EUROPE’S economic problems are growing steadily worse, with unemployment in parts of the Continent now above the level reached in the United States during the Great Depression.
Meanwhile, policy makers dither over solutions. Last week, the European Central Bank cut interest rates by a meager quarter of a percentage point, akin to giving two aspirin to a patient with pneumonia. Meanwhile, pressure is growing to ease the emphasis on austerity and to allow larger budget deficits.
If it were only that simple.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - The extractive sector—the mining, quarrying, dredging, oil and gas extraction industries—plays an important role in the global economic landscape, contributing significantly to the GDP of its host countries. These industries are capable of contributing to the sustainable development of communities and to the wider economy when interventions are implemented, taking into consideration the rights of the people most affected.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Jose Miguel Inzulsa,has called for greater equity and transparency in the systems of political financing in the Caribbean. Addressing the regional forum, “Strengthening Regulation of Political Parties and Political Financing Systems in the Caribbean,” the OAS chief said these are necessary “not only for the consolidation of free and fair elections but for the strengthening of democracy.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Cabinet has approved the construction of a US$200 million medical facility in the western parish of St. James in an attempt to tap into the multi-billion dollar global health tourism industry.
Minister of Health, Dr. Fenton Ferguson said construction of the facility represents the first formal health tourism project for Jamaica and will be spearheaded by members of the Diaspora, through an established partnership with the Government of Jamaica .

WASHINGTON, CMC - The United States Congress has started formal consideration of a sweeping immigration reform bill that creates a “path to citizenship” for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants, including Caribbean nationals.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to finish work on the bill this week adopting Republican amendments aimed at stronger border security.

KINGSTON, Jamaica - RATING Agency Standard and Poor's says that last week's approval by the International Monetary Fund of a new agreement with Jamaica does not warrant a review of that country's credit worthiness at this time, as the details of the agreement were in line with expectations. At the same time, agency spokesman and analyst Joydep Mukherji has acknowledged that "meeting the targets will be challenging" for the country.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (IPS) - Officially, the Caribbean’s rainy season begins in June, coinciding with the start of the hurricane season. But recently, heavy rains have signalled an early start to the rainy season, flooding streets, swelling rivers and causing widespread damage to crops.
“With global warming, you have to expect anything these days,” Shiraz Khan, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Farmers’ Association (TTFA), told IPS.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Hours after coming under heavy criticism for his remarks on the issue of increased pay for LIAT’s pilots, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Captain Ian Brunton said the company has not made any decision on the matter.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A suggestion that regional carrier LIAT should be put under the umbrella of essential services, has been pegged as a move to deny workers’ right to withdraw their labour when there is a deadlock over a dispute.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - EVERYONE will wait to see what comes out of the meeting which the LIAT shareholder governments said they want to have with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
It is a meeting that could determine the way forward for the region’s airlines which are facing challenges in relation to operational costs.
The subject of the discussions is a fuel subsidy which LIAT officials have said repeatedly, gives Caribbean Airlines (CAL) some unfair advantage.