KINGSTON, Jamaica, Observer- With most Caribbean countries experiencing high debt, unemployment and anaemic growth, offers by China of low-cost loans and investment projects are understandably viewed favourably by regional governments. There are many obstacles along the way to unleashing these investment possibilities, however, and it is important that both the Chinese authorities and regional governments actively address these gaps. Otherwise, there is a risk of investment potential becoming the cause of tension, resentment and even conflict.

SANTIAGO, Chile, CMC – The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) will host the first meeting of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, in Montevideo, Uruguay.
The  August 12-15 conference will be opened in the presence of the Presidents of Uruguay and Ecuador, José Mujica and Rafael Correa, respectively, executive secretary of ECLAC, Alicia Bárcena, and executive director of UNFPA, Babatunde Osotimehin.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Stabroek News - Jack Warner may have convincingly won the Chaguanas West by-election in Trinidad on Monday but there are arguably more losers than winners after this particularly nasty and game-changing political battle. Obviously, the United National Congress (UNC) candidate, Khadijah Ameen, was simply not up to the task of mounting a credible challenge to Mr Warner, who had previously won the seat in the 2010 general election, when he polled more votes than any other candidate in any other constituency.

(Trinidad Express) In a complete departure from practice, President Anthony Carmona has changed four of his senators in mid-term, a move that is unpre¬cedented in Trinidad and Tobago’s post-Republican history. Traditionally, presidents have changed independent senators at the end of the life of a Parliament, which comes with the calling of a general election. Yesterday, however, the President’s office announced that Carmona had revoked the appointment of four senators—Corinne Baptiste-McKnight, James Armstrong, Prof Harold Ramkissoon and Dr Lennox St Bernard.

(Trinidad Express) The country’s largest insurance company is about to become potentially one of the State’s most lucrative and far-reaching assets. Cabinet has approved the transfer of about $8 billion worth of insurance giant’s CLICO’s pro¬fitable business to a new company called Atrius which will be 100 per cent owned by the State, sources close to the transfer decision confirmed to the Express yesterday.