Carrington says the athletes have made the region proud

Caricom Secretary General Edwin Carrington has congratulated Jamaica on its success at the Beijing Olympics, following Usain Bolt's record-breaking 200 metre victory yesterday.

Jamaica has five gold and three silver medals.

On Thursday Veronica Campbell-Brown became the latest athlete to add to the country's medal haul, after winning gold in the women's 200 metre final.

Mr Carrington has and said the region is proud of the athletes and their unprecedented achievements.

Rogge criticises Bolt

The double Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt has been ticked off by the IOC's President Jacques Rogge for showing a lack of respect to his competitors.

Mr Rogge is unhappy with the way Bolt celebrated his record breaking victories following the 100 and 200 metres races.

While hailing Bolt's achievements in Beijing, Mr Rogge said he would like him to acknowledge the other athletes.

"He should shake hands with his competitors and not ignore them.

"He'll learn that sooner or later. But (he's) a great athlete, of course," Mr Rogge said.

Manning promotes economic union

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Patrick Manning has been selling the idea of a new economic union to Eastern Caribbean leaders.

At a meeting last week, Mr Manning and the heads of three OECS countries, signed an agreement to establish a single economy by 2011, and a political union two years later.

Mr Manning has already met with government officials of Dominica, Antigua and St Kitts.

There has been some criticism of the move, but Mr Manning told reporters that the leaders going into this alliance have the political will to make it happen.

CPDC welcomes countries' EPA delay

The Barbados-based Caribbean Policy Development Centre has welcomed a decision by some regional governments to delay signing the economic partnership agreement with Europe.

Grenada and Guyana have already indicated their reluctance to sign on September 2, and earlier this week St Lucia's prime minister Stephenson King said he too, had some reservations.

However Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago say they will stick to the schedule.

The CPDC urged governments not to be satisfied with what it called a hastily initialled agreement, but to push for re-negotiation to ensure long term benefits.

The CPDC said such attention was necessary, since the EPA will alter the nature of the Caribbean's trading relationship with europe and set the template for upcoming negotiations with Canada and the United States.

Chile wants free trade agreement

Chile has indicated its interest in pursuing a free trade agreement with Caricom.

The south American country's representative to Caricom Jose Gabriel Zepeda made the proposal when he met with Caricom Secretary General Edwin Carrington on Wednesday.

Mr Zepeda identified three areas of co-operation which he said show great potential for enhancing the quality of life of the people of both countries.

He pointed to poverty alleviation, the proper management of coastal borders and greater cooperation in the area of trade.