Caribbean Roundup: Grenada and Jamaica continue response to Hurricane Beryl

Antigua and Barbuda 

The newly formed LIAT 2020 made its inaugural flight to St. Lucia last Tuesday, returning to the skies of the inter-regional airline, whose previous owners, LIAT (1974) Ltd went bankrupt in January this year. 

LIAT 1974 Ltd has been under administration since July 24, 2020, and the new entity has been formed in partnership with Air Peace, a private Nigerian airline, founded in 2013 would be putting in close to US$65 million, while the government is investing US$20 million.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Prime Minister Browne said, “Today is indeed a momentous occasion in which we celebrate the inaugural flight of LIAT 2020”.

“I believe that this is a great story of courage, of patience, of resilience and perhaps the message to all of us is that notwithstanding the challenges we should always press on with determination, with optimism, knowing that invariably there is a brighter future for those who have the courage and resilience to fight whatever obstacles are placed in their way.”

He continued, “In which I was trying to convince the other shareholder governments of LIAT 1974, not to collapse LIAT, not to liquidate – LIAT” He said the re-organisation plan was titled: LIAT Rising like a Phoenix.

“And today we are actually experiencing LIAT rising like a phoenix from the ashes and I have no doubt based on the quality of the staff and the service that we will provide that LIAT will literally start at the top of the food chain to be the number one carrier within our region.”

Browne said that the new company will have at least seven new aircraft to service the routes.

Dominica

The inaugural Organization of Eastern Caribbean (OECS) Youth in Agriculture (YIA) symposium, began on Aug. 7 with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit questioning the commitment of regional countries to the free movement of goods and services across the region.

Skerrit said the opening ceremony, that while he is happy that young people are attending the symposium on agriculture, “We cannot speak about OECS agriculture and food exports and imports, neither can we speak about the 25 by 2025 (Caricom initiative) if today we still have barriers towards importation of food from our sister OECS and Caricom countries.”

Skerrit said there must be the political will within Caricom and the OECS “if we are to truly achieve our sustainability efforts and food security. If we are serious about it, it is just a matter of going to the respective cabinets and passing SROs (Statutory Regulatory Orders) and It’s as simple as this.”

“We cannot go and tell the World Bank and the IMF (International Monetary Fund) to change their structure and we are unwilling to change our structure within the OECS and Caricom,” Skerrit said.

The St. Lucia-based OECS Commission said that the symposium follows key decisions made at the seventh OECS Council of Ministers/ Agriculture meeting, as member states continue to execute the Food and Agriculture Systems Transformation (FAST) Strategy.

The OECS YIA Symposium aims to connect the next generation of agricultural leaders in the region through discussions on innovation, tools, opportunities, and the conditions necessary to shape the future of agriculture.

Grenada

The Government of the British Virgin Islands has pledged US$400,000 to assist St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and Grenada following the impact of Hurricane Beryl.

This was recently announced by Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) 11th Council of Ministers: Environmental Sustainability.

“The government and people of the Virgin Islands remember well with great appreciation the outpouring of assistance that we received from the OECS family in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria and are now happy to extend a helping hand to our brethren in your hour of need. I am pleased to announce, a pledge to St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada of US$200,000 each to contribute to your relief efforts,” said Wheatley, who also serves as the minister for environment, natural resources and climate change, and finance minister.

Wheatley also used the opportunity to emphasize the need for climate resilience in the Caribbean.

The BVI has been vocal in urging large, wealthy nations that contribute significantly to climate change to fund small, developing nations that are most affected by its impacts.

Wheatley noted that small, developing nations needed more support as climate change posed a great risk to their land and marine resources, which were crucial for their survival.

Guyana 

During a recent visit to Georgetown, US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai said the United States is looking at pushing new partnerships and better-aligning trade policies with Guyana and other countries within Caricom.

Thi said the US held its trade policy as a key part of its overall economic policy. It also influences foreign policy.

She added, “Part of the reason why this visit to Guyana is so important is because we share values, we share political institutional institutions (and) economic values and there is such an important opportunity for us to work with Guyana on a bilateral basis but also with Guyana and Caricom.” 

The US is Guyana’s largest trading partner. 

Tai noted that the US is “exploring avenues for further collaboration” and it hopes to impress upon Guyanese authorities its approach to trade policy. 

Jamaica 

Citizens of Jamaica whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Beryl, will soon start receiving a grant from the government.

 Prime Minister Andrew Holness gave the update while speaking at the handing over of homes, under the Social Housing Programme in the southern parish of Clarendon recently.

“The Government has outlined a comprehensive recovery plan for reconstruction to assist families that have been verified and assessed as having suffered damage.

“In parliament I recently announced just over JA$1 billion dollars for this element of reconstruction and recovery and the ministry of social security would have given the details which would have been JA$400 thousand for persons who have been assessed as having totally lost their homes a JA$150 thousand to those assessed as having substantial damaged and JA$50 thousand for those having minor damage,” Holness said