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PICTURED: Jamaica's Education Minister Ruel Reid

SOCA MONARCHS EXCHANGE MOOTED

AFTER A strong showing by Grenadian artistes at Trinidad’s pre-carnival Soca Monarch contests, Grenada’s Culture Minister Norland Cox is suggesting an exchange of monarchs between the country’s two carnivals.

Five Grenadians were in the 16- nalist line- up for International Soca Monarch. “We don’t see soca as just Trinidad, we don’t see soca as just a Grenadian product, but as a regional and Caribbean product and it’s important for us to walk together,” Mr Cox said.

AIRLINE MARKED AS ‘ESSENTIAL’ SERVICE

THE ANTIGUA and Barbuda government is moving to declare island-hopping airline LIAT an essential service. The proposed legislation will place limits on industrial action, which has delayed the services in the past. Antigua also announced a $16m (£12.5m) loan from the Caribbean Development Bank to recapitalise LIAT.

JAMAICA TO BUILD 17 NEW SCHOOLS

JAMAICA’S EDUCATION Minister Ruel Reid has announced government plans to build 17 new schools – 10 primary and seven secondary. Senator Reid said: “We have to make sure there are enough publicly funded institutions so that no child will be left behind. All our children will have a seamless opportunity to pursue their education unhindered up to age 18.”

GUYANA’S GROWING OIL STRENGTH

ENERGY DATA firm Rapidan predicts that Guyana could be pumping more oil than its neighbour Venezuela in the next five years. A report follows two further offshore oil well discoveries in Guyana’s waters while sanctions against Venezuela have hampered that nation’s oil processing.

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