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RIDE Caribbean campaign on Indiegogo

RIDE Caribbean

St. Lucian entrepreneur launches crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo.

RIDE Caribbean
Greggar Deterville – RIDE Caribbean

St. Lucian Entrepreneur Greggar Deterville has launched a crowd funding campaign for his brainchild startup RIDE Caribbean on Indiegogo. The campaign which will run for two month’s is in an effort to raise funding to finalize the development of the companies mobile app for its official launch. Greggar Deterville is Start-up Entrepreneur with a 25 year background in Media Management, Advertising, Marketing and Information Technology. Greggar has a passion for creating innovative businesses to
offer services for non available opportunities.
It is the vision of Mr. Deterville through his startup RIDE Caribbean to provide easy and affordable access to On Demand Carpooling, RIDE Sharing, Luxury Transportation, Food & Grocery Purchase and Delivery services to everyone via its platform.

What is RIDE Caribbean?

RIDE Caribbean is a Transport Network Company offering Ride Sharing and other services in the Caribbean, connecting Drivers and Riders via a Mobile Application. RIDE Caribbean offers Riders the comfort and convenience of a door to door on demand transport service. RIDE Caribbean offers existing Taxi, Public and Private Drivers the opportunity to gain additional income.
RIDE Caribbean offers to Riders privately owned vehicles to include SUV’s, Cars, Pickups, Wheelchair Cabs and 8 seat Mini Vans. RIDE Caribbean offers a number of other on demand services and is a convenient ride sharing service for everyone in the Caribbean. The company will also maintain its own small fleet of vehicles which will offer Riders free Wi-Fi, 24/7 air-condition, mobile charging ports, music and 110v power outlets and also offer premium luxury services.
More information and links to the Indiegogo campaign can be found at http://caribbeanridesharing.com
Official website:  http://ridecaribbean.com

About Indiegogo

Indiegogo is an international crowd funding website founded in 2008 by
Danae Ringelmann, Slava Rubin, and Eric Schell. Its headquarters are in San
Francisco, California. The site is one of the first sites to offer crowd funding.
Indiegogo allows people to solicit funds for an idea, charity, or start-up
business.

What is Crowd Funding?

Crowd funding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many
small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the
Internet Crowd funding is a form of crowd sourcing and of alternative
finance.

$224M for Green Sustainable Projects

$224M allocated for Green Sustainable Projects
Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe.

Sustainable projects in 215 indigenous villages and communities to receive $224M.

The sum of Two hundred and twenty-four million ($224M) has been allocated in the 2018 National Budget to support green sustainable projects in 215 indigenous villages and communities across the country. The monies will be disbursed in the form of Presidential Grants.
During her 2018 National Budget Debate presentation on Monday, Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe explained that in 2017, the government injected over $200 million dollars into community projects through the presidential grant fund. These funds were spent on projects, such as school kitchens, cash crop cultivation, community buildings, eco-tourism projects, village canteens and shops, general transportation and village markets among others.
Minister Garrido-Lowe explained that government has recognised that need to continue the project and has therefore provided additional funds that will see the implementation of these programmes to enhance existing livelihoods. It will also result in the development of new economic, social and environmental initiatives, provide jobs for the local people, increased entrepreneurial capacity and help in the reduction of poverty linking all to the Green State Economy.
In the area of tourism, the sum of $17.5 million has been allocated in the 2018 Budget for building eco-tourism lodges, benabs, nature trails, training of tour guides and customer service and hospitality in villages of Karasabai, Warapoka, Moraikobai, Great Falls and Assakata.
Minister Garrido-Lowe explained that attractions such as nature trails, wildlife, culture, and other nature-based attraction will pave the way for the Indigenous communities to put their natural resources to productive use in a sustainable manner.
“…And this will strengthen and promote, preserve, and conserve the eco-systems and Indigenous people’s traditions and culture as well as provide jobs for the local people and explore and expand the uniqueness of the hinterland and showcase Guyana to the world and this will be in keeping with the Green State Strategy and in line with the Guyana National Policy and action plan,” Minister Garrido-Lowe pointed out.
The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs is moving strongly to support the communities for hinterland development so that they can use sustainably, the nature-based and community-based eco-tourism businesses which have great potential for economic growth and community development.

Rosignol NDC working to regularise vending

Vending
Vendors occupying stalls inside the market

The Saturday market which operates at the Stelling Road, Rosignol has been attracting vendors from near and far. The Rosignol – Zeelust Neighborhood Democratic Council (NDC) has attempted to bring the situation of illegal vending under control with the provision of a structure.
Authorities are seeking to have vendors occupy the stalls allocated to them within the building. However, the facility remains underutilised, with some vendors having abandoned stalls allocated to them, in preference to vending at the side of the roadway, and this has led to the area being quite congested on Saturday morning.
Recently, officials from the NDC with the Police attempted to remove the illegal vendors from the Stelling Road which is transformed into a hive of activity from as early as 4:30 am every Saturday. However, the vendors refused, and the NDC for the time has conceded.
Vending along the road shoulder is illegal; as such, the NDC is not allowed to collect fees from these operators unless they are brought under the umbrella of the NDC. There have been several meetings involving both the NDC and vendors, but so far they have failed to agree on a solution.
While some vendors have expressed a willingness to pay whatever fees the NDC requires, others are contending that the NDC should upgrade the facility on the railway embankment since this has led to some abandoning their stalls to compete with the itinerant vendors. It is felt that these illegal vendors have an unfair advantage over those who operate from within the market.
Under the law, the Council is authorised to seize the goods of the persons not in compliance. However, the authorities are seeking to avoid confrontation with the vendors. The Council has stated that the market can accommodate all the vendors and to this end, the NDC is committed to having the situation normalised.
The NDC, plans to continue discussions with the vendors to encourage them to return to their stalls, as well as to encourage the others vending on the railway embankment to accept stalls in the market.

Youth Empowerment in Guyana

Youth Empowerment
Minister of Public Communication Cathy Hughes (fourth left) and Presidential Advisor of Youth Empowerment Aubrey Norton (third left), pose with the graduates of the Youth Leadership Program and the Madewini Training Centre on Sunday

Guyana’s youth now better prepared for leadership roles – Minister Hughes

Compared to the days of yesteryear, Guyana’s youths today are a lot more prepared to take the reins of leadership, Minister of Telecommunication Cathy Hughes has said.
Following the graduation of some 74 young professionals and community youth leaders on Sunday, Minister Hughes said that compared to days gone by, today’s youths are being offered better opportunities to prepare them for leadership roles. The graduates had completed the Youth Leadership Programme overseen by the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment.
The overall objective of the third and final segment of the Module Two of the leadership programme, was to instruct the young leaders in various empowering mechanisms; so that they could participate in decision making and represent themselves and their communities. Like module one, which commenced in February 2016, the training was held over two weekends and participants were awarded certificates upon completion.
Speaking with the Department of Telecommunication (DPI) on Sunday at the Madewini Training Centre, Minister Hughes said the information laid out in the module is set to build a new generation in Guyana. She said the youths of today are fortunate to have these opportunities, including being able to understand the operation of Guyana’s Parliament.
“The first time I went into parliament was actually the first time I was becoming a member of parliament (MP), so I am excited today that young people are far better prepared than we were in my day.”
According to Minister Hughes, many positive things are happening in Guyana for the youth, particularly the opportunities for them to be young entrepreneurs and improve themselves in various areas of training, which would eventually prepare them for being the next generation of leaders.
Presidential Advisor on Youth Empowerment Aubrey Norton, who also spoke with DPI, explained that the second module began with training in critical thinking and analysis. It also included a component where participants we taught to solve problems and write reports.
According to him, the batch of young leaders were also given an opportunity to participate in what he said was a “mock parliament”, which saw them being divided into the two parliamentary groups, debating the National Youth Policy.
“The sole purpose of it is, to teach them to debate and to produce new ideas so that when the youth policy has to be revised, you’re getting it from youths across the country because these young people come from all administrative regions so they bring a variety of views, culture and background,” he explained.
The youths have all commended the program, which they hope can go another round because of the numerous benefits incurred.
Following the completion of the training, the youths will return to their communities to assist and mentor others like themselves, the presidential advisor said.
The training program is comprised of six-part Module One and three-part Module Two.
Norton said government hopes to develop a Module Three, which will specialise in youth work, teaching them how to overcome youth problem and assist in the creation of youth empowerment.

Gasoline, diesel, and kerosene prices increase

Gasoline

Effective midnight, Sunday December 3rd, 2017 the retail prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene will increase.
The new price of gasoline will be $3.27 per litre, up from $3.19, an increase of eight cents. The price of diesel will move from $2.52 per litre to $2.58 per litre while kerosene will now cost $ 1.34 per litre, up from $1.26. These represent increases of six cents and eight cents respectively.
These price adjustments are in keeping with Government’s policy of allowing retail prices to be reflective of those on the international market.

CBI responds to Fake News

CBI

Chairman of the Citizenship by Investment Programme – CBI Responds to Fake News Blogger

In his latest blogpost, Mr. Kenneth Rijock, convicted criminal and self-styled financial analyst, continues on his paid campaign to try to discredit a number of successful CBI programmes in the region, including our own.
As Chairman of the Board of the  programme and as one of the persons referred to in Rijock’s fabricated text message exchanges, I roundly reject the latest blogpost, which has unsubstantiated issues being put out as facts.
Rijock’s latest blog, like several of the previous, is bogus and an outright lie, intended to mislead and deceive people, and to disrupt Grenada’s CBI Programme.
There is absolutely no truth to the allegations made or indeed to the text messages he refers to in the blog post. In fact, the text messages he presents are ludicrous to say the least. Similar to the “Wells Fargo Bank screenshot”relied on to purportedly substantiate the fake news story published by Rijock on 21 August, 2017, the text messages that appear in this most recent blog post are a total fabrication.
Mr. Rijock and his associates would be well advised to cease and desist from continuing to disseminate this fake news pieces, which are clearly malicious falsehoods, as the Government will have no hesitation whatsoever in prosecuting them to the full force of law.
Kaisha Ince,Chairperson CBI Committee

Access to Information – ATI Youth Ambassadors.

ATI

Seven Students Installed as Access to Information – ATI  Youth Ambassadors.

Seven students were inducted as the first set of Access to Information (ATI) Youth Ambassadors at a ceremony held at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Wednesday (November 29).
Responsibilities of the representatives include promoting the functions and application of the ATI Act among their peers through various projects as well as leading the planning and execution of three ATI-related activities and events within their schools. This is to be done in collaboration with the ATI Unit.
The ambassadors, who have been trained in the use and function of the ATI Act, will serve for 12 months. They will be granted a small honorarium and financial support for projects.
Acting Director of the ATI Unit, OPM, Tomica Daley, told JIS News that the Youth Ambassador programme is being launched as a pilot within seven schools before being expanded to other institutions.
“The programme was conceptualised as a way of getting youth involved in promoting the three tenets of the Act – government accountability, transparency, and public participation in decision-making. We thought it prudent to get our youth involved because we believe they have a say in the future, and with their participation, we believe we will see great improvement in the way we do business in government,” she said.
State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, in a message read by Acting Chief Education Officer for School Operations, Maxine Headlam, conveyed his support for the programme.
“This Youth Ambassador Programme is very timely. It is in keeping with the Government’s thrust to tap into the rich resources of our youth to move the country forward,” he said.
He noted that “ATI is a crucial area, which goes to the heart of governance and, therefore, our youth must be encouraged to get involved. ATI is a tool for change; it holds persons at all levels of government accountable and ensures that we serve the people in an effective way”.
The Youth Ambassadors are fifth- and lower sixth-form students from traditional and non-traditional high schools across the island.
They are Charticia Robinson from Vauxhall High; Jevaun Johnson, Cornwall College; Josh Pratt, Ardenne High; Nastacia Linton, William Knibb Memorial High; Shadae Graham, Westwood High; Shaquille Johnson, Wolmer’s Boys; and Shavelle Shaw, Wolmer’s Girls.
The ambassadors were selected by teachers from the participating institutions based on academic merit and their good standing in the school community.
The ATI Act gives persons the legal right to access all copies of official documents held by government bodies, except those exempt from disclosure.
Official documents refer to those in the possession, custody or control of a government entity and are connected to its functions.
Exempt documents refer to those related to the deliberate processes of the Government and Cabinet; those affecting national security, international relations and personal privacy; and those subject to legal professional privilege.
The ATI Unit was established to spearhead the implementation and administration of the Access to Information Act 2002.

Concerns about Fake Items

Fake items

Concerns about fake items more about respect for creativity.

One or two cases involving fake items being sold here do not signify an increase in fake items on the Barbadian market.
Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss, emphasised this recently as he engaged media representatives who attended the LatAm Inward Mission at the Hilton Barbados Resort, Needham’s Point, St. Michael.
“One must not construe any recent cases in court involving fake products as there being any upsurge in the number of fake products entering the market. I think what we are speaking to here is respect for intellectual property and all that goes with it.
“When people take time out to design a product, to franchise it and what not, then we must certainly, from our end in Barbados, extend that respect by enforcing the law,” Mr. Inniss stated.
The Industry Minister, however, said such action reflected Barbados’ level of seriousness as a domicile prepared to respect other people’s rights. Sharing his own thoughts on product design and creativity, he added: “What I would like to see coming out is a heightened awareness of the need for Barbadians to have their designs patented so they would realise the immense value that comes [with it] because at the end of the day, it may cost the same to produce a shoe from Puma as it may cost to produce one from Nike, as it may cost to produce a no-brand name one but that little emblem on the side, …. carries with it a value to the company and the people who design it.”
Stressing that Barbadians would not want people “to counterfeit our rum”, he said: “We think that we make the best rum in the world and I happen to think so [too]; we don’t want people to be copying and bootlegging and doing these things because there is value in people’s creativity to be respected.”

Belize Police Department receives donation

Belize Police Department - AFIS

United States Embassy in Belize Donates Equipment to the Belize Police Department

The Belize Police Department continues to be the beneficiary of assistance with training and equipment from the United States Government through its embassy in Belmopan. Belize has been gifted fourteen (14) Afix Tracker Systems to be installed in key locations at Police Stations country-wide. The United States Embassy has also provided the training for over 30 Police and Scenes of Crime Officers from all the districts, on how to use and operate these systems.
The Afix Tracker System, an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), is a biometrics system commonly used by law enforcement agencies around the world. It allows for finger and palm prints recovered from crime scenes to be digitally captured and then compared to fingerprint records from a data bank in the AFIS system. The system is equipped with a fingerprint and palm print live scan system and a mug shot camera, which allows for digital finger and palm prints and photos to be digitally captured in real-time from arrested persons.
This newest addition to the Belize Police Department’s crime-fighting arsenal will enhance the department’s current fingerprint identification capabilities, as it will now allow comparisons to be made on site at 14 different locations countrywide.
The handing over ceremony for the equipment is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 4, 2017, at the Belmopan Police Headquarters compound. The ceremony will be followed by a demonstration of how the equipment works at the Belmopan Police Station.

2017 Independence Day Honours List

Letters Patent dated July 25, 1980

His Excellency the Acting Governor-General, Sir Philip Marlowe Greaves, Knight of St. Andrew, Queen’s Counsel, has consented to the announcement of National Honours on the occasion of the Fifty-first Anniversary of Independence of Barbados.
The Barbados National Honours and Decorations system was instituted by Letters Patent dated July 25, 1980.
The Letters Patent provide, inter alia, for the establishment of the s in which there are four (4) classes of awards:

  • Knight or Dame of St. Andrew;
  • Companion of Honour of Barbados;
  • The Crown of Merit in two grades – Gold and Silver; and
  • The Barbados Service Award in two grades – The Star and

The Barbados Star of Gallantry, the Barbados Bravery Medal and the Service Medal of Honour were also instituted by Letters Patent dated July 25, 1980.
Over the years, awards have been made to persons in various fields of endeavor. This year the public and private sectors are represented in the areas of business and entrepreneurship, publishing, public service, sports, medicine, education, the Trade Union Movement, entertainment, culture, humanitarian and philanthropic efforts, and community service.
Please click here to read the full statement on the 2017 Independence Day Honours.

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