In Jamaica, a former secretary of Junior Minister Bobby Montaque was in police custody on Friday afternoon facing criminal charges.  Annalee Wynter was picked up Thursday by Fraud Squad detectives following allegations that she stole US$2,900 she was given to hand over to the Minister.  It is reported that in November last year the Ministry of Finance sent the money to Mr. Montaque for a planned trip to London, England.  The money was collected by Ms Wynter to be delivered to the Junior Minister.  However, the trip was cancelled, but the money was not returned.  Enquiries were made of Mr. Montaque regarding the money and he reported that he did not receive the cash.  The spotlight was then focused on Ms Wynter who resigned the job on January 18, this year.  Following her arrest Thursday, Ms Wynter has reportedly told investigators that she lost the money.  Late Friday afternoon she was still being questioned by investigators.  In the meantime, a project manager employed to the St. Mary Parish Council has been charged with fraud.  Twenty-three year old Kemar Dixon was charged Thursday by Fraud Squad detectives.  He is accused of defrauding the St. Mary Parish Council of more than $500,000 on several work projects in the parish.  It is reported that in December last year, Mr. Dixon was given the job to oversee several work projects in Annotto Bay and Bellfield.  It is alleged that Mr. Dixon submitted fictitious names to the Parish Council, claiming these persons had done work on the projects.  He reportedly collected the checks and pocketed more than $500,000.  However, an internal audit uncovered the fraud.  Mr. Dixon is free on $200,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, March 20.

Cuba has authorized the unrestricted sale of computers, DVD and video players in the first sign that its new president, Raul Castro, is moving to improve Cubans' access to consumer goods.  An internal government document said the appliances long desired by Cubans can go on sale immediately, although air conditioners will not be available until next year and toasters until 2010 due to limited power supplies.  Only foreigners and companies can buy computers in Cuba at present, while DVD players were seized at the airport until last year, when customs rules were eased.  Now Cubans will be able to buy them freely, paying for them in hard currency, or convertible pesos, worth 24 times more than the Cuban pesos state wages are paid in.

Former St. Lucian Prime Minister Kenny Anthony says it is unfair that Dominican-born Brian Alleyne has not been appointed Chief Justice of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, Supreme Court.  Sir Brian, who has been acting in the position, was never confirmed reportedly because the heads of government of the sub-region charged with making the appointment could not arrive at a unanimous decision on the matter.  Acting Chief Justice Alleyne is in the process of retiring, and has been making official farewell visits to individual OECS countries.  Dr. Anthony says he should have been offered the substantive post of Chief Justice.     
 

Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding has reacted with shock to the conduct of Mayor of Spanish Town Dr. Andrew Wheatley at a recent meeting of the Portmore Municipal Council.  The St. Catherine based Opposition members of Parliament had been invited to the council meeting to make presentations on road work in their constituencies by Portmore's Mayor Keith Hinds.  It is being reported that in a letter to the Mayor, Mr. Golding described his Dr. Wheatley's objection to the MP's presence as "unwarranted and unbecoming".  Mr. Golding added that Dr. Wheatley's statements were uncomplimentary and far below the standard he expected of the Mayor based on his training and discipline.  It is reported that the Prime Minister went further by stating that the Spanish Town Mayor's action brought into disrepute the Jamaica Labour Party's stated commitment to good governance. 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sent an urgent letter to the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association's Centre for Veterinary Education Accreditation requesting the suspension of accreditation process for Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts.  This comes after allegations that cruel teaching procedures are being performed on animals at the school.  Ross University is owned by Chicago-based DeVry, Incorporated.  PETA's request comes after the group received complaints and photographs from students documenting the mutilation of animals who are subjected to multiple surgeries before they are killed and dissected.  Students who object to the procedures are reportedly threatened with a failing grade if they do not participate.

In Jamaica on Friday, March 14th, a  Police Constable, who was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to life for killing a wanted fugitive, was thrown a life-line when the Court quashed the conviction of Constable Glenroy McDermott and ordered a retrial.  Constable McDermott, who was attached to the Bull Bay Police Station, was sentenced to life in prison for the November 2000 fatal shooting of Michael Dorsett otherwise called "Buba" in Bull Bay, St. Andrew.  The sole eyewitness at the trial was the ten year old cousin of Dorsett.  The officer's conviction sparked outrage among rank and file members of the police force who claim the Constable was acting in self-defense when he shot Dorsett, who was on the East Kingston police's most wanted list.  The cops say he was killed in a shoot-out with the police who had responded to an alert from police control that gunmen had been seen travelling in a car in Bull Bay.  Lawyers for Constable McDermott appealed the conviction claiming the trial judge, Mrs. Justice Beswick failed to direct the jury on the powers given to the police in their quest to apprehend a fleeing felon.  The panel of judges agreed and quashed the conviction.  Constable McDermott remains in prison until his retrial.

The former Prime Minister of Belize, Said Musa, could find himself in legal trouble as the new government has revealed another million dollar scandal by the former People's United Party (PUP) administration.  Prime Minister Dean Barrow is reporting that the Said Musa administration used the US$10 million gift from Taiwan in addition to US$ 10 million from Venezuela to guarantee the debt of the public universal health services.  Prime Minister Barrow is awaiting word from his lawyers on the next course of action and is demanding that the misused funds be immediately returned to the government's coffers.  However, the PUP's Secretary General Henry Charles Usher has described the government's action as nothing more than a witch hunt.

In Jamaica, a meeting of the unionized and non-unionized employees assigned to the Portmore and Vineyards Toll Plazas in St. Catherine ended abruptly on the afternoon of Friday, March 14th when disgruntled workers staged a walk out. 
The meeting had been called by the agency in charge of Highway 2000, Jamaica Infrastructure Operators (JIO), to discuss the ongoing wage negotiations.  University and Allied Workers Union Chief Delegate, Denton Patterson said employees were merely insisting that other burning issues be brought to the table. However, Operations Manager for the Portmore Toll Plaza, Desmond Levy reportedly refused to allow any digression from the salary issue.  Mr. Patterson accused Mr. Levy of side-stepping work related concerns.  Mr. Patterson also accused the management of failing to renew the contracts of temporary employees assigned to the Portmore Toll Plaza following a recent union meeting.   The Chief Union Delegate said after approximately one hour of talks the Toll Road employees stormed out.   Mr. Patterson says operations at both Toll Plazas could be disrupted if the management fails to address the workers' concerns. It is understood that the JIO is in discussions with two companies regarding possible out-sourcing of some positions, which could affect workers' job security.