Heads of State of the eight member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) will hold a summit in Roseau beginning on Wednesday, June 16.

The main item for the discussion will be the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME), which is scheduled to take effect on December 31, 2005. The CSM is expected to include all the members of the Caribbean Common Market (CARICOM). However, Bahamas have publicly declared that they will have no part of the CSME since they don’t stand to benefit from the arrangement.

Twenty-four Dominican students will leave the island on Sunday to begin studies at various Mexican Universities. The students who have been granted full scholarships by the Mexican government will undertake five-year courses of studies in the areas of agriculture, engineering, tourism and information technology.

Vincent Philbert, Director of the National Development Corporation (NDC) has been responding to allegations that his organization is promoting gay cruise arrivals into Dominica.

According to Philbert, the NDC is engaged in following its mandate in promoting Dominica as a cruise ship destination and no particular group was being targeted. “All manner of persons are welcome to Dominica and those who can afford will come, and gays are no exception as long as the laws of Dominica are observed”.