A package of news briefs from the Caribbean

GUANTANAMO: Afghan detainee asks to boycott trial at Gitmo, demands 'justice and fairness'

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) — An Afghan detainee said Wednesday that he wants to boycott his trial at Guantanamo Bay and railed against the proceedings as unfair and illegal.

Mohammed Jawad, who is accused of throwing a grenade that wounded two U.S. soldiers, initially refused to attend his first pretrial hearing, delaying its start. After he appeared in the courtroom, the judge, Marine Col. Ralph Kohlmann, warned Jawad that if he does not attend future sessions he could still be tried, convicted and sentenced in absentia.

In combative exchanges with the judge, Jawad said he has been mistreated at Guantanamo Bay — where the U.S. military holds about 275 men suspected of links to al-Qaida and the Taliban — and denounced the tribunal system as unjust.

"I am innocent, I want justice and fairness," said Jawad, who spoke through a Pashto translator and asked the judge whether journalists could hear his statements. "Since I was arrested I've been treated unfairly. I have been tortured. I am a human being."

The only specifics he offered were that he's had a "bleeding lip" for more than a year and he said he suffers constant headaches from the bright lights in his prison cell.

Jawad, who wore the orange uniform reserved for the least compliant detainees, later slammed down his translation headphones and put his head down on the table.

He did not enter a plea to charges of attempted murder and intentionally causing serious bodily injury, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The hearing inside the hilltop courthouse overlooking the Caribbean was delayed more than two and a half hours after Jawad initially refused to attend. He had to be carried out of his prison cell, according to defense attorneys, and Kohlmann ordered his ankles to remain shackled during the hearing because he was not cooperating fully.

JAMAICA: Prince Charles, Camilla jam with drummers at Bob Marley museum

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, joined a group of red-, gold- and green-clad Rastafarian musicians Wednesday for a drum session outside the former home of reggae great Bob Marley.

Currently on a Caribbean tour to promote environmental protection, the royal couple were led through the home — now a museum honoring the late singer — by Marley's widow, Rita, and sons Robert and Rohan.

Charles, who wore a gray suit and blue tie, and Camilla, dressed in a cream-colored suit, viewed memorabilia such as tour photos and a Gibson guitar favored by the singer.

Born in Kingston's shantytowns, Marley rose to international stardom before dying of cancer at age 36. His lyrics promoting "one love" made him an icon in this former British colony and in developing countries worldwide.

Earlier Wednesday, hundreds of people jostled each other for a glimpse of the British royals during a visit to an impoverished community.

Charles chatted with townspeople and planted a seedling at a community center in Rose Town, where his Foundation for the Built Environment is helping with revitalization efforts.

"It's quite a spectacle," local resident Dale Bent said of the touring royals.

The prince also inspected an honor guard in the capital.

Gov. General Kenneth Hall and British High Commissioner Jeremy Cresswell accompanied the royals, who are nearing the close of a five-island tour aboard a 246-foot (75-meter) yacht that boasts a hot tub, gym and 24-member crew.

Charles and Camilla were scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Bruce Golding and visit Montego Bay before departing on Friday.

US VIRGIN ISLANDS: Federal agency seeks public comment about leaks at refinery

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) — Federal authorities sought comment Wednesday from U.S. Virgin Islands residents about groundwater cleanup and modifications to waste treatment operations at the Western Hemisphere's second-largest oil refinery.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials joined representatives from Hovensa's refinery to pursue feedback on efforts to recover about a million gallons (liters) of oil spilled on the 1,500-acre (600-hectare) refinery property in the 1980s.

The comment period ends April 26 regarding the ongoing cleanup and possible EPA permit changes at the giant Hovensa refinery on the south coast of St. Croix, where smokestacks stand adjacent to coral reefs and wildlife refuges.

Since recovery and treatment wells began operating in 1987, roughly 42 million gallons (159 million liters) of petroleum waste has been reclaimed from the onsite groundwater at the refinery site, the EPA said in a statement.

While leaky sewer lines and tanks responsible for the property's pollution were repaired long ago, the federal agency says an estimated 1.2 million gallons (4.5 million liters) of spilled oil still remains.

Hovensa, owned by New York-based Hess Corp. and Petroleos de Venezuela SA, the national oil company of Venezuela, is the largest private employer in the U.S. Virgin Islands. A spokesman for the company could not immediately be reached for comment.

JAMAICA: Education minister proposes giving teachers limited police powers

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Faced with rising violence in schools, Jamaica's education chief is suggesting an unusual approach: Recruit teachers to work as campus cops.

Under the proposal, teachers could apply to become district constables with the power to search and hold students until police arrive.

Education Minister Andrew Holness said Wednesday that the idea is to tap the institutional knowledge of teachers, who often have worked at their schools for years and understand their problems better than police school resource officers, who are spread thin.

Teachers who apply would be encouraged to give up academic responsibilities but could continue teaching.

At least three high school students have been killed on Jamaica's campuses since January, most recently last week. Education officials have banned cell phones from campuses and ordered school resource officers to search students and facilities for weapons.

Holness said violence and discipline problems are keeping teachers and principals from doing their jobs.

But many in the community are wary of teachers taking on a law enforcement role — including teachers themselves.

Ena Barclay, chief of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, said the group's 20,000 members wanted to hear more about the proposal before taking a position. But she described Jamaica's teachers as being "really concerned" about increasing violence in schools.

"They don't want to teach in an atmosphere of fear," Barclay said.

CARIBBEAN: Region unlikely to see quick drop in food prices, Caricom says

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Caribbean leaders may have agreed to temporarily suspend import taxes on various food items, but cash-strapped islanders might not see an immediate drop in prices, the Caricom trade bloc spokesman said Wednesday.

During a two-day weekend summit in the Bahamas, members of the Caribbean Community approved a list of items to be excluded from the common external tariff. But wholesalers who have stocks they purchased at the previous rate will likely not sell them for less, Caricom spokesman Leonard Robertson said.

"That instant relief may not be as instant as some people may wish," he said.

Food prices have risen as much as 40 percent recently in poor island nations, with international energy prices driving up the costs of fertilizer and imports.

Leaders likely will meet this week with the private sector before approving the list of items, Denzil Douglas, prime minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, has said.

Two lists will be created. The first contains items not produced in the Caribbean that will be excluded from import taxes for two years, such as olive oil and corned beef. The second list varies by nation; it contains items produced within each island that will not carry import taxes for six months, Robertson said.

Caricom secretary-general Edwin Carrington has warned Caribbean leaders to ensure that tariff suspensions result in lower prices for consumers and not increased profit margins for retailers.

SOCCER: Five Cuban soccer players leave under-23 national team in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Five Cuban soccer players went missing Tuesday night after the under-23 team played a key match against the United States, a team official said Wednesday.

The missing men had not yet reported to authorities.

Zachary Mann, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection, said it's unlikely the agency will learn the men's whereabouts until they come forward.

Under the United States' "wet foot, dry foot" policy, Cubans who reach U.S. soil are allowed to remain in the country and apply for U.S. residency after one year.

The Cuban team is in Tampa to play in qualifying games for the Beijing Olympics this August, sponsored by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, or CONCACAF.

A CONCACAF spokesman declined comment, saying only that the situation is under review.

The five men, including a goalie and team captain who helped Cuba tie the United States 1-1 Tuesday, are expected to be in Miami by this weekend, said Marcos Ommati, a spokesman with professional soccer team Miami FC.

He said he had not spoken with the players and did not know their whereabouts, but said he had spoken with someone who told him to expect the players.

CONCACAF and team officials did not identify the five missing players.

BASEBALL: Indians re-sign recovering Lara, cover his medical expenses

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — Juan Lara, critically injured in a November car crash in the Dominican Republic, was released Wednesday by the Cleveland Indians, who then re-signed him to a minor league contract.

The 27-year-old relief pitcher was dropped from the 40-man roster, but will be paid his full 2008 salary with medical expenses covered by the organization, said Chris Antonetti, the Indians' assistant general manager.

"We're fully supportive of Juan and want to make sure we do everything we can to help him return to a normal life," Antonetti said.

Lara got hurt when his SUV, stopped at a traffic light, was slammed into by a speeding motorcycle on Nov. 26. The motorcycle's driver and passenger were killed and Lara suffered a fractured spine, severe brain trauma, two broken ribs, a broken arm and punctured lung.

Doctors kept the left-hander in a medically induced coma for weeks before fitting him with a halo vest to support his neck. He was flown from Santo Domingo to Cleveland just before Christmas and had operations on his arm and back.

Lara signed with Cleveland in 1999 and is 28-31 with a 3.94 ERA and 18 saves in his minor league career. In 10 relief appearances for the Indians, he has a 4.26 ERA.

The pitcher was hurt while returning from a winter league game for the Estrellas Orientales in San Pedro de Macoris. He was pinned inside his vehicle by the force of the impact.