UNITED NATIONS (CMC):

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will make his first official visit to the Caribbean next week, making calls on Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados and Haiti's President René Préval. No exact dates have been given for the visits.

U.N. spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters that Ban is expected to travel to the violence-ridden slum area of Cité Soleil in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, and meet with the neighbourhood's mayor.

Also on his agenda are meetings with the president of the Haitian Senate, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, and leaders from civil society, political parties and the private sector. The U.N. head is also scheduled to hold discussions with the Commission of Justice Reform.

Okabe said that Ban's visit to Barbados would see him meeting with Prime Minister Arthur, who is chairman of the 15-member Caribbean Community grouping.