CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
ANTIGUA
The Antigua and Barbuda government
has welcomed a court ruling
that dismissed an application by a
union representing public servants
that sought to challenge the government’s
policy on vaccination against
the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Attorney General and Minister of
Legal Affairs, Steadroy Benjamin said
the move by the Antigua and Barbuda
Public Service Association
(ABPSA) “had
no merit,” adding it
was bound for failure
given the COVID-19
situation in Antigua
and Barbuda.
The ABPSA is among several unions
that have sought to challenge the vaccine
mandate and during the recent
hearing, the Court dismissed the matter
on the grounds that the association
does not have the authority to put
forward the motion given the current
state of emergency (SoE) and further
ABPS is not a recognized or registered
body.
Last month, the union filed a petition
for judicial review after indicating
that the mandatory vaccination policy
was unreasonable, irrational, and disproportionate
The government had warned that
the salaries of those public sector
workers who remain unvaccinated will
be with held — unless the employees
can provide a valid medical exemption
— while they remain away from
work.
BARBADOS
Prime Minister Mia Mottley is lobbying
for a vaccine plant to be established
on the island,
saying she does “not
accept that it is impossible
for us to achieve
that.”
Mottley, who was speaking to
reporters following the opening of
the 15th session of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) in Bridgetown recently,
reiterated her call for global equity
in the distribution of the COVID-19
vaccines.
She said that if the COVID-19 pandemic
is to be conquered, vaccines
need to be readily available across the
world.
The prime minister said she does
not accept that it is impossible for
Barbados to have a plant established
here.
Mottley said a manufacturing or
bottling plant would do well not only
for the COVID-19 pandemic but for
any pandemic or future needs for
pharmaceuticals
She told reporters that the Delta
Caribbean L 4 ife, OCTOBER 22-28, 2021
Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley. Photo by George Alleyne
variant of the virus is wreaking havoc
on the economies and health systems
of the Caribbean and it was important
for there to be a quick and reliable
access to vaccines.
CARIBBEAN
The Barbados government is defending
its decision to being part of an initiative
involving at least two Caribbean
countries (St. Lucia and the Bahamas)
seeking to acquire COVID-19 vaccines,
insisting that “no taxpayers resources
were expanded.”
Acting Prime Minister
Sanita Bradshaw,
in an address
to the nation recently,
confirmed that the
“regional company” at the center of
the initiative” now finds itself having
to pursue legal action in the United
States for the non-delivery of COVID-
19 vaccines, which it would have paid
for and subsequently tried to procure
for Barbados from a legitimate manufacturer.”
She reminded that in February this
year, Barbados and many other developing
countries were severely impacted
by the coronavirus and were seeking
to acquire vaccines to help deal
with the situation.
She said there are several rules governing
the purchase of vaccines from
the international manufacturers and
this can only be done if the recipient
government with whom the discussions
are taking place approves of such
purchases and that arrangements are
also put in place “for the vaccines to
be delivered directly to the relevant
authorities in the country under the
auspices of the Ministry of Health.”
Bradshaw said Barbados’ quota
was 300,000 and that the supplier
was in discussions with other countries
regarding the remaining 700,000
doses.
She insisted that at the time the
deal was being brokered Barbados and
other countries were facing difficulties
in acquiring the vaccines and that
no taxpayers money were expended to
acquire the vaccines.
GUYANA
EXXONMOBIL has announced a
new discovery at the Cataback-1 well
and increased its estimate of the discovered
recoverable resource for the
Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, to
approximately ten billion oil-equivalent
barrels.
This brings the
total significant discoveries
within the
Stabroek Block to 25.
The Cataback-1 well encountered
243 feet of net pay in high-quality
hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone reservoirs.
The newest discovery has also
increased the Stabroek Resource, estimate
to approximately ten barrels of
oil-equivalent and further enhanced
the development potentials of Guyana’s
offshore blocks.
President of ExxonMobil Guyana
Alistair Routledge said recent discoveries
and ongoing projects continue to
contribute to the advancement of the
Guyana economy.
ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration
and Production Limited is operator
and holds 45 percent in the Stabroek
Block.
JAMAICA
Sandals Resorts
International has
announced the construction
of the Gordon “Butch” Stewart
International School of Hospitality
and Tourism at the University of the
West Indies (The UWI) in conjunction
with Florida International University’s
(FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality
and Tourism Management.
Sandals said it was being done in
honor of Sandals’ late founder Stewart
and his “legendary entrepreneurial
spirit and life-long belief in the power
of education.”
FIU, in partnership with the UWI,
will develop the next-generation of
international tourism and hospitality
leadership, through fully accredited
undergraduate and graduate programming,
a Sandals statement said.
Continued on Page 18
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