Patrick Manning will preside over the two summits

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning says Caribbean states should advance their cause for individual and regional development during two international summits this year.

They are the fifth Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting taking place in Port-of-Spain next month and November respectively.

In a speech to business leaders, Mr Manning urged them to join in the call for the resuscitation of the stalled developmental round of multilateral trade talks.

He said this was the "key to the revitalisation and expansion of the real economy that has become an urgent necessity in all countries, including the Caribbean."

Libya boosting agriculture ties with Guyana

A Guyana government minister says Libya will soon become a major partner in the Caricom state's agriculture sector.

Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud says Guyana has been lobbying Libya to help develop mega-farms in the interior, where the majority of inhabitants live in poverty and depend on rice cultivation for both food and income.

Persaud made the comments on Monday, a few days after a Libyan delegation travelled to Guyana to meet with agriculture officials.

The Associated Press quoted him as saying another team from Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's government is expected next month, possibly to negotiate land leases.

President Bharrat Jagdeo visited the North African country in January.

Shortly afterwards, Guyana announced that Libya would open an embassy in Georgetown.

Chavez criticised by business leaders

Business leaders in Venezuela have criticised an order by President Hugo Chavez to post soldiers at rice processing plants around the country.

One of the main food companies affected by the move said the decision was unjust and inexplicable.

During his weekly television programme, Mr Chavez said the decision was necessary to ensure the provision of cheap rice to the country's low income families.

French PM pleads for deal

The French Prime Minister François Fillon has called for an early end to the industrial conflict in Guadeloupe.

He warned that the economy of the island is "on the brink of the abyss".

Speaking Tuesday morning on French TV, Mr Fillon called on business and union leaders to accept a pay increase for low-income workers of $250.

The main employers group in Guadeloupe has rejected the deal which was signed by small businesses.

Union leaders, who began the protests on January 20, have been pushing for a prices agreement as well.

UN chief and Bill Clinton to visit Haiti

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former American President Bill Clinton will visit Port au Prince next week to promote international aid for Haiti.

The head of UN peacekeeping, Alain Le Roy, said the pair wanted to raise awareness about Haiti ahead of a new donors conference for the country.

One of Mr Clinton's organisations is deeply involved in aid projects in Haiti.

Mr Le Roy said it was time to take advantage of the security provided by the UN Stabilisation mission there.

No-show by inquiry witnesses

The commission of inquiry into alleged wrongdoing by the former Labour government in St Lucia drew a blank on Monday.

Witnesses and clients failed to turn up.

The commission's counsel, Reginald Amour, suggested that the public may have been fooled into thinking that the investigation had ended after its procedural opening.

He blamed inaccurate media reporting since the commission's first sitting on 25 February.

The panel will resume public hearings in the first week in April.

Jagdeo makes campaign drug charges

Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo has accused the country's third party, the Alliance For Change, of putting drug money into its 2006 general elections campaign.

Mr Jagdeo linked the party to a suspect in the shipment of cocaine in cartons of pepper sauce.

Co-Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan denied that his party has drug links.

He said his party was being attacked because it is picking up support in traditional strongholds of the governing Peoples Progressive Party.

Stanford accounts to remain frozen

A US court-appointed receiver has said there is little cash on hand at the companies of Sir Allen Stanford.

Ralph Janvey told a Dallas court that the "dire" finances will likely mean a fraction of overall claims will be settled.

A federal judge ruled that the Stanford accounts will remain frozen for another 10 days.

Mr Stanford's companies have been in receivership since the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil action alleging involvement in an $8 billion investment fraud.

Mr Stanford is accused in the civil charges but has not been charged with a crime.