KINGSTON, Jamaica - Agro-parks must be good things. Roger Clarke, the agriculture minister, talks about them a lot. So, too, does Peter Phillips, the finance minister.
Indeed, in these hard economic times, in which he is facing the strictures of the International Monetary Fund, Dr Phillips is allowing the agriculture minister to spend more than J$1 billion on these parks.
Both men believe that the agro-parks, eight of which are supposed to be established by the Government, will be transformational.
Member
KINGSTON, Jamaica - When Dr Peter Phillips announced the approval of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal as he wrapped up the annual Budget Debate last week, many in the House and across the nation were happy - the ecstasy had waned by then. Dr Phillips, who earned respect by the way he handled the negotiating process, must be congratulated for getting the deal done, and warding off some of the harsher conditions while lengthening some timelines. He did not linger at happiness.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - The Jamaican Government and the United States (US) are expected to sign an agreement by July aimed at endorsing a new hegemony tax act called the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which requires local financial institutions to rat out US account holders.
Concurrently, a government working group is seeking to get a number of institutions exempted from FATCA compliance based on their low risk.
"Our intention is to protect our financial institutions by signing the agreement by the end of July this year, have financial institutions registered and assigned ...
CASTRIES, St. Lucia CMC - Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony has challenged Cabinet secretaries and heads of the Public Services in the Commonwealth Caribbean to set examples in their professional lives so others in the service may be inspired and motivated.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell is returning home Friday after holding talks with his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart, Kamla Persad Bissessar on further improving trading and other relations between the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.
A joint statement issued late Thursday night following their discussions noted that Trinidad and Tobago is Grenada's largest trading partner accounting for approximately 36 per cent of merchandise trade and 49 per cent of banking services. Insurance services are also significant between the two countries.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Prepare for an active hurricane season.
Director of the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Judy Thomas sounded this warning yesterday saying that residents should prepare homes and businesses against flooding and strong winds.
KINGSTOWN—The shareholder governments of regional airline, LIAT, will meet in Barbados today, but a planned meeting in Bridgetown with T&T’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar will not materialise, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has said. He told a news conference his T&T counterpart was unable to attend the meeting because Parliament would be meeting on the same day.
Gonsalves, who serves as chairman of the shareholders, said the meeting with Persad-Bissessar would have dealt with ongoing concerns with the T&T-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL).
GEORGETOWN, Guyana - Brazil’s ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Roberto Azevêdo, is to be approved by acclamation, as the Geneva-based organisation’s new director-general, at next Tuesday’s meeting of its general council.
Dr Azevêdo is only the WTO’s second leader from the developing world in its 18 years of existence.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - There is an obvious irony in the hemispheric choice of Trinidad and Tobago as the venue for the eighth Americas Competitiveness Forum in October 2014.
The most recent World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report moved T&T from 86 out of 133 countries in 2010, to 81 out of 142 countries in 2012. On the Global Innovation Index, Trinidad and Tobago now ranks 81 out of 125 countries in 2012, a steep drop from the 2010 baseline ranking of 55.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Keeping a keen eye south of the border, the Obama administration is intensifying its engagement with Latin America, hosting leaders from a pair of presidents at the White House and sending Vice President Joe Biden to visit two others.
Peru's President Ollanta Humala and Chile's President Sebastian Pinera will travel to Washington in June to meet with President Barack Obama, the White House said Wednesday. And next week, Biden will make stops in Brazil and Colombia, plus the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago.: