Tag Archives: caribbean

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El Salvador Leads World into Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin Legal Tender

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SAN SALVADOR, Sept 7 (Reuters) – El Salvador on Tuesday became the first country in the world to adopt bitcoin as legal tender, a real-world experiment proponents say will lower commission costs for billions of dollars sent home from abroad but which critics warned may fuel money laundering.

The plan spearheaded by the young, charismatic and popular President Nayib Bukele is aimed at allowing Salvadorans to save on $400 million spent annually in commissions for remittances, mostly sent from the United States.

Last year alone remittances to El Salvador amounted to almost $6 billion, or 23% of its gross domestic product, one of the highest ratios in the world.

Polls show Salvadorans are skeptical about using bitcoin and wary of the volatility of the cryptocurrency that critics say could increase regulatory and financial risks for financial institutions. Still, some residents are optimistic.

“It’s going to be beneficial … we have family in the United States and they can send money at no cost, whereas banks charge to send money from the United States to El Salvador,” said Reina Isabel Aguilar, a store owner in El Zonte Beach, some 49 km (30 mi) southwest of capital San Salvador.

El Zonte is part of the so-called Bitcoin Beach geared toward making the town one of the world’s first bitcoin economies.

In the run-up to the launch, the government has already been installing ATMs of its Chivo digital wallet that will allow the cryptocurrency to be converted into dollars and withdrawn without commission, but Bukele on Monday looked to temper expectations for quick results and asked for patience.

“Like all innovations, El Salvador’s bitcoin process has a learning curve. Every road to the future is like this and not everything will be achieved in a day, or in a month,” Bukele said on Twitter, a platform he often uses to talk up his achievements or excoriate opponents.

On Monday, El Salvador bought its first 400 of the cryptocurrency, temporarily pushing prices for bitcoin 1.49% higher to more than $52,680. The cryptocurrency has been notoriously volatile. Just this spring, it rose over $64,000 in April and fell almost as low as $30,000 in May.

Some analysts fear the move to make bitcoin legal tender alongside the U.S. dollar could muddy the outlook for El Salvador’s quest to seek a more than $1 billion financing agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

After Bukele’s bitcoin law was approved, rating agency Moody’s downgraded El Salvador’s creditworthiness, while the country’s dollar-denominated bonds have also come under pressure.

But Bukele, who does not shy away from controversy, on Monday retweeted a video that showed face superimposed on actor Jaime Foxx in a scene from Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino’s film about American slavery. The video portrayed Bukele whipping a slave trader who had the IMF emblem emblazoned on his face.

Bukele later deleted the retweet.

His own tweet said: “we must break the paradigms of the past. El Salvador has the right to advance towards the first world.”

Reporting by Anthony Esposito and Nelson Renteria; Additional reporting by Wilfredo Pineda in El Zonte, El Salvador; Editing by David Gregorio

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On Course to Pass US: ‘Everything You Should Not Do, Brazil Has Done’

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Had he lived Josildo de Moura would have celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary this December. Instead the devoted husband and father of five died of Covid in May, gasping for breath outside a neighbourhood clinic on the outskirts of São Paulo. He was 62, and like the vast majority of Brazilians, still waiting to be vaccinated.

Josildo died months before his 40th wedding anniversary

“The pain is endless,” says his wife Cida, sitting at her kitchen table, ringed by her children and grandchildren. “And every day we hear about more families suffering as we suffer, losing a loved one.”

The losses here are staggering. More than half a million Brazilians have died with Covid-19, the second highest death toll worldwide, behind only the United States. Experts here predict their country is on course to overtake the US.

How did it come to this, in a middle-income country, with an established system for vaccinating against diseases? For many, responsibility rests with Brazil’s far-right President, Jair Bolsonaro.

“He could have helped everybody take the right measures,” says Cida, who has an unwavering voice, and tight grey curls. “He did the complete opposite. He didn’t have respect for the people. It’s really revolting.”

A woman clutches her heart at a candlelit memorial in Brazil
Brazil has been badly hit by the pandemic and the death toll is rising further

Even as Brazil is still burying its dead, the handling of the pandemic is being dissected by the Brazilian senate. The hearings, which began in April, are broadcast live. For many here they have become must-watch TV, a kind of telenovela of tragedy and explosive testimony.

Evidence from a representative of the vaccine manufacturer Pfizer was particularly damning. He told the inquiry the company repeatedly offered to sell the government vaccines last year. It was ignored – for months. Over 100 emails were unanswered.

Another witness at the inquiry accused President Bolsonaro of turning a blind eye to irregularities and massive overcharging, in a contract to buy an unapproved Covid vaccine from India. The President has denied any knowledge, and any wrongdoing.

The inquiry is headed by the opposition senator, Omar Aziz, a towering figure from the hard-hit state of Amazonas, who fist-bumps his way through the corridors of parliament. His own brother, Walid, is among the dead. He lost a life-long friend to the virus on the day we met.

Protester takes picture of image depicting President Bolsonaro
Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsonaro, is facing growing anger

“What saves lives is two jabs in the arms of Brazilians,” he told us. “If the government had bought vaccines early, we would have saved a lot of lives. We have a President who does not believe in science. He believes in herd immunity.” The senator insists his inquiry is not partisan. “The virus does not choose political parties,” he told us. “Everyone is dying.”

From the outset of the pandemic, the Brazilian leader has been dismissive of Covid-19, calling it “a little flu.” Asked last year about deaths from the virus he replied “that’s a question for a grave digger”.

He has scorned social distancing, insisting the economy must remain open, and said staying home is “for idiots”. Just last month he was fined for not wearing a mask as he led a motorbike rally of his supporters.

As the president has minimized the risks, Professor Pedro Hallal has counted the dead. He is an epidemiologist, leading the largest Covid study in Brazil. As a scientist, and as a Brazilian, he says it has been a waking nightmare.

“At some point in life everyone has that dream in which they can’t move, or can’t shout,” he says. “This is exactly my feeling for these 16 months. I have been trained to understand what is happening in a pandemic and I say that and no one in the government is listening. As we are speaking today another 2,000 Brazilians will die.”

Professor Hallal, who has lost several friends, says his country has been a laboratory for everything that could be done wrong in a pandemic. The result, according to his research, is 400,000 deaths that could have been avoided, a quarter of them (100,000) caused by the failure to sign vaccine contracts last year.

“Everything that you should not do,” he said “Brazil has done.”

A man holds up a sign protesting against the Covid death toll in Brazil
“A genocide”: More than half a million Brazilians have died

“It said that the pandemic would not be important. In April last year, our president said it is coming to an end. Then he said the vaccines were not safe. These statements from the president himself produced damage, and they killed people and this is what needs to be said.”

Professor Hallal, who has given evidence at the inquiry, has a message for the Brazilian leader. “Just quit your job,” he said. “This is the best thing you can do to help Brazil.”

There’s little likelihood of that, but Jair Bolsonaro is under pressure on several fronts. While the Senate inquiry is not expected to lead to his impeachment, the Supreme Court has authorized a criminal investigation. His approval ratings are at an all-time low and there have been a series of nationwide protests.

If President Bolsonaro is troubled by the gathering storm, or the soaring death toll, he isn’t showing it. He has political allies and die-hard supporters.

With so many dead, Cida de Moura struggles to understand how he remains in office. “He is still in power as if nothing has happened,” she told us. “He should have been pushed out. I would like to hear that Bolsonaro is not president of Brazil any more.”

Like many of the bereaved, she is hoping that Brazil’s dead will speak, and there will be a reckoning at elections next year, if not before.

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Brazil Braces for Trump Style Pro-Bolsonaro Rallies

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BRASILIA, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Brazil prepared for Independence Day demonstrations on Tuesday by supporters of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has called for a show of support for his attacks on the country’s Supreme Court that are rattling Latin America’s largest democracy.

Security was reinforced in the capital, Brasilia, and police started blocking access to the central mall where thousands are expected to march, supporting Bolsonaro in his clash with the judiciary over changes to Brazil’s voting system.

Critics fear the president is encouraging supporters to the point they might try to intimidate or invade the courts, warning of parallels with the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump after he gave a fiery speech falsely claiming his election defeat was the result of fraud.

Internationally, more than 150 left-leaning former presidents and party leaders signed an open letter criticizing Bolsonaro for encouraging what they called an imitation of the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

The demonstrations are “stoking fears of a coup d’état in the world’s third-largest democracy,” the letter warned.

Bolsonaro said on Friday the demonstrations would be an “ultimatum” to the Supreme Court justices who have taken “unconstitutional” decisions against his government.

The court has authorized investigations of Bolsonaro allies for allegedly attacking Brazil’s democratic institutions with misinformation online. He has called the court-ordered probes a violation of free-speech rights.

Congress and the courts also resisted Bolsonaro’s attempt to introduce paper voting receipts as a backup of an electronic voting system, which he argues is vulnerable to fraud. The electoral court maintains the system is transparent and safe.

Bolsonaro’s critics say he is sowing doubts so he can challenge the results of next year’s election, which opinion polls now show him losing to former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva. Neither has confirmed his candidacy.

In a brief speech to the nation on social media, Lula said the president on Independence Day should be offering hope of economic recovery and solidarity with the victims of COVID-19.

“Instead of announcing solutions, he is calling people to confrontation … in acts against democracy,” Lula said, accusing Bolsonaro of sowing “division, hatred and violence.”

Brasilia will have 5,000 police and military personnel on hand to maintain order at the march outside Congress, where Bolsonaro is scheduled to appear on Tuesday morning.

In the afternoon, Bolsonaro will join supporters on a major avenue in midtown Sao Paulo at a gathering he has forecast to be the biggest political rally in Brazilian history.

Many leftist leaders have urged their followers to avoid clashes by avoiding counter-demonstrations on Tuesday in favor of larger anti-Bolsonaro protests on Sunday.

Financial, industrial and agribusiness leaders in Brazil have also distanced themselves from Bolsonaro’s attacks on the Supreme Court and called for dialogue between the executive and judiciary, warning the tensions threaten an economic rebound.

Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Brad Haynes, Marguerita Choy and Peter Cooney

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Mexico City to Swap Columbus Statue for One of Indigenous Woman

A statue of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, which stood on one of the main avenues of Mexico City, will be replaced by one of an indigenous woman.

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said the bronze likeness of Columbus would be moved to a park and a statue of an Olmec woman would take its place.

The Columbus statue was removed from its plinth last year ahead of protests.

Protesters have toppled Columbus statues in Latin America and the US.

Christopher Columbus, an Italian-born explorer who was financed by the Spanish crown to set sail on voyages of exploration in the late 15th Century, is seen by many as a symbol of oppression and colonialism as his arrival in America opened the door to the Spanish conquest.

Mayor Sheinbaum made the announcement on Sunday at a ceremony marking the international day of the indigenous woman.

She said that relocating the statue was not an attempt to “erase history” but to deliver “social justice”.

Ms Sheinbaum said that the Columbus statue “would not be hidden away” but that the civilisations which existed in Mexico before the Spanish conquest should receive recognition.

The mayor said that sculptor Pedro Reyes was working on a statue of a woman from the Olmec civilisation, which flourished in the Gulf of Mexico from 1200 BC to 400 BC, to replace that of Columbus on Reforma Avenue.

The plinth on which the Columbus statue stood has been empty since 10 October 2020 when it was removed “for restoration purposes” just two days before planned protests marking the arrival of Columbus in 1492.

Some activists had issued calls on social media for the statue to be toppled.

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Phase 2 of Nevis’ Bath Village Road Project to Commence Soon

NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (September 06, 2021) — The second phase of the Bath Village Road Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Project is expected to commence soon.

Hon. Spencer Brand, Minister of Communication and Works made the announcement while addressing residents of Bath Village at a town hall style meeting hosted by the Ministry of Communication and Works on September 02, 2021.

“Phase 2 will commence very shortly, and Phase 2 is basically from Mr. Dick in the south along the main carriageway here in Bath at the intersection of ‘Boom.’

“The length I am told is 3, 400 feet and in most cases the width of the road would be approximately 17 feet. There would be a very short area that would be approximately 16 feet and we feel that a width of 17 feet is comparable to even the Island Main Road. So we are ensuring that Bath Village would have wide enough road that could be comparable to anywhere on the island of Nevis. The cost I am told is somewhere in the region of approximately $2,000,000,” he said.

Mr. Brand noted that there are two additional phases, and the total estimated project cost is $4.1 million when Phase 2, Phase 3 and Phase 4 are added together for a total of about 7,300 feet of road.

Phase 3 of the project would be done on Jericho Road which stretches from the tamarind tree to “Flakesy.”

“That area is expected to be approximately 17 feet in width and it is some 1,000 feet in length, and the estimate that I’ve been given is approximately $600,000 for that particular stretch of road,” the Communication and Works Minister said.

Regarding Phase 4, that segment of the project will be done in the area from Black Hat’s Place up the hill to Maude Smith Pre School through to VON Radio on to Conch Shell.

“That distance is some 29,000 feet and the width of that is expected to between 16 and 17 feet. That segment is expected to cost somewhere in the region of $1.5 million,” Mr. Brand said.

The Communication and Works Minister also used the opportunity to appeal to residents of Bath Village to exercise patience during the execution of the project.

“I want to appeal to you to be patient with us because there will be some disruption: dust, noise, disruption in your water supply at times, disruption in your electricity; disruption maybe also in your internet and cable services.

“All of these things that may be impacted during the construction phase, and I believe that as the folks of Bath Village would have been patient for all of these years, that they can be patient with us and bear with us for the next few months,” he said.

In conclusion the minister stated that in addition to fulfilling the Nevis Island Administration’s commitment, they would ensure that Bath Village would also benefit from improvements as have other villages throughout the island.

Also present at the meeting were Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, Minister of Finance and Area Representative for the St. John’s Parish; Mr.  Jevon Williams, Director of the Public Works Department; Mr. Denzil Stanley, Principal Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Communication and Works who chaired the session; and Mr. Roger Hanley, Operations Manager at the Nevis Water Department.

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Nevis: Schools Remain Closed Amid COVID-19 Surge

Schools in St.Kitts and Nevis, scheduled to reopen September 6, after a long summer break, will remain closed after a new surge in coronavirus cases..

The announcement was made by Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley said the NIA has also closed the Department of Education and other key government departments. Senior public servants have been forced into quarantine and or isolation due to either contracting the coronavirus or being exposed to the virus through contact with infected persons.

“I regret to report that we have been forced to close the Department of Education until further notice. We have also been forced to delay the reopening of all schools on Nevis initially for one week as we monitor the situation. This is as a result of key Education personnel contracting this dreaded virus. The consequences of this for our children’s education and for the ease of parents, many of whom depend on their children being in school whilst they work, are far-reaching. Any contagion in our schools and among our vulnerable children must be avoided at all cost.”

Premier Brantley in his address to the people of Nevis said this is not fair to the children of Nevis as their education is being jeopardized. To this end, he made the call for teachers and other education officials to get vaccinated.

“My government has committed to safe schools and ensuring that all of your children placed in our care are safe. We cannot achieve this if some of our teachers and other education officials and personnel remain unprotected…I am to advise that the position of my Government is again to urge the immediate vaccination of all teachers, auxiliary school staff, daycare and nursery providers, caregivers to the elderly, nurses and other medical staff, prison officers, police and other security personnel. If you will not do it for you then I beg of you to do it for those in your care and those who are depending on you.”

In St. Kitts and Nevis as outlined in the Statutory Rules and Regulations, “A period of curfew is imposed every day from 1:01 a.m until 5:00 a.m…” for the next two weeks.

As it stands businesses remain open and persons continue to go about daily activities while adhering to the COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical protocols of social distancing, hand sanitizing and mask-wearing. Ferries between the two islands also continue to operate.

Activities for the virtual hosting of Culturama 47 continue as well, with the most recent hostings being the Soca Monarch Semi-Finals on Saturday and the Calypso Semi-Finals on Sunday.

In an effort to curb the spread of the virus by limiting movement, the Premier announced restrictions that are expected to be followed.

“My government’s position is that all bars, restaurants and places of recreation involving music and the sale of alcohol should be severely restricted in their hours of operation until such time as we are past this surge.

“We shall engage with the proprietors of such establishments to achieve this, barring which we shall suspend business and liquor licenses for those refusing to comply. During this time, there shall be no permission granted for any mass gatherings, parties or fetes. I have asked the Police and Security Forces on Nevis to be vigilant and to rigorously enforce the protocols enshrined in law.”

To assist in the fight against covid-19, the Nevis Island Administration will be distributing critical supplies such as hand sanitisers, masks and other protective gear to all schools, daycare centres, hospitals and health centres, homes for the elderly and churches across the island. As supplies permit, distributions will also be made to individuals in communities across Nevis.

This will mark the second time the government has done this since the start of the pandemic.

There have been 196 cases confirmed in Nevis with six hospitalizations and no deaths on the island.

Both islands have experienced a marked increase in cases. The most recent situation report shows an overall total of 546 active cases in the federation. To date, there have been 5 deaths. 33 cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours. The total number of confirmed cases to date stands at 1,230 with  196 for Nevis and 1,034 for St.Kitts.

On September 1st the federation began its rollout of the Pfizer vaccine which allows for children 12 and older to receive the jab. The target is to have four thousand eight hundred children vaccinated.

Schools on sister island St. Kitts will reopen as scheduled beginning on Monday, September 6, 2021.

Updates are expected to be given by the Ministry of Education on Nevis as it relates to the transition to virtual learning and the way forward for its staff and students.

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Grenada Declares No Movement Days as COVID Cases Surge

CNW- The Grenada government on Friday night declared no movement days as well as a daily curfew for the next 14 days as the island seeks to deal with an upsurge in COVID-19 cases that has killed four people in the last week.

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell said effective Saturday (Sept. 4), the curfew shall be in force daily from 7.00 pm to 5.00 am (local time) and that from Friday, September 10 to Monday, September 13 as well as September 17 to September 20.

“During these no-movement days, the Ministry of Health will facilitate greater access to testing and vaccination within communities. No movement will be permitted, except for purposes of testing and vaccination.”

Mitchell also announced that there would be no inter-island travel between Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique during the curfew period.

“Anyone permitted through exemption to travel between the islands must take a Rapid Antigen test before departure,” Mitchell said, adding that the Maurice Bishop International Airport and the commercial ports of entry will remain open.

He said the government is continuing to examine the entry protocols relative to the quarantine period “but it must be appreciated that any decision taken will require advanced notice to travel stakeholders and holiday seekers.

“This we will give in due course,” he said.

Mitchell described the situation as “dire” and that ‘clearly it cannot be business as usual”.

He said while there will be continuity of operation in some sectors, including the public service and state-owned enterprises, manufacturing, construction, wholesale and retail grocery stores, banking and transportation “it has become necessary to implement closures in non-essential sectors to help limit the movement of people and to curb the spread of the virus”.

He said that the closures will include daycare centres, saloons, barbershops, gyms and other indoor entertainment facilities.

Schools will offer virtual classes only and Mitchell said that the St. George’s University “will only continue operations with strict adherence to the protocols that all other entities that continue to exist would have to live with”

He said medical practitioners, dentists, veterinarians accountants, lawyers and insurance companies will be allowed to operate only by appointments and that pharmacies and hardware stores will remain open “only for pickup and delivery services during the period.

“All social activities, sporting events and weddings have been suspended also. Funerals are permitted but are restricted to one hour between the 9.00 am to noon. Beach access is limited to five to 10 am daily,” Mitchell said, adding that the government’s debushing programme that brought relief to many people have been suspended as a result of the new measures.

Mitchell told the nation that the COVID-19 situation in Grenada has deteriorated rapidly and daily statistics from the Ministry of Health show that “we have moved from the occasional identification of positive cases to daily additions of new cases, sometimes in excess of 100 per day.

“The medical experts have confirmed that we are now at the stage of community spread. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is now nearing 1,000, with more than 600 active cases. There’s no telling where the next case will be recorded. It could be you, it could be me, it could be a beloved family member or friend; we are all at risk.”

He said he was pleased with the announcement by the religious community to resort to virtual services for the next two weeks.

“We welcome this initiative and ongoing collaboration with critical stakeholders. I express gratitude too, to members of the business community and the trade union movement who have been engaged this week in consultation with the Government, examining strategic moves to deal with this crisis.

“I urge that you continue to appropriately guide your membership going forward. Effectively dealing with this pandemic requires us to have all hands on deck and government welcomes all strategic partnerships.”

But he noted that although the island’s borders will remain open, the current rate of infections could negatively impact travellers wishing to visit Grenada, which is now on the United Kingdom’s green watch list, “meaning that we are at risk of being moved to the amber list which stipulates quarantine measures for their returning nationals”.

He said this would be a deterrent to leisure travel that will affect visitor arrivals and further impact the hospitality sector.

“Additionally, Grenada could lose its coveted Level 1rating by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States.”

But he maintained that the population has the power to stop COVID-19.

“We can control it through responsible actions, restricting our own movement, wearing a mask or appropriate face covering in public spaces, maintaining our physical distance and washing or sanitising our hands frequently. Easy steps, which, if followed consistently by everyone, can immediately stem the current trend.

“I call on all leaders within the community – church, business, trade union, political, sports, culture, social and other media influencers – just about everyone who has a sphere of influence over any sector of the society, let us please put aside personal and organisational differences and join hands

in working towards promoting and achieving the behavioural change that will ultimately protect our people. We have a moral responsibility to do this,” Mitchell told the nation.

CMC

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Haiti Ending Earthquake Search & Rescue Operation

CNW- Haiti says it will end the search and rescue operations more than two weeks after a powerful earthquake struck the southern part of the country, killing more than 2,200 people and 300 others missing and now feared dead.

The country was rocked by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 on August 14.

The Technical Directorate of the National Emergency Operations Center (COUN) said that the search and rescue mission for survivors will end this Friday.

The mission had been concentrated mainly in the three departments of the Great South (South, Nippes and Grand’Anse).

The COUN said that since the quake struck, several rescue teams have been in the field rescuing people from the rubble as well as those trapped in the mountains of the Massif de la Hotte following landslides.

The estimated 154 rescuers including 27 women, were joined by international rescue groups from the United States, Colombia; France, Brazil; United Kingdom, Chile, the Dominican Republic and Mexico.

“We will publish the final report of this work based on the data collected, processed and analyzed with the support of OCHA,” said COUN technical director, Jerry Chandler.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, speaking at the launch of the National Workshop on Post-Earthquake Damage Assessment (PDNA), reiterated his call for the local authorities to act quickly in providing assistance to those affected by the quake.

“We have an obligation of results and the government does not intend to let this reconstruction opportunity pass. I place the recovery and reconstruction under the sign of planning, therefore, of the vision of the future. I take this opportunity to review the 2010 development strategy,” he said.

He said this is an opportunity for the government to rebuild the affected departments, according to the principles of planning and sustainable development.

“Reconstruction is multidimensional and complex. Hence the need for an integrated approach, anchored in the overall vision of development. This reconstruction cannot be done without a real recovery and reconstruction plan. It must be based on an assessment of the real needs of the affected regions. I reaffirm my determination to endow the Government with a public policy plan for the benefit of the affected populations,” he added.

The representatives of the United Nations, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union and the American development agency who took participated in the launch also gave assurances that their institutions were ready to support the government in the post-earthquake assessment work and the implementation of the reconstruction plan.

Meanwhile, it has been announced that the re-opening of schools in Haiti will take place on September 21.

Schools were originally scheduled to begin on Monday, but the decision to postpone classes was taken during the meeting of the Council of Ministers on Thursday.

The authorities said that the new school year will begin on September 21, 2021 for the seven departments not directly affected by the earthquake and on October 4 for the Grand South (South, Nippes and Grand’Anse)

“All the students in the South must be able to go to school. For schools to open, we have a lot of work. We must remove the rubble and put structures to accommodate the children,”  Prime Minister  Henry said.

“The back-to-school period is still very difficult in the country,” he said, noting the socio-political and economic environment.

“We want to make arrangements to pay allowances to parents of pupils and teachers. All this takes time and that is why we have postponed the school in the southern peninsula and in the rest of the country,” he said.

CMC

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International Day of Charity: Peoples Labour Party contributes to St. Christopher Children’s Home

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, September 6, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — Residents of the West Basseterre-based St. Christopher Children’s Home were on International Day of Charity (IDC) the beneficiaries of back-to-school supplies courtesy of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP). International Day of Charity was observed on Sunday September 5.

The back-to-school programme was a joint venture of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) National Political Leader, Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, PLP Deputy National Political Leader, who is also the Area Parliamentary Representative for West Basseterre and Minister of Health et al, the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett, and the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) Youth.

Making the presentation, which included school bags, exercise books, pens, pencils, geometry sets, and snacks, was the Peoples Labour Party’s Communications Officer Mr Craig Tuckett. He was accompanied by a representative of the Peoples Labour Party Youth, Mr Jeremy Burke.

PLP Communications Officer Mr Craig Tuckett (left), with St. Christopher Children’s Home House Parent Ms Shamika Caines, home resident Master Jolonni Huggins, and PLP Youth Representative Mr Jeremy Burke.
PLP Communications Officer Mr Craig Tuckett (left), with St. Christopher Children’s Home House Parent Ms Shamika Caines, home resident Master Jolonni Huggins, and PLP Youth Representative Mr Jeremy Burke.

“This is an initiative of charity, and as you know the Honourable Prime Minister under his Team Unity Administration continues to look for those who are most vulnerable in our society especially during these times of the global Covid-19 pandemic,” said Mr Tuckett. He added: “This is also in keeping with our party’s motto of ‘putting people first’.”

Receiving the back-to-school supplies was House Parent, Ms Shamika Caines, while giving the vote of thanks on behalf of the home residents was Master Jolonni Huggins who thanked the Prime Minister and all the other persons involved in making the timely donation to the residents of St. Christopher Children’s Home.

“We are a party for the working class people, and coming from that linage we will continue to look for our people in whatever capacity they are – their needs are needs to be addressed,” observed Mr Tuckett. “This is what we as a party will endeavour to continue to do, as we say, ‘one, one fill basket’ and so we hope that everybody will follow this idea on this day, which is held every 5th of September where we have the recognition of International Day of Charity.”

International Day of Charity (IDC) was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012.

“We know that things are tough for families but anything that we thought we could have done for you, we decided to do today,” said Mr Tuckett as he directly addressed the residents of the home. “So that is why we have brought book bags, exercise books, pencils, geometry sets and also snacks – snacks that you can share throughout the month.”

The PLP official added: “Of course this will not be the end – we plan to come back later in the year with other generosities that will be given from the Prime Minister’s Office, and also from the Parliamentary Representative, and other community-minded persons in the area and also in the PLP, who decide that they need to make sure that you all are okay and that we can give in whatever way we can.”

According to Mr Tuckett, Basseterre-based Laws Bookstore also contributed to the back-to-school endeavour, and noted that, “we will continue to ask other corporate citizens who are likeminded to continue to assist in these times especially as we are endeavouring to ensure our youth, who are the future, are prepared for school work.”

St. Christopher Children’s Home resident Master Jolonni Huggins (centre) giving the vote of thanks. Looking on are PLP Communications Officer Mr Craig Tuckett (left), and PLP Youth Representative Mr Jeremy Burke.
St. Christopher Children’s Home resident Master Jolonni Huggins (centre) giving the vote of thanks. Looking on are PLP Communications Officer Mr Craig Tuckett (left), and PLP Youth Representative Mr Jeremy Burke.

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Infant, 3 Others Murdered in Random Florida Home Invasion by ‘Madman’

(CNN) Four people — a man, an infant and the child’s mother and grandmother — all lost their lives early Sunday morning in what a Florida sheriff called an “active shooter rampage” carried about by a former Marine.

This apparently was a random shooting since none of the victims were reportedly known to the suspect.

The shooting took place at a property outside Lakeland, Florida, and escalated when the suspect, outfitted in body armor, engaged in a firefight with law enforcement before surrendering to authorities.
He later attempted to take a gun from an officer at a hospital, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
“This man killed four people this morning, tried to kill our deputies and then gave up,” Judd said Sunday.
Here is what we know about the shooting:
The victims
Four people were killed in the shooting, and a child was injured, authorities said.
Inside a home on the property, a 40-year-old man, a 3-month-old baby and the baby’s 33-year-old mother were found dead. The baby’s 62-year-old grandmother was found in a second house on the property, Judd said.
An 11-year-old girl had been shot multiple times and was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for surgery. She is expected to recover.
Another child who had earlier been missing was located alive and well, Judd said.
The family’s dog, Diogi, was also fatally shot, he added.
The suspect
The suspect, identified as Brian Riley, 33, lives in Brandon, Florida, about 20 miles from where the shooting took place. At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Judd said there did not appear to be any connection between the suspect and the victims, and he struggled to explain why the suspect chose that particular family and property.
“We just know we had a madman with a lot of guns that shot and killed innocent people,” he said.
The suspect was treated for injuries sustained during his apprehension and released. He is currently in the custody of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office according to Judd.
The suspect served four years in the Marines and was honorably discharged, and then he did another three years in the reserve, Judd said. He was deployed to Iraq in 2008 and Afghanistan in 2009-2010 as a designated sharpshooter, the sheriff said.
Former Marine wearing body armor fatally shoots 4 people, including baby in mother’s arms, Florida sheriff says.
The suspect was employed by ESS Global Corp as a bodyguard and to provide security, Judd said. He has a concealed weapon’s license and virtually no criminal history.
“We’re not dealing with a traditional criminal here. What we’re dealing with is someone who obviously had mental health issues at least this last week, had PTSD,” Judd said.
In an interview with deputies, the suspect described himself as “a survivalist” — a term that generally refers to a person who proactively prepares for a post-apocalyptic world — and confessed to being on methamphetamine, Judd said.
The suspect’s girlfriend told authorities that he had been diagnosed with PTSD and had been acting erratically in the past week, saying that he was receiving visions from God, according to the sheriff.
“She said he had PTSD. I’ve seen him depressed. I’ve never seen him violent, she said,” Judd said. “But a week ago today, meaning last Sunday, he did security at a church in Orlando. And he came home and he said, you know, God spoke to him and now he can talk directly to God. And she said I’ve never seen that kind of behavior,” Judd said Sunday.
The shooting
The quadruple homicide began Saturday evening when a woman called authorities about a suspicious vehicle and said that a man who was parked outside her house told her, “God sent me here to speak with one of your daughters,” Judd told reporters Sunday.
A deputy responded within six minutes and did not find the suspect or the car at the residence, he said.
About nine hours later, at about 4:30 a.m., a deputy two miles away heard two volleys of automatic gunfire. Deputies responded and calls reporting an active shooting began coming in as well, the sheriff said.
On arrival, deputies discovered a truck on fire and heard popping noises from the vehicle. A series of glow sticks were laid out on the yard forming a path, Judd said. There, they saw a man wearing camo who quickly fled inside the home. Then they heard disturbing sounds.
“At that moment in time, we heard another volley and a woman scream and a baby whimper,” Judd said.
Confrontation with police
A lieutenant tried to make entry into the front of the house, but it was barricaded. The lieutenant then went to the back of the house and entered and came upon the same suspect, now outfitted in a bulletproof vest, camo, knee protection and head protection, according to the sheriff.
The suspect shot at the lieutenant, who returned fire and retreated out of the house, Judd said. The suspect then started shooting at other deputies, who also returned fire, he said.
There was a period of silence, and then the suspect came out with his hands up, Judd said. The suspect, who had been shot once, was taken into custody.

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