Caribzone News Highlights

By Caribzone.com

St Kitts

The St Kitts and Nevis authorities have imposed an EC$500 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) fine on individuals who fail to wear a mask in public as efforts continue to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country and across the region.

The Government has issued the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) (No 13) Regulations, 2020, which shows that a curfew remains in effect from 5:00 am and shall expire at 4:59 am on Saturday, August 29.

“The curfew now in effect – 2:00 am until 4:59 am – has been reduced by two hours; the curfew used to be from 12:00 midnight until 4:59 am,” the statement said, adding that “this means that the public will be allowed to move freely, and businesses and enterprises will be allowed to operate from 5:00 am of one day to 1:59 am of the following day.

“Social distancing and physical distancing protocols still apply, and establishments are expected to make the necessary arrangements to facilitate them,” the Government statement noted.

It said that the wearing of masks when in a public place has been expanded and that, “notwithstanding the provisions of the Small Charges Act, Cap 4.36, a person shall wear a face mask, covering their nose and mouth, when in a public place, once a period of emergency is declared in relation to COVID-19”.

It said that an individual shall not be required to wear a mask if he or she is under the age of three years old, or if he or she suffers with a disability, cognitive impairment, dementia, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, or other similar health condition.

In addition, the wearing of a mask is not mandatory if a person is within a private space, including in a private vehicle.

However, the Government warns that under the new regulations, a police officer may issue an EC$500 fixed penalty notice “to any person who contravenes the provisions of Section 15 in relation to wearing a face mask in public places.

The twin-island federation has recorded 17 positive cases of the virus and no deaths.

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National

Vilified, threatened with violence and in some cases suffering from burnout, dozens of state and local public health officials around the US have resigned or have been fired amid the coronavirus outbreak, a testament to how politically combustible masks, lockdowns and infection data have become.

The latest departure came last Sunday when California's public health director, Dr Sonia Angell, quit without explanation following a technical glitch that caused a delay in reporting virus test results — information used to make decisions about reopening businesses and schools.

Last week, New York City's health commissioner was replaced after months of friction with the police department and City Hall. (AP).

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Jamaica

The Jamaica dollar hit a new milestone last Wednesday at $150.02 to the US dollar, its lowest value ever.

The higher the exchange rate, the lower the value of the local currency and the higher the cost of doing business for Jamaican companies that buy inputs from overseas or foreign goods for local distribution.

For Jamaican consumers, each time the currency depreciates, it means that they are likely to face higher prices for groceries and other retail goods and some services.

Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) deputy governor for research, economic programming and financial stability, Dr Wayne Robinson, said the depreciation in the exchange rate since the beginning of July was due to lower inflows of foreign currency from earners, coupled with the reduced capacity of authorized dealers to supply customers from their own positions.

He said that that was notwithstanding higher-than-anticipated inflows from remittances.

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National

Kamala Harris is already bringing a big boost to Joe Biden’s campaign. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee says his campaign has raised $26 million in the first 24 hours since he named the California senator as his running mate.

 

Harris and Biden then took to the stage in Wilmington, Delaware, where Harris gave a blistering speech denouncing President Trump and calling out, among other things, his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. It could be an early preview of the vice presidential debate in October, when Harris will face off against Vice President Mike Pence.

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BLACK.BEAUTIFUL & BRILLIANT. First term California senator Kamala Harris (left) and Rev. Al Sharpton (right), shortly after Harris was announced as Joe Biden’s pick for vice presidential running mate in the upcoming US Presidential election on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

 

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Jamaica

Prime Minister Andrew Holness last week listed a raft of policies and projects implemented by his four-year-old Administration as he laid the foundation for a second mandate which the Government will seek when Jamaicans go to the polls on Thursday, September 3.

Wearing his green Desert Clarks — which he had some time ago said would be an indication of when he was ready to call the election — an obviously confident Holness made the election announcement in the House of Representatives minutes after members agreed to end the current states of public emergency (SOE) on August 17.

Holness informed the House that he had already advised the governor general to dissolve Parliament (Thursday, August 13).

Nomination Day is Tuesday, August 18.

The Opposition People's National Party (PNP) says it has employed a “seat by seat” strategy in its quest to return to Government.

While admitting that the party left the blocks behind the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), co-director of the PNP's 2020 election campaign Peter Bunting said the hierarchy is “encouraged” by the results of polls conducted at the constituency level.

He was giving an update on the party's strategy to Top of the Morning host Richard “Richie B” Burgess on The Edge 105 FM — the Jamaica Observer's sister radio station.

“This campaign is going to be one where candidates, individual constituency candidates, have a much greater impact than we have seen in the past,” Bunting said.

Jamaica has recorded 1,047 infections and 14 related deaths from the coronavirus disease, a factor that is expected to play a crucial part in the elections.

 

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National

The Trump administration is considering new ways to restrict entry at the US-Mexico border, citing coronavirus concerns. This could include blocking some US citizens and lawful permanent residents from reentry.

 

The administration has taken several steps to seal off the border since the pandemic began, including instituting new laws to swiftly remove migrants attempting to cross it. The immigration process is being hit hard by the pandemic, too. US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency responsible for granting citizenship, may have to furlough two-thirds of its workforce by the end of the month because of stalled stimulus negotiations.

 

If that happens, the immigration process would likely grind to a halt.

 

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Trinidad & Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley claimed victory for his ruling party in a general election on Monday, appearing to secure a second term despite concern over the coronavirus, migration and recession in the energy-rich Caribbean country.

Preliminary results showed the ruling People's National Movement (PNM) won 22 of the 41 electoral seats, while the opposition United National Congress (UNC) led by former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar won 19 seats.

"In a most difficult situation, we have once again been called to the service of the people of Trinidad and Tobago," Rowley told reporters late on Monday.

The election campaign in the twin island nation of 1.3 million people was overshadowed by the novel coronavirus pandemic, with traditional, colorful political rallies replaced by streamed rallies and noisy motorcades.

Trinidad and Tobago, which has been officially closed to travel since March, has registered a relatively low total of 280 cases of the virus and 8 deaths - a fact the ruling PNM heralded as testament to its successful handling of the outbreak.

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