Guyana
Little Damalia John, 10 years old of Hope Town, west coast Berbice needs help to travel to Mount Hope Hospital in Trinidad, for correctional heart surgery. Damalia has a hole in her heart (a birth defect) and has recently been experiencing great pain and discomfort. First lady Uma Jagdeo is leading fundraising efforts. Donations can be made to Scotia #39415 or New Building Society #7332 or call 226-5926/6231.

Jamaica
Due to rising wage costs and growing deficits, Jamaica’s Finance Ministry has ordered an immediate halt to hiring in the public sector, following closely on the heels of the Prime Minister’s suspension of the hiring of government consultants. Jamaica is facing a $238 million deficit in its budget this year.

Cuba
Cuba's government recently accused the Bush administration of pandering to Cuban-American voters and blasted new initiatives aimed at spurring a post-Castro transition as little more than political schemes to secure a Florida election victory. "This is how the White House repays this [Cuban American] mafia for the fraud and scandalous tricks of the 2000 presidential elections," read a Foreign Ministry statement published in Cuba's government-run daily. "We would not be surprised if new aggressions are sown against our country as we approach Nov. 2004."

Haiti
Fed up with Aristide—A strong wave of discontent is brewing in isle of Haiti against its president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Schools and businesses were shut down recently to send a clear message and in response to the call from the opposition for him to resign.

Barbados
In order to attract investments, the Barbados Government has lifted all taxes on computer hardware and software, a direct effort to encourage the development of information and communication technology industries in that country.

Trinidad
Following on the heels of a report by the Trinidad Express newspaper on the uncovering of a terrorist cell in the island, national security minister Howard Chin-Lee has discredited that initial report, saying all the items found were inert and not used to produce biological agents, as was initially alleged.

Saint Lucia
St. Lucia is now the winner of Recommend Magazine’s 7th Annual Readers’ Choice Award. The island has been honored for its marketing efforts and commitment to excellence. Arrivals to St. Lucia are still on the upswing according to the latest figures from the Research and Statistics Department of the St. Lucia Tourist Board. For the month of July alone the island saw a 19.7% increase in arrivals compared to the same period in 2002. This was followed by an even larger increase in August of 23.4% over arrivals for the month of August.

Compiled by Andrea Daley and Odette Flemming