Latest update January 8th, 2025 4:30 AM
Latest News
- ‘Our Stabroek Block estimate is higher than Exxon’s 11B barrels figure’ – Hess CEO
- Exxon to focus on exploring and appraising more of Stabroek Block before licence expires in 2027 – Routledge
- ‘All hell will break out’ if Gaza hostages aren’t released’—Trump warns
- Chinese company sitting on US$16B worth of gold at Guyana’s Aurora Gold Mine
- Guyana records 60% increase in workplace deaths in 2024 – Labour Minister
Building a climate-resilient Community among issues for CARICOM summit
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The push for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to build a more climate-resilient Community following the devastating 2017 hurricane season is among matters for deliberation by CARICOM heads of government at their 29th Inter-Sessional Meeting in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, tomorrow and Tuesday.
Irma and Maria, two back-to-back Category Five hurricanes, swept across the Caribbean in September, cutting a swathe of destruction, taking lives, devastating infrastructure and rolling back years of economic development in several CARICOM member states.
Dominica and Barbuda (Antigua’s sister isle) were decimated. Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands were also devastated. The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands were severely affected and Haiti and St Kitts and Nevis also suffered damage.
CARICOM, with its Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) at the forefront, has been helping to lead the recovery and rebuilding effort. CARICOM, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also staged a high-level pledging conference at UN Headquarters in New York last November which realized over US$1.3 billion in pledges.
The region, however, still needs significant levels of financing for recovery and building resilience. And, with just three months to the June start of the next hurricane season, Heads are also expected to examine measures to ensure adequate preparation and to facilitate quick responses to any emergency needs.
The high incidence of crime and violence across the Community will also be examined. Heads at their last meeting discussed key initiatives directed towards combatting transnational organized crime which, they noted, continues to be one of the most immediate and significant threats facing the region. They also directed their focus towards the development of a CARICOM counter terrorism strategy, which is being finalized for adoption.
The meeting will seek to advance plans to further strengthen key elements of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) including those related to travel and trade. Discussion will also focus on key transportation issues including regional air services, and on advancing regional initiatives in tourism aimed at stimulating further sustainable growth in the sector.
Heads will look at the impact on CARICOM member states of blacklisting actions. Last December the EU included four member states on a list of countries it deemed non-cooperative tax jurisdictions. There is also ongoing concern about the de-risking strategies by global banks and the labelling of CARICOM member states in some quarters as tax havens.
The meeting commences tomorrow with a brief opening session at which remarks will be presented by CARICOM Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque; the immediate-past CARICOM chairman, Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell of Grenada and the current chairman, President Jovenel Moise of Haiti.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The Horse Racing Authority Bill will solve nothing!
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The Horse Racing Authority Bill of 2024, though ostensibly aimed at regulating horse racing... more
Forget Begging Rich Nations: Caribbean Countries Should Act to Save Themselves
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- It has long been evident that the world’s richest nations, especially those responsible... more
Weekend Cartoon
