News

In the Bahamas, Help for Organic Farming

Barbados Finishes EU-Backed Sugar Study

Global consulting firm Landell Mills has completed a $1.4 million study of the Barbados sugar industry funded by the European Union. The 18-month study, which began in Jan. 2010, contains recommendations for improving the productivity and efficiency of Barbados’ sugarcane …

Caribbean, Central America Affirm Ties

Above: El Salvador Foreign Minister Carlos Castaneda and Suriname Foreign Minister Winston Lackin By the Caribbean Journal CARICOM and SICA, the Central American Integration Movement, reaffirmed ties between the two regional economic integration bodies following their meeting yesterday in El …

Bahamas Set to Host CARICOM Conference on Regional Tourism

Above: Atlantis on Paradise Island By the Caribbean Journal staff The Bahamas will host the first Regional Seminar on Tourism at the end of this month, as part of an effort by CARICOM to insulate the integral Caribbean tourism sector …

Jamaica Eyes Hub for Private Jets

Above: Transport Minister Mike Henry with Netjets CEO Bill Noe at Ian Fleming Airport (JIS Photo) Jamaica is looking to position the new Ian Fleming International Airport in St Mary as a regional hub for private jets, according to Transport …

CARICOM Meets Central America’s SICA

Above: From left, SICA Secretary General Juan Daniel Aleman Gurdian, CARICOM SG Irwin LaRocque and CARICOM Assistant SG Colin Granderson in San Salvador (Photo: CARICOM) By the Caribbean Journal staff CARICOM and the leaders from the Central American Integration System …

A New Owner for Marcus Garvey’s Home

The Jamaican Cabinet has approved the compulsory acquisition of the birthplace of national hero Marcus Garvey, the Jamaica National Heritage Trust announced Thursday. Garvey was born at 32 Market Street in St Ann’s Bay in St Ann. The government made …

Interview with Four Seasons’ Andrew Humphries on Farm-to-Table, Nevis and Italian Tourists

Above: the Four Seasons Nevis Resort (Photo: Caribbean Journal) By Alexander Britell Four Seasons Caribbean Regional Vice President Andrew Humphries has overseen the $120 million reconstruction and renovation of the Four Seasons Nevis Resort, where he is the General Manager. …

China Investing $156M in Jamaican Sugar

Above: the Chinese embassy in Jamaica COMPLANT, the state-owned Chinese company which acquired the state-owned assets of Jamaica’s sugar industry, is rolling out $156 million to invest in the renovation of three factories and sugar cane fields over the next …

Guyana Gives Aid for Africa Famine Relief

Above: refugees in Somalia (UN Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo announced his government would grant $100,000 in relief for those suffering from the famine in the Horn of Africa. “It is impossible not to be …

Bill Clinton Launches Haitian Loan Fund

Haitian businesses devastated by the 2010 earthquake could get a boost with a new initiative by former US President Bill Clinton. Clinton is launching a $20 million programme to bolster Haitian businesses, with the first loan of $415,000 going to …

Marriott BVI Foray Completes First Phase

Above: Scrub Island By the Caribbean Journal staff The first Marriott destination in the British Virgin Islands, and the first Caribbean resort to join the company’s new Autograph Collection has completed phase one of the Scrub Island project, according to …

In Jamaica, a New Look at Literacy

Above: the National Library of Jamaica Jamaica’s Ministry of Education has partnered with UNESCO to implement a Literacy Assessment Monitoring Programme to accurately assess literacy levels among Jamaicans. Jamaica is the first country in the Caribbean to put the project …

Interview with Dr Keith Nurse: What Climate Change Means for Caribbean Tourism

By Alexander Britell The Caribbean is continually looking for ways to emerge from the downturn. And with an economy largely dependent on tourism, a changing world economy – and a changing world climate — pose new problems for the region. …

Making Haiti Safer by Design

Above: the Centre de Reconstruction in Port-au-Prince (Photo: Open Architecture Network) While Haiti once had its own comprehensive building code, along with a zoning code, construction in Haiti has lost a coherent structure, according to Stacey McMahan. While Haitian architects …

Talking with the Caribbean’s Rum Minister

By Alexander Britell The “noble spirit” of rum has captivated the Caribbean for centuries, and Edward Hamilton has devoted himself to exploring it. Hamilton, who began the “Ministry of Rum” website in 1995 and is a leading rum importer based …

LaRocque Begins Term with Guyana Visit

Above: CARICOM Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque with Acting Guyanese President Samuel Hinds (Photo: CARICOM) New CARICOM Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque began his term yesterday with a visit to the Guyanese government, meeting with acting President Samuel Hinds and making a courtesy visit …

Jamaica, Chinese Firm Finalize Sugar Deal

The Jamaican government has completed the privatisation of the country’s sugar industry, signing a divestment agreement with state-owned Chinese company COMPLANT. Under the agreement, COMPLANT will acquire the Bernard Lodge, Frome and Monymusk lands for $9 million. “We know that …

ECLAC: Development Aid “Not Sufficient”

Above: ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena (Photo: UN) By the Caribbean Journal staff Caribbean and Latin American authorities gathered in Santiago, Chile last week for a dialogue on the international cooperation system and its relation to development. The “Latin America …