Opposition leader has change of heart

Antigua Sun "Opposition Leader Lester Bird has re-considered his position to boycott the official ceremony to mark the country’s 28th anniversary of Independence, which will be observed next Monday."

Too many unwarranted killings in SKN

Sun St. Kitts "Describing Sunday’s double homicide as unwarranted, shadow minister for youth and sports in the People’s Action Movement (PAM), Juni Hodge said the latest murders should be an 'eye opener' as there are 'too many unwarranted killings' in St. Kitts/Nevis as this latest incident demonstrates just how fragile the community has become."

Cops hope to interview star witness Vaughn, Khan

Stabroek News"Commissioner of Police Henry Greene yesterday said the force hopes to speak to Selwyn Vaughn, the US star witness, as well as confessed drug trafficker Roger Khan as it investigates the murders allegedly committed by Khan’s phantom group."

"Teen experiencing hell in custody....

TORTURE : Kaieteur News:
In what may be one of the worst cases of police brutality, ranks from the Leonora Police Station have been accused of setting a 14-year-old boy’s genitals alight while questioning him about the murder of former Region Three Vice Chairman, Ramnauth Bisram.
Kaieteur News confirmed the report yesterday after obtaining graphic photographs of the severely burnt lad."

PASTOR STALKS WOMAN?

The Jamaica Star"A 45-year-old St Catherine woman says she is 'scared to death' because she is being stalked by her landlord who happens to be a pastor.

According to Angelica, her source of fear and discomfort comes after she thwarted the pastor's alleged efforts to start a relationship with her."

The 'Gov' is gone - Latibeaudiere resigns as head of BOJ; Wesley Hughes to lead IMF negotiations; Brian Wynter to take over top job

Jamaica Gleaner News"DERICK LATIBEAUDIERE'S 13-year reign at Nethersole Place in Kingston came to an abrupt end last evening with news that the central bank governor had demitted office with immediate effect.

Finance and Public Service Minister Audley Shaw has appointed Brian Wynter, former Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) governor, as the new head of the central bank, effective December 1, 2009."

'DEAD' MAN WALKS

Nation News"THE NEW CEO of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital will be launching an investigation into claims by a St Michael man that he woke up in their morgue after having an epileptic seizure.

Communications specialist at the hospital, Katrinah Best, said yesterday she had informed Dr Dexter James about the matter surrounding 46-year-old Reynzill Scantlebury, also known as Lorenzo."

Man thrown out of the House

The Nassau Guardian "House of Assembly proceedings were disrupted yesterday when a man was physically thrown out of the building following a violent struggle with the chamber's Sergeant at Arms Deno Josey and several other police officers.

The man, who was identified only as a longtime FNM supporter, reportedly waltzed into the room reserved for members of Parliament even after Josey asked him not to do so."

Kidnappers identified

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "THE three men shot dead by police shortly after they failed in an attempt to kidnap a Mt Lambert jeweller have been identified as Wayne Rogers, Quamie George and Shervon Sayers aka “Papi”, all of Marcano Quarry, Beverly Hills, Laventille.

Yesterday, relatives of the three men who went to the Forensic Science Centre in St James to witness the autopsies, shouted abuse at reporters before running off when cameramen started to take photos."

Pirates shoot two, abduct two, in C/tyne River

Kaieteur News: "Pirates have yet again attacked fishermen plying their trade on the waters between Guyana and Suriname. On Wednesday evening, five crew members on a vessel ‘Prince Omar’ were attacked in Coroni, an area close to Surimane. During the ordeal two of the fishermen, Venkataraguvan Raghnauth, 29, of 61 Doctor Miller Street, Triumph, East Coast Demerara, and Shaheed Ahamed, 39, of Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, were shot. The latter had six pellets removed from his body and was discharged, while Raghnauth who was hit by twenty pellets, was kept for observation
Two crew members were abducted along with the boat. The two that are missing were only identified as ‘Brown’ of Bareroot and ‘Mickey’ of Good Hope, both are villages on the East Coast of Demerara."

Fire leaves Canje family of eight homeless

Stabroek News -: "A Canefield, East Canje family of eight is now homeless after a morning fire completely destroyed their home."

'OH NO, OWEN!'

Nation News "TWO STALWARTS of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) have given former Prime Minister Owen Arthur a tongue-lashing for his Press conference on Tuesday that was critical of Opposition Leader Mia Mottley.

And two political scientists have concluded that serious discussion by the party's veterans was needed."

Jamaican footballer King jailed for sexual assault and punching woman

CNN.com: "(CNN) -- An English Premier League footballer has been jailed for sexual assault after groping and then punching a woman while out celebrating both scoring a goal and his wife's latest pregnancy.

Marlon King, born in London but who has represented Jamaica at international level, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Thursday after also being found guilty of causing actual bodily harm."

Three shot, burned in Clarendon

Jamaica Gleaner News "THREE MEN were found dead Tuesday night after a house in Dampey, Palmers Cross, Clarendon, was shot up and set ablaze by a gunman or gunmen.

The three bodies were discovered after the Clarendon Fire Department extinguished the blaze.

Gloria Williams, sister of two of the victims, said her brothers - Markland Williams, 20, and Delroy Williams, 28 - and her cousin, Nicholas Davis, 18, were reportedly shot before the house was firebombed."

Grenada newspaper to be liquidated as a result of former PM's libel suit

Caribbean Net News: "ST GEORGE'S, Grenada (RSF) -- The Grenada Today weekly newspaper is apparently about to disappear as a result of a libel suit by one of Grenada's former prime ministers, Keith Mitchell. High court judge Claire Henry ordered its liquidation this week after the owners failed to reach an agreement with Mitchell over payment of an exorbitant damages award."

Three kidnappers killed in shoot-out with cops

 The Trinidad Guardian: "Three men who kidnapped a Port-of-Spain businessman were shot dead by police at Carlsen Field, Chaguanas, yesterday morning. After a high-speed chase which ended in Carlsen Field, the kidnappers shot at the police, who returned fire. The businessman, Imran Mohammed Khan, was rescued by police, moments after the shooting."

3 ABDUCTORS SLAIN

Trinidad Express "Kidnap victim Imran Mohammed-Khan owes his freedom to a brother and to the police officers who caught the suspects and killed them all in an alleged shoot-out yesterday.

Khan, of Fourth Street, Mt Lambert, was snatched at the gates to his family's home at 8.30 a.m., blindfolded, handcuffed and taken away in the back seat of a car."

Leila sues Channel 5 for libel

Amandala Online: "UDP Belize City Councilor Leila Peyrefitte, in a release to the media today, has announced that her attorneys are suing television company Great Belize Television (Channel 5) for libel on the basis of a story run on News 5 Live on its Thursday, October 22 newscast.

In that story, read by anchor Ava Lovell, reference was made to an audit report that came into Channel 5’s possession, in which over $400,000 was said to be unaccounted for from March 2006 to December 2008, “in huge discounts and write-offs for trade licenses given to choice businesses, in particular, Peyrefitte Brothers (a family-owned business),” according to Five. (Amandala has not seen a copy of that report, which Peyrefitte said numbers 143 pages.)"

Bahamas’ Debt Worsens

The Bahama Journal: "An international credit ratings agency says The Bahamas’ debt metrics have significantly worsened due to the impact of the world crisis and says higher budget deficits will push debt-to-GDP close to 50 per cent by 2010 – higher than most similarly rated sovereigns.

In the Moody’s Global Sovereign Rating and Report 2009, the credit agency said while it is concerned with the increase in The Bahamas’ debt burden, its history of sensible fiscal management and strong policy consensus support the government’s view that debt numbers will start trending down once the worst of the crisis is over."

COPS KILL 3 KIDNAPPERS

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "THREE kidnappers were shot dead by police in Carlsen Field, central Trinidad shortly after they snatched jeweller Imran Khan from outside his Mt Lambert home yesterday morning.

For several hours, the Accident and Emergency Department at the Chaguanas Health Centre was cordoned off by heavily armed police as they waited for the arrival of undertakers to remove the bodies of the kidnappers who up to last night, remained unidentified but were said to be in their late teens or early twenties. Police sources said that for this year so far, 28 persons have been shot dead by the police."

DOUBLE MURDER...Attacks allegedly done by mentally ill man

Sun St. Kitts "Two men are dead and another hospitalised in stable condition after Sunday afternoon’s brutal attack byan alleged cutlass-wielding, mentally ill young man.

The alleged killer is identified as 22-year-old Jervan 'Jadel' Browne of Upper Monkey Hill."

Tody murder trial comes to a close

Antigua Sun "The defence closed its case yesterday and made closing arguments as the murder trial for Police Constable Kevil Nelson comes to a close.

Nelson is on trial for the shooting death of Liberta resident Denfield 'Tody' Thomas.

The 31-year-old Thomas was allegedly shot by Nelson, on 24 Oct., 2006, days before his 1 Nov., birthday; while Nelson and a fellow officer, Randy Francis, were responding to a domestic dispute complaint."

Live firing had nothing to do with cancellation

Kaieteur News: "The British government yesterday said that its decision to no longer fund a security reform project with Guyana had nothing to do with Georgetown’s refusal to allow British troops to train using live fire at border locations.

Rather, the British government replied that Guyana had changed the design of the project to focus more on Police modernization than the original intention of a total reform of the security sector."

Kia Persaud makes it four in a row for QC, Guyana

Stabroek News "Guyana has once again produced the most outstanding candidate overall at the CSEC examinations and for the fourth consecutive time that student is from Queen’s College (QC)."

COLLEGE FIGHT .... Disciplinary Committee takes decisions to president

Dominica News Online "The Disciplinary Committee of the Dominica State College (DSC) has taken appropriate decisions and made recommendations to the institution’s President Hubert Charles regarding a violent brawl between two of its male students in September.

According to Charles, regulations of the DCS do not permit them to disclose to the public the decisions of its various committees."

Antigua Not Amused By Stanford Victims -

- Dealbreaker -: "For some of Sir Allen’s victims, the playbook for getting back to even includes a chapter on a multi-billion dollar suit against the Antiguan government. You might think suing an entire government was little more than a knee-jerk reaction to the news Antigua’s chief banking supervisor, and Allen Stanford blood brother, Leroy King did his part to help the knight pull off his charade. But the victims appear to be quite serious about their own blood quest. If reason alone won’t convince the Caribbean island to pay up, maybe making them sweat about where their next development dollar is going to come from will do the trick."

More immigrants cite sexual orientation for asylum

The Associated Press:"WORCESTER, Mass. — For weeks, Nathaniel Cunningham and his boyfriend secretly lived together in rural Jamaica. They showed no affection in public and rarely spoke to neighbors.

Then one morning, Cunningham picked up a local newspaper with a front-page story under the headline, 'Homosexual Prostitutes Move into Residential Neighborhood.' His address was listed below.

For days afterward, Cunningham said an angry mob gathered on his lawn hurling rocks and bricks and calling them 'batty boys' — a Jamaican slang term for gay. Eventually, the pair grabbed what they could and fled on foot. Cunningham said neither he nor his boyfriend were prostitutes — the slur was just another example of the abuse gay men faced in Jamaica."

Astaphan refutes misleading statements by Lindsay Grant

CUOPM.com "BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, OCTOBER 28TH 2009 (CUOPM) – Lead Counsel for the Constituency Boundaries Commission, Mr. Anthony Astaphan is refuting comments by the Political Leader of the opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM), Mr. Lindsay Grant that a judge has ordered that the old boundaries must be used in the next general election and that the government of Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has lost its mandate.

Mr. Astaphan denied that the recent ruling by Justice Errol Thomas ordered that the upcoming general elections must be called on what is being described as the old boundaries.

“Absolutely no such order was made at all,” said Mr. Astaphan, when he telephoned the one-hour radio programme “Ask the Prime Minister” hosted by Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas on Tuesday morning."

Video--St.Lucia Labour Party MP's walk out of House of Assembly

Stamp of disapproval

Antigua Sun "Zeena Moonasah of Cassada Gardens has been remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison for forging an Antigua and Barbuda immigration extension stamp sometime between May and August of this year.

This is reportedly one of a number of similar cases being actively pursued by the police and immigration officials."

Mayor lights up Jamaica Public Service (JPS) - Power company tackled for giving meters to 'squatters' on Hellshire Beach

Jamaica Gleaner News "Portmore Mayor Keith Hinds has given the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) a black eye for providing electricity, along with meters, to persons he says are squatting on the Hellshire Half Moon Bay Beach in the municipality.

A livid Hinds argued that the light and power company's appetite for collecting revenue should not override the illegality of squatting."

Ganja found in slain cop's car ...

JamaicaObserver.com: "Evidence found in the motor car police Constable Delroy Brown drove to the volatile community of Seaview Gardens where he was shot dead last week suggests that the cop was trafficking in illegal drugs, a highly placed police source confirmed yesterday.

'There was ganja in his vehicle and it appeared he was a seller,' said the source, who opted not to be named. 'There was also a bail bond that he should not have had in his possession inside the vehicle.'"

Degutted bodies… Two more arrested

Kaieteur News: "Two more persons were yesterday arrested in connection with the brutal murder of the three-crew members of the Island Princess. The men, a chicken farmer and a popular Parika businessman, were held yesterday by detectives after their names surfaced during investigations.
A senior police officer yesterday told this newspaper that the Parika businessman was held because he owns a boat."

More evidence seen that 2nd Regent St blaze was arson – Fire chief

Stabroek News "Even as investigations are continuing into the two recent infernos on Regent Street, Fire Chief Marlon Gentle says that more evidence is emerging that suggests that the second of these fires was deliberately set."

PASTOR ON SEX CHARGES

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "Full Gospel pastor Brian Joseph sobbed as he stood in front of a Chaguanas magistrate yesterday on charges of sexually assaulting two young men from his church.

Joseph, 42, gave himself up to the police Monday evening after he learnt that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. He spent the night in police custody and was escorted into the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court yesterday after six sex charges were laid against him."

Not Mia and me!

Nation News"MIA MOTTLEY'S leadership challenge is not between her and Owen Arthur, or her Opposition colleagues - it has to do with what she symbolises in the minds of Barbadians."

video-St.Lucia-Taxi Workers Irate ..

Double homicide jolts SKN

Sun St. Kitts "The Federation’s murder toll catapulted to number 25 yesterday when two men, John Napier and Sylvester Harris, were chopped to death by a mentally challenged man, Jervan Browne Henry.

Initial reports reaching Sun St. Kitts/Nevis indicated that the machete attack was launched at the residence of one of the men. One individual who lives in the area said the attacker seemed to have just 'gone crazy on them'."

Money Influences PLP Votes

Money Influences PLP Votes: "Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Convention Chairman Obie Wilchcombe, who recently lost his deputy leadership bid to newly elected Deputy Leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, says there needs to be some type of campaign financing reform, which would ensure that the best candidate gets the job rather than the candidate with the most money."

PM wants $$ for Garifuna Land

The Vincentian "Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has indicated that he will be seeking compensation from the British for the lands they took away from the Garifuna and other indigenous people of St. Vincent, after the British took control of the island in 1763.

He noted that slave owners were compensated for the loss of their slaves when slavery was abolished. Yet, until this time, there have been no reparations made on behalf of the African slaves, who worked for centuries without wages on the sugar plantations."

HOW MUCH ARE HART'S SALARIES?

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "AFTER being described as “a raging bull” in the House of Representatives by Prime Minister Patrick Manning last week, PNM Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley has taken the bold move of asking Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira to give the Parliament and the country full details about Calder Hart’s chairmanships of five State-owned companies.

Rowley is asking how much money Hart receives as chairman of Udecott, Home Mortgage Bank, National Insurance Board, National Insurance Property Development Company and TT Mortgage and Finance Company."

Ex-Region 3 deputy murdered

Kaieteur News: "Residents of Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara, were left in shock yesterday after former Region Three Vice Chairman, Ramnauth Bisram, one of the community’s prominent members, was found murdered in his home.
Ramnauth Bisram’s home

Bisram, 55, of 11 Canal Number Two, North Section, was found lying in a pool of blood in one of his bedrooms shortly after 16:00 hrs."

Silenced by fear - Residents refuse to speak openly about the guns-for-drugs trade taking place on the Hellshire Beach

Jamaica Gleaner News "A Portmore, St Catherine politician has revealed that most Sunshine City residents will not speak openly about the illicit drugs-for-guns trade being transacted at Hellshire Beach because they are deathly afraid of the consequences.

The politician, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the beach is used for all matters immoral."

Retired Region Three official stabbed to death

Stabroek News "A former vice-chairman of Region Three was yesterday found dead, with several stab wounds about his body at his North Section, Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara home.

Ramenaught Bisram, who served as vice-chairman of the Essequibo Islands/West Demerara region from 1992 to 2006 was discovered with stab wounds to his abdomen and face. Police said in a statement that the death of the 55-year-old man is being investigated."

QUEEN BEE

Nation News: "OPPOSITION LEADER MIA MOTTLEY swept away all doubts about her leadership of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) with a convincing victory at the Roebuck Street, Bridgetown party headquarters last night."

Coalition: Don't give Antigua any IMF funds

Nation News "DALLAS, USA - The Stanford Victims Coalition and the law firm Morgenstern & Blue has sent a letter to over 50 US Senators and Congressmen asking them to block Antigua from receiving any funding from the IMF."

video:Jamaica:133 confirmed cases of swine flu

video--First Caribbean International Bank And Western Union Robberies

A Landmark Cyberspace Case

The Democrat Newspaper: "Just how much freedom is allowed on the Internet has been tested in a court case in Dominica, in which a former beauty queen contestant has been awarded substantial damages.

In 2001 Marina Marshall, saying she felt violated, argued that she had been defamed in an email message circulated on the internet by three work colleagues. Although her case was filed some eight years ago it was only heard in June of this year."

Speaker wants Creole spoken in Parliament

Dominica News "ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC - Speaker of the House of Assembly, Alix Boyd-Knights wants parliamentary rules changed to allow lawmakers to speak the Creole language during their debates."

CLOUD OVER MSJMC...Death of security guard raises questions ...

Antigua Sun: "Even though relatives of the late Lancelot Hector have refused to apportion any blame to the Mount St. John Medical Centre (MSJMC) for the death of Lancelot Hector, AntiguaSun investigations over the last week have indicated that the former Special Security guard was left for an inordinately long period of time without the urgent medical attention worthy of someone in his condition at the time he was admitted to the hospital."

ZR drivers cry foul

Nation News "THE QUEUE-JUMPING of so-called 'rebel vans' and the absence of police to maintain order in the Nursery Drive Minibus stand have some ZR drivers mad."

Labourer kills boss.....

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "A man allegedly ran amok in Chaguanas on Saturday, killing one building contractor and physically assaulting several workers after failing to secure employment at a job site in the area.

The murdered victim has been identified as Bhaggan Gopie, 47, a father of three of Stewart Street, Gasparillo."

Army captain, Cpl., private nabbed with high-powered weapons

Kaieteur News: "Police were last night questioning an army captain, a corporal and a private after nabbing them at Parika with high-powered weapons.

The ranks were detained some hours after being spotted in a boat with a 150 horsepower engine near Leguan, Essequibo. Police sources said that the boat belongs to a Pomeroon man suspected to be an influential figure in the criminal underworld."

Hell in Hellshire - Drugs-for-guns trade a mainstay on the St Catherine beach, senior police officer labels it the epicentre of illicit activity

Jamaica Gleaner News "While the Hellshire Beach in St Catherine is hugely popular with patrons for its fried fish and festival, it has gained much notoriety with the police and has been tagged a major hot spot for drug and gunrunning.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Clive Blair, operations officer for the St Catherine South Division, described the Hellshire Beach as the epicentre of the drugs-for-guns trade in the parish."

Police cramp 'schoolers' style

JamaicaObserver.com: "POLICE in Spanish Town have designed an operation to prevent students from waiting - sometimes until after classes have started in the mornings - on special buses on which loud, lewd music is played, to take them to school."

Enmore mother of four dies after beating

Stabroek News "A woman died at the Georgetown Public Hospital early yesterday after reportedly being beaten by a male relative"

Christie by a landslide

The Nassau Guardian "Silencing many critics within and outside the Progressive Liberal Party, former Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday won a landslide victory against Dr. Bernard Nottage, securing more than 80 percent of the votes cast and cementing his place as the unquestionable leader of the PLP."

video--Jamaica News

Brothers knife man to death

Kaieteur News: "Twenty-four-year-old Mervin “Jess” Boston was yesterday pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital, after he was stabbed more than a dozen times, allegedly by two brothers.
Boston, a resident of 138 King Edward Street, Albouystown, was knifed just three houses away from his home."

Alboustown youth stabbed to death

Stabroek News "Marvin Boston preached the message of Islam in his Alboystown community to those who would listen and he promoted peace, but his words fell on deaf ears yesterday when he attempted to break up a fight and ended up dead."

Schoolboy stabbed to death after Intercol

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "A 15-year-old schoolboy was stabbed and stoned to death by his attackers minutes after witnessing his school team, Central zone champs Carapichaima East Secondary go down 2-0 to Presentation College, San Fernando at a football game in Marabella on Friday evening."

3-y-o dies, mom jailed ❒ Cops say child was thrown into grill

The Jamaica Star "A 25-year-old woman was brought to the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday after she was accused of killing her three-year-old son and beating her one-year-old daughter.

The accused woman, from a Kingston 20 address, is charged with murder and cruelty to a child."

Bus porn

JamaicaObserver.com: "'Siddung pon h... gal,' the conductor said to a Bridgeport High School girl after scores of students rushed to his heavily tinted minibus from which lewd dancehall music blared at the school gate Friday. 'A it bring yuh come yah! Wha, you fraid a h...? Yuh cyaan fraid a h... an' a it bring yuh yah!'

The smiling girl immediately obeyed the directive and quickly got onto the lap of a schoolboy who was seated at the back of the small minibus. Soon, the entire bus was 'lapping up' (the practice of sitting in the lap of someone else, most times the opposite sex)."

Three charged in police raid; drugs and ammo found

Dominica News Online "A Shawford woman told police that the two rounds of Winchester ammunition found at her home during a drugs/ammo bust may have been transported there during her trip back home from the United States."

video--Jamaica:Taxi man SHOT by POLICE!

video:Crossdressing prostitute and client arrested in Jamaica

Gunmen invade school

JamaicaObserver.com: "MONTEGO BAY, St James - Three gunmen yesterday invaded the Farm Primary and Junior High School in Green Pond, shot a vendor to death and injured two others in a brazen mid-morning attack that sent students and teachers running for cover.

The education ministry is Monday expected to send a team to the school to counsel the traumatised teachers and students, some of whom sought cover under desks when one of the bleeding vendors, said to be a pregnant woman, fled to one of the classrooms for refuge."

Guyanese carpenter shot dead in T&T

Stabroek News "A 25-year-old Guyanese, who migrated for an employment opportunity, was fatally shot on Thursday while walking along a roadway in Beetham Gardens, Trinidad.

A Trinidad Express report yesterday said that Samuel De Souza became Trinidad’s “430th murder victim [Thursday] morning, after he was shot dead while walking along the roadway at Phase Four Beetham Gardens”."

Long lines for swine flu tests

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "AS LONG lines of people waited yesterday to be tested for the Influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) virus at San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH), hospital sources said the number of admittances for confirmed cases has significantly decreased with only a two-year-old boy and another person being the latest to be warded at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU), respectively."

Fairchild vendors miss Guyanese

Nation News "The Guyanese are gone and shops at the Fairchild Street Bus Terminal are sorely missing them.

The absence of Guyanese patrons who have gone back home plus an overall slowdown in spending are causing booth operators in the terminal to feel the pinch of low, or almost no income."

BOAT WAS ON TOP OF US

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "Yanik Quesnel could do nothing to save himself and his Spanish friend Ana Carolina Barry-Laso from being struck by a pirogue while bathing at Pigeon Point beach, Tobago two years ago.

“The boat was on top of us before I saw it,” Quesnel, who is paralysed, told Justice Judith Jones in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday."

Hijacked US ship abandoned in Demerara River

Kaieteur News: "A ship believed to have been hijacked in Haiti in 2004, has been found drifting in the Demerara River and police have since arrested several persons caught looting it over the past few days."

Baker fatally stabbed by youth

Stabroek News : "A 40-year-old baker was fatally stabbed yesterday by a youth with whom he had an altercation."

KNOT THE WAY!

Nation News "GOVERNMENT is being urged to close a legal loophole to prevent non-nationals from fraudulently gaining Barbadian citizenship through marriages of convenience."

Cop on gun charges kept

Nation News "THE LAWMAN who allegedly stole two police revolvers from Holetown Police Station was remanded to HMP Dodds when he appeared in the Holetown Magistrates' Court yesterday afternoon.

Constable Ron Dward Connell, 29, of No. 63 Golden Mile, St Peter, pleaded not guilty to both charges against him."

All is not well within police force - UWI academic says

Dominica News Online "An academic has raised his eyebrow at the incidence of criminal activities on island and a perception of the public’s contempt towards police officers."

Imported Chinese Laborers’ Work Conditions Shock Caribbean Nation

Working In These Times: "A group of Chinese laborers who protested unsettled payments and abject housing in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago had their work permits revoked by their employer Tuesday, according to local media.

The move expedites their return to China after a whirlwind week in which the southern Caribbean country learned about gross labor violations akin to modern-day slavery."

Double murder rocks Diego

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "A DOUBLE murder which rocked Jean Avenue in Diego Martin yesterday, had detectives from the Homicide Investigations Bureau very busy last night and took the country’s murder toll to 427 for the year thus far."

'She knew she had HIV but never said anything about it … now I am infected'

Antigua Sun : "Everything was fine until she started cheating on me. Sometimes, she would give me a phone call indicating that she is over at one of her friends assisting her with some chores while persons would report that they saw her at the beach or at questionable places."

video--Ferncourt student killed on compound - Parents angry with administration

Jamaica Gleaner News "Superintendent Gary Griffiths, head of the St Ann police, addresses parents at the Ferncourt High School in Claremont after the stabbing death of a student there. - Photo by Carl Gilchrist

A student of Ferncourt High School in Claremont was stabbed to death on the compound yesterday."

Horror at Ferncourt

JamaicaObserver.com: "CLAREMONT, St Ann - Stunned by the stabbing death of a student, Education Minister Andrew Holness yesterday called urgently on school administrators and parents to step up searches of children for offensive weapons.

Holness' request came within hours of the incident, as Steer Town, St Ann reeled in shock from the stabbing of Garran Jones, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student of Ferncourt High School in the parish."

Degutted bodies : Funeral parlour owner still in custody

Kaieteur News: "A popular funeral parlour owner and two other men remained in custody yesterday as police continued to investigate their possible involvement in the gruesome murders three of the Island Princess crew and the disappearance of a fourth."

More persons held over Island Princess murders

Stabroek News "Three more persons including a prominent businessman are aiding the police in their investigations into the Island Princess saga as its owner Errol Prince continues to question how the vessel ended up in Grenada and what could have led to the brutal murder of three crew members."

MISSING GUNS PROBE

Nation News "COMMISSIONER OF POLICE Darwin Dottin last night ordered a full-scale internal investigation into the theft of two police Glock guns.

His comments followed the arrest and charging yesterday of Police Constable Ron Connell in connection with the theft of one of the guns from the Holetown Police Station.

Connell, 29, of Golden Mile, St Peter, will appear at the Holetown Magistrates' Court today to answer the charge."

One more Jamaican goes - Man on triple-murder charge waives his right to extradition hearing; no word on 'Dudus' case

Jamaica Gleaner News -"While the Government is still reviewing the allegations brought against Christopher 'Dudus' Coke by the United States (US) Government, one of two men who were awaiting extradition hearings was handed over to foreign authorities on the weekend.

The Gleaner understands that 21-year-old Davion Parson, who has been in police custody for the past two years, waived his rights to an extradition hearing. He is to face a triple-murder charge in the US."

Bus crackdown

JamaicaObserver.com: "Despite a protest by Portmore-based bus operators, the police yesterday vowed to keep up the pressure on the operators to conform to legal public transport practices or face prosecution."

Funeral parlour owner, two others detained

Kaieteur News: "Police were last night questioning a funeral parlour owner, his brother and an employee in connection with the brutal murder of the crew members of the Island Princess.
The men were taken into custody late yesterday evening and were being interrogated by detectives.
The Island Princess, a cargo boat, disappeared late September in the Essequibo River."

‘Special’ team to probe alleged Roger Khan, ‘Fine man’ murders -police

Stabroek News "The Guyana Police Force yesterday announced that it has set up a special investigative team to “enquire into the alleged murders which surfaced during the court hearing for drug dealer Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan.”"

‘Where were the cops?’

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "THE girlfriend of slain murder accused Peter Garcia yesterday said she is demanding answers from the Police Service as to why only one unarmed policeman was used to escort Garcia to and from the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court."

MEDICINE WEED

Nation News "INDEPENDENT MEMBER of Parliament Hamilton Lashley supports legalising the medical use of marijuana.

'I, sir, agree with the legalisation of marijuana, only for medical purposes,' the St Michael South-East MP said in the House of Assembly yesterday."

‘Tody’ murder trial begins ....

Antigua Sun : "A number of police officers, present and former, including former commissioners yesterday showed up to lend support to their colleague Constable Kevil Nelson who is standing trial for the murder of Liberta resident Denfield 'Tody' Thomas."

Gunmen tear family apart

Jamaica Gleaner News "A 42-year-old woman and her 12-year-old son were among a number of persons killed violently yesterday.

Angella Longmore and Micah Bernard were brutally murdered in their home in Mona Common, Papine, about 2:30 a.m.

Reports are a group of heavily armed men entered premises at Mona Common and opened fire indiscriminately. One of the gunmen forced open a window to the house occupied by the two and opened fire, killing Longmore on the spot, young Bernard was taken to the University Hospital where he was pronounced dead."

More J'cans said fleeing America

JamaicaObserver.com: "Scores of Jamaicans are believed to be among the 1.7 million illegal immigrants in the United States who have opted to return home in the last two years, rather than endure the harsh realities of a tough American economy and stricter enforcement of immigration policies."

Brothers drown in Demerara River

Kaieteur News: "A mother’s search for her two sons who left their Third Street, Silvertown, Wismar, home Sunday Afternoon unknown to anyone, ended tragically yesterday.
The body of the younger of the two, 14-year-old Akeemo Fredericks, was fished out of the Demerara River, in the vicinity of the River View Hotel ‘landing’on Burnham Drive Wismar by a public spirited citizen, around 9:00 hours yesterday morning."

Teen brothers drown at Linden

Stabroek News "The bodies of two brothers who went missing on Sunday afternoon were fished out of the Demerara River at Linden yesterday just before midday.

Dead are 13-year-old Akeemo Fredericks of the Wisburg Annex School and 16-year-old Andre Fredericks of the Wisburg Secondary School."

Murder accused gunned down

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "HANDCUFFED murder accused Peter Garcia was yesterday morning gunned down in the yard of the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court, by two hitmen dressed as construction workers, as he (Garcia) was being led to the court by a policeman."

Novel way to prevent HIV infection?

Nation News "SOME STUDENTS are dipping their hands in Clorox and licking it off their finger on mornings and evenings with the mistaken notion that this would prevent them from getting the HIV virus."

Jamaican born triple-murder suspect extradited to Polk

TBO "A triple murder suspect has been extradited from Jamaica to Polk County. But in exchange, prosecutors had to promise that 21-year-old Davion Parson would not face the death penalty."

video-Government Range Rover Auction.

Video--children injured in school bus crash.....

Boy, 13, kills lad, 15

Kaieteur News: "A squabble over a jersey ended in tragedy yesterday evening with a 13-year-old boy killing a 15-year-old villager at Cottage, Mahaicony.

The victim, identified as Eon Benjamin, of Cottage, Mahaicony, collapsed and died at around 18:00 hrs shortly after being stabbed with a knife.

According to reports, the two boys and a third villager had fought earlier in the day over a jersey.

The fight continued at around 18:00 hrs in a street, during which the 13-year-old allegedly stabbed Benjamin.

The wounded lad was rushed to the Mahaicony Hospital where he succumbed."

Fire again on Regent

Stabroek News"For the second time in ten days, a fire swept through a section of Regent Street destroying three buildings which housed four businesses, leaving dozens jobless and consuming millions in stock."

Murder accused in pain

Jamaica Gleaner News "A woman accused of murdering her lover's wife in November 2000 is suffering from spinal injury, having difficulty walking and is in need of medical attention.

The plight of 38-year-old cosmetologist Janet Douglas of Ziadie Gardens, St Andrew, who is in custody awaiting a retrial, was disclosed by her lawyer, Dr Randolph Williams, when Douglas appeared in court last week."

'I didn't want her to die'

'JamaicaObserver.com: "COLIN Foster still cannot grasp how, at age 10, he managed to carry his 170-pound great-grandmother from their burning house in Coffee Grove, Manchester, in 2006, but his mother believed her son's life-saving effort was nothing short of a miracle from God."

‘Beetham killings not to be buried’

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj yesterday vowed to help the families of the two Beetham men who were killed by police last week and said he wants to find out the truth about what happened."

TT PUTS IN PLACE PANDEMIC MOOD

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO is preparing for a worst case scenario on the influenza H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus as more cases are expected, according to Health Minister Jerry Narace."

Three sentenced to jail for sex offences

Antigua Sun"Three men were sentenced to a combined 29 years in prison after they were each convicted for sexual offences in the High Court last Friday.

Duffield Destin, who was found guilty by a 12-member jury over three weeks ago for buggery and serious indecency, was sentenced by Justice David Harris to 12 and six years in prison respectively. The sentences are to run concurrently and each is with hard labour.

Destin is said to have committed the sexual acts against a 12-year-old girl."

Massiah all for flogging

Nation News "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG with flogging students.

This was the assertion Reverend Errington Massiah gave the DAILY NATION after the church service at the St Joseph Anglican Church yesterday morning to celebrate 162 years of Public Library service on the island.

'Lashes in school are nothing new. But I don't feel it should have appeared in the paper,' the outspoken preacher said.

Massiah was referring to the incident last week where the flogging of a student of the St Leonard's Boys' School by a teacher was caught by one of our photographers and ran on the front page of the WEEKEND NATION."

Jamaica's Bounty Killer accused of pot possession

Taiwan News Online: "Jamaican rapper Bounty Killer is in trouble with the police again.

Authorities have charged him with marijuana possession after a traffic stop in New Kingston.

The entertainer whose offstage name is Rodney Price already is being prosecuted on previous charges of illegal possession of a firearm and unlawful wounding and assault.

Police said in a statement Sunday that Price was found with a small bag of marijuana on Thursday."

11 and still in diapers

Nation News "SHE STILL WEARS disposable diapers at the age of 11. She is teased at her school daily, and it gets worse on the bus ride home."

Diwali mishap lands child in manhole

Kaieteur News: "Nedd and her six-year-old cousin, Kayla, were running toward the vehicle, when Nedd fell into the unseen and uncovered three-foot wide manhole.

The girl told Kaieteur News reporters that she was briefly submerged in the water, but did not sink to the bottom of the hole."

Wismar man dies on way back from funeral

Stabroek News "A 61-year-old Wismar man, who was returning home from his sister’s Georgetown funeral with a car load of relatives, died last night after the vehicle slammed into the side of a stationary truck without its park lights on."

FREAKY SENIOR HELD IN NAKED DRAMA

The Jamaica Star "The St Catherine police are investigating a case where an elderly man is alleged to have entered a young woman's house, hid under her bed and later woke her from her sleep while posing naked.

THE STAR heard that the 62-year-old man, of Jeffery Town in the parish, was arrested on Thursday evening and may be charged over the weekend, after a report was made by the 21-year-old complainant."

Trinidad bound - Jamaican drug mules rush to the twin-island republic

Jamaica Gleaner News "More and more Jamaican drug mules are heading to Trinidad as their first stop in the continuing effort to smuggle ganja into North America and Europe.

Local and international law-enforcement agencies are now looking at this new gateway which is attracting an increasing number of drug mules."

Lifeline for Angostura

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "THE CL FINANCIAL Group and State-owned First Citizens Bank have brokered a restructuring deal which could revitalise the beleaguered books of debt-laden Angostura, the CL Financial Group Chief Executive Officer Steve Bideshi revealed on Friday."

NATIONAL shame Elias calls on PM Manning to fire Chinese contractors

Trinidad Express "In an unprecedented move, the Government has quietly fired a Chinese contractor it hired two years ago to build the Princes Town East Secondary School, citing a lack of delivery on nearly 90 per cent of the $151 milllion project."

ABUSE OF POWER...Opposition leader condemns PM’s speech

Sun St. Kitts "Leader of the Opposition Mark Brantley said he is of the notion that 'the (recent) speech from the leader of our country (Prime Minister Dr. Denzil L. Douglas) at this time, is (he) seeking to use his bully pulpit as prime minister to exert pressure on the judiciary to deliver a judgment quickly so that he can get on to the business of having an election.'"

Police murdered men

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "SEVERAL Beetham residents yesterday cried foul over the killing of two of its residents Wednesday night, saying the two young men Fabian Mauge, 26, and Ricky Roberts, 25, were murdered in cold blood by the police."

'Some have mild symptoms, some critically ill'

Trinidad Express "SOME 'swine flu' victims are turning up at health care facilities with mild symptoms, while others are critically ill, according to doctors tracking a new wave of Influenza A/H1N1 virus infections.

In the very critical stage, victims have respiratory or chest problems, particularly short breath, Dr Stephen Ramroop, the medical director at the San Fernando General Hospital, said yesterday."

Common bond: H1N1 flu victims were all overweight

Trinidad Express "The Health Ministry yesterday confirmed four deaths from the Influenza A/H1N1 virus. The victims all had a common link-morbid obesity.

The victims-three men and one woman-died in the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital this week. Another man also died at the facility, but from seasonal flu."

Francis charged with larceny

Antigua Sun "Malcolm Francis, an experienced captain who has responsibility for many boats, has found himself in trouble with the law.

Francis appeared in the St. John’s Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Keith Thom charged with larceny."

Dellis Cay Resort Heads Into Receivership

WSJ: "Pristine beaches, villas designed by famous architects and the endorsement of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones wasn’t enough to keep yet another Caribbean resort from going belly up.

Lenders put the massive Dellis Cay development in the Turks and Caicos islands into receivership on Thursday, roughly a week after developer Turks Ltd. stopped construction. The resort was to include 25-room hotel, 78 for-sale condominiums and 17 villas, all managed by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group."

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Roger Khan gets 40 years

Kaieteur News: "Guyanese drug dealer Shaheed ‘Roger” Khan was sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment on three separate charges by US Judge, Dora Irizarry after she accepted the plea bargain agreement he had reached with prosecutors."

Justice done in Roger Khan case – Judge Irizarry

Stabroek News "US Federal Judge Dora Irizarry yesterday afternoon said that while no sentence imposed on confessed drug trafficker Shaheed Roger Khan would make right whatever atrocities he had committed, the fact that he would serve time in a US prison meant that justice has been served."

video--Haiti continuing to rely on food handouts

Haiti's agricultural sector is considered to be one of the most inefficient in the world. For decades, the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) has been working in the country, trying to improve food production.

But despite its best efforts, hundreds of thousands of Haitians continue to rely on food handouts.

video--vehicle vandalized

Cane cutters' strike halts Guyana sugar industry

Forbes.com: "GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Thousands of sugarcane workers were on strike Thursday in Guyana in a dispute over pay, paralyzing production of the impoverished South American nation's No. 1 export.

Two days in, the walkout has forced the closure of all eight estates owned by state-run sugar monopoly Guyana Sugar Corp., or Guysuco."

Simpson killing stuns Jamaica

FIFA.com "Jamaican international Oraine Simpson was fatally stabbed on Tuesday. The 26-year-old was stabbed multiple times in the Tivoli Gardens slum, on the outskirts of the Jamaican capital Kingston, several hours after having a quarrel with a man.

Simpson made his debut for the Reggae Boyz in 2005 and played his club football for local top flight side Tivoli Gardens Football Club."

Investigations Continue Into Guyanese Cargo Boat

Klassic Grenada: "Investigations are continuing into the discovery of a Guyanese cargo boat found drifting in Grenada waters.

The boat is now docked at the coast guard base and spokesperson Troy Garvey says that police are doing the regular investigations.

The matter is being treated simply as a boat found adrift in Grenadian waters.

Police here say they have so far found no evidence that it was part of any criminal activity."

Receiver sues Stanford employees for $11 million

Reuters: "LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The receiver overseeing the assets of accused swindler Allen Stanford has sued two former Stanford Capital Management employees, seeking the return of $11 million in investor funds, court documents showed.

The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in Dallas federal court, accuses Stanford and his co-defendants in an alleged $7 billion Ponzi scheme of transferring the funds of defrauded investors to Christopher Aitken and Stephen Thacker to hide it from creditors."

Why were Island Princess crew members murdered?

Stabroek News "How and why, three crew members of the Island Princess were shot in the head and disembowelled are the questions that seem to have no answers but local police are awaiting the arrival of the vessel here to commence investigations with the hope that some clues may be found."

Annaleise found - Bittersweet reunion as 10-y-o is put in state care - Woman to be charged for breaching Child Care Act

Jamaica Gleaner News "The two-day long search for 10-year-old Annaleise Davis ended on a positive note yesterday, but the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the child is far from solved.

So far, the police have taken one woman into custody in connection with the disappearance, but they are still trying to piece together the puzzle."

Boys break Sabbath tradition to rescue drowning motorists

JamaicaObserver.com: "A year ago when Jermaine Selvin and his best friend Kareem Lawson took the decision to challenge the icy depths of the deadly Rio Cobre to save two imperilled motorists, they had no idea they were saving a schoolmate's parents."

'No end to the war between me and the gays,' Buju tells Muta

JamaicaObserver.com: "International reggae artiste Buju Banton, who this week met with gay activists in San Francisco, says he will not 'surrender' to the group's philanthropy proposals as they would contradict his religion and culture.

Banton also said his concert that night was pepper-sprayed following the meeting with the gay lobby."

New migrant fine

Nation News "GOVERNMENT is proposing a massive increase in the penalty for breaking immigration laws, from the current $5 000 to a maximum of $50 000.

And it will likely introduce a forthwith fine of $5 000 on masters of vessels who enter and leave without providing an immigration officer with separate lists of passengers and crew members."

Guyanese man in NY court over 44 pellets of cocaine

Stabroek News "A Guyanese man who was charged in New York after excreting 44 pellets of cocaine appeared in a Brooklyn court yesterday for a further hearing on his matter.

Marvin Martins was held on September 13 after he arrived at the JFK Airport on a Delta Airlines flight.
His lawyer, Michael Schneider told Judge Leo Glaassar yesterday that he has to discuss with his client a plea bargain offered by the government."

Gay protesters clash with Buju Banton fans

The Bay Area Reporter Online "Gay protesters and reggae music lovers clashed outside of an Inner Richmond club Monday, October 12 where controversial singer Buju Banton performed hours after meeting with Supervisor Bevan Dufty and other gay rights advocates."