News Americas, New York, NY, July 23, 2024: Guyana has urgently called for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza conflict and emphasized the need to prioritize the protection of civilians. Her comments come as the Gaza death toll neared 40,000, according to the Hamas Health Ministry and another 84 were killed and 329 wounded throughout the Gaza Strip today, as Israeli forces launch a new ground invasion in southern city of Khan Younis.

Relatives of Palestinians, who lost their lives following the Israeli attack on Khan Yunis, mourn as dead bodies are taken from the morgue at Nasser Hospital for burial in Khan Yunis, Gaza on July 23, 2024. (Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“Mr. President, the silence has been deafening on a possible solution to end the war in Gaza. Guyana had hoped that with the adoption of resolution 2735 five weeks ago, supporting the efforts of the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, that the bombs and bullets that continue to rain down on Gaza would have been silenced,” Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett stated at the UN Security Council.

She commended the efforts of the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, stressing the importance of maintaining optimism. “We remind that it is the responsibility of this Council to continue to do all in its power to bring an end to this war,” the Guyanese diplomat said, noting the worsening multilayered catastrophe in Palestine.

“The dimensions of this catastrophe stretch across every facet of Palestinian life, both in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Its principal characteristics are oppression and repression, indignity and impunity, destruction, deprivation, and death,” Rodrigues-Birkett elaborated.

She highlighted that Palestinians, despite their immense suffering, look to the United Nations for an end to their plight. “Guyana’s appeal is for a collective mustering of political will, to advance the peace process, and to give the Palestinian people real hope of a secure and stable future. This is the only prospect which can equally secure a stable future for Israel and the Middle East,” she added.

The ambassador condemned Israel’s “barbaric war” on Gaza, which she said has resulted in a severely mutilated population. She stated that the death toll is nearing 40,000, with the majority being women and children. “What really is life in the Gaza Strip? Bombs, starvation, inadequate healthcare, and essential goods and services have seen the civilian population robbed of everything necessary for their survival,” she lamented.

Rodrigues-Birkett criticized the impediments to humanitarian aid, noting that despite the Kerem Shalom/Karam Abu Salem crossing being “open,” only a trickle of aid has entered due to active combat zones. She emphasized that the ongoing bombardment and breakdown of law and order in Gaza exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.

She condemned the attacks on key civilian infrastructure, including healthcare facilities and schools, and called for an end to the violence. “What red lines are there that allow for the continuous killing of women and children, and the bombing of schools, refugee camps, and hospitals? Guyana condemns this wanton violence in the strongest terms,” Rodrigues-Birkett said.

Guyana is also demanding that UN member states uphold their duty to ensure international law obligations are met, particularly international humanitarian law. She noted the escalation of attacks against UN facilities and personnel, especially those of UNRWA, and called for their protection.

“We also call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and Palestinians detained without trial in Israeli prisons. We urge adherence to the various resolutions of this Council,” she said, stressing the need for increased humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

Rodrigues-Birkett underlined the obligation of Israel as the occupying power to ensure access to humanitarian relief and echoed the demands of the International Court of Justice.

The Caribbean diplomat also called for actions to reduce tensions in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and to mitigate the violence between Palestinians and Israelis. She urged good faith efforts to reduce regional tensions. A 16-year-old girl and a 50-year-old woman are among the dead in an Israeli incursion into the Tulkarem refugee camp, adding to the Gaza death toll.

News Americas, New York, NY, July 23, 2024: The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced on Monday a US$60 million humanitarian aid package to support the Haitian people and alleviate the suffering caused by gang war in Haiti.

Thomas-Greenfield, during her one-day visit to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, stated that the aid would be channeled through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

US Ambassador to the United Nation Linda Thomas-Greenfield (C) greets Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille as they gather for a group photo with the Transitional Presidential Council after a meeting at the Villa d’Accueil in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on July 22, 2024. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

This funding will enable USAID partners to address critical gaps in nutrition, food security, and shelter; improve water and sanitation services; provide market-based cash assistance to help affected communities purchase essential commodities; and support crucial protection services for Haiti’s most vulnerable populations, including survivors of gender-based violence.

Currently, an estimated 5.5 million people in Haiti require immediate humanitarian assistance amid a complex crisis fueled by civil unrest, disease, economic instability, and organized criminal groups. These factors, combined with recurring natural disasters like droughts, earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes, have led to shortages of basic supplies and increased food insecurity across the nation.

Ongoing violence has further restricted access to essential healthcare, causing several hospitals and clinics to close, disrupting supply chains, elevating prices for staple foods, and reducing agricultural production.

Washington noted that this new funding builds on previous commitments of more than US$105 million earlier this year, bringing the total USAID humanitarian support for Haiti this fiscal year to over US$165 million.

Last week, UN Women, the agency dedicated to gender equality, highlighted the unprecedented levels of insecurity and sexual violence faced by displaced women in Haiti. The instability in the country has led to a surge in sexual violence against women and girls as armed gangs continue their assaults on the population.

A new report by UN Women reveals the dire living conditions and lack of security faced by approximately 300,000 displaced women and girls amid ongoing political instability, escalating gang violence, and the threat of the current hurricane season.

Women and girls constitute more than half of the 580,000 displaced individuals in Haiti, and the UN Women Rapid Gender Assessment underscores how makeshift camps, which lack basic necessities, are putting them at particular risk of sexual and gender-based violence.

The survey was conducted in April in the six most populated and diverse displacement sites in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.

In addition, Thomas-Greenfield announced that the US Department of Defense would provide a “substantial increase” in the number of armored vehicles to the Kenyan-led, UN-backed multinational mission assisting the Haitian National Police (PNH) in combating widespread gang war in Haiti.

News Americas, New York, NY, July 11, 2024: A former slave in The Bahamas has been honored posthumously with the nation’s highest award as the country celebrated its 51st anniversary of independence from Britain.

On July 10th, The Bahamas conferred the Order of National Hero on Kate Moss, a former slave recognized for her courage in the fight against racism and slavery. The Office of the Governor General announced that the National Honours Committee acknowledged Moss for her “timely and determined courage demonstrated against racism and slavery.”

Slave ruins in Eleuthera, Bahamas. (Islands of the Bahamas image)

In the 1820s, Kate Moss was a young house slave on a plantation in Crooked Island owned by Henry and Helen Moss. Accused of theft, insubordination, and insolence, Kate consistently refused to follow the orders of her owners, particularly those she found demeaning. Her defiance led to severe punishment, ultimately resulting in her death.

Statue of Christopher Columbus still stands in New Providence Island, Nassau infront of Government House.

The Governor General’s statement detailed how Kate’s plight caught the attention of abolitionists in England, who referred to her as “Poor Black Kate.” When authorities in Nassau learned of her death, Henry and Helen Moss were charged with murder, found guilty, and fined £300 or sentenced to five months in jail. Kate’s resistance and subsequent death became significant news, bolstering the abolitionist movement in England, led by William Wilberforce.

“Kate’s actions to stand up for herself became an act of defiance that significantly impacted the abolition of slavery worldwide and must never be forgotten,” the statement emphasized.

In related celebrations, CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett praised The Bahamas for its socio-economic progress since independence and its leadership in addressing regional issues such as climate change and human rights. She highlighted The Bahamas’ role as the host of the Regional Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and its historic position as the first CARICOM member to serve on the UN Human Rights Council.

Dr. Barnett extended her congratulations to Prime Minister Phillip Davis and the Bahamian people, expressing appreciation for The Bahamas’ contributions to regional development and its indomitable spirit.

Additionally, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken congratulated The Bahamas on its anniversary, recognizing the strong partnership between the two nations. Blinken noted the shared efforts to address urgent concerns, including irregular migration, transnational crime, and climate change. He reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to deepening its partnership with The Bahamas, ensuring long-term prosperity and security for both countries.

“As you mark your 51st year of independence, the United States and the American people extend their best wishes to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Bahamian people in the year ahead,” Blinken said.

NEWS AMERICAS, CHARLESTON, S.C., Fri. July 05, 2024: Water Mission, a Christian engineering non-profit, is responding to the ongoing destruction from Hurricane Beryl impacting multiple countries throughout the Caribbean region, including Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, and heading toward Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

A Water Mission Disaster Assistance Response Team has been deployed to Grenada, bringing safe water treatment equipment with the ability to meet daily safe water needs for thousands of people. Union Island, part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was particularly hard hit, with the country’s Prime Minister recently sharing that 90 percent of structures, including homes, have been destroyed. Water Mission is actively coordinating water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) efforts with local government authorities.

“Waterborne diseases are a critical concern in the days and weeks after a disaster,” said Water Mission CEO and President George C. Greene IV, PE. “Water Mission’s Disaster Assistance Response Team is well versed in quickly mobilizing and collaborating with partners on the ground to bring emergency safe water as quickly as possible where it is needed most.”

Hurricane Beryl is the earliest category five storm to ever form in the Atlantic Ocean and has caused deaths and displaced thousands of people across several countries. It is expected to hit Mexico today as a weakened, yet still destructive, storm that will bring high winds and potential flash flooding. Water Mission has in-country offices in Mexico with established WASH programs. Staff and resources in the region have mobilized to help assess and respond to emerging safe water needs as they arise.

Water Mission has more than 20 years of experience responding to natural disasters and humanitarian crises with immediate and long-term safe water solutions. Over the last two years, Water Mission has responded to flooding in East Africa, earthquakes in Turkey, flooding in Pakistan, cholera outbreaks in Malawi, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Water Mission’s global operations have served more than 8 million people since 2001.

Click here to learn more about Water Mission’s Hurricane Beryl disaster response efforts as the organization rushes staff and equipment to get clean, safe water flowing where it’s needed most for displaced men, women, and children.

About Water Mission
Water Mission is a Christian engineering nonprofit that builds sustainable safe water solutions for people in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas. Since 2001, Water Mission has served more than 8 million people in more than 60 countries, sharing safe water and the message of God’s love. Water Mission’s global headquarters is in North Charleston, SC, and the organization serves people in Africa; Asia; and North, South, and Central America. Charity Navigator has awarded Water Mission its top four-star rating 17 years in a row, a distinction shared by less than 1% of the charities rated by the organization. To learn more, visit watermission.org, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter.

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News Americas, New York, NY, July 2, 2024: Hurricane Beryl has claimed at least four lives in the Caribbean as it slammed into Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a category four hurricane Monday.

Hurricane Beryl devastation in Carriacou, Grenada. Dexter Leggard/Facebook image

In Grenada, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell earlier today said so far, the death toll there from the devastating storm, is three – two on the island of Carriacou and one on the mainland of Grenada. Efforts are being made to secure a helicopter to reach Carriacou, where the hurricane made land fall, due to rough seas hampering Coast Guard operations.

Hurricane Beryl devastation in Carriacou, Grenada. Dexter Leggard/Facebook image

“There is widespread destruction and possibly more fatalities,” Mitchell said, adding that internal movement between Carriacou and Petite Martinique remains restricted.

Hurricane Beryl devastation in Carriacou, Grenada. Dexter Leggard/Facebook image

Meanwhile, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves confirmed one death on the island of Bequia and warned that more fatalities could occur. Gonsalves described the hurricane as “devastating and dangerous,” causing immense destruction and suffering across the nation. Union Island has been particularly hard hit, with 90% of homes severely damaged or destroyed.

Gonsalves reported significant damage to buildings, including the airport and government facilities, and a severe impact on the housing sector. The island is currently without electricity and facing water shortages, but efforts are underway to restore these services.

In response to the disaster, Gonsalves announced the reopening of government facilities and encouraged businesses to resume operations, acknowledging the challenges faced by employees whose homes were damaged. He highlighted the support from regional countries and the need for a coordinated rebuilding effort.

Prime Minister Gonsalves acknowledged the need for financial resources to support the rebuilding efforts. “We have some resources in the Contingency Fund, but it will not be sufficient. We will have to raise other monies and borrow on concessional terms,” he said, highlighting the limited availability of grants.

JAMAICA

At 5:00 PM EDT, Hurricane Beryl was moving west-northwest at about 22 mph (35 km/h) and is expected to maintain this trajectory through Wednesday, before turning more westward on Wednesday night or Thursday. The forecast indicates that Beryl will swiftly cross the central Caribbean Sea tonight, passing near or over Jamaica on Wednesday. The center is anticipated to approach the Cayman Islands on Wednesday night or early Thursday and near the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico by Thursday night.

Beryl has maximum sustained winds of approximately 155 mph (250 km/h), with higher gusts, making it a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Although some weakening is expected over the next day or two, Beryl is projected to remain near major hurricane strength as it passes close to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Further weakening is expected thereafter, though Beryl is likely to stay a hurricane in the northwestern Caribbean.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the south coast of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Anse d’Hainault.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the south coast of Dominican Republic from Punta Palenque westward to the border with Haiti and the south coast of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Anse d’Hainault.