CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Antigua
Prime Minister, Gaston Browne
says Antigua and Barbuda is prepared
to acquire further shares in the cashstrapped
regional airline, LIAT, but is not
going to pay an estimated US$44 million
being asked by Barbados for the sale of its
shares in the airline.
The two countries have been holding
discussions on the shares acquisition.
Speaking on a radio program in
Antigua, Prime Minister
Browne told listeners if
his country had to settle
at the asking price of
US$44 million “that
would be a steal for
Barbados.”
“We are not in the process of giving
away money. We are in the process of
creating value and to get fair value for the
people of Antigua and Barbuda,” he said.
Antigua and Barbuda currently holds
34 percent of the shares and if it succeeds
in convincing Barbados to part with LIAT
shares, would have 81 percent of the
airline that employs over 600 people and
operates 491 flights weekly across 15
destinations.
Browne said his government would
seek to acquire the LIAT shares owned
by Barbados, through a take-over of the
liability of Barbados to the Caribbean
Development Bank (CDB).
Caribbean
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-Wen
recently visited Haiti in an attempt to
boost support in the region.
The visit to the
Haitian capital, Portau
Prince was the first
stop on a 12-day trip to
the Caribbean with St
Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, St
Kitts and Nevis to follow.
Taiwan’s allies in the Caribbean and
Central America have dwindled in recent
years.
In 2017, Panama cut ties with Taiwan, a
self-governing island that China considers
a renegade province, to establish relations
with China.
Grenada
Grenada’s Permanent Representative
to the OAS, Yolande Smith, has assumed
the chair of the Organization of American
States Permanent Council.
The chair of the Permanent Council
is held on a rotating basis every three
months.
On taking the chair
recently Smith spoke
of the importance
of carrying out the
council’s actions based on integrity that
must be essential “in the process, in the
ways we conduct our daily affairs, in the
responsibility entrusted on us.”
The outgoing chair and permanent
Updated daily at www.caribbeanlifenews.com
Grenada’s Ambassador to the OAS,Yolande Yvonne Smith chairs the Regular Meeting of the Permanent
Council, July 24, 2019. OAS / Juan Manuel Herrera
representative of the United States, Carlos
Trujillo, thanked the representatives of
the countries for “their help and support
over the last three months.”
In early May, Smith presented her
credentials to United States President,
Donald Trump. She has 25 years in the
diplomatic service.
Her first posting was at the Grenada
Consulate General in Toronto, from 1995-
1999.
From 1999-2008, she was stationed
at the Grenada Embassy in Washington
DC.
Jamaica
Jamaica has earned an estimated US$2
billion from tourism for the first half
of 2019, according to
the Minister without
portfolio in the Ministry
of Economic Growth
and Job Creation,
Pearnel Charles.
Jamaica welcomed about two million
visitors between January and June this
year. Last year, the country had record
arrivals of 4.32 million visitors with
earnings of US$3.3 billion.
Charles speaking on the Tourism
Workers Pension Act 2019 in the Senate
recently said tourism drives nine percent
of Jamaica’s gross domestic product
(GDP) and contributes, in revenue terms,
20 percent of GDP.
He noted, too, that the sector earnings
have grown from US$369 million in 2017
to US$431 million in 2018 which shows
the tourism industry’s continued growth
and success is as a result of the hard work,
and dedication of the tourism workers.
The Tourism Workers Pension Act 2019
Caribbean L 4 ife, Aug. 2–8, 2019 BQ
seeks to establish a defined contribution
pension scheme for hospitality industry
workers.
Charles said that an increase in visitors
equates to greater demand for more
trained workers.
He said data shows that as January 2019
there were 120,500 workers in the sector,
which represents nine percent of the labor
force, adding that employment in hotels
and restaurants increased by four percent
from January 2017 to January 2019.
St. Kitts
The permanent representatives of St.
Kitts and Nevis to the United Nations His
Excellency, Sam Condor signed a visa
waiver agreement with his Excellency
Kaha Imnadze permanent representative
of Georgia to grant visa-free access
between the two countries.
According to the agreements, holders
of diplomatic, official and ordinary
passports are permitted
entry without a visa
into the Federation of
St. Kitts and Nevis and
Georgia (which lies on
the edge of Europe and Asia) for a period
not exceeding 90 days in any 180 days.
The ceremony took place recently
in New York where the permanent
representatives discussed areas for
bilateral cooperation.
This step to further strengthen the
relations would facilitate the hassle-free
movement of persons from both nations
and the building of new relationships.
By signing, Georgia becomes the 153rd
nation with which St. Kitts and Nevis have
established visa-free entry relationships
within recent times.
Trinidad
The call for the impeachment of
Trinidad and Tobago Chief Justice Ivor
Archie was rejected by Prime Minister
Dr Keith Rowley who said he will
not take action on the head of the
judiciary.
The Prime Minister said he had
received legal advice that he should
not acquiesce to the Law Association’s
request to initiate impeachment
proceedings against Archie for
misconduct.
In 2017 the Law Association of
Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) appointed
a sub-commitee to investigate, among
other things, the
allegations that Archie
sought to persuade
judges to change
their State-provided
security in favor of security provided
by a private company connected to
questionable character- convicted
fraudster Dillion Johnson- leading
to concerns being expressed on the
possibility that the Chief Justice may
have been comprised, with Archie
firmly dismissing any misconduct.
He said this allegation is linked
to an attempt to overthrow a
judgment in the opposition United
National Congress’ (UNC) election
failed election petitions., The UNC
had challenged the outcome of the
2015 General Election in six marginal
seats.
The Court of Appeal over which
Archie presided had ruled against the
petitions. A judgement was given in
favor of the PNM MPs in all six seats.
— Compiled by Azad Ali
ti
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