CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Barbados
The Barbados government is pleased
with the latest ratings by the US-based
agency, Standard & Poor’s, despite the
devastating impact of the coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic on the island’s
main economic earner, tourism.
S&P has maintained the island’s
credit rating as B-/Stable/B and Prime
Minister Mia Mottley said, “we are
buoyed by the confidence that continues
to be displayed in
the work of the government
and people of
Barbados, in spite of
us going through the
most difficult times
since the Great Depression.”
She said a delayed economic recovery
will result in increased fiscal pressures
during the outlook horizon noting that
the country will face rising expenditures
due to health-related spending in
the face of lower revenues from tourism
receipts.
In its assessment of the country’s
performance, S&P attributed its decision
largely to the success of the Barbados
Economic Recovery and Transformation
Program, describing it as a
key factor in allowing the country to
weather the economic impact.
S&P said in a statement that the stable
outlook reflects “our view that the
COVID-19 pandemic will have a significant
impact on Barbados’ economy and
that the recovery will be more subdued
than anticipated.”
Caribbean
The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism
Organization (CTO) has acknowledged
that the coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic has taken a “major toll” on
the sector as the region observes Caribbean
Tourism Month in November.
CTO Acting Secretary
General, Neil Walters
said in a statement
to mark the occasion:
“We observe this year’s
Caribbean Tourism Month with COVID-
19 still affecting travel as the Caribbean
and the rest of the world continue to
wait a vaccine.”
“The impact on tourism has been
immense — a 57 percent decline in
arrivals during the first six months of
2020, an estimated 50 percent to 60
percent fall in visitor spending, and
tens of thousands of jobs lost. Those
still employed have in several cases,
accepted reductions in working hours
and wage cuts,” he said.
Caribbean Tourism Month is being
observed under the theme “The Caribbean
Awaits.” Walters said that this
theme complements the region’s success
in generally containing the spread
of COVID-19 “which has taken a major
toll on tourism along with other sectors
Caribbean L 4 ife, Nov. 27-Dec. 3, 2020
Updated daily at www.caribbeanlifenews.com
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters
in New York, U.S., Sept. 28, 2018. REUTERS / Eduardo Munoz, fi le
of our economies.”
The CTO acting secretary general
said that the resilience of the Caribbean
is shown by the progress made towards
the resumption of tourism activity.
Walters said currently, about 25 Caribbean
countries have opened their borders
to commercial travel, either fully
or partially and others are putting the
necessary measures in place to welcome
visitors.
Guyana
The Guyana Police Force (GDF) is
offering a Guy$3million reward for
information leading to the arrests of
those responsible for the deaths of
cousins Isiah and Joel
Henry and Haresh
Sing in September.
The GDF said in a
statement the reward
is being offered to any
person or persons who can provide
information leading to the arrest and
prosecution of the perpetrators of these
gruesome murders.
It added that the GDF assures the
general public that all information
received will be treated with the strictest
confidence in these ongoing investigations.
The battered bodies of 18-year-old
Joel Henry and 16-year-old Isaiah
Henry, a pupil, were found on Sept. 7 in
the Cotton Tree backdam, West Coast
Berbice, resulting in widespread demonstrations
by residents of the area.
Two days later, 17-year-old Singh, the
grandson of one of the seven suspects
who had been held in connection with
the brutal murders of two cousins, was
found murdered with a wound to the
head.
Five investigators from the Regional
Security System (RSS) based in Barbados
visited Guyana in September to
help the local police probe the brutal
killings.
Last month, President Irfaan Ali told
reporters the regional investigators had
recommended that the GDF do more in
their investigations into the murders.
Jamaica
Jamaica has welcomed the decision
by the United States
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
(CDC) to lift its
order for cruise ships
in US ports as a step in the right direction
.Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett
said it will take some time for full
normality to return the cruise industry.
He said the move by the CDC is a win
for Jamaica and other Caribbean cruise
dependent nations.
Bartlett said countries can now
fast-track their preparations to meet
all the expected protocols that will be
required.
He noted that the cruise industry has
been basically paralyzed since operation
ceased in March amid the COVID-19
outbreaks at sea.
The tourism minister said the cruise
sector will have to meet certain requirements
to protect passengers and staff
and also their destination of travel.
He said the CDC has put the onus on
cruise companies to prove their covid
protocols are working, with specific
testing requirements and trial runs
before passengers can return.
In addition, operators will have to
enter into written agreements with the
land-side medical facilities to treat any
affected passengers.
Most cruise ship companies have
canceled all cruises leaving US ports
until at least Dec. 1, 2020.
St. Kitts
The St. Kitts and
Nevis government has
announced an extension
of the Value Added
Tax (VAT) Day in a bid
to further stimulate the economy in
the twin-island Federation as it reopens
following the closure because of the
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THE NEWS FROM BACK HOME
Barbados PM touts country’s economy
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