The OECS has conveyed it condolences to the people of Cuba following the passing of Fidel Castro.
OECS Director General, His Excellency Dr. Didacus Jules said the poor and the marginalized had lost the greatest champion of social justice and equity.
“The world has lost a leader whose historical vision was unmatched, whose resolve was unshakeable and whose legacy is indelible.
“Fidel was a steadfast friend of the Caribbean and his contributions in education and health have been the greatest gifts to the long term viability of Caribbean societies.
“His solidarity with Africa and the Developing World led to the end of Apartheid and oppression in many parts of the world
“We mourn his loss but celebrate his legacy and extend our deepest condolences to his family and the people of Cuba” said Dr. Jules
Dear people of Cuba: With deep pain I inform our people and the friends of America and the world, that today 25 November, at 10:29 p.m. night, the Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Ruz died. In compliance with the expressed will of Companion Fidel, his remains will be cremated. In the early hours of Saturday 26, the funeral organizing committee will provide our people with detailed information on the organization of the posthumous Homage that will be taxed to the founder of the Cuban Revolution.
Ever onward to victory!
Raúl Castro Ruz
A welcome ceremony hosted by the Saint Lucia Tourist Board to mark the start of Karibik Trophy Regatta sailed off on Monday evening at the Pigeon Island National Landmark.
The Regatta consists of twenty boats with one hundred and twenty participants including members of famous sailing clubs, individual sailors and Press. They were treated to an evening of Saint Lucian fun and entertainment, which included mouth watering local cuisine, steel pan music and electrifying performances by the Silver Shadows Dancers. With the Karibik Trophy is into its 27th year, this is however the first time that the German sailing event is being hosted in St Lucia. It is a welcome addition in the fast growing yachting sector, which already includes the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, the ARC plus and the World ARC Regattas. Tourism officials, stakeholders and partners, as well as participants in the regatta who were present at Monday night’s ceremony, all expressed excitement about what they agree is that start of a mutually fulfilling relationship. Speaking at Monday evening’s event Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee welcomed the contingent and thanked the Managing Director of the German Regatta for choosing to include Saint Lucia in their itinerary. Minister Fedee says “We’ve just had a very successful flotilla on Sunday coinciding with the commencement of the ARC race from Las Palmas De Gran Canaria. With the significant increases in yacht arrivals this year, the yachting sector is flourishing”. He further noted that the Karibik Regatta “complements what we know as the ARC very well”. Meanwhile, Tourism Program Officer at the OECS Secretariat’s Economic Affairs Division, Dr. Lorraine Nicholas explained that commission played a major role in the decision to bring the sailing event to St Lucia.
The OECS Commission held a Graduation Ceremony this morning to commemorate the completion of its first ever OECS Digital Internship Programme.
Thirteen individuals from 3 OECS member states graduated from the three-month online course.
The Programme was coordinated and led by Digital Media Consultant to the OECS, Anushka Singh. Through an online platform, Ms. Singh provided training in Digital Marketing while having the interns contribute to the launch and execution of the OECS YES Digital Media Strategy. The development of the Internship Programme further facilitated the development of the overarching OECS Youth Strategy by allowing youth to have hands-on involvement in initiatives for their peers.
In her address at the ceremony, Singh outlined her vision for this inaugural Internship Programme.
“My intention here was to expose these young people to tasks outside of their comfort zones. To incite in them a passion for Digital Marketing – a role that involves planning, coordination, strategy, design, writing and reporting.
“Apart from these technical skills they were also exposed to organizational and collaborative skills needed in the workplace such as time management, communication, and most of all teamwork,” Singh said.
As part of the ceremony, three interns were recognized as top performers in the Programme. These three interns, Shanya Evans; Racquel John; and Asha Nelson, were credited for their skills, work ethic and disposition as well as their ambition in performing above and beyond expectations.
In her statement on behalf of the intern graduating class, Asha Nelson expressed “I hope that the OECS YES Internship is continued. It is beneficial and encourages our youth to envision themselves as a valuable resource.
“By self-investment through internships one can deconstruct the realm of unemployment. On behalf of myself and my intern class, I once again express our sincere gratitude for the opportunity the OECS Commission, Dr. Didacus Jules and Anushka Singh have provided for us.
“I leave by saying this to my fellow youths across the Caribbean region, ‘If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together,’” Nelson said.
Director General of the OECS Commission, Dr. Didacus Jules, expressed his satisfaction with the overall Internship Programme and the work of the interns in the success of the OECS YES platforms.
Dr. Jules also urged young persons to be open to exploring opportunities across the region and across the world, stating that these young graduates have a significant advantage having worked for a regional organisation.
The climax of celebrations to mark Barbados’ 50th Anniversary of Independence will include the annual Independence Day Parade on Wednesday, November 30, at the Historic Garrison Savannah, beginning at 8:00 a.m.
This year’s parade will feature over 1,200 persons representing armed and unarmed units, under the direction of Parade Commander, Major Wendy Yearwood. On parade will be detachments from the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF), the Bands of the BDF and RBPF, the Barbados Cadet Corps and its Band, the Barbados Prison Service, the Barbados Fire Service, the Government Security Guards, and the Barbados Youth Service. The Barbados Boy Scouts Association, the Girl Guides Association of Barbados, the Barbados Red Cross Society, the St. John Ambulance Association of Barbados, the Barbados Landship Association, the Seventh-Day Adventist Pathfinders, and the Mounted Troop of the RBPF will also participate in the parade.To mark this special occasion, the Barbados Postal Service, the Immigration Department, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Nursing Services, the Church Lads and Girls Brigade, the Transport Board and Regional Security System will also have representatives on parade. Along with the usual pomp and pageantry of the event, spectators will also be treated to special displays by the Barbados Cadet Corps, the United States Army Silent Drill Team and the Paratroopers from the Guyana Defence Force.
His Royal Highness, Prince Henry of Wales, will inspect the troops. At the end of the ceremony, they will march from the Garrison Savannah to Bay Street, where Prime Minister Freundel Stuart will take the salute at Government Headquarters. The parade will culminate in Independence Square.
Ministry of Health Continues to Strengthen its Regulatory Functions in the Pharmaceutical Industry.
In an ongoing effort to ensure that the highest quality of pharmaceuticals are available within the Belizean market, the Ministry of Health has introduced new standards which have been presented to the House of Representatives and are awaiting final approval to the Food and Drugs Act Chapter 291 of the substantive Laws of Belize. The Ministry is currently working with pharmacies and pharmaceutical wholesalers and importers in order for them to adhere to these standards. These are a part of a shared and agreed requirement done in partnership with providers on the granting of license that allows them to conduct this business under the law. The Ministry continues to work towards setting up Standard Operating Procedures and Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanisms that will allow for a functional Supply Chain Management System. The revised bill presented in August will allow the Ministry of Health to enforce firmer penalties on persons/businesses that are in contravention of the law. The Ministry is also working on having a comprehensive Drug Registry. Further to this a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with the Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development for the purposes of improving and monitoring peddling activities and the further monitoring of businesses related to health. There continues to be significant challenges, but the work towards setting up mechanisms to establish a functional management system remains resolute. The Ministry of Health remains focused on strengthening the regulation of imported drugs by implementing measures for quality as a means of safeguarding the health of the public. Health professionals and the public are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicion on the quality of pharmaceuticals or pharmaceutical services to the office the Director of Health Services, Ministry of Health. The Ministry commends it partners and encourages continued dialogue as pharmaceutical laws, policies and regulations continue to be updated for better health for all.
Milton Haughton, CRFM Executive Director (left), and Marc Taconet, Chief of the Statistics and Information Branch of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Economics Division, FAO
CRFM and FAO plan fisheries data reform for the Caribbean.
The coming of the digital age presents novel opportunities for the fisheries and aquaculture sector of the wider Caribbean to build a more robust data and information system that would augment the monitoring of production trends and traceability of catches, support more sustainable management regimes through increased people engagement, and facilitate stronger international and regional trade. The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are teaming up to capitalize on opportunities for Member States to strengthen data collection and management systems through the use of modern technology, such as smartphones and wireless communications to bridge gaps in the system. “Strengthening our fisheries data and information management systems is extremely important going forward. It is necessary in order to improve resource conservation and management and also improve the socio-economic benefits from the fisheries. It will help in improving income and revenue from the fisheries and strengthen the countries’ capacity to participate in international trade,” said CRFM Executive Director, Milton Haughton. Haughton said that “…our decisions really need to be based on good knowledge of the resource systems—both in terms of the state of the targeted fish stocks and the marine environment, as well as the activities on land after the fish is taken; that is, activities in the processing and marketing sectors. We really need to have accurate data and information to understand what is happening and to make informed decisions about what is happening in the sector.” Unless traceability is established through enhanced data and information systems, it will become increasingly hard for countries in our region to trade internationally, he said. Haughton highlighted these challenges in his recent discussions with Marc Taconet, Chief of the Statistics and Information Branch of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Economics Division at the FAO in Rome. Taconet was on a working visit at the headquarters of the CRFM in Belize City, Belize, last week. He and Haughton talked about strengthening CRFM-FAO cooperation, and they collaborated on a concept note for cooperation in improving data and information systems across CRFM Member States for fisheries and aquaculture. A planning meeting is tentatively slated for February/March 2017. “There are innovative technologies such as the use of mobile phones, tablets, and remote inputs; and the co-involvement of fish workers is necessary to be set up. This is one of the needs that were strongly expressed,” said Taconet, in speaking of wider discussions with fisheries experts from the Caribbean. He said that one gap is the lack of an integrated software system—an issue that was raised when he paid a courtesy call on counterparts of the Belize Fisheries Department, located on the same premises as the CRFM. According to Taconet, the timeline to reach ‘cruise speed,’ with an upgraded data and information system is two to three years. The CRFM and the FAO are currently sourcing funds to undertake this new joint initiative, which furthers a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed this January between the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)/Western Central Atlantic Fisheries Commission (FAO-WECAFC), the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism, and the Organisation of the Central American Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector (OSPESCA), in Cartagena, Colombia, to facilitate, support and strengthen the coordination of actions to increase the sustainability of fisheries.
Accession of Belize as a full member of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
Belize joined the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) on November 2, 2006 under the status of beneficiary country. Since then, Belize has benefited from financing from CABEI for four projects: Belize Rural Finance Programme, Improvement and Rehabilitation of the Southern Highway – Dump to Jalacte section, Improvement and Rehabilitation of the Santa Elena Border in Corozal, and the Belize Integral Security Programme. Belize is now incorporated as a full member of the Bank as a Non-Founding Regional country with effect from November 9, 2016. The amendments to the CABEI Constitutive Agreement are aimed at consolidating the Bank’s preferential creditor status, supporting its member countries, strengthening its capital base and promoting a greater diversification of its loan portfolio. Belize new status as a non-founding regional member will allow it to expand its financing for new approvals aimed at economic and social infrastructure projects that are in line with the CABEI 2015-2019 Institutional Strategy “Integrating Sustainable Development and Competitiveness.” The Accession Instrument was signed by Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dean O. Barrow and CABEI’s Executive President Dr. Nick Rischbieth. Belize joins Panama and the Dominican Republic, which in 2016 also changed their status within CABEI, establishing a governance structure aligned with the Central American Integration System (SICA).
Minister of Defence Hon John Saldivar has just completed a tour of BDF installations in the West, which is part of a countrywide tour.
Yesterday, November 17, 2016, Hon Saldivar was joined by CEO in the Ministry of Defence and former Commander of the BDF Volunteer Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Felix Enriquez (Ret.), and he was again accompanied by BDF Deputy Commander Colonel Steven Ortega and personnel from the Ministry of Defence. On day two of his tour in the west, the Minister and his team took off from Camp Belizario in a BDF helicopter, flew to the Guacamayo area, and visited the Caracol Archeological Site, which has an observation post manned by the BDF. They then flew to another post at Valentin Camp. Their next stop was a similar post at Ceibo Chico, and finally they stopped at Rio Blanco, less than a mile from the Belize-Guatemala Border. The minister and his team spent the overnight there with the BDF soldiers who man the post. Hon John Saldivar was enthusiastically welcomed by our soldiers who he thanked for their tremendous bravery and sacrifice for the security of the nation. The Minister of Defence returned to Belmopan today shortly before noon. The western leg of his national tour started yesterday with a tour of Camp Belizario, a fly-over by BDF plane of observation posts at Xunantunich, Arenal and El Pilar, as well as an on-the-ground tour of those installations which are also located near the Belize-Guatemala Border. The next leg of Hon Saldivar’s nationwide tour, in the next two weeks, will take him to BDF installations in the southern part of the country. The purpose of the Defence Minister’s nationwide tour is to assess the state of readiness and the level of efficiency of the BDF in executing its various functions, and to determine what is needed to better equip the force to fulfill those functions.
Saint Lucia’s “Love-A-Fare” Winter Sale features savings on air and hotels this January.
Recognized as one of the top islands in the world by the Conde Nast Travel Readers’ Choice Awards, Saint Lucia welcomes couples to escape January chills with airfare and accommodation savings. Ideal for a retreat or extended weekend getaway, Saint Lucia’s average temperature of 80 degrees, pristine beaches and lush rainforests provide an ideal backdrop for heating up winter romance.
The Love-A-Fare sale includes United Airlines and JetBlue non-stop airfare deals from three major cities. Expanded United Airlines weekend service from Newark Liberty International features round-trip fares starting at $296 for Saturday flights, with Sunday flights beginning December 18. United Airlines’ relaunch of direct flights from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Saint Lucia begin on December 17, with travel fares starting at $572.
JetBlue Airlines has non-stop daily flights from New York’s JFK International Airport starting at $295; fares from Boston’s Logan International Airport every Saturday starting at $524.
Hotel savings in January range from as much as 65 percent off regular rates and $1,000 airfare credit at Sandals Resort locations, to complimentary airfare for two with a seven-day booking at St. James Club Morgan Bay, and discounts of up to 45 percent plus one free night at Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa.
All hotel offers can be booked now through December 17 for travel in January. For more information on the January Love-A-Fare winter sale, visit: http://www.stlucia.org/united/
Saint Lucia Love-a-Fare hotel and resort deals include: Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa
Save up to 45 percent off, plus one free night
Six one hour passes to the Splash Island Water Park
Unlimited non-motorized water sports
Three-night minimum; Book by 12/17/16 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Bay Gardens Hotel
Save up to 45 percent off, plus one free night
Six one hour passes to the Splash Island Water Park
Unlimited non-motorized water sports
Three-night minimum; Book by 12/17/16 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Bay Gardens Inn
Save up to 45 percent off, plus one free night
Six one hour passes to the Splash Island Water Park
Unlimited non-motorized water sports
Three-night minimum; Book by 12/17/16 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Blu St. Lucia
Rates starting at $130 per night- single occupancy in a standard Veranda or Courtyard accommodation
Rates starting at $150 per night- double occupancy in a standard Veranda or Courtyard accommodation
Two- 60 minute spa treatments per stay
Three-night minimum; Book by 12/17/16 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Calabash Cove Resort & Spa
Receive up to 45 percent off plus one private beachfront dinner for two
Rates start at $249 per night, includes daily breakfast
Three-night minimum; Book by 12/17/16 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Capella Marigot Bay
Save up to 25 percent off rooms and 35 percent off suites if booked before 11/30
Receive a $200 Resort credit with a six-night minimum stay if booked before 12/17
Valid for travel between 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Coco Palm Resort
Receive a free night with six-night minimum stay
Room rates are based on single or double occupancy; subject to 10 percent service charge and 10 percent VAT
All-Inclusive includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner; all beverages available during bar hours. Bottled water not included. House Wines by the glass. Bottle wines and champagnes are not included. House brand bar drinks – surcharge on premium brands. Surcharge on some food items.
Book by 12/17 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Coconut Bay Beach Resort
Winter savings up to 60 percent off plus $500 resort credits
Rates from $199 per person, per night based on double occupancy
Book by 11/30 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Fond Doux Plantation & Resort
Receive 25 percent off with three-night minimum stay
Book by 12/17 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
La Dauphine Estate
Receive 10 percent off all room categories
Free meet & greet and airport transfers
Free massage for two at Villa Beach Cottages
Free use of ocean kayaks at Villa Beach Cottages
Free cocoa plantation tour at La Dauphine Estate
Receive 10 percent off on-property jeep rental
Minimum stay of six-nights
Book by 12/17 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
The Landings Resort & Spa
Receive 30 percent off all rooms and rates
Complimentary airport transfers with five-night minimum
Receive $100 resort credit on seven-night stays
Book by 12/17 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Royal St. Lucia Resort & Spa
Buy five-nights, stay for seven-nights plus additional 10 percent off
Book by 12/17
Sandals Grande St. Lucian (All-Inclusive)
Receive up to $1,000 Air Credit plus one free night
Save up to 65 percent
Free Catamaran Cruise
Book by 12/17 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Sandals Halcyon Beach (All-Inclusive)
Receive up to $1,000 Air Credit plus one free night
Save up to 65 percent
Free Catamaran Cruise
Book by 12/17 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Sandals Regency La Toc (All-Inclusive)
Receive up to $1,000 Air Credit plus one free night
Save up to 65 percent
Free Catamaran Cruise
Book by 12/17 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
St. James Club Morgan Bay (All-Inclusive)
Book a seven-night stay in an ocean view room or higher and receive complimentary airfare for two
Stays less than seven-days receive up to 50 percent off for travel during November and December
Book by 12/17 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Ti Kaye Resort & Spa
Receive 20 percent off all room categories plus $100 food and beverage credit for United Airlines
T&C: Adults Only 18+ resort; double occupancy only
Minimum five-night stay
Book by 12/17 for travel 1/1/17- 1/31/17
Villa Beach Cottages
Receive 10 percent off all room categories from deluxe bedroom villa suites to plantation houses
Complimentary meet & great and airport transfers
Complimentary massage for two
Complimentary use of ocean kayaks
Complimentary cocoa plantation tour at La Dauphine Estate
