Crise ha?tienne : l’OEA secoue le cocotier de la communaut? internationale

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Le Nouvelliste

Communiqu? du Secr?tariat g?n?ral de l’OEA sur Ha?ti, 8 ao?t 2022, D?mocratie et s?curit?

La crise institutionnelle que vit Ha?ti est le r?sultat direct des actions des forces endog?nes du pays et de la communaut? internationale.

Les 20 derni?res ann?es de pr?sence de la communaut? internationale en Ha?ti constituent l’un des ?checs les plus importants et manifestes de mesures mises en oeuvre et d’actions r?alis?es dans le cadre de quelque action de coop?ration internationale que ce soit.

Cela n’a rien ? voir avec les personnes qui, dans un esprit de service et de fa?on altruiste, ont travaill? comme coop?rants et ont donn? le meilleur d’eux-m?mes, et dans certains cas m?me leur vie, pour Ha?ti. Nous avons le plus grand respect pour ces personnes, qui m?ritent notre reconnaissance ?ternelle.

Nous parlons du fait qu’en 20 ans de strat?gie politique erron?e, la communaut? internationale n’a pas ?t? capable de faciliter la construction d’une seule institution ayant la capacit? de r?pondre aux probl?mes des Ha?tiens, 20 ans plus tard pas une seule institution n’est plus forte qu’elle ne l’?tait auparavant.

Sous le parapluie de la communaut? internationale, les bandes criminelles qui assi?gent aujourd’hui le pays et son peuple ont ferment? et germ?, sous ce parapluie le processus de d?sinstitutionnalisation et de crise politique que nous connaissons aujourd’hui a germ? et couv?.

Alors, ?tant donn? qu’elle a ?chou?, la communaut? internationale s’est retir?e d’Ha?ti, laissant derri?re elle chaos, destruction et violence.

Actuellement, il est absurde de pr?tendre que dans ce contexte de destruction, les Ha?tiens, compl?tement seuls, polaris?s et disposant de tr?s maigres ressources, pourraient reconstruire ou construire un projet de s?curit?, de r?institutionnalisation et de d?veloppement qui permettrait ? 12 millions d’habitants de retrouver une coexistence pacifique. Ne disposant pas de ressources, dans un climat de violence, en l’absence de capacit?s technologiques ou d’accumulation financi?re, sans rien de tout cela, on tente aujourd’hui de faire croire qu’une solution ha?tienne compl?tement endog?ne pourrait prosp?rer. Il n’en est pas ainsi.

En l’absence de conditions permettant d’assurer la d?mocratie et la s?curit?, le pays souffre aujourd’hui d’un manque d’id?es et de capacit?s r?elles provenant de la communaut? internationale, de m?me que de ses propres probl?mes structurels. Une communaut? internationale qui n’a jamais su si elle devait laisser la Minustah ou l’emporter, une communaut? internationale qui croyait qu’en payant ses propres consultants elle r?soudrait les probl?mes des Ha?tiens. ?videmment, rien de cela n’?tait possible et rien de cela n’est possible.

D?mocratie

La construction de la d?mocratie d?pend des citoyens, d’institutions fortes qui doivent en permanence ?tre renforc?es, des capacit?s de dialogue du syst?me politique et de l’honn?tet? de ce syst?me politique. Elle d?pend essentiellement des pouvoirs r?els de l’?tat, des capacit?s et de l’ind?pendance n?cessaires pour agir, de l’exercice et du plein respect (assur? par l’?tat) des libert?s et des garanties fondamentales dans le cadre de l’exercice le plus large des droits ?conomiques et sociaux, ainsi que de la mise sur pied d’un processus ?lectoral cr?dible, juste et transparent.

L’exercice du pouvoir conform?ment ? l’?tat de droit, l’efficience administrative et institutionnelle pour apporter des solutions aux probl?mes des Ha?tiens sont des conditions fondamentales de fonctionnement qui n’ont jamais ?t? assur?es par la communaut? internationale en Ha?ti, qui n’ont jamais ?t? construites par la communaut? internationale en Ha?ti et qu’Ha?ti ne poss?de pas. Nous devons ?tre conscients du fait que nous nous trouvons devant une version plus ou moins radicale d’un ?tat en d?route et d’une soci?t? civile faible et vuln?rable. Le pire des mondes, tant l’?tat que la soci?t? civile sont faibles.

On ne peut nier que la solution ? cette situation revient aux Ha?tiens, mais la communaut? internationale a elle aussi un r?le ? jouer.

La soci?t? ha?tienne est tr?s vuln?rable et tr?s polaris?e, ses institutions et ses organisations sont tr?s faibles, et il faut trouver un chemin vers un renforcement ? partir du point z?ro, si ce n’est pas de plus loin encore.

Cela ne sera pas possible sans r?duire la polarisation et sans construire des capacit?s et b?tir des ponts entre les Ha?tiens. Sans dialogue, c’est impossible.

La construction de la d?mocratie ha?tienne passe par l’induction de capacit?s de dialogue, ce qui demande une confiance mutuelle entre les divers acteurs sociaux ou politiques en Ha?ti. Nous ne disposons aujourd’hui d’aucun syst?me des balances, ni au sein du syst?me politique, ni dans la dimension sociale; au contraire, la violence, un mauvais usage de la force interne, la logique criminelle dans les actions, des institutions en d?route et un manque de capacit?s de la soci?t? civile pr?valent.

Pour parvenir ? la paix dans le pays, il faut franchir une ?tape indispensable. Il faut que justice soit rendue pour l’assassinat du Pr?sident Jovenel Mo?se. Si la v?rit? n’est pas ?tablie, et si justice n’est pas rendue, il sera impossible d’avancer sur la voie de la r?conciliation et de l’entente.

Pour r?soudre ces questions, il faut tout d’abord construire les processus suivants :

o Un processus de dialogue institutionnalis? et inclusif de toutes les forces politiques qu’il serait possible d’y inclure. Dans ce processus, la communaut? internationale peut apporter les ressources et ?tablir les ponts entre les parties afin de les renforcer et de les guider sur un chemin qui les m?nera vers le renforcement des capacit?s organisationnelles et institutionnelles.

o Un processus ?lectoral cr?dible, juste et transparent.

o Un processus institutionnel de s?curit? pour le pays.

Ces processus n?cessitent la coop?ration de la communaut? internationale, ?videmment pour tout ce qui a trait aux ressources n?cessaires, qu’elles soient financi?res, humaines ou mat?rielles.

Il serait un leurre de penser qu’une partie du travail pourrait ?tre accomplie sans aucun soutien de la communaut? internationale, qu’aucun de ces processus n’est n?cessaire pour garantir que le pays puisse sortir de la crise dans laquelle il est plong? et que ces processus font toujours partie de l’horizon politique et socio-?conomique visible du pays. Cela ne peut ?tre accompli sans que la communaut? internationale ne paie la facture. Il n’y a pas tellement de membres de la communaut? internationale qui soient capables de le faire. La responsabilit? de payer la facture revient par cons?quent ? peu d’acteurs, qui ne doivent ni ne peuvent tarder ? assumer cette responsabilit? parce que le temps joue contre Ha?ti ?tant donn? que tout ce qui se produit empire tout simplement la situation.

Nous devons ?videmment attendre que des forces internes ha?tiennes s’opposent ? ces trois processus, qu’elles s’opposent au dialogue institutionnalis? parce que celui-ci peut comporter des avantages en ce qui concerne la stabilit? politique dans le pays, ce qui affecterait gravement certains int?r?ts qui pr?valent actuellement en Ha?ti. Ces forces s’opposeront ?videmment elles aussi ? un processus ?lectoral cr?dible, juste et transparent parce que les fa?ons de prendre le pouvoir selon les logiques politiques actuelles ont ?t? compl?tement diff?rentes d’un tel processus. Il y aura ?galement s?rement une opposition ? l’?laboration d’un processus institutionnel en mati?re de s?curit? pour le pays comportant un engagement fort face ? la communaut? internationale, ?tant donn? que cela d?mant?lerait la situation de pr?dominance de la violence des bandes arm?es et de la criminalit? organis?e.

? regarder la situation actuelle en Ha?ti, on comprend pourquoi de l’existence de forces internes qui voulaient, avec une complicit? externe, que la Minustah se retire. C’?tait simplement pour pr?parer le terrain afin qu’une situation comme celle qu’on constate actuellement puisse exister.

Il est absolument n?cessaire de renverser le processus de violence au moyen de nouvelles conditions institutionnelles accompagn?es d’un engagement international diff?rent qui permette de contr?ler la situation de violence et de d?sarmer les bandes arm?es. Il est imp?ratif de traquer les op?rations territoriales de la criminalit? organis?e. Toutefois, les ressources humaines, financi?res et mat?rielles pour ce faire doivent provenir en majeure partie de la communaut? internationale. Ha?ti ne dispose pas des ressources humaines pr?par?es et form?es pour ce faire, elle n’a pas de capacit?s dans son accumulation financi?re, elle ne dispose pas des capacit?s techniques n?cessaires pour faire face ? la situation d’ins?curit? ? laquelle elle est confront?e. Par cons?quent, prendre un autre chemin serait fausser compl?tement la r?alit?.

Des capacit?s similaires doivent ?tre d?velopp?es pour mettre en place un processus de dialogue conduisant quant ? lui ? un processus ?lectoral libre et juste. Nous estimons que l’ensemble de la communaut? internationale a un r?le ? jouer, mais il serait essentiel que toutes les ressources relatives ? tous ces processus soient concentr?es en un seul m?canisme institutionnalis? et centralis?, plut?t qu’en une superposition de volontarismes qui ne m?nent ? rien.

Ces processus sont absolument n?cessaires et il est essentiel de les mettre en marche d?s que possible, en commen?ant par le dialogue. Nous devons supposer que les deux autres processus seront ?labor?s sur cette base plut?t qu’? partir de d?cisions improvis?es provenant enti?rement de l’ext?rieur et inadapt?es ? ce que peuvent recevoir et faire la culture politique et la culture sociale du pays, mais il est ?vident que les ressources n’existent pas en Ha?ti, qu’elles doivent y ?tre introduites par le biais d’un processus institutionnalis? de la communaut? internationale comportant une composante importante de surveillance et de lutte contre la corruption afin d’?viter que les ressources ne soient d?tourn?es et mal utilis?es.

? partir des travaux relatifs ? ces trois processus, il faudra ?laborer une Constitution qui r?solve les graves d?ficiences ainsi que les probl?mes de la Constitution actuelle.

o Une Banque centrale autonome, forte et responsable

o Un syst?me de justice ind?pendant fort et efficace

o Un syst?me d’?ducation dot? de capacit?s d’apporter des solutions r?elles aux besoins des enfants et de la jeunesse ha?tienne

o Un processus d’investissement graduel qui permette d’apporter du travail et des emplois aux Ha?tiens et Ha?tiennes

Ne pas tenir compte de ces n?cessit?s signifierait fausser compl?tement la r?alit?. Vouloir attendre, jusqu’? ce qu’Ha?ti accumule ses propres capacit?s sans aide internationale prendrait des ann?es; le pays ne dispose pas actuellement et ne disposera pas dans un avenir rapproch? des conditions n?cessaires pour y arriver seul.

Si nous voulons r?soudre la crise et apporter une solution aux graves probl?mes d’Ha?ti sans aucun de ces ?l?ments, nous nous trouverons alors ? la derni?re ?tape d’un ?tat d’auto-tromperie, ce qui ne serait pas aussi grave que le fait que nous tromperions ?galement le peuple ha?tien, le laissant croire que nous avions trouv? une solution r?elle pour lui.

Pendant que nous continuons d’attendre que la situation en Ha?ti s’am?liore, les probl?mes s’exacerbent. Selon l’UNICEF, de nombreuses ?coles sont ferm?es depuis trois ans ? cause de la pand?mie de COVID-19 et leur r?ouverture a ?chou? ? cause de la violence criminelle qui affecte les communaut?s du pays et de l’extorsion ? laquelle elles ont soumis les autorit?s scolaires.

La communaut? internationale, les institutions financi?res internationales, le syst?me multilat?ral, la communaut? financi?re internationale des pays donateurs doivent prendre une d?cision, ? savoir s’ils veulent industrialiser Ha?ti en termes suffisants pour assurer du travail ? 9 millions d’Ha?tiens, ou s’il est ?conomiquement plus rentable de continuer ? absorber la migration ha?tienne et de laisser les pays d’accueil recevoir cette migration comme ils le peuvent et o? ils le peuvent, dans les conditions ?conomiques qu’ils peuvent donner. Il s’agit d’une d?cision tr?s importante car elle d?terminera la question de savoir si la situation ha?tienne reste dans un ?tat de crise permanente aux dimensions de plus en plus tragiques, ou si nous nous dirigeons vers un processus de transformation dans lequel nous assurons des investissements suffisants et leur durabilit?, et donc la stabilit? sociale du pays. Il est n?cessaire d’assurer une strat?gie qui inclut le <> Cela inclut l’importance du mod?le ?ducatif et des conditions de travail s?res.

Par surcro?t, la prosp?rit? ? venir d’Ha?ti d?pend du d?veloppement de ses jeunes. La d?nutrition chronique chez les enfants est irr?versible, r?duisant leur capacit? cognitive de 40%. Pour construire un avenir durable en Ha?ti, son capital humain doit ?tre hautement qualifi? et doit pouvoir comp?titionner sur les march?s du travail locaux et internationaux. Les d?ficiences actuelles en mati?re de s?curit? alimentaire, caus?es par la faible capitalisation en mati?re d’agriculture et par les difficult?s de transporter les aliments ? cause de blocus impos?s par des groupes criminels et une infrastructure pauvre, ne feront qu’?loigner le pays de l’objectif d’?liminer l’extr?me pauvret?.

Pour mettre fin rapidement au retard scolaire et ? la d?nutrition dont souffrent les enfants en Ha?ti, il faut absolument que cesse l’?tat de guerre interne qui existe actuellement. Nous r?it?rons publiquement notre demande de mettre fin ? la violence arm?e dans le pays.

Il est urgent de poursuivre les travaux visant ? renforcer la pr?sence de la s?curit? et d’entreprendre le processus de d?mocratisation.

R?f?rence : F-045/22

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Ariel Henry annonce une quatri?me ann?e de r?cession ?conomique et des temps difficiles en perspectives

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Le Nouvelliste

Le Premier ministre Ariel Henry, dans sa lettre de cadrage du projet de Budget 2022-2023 a indiqu? que le pays conna?tra sa quatri?me ann?e cons?cutive de r?cession ?conomique et des temps difficiles en perspectives. <>, a ?crit le Premier ministre Henry.

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Des temps difficiles en perspectives

<>, a indiqu? Ariel Henry qui a esquiss? le tableau des difficult?s pour les finances publiques.

Grande pr?occupation pour les finances publiques

<>. <>, a annonc? le chef du gouvernement.

Face ? ces constats, nous devons accentuer nos efforts pour am?liorer la mobilisation des ressources domestiques, a indiqu? Ariel Henry, r?v?lant qu’? <>. <>.

Optimisme d?chant?

Le Premier ministre Ariel Henry, dans la lettre de cadrage du d?cret de budget qui arrive ? terme le 1 octobre 2022, avait avec un certain optimiste qui d?chante. <>, pouvait-on lire dans cette lettre.

Le gouvernement, assez optimiste en avril 2022, pr?voyait, deux mois apr?s le d?but de la guerre entre la Russie et l’Ukraine, que <>. Cette lettre de cadrage situe le retour de la croissance du PIB avec la remise en place des institutions d?mocratiques, entre le 1er octobre 2022 et le 1er octobre 2023. <>, pr?voyait-elle.

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Guapo gardener reports $7,000 worth of plantain suckers stolen

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

Farmer Wayne James, 66, displays some of the suckers from his plantain trees at his Back Street, Guapo, Point Fortin, garden on Monday. Thieves stole about $7,000 worth of suckers from the garden over the weekend. – Marvin Hamilton

A Guapo gardener reported to the police a loss of over $10,000 owing to praedial larceny.

Wayne James, 66, said the thieves stole over $7,000 worth of plantain suckers from his garden off Forest Reserve Road.

Additionally, the thieves damaged about 200 fully grown trees with young and full plantain in tack.

The thieves, Jones said, were more interested in the suckers, which are used to plant new trees, than the plantains.

“I grow two types of plantains: horse (large) and French (smaller) plantains. They stole about 1,000 horse suckers. One sucker is roughly about $7. Because they dug out the suckers around the trees, they are falling,” Jones said.

Farmer Wayne James 66, shows the damage done to his plantain trees when they were cut and the suckers stolen over the weekend at his Back Street, Guapo, Point Fortin garden on Monday. – Marvin Hamilton

“The weight of the plantain is different. Some are about 17 pounds, 25 pounds, and 34 pounds. I sell wholesale about between $3 and $3.50 per pound.”

James of Lot Ten Village, Guapo, recalled that he went to his garden on Thursday and harvested 200 pounds of grameshel fig. He returned on Sunday around midday and made the discovery.

On Monday, he reported it to the police. He is hoping officers would arrest the thieves.

James would like to be compensated for his loss but feel he might not be entitled, considering he plants his crops on state lands.

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Scarborough Market reopens on Tuesday

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

An aerial view of the refurbished Scarborough market on Wilson Road in Tobago. – Ayanna Kinsale

The Scarborough market is expected to reopen on Tuesday.

So said a press release from the THA Division of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development on Monday.

The release said the reopening, scheduled for 10am, had been approved.

“This follows its extended closure to facilitate an intense cleaning and sanitisation as instructed by the Public Health Department.”

Last Thursday, vendors at the marketcalled for better arrangements after sanitation ework kept it closed for almost ten days. Vendors said the lack of suitable alternative accommodation in the interim is hurting their pockets.

On July 27, the division said the market would be closed until August 1. But it later said it would remain closed for longer as the process exceeded the initial estimated period.

Up to Thursday, the market remained closed, with vendors saying they had not had any update from officials.

In an unofficial arrangement, some of the vendors took up spaces at the nearby Victor E Bruce Financial Complex carpark.

Secretary of the division Nathisha Charles-Pantin said then she was working with health officials to see how quickly the market could be reopened.

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Minority Leader: THA’s Carnival marketing ‘haphazard’

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris –

THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris has criticised the Division of Tourism’s planning of the inaugural Tobago Carnival, scheduled for October 28-30.

Morris slammed the division’s ten-day promotional trip to Grenada, led by the assistant secretary, arguing that countries with direct access to Tobago should have been preferred. He said the marketing strategy for the Tobago Carnival is confusing.

In an interview with Newsday on Monday, Morris said he is Tobagonian first, and, like other stakeholders, wants to ensure the carnival is a tremendous success.

But Morris said he shared the concerns of Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore over the lack of information, “incoherent planning and haphazard strategic direction of the carnival planning committee with only two months remaining.”

Morris said he is confused by the promotional trip to Grenada, while stakeholders in Tobago are unaware of the calendar of events and the format of the carnival.

“It therefore begs the question: what are they marketing and to whom are they promoting (it) while in Grenada?

“Even more appalling is the isolation of our counterparts in Trinidad, where there is a market of 1.3 million Carnival-loving population and a well-organised international brand identity of mas bands, soca artistes and steel orchestras, whose following spreads far and wide across the globe.”

He said it is therefore “foolhardy” that the generous offer of support and assistance from the National Carnival Commission (NCC) is being ignored. He said the organising committee should “work with the major stakeholders both in Tobago and Trinidad, to showcase the best of Tobago to the world using the three elements of mas, pan and calypso to highlight Tobago’s rich heritage and unique cultural expressions, ensuring that the carnival provides patrons that goes beyond the fetes and provides something truly extraordinary.”

Last week, a ten-member contingent led by Assistant Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation Meghan Morrison went to Grenada. Morris claimed the trip cost taxpayers $291,094.

He said the promotion of the carnival is necessary, but this trip was “misplaced and ill-advised.”

Instead, he argues, promotion in places with direct routes to Tobago should have ideally started after the committee launched the carnival and announced the schedule, followed by “aggressive” promotion and marketing. This campaign should have taken place in “major source markets such as the United Kingdom, New York, where there is a direct flight out of JFK, and regionally in Barbados, where there is also a direct flight out of Sir Grantley Adams International Airport.”

Last week, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said preliminary discussions had been held about a ferry service to Grenada.

Morris also raised concerns about a letter allegedly written by the Spicemas Corporation of Grenada to a Division of Tourism official proposing a “Carnival exchange,” inviting Tobago Carnival Committee members to Spicemas and offering Tobago artistes guest appearances at Grenada events.

He said in terms of exposure, he would have liked to see, rather than a few artistes on a trip, support for the production of music for all artistes to help them reach global audiences.

He said nevertheless, he has no doubt that the carnival in October will be well attended, because there is a natural appetite and demand as a result of the two-year covid19 lockdown, but: “I am quite anxious as to whether this administration has what it takes to produce an experience that will be sustainable and viable for years to come.”

Contacted on Monday for a response, Secretary of the Division Tashia Burris said: “No comment at all. When the Assistant Secretary returns, she will answer any questions regarding this trip.”

Tourism and Culture Minister Randall Mitchell, who was in Tobago on Monday morning, also declined comment.

Calls and messages to Augustine went unanswered.

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Gonzales: No deal between WASA and any Canadian firm

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

File photo: Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales.

AND PAULA LINDO

MINISTER of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales flatly denied that any Canadian company had been contracted to carry out the restructuring of WASA. He was addressing a briefing on Monday at his ministry in Port of Spain to reply to claims made by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal at a UNC briefing on Sunday.

Gonzales alleged misinformation and untruths from the Opposition. “I was flabbergasted.” He accused the Opposition of an immoral attempt to mislead the population.

In contrast, he viewed his oaths as MP and minister as obliging him to tell the truth to TT’s citizens and to act with “dignity, honesty and truthfulness.”

He said the Prime Minister had named him to chair a Cabinet subcommittee on WASA whose findings were laid in Parliament, with no one – trade unions nor Opposition – having objected to the report’s findings at that time, as he wondered why objections had now arisen. Gonzales said the Government had not pulled a transformation plan from a hat, but had laid the report in Parliament.

Now, a new subcommittee, under Planning Minister Pennelope Beckles, will work with the commissioners of WASA to come up with a transformation plan, he said.

Saying the Government had put $25 billion into WASA in the past 12 years, he rejected the PSA’s claims the Government had starved WASA.

Despite that, he admitted that there was “no location” in the country which did not have a water-supply challenge, even as he lamented declining levels of service nationwide.

He said the former People’s Partnership government had proposed to restructure WASA, but had not done so. This plan had proposed a steady reduction in staff over several years to ultimately drop from 4,634 to 2,345 workers, managers to drop from 256 to 37 staff, and reductions for technical officers and administrative staff.

Gonzales said, if the former government had stuck with that plan, a restructuring challenge would not now face the Government which must now do “a very difficult transformation.”

He said it was untrue for Moonilal to say TT had 50,000 leaks but in fact the figure was 3,000 leaks which he said would be fixed by the end of next month. Denying Moonilal’s claim that a group of new managers was now being trained to take over WASA, he wondered if the MP had erroneously referred to a group of OJT’s now under training for employment.

Speaking at the UNC’s weekly Monday Night Forum, Moonilal referred to a Guardian article on March 9, 2022, where Gonzales had stated that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with a Canadian company to provide modular water treatment plants.

“Yesterday (Sunday) I told him to tell us whether you have recruited a Canadian company to participate in the transformation of the water sector and WASA. He put in the statement today (Monday) that he’s baffled. But I have here an article that says ‘Modulated Water Plants Coming To Improve Water Supply – Gonzales’ where he appeared at a conversation with the PM. The fellow said today we didn’t sign anything with a Canadian company.

“He continued in the article to say they would continue to invest in the company, modern technology, to transform the collection and distribution of water. So Mr Gonzales tell me, were you lying at the conversations with the PM or were you lying on Monday?”

Moonilal said an IDB loan taken by the Partnership and referenced by Gonzales was partially taken in order to offer VSEP packages to workers.

“The loan didn’t have to do with the overall restructuring of WASA as the minister made us believe, it had to do with wastewater treatment plants in San Fernando and Malabar.

“We confirmed that part of the conditionality of this, was part of the loan was for what is called VSEP – volunatry separation of employment programme – not mandatory, not firing people, not sending them home. This US$11 million had to do with the VSEP programme, but the minister said today that part of the loan was to send home people.

“It was a voluntary programme, this fellow doesn’t understand the difference between voluntary and involuntary. It was never a programme to force people to go home, it was a programme to negotiate with the unions to reduce if possible through VSEP.”

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Fospa-Suriname vraagt bescherming inheemse gebieden

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: De Ware Tijd Online

PARAMARIBO — “Al onze regeringen hebben verdragen ondertekend voor behoud van onze bossen en bescherming van het klimaat, ter bescherming

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Young Tridents ready to make their international debut Loop Barbados

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

The Barbados Football Association (BFA) has announced the squad of Under-14 Boys and their Management Team who will be travelling to the Dominican Republic next week to take part in the 2022 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Boys’ U-14 Challenge Series.

Head Coach Renaldo Gilkes emphasized the upcoming international debut tour is a critical component of the national Under-14 Boys development program and put the call out to all Barbadians to support the BFA’s efforts to progress football at all levels on the island, particularly young players.

“Many are taking a massive leap from grassroots football straight into elite international sport, so they are very brave to accept the challenge of representing their country at this level.”

“This is such a huge opportunity for our boys,” he said. “Many are taking a massive leap from grassroots football straight into elite international sport, so they are very brave to accept the challenge of representing their country at this level.”

Gilkes said the selection process for the Dominican Republic tour had been difficult, given the significant improvement seen in many of the boys recently.

Related Article

Sport

By Renaldo Gilkes

“It’s been a tough process to select the players for this tour, but I firmly believe those who have been selected will do Barbados incredibly proud in their first step into international competition,” he said. “Congratulations to those boys who have made the team. To the ones who did not make this assignment, I want them to know they have also played a significant role in terms of helping to push their team mates to excel and to prepare for touring – not only to the Dominican Republic, but for all future international matches.”

Barbados’ Under-14 Boys team will play in Tier II (Group 2) in the 2022 CFU Boys’ U-14 Challenge Series, kicking off against St Vincent and the Grenadines (13th August), Dominica (14th August), and then French Guiana (15th August).

National Under-14 Boys Team

Ari Manning (ProShottas)Christian Mayers (United Stars Alliance)

Ethan Haynes (Kickstart Rush)

Giovanni Goodridge (Whitehall)Jacob Gollop (Kickstart Rush)Jamarco Johnson (Mavericks)Jayden Murray (BSA)Jonathan McFarlane (NSC)Kailem Payne Richards (Barbados Soccer Academy)

Keandre Gibson (Pinelands)Malaichi Haniff (United Stars Alliance)Osha’I Mayers (NSC)Radarico Marques (Pinelands)Reuben Garnes Alleyne (ProShottas)Ricshon Anthony (Whitehall)Shaeshon Scantlebury (Kickstart Rush)Shihab Juman (Kickstart Rush)

Tremon Francis (ProShottas)Xavier Bayne (Technique)Zachary Hinds (ProShottas)

Management Team

Head Coach – Renaldo GilkesAssistant Coach – Henry Luke St. JohnManager – Tricia FordeEquipment Manager – Orlando MappMedic – Leandra Payne Eastmond

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In separate incidents, a pair of bandits rob two men at gunpoint and relieve their victims of a phone, jewelry and cash

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Antigua News Room

Two men were robbed of their possessions in separate, unrelated incidents that involved the use of firearms.

REAL News understands that a 34-year-old Parham man was held at gunpoint by two men while he reportedly was charging his phone and waiting for a friend at the King George V Ground.

Reportedly, the two assailants had approached him and made demands for money, and the taller of the two men fired a shot that grazed the man’s left knee.

After taking the victim’s black designer bag, along with his Samsung cellular phone, the alleged robbers then made good their escape

The matter was reported to the Grays Farm Police Station.

The men are said to be dark in complexion, with the shorter male being about 5’5” in height.  He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts, a white T-shirt, and black socks with brown slippers.

His accomplice reportedly is about 5’9” tall and slimly built.

The victim had to be treated for the injury he sustained during the robbery, which took place at about 10:45 p.m. on August 4.

Reportedly, the Police searched extensively for the perpetrators, including in the Ottos area and other surrounding communities, but did not find them.

In another incident, a 35-year-old Valley Road man also reported to the Grays Farm Police Station that he had been robbed, at gunpoint, of a gold chain, gold bracelet and gold ring, as well as a silver ring, $500 cash, and two Dominican Republic passports.

Reports say the man had been walking with his girlfriend on Tindale Road when he was approached by two men who demanded money.

Reportedly, after he told them he did not have any cash, both men brandished firearms and removed his shoulder bag, which contained the passports and money.

The robbers then ripped the chain from around his neck, removed his bracelet, and ordered him to remove his rings.

Reports say the gun-toting bandits then ran through a footpath, making good their escape.

One of the men is described as tall, and the other short and wearing a tam and dark clothing.

A search for them in the surrounding areas was not successful.

This offence reportedly occurred at about 10:30 p.m. on August 5.

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COVID-19: Saint Lucia Records 72 New Cases – St. Lucia Times News

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: St. Lucia Times News

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Today Monday August 8, 2022 the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs reports a total of 72 new cases of COVID-19 from samples processed from Friday August 5, 2022 to Sunday August 7, 2022.

This is from a total of 313 samples, of which 286 samples are from the Ezra Long Laboratory and 27 samples from the Laboratory Services and Consultations Limited.

These samples were collected from August 3, 2022 to August 7, 2022. This number of positive cases makes up 23% of all the samples processed on these dates. These new cases bring the total number of cases diagnosed in country to date to 28, 233.

Confirmation was also received of the recovery of 116 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. This brings the number of active cases in country to date to 186. Currently, there are ten positive cases of COVID-19 admitted at the Respiratory Hospital, of which one is severely ill.

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To date, a total of 54, 643 individuals have been fully vaccinated. Another 5, 209 are partially vaccinated and 7, 750 have received their booster shot.

Vaccination will take place at various Wellness Centres as per the published COVID-19 vaccination schedule. Vaccination will be available from 9am to 4pm.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs will continue providing frequent updates to the public as new information becomes available.

Source: Ministry of Health, Wellness & Elderly Affairs. Headline photo: Stock image.

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