Staff Editor

(Jamaica Observer) Prime Minister Bruce Golding says the oversight panel appointed by Transport and Works Minister Dr Omar Davies to oversee three major Government projects does not undermine the role of the contractor general who had expressed concerns about the contractual procedures relating to the projects.

(Jamaica Observer) Government has again defended its decision to establish the Independent Oversight Panel (IOP) to monitor three major projects, despite objections from Contractor General Greg Christie, arguing that Cabinet has the right to approve advisors for any minister.

(Barbados Nation) One of Barbados’  highest employing companies has gradually whittled down its staff from 1 200 to just over 250 in the last two years, with plans to lay off the others by the end of next month.

PORT-AU-PRINCE,  (Reuters) – Haitian lawmakers approved the nomination of a close adviser to President Michel Martelly as prime minister on Thursday, raising hopes of ending a political stalemate that has stalled reconstruction efforts after Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake.

(Barbados Nation) Prominent businessman Jacob Hassid yesterday responded with shock and anger to union boss Sir Roy Trotman’s labelling of him as an “Egyptian Jew”, while warning that such an “unfair and unjust” attack could stir up racial hatred in the country.

(Trinidad Express) Sixty-eight year-old grandmother Grace Pierre-Holder and 29-year-old Daenah John-Finn were yesterday found guilty by an eight-member jury of having cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.

(Trinidad Express) As gang violence continues to rear its ugly head in and around the capital city, three persons have been shot dead and four others wounded in separate shooting incidents.

(Trinidad Express) The Republic Bank Group has recorded a net profit attributable to shareholders of TT$550.1 million for the financial half-year ended March 31.

MAIDUGURI/ABUJA,  (Reuters) – Gunmen threw bombs and opened fire on a cattle market in remote northeastern Nigeria, killing at least 60 people, a spokesman for Yobe state governor said, an attack whose motives remain unknown.

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands,  (Reuters) – A diplomatic spat in the normally tranquil Cayman Islands has put the ruling party and the British government at loggerheads after the locally elected premier accused London of conspiring with opposition politicians to “ruin this country.”

EDINBURG, Texas, (Reuters) – Two men face immigrant harboring charges after authorities found 115 undocumented people inside three small South Texas houses, some of whom did not have access to food or water for days, according to federal court records published today.

KINGSTON,  (Reuters) – Triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt could have an unexpected challenger when the Jamaican world record holder runs his first 100 metres on Saturday.

Government today expressed its unhappiness with the ruling of Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang which saw its challenge of the numerical make-up of the National Assembly’s Committee of Selection being thrown out and said it will be studying the implications of the ruling.

A Guyanese man has pleaded guilty to participating in a fraud on Canadian phone company, Telus and has been slapped with house arrest for 12 months and will have to make restitution.

(Jamaica Gleaner) A joint police probe is now underway into the shooting deaths of four people including two elderly men in Rejoin district in Hanover last night.

(Jamaica Gleaner) One of the founding members of The Skatalites Band, Lloyd Brevett is dead.

A 43 year old miner was this afternoon found dead with chop wounds about the body in his East Street home.

In a notice in today’s Guyana Chronicle, the Ministry of Public Works is advising REDjet customers who were unable to travel because of the suspension of service by the airline to submit requests for refunds.

Ravendra Pooran, a taxi driver of Diamond New Scheme, East Bank Demerara was today found murdered at Logwood, Enmore.

Two Guyanese men were among a number of others remanded in Antigua over a stolen car and drugs, according to today’s Antigua Observer.