Guyanese authorities are investigating a boating accident over the weekend that left five people dead and one still missing.

The wooden-boat and its captain were shuttling seven passengers from Suriname to Guyana when it capsized.

	The waterway between Guyana and Suriname serves as an important trading link between the two South American neighbours

Guyanese authorities consider a privately-operated boat service there illegal.

But Suriname has consistently claimed jurisdiction over the Corentyne River, making it difficult for Georgetown to clamp down on that service.

The authorities were up to late Sunday searching for the one remaining person still missing from Saturday's incident.

Residents flee mud volcano

Some residents in one Trinidad and Tobago community have had to flee their homes because of the eruption of a mud volcano.

The weekend eruption which spewed mud and gas into the air, forced villagers from the Santa Flora area to temporarily evacuate the area.

Officials described the incident as a surface breakout with gas and mud emissions.

Local reports indicated that the affected area was cordoned off and was being monitored.

A fresh appeal for relief funds for Haiti

The UN's humanitarian chief says Haiti needs an immediate boost in relief funding.

UN Undersecretary General for humanitarian affairs John Holmes, says the funds are required to assist hundreds of hungry people still living in shelters nearly two months after the recent devastating tropical storms.

	Haitians left homeless by the floods are still awaiting relief

He made the appeal after seeing first hand in the coastal city of Gonaives, the plight of some 1500 people still living in a warehouse seven weeks after their homes were destroyed.

Mr Holmes said much more needed to be done to help these people.

Donor countries have contributed just 23 percent of a 108 million US dollar United Nations appeal issued after the storms.

Guns for drugs trade worrying Jamaica

Police in the Caribbean are becoming increasingly concerned over the growing trade in guns-for-drugs.

Weapons - many of them from Haiti - are being exchanged for marijuana.

The trade is now seen as the major source of illegal firearms entering Jamaica.

The island has one of the worst murder rates in the world and guns are the weapons of choice in the majority of the killings.

Last year Jamaican police seized over 650 guns and so far this year they have recovered nearly 450.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is on record as blaming the small Haitian community on the island for the development of the guns for drugs trade.

But Meltar Desomley from the Haitian/Jamaican society in Kingston says blaming the Haitians in Jamaica is wrong, and that the violence on the island is home grown.

Clergyman wants hanging resumed

A controversial Jamaican clergyman who supports hanging says the government isn't fulfilling its role if it does not support capital punishment.

Reverend Al Miller argues that the scriptures favour the death penalty, and the government should use it as a tool to dispense justice.

The capital punishment debate is being fuelled by Jamaica's spiralling crime rate.

Reverend Miller had been criticised for earlier suggesting that those opposing capital punishment were "dunce", meaning foolish or stupid.