BBC Caribbean News in Brief

Antigua and Barbados
top destinations list

Caribbean hotspots and American cities are among the fastest growing long-haul destinations this year, according to a travel trends report.

Holiday company Hayes and Jarvis says dollar destinations are proving popular with holidaymakers despite poor exchange rates, ash cloud problems and airline strikes.

The company’s findings show that bookings to the Caribbean were up 130% in May and June 2010.

Antigua and Barbados were the fasting growing destinations. Also in the top 10 are the US cities of Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco.
Antigua police to use taser guns

Antiguan authorities say they are beginning to better equip the country’s police officers to encourage a more effective response to crime. The officers are being equipped with firearms, protective gear, taser guns and pepper sprays.

National Security Minister Errol Cort says that providing a more varied quantity of crime fighting tools should assist in the apprehending of would-be criminals.

Cort says the intent is to apprehend using as little force as is necessary and that the new equipment would be used when needed.
ILO promotes “green jobs”

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is helping Guyana take advantage of jobs aimed at reducing the impact of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels.

The so-called “green jobs” include the areas of renewable energy, waste management, recycling and forest-related services.

The ILO’s Climate Changes Specialist Ana Sanchez says these job experiences are being shared among countries.

She says local conditions are not being ignored.