Regional News | Buckie Got It

News, Regional News

Caribbean Fisheries Forum meets in Jamaica this week

KINGSTON, Jamaica (CRFM) — Heads of national fisheries authorities from 17 member states of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) will be meeting with observers and partner agencies in Jamaica near the end of this week, for the 15th meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum, the primary technical deliberative body of the CRFM, for talks on the status of and recent trends in the fisheries and aquaculture in the region and plans for the future to strengthen the sector.

Ahead of the opening the hurricane season in June, the forum meeting — slated for Thursday, 30 March, and Friday, 31 March, in Kingston — will also address measures for adaptation to climate change and disaster risk management in fisheries.

CRFM executive director, Milton Haughton, said: “Climate change, sea level rise, ocean acidification and disaster risk management are major challenges facing the fisheries sector and the wider economies of our countries. These issues continue to be high priorities for policy-makers and stakeholders because we need to improve capacity, information base and policy, and institutional arrangements to respond to these threats and protect our future. At this meeting, we will be discussing the USA sponsored initiative to provide risk insurance for fishers, among other initiatives to improve and protect the fisheries sector and ensure food security.”

The forum will also discuss steps to strengthen cooperation and coordination between fisheries and environment departments, as well as partner organizations, in order to strengthen the conservation of marine species and critical habitats to achieve international biodiversity targets.

Haughton noted, “Working together to improve the health of the marine environment and protection of vulnerable marine species while improving sanitary and phyto-sanitary systems and quality of fish and seafood, will produce tangible social and economic benefits for fishers and fishing communities. It is time for stakeholders in the fisheries and environment sectors to start working in a more cooperative and constructive manner to address common challenges.”

The forum will be updated on the progress of technical activities being undertaken by the CRFM, its Secretariat, member states and network partners, after which it will prepare recommendations on the way forward to be tabled when ministers responsible for fisheries meet on 19 May in Guyana.

Outgoing chairman, Denzil Roberts, chief fisheries officer of Guyana, will demit office after his 12-month tenure. Participants in the upcoming Fisheries Forum will elect a new chair, vice-chair and executive committee members, who will serve for the programme year, 2017-2018.

Business, News, Regional News

Guyana may be just weeks away from economic crisis, says economist

Published on March 30, 2017

By Dennis Adonis

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Having narrowly missed the economic after-effects of the 2008 Wall Street financial crash (the global financial crisis), and surviving a 2014 potential FOREX slide (since it is on the list of nations that could have suffered collateral damage from the 2014 oil slump); Guyana’s economic luck might be running out this time around.

At least this is the view of three respected financial experts, including a former World Bank economist, who predicted that Guyana may be weeks away from finding itself in the face of a recession demon that is similar to the ones that have been haunting neighbouring Venezuela, and Suriname among others, for some time now.

From experiencing a suddenly volatile currency exchange rate, stagnant economic growth, declining foreign investments, and a growing unemployment problem, Jeremy Blaine, a leading economic analyst at Accenture and a former World Bank consultant, told the Guyana Guardian that these are clear indicators that the writing is already on Guyana’s wall.

He noted that the government might have been caught in the middle of a spin-off from the underground economy that could have been brewing since the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, but which could have been made worse by current poor economic and social governance decisions.

In his opinion, a currently poor economy policy, a growing anti-investment climate, and a string of misguided taxation measures are taking a reverse toll on the country’s private sector, while the population’s spending power has been significantly reduced, to the detriment of the country’s overall economic outlook.

The economist stressed that one of many examples will be the poorly advised abrupt closure of sections of the sugar industry, which has since starved the economy of billions of dollars of surplus money that was previously being injected into the ailing sector from the treasury.

He reiterated that, even though government surpluses (such as the billions of dollars that were previously being injected into Guysuco) can indeed be an irritant to the treasury, it can actually turn out to be a blessing to the economy if the surplus money is going directly to the thousands of workers whose households would usually triple into thousands of consumers.

He further explained that in that way the surplus money ensures that the economy itself is being propped up, as the cash would usually spreads itself out across various commercial sectors.

Hence pulling that five billion dollars or so per year in budgetary surplus from Guysuco would mean pulling an average of $12 million per day from the extended economy.

And in such a case this will amount to reduced consumer spending power, reduced commercial income, and a reduction in tax intake.

Therefore, he is suggesting that government immediately take certain measures to increase consumer spending power, and to also create large scale employment opportunities.

“Unless the government can swiftly cut consumer taxes, offer direct foreign investment concessions, increase lending and spending via a central bank created digital currency which can substitute as a multi-billion dollar stimulus package, cut bank lending interest rates, hold off on closing down the sugar estates, re-engage migrating foreign investors such as Bai-Shanlin, and temporary insure certain classes of consumer credit, a recession will be imminent for Guyana,” he said.

While a string of recessions has been hitting the global economy hard, Guyana among several other countries was initially able to stave off the recession curse from hitting their shores.

But with several untested changes in government’s economic policy as of last year, a loss of several foreign export markets, and an increase in the global stranglehold on funding from several major donor countries, Guyana along with other nations has been losing out to direct foreign investments, investor created jobs, and needed foreign exchange, on a large scale.

For example, during the latter part of 2016, controversial Chinese company Bai ShanLin, and the Malaysian-owned Barama Company Ltd, began winding down their operations in Guyana, which has since seen just over 400 Guyanese directly and indirectly losing their jobs.

And with a handful of sugar estates facing closure, while certain agricultural sectors such as rice are being stifled by a limited export market, the government seems to be underestimating the potential economic woes that may be in waiting.

But as for an impending recession, many are doubtful that it is an experience that Guyanese may be prepared for.

However, many are still hoping that the government will initiate emergency measures that will be aimed at preventing a full-blown economic fall-out.

Republished with permission of the Guyana Guardian

Crime/Justice, News, Regional News

Estranged lover disguises as female, douses woman with acid

Published 30 March 2017

Buckie Got It….this happen early this year

Estranged lover disguises as female, douses woman with acid
Jan 21, 2017
Months after ending an abusive relationship, a 26-year-old woman is now a patient at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital after being doused with a corrosive substance on Thursday evening.
Shondel Williamson of New Street, New Amsterdam, a mother of two boys – aged six and three – is said to be in a stable but critical condition.
According to police officials, the woman suffered first degree burns to her face, hands and abdomen. She is also unable to open her left eye, and it is unclear if the eye was damaged.
A close relative told Kaieteur News that at around 8pm on Thursday, the woman was returning home and noticed a man clad in women’s clothing coming towards her direction.

News, Regional News

St. Lucia Association of Retired Persons celebrates 32 years

PRESS RELEASE – The Association of Retired Persons celebrated their 32nd Anniversary with a Church Service and breakfast social on Wednesday March 29, 2107 at the Mount of Prayer Coubrail. Mr. Andrew James the Chairperson of the Northern Chapter who spoke on behalf of the Board congratulated the members on achieving such a milestone and wished the Association continued success.

The Association’s Mission is “to promote the social and economic well-being of members, in order to make life more meaningful and to enhance the utilization of their skills and experiences in the overall development of the society”.

In achieving its mandate the Annual Retreat was held on Saturday March 25, 2017 at the Kelvin Felix Pastoral Center under the theme “How you Envisage Yourself Determines the Life you live”

Presenting on the theme was our very own member Patricia James who reminded members that life is meant to be lived. She noted “If we are to have a meaningful life we have to remember that life has to do with choices. However when faced adversity we should remember that we should turn to the Almighty Father to help us through” She highlighted a few points that would help in making life more meaningful:

Follow your aspirations – the answer to the question what do I want to give the world.
Be passionate – whenever you d something that you are passionate about it gives meaning to life
Live by your Code of Ethics – a set of values you uphold;
Cultivate compassion – this happens when we stop being the center of our universe and focus on the needs of others;
Be kind
Be of service to a greater cause – a great way to give meaning to life is to volunteer
Strive for a better future – developing as a human being makes ever day count
Happiness – If you have a meaningful life, you have a happy life

The second session saw a presentation by Marise Adjodha Skeete which highlighted the difference between meditation and sleep. Sleep is when the body and mind are at rest, while in meditation which is a natural process the mind settles into itself. This session was interactive and members were taken into the art of breathing correctly as well as using the whole body to evoke laughter.

The Chairman of the Education Committee, Ms Aloysia Gabriel, described the retreat as “thought provoking and enlightening”.

Other activities for this Anniversary include the Annual General Meeting on April 8. The highlight of the celebrations will be the Annual Variety show dubbed “Capture Seniors in Action” on Monday April 17, at the CSA Center Sans Soucis.

If you have attained age 50 and have retired from your professional life come join us and live the Life you envisaged.

International news, News, Regional News

Men jailed in UK after travelling from St. Lucia with cocaine

Published 29 May 2017

By Surrey Mirror

March 29, 2017

SURREY MIRROR – A security guard for a crown court in London and another man have been jailed after they were caught trying to bring nearly two kilos of cocaine through Gatwick Airport.

Hugh Barrington Wilson, 60, and Orville Campbell, 50, arrived at the airport from St Lucia and had the class A drug, with a street value of more than £180,000, seized from them in July 2016.

When arriving the two men separated as they went through the airport, but were reunited at Gatwick Airport rail station where they were caught.

Officers moved in to arrest the pair as they were queuing to buy tickets for the train, and found the 53 per cent pure drug concealed in a compartment of Wilson’s suitcase.