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CONTENTS
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Guyana's sugar corporation bankrupt

bulletFormer T&T PM  Kamla Persad-Bissessar challenged for UNC leadership
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Heavy rain relieve drought in Jamaica

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Jamaica PM pays tribute to PetroCaribe

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Bauxite exports resumes after 6 years in Jamaica

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NY papers slander WI carnival

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New sorrel harvesting machine developed in Jamaica m

bulletUN condemns US embargo of Cuba again
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Youth Climate Change Conference in Jamaica

bulletObesity expected to affect 2 in 3 Bajan women in 10 years
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Japan wants more Jamaicans

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US donates 10 boats to Jamaica police

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Second fish kill within weeks in St. Lucia affects water supply

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Flood of deportees to Jamaica

UNDILUTED pays tribute to John Maxwell by featuring two previous columns by him from the Hot Calaloo UNDILUTED archives:

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Hot Calaloo's Undiluted Vol. 15, "The Audacity of Hopelessness"

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Hot Calaloo's Undiluted Vol. 14, "Cuba's Benevolence versus US Belligerence"

 
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cover River Woman by Donna Hemans ... $16.10
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cover  For the Life of Laetitia by Trinidad -born Merle Hodge  Price: $10.54
a wonderful book about a young girl in the Carribean, the first of her family to go to secondary school.

 

 

OctNov 2015

Guyana's sugar corporation bankrupt

Officials say Guyana's state-owned sugar corporation faces an uncertain future after a report found that the South American country's single largest employer is bankrupt. A government-appointed inquiry commission said Monday that the company is nearly half a billion dollars in debt.

The commission is expected to release a final report later this month to determine what the government should do about the Guyana Sugar Corporation. The company has struggled with an increase in production costs amid falling international sugar prices. The government in June fired the company's director and forced board members to resign after officials said the company had run out of money to pay workers' salaries.

Guyana is the largest sugar-producing country in the Caribbean Community trade bloc but has seen a steady drop in production.

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 Former T&T PM  Kamla Persad-Bissessar challenged for UNC leadership

The former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Former  Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be challenged for UNC leadership in the upcoming internal party elections on December 5. Former housing minister Dr Roodal Moonilal has announced that  he would be challenging her for the leadership of the main opposition United National Congress (UNC).

The Oropouche East MP Moonilal has placed himself in a good position having served as deputy leader of the party and working with the party’s leadership over the years. He also announced that he had stepped down as Leader of the Opposition Business in the Parliament

 Persad- Bissessar, who led the UMC party into defeat in the 2015 general election, launched her re-election campaign and has insisted that she had no intention of stepping down even though she was at the helm of the party since 2010 when it won the then general election.

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Heavy rain relieves drought in Jamaica

Jamaica’s National Water Commission (NWC) says it has modified water supply restrictions affecting customers served by major catchment facilities in the Corporate Area following heavy rains over the weekend of October 4. The heavy rains since Friday have resulted in improvements in the watersheds, increased inflows into the various sources and increased storage levels, allowing for a modification of the restrictions.

The Seaview, Hermitage/Constant Spring, Hope, and Mona water supply systems have all been positively impacted.

The storage levels at the Hermitage Dam have moved from 69 per cent to 100 per cent and the Mona Reservoir has climbed from 25 per cent to 36 per cent. At the worst of the drought, storage levels had dropped to as low as about 20 per cent and 25 per cent at the Mona and Hermitage reservoirs, respectively.

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Jamaica PM pays tribute to PetroCaribe

Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, has underscored the significant impact the PetroCaribe Agreement has had on the economic independence of countries of the Caribbean region.  Simpson Miller hailed the pact as a lifeline for many of the region’s struggling economies and peoples.

She said the summit marks another opportunity for Latin American and Caribbean countries to jointly recognise the achievements and the importance of the accord, which has significantly helped to fortify regional economies, meet many of the social and economic development needs of the people of the region, and build strong relationships.

Since that historic signing, the region has seen significant benefits and increased development in many areas. Additionally, PetroCaribe has engendered a sense of independence in our region,” Simpson Miller stated.

The prime minister contended that without the arrangement, some of the most vulnerable countries in the region would have succumbed to the global economic crisis in 2008 as well as subsequent challenges

The PetroCaribe Energy Co-operation Agreement, formally established on June 29, is an oil alliance between Venezuela and 16 other Caribbean and Central American nations, including 15 CARICOM member states, Haiti, and Honduras, to purchase oil on preferential payment conditions. This facility allows for oil to be purchased up front at between five and 50 per cent of market value, with a grace period of one to two years to commence making the remaining payments.  It has made major contributions to improving the socio-economic development of states through investments totalling just under US$4 billion in 432 social projects to foster improvements in the standard of living.

 

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Export of bauxite resumes after 6 years in Jamaica

Bauxite mining in Jamaica has been in the doldrums. But, recently, there is a new sign of hope. The loading of a cargo ship with 35,000 tons of bauxite for export is being hailed as another landmark in the long journey towards “full resumption” of the UC Rusal Alpart bauxite/alumina operations in Jamaica.  Alpart, the largest alumina refinery in Jamaica has been closed since 2009. But its Russian owners, UC Rusal have committed to reopening the refinery at Nain, south east St Elizabeth in December 2016.

Since January, there has been a resumption of bauxite mining operations by Alpart in Alpart’s mining areas in the Myersville region of south east St Elizabeth. And the Jamaican government has agreed to the export of bauxite by Alpart - pending reopening of the alumina plant.

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NY papers slander WI carnival

The West Indian American Day Carnival that occurred between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday September 7, 2015 was incident free but many New York newspapers falsey linked  a number of shootings that occurred in Brooklyn hours before the start of the Carnival with that Caribbean cultural event. This  a move  is damaging to the brand, Caribbean culture and Caribbean Americans.

The New York Times and the Associated Press both led the pack with slanderous headlines that are damaging to the West Indian American Day Carnival and the Caribbean American community after an attorney to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was among several shot in the pre-dawn hours of Monday in Brooklyn. There were no reported incidents at the parade, which drew over two million to Eastern Parkway and the violence that occurred before the parade was unrelated despite the reports in the mainstream press.

The violence that occurred was due to completely unrelated gang warfare. During the ensuing gunfire, Jamaican-born Carey Gabay,  an attorney to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, was among several shot in the pre-dawn hours of Monday in Brooklyn.

 

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New sorrel harvesting machine developed in Jamaica

Jamaican farmers Oral and Allison Turner and Directors of Turner Innovation Limited  have developed a sorrel harvesting machine. Sorrel makes a very popular drink in Jamaica which is available in most Jamaican restaurants worldwide. This new machine will significantly reduce the cost and reaping time of the crop.

This machine will reduce the de-seeding of sorrel, by at least 50 per cent, the time required by manual labour and will reduce manpower from 10 to one labourer per session. This will increase the opportunity for  local farmers to compete globally on the sorrel market by increasing income and reducing costs. It is slated to undergo field testing among local sorrel farmers to determine its efficacy.

 

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UN condemns US embargo of Cuba again

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries joined the international community recently in condemning the United States embargo on Cuba. The United Nations General Assembly voted on Cuba’s resolution condemning the U.S. embargo. In all 191 nations voted in favor of “the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.” Two nations voted against the resolution: the United States and Israel. There were no abstentions and no absences. It was the first vote on the resolution since the two countries restored diplomatic ties.

Cuba estimates the 55-year-old embargo has caused the equivalent of $185  billion  in damages to its economy since the embargo was imposed more than four decades. Of course President Obama is pretty much helpless to remove the embargo as the Congress would never let him.

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Youth Climate Change Conference in Jamaica

Some 1,000 students from secondary schools in Jamaica attended the second annual Youth Climate Change Conference, which was held recentiy at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, under the theme: ‘Our Changing Climate – Trusting Youth to Act for a Better Tomorrow’.

The conference, hosted by the Jamaica Rural Economy and Ecosystems Adapting to Climate Change (Ja REEACH) project, was staged in collaboration with the Ministries of Water, Land, Environment, and Climate Change; Education; and Youth and Culture.

Highlight of the event was a Conference of Parties (COP) which enabled high school teams to present recommendations for the first Climate Change Action Plan in Schools in Jamaica, which will be incorporated into the National Climate Change Framework Policy.

Students from 10 high schools submitted proposals for amendments to the document on topics ranging from the use of solar power to water security, preservation of the environment, and the promotion of climate change awareness among youth.

The students were invited to submit entries for the photo, poster, and video competitions, highlighting climate change impacts and issues.

 

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Obesity expected to affect 2 in 3 Bajan women in 10 years

It seems women in Barbados are getting too fat too fast and it is unhealthy. “An expected 2/3 women is predicted to be clinically obese by 2025,” says Gina Pitts, the CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados. This is approximately twice the current prevalence and almost three times the existing obesity rate for the wider English-speaking Caribbean.

Based on Global Burden of Disease 2010 results, obesity is the single greatest risk factor associated with disease burden in Barbados, contributing to over 11 % of total disability-adjusted life years. Obesity is a major risk factor for a large number of health issues such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Heart disease is currently the leading cause of death world-wide, and is attributable to nearly 16% of deaths in the English-speaking Caribbean each year. The growing obesity rate is also a significant public health priority given the pervasiveness of female headed households in Barbados— obesity prevalence has been found to be almost twice as high in Barbadian women than in Barbadian men.

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Japan wants more Jamaicans

THE Japanese Government says it has been so impressed with the Jamaicans who participate in its annual teaching exchange program that it has nearly doubled the number of places open to the Caribbean islanders. The ministry of education and the local government officials in Japan have requested  more Jamaicans.

The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET) recruits university graduates from English-speaking countries to work as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and Sports Education Advisors in Japanese kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools, or as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) in local governments and boards of education. However, only ATL positions are open to Jamaica, which began participating in JET in 2000. The program started in 1978 as the British English Teachers Scheme, but was renamed in 1987 as more and more countries were included. To date, 292 Jamaicans have participated.

The majority of JET participants come from the US, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Ireland. As of July 1, there were 4,786 JETs from around the world in Japan. Of that number, 107 were Jamaicans.

 

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US donates 10 boats to Jamaica police

THE United States Embassy handed over 10 boats to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to assist in the country's crime-fighting efforts at sea. The 37-foot Boston Whaler vessels, donated by the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, are valued at US$1.5 million.

Jamaica Commissioner of Police Dr Carl Williams noted that the US is a key partner in crime fighting, supplying the JCF with 7,000 kits containing less lethal weapons last year, and only recently presented the Narcotics Division of the JCF with 10 cars to enhance the operations of the unit in drug trafficking investigations.

Additionally, the US Embassy will shortly be handing over bicycles to the JCF, and will also be providing body-worn cameras to be used in police operations.

US Ambassador to Jamaica Luis Moreno said that the vessels are an important part of a collaborative effort between the governments of Jamaica and the US to boost the JCF's crime-fighting capabilities.

 

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Second fish kill within weeks in St. Lucia affects water supply

In St. Lucia an investigation has been launched into a fish kill at a pond at a water treatment plant, the second to occur there within two weeks. The occurrence has forced the Water & Sewerage Company Inc. (WASCO), to shut off water to residents supplied by the facility at Micoud.

The agency has called for comprehensive investigations and testing of the raw water source for the cause or causes which may be killing the fish. When the first fish kill occurred around the middle of this month, WASCO had warned the public against using poisonous substances to harvest fish and crayfish for sale. It said the dangerous practice compromised the supply of water and the lives of people. It also announced that it had conducted “elaborate” cleaning and flushing of the treatment plant, reinstatement of the fish monitoring pond and fish, and monitored the fish in the pond for several hours.

Additionally, it said continual testing of the raw water as well as the treated water was done in order to be fully satisfied that all the necessary indicators were met prior to resuming the distributing the water to consumers.

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Flood of deportees to Jamaica

Joan Pinnock, the president of the Jamaican/American Bar Association, has described the continued deportation of Jamaicans from the United States (US) as an epidemic, charging that up to 80 persons are sent home monthly, some of whom are culturally detached for the country. Pinnock, who is also a diaspora board member for the North East US, contends that  many Jamaicans are being unfairly deported by the US government.

Last year, a total of 1,984 Jamaicans, 84 per cent of whom are males, were deported from a number of countries, including the US. Overstaying, illegal entry, and illegal re-entry were the main reasons for 45 per cent of the persons being deported.

The largest proportion of deported persons, 42 per cent, came from the US, followed by the United Kingdom (UK), with 14.6 per cent.


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