PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (Trinidad Guardian) – Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj said more of T&T’s agricultural produce may soon be available in Caribbean market. At the re-commissioning of the Orange Valley Wholesale Fish Market in Couva yesterday, Maharaj said Namdevco will soon start construction of five packing houses at the cost of $8 million each. He said the packing houses will absorb local produce with the objective of selling the excess to customers in regional markets.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - There is no minority leader but this is not going to prevent the victorious Orville London-led slate from the PNM’s Tobago Council from being inaugurated as the new Tobago House of Assembly tomorrow. “My lawyers have said there is nothing to prevent the THA from functioning without a minority leader and a minority council.” London said yesterday, as questions arose as to whether the THA Act allowed an assembly to be constituted without a minority leader in the wake of the PNM’s 12-0 sweep over the Tobago Organisation of the People in Monday’s THA election.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Police Commissioner Vernon Francois is calling on Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to implement measures, including the CARICOM Warrant Arrest treaty, which will ensure criminals are brought to justice. Francois said the introduction of the treaty has become imperative given the widespread increase in organised crime across the regional community. "With the increase in criminal activity we are seeing within the community and the ubiquitous nature of organised crime, the full implementation of the pact will help bring criminals to justice," he said.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Rescue teams have recovered one body and are continuing their search for eight other people after two boats with at least 20 people on board collided in the Mazuruni River, Essequibo late on Tuesday. A government statement said that members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) had joined the Coast Guard and Infantry troops in searching the river following the accident that occurred at Crab Falls, 25 miles from Bartica.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar says she has “no quarrel” with the Integrity Commission after it wrote President George Maxwell Richards seeking its support following open criticism from the head of the coalition government in Trinidad and Tobago.
In a statement, the Commission made reference to remarks by Prime Minister Persad Bissessar that it had “an appearance of bias” as she campaigned on behalf of the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) during the just concluded Tobago House of assembly (THA) elections.