  We examine the status of light neutralinos in an effective Minimal
Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM) at the electroweak scale
which was considered in the past and discussed in terms of the available data
of direct searches for dark matter (DM) particles. Our reanalysis is prompted
by new measurements at the Tevatron and B-factories which might potentially
provide significant constraints on the MSSM model. Here we examine in detail
all these new data and show that the present published results from the
Tevatron and B-factories have only a mild effect on the original light
neutralino population. This population, which fits quite well the DAMA/LIBRA
annual modulation data, would also agree with the preliminary results of CDMS,
CoGeNT and CRESST, should these data, which are at present only hints or
excesses of events over the expected backgrounds, be interpreted as authentic
signals of DM. For the neutralino mass we find a lower bound of 7-8 GeV. Our
results differ from some recent conclusions by other authors because of a few
crucial points which we try to single out and elucidate.
