BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Prime Minister Freundel Stuart says he is anxiously awaiting the opening of a new session of Parliament and he is excited about the programme the Government has in place for the next five years. The Prime Minister made these comments recently, as he addressed members of the media, concerning the way forward for his Cabinet and the country. A new session of Parliament will be ushered in this week, as Governor General, Sir Elliott Belgrave delivers the Throne Speech in the Senate Chamber this Wednesday, March 6, beginning at 4_00 p.m.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – President Donald Ramotar has accused the opposition parties of using their one seat majority in the National Assembly to derail legislative democracy as the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) hinted at the possibility of calling a snap general election in Guyana.

WASHINGTON, CMC – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is heaping praise on a project in Jamaica that is providing new ways the transfer of cash to poor families in exchange for meeting certain conditions such as sending their children to school. The IDB said for more than two decades, several Latin American and Caribbean countries have transferred cash to poor families under the programme that has mproved the lives of millions of poor families.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Nurses in the Caribbean will sit the Regional Nursing Entrance Examinations (RENR) in October after the regional governing body agreed to a proposal by the Barbados-based Caribbean Examination Council (CXC). The proposal was discussed at the just concluded 41st joint meeting of the Executive and Education Committees and 10th Practice Committee of the Regional Nursing Body (RBN) held here.

UNITED NATIONS, CMC – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Monday said there is urgent need for stronger legislative measures to deal with the issue of violence against women and other obstacles to gender equality and women empowerment.

WASHINGTON, DC, USA (CMC) — A new World Bank study says a rise in sea levels by a metre from climate change could destroy more than 60 per cent of the Caribbean and the developing world's coastal wetlands currently found at one metre or less elevation.
The study says this could lead to economic losses of about US$630 million annually.
The World Bank analysis considered a variety of types of coastal wetlands at risk in 76 countries and territories, using a number of databases and satellite maps.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – The St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (CCIA) Monday called for an end to the industrial action by public servants who are demanding higher salaries from the Kenny Anthony administration.
CCIA executive director Brian Louisy urged both the Government Negotiating Team (GNT) and the unions representing teachers and public servants to return to the bargaining table.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The Antigua-based regional airline, LIAT, Monday announced it had been forced to suspend flights to St. Lucia where public servants have taken industrial action to force the government to increase their salaries and wages.
A brief statement from the cash-strapped airline did not say how many flights were being suspended but said that the suspension was due to the absence of fire services at the George F. Charles Airport on the outskirts of the capital.
“LIAT wishes to apologise for any inconvenience caused,” the statement added.

KINGSTON, Jamaica - A meritocracy exists where selection and promotion of people is based on merit, more specifically, their qualifications and performance. Regrettably, there's a deficit of meritocracy in the Caribbean.
In the national political arena, selection is based on political party affiliation, amount of money donated, race, class and gender. Civil servants are mostly promoted by seniority. Longevity and patience are more important than competence and performance.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony Monday appealed to public workers to accept his government’s four per cent wage increase and prevent the island from “any further hardship” as workers stayed away from their jobs for higher salaries.
"Our country does not need mayhem,  confusion and disagreement at this time, our people need to get together, we have a crisis on our hands to deal with and it is critical and crucial that we come together deal with it, but very clearly it has to be a shared responsibility across the board," Anthony said.