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PARAMARIBO — Met de de onthulling van het naambord door president Chandrikapersad Santokhi is het mangrove rehabilitatieproject te Weg naar
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Rédaction web
Vendredi 29 Juillet 2022 – 18h17
L’hélicoptère de la sécurité civile est mobilisé sur les opérations de recherches. – DR
Neuf personnes sont actuellement bloquées par la montée des eaux aux Chutes du Carbet. Une opération est actuellement en cours mais l’intervention de l’hélicoptère Dragon 971 est impossible.
Sur le même sujet
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JT Vidéo
Vidéo Grand JT des Territoires
Vendredi 29 Juillet 2022 – 19h26
Le « Grand JT des Territoires » sur TV5 Monde – DR
Retrouvez, chaque semaine, le « Grand JT des Territoires » de Cyril Viguier, diffusé sur TV5 Monde, en partenariat avec France-Antilles.
Sommaire
ROUTE : PATIENCE ET PRUDENCEPatience et prudence sur la route. Vous serez des millions ces jours-ci à partir ou à rentrer de vacances. Dans la Loire, TL7 vous donnera quelques conseils pour rester calme en voiture. La Dépêche du Midi, elle, nous fera découvrir les nouvelles voitures de sport de la Gendarmerie qui chasseront les gros excès de vitesse tout l’été.
SPORT : L’ART DU COMBAT MÉDIÉVALEt si pour vous défoulez vous testiez le « Behourd ». Cette pratique tout droit venue du Moyen-Age est en plein développement en France. Le but : combattre des adversaires avec des armes et des armures médiévales. Un reportage étonnant de la chaîne TVR à suivre.
AUTOMOBILE : UNE VENTE AUX ENCHÈRES DE RÊVEFerrari, Mercredi, Formule 1, des voitures de rêve mises aux enchères à Monaco. La rédaction de MonacoInfo nous offrira la chance de découvrir quelques-unes des plus belles de ces voitures mythiques.
Dans l’oeil des caméras de vidéosurvei …
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After major hits to the tourism sector during the pandemic, the Virgin Islands is figuring out the best way forward in new circumstances under new leadership, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said on July 21 in the House of Assembly.
In the first four months of 2022, a total 202,000 visitors came to the territory, including 140,000 cruise ship passengers, 60,268 overnight guests, and 1,949 day-trippers, according to Dr. Wheatley.
“I am advised that the tourism off-season is changing,” he said while delivering a statement in the HOA. “Tourism industry partners are reporting positive guest numbers as far down as September — where normally the season traditionally slowed down in May or June.”
To help boost the trend, the BVI Tourist Board plans to continue promoting “staycation” offers to residents of the VI, United States VI and Puerto Rico, according to the premier.
“This is intended to act as a buffer when guest numbers are not at their highest,” he said.
Meanwhile, the return of popular events including poker runs, Christmas in July, Summer Sizzle and the August Emancipation Festival are helping support the hospitality industry further into the season, he added.
In recent months, he noted, the BVITB also helped host social media influencers, travel journalists and media houses.
“These persons tell the story of our amazing destination in an authentic way to their followers and readers, inspiring their wanderlust,” Dr. Wheatley said.
The term of the current BVITB board members was set to expire on July 24, Dr. Wheatley said, adding that the National Unity Government “has been proactive in ensuring that there remains stable and quality leadership of this most important statutory board.”
Advertisements for the positions went out on July 8, and Dr. Wheatley said government leaders are considering the applications, which had to be submitted by July 16.
He also thanked the outgoing board members, including Chairwoman Kenisha Sprauve.
“While the pandemic prevented the outgoing board from following through with some of its ideas, the board did rise to the pandemic’s unforeseen challenges and was able to complete a few projects and start others that the board hopes will be seen to completion,” he said.
Dr. Wheatley also gave other updates about ongoing efforts to boost the tourism industry.
The BVITB marketing team, he said, plans to attend the Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas in August and Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Puerto Rico in October.
The board also plans to work more extensively with luxury brands in 2023, he added.
Additionally, in partnership with the data-driven media company TravelDesk, the BVITB recently launched its North American Sail & Stay summer campaign, according to the premier.
“I am advised that the incentive market is doing extremely well, with many groups on the books for the upcoming summer and through 2024,” Dr. Wheatley said. “We have had several total buy-outs already for the year in many of our major hotels, with another full buy-out in the third week of August.”
He added that “many” couples planning destination weddings have reserved full buy-outs at major resorts.
“The honeymoon and renewal market are also on the rise as the pandemic has slowed down and couples look forward to their destination honeymoons,” he added.
Dr. Wheatley said appealing to such markets will be important for the industry.
He also noted that the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport guest welcome booth is closed for repairs but said the BVITB plans to have a new area prepared in time for the next tourism season.
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The framework for carrying out Commission of Inquiry recommendations includes a deluge of deadlines for July, but Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said last week that his National Unity Government is on track to meet those targets and others coming up this fall thanks in part to the hard work of public officers.
The government faces pending deadlines to provide support to the auditor general, review policy for government contracts obtained by House of Assembly members, and more by July 31.
Dr. Wheatley and Governor John Rankin announced on June 8 that the United Kingdom and Virgin Islands governments had reached an agreement to cooperatively carry out the recommendations from the COI report.
Since then, steps to meet those deadlines have included establishing a new Constitutional Review Committee, having the auditor general prepare a timetable to audit various areas of government, ordering an investigation as to whether the Premier’s Office obstructed the auditor general, making the Register of Interests public, and more.
“It is clear from the foregoing that the Government of National Unity, the public officers in the respective ministries, and all parties including the governor and the Governor’s Group, are working hard and are seriously committed to delivering the implementation plan for addressing the COI recommendations and the other reforms,” Dr. Wheatley said on July 21 in the House of Assembly. “It is also clear that we are keeping up with the timelines that were agreed with the UK.”
Dr. Wheatley added that the government has also proposed some measures that go beyond what the COI team recommended.
“Let me reassure the people of the Virgin Islands that the Government of National Unity is firmly committed to our obligations as set out in the framework,” he said.
He added that the steering group staffed by the Premier’s Office permanent secretary, other permanent secretaries, the attorney general, the financial secretary, and the Governor’s Office director of strategy has been helpful in coordinating the government-wide reform. Another reform committee established by the HOA is responsible for establishing a timetable to make sure all the necessary legislation gets passed on time.
In his HOA statement, the premier drew attention to several of this month’s accomplishments. He said “a local lawyer” has been identified to conduct an independent review of the discretionary powers of Cabinet and government ministers “to ensure that these are not excessive or abused,” with the assistance of the Premier’s Office. The deadline for selecting a reviewer was July 1, and the report is due Oct. 31. Dr. Wheatley didn’t name the lawyer, however.
He also noted that the governor initiated recommended investigations, including criminal investigations, in May.
Cabinet also met its goals of taking interim safety measures to address security concerns at ports, and the Attorney General’s Chambers is finalising recommendations for Jury Act revisions due July 31, he added.
Dr. Wheatley also said issues of contract-splitting and advance notice of tender waivers have already been addressed with the recent Procurement Act and draft regulations.
Before the month ends on July 31, the government still has a few deadlines to meet.
The House, for instance, must pass legislation criminalising failure to cooperate with the Office of the Auditor General or the Internal Audit Department.
Dr. Wheatley said Cabinet approved the relevant amendments, and he was optimistic government would meet the July 31 deadline. To that end, he introduced the Audit (Amendment) Act, 2022 on July 21. Though cameras stopped rolling before the act came for a vote, HOA Public Relations Officer Linton Leonard confirmed on July 27 that the legislation passed.
The House plans to reconvene on Aug. 9.
There is also a July 31 deadline to restructure how the complaints commissioner delivers reports, and how quickly public officers are expected to respond to the office. Dr. Wheatley said draft Cabinet papers have been prepared to address those issues.
He added that he soon expects a letter of appointment for a senior jurist who will review the practice of HOA members contracting with the government, meeting another July 31 deadline. He didn’t name the chosen jurist, however.
Another reviewer he didn’t name has been appointed to begin reviewing policies related to good governance, accountability, transparency and value for money before July 31, he added.
Also before July 31, Dr. Wheatley added, he plans to issue a letter of appointment for a reviewer approved by Governor Rankin to consider Crown Land disposal.
The framework doesn’t include any deadlines for August, but several projects must be under way by September, according to the plan.
By Sept. 1, a “suitable” reviewer such as a retired Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court judge must start reviewing the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1880 to bring it up to modern Common Law standards. Both the premier and governor must agree on this appointment, and the reviewer must submit a completed report by February 2023.
Also by Sept. 1, Cabinet must propose a senior jurist or reputable attorney to review the guidelines for statutory board appointments so they can deliver a report by Dec. 31.
Similarly, a suitable reviewer must be appointed by Sept. 1 to review policies for granting residency and belongership status, “including the open discretion by Cabinet to grant such statuses and the length of residence required for belongership, among other things,” according to the reform framework.
The report’s due date is Nov. 30.
“Cabinet committed that from June 1, 2022, the existing legislation on residency threshold — minimum of 10 years — would be followed pending completion of the above-mentioned review,” Dr. Wheatley said on July 21. “I can report that the Immigration Department has been adhering to this recommendation and has discontinued the use of the previous response given to applicants who did not meet the 20-year requirement.”
He continued, “In the coming months, we expect to engage in discussions on the difficult, but necessary, subject of immigration reform.”
The premier said in a statement on July 25 that it is important to clarify conflicting policies on the length of residency needed to apply for belongership, and a structured dialogue on immigration policy is still needed.
He added that the community must consider what other criteria besides length of residency should be considered in granting belongership status.
“Patriotism, a sound knowledge of history of the Virgin Islands, and your social and civic contributions to the society are all very important things, among other factors,” he said. “In addition, there is a socioeconomic dimension that must be considered when granting residency for belongership in terms of what the society can reasonably accommodate and sustain over time.”
He said the public meetings would be announced soon.
By Sept. 30, the House must also amend existing legislation to follow recommendations from the Supervisor of Elections’ General Elections Report 2019 and Observer Mission of that year.
“This is a voluminous amount of work, and based on what has been happening since we started work on this reform programme, what we are seeing is evidence that our public officers do have a lot of previously untapped abilities and capabilities,” Dr. Wheatley said. “They deserve our commendation — as does the whole team.”
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If you were among the lucky 1962 that have copped or will receive a bottle of Appleton’s latest release – Appleton Estate Decades – then this should interest you.
After launchingits new limited-time offer (LTO) rum at the Sunken Garden, Hope Botanical Gardens, Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum and co, threw a party to celebrate the occasion.
Appleton Estate Decades and is a concoction of the finest hand-selected rums spanning six decades.
Each expression was selected with the intention of creating a luxurious and rare liquid blend to celebrate Jamaica’s independence.
One can only imagine the history steeped into each one-of-1962 bottle – made in recognition of the year Jamaica gained its independence.
The bottle design is an iteration of Appleton Estate’s new packaging, launched in 2018.
The bottle includes the insignia, displaying the history of Jamaica and paying homage to the Appleton Estate, the birthplace of our world-renowned rums.
The insignia is an artistic representation of five national treasures: The Lignum Vitae flower, the Blue Mahoe tree, buds of Ackee, the Doctor Bird, and, of course, the Jamaican flag.
Crafted by Appleton Estate’s Master Blender Joy Spence – a luminary in the spirits sector, who recently celebrated her 40th anniversary at JWN – Appleton Estate Decades is best enjoyed neat in a snifter glass.
In describing the sipping experience, Dr Joy Spence noted:
“Appleton Estate Decades reveals smooth notes of honey and molasses on the nose with a luxurious flavour profile of nutmeg, walnut, maple, and vanilla finishing with notes of soft oak and bright orange zest. The rum, with an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 45%, presents a dark amber hue ending with a silky finish.”
Passion for rum-making… “Jamaica is a place unlike anywhere in the world and I am delighted to share my deep passion for rum-making and my love of Jamaica with this new release.”
History and heritage go hand in hand… “As one of the oldest rum distilleries in Jamaica, we continue to make history with the introduction of this never-before-done blend of rums from each of the past six decades. I am honoured to play a [role] in paying tribute to the rich history and heritage of the Jamaican people with this expression as the country celebrates its 60th anniversary of independence.”
The highly anticipated memento marks a significant milestone for the rum category as it demonstrates Appleton Estate’s unwavering commitment to the extraordinary quality and masterful blending, yielding complex flavours that have placed Appleton at the pinnacle of rum making for centuries.
Appleton Estate Decades is packaged in a special navy-blue gift box, with green illustrations showcasing lush flora and the doctor bird, as well as the expression’s tasting notes and how best to enjoy it.
The bottleneck label, like other expressions in the range, boasts an illustration of the Appleton Estate nestled in the heart of the Nassau Valley, St Elizabeth in the colours of the gift box with the text “Limited Edition”.
More about the rum
Appleton Estate rums age nearly three times more quickly in Jamaica’s tropical weather than spirits aged in cooler climates.
This allows for richer, fuller flavours that are developed in shorter times, and are best sipped neat given the complexity of the flavours developed throughout the ageing process.
At the launch event, bottle number 1,962 was signed by Appleton Estate’s Master Blender and the newly announced Tourism Brand Ambassador for Jamaica Dr Joy Spence.
The bottle was then auctioned off to Ka-el Geewax, for her bid of US$16,000.
But, the Appleton Estate Decades Rum is only available in Jamaica for a limited time with a retail price of US$1,700.
For more information, head to Appleton Estate on Facebook or Instagram.
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Sacaj with her original entry, ‘Nuh Weh Nice Like Yard’, was crowned the winner of the 2022 Festival Song Competition on Thursday night.
The St Mary native walked away with a trophy and $3 million in prize money at the grand finals of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC)-organised competition held at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston.
Minister of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, was among those on hand to share in the celebration.
Sacaj was among 10 finalists in the contest which was held as part of the Jamaica 60 celebrations under the theme ‘Reigniting A Nation for Greatness’.
In second place was Magic Flute with ‘I’m A Proud Jamaican’, while Nitty Kutchie, who placed third with his entry, ‘Defend Jamaica’, also copped the sectional prize for Best Performance.
In addition to their original entries, the Festival Song finalists also regaled the audience with renditions of old favourites, such as ‘Cheerio Baby’, ‘Redemption Song’, and ‘Play De Music’.
The event also featured performances by 2021 Jamaica Festival Song winner, Stacious, and guest artiste, Richie Stephens.
Chairman of the Jamaica Festival Song Competition, Orville Hill, said the winner was selected through a combination of professional judging and public votes.
Fifty per cent of the scores were determined by online votes, and the other 50 per cent by a panel of judges. The first round of the judging took place at the presentation show on July 14.
“That combination of a 50/50 format really brings out the best of what we have to offer. We must recognise the contribution and the position of the public, and at the same time, these are professionals who are performing, and it is good to have professional judges come in and have their input,” said Hill.
He urged that “now that the song for Jamaica’s 60th Independence anniversary has been selected, I ask that all of Jamaica rally around (it) and go into our Independence celebration with this song.”
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REAL NEWS-realnewsantigua.com- Three people are now in police custody following allegations of fraud at the Antigua and Barbuda Customs Department.
A reliable source tells REAL News that the trio – a female Customs officer who cashiers at the Department and two brokers – were arrested and charged today, Friday, July 29, with fraud and conspiracy. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATS APP GROUP FOR MORE UPDATES
The amount in question is some $26,000 and is based on investigations into the Department that began over three years ago.
Reportedly, millions of dollars were misappropriated from the Department, and Finance Minister Gaston Browne has claimed, publicly, that his signature had been forged on certain documents.
A source tells our News Department that the Police had planned to take the three accused before a magistrate this (Friday) afternoon. However, no presiding officer was available to deal with the bail hearing, since the Chief Magistrate had already left for home.
The source says she was informed of the matter only after 2 p.m. today.
Accordingly, the trio will have to spend the long holiday weekend in the lock-up, since due to the nature of the charges they cannot be granted station bail.
The next available court date is Wednesday, August 3, after the Carnival festivities.
It was noted that one of the accused had been asked to turn up at the police station in the morning, but did so later, preventing the matter from being taken before the court at an earlier time.
A source also alleges that the Police executed a search warrant earlier today at the home of one broker. – realnewsantigua.com
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After suddenly closing Althea Scatliffe Primary School last month because of concerns about its structural integrity, government officials are still figuring out the best options to temporarily house students, according to Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sharie De Castro.
After Ms. De Castro assumed her role about two months ago, she asked her ministry’s projects manager and maintenance manager to assess all the schools in the territory, she said July 21 in a statement delivered at the House of Assembly.
“This report is required to allow us to plan the necessary work to be done over the summer break and also to ensure that a work plan is in place for consistent and continuous work throughout the school year,” Ms. De Castro said.
She added that most of the school structures are at least 40 years old.
“We recognise opportunities for restructuring and upgrades,” she said. “The assessments have revealed important information that is vital for decision-making.”
One result was the immediate closure of ASPS on June 17 due to the concerns about structural integrity.
“We had to move swiftly to close the school to ensure the safety of all users of the building,” Ms. De Castro said. “Currently, we are exploring options for temporarily housing students, and we will make an announcement shortly. We must do everything possible to ensure the safety of faculty and students, and this sentiment goes for all schools throughout the Virgin Islands.”
The maintenance team is already carrying out remedial works in other schools to prepare for the 2022-2023 school year, she said.
The Recovery and Development Agency is also making progress on improving schools, Ms. De Castro said.
That includes construction on two classroom blocks for the senior division of Elmore Stoutt High School that began on April 4 and “has progressed at a rapid pace,” according to the minister.
The project also includes a specialised technical block and an administrative block. Workers have completed about 70 percent of the project, Ms. De Castro added.
However, she did not say if the buildings will be completed in time for the start of next school year as initially promised, thereby allowing senior students to leave their temporary accommodations at the former Clarence Thomas Limited building in Pasea.
The RDA has also launched the procurement process for rebuilding the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre, she said, promising more details soon.
The Jost Van Dyke Primary School project, which is also in the final stages of procurement, should be functional within 18 months, according to the minister.
As for the students who recently finished their 2021-2022 school year, Ms. De Castro said they and their teachers “have continued to demonstrate great resilience as they dealt with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
She said 330 students went through sixth grade at 13 public schools and six private schools. Of those students, 310 were promoted to grade seven, and 20 will be required to do remedial work while transitioning to the next grade.
Of the 224 grade 12 students at public schools, she added, 168 met their graduation requirements — about 75 percent. Those graduates included 104 with honour roll status, and seven with high honours.
“I offer sincere congratulations to all our students and commend principals and teachers who have contributed to their success this academic year,” Ms. De Castro said. “While recognising the accomplishments, we are also cognisant of the challenges and are committed to addressing them.”
She said 189 students in grades 10-12 joined a monthlong summer school programme on July 5 and have since received “intense intervention” in select subject areas.
They included 22 students from Bregado Flax Educational Centre, 15 from the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies, and 152 from ESHS. About 70 are attending Exit Proficiency Examination preparation classes, and 42 were working on reaching their graduation requirements.
“This summer school initiative gives these students another opportunity to attain their high school diploma and thereafter move on to the world of work or tertiary institutions,” she said. “They will retake the Exit Proficiency Examination on July 29.”
Ms. De Castro said an overall review of school curriculum and assessment policies will take place with the start of the new school year.
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