ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) - A five-member team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has arrived in Antigua to conduct reviews of the island’s economic performance under the multi-million dollar Stand By Agreement (SBA) with the Washington-based financial institution. The team is headed by Geoffrey Bannister and has already held meetings with various public and private sector representatives to discuss economic developments in Antigua and Barbuda.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Advocate - Other countries within the region would do well to learn from Barbados in terms of this country’s care for its elderly population. That is according to Caribbean Programme Co-ordinator and acting PAHO/WHO Represen-tative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Dr. Ernest Pate. He was speaking at the Multi Stakeholders Consultation on Healthy Ageing at the Savannah Beach Hotel yesterday. Pate pointed to Barbados’ record number of centenarians, maintaining that Barbados is ahead of other Caribbean countries in terms of elderly care.

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, CMC – Leader of the main opposition Nevis reformation Party (NRP), Joseph Parry, is accusing the new administration here of victimisation and sending home at least 100 workers since it took up office following the January 22 Nevis Island Administration (NIA) election. Parry said the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) government of Premier Vance Amory is intent on “dismantling every programme that we developed during our term of office. “Under the guise of saving EC$250,000 (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) monthly- over 100 persons have been sent home without a job. Mr.

MIAMI, CMC - A Jamaican national convicted of killing a Florida state trooper with a pipe bomb has been granted a temporary reprieve one day before he was to be executed by lethal injection. A United States federal district on Monday stayed the execution of Paul Augustus Howell, 47, allowing defense attorneys more time to appeal his case. Michael Ufferman, one of Howell’s attorneys, speculated however that prosecutors may appeal the judge’s ruling. Howell was convicted of killing Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Jimmy Fulford in February 1992.

ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Dominica said Monday it would continue to strengthen its relationship with Venezuela noting that the island had benefitted significantly over the past years. “You would be pleased to know that Venezuela continues to be a major source of development assistance for the Commonwealth of Dominica and therefore relations with your country remain a matter of high priority in Dominica’s foreign policy,” said President Eluid Williams as he accepted the credentials of newly appointed Venezuelan Ambassador Hayden Owanda Pirela Sanchez.