News

KINGSTON, Jamaica - IN recent years, the small states of the Caribbean have experienced low rates of economic growth, with the last rapid growth spurt in the 1980s that was fuelled mainly by expansion of tourism, banana exports and public investments.
The slowdown that started in the 1990s was triggered by the loss of trade preferences for sugar and bananas, higher oil prices and deterioration of the terms of trade, causing reduced fiscal space. The effective buffer has been remittances which have grown steadily despite the economic downturn in the US.

WASHINGTON, CMC – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says there is no “single bullet” that will allow Caribbean countries to deal with their various problems such as high debt, low growth, mitigation of vulnerabilities and strengthening financial system.
The IMF said that growth in the Caribbean has stagnated in the last two decades, except in commodity exporters.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Finance Intelligence Unit heads from the English-speaking Caribbean will begin a major two-day meeting at the Jolly Beach Resort from April 3-4.
Up for discussion will be methods of tackling money laundering along with asset forfeiture and the proceeds of crime.
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer, will deliver a keynote address at the opening ceremony today, which is being chaired by Lt Col Edward Croft.

sector KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Italian consulting firm, SP Studio Pietrangeli will undertake a J$109 million (US$ One Jamaica dollar = US$0.01 cents) feasibility study on five potential hydro power sites across the island.
The Ministry of Energy says it will partner with the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) in undertaking the feasibility project being carried out as part of the Energy Security and Efficiency Enhancement Project, funded through a 2011 World Bank loan agreement. The feasibility work will end in August this year.

KINGSTON, Jamaica - United States seismic expert Professor Eric Calais has called for Jamaicans to put in place long-term strategies to prepare for another major earthquake on the island.
An article published Monday by the Claims Journal website noted that based on the area's history and active seismic activity, the threat can become real.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - A systematic process must be put in place to ensure that there is continuous learning regarding the hazards that can affect Barbados and clear plans and appropriate actions must be outlined before disasters occur, through an effective mitigation strategy, so as to reduce the scale or severity of impacts.
This was the point made by Nicole Greenidge of the Department of Emergency Management (DEM), while addressing participants gathered at a recent National Hazard Mitigation Workshop organised in Barbados by the DEM.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – A 17 year-old Irish youth will re-appear in court on April 30 on a charge of threatening to assassinate President Donald Ramotar.
Cillian James Crosson, a volunteer teacher at Shulinab, Rupununi, appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman, who released him on GUY$60,000 (One Guyana dollar = US$0.01 cents) bail.
The court heard that Crosson, who arrived here  last August through the organization Project Trust, allegedly made the threat to shoot President Ramotar in the head on March 29 at City Boy Club at  Tabatinga in Lethem.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The range and quantity of the programmes available for training with respect to disasters are too limited.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Has Washington decided that the moment is right to exert pressure on the People’s Partnership Government to make it sharply aware of its continuing desire to have local business executives Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Fergusson extradited to face corruption charges in the United States?

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - If, as the Trinidad and Tobago Government suggests, the US authorities are snubbing it in its attempt to get information on whether National Security Minister Jack Warner is the subject of an investigation in that country, then it points to the fact that this country has reached an all-time low in its relations with that country.
This is the view of Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.