Just in time for the third anniversary of Haiti’s earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010, Canada’s principal foreign aid minister, Julian Fantino, delivered a wake-up call to that country’s government by declaring that he was placing future foreign aid to Haiti “on ice” because he was not satisfied with its progress toward recovery. Given that Haiti would collapse without foreign assistance, his comments got the immediate attention of the government and Haiti’s international partners.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - However it goes on THA election day January 21, the people of Tobago have already scored a victory with the agreement by the contesting political parties to participate in tonight's debate.
To have secured the leaders of the three contending parties to agree to enter the sober, rational environment of the forum organised by the Debates Commission is no mean achievement. Commission chairman Andrew Sabga and his team deserve our deepest appreciation for their commitment on working this breakthrough initiative to this point of success.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - LIAT has apologized to customers travelling to and from Dominica and St. Vincent who have been experiencing an increase in cancelled flights and delayed baggage.
In a release today from the regional airline, it was stated: “Over the past two weeks customers travelling to/from Dominica have faced an unusual number of cancellations, especially at nights; while customers travelling to/from St Vincent have experienced delays in receiving their baggage”.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - A national strike, which could see thousands of workers on the streets, is now looming following LIME’s decision not to withdraw dismissal letters to 97 employees.
A last-ditch effort mediated by Minister of Labour Esther Byer-Suckoo at the Ministry of Labour’s offices in Warrens, St Michael, failed last night to bring a resolution between the telecommunications company and the island’s largest trade union, the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU).

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Guyana is sending a delegation to the fifth session of the Inter-Governmental Negotiation Committee in Geneva later this month where an international ban on mercury will be discussed.
The meeting is scheduled for January 13-18 and local stakeholders, including officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) met here on Tuesday to finalise the country’s participation at the talks.