SmallShop Caribbean News

Antigua Sun : "A powerful earthquake rocked the region yesterday, causing panic and amazement in Antigua and Barbuda and neighbouring territories, but no reports of significant damage locally. The earthquake was initially rated at 7.3 magnitude by the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Unit (SRU) in Trinidad & Tobago, but was later confirmed at 7.4 by the US Geological Survey. It hit at 3 p.m. with strong tremors felt as far south as Guyana, on the northern edge of South America , and as far north as the US Virgin Islands. According to preliminary reports from the SRU, the epicentre of the earthquake was off the east coast of Martinique at a depth of 143.1 km or nearly 89 miles below sea level."

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "THE earth trembled yesterday as a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 severely shook the Caribbean at 3 pm. The major tremor lasted for over one minute. Trinidad and Tobago was affected as workers evacuated shaking buildings, scampered down high rise construction sites but no major damage or injury was reported in this country. The magnitude in TT was 4.8, a residue of the powerful 7.3 further north in the island chain. "

Stabroek News : "Powerful tremors from a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in the Caribbean Sea near Martinique were felt across Guyana yesterday afternoon, and had scores of people rushing out of shaking buildings in panic. The tremors were reported in several areas throughout the country; Lethem in Region Nine, Berbice, Essequibo and also in the North-West District. "

The Nation Newspaper "Terrified Barbadians panicked, fled their homes, offices and stores and ran into the streets as buildings began to shake just before 3 p.m. yesterday – Independence Eve. For more than 20 seconds an earthquake which measured five on the Richter Scale shook the island to its inner core and left Barbadians badly shaken as well. The earthquake which originally measured 7.4 on the Richter scale vibrated its way through the Eastern Caribbean sometime after 2 p.m. "

Jamaica Gleaner News - "THE SCENIC and peaceful hills of Irish Town, St. Andrew, were yesterday blemished by the shooting death of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Gilbert Kameka. Kameka, the ACP in charge of Area Four, is the 18th policeman to be murdered since the start of the year and the second in a day, which Opposition Spokesman on National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips, described as a 'dark day in the country's history'."

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM : "TWO policemen were yesterday shot and killed within a 12-hour time span, leaving members of the constabulary in mourning and bringing back memories to May 2005 when three cops, including a senior superintendent, were killed within hours apart. Constable Valentino Chambers, 33, who worked at the Hannah Town Police Station, was ambushed and peppered with bullets as he drove his private motor vehicle to work along Slipe Pen Road in Kingston hours before dawn yesterday. His service pistol was stolen by his attackers."

Strong earthquake rocks Caribbean : "In Martinique, six people were injured when they jumped through windows, including one in serious condition, said Samuel Bernes, a civil security office spokesperson. Others were slightly injured when they tried to flee their homes, and dozens were treated for panic attacks, officials said. Government officials announced schools will be closed Friday and that some roads on the northern end of the island were cracked and impassable. In Barbados, a woman was trampled as workers fled an office building in Bridgetown, the capital, and was hospitalized in stable condition. Another woman broke her leg while trying to rush out of her home, according to a police report. In Trinidad, the shaking sent workers streaming out of office towers into the streets of the capital, Port-of-Spain. Flights at St. Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport were briefly suspended. In Guyana, lawmakers evacuated the South American country's parliament bu...

Trinidad's energy resources becoming scarce : "Energy resources in the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago are dwindling, bpTT chairman and chief executive officer Robert Riley said. Trinidad and Tobago receives over 75 percent of its annual revenue from the energy industry. Several of the world's major energy companies have established deep business contacts here. 'There will be no large oil and gas finds in the future as in the past decade or so,' he told a gathering of over 200 industrialists and energy experts at San Fernando Wednesday."

The Nassau Guardian "Two men are dead after they were sprayed with bullets by a gunman in a dark-colored car Wednesday evening. According to reports, Don Pratt, 28, who is known by the street name 'Sharky,' pulled up outside his home on St. Vincent Road, off Blue Hill Road South, around 6:15 p.m. when a gunman exited a small dark car in the area. The gunman, whose face was concealed by a hooded jacket, riddled Pratt's red Chevy Lumina with bullets. Pratt managed to get out of the car and made it to his doorstep before he died, a source told The Guardian"

ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) : "French police said a powerful 7.3-magnitude quake that hit the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe had caused buildings to collapse. 'For the moment, a building and a bank have collapsed. There is panic, but we do not know if there are casualties,' a police source told AFP."

There have been no major reports of damage so far but tremors have affected virtually all of the Caribbean islands...from Puerto Rico to Antigua....Dominica...st.lucia and even as far as Guyana....Trinidad and Tobago.....Barbados This is one of the largest events that have occurred in the Caribbean in recent years. I did feel the tremor which occurred for about twenty seconds here in Barbados.Having never experienced such an event my initial reaction was that maybe I was feeling unwell(dizzy)......Traffic in Bridgetown is at a standstill as well as the highways.....with the panic that we experienced in Barbados it is a very good thing it wasn't longer...it has been reported that the last time Barbados experienced a tremor was in 1947 For more information please go to uwiseismic.com PORT OF SPAIN ( Reuters ) - A powerful but deep earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 sent workers scrambling in panic into Caribbean streets on Thursday after it struck near the island of Martinique and se...

Quake of 7.3 magnitude in Caribbean - Americas : "Washington - An earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of the Caribbean island of Martinique but has not caused a tsunami, the US Geological Survey reported Thursday. " Associated Press ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) — A powerful earthquake rocked the eastern Caribbean on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. No damage was immediately reported. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.3, was centered 23 miles southeast of Roseau, the capital of Dominica, where the shaking lasted for about 20 seconds. The quake was felt as far away as Puerto Rico. The quake struck at 2 p.m. EST at a depth of 90 miles beneath the surface of the Earth, according to the geological survey's Web site.

The Nation Newspaper "BARBADIANS across the political divide are celebrating the country's 41st Independence anniversary with the coming general election very much on their mind, pondering whether to continue with the Bees beyond the expiring third consecutive term, or let the Dems now have a shot at state power in 2008. The country is reputed as one of the better managed economies in the Caribbean Community and has a comparatively proud record in human rights observance and democratic norms under changing administrations. "

The Bahama Journal : "Leaders of the media are outraged over a decision by the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture to charge a fee to provide coverage of the Junkanoo parades. Many media professionals said this is a blow to freedom of the press in The Bahamas and questioned whether Junkanoo administrators understand the real function of the fourth estate."

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "POLICE Superintendent Chandrabhan Maharaj wants either the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) or the British Scotland Yard to investigate his allegations of corruption in the Police Service and the involvement of police officers from the Southern Division in the illegal arms and drug trade"

The Trinidad Guardian : "He loved his father. His father loved him. Why would Prakash Harridath give his only son, Lorenzo, a mixture of Lanate and soft drink, and then kill himself, when his ten-year-old son was “his eyeball?” No one can understand. "

Stabroek News : "A Caribbean Airlines clerk, who allegedly checked in a cocaine-filled suitcase on Sunday, and passed it off as belonging to an outgoing passenger, is in police custody and will appear in court today. "

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM : "After 31 days and 52 witnesses giving dramatic and intriguing testimony, the Coroner's inquest into the death of former Pakistan cricket coach, Bob Woolmer, ended yesterday where it began - no closer to a verdict."

Jamaica Gleaner News "Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller has plummeted from being Jamaica's most popular politician and is now living in the shadow of Prime Minister Bruce Golding. According to the findings of the most recent Gleaner-commissioned Bill Johnson polls, conducted on November 24 and 25 in 84 communities across Jamaica, Mrs. Simpson Miller has dropped nine percentage points in her favourability rating since the general elections."

St. Lucia Star Online : "Time was when by-elections were considered low rent, not-nearly-ready-for-prime-time comedy. You know, lite. As in Miller lite? No more. Thanks to the 2007 by-elections that almost overnight had turned Richard Frederick—a lawyer with a somewhat controversial reputation—into St Lucia’s most talked about MP since, well, the brothers Bousquet, by-elections have come of age, with their own fatted sheep waiting to be fleeced."

SUN St.Kitts & Nevis : "Less than 24 hours after the Federation was shaken by news of the brutal murder of one of its young men, it has had to grapple with news of the untimely demise of another of its residents. Terrence “De Whale” Francis, 38, of Buckleys Estate tragically lost his life sometime Sunday evening following an incident which sources claim involved his wife and another individual.

Antigua Sun : "One case relates to a 1984 deal between the Bird administration and a Japanese company “IHI” for the construction of the Crabbs desalination and power plant at a cost of US$33 million. The other case is related to a land deal carried out by Southern Developers Ltd in which acres of crown land in the Cades Bay area were purchased at concessionary rates. In both instances, Bird and other defendants are asking the appeals court to overrule an earlier High Court decision that the cases could go forward, effectively dismissing the cases filed against them."

St. Lucia Star Online "Lay-offs are coming at Air Jamaica. The new Board has reportedly ordered that audits be done in all departments to determine which areas of the work force should be reduced. A notice has also been sent to Air Jamaica employees proposing a 12-month voluntary leave of absence.

allAfrica.com: "The High Court yesterday granted an interim order in favour of Jamaican citizen Norman Escoffery, who has spent 19 months in prison without being charged or convicted of a criminal offence. The 67-year-old Escoffery was arrested in May last year, after the Windhoek Country Club and Casino filed a civil case against him for a N$460 000 bill he ran up during almost a year's stay there"

Advocate : "Divide and conquer! That is the element that CARICOM countries are being told to be wary of when negotiating trade agreements with developed states like the US and the European Union. This is according to former World Bank chief economist and Nobel Laureate, Joseph Stiglitz. Its all about the fine print, Stiglitz said. He was delivering the 32nd Sir Winston Scott Memorial lecture recently at the Grand Salle of the Central Bank. "

Caribbean360.com : "Barbados and The Bahamas are still the best Caribbean countries to live in, according to the latest UN Human Development Index. The tourist-dependent territories were ranked at number 31 and 49, respectively on the UN list released yesterday. Barbados actually jumped eight points on the index while the Bahamas, which has seen an increase in crime this year, dropped 12 points down the rankings. "

guyanachronicle.com "ALL citizens are being urged to join national efforts to enhance traffic and road safety while insurance companies and corporate entities that sell/repair motor vehicles are being called upon to make more visible contributions in this regard. "

Stabroek News : "A 31-year-old father of seven was executed at his Number 78 Village, Corriverton home around 12:30 am yesterday and police sources feel the murder was drug-related. This newspaper was told that Daniel 'Danny' Jones's forehead was 'riddled with bullets' and that the police retrieved 'four fired bullets' (shells) at the scene. "

The Trinidad Guardian "AS TEARS rolled down her face, Lisa Jack yesterday recalled the last moments she spent with her 19-month-old daughter Litricia Jack and pleaded with God to save her child’s life. Little Litricia died on Monday, two days after she had been found unconscious at the bottom of a flight of stairs at a relative’s home at Gonzales Terrace, Belmont. She had suffered a brain concussion. An autopsy said the infant died of blunt lashes to the head and multiple lashes to the body. "

The Bahama Journal : "An American private investigator hired by defeated Pinewood candidate PLP Senator Allyson Maynard Gibson gave testimony yesterday in relation to alleged impropriety in the distribution of voters cards from the Parliamentary Registration Department. In his sworn testimony, Fort Lauderdale based investigator Steve Mallon told the court that during an August 1, 2007 interview with Jamaican national Manani Taylor at the Carmichael Road Detention Center, the detainee told him that he had purchased his voter’s card for $1,000."

Caribbean Net News: "MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica (JIS): The government will be clamping down on illegal foreign workers and the inspection team within the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has been strengthened to deal with the matter. "

CBC.bb : "Two children were admitted to hospital in critical condition on Tuesday even as police here outlined plans to focus on the crime high spots across the country. Reports indicate that in the latest violent incident two gunmen entered a house in the volatile Mountain Avenue in the corporate area that was occupied by a man, his girlfriend and three children ages 4, 6 and 8 and fired shots, injuring all five family members. "

Florida Connection : "Statistics released by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for the months of August and September bested expectations and point to good prospects for the key winter season."

BBCCaribbean.com "Recent trends have shown that Jamaicans are the least likely among Caribbean nationals to be issued with a visa to travel to the United Kingdom. British Immigration Judge and Solicitor Cordella Bart-Stewart made the revelation at an Immigration seminar in Northwest London over the weekend."

International Herald Tribune : "The eldest daughter of Sir John Compton, St. Lucia's former prime minister and independence leader who died in September, won a special election to fill his legislative seat in the small Caribbean nation. Jeannine Compton, a 37-year-old marine biologist, defeated four other candidates Monday to win the Micoud North seat and retain it for the ruling United Workers Party."

Travel Trade Gazette Online UK : "The Dominican Republic’s tourist board has reassured the industry that a recent outbreak of dengue fever had not affected tourist areas. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has reported a “marked increase” in the number of cases across the region. However, Sabrina Cambiso, director of the Dominican Republic’s tourist board, said that the increase in cases of dengue had occurred mainly in shanty towns, not the holiday resorts."

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM : "RODNEY Beckles, the son of a university professor, was yesterday found not guilty for the January murder of 28-year-old Khalil Campbell, the son of high court judge Lennox Campbell in a verdict that shocked some spectators and angered relatives and friends of the deceased. The 12-member jury arrived at the not-guilty verdict after close to three hours of deliberation. Immediately following the verdict, a friend of the deceased launched a sudden attack on Beckles while police was escorting him from the prisoners' dock." Jury finds Beckles not guilty of murder The Barbados Nation Newspaper KINGSTON, Jamaica – Rodney Beckles, a Barbadian student studying at the University of the West Indies, was yesterday found not guilty of murdering 28-year-old Khalil Campbell. A 12-member jury hearing the case in the Home Circuit Court freed the 21-year-old Beckles, son of Professor Hilary Beckles, principal of the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus. Bec...

Jamaica Gleaner News Herbert Henry McKenley, O.M. rated as one of, if not Jamaica's greatest ever athlete is dead. The man hailed by many as one of the most outstanding 400 metres runners ever died shortly before 6:00 p.m. yesterday at the Tony Thwaites Wing of the University Hospital of the West Indies, where he had been admitted just over two weeks ago. McKenley was 85." Also Today on Jamaica Gleaner News Online Jamaica College (JC) student stabbed to death - Killed by classmate; school body traumatised Safeguarding the Mico legacy Agency urged to be more active for children Golding breaks silence on PSC selection process ......and More .....go to Jamaica Gleaner News online

Stabroek News : "One week after he allegedly pistol-whipped a 19-year-old man and then fired his gun several times during a drunken brawl over a woman at an East Coast Demerara bar, Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall declined to comment on the issue yesterday. " Also Today on Guyana's Stabroek Newspaper - Timehri route drivers protest for increased fares - Corbin, Jagdeo for Chancellor, Chief Justice consultations on Friday - Still no response from Venezuela on invasion - Missing man found dead at Westbury foreshore Go to Stabroek News

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "WITHIN a seven-hour period between Sunday night and yesterday morning, the country’s murder rate shot up by three to 337, with well over a month remaining in the year. If the present murder rate continues, this year’s tally could very well meet and even exceed last year’s total of 368." Also on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday Beware police imposters BE WARNED. Persons dressed as police officers or security guards may not be wh... Fflour $et to rise NATIONAL FLOUR MILLS (NFM) is set to raise its price of flour next Monday by 1... 18-month-old child beaten to death AN 18-MONTH-OLD baby girl from Gonzales, Port-of-Spain reportedly died yesterd...

The Trinidad Guardian "THE MURDER TOLL stood at 338 late yesterday, after three men were killed in separate incidents on Sunday night at St Barb’s in Laventille and Never Dirty in Morvant. The three were killed by gunmen at their homes. Police are also treating the death of an 18-month-old toddler, Latricia Jack, as a homicide. The other victims are: "

St. Lucia Star Online : "Health ministry staffers who have been complaining for some time now about the modus operandi of their minister Keith Mondesir this week issued an ultimatum to the government of prime minister Stephenson King: listen to the people or else! "

The Bahama Journal : "The man whom US President George W. Bush branded a drug kingpin, Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles, will likely learn today whether his attorney has convinced a U.S. jury that he is innocent of drug possession and importation charges. After deliberating for more than an hour yesterday afternoon, the matter, being heard in a Miami court, was adjourned to this morning. Following closing arguments from both prosecution and defence attorneys on Monday, the jury was dismissed to deliberate just before 4pm. Jurors had still not reached a verdict by 5p.m., leaving Miami Judge James Cohns to adjourn the matter to today"

SUN St.Kitts & Nevis : "The short period of calm which the Federation was experiencing, was yesterday morning suddenly interrupted when word that the life of yet another of the nation’s young men was violently snatched away. Javez Caines, 21, of Irish Town Project was shot last Saturday evening in the vicinity of Irish Town. A well placed source, told the SUN the young man was sitting and playing a game of domino with others in the said area when, shortly before 11p.m., a masked individual approached him and discharged a number of bullets from a firearm."

The Nation Newspaper : "BARBADOS can expect some negative fallout from 'the failure of the United States to manage its affairs properly' which has led to a weak US dollar that could make this island's imports more and more expensive. The caution has come from Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Owen Arthur who said it would take a 'serious Government' to deal with such issues. "

Jamaica Gleaner News "The Jamaican Government has secured an agreement with the British Government to freeze the deportation of Jamaicans serving time for violent offences in United Kingdom prisons. Prime Minister Bruce Golding revealed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in Kampala, Uganda, that the agree-ment was concluded during talks with British leader Gordon Brown."

Stabroek News : "The incident involving a government minister who allegedly assaulted a man at an East Coast drinking spot and later fired his gun outside on the road has been settled out of court and the minister has apologized through an intermediary, according to Joseph Doodnauth, the teenager at the centre of the case. "

The Nation Newspaper "BARBADIANS WILL HAVE their say on whether the country becomes a republic or not after all. Deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley said yesterday the public would get to vote yes or no on the issue whenever they voted in the next general election. She said that work on the draft Constitution was completed two years ago, but Government had not released it 'largely because we committed towards a referendum on the republic. "

Jamaica Gleaner News : "With less than two weeks to go before the local government elections, political tensions have flared in central Kingston after a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor was shot yesterday. Though the JLP is claiming that the shooting was politically motivated, the Kingston Central police have not yet established a motive."

Jamaica Gleaner News "Prosecutor Caroline Hay has asked the jury to find that 22-year-old university student Rodney Beckles was the aggressor and that he was not acting in self-defence when 28-year-old Khalil Campbell was fatally stabbed on January 3. Beckles has been on trial in the Home Circuit Court since Monday for Campbell's murder. Defence lawyer Patrick Atkinson has asked the jury to acquit Beckles because he was acting in self-defence. Justice Kay Beckford will begin her summation to the jury today. Campbell, son of Supreme Court Judge Lennox Campbell, died as a result of a stab wound to the chest which penetrated the heart. " SmallShop Search Rodney Beckles

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM : "THE ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) enjoys a four percentage points lead over the opposition People's National Party (PNP) going into the December 5 local government elections, according to the latest Observer Stone Poll. Led by Mark Wignall, protégé of eminent pollster, the late Dr Carl Stone, the survey was conducted from November 10 to 13, 2007, using a sample size/range of 1,107 voting age adults in 44 communities across all parishes. The margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points."

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "A 47-year-old man poisoned his ten-year-old son on Friday night before taking his own life. It is alleged that the father mixed Lanate in soft drink and gave his son to drink before he himself drank the deadly mix. Four years ago, the boy’s mother was stabbed to death by a man, who is before the court charged with the murder. " Also on Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday Trini bride charged with murder A 29-year-old Trinidadian woman was charged with murdering her husband of only...

Antigua Sun : "The Jamaican national who was accused of entering Antigua and Barbuda under a different name was convicted and sentenced for three other criminal matters when he appeared before Magistrate Ivan Walters in the St. John’s Magistrates Court. Garnet Mansfield was charged with battery, larceny, and disorderly conduct in a public place and for being armed with an offensive weapon. "

SUN St.Kitts & Nevis : "A juvenile, who was only a number of days ago, arrested and charged with gun-related offences, was taken before the court on Wednesday and found guilty of all charges. The 12-year-old, of the Tabernacle area, is charged with breaking into the house of another Tabernacle resident, and stealing a firearm and ammunition. A previous police press release informed that the authorities recovered a .38 semi-automatic piston and seven rounds of ammunition which, “were hidden on a vacant plot of land in the Tabernacle area.” The release further explained that the gun was reported stolen from the house of its licensed owner."

Antigua Sun : "The proposed development of Fort James and its environs by a group known as Friends of Historic Fort James is leaving at least one major stakeholder at Fort James crying foul. “I feel really insulted,” Russel Hodge, the owner and proprietor of Russell’s Bar and Seafood Restaurant, located at Fort James said. “During the time that they were formulating all these plans, nobody has had the decency to even meet with me. I am one of the biggest stakeholders here at Fort James, along with Mr. Miller. We have sizable investments and I would think that if there is going to be any development at Fort James, at least we deserve to be involved, because whatever takes place here, is going to impact on everybody."

The Nation Newspaper : "A NEW $700-million hospital is in the works to replace the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) as Barbados' premier health care institution. When completed It will have between 650 and 700 beds – even more than the QEH – and is to be built across the road from the QEH on the Enmore site, where medical facilities and doctors' residences were once located. "

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "TORONTO: A flat tyre was all that prevented a 17-year-old girl from mowing down with her car the man she says knowingly exposed her to HIV infection, a court was told last week. “I was trying to kill him,” the now 21-year-old woman testified. “I was going to run him over, put the car into reverse and run over him again to make sure he was dead. Then I was going to kill his family and then I was going to kill myself.” She didn’t get the chance. She blew a tyre after chasing him onto a sidewalk and was arrested by police. "

The Barbados Nation Newspaper : "THERE MAY BE debate over whether Owen Arthur as Prime Minister has the economic golden touch; but at home there is no doubt he has the green thumb. So while many may have been surprised when he disclosed last week that he grows his own food in his kitchen garden – it was certainly no empty boast. "

Dominican Today "Santo Domingo.- Dominican Congress member Pelegrín Castillo says that a definitive solution to the trade problems on the frontier between the Dominican Republic and Haiti would be to establish a closed space for residents of both countries."

Dominican Today : "Santo Domingo.- Today is the eighth anniversary of the first commemoration of the International Day against Violence against Women, established by the United Nations in 1999 in honor of Patria, Minerva and María Teresa Mirabal, the three Dominican sisters who were assassinated by Rafael Leonidas Trujillo’s regime on this date, November 25, in 1960. This date serves to remind us that this year so far over 150 women have been killed, which puts the Dominican Republic in sixth place worldwide for the number of women who die violently as a result of domestic violence. This alarming figure was revealed by Natividad López from the Dominican Ministry of Women."

Houston Chronicle : "Caribbean islands, separated by diverse languages and cultures, are developing a single regional brand to promote the tourism industry that drives most of their economies. The new campaign aims to reverse a decade-long decline in the region's share of international tourism, said Allen Chastanet, chairman of the Caribbean Trade Organization. Efforts to promote the region gained urgency earlier this year, after many countries reported declines in visitors from the United States, which began requiring travelers to carry passports on air travel to the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada. The campaign will not require any island to sacrifice its individual identity, Chastanet said. "

St. Lucia Star Online : "The others included Civil Status Amendment, Civil Code Amendment, St Lucia Development Bank and Castries Corporation Amendment. Prime Minister Stephenson King said the prisoner transfer agreement was long overdue legislation. “In a case where a British citizen commits a crime in St Lucia, the St Lucian government under this agreement can communicate with Britain and inform them that it is our desire to have that prisoner transferred,” said the PM. “On the other hand Britain must agree to accept the prisoner and once they have agreed then the transfer can take place.” The transfer must be within certain guidelines. This includes agreement of the prisoner to the transfer. “The prisoner is a national of the receiving state for the purposes of this agreement. Therefore we can only ask Britain to accept a British. We cannot ask Britain to accept a French national,” said King"..............

The Barbados Advocate : "THE cruel and disturbing sport of dog fighting is common in Barbados and new legislation passed in Parliament on Friday will allow for intervention and prosecution of perpetrators. Member of Parliament (MP) for St. James South, Elizabeth Thompson, acknowledged that dog fighting was a major underground sport that many Barbadians bet on, generating substantial revenue as different breeds such as pit bulls, rottweilers, and Akitas were trained and raised for fighting across the island. Thompson said that many people attended from all levels of society, people who were expected to have more sensitivity towards animals."

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM : "THE rift in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church widened on Friday after a group representing one fraction of the church went to its headquarters at 89 Maxfield Avenue in Kingston and, with the help of bailiffs, took control of the premises. The group - which is loyal to the mother church in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and which recently won a law suit to claim the Maxfield Avenue headquarters - turned up with new locks and keys to reclaim the premises, and was met with hostility by the other members currently occupying the premises."

Jamaica Gleaner News "He has been called the mystery man - the person behind several acquisitions totalling in excess of J$5 billion over the last six months alone! But with these investments and the rapid rise of his five-year-old company - Cash Plus - comes the question which seems to be on everybody's mind: Who is Carlos Hill?"

The Trinidad Guardian : "Samantha (not her real name) is a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of her father. Her abuse began at age seven and lasted for seven years until she found the courage to tell a schoolteacher about it. The following is her story, as much as she trusts herself to tell at this stage. "

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday: : "Sixty-four employees of the textile store Mode Alive located at Southern Main Road Spring Village, Valsayn, were yesterday rendered jobless after the store was totally gutted by fire destroying stock valued at $40 million. The building is valued at $17 million. The store is owned by businessman Gary Aboud. "

The Bahama Journal : "Officer in Charge of the Central Detective Unit Glen Miller on Friday disclosed that police had released the eight people they had in for questioning in relation to the reportedly brutal murder of designer Harl Taylor. Officer in Charge of the Central Detective Unit Glen Miller on Friday disclosed that police had released the eight people they had in for questioning in relation to the reportedly brutal murder of designer Harl Taylor. And, he noted, police have not charged anyone in connection with either Mr. Taylor’s murder or the killing of College of The Bahamas academic Dr. Thaddeus McDonald."

Amandala Online : "A marital relationship that had been going on for about 4 years came to a violent and tragic end around 12:30 this afternoon when the estranged husband, security guard Glenford “Bucket” Bermudez, 33, allegedly shot his wife, Racquel Bermudez nee Requeña, 40, once in her head, killing her instantly. Racquel, a taxi driver, was driving west on the Boom/Hattieville road taking two passengers, a woman and her daughter, to the bus stop near the roundabout at the junction of the Western Highway when Glenford, coming from the opposite direction, drove his vehicle in front of her maroon Toyota car and forced her to stop. "

guyanachronicle.com "REPRESENTATIVES of the China National Fisheries Corporation (CFNC) on Wednesday met with acting President Samuel Hinds, to discuss the possibilities of partnership between the two countries’ fisheries sector. The team was led by Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jungao, and included Vice-President of the Corporation Qian Jingjie and other representatives."

Stabroek News : "Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs yesterday jailed a city businessman for ten years and imposed a whopping $254 million in fines, after she found him guilty of two counts of possession of over $84 million worth of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Vishnu Bridgelall called `Haffa', 45, of 90 Second Street, Alberttown was one of four men who were arrested and charged after members of the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) raided a house at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara in May, and discovered over 100 kilogrammes of cocaine in fish glue, which was being prepared for export. "

The Trinidad Guardian : "Almost eight years after police impounded a car they suspected was stolen, the court has ordered that Andrew Solomon and his son Shevon be paid almost $1 million in compensation. The award included $50,000 for the car, $500,000 for loss of earnings from the date of seizure to the present, estimated at $250 a day, and 12 per cent interest a year from January 2000 until payment is made. The interest payment should amount to more than $400,000. "

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "BEFORE HER attorney could even make a formal application for bail, Kavita Ramdial, 21, the woman charged with stealing baby Jeremiah Noel from the Post-Natal Unit of the Mount Hope Women’s Hospital last week Friday, was yesterday refused bail and remanded into custody by Tunapuna Magistrate Gloria Jasmath. Ramdial’s attorney Mario Merritt was speaking in the court when Magistrate Jasmath simply cut short two submissions he was in the process of making, saying, “Excuse me, she is remanded in custody to reappear before me next week Tuesday.” "

The Nation Newspaper "COCKFIGHTING AND DOGFIGHTING are one of the best kept 'open' secrets in Barbados each week. Christ Church East MP Reginald Farley told the House of Assembly yesterday the spectre of maltreatment of animals was best manifested in the widespread fighting across the island. 'It is one of the best kept secrets around,' he said, adding that while it might not appear on the front pages of the newspapers, it happened every weekend."

The Nation Newspaper : "IF YOU KILL SOMEONE in an accident, then jail might await you. That's the word from the judiciary, and the strongest message yet to people who have ignored previous warnings and continue to drink and drive. This long overdue position is timely, and the right course of action as one way of addressing the lawlessness on our roads. "

Jamaica Gleaner News : "At least one high-risk investment scheme has advised its members that its accounts have been closed by local banks, while inside sources have told The Gleaner that some financial institutions have threatened to fire their employees who have accounts with schemes such as Cash Plus Limited and OLINT Corp. A letter sent out to clients of OLINT advised that at least three commercial banks had taken steps to close OLINT'S accounts."

Dominican Today "SANTO DOMINGO.- In the wake of surprising numbers in recent political polls attributed to his handouts of large denomination pesos bills, chickens, salamis, and now piglets, the opposition PRSC party’s presidential candidate said he’ll file a complaint to force the Government to stop using its media outlets from an alleged slanderous campaign against him. "

Tobago News, : "Workers in the tourism industry in Tobago are complaining that they are being bypassed for foreigners for jobs at all levels. A Tobago News investigation has revealed that most the properties on the island are illegally employing nationals of Guyana, Grenada, St Vincent and far away Philippines and Nigeria. "

The Jamaica Star "A Bermudan who was trying to 'take a piece of Jamaica back home' with him found himself in trouble with the police when he was held with ganja. Wolda Gardener, 28, a chef and father of two from Bermuda told the court he had no idea he would get into so much trouble by trying to take back ganja to his country. "

The Trinidad Guardian "Kavita Ramdial, a 21-year-old woman of Mt D’Or Road, has been charged with stealing eight-day-old baby Jeremiah Obadiah Shawn Henry. The charge was laid late yesterday, police said. She is expected to appear before a magistrate in the Tunapuna Court today. Cpl Christopher Caldon, of St Joseph CID, laid the charge. Police said Ramdial was not taken to court yesterday because they were wrapping up their investigations. Ramdial was taken to Mt Hope Women’s Hospital yesterday by investigators and to a private doctor in Barataria, San Juan. "

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday: : "PRIME MINISTER and People’s National Movement (PNM) Political Leader, Patrick Manning, is to replace three of the party’s four deputy political leaders, Ken Valley (legislative matters), Joan Yuille-Williams (party and election matters) and Nafeesa Mohammed (policy matters), before next year’s Local Government Elections. The fourth PNM deputy leader, Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Orville London, will retain his post. "

guyanachronicle.com : "VENEZUELA’S Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro has expressed his unhappiness over the incident involving Guyanese soldiers and members of the Venezuela military resulting in the bombing of two dredges owned by Guyanese, in the Cuyuni River. The Minister, who is on travel duty outside of his country, made telephone contact with Minister Insanally Wednesday afternoon and said he was unhappy with the incident, Minister Insanally told the Chronicle yesterday when reached for an update."

Stabroek News : "A Venezuelan publication is calling on that country's government to admit it made a mistake, offer apologies and pay compensation for the two dredges its military destroyed in the Cuyuni on November 15. The online edition of Veneconomia said in its editorial on Tuesday, titled 'From crisis to crisis': 'For the good of bilateral relations between Guyana and Venezuela, it is essential that this incident be clarified in the most transparent manner possible.' "

Antigua Sun : "Rising international oil prices are threatening to drive the cost of living in Antigua and Barbuda up, testing the government’s pledge to implement measures to offset prices. World oil prices are currently holding steady at over US$97 per barrel, but they are largely expected to reach US$100 per barrel in a matter of weeks. This has serious implications for the prices of goods in Antigua and Barbuda, since shipping rates and the cost of air travel are already going up. "

St. Lucia Star Online : "This time around it was not a prime minister threatening to take a journalist to court for daring to bring the truth to light. Rather, it was the wife of a former head of government recently dumped by the electorate, largely because he was widely perceived as egregiously arrogant, ridiculously thin-skinned and absurdly litigious.

Jamaica Gleaner News "An apparent decision has been taken by financial institutions to report as suspicious, all funds that come to them through what they describe as 'unregistered o schemes', as allowed under the Money Laundering Act. Such a move is believed to be having adverse effects on the operations of these unlicensed schemes, including the popular Cash Plus operation."

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM : "KARL Samuda, the minister of industry, commerce and investment, yesterday accused the opposition People's National Party (PNP) leadership of being 'too sensitive' and putting its personal feelings ahead of the nation's business."

The Nation Newspaper "A ROW has flared in the Deacons Farm Housing Estate over the trimming and removal of some casuarina trees that residents deemed a landmark. They are located in 'the islands' of Farm Road, St Michael, which separate the entrance and exit roads. The action took place Wednesday resulting in the removal of some of the cluster of trees which many people found there when they moved into the area in 1968. "

Taipei Times - archives : "A panel of 11 jurors was preparing to start deliberation on the cause of death of former Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer as coroner Patrick Murphy gave a final summation and instructions. Murphy outlined on Wednesday the possible verdicts that could be returned as the ending of the inquest appeared near following 26 days of testimony from 57 witnesses. The summation was set to continue yesterday."

Dominican Today : "SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican antinarcotics agency (DNCD) director Rafael Ramirez said today the killing of one of its agent by two alleged narcotics traffickers who were also shot dead in San Francisco (northwest) confirms a denunciation made in September, that there was a murder being plotted against the antinarcotics authorities headed by an Army captain in that city. "

Dominican Today "SANTO DOMINGO. - The Dominican Police today began the Christmas with Order Plan, aimed at giving citizens a peaceful holidays with more patrols in residential, tourism and commercial areas. Police chief Rafael Guzmán said to assure the Plan’s effectiveness, an experienced team of police officers was designated to pursue, prevent and confront any criminal actions, with the number of agents needed. "

The Jamaica Star "Jamaica Public Service Company customers who lost power due to industrial action by workers should have had their electricity restored by yesterday afternoon, the company said. It was quick to point out, however, that this was dependent on whether the workers on the afternoon shift reported for work as scheduled. "

SKNVibes.com : "Basseterre; St. Kitts: Another deadly weapon is off the streets, after the Nevis Police recovered a “sawed off” 12 gauge Shot gun from an undisclosed area in Charlestown, Nevis, on Tuesday, 20th November. According to the Police report, the gun was discovered after officers responded to an anonymous tip, stating the location of the weapon. The 12 gauge sawed off shotgun is also commonly known as a “pump action” piece. It is a powerful gun and, of late, it has been used in a number of gun related incidents in the Federation."

Advocate : "BARBADIAN regulators are on the ball in their fight against dirty cash, but commercial banks here and in the region now face greater anti-money laundering (AML) costs and higher reputation risks . This was made clear yesterday by Barbados National Bank CEO and Managing Director, Robert Le Hunte, as an international forensic expert advised the banking sector here to step up their surveillance. "

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM : "MEMBERS of the public will today be given the opportunity to pass on information about the 10 men on the police most wanted list when the constabulary, in partnership with the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), hosts its call-in session between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Entitled 'Let's Take Back Jamaica', today's call-in initiative will allow members of the public to speak anonymously with senior police officers and the head of Crime Stop."

Dominican Today : "SAN FRANCISCO DE MACORIS. – A Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) officer and two alleged narcotics traffickers died Wednesday afternoon in a shootout in this city, notorious for its drug activities. The victims are a Police sergeant assigned to the Cristian Ferreira; and the suspected trafficers Andrés Hilario Bello (El Coquero) and Geovanny Antonio Polanco. Another agent, whose name wasn’t provided, was wounded. "

Winn FM... : "Advances in some sections of the economy, have not reduced the national debt, which still remains high, according to the latest IMF report. The report, released Tuesday, comes after the recent visit of an International Monetary Fund team between October 29 and November 1st 2007 during which they held consultations with the Government. The team visited the twin island for its annual Article IV consultation with government."

The Bahama Journal : "The decision of Samuel 'Ninety' Knowles not to testify in his trial in the United States this week will work to his advantage, his Bahamian attorney insisted on Wednesday. Roger Minnis, who has been present in the Florida court for much of the six-day trial, expressed confidence that Knowles will be acquitted. But it will be several days before the accused drug kingpin learns whether he will be free to return to The Bahamas or serve life in prison."

The Trinidad Guardian : "SOMEWHERE out there, an 11-year-old girl may be living with people who are not her parents. Debbie’s* baby, just one day old, was stolen by a woman pretending to be a social welfare officer 11 years ago. And to this day, she has never seen her daughter again. Debbie has had to live with the pain and uncertainty about where her daughter is, whether she is being cared for or treated kindly. "

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "ONE of the ten men charged with the kidnap and murder of Xtra Foods CEO Vindra Naipaul-Coolman, hurled threats at Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls and prosecutor George Busby as the preliminary inquiry came to an abrupt end yesterday. Shevonne Peters became frustrated when the inquiry was put off again because of the lack of prosecution witnesses to testify. Peters became so abusive that he told Mc Nicolls, “ah go do for you, you out of time, ah in jail, not you.” "

www.guyanachronicle.com "THE Government of Guyana up to yesterday afternoon did not receive a report from the Venezuelan government in relation to a complaint it lodged about the unfriendly entry of this country’s territory by military personnel from that country. Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana, Dario Morandy had indicated to Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally, when the two met on Monday, that he had expected a report by yesterday and which would have subsequently been handed over to the Guyana Government."

Stabroek News : "After being on the run for the past five years wanted man Roger Bunbury was yesterday captured by police ranks. Bunbury, also known as 'Don Dick', was among a list of 42 most wanted men for whom the Guyana Police Force had issued wanted bulletins. "

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM : "THE murder, rape and general abuse of Jamaican children have triggered a call from over 50 Kingston and St Andrew communities for harsher punishment of perpetrators. 'Let there be no leniency towards such criminals and neither should they be shielded by the public,' declared youth advocate Lawman Lynch. 'Offer them no bail. You have caught them, keep them,' Lynch urged the government."

Jamaica Gleaner News "Shortly after she met and spoke with her father at a bus stop in West Parade, downtown Kingston, 14-year-old Alicia Brown (not her real name) was held up at gunpoint and raped inside the St. William Grant Park on Tuesday night. One week ago, a woman was abducted from the park and taken to the nearby Mark Lane area where she, too, was raped. Reports are that she was sitting in the park with her boyfriend when they were surprised by two gunmen who robbed her boyfriend before taking her away."

SUN St.Kitts & Nevis : "King Sugar may soon reign again if plans being made by the government of St. Kitts/Nevis to resume the production and harvesting of sugar cane materialise. During Monday evening’s BBC Caribbean Report, Prime Minister of the Federation Dr. Denzil Douglas spoke of the move which comes just about two years after the closing of the 300-year sugar industry. "

Antigua Sun : "There’s a deepening and widening rift developing between the opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP) and the Antigua Trades and Labour Union (AT&LU) with the union threatening to resist vigorously any attempt by the party to bring its officials down. “There will be no holds barred if the ALP thinks that we will go down without a fight!

The Nation Newspaper : "RESIDENTS in Hanschell Land, Eagle Hall, St Michael, knew something was wrong when they had not seen Randolph Moore around the neighbourhood since last Thursday. Yesterday, their worst fears were realised when a stench emanating from his residence prompted Moore's relatives to call in the police, who discovered the 83-year-old's decomposing body at the bottom of a pit toilet on his property around 5:30 a.m. "

The Nation Newspaper : "Homeowners across Barbados are to get an early Christmas present: cheaper electricity. Although Minister of Energy Liz Thompson didn't provide exact details of Government's plans, she told the DAILY NATION yesterday that Barbadians should get some ease in their electricity bills from December. 'Government has just put in place further mechanisms to ease the pain of rising international oil prices on domestic electricity consumers,' she said. "

CANOE : "ORANJESTAD, Aruba - Three young men previously detained as suspects in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway were re-arrested Wednesday, the Aruban public prosecutor's office said, citing new evidence in the case. Dutch student Joran van der Sloot and two Surinamese brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in voluntary manslaughter and causing serious bodily harm that resulted in the death of Holloway, the prosecutor's office said in a statement. "

The Times of India : "HAVANA: More than 2,000 people were evacuated from their homes on Tuesday as floods washed away buildings, crops and electricity pylons in eastern Cuba, two weeks after the same region was hit by the country's worst floods in 40 years, local media reported. Driving rains swelled rivers in Guantanamo and Holguin provinces overnight, with the Toa river cresting one meter (three-feet) above flood stage, sending families scrambling to higher ground. "

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com : "HAVANA - Cuba announced Tuesday it has set Jan. 20 for national elections that are part of the process of determining whether ailing leader Fidel Castro continues as president. The ruling, signed by interim leader Raul Castro and read on state television, set the date for elections to provincial and national assemblies. Voting is held every five years."

Cuban Daily News : "In an open letter to Bush, more than two hundred artists and scholars from the United States asked their president to end the travel ban that prevents U.S. citizens from visiting Cuba and allow Cuban artists and scholars to visit the United States. The signatories said in the letter, dated November 19 that they were writing not only as representatives of the U.S cultural sphere, but also as American citizens, reported Prensa Latina news agencies."

Hardbeatnews.com Kheil Coppin's father, in dark glasses, who flew up from Trinidad & Tobago for his son's funeral, assist pall bearers carrying the coffin to the Hearst ...

NY1: Brooklyn : "Friends and relatives of the Brooklyn teen shot and killed by police last week gathered for his wake on Monday night at the Nazarene Congregational Church in Brooklyn. Khiel Coppin died last Monday in a barrage of bullets fired by police responding to a 911 call from his mother who said he was threatening her. Police say the teenager – who reportedly struggled with mental illness – jumped out the first-floor window of his apartment and approached officers after repeatedly saying he had a gun. It turned out what he had was a hairbrush. "

New York Times : "Ian Smith, the former prime minister of Britain’s rebellious colony of Rhodesia, who once promised that white rule in Africa would endure for 1,000 years, died yesterday in South Africa. He was 88."

Jamaica Observer:CVM-Television's news reporter, Michael Pryce, was attacked and hit in his left eye by a man outside the entrance to the nomination centre for South Central St Catherine yesterday.Pryce, who was covering the nomination day's proceedings, had just alighted from the company's new car. He was passing a crowd of People's National Party (PNP) supporters at the gate to the Spanish Village Plaza, when he was confronted by a man who made political accusations against him.

The Nation Newspaper : "VINCENTIAN Robert Luke Browne, 22, has won the 2008 Rhodes Scholarship. This is the first time a Vincentian has been awarded the prestigious scholarship which will take him to Oxford University in October next year. He was named as the Rhodes Scholar following an interview process yesterday at Government House, official residence of Governor-General Sir Clifford Husbands. "

The Bahama Journal : "Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade and Assistant Commissioner Marvin Dames are scheduled to leave for Canada in January to undergo another round of training in police work, the Bahama Journal can confirm. Mr. Greenslade and Mr. Dames are preparing to leave at a time when the country is facing a growing crime problem, with the official murder count for the year recorded at 68."

St. Lucia Star Online : "Point out to them their abhorrent behavior and straight off the bat their response will come back at you: “He who is without sin” blah-blah-blah. Small wonder that we have developed in St Lucia—as Sir Louis Bom-Cooper so aptly put it—“a culture of studied indifference or, at the very least, inattention to the practice, even the concept of public accountability, a cultural climate in which administrative torpor is often the consequence, and malpractices in government (including corruption) can thrive, unhampered by detection or, if and when uncovered, by disciplinary action . . .” "

guyanachronicle.com : "THE current shortage of fuel at Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil) has now caused the demand in fuel at the other service stations. It was confirmed that only Guyoil has the fuel shortage, since a check at most gas stations revealed that they have an adequate fuel supply. Proprietor for the Shell Service Station on Vlissengen Road noted that he has an adequate fuel supply and that he does not see a shortage at his station. He said, however, that the only problem that will occur is a delay in fuel supplies, since current trips of the fuel trucks will now be doubled, which will bring a delay in the fuel reaching at the gas station."

Stabroek News : "The Venezuelan Embassy announced yesterday that it had facilitated 'a shipment of 16,000 barrels of gasoline and diesel fuel', which arrived in the country yesterday following an emergency request from the Government of Guyana. A press release issued yesterday afternoon, said: 'The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela would like to inform the people of Guyana' that a Panama-registered vessel, MT Caribbean Pearl, arrived in Guyana's waters at 3 am yesterday and entered port at 9.45 am. "

Trinidad Express : "Security guards at health institutions throughout the southwest region have been placed on alert and advised not to take chances with anyone visiting health institutions. This step has been taken in light of last Friday's incident where a woman pretending to be a nurse walked into the Mt Hope Women's Hospital and stole a baby. "

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "NIKEISHA NOEL’S nightmare came to a happy end yesterday when she was reunited with her son Jeremiah at the Paediatric Emergency Department (PED) of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC), three days after a woman pretending to be a nurse walked into the First Floor of the Maternity Ward of the EWMSC and stole the newborn baby from a crib."

The Barbados Nation Newspaper : "THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY met yesterday as planned, but it neither debated an Opposition no-confidence motion in the Minister of State Clyde Mascoll, nor a Government resolution directing the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to enquire into the accounts of Hardwood Housing. Both measures were promised last week by their respective proponents. "

JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM : "IN dramatic Hollywood movie fashion, police from the Flying Squad and the Half-Way-Tree Police Station yesterday swooped down on a hostage-taking situation, killed one kidnapper, nabbed three others and rescued their two victims. The incident unfolded in broad daylight in the depressed inner-city community of Marverly, St Andrew, police reported last night."

Jamaica Gleaner News : "Prime Minister Bruce Golding revealed in Parliament yesterday that the former Portia Simpson Miller administration had calculated the 2007/2008 Budget on an exchange rate of J$71 to US$1. But former Minister of Finance, Dr. Omar Davies, said he was surprised that the Prime Minister had disclosed that information, noting that it had always been the policy of the previous administration and the relevant officials not to discuss that 'for obvious reasons'."

The Nation Newspaper : "GOVERNMENT plans to have facilities at police stations ready shortly so that confessions and other oral statements could be video-recorded and produced as evidence in the law courts. This was announced in the House of Assembly yesterday by Attorney- General Dale Marshall, who noted that interview rooms at some police stations might have to be retrofitted. "