided the resources to implement this important initiative up until the end of December 2009, it is imperative the project is completed before then. “Strong community and state support for this economic revitalization project is a necessity in order for it to be completed in time,” Clarke said. “We wish to draw stakeholders’ and the general public’s attention to the project and solicit their support as we attempt to improve the quality of life of the Choiseul community.”