WASHINGTON, USA -- Haiti's electricity sector stands at a crossroads. Haiti depends on imported petroleum for 85% of its electricity generation, diverting seven percent of its annual gross domestic product to importing fuel. Still, only 25% of the Haitian population has regular access to electricity, bringing barriers to advances in economic opportunity, health, education, and social equality.
(Reuters) - An experimental Ebola vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline caused no serious side effects and produced an immune response in all 20 healthy volunteers who received it in an early-stage clinical trial, scientists reported on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The trial, which began on Sept. 2 and will monitor the volunteers for 48 weeks, is primarily aimed at assessing how safe the vaccine is. But the immune response offered hope that it would also be effective.
GUNTHORPES, Antigua, Nov 7 2014 (IPS) - As concern mounts over food security, two community groups are on a drive to mobilise average people across Antigua and Barbuda to mitigate and adapt in the wake of global climate change, which is affecting local weather patterns and by extension, agricultural production.
“I want at least 10,000 people in Antigua and Barbuda to join with me in this process of trying to mitigate against the effects of climate change,” Dr. Evelyn Weekes told IPS.
Antigua and Barbuda has finally completed the process to waive the need for work permits for nationals of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
The country is the last member-nation of the OECS to implement this along with the granting of indefinite stays for OECS nationals.
The bill to meet the obligations under the OECS Economic Union was passed under the former United Progressive Party's administration in March but has only now been implemented.
While Caribbean countries have made consistent progress in expanding the coverage of drinking water services, there are gaps that need to be filled to improve access, delivery and quality. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) along with partners have been working closely with leaders in the water sector from 16 countries to equip them to lead necessary reform in the sector.
At least four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member countries are taking steps to reduce their reliance on Venezuela’s PetroCaribe oil subsidy as crude prices plunge, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The four countries are Guyana, Haiti, Belize and Jamaica and it’s a move other countries should follow, said David Voght, managing director of energy consultancy IPD Latin America.
Head of the EU delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, H.E. Amb. Mikael Barfod, says the European Union remains committed to working with Caribbean Governments and the regional private sector in building economic resilience.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Addressing agricultural revitalization and the high food import bill are two of the major challenges facing the countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Over the past ten years, the food import bill has doubled to almost US$4 billion, with 11% being spent on just two commodities – corn and wheat. At the same time, land that was previously occupied by the two key export crops in the region – bananas and sugar – has been abandoned or left uncultivated after the loss of markets and downturn in the production of these crops.
The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, called on the countries in the region to redouble their efforts to end gender-based violence and exploitation, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
"Despite significant progress, much remains to be done. The life, security and integrity of the majority of women and girls in the Americas are consistently threatened and at risk from violence, exploitation and trafficking," said Secretary General Insulza.
BROWN HILL, NEVIS, NOVEMBER 24TH 2014 (CUOPM) – The Nevisian-born minister in the Federal Government says his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, Labour and Immigration, gave him the opportunity to provide the strategic leadership required to effectively and efficiently implement Government's policies to transform the Federation for the benefit of every citizen and resident.