CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Antigua
The Antigua and
Barbuda government
says its future plans
for the cash-strapped
regional airline, LIAT,
will fly as far north as Florida, stopping
in places like Jamaica, Haiti, and the
Dominican Republic.
Antigua and Barbuda is seeking to
become the largest shareholder government
of the airline and is in negotiations
with Barbados to acquire most of that
country’s shareholding in the Antiguabased
airline.
The other shareholder governments
are Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
and Grenada.
Antigua and Barbuda government currently
holds 34 percent of the shares.
The government said it would seek
to acquire shares owned by Barbados
through a takeover of the liability of
Barbados of the Caribbean Development
Bank (CDB).
Instead of collapsing LIAT or reducing
the size the Gaston Browne administration
is aiming to enlarge LIAT’s routes.
Caribbean
The Caribbean
Forum (CARIFORUM)
has embarked
on a study of human
trafficking which is
expected to provide a greater understanding
of the problem within and
across its borders.
The study is being conducted with
funding from the Caribbean Regional
Indicative Program under the Tenth
European Development Fund.
A Canadian-based firm Dunn, Pierre,
Barnett and Company, Canada Limited,
has been engaged by CARIFORUM to
conduct the comprehensive study.
The study will inform the methods
that will be used to design interventions
which are evidence-based and consistent
with best practices in anti-trafficking
including, but not limited to prevention,
protection and prosecution.
A statement from the CARIFORUM
Secretariat said it is hoped that the
research will also provide useful information
on, types, patterns and routes of
trafficking; profile of trafficked persons;
border law enforcement and information
about the traffickers and anti-trafficking
efforts currently being undertaken.
It said the research team is expected
to meet with stakeholders including representatives
of Ministries of National
Security, Legal and Attorneys General,
police, prisons and other public sector
agencies as well as individuals from vulnerable
communities and victims.
Guyana
The Guyana government is reviewing
an agreement that Qatar state-owned oil
Updated daily at www.caribbeanlifenews.com
Moves to decriminalize marijuana
Timothy Harris, prime minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, who is seen here addressing the 73rd session of the United Nations General
Assembly at the United Nations headquarters has announced his government move to decriminalize marijuana for medicinal and
scientifi c, religious and recreational purposes. Associated Press / Frank Franklin II
company, Qatar Petroleum
(QP) has reached
with French-based
energy giant Total to
acquire a stake in the
French company’s two oil and gas blocks
offshore Guyana.
QP announced the deal recently saying
it would hold 40 percent of Total’s
25 percent participating interest in the
Orinduik block and 40 percent of Total’s
25 percent participating interest in the
neighboring Kanuku Tullow Oil that
operates Orinduik and Repsol operates
Kanudku.
Dr. Mark Bynoe, head of the Department
of Energy, said, “we have received
the transacting letter from Total and the
government is currently studying it, but
until such time that we understand the
full implications, because this is not a
normal farm-in like we would have seen
and so we are not about to pronounce
thereon.”
Jamaica
Jamaica National Security Minister,
Dr. Horace Chang is linking the billion
Caribbean L 4 ife, Aug. 23, 2019 BQ
dollar cocaine haul in
Jamaica to criminals
who are responsible for
the illegal importation
of hundreds of guns
into the country.
Police recently seized more than
2,600 pounds of cocaine valued at Ja$4.5
billion (US$33 million), during an exercise
in Morant Point in St. Thomas on
the eastern point of the island.
Chang told legislators that up to 200
illegal guns are imported to Jamaica
monthly and that the authorities are
working to detain those responsible for
organizing the trade.
Police said an international drug network
is behind the cocaine, which originated
from South America and was destined
for the United States.
Chang said that despite the best
efforts of previous police units, they
could not operate effectively within the
constitutional space they had to work
with while dealing with international
crime.
He said as a result, the island was
forced to revisit and renegotiate cooperation
agreements with long-standing
international partners, including the
United States, Canada and the United
Kingdom, in order to continue the partnership
needed to stop transnational
crimes.
St. Vincent
The first female Governor
General of St.
Vincent and the Grenadines,
Susan Dougan
was sworn in on
Emancipation Day by High Court judge,
Justice Brian Cottle during a ceremony
witnessed by state officials, as well as
relatives and friends and the media.
As governor general, Dougan represents
Queen Elizabeth II, who is also
sovereign head of the country.
In her 30 years as a public servant,
Dougan, who has a degree in chemistry,
was also Principal of Girls High
School and also served as chief education
officer.
It was under her tenure as chief education
officer that the Ralph Gonsalves
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