A senior Trinidad and Tobago trade unionist has warned of the possibility of a nationwide
strike over the high cost of living in the country.

First Vice-President of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU), Ancil Roget, says the country is experiencing what he called “a collapse
of governance” with increasing food prices and almost double-digit inflation.

The trade union official the government had failed to act causing workers to suffer.

Mr Ancil threatened that if it takes a national shutdown to get the government's attention, then his union - the Oilfield Workers Trade Union - is prepared to do so.

But his approach is not supported by some other unions.

President of the National Trade Union Centre of Trinidad and Tobago (NATUC), Michael Annisette, said all available avenues to address the situation have not yet been exhausted.

He said that there was still time to talk to the government and employers with a view to addressing workers' concerns.

The Trinidad government has ruled out subsidies saying that would only lead to corruption.

It has said that it's looking into importing cheaper foodstuff from Latin America and is making more land available for agriculture.

The government has also warned merchants against profiteering.

Air Jamaica for sale

Jamaica is getting funding from the United States to help with the sale of Air Jamaica.

Washington is providing a 59 million dollar grant to assist the government in divesting the loss-making airline.

An agreement to that effect is being signed today.

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding says the Government will try to sell the airline by the end of the current fiscal year.

Jamaica to grow rice

The government of Jamaica says it is setting aside almost 5 thousand acres of public land to grow rice for local consumption.

The agriculture minister, Christopher Tufton, said he expected the private sector to help cultivate the land.

The minister said he hoped the measure would help offset rising food prices and grain supply problems in Jamaica.

Other countries in the Caribbean region, such as Guyana and Trinidad, have taken similar policies to encourage local food production, to help deal with rising commodity prices.

US says DR is main drugs route

US officials claim the Dominican Republic has become the main Caribbean transit route for drugs smuggled into the United States.

The US Joint Interagency Task Force says the Dominican Republic has lost control of its airspace and cocaine laden flights from Venezuela in particular are soaring.

A recent State Department report said the Dominican Republic and Haiti saw a 38 percent increase in drug smuggling flights last year.

Computers on sale in Cuba

The first legalised home computers have gone on sale in Cuba, but a ban remains on internet access.

	Computers are being sold in Cuba for the first time

This is the latest in a series of restrictions on daily life which President Raul Castro has lifted in recent weeks.

The desktop computers cost almost $800 in a country where the average wage is under $20 a month.

Crime

Jamaica
Eighteen people are reported to have been killed - one of the victims an infant - in a spate of violence.

Twelve people died violently on Saturday alone - one shot by police.

Six were killed on Sunday.

Turf wars, robberies and apparent revenge killings are among the lines of investigation being followed by police.

Guyana

The funeral Sunday of a Guyanese businessman, whose decapitated body was found last Wednesday, is said to have left many people in shock as to the brutality of the killing.

The gruesome death and seemingly motiveless murder of businessman Farouk Kalamadeen has raised questions over whether crime in Guyana has sunken to a new low.

Trinidad
Concerns continue in Trinidad over kidnappings and other crimes there.

In the most recent high profile case, police are continuing investigations into the kidnapping on Friday of the daughter of a University of the West Indies lecturer.

Businesswoman Philippa Talma was snatched in broad daylight in front of several witnesses.