Jamaica's Finance Minister Audley Shaw has hit back at the opposition People's National Party over its recent criticism of his absence from a team sent to Washington DC to conduct exploratory talks with the International Monetary Fund.

	Jamaica holding talks with the IMF

Mr Shaw was forced to defend his absence from talks being led by Minister Without Portfolio, Senator Don Wehby.

Jamaica has been in talks with the lending agency aimed at a possible return to a borrowing relationship.

A visibly upset Mr Shaw described statements made by both the opposition spokesman on finance and the Leader of the Opposition mischievous and full of cheap political opportunism.

Stanford official makes bail

The former Chief Financial Officer of Texan billionaire Allen Stanford's business empire was on Monday granted $500,000 bail in a Houston court.

James Davis' lawyer said he planned to plead guilty to charges related to an alleged seven billion dollar Ponzi scheme as early as next week.

Mr Davis, who has been cooperating with federal prosecutors for three months, faces a maximum of 30 years in prison on conspiracy, fraud and obstruction charges.

He made his first court appearance Monday after being charged last month as part of the US government's criminal case against Allen Stanford.

Mr Stanford, James Davis and three other company executives are facing several charges.

Brown leadership under review

With two government ministers gone from the cabinet, Bermuda's governing Progressive Labour Party is expected to hold a Central Committee meeting on Monday night to discuss the latest leadership problems within the party.

Local media reports say energy minister Terry Lister and education minister Elvin James left Premier Ewart Brown's Cabinet over the weekend.

Mr Lister has confirmed that he was fired.

The two led demands for the premier's resignation on Friday night.

Premier Brown had angered party colleagues by attempting to push through parliament a controversial cruise ship gaming bill.

Officers sent home

Four police officers in St Vincent were sent on leave on Monday, after being charged with assault and causing grievous bodily harm.

The charges stem from an incident last November, when two teenagers were reportedly beaten while in police custody.

Their lawyer said one was hospitalised and remained in a coma for seven days.

Two corporals and two constables pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared in court last week.

They were released on bail of just over $US 300 and are to reappear in court on September 22.

PM angers judge

The Kittitian government's tabling of a report on disputed boundary changes despite a court injunction was examined in court Monday.

	Dr Douglas' comments have not gone down well with Justice Francis Bell

Lawyers for the opposition People's Action Movement had alleged that the Denzil Douglas administration breached the injunction dealing with proposed constituency boundary changes that were being challenged by PAM.

Prime Minister Douglas' suggestion that the High Court had adjourned last week to permit the tabling of the Boundaries Commission report in parliament was sternly refuted during Monday's hearing by Justice Francis Bell.

The judge described the prime minister's statement as highly misleading, and said Dr Douglas had either been lied to by his advisers, or by his own statement, was a "stranger to the truth".