CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Antigua
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister,
Updated daily at www.caribbeanlifenews.com
THE NEWS FROM BACK HOME
ti li ibl f l
Gaston Browne has said that the
Caribbean should be careful not to be
drawn into the ideological war unfolding
in Venezuela where attempts were
being made to remove the socialist
Nicolas Maduro.
He said the people are fighting
an ideological war and believe that
socialism in Venezuela
would plunge the
people into poverty.
Browne who said
that his administration
will not support Opposition
Leader, Juan Guaido, warned that the
unfolding situation in Caracas could
cause serious problems for the Caribbean,
adding there were other implications
for countries in the region,
many of whom have to depend on
tourism and have open economies.
He added that the destabilization
of Venezuela will have more refugees
coming to the Caribbean.
Caribbean
The International Monetary Fund
(IMF) is project economic growth
for the Caribbean for 2019-2020 due
to robust tourism from the United
States, construction
from the devastating
hurricanes of 2017
in some tourismdependent
countries
and higher commodity production in
some commodity exporters.
In a statement, the IMF said growth
in the region was expected to be 19
percent in both 2019 and 2020 for
tourism-dependent countries and for
commodity exporters, 1.5 percent in
2019 and 5.5 percent in 2020.
While it is not mentioned in the
IMF statement, commercial oil production
Guyana is expected to being
in 2020.
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands Department of
Tourism (CIDT) says the islands have
another record-breaking year of tourist
arrivals.
The report follows a rebound year
for Caribbean travel with increased
competition throughout the region.
At the close of 2018, the CIDT said
total visitation surpassed all previous
years, including 2006, which previously
held the record for the highest
number of total visitors in a calendar
year.
The CIDT said total arrivals for
2018 by both air and cruise ship was
2,384,058, an 11.05 percent increase
over the same period in 2017 (237,211)
additional people.
It said there were 463,001 stayover
visitors, an increase of 10.66 percent.
Antigua’s PM issues warning
Arrivals in 2018 represented the
highest number of stayover visits for
a calendar year in recorded history —
surpassing January-December 2017.
Guyana
Guyana is positioning itself as
information technology and communication
(ICT) hub in the Caribbean.
The Car ibbean
Association of
National Telecommunications
Organization
(CANTO)
recently held a fourday
conference in Georgetown under
the theme “Transitioning to a digital
region-The opportunities and the
Challenges.”
Minister of Public Telecommunications,
Catherine Hughes, while
acknowledging the role played by the
Trinidad-based organization in facilitating
Caribbean L 4 ife, Feb. 8–14, 2019 BQ
the process of bringing together
regional telecommunications operators,
said many of the industries
across the region that have been
relied upon for many years, no longer
have the scope required to support
national and economic requirement.
She told the opening ceremony of
the conference that as a result, Caribbean
countries must diversify into
other sectors that will provide opportunities
for real economic transformation,
and a strong digital agenda
will allow for that transformation.
Jamaica
A high court judge has sentenced a
police constable to life imprisonment
for murder in the so-called police
“death squad” trial.
Justice Vivienne Harris ordered
that Collis “Chucky” Brown, 42, to
serve 51 years in jail before becoming
eligible for parole. Brown was convicted
on Nov. 15 last year of three
counts of murder, conspiracy to murder
and wounding with intent.
He was sentenced
to life imprisonment
for the murder
of Damoy “Gutty’
Dawkins and must
serve 20 years before being considered
for parole.
In addition, he was jailed for eight
years for conspiracy to commit murder
as well as 15 years for wounding
with intent. The sentences are to run
concurrent.
Brown was also sentenced to 31
years in prison for the murder of
Dwayne Doiglas and 31 years for the
murder of Andrew Fearon. The sentences
are to run concurrently which
means that he will serve 31 years in
jail.
Justice Harris said police officers
cannot take the law into their hands
by being judge, jury and executioner
despite the high crime rate.
She said, instead of upholding the
law, Constable Brown embarked on
a process to kill persons accused of
being criminals and that the convicted
man was part of what she called
“contrived police fatal shootings.”
The judge said that firearms were
planted at the scenes and statements
prepared to cover up and deceive the
public.
The court heard that between 2009
and 2012, Brown was a member of
a “death squad’ linked to the fatal
shooting of Dawkins, Douglas and
Feraon.
Trinidad
The United Nations refugee agency
UNHCR has recorded that as of September
2018, 6,000 refugees from
32 countries across
the globe coming to
Trinidad and Tobago
to seek protection
and live.
The figure was
given by UNHRC protection officer
Ruben Barbado, who said the organization
has people from various countries
are coming to T&T seeking protection
and to find a new home.
Some countries include Sri Lanka,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Congo, Sudan,
Haiti, Uganda and Colombia.
Speaking on a local TV program
Barbado spoke about the humanitarian
and political crisis in Venezuela.
He said what is happening in Venezuela
can happen anywhere in the
world.
Barbado said the situation in Venezuela
has triggered many concerns
for the UNHRC and other agencies.
— Compiled by Azad Ali
Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, Gaston Alphonso Browne has warned that
the destabilization of Venezuela will have more refugees coming to the Caribbean.
Associated Press / Jason DeCrow, fi le
/www.caribbeanlifenews.com
/www.caribbeanlifenews.com