Caribbean news briefs

PUERTO RICO: Sonia Sotomayor disappointed by commercialization of her image

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Sonia Sotomayor said Friday that she is touched by the outpouring of public support as the first Hispanic justice on the U.S. Supreme Court but disappointed with the commercialization of her image and, at times, startled by her own celebrity.

Sotomayor, who joined the court in August, told journalists in Puerto Rico that she would rather not see so many T-shirts, buttons and coffee cups with her picture or her famous quote describing herself as a "wise Latina."

"I can't tell you the number of people who come up to me and hug and kiss me and touch me, and some of them in tears," she said. "I wish there was a way of keeping that without the commercialization of me. Because when I spoke my words I spoke them freely, and I never intended for people to make money off them, because that seems wrong to me."

The newest justice answered questions inside the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico as she visited the homeland of her parents, who moved to New York during World War II.

Sotomayor, 55, said she has had to adjust to a "hurricane" of attention and activity since President Barack Obama nominated her.

"Oh, I miss my anonymity," said Sotomayor, who spoke mainly in English but often switched over to Spanish. She said she misses stepping outside for coffee without photographers taking her picture. And while she was dating until the spring, the divorcee does not expect to find romance any time soon.

"I understand from my girlfriends that I've been put on a most eligible bachelorette list. I'll figure that out in time. But right now I pity the man who tries to find a minute in my schedule," she quipped.

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DOMINICA: Chavez ally who has kept good ties with US faces early elections

ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) — Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, who has led his small Caribbean country into an alliance with Hugo Chavez, is betting that Friday's early general elections will keep his Labor Party in power for another five years.

The island of 72,000 people has become one of the staunchest members of Chavez's Bolivarian Alliance while reaping tens of millions of dollars in Venezuelan investment. However the 37-year-old University of Mississippi graduate has also maintained friendly relations with the United States.

Opposition leader Ron Green says ties with Venezuela would remain warm if his United Workers Party wins most of the 21 seats, but he has accused Skerrit of manipulating aid from Chavez for political benefit and recently suggested the Venezuelan leader might have inadvertently interfered in Dominican affairs.

Skerrit also established ties with the People's Republic of China in March 2004, breaking relations with Taiwan — a blow to the Asian island's battle to maintain international recognition. Green has said that he would keep ties with China.

Skerrit has promoted development by signing a deal with a Colorado company to export water and has proposed selling geothermal power to the region.

Green graduated from Manhattan College in New York and earned a masters degree in education at Columbia University.

Opponents have tried to undermine Skerrit by accusing him of holding dual French and Dominican citizenship, seemingly a constitutional violation.

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US VIRGIN ISLANDS: Territory man found guilty of 2nd degree murder of Pennsylvania native

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) — A man who was retried for the 2007 stabbing of a Pennsylvania native was found guilty Friday for the second time, but on lesser charges.

Jahlil Ward was convicted of second-degree murder and third-degree assault for the killing of 21-year-old James Cockayne outside a bar in St. John. He will be sentenced in late January.

Ward was originally found guilty of first-degree murder in October 2008, but a judge ordered a retrial after it was revealed in court that another suspect in the killing had told an inmate he was the one who killed Cockayne.

That suspect, Kamal Thomas, also faces a retrial along with a third suspect, Anselmo Boston, because of allegations the victim's family had allegedly paid two of the prosecution's witnesses $5,000 each.

A date for their new trial has not been set.

Both were serving nearly 13 years in prison after being found guilty of assault and other charges.

Prosecutors have said that Cockayne, of New Hope, Pennsylvania, was drinking at a bar on June 19, 2007, when Boston accused him of having kicked his girlfriend's car. Cockayne was then hit in the head with a pool cue before he and Thomas were ordered to leave the bar, according to court documents.

Cockayne was then attacked outside. Authorities said he was stabbed eight times, including a fatal wound to his left femoral artery.

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FRENCH GUIANA: Rocket launches with military satellite for France

KOUROU, French Guiana (AP) — A European rocket carrying a military observation satellite for France's defense ministry has been launched from South America.

Arianespace officials say the Ariane 5 released the satellite into orbit about an hour after taking off Friday from a launch center in French Guiana. Arianespace is the commercial arm of the 13-country European Space Agency.

The Helios 2B satellite weighed 4,200 kilos at liftoff and was built by EADS Astrium for France's National Space Study Center. The satellite will take pictures to create maps and prepare for military exercises.

The launch of the French military satellite was delayed twice this month due to technical problems.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: 2 US pilots die when small Miami-bound plane crashes after taking off

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Two U.S. pilots have died after a small plane they were flying crashed shortly after taking off from the Dominican Republic en route to Miami.

Dominican Civil Aviation Institute spokesman Pedro Jimenez says the men were the only people aboard the Jet Falcon N-28 RK owned by Wells Fargo. He did not give the men's hometowns.

Wells Fargo spokeswoman Susan Stanley said Friday that the plane was owned by a trust that the bank acts as trustee for.

The plane crashed late Thursday about 11 miles (18 kilometers) east of Grand Inagua in the Bahamas.

Jimenez said the crash is under investigation and that he had no further details.

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CARIBBEAN: Guard search for 2 missing Miami boaters in the Bahamas stretches into 6th day

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — U.S. Coast Guard helicopters, airplanes and ships are searching a huge expanse of sea for Miami boaters who disappeared on a trip to the Bahamas.

Richard Alicea and Edwin Pritchard left South Florida's Haulover Inlet on Dec. 12 aboard a white 17-foot motor boat with a green-blue stripe. They were due the next day in Bimini.

The search began almost immediately after a family member in Florida called the Coast Guard to say they had not arrived.

Hundreds of Coast Guard personnel have combed 46,000 square miles of ocean and searched ports, marinas and a small island on foot as of Friday.

Coast Guard spokeswoman Marilyn Fajardo says an advisory had been issued for the area that day warning small craft of inclement weather.

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US VIRGIN ISLANDS: Territory sells $39 million in bonds to finance Cruzan Rum wastewater plant

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) — The leader of the U.S. Virgin Islands says the government has sold $39 million in revenue bonds to finance a wastewater plant at Cruzan Rum's distillery.

The plant in St. Croix is part of a 30-year deal with the owners of locally produced Cruzan.

The overall interest rate for the bonds was 5.96 percent.

Gov. John deJongh said Friday that construction of the wastewater plant to boost capacity at the Cruzan plant is one of his administration's "central environmental objectives."

Cruzan is owned by Deerfield, Illinois-based Fortune Brands Inc., which makes products ranging from Jim Beam bourbon to Titleist golf balls. It acquired the St. Croix-produced rum in September 2008.

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BASEBALL: Dominican prosecutor throws out lawsuit against Sammy Sosa

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — A lawsuit by a local business seeking $203,000 from former Major League Baseball star Sammy Sosa was thrown out by a Dominican Republic prosecutor on Friday.

Adolfo Feliz said the suit lacked sufficient evidence.

Carim Abu Nabaa alleged that Sosa didn't pay him a commission of $150,000 on a house sale, $43,000 for a luxury watch, and $10,000 for getting Reggaeton singer Don Omar to perform at Sosa's 41st birthday party.

Sosa played primarily for the Chicago Cubs and became one of MLB's most feared hitters. He also played for the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles until 2007.