Indian Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, told the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) that he could not interfere in the internal politics of the country following the party’s concerns that the Indian population here was being victimized.

According to a local press report, the UNC had complained to the Indian Vice President that they were being politically persecuted and pointed to the court cases involving former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma.

Shekhawat arrived in Trinidad and Tobago last week for a three-day visit after visiting Guyana.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said a UNC delegation met with the vice president last Friday at the Hilton Trinidad hotel but he was clear that his government was powerless to intervene in this country's internal matters.

The country has been torn by the historical rivalry between Blacks and Indians, leading to constant suspicions and charges of victimization. Blacks have traditionally supported the governing People's National Movement while Indians are loyal to the Opposition UNC.

The Dominica parliament has approved legislation allowing for the liberalization of the energy sector even though the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) warned that the new act was a recipe for disaster.

Energy Minister Reginald Austrie said the Electricity Supply Act of 2006 would also establish an independent regulator commission that would be responsible for setting rates and regulate all stakeholders within the industry.

He said the legislation would also allow Dominica to provide other options to investors in the energy sector, adding “to get anybody in here we have to break the monopoly” now enjoyed by the Dominica Electricity Corporation (DOMLEC).

Austrie said that the island would also explore wind energy and that “I have been invited to Guadeloupe to see the commissioning of a new wind farm”.

“We have more wind than Guadeloupe yet still DOMLEC refuses to pay any serious investment in wind.”

Austrie said that while the Venezuelan oil initiative program, PetroCaribe, would take care of the short-term reduction in fuel prices, the new act would ensure that in the longer term.

But Opposition Leader Edison James has criticized the new legislation saying it would not lead to a reduction of tariffs and guarantee a reliable supply of electricity.

Belize has signed a "corruption free zone" agreement as the Inter-American Development Bank Wednesday offered to help guarantee transparency in the mega infrastructure projects planned by countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Speaking at the opening of an international anti-corruption conference, organized by Transparency International, IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno noted that the major challenges raised by mega projects could also become great opportunities to put an end to corruption.

"As we all know, the history of mega projects in Latin America has not always been exemplary in terms of transparency. We cannot repeat those mistakes."

Moreno reported that Latin American and Caribbean countries and multilateral organizations have expressed unprecedented interest in cooperating in the fight against corruption.

Heads of state and high-ranking officials from Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama have signed a declaration for a "corruption-free zone" during the conference.

Guyana has registered concerns about the financial health of the United Nations amid reports that 70 states owed the organization US$661 million in outstanding dues.

In addition, the UN said the total amount outstanding for peacekeeping operations at the end of October is US$2.5 billion, pointing out that such a situation has a "negative impact on the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations."

Guyana said it was worried about the "fragility of the overall situation" during the Fifth Committee’s debate on the financial situation of the UN Friday.

Troy Torrington, Guyana’s First Secretary to the UN, told the Committee, which deals with administrative and budgetary matters, that while Guyana is "heartened to know that unpaid assessments for the regular budget is down," it is troubled by "the possibility of borrowing from reserve accounts by the end of the year."

He said Guyana was aware of the delicate balance on financing peacekeeping operations and hoped the last period of this year could be faced without major problems.

Officials in Suriname are preparing amendments to the Criminal Code in order to introduce alternative punishment for criminal youths, Justice Minister Chandrikapersad Santokhi has disclosed.

Santokhi said Thursday the new program will afford delinquents an opportunity to choose whether they go to jail or enroll in a program to either receive training and education or employment in non-profit institutions such as state-owned elderly homes and hospitals.

"There is one condition. Those who don't cooperate will go to jail," the minister warned, saying that the amendments will be taken to Parliament next year.

Prior to the coming into force of this law a pilot project was launched Thursday to enforce alternative punishment on a selected group of teens who have committed minor offences.

Santokhi said after a year the results of this pilot project, which is being executed by a multi-disciplinary taskforce, will be evaluated.

The project is being monitored by the Ministry of Justice and Police, the Prosecutor's Office, the Suriname Police Force, the Judicial Department for Child Protection and the Foundation Welfare Institute Nickerie and the University of Suriname.

The stakeholders have signed a cooperation agreement with the Suriname Water Supply Company and the Ashiana Elderly Home which will facilitate the youth who will participate in the programme.

Santokhi said successful implementation of the new policy will ultimately result in fewer adolescents in the prisons, which according to him are currently a breeding ground where youths are being trained to become hardened criminals by incarcerated diehard criminals.