Vincentians go to the polls on Wednesday not to elect a new government, but to vote in a referendum on whether or not they want to adopt a new constitution for the country.

	Vincies get to decide on proposed changes in a referendum on Wednesday

The governing Unity Labour Party has been conducting a "Vote Yes" campaign, while the opposition New Democratic Party has countered with a "No" initiative.

A committee urging people to vote against the proposed new constitution not only queried the government's use of public funds in its vote yes campaign but also took the matter to the High Court.

It has since, however, said that the applications for injunctions were withdrawn because of "delays caused by the failure of the court" to act urgently on the matter.

The chairman of the Constitutional Review Steering Committee, Parnel Campbell, has admitted that the referendum issue has divided the voting public along political lines.

PMs make investment bid

Two Caribbean Community (Caricom) prime ministers have been making a pitch to the Commonwealth Business Forum for investment in the Caribbean.

Prime Ministers David Thompson of Barbados and Tillman Thomas of Grenada told the gathering of one thousand business leaders from the Commonwealth grouping that the region desperately needs investment, and that regional states are attractive places for foreign direct investment.

That kind of investment in the Caribbean has plummeted as a result of the global financial crisis.

Suriname criticises banana deal

Suriname is among Caribbean nations accusing the European Union of sacrificing the interests of the region's banana producing states by doing a deal with Latin American countries on banana tariffs.

	Suriname says banana deal sacrifices Caribbean and ACP interests

The EU has said it is very close to an agreement that'll end the long-running dispute over banana tariffs.

But Suriname's ambassador in Brussels, Gerhard Otmar Hiwat, said the EU was pushing for the deal to show that progress is being made in removing obstacles to the conclusion of the Doha Round.

Member states of the World Trade Organisation have been trying since 2001 to forge a global trade pact under the Doha Round of negotiations.

The banana dispute has been integrated into those talks.

Ministry steps in to end dispute

Guyana's Labour Ministry has intervened in a pay dispute between bauxite workers and their employer, in a bid to end a three-day strike at the local operations of United Rusal.

The workers want clear time-lines by which a 10% pay hike retroactive to January of this year will be paid but their union says management has been reluctant to say when the money will actually be paid out.

The workers representatives also say they are very concerned that United Rusal wants to lay off 75 workers and force the union to sign an agreement approving of the retrenchment as part of the pay-deal.

Acting General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union, Leslie Gonsalves says that is a violation of local labour laws and the collective labour agreement.

Region takes further aim at UK air tax

Caribbean leaders say they intend to challenge British Prime Minister Gordon Brown over a new airfare tax during this weekend's Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in the Trinidad and Tobago capital Port of Spain.

	Mr Brown can expect to hear first hand how disappointed the region is over the UK air passenger tax

Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretary-General Edwin Carrington says the bloc's members are angry over the so-called green tax, a UK measure London says is intended to help cut carbon emissions.

The tax charges passengers according to how far they fly.

It increased the levy on economy seats to the Caribbean by nearly 13% this year, with an even greater increase expected in 2010.

Fares to the US are taxed at a lower rate.