BBC Caribbean News in Brief

TCI election plea

The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands has restated his call for Britain to allow the territory to hold general elections.

The UK has said it would restore direct rule after a commission of inquiry said it had found clear evidence of widespread corruption among TCI officials.

A British foreign office official recently told islanders that the findings were worse than they had anticipated.

But Premier Galmo Williams said the people should be allowed to determine who will represent them through a free and fair election.

“Our position remains that we vehemently disagree with the suspension of our country’s constitution in part or whole,” Williams said.

His position won support from Caricom leaders at their just-ended summit in Georgetown.


Clinton pleads for Haitian unity

Bill Clinton has said that a lack of coordination between Haitian politicians, aid groups and investors was hampering efforts to help millions of Haitians.

The former American president spoke from the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, as he wrapped up his first trip to Haiti as special UN envoy.

He promised to do all he can to collect the money Haiti needs to address some of its problems but urged Haitians to solve their internal differences.