CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Antigua
CARICOM leaders recently met to
discuss arrangements that would allow
their nationals to enter Caribbean
countries without taking the various
tests for the COVID-19 pandemic.
In recent times, the regional countries
which have reopened their borders,
have created so-called “travel
bubbles” allowing for nationals from
several countries to freely move in and
out without having to
undergo many of the
tests required for entry
and exit from the
islands as a result of
the COVID-19.
Barbados, for example, had created a
bubble indicating that if you are coming
from a number of islands you don’t
need a covid-19 test.
The Ministry of Health in Antigua
and Barbuda said once you are coming
into the country, irrespective of where
you are coming from you must have a
COVID-19 negative PCR test.
The leaders are looking to see if
they could find a way to harmonize the
whole aspect of entry and exit among
the CARICOM countries.
Dominica
The Dominica government said it
had written to the French authorities in
a bid to improve upon border controls
between the island and the neighboring
French islands of Martinique and
Guadeloupe, after several people have
been found illegally entering and exiting
the island.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit told
a news conference that curtailing the
illegal migration was necessary given
the COVID-19 pandemic and regardless
of whether or not
Dominica nationals
are involved in the
practice, his administration
has opted a
zero tolerance approach to the matter.
He said people coming in, particularly
from Martinique and Guadeloupe,
both Dominican and non-Dominican
citizens who come into the country on
small boats…into illegal ports of entry.
Minister of National Security, Rayburn
Blackmore told reporters that all
non-nationals found trying to enter or
exit the island would be deported.
Commissioner of Police, Daniel Carbon
said several illegal migrants were
recently arrested.
He said 37 Haitian nationals were
detained in Jimet, along the island’s
west coast with 31 of them being
charged for overstaying.
Over the past month, police have
arrested 22 people for illegal entry and
five vessels were intercepted, Carbon
told reporters.
Caribbean Life, A 4 ug. 28-Sept. 3, 2020
Updated daily at www.caribbeanlifenews.com
Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, seen here as presidential candidate for Guyana’s opposition People’s Progressive Party, meets with
supporters, ahead of the March 2 presidential election, in Georgetown, Guyana, Jan. 18, 2020. REUTERS / Luc Cohen, File
Guyana
The new Guyana government says it
will establish a petroleum commission
to ensure that the oil and gas sector is
not subjected to undue political interference.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali said at his
recent inauguration ceremony that
every cent of the revenues from the
sector is accounted for, as well as every
cent of it that is spent.
Ali told the ceremony that there
must be no doubt in the minds of the
population that all of
them well as the country
are the beneficiaries
of the oil and gas
industry.
Guyana has joined
the league of petroleum producing
nations with the official start of oil
production at the Liz Phase 1 Development,
announced on Dec. 20 last year.
Jamaica
The Jamaica government recently
announced a series of new measures,
including new curfew hours in the
capital, as efforts continue to curb the
spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19)
that has affected more than 1,250 people
and killed 15 people so far.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness told
a news conference that while there are
concerns over the latest figures released
by the Ministry of Health, there was no
need for panic as the authorities continue
with their efforts to manage the
virus that he said would be around for
some time.
The Ministry of Health said there
were now 1,290 persons affected with
the virus and 98 new
cases had been recorded
over the past 24
hours (Aug. 21). There
are 416 active cases.
Holness said the new measures would
also affect the campaign for the Sept. 3
general election and that discussions
had taken place with the main opposition
People’s National Party (PNP) in
that regard.
The prime minister said the curfew
was necessary to restrict the movement
of persons, since the virus cannot
move on its own and among the measures
would be restrictions regarding
churches being prohibited from holding
funerals.
St. Kitts
The St. Kitts and Nevis government
said it is hoping to reopen
the borders of the
twin-island Federation
by October, after
a careful consideration
of the health and safety needs of citizens
and residents, as well as its commitment
to restoring the local economy
to pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) levels.
The government said an expansive
training program is being spearheaded
by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration
with the ministries of Health and
Civil Aviation. It aims to train 5,000
persons in the industry at no cost to
participants.
Prime Minister, Dr. Timothy Harris
told a news conference, “Given the
need to ensure all will benefit and can
be certified by the Tourism Authority,
training is being offered.”
He told reporters that his administration
was taking decisions based
on extensive dialogue with relevant
stakeholders, including the National
Emergency Operations Center, health
experts and the business community
represented by the Chamber of Industry
and Commerce.
The prime minister said upon the
successful completion of the COVID-
19 sensitization sessions, participants
will be presented with the St. Kitts and
Nevis Travel Approved Seal that will
identify entities and operators within
the tourism industry who have undergone
the required training to meet the
minimum health and safety COVID-19
protocols.
Trinidad
The Inter-American
Development Bank
(IADB) has signed two
loans with the Trinidad
and Tobago government
for a combined total of US$150
Continued on Page 18
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Guyana Prez focues on oil revenues
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