PM Golding worried about Caricom
Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding has warned that the existence of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) is at risk.
The Jamaican leader says there are a number of things happening that are destabilising and threatening the existence of the regional grouping.
Golding has singled out the political integration initiative being pursued by Trinidad and Tobago and a number of Eastern Caribbean States. While describing the initiative as commendable, Prime Minister Golding warned that it could impact negatively on the deepening and strengthening of Caricom. He also expressed concern about ALBA – the Venezuelan-led Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas.
Dominica is a member of ALBA and St Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua and Barbuda are considering membership. Prime Minister Golding is concerned that ALBA too, could cause some problems for Caricom.
Alleged spy couple held without bond
A judge in Washington has ordered a former State Department employee and his wife held without bond on charges of spying for Cuba. The judge agreed with prosecutors’ argument that Walter Kendall Myers and his wife Gwendolyn were a flight risk.US authorities say Myers delivered government secrets to Cuban agents over the past 30 years. The couple could face up to 17 years in prison if convicted.
Bermuda now on WhiteList
Bermuda has been removed from an international list of tax havens by the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD). Having completed a required 12 tax information exchange agreements, the island has now been put on the OECD’s “White List”.
That list is made up of countries considered to have substantially implemented international tax transparency standards.
Bermuda signed its 12th tax information sharing agreement with the Netherlands.
