A Jamaican junior minister has resigned after being linked to a corruption scandal involving a British firm.

Joseph Hibbert's decision to resign as minister of state for transport and works was announced after a meeting with Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

He first came under scrutiny when his name was mentioned months ago as part of an inquiry into allegations of bribery against the British bridge-building firm, Mabey & Johnson.

Last week, the company admitted it was involved in overseas bribery in Jamaica and Ghana.

It is accused of conspiring to make corrupt payments in Jamaica between 1993 and 2001.

During that time, Joseph Hibbert was a high-ranking technical officer in the transport and works ministry.

He denies any wrongdoing.

In resigning, he said: "This resignation will allow me the time and freedom to clear my name and my integrity."

Call for action on insurance firm

Eastern Caribbean nations plan to appoint consultants to lay the groundwork for a new company to take over the operations of British American Insurance, a member company of the troubled Clico group.

The decision was taken at last weekend's meeting of OECS finance ministers.

The ministers said that they would also seek approval for a judicial manager to oversee the affairs of British
American in the interim.

The company's parent, Clico or CL Financial, was taken over by the Trinidad and Tobago government in January after it ran into financial trouble.

The OECS ministers also called for the urgent finalisation of a memorandum of understanding between Trinidad, Barbados and the Bahamas on the way forward on the Clico affair.

US territory reports flu death

Puerto Rico has reported the island's first death from swine flu.

The Health Department says the victim was a 27-year-old man who had a history of asthma. He died on 6 July but the cause was not confirmed until Tuesday.

The department said another eight deaths are being investigated.

Puerto Rico says 35 local cases of the H1N1 virus have been confirmed so far.

No ALBA for DomRep

The President of the Dominican Republic Leonel Fernandez has been quoted as saying he hasn't considered making his country part of the Venezuelan-backed political and economic grouping known as ALBA.

That is because the country has signed a free trade agreement with the United States.

Mr Fernandez however noted that the Dominican Republic was a member of the Venezuelan oil initiative, Petrocaribe.

Cuba, US hold migration talks

The United States and Cuba say they've held cordial new talks on ways to promote safe, orderly and legal migration from the island.

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the US has recommitted itself to the talks, which were suspended in 2003 by the then president, George Bush.

The Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Dagoberto Rodriguez described the meeting as "a fruitful working session."