Sean Paul and Kes to Craft Official Anthem for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

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News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 12, 2024: Grammy Award-winning artist Sean Paul and Soca sensation Kes are teaming up to create the official anthem for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The announcement was made today by the ICC, just 50 days before the tournament kicks off on June 1 in the West Indies and the USA.

Produced by Michael “Tano” Montano, the anthem is slated for release in the upcoming weeks along with a music video featuring various celebrities.

Sean Paul expressed his honor in recording the official anthem, highlighting cricket’s integral role in Caribbean culture. He aims to infuse the track with Caribbean vibes and international appeal, creating a unifying anthem for fans worldwide.

Kes Dieffenthaller, lead singer of Kes the Band, shared his excitement about blending cricket and music, emphasizing the power of bringing different worlds together. He looks forward to fans singing along and turning stadiums into lively party venues.

ICC General Manager, Marketing and Communications, Claire Furlong, praised the collaboration, anticipating a song that embodies the Caribbean identity while resonating with cricket enthusiasts globally. The anthem aligns with the tournament’s theme, “Out of this World.”

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy Tour 2024 continues its journey, with upcoming stops in Barbados, the location of the tournament final on June 29. Tickets for Caribbean fixtures will be available starting April 15 at tickets.t20worldcup.com.

ExxonMobil Approves Whiptail Development, Guyana Set to Boost Oil Capacity

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News Americas, GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Fri. April 12, 2024: ExxonMobil has greenlit the Whiptail development offshore Guyana, marking its sixth project on the Stabroek block. Anticipated to enhance daily capacity by 250,000 barrels by 2027, the decision follows necessary government and regulatory nods.

Liam Mallon, President of ExxonMobil Upstream Company, lauded the move, underscoring the company’s strategic partnership with the Guyanese government. With a $12.7 billion investment, Whiptail envisages up to 10 drill centers and 48 production and injection wells.

Mallon emphasized ExxonMobil’s commitment to local community development, pledging support for sustainable initiatives across Guyana. The cumulative impact of Stabroek block operations has already seen significant economic uplift, with over $4.2 billion channeled into the Guyana Natural Resource Fund since 2019.

Moreover, the project boasts a substantial local workforce, with 6,200 Guyanese employees contributing to operations, representing 70% of the total workforce. ExxonMobil’s investment in local suppliers has surpassed $1.5 billion since 2015, further bolstering Guyana’s economic resilience.

The Whiptail project aligns with the ongoing expansion of Guyana’s oil infrastructure, with the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel Jaguar currently in construction. This adds to the three FPSOs already operational offshore, each producing over 600,000 barrels of oil per day. Construction is underway for FPSOs dedicated to the Yellowtail and Uaru projects, slated to commence production in 2025 and 2026 respectively.

Former Surinamese President Bouterse and Military Officials Designated by US for Human Rights Violations

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News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 12, 2024: Former Surinamese President Desiré Delano Bouterse, along with six former Surinamese military officials, namely Benny Brondenstein, Stephanus Marinus Dendoe, Iwan Dijksteel, Ernst Gefferie, Kenneth Kempes, and Lucien Lewis, have been designated by the United States today as ineligible of entering the country.

FLASH BACK: Suriname’s former president (2010-2020) Desi Bouterse walks next to a body guard while leaving the High Court of Justice after a hearing in his appeals case in the December 8, 1982 murders, in Paramaribo on January 31, 2023. (Photo by RANU ABHELAKH/AFP via Getty Images)

This designation, pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, stems from their involvement in gross violations of human rights, specifically in relation to the “December Murders” of 1982, which included extrajudicial killings of political opponents.

As a result of this designation, these individuals, along with four of their family members, are generally prohibited from entering the United States.

In announcing these designations, the United States acknowledged Suriname’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, including efforts to maintain judicial independence and address official impunity. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has emphasized the importance of ending impunity as a means to prevent future abuses. The robustness of Suriname’s judicial institutions underscores the significance of the rule of law in safeguarding democracy and upholding human rights.

Guyana Growth Projected To Slow In Next Year

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News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 12, 2024: Guyana is forecast to see a slowing of its economic growth next year according to future casts from the World Bank.

In its latest growth outlook for the Caribbean as outlined in its Caribbean and Latin America economic review for 2024, the South American new oil rich CARICOM nation, is forecast to go from a growth of 34.3 percent this year to 16.8 percent next year. In 2025, the growth could bounce back slightly to 18.2 percent. The economic forecast comes as the World Bank chief economist for Latin America and the Caribbean, William Maloney, recently urged Guyana to ensure that its new found oil wealth benefits the entire population.

Maloney, who was fielding questions from journalists following the release of the Regional Economic Report for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), described the efforts to ensure all sectors of the country benefitted from the oil wealth “as one of the 200 million dollar question.

“One is to ensure that this new oil wealth will actually get to the people who need it and I would say in particular in the building of human capitals so that the economy can diversify over time,” he said. “The second is to ensure that we find ways of using these revenues so that we build a more diversified economy. This requires a set of institutions that know how to keep the right amount of resources, the revenues off shore, the Sovereign Welfare Fund so it can maintain an exchange rate that is competitive.”

Maloney added that there is also need for strong institutions within the country “that are able to mediate the very different demands from the population and ensure that the oil resources go to where they are suppose to go.”

In January this year, the Guyana government presented a national budget of US$5.496 billion (GUY$1.146 trillion). The Irfaan Ali administration said that the expansion is being partially fueled by the country’s increasing oil windfall, projected to constitute nearly 29 percent of the budget.

OTHER CARIBBEAN NATIONS

However, while Guyana is forecast for double digit growth next year, no other Caribbean nation will see such good fortune according to the Bank.

Here’s the latest growth outlook for other Caribbean nations as analyzed by News Americas – from high to low.

COUNTRIES 20242025The Dominican Republic5.15Saint Lucia 53.9Dominica 4.64.2Grenada 4.13.7Barbados 3.72.8Suriname33Saint Vincent & The Grenadines2.91.4The Bahamas 2.31.8Jamaica 21.6

No other countries in the region were listed.

What The Caribbean Is Missing According To The World Bank

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News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 12, 2024: The Caribbean is missing on two fronts according to the World Bank in its latest economic review and assessment of the region and Latin America.

The World Bank’s chief economist for Latin America and the Caribbean, William Maloney.

According to the 2024 report, “Competition: The Missing Ingredient for Growth?,” both the Caribbean and Latin America are missing on the competition front. According to the Bank’s analysts, “low competition makes consumers pay higher prices for lower-quality goods and services, reducing overall welfare, and contributes to higher inequality, as monopoly prices on essential goods and services consume relatively more of the budgets of poorer households.”

Analysts recommended increasing the competition in order to stimulate growth and improve consumer welfare.

“Competition from low-cost consumer imports can help raise the standard of living of families across the income spectrum. Competition also has the power to nudge domestic producers into adopting new products and technologies, improving productivity at the firm level,” states the report. “The global integration of markets has contributed to more competitive environments, facilitating the diffusion and adoption of innovations that enhance efficiency. At the same time, competing in dynamic and challenging domestic markets is the best way for firms to prepare for exporting.”

Meanwhile , the World Bank’s chief economist for Latin America and the Caribbean, William Maloney, also said the Caribbean is lagging behind when it comes to data needed to track not only the performances of the respective economies but labour market indicators among others.

“Getting good data on the Caribbean remains a major challenge,” Maloney said.

New Caribbean Music Mix This Week

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News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 12, 2024: It’s Friday and that means its another week of new Caribbean music and this week we are bringing you some music packs, thanks to our friends at Riddim Stream.

Here are some of the latest music out this week.

Kabaka Pyramid

Nhance

Zagga

Charly Black

Prazaro

Cashan

ICT Scholarships Now Available For Black Diaspora

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News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 12, 2024: Invest Caribbean has again partnered with the Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology to promote ICT scholarships to the Black Diaspora.

The commitment of the Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology to enhancing the skills of ICT professionals who identify as members of the Black diaspora has been extended with the approval of this year’s scholarship round, amounting to over $4.6 million.

Building upon the success of previous initiatives, the institute aims to provide opportunities for individuals across the globe to upskill in vital areas such as AI, Cybersecurity, and Data Science.

In 2023, Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology awarded more than 620 scholarships focused on cybersecurity across English-speaking Africa and the Caribbean. This year, the program has been expanded to include applicants from around the world. The significant investment is aimed at addressing the global skills shortage in crucial technology fields while fostering the advancement of ICT professionals within the black diaspora.

Melanie Wynter, Director of Elizabeth Sloane, emphasized the importance of the program, stating: “This initiative will not only strengthen global defenses against cybercrime but also empower black ICT professionals to excel in an industry that greatly values their expertise.”

The scholarship program offers four distinct funding opportunities, covering over 70% of the costs of industry-recognized (ISC)² cybersecurity certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, and SSCP over a 12-month period, as well as Online Self-Paced STEM Master’s Degree programs. These awards include the Kusi P. Adu-Amankwah “Lex Stella” Award, the Lauryn C. Poyser Award, the Homegrown Alliance Award, and the C. Courtney Jackson Award.

This initiative comes at a crucial juncture, with cybercrime projected to cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2023 and a predicted shortage of 3.5 million cybersecurity professionals globally.

Gawayne Beckford, Member Academic Council of Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology, highlighted the significance of supporting the upskilling of black ICT professionals, citing the visible impact of the skills gap in regions served by the institute across Africa and the Caribbean.

The application process is straightforward and open to the public, with a submission deadline of May 15th, 2024.

For further details or to apply, interested individuals can @esitedu, Linktree or contact in**@es*****.com.

Additionally, applications for the Lauryn C. Poyser Scholarship are currently being accepted. With a projected 32% increase in cybersecurity job opportunities by 2032, now is an opportune moment to pursue advanced education or transition careers. Apply today to explore Master’s Degrees and Professional Development Programs at Elizabeth Sloane Institute of Technology before the May 15th, 2024 deadline. All individuals who identify as members of the Black diaspora are eligible to apply at https://esitedu.com/student-register/