CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Bahamas
The government of The Bahamas is
moving to establish a University School
of Medicine in Freeport, the capital of
Grand Bahama, which was recently
devastated by Hurricane Dorian.
A US$64 million
agreement was signed
with Western Atlantic
University, which
is expected to provide
hundreds of construction and permanent
jobs.
Prime Minister, Hubert Minnis
described the agreement as an important
part of the Hurricane Dorian
recovery and reconstruction efforts.
He said this development represents
a significant investment in Grand
Bahama, the country’s second largest
economy.
It is estimated that in the university’s
first 10 years of operation, students
and faculty spending on housing, food,
entertainment, goods and services and
on-island transportation, will provide a
combined US$200 million in revenue
for Grand Bahama.
At the peak of construction, 150
jobs will be created and during the full
operation of the campus, approximately
200 permanent jobs will be created for
the Bahamians.
The development will include a university
owned housing for faculty, staff
and students on campus.
Grenada
Grenada’s Financial Intelligence Unit
(FIU) says that persons now depositing
funds into financial institutions
achieved through the traditional form
of savings known as “sou-sou” will now
have to meet certain guidelines.
The FIU said this is
part of its efforts to
combat financial corruption
and money
laundering.
Sou-Sou is a form of saving in which
several people collectively contributes a
specific sum of money into a pool for a
specific period. Under the system, one
person traditionally benefits on each
occasion from the funds placed in the
pool.
FIU head, Tafawa Pierre, said the
new guidelines were introduced due to
trends based on explanations from several
persons who made large deposits
into financial institutions and claimed
that those funds were gained from their
participation in the “sou-sou” program.
Financial institutions already have
the right to ask for the source of funds
once a deposit of EC$10,000 or more is
made.
However, smaller deposits within a
period can be flagged within the internal
system of the bank as one of concern
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People attend the Havana International Trade Fair, in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019. The trade fair is where Cuba puts the
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and that will require declaration.
Grenada has several laws aimed at
combating money laundering, corruption
and terrorism financing. The
measures being enforced by the FIU is
all part of recommendations which the
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has
recommended for members.
In the region, the Caribbean Financial
Action Task Force (CFATF) is
responsible for enforcing and overseeing
the recommendation for the international
body.
Guyana
Guyana’s Minister
of Public Health, Volda
Lawrence, has said
health care services
were becoming more accessible for people
living in the hinterland regions.
Lawrence, speaking to residents in
the community of Unity Square said
strides have been made so far in the
public health sector under the coalition
government.
She explained that her ministry has
been given the mandate of ensuring
that health services, on the coast and in
the hinterland, are of the same standard
and quality.
To this end, she highlighted a recent
move by the Ministry of Public Health
to train young men and woman as
“allied health professionals.”
Lawrence said that while the ministry
was training potential staff, it was also
Caribbean L 4 ife, November 8-14, 2019 BQ
working with the health department of
each hinterland region to ensure that
the necessary facilities were in place for
the proper delivery of the service.
Haiti
The Haitian government
has condemned
the attacks on foreign
embassies in the
impoverished Caribbean country during
opposition-inspired street demonstrations
to force President Moise out
of office.
The United States has called on all
political parties to put aside their differences
and hold dialogue “without
delay.”
The United States condemns the violence
in Port-au-Prince and other cities
.“
These shootings, killings, arson,
and destruction not only hurt Haitian
citizens, but also add to Haiti’s economic
and social instability and prolong the
interruption of daily life for the Haitian
people, particularly Haiti’s school children,”
Washington said in a statement.
Jamaica
The People’s National Party (PNP)
and the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) have
agreed in principle to participate in up
to three political debates to be organized
and staged by the Jamaica Debates
Commission (JDC) ahead of the nation’s
general elections.
The three debates will comprise first
of a debate on social issues; next a
debate on economic issues and the
third will be between the contenders for
the office of prime minister.
The parties agreed
that the debates will
be broadcast / distributed
live via television,
radio and the internet.
A Memorandum of Understanding
giving effect to the agreement
was recently signed at the offices of
the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce
(JCC) by Dr. Horace Chang and Mr.
Julian Robinson, the general secretaries
respectively, of the JLP and PNP.
The signing of the MOU was witnessed
by JDC Chairman, Noel da Costa.
The JDC is a joint venture between
the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce
and the Media Association of Jamaica
(MAJ).
Jamaica’s next general election is
constitutionally due between Feb. 25,
2021 and June 10, 2022.
However, the prime minister can call
the election before the due date.
St. Kitts
St. Kitts immigration officials have
launched an investigation to determine
how 15 Haitian nationals arrived on the
island by boat, docking at the St Kitts
Defense Force’s port in Bird Rock, on
the outskirts of the capital.
Continued on Page 24
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