CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Bahamas
The Bahamas government says it
will soon outline new measures aimed
at reviving the economy in light of
the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,
even as it announced a relaxation of the
lockdown measures put in place to curb
the spread of the virus, particularly in
New Province.
Prime Minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis
told a news conference, “we are all living
through the worst
economic crisis in
more than 70 years.
We are working on a
revised detailed phased
plan to boost jobs and
economic growth domestically, even as
we plan for the reopening of our vital
tourism sector, which is dependent on
conditions at home.”
He said that early in the pandemic he
had established an Economic Recovery
Committee (ERC) and that it is providing
the government with advice and
recommendations to position the country
to emerge from the economic crisis
as rapidly as possible.
Minnis said that the ERC will deliver
its full report this month as planned
and that even as it is working to do so,
“it has provided to my office several
interim recommendations and considerations
to help focus on the immediate
situation.”
The prime minister said it is essential
to reopen the domestic economy
as soon as possible, with the reopening
of the external economy to follow was
soon as feasible given the economic
conditions overseas.
Caribbean
The International Labor Organization
(ILO) is warning
that almost 500,000
Caribbean tourism
workers face the prospect
of job losses,
reductions in working
hours and loss of income, while worsening
of working conditions and the move
to informal employment appear as a
concrete possibility.
In a new publication entitled: “Tourism
sector in the English- and Dutchspeaking
Caribbean: An overview and
the impact of Covid-19 on growth
employment,” the ILO describes as significant
and far-reaching the reduction
in the Caribbean tourism industry
workforce due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The ILO is also noting that recovery
from the adverse impact on sector
jobs could be prolonged by a reversal
in economic growth, and calls for a
human-centered approach to resilient
and sustainable solutions.
The report included ILO guidance
and data, as well as research conducted
Caribbean L 4 ife, Sept. 11-17, 2020
Updated daily at www.caribbeanlifenews.com
Hubert Minnis Prime Minister of the Bahamas, told attendees of a recent news conference “we are all living
through the worst economic crisis in more than 70 years.” The prime minister believes it is essential to reopen
the domestic economy as soon as possible to get back on track after the COVID-19 pandemic.
REUTERS/Andres Stapff, File
around the region to demonstrate the
severity of the crisis on the sector’s
labor market.
It noted that on average, the tourism
industry directly contributes up to
about 33 percent of the region’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) and over 52
percent of export receipts..
Dominica
The Dominica government has
deported more than 40 Haitian
nationals after the High Court
paved the way for their removal after
having illegally entered the island last
month.
Minister of
National Security,
Ray Blackmore said
the Commonwealth
of Dominica like every other country
in the world, has the sovereign right
to keep its most precious resource, its
citizens safe.
He said even before COVID-19,
Dominica waged a constant battle with
persons, including its own nationals,
entering the island illegally but now it
was a greater matter of concern with
the advent of COVID-19.
Speaking on the state-owned DBS
radio station, Blackmore said an outbreak
of the virus was not the only
concern regarding the illegal migration,
“but a cross fertilization of crime
because the same people who traffic
in human are the very same ones who
traffic in firearms and illegal dangerous
drugs.”
He said this is why the police
detained 39 non-nationals recently for
attempting to leave the state illegally,
immediate action was taken to have
them removed from Dominica “as a
matter of urgency and in the interest
of national security and public
health.”
Blackmore said Dominica will
embark upon a review of its existing
laws to make it easier to remove nonnationals
who run afoul of the laws.
Guyana
The Guyana government is seeking
the assistance of Canada in reviewing
the Payara Field Development Plan
(FDP) before granting approval to the
US oil giant ExxonMobil.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali said the
government is in the process of engaging
an international expert to do that
review on the work that has been done
so far.
He said Canada had been asked to
assist with “sourcing someone” who
would be paid with
funds set aside for
technical assistance.
The president said,
“we are in the process
of engaging an internationals
export to do that review of
the work done so far,” adding that it
is in accordance with the ruling People’s
Progressive Party/Civic campaign
promise to review certain aspects of
the petroleum industry.
ExxonMobil submitted the FDP in
September 2019, following which the
former David Granger administration
embarked on a review with approval
pending since December 2019.
Payara is ExxonMobil’s second oil
discovery in the Stabroek Block.
St. Lucia
The St. Lucia government has welcomed
the decision by the United
States Center for Disease Control and
Continued on Page 16
THE NEWS FROM BACK HOME
Bahamas’ leaders look to revive economy
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