Caribzone News Highlight

St Kitts

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 rattled several Caribbean islands during the early hours of Tuesday, March 31, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), said that the quake occurred at 2.42 am (local time) on Tuesday. It was located at Latitude: 17.24N, Longitude: 62.04W and at a depth of 103 kilometres (km).

The SRC said that the quake was felt 25 km northwest of Saint John's, Antigua and Barbuda, 77 km east of Basseterre, St Kitts- Nevis and 123 km northwest of Point-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.

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Jamaica

The reduction in the standard rate of General Consumption Tax (GCT), payable in respect to taxable goods and services is now in effect, since April 1.

The reduction, which was announced in the recent Budget Debate by Minister of Finance Dr Nigel Clarke, will see Jamaica paying 15 per cent for GCT, down from 16.5 per cent. 

The new GCT rate was published in the Jamaica Gazette dated March 30, 2020, titled The Provisional Collection of Tax (General Consumption Tax) Order 2020. 

In announcing the reduction Clarke had noted that this was the first cut in the GCT rate since it was introduced in 1991, that was not accompanied by GCT being applied to other areas.

Merchants have been reminded to make the changes in their calculations on the price of goods immediately.

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Entertainment

Bill Withers, who wrote and sang a string of soulful songs in the 1970s that have stood the test of time, including “ Lean on Me, ” “Lovely Day” and “Ain’t No Sunshine,” died on Monday, March 30, from heart complications, his family said. He was 81 years old.

The three-time Grammy Award winner is the latest in a string of pop music icons to die in recent days including Kenny Rogers and Keith ‘Bob Andy’ Anderson. Bill Withers, dead at the age of 81 years.

His death comes as the public has drawn inspiration from his music during the coronavirus pandemic, with health care workers, choirs, artists and more posting their own renditions on “Lean on Me” to help get through the difficult times.

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father. A solitary man with a heart-driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music, he spoke honestly to people and connected them to each other,” the family statement read.

“As private a life as he lived close to intimate family and friends, his music forever belongs to the world. In this difficult time, we pray his music offers comfort and entertainment as fans hold tight to loved ones.”

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Jamaica

Approximately 4,500 persons who arrived in the island between March 18 and 23, and have not contacted the Ministry of Health & Wellness are to face the full brunt of the law for violating the Government’s Disaster Risk Management Act.

Of the 5,100 persons who entered the country during the stipulated period, a little more than 400 have made contact with the ministry.

The stark warning was issued by Prime Minister Andrew Holness during a press conference updating the nation on Government’s response to the COVID 19 pandemic, last week. The island has so fare recorded 55 cases and 3 deaths.

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Sports shorts

Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief Ricky Skerritt has assured the region that presidential term limits are still on the cards and will be addressed once the Wehby Governance report is submitted within the next month.

Skerritt, who assumed the top CWI post exactly a year ago along with vice-president Dr Kishore Shallow had proposed a six-year term limit on the presidency as part of their recommendation for governance reform.

And the CWI president said he expected that issue to be dealt with shortly when Jamaican businessman Don Wehby completed his report.

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With this year’s Tokyo Olympic Games being rescheduled until next summer because of the coronavirus pandemic,  Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Christopher Samuda is urging Jamaican athletes to use their time wisely to prepare themselves for next year's showpiece.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in a release last Monday that the Games would now take place from July 23 to August 8, next year. The Paralympic Games have also been rescheduled for August 24 to September 5, 2021.

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Windies’ Twenty20 (T20) stars could find themselves excluded from this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) if a plan by some stakeholders that would allow the lucrative tournament to come off in spite of the growing threat from the global pandemic goes forward.

The IPL was scheduled to start on March 29, but was delayed until April 15, following a March 14, meeting of the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI). However, India is currently under a 21-day nationwide lockdown, which ends on April 15, further putting in doubt the start of the tournament.

And with fears growing, the campaign may have to be canceled altogether. Rajasthan Royals executive chairman Ranjit Barthakur says one of the options on the table was a scaled-down tournament without international stars.

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