Parliament takes action against loud music on mini buses.

Guyana's National Assembly has unanimously agreed to ban music in hire-cars and mini-buses.

MPs said they were supporting the measure in a bid to reduce road accidents and reduce the incidence of hearing-loss.

Anyone violating the ban on music in public transportation can be fined a maximum of 75-US dollars and six months imprisonment.

Second-offenders can be fined a maximum of 100 US dollars and 12 months imprisonment.

Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, told the House that repeated efforts have failed to curb loud music in public transportation, prompting the government to outlaw all music in hire-cars and mini-buses.

Ministers to review laws

Attorneys General of Caricom nations are due to meet in November for formal talks on the modernisation of laws against homosexuality and prostitution.

The need for reform has been highlighted at the International AIDS conference in Mexico City, which was addressed by Caribbean delegates today.

AIDS campaigners say laws and attitudes that frown on gay and commercial sex, actually fuel stigma and discrimination against groups deemed most vulnerable to HIV and AIDS -- making it harder to reach them.

Edward Greene, an assistant secretary general at the Caricom secretariat, told BBC Caribbean the ministers would discuss proposals for possible modifications to the laws.

Barbados gets AIDS funding

The World Bank has announced the approval of a US$35 million loan to Barbados to support the island government's National Plan on HIV and AIDS.

A release from the bank said the project seeks to increase the adoption of safe behaviours and access to treatment and social care, in particular among high risk groups.

It added that Barbados had achieved significant results in the prevention and control of the epidemic.

Forecasters predict intense storms

Forecasters in the United States predict that the current Atlantic hurricane season will be more violent than usual.

	Hurricane Dolly on July 23 slammed into the South Texas coast (NOAA)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts up to eight new hurricanes will form by the end of November, to add to the two which happened in July.

It says up to five of those will be major hurricanes, with maximum sustained winds of over 170 kilometres an hour.

Dominica records growth

The International Monetary Fund has said that Dominica's economy has made a strong recovery from the economy caused by Hurricane Dean last year.

It said progress had occured despite the negative effects of rising international commodity prices.

The IMF said real output growth slowed to one and a half percent in 2007, after reaching a decade high 4 percent in 2006.

The economy is expected to grow by 2½ percent in 2008 supported by the recovery in agriculture and reconstruction efforts.

IMF Directors commended the Dominican authorities for their commitment to implement sound economic policies.

Dominican/China trade expands

The Dominican Republic has become the second largest trading partner of China in the Caribbean following Cuba.

That's according to China's Trade Development Office in the Dominican Republic, which has relations with China's rival, Taiwan.

Dominican exports to China, which include scrap iron, rice, tobacco, coffee and bananas, increased some 100 million dollars in 2007.

Overall trade between the two countries reached more than 600 million dollars at the end of last year.

The president of Taiwan is due in Santo Domingo later this month to attend the inauguration of president Leonel Fernandez for a new term.

Floating dock departs amid protests

One of the world's largest floating dry docks has left France to union demonstrations, at the start of a four week trip to its new home in the Bahamas.

Scores of union activists were at dockside to protest the sale to the Grand Bahamas Shipyard.

The Bahamas has been seeking to cash in on growing demand for dock facilities to repair and maintain the world's ocean-going fleet.

Grand Bahamas bought the Le Havre dock in the northwest region of France, as part of a $50 million investment programme.

The dock is being towed to the Bahamas facility, which is expanding to accommodate the new generation of monster cruise ships.