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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Asking what the fuss was all about, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart insisted last night that elections would be called when he says so and that the date had been fixed in his mind since the St John by-election two years ago.
Giving his “unequivocal and emphatic endorsement” to Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate for St Michael South East Patrick Tannis at the opening of the latter’s constituency office in Marsden Road, The Pine, Stuart also said the Opposition Barbados Labour Party’s boycott of Parliament Tuesday was a happy one.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A two-day conference of the Caribbean Outreach Working Meet on Drug Problems began here on Wednesday with a senior Organisation of American States (OAS) official warning that the crime situation, which is being fuelled by the drugs trade, has gotten worse.
Secretary for the Multidimensional Security of the OAS, Ambassador Adam Blackwell told delegates that there is no easy solution to the drugs trade and disagreed with suggestions that legalising the consumption and supply of drugs could eliminate the problem.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS there was increasing evidence that France wanted to assert its power in many flashpoints around the world. It started with former President Nicolas Sarkozy and now being promoted by current President François Hollande.
The opportunity has presented itself in the Central African country of Mali where French forces have bombed the bases of rebels, who have threatened to advance on the capital Bamako from their strongholds in the north.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Jamaica government says it will soon move to restrict the discretionary power of the finance minister to grant waivers.
Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Peter Phillips says a comprehensive review of the discretionary power of the Minister of Finance to grant waivers has been completed, with a view to improving the efficiency of the tax system.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - In 2005, West Indies cricket took an exciting turn with the launch of the Stanford 20/20 tournament, and later the Stanford Super Series. These competitions injected new life into the standing of the game throughout the region, with its big entertainment factor and, of course, mind-boggling prize monies. Fears about the future popularity of cricket subsided, as the higher pay-days meant that the prospect of being a professional cricketer became more attractive to young players.

KINGSTON, Jamaica - They didn't accomplish as much as they should have, but enough for us not to insist that the Cabinet head back into a special session to get the job done.
We now know that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) wants the Government to be more aggressive about its primary surplus. The target for the next three fiscal years is now 7.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), rather than 6.3 per cent.
We also know that the Government is negotiating some kind of debt-amelioration programme with its domestic creditors.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – As the year turned and Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller addressed the people of Jamaica, their main concerns seem to have been to hear from her some indication of when, and on what basis, the now prolonged discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would be concluded. But this was not to be, and the government’s negotiations, led by Minister of Finance Peter Phillips, continue.

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, CMC – The main opposition Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) has filed an injunction seeking to prevent Premier Joseph Parry and his deputy, Hensley Daniel from contesting the January 22 Nevis Island Administration (NIA) elections.
The CCM said that the injunctions were based on the court ruling in the recent election petition case that made both men ineligible to contest the polls.

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace Tuesday brushed aside predictions by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves that St. Vincent and the Grenadines would record economic growth in 2013, saying the economy is worse than the country is being made to believe.
Responding to the EC$799.1 million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) national budget presentation on Monday night by Prime Minister Gonsalves, the leader of the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) accused the government of engaging in “gonsieconomics”.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The Barbados economy had a dismal performance in 2012, registering no growth, and the Central Bank is predicting hardly any increased economic activity in the country this year.
Central Bank Governor Dr DeLisle Worrell delivered the disappointing news yesterday in his review of the economy for last year and his projections for the next 12 months.