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Former USVI official sentenced for bribery and extortion

By TDN Wire Staff
May 18, 2015 2:58 P.M

Former USVI executive director of the Legislature Louis Lolo Willis.

St Thomas, USVI (TDN) Louis “Lolo” Willis, 57 a former executive director of the US Virgin Islands Legislature has been sentenced to five years in prison for bribery and extortion.

Willis was convicted in November 2014 on four counts related to his responsibilities including oversight of the major renovation of the Legislature building during 2009-12.

The court found that Willis accepted bribes, including $13,000 in cash and cheques from three contractors in exchange for awarding them work, and ensuring that they receive payment on completion.

All three contractors who testified in the case received immunity for their testimony.Willis still faces tax evasion and fraud charges in a separate, pending case in V.I. Superior Court.

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Protests continue in Burundi after a failed coup

By TDN Wire Staff
May 16, 2015 10:45 A.M

Protests continue against a third term for the president.

Bujumbura, Burundi (TDN) Anti-government protests continued in the Bujumbura the capital of Burundi despite an appeal from President Pierre Nkurunziza for an end to the unrest.

Nkurunziza returned to Burundi on Friday after an attempted coup against him failed. At the time he was in Tanzania meeting with other African leaders in a bid to end the crisis that has gripped the country over the past several months.

Protestors are angry at the president for offering himself for office for a third term in June elections in spite of a two term limit in the country’s constitution.

The president is adamant that he was entitled to a third term because he was first appointed to the role by parliament in 2005, rather than elected.

Several of the coup leaders have been arrested including two Police commissioners and the former defense minister.

The US reiterated its opposition to a third term. The bid "has and will continue to exacerbate instability, and potentially foment violence in the country," state department spokesman Jeff Rathke said.

Burundi has a population of 10.4 million people and is considered to be the second poorest in the world.

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Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev sentenced to death

By TDN Wire Staff
May 15, 2015 4:40 P.M

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Boston, Massachuttes (TDN) Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been sentenced to death by execution. This is the verdict handed down by a jury of seven women and five men in a Boston courtroom earlier today Friday May 15 2015.

Tsarnaev had earlier being found guilty by the same jury on 30 counts related to the April 15, 2013 bomb attack and ensuing manhunt. He was held responsible for the deaths of four people seriously maiming 17 and injuring hundreds more.

His brother who participated in the attack was killed during the manhunt. Tsarnaev showed no emotion as the sentence was read but several jurors were seen to wipe away tears.

The death penalty is illegal in the state of Massachuttes but Tsarnaev was tried under federal law thus making him eligible for the death penalty.

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Guyana opposition coalition wins election after 23 years

By TDN Wire Staff
May 15, 2015 11:20 A.M

Newly elected Guyana president David Granger.

Georgetown, Guyana (TDN) The opposition Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change has defeated the ruling People’s Progressive Party headed by Donald Ramotar in general elections, which took place in Guyana on Tuesday May 12, 2015.

Former army brigadier and publisher 69 year old David Granger who headed the multiracial coalition has been declared the new president of Guyana. His party won 206,817 votes versus 201,457 for the PPP. This translates to a one seat majority in the 65 seat parliament.

The opposition victory brings an end to 23 years of rule by the Indo-Guyanese PPP. Diplomats and election observers from the UK and US said the elections were free and fair. However, Ramotar said the elections were rigged and demanded a recount, without giving any basis for his accusations.

Over the years there have been racial tensions between the roughly equal populations of those of African and Indian descent in the country of just over 740 000.

This is the second Caribbean country to change governments this year after the ruling St Kitts Labour Party lost to a coalition after remaining in power for 20 years.

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