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Business, Travel

Port in St Lucia To Make Way For Mega Cruise Ships

Published 11 April 2017

CASTRIES, St Lucia, Friday April 7, 2017 – St Lucia wants some mega cruise ships to come calling.

And it’s preparing for the first one by December. The Breasting Dolphin Berth at Pointe Seraphine is to be extended to facilitate that and other mega cruise vessels at a cost of US$15 million.

Minister for Ports Stephenson King said that due to the growth projections for the cruise sector “there is a greater need for us to place emphasis on the improvement, development and the enhancement of the cruise facilities and infrastructure on the island.”

“This Government has made a firm commitment not only to improve Port Castries and to consider a new location for the establishment of a new commercial port but also to continue to improve on the cruise ship facilities and by extension to look to the south of the country to establish a major cruise port in the south in Vieux Fort that will compliment a number of the economic initiatives that the Government has committed itself to,” he said.

“This is a holistic approach, a global initiative, on the part of the Government looking beyond the shores, beyond the sand and sea, and looking to the international arena to see how St Lucia can maintain its position and be able to offer two world class facilities, one in the north and one in the south.”

Minister King said government also hopes the project will place the island as the number one cruise ship destination in the Caribbean.

Once the berth is completed, St Lucia is expected to see an increase of 20 percent in the call of vessels to Port Castries and an increase in passenger arrivals by 19 percent.

Business, Health

Trump Refuses Funding to UN Agency that Helps Caribbean

Published 11 April 2017

WASHINGTON, United States, Monday April 10, 2017 – United States President Donald Trump is pulling his country’s funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), an agency that assists 22 Caribbean countries in their efforts to tackle teen pregnancies and other reproductive health issues.

The US State Department has announced that it will not forward congressionally-approved uS$32.5 million to the UNFPA because of its partnership with a Chinese government programme that includes forced abortions and sterilizations.

“While there is no evidence that UNFPA directly engages in coercive abortions or involuntary sterilizations in China, the agency continues to partner with [China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission] on family planning, and thus can be found to support, or participate in the management of China’s coercive policies,” it said.

But the UNFPA has insisted that it does no such thing. It said the decision to deny funding for its life-saving work is based on the erroneous claim that UNFPA “supports, or participates in the management of, a programme of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization” in China.

“UNFPA refutes this claim, as all of its work promotes the human rights of individuals and couples to make their own decisions, free of coercion or discrimination. Indeed, United Nations Member States have long described UNFPA’s work in China as a force for good,” it said.

It noted that the support from the US in previous years has saved tens of thousands of mothers from preventable deaths and disabilities, and helped UNFPA combat gender-based violence and reduce the scourge of maternal deaths.

UNFPA works in more than 150 countries and territories. Those include the Caribbean nations of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Sint Maarten, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

In those countries, UNFPA works to improve the reproductive health of the most vulnerable, including responding to the high numbers of unintended pregnancies and gaps in maternal health.

Family planning associations and similar agencies in the region benefit from the work of the UNFPA.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric has predicted the US funding loss “could have devastating effects on the health of vulnerable women and girls and their families around the world”.

Business, Travel

Cuba Signs Tourism Cooperation Agreement With Portugal

Published 11 April 2017

HAVANA, Cuba, Tuesday April 11, 2017 – Cuba and Portugal have signed a protocol of cooperation that stands to benefit tourism development in both countries.

Cuba’s head of tourism Manuel Marrero and Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism, Ana Mendes Godinho, inked the agreement on Friday.

Mendes Godinho said that the agreement was historic, as Portuguese businessmen were interested in investing in Cuba and participating in its development. She noted that political relations between the two countries, “were increasingly strengthened in the last year.”

Cuba’s tourism chief said the agreement created a new stage for joint cooperation on issues such as the use of Portuguese experience in the sector at a time when Cuba was experiencing a remarkable growth in the industry.

Last year, 4,035,577 tourists visited the Spanish-speaking communist country.

Mendes Godinho, who was in Cuba on a two-day visit, noted that the cooperation agreement would also enable student exchanges and shared experiences between the two nations.

Her Cuban counterpart said that Portugal has 12 public tourism schools, which are considered among Europe’s best, and which could contribute to the training of Cuban personnel.

He added that tourism could be an important element to further strengthen the ties between the two countries.

Business, Travel

Serenity Cruise Ship Makes First Call on Grenada

Published 11 April 2017

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Tuesday April 11, 2017 – Grenada welcomed its fifth inaugural cruise call last week.

The luxurious Serenity of Crystal Cruises docked in the beautiful St George’s Harbour last Tuesday, bringing just over 1,000 passengers and 655 crew members.

Crystal Cruises is the world’s most awarded luxury cruise line with its fleet covering the globe. Awards include Travel Weekly’s Best Luxury Cruise Line 2016 and Travel + Leisure Magazine’s World’s Best Cruise Line 2015.

A LOCAL DELEGATION MET THE CAPTAIN AND CREW OF SERENITY ON ITS INAUGURAL CALL.

Captain Egil Giske was enthusiastic about Grenada as a tourist destination, since he has visited the island before.

Speaking of his experience he said: “I love the beaches, warm Grenadian people, delicious food and spices.”

Business, Travel

Norwegian Cruise Line Extends Cruises To Cuba Through 2018

Published 11 April 2017

FLORIDA, United States, Tuesday April 11, 2017 – Norwegian Cruise Line will further extend its offering of weekly roundtrip cruises from Miami to Cuba through 2018, with 33 new voyages.

The all-inclusive Norwegian Sky will begin her 2018 Cuba cruise season in March, sailing four-day roundtrip cruises from Miami, with 32 of the cruises to include an overnight stay in Cuba’s historical and culturally-rich capital of Havana, as well as a call on Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island in the Bahamas.

These new cruises will begin on March 26, 2018 and are in addition to the previously announced 30 calls that Norwegian will offer through December 2017.

“Cuba is a spectacular destination and we are seeing incredible demand from our guests to experience the beautiful and cultural-rich city of Havana and her warm and friendly people,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer for Norwegian Cruise Line.

“We are excited to provide even more opportunities for our guests to experience this incredible destination into 2018.”

Norwegian Sky will transport guests to the very heart of Havana, offering guests the opportunity to visit historical sites such as Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; view incredible art and listen to the vibrant local music scene; and visit with Cuba’s warm and friendly residents through people-to-people exchanges. Norwegian will offer a selection of 15 half and full-day shore excursions.

Norwegian Sky’s sailings to Cuba will also feature a call to Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island destination in the Bahamas. Great Stirrup Cay was recently enhanced to offer guests new ways to enjoy the island with additional pathways, seating and shaded lounge areas, with additional features still to come, including a private luxury lagoon enclave for suite guests and guests of The Haven.

Norwegian Sky’s four-day cruises to Cuba will open for sale on April 20.