Caribbean needs to be readu for Climate Change
Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Belize-based Caribbean Community Climate Change Center (CCCC), Dr Leonard Nurse says while regional countries are making progress in their effort to resolve climate change issues they are still in the same category as other developing small islands states that have much more to do.
"We do have somewhere to go but we are no worse off than other regions. We are fortunate to have the kind of political support and some good internal capacity, we have to build on that but I don't think we are in a desperate situation by a long shot," Dr Nurse told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
Nurse was among climate change experts guiding discussions and offering counsel at the four-day 'Lessons for Future Action: Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction in Small Island Development States" conference that ended here yesterday.
He complimented the Caribbean Community (Caricom) for their vision in taking an active interest in the development of climate change issues and in ensuring that the programmes and plans prepared for the region were properly administered.
"Admittedly the implementation of programmes addressing the various concerns has been poor, but the heads have moved to ensure that we don't just have a regional strategy but a road map as to how we implement the strategy, and that has been extremely useful," he said.
The Barbadian national, who is also a senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies, said that the Caricom leaders will seek to adopt the implementation plan for regional climate exchange strategy at their next summit in July .
"We have just completed implementation of the plan which has gone through stakeholders and that will be presented for the consideration and approval of the heads.
"It sets out the broad strategy and principles for adaptation and the plan for the implementation of a regional strategy," Nurse added.
He said that his Belize climate change operation was now implementing a number of community based projects such as the construction of a desalination plant in the Grenadines and other indigenous projects in Belize, St Lucia and St Vincent.
"We are attempting to link these development initiatives to people where ever possible and work with stakeholders and we believe we are on the right track.
"The pace at which everything is moving may not be to everyone's satisfaction but we believe we are getting there."
Nurse said that part of the strategy was to develop the adequate linkages including agriculture and help transform the energy sector.
"Those are the kind of linkages we need to exploit rather than seeing everything in a discrete sectoral manner. When we do something in one sector we ensure that it has a positive spin off in others," he added.
Nurse said that despite the progress, the CCCCC is still faced with major challenges in relation to food security and the region's scarce water resources.
He spoke of the threat to staple food products such as corn, kidney beans, and rice noting that experimental work and modeling suggests that the region is likely to face declining yields over time.
Nurse also focused on the reduced availability of fishery as a result of the negative effect on coral reefs the result of exposure to bleaching, elevated sea temperatures and increasing ocean acidification.
"Most research on fisheries and climate change seem to suggest that a lot of tropical warm water species are close to upper limit to tolerance temperatures and migrate north to cooler waters. Fish is important for diet and livelihoods and that will affect food security.
He said water resources in the region were also under severe threat in some islands, such as Barbados, which was listed among the five most water scarce countries per capita.
Nurse noted that models as far up to 2050 and 2070 suggest that the region will encounter more extensive droughts as these will have major effects on agriculture irrigation and the availability of irrigation water.
CXC head blasts regional ministries for failing education
Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), Dr Didacus Jules, has blamed the Ministries of Education in the region for the glaring failure in the education system.
“(The) biggest problem of education in the Caribbean today is not teachers or student performance. It is with the Ministries of Education, it is the absence of clearly defined policies and a strategic sense of where we are going and what we need to get there,” Dr Jules said on Tuesday.
He was speaking at the International Conference on Education for CARICOM countries at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort.
“The reality is, one of the problems of assessment in the Caribbean is that we are over-testing our children. There are many Ministries of Education that have all kinds of national examinations testing and testing our kids, and to what use is that testing being put?” he asked.
“It is not used for remediation, it is not used for … policy decisions, but we keep testing,” the CXC boss lamented.
He said, based on his assessment, there is need for critical work to be done prior to the Common Entrance or Grade Six Achievement Test and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations, to ensure that the quality, which is woefully lacking, is achieved.
Meanwhile, Dr Jules said the region was at a disadvantage when less than 50 per cent of children have access to early-childhood education.
“Early-childhood and tertiary-level education are far from universal, with early childhood representing the overlooked sinkhole in which the cognitive and physiological potential of our children is crippled, even before formal education begins.
“All the research shows that zero to five is the period in a person’s life when your potential, and your capacity for life is established. Only 40 per cent of our children enjoy access to early-childhood education,” he revealed.
He noted that while countries have attained universal access in primary and secondary education, provision is sadly limited at the extreme levels of the spectrum.
Trinidad president denies request to revoke appointment of Integrity Commission chairman
The president of Trinidad and Tobago, George Maxwell Richards, has denied a request by Minister of Works and Transport and United National Congress (UNC) chairman Jack Warner to revoke the appointment of Dr Eric St Cyr as chairman of the Integrity Commission.
In a letter to Warner on Wednesday, the president expressed confidence that the Commission would discharge its responsibilities according to the law in accordance with the tenets of fairness and justice.
Warner's call stemmed from statements uttered by St Cyr in response to calls for the prime minister to be investigated by the Commission for staying at the home of the Gopauls in Tunapuna following her assumption to office as prime minister after the 2010 General Election.
CARICOM National Security Council to consider report on allegations against IMPACS
The Bureau of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministerial Council for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE) has forwarded to the full ministerial body, its recommendations arising out of the findings of a preliminary investigation by the Director of Internal Audit of the CARICOM Secretariat into the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS).
The Bureau’s recommendations will be presented to a meeting of CONSLE on 31 May 2011, for action.
At a meeting on 29 April, the Bureau had decided that a preliminary investigation should precede a comprehensive audit on IMPACS, following media allegations concerning the agency. It had agreed that the audit would be undertaken by an independent audit firm in the region.
The Bureau, presided over by CONSLE chairman Dr Errol Cort, Minister of National Security of Antigua and Barbuda, met on Wednesday via video conference to consider the report of the preliminary investigation and its recommendations.
Other members of the Bureau who participated in Wednesday’s meeting were, Adriel Braithwaite, attorney-general of Barbados, and Senator Brigadier (ret) John Sandy, Minister of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago. Also present at the meeting were Dianne McIntosh Permanent Secretary, Ministry of National Security of Jamaica and Secretary-General (ag) of CARICOM Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite.
IMPACS, which was established in 2006 through an inter-governmental agreement among CARICOM member states, reports to the CONSLE.
Air Jamaica, CAL deal sealed
THE merger of Air Jamaica and Caribbean Airlines (CAL) is now official following yesterday's closing of the deal between the Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago governments.
The agreement was signed by Jamaica's Minister of Finance and the Public Service Audley Shaw and his Trinidadian counterpart Winston Dookeran.
The deal, which took more than a year to be formalised, represents the formal transfer of Air Jamaica's routes to Caribbean Airlines and elevates the Trinidad-based airline as the national carrier of Jamaica.
Chairman of Air Jamaica, Dennis Lalor has been nominated to serve as a member on CAL's Board of Directors.
Shaw, who is in Trinidad and Tobago for a Caribbean Development Bank meeting, heralded the event as a "red letter day for Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean as it signals a concrete example of economic integration".
"It is my hope that this will inspire other such fine examples," Shaw said in a release.
According to the finance minister, the merger of the two airlines will create a larger product that will build capacity and critical mass while allowing for the increased viability and profitability of this new regional carrier
Shaw thanked Trinidad's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Dookeran, as well as Trinidad's Transport Minister Jack Warner for following through on their commitment to finalise the merger.
Meanwhile, the release noted that Persad-Bissessar has welcomed the finalisation of the initiative and expressed confidence in the future of the larger airline, which she agreed represented a "great symbol of Caribbean economic integration".
The merger was also welcomed by Dookeran who emphasised the need to maintain the strong Air Jamaica brand and its goodwill in the merged airline's marketing programme.
In April last year, the Jamaican government assumed all financial liabilities up to the end of that month for Air Jamaica with CAL assuming the financial risk of continuing Air Jamaica's activities from May 1, 2010.
Under the agreement, the Jamaica government will own 16 per cent of the Trinidad-based CAL while Port of Spain will spend an estimated US$49.2 million to facilitate the expansion of CAL, which took over five of Air Jamaica's profitable routes last year.
Discussions on the Constitution
Further to the press release of 20 May from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) constitutional consultation team, the FCO is pleased to confirm that it is inviting a representative group from the Turks and Caicos Islands to London from 15-16 June to discuss changes to the draft constitution.
The London meetings will be the final stage of the constitutional consultation process. It will build on the useful comments made and constructive views expressed in the series of public and other stakeholder meetings held over the past year, culminating with those held by the FCO team in the Turks and Caicos
Islands last week.
The Minister for the Overseas Territories, Henry Bellingham MP, has been kept fully informed about this consultation process.
The Minister is looking forward to meeting the group, discussing the main points raised during the process, and hearing final views from them.
The group invited to the FCO comprises the Chair of the Consultative Forum, a representative from the Advisory Council, the leaders of the PNP and PDM, the Chair of the All-Party Commission on the Constitution and Electoral Reform, a representative of the Church, and the Youth Ambassador.
The draft Constitution was published on 8 March 2011, from which date written comments have been invited. The TCI public are reminded that the final date for the submission of written comments is 28 May 2011. These may be sent to the Governor’s Office, Waterloo, Grand Turk, TCI, or by email to: TCIDraft.Constitution@fco.gov.uk Written comments will be considered by the FCO and the Minister prior to meeting with the representative group.
AG: Releases letter to the Press of Allegations of Wrongdoing.
RTC News has received yet another letter, this time from the AG Chambers refuting a number of stories posted on the TCI POST.
The letter received from the AG is as follows:
Dear Sir
Re: Allegations of wrongdoing
The TCI Government (TCIG) is aware that various claims have been made alleging corrupt conduct by UK advisers and senior officers in TCIG.
These allegations are unfounded. They are, quite simply, lies, and should be given no credence whatever.
I, as Attorney General, am considering what legal remedies may be available to TCIG and the individuals against whom the allegations
were made are similarly considering what steps they can take.
TCIG regards the conduct of those who make and publish these malicious falsehoods as contemptible.
Yours sincerely
Huw Shepheard
The Hon Huw Shepheard LLB, MBA
Attorney General
The stories Mr.Sheppard makes reference to are Chief Executive Mark Capes wife is the Chief Financial Officer of SIPT, Scotland Former Deputy Auditor General Caroline Gardiner & Scottish Police Accused of Not Investigating Corruption in Glasglow.
RTC News also understands that more stories posted in the Plain Talk forum of the TCI POST are as false as well.
INTERHEALTH Rufutes story on TCI Post
RTC News received a press letter inregards to a story posted on the TCIPOST that made reference to InterHealth Canada. The release states:
Dear all
I have had a number of requests from you for a response to the allegations made on the TCI Post regarding Keith Bellamy and InterHealth
Canada - see link above.
InterHealth Canada will be happy to respond to these allegations in due course. Unfortunately, CEO, Roger Cheesman, is currently in the UK
attending his daughter's wedding.
However, on his return to office on Monday June 6, Mr Cheesman will call a press conference at which both he and Mr Bellamy will take the
opportunity to refute these allegations and untruths in the strongest possible terms.
The story on the TCI Post is listed under the heading 'Governor Close Advisor Rewarded With Big Contract from InterHealth Canada'.
Pirates film plunders box office in the UK
The fourth instalment in The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has become the biggest UK box office opener so far this year.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides made £11.6m during its first weekend.
But it made less in its first few days than the previous Pirates film, At World's End, which took £13.4m four years ago.
Fast and Furious 5 stayed at number two on the chart, with takings of £537,617.
Thor dropped from top spot to number three while Insidious remained at four.
The two other new entries in the top 10 were thriller Blitz, starring Jason Statham and Paddy Considine, and comedy drama Win Win.
The fourth Pirates film took slightly more in its opening weekend than the second movie, Dead Man's Chest, which took £11.4m in 2006.
On Stranger Tides stars Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane.
Queen Latifah Teams With Home Shopping Network for Clothing Line
Award-winning rapper Queen Latifah has partnered with the Home Shopping Network to launch a new clothing line, The Queen Collection.
The Queen Collection is inspired by Queen Latifah's personal style and design aesthetic, according to the rapper.
"I wanted my collection to reflect my personal style while giving women the tools to build a wardrobe they can feel good in," Queen Latifah said. "I partnered with HSN because it's the ideal platform to share my story and the stories of women who inspired me. I hope to instill confidence in hundreds of thousands of women across the country."
Latifah's line with the Home Shopping Network will feature handbags, outerwear and other apparel, including riding pants, slouchy blazers, ruffled blouses, scarves and suede moto jackets.
"To truly capture the diverse aspects of this remarkable artist, we focused on creating a comprehensive lifestyle brand that encompasses apparel, accessories and beauty," added Mindy Grossman, CEO of HSN, Inc. "Queen Latifah's appeal is universal, and her ability to entertain, enlighten and empower women is sure to resonate with our customers."
Queen Latifah will debut the line on August 27th, during a live on air appearance.
In September she will return to debut a custom line of Natural Wavy Clip-On hair extensions with the network.
"HSN and I have worked closely together to create a high quality hair product for women who are interested in reinventing their look," continued Latifah. "Since my brand philosophy is about instilling confidence in women everywhere, I want to help them transform their look from head to toe."
Queen Latifah is slated to appear on HSN on Saturday, August 27th starting at 12:01 AM EST.