UNITED NATIONS, Jul 8 2015 (IPS) - “The action of the private sector can make or break the post-2015 development agenda,” Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said in his opening remarks at a side event hosted in the context of a high-level political forum at the U.N. on Tuesday.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Friday July 10, 2015 – Barbados and Hong Kong have inked an Air Services Agreement.
The deal “provides the framework for the provision of international air services between Hong Kong and Barbados and opens new doors for cooperation in tourism and trade between the two countries”, according to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Barbados to the People’s Republic of China.
He says the development also “represents another step in strengthening the relationship between Barbados and China”.
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller on Thursday (July 9) broke ground for the development of the first utility-scale solar energy power plant in Jamaica, which upon completion will be the largest and most sophisticated solar electricity facility in the Caribbean. Spanning some 160 acres of land in Content Village, York Town, Clarendon, the Content Solar Project being implemented by WRB Enterprises Inc. will involve the investment of approximately $US60 Million by the developers.
One of the challenges we face in the region is how to change the perception of the Caribbean as being that of a destination solely for vacation tourism”.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Regional Cultural Committee (RCC) is currently in Haiti for its twenty-third meeting from 8-9 July, 2015.
ROSEAU, Dominica, Jul 9, CMC – The Dominica government says it is holding talks with a group of French companies on the second phase of the geothermal energy project.
Energy Minister Ian Douglas said that the discussions with the French Investment Consortium (FIC) are proceedings well and “they are to form a joint venture company with the government of Dominica for the continued development of the geothermal energy project.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname, Jul 8, CMC – Suriname has signed two agreements with the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) that will improve the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country’s implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
The CDB said that the two agreements signed with the Ministry of Trade and Industry will assist in transforming Suriname to a more competitive economy, increasing its export earnings, and making the country more attractive for investment.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Caribbean leaders have endorsed a three-day meeting to discuss the development of education in the region.
Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell said the Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Sir Hilary Beckles had made a major presentation to regional leaders on education during their annual summit that ended here over the weekend.
“We talking about leveraging our knowledge regionally and internationally, and not in just one area,” he said, adding that his regional colleagues “were extremely impressed”.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The St. Lucia government says it will soon table legislation that will allow for the island to make the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) its final court, replacing the London-based Privy Council.
Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony said that St. Lucia has a provision in its Constitution that is identical to a provision of the Constitution of Dominica, which used that measure to join the CCJ that was inaugurated in 2005.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Tuesday July 7, 2015 – Montserrat is continuing to take steps towards the full implementation of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the British Overseas Territory’s premier Donaldson Romeo has assured.
He said the island is continuing its engagements to ensure the timely completion of the processes to this end.
Romeo made the announcement during his first CARICOM Heads of Government conference which took place in Barbados July 2-4.