REGIONAL NEWS IN BRIEF

GUYANA

Government working to secure food, shelter for flood-affected communities

(CMC):

Guyana vice-president Dr Bharrat Jagdeo says the Government is working to ensure that persons affected by flooding across the country are provided with adequate food, shelter and healthcare. Jagdeo said the government instructed regional authorities and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to make this their primary focus.

The combination of unusually heavy rainfall and high tide have caused severe flooding, resulting in hardships across the country.

According to Jagdeo, in assisting flood affected communities, the Government is mindful that Guyana is still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If you have a shelter, you have to be careful about who you can move into the shelter if a person is COVID-19-positive. You don’t want to move that person into a shelter,” said Jagdeo.

“I know about the hardships. I want to assure people that we are taking this seriously and all the resources of the Government would be at the disposal of the regional bodies to get us through this period, and then we’ll have to come back and deal with the issue of recovery.”

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CAYMAN ISLANDS

Cash prize being offered in new vaccination raffle

(CMC):

The Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) has offered the population a chance to win US$10,000, as well as 280 other prizes worth a total of US$15,000, as part of an initiative to encourage persons to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

The CITA along with the charity R3 Cayman Foundation announced the prizes during a recent meeting of its members.

CITA president Marc Langevin said it was vital for the country to reach its target of vaccinating 70 per cent or more of its population, so that the borders can reopen safely to tourists, and the tourism sector had a part to play in that by encouraging its employees to get inoculated as soon as possible.

Langevin said CITA has been asking its members to provide weekly updates on how many of their staff have been vaccinated, and that “right now, as an industry, we are at 75 per cent”.

He added that certain sectors within the industry had higher percentages than that, like restaurants, which are showing a 90 per cent vaccination rate.

The prize draw is separate from the government’s ‘Vaccination Challenge’ version, which is also offering a wide variety of prizes for people who get their first vaccinations by June 9.

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TOBAGO

At least 15 bodies found on boat drifting at sea

(CMC):

The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) on Friday said 15 bodies believed to be Venezuelan nationals had been discovered on a vessel which was found off the coast of Pembroke.

“All bodies are in an advanced state of decomposition. They appeared to be male, African descent and wearing track suits and green rain jackets,” TEMA said in a statement.

The authorities had originally reported that four bodies had been found on the “foreign vessel”, adding “at this time, there is uncertainty of causes of death since investigations are still ongoing”.

TEMA said that the retrieval of bodies was done adhering to “all necessary precautionary measures” and that “the public is advised that this area is still a no-access area until further notice, as an investigation is ongoing”.

TEMA said that the bodies are being removed and carried to the Scarborough Mortuary.

Venezuelans have been fleeing their country as a result of the political and economic conditions there.

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BELIZE

First indigenous woman named as head of state

(CMC):

Belize has sworn in educator and an indigenous woman, Froyla T’zalam, as the country’s first female and third governor general, with Prime Minister John Briceño saying she brings with her more than just 20 years of experience in Belize’s rich Maya history.

T’zalam replaces Sir Colville Young, who demitted office at the end of April.

“She brings more than her master’s in rural development and her anthropology degree. She brings more than the total of her work as an academic, her scholarly publications and decades of experience as a community organiser – all of which makes her fully qualified for her new role,” said Briceño.

In her inaugural address to the nation, Governor General T’zalam paid tribute to Sir Colville Young and his wife “for their unwavering commitment to Belize for nearly three decades of service”.

She continued, “I want to thank Prime Minister John Briceño and his Cabinet for their trust in me to serve in this high office. I also want to thank the many Belizeans who have expressed their delight and support over social media and personal notes to my appointment.”

The governor general said she intends to carry out the constitutional role of her office with the required diligence, informing that with her new platform, she intends to be a champion not only for Maya people, but for all citizens of Belize.

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CARIBBEAN

Regional leaders urge Caribbean population to eat home-grown agricultural products

(CMC):

Guyana President Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday urged Caribbean countries to move away from the consumption of poor-quality food and called on the region’s population to eat agricultural products grown in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) region.

Addressing the Regional Food Systems Dialogue, which is a precursor to the United Nations 2021 Food Systems Summit scheduled for September, President Ali said it is time that Caribbean people remind themselves of the importance of eating local, regionally and utilising products from with the 15-member regional grouping.

“We cannot continue to eat third quality or second quality when we can produce first quality … we have to be brave in addressing these issues. We can’t walk along the sidelines anymore,” Ali said as he delivered the feature address at the regional dialogue.

The Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat has partnered with key regional stakeholders, including the United Nations Resident Coordinators, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to host the virtual event.

Farmers, policymakers, non-governmental organisations, businesses, and civil society participated in the event with CARICOM agriculture ministers chairing the three sessions on climate change, Caribbean food systems, finance and funding for the new Caribbean food systems and food production and security, a Caribbean imperative.

The CARICOM Secretariat said that the ideas, solutions, and action plans emanating from this dialogue will feed into the global forum that is part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Ali, who has lead responsibility for Agriculture in the quasi CARICOM Cabinet, said that while efforts can be taken within the region to tackle food security, the CARICOM needs the help of external agencies, especially in light of its vulnerability to climate change.

He said progress towards achieving the SDGs requires a commitment from all member states for affirmative action with respect to climate change.

He said the success of the regional effort in agriculture will depend on the degree of international support, especially in respect to financing in building an agricultural sector that is more resilient.

He urged regional countries to seize the opportunities of the September UN food systems summit to link greater resilience with increased access to financing sustainable development.