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World Water Day 2021Theme: Valuing Water Why World Water Day?

World Water Day is held annually on March 22nd as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.  The first World Water Day was commemorated on March 22nd, 1993 as a result of a declaration by the United Nations General Assembly.  The theme for this year is “Valuing Water”.  Which simply means each of us asking ourselves: “What does WATER mean to me?”

Yes, we all are aware of what water means to us; how important and essential it is for our daily survival.  In fact, at the St. Kitts Water Services Department, our motto is: “Water is Life-Every Drop Counts.”

Week of Activities:

Every year the WSD organizes a Week of Activities to coincide with World Water Day.  This year, mindful that we are still in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic, we have scaled down our activities.  However, given the importance of keeping us all aware of our Water situation, we have decided to still have a few activities to celebrate World Water Day.  Hence, tomorrow Sunday, March 21st, the staff of the Water Services Dept and the Ministry will be worshipping at the Emmanuel Methodist Church in Sandy Point.

On Monday and Tuesday, we invite you to visit us at our Main Office at Needsmust where we would have a display showcasing some of our behind-the-scenes operations.
On Wednesday we will be at Independence Square where we will again be displaying the talent of our staff and providing useful information on how you can conserve water.  We will also be re-launching our Updated Website (www.water.gov.kn) and Facebook Page (St. Kitts Water Services Department) while giving you the opportunity to update your information in our customer database so that you can receive your bills electronically.  We expect to also provide you within a few weeks with the option of online bill payment via our website.

Friday is our Customer Appreciation Day; we will have tokens of appreciation for persons who visit us to settle their bills.

The Theme – Valuing water:

Back to the theme for this year: “Valuing Water.”  What does water mean to me? The value of water is about much more than its price – water has enormous and complex value for our households, food, culture, health, education, economics, and the integrity of our natural environment. If we overlook any of these values, we risk mismanaging this finite, irreplaceable resource. Sustainable Development Goal #6 (SDG 6) is to ensure water and sanitation for all by 2030. Without a comprehensive understanding of water’s true, multidimensional value, we will be unable to safeguard this critical resource for the benefit of everyone.

Valuing Water, therefore, means cooperation between the various segments of our society and stakeholders.  Let us look at some of the ways in which we use water with the understanding that because it is a finite resource, there will always be competition sometimes even conflict.  Water is used in the manufacturing sector for example by concrete making companies, beverage bottling companies, and water bottling companies to name a few.

The Tourism sector is also a major user of our water, whether it is the hotels, cruise ships, or eco-tourism.  Business institutions such as colleges, schools, hospitals, etc. all are very dependent on water for mainly sanitation and hygiene.  In our households of course in St. Kitts, we take it for granted that anyone can get a connection to the water distribution system and have a 24-7 supply of water.

This is not the case in many parts of the world.  Another key segment of our society that has a stake in the use of our water resources is of course Agriculture.  As a small island developing state, the government of St. Kitts and Nevis understands the importance of reducing our dependence on imported food.  We a cognizant of the need to make water available for agriculture so that our farmers are able to increase their output.  In this regard, over the past ten (10) years we have seen more farmers being able to obtain a water supply from our distribution network.

Water might mean different things to these various users, but one thing is common; they will all agree that it is invaluable.  So, whether you are a farmer, a household user, a business, or a commercial user, on the occasion of World Water Day 2021 and indeed every day, I implore you to take this year’s theme to heart and let us start “valuing water.”

Local Situation:

In St. Kitts-Nevis, it is very important for us to always remember that the ultimate source of our potable water is from rainfall.  As the rain falls onto the land, some of it is evaporated or used by plants, some of it runs off the land into the sea and some of it infiltrates into the ground and is stored in groundwater aquifers.

The growing threat of climate change means that rainfall patterns are changing and that sea levels are rising.  This is a serious threat.  We must invest in adaptation to ensure that our water system is resilient enough to cope with the threat.  In St. Kitts, we are blessed with a precious resource that must be cared for to ensure its sustainability for future generations.  Please be aware that this resource is not infinite, it requires careful and integrated management to ensure it is available for all now and into the future.

It is likewise very important for every water user to recognize that we are all interconnected by water; the responsibility for its care is shared by all members of society.  The government’s responsibility is to ensure accessibility, equity, and the productive use of water for development and progress.

The manifestation of such responsibility is the development of infrastructure to distribute water to various consumers and sectors.  Water infrastructure is fundamental to the development of our nation.  As such, the government has taken strides over the past years to move us from a small system that relied solely on gravity-fed surface water to a more complex system that relies on a combination of groundwater and surface water; a network of pumps and storage tanks linked by hundreds of kilometers of pipeline.

Although we take for granted the availability of water at our taps 24 hours per day, this is a privilege that we have earned by investing in infrastructure and human capital to ensure the proper management of the water resources over the years.  These kinds of investments cannot be short-term in nature but must be sustained in order to serve as a foundation for other sectors of the economy to grow on.

The government only in December last year signed a contract for over six (6) million dollars with BEAD LLC to undertake Well Drilling/Remediation in the Cayon and Basseterre Areas.  We are confident that a permanent solution to the water shortage which the good people of Cayon have endured over the years would soon be a thing of the past.

A Shared Responsibility:

The government through the Water Services Department will continue to ensure that all reasonable needs of water customers are met in a timely and efficient manner through the effective management of our water resources.  However, as was previously mentioned, the responsibility for the effective management of our water resources does not end with the Water Department – water is unique in that all persons in society participate in its management.

We all have a role to play in water management as private citizens of this Federation.  Personal responsibility is part of our “shared” responsibility; I urge you to become actively involved.  Do not use water wastefully; implement water conservation practices in your household, repair leaky taps and toilets, report incidents of abuse or misuse of water, report any visible leaks from pipelines or standpipes, catch rainwater to irrigate your gardens or wash your cars, pay attention to your waste disposal practices, and respect signage and rules established by the Water Services Department.

Earlier I noted that valuing water is not just about the price we pay for water; but ultimately, one of the simplest ways we demonstrate that we value something is by the price we are willing to pay for it.  The last time water rates were increased in St. Kitts was 2001, some twenty years ago.  Our water rates are amongst the lowest anywhere.  The United Nations recommends that a water bill should not be more than 3% of household income.  If a low-income family has an income of $1,600.00, 3% of income is $48.00/month.  A family of five (5) using water efficiently should not be using more than $48.00/month.

There are far too many persons and businesses in St. Kitts who are not demonstrating that they value water by paying their water bills monthly.  I take this opportunity to remind you that if you are not tracking your water usage and paying your bills then you could be responsible for wasting one of our most precious resources and thus putting the future sustainability of our water resources at risk.

In closing, when you open your tap this evening, think about where the water came from and the work it took to get it to you and your family. Many people worldwide are not as fortunate as we are here in this Federation.  Reflect on the theme for this year’s World Water Day: “Valuing Water.”  Ask yourself, what does water mean to me?  What would it mean to me if tomorrow I do not have water? What can I do to help ensure that I have water tomorrow?  Join hands and heart with us at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Water Services Department in particular during this week as we partner in ensuring that we all value water for its future sustainability.

Happy World Water Day.  I thank you for your kind attention.  Good evening.

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The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s (TTPS) Marine Unit will begin its operations in a few weeks.

This according to Police Commissioner Gary Griffith who said the unit has five vessels, about 30 officers and will be used to patrol from the shoreline to two miles out to sea in an effort to stem the illegal import of drugs, guns and human trafficking.

Speaking to the media after a consultation with taxi drivers at the Ministry of Works and Transport yesterday, Griffith said the officers have been undergoing intense training for the past several months.

He said the TTPS was embracing its mandate to patrol land, air and sea.

“We saw the importance of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service not only being instrumental to deal with law enforcement on land- it is not just Coast Guard business we have a part to play on land, sea and air- very soon you are going to see drones being implemented in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service to assist us in that type of operation,” Griffith said.

He said the Marine Unit will patrol ‘Tier 1’ of the coastline- from the shoreline to two miles out at sea, allowing the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard to focus on Tier 2 and 3.

“There would be patrols specifically to deal with the illegal entry of weapons, drugs and human trafficking, we will have the patrols in specific areas.”

Griffith said the patrols will be focused on the North Coast, the Gulf of Paria and the SouthWestern peninsula.

“This is a pilot project, we intend to be much more effective, we will be looking to acquire interceptors and other types of vessels to assist us in the patrols and this here will work in tandem with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, this is not the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service doing our own thing.”

He said the Unit will be launched when the TTPS officially opens the Carenage Police Station. He promised to give more details on the Unit and its operation at that time.

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President Joe Biden says he expects to run for reelection in 2024 as speculation swirls about whether the 78-year-old president intends to only serve one term.

“My plan is to run for reelection, that’s my expectation,” Biden said.

Biden has in the past described himself as a “bridge” to a “new generation of leaders.”

The president was asked at his first press conference on Thursday about his future plans, with a reporter noting that by this time in his presidency, former President Trump had already launched a reelection campaign.

Biden laughed at the remark.

“My predecessor needed to,” Biden responded. “My predecessor, oh God I miss him.”

President Biden: “My plan is to run for reelection. That’s my expectation.”

Full video here: https://t.co/mLPUf2rodZ pic.twitter.com/auENrcNmZu

— CSPAN (@cspan) March 25, 2021

Biden later appeared frustrated by a follow-up question about his election plans.

“I said that’s my expectation,” he said. “Look, I don’t understand where you guys come from. … I’m a great respecter of fate, I’m not going to be able to plan 3 1/2 years ahead for certain.”

But he said that if he does run again, he expects Vice President Harris will be his running mate.

“I fully expect that to be the case,” Biden said. “She’s a great partner

Here are five takeaways from the press conference.

The presser was dominated by the border

Biden received more questions about the swell of child migrants at the southern border than any other issue, underscoring the extent of the humanitarian crisis and the vexing political problem Biden faces only 65 days into office.

The president at times vented frustration under hostile questioning from reporters asking if his policies were responsible for the surge and if the conditions children are being kept in at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities are “acceptable” to him.

“That’s a serious question?” Biden said to ABC’s Cecilia Marcellina Vega. “Is it acceptable to me? Come on … it’s totally unacceptable.”

The U.S. is in custody of 15,000 unaccompanied minors who have made the dangerous journey from Mexico or Central America.

Many thousands are being kept in overflow CBP cells for longer than the 72 hours that is legally allowed. The Biden administration is scrambling to move children into the care of Health and Human Services or foster homes, but border officials are overwhelmed.

Pictures emerged for the first time this week of the crowded CBP facilities, showing children packed into pods and lying on hard floors beneath space blankets. The Biden administration is limiting press access to the facilities, and the president suggested that policy would continue.

Biden on Thursday repeatedly blamed former President Trump for the border crisis, accusing his predecessor of “dismantling” the immigration system and leaving the current administration with too few beds and too little housing to deal with the swell of migrants.

The president denied that his own policies had anything to do with the border surge, dismissing allegations that people were sending their children on the dangerous journey believing Biden would accept those who arrive because he’s a “nice guy.”

Biden argued that progress is being made in propping up new housing facilities for the child migrants who will be allowed to stay in the country as their immigration and asylum claims are processed.

The president said he spoke to the Defense secretary on Thursday about opening up Fort Bliss, which could house some 5,000 unaccompanied minors.

“We’re providing for the space to get kids out of CBP facilities that no child should be in longer than 72 hours,” Biden said.

Biden’s patience wearing thin on filibuster

Biden made news last week when said he’d back a return to the talking filibuster in the Senate, and the president took it a step further Thursday when he said he had an “open mind” to making further changes if the GOP continued to put up roadblocks to legislation on voting rights.

“We’re going to get a lot done, and if we have to, if there’s complete lockdown and chaos as a consequence of the filibuster, then we’ll have to go beyond what I’m talking about,” Biden said.

Biden did not directly respond to questions about whether he’d support abolishing the filibuster, but he agreed with former President Obama’s assessment that the Senate rule is a relic of the Jim Crow era.

His comments were a warning shot that he may be willing to back major changes or eliminate the filibuster entirely if Republicans aren’t willing to come to the table on voting rights, immigration, gun control and other key agenda items.

He doesn’t see himself as a one-termer

One of the lingering questions hanging over the Biden administration is whether the 78-year-old president would run for reelection in 2024.

Biden answered on Thursday that he planned to seek a second term.

“Yes, my plan is to run for reelection, that’s my expectation,” Biden said.

When he was running against more than a dozen candidates in the Democratic primary — some of whom are younger than he is by decades — Biden went out of his way to cast himself as a “bridge” candidate who could defeat Trump in 2020 before handing over the mantle to the next generation.

But riding high with a strong favorability rating and with COVID-19 stimulus package under his belt, Biden on Thursday indicated he’d be in for the long haul, as long as “fate” doesn’t intervene with different plans.

“I’m a great respecter of fate, I’m not going to be able to plan three-and-a-half years ahead for certain,” he said.

Trump famously declared his reelection bid on his first day in office as president, so Biden’s relative coyness on the issue had raised speculation about his future plans.

“My predecessor needed to,” Biden joked. “My predecessor, oh God I miss him.”

The president also said that he expects Vice President Harris to be his running mate when he seeks a second term.

“I fully expect that to be the case,” Biden said. “She’s a great partner.”

Many viewed Harris as Biden’s likely successor if he declined to run again.

The Hill reported Wednesday that Biden did not see himself as a one-term president, and that he did not want people to assume he would not seek another term.

GOP’s proposed voting restrictions irk Biden

Biden appeared particularly incensed over the push among GOP legislatures across the country to restrict voting access, decrying it as “un-American.”

“The Republican voters I know find this despicable,” Biden said, raising his voice in one of the more charged moments of the hour-long press conference. “I’m not talking about the elected officials. I’m talking about voters… This makes Jim Crow look like Jim Eagle. This is gigantic what they are trying to do & it cannot be sustained.”

Republican-run states have moved quickly to restrict ballot access after the 2020 election saw record turnout and a surge in mail-in voting amid the pandemic. Overall, more than 250 bills have been introduced in 43 states that would restrict access to the ballot box.

Biden would not elaborate on Friday on what measures he might take to ensure access to the ballot, and elections are state run so his executive power is limited. But some allies, including House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), have backed an exception to the Senate filibuster rule for civil rights legislation, including bills that would strengthen ballot access.

No major gaffes in first press conference

Biden, who has admitted to being prone to gaffes, delivered a composed performance in the East Room of the White House even as he faced pointed questions on his response to the situation at the border and his position on the filibuster.

Biden called on 10 journalists in total of the 25 in the room, notably skipping over Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, and read from prepared notes at points during the press conference.

Biden did have some slightly heated exchanges with reporters pressing him on the treatment of migrants at the border and some of his answers rambled on, particularly as he responded to a question about his plans for executive action or legislation on guns.

 

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In a new scheme, Dominica is welcoming digital nomads and remote workers to apply for its newly-launched Work in Nature (WIN) extended-stay visa.

This WIN visa will be valid for up to 18 months and visitors can expect to be surrounded by lush rain forests, volcanoes, waterfalls and lovely sandy beaches.

Dominica is also home to natural hot springs as well as the Caribbean’s first long-distance hiking trail.

Dominica’s colourful capital of Roseau (Getty)

The visa is open to both individuals and families, and Dominica is offering a “family bundle program” which encourages children to attend the private and state schools on the island.

To be considered for the visa, applicants must show that they earn a salary greater than

The cost of the visa starts at $800 (£583) for singles and $1,200 (£875) for families and there’s a $100 (£72) non-refundable application fee as well.

Once the visa is confirmed, you will need to relocate within three months for it to be valid.

The visa website says benefits of the visa include an income tax waiver, duty-free concession when you import your things, the ability to apply for an annual driver’s license and free travel during the period of the visa – although it’s not clear what is included as ‘free’.

To apply, you need to submit a visa application form (with accompanying documentation) as well as your non-refundable deposit.

 

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By Nathaniel Weixel and Reid Wilson

 

Top US public health experts and officials are developing new strategies to reach out to the conservatives most skeptical of or hesitant about receiving a coronavirus vaccine.

The efforts are targeting supporters of former President Trump, who have emerged as the most significant hurdle to widespread vaccination.

The officials and experts are making appearances on Fox News and Newsmax and taking part on panels with prominent conservative politicians to reach out to vaccine skeptics on the right.

And the public health experts are not taking an antagonistic approach either. They say many conservatives have legitimate questions about COVID-19 vaccinations that are worth listening to and answering.

“These are folks who really feel disrespected. They feel that COVID and the vaccines and the response has been politicized and weaponized, in their words,” said Tom Frieden, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under President Obama. “They feel deeply alienated from the government.”

Up to now, the main problem with increasing vaccinations has been one of supply and demand, but administration officials expect that to change shortly.

“We are approaching the point where we will have a sufficient supply of vaccines for everybody in the United States to have the chance to get immunized by the end of May,” Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said in an interview with The Hill on Wednesday.

At that point, convincing skeptical conservatives to get a shot could mean the difference between the U.S. achieving herd immunity and resuming normal life or variants of COVID-19 getting second and third winds, leading to new lockdowns or restrictions on life.

As Collins puts it, “the hesitancy will begin to become the defining factor on whether we reach herd immunity or not.”

“I think that means this has to be the moment where we really pull into this conversation all of the trustworthy voices,” he added.

A recent CBS poll found a third of Republicans said they would not be vaccinated, compared to 10 percent of Democrats. A “PBS NewsHour” poll showed similar results: Nearly half of U.S. men who identify as Republicans said they have no plans to get vaccinated.

The underlying mistrust comes after a year in which Trump and his allies played down the severity of a virus that has killed more than half a million Americans already.

Circumstances have conspired to allow that skepticism to grow: The coronavirus arrived later in more rural, conservative enclaves than it did in liberal metropolitan areas like Seattle, New York and Detroit, giving some the sense that they had been locked out of the economy to protect against a virus that was not yet present in their community.

Julie Morita, executive vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, who advised the Biden transition team on COVID-19 issues, said she has been surprised to see how political vaccine hesitancy has become.

In the past, Morita said, public health officials have focused on race and ethnicity. “We didn’t really look at politics or political affiliation,” she said.

Morita said her message remains the same, but that she has had to focus on where to deliver it. She recently co-wrote a Fox News op-ed answering some of the common questions about the available COVID-19 vaccines and urging people to get the shots when they’re available.

“Whether you’re a community of color, or whether you’re a conservative, these are the questions that people ask and want to have the answers to before they get vaccinated,” Morita said. “I don’t feel like that’s a shifted message as much as maybe we’re just able to get it into a more conservative news outlet.”

Convincing a group of people who did not vote for the president presents a challenge to a Democratic administration. So President Biden has been outsourcing the message.

Appearing on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show this week, Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he doesn’t shy away from conservative outlets that may not be friendly.

“I say yes to a wide variety of requests. I’ve been on Fox multiple times, so I don’t shy away from that, no,” Fauci said.

Health officials are increasingly convinced that successful messaging is not going to come from politicians or government officials but from doctors, clergy and trusted community leaders.

Last month, Frieden participated in focus groups with vaccine-hesitant Republican voters led by veteran GOP pollster Frank Luntz.

The groups, first reported by The Washington Post, showed vaccine-hesitant conservatives were not swayed by Republican politicians like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) or former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — or even by Trump himself.

Instead, Frieden said, the message that moved the hesitant to the accepting hit closer to home: Their doctors took the vaccine when it was offered.

“You listen to the audience, you understand where they are and you address their concerns. And that’s the same thing we have to do for Trump voters who are reluctant to get vaccinated or African Americans or Latinx or vegans who don’t want to get vaccinated,” Frieden said.

Morita said she thinks the same efforts and resources that go into convincing communities of color should also be directed at conservatives.

“High-level government officials espousing the importance of vaccines and sharing their experiences with it is really important but it’s not sufficient,” Morita said.

Support for Trump and a distrust of the government is not the only reason conservatives might be reluctant to accept the vaccine. Many are concerned about how quickly the vaccines were developed.

Still others object on religious grounds, which is where Collins, the NIH director, comes in.

A devout Christian who is open about his faith, Collins has become an ambassador to the faith community. He spends hours a day talking to faith leaders, assuring them of the vaccine’s soundness and science.

Collins told The Hill he frames the decision to get vaccinated in religious terms.

“Is this a love your neighbor moment? Yes, it is,” Collins said. “And whatever faith you are, the Golden Rule seems to apply, and the Golden Rule would say, for your neighbor or for your family, for your neighbors down the street who may be vulnerable, this is something you can do for them.”

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By Maria Abi-Habib

New York Times

Haiti’s president knows he has a problem: Governing a country that at times seems to verge on the ungovernable is hard enough when you have a lot of support.

Jovenel Moïse clearly does not.

In a recent interview, the Haitian leader lamented that he has the confidence of only a small sliver of his people.

But,  in an address to the nations, he said,  “Let’s not remain prisoners of the divisions that divide and limit the responsibilities entrusted to us. Let’s work for national unity around this desire to want to reach the other side, in search of those who are far away and scattered.

“We cannot deny the tensions and the differences, they exist. The important thing is to know how to manage them, look them in the face and assume them. In unity, in an honest and sincere dialogue.

We must, whatever happens, stand united and in solidarity and not give in to the poison of division. This period is difficult precisely because it tests our resilience and our unity… But I have confidence in us, in you. We must hold on.

The Haitian people, in their vast silent majority, are united on the major issues of the day and the country’s security priorities. National unity must be expressed by a policy, by acts in accordance with this will of the Nation considered as a whole.”

Mose won the 2016 elections with just under 600,000 votes in a country of 11 million. And now many are angry over his refusal to leave office in February, amid a dispute over whether his term ended then or should extend for one more year.

Yet Mr. Moïse, 52, has chosen this moment to embark on the biggest shake-up Haiti’s politics has seen in decades, overseeing the drafting of a new Constitution that will restructure government and give the presidency greater powers.

The need for a new Constitution is a rare point of agreement between Mr. Moïse and his many detractors. What concerns some observers is the president’s unilateral approach to writing one. Others just don’t trust him.

Mr. Moïse, critics charge, has become increasingly autocratic and is relying on a small circle of confidants to write a document that, among other changes, will give the president greater power over the armed forces as well as the ability to run for two consecutive terms. It would also grant Haiti’s leader immunity for any actions taken in office.

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March 25, 2021, BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Board of Directors today endorsed a US$383 million programme for the 10th cycle of the Bank’s Special Development Fund (SDF), the programme devised to reduce poverty and inequality and transform the lives of citizens in its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs).

The SDF represents the principal pool of concessional resources available to the Bank to assist BMCs in addressing poverty, sustainable development, governance, capacity development, gender inequalities, environmental sustainability, climate change, disaster risk management, and regional cooperation and integration. Established in 1970, the Fund is a unique partnership among the Bank’s stakeholders with both borrowing and non-borrowing members contributing to its resources.

With support from CDB and other development partners, the BMCs have been making consistent efforts over the past two decades to reduce poverty and inequality. However, pressing development challenges persist and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has undermined some of the socio-economic gains achieved.

“A key concern for the Special Development Fund over this cycle will be the need to respond meaningfully to the challenges of poor and vulnerable groups whose conditions have been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. The priority will be a focus on developing social resilience by building the capacity of individuals, communities and countries so that they are prepared for shocks, and can cope when they do occur,” CDB President Dr Wm Warren Smith said.

Member countries have pledged to contribute US$188.2 million to the SDF for the period 2020-2024 while the Bank has allocated US$162.8 million from internal resources, such as loan repayments. The remaining gap in the programme funding of US$32 million is expected to be provided by existing and prospective contributors. About two-thirds of the Fund will be used for concessional loans to BMCs with the remainder allocated to grants.

The top five contributors to SDF 10 are: Canada (C$81.4 million / US$59.6 million), United Kingdom (£21 million / US$26.5 million), Germany (€12.4 million / US$13.7 million), Jamaica (US$13 million) and Trinidad and Tobago (US$11.3 million).

“The impact of Covid-19 has put tremendous stress on social protection systems that were already challenged to respond to the needs of the poor and vulnerable. The Bank welcomes the sustained commitment of the Contributors to the Special Development Fund. Through this solid partnership, CDB can continue to lift people out of poverty and support countries in the recovery phase,”Smith said. To tackle the fall-out of the pandemic and make further development gains, the overarching goal of SDF 10 is to assist BMCs to reduce poverty and inequality, and to transform the lives of BMC citizens consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals. The strategic direction of the Fund is built on three pillars, namely:

•  social resilience and leaving no-one behind, which includes social infrastructure, education and training, initiatives geared toward capacity-building, youth development, agriculture, rural development, water, and sanitation;
•  economic resilience for inclusive growth, which encourages the expansion of climate-resilient economic infrastructure; private sector development, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and blue economy initiatives, and;
•  environmental resilience, which encompasses environmental management, climate adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk management and promoting sustainable energy solutions.

Four cross-cutting themes, namely gender equality, good governance, digitalisation, and regional cooperation and integration run through these pillars.

About the Caribbean Development Bank

The Caribbean Development Bank is a regional financial institution established in 1970 for the purpose of contributing to the harmonious economic growth and development of its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs). In addition to the 19 BMCs, CDB’s membership includes four regional, non-borrowing members (Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela) and five non-regional, non-borrowing members (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom). CDB’s total assets as at December 31, 2019 stood at US$3.59 billion (bn). These include US$2.10 bn of Ordinary Capital Resources and US$1.49 bn of Special Funds Resources. The Bank is rated Aa1 Stable by Moody’s, AA+ Stable by Standard & Poor’s, and AA+ Negative by Fitch Ratings. Read more at caribank.org

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ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) – A container ship blocking the Suez Canal like a “beached whale” sent new shockwaves through global trade on Thursday as officials stopped all ships entering the channel and the salvage company said it may take weeks to free.

The 400 m (430 yard) Ever Given, almost as long as the Empire State Building is high, is blocking transit in both directions through one of the world’s busiest shipping channels for oil and grain and other trade linking Asia and Europe.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said eight tugs were working to move the vessel, which got stuck diagonally across the single-lane southern stretch of the canal on Tuesday morning amid high winds and a dust storm.

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