In Hampton Roads Virginia, the Virginia Caribbean American Cultural Association Inc. (VCACA)  a community based, traditional, performing cultural art, non-profit 501(c) 3 organization recently gave the gift of a Dodge Neon to  an individual in the community who was experiencing challenging times and was in dire need of transportation.  A member of the organization had brought the plight of Le'Shania Blue to the attention of the association and after learning that Le'shania, a single parent of three children, one of which has a disability, the organization felt that they had to do something to help.  Ms. Blue had been having difficulty getting to and from work and school (where on May 13th she received Associate's Degree in Political Science at Thomas Nelson Community College), and getting her children to school and to the babysitter each day.  VCACA says that supporting their communities gives their members a pleasant feeling of connectedness and the satisfaction of at least trying to make the world a better place.  VCACA challenges businesses and others in the community to frequently give whatever you can to charities in your local communities, so that they may continue to make a difference in the lives of those that are in less fortunate.

In St. Kitts & Nevis, lawyers for Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas have been instructed to file a lawsuit against the political leader of the main opposition People's Action Movement (PAM) Lindsay Grant.  The suit is over statements the lawyers claim were untrue about the head of government in the twin-island Federation.  The lawyers said that their legal action would also be against the party's newspaper.  Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan of Dominica said that the legal action is aimed at stopping a trend taking place in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States where sitting heads of government have been at odds to deny accusations made by opposition politicians.  There has been no reaction as yet from the opposition to the statement made by the attorneys for the Primer Minister.

In Jamaica, a woman, who was allegedly caught trying to breach the security system at the Jamaica Defense Force headquarters at Up Park Camp, has found herself in trouble with the law.  The breach has forced the military to review its security system. Antonnette Hudson, a 24-year-old security guard, was charged two weeks ago while trying to obtain army gears at the Up Park Camp stores.  Ms Hudson tried to obtain the army uniforms while pretending to be a member of the intelligence arm of the JDF.  It is reported that on May 1, Ms Hudson was allowed onto the military base while pretending to be the daughter of a senior ranking officer.  She then went to the army stores were she requested three pairs of uniforms.  However, she ran into problems when she was unable to provide her regimental number when requested to do so by the operator of the army stores.   She was then taken into custody.  Investigations by the military revealed that she was an imposter.  The army said Ms Hudson has been pretending to be a member of its intelligence arm for more than a year.  Ms Hudson who appeared in the Half-Way-Tree Criminal Court pleaded not guilty to the charges.  The issue of the security breach was raised by senior magistrate Glen Brown.  Members of the military and the police have reportedly conducted raids at her home in search of army uniforms she may have acquired previously.   Ms Hudson is to return to court on May 29.

A study of living conditions in the Cayman Islands says that the British Overseas Territory has the lowest level of poverty in the English-speaking Caribbean.   Only 1.9 per cent of the 53,000 population fall below the poverty line.  This compares with double-digit figures in most parts of the rest of the region.  The poorest were found to be mainly low-paid immigrant workers.  Correspondents say that the report has sparked off discussion about whether the Cayman Islands should introduce a minimum wage.

In Jamaica, yet another police officer has run afoul of the law.  The latest is a 28-year-old Police Constable who was granted bail on Friday, May 16th in the sum of $80,000 when he appeared in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court.  Charged with breaches of the Anti-corruption Act is Orthel Whittingham of the Waterford Police Station in St. Catherine.  He is scheduled to return to court on July 17.  It is alleged that on Sunday, May 11th, the constable was on duty along the Hellshire main road when he stopped a female learner driver.  Constable Whittingham requested the car documents from the owner of the vehicle who was in the passenger seat.  However, the man did not have his driver's license.  It is reported that Constable Whittingham requested $25,000 to drop the charges.  It was agreed that the pay-off would take place at the Waterford Police Station.  The man later contacted the police who set up a sting operation.  Constable Whittingham was charged on the instruction of the Director of Public Prosecution.

The Caribbean Examination Council CXC has been trying to find out who leaked a Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination -CAPE- test paper to students in Trinidad and Tobago.  The registrar at the CXC head office in Barbados says they will press for criminal charges against any employee found to be responsible.  As a result of the leak of the Communication studies paper, the CXC officials decided to cancel all CAPE exams in Trinidad and Tobago, an action which affected some four thousand students.  New exam papers will be issued.   Officials have stressed the leak only happened in Trinidad and Tobago and no action will be taken against other countries in the region.

(Photo: Robert Corbin)  The police in Guyana arrested the personal bodyguard of opposition leader Robert Corbin on Thursday, May 15th.   Police said Cyrus Boyce was held for questioning in relation to a robbery.  The People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) said in a statement that Boyce was detained following a search of his home in East Coast Demerara around 2 o'clock Thursday morning.  He was then detained at the Albertown Police Station in the capital.  The release added that about 30 policemen cordoned off Boyce's house before carrying out the search and detaining him.  Thursday's move follows the arrest and detention of the personal chauffeur of the leader of the opposition, Mark McKenzie, on Wednesday in Georgetown.    McKenzie was arrested while driving a vehicle belonging to the leader of the opposition that was engaged in announcing the Cost-of-Living March scheduled for Thursday.  The opposition party said McKenzie was subsequently informed that he was arrested for using a noisy instrument without permission.      

In St. Kitts, at least one person was killed after a bridge under construction in the capital collapsed Wednesday, May 14th.  Officials said two persons were also injured during the collapse of the bridge which forms part of the new multi-million West Basseterre Bypass Road.  It said that the project valued at over US$6 million began in October 2006 and involved the construction of a new road network as well as the construction of four bridges linking the east and west of the island, by-passing Basseterre on the northern side.  The project is due to be completed by August this year.  

Unions representing Air Jamaica workers are demanding that the cash-strapped airline immediately cease providing complementary first class tickets to Parliamentarians.  This is one of several cost-cutting measures presented to the airline's management on Thursday, May 15th.  The unions want the savings passed on the employees who have not been given a salary increase in nearly two years.  Vice-President of the National Workers Union Granville Valentine said it is unfair for Air Jamaica to continue providing benefits to Parliamentarians while workers suffer.  Mr. Valentine said the cost of providing these complementary rickets to the Parliamentary officials amounts to between $25 and $30 million.  The airline's management and union officials are to meet next week to review the feasibility of the cost saving measures presented.

Jamaica and Guyana have reached agreement in their dispute over rice shipments.  Guyana now says it will not stand in the way of Jamaica seeking a waiver of the regional import duty - the Common External Tariff - to import rice from outside the region.  The deal was reached following the intervention of Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo.  Kingston had claimed that Guyana was not meeting its obligations in supplying rice to Jamaica, where the commodity is in high demand.