Caribzone News Highlight

Compiled by Caribzone.com

Regional

Veteran Trinidadian journalist Owen Baptiste, who helped spearhead the establishment of the Jamaica Observer, was yesterday hailed for his brilliance as a writer and layout specialist by two of the newspaper's senior editors.

Baptiste, who was the Observer's first managing director and editor-in-chief, died Tuesday night. He was 87.

“He was a brilliant journalist and an enigma, if ever there was one,” said founding editor, Desmond Allen, who had day-to-day responsibility for what was Jamaica's first full colour tabloid newspaper.

Vernon Davidson, the paper's first chief sub-editor and current executive editor – publications, said of Baptiste, who was fondly referred to as OB: “His Sunday Morning column on page two of the Observer was a must read as he pulled no punches in taking on officials. OB also used the column to highlight positive developments in Jamaica, and he would basically write what most people were thinking but were too afraid to say.

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Jamaica

The US dollar on Friday, September 11, ended trading at J$143.86 down by 62 cents according to the Bank of Jamaica's daily exchange trading summary.

Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar ended trading at J$110.74, up from J$110.03 while the British pound sterling ended trading at $187.82 down from J$189.64.

You will recall that the J$ traded at $150 to the US$ some three weeks ago.

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Regional

The outgoing president of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC), Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, has praised the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) for assisting Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries deal with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Chastanet, who is also St Lucia's Prime Minister, said that the assistance has also allowed Caribbean countries to face the current situation with purpose.

Chastanet, along with St Vincent and the Grenadines Minister of Finance, Economic Planning, Camillo Gonsalves, were among delegates participating in the 28th session of the CDCC, a subsidiary body of ECLAC.

Gonsalves made mention of the extreme complexity of the events that the Caribbean has had to face in the last two years.

ECLAC executive secretary, Alicia Bárcena, delivering a preview of the Caribbean Outlook 2020 said “COVID-19 has brought us great difficulties, but we must maintain our resolve to rebuild better and advance in a transformation towards a sustainable society”.

The Caribbean Outlook 2020, is the flagship report of ECLAC and will be officially launched during the 38^th session of the Commission, next October. It offers a comprehensive assessment of the challenges facing the subregion on its path to sustainable development

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Sports

President of the Confederation of North America, Central America and Caribbean Football Association (Concacaf), Victor Montagliani, thinks having an invitee to the 2021 edition of the Gold Cup should be seen as an asset rather than a liability.

In announcing sweeping changes to the confederation's marquee national tournament last week Wednesday, the Concacaf boss revealed that Asian champions Qatar will be the guest team at a “robust” and “expanded” version of the biennial showpiece.

In addition to a guest team returning to the championship for the first time since 2005, Montagliani also unveiled plans for a “first-ever” draw of the 16-nation competition.

He told the Jamaica Observer that while 16 countries will compete in the main segment of the 16th edition of the Gold Cup, he sought to bring into focus that the tournament will indeed involve 24-member associations, which, he argues, stays true to the build-out of the platform that started with the expansion to 16 teams in 2019.

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Jamaica

Having already named his four super ministers in; Dr Christopher Tufton for health, Dr Nigel Clarke for finance, Dr Horace Chang for national security, and Senator Kamina Johnson Smith for foreign affairs, Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Friday went with a largely unchanged team to run the government for another term, following a big win for the JLP at the polls on September 3.

Faval Willliams gets Education, Youth and Information, Pearnel Charles, Jr., gets Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change.

A statement from the office of the prime minister said the council of ministers – 28 in total, gives the opportunity for youth and new thinking to emerge and have an impact on public policy.

The swearing in ceremony for Ministers of State took place on Monday, September 14, at King’s House, the official residence of the Governor General.

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Regional

Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, The Bahamas and Jamaica, this week recorded deaths associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19), according to official statements issued in those countries.

In Suriname, where 4,477 people have tested positive for the virus with 678 active cases, the authorities in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country recorded one death, bringing the total to 93.

The deaths of five persons, including two with co-morbidities, pushed Trinidad and Tobago's death toll to 45 as the country urged citizens to follow the necessary measures and protocols aimed at curbing the spreading of the virus that was first detected in China last December and blamed for 910,000 deaths and the infection of 28.2 million others, worldwide.

The Ministry of Health said that the number of samples which have tested positive at public and private facilities in Trinidad and Tobago is 2,777, with 1970 being active cases.

The Opposition UNC party called the death rate, worrisome.

Belize reported a total of 34 new cases of COVID-19, pushing its total to 1,399 with 19 deaths since the first case was detected there in March.

The Bahamas registered two deaths for a total of 65, from a positive case-load of 2,814.

Two more death this week pushed the Jamaica total to 42. The island has 3,511 cases with 2,342 being active. Health Minister Chris Tufton has announced the setting up of three covid field hospitals, starting with the first in Kingston, in two weeks.

 

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Jamaica

A magisterial recount of votes cast in the September 3, general election for the Clarendon North Western constituency, is scheduled to commence at 10:00 am, on Tuesday, September 15.

The preliminary vote count showed Phillip Henriques/JLP, winning the seat, with a total of 6,124 votes. The PNP's Richard Azan totaled 6,009 votes; while independent candidate Merrick Cohen got 51. 

A recount is also in progress in the Westmoreland Eastern constituency, contested by Daniel Lawrence/JLP and Luther Buchanan/PNP.

Both candidates tallied the identical 4,834 votes, with Buchanan winning on the tie-breaker cast by the returning officer after both candidates’ names were put in a box.

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Sports Shorts

The English Premier League (EPL) is back with champions Liverpool escaping with a 4-3 win over newly promoted Leeds United and Arsenal with Brazilian signee Willian in the line-up, berating Fulham 3-0.

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The island of Bonaire is taking FIFA to court for rejecting its membership bid last September. Membership could mean US$6 million in development assistance every four years for the small Caribbean island

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The TrinBago Knight Riders (TKR) are the CPL T20 champions, beating St. Lucia Zouks by 8 wickets last week. Scores. St. Lucia 154, Trinidad & Tobago, 157/2, in the process becoming the first team in the history of the competition to go thru’ an entire season/tournament, unbeaten.

Six franchises/teams participated in the tournament which was played at two venues in Trinidad & Tobago under COVID 19 protocols.

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