A 10% pay cut in the salaries of civil servants in the Turks and Caicos Islands has been heavily criticised by some of the territory's politicians.

In announcing the cuts the governor's office said some reduction in the civil service was inevitable, and pointed out that 65% of the current government income was being consumed by public sector wages.

	PNP leader Galmo Williams has denounced the 10% pay cut

However Progressive National Party leader Galmo Williams is blaming the interim government headed by Governor Gordon Wetherall for, he says, stalling the economy of the TCI and reducing government revenue by some $40 million annually.

The two main parties in the territory held a major demonstration last week against direct rule imposed by Britain after it suspended the TCI constitution last August.

The move followed a commission of inquiry which reported evidence of corruption in the then government that was headed by Premier Michael Misick of the Progressive National Party.

Ban back in Haiti

The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has been making his second visit to Haiti since it was struck by a huge earthquake in January, to assess for himself the challenges facing the relief effort.

He said the visit would give him a much clearer picture of the situation ahead of an aid donors' conference at the end of the month.

Mr Ban visited one of the tent camps where thousands of Haitians are living at the moment.

One of the first people the UN Secretary General met there was Hollywood actor Sean Penn.

The two men talked about what they could each do to help.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti are living without adequate shelter and sanitation, as the rainy season approaches.

Caricom backs Preval government

Caricom heads of government who met in Dominica say they took a decision to support the priorities of the government of Haiti.

	Caricom heads say they have confidence in the Preval government

The leaders say they will also channel Caribbean Community funds intended for Haiti through the government of President Rene Preval.

Caricom chairman, Roosevelt Skerrit, says the regional grouping wants to show that it has confidence in the Preval administration.

Prime Minister Skerrit said the international community should do the same.

UK wants strike plans aborted

Britain's Transport Secretary says planned strikes by British Airways staff are unjustified and threaten the future of the company.

Andrew Adonis is urging the airline's cabin crew to call off the impending strikes.

BA cabin crew are due to walk out for seven days this month, after talks between the airline and unions on changes to working practices broke down.

Caribbean destinations including Jamaica have already said that the coming strikes could have a devastating impact on their tourism sector.

Sean Tipton of the Association of British Travel Agents(ABTA) says if the strikes go ahead they will affect the Caribbean.

Medical students warned

The first batch of Guyanese students heading for medical studies in Venezuela have been warned against migrating to the United States.

Venezuela is, for the first time, offering scholarships in medicine to Guyanese, having already provided such scholarships to Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Venezuelan Ambassador, Dario Morandy, who addressed 10 Guyanese students through an interpreter, told them that on completion of their studies at the Latin American School of Medicine they should return to Guyana to serve their country.