Two Jamaicans and two Haitians are among 13 candidates who have filed petitions with New York City's Board of Elections to contest a Brooklyn City Council seat vacated by newly-elected Caribbean American Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke.

Jamaican businessman Wellington Sharpe; his compatriot Leithland Tulloch, a community activist; and Haitians Dr. Mathieu Eugene and Ferdinand Zizi; as well as former St. Vincent and the Grenadines' UN Ambassador Joel Toney and Grenadian Gerry Hopkins, filed their petitions on Wednesday, the Board of Elections has confirmed.

The candidates will now begin the process of challenging each other's petitions in court, hoping to "bump" each other off the ballot.

Prime Minister Sir John Compton has sought to clear the air over his relationship with fellow prime ministers who campaigned for his opponent, Dr. Kenny Anthony in the December 11 general election.

Prime Ministers Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines campaigned heavily for Anthony’s St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) during the election.

But at the end of a meeting with the Grenadian Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell in Castries yesterday, Sir John made it clear that there was no bad blood among the leaders.

Sir John said the leaders were not his enemy even though they might appear to be his adversary but added "that’s a matter for the political platform".

The ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP) Wednesday ruled out calling an early general election in Bermuda to take advantage of the turmoil within the main opposition United Bermuda Party (UBP).

The UBP has been rocked by high profile resignations during the month and there has been a call for its leader, Wayne Furbert to step down.

But PLP spokesman Wentworth Christopher said the ruling party had not started the process of selecting candidates for the elections constitutionally due in 2008.

Barbados will soon start offering bid blocks to international oil companies to explore for oil in the country's maritime space, Minister of Energy and the Environment Elizabeth Thompson announced on Tuesday.

Speaking in the House of Assembly as she introduced debate on the country's Draft Energy Plan, Thompson said a British firm was in the process of preparing the bid blocks for the offshore exploration program which should be offered for public tender by the end of the first quarter of the year.

She said government was heartened by the results of exploratory offshore wells, which were drilled by oil drilling company, Conoco, five years ago and the level of interest shown by major oil companies in securing one of the bids to be placed on the marketplace.

The Jamaica parliament has approved legislation allowing for the forfeiture of all properties and accumulated wealth that cannot be explained by legitimate activity.

The Parliament approved the Proceeds of Crime Act following a suspended debate, which began last year and simultaneously approved the Report of the Joint select Committee, which was set up to consider and report on the Bill.

The Act repeals and replaces the Drug Offences Forfeiture of Proceeds and Money Laundering Acts, and will provide for forfeiture through the courts, all properties and accumulated wealth, which cannot be explained by legitimate activity.

It will support efforts to fight organized crime and to ensure that persons engaged in criminal activities do not profit from their illegal activities.