The Public is hereby notified that in keeping with changes in international oil prices and Government’s application of the modified market pass-through petroleum pricing mechanism, the retail price of gasoline, diesel, kerosene, LPG 20, 22 and 100 lb cylinders has changed. The price changes take effect from Monday, September 30, 2019:
Gasolinedecreased from $2.98 to $2.91 per litre or $13.57 to $13.21 per gallon
Diesel decreased from $2.88 to $2.82 per litre or $13.07 to $12.81 per gallon
Kerosene decreased from $1.93 to $1.79 per litre or $8.76 to $8.12 per gallon
20 Pound Cylinder (9.07 kg) increased from $32.07 to $32.28 per cylinder
22 Pound Cylinder (9.98 kg) increased from $35.55 to $35.79 per cylinder
100 Pound Cylinder (45.36kg) increased from $204.16 to $205.22 per cylinder
The Public is informed that the next adjustment of the retail price of fuel products will be on Monday October 21, 2019.
The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on newly formed Tropical Storm Karen located near the southern Windward Islands.
Tropical Storm Karen Intermediate Advisory Number 1A
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL122019
800 AM AST Sun Sep 22 2019
…CENTER OF KAREN PASSING JUST NORTH OF TOBAGO…
SUMMARY OF 800 AM AST…1200 UTC…INFORMATION
LOCATION…11.9N 60.9W ABOUT 55 MI…90 KM ESE OF GRENADA ABOUT 100 MI…160 KM SSE OF ST. VINCENT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…40 MPH…65 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT…WNW OR 285 DEGREES AT 9 MPH…15 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1005 MB…29.68 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
The government of Barbados has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for
St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
Trinidad and Tobago
Grenada and its dependencies
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the
next 12 hours.
Tropical Storm Warnings may be issued later today for other
portions of the Windward Islands. A Tropical Storm Watch will likely
be issued later today for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Elsewhere, interests in the Leeward Islands should monitor the
progress of Karen.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
For storm information specific to your area, please monitor
products issued by your national meteorological service.
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
At 800 AM AST (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Karen was
located near latitude 11.9 North, longitude 60.9 West. Karen is
moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h) and this
general motion is expected to continue today. A turn toward the
northwest is forecast to occur on Monday, followed by a turn toward
the north on Tuesday. On the forecast track, Karen will move across
the Windward Islands today, and emerge over the southeastern
Caribbean Sea tonight. On Tuesday, Karen is expected to approach
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher
gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48
hours.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km)
from the center.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach those
islands within the warning area this morning and afternoon, making
outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
RAINFALL: Karen is expected to produce the following rainfall
accumulations through Wednesday:
Windward Islands…3 to 6 inches, isolated 8 inches.
Leeward Islands…1 to 3 inches, isolated 5 inches.
Far northeastern Venezuela and Barbados…1 to 3 inches.
These rains may cause flash flooding and mudslides, especially in
mountainous areas.
Updated for the low pressure area near the Windward Islands.
Updated: A strong tropical wave, accompanied by a broad low pressure
area located between Barbados and Tobago, is producing showers and
thunderstorms that are showing signs of organization. In addition,
recent satellite-derived surface wind data and observations from
Barbados indicate that the disturbance is producing winds to near
tropical storm force in the eastern portion of the system. Further
development of this disturbance is expected over the next couple of
days, and a tropical depression or tropical storm will likely form
while it moves westward and then northwestward at 10 to 15 mph
across the Windward Islands and over the eastern Caribbean Sea. The
system is then expected to turn northward, moving near Puerto Rico
and the Virgin Islands on Tuesday. Regardless of development, heavy
rainfall and strong gusty winds are likely over much of the Lesser
Antilles during the next couple of days and will likely spread
across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands by Monday night or
Tuesday. Interests across the eastern Caribbean should monitor the
progress of this disturbance since tropical storm watches and
warnings could be required for portions of the Lesser Antilles and
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Sunday.
Formation chance through 48 hours…high…70 percent.
Formation chance through 5 days…high…70 percent.
A tropical wave is expected to move off the west coast of Africa
overnight and on Sunday. Environmental conditions are conducive
for development of the wave once it moves over water, and a
tropical depression or tropical storm is expected to form during
the early or middle part of next week while moving westward to
west-northwestward across the eastern tropical Atlantic at 15 to 20
mph.
Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…60 percent.
Formation chance through 5 days…high…90 percent.
Further information on the system near the Windward Islands can be
found in High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service
can be found under AWIPS header NFDHSFAT1, WMO header FZNT01
KWBC, and online at ocean.weather.gov/shtml/NFDHSFAT1.php
A tropical wave located several hundred miles east of the Windward
Islands continues to produce a large area of disorganized showers
and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are currently conducive
for some development, and a tropical depression could form over the
weekend while the system moves quickly westward to west-
northwestward at 15 to 20 mph, crossing the Windward Islands
Saturday night and Sunday. Upper-level winds are forecast to become
less conducive for development early next week once the wave moves
over the eastern Caribbean Sea. A NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft
is scheduled to investigate this system tomorrow afternoon, if
necessary. Regardless of development, heavy rainfall is possible
over the Windward Islands over the weekend, and interests on those
islands should monitor the progress of this system.
Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…40 percent.
Formation chance through 5 days…medium…40 percent.
The IMF team congratulates Jamaica for the successful completion of the country’s economic reform program supported by the IMF’s Stand-By Arrangement. The authorities’ exemplary program implementation has resulted in a stronger economy with significant reduction in vulnerabilities, and increased job creation.
Broad-based ownership across stakeholders and the continued commitment to public accountability through the Economic Programme Oversight Committee, have been hallmarks of Jamaica’s approach to economic reform.
Sustaining resilient and inclusive growth will require addressing deep-rooted societal challenges such as crime, governance, access to finance, disaster preparedness and resilience, and providing greater social support for the vulnerable.
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team led by Ms. Uma Ramakrishnan visited Kingston from September 9–19, to conduct discussions on the sixth and final review of Jamaica’s financial and economic program supported by the IMF’s precautionary Stand-By Arrangement (SBA). At the end of this review, Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica and Mr. Alejandro Werner, Director of IMF’s Western Hemisphere Department, issued the following statement in Kingston:
“We are happy to announce that the IMF staff team and the Jamaican authorities agreed on the steps needed to complete the sixth and final review under the SBA, as Jamaica prepares to exit from IMF financial support. Consideration by the IMF’s Executive Board of the review is tentatively scheduled for November 2019. Upon approval, an additional SDR 160.8 million (about US$220 million) will be made available for Jamaica, bringing the total accessible credit to about US$1.63 billion. The Jamaican authorities continue to view the SBA as precautionary. The SBA will expire on November 8, 2019.
“Over the last three years, Jamaica’s sustained commitment to a home-grown economic reform program has resulted in significant dividends for the people of Jamaica. Unemployment is at an all-time low of 7.8 percent, taxes have been reduced, business confidence is high, inflation and the external current account deficits are low, and the level of foreign currency reserves is comfortable at about US$3.5 billion.
“The economy is estimated to have expanded by 1.9 percent in FY18/19, buoyed by mining, construction and tourism. However, the short-term growth outlook is, unfortunately, clouded by the pending 18 to 24 months closure of Alpart to facilitate investment upgrades.
“Budget discipline combined with a reorientation of the fiscal system, including the shift from direct to indirect taxes pioneered by this government, has helped put public debt on a sustained downward path. Proactive liability management—as evidenced by the latest successful swap of existing bonds at relatively low yield—has also helped Jamaica maintain the path towards reducing debt to 60 percent of GDP by FY2025/26, in line with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Law.
“Significant efforts have been made to build monetary institutions and improve the workings of the foreign exchange market. These steps have put the Bank of Jamaica firmly on a path toward operational independence within an inflation targeting framework that conforms with international best practice.
“Nonetheless, to fully achieve Jamaica’s considerable potential will require renewed attention to supply side reforms to address crime, support agricultural resilience, and invest in education and healthcare. The government is also committed to expanding social assistance for those in need through better coverage of the PATH program and support for the elderly.
“To make these reforms a reality will require the freeing-up of fiscal resources through a meaningful transformation of the public sector that prioritizes government functions and redesigns public sector compensation. This will necessarily entail the Jamaican society confronting tough choices, the resolution of which will require broad social consensus. More also needs to be done to build public trust in the governance of public institutions.
“As part of its commitment to building durable domestic policy institutions, the government will table legislation to establish a Fiscal Council by April 2020. In the interim, the Economic Programme Oversight Committee has been asked to ensure continued public accountability for the government’s economic policy commitments.
“The government is also working to strengthen financial sector oversight through better risk-based and consolidated supervision and a special resolution regime for financial institutions.
“We are convinced that all these policies will support private sector development and increase investment opportunities in Jamaica. It is expected that the partnership between the public and private sector to expand access to finance for small- and medium-sized enterprises will help finance such investments.
“The IMF team and the Jamaican authorities look forward to a continued productive collaboration and partnership as Jamaica exits from the precautionary SBA. As always, the IMF stands ready to support Jamaica with policy advice, a cross-country perspective, technical assistance and investments to train Jamaican government officials.
“The IMF team would like to thank the Jamaican authorities, including all the technical teams involved, for making the SBA an unqualified success for Jamaica.”
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has noted the significant progress St Kitts and Nevis has made, as the Member State marks its Thirty-Sixth Anniversary of Independence on 19 September 2019.
In a congratulatory message to the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis Dr. The Honourable Timothy Harris, CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque said the country is “justified in celebrating its achievement with pride.”
St Kitts and Nevis is celebrating this independence anniversary under the theme, “Unify, Transform, and Enrich: Uplifting Communities for Independence 36.” Secretary-General LaRocque said the theme promotes the continuation of the collective will and actions of the country, to further its socio-economic development.
The Secretary-General acknowledged the “unwavering commitment and leadership” of Prime Minister Harris as Chairman of CARICOM during the first six months of this year at a challenging time for the Community.
“The Community looks forward to St. Kitts and Nevis’ continued leadership in advancing issues related to Human Resource Development, Health and HIV/AIDS, its portfolio in the Quasi-Cabinet of CARICOM,” the Secretary-General said.
Taylor Made Farm has been confirmed as the second high profile purchaser of a slot for newly launched Pitons Cup, the richest race in the Caribbean.
The announcement of the participation of the US-based Taylor Made Farm comes just days after a syndicate of Hall of Fame Trainer Todd Pletcher, Eclipse Award winning Owner Sol Kumin and leading bloodstock agent Brad Weisbord were confirmed as Piton Cup participants.
“Taylor Made is honored to participate in the inaugural Piton’s Cup,” said Mark Taylor, Vice President of Marketing and Public Sales Operations, for Taylor Made Farm.
“We see Saint Lucia as a new emerging market for American horses. We fully embrace the vision of providing economic opportunities for the people of Saint Lucia as well as our core customers which are American breeders.”
Mark Taylor
Since its inception in 1976 Taylor Made has been at the forefront of industry change and has continued to adapt and diversify its business model over more than four decades. Today it is undoubtedly an industry leader across sectors as varied as stallion operations, racing operations and horse care. But is best known for setting new standards of excellence in client services and consigning having sold more than $2 billion in thoroughbreds through the sales ring. Taylor Made’s quick adaption to participate in the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club’s Pitons Cup is an extension of an ethos to move ahead of market trends.
“We have seen in America how well the Pegasus World Cup has been received and know that The Everest has been immensely popular in Australia. A high-profile race in the Caribbean that is more affordable to most racing fans is very appealing and we wanted to be a part of that,” Taylor added.
“We weren’t surprised to see some of the smartest guys in our industry move quickly here. We would be surprised if there wasn’t traction. The template works and when you have it in a lifestyle location like Saint Lucia there really is a lot of appeal.”
THE $150,000 Pitons Cup will help launch horse racing at the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club on 13th December 2019.
The Caribbean Fashion Showroom is now open for business online. Featuring designers from across the CARIFORUM, the Caribbean Fashion Showroom is poised to become the online place to find Caribbean designers and purchase online.
An initiative of the Caribbean Export Development Agency in collaboration with the European Union, the Caribbean Fashion Showroom has been taken to international trade shows since March this year and is now accessible online with the launch of its online shop.
“The launch of the online shop is new for Caribbean Export as we look to move forward with the market demands. We recognise that both buyers and consumers find new products and services online and whilst we know that face to face business is still very important for trade, we want to be able to complement this with an online presence” explained Allyson Francis – Services Specialist at Caribbean Export.
Presenting designers from across the region, the Caribbean Fashion Showroom was initially placed in the heart of the international fashion industry in Los Angeles, United States where buyers were able to view samples of products during Market Week at the showroom location. Debuting in the Caribbean at this years’ CARIFESTA XIV the Caribbean Fashion Showroom was a significant inclusion in the Fashion District at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago last month.
Sandra Carr, Fashion Programme Leader and Senior Instructor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) stressed the importance of the Caribbean Fashion Showroom, “the fashion showroom is important because it gives designers visibility and helps them to gain recognition in other markets”.
Carr also led a 10-day fashion accelerator programme in July at UTT which was co-funded by Caribbean Export and the Caribbean Development Bank which enabled 20 designers to build their capacity in the business side of the fashion industry as well as improve their technical ability to produce goods at the quality expected at the international level.
“The collaborative project with Caribbean Export, CDB and UTT focused on refinement of products designed to build capacity and fill the gaps of designers. Current industry best practices were highlighted to refine quality, with the focus on generating sustainable sources of revenue and foreign exchange. The Caribbean Fashion Showroom at Carifesta XIV was evidence that it had met the objective, as many visitors were impressed by the display and insisted on more information on designers.”
Over the coming few months Caribbean Export plans to continue supporting the development of designers with a range of interventions that include business coaching and mentoring.
“The success of the online shop is really dependent on the designers that are part of it as they have to have their own online presence. Whilst we can provide a platform for buyers and consumers to find all things Caribbean fashion ultimately it’s down to the designers to ‘close the deal’ and we are working with them through our accelerator programme in collaboration with UTT to ensure their pricing is correct, their technical skills are on par and that they are armed with what is necessary for the business of fashion” concluded Francis.
A power house triumvirate has secured the first of only 12 slots in the 2019 Pitons Cup, the feature race that is launching the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club on 13th December this year.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, Eclipse Award winning owner Sol Kumin and industry leading bloodstock agent and owner of premier consignment firm ELiTE Brad Weisbord have provided a weighty endorsement to the Pitons Cup initiative which will help launch horse racing on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia.
“We’re excited to support The Pitons Cup and plan on being there in person on December 13th,” said Weisbord on behalf of the syndicate.
“It’s wonderful to see the sport reach a new destination in Saint Lucia and it is important to support initiatives like this.”
Pletcher, Kumin and Weisbord are dominant figures in their respective fields and have enjoyed success at major international meetings such as the Dubai World Cup. The Pitons Cup will be their first involvement in horse racing in the Caribbean.
“The endorsement of Todd, Sol and Brad in securing a slot on top of the level of enquiries we have received since announcing the Pitons Cup has been beyond expectation,” said Eden Harrington, Director of the Royal Saint Lucia Turf Club.
“Todd, Sol and Brad are leaders in the American racing industry, they have records of excellence and confirmation of their involvement in Saint Lucia is exceptionally rewarding. Not only are they passionate racing fans, they raise the standard of competition and bring great awareness of Saint Lucia with them.”
As slot purchasers, Pletcher, Kumin and Weisbord are guaranteed:
Entry into the $150,000 Pitons Cup with a racehorse of their choice;
Ownership of an unraced three-year-old that is currently in training in Florida (inclusive of flights to Saint Lucia and pre-flight training costs in the US)
Entry for the unraced three-year-old in a support feature valued at $20,000.
Barbados continues to make good progress in implementing its ambitious and comprehensive economic reform program.
At the request of the Government of Barbados, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Bert van Selm visited Bridgetown from September 3–6, to discuss implementation of Barbados’ Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) plan, supported by the IMF under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). A concluding meeting was held with Prime Minister Mottley on September 6, 2019. To summarize the mission’s findings, Mr. van Selm made the following statement:
“Barbados continues to make good progress in implementing its ambitious and comprehensive economic reform program.
“All indicative targets for end-June under the EFF have been met. The target for the government’s primary surplus was met with a wide margin, with the government running a primary surplus of 2½ percent of (annual) GDP in the first quarter of FY2019/20. This bodes well for achieving the government’s primary surplus target of 6 percent of GDP for FY2019/20. International reserves were also well over program targets at end-June.
“Good progress has been made in implementing end-June and July 2019 structural benchmarks under the EFF. The authorities have completed a review of the tax system and the Governor General has proclaimed the recently enacted Financial Management and Audit Act.
“Progress being made by the authorities in furthering good-faith discussions with external creditors is welcome. Continuing open dialogue and sharing of information will remain important in concluding an orderly debt restructuring process.
“The team is looking forward to return to Barbados in November to conduct the discussions for the Article IV and second review under the EFF and would like to thank the authorities and the technical team for their openness and candid discussions.”
