Jamaica has warned that it will push for a review of the treaty of Chaguaramus that governs Caricom.

Officials in Kingston are disappointed that Jamaica's request for a suspension of the regional tax known as the Common External Tariff - CET, on cement, has been turned down.

The decision was taken by Caricom's Council for Trade and Economic Development - COTED.

Jamaica's Industry Minister Karl Samuda says other Caricom states, which are members of COTED, did not back Jamaica's application.

He said several did not even bothering to vote when asked by COTED whether they supported Jamaica's bid.

Britain tells Caribbean air duty increase will stay

Britain has laid it on the line for Caribbean tourism ministers arguing against the increase of the UK's controversial air tax - the air passenger duty.

The ministers met on Wednesday with British parliamentarians in London to complain that the increase imposed 11 days ago is far too steep, and warning that it would cause a drop off in the number of British tourists flying to the Caribbean.

	Ministers fear the air passenger duty increase will cause fewer people to fly to the Caribbean

But the clear message from the Gordon Brown led Labour administration is that the Caribbean must find a way of coping with the hike.

The British Treasury says it needs all the money it can get and won't repeal the measure.

In response, St Lucia's tourism minister Allen Chastanet told BBC Caribbean that he will be at the forefront of efforts to fight "the illegal tax increase".

Mr Chastanet has hinted that a legal challenge is one of the options being looked at in conjunction with other concerned states.

However, the Barbadian tourism minister Richard Sealy, told BBC Caribbean he is beginning to accept that a roll-back of the tax is not likely to happen.

Haiti's new Prime Minister to take oath

Haiti's new Prime Minister, Jean Max Bellerive, was expected to be inaugurated on Wednesday, after being ratified by the country's two-tiered parliament.

On taking the oath of office the former planning minister becomes the sixth person to hold the post of prime minister since 2004 in politically unstable Haiti.

Mr Bellerive has promised to court investors and lift people out of poverty.

China to help sort out Guyana power outages

Guyanese authorities say they are hoping to, with Chinese help, resolve the decades old problem of electrical power outages that has plagued residents and the country's business community.

Guyana has already purchased two new generators that are currently being tested.

The country no longer suffers from days of power-outages like in the late 1970s and 1980s. However, power blackouts remains a feature of domestic and commercial life for a country whose manufacturing sector has never really kicked off.

'Scuba diver killer' sentenced

A British Virgin Islands judge has ruled that a Rhode Island man must serve at least 25 years for killing his wife while diving in Tortola in 1999.

David Swain faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison following his murder conviction last month.

The defense asked that the 53-year-old be eligible for parole after 18 years, but the judge sided with the prosecutor and sentenced him to at least 25 years.

Local authorities initially found no evidence of a crime after Shelley Tyre died while scuba diving. However, Mr Swain was charged after a civil court in the U.S. found him responsible for the death.