Caribbean RoundUp

Barbados

Minister of Energy and Business, Lisa Cummins announced that Barbados will host the 2024 Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum.

The event will be held from June 4-6 under the theme “Shaping a New Energy Destiny for the Global South: A Just and Equitable Energy Transition for Global South Countries,” and is being co-hosted by the government and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll).

The summit is a global gathering dedicated to drive progress on universal access to sustainable energy and is an opportunity for government, business and finance leaders, entrepreneurs, youth and community representatives from around the world to negotiate new partnerships, spur new investment and address challenges that link energy, climate and development.

Cummins said discussions with energy stakeholders are critical and the meeting would generate bold ideas, commitments and co-operation aimed at ending energy poverty and climate change.

“Barbados remains committed to a sustainable energy transition within our borders and beyond. We are proud to partner with Sustainable Energy for All on this global forum, which will be a pivotal moment in the fight for climate justice, and ensure developing countries are supported with their energy transition efforts. “Our goal is to raise ambitions and to continue to signal to the world that the fight against climate change also presents a sustainable development opportunity. We look forward to showcasing these opportunities and more at the SEforAll Global Forum,” Cummins added.

CARICOM

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett, is calling on regional countries to invest in preventing violence against women and girls and the empowerment of vulnerable groups through access to education and quality healthcare services.

At the launch of the CARICOM Secretariat’s annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, Barnett said the campaign includes four important observances; the International Day for the Elimination of Violence again Women, Human Rights Defenders’ Day, World AIDS Day and Human Rights Day. The campaign ends on Dec. 10.

She added that these observances highlight that violence prevents women and girls from enjoying the full complement of their human rights. Activists started the campaign more than three decades ago.

Barnett said that this year’s theme for the UNITE Campaign, “Unite! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls,” brings into sharp focus the importance of financing different strategies to prevent violence against women and girls – (VAWG).

Grenada

The Nurses and Midwives Council (NMC) is advising the public against participating and completing education programs at institutions in Grenada that are not certified.

NMC chairperson, Nester Edwards said people who are interested in the nursing program at any institution in Grenada should find out it’s status under the Act number 15 of 2003.

A statement said, “The Nurses and Midwives Council of Grenada wishes to advise the public of its responsibility under section 7 (I) of the Nurses certify suitable nursing schools in Grenada, together with the buildings, teachers, facilities, and curriculum.”

It added, “Therefore, before registering for any nursing education program in Grenada, the public is advised to enquire whether the programme is certified by the Nurses and Midwives Council of Grenada.”

The Council also has to verify the qualifications of overseas institutions and also continuing professional education for nurses and midwives who are registered under the existing legislation.

Guyana

Under its Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), Guyana will receive increase financial resources from the European Union after signing a new agreement with that organization.

During the signing agreement of the second Joint Monitoring and Review Committee (JMRC) meeting, Minister for Natural Resources, Vickram Barratt said it has provided great benefit to the country.

“The JMRC is the body that is ultimately responsible for the way in which the agreement is implemented. Since it provides key oversight in the process.”

The EU Ambassador to Guyana, Rene Van Nes, said the new agreement will result in increased resources to Guyana.

“As a result of the very good progress that you are making on the implementation of the VPA, it was decided to give you more resources. So, in the past, it was agreed that you would get two and a half million euros for this, this has actually been increased, you will get $3.8 million euros,” Van Nes said.

He said the agreement will allow Guyana and its local counterparts to access other resources that will be provided by the EU.

Haiti

The US government repatriated notorious coup leader Guy Philippe recently expressing concerns that his presence could lead to further disruption in a country that is already reeling from gang violence and political instability.

Haitian political expert and professor at the University of Virginia, Robert Fatton said that Philippe was a charismatic leader who was involved in the 2004 rebellion against former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He also had high-powered ties to police, politicians and the elite business class.

“Whether those kinds of ties will be revised, it’s not clear. What is very clear is that Guy Philippe has always seen himself as some sort of a messianic figure who should lead Haiti,” Fatton said.

Philippe’s attorney, Jean Joseph Louicher confirmed Philippe arrival in the capital of the Port-au-Prince recently and said he was waiting for Philippe to be processed and released by Haiti’s National Police and immigration officials so that he can safely go home to his family.

Jamaica

A new report is warning that several Caribbean countries including Jamaica without shoreline defences could permanently lose five percent or more of their cities to sea level rises by the end of the century.

“Without shoreline defences, under a worst-case warming scenario by the end of the century, five percent or more of the following cities are projected to fall permanently below sea level, namely, Guayaquil, Ecuador, Barranquilla, Colombia, Santos, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Kingston, Jamaica, Cotonou, Benin, Kolkata, India, Perth, Australia, Newcastle, Australia and Sydney, Australia,” states the report.

New hyper-local data released recently by Human Climate Horizons, a collaboration between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Climate Impact Lab (CIL), notes that the extent of coastal flooding has increased over the past 20 years as a result of sea level rise.

There would be an increase in susceptibility to flood damage along the world’s densely populated coastlines, adding that the data platform makes it possible to see where sea-level rise impacts may most threaten homes and infrastructure.

They said hundreds of highly populated cities will face increased flood risk by mid-century, relative to a future without climate change.

This includes land home to roughly five percent of the population of coastal cities such as Kingston, Jamaica.

— Compiled by Devika Ragoonanan