CCCCC, KfW and IUCN Visit CPCCA Projects In Jamaica
Senior officers from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) are meeting in Jamaica with counterparts from the German Development Bank (KfW) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for discussions on a regional Coastal Protection Climate Change Adaptation (CPCCA) Project being implemented in four Caribbean States.
The teams will be on the island between May 8 and 17 to have talks with grantees and partner organisations, and to visit the four sites that have been approved for funding support under the project for the Local Adaptation Measures (LAMs) aimed at improving the ability of vulnerable communities to withstand the impacts of Climate Change.
The CPCCA Project is being implemented by the CCCCC also called the 5Cs, with technical support from IUCN and with €12.9 million in grant funding from the KfW. It seeks to minimise the adverse impacts of climate change by restoring the protective services offered by natural eco-systems like coastal mangrove forests and coral reefs in some areas while restoring and building man-made structures such as groynes and revetments in others.
The LAMs projects in Jamaica are being managed by a mix of non-governmental and government institutions. Participating organisations are the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) in Montego Bay, the University of the West Indies Centre for Marine Sciences (UWI-CMS), for the East Portland Fish Sanctuary; the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM), for the Portland Bight Protected Area; and the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation, in the Negril Environmental Protected Area.
The Jamaican project areas of the Portland Bight and Negril Environmental Protected Areas, East Portland Fish Sanctuary, and the Closed Harbour also called 'Dump-up'
Beach in Montego Bay, are four of the 16 areas being targeted in the Caribbean. The other 12 projects are being rolled out in Grenada, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
While in Jamaica, the teams will pay a courtesy call on Hon. Daryl Vaz, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for the Land, Environment, Climate Change and Investment at Jamaica House on Tuesday, May 9. The team is also scheduled to tour the Portland Bight Protected Area on Wednesday, May 10, and are guests at UDC's launch of the Montego Bay Project on Friday, May 12, 2017.
Greensleeves to celebrate 40th anniversary
Greensleeves Records, the legendary British record company that helped introduce dancehall music to the United Kingdom, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
VP Records, which bought Greensleeves in 2008, has announced a bold reissue schedule to mark the milestone. It will release albums by Hugh Mundell, Augustus Pablo, Keith Hudson, Sylford Walker and Linval Thompson.
Those singers were instrumental in Greensleeves making a mark in the United Kingdom and other European countries during the 1980s. The label really flourished with releases from producer Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes’ Volcano label which had Yellowman and Barrington as their leading lights.
Most of Lawes’ productions were recorded at Channel One studio in Kingston, Jamaica with the Roots Radics Band. He was murdered in London in 1999.
Levy maintains a strong following in the UK and Europe thanks to his work with Volcano and its ties with Greensleeves.
The company also plans to release 40th anniversary editions of two landmark albums: Culture’s Two Sevens Clash and The Congos’ Heart Of The Congos.
According to VP, the 40th anniversary will be commemorated with events in London, Paris and New York in the spring and summer.
A new album from Italian singer Alborosie is also in the works.
Greensleeves Records was founded in 1977 by Englishmen Chris Sedgwick and Chris Cracknell in Shepherds Bush, London.
Long jump great slams record rewrite plans
Long jump world record holder Mike Powell said plans to rewrite world records set before 2005 are “a slap in the face” and vowed yesterday to fight the move.European Athletics has proposed that only world records that stand up to strict criteria should be recognised in order to make a clean break with the sport's doping scandals.
Powell, who jumped 8.95 metres in August 1991, said the proposals were “disrespectful, an injustice and a slap in the face”.
“I've already contacted my attorney,” the American, 53, told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“There are some records out there that are kind of questionable, I can see that, but mine is the real deal. It's a story of human heart and guts, one of the greatest moments in the sport's history.
“They would be destroying so many things with this decision without thinking about it. It's wrong. Regardless of what happens, I am going to fight.”
Under the proposals, world records will only stand if set at approved international events and if the athletes concerned had undergone a certain number of doping tests prior to competing.
It's important we have this discussion,” IAAF president Sebastian Coe told BBC London.
“I spend a lot of time with athletes and they have all been talking to me for years about some of the records on the books. So I welcome the debate.
“There has to be a debate and these proposals will come back to the (IAAF) council and I look forward to, maybe, counter-proposals. I do think we have to start somewhere.”
Powell set his world record during a thrilling contest with his United States team-mate Carl Lewis at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo.
He broke Bob Beamon's mark of 8.90m which stood for 23 years.
Source- AFP
Britain's Prince Philip, 95, to retire from public duties
Britain's Prince Philip, the 95-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, will retire from public engagements later this year, Buckingham Palace said Thursday.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who turns 96 on June 10, is the longest-serving consort in British history, and is still in good health.
But he has been reducing his workload in recent years, and said in 2011 that "I reckon I've done my bit, so I want to enjoy myself a bit now".
Philip conducted 219 royal engagements last year, and was in good form when he opened a new stand at Lord's cricket ground in London on Wednesday.
"You're about to see the world's most experienced plaque-unveiler," he quipped just before pulling the cord to part a small curtain.
The former naval officer's no-nonsense approach combined with his infamous and often politically incorrect off-the-cuff remarks has not made it easy for people to warm to his style.
But his unwavering, forthright style and devotion to duty and the queen has endeared him to the nation.
Prime Minister Theresa May offered him the whole country's "deepest gratitude and good wishes".
"His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year," the palace said in a statement.
"In taking this decision, the duke has the full support of the queen."
It said he would attend previously scheduled engagements until August, and would not accept any new invitations thereafter.
However, "he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time", it said.
Source-AFP
CDB launches Youth Resilience and Inclusive Social Empowerment project
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the Government of Belize have launched the Youth Resilience and Inclusive Social Empowerment (Youth RISE) Project. The Project will expand social services for approximately 3,500 children, youth and families in the communities of Dangriga and San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Belize.
In Dangriga and San Ignacio/Santa Elena, youth face many socio-economic challenges, including the low attainment of educational qualifications, and increasing crime and violence. The Youth RISE Project aims to expand access and coverage of existing social programs, as well as introduce pilot programs to tackle these challenges. Young people who live in these communities will benefit from training that will focus on basic literacy and numeracy and employability skills; adaptive life skills; along with community programs which focus on social skills.
Dr. Idamay Denny, Portfolio Manager, Social Sector Division, CDB, said the Project will address a number of the risk factors for crime and violence, as well as deviant and anti-social behaviors that are affecting youth and families in these Districts, with particular emphasis on San Ignacio/Santa Elena and Dangriga.
“Our youth represent the future of this Region and an investment in them represents an investment in the quality of life our countries will experience in the future,” Denny said..
The Project will be implemented by Belize’s Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation (MOHD), through the Community Rehabilitation Department (CRD) and partner agencies namely: Delille Academy, Progressive Organization of Women in Action (POWA), Belize Family Life Association (BFLA), Community Policing Unit, Department of Youth Services, Cornerstone Foundation and St. Ignatius High School.
According to Minister of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, Anthony Martinez , “The Youth RISE project is an investment in the children, youth and families of the targeted municipalities. An investment to improve life chances, to transform lives, to help individuals to RISE above adversities and achieve success.”
CDB is providing funding for the project through a grant of US$750,000, and a loan of US$984,000. Counterpart funding of US$633,000 is being provided by the Government of Belize.
The Youth RISE project is an expansion of the Youth and Community Transformation (YCT) Project, which was designed to secure the well-being and reduce the vulnerability of children and youth in poor communities in Belize City. The YCT project is also financed by CDB.
Grenadians told to brace for several more eruptions
The National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) has told Grenadians that they should expect more eruptions of the underwater volcano, Kick em' Jenny as it reported “increased activities” on Wednesday.In its latest advisory bulletin, NaDMA said it continues to collaborate with the Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) to monitor activities at the underwater volcano that became active over the last weekend.
“Volcanic episodes at Kick em' Jenny, since 1939, usually consist of several eruptions lasting over several days before returning to repose; therefore, further eruptions should be expected in this episode,” the NaDMA said, adding “there have also been a number of felt reports.
“It would be useful for those in coastal areas to be on the lookout for unusual material that might be ejected from last evening's eruption. SRC will continue to monitor and update as activity warrants.”
NaDMA said that the alert level remains at YELLOW and that vessels should observe a 1.5 km/0.93 mile exclusion zone.
“However, as a precautionary measure, the marine community is advised to continue observing the 5 km/3.1 mile exclusion zone. The SRC has advised that heightened alert is necessary for the exclusion zone,” the NaDMA said, reminding citizens that it will be the only agency issuing official advisories on this matter.
It also urged the general public to be responsible about the use of social media on the matter.
Source-CMC
Trump Celebrates House Passage of Obamacare Replacement
President Donald Trump on Thursday declared Obamacare "essentially dead" after the House of Representatives narrowly passed a Republican-crafted health care replacement.
Trump celebrated the bill's approval in the White House Rose Garden, surrounded by many of the Republicans who voted to repeal and replace Obama's Affordable Care Act.
"They're doing it for the country, not for the party," Trump said of his fellow Republicans.
He said he wanted to "brag about the plan," which he called "so very, very incredibly well-crafted."
The president said he was confident the Senate would also pass it, calling Obamacare a "catastrophe."
The new American Health Care Act was approved 217-213. Every Democrat voted no, along with 20 Republicans.
It was passed without any congressional hearings or a nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office assessment of how much the bill would cost.
The major difference between Obamacare and the new bill is coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Obamacare barred insurance companies from charging customers more because of such illnesses. Under the new bill, states would have the choice of opting out of that condition.
Critics say people who are sick through no fault of their own may no longer be able to afford health insurance.
The new bill also cancels the Obamacare requirement that everyone carry insurance or pay a penalty.
Trump had made replacing Obamacare a keystone of his presidential campaign. He called President Barack Obama's signature achievement too expensive and full of government intrusion.
Source-VOA
Kenya Election Plans Include Dispute Resolution
Logistical challenges and disputes during Kenya's primaries last month have raised concerns about the nationwide polls in August and how best to avoid a repeat of the deadly post-election violence in 2007.
When poll results are contested, the final decision often lies with the courts.
"Electoral cases cannot be treated in the same way as other matters that come before the courts, because of their inherent political sensitivity, the high public interest in their outcomes, the intense bursts in which electoral petitions are filed and the short time limits within which they have to be dispensed," said Irene Khan, the director general of the International Development Law Organization.
The IDLO, along with Kenya's judiciary, released recommendations ahead of the August elections, in which Kenyans will be voting in local, parliamentary, gubernatorial and presidential races.
Political tensions have been climbing since last year over the organization of the upcoming polls, and fears of violence have been climbing as well. Disputes over the results of the 2007 election killed more than 1,000 people.
But Khan says there is reason to be optimistic this year.
"In an environment marked by ethnic tension and low public trust in political institutions that had triggered the post-election violence in 2007, the successful management of election petitions by the Kenyan judiciary was one of several key factors responsible for the relatively peaceful elections and transfer of power here in this country in 2013," she said.
The report says 188 petitions were filed in 2013 challenging the results of those polls, but the courts managed to finalize all the disputes within the mandated six-month period.
The judiciary is prepared for issues that may arise in August, Keriako Tobiko, Kenya's Director of Public Prosecutions, said in a statement.
"The Director of Public Prosecutions has put in place measures to deal with electoral offenses which include the constitution of a team of 105 prosecutors to be active in electoral offenses" according to the statement. "They have been trained and they are spread all over the country in all the 47 counties and 120 court stations. The Director of Public Prosecution again has put in place a 24-hour call center that is manned by prosecutors, and this call center is also a secretariat that acts as a rapid response team to all electoral offenses."
The IDLO says a strong dispute-resolution system is key to avoiding violence and ensuring the legitimacy of results, but voters must understand the system.
"Electoral justice should not be restricted to elites or well-resourced petitioners," Khan said, "but must be made available to all those who feel disenfranchised and excluded. And here the judiciary plays an important role in its public outreach activities, to inform and to engage."
However, lack of faith in the independence of the judiciary remains a challenge, according to skeptics.
Venezuelans Takes to the Streets as Death Toll Jumps to 36
Students held demonstrations across Caracas Thursday as a two-month-old protest movement that shows no signs of letting up claimed more lives.
At the Central University of Venezuela, soldiers bathed hundreds of student protesters in tear gas. Many of the protesters stayed put, and medics in gas masks attended to others with bloodied faces and limbs.
Students from another university marched peacefully to deliver a petition to the office of the country's Catholic bishops, asking the pope to speak out against the violence, and the government's steps toward authoritarianism.
A police officer died of his injures Thursday after being shot during a Wednesday protest that had hundreds of thousands of people on the street nationwide. A 17-year-old was also killed during the day's protests.
The death of the 38 year-old officer in the central state of Carabobo means three dozen people have now died in the month of protests. Hundreds also have been wounded — no small matter in a country with crippling medical shortages. And more than 1,000 have been arrested.
Protesters are demanding immediate presidential elections. President Nicolas Maduro accuses the opposition of attempting a coup, and has responded with an initiative to rewrite the constitution.
Source-VOA
Haiti to rebuild National Palace toppled in 2010 quake
President Jovenel Moise launched Wednesday a project to rebuild Haiti's National Palace, a symbol of national pride destroyed by the cataclysmic 2010 earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people.
"My administration wants to offer the young generation the opportunity to make its mark on the country's history and to inscribe in stone its vision of a new Haiti," Moise declared from the temporary presidential residence, located on the grounds of the palace.
The new president, two months in office, pointed to the iconic building's beloved place in the heart of Haitians.
"For many, the post-earthquake reconstruction has not begun as long as the National Palace has not been rebuilt," he said.
Moise called for the rebuilding of the palace on the same site as the National Palace, in the heart of the capital, making it a "monument that symbolizes the dignity and the pride of the Haitian people."
Moise's administration has decided that the facade of the new building will look the same, but the interior will be adapted to the needs of a modern presidency.
The entire building will be constructed to withstand a natural disaster.
The National Palace, like the majority of public buildings, was severely damaged by the magnitude 7 earthquake that rocked the capital Port-au-Prince and its surroundings on January 12, 2010.
Pictures of the huge, toppled building, with its white domes collapsed onto the neoclassical columns, were seen around the world, symbolizing the scale of the disaster suffered by the poorest country in the Americas.
In 2012, the decision to demolish the National Palace was controversial and a further hit to national pride because it was done, for free, by Hollywood actor Sean Penn's nonprofit organization.
As part of Moise's rebuilding launch, a committee of engineers and architects was set up Wednesday to plan the project, whose cost at this point is not estimated.
The president wants construction to begin before the end of the year.
The government's requests for proposals to choose the architects and companies involved have not yet been issued.
Source-AFP