Staff Writer

August 4, 2023 – Reparations were requested for slavery and its legacy in today’s society by representatives from African and Caribbean entities that came together joining forces at a historic event in Bridgetown Barbados.

The entities were, The University of the West Indies (UWI), the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (AU), Barbados’ government, grant-making network Open Society Foundations and the Caribbean Pan African Network and they united and made the “call for reparations for historical crimes”.

Hilary Beckles, head of the CARICOM reparations commission expressed the importance for reparations saying,

“This is a historic moment… humanity cannot go forward with all the toxic interferences of colonisation.” She further stated that “We have to clean up this mess to allow humanity to function.”

The CARICOM reparations commission, which was set up to seek reparations from former colonial powers such as the United Kingdom, France and Portugal, highlighted that slavery is the reason for the suffering of descendants today. It “sees the persistent racial victimisation of the descendants of slavery and genocide as the root cause of their suffering today,” as pointed out in its 10-point reparation plan.

Similarly, the EU described slavery earlier in July, as a “crime against hunanity” expressing the need for reparations for the “untold suffering” caused.

This was further expressed by Youssouf Mandoha, AU official who stated that “It is crucial to recognise how slavery, colonialism and racism intersect and impact the lives of Black people around the world.”

It is crucial to note that the idea of reparations or making other amends for slavery goes back in history. However, the movement is gaining momentum worldwide and a good example of this is where Barbados relinquished Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth as head of state in 2021 and renewed its campaign for reparations.

The meeting which lasted  from Monday to Thursday, included strategy sessions and plenaries and marked the beginning of an “intercontinental campaign”, according to  UWI a statement, further describing it as “ground-breaking.”

Furthermore, it resulted in a proposal for a roadmap for cooperation between the AU and CARICOM, as revealed by UWI statement.

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, August 4, 2023 – The Turks and Caicos Government is gearing up to call in backup for the country’s security forces as killings spike.

A joint statement from Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, TCI Governor and Washington Misick, TCI Premier, made the announcement Wednesday night after a young man was murdered in Grace Bay.

“At this time of heightened concern for our safety, we want to assure you of the police and wider national security response,” it began, “We remain determined in our efforts to stem these senseless acts of violence. The National Security Council is actively considering support for the police response to ensure the threats to our safety are gripped and effectively tackled in both the immediate and longer term.”

In late 2022, following an incredible increase in murders, the government reached out to The Bahamas, Jamaica, and others for assistance.

The Bahamas responded quickly, sending a group of 24 officers who were sworn into the Royal TCI Police Force and joined local officers on the line. The multinational force had success in stemming the violence, but with their eventual departure, the violence has once again spiked.

There has been no concrete confirmation yet from the government that it will be Bahamian officers that are called in this time around but Turks and Caicos has enjoyed tremendous support in the area of law enforcement from the UK, US and CARICOM.

A promise was made to keep the public informed.

Staff Writer

#Barbados, August 1, 2023 – Barbados has made moves to better facilitate regional travel with the reduction of its airport service charge from US$35 to US$20.

Ian Gooding-Edghill, Minister of Tourism highlighted that the reduction which will be for six months, ending on December 14, 2023, was done because of the high cost of inter-regional travel, in efforts to stimulate the local market.

“So, we’ve taken that decision. We recognize that the CARICOM market is price sensitive [and] we recognize if we are going to drive traffic to the destination in the absence of having what was LIAT in its former form, then we had to take the necessary steps to make the adjustments,” he said.

Also, as he pointed out, this was done to also bring more arrivals into Barbados.

“We took this step because we felt confident that a reduction in the airport service charge will stimulate travel within the region and also ensure that we get more arrivals from the Caribbean into Barbados,” he further stated

Additionally, there has been collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and airlines such as Air Antilles and InterCaribbean in efforts to increase the number of weekly flights to the island, and Edghill expressed that the results are good as arrivals have indeed increased.

“I am pleased to say, based on the load factors coming out of both regional carriers, that we are seeing an increase in the number of arrivals from within CARICOM.”

Staff Writer

#Guyana, July 27, 2023 – General Laura Richardson, the commander of the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) is on a visit in Georgetown Guyana currently and she is engaging in talks around the US defense partnership with the country and its Caribbean Community (CARICOM) counterparts.

Richardson’s visit to the island is in line with Guyana’s hosting of “Tradewinds,” which is a multinational exercise aimed to improve the region’s security capabilities.  Tradewinds is focused on fortifying partnerships among participating defense and public security forces, fostering international cooperation, and promoting human rights.

In continuation, the commander’s agenda includes meetings with key officials of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and CARICOM.  The officials include Brigadier Omar Khan, Chief of Staff of the GDF, and Dr. Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General, and Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch. This is according to a statement from the US Embassy.

Richardson will also observe events of the Tradewinds exercise as well as actively participate in its closing ceremony. Tradewinds 2023 started on July 15th and will end on the 28th.

As pointed out in the embassy statement, the security partnership between the United States and Guyana has been perennial and this visit is an indication of the continuation of that relationship. The partnership is characterized by strong collaboration between SOUTHCOM and the GDF, with a focus area concerned with disaster preparedness, humanitarian assistance, maritime security, human rights, professional development, and the integration of women in peace, defense, and public security missions; with countering transnational criminal organizations as an additional desired goal for the joint effort.

Richardson’s visit to the country is the second; she first visited in August 202

Staff Writer

July 17, 2023 – US-based Atlantic Council revealed that its Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center (AALAC), is now in collaboration with the UN Women Multi-Country Office in the Caribbean to fight gender based issues in the region.

Valentina Sader, AALAC associate director and leader of the center’s gender-related work, highlighted the gender issues and their effect on women and girls.

“Women and girls in the Caribbean face unique challenges that prevent them from reaching equal footing in Society. These include lack of access to critical resources to rebuild after natural disasters and barriers to political representation,” she said.

She also spoke of statistics that indicate the number of women who hold appointed and or elected positions, showing they are less than they should be, representing less than half of all political offices throughout the Caribbean, highlighting the need for a more gender equal society.

Additionally, she also referred to studies showing that 46 percent of women in the Caribbean experience violence at least once in their lifetime.

Considering this, the partnership will focus on gender equity and security in the Caribbean particularly in Jamaica and Guyana.

Sader expressed that AALAC will leverage its global and regional connections as well as it  “uniquely-positioned” Caribbean Initiative, (which began programming  in February of 2021), to bring about more awareness and encourage dialogue regarding the issues women and girls face throughout the region.

The Caribbean Initiative is aimed to “to raise awareness about key Caribbean Community (CARICOM) priorities with US and global stakeholders while deepening US engagement with the region around shared interests,” according to the Atlantic Council.

Sader added that the project will explore peace, security, and gender-based violence; democracy and political representation; economic recovery and empowerment; and climate financing.

In continuation, according to the Atlantic Council, AALAC will work with UN Women to have talks and consultations with regional individuals and organisations, multilateral groups, private sector representatives and financial institutions.

The focus will be to better understand  social norms connected to gender in the region, build momentum, and secure buy-in from relevant stakeholders across sectors and regions, as well as produce concrete policy recommendations with a gender-based approach for the region.

The Atlantic Council expressed that AALAC “broadens understanding of regional transformations, while demonstrating why Latin America and the Caribbean matter for the world.”

Additionally, Tonni Brodber, UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean Representative, is hopeful for the success of the project.

“In the same way that the Atlantic Council has been able to strengthen relationships between civil society organisations and policymakers in the United States and across Latin America, I feel confident that the Caribbean will greatly benefit from this proven capacity,” she maintained.

Staff Writer 

July 7, 2023 – António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations joined Caribbean Leaders at the 45th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting this year as the organization marked its 50th anniversary.

Also attending the event with the full complement of regional members of CARICOM was Han Duck-Soo, South Korean Prime Minister; Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda; and Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State.

During the Opening Ceremony, both full member states and associate members like the Turks and Caicos were recognized and their leaders invited on stage.

E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier, represented the Turks and Caicos in that capacity.

Following a full day of celebratory events on July 4th marking the Golden Jubilee, the Caribbean Community moved into its final day of meetings on July 5th.

Held in Trinidad and Tobago, this year’s Heads of Government Meeting returned to where the Organization was founded and Secretary General Carla Barnett indicated this year’s meeting would focus on Food Security, the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, Climate Change and other pressing Issues.

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, June 5, 2023 – The UK government is well aware of the escalation of the issues the  Turks and Caicos is plagued with as it relates to irregular migration.  Even the Royal Family is clued in to the size of the problem according to Premier, Washington Misick.

“As it stands at the moment, this is our piece of the globe that we have to protect and we will do everything we can to prevent the degradation of the conditions within the Turks and Caicos islands,” he vowed.

The country leader was speaking at a national address to introduce Operation PURSUIT in response to exponential levels of migrants trying to breach the country’s borders.  The Premier said assistance would be coming from the United Kingdom in short order, including the possibility of more permanent marine support, which some residents think the UK should provide, since they are responsible for national security in the country.

Misick refused to preempt what the UK would announce, but expressed confidence that help was on the way.  In addition to that he said he was in conversation with CARICOM and the US as well.

“The Prime Minister of The Bahamas is the president of CARICOM at the moment, I am indeed engaged with the Prime Minister. We have had conversations, also I have raised the issue with the Ministry of Defense in the United States so some wheels are turning.  Hopefully we will collectively be able to assist Haiti,” he said.

Operation PURSUIT, launched on May 23, is designed to curb crimes linked to irregular migration and human smuggling, is now in operation.

Editor

#TurksandCaicos, June 6, 2023 – The momentum and support is growing for the international commemoration of Gun Violence Awareness Day in the Turks and Caicos Islands; for a third year Sharla Walkin and those who have partnered with her has ensured there was a time of reflection and open grievance for the scores of people killed as a result of gun violence.

Walkin, whose brother Ervin Walkin was shot several times in the back as he walked on Albacore Close in Providenciales in 2018, was just 27 years old and left behind a devastated family including two sons.  His sister was shattered when she got the call, struggled to sleep after the savage way her “humble” brother was killed but found a way to cope.  Walkin tells the story that she found out about a day to remember as a community and as a nation and put plans in motion to commemorate Gun Violence Awareness Day in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

That was in 2021.

In picking up the pieces of her life, Ms. Walkin stood initially with just a few people to mark the moment on the first Friday in June.  Three years later and the Turks and Caicos event has attracted more victims’ relatives, prominent members of society and senior leaders of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police.

“To the families, friends, and loved ones gathered here, we are here for you; we will continue to be with you. I wish to say to you that I am sorry for your loss, I am sorry for the years of pain that you have endured. I am sorry for the fact that there are too many young people turning to a life of crime. Even though sorry will not bring your loved ones back, I empathize with you. The tears you shed also wet our faces too often,” said Rodney Adams, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

The Turks and Caicos Islands has seen a dramatic escalation in gun crimes with losses far beyond what anyone could have imagined for the cluster of close-knit islands, which enjoyed almost surreal levels of peace.  Now, with consecutive years of record breaking murder figures and a per capita homicide rate that puts the TCI at the top of the heap, it stands with CARICOM in sounding the alarm about the devastating loss in human lives due largely to the overwhelming surge in gun trafficking flowing from the United States into the islands; which ‘do not manufacture weapons.’

The US has become a stronger ally in recent years, stopping several gun shipments from its shores including one such interception to the TCI, thwarted in November 2022.

Gun Violence, Wear Orange Day is a relevant reminder and was again this year held in the Memorial Garden of the Turks and Caicos National Trust managed, Cheshire Hall Plantation.

The Royal TCI Police provided photographs of the support drawn to the tranquil spot to reflect as a community on the heavy price being paid due to the infiltration and savage use of illegal firearms.

Deputy Commissioner Adams, in addressing the gathering which included the wife of the late, Rev Percy Williams, who was gunned down inside his Blue Hills home in another shocking, unprovoked attack in 2020, said about the investigations  “ into the murders of your loved ones are ongoing and we continue in our sustained efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Orange was worn by thousands this past weekend.

In the United States is where the day was born, following a random shooting that took the life of a little Chicago girl in 2013.   Hadiya Pendleton, a 15 year old honour student had just been part of a parade with the ushering in of second term president, Barack Obama a week prior, when she was shot at a playground in her hometown.

Orange is the colour selected because it is also the colour worn by hunters to protect themselves from becoming a target and shot, when out on hunting expeditions.

For Sharla, who also uses her business, Healing Haven to remember her brother, a series of beautiful bracelets have been designed, featuring orange jade and a message of love for her lost brother.

“If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.”

She explained, “I think a lot of people thought I was doing it only for my brother, he was the reason I started but I also wanted to acknowledge because we have quite a few young men that we lost to Gun violence and even young women.”

Captions

Header: Relatives of the deceased victims join hands and sing “Bind Us Together”.

1st insert: The widow of Percy Williams chats with DCP Rodney Adams. Williams was shot dead on May 03^rd, 2020, at his Blue Hills, Providenciales home.

 2nd insert: Nadidja Parker reads the names of murdered victims.

Staff Writer

June 5, 2023 – A new resolution has been approved by health ministers from CARICOM alongside their counterparts in the Americas to accelerate actions to improve health for the indigenous populations.

With the resolution, countries will develop finance and put in place national health clients for the indigenous population.  This will ensure that they receive equal rights, that is their  access to the highest attainable physical health services.

Measures will be implemented to combat the social determinants of health, such as poverty, poor housing, and lack of access to education, economic opportunities, and water and sanitation which all unfortunately affects the indigenous populations immensely.

It also seeks to foster investment into the training of indigenous health care workers; and it plans to safely incorporate evidence-based traditional and complementary medicine into Indigenous health services.

Additionally, generating more disaggregated data, enabling countries to broaden their knowledge of the specific health situation of Indigenous populations, which is another goal highlighted, and can attract more improvements for the indigenous people as more countries will be informed.

Furthermore, an intercultural and intersectoral approach in the development of Indigenous health policies that overcome barriers pertaining to gender, geographic location, age, language, digital connectivity, was stressed by countries of the Americas, and for good reason as those barriers are influential in the low health standards.

Dr. Marcos Espinal, Assistant Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), highlighted the necessity and urgency of the resolution.

He pointed to the fact that indigenous peoples in the Americas are more prone to experience higher rates of infectious disease like tuberculosis, as well as increased levels of non communicable diseases like diabetes. Also, for women, that is indigenous women maternal  health care is of very low quality and so, the resolution will improve it alongside adolescent health care including access to sexual and reproductive health services.

“This is why this resolution is so crucial for our region, because it is based on strategies that address the specific environmental and social contexts in which Indigenous persons live,” he added.

The resolution came on Tuesday May 30th during the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA), and is anticipated  to have significant implications for the Americas, home to more than 62 million Indigenous persons.

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) said it will continue to work with countries of the Americas to ensure the health of Indigenous Populations.

Staff Writer

May 23, 2023 – CARICOM Member States are being urged to work towards cheaper intra-regional travel, an issue hindering closer state relationships according to Chet Greene, Antigua and Barbuda Foreign Affairs Minister, who led the call to action saying with shared language and cultures there should be stronger ties.

Greene, the outgoing chair of the Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), expressed that the pillars of regional integration of CARICOM can be ticked off by addressing this issue of regional travel “with the urgency that is required.”

Greene further suggested that workable plans and solutions to provide affordable air and maritime travel should be formulated by Member States and the Secretariat.

“This requires lobbying efforts through the ministries of foreign affairs and overseas missions, friendly nations for developmental assistance.”

Additionally, he egged on the Secretariat to create an environment that will encourage better and stronger community engagement via improved relations.

A Caribbean Community where the talents of the people can be, without hindrance, expressed as well as their innovative capabilities that will contribute to the development of the region, is one outcome of allowing cheaper intra-regional travel as pointed out by Greene.

CARICOM is not like the other institutions of the European Union in that we are separated by sea, Greene said, contributing to the issue of affordable regional travel which has been worsened by the pandemic, hence the need for a quick and effective solution.

He made his appeal at the opening ceremony of the 26th meeting of COFCOR, at the Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston Jamaica, Tuesday May 16th 2023.

As his tenure as Chair of COFCOR comes to an end, Kamina Johnson Smith Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs Trade Minister will take over.

He maintained that the excellent work of CARICOM should be voiced across the region, especially since the organization’s 50th anniversary is coming, the oldest surviving institution in the hemisphere, further referencing the existing need for work in some areas, in this case community relations.