Black Immigrant Daily News

Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 04, 2022 (SKNIS): The United Nations (UN) is partnering with St. Kitts and Nevis and three other Eastern Caribbean countries to pilot a project aimed at reducing poverty and inequalities, increasing youth employment, and enhancing social protection systems for households.

The regional programme entitled “Resilient Caribbean: Engaging and Training Youth, Strengthening Integrated Social Protection Sector Delivery Joint Programme” was launched at the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) Conference Room in Basseterre at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 04, 2022.

Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, attended the launch in St. Kitts and Nevis. He stated that the project is designed to help accelerate progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

“For us at the UN, putting the emphasis on youth empowerment, on young people, is paramount,” said Mr. Trebucq. “It is paramount because we have adopted the Youth 2030 strategy under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and we truly …believe in youth. Give a space to youth, give a voice to youth, working with youth rather than just working for youth. It is important to make sure that youth are inserted in productive activities of societies at large.”

The challenges of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, job losses and the economic slowdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the rising cost of fuel and goods, were mentioned as factors that have resulted in a reduced standard of living for millions of persons around the world.

Mr. Trebecq noted that initiatives led by the public sector, private sector, non-governmental agencies and other civil society groups will greatly benefit from this SDG Joint Programme.

“It will contribute to greater and easier access to social assistance as well as jobs and better income for those in greater need such as young people and women. As a result, we expect that the joint programme will increase the resilience of households and communities, … and also link young people to meaningful, formal sector employment or entrepreneurship activities,” the UN official said.

Innovative and evidence-based management operational tools that build up social protection resilience will be used in this joint programme.

The Resilient Caribbean: Engaging and Training Youth, Strengthening Integrated Social Protection Sector Delivery Joint Programme is being piloted in St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands. The opening ceremony featured an address by Senator the Honourable Isalean Phillip, Junior Minister and Minister for Youth Empowerment, Social Development et al. of St. Kitts and Nevis. Virtual addresses were delivered by Senator The Honourable David E. Andrew, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture – Grenada, The Honourable Dee-Ann Kentish Rogers, Minister of Social Development, Education, Youth, Culture and Sports – Anguilla, and the Honourable Marlon A. Penn, Minister of Health and Social Development – the British Virgin Islands.

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The United Progressive Party (UPP) is supporting the rights of Antiguans and Barbudans living in the Diaspora to return home to participate in the country’s electoral process.

During a town hall meeting in New York on Monday night, October 3, Harold Lovell, UPP Political Leader, gave the commitment that he would help streamline the voter-registration process for nationals abroad.

“We will put the structures in place to facilitate the Diaspora in coming back home to vote,” he says.

Further, he promises to simplify the process for them to take advantage of investment opportunities and home ownership, as well.

“When we are masters of our own destiny, we strive to become ambassadors of our country, because we recognize that we are no longer doing it for other people but for ourselves,” Lovell says.

Meanwhile, Antiguan and Barbudan nationals in New York and surrounding areas got an opportunity to engage with the members of the UPP team on the final leg of the Diaspora Roadshow throughout the United States.

In addition to promises to establish a Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Lovell says the Consulate Office will be reinstalled to serve the needs of nationals in the northeast region of the USA.

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Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and wife, Sharon, with specially-invited guests at the closing ceremony of PatriARTism. Photo by Roger Jacob

THE “lavish” party which the Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar accused the Prime Minister of throwing on Saturday was actually the closing-off of a month-long celebration by Angostura.

The company, in a media release, clarified that the event was not state-sponsored but a private celebration where Dr Rowley was an invited guest.

On Saturday, Rowley was the feature speaker at the closing ceremony for the five-week Patriartism exhibition at Mille Fleurs. The exhibition, which began on August 25 and ended on September 30, featured the private art collections of First Citizens Bank, Central Bank and Angostura, which were on show at Castle Killarney (Stollmeyer’s Castle), Whitehall and Mille Fleurs.

Angostura’s participation was to celebrate the country’s diamond jubilee Independence celebration.

In a media release on Monday, Persad-Bissessar accused the Prime Minister of “disrespecting” citizens by throwing a party “for himself and his wealthy friends, paid for by taxpayers.”

The Opposition Leader said the event ignored the suffering of the poor and working class, and chastised not just Rowley but three ministers – Marvin Gonzales, Shamfa Cudjoe and Brian Manning – and MP Keith Scotland. She claimed they were out of touch with reality, judging from their comments in response to criticisms of the budget.

She said: “It was a most evil act of incitement against citizens, reminiscent of the behaviour of detached tyrants and dictators. This latest provocation comes on the heels of statements from PNM ministers scolding the population.”

The Prime Minister did not respond to Persad-Bissessar’s claims.

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More than 180+ countries will come together face to face in Geneva, the “Capital of Peace” where nations gather to solve diplomatic challenges and where scientific innovation flourishes to compete in the 2022 FIRST Global Challenge under the theme Carbon Capture.

Teyanna Nathaniel – Leader

Every year FIRST Global invites nations to compete in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) themed game that is focused on addressing various challenges facing our planet, including the 14 Grand Challenges of Engineering, in an effort to foster understanding and cooperation among students 14 – 18 years old in secondary school; as they use their abilities to solve problems and safeguard their future together.

Deshini Charles – Programmer

Team DADLIBOTS is set to represent Antigua and Barbuda at this year’s olympics styled international robotics competition from October 13th – 16th and join youth from diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences that will not only inspire and motivate them to become leaders but also innovators working together to build a better world.

Leyla Reid – Designer

The students competing on TEAM Dadlibots would have been shortlisted from the STEM InFuSed (Innovative Future Sustained) Youth Camp hosted by the Ministry of Education and Sports over the past summer period at UWI Five Islands Campus; where over 250+ students were exposed to emerging technologies and potential career opportunities.

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Shane Sookoo, member of the Main Road Taxi Association shows the existing tariff (fare) sheet. It is expected that the fares will increase by $1 as of October 17. – Photo by Marvin Hamilton

Fares along the Naparima/Mayaro route are set to increase by $1 from October 17.

Head of the Main Road Taxi Drivers’ Association Joseph “Joey” Badree told Newsday the increases apply to commuters travelling on the Naparima/Mayaro Road, commonly called Main Road. This road runs from Princes Town to San Fernando and through several villages like Iere, Mt Stewart and Cleghorn.

“From Princes Town to Mt Stewart Village and Palmyra, up to Seegobin Trace, for instance, costs $9, and it would be increased to $10. All off-route prices would be remaining the same,” Badree said on Tuesday afternoon.

“Passengers pay an extra $3 to go off route into the different streets. At certain points off-route, they pay $5.

“We will display the new tariff (fare) sheets in vehicles about a week before it comes into effect.”

Badree said the decision to increase the fare resulted from the latest fuel-price increase as announced in the September 26 budget.

“It was also caused by high vehicle maintenance caused by extremely bad roads. The last time the fuel prices increased, we, as taxi drivers, absorbed the cost. We cannot do that this time around.”

Association member Shane Sookoo said the drivers met on Monday and agreed to the increased fare.

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