, Erup shines throughout as the object of many a beautiful woman’s desire. When the big party kicks off at Club Weekenz, Erup is clad in sleek Italian fashion forward apparel including a custom made shirt embellished with genuine Swarovski crystals spelling out “ERUP” on the back. Always the man of the moment, Erup clicks his fingers and a full entourage of sexy beauties gravitate around him.  Star dancehall dancer Chi Ching Ching and model Latoya Grant deliver outstanding supporting roles in creative storyline directed by Ras Tingle, produced by Danielle Desulme of TD Films and edited by Mykal Cushnie. The video follows the dance promoter (Chi Ching Ching) as he tries convincingly – and hilariously at times – to woo the girl (Latoya Grant). 

The Antigua Trades and Labour Union was forced to call off a planned Labour Day rally on Monday after its affiliate, the Antigua Labour Party, insisted on participating. It was the first time in more than 50 years that the ALP was not invited to the trade union’s rally.

That’s because of a dispute dating back to last year, that has divided the two organisations. The union’s general secretary, Stafford Joseph, says he was taken aback when he arrived for the rally in St John’s, to find that the ALP has set up its platform.

But ALP leader Lester Bird took umbrage to the union’s position and demanded that the party be allowed to address the gathering. Police chief Thomas Bennett said legal action will be taken against the ALP leadership.

Proposal for nuclear energy

Jamaica’s Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller wants Jamaica to consider nuclear energy in the search for alternatives to the country’s high oil import bill. Mrs Simpson Miller made the proposal during her address to the Budget Debate in parliament last week. During her presentation Mrs. Simpson Miller criticised the government’s management of the economy. She said Jamaica must find a way to address the energy crisis and dependence on imported crude oil.

UN sees deeper decline

The head of a United Nations agency has forecast that the region’s economy will start to recover at the end of 2009 or in early 2010. But executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Alicia Barcena told Reuters she expects growth next year to be “very low”.

The UN agency has said that will likely revise down its forecast for a 0.3 percent economic contraction in Latin America this year, as H1N1 flu compounds the ravages of global financial crisis.

Jackson sued over Trinidad function

US civil rights leader, the Rev Jesse Jackson, faces a $100,000 lawsuit that claims he reneged on a 2007 speaking engagement in Trinidad. American Entertainment International, based in Massachusetts, filed the lawsuit last week in Cook County Circuit Court, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The lawsuit claims Jackson backed out of a 3 Nov, 2007, speech, which caused a loss of almost $100,000. The suit alleges Jackson didn’t attend because he did not want to show favouritism toward a Trinidadian political party. A lawyer for Mr Jackson said he “categorically denies the allegations” and intends to fight the lawsuit.

Gayle’s in for England test

West Indies captain Chris Gayle has arrived in England, two days before the first test starting at Lord’s on Wednesday. Gayle has been playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, which was switched to South Africa this year because of security concerns.

West Indies coach John Dyson told a news conference that Gayle was due to practice on Monday afternoon. Dyson said fast bowler Fidel Edwards, who had also been playing in the IPL, had arrived on Sunday.

St Lucia pay talks resume

The St Lucian Prime Minister, Stephenson King, was due to meet labour leaders on Monday to try to head off more unrest. The government, citing its tight finances, has asked unions to defer a promised 7.5 percent pay increase, which was due in April.

The Trade Union Federation has rejected the proposal, and public sector workers went on strike last month. The federation’s president Julian Monrose has warned the Prime Minister against carrying out the job cuts the government says might be necessary. Mr Monroe said government could set a better example of financial housekeeping by pruning spending in other areas.

Jamaica minimum wage goes up

The minimum wage in Jamaica went up on Monday by 10 percent. Workers will earn at least US$46 a week. Labour Minister Pearnel Charles said the government wants to raise Jamaicans’ standard of living, but without hurting employers. Jamaicans complain that salaries are not keeping pace with rising prices.

The nation last increased minimum wages in January, by nearly 17 percent. Tourists shun Mexico, embrace Caribbean amid flu There is more evidence that some western Caribbean nations are benefiting as vacationers once bound for Mexico turn to new destinations amid worries about swine flu.

Travel agents in the United States say they are aggressively recommending Jamaica and the Dominican Republic as alternatives because they are close and affordable. But there is a downside. Barbara Gomez, a Pennsylvania-based agent with the Tripology travel service, said the seats are selling out so quickly that airline fares have started to go up.

Hugh Riley, the interim secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, told BBC Caribbean that it was too early to talk of a definitive trend.

Campaigners push for amnesty

Thousands of people were taking part in church services and a rally in London on Monday in support of an amnesty for illegal immigrants in the UK. The campaign, run by a coalition of civil society groups, is calling for an estimated 450,000 long-term illegal immigrants to be allowed to become citizens.

To qualify for the proposed measure, illegal immigrants would have to fulfil conditions including residence of at least four years and character references.

After a seven-year hiatus, self-proclaimed Queen of the Pack, Patra, has prepared a double-whammy, in continuation of her reign. This is in the form of her latest album as well as her autobiography.

Both projects have already been completed and are likely to be unleashed on the public simultaneously.
“This is Patra, you dun know this is the original Queen of the Pack and I am about to make it once again. The Continuation, that is what I would like to call the album,” oozed the Westmoreland sensation born Dorothy Smith.

The pilot track produced by studio whiz Stephen McGregor is called Westmoreland Girl and will be dropped any day now. Also involved in the production of this single are heavyweights such as Dean Fraser,
Dalton and Glen Browne and Bobby Treasure.

“As you know, Patra is a sensual artiste, so my type of music is really for the world. Very saleable, but also loveable so that people can relate to it very simply with originality,” the vivacious deejay declared.

This, her fourth set, comes after her last album Centre of Attraction, before which were low-profile Great Escape and her first which was Queen of the Pack. This album – The Continuation – is totally Patra. Totally sensual, very mature.

“Nutten nuh change. The only thing that change with Patra is really a little bit of age, but that’s it,” she giggles while explaining that the set for which Bobby Treasure who co-wrote most of the songs is one-drop oriented and will consist of 15 tracks.

“I can’t stress enough, that it’s very sensual. I have something that focuses on racism. a song called Silver to All and then you have Westmoreland Girl, you have Strawberries which is to make lovers feel good and all of that stuff and a lot of different things. I would more classify my album as very vintage and sensual,” insisted Patra, the former Mannings High School student who started her singing career like so many others in church.

The female rapper, formerly known as Lady Patra, spoke highly of her former manager/producer Specialist Dillon, promoter/artiste manager Isaiah Laing, and her current manager consultant Colin Leslie who all helped to guide her career.

Turning to her next project, The autobiography of Patra, she exudes, “It a go sexy. I would love that to become a movie. It’s about me from I was 13 years old ’til now. It surprise a lot of people. I wrote everything by hand. It’s about me reorganising my mind and just being freed. And talk about my life from I was a little girl. How productive things have become and if you work hard the benefit to gain, as it steers you in a way that can guide you in the music industry.”

Patra, who was featured in the local flick, Klash, added, “I’ve been offered a lot of movies and stuff, but I want movies that make sense to Patra. Not about shoot dem up or the typical black movie. I want movies that make sense.”

Gargamel Music, Inc. is pleased to announce that the new Buju Banton album Rasta Got Soul was the highest ranking debut on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums Charts, sitting pretty at #2. The album also made it’s debut at #38 on the magazine’s Heatseekers Chart and is currently the #8 selling Reggae record on iTunes in North America.

Rasta Got Soul was released on April 21st in the US and Canada and has received critical acclaim from several media outlets including The Buffalo News, Exclaim! and All Music Guide, who called the album “An instant classic!”

Buju Banton is set to blaze up the stage at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Sunday May 10th at 8:00pm. Billed as the 3rd Annual Mother’s Day Extravaganza, this year’s event will be in honor of Buju’s own mother, the late Murdine “Miss Dotty” Clarke, who passed away in early April. Banton and his Shiloh Band are planning a very special set for the occasion that will include the live debut of several tracks from Rasta Got Soul.

All tickets for the 3rd Annual Mother’s Day Caribbean Extravaganza featuring Buju Banton are being sold at a special stimulus package price of $99.00, inclusive of facility fees. Tickets are available at at all Ticketmaster locations as well as online at
http://www.ticketmaster.com or http://www.thegarden.com or http://www.caribbeanfever.com