(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Director-General of the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM), Mr Percival Marie, is set to embark on his first official visit to Grenada since that country assumed the Chairmanship of CARIFORUM, with effect from 1 July 2013.

The Chair of CARIFORUM plays a leadership role in relation to intra-CARIFORUM matters, as well as the CARIFORUM-European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and its institutional arrangements.

A special and unique celebration of Caribbean culture begins here and now with the Opening Ceremony of this Eleventh commemoration of CARIFESTA. We have come from all over the Caribbean Community and are joined by our family and many friends from Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, to experience this magical evening and the festivities that will unfold in the next 10 days in Suriname, our wonderful host country.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Former president of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Austin “Jack Warner” has sent pre-action protocol letters to the football organisation as well as former Barbados chief justice, Sir David Simmons over the contents of a report that had been damning of him. Warner has also sent similar letters to all other authors of the report and is demanding an apology and withdrawal to be published internationally within 28 days plus costs and damages.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is questioning on what grounds the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) or even the Commonwealth can intervene in the political situation in St. Kitts-Nevis. Opposition legislators have accused regional governments of remaining silent on the political stalemate in the twin-island Federation occasioned by the refusal to date of the Parliament to debate a motion of no confidence filed against the government of Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Observer - JAMAICA continues to agonise over the cost of electricity and the capacity to pay for its oil imports. This agony started with the first oil price shock in 1973 and the degree of agony has varied with the ebb and flow of oil prices. The country is in the throes of trying to reduce the cost of electricity and the oil import bill. Much attention is now being devoted to finalising the outcome of the bidding process for an additional 360-megawatt (MW) of electricity at the most competitive price.