The Statement from Her Excellency the Governor, Sarah Tucker
“To the people of Montserrat.
It is with great sadness that I confirm Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, passed away peacefully earlier today, at Balmoral castle surrounded by her family. Our Queen for 70 years, for many of us the only Monarch we have known. The sense of duty, devotion and service to us all will never be forgotten.
Just three months ago, we celebrated the Platinum Jubilee here in Montserrat. We shared then fond memories of her visits here as our Head of State.
I know I join all of Montserrat in sending our condolences to the Royal Family as they mourn the loss of their mother, and grandmother.
I pledge my continued loyalty to the King and Queen Consort
The Queen was an inspiration, loved across the world, and will be greatly missed.
Tomorrow Friday 9th September at 8am, there will be a 96 Gun Salute in honour of Her Majesty the Queen at the Little Bay Cricket Ground.
All of Montserrat are invited to attend.
A Condolence Book will be available at the Governor’s Office from 10am tomorrow morning.
Those in the Government Service are asked to dress appropriately during this period of mourning.
As Governor, and supported by the Government, Judiciary and Church, I expect to make a Proclamation of our new Monarch, at Salem Cricket Ground on Sunday at 8:00 am.
The final timings for these events will be confirmed. We welcome any Residents or Visitors who wish to attend.
The Premier and I will travel to London to attend our late Monarch’s funeral to represent the people of Montserrat.
Further information will be issued by the Governor’s Office.”
This afternoon, the following Royal Family notice flashed out across the world, through Twitter:
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
The Montserrat Reporter (TMR) joins the people and government of Montserrat, those of other Overseas Territories, the UK, and the wider Commonwealth in expressing condolences to the Royal Family.
She was also the most admired political and personal figure in the UK.
Queen Elizabeth II served the UK and Commonwealth as Queen and Head of Commonwealth for seventy years, two hundred and fourteen days, the longest-ever reign of a British Monarch.
Let us pause to reflect on the passing of an era, from Prime Minister Sir Winston Spencer Churchill in 1953 to Prime Minister Mary Elizabeth Truss just two days ago.
LiveLiveUK and the world react to the death of the Queen
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST CONSULTING SERVICES
Selection Method: Individual Consultant-Simplified Competitive Process
Country: St. Lucia Sector: IFD/CTI-Competitiveness, Technology and Innovation Division Funding – TC #: ATN/CO-17772-RG Project #: RG-T3519 TC name: Experiential Learning of Cluster Development Best Practices in Small and Vulnerable Countries
Consultancy to Develop a Three (3)- Year Operational Plan and Deliver Training in Governance and Cooperative Management for the St. Lucia Honey- Bee City Cluster
The overall objective of this consultancy is toward the development a three-year strategic plan for the operations of beekeeper groups of the Bee City Honey Cluster through training and institutional strengthening of the established co-operative and other Apiary and Beekeeper groups.
Through its Regional Cluster Capacity Building Program for Business Support Organisations (BSOs), CCPF is providing support to cluster initiatives that can help Caribbean firms grow, generate employment and export to new markets. In consultation with private firms and supporting institutions, Export Saint Lucia – the BSO in Saint Lucia – has prepared and is implementing a comprehensive Cluster Development Plan (CDP) for the honey sector. The CDP outlines a common vision for and agreed priorities to support the growth of the sector.
Currently the majority (90%) of Saint Lucia’s honey is purchased domestically, by supermarkets, hotels and health shops. The main purpose of the CDP is to improve the quality of Saint Lucian honey and position it competitively in overseas niche markets for health-conscious consumers. The plan therefore focuses on achieving the following objectives:
• Product Development: The creation of a profile for high-quality Saint Lucian Honey, that is distinctive and competitive in the target market, and that can be used to augment the existing national standard to be adopted by producers; • Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building: For cluster stakeholders to produce a competitive honey product in accordance with best practices;
Domestic and International Market Development: To successfully penetrate the identified niche market and reach the target customers, which would entail the development of a domestic and international marketing plan. The CDP is the basis of implementation for the cluster project and will provide the Consultants hired with details and guidance on specific activities.
The Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility (CCPF) is executing the above-mentioned operation. For this operation, the IDB intends to contract consulting services described in this Request for Expressions of Interest. Expressions of interest must be delivered to Ms. Liana Welch at lianaw@iadb.org by: April 6, 2022, 5:00 P.M. (Atlantic Standard Time).
The consulting services (“the Services”) include the development of a 3-year strategic operational and sustainability plan for a group defined by the Project Steering Committee which will be a fair representation or sample of the beekeeper population. This also includes the preparation of training materials; and training of the defined group in Governance and Co-operative Management.
Key Activities: I. Develop a more in-depth understanding of the business environment by liaising with Cluster Manager, the Project Steering Committee and Compete Caribbean; studying background documents (Cluster Development Plan, Market Research, Marketing and Branding Plan), executing necessary stakeholder consultations; and liaising with other key stakeholders. II. Conduct stakeholder validation workshops and engage with cluster members and stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the CDP and the consultancy, and then develop a detailed workplan describing activities to be completed, timeline, outputs, people responsible, etc. III. Prepare a comprehensive, results-focused 3- year strategic plan inclusive of a roadmap for growth of key players in the industry and the best practices for the strategy of firms in cluster. The plan should include critical components like HR/labour, Marketing, Sales, Business and production Processes/Operations and Export Planning. Effective tools like KPIs and milestones chart should be defined, and an implementation plan should be included. The strategic plan should take into consideration the findings from the Marketing Research and Penetration Plans completed for the Cluster. IV. The three (3) year strategic plan will be presented through a Power Point presentation and detailed PDF document. V. Revise the strategy based on changes agreed to by the cluster manager, the project steering committee, and Compete Caribbean. VI. Identify and recruit representatives from the main beekeeper groups for the capacity building component. VII. Develop training materials on Governance and Cooperative Management and design and execute two (2) capacity building workshops on this area. The consulting firm will coordinate the activities related to virtual/hybrid training including assessing the training requirements for the bee keeping groups, developing the curriculum and evaluating the training. The consulting firm will liaise with Compete Caribbean, the Cluster Manager and the Project Steering Committee to develop the training programmes that are consistent with the bee keeping training needs assessment. VIII. Collect and analyse data and update the report to include data on the results achieved in accordance with Compete Caribbeans M&E requirements. IX. Prepare a Final Report summarizing the scope of work implemented; evaluation of results achieved; lessons learned; and recommendations for development, which may be needed to support achievement of the planned results of the cluster.
Eligible persons will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the Inter-American Development Bank: Policies for the Selection and Contracting of Consultants Financed by the IDB (GN-2350-9).
CCPF now invites eligible persons to indicate their interest in providing the services described above in the draft summary of the intended Terms of Reference for the assignment. Interested persons must provide information establishing that they are qualified to perform the Services (description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.).
Interested persons may obtain further information during office hours, 09:00 AM to 05:00 PM, (Atlantic Standard Time) by sending an email to:
Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility ‘Hythe’ Welches Maxwell Main Road Christ Church BB17068 Attn: Liana Welch Tel: +1 246-627-8548 E-mail: lianaw@iadb.org Web site: https://www.competecaribbean.org/
Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram have all gone down in a major outage.
Such problems – especially after they have been ongoing for hours – likely indicates there is a major problem with the technology underpinning Facebook’s services.
The NHS is carrying out the biggest mass vaccination campaign in its history with a jab that protects against Covid-19. Some people have been surprised to learn how a process which usually takes at least ten years could have been done in less than one.
The Minister for the Overseas Territories (OTs), Minister for European Neighbourhood and Americas, elected leaders, and representatives of the Overseas Territories met virtually as the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) from 23 – 26 November 2020. Ministerial colleagues from across the UK Government, including the Home Office, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice, Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and the Department for Transport also participated.
Ministers, Territory leaders, and elected representatives were also pleased to welcome Children’s Commissioners for England and Jersey, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, and senior officials representing the UK Government.
Ministers, Territory leaders, and elected representatives gave particular thanks to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales for his message of support. They also thanked the UK Prime Minister for addressing the Conference and welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment to intensifying the partnership between the Territories and the UK Government.
The JMC is the highest forum for political dialogue and consultation between the UK and elected leaders and representatives of the OTs for the purposes of providing leadership and promoting cooperation in areas of mutual interest. It provides a forum for the exchange of views on political and constitutional issues between the governments of the Overseas Territories and the UK Government; to promote the security and good governance of the Territories and their sustainable economic and social development; and to agree priorities, develop plans and review implementation.
We continue to share a vision for the Territories as vibrant and flourishing communities, proudly retaining aspects of British identity and generating wider opportunities for their people.
1.
Self determination
The principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, as enshrined in the UN Charter, applies to the peoples of the Overseas Territories. We reaffirmed the importance of promoting the right of self-determination for the peoples of the Territories, something which is a collective responsibility of all parts of the UK Government. We committed to explore ways in which the Overseas Territories can maintain international support in countering hostile sovereignty claims. For those Territories with permanent populations who wish it, the UK will continue to support requests for the removal of the Territory from the United Nations list of non-self-governing Territories.
2.
COVID-19 and the global health crisis
The UK Government recognised the significant global impact and shared challenges of COVID-19, and congratulated the Territories on their handling of the response to the pandemic so far. The Territories thanked the UK for its outstanding support received both at the Ministerial and official level throughout the pandemic. The UK and Territories had worked together closely to tackle COVID-19 and this had underlined their strong links based on partnership, shared values, and mutual respect. The UK Government reaffirmed its continued support to the Territories during the pandemic and committed to supplying the Territories with COVID-19 vaccines. The UK and Territories shared information about challenges and successes around COVID-19 and committed to continue to work collaboratively to combat health crises, both now and in the future.
3.
Economic resilience
The UK is committed to supporting the Overseas Territories in building successful and resilient economies, and promoting the development and the wellbeing of its inhabitants. We recognise that although all are unique, the Overseas Territories, as small and open island economies, are particularly vulnerable to external shocks. Clear economic development plans, underpinned by strong public financial management, can help to create diverse and resilient economies in which people, businesses, and governments can look ahead to the future with confidence. The UK will support the Overseas Territories to increase their economic resilience through technical support and encouraging best practices in financial management.
The UK remains committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Territories where financial self-sufficiency is not possible, as a first call on the aid budget. The UK will also consult the Overseas Territories on support programmes for the next financial year. In times of crisis, the UK stands ready to support the Overseas Territories, as happened following the hurricanes in 2017 and during the COVID-19 crisis. As a first step, the UK will look to the Overseas Territories to make full use of their financial resources to address their needs and will consider further requests for financial support on a case-by-case basis.
4.
Exit from the European Union (EU) and trade
The UK Government acknowledges that the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU) will impact on the Overseas Territories, particularly in the areas of eligibility for and access to funding, and trade.
The UK Government has and continues to represent the interests of the Overseas Territories in the UK-EU negotiations, in particular on trade and funding programmes. The UK Government will also continue to engage meaningfully with the Territories and take their interests into account when negotiating new trading relationships with other partners around the world
The UK Government will, in consultation with Territory Governments, take their interests and needs into account when designing future funding streams, programmes, and policies to promote the sustainable economic development of the Territories.
The Territories’ links with the Commonwealth and United Nations will continue to be important. The UK is committed to strengthening these links. The UK also welcomes initiatives to develop links with regional organisations and with Territories and countries neighbouring the Overseas Territories.
The UK Government and the UK’s devolved administrations confirm that students from the Overseas Territories will continue to be eligible for Home Student fee rates on the same basis as now, based on three years’ ordinary residence in an Overseas Territory or the UK.
5.
Mental health
The UK Government and the Overseas Territories re-affirmed their commitment to addressing mental health, recognising that “there is no health without mental health”. The importance of raising the awareness and understanding of mental health in our communities was discussed along with tackling the stigma that persists around mental health. We recognise that mental health affects all stages of life and that experiences in childhood can affect mental health in adulthood. It was also recognised that there is already work being done in this area in most OTs. Support from the UK is being provided through Public Health England and the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). The United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA) will host a webinar on mental health in December 2020 for Territory and UK leaders and experts. It will provide an opportunity to have an open discussion on priority issues around stigma, mental health systems, and awareness campaigns. Overseas Territories and the UK committed to continuing the work to strengthen mental health systems to improve the lives of people with mental health problems, including children and young people, those with severe mental illness, and those in the criminal justice system.
6.
Children
We discussed the progress that has been made by Territories in relation to child safeguarding. We acknowledged that we cannot be complacent and that there is always more that can be done to ensure that children can grow up in an environment where they can be free from harm, flourish and meet their potential. We therefore re-affirmed our previous commitments to the highest standards of protection for children and a zero-tolerance approach to abuse. We heard from the Children’s Commissioners for England and Jersey about their roles in speaking up for children, influencing policy, assisting Governments and promoting children’s rights. We committed to consider exploring whether a Children’s Commissioner function or similar role might be appropriate for each Territory.
7.
Domestic abuse
We noted the increased incidence of domestic abuse globally, and the damaging effects both for individuals and for society. We acknowledged that tackling domestic abuse requires a holistic approach, including law enforcement, education, and medical professionals, and the criminal justice system. We spoke about the importance of challenging negative attitudes and behaviours and ensuring that victims are able to access the services that they need, when they need them. We heard about initiatives which our Territories are taking in this regard. We committed to identify opportunities and to take measures to tackle domestic abuse and to strengthen our system-wide response.
8.
Prisons
The Overseas Territories and UK recognise the unique context and needs of prisons in the Territories. We discussed shared challenges on prison reform and opportunities to work together for common objectives. The OTs and UK are committed to ensuring Territory prisons are safe, decent, and secure places of rehabilitation, compliant with human rights obligations that reduce reoffending and contribute to the security of local communities. Through the Ministry of Justice, the UK will continue to support Territories by providing expertise, project support, and by facilitating a network of experts across the Territories to support the development of tailored Territory prison standards.
9.
Border security
We noted the challenges faced globally, including in some Territories, of rising levels of illegal migration and border security issues and the subsequent impacts on society. We welcomed the ongoing work by the UK Government, through the new CSSF funded Border Security Programme, to help build capacity and capability in these areas. We discussed opportunities to build upon cross/multi-agency working to enhance cooperation and increase capability within the Territories. We committed to sharing best practices and lessons learned. We reaffirmed our shared interest in combating threats to our borders by working in partnership across the Territories and with the UK Government.
10.
International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Instruments and Implementation (III)
Code
The UK reiterated that the representation of the UK and Overseas Territories in the international maritime arena is undertaken as a single entity by the UK on behalf of all and compliance with conventions is a shared collective responsibility.
We recognise that a well-administered maritime infrastructure minimises the risks of a maritime incident in territorial seas and an up-to-date legislative framework provides the legal authority and enforcement powers to pursue the polluter to recover the high-level costs associated with such incidents. We continue to maintain our outstanding reputation for clean clear waters and promote our tourism with confidence. A successful III Code audit outcome will lay the foundations for future opportunities for the Territories through Blue Economies, for the Red Ensign Group to become a global leader on solutions for alternative marine technologies, and to share its expertise with others to drive forward improvements worldwide.
The UK welcomed the ongoing commitment by the Territories to achieving III Code compliance and noted the investment in people and projects so far, whilst recognising the individual challenges. The UK reiterated its continued commitment to assisting the Territories through technical support and capacity building.
11.
Environment/COP 26
The Overseas Territories are the custodians of internationally important habitats, with rich and varied biodiversity, from Antarctica to the tropical oceans. Climate change and biodiversity loss has had, and will have, profound impacts on our natural environments, on our economies, and on our societies. Together we must act to tackle climate change and the loss of biodiversity.
As coastal and island communities, our economies rely upon healthy and abundant marine environments. This year, Tristan da Cunha has put in place a vast marine protection zone, supported by the Blue Belt programme which now protects over 4 million square kilometers of ocean around the Territories. Building on the good work already undertaken, we will continue to enhance protection for our environments, both marine and terrestrial. The UK Government will meaningfully engage with the Overseas Territories to achieve local objectives that contribute to global targets for the environment, consistent with Sustainable Development Goals. Commitments to environmental funding such as Darwin Plus will support joint objectives to preserve the wonderful array of biodiversity across the Territories for generations to come, and to be an example to other communities in responding to the global biodiversity emergency.
The Overseas Territories and the UK Government also pledged to work together to secure agreement on ambitious action to tackle climate change on a global scale at the COP26 Summit in Glasgow. By the time of the COP26 Summit, each government endeavours to communicate a territory-led plan for climate change adaptation and mitigation, which contributes towards global carbon emission reductions. The UK Government and Overseas Territories will continue to work together closely in the lead up to COP26, to ensure the Overseas Territories’ interests are represented. As the host of COP26, the UK Government endeavours to offer the Overseas Territories opportunities to showcase their environmental initiatives at the summit, including in areas such as transitioning to renewable sources of energy and disposal of waste. For both biodiversity and climate change actions, the UK Government commits to provide the Overseas Territories with technical and financial assistance where this is required.
The UK Government and Overseas Territories welcomed the opportunity to come together as a Joint Ministerial council as a virtual forum and the opportunity this afforded all to have frank and open discussions on areas of mutual interest. We reiterated our commitment to deepening our unique partnership and looked forward to meeting together in person when the opportunity allows.
The following is a release from CCRIF SPC as dated, that is of particular interest, to the left behind students from Montserrat, those with the desire to move up with higher education, but cannot because of the absence of the necessary resources so to do.
Kingston, Jamaica, December 1, 2020. On November 26,
CCRIF SPC (formerly the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility) presented
a cheque for US$250,000
(J$35 million) to The University of the West Indies (The UWI) for scholarships
and for covering the tuition fees of students who are in need of financial
support this academic year.
L-R: Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Dale Webber; UWI Mona Guild President Sujae Boswell; University Registrar Dr. Maurice Smith; CCRIF Scholar Matthew Arnold; CCRIF Technical Assistance Manager and Corporate Communications Manager Elizabeth Emanuel; and CCRIF Board Member Mrs. Saundra Bailey at the handing over of US$250,000 (J$135 million) for scholarships and tuition support to The UWI
Approximately US$108,000 or J$15 million of the US$250,000 (J$35 million) is already allocated for scholarships for 2020/21 at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels and this is about the usual amount that CCRIF has been providing to The UWI annually since 2010 and can be considered merit scholarships since they are based largely on the performance of students. The remaining US$142,000 or J$20 million has been provided to cover the tuition fees of the most needy students, who due to the COVID-19 pandemic are finding it difficult to pay tuition and who are at risk of either being de-registered or not completing their studies. This latter support is part of the Facility’s COVID-19 response geared to supporting our members and other key stakeholders.
According to Saundra
Bailey, CCRIF Board Member “Since 2010, CCRIF has provided The UWI with 71 scholarships totalling
US$761,230 or almost J$107 million. CCRIF continues to view its investments in
scholarships as critical to building a cadre of individuals who possess the
knowledge and skills to advance the resilience of the small island and coastal
states of our region.”
Outside of support to students at The UWI, graduates of The University also have benefited from CCRIF scholarships to study for postgraduate degrees in the USA and the UK as well as internships at national and regional organizations involved in disaster risk management and meteorology and at a number of departments and centres of The University itself such as the Disaster Risk Reduction Centre, Climate Studies Group Mona, and the Seismic Research Centre.
University Registrar, Dr.
Maurice Smith in acknowledging CCRIF’s contributions, commented that both The
UWI and CCRIF have had a longstanding relationship and today’s handing over
ceremony is significant as it is an expression of support not only for the
regional institution but the talented students who are pursuing programmes
related to CCRIF’s mandate.
Professor Dale Webber, Principal of the Mona Campus and Pro-Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness, signaled his gratitude for the tuition support for students in civil engineering, geography, and geology. He asked CCRIF to consider students pursuing programmes in actuarial science, computer science, and social work as these areas are critical to strengthening the region’s response to disaster management.
Earlier this year, CCRIF expanded its partnership with The UWI even further when the two organizations signed a new memorandum of understanding which went beyond offering scholarships and established a framework for the promotion and facilitation of disaster risk management, including modeling, disaster risk financing, and climate change adaptation as well as research, capacity-building and resilience-building initiatives that will support and advance the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM’s) ambition of making the Caribbean the world’s first climate-resilient zone.
One of the first outputs
of this new MOU was the development of a new course called Fundamentals of Disaster Risk Financing
for Advancing Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which is currently being offered through The
UWI Open Campus. Over 30 students are members of the first cohort to take this Continuing
and Professional Education Certificate course, which offers four continuing
education units.
Including today’s
contribution, CCRIF’s overall support to The UWI over the period 2010 – 2020
has totalled over US$1 million (J$140 million), through programmes for
scholarships and internships and the current MOU as well as two grants to the
departments of Food Production and Geography at the St. Augustine campus for
community-based disaster risk reduction projects, support to the Seismic
Research Centre towards establishing and maintaining a new accelerometric
network in the Eastern Caribbean and Jamaica to enhance the capability for
identifying and mitigating seismic risk in the Caribbean, and a contract with
Lumin Consulting for work related to the CCRIF-Caribbean Development Bank
Integrated Sovereign Risk Management Project.
CCRIF also used the
occasion to launch its Technical Paper Series #4, “A Collection of Papers and Expert Notes on Disaster Risk Financing and
Disaster Risk Management … Highlighting academic papers prepared by a selection
of CCRIF scholarship winners”. This collection of papers highlights research conducted by nine
recipients of CCRIF scholarships between 2010 and 2017. The academic papers
include papers completed as part of course work, extracts from dissertations,
as well as complete dissertations – all submitted as part of their degree
requirements. The papers demonstrate the diversity of research topics
undertaken by CCRIF scholarship recipients – which range from social issues
such as a discussion of whether disaster scenes should be “off-limits” to
victims’ relatives, and climate and risk communication to an analysis of the
financial services sector responses to climate change risks to more technical
discussions such as seismic analysis.
Elizabeth Emanuel, CCRIF Technical Assistance Manager and Corporate Communications Manager presents a synopsis of the new publication, “A Collection of Papers and Expert Notes on Disaster Risk Financing and Disaster Risk Management … Highlighting academic papers prepared by a selection of CCRIF scholarship winners”. Copies of the publication will be provided to all campuses of The University of the West Indies. Mrs. Saundra Bailey, CCRIF Board Member; Pro Vice Chancellor and Principal of UWI Mona, Professor Dale Webber; and Elizabeth Emanuel, CCRIF Technical Assistance Manager and Corporate Communications Manager, peruse the publication “A Collection of Papers and Expert Notes on Disaster Risk Financing and Disaster Risk Management … Highlighting academic papers prepared by a selection of CCRIF scholarship winners”.
According to Mrs. Bailey, “During this pandemic, CCRIF has both levelled up and pivoted to ensure that our members and key partners and stakeholders are able to better confront and address the many challenges posed by climate change and COVID-19, with The UWI being one such partner.”
CCRIF SPC is a segregated portfolio company, owned, operated, and registered in the Caribbean. It limits the financial impact of catastrophic hurricanes, earthquakes, and excess rainfall events to the Caribbean and Central American governments by quickly providing short-term liquidity when a parametric insurance policy is triggered. It is the world’s first regional fund utilising parametric insurance, giving member governments the unique opportunity to purchase earthquake, hurricane, and excess rainfall catastrophe coverage with the lowest-possible pricing. CCRIF was developed under the technical leadership of the World Bank and with a grant from the Government of Japan. It was capitalized through contributions to a Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) by the Government of Canada, the European Union, the World Bank, the governments of the UK and France, the Caribbean Development Bank and the governments of Ireland and Bermuda, as well as through membership fees paid by participating governments. In 2014, a second MDTF was established by the World Bank to support the development of CCRIF SPC’s new products for current and potential members and facilitate the entry of Central American countries and additional Caribbean countries. The MDTF currently channels funds from various donors, including: Canada, through Global Affairs Canada; the United States, through the Department of the Treasury; the European Union, through the European Commission, and Germany, through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and KfW. Additional financing has been provided by the Caribbean Development Bank, with resources provided by Mexico; the Government of Ireland; and the European Union through its Regional Resilience Building Facility managed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and The World Bank.
For
over 70 years The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has provided service
and leadership to the Caribbean region and wider world. The UWI has evolved
from a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948
to an internationally respected, regional university with near 50,000 students
and five campuses: Mona
in Jamaica, St. Augustine
in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in
Barbados, Five Islands
in Antigua and Barbuda and an Open Campus.
As part of its robust globalization agenda, The UWI has established partnering
centres with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and
Europe including the State University of New York (SUNY)-UWI Center for Leadership
and Sustainable Development; the
Canada-Caribbean Institute with Brock University; the Strategic Alliance for
Hemispheric Development with Universidad de los Andes (UNIANDES); The UWI-China
Institute of Information Technology, the University of Lagos (UNILAG)-UWI
Institute of African and Diaspora Studies; the Institute for Global African
Affairs with the University of Johannesburg (UJ); The UWI-University of Havana
Centre for Sustainable Development; The UWI-Coventry Institute for
Industry-Academic Partnership with the University of Coventry and the
Glasgow-Caribbean Centre for Development Research with the University of
Glasgow.
The
UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree
options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education,
Law, Medical Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences and
Sport.
As
the region’s premier research academy, The UWI’s foremost objective is driving
the growth and development of the regional economy. The world’s most reputable
ranking agency, Times Higher Education, has ranked The UWI among the top 600
universities in the world for 2019 and 2020, and the 40 best universities in
Latin America and the Caribbean for 2018, 2019 and 2020. The UWI has been the
only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists. For more,
visit www.uwi.edu.
(Please note that the proper name of the
university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence
The UWI.)
Premier Farrell middle in top row – UK family of Overseas Territories
FCDO Press Release: UK family of Overseas Territories come together on coronavirus, COP26, and the economy
The Joint Ministerial Council held virtually 23-26 November, has been a chance to celebrate the special partnership between the UK and the Overseas Territories (OTs).
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined elected leaders at the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC), and representatives from OTs and the UK held wide-ranging discussions on a number of topics, including economic issues, COVID-19 response, and recovery, protecting vulnerable groups and protecting the environment in both the run-up to and beyond COP26.
Leaders heard from His Royal Highness, The Prince of
Wales, ahead of discussions on the environment and COP26, showing the
importance the UK puts on its relationship with the Overseas Territories and
recognising their huge contribution to our biodiversity.
The UK outlined support for border security, prisons
and criminal justice in the Overseas Territories.
At
the conclusion of the JMC, UK Ministers and OT Leaders agreed a joint
communique which can be found here.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, speaking at the opening
of the JMC earlier this week said:
“The UK is absolutely committed to you, to your futures, and to our partnership.
“As we go forward and
recover from this pandemic, we want to make sure that we build back greener and
that we look after island economies that are so vulnerable to climate change.
“In
spite of everything, of the difficulties we are going through, we remember that
we are united by deep ties of kinship and friendship and history and values. We
in the UK government are going to make sure we continue to intensify that
partnership.”
Minister Morton, Minister responsible for Falklands
and Gibraltar who chaired much of the Joint Ministerial Council, said:
“Our Overseas Territories are part of the UK family. We take our responsibilities towards them extremely seriously, whether that means working with them to defend the OTs from threats, helping preserve the natural environment, or supporting OTs in times of crisis – as we have with COVID-19. When we face global challenges we face them together”
The UK government remains committed to partnership with the Overseas Territories, and to working together so communities flourish as modern, prosperous, and strong democracies.
Thursday, November 19, 2020 — This fair hosted on December 2-3, 2020 will enable participants to learn about study and training opportunities in the Caribbean region as well as to interact with exhibitors and guest experts.
Partners of the ELAN project are pleased to announce the very first edition of the Virtual Student Fair, dedicated to vocational training and higher education, organized on December 2nd and 3rd 2020
with the support of Campus France, the French National Agency for the
Promotion of Higher Education, International Student Services and
International Mobility.
This fair is free and designed for students (high school and tertiary level), parents, teachers, and also technical vocational trainees and trainers from the cooperation zone of the project (English-speaking Caribbean, Haiti, Martinique, and Guadeloupe).
With this event, the ELAN project team wishes to promote exchange, and cooperation between 70 exhibitors and visitors, allowing them to learn about the regional offer of studies and vocational training, and also to exchange with participating institutions and specialists on common regional hot topics during webinars. Visitors will also have the opportunity to consult internship offers, attend workshops to prepare their study experience abroad, assess their level in a foreign language (French or English), and, above all, try to win a prize in the great ELAN contest.
The House averted a partial government shutdown this afternoon, passing a short-term spending bill that finances the federal government through mid-December. The bill now heads to President Joe Biden's desk for a signature. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-congress-d617efef8646950fa1abde9ccbbc86b2?taid=633723b71bff8e0001a30f5e&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter
Delano Seiveright, says that the Canadian government’s decision to scrap all COVID-19 travel restrictions will serve as a boost for increased stopover visitors from the country, which has long been Jamaica’s second largest tourist source market. https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latest-news/canada-removes-all-covid-19-travel-restrictions/
In the presidential election of 2021, the Islamic Republic laid bare its survival strategy and abandoned the pretense of competitive elections, writes Ray Takeyh. https://on.cfr.org/3UDQVxz
The Biden administration imposed swift sanctions on Russia after Putin announced an illegal annexation of Ukrainian regions. Biden released a statement condemning the move and said Russia is now "violating international law."
CNN's @JDiamond1 reports:
#AmLat continues to recover from the pandemic, but still faces major challenges:
◇ Global risks
◇ High inflation
◇ Inefficiencies in spending.
How to navigate this context?
Learn the answer!
🗓️ Oct. 6 / 12:00 (EDT) #Perspectivas2022
http://wrld.bg/pLnz50KYt8u
