Fix region’s transportation nightmare, says St Lucia PM

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Prime Minister of St. Lucia Philip Pierre has urged CARICOM member states to redouble efforts towards fixing the region’s transportation issues and removing lingering trade barriers.

The regional leader said last weekend that the absence of any reliable transportation network in and around member states, given the “unfortunate demise of LIAT”, was a major hindrance to modern cooperation which regional leaders need to address as a matter of urgency.

“Travelling around the region has become a nightmare, both from the standpoint of high fares and reduced flight availability. It is having an undermining effect on the economic prospects of the region… This state of affairs must not be allowed to continue for much longer.Addressing the annual Errol Barrow Memorial Lecture hosted by the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus last Friday, Pierre said “The issue of regional air and sea transportation must be approached from the premise that regional transportation is a regional public good, and as such, governments must invest in and finance it because it is a duty they owe the people of the Caribbean.”

Examining the future of CARICOM as it celebrates 50 years and the legacy of Errol Barrow as a Caribbean champion, Pierre noted that though Barrow, along with Prime Ministers Forbes Burnham of Guyana, Michael Manley of Jamaica and Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago signed the Treaty of Chaguaramas in 1973 with the intent of creating CARICOM with deeper ties between the islands, this vision has unfortunately been hindered in several areas.

He said that despite the phased approach to freedom of movement throughout the islands, there were still difficulties with national legislation and administrative frameworks falling short of what was required at this stage.

Pierre added: “Regional integration in the Caribbean will never be effective if the people cannot, and do not have the means and the systems to move freely between the islands and to easily communicate between themselves and share their ambitions and their experiences with each other. How can we be serious about building a vibrant regional community and single market, if the people who are the main participants, can not get around the region freely and affordably?”

According to the St Lucia PM, one of the key pillars of CARICOM – economic integration, which is supported by the philosophy of free trade – has also been slow in its adoption across the various member countries to a worrying degree. He stressed that the removal of the current trade barriers between the islands was a must.

“If free trade, therefore, is to be a more significant stimulant to economic development throughout the region, and therefore positively impact the lives and living standards of the peoples of the region, then in the decades ahead CARICOM member states must make a concerted effort to dramatically increase trade by removing the outmoded barriers that still encumber genuine free trade,” he explained.

Pierre also pointed to the colonial era’s influences on economic policies as another factor that needs to be corrected in order to improve the social and economic output of CARICOM.

“There is a school of thought that believes that in the CARICOM context, the freeing of trade among member states is necessary but insufficient to obtain the gains of economic integration. It argues that it also necessitates the removal of colonial economic and social structures and production and consumption patterns that have kept the region at a low level of development.

“It is clear that if CARICOM is to deliver on raising the standards of living of its people, as Errol Barrow had hoped, the deepening of regional integration through the CSME, must proceed at 50 times the pace of integration during the next 50 years.

“We must revisit with some urgency the agreement for a single economy, whose attainment is now a goal on a distant horizon.”Pierre reminded attendees that it was the duty of citizens and leaders within the region, to fully support the true purpose and ideology behind CARICOM, as it will serve as an integral support and development body for all.

“As CARICOM ends the first 50 years of regional integration, I urge all of us, leaders and citizens alike, to adopt the approach of Errol Barrow and the other leaders, that in this journey, the only goal must be to see the Caribbean fully integrated so that in 50 years’ time CARICOM would not have gone, but CARICOM would have become, not a community of states, but a truly integrated community of the peoples of the Caribbean – economically prosperous, socially advanced, culturally confident, and proudly independent.”

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Region must take practical steps to secure energy future

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

President Irfaan Ali said that the region must make practical steps in securing its energy future and be logical in its undertakings given the heavy financial burden of climate change.

The Head of State called on governments across the region to lead from the front in understanding the ramifications and creating the needed structure. He told the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference 2023 today, in Port of Spain, that the region must move forward with its survival in mind.

The President asked some tough questions and noted that although renewable energy should be the main pursuit, as a region, we should be practical in our approach in understanding the implications and necessities of energy needs.

REGIONAL ENERGY SECURITY

“We in CARICOM all have lofty renewable energy targets but the reality is that the energy demands in our countries continue to rise, and our energy systems are being challenged to meet our growing population centres and appetite for energy services.”

The President spoke of the large amount of energy that the region requires and the billions of US dollars needed to achieve “the most fundamental of targets”.

“So, we can safely say that in this region fossil fuel and natural gas has a long future ahead of us.”

He reinforced the call that every country in the region with potential in natural gas should be allowed to explore that potential to its fullest for the energy security of the region.

“Here in Trinidad and Tobago that opportunity exists and that opportunity should be allowed to blossom for the benefit of the people of this region and the globe.”

He noted that high energy prices contribute to high inflation in both developing and developed countries. With the idea of imported inflation in mind, political leaders and policymakers must face the reality of inflation that is not a result of bad policies or measures.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

President Ali said that amidst these crises, there is a “strange movement” driven by a policy agenda of a few countries which is not fixed in “facts and reality”.

“We have seen an unwillingness to lend to companies related to oil and gas. We have seen the cost of capital increasing for companies related to oil and gas….”

When this occurs, he added, the consumers and supporting industries suffer.

“If you increase the cost of capital and make capital less available to investors, wherever they get the capital to invest, they will also increase the costs of the product because they also have to get back their investments, and who suffers at the end of the day?”

As such, Dr Ali emphasised that stakeholders from the government and the industry must speak out in a collective voice.

The President also spoke on the Caribbean region’s energy potential, including the plans in place in the Guyana Shield, which will be the collaborative energy effort between Suriname, French Guiana, Guyana and Northern Brazil.

He called on those gathered to examine the “remarkable” policy measures that governments in this region implemented to cushion the effects of inflation.

“In Guyana today, we have no other room to deal with the increases in fuel prices. We took every cent of tax off. What more? Together with short-term measures, government must take long-term steps either to increase or diversify oil and gas supply or look to accelerate structural change, very simple.”

He added that by using practical and innovative approaches, the region can “secure our future and advance our cause”.

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Primate group appeals to Governor Baly to abandon plans to kill monkeys on Sint Maarten

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Action for Primates, a UK-based project that campaigns on behalf of non-human primates globally, is urging the Governor of Sint Maarten to abandon plans to kill the entire population of vervets (African green monkeys), believing that such drastic and inhumane action will not only be ineffective, but it will also tarnish the reputation of Sint Maarten as a popular Caribbean holiday destination.

A letter has been sent to Governor Ajamu G. Baly by Dr Nedim Buyukmihci, co-founder of Action for Primates and a veterinarian with many years practical experience working with non-human primates, including reproductive control, as well as advising on education and humane methods of resolving issues related to negative interactions between people and non-human primates.

In the letter, Dr Buyukmihci points out the inhumanity of the capturing and killing of hundreds of vervets, as well as the ineffectiveness of using such lethal means to resolve the issue of conflicts between the monkeys and people. In particular, he noted:

– “It is stated that the vervets in question will be trapped and killed over the next three years. But, as this is being done over this length of time, there will be an increase in pressure for the vervets to reproduce. It is almost certain that there will be a surge in births, increasing the number of individuals.”

– “Regardless of the timeline, however, given the Sint Maarten terrain, it is highly unlikely that every vervet will be captured, allowing those remaining to continue to reproduce.”

– “There is also the issue of vervets residing in neighbouring French St Martin. There will be nothing to keep them from expanding their range into Sint Maarten.”

Instead, Dr Buyukmihci advocates the adoption of measures that can be taken to humanely reduce the negative interactions between vervets and people without having to resort to killing the vervets, and provides a comprehensive review of the issue. Considerations for non-lethal resolution include reproductive control such as sterilisation combined with education programmes to help the public deal with and prevent negative interactions with monkeys.

Rather than dismiss vervets as a ‘pest’ or a nuisance and killing them, Action for Primates appeals to the government and communities of Sint Maarten to adopt a humane approach to the situation.

The fact that vervets are non-native is irrelevant. Not only have they been on Sint Maarten for over 400 years, having been brought there by people, and are now part of the ecosystem, they are living, sentient individuals who share many of the important characteristics we value in ourselves. They experience pain, suffering and distress similarly to people.

It is not their fault that they are there and they should not have to pay for this human-caused problem with their lives. With the globally growing acknowledgement of the negative impact human activities are having on the planet and its inhabitants, it is more important than ever that we reassess the way we not only treat non-human primates, but how we humanely resolve negative interactions.

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HIV data experts from the Caribbean gather in Jamaica for a five-day training with UNAIDS and partners

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is hosting an HIV/AIDS estimates and projections workshop with government data experts from 13 Caribbean countries in Kingston (Jamaica) from January 23-27.

The workshop’s purpose is to train the staff of Caribbean national authorities responsible for the estimates and projections of the HIV pandemic using the methods and procedures recommended by UNAIDS.

HIV estimates are generated with the support of country teams generally comprised primarily of epidemiologists, demographers, monitoring and evaluation specialists and technical partners.

The software Spectrum is the main program used to produce the estimates such as HIV prevalence, new HIV infections, AIDS-related deaths, and the need for treatment for adults and children.

During these five days, national staff will be trained to obtain country-specific estimates by the end of March 2023. These estimates are the basis for regional and global HIV estimates and national and regional planning and decision-making. They are published in the UNAIDS global reports, generally launched every July.

Data have long served as the bedrock of the Global AIDS Response. Timely, accurate data also inform HIV policies and programmes, strategic planning, and resource allocation to maximize the impact of the response. Data on HIV and its innovations are also integral to the United Nations Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to promote gender equality, protect human rights and accelerate UN Reform.

Efforts to reduce HIV-related inequalities are guided by two primary documents: the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS `Ending Inequalities and Getting on Track to End AIDS by 2030′ and the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026 ‘End Inequalities, End AIDS’. Both documents call on countries to improve the collection and use of data to accelerate progress towards the global targets for 2025.

“UNAIDS is grateful to the Government of Jamaica, especially the Minister of State for Health, Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, for the continued strong partnership with the UN system and for hosting the regional workshop”, said Luisa Cabal, UNAIDS Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “As the old saying goes, ‘what is not measured is not treasured`, and therefore not taken into account. So, we need data! And beyond that: quality and disaggregated data to address inequalities and reach the most vulnerable to HIV.”

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Executive Board Approves US$105 Million Food Shock Window to Haiti

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved today a disbursement of SDR 81.9 million (US$105 million) to Haiti under the Food Shock Window of the Rapid Credit Facility[1] to help Haiti address urgent balance of payment needs related to the global food crisis.

Haiti has been hit hard by the global food price shock. Record price inflation has worsened Haiti’s fragility given the high pass through from global to domestic food prices and shortages in food supplies. With more than half the population already below the poverty line, Haiti faces a dire humanitarian crisis, with an expected financing gap in FY2023 of at least US$105 million (0.5 percent of GDP), assuming import compression and pending additional external financing from development partners. This shock compounds the hardships of an already highly fragile country–also suffering a public health emergency (cholera) and serious security risks.

Following the Executive Board’s discussion, Antoinette Sayeh, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, issued the following statement:

“Haiti is facing a dire humanitarian crisis and was hit hard by the economic spillovers from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These spillovers included record price inflation that worsened Haiti’s fragility and compounded the suffering of Haiti’s population already affected by a severe malnutrition. Measures are being taken by the government to cushion the impact of the food price shocks on the population and to expand the social safety nets.

“IMF emergency support under the food shock window of the Rapid Credit Facility will help fill the balance of payment gap and support those most affected by food price rises through feeding programs and cash and in-kind transfers to vulnerable households, waives school fees and other measures.

“To address the crisis, budgetary resources will need to be allocated toward priority spending on food programs and to increase social assistance toward the most vulnerable. To ensure the appropriate use of emergency financing, which will be vital for catalyzing further donor support and mitigate risks to debt sustainability, the authorities should carefully control, track, record, and publish all spending related to the emergency response. Supported by close Fund engagement, they should undertake internal expenditure audits by all the line ministries involved in the use of emergency resources provided under the food shock window through the General Inspectorate of Finance and communicate these internal audits to the Supreme Audit Court in a timely way.

“The combination of appropriate macroeconomic and structural policies under the Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) provides additional safeguards for the Fund’s outstanding obligations. While providing adequate liquidity support to the financial sector, the central bank should reduce monetary financing of the deficit and limit foreign exchange interventions to smoothing volatility.

“The SMP is also catalytic to donor support. A successful implementation of Haiti’s SMP would be key in the process of restoring macroeconomic stability and sustainability, strengthening the social safety net, and tackling governance weaknesses and corruption.”

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NIA reveals plans to further assist Non-nationals living on Nevis

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) has revealed several initiatives it intends to pursue in the new parliamentary term that will assist nationals from other Caribbean countries living on Nevis.

The initiatives were announced via the Throne Speech delivered by Hyleeta Liburd, Deputy Governor-General for Nevis, during the opening session of the Nevis Island Assembly on January 19.

“Caribbean nationals who are legally resident in Nevis will be able to buy real estate without having to pay the ten percent Alien Landholding License Fee; we will lobby the Federal Parliament to pass legislation to reduce the time limit required for a non-national to be eligible for citizenship; reduce the Work Permit and Annual Residency Fee paid by non-nationals who are not members of the legal, medical, accounting, engineering, land surveying, management or actuarial professions.”

The government will also move to make it easier for non-nationals legally migrating to Nevis from the Dominican Republic to assimilate into the local economy by provide tutoring in English for 12 months. This will especially benefit children entering the island’s school system, while ensuring that there are bilingual personnel in the public service so as to better aid the delivery of government services to its non-English-speaking residents.

Additionally, the NIA committed to implementing programs whereby children of non-nationals who are legally residing on Nevis will pay the same rates for school and other educational opportunities as Nevisian students.

The Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM)-led administration has consistently demonstrated its inclusive approach with respect to the development of Nevis and improvement of the lives of citizens and residents alike. Under the leadership of Premier Hon. Mark Brantley, the Nevis Island Administration has on several occasions implemented amnesty on arrears of payment for Work Permits, Annual Residency and Visa Extensions for non-nationals, the most recent coming in July-September 2022. In addition, the regular fee of $2,500 for Work Permits was reduced to $1,000 and the regular fee for Annual Residence was reduced to $750.

“My government recognizes the contributions that our sisters and brothers from our Caribbean neighbours have made to the development of Nevis. We continue to welcome non-nationals to aid in our development as we are a government of inclusion. We will continue to advocate for a managed migration approach in which non-nationals can join our labour force as our development needs dictate. We are fully aware that many of our own citizens reside in Caribbean countries and elsewhere and we expect them to be able to live comfortably and have their rights respected,” according to the 2023 Throne Speech.

The NIA continues to urge all non-nationals living in Nevis illegally to legalize their status.

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Empty promises and blunt tools: Lack of funding stalls dementia progress in the Caribbean

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Despite recent statistics showing that dementia prevalence is set to increase in the Caribbean by 155 per cent by 2050, regional progress in tackling the neurodegenerative condition is far too slow, say Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), the global federation for 105 Alzheimer’s and dementia associations across the world.

Only 16 per cent of Caribbean countries and territories have made progress in developing a National Dementia Plan, most of which have inadequate funding.

ADI is calling for the public across the Caribbean to urge their governments to take urgent action on dementia, teaming up with Alzheimer’s associations in Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sint Maarten, St Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago to launch a regional campaign ‘What’s Your Plan‘ (#WhatsYourPlan).

Urgent action is required now: Dementia care is a human right

While a few countries in the region, like the Dominican Republic and Cuba have implemented National Dementia Plans, unfortunately most are without adequate funding. The Caribbean ADI members participating in the #WhatsYourPlan campaign are yet to have any fully funded, implemented National Dementia Plan in their countries.

Daisy Acosta, co-founder of The Asociacion Domincana de Alzheimer and former Chair of ADI says that the issue of dementia in the Caribbean is growing.

“Dementia is a real problem in our Caribbean countries. By 2050 almost 750,000 people will be living with dementia in region. Governments are not paying enough attention to because it is often still wrongly considered a normal part of ageing. Well IT IS NOT! Key policies can be taken that can help delay or reduce up to 40 per cent of the number of cases of dementia in the future. I urge our governments to invest now to save later!”

Paola Barbarino, ADI’s CEO, says developing, funding, and implementing National Dementia Plans is essential to improving health outcomes for people living in the Caribbean with dementia.

“A National Dementia Plan is a vital step in helping those living with dementia to have access to the support and services they need to live well, for longer,” says Barbarino. “Access to support and a care plan, including care at home and in community settings, at-home adaptations, and respite for carers, alongside medical treatments, are vital for people living with dementia, as well as their carers and family.”

“By denying Caribbeans across the region this support, governments are doing a disservice to their communities,” says Barbarino. “All people living with dementia in the Caribbean deserve access to the kinds of support and services a National Dementia Plan makes available. It’s their human right.”

As the world’s population gets older, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is rapidly increasing, threatening to overwhelm health services in many countries. In 2019, dementia was ranked the 3rd leading cause of death in the Americas, accounting for over 390,000 deaths.

ADI is calling on people living in Caribbean countries participating in the #WhatsYourPlan campaign to urge their governments to develop a National Dementia Plan that features, improvements in care for those living with dementia, support for carers and to implement key policies to help delay or reduce up to 40 per cent of the possible number of cases of dementia in the future.

“We’re talking with the various Ministries of Health, Age & Social Support in many Caribbean countries, and while in some cases it can lead to progress it is often too slow. For a condition like dementia, time is of the absolute essence. People cannot wait,” says Paola Barbarino. “We need people from all over the Caribbean to speak up for people with dementia so that their governments might actually listen and act.”

Empty promises and blunt tools: Lack of funding stalling progress in the Caribbean

While some progress has been made in developing National Dementia Plans in the Caribbean, Paola Barbarino, ADI Chief Executive Officer, says that a lack of funding for these plans means many communities are missing out.

“A National Dementia Plan is a government’s best tool for preparing for this looming global health crisis,” says Barbarino. “Despite some progress to develop plans in a few Caribbean nations, without adequate funding to implement them, these plans are laying unused on the desks of bureaucracy across the region – more empty promises, and blunt tools.”

“Continued inaction now will lead to much greater health, care and societal challenges in managing dementia later,” continues Barbarino. “Governments must have robust dementia strategies funded and in place, to save healthcare systems from being overwhelmed as dementia cases rise in the future.”

Over 740,000 people: While progress stalls, the number of people in the Caribbean living with dementia continues to soar

The latest estimates show that there will be over 740,000 people living with dementia in the Caribbean by 2050.

Research has found that the greatest risk factors for dementia in the Caribbean include Cardiovascular health, diabetes, family history, older age, education. Further, women with lower levels of education in rural areas are overrepresented in dementia statistics in the Caribbean.

Risk reduction should be designed with a life-course approach in mind, targeting both older and younger populations, with a focus on the modifiable 12 risk factors estimated to contribute to 40 per cent of the cases of those living with dementia.

1 Caribbean territories with Alzheimer’s associations participating in ADI’s ‘What’s Your Plan’ indicated in bold: Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Cura?ao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and United States Virgin Islands.

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