Annabi says Haiti needs all the help it can get

The United Nations special representative in Haiti, Hedi Annabi, has warned that the achievements of the UN mission might be short-lived, if the international community does not step in to help to improve social conditions in that country.

Haiti has only received around 15 percent of the $108 million in aid which it has been seeking from the international community to help with rebuilding efforts, following the passage of four major storms.

Mr Annabi says it is crucial that the country receives all the help it can get.

He also told BBC Caribbean the UN security council has adopted a draft resolution extending MINUSTAH's mandate for 12 months, and the vote on the issue next week should receive unanimous approval.

However, Mr Annabi said the security improvements go hand in hand with social development.

Shaw hospitalised

Jamaica's finance minister Audley Shaw remains hospitalised after collapsing on Wednesday.

Mr Shaw, 56, was rushed to the University Hospital of the West Indies, after he fainted during a cabinet meeting break.

General Secretary of the governing Jamaica Labour Party Karl Samuda says doctors have not yet been able to determine the cause of the collapse.

St Vincent's parliament debate economic union

The St Vincent and the Grenadines parliament on Thursday debated a motion on the implementation of the proposed OECS Economic Union.

The nine member sub regional grouping is seeking to create its own economic space by next year.

Prime minister Ralph Gonsalves told the House the draft treaty would recognise the revised treaty of Chaguaramas, under which the wider Caricom Single Market and Economy was formed.

However opposition leader Arnhim Eustace does not support the motion.

Stanford 20/20 gets go-ahead

Organisers of the Stanford 20/20 tournament have confirmed that it will go ahead as planned on November 1.

An agreement was reached Thursday following talks between Sir Allen Stanford and Denis O'Brien, head of West Indies sponsor Digicel, following a bitter row over commercial rights.

The match, between the Stanford Superstars and England, had been thrown into doubt after a High Court hearing had backed objections from Digicel.

Digicel claimed that the West Indies Cricket Board's
deal with Stanford had compromised their sponsorship with the governing body.

Civil Society group criticise police

The Saint Lucia police are defending a decision not to allow a protest by the island's Civil Society Network during the just-ended Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting.

The organisation's president Flavia Cherry said the group received permission in principle for the October 7 protest, but was later told that it could not go ahead because of resource limitations in the police force.

The Civil Society Network claims that the government put pressure on the police, because it did not want negative media attention from the protest.

However the assistant commissioner responsible for operations, Moses Charles, explained that the network's demonstration could not be approved, because officers were needed at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting.