Senior Government Minister Donville Inniss has two supporters, of sorts, as he expresses frustration with CARICOM’s failure to fight alongside Barbados in its battle against subsidies being given to US territories.
 
Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM Robert “Bobby” Morris said yesterday that he is also disappointed, while immediate past CARICOM chairman, St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, could “understand” Inniss’ frustration.
 
Inniss said in an interview with Barbados TODAY last weekend that although Barbados had supported St Lucia and the Eastern Caribbean islands when US entity Chiquita fought to get subsidies from the US Government, this country was not getting the same backing in a similar situation.
 
“Barbados didn’t produce bananas but we supported the cause because we saw the bigger issue. Today, it is Barbados’ turn in terms of rum and I am so embarrassed as a minister, as a politician, and as a citizen of this region to look behind me and find that there’s no one from the CARICOM region backing us. I, as a politician in this region, am totally embarrassed about the lack of interest on the part of region. I am not at all happy with what passes as prime ministers in this region and leaders at all,” he said.
 
While Morris was not as harsh as the senior minister who accused CARICOM Heads of “poor” leadership, he agreed that the regional bloc has not done enough.
 
“I would be very careful in terms of accepting the latitude that a minister can I have and I don’t think I can really go in that direction, but what I would say is that the rum issue is very important for Barbados,” Morris said yesterday while being interviewed at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa where he attended the 35th CARICOM Heads of Government Conference.
 
“I have a disappointment – I’m not necessarily putting it to leadership – that there hasn’t been a better coalescing of the region around this issue, but I’m sure there are complexities in that . . . and it may be a leadership flaw but to focus on that alone, clearly, would not have been Minister Inniss’ intent.”
 
Morris disclosed that, to the best of his knowledge, Barbados had used almost every available avenue to fight the US granting US$500 million in subsidies to rum producers in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
 
The move creates an uneven playing field and Barbados stands to lose about $60 million annually as well as hundreds of jobs as a result.
 
“We have used diplomatic channels, we have engaged very much with the rum producers and manufacturers, we have engaged with the United States trade representatives and we have lobbied our own CARICOM partners to see how we could get traction so that Barbados doesn’t carry it by itself because they’re several other countries involved,” the ambassador said.
 
“We had gone so far as to say that we would take the issue to the WTO [World Trade Organization]. Now that is a very costly exercise.”
 
Morris suggested that there were other issues that also have to be discussed as far as Barbados’ rum production is concerned.
 
He said just as there is a move from bulk sugar to refined sugar, Barbados may have to move away from bulk production of rum to specialized rums.
 
“And that would change our negotiating position, but that will take time and it will take money and I believe we have to go there,” Morris said.
 
Meantime, while Prime Minister Gonsalves told Barbados TODAY that while he had not himself heard Inniss’ comments and would therefore not respond to them directly, he could “understand his frustration if, on a particular issue like rum, that there has been a lot of dilly dallying and failure to take as firm a position as ought to have been taken and to follow through on that position.”
 
“So I can understand the impulse,” he added in a brief interview at the end of the CARICOM summit.

The Royal Barbados Police Force is seeking the assistance of the public in locating a man wanted in connection with serious criminal matters as well as non-appearance at court.

Hainsley Dacosta Browne, 27, alias Fabian, Jah Man, Scruff, whose last known address is Drax Hall, St George, is about 5 feet 6 inches in height and has a dark complexion and brown eyes.

Browne is being advised by police to turn himself in, accompanied by an attorney-at-law or a family member.

Any person who may know Browne’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Police Emergency at telephone number 211, the nearest police station or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477).

Barbados has won its first medal at the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Shane Brathwaite crossed the finish line in 13.49 seconds to win bronze a short while ago.

Jamaican Andrew Riley took gold in 13.32 seconds and William Sharman of Canada finished second in 13.36 seconds.

Police are investigating a suspected murder in Wilkinson Road, Richmond Gap, St Michael.

Lawmen are still on the scene of the incident in which a young man was reportedly shot.

We will provide more details as they come to hand.

The country’s latest murder victim has been identified as Jermaine Harper.

The 26-year-old was shot dead around 6 pm in Wilkinson Road, Richmond Gap, St Michael.

Reports indicate he was playing dominoes in the area when a car drove by and an assailant shot him.

Police are investigating.

Lawmen are turning to members of the public for help in finding Jermaine Harper’s killer.

Murder victim Jermaine Harper

Police Public Relations Officer Inspector David Welch told Barbados TODAY no suspects have been arrested in connection with the drive-by shooting in which Harper, 26, was killed while in his Wilkinson Road, Richmond Gap, St Michael neighbourhood around 6 p.m. yesterday.

Welch has appealed to anyone with information that could help them solve the murder to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477) or police emergency number 211.

Welch has promised that all calls will be kept confidential.

The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) will decide tomorrow morning whether the Pic-O-De-Crop finals will be moved indoors, as a weather system with the potential to become a tropical storm by tomorrow approaches Barbados.

NCF’s corporate communications specialist Simone Codrington told Barbados TODAY tonight that “as far as we know right now the finals are still on”.

Whether the battle for the monarchy will be at the original Kensington Oval location or the Wildey Gymnasium will depend on how the weather system develops, she said. The Foreday Morning jump-up which usually follows the Pic-O-De-Crop finals, and Bridgetown Market, which begins on Saturday could also be affected by the weather system.

The Barbados Meteorological Services alerted Barbadians to the possibility of bad weather tomorrow and into Saturday in a special weather bulletin issued earlier today that indicated that a low pressure system to the east-southeast of the island could become a tropical depression by tomorrow.

This evening, a reconnaissance aircraft investigated the system located about 350 miles east-southeast off Barbados and found surface winds of 40 to 45 miles per hour

NCF’s corporate communications specialist Simone Codrington

“Showers and thunderstorms have increased east of the centre during the past couple of hours and, if this development trend were to continue, a tropical storm could form later tonight or early Friday – which could require the issuance of watches of warnings for portions of the central Lesser Antilles at that time,” the weather           advisory indicated.

“Regardless of development, gale-force winds are likely to spread across portions of the central Lesser Antilles beginning by midday Friday. Interests in these areas should continue to monitor the progress of this disturbance as it moves west-northwestward near 20 miles per hour.”

Codrington said earlier today that defending monarch Ian Webster, and the other Pic-O-De-Crop finalists Biggie Irie, Mikey, Blood, Adrian Clarke, Chrystal Cummins-Beckles, Classic, Kid Site, Miguel and De Announcer had already been notified of the possibility of having to compete at an alternate location.

She said the Wildey Gymnasium has been set up for that eventuality.

Six of the calypsonians set for the big stage told Barbados TODAY they were prepared to do their best regardless of where they had to perform.

Webster said he would do what he had to to retain his crown.

“If it has to move it has to move. Obviously there would be key changes to be made to the presentation but I would work to suit. The vibe would be different for sure though, but it is what it is,” he said.

While the NCF has a plan B for staging the event, newcomer to the competition, Mikey, said he also has a backup plan.

“If it moves it doesn’t really affect me. I have a contingency plan in place where the presentation is concerned, and I don’t know what it feels like to compete at the Oval so it won’t affect me in any major way,” he said.

Blood and Biggie Irie also said a move would not affect their plans while Miguel said he was “preparing for any eventuality, while not placing focus on the venue but readying myself for Friday night.”

In addition to insisting that performing at the Gymnasium would not bother him “in the least”, Clarke said he wanted to see the day when presentations in the competition were scrapped.

Police are investigating a suspected murder in Fitts Village, St James last night.

Mark Walton, 23, was fatally shot around 11 pm.

From initial investigations, Walton was at a bus shed in the area when he was accosted by two men, one of whom shot him and fled the scene.

Walton then ran away from the bus shed in a southerly direction and fell.

He died at the scene.

The entire tourism industry is about to get a wider range of tax concessions.

Ten months after announcing that concessions given to Jamaican hotel chain Sandals would be extended to other hotels investing at least $500 million in the all-inclusive segment of the market, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy today said that threshold will be removed.

He told Parliament that changes in the Tourism Development Act to facilitate the granting of concessions to the entire sector are in “the final stages” in the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

“I am told that within two weeks we should finally have those concessions,” he said, as he introduced a resolution to compulsorily acquire the 58 acres of land on which Sam Lord’s Castle is located.

Sealy reported that since the granting of concessions, there has been increased interest in domestic investment in the sector.

“We want to see more of the players in tourism and outside of tourism – the captains of industry in business in Barbados – invest in tourism. We have seen a little movement in that regard,” he said.

The minister also disclosed that the Ministry of Finance and the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. have before them, for consideration, two branded hotels in the Lower Bay Street area.

He said the project is led by local groups and does not involve Government funding.

Also referring to efforts by agroup of local business magnates to purchase the 130-room Sandy Bay Beach Club, and the Amaryllis Beach Resort being bought by local businessman Gordon Seale who operates Calypso Caribbean Resorts, Sealysuggested that Government’s efforts to remove imposts on tourism inputs and instead tax outputs may have encouraged the increased interest.

Government is pumping $200 million into transforming the now derelict Sam Lord’s Castle into a 450-room resort that should be ready for its first guests by 2018.

And with it could come almost 1,000 news jobs, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy said today as he disclosed that three hotel brands already want the shot at running the facility when it is completed.

Sealy delivered the news in Parliament where he also said the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the China National Complete Plant Import and Export Corporation Limited for the construction, with the funds coming from the Export-Import Bank of China.

“The funds were previously allocated for the Almond site . . . The Government was originally taking the lead there but we were in a position, through some negotiation, to have what was allocated for Almond shifted over to Sam Lord’s because, as you know, the developer . . . basically decided to kick in and take ownership of it a little earlier,” he told his colleagues in the House of Assembly, referring to the decision by Sandals to take over the former Almond Beach Village property in Heywoods, St Peter to develop it into a Beaches Resort.

“All things being equal, we think that with the Town Planning permission in place, the geotechnical studies having been done, there is no reason why mid-2015 we should not be able to get a start on this project and it is figured it should take about 30 months to complete,” Sealy added as he moved a resolution to approve the compulsory acquisition of just over 58 acres of land at Sam Lord’s Castle.

He added that once the family-oriented resort with the state-of-the-art conference facility was completed, the Freundel Stuart administration would hand over management of the property to a professional hotel operator.

“Three brands have already shown an interest in running that Sam Lord’s site,” Sealy added.

Although not disclosing the brands, he said: “One of those three brands has been in Barbados before and that says a lot about someone leaving and wanting to come back.”

“We are using the exact model that we used with Almond. It worked with Almond. We went in with an exit strategy; we went in with a clear understanding that Government does not want to run any hotels . . . The first thing you have to have is an exit strategy. We had one with Almond and as it turned out it worked so well, it was brought forward before project even started.”

Sealy reported that some US$10.6 million from that deal, in which Sandals paid $53 million for a property Government acquired for $50 million, had already been deposited at the Central Bank as part payment.

“We are not profiteering .  .  . The partners agreed to intervene earlier and, in essence, this paves the way for what we’re doing here today.”

The historic Sam Lord’s Castle, which was once owned by Grant Hotels Inc., has fallen into a “seriously advanced state of disrepair”, pointed out Sealy.

He said if something was not urgently done, the property and its potential could be lost.

The minister said taking advantage of the Sam Lord’s property was critical for Barbados’ tourism product, as he admitted that successive governments had not given the issue of room stock the attention that it deserves.

Noting that there has been little growth since 1980, with the number of available rooms in the island stagnating around 7,000, Sealy said: “When we talk about tourism, the first thing we can jump up and speak about is marketing budgets and advertising and so on, but capacity is important.”

“Had we been a little more focused on increasing room stock, we would probably be better off now,” he added, noting that the Sam Lord’s Castle plan would be a lynchpin in efforts to increase the number of rooms available for visitors to the island.

At the same time, the minister chastised some hoteliers for contributing to the problem.

He said their failure to keep their properties up to scratch was contributing to a decline in the existing stock.

“If you look at what has happened, or what has exacerbated the problem . . . a number of the rooms in Barbados are not really up to the mark and in dire need of refurbishment. An initial investigation showed that we have over 1,000 rooms that are idle, that are not in circulation,” Sealy pointed out.

“You look at the hotels that are doing well. It is the ones that have invested, the ones that have built their product up, [that] are doing very, very well. If you look at the ones that are not doing well, it is the ones who have gotten a little lazy in that department.

“The private sector has to accept it needs to invest in its plant and stop the blame game, as I call it,” Sealy stressed.

dawneparris@barbadostoday.bb 

Three Barbadians are among a dozen recipients of scholarships and grants from the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Foundation.

Keisha Springer, Iman Derrick and Keishanna Brancroft were picked from over 80 applicants to get financial assistance to pursue studies in hospitality, tourism and language training.

“All of these individuals demonstrated high levels of achievement and leadership, both within and outside of the classroom,” said Jacqueline Johnson, chairman of the board of directors of the CTO Foundation.

The scholarships and grants to the Caribbean nationals amount to US$45,000.

However, Johnson said the CTO Foundation wanted more funding so it could give to more deserving people.

“We would have loved to offer even more scholarships this year, but the number we give is limited by the level of funding that we receive. I wish to appeal to everyone in the Caribbean and those doing business in the Caribbean to contribute whatever little that they can to this very worthy cause,” she said.

Springer was awarded a scholarship to pursue a Master of Science in tourism and events management at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

Derrick and Bancroft received study grants.

While Bancroft will be studying for a Bachelor of Science in hospitality and tourism management at the Cave Hill Campus, Derrick will be pursuing studies in travel-tourism and hospitality management at Johnson & Wales North Miami University.

The other scholarships and grants were awarded to nationals of the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Jamaica, Martinique, St Lucia, St Maarten and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Since 1998, the CTO Foundation has provided over 200 scholarships and grants, totalling nearly US$1 million. Major foundation contributors include American Express, American Airlines, Interval International, the CTO chapters and allied members worldwide.
(PR/DP)

A formal International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme could have benefits for Barbados and may have to be considered down the road, but it is not needed just yet.

That is the view of former head of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados (ICAB) David Simpson, following a suggestion by prominent businessman and financial analyst Peter Boos that Government should quickly move towards an IMF-backed structural adjustment programme.

He said a little more time should be given to see what progress Government’s 19-month fiscal consolidation programme, which was announced in December 2013,
could make.

Boos had warned that the Freundel Stuart administration’s plan would cause the economy to shrink further and lead to even more layoffs in the public and private sectors.

“I think we need to probably wait until the end of September/October to look at the progress of the programme, hear the Central Bank Governor’s third quarter report and so on,” Simpson told Barbados TODAY.

“There are aspects of Government’s austerity programme that could work . . . . But I think Mr Boos is really getting to the point of if that is not functioning to the level that you want at the end of 19 months.”

Asked whether he saw the IMF as an option at that stage, the accountant responded: “You have to do something . . . . You could also extend the programme beyond 19 months but at that point you would have to see what you have achieved – whether government came close to achieving the targets or whether there is a big gap between what were the stated targets and what is there at the end of the 19 months.”

He did question, though, whether Government would see increased taxation as the option at that stage.

“My concern is what further taxation would do,” Simpson said, as he argued that the most onerous component of Government’s adjustment programme is the level of increased taxation.

He did agree with Boos that there were benefits to being under an IMF programme.

“What I support Mr Boos in is that the IMF is not a bad entity. We need to recognise that IMF does not equal devaluation. The IMF has a lot of different programmes of assistance that they can offer and therefore I am not totally against the suggestion that we may seriously need to consider going into a formal programme under the IMF,” the accountant said.

Simpson, like Boos, believes IMF involvement would also boost investor confidence.

Using the current experience in Jamaica as an example, he pointed out that the country has reportedly been able to attract a significant amount of foreign direct investment in the first six months of its arrangement with the Washington-based institution.

“Whether or not the Government changes you have that stability in the minds of investors that this programme will continue until it meets the targets that it has set and they will take all steps to make sure that the timeline they have set the targets are achieved within, so I want to say that is the most important point that comes out of Mr Boos’ position – the extra confidence that you will give,” he said.

“It’s not even about looking at the possibility of it working but that in the mind of an investor, a government could tomorrow say, ‘we will do something slightly different’ as opposed to where the IMF is controlling the programme and the parameters of it and the success and failure.”

dawneparris@barbadostoday.bb

Romario Yarde

The 20-year-old man who died from a gunshot wound to the chest yesterday, after being dropped off at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by a group of unidentified men, has been identified as Romario Yarde of Field Place, Bayville, St Michael.

He was allegedly shot while in Collymore Rock, St Michael.

And lawmen are seeking the public’s assistance in getting information about this shooting death.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact the police at emergency number 211 or 430-7189.

Beloved actor Robin Williams was found dead on Monday, police reported. He was 63.

The apparent cause of death was suicide by asphyxiation, authorities said. According to his publicist, Williams had been battling severe depression.

Williams was best known for his starring roles in classic comedies like Mrs. Doubtfire and Jumanji. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Dr. Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. He rose to fame while playing Mork the alien in the TV show Mork & Mindy, a Happy Days spinoff.

Most recently, Williams had starred in the new CBS sitcom ‘The Crazy Ones.’ It was cancelled after just one season.

Susan Schneider, the actor’s wife, released the following statement to the New York Times’ Dave Itzkoff:

“This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope that the focus will not be on Robin’s death but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”
Fellow actors took expressed deep sorrows on the death of the popular actor.

Though Williams was most celebrated for his acting career, he is also remembered his charitable endeavors. Williams spearheaded Comic Relief, which holds concerts and variety shows to raise money to help the homeless. He was also an avid gamer and named his daughter Zelda. (Huffington Post)

Kemal Yarde is now wanted by police.

Two wanted men have turned themselves in and police are now searching for another young man in connection with another serious criminal matter.

Police say Romario Antonio Clarke, 20, of Garden Land, Country Road, St Michael, and Rashayne Aneil Blenman, 18, of Fitts Village, St James, turned themselves in today, accompanied by lawyers, and are now assisting with an ongoing investigation.

Now the police is seeking the assistance of the public in locating a man believed to be “armed and dangerous”.

He is Kemal Mally Yarde, 24, of 1st Avenue, Long Gap, Spooners Hill, St Michael. He is about 5 feet 6 inches in height, has a slim build, brown complexion, small lips and small brown eyes.

Yarde has been urged to turn himself in to police, accompanied by an attorney-at law or a family member.

Police said in a statement that he should not be approached by any member of the public.

Anyone who may know Yarde’s whereabouts is asked to contact the police at emergency number 211, the nearest police station or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477).

A teenager who police said was responsible for a shooting at a Beerfest event two weeks ago, which left two men injured, was remanded to prison when he appeared in court today.

Julian Omari Cave, 19, of Parish Land, St George, was not allowed bail charges of wounding with intent, endangering life and using a firearm without a valid licence, when he appeared in the District “B” Magistrates’ Court.

He will return to court on September 8.

Police said that around 3 a.m. on July 26 there was an argument at Beerfest, which was held at the Glebe Playing Field, St George, which led to the shooting of victims Jamario King, 18, and Lavastin Callender, 50.

King sustained gunshot injuries to his upper body. He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he had to undergo emergency surgery. Callender sustained a wound to his stomach which was not life threatening and he sought private medical attention.

Wanted man Kemal Yarde, alias “Mally”, 24, of 1st Avenue, Long Gap, Spooners Hill, St Michael is now in custody.

He turned himself in to police in the company of an attorney-at-law.

Police say Yarde is now assisting with an on-going investigation.

The 27-year-old woman, who was slashed across the throat and face by an ex-boyfriend yesterday morning as she headed to work in St Joseph, remains in serious but stable condition after undergoing surgery.

Margaret Christopher of Halls Road, St Michael is still warded at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She was attacked by her former lover, in front of their six-year-old son, as she got off the bus in Parris Hill, St Joseph around 7:15 a.m. yesterday.

The man, whose name police have still not released, is at the QEH under police guard. He was treated for wounds to both wrists that he allegedly inflicted on himself.

The Fair Trading Commission (FTC) is giving consumers who generate renewable energy the right to choose their billing arrangements with the Barbados Light & Power Company (BL&P) under the Renewable Energy Rider (RER) programme.

The decision, which takes effect from September 1, was a shift from the FTC’s August 9, 2013 RER ruling that consumers should be billed at the normal electricity rate for what is used from the grid, and then credited for the excess sold to the grid – the “sale of excess” billing arrangement.

The BL&P, which filed a motion for review of the RER decision, had indicated its preference for a “buy all/sell all” arrangement in which thecustomer is billed at the normal electricity rate for all the energy consumed regardless of the source, and then credited for the electricity generated at the RER credit rate.

However, it had also asked the FTC to consider either giving all customers with renewable generating systems up to 2kW the choice of their preferred billing arrangement and billing customers with renewable generating systems above 2kW under the ‘buy all/sell all’ arrangement; or giving all customers the flexibility of selecting their preferred billing arrangement.

Today, in a written decision issued by a panel led by chairman Sir Neville Nicholls, the utility regulator said that it had taken into considerationthe BL&P’s obligation to provide service to the entire country, the loss in the power company’s base revenue, and the financial impact on RER customers.

“Residential RER customers are expected to realize a marginally greater financial benefit under the ‘sale of excess’ arrangement, as reductions are expected in the customer charge, energy charge and fuel charge components of their bills,” the FTC said.

“Secondary Voltage Power and Large Power customers realise a greater financial benefit under the ‘buy all/sell all’ billing arrangement because such customers are credited for their entire RE generation at 1.6 times the FCA [Fuel Clause Adjustment].”

As for the BL&P’s financial concerns, the FTC said the projected loss in base revenue, if the maximum 7MW of installed capacity – the limit set in the RER decision – is billed using the ‘sale of excess’ arrangement, is approximately $2.3 million.

“This is because under the ‘sale of excess’ arrangement not all of the fixed costs associated with generation and distribution are recovered due to reduced energy sales. However, under the ‘buy all/sell all’ billing arrangement, the [BL&P’s] sales volume is unaffected and its base revenue is not compromised,” the regulator noted.

In its decision, the FTC said all existing RER customers could remain with their current billing arrangement or exercise the option, within three months, to change from ‘sale of excess’ to the ‘buy all/sell all’ billing arrangement.

All new customers with renewable generating systems with a capacity of 2kW and below will have the option to choose; all new Domestic/General Service and Employee RER customers with renewable generating systems above 2kW will be billed under the ‘buy all/sell all’ billing arrangement; and all new SVP and LP RER customers will be billed under the ‘buy all/sell all’ billing arrangement.

The RER, which was introduced with its approval on a two-year pilot basis starting in 2010 but will become permanent, was designed specifically to facilitate the sale of excess electricity to the grid by customers using a solar photovoltaic or wind renewable energy system to offset electricity consumption from the grid.

The FTC also maintained the RER credit of 1.6 times the FCA, which is the rate the BL&P had proposed.

In an initial response to the ruling, the BL&P said it would comply with the decision.

“The Barbados Light & Power has acknowledged the FTC’s decision on the motion to review the Renewable Energy Rider. The decision appears balanced and the company will comply with its implementation from September 1, 2014,” the company’s Corporate Communications Coordinator, Jackie Marshall-Clarke, told Barbados TODAY.

Rashayne Blenman (left) and Romario Clarke (right) have been charged with killing another youth, Mark Walton.

Mark Walton was fatally shot on August 4.

Two wanted men who turned themselves in to police on Monday have been charged with killing Fitts Village, St James resident Mark Walton.

Romario Clarke, 20, of Garden Land, Country Road, St Michael and Rashayne Aneil Blenman, 18, of Fitts Village St. James will appear in court today charged with killing 23-year-old Walton last Monday.

Walton reportedly went to help a friend who was being accosted by two men at a bus stop near his house when he was fatally shot.

Clarke is also charged with serious bodily harm and unlawful use of a firearm, in relation to the shooting of a man on July 17, as well as wounding a man in December 2013.