On behalf of the Secretary-General of Caribbean Community, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Forty-First Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development on Energy being held here in Trinidad and Tobago.  The Secretary General sincerely regrets that he could not be here at this so important COTED Energy Meeting.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

KINGSTON, Jamaica - The recent passing of one of the greatest political leaders of the 20th century was a shock to all who knew of her powerful leadership. Her policies were transformational, redirecting global political thinking and empowering the call for action.
Her mission was a supreme belief in the force of the market and the power of the individual driven by reward for initiative. She reshaped the British economy, pulling it back from the edge of a cliff and promoted other ways to offer social benefits than to rely on welfare.

Haiti MIAMI, CMC - The United States Coast Guard says it has rescued six men rescued off the coast of Haiti.
The Coast Guard said Sunday, the six, whose identities were not released, were located about 37 nautical miles from Ile de la Tortue, Haiti.
The US Coast Guard said that its District Seven command center had received a report from the Dominican Republic Coast Guard of six people adrift near Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Within a month T&T will open its embassy in Bejing, China, more than 30 years after China established its embassy here in T&T. On June 20, 1974 China established diplomatic relations with T&T and in April of 1975 the embassy was established. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran sees no issue in the delay in reciprocating. “It is all a matter of timing,” he said.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Florida-born rap artist Rick Ross packed maybe 10,000 fans into the Andre Kamperveen stadium in Paramaribo last Saturday. Bearded, bald-headed and big-bellied, he looks a bit like the prison officer he once was. He shares his name with the former drug trafficker Rick “Freeway” Ross—who once tried to sue the rapper for name-theft. His lyrics win few good-behaviour awards.