BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, CMC – The Government is exploring the possibility of establishing an embassy in Cuba next year in an effort to strengthen the existing relationship between both Caribbean nations.
News
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Jamaica government has denied a newspaper report of a Cabinet re-shuffle.
In a brief one paragraph statement, the Portia Simpson Miller government dismissed as “false” the report by the Gleaner newspaper on its website.
“The Prime Minister and her team remain focused on the national growth and the development agenda and will not be distracted by such reports,” the government statement said.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - Head of Communications at Caribbean Airlines, Clint Williams has confirmed reports that the airline will be cutting back on the number of flights to Jamaica.
For several weeks it was rumored that flights to Jamaica would be reduced and on Tuesday during a sitting of Parliament's Standing Finance Committee, Transport Minister Dr. Omar Davies, told the committee that no information was forthcoming from Caribbean Airlines.
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, CMC – Communications Minister Regine Godefroy became the second woman in as many days to quit the Haitian government.
While there has been no official communication as to the reasons why Godefroy joined former finance minister Marie Carmelle Jean-Marie in leaving the cabinet of Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, media reports spoke of allegations of various types of government corruption.
The Office of the Prime Minister has already warned that it would not tolerate corruption.
KINGSTON, JAMAICA, Gleaner- The Guyana government says it will hold a national mining lottery later this month that will target small miners due to the increased demand for mining properties.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Iran is offering to help Guyana develop its agricultural, mining and industrial sectors.
Newly accredited Ambassador to Guyana Hojattolah Soltani has extended an invitation for a Guyana delegation comprising agricultural and industrial stakeholders to explore opportunities in his country as it seeks to deepen relations between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Soltani, who presented his letters of Credence to President Donald Ramotar, said Iran has profound expertise making reference to mining, agriculture and industry.
NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – The Bahamas government is providing a tax amnesty to property owners ahead of the June 30 deadline.
The government says effective immediately, the Real Property Tax Amnesty Programme could save home owners up to 50 per cent of the taxes owned to government if they make arrangements with the assessment team. But the government gave no indication as to how much money is owed to it by tax payers.
WASHINGTON, CMC – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it is making available more than US$10 million to Antigua and Barbuda after completing review of the island’s economic performance under a three-year Stand By Arrangement (SBA) indicating also that the economy is showing signs of gradual recovery after three years of being stagnant.
The IMF said it had also approved a waiver of non-observance of the continuous performance criterion on external arrears.
CARICOM BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Prime Minister Freundel Stuart hinting that the global economic crisis may have forced Caribbean countries to become more inward looking, says nonetheless the regional integration movement is “alive and well.”
BRUSSELS, Belgium, CMC – The United Nations-backed Global Fund says it needs an estimated US$87 billion to bring under control the threat posed by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, during the 2014-2016 period, in the Caribbean and globally.