The first Prime Minister of Dominica, Patrick Roland John passed Tuesday according to reports in that country.
Dominica News Online reported that John died at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital Tuesday morning.
As premier of Dominica, he led the country to independence from the United Kingdom in 1978 becoming the republica first prime minister.
Current PM of Dominica Roosevelt Skerritt was among the first to pour tribute to the late John.
“It is with sadness that I have learnt of the passing of our first Prime Minister, Patrick Roland John, better known as P.J and I therefore wish on behalf of the government and the people of Dominica, on my behalf and my family to extend our sincere condolences to his wife and his children on their loss,” he said.
Merritt said, “One can say whatever they want about Patrick John, but we cannot erase the fact that he made a tremendous contribution to Dominica’s development.”
He said the state will be responsible for the late prime minister’s burial
“We take a holistic view to investing in the Caribbean, as we are always looking to identify and create new investment routes for our clients that are seeking opportunity and yield in their portfolios.
“With St Lucia, our goal is to work with our clients to build the investment package that ensures they can achieve their global ambitions and secure their legacies. In some cases, this means citizenship to a jurisdiction that provides greater global flexibility for themselves and their loved ones. In other cases, we support our clients through products that will deliver long-term sustainable yield and leave a lasting and positive impact on local communities.”
These assertions were expressed by Michael J. Prest, Chief Executive Officer of Bank Of Nevis International Trust Services Inc. (BONITS) as Bank Of Nevis International added St. Lucia to its portfolio of countries for which it will sell citizen by investment. The company made the announcement via a press release on Monday.
“The past year has been one of the most challenging in living memory for people around the world and our hearts go out to everyone that has experienced difficult times. It has also been a moment of reflection, and many people have re-evaluated their priorities and their plans for the future,” Prest stated.
The launch of Citizenship Investment Programme (CIP) products to St. Lucia by BONITS, follows the announced launch of the entity’s first overseas office in Dubai in April 2021, as the organisation continues to grow its geographic footprint and focus on providing global clients with Migration Investment solutions that meet their changing demands.
Global Business Development, BONITS’ Global Business Development lead, Rachel R. Ritfeld, briefly commented on the wide-ranging benefits of the undertaking.
“We have a highly personal approach and work with our clients as a trusted partner. We have a diverse and multi-lingual team that welcomes clients from around the world, helping them to navigate fast-changing environments by curating a tailored package of sustainable investment products to meet their exacting requirements.
“By expanding our Migration Investment offering to include St. Lucia, we are able to provide our clients with even greater choice and flexibility while enhancing our credentials as international migration specialists.”
BONITS is a leading provider of Migration Investment, Trust, and Company Formation Services in St. Kitts & Nevis, and with this venture has taken a holistic approach by offering clients a portfolio investment route that will seek to define investment opportunities in a cross section of St. Lucia’s infrastructure. New products under development include impact investment opportunities for investors that want their money to do good, not just do well – an increasing trend particularly amongst millennial audiences – and will sit alongside routes to a second citizenship through existing CIP schemes.
The launch of St. Lucia CIP products enables BONITS to continue to diversify its client base and coincides with a limited time offer where a single applicant and a family of four (4) can secure citizenship with investments of just US$100,000 and US$150,000 respectively. St. Lucia represents one of the most cost-effective routes to a second citizenship in the Caribbean with pre-processing of due diligence requirements, along with BONITS’s individual and highly personal service, ensuring speedy completion of all formalities.
IA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 05, 2021) – – Premier Hon. Mark Brantley says the full lockdown now in effect on Nevis was necessary to prevent COVID-19 outbreak on the island.
Premier Brantley, Senior Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) said, “We thought it was the prudent thing to do to seek to contain any spread of this virus, bearing in mind the limited capacity of our health care system on Nevis. We prefer to err on the side of caution given the nature of the most recent cases and the ongoing contact tracing efforts.”
Nevis was on July 3 placed under a 24-hour lockdown with a Shelter in Place Order until July 12, in the first instance.
The Premier said he is cognizant of the hardship and inconvenience that these restrictions cause to citizens and residents and to the business community.
“As Premier of Nevis, I sincerely regret such hardship. However, the recent positive COVID cases on Nevis and the ongoing contact tracing has caused great concern among our healthcare professionals. The decision was not taken lightly but we are primarily concerned with the preservation of life and the protection of our people.
“As the contact tracing continues, I am prayerful that there will be no more positive cases but we simply cannot be sure. The next several days therefore will allow our Health team to undertake the contact tracing more efficiently and permit us to reset and recharge ourselves for the continuing battle ahead.”
Mr. Brantley admonished the people of Nevis to understand that it cannot be business as usual during this unprecedented time. He encouraged all who had not taken the COVID-19 vaccine during the first phase of the program to do so when the program resumes on July 08.
“We shall never ever surrender to this enemy of COVID-19. I urge once again all the people of Nevis to go out and get vaccinated. Please help us avoid these lockdowns, quarantines, curfews and other restrictions. Please help us restart our economy. Please help us restore normalcy to our island and our Federation.”
As at June 30, 5,225 persons on Nevis had taken a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and 4,418 or 51 percent of the target population of 8594 had taken their second dose.
The Ministry of Health in the NIA has confirmed three positive cases of COVID-19 on the island of Nevis since June 29. According to the Ministry, the most recent case, which is imported, is fully vaccinated and has been in quarantine on island since arrival on June 27, 2021.
Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 02, 2021 (SKNIS): Thirteen additional inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) in St. Kitts tested positive for COVID-19 bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 55 with 40 inmates showing signs of recovery.
These additional cases were announced by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Hazel Laws, while presenting the Health Emergency Operations Committee (HEOC) Situation Report on Friday, July 02, 2021, during the NEOC COVID-19 Press Briefing.
“On July 01, we identified an additional 13 inmates who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. This brings the total number of inmates diagnosed to 55,” said CMO Dr. Laws. “But, it is important to note that 40 of these inmates are well on their way to recovery. We had mass testing at Her Majesty’s Prison two days ago and 40 of those inmates have received their first negative test. They were retested today and we are keeping our fingers crossed that their test would return negative.”
Dr. Laws explained that to be deemed fully recovered from COVID-19, serial testing would be done until two consecutive negative tests are recorded.
According to Dr. Laws, the first case was identified on June 09, with an additional eight cases registered on June 11 and two on June 15. On June 17, 26 positive cases were recorded, two each on June 19 and 29 and 13 on July 01, bringing the total number to 55 inmates infected with COVID-19.
CMO Dr. Laws also reported that eight staff members were tested positive for COVID-19, six were identified on July 01, while two were confirmed at the beginning of the outbreak at HMP. Those two have since fully recovered.
St. Kitts & Nevis COVID-19 Situation Report No. 463 as of Friday, July 02, 2021, states that the total number of confirmed cases now stands at 476 with 268 active cases, 205 recovered cases and three deaths. Four hundred and fifty-nine (459) of those cases were recorded in St. Kitts while 17 were registered in Nevis. To date, there have been 21, 034 negative results.
NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 05, 2021) – – Premier Hon. Mark Brantley says the full lockdown now in effect on Nevis was necessary to prevent COVID-19 outbreak on the island.
Premier Brantley, Senior Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) said, “We thought it was the prudent thing to do to seek to contain any spread of this virus, bearing in mind the limited capacity of our health care system on Nevis. We prefer to err on the side of caution given the nature of the most recent cases and the ongoing contact tracing efforts.”
Nevis was on July 3 placed under a 24-hour lockdown with a Shelter in Place Order until July 12, in the first instance.
The Premier said he is cognizant of the hardship and inconvenience that these restrictions cause to citizens and residents and to the business community.
“As Premier of Nevis, I sincerely regret such hardship. However, the recent positive COVID cases on Nevis and the ongoing contact tracing has caused great concern among our healthcare professionals. The decision was not taken lightly but we are primarily concerned with the preservation of life and the protection of our people.
“As the contact tracing continues, I am prayerful that there will be no more positive cases but we simply cannot be sure. The next several days therefore will allow our Health team to undertake the contact tracing more efficiently and permit us to reset and recharge ourselves for the continuing battle ahead.”
Mr. Brantley admonished the people of Nevis to understand that it cannot be business as usual during this unprecedented time. He encouraged all who had not taken the COVID-19 vaccine during the first phase of the program to do so when the program resumes on July 08.
“We shall never ever surrender to this enemy of COVID-19. I urge once again all the people of Nevis to go out and get vaccinated. Please help us avoid these lockdowns, quarantines, curfews and other restrictions. Please help us restart our economy. Please help us restore normalcy to our island and our Federation.”
As at June 30, 5225 persons on Nevis had taken a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and 4418 or 51 percent of the target population of 8594 had taken their second dose.
The Ministry of Health in the NIA has confirmed three positive cases of COVID-19 on the island of Nevis since June 29. According to the Ministry, the most recent case, which is imported, is fully vaccinated and has been in quarantine on island since arrival on June 27, 2021.
Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 02, 2021 (RSCNPF): The identity of the human remains found in the Needsmust area on April 23, 2021, has been determined by the Police. Based on evidence taken from the scene, the Police narrowed their investigations to focus on a person of interest.
DNA samples from the remains and a close relatisve were sent abroad for testing. The results were recently received and proved to be a match. The Police have determined that the remains are that of Jabal Henry of Upper Cayon who had been reported missing in February, 2020. He was 39 years old at the time of the report. Investigations into the matter are ongoing.
Persons with information regarding this matter are urged to contact the Violent Crimes Unit by dialling 467-1887, 467-1888, 662-3468, their nearest Police Station or the Crime Hotline at 707 where information can be given anonymously.
The role played by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), in shaping and sustaining the region has been lauded with the unveiling of six wax figures of eminent Caribbean people, during a special ceremony to mark July 4th CARICOM Day, at the Caribbean Wax Museum.
The figures were of Barbados’ first female Governor-General, Dame Nita Barrow; winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in economics, Sir Arthur Lewis of St Lucia; St Vincent and the Grenadines’ national hero, Joseph Chatoyer; Jamaican Olympic sprinter, Shelly-ann Fraser-Pryce; former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Sir Shridath Ramphal of Guyana, and Calypso Rose of Trinidad and Tobago.
In his remarks at the unveiling ceremony, Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM, David Comissiong, described the exhibition as one of “the most unique CARICOM Day celebrations there has ever been”, adding “ I don’t know if any member state has ever celebrated CARICOM Day with a wax statue exhibition”.
Giving his perspective of what was needed for the region’s growth, he said: “The future of CARICOM and our regional integration movement really belongs to our young people. It is very important that we celebrate CARICOM at this time. If we ever wondered whether the Caribbean people needed CARICOM, then we should have no doubt whatsoever after the events of the past year and a half.
“In fact, now more than ever do we need our Caribbean integration movement. It seems that we are receiving challenge after challenge…. The public health crisis of COVID 19; the economic crisis that it has brought, then recently we were faced with the [ash fall from La] Soufriere volcano in St Vincent. A couple [of] weeks ago Barbados was hit by this freak storm, and then just yesterday (Friday), Hurricane Elsa.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Barbados’ CARICOM Youth Ambassador, Meghan Theobalds, pointed out that the region’s strength lies in its unity.
She explained that with more threats, such as climate change and others, it was imperative for CARICOM nations to “lean on one another if we have a chance at all of overcoming them”.
“We have a lot to be proud of and sharing our ideas, news and perspectives about the region is an excellent way to encourage our less enthusiastic friends and family to become more engaged. For CARICOM Day and the foreseeable future, my hope is that CARICOM occupies a greater part of our consciousness and becomes an integral part of our identity,” she said.
The region marked its 48th anniversary on July 4, CARICOM Day.
A woman who arrived in Antigua and Barbuda on Saturday’s inaugural Jet Blue flight from Newark, New Jersey, said she will never return to the country after being allegedly mishandled by immigration officers, a police officer and health officials at VC Bird International Airport.
Teiandra Simon, a United States citizen, told Observer that after disembarking the aircraft on July 3she proceeded through immigration where her ordeal began.
She said after being told to wait on the side of the immigration queue she was instructed to present her passport to an immigration officer who proceeded to pass her travel document to at least three people.
A concerned Simon asked for her passport to be returned to her out of fear of losing it. She alleged she was also mishandled by a police officer while waiting to be processed by immigration.
After around two hours, during which a further three flights had landed and their passengers cleared, immigration officials finally gave Simon the green light to proceed to customs where she was reunited with her bags – which she also expressed concern about as they had been left unattended due to the delay.
The unvaccinated passenger, who was visiting Antigua for a short five-day vacation, said at the health checkpoint she presented her negative PCR test and was told she would have to quarantine at Jolly Beach Resort which she was uncomfortable with as she had already made arrangements to stay in a private home in Upper Gambles.
Simon likened the quarantine facility to a prison.
She said, “The food is atrocious, the fan is broken in my room, and the water is brown. Why would you pay for something that is run down?”
She said she then asked if she could stay at a Covid-19 certified property after seeing the condition of the facility, a request which was denied by the receptionist and nurse on property as she had already been assigned to the government quarantine facility.
US visitor Teiandra Simon chided the conditions at the facility (Photos contributed)
The entire experience left a bad impression on the woman who said she has since booked a return flight to the United States to leave today.
She said, “I would not subject myself to live in prison and I didn’t do anything. This facility is not a nice place to be.”
She added, “I will not come back to Antigua, and I will tell people that Antigua is not a place for you to be any time soon.”
Simon said, on return to the US, she will file a grievance report against the police officer that allegedly mishandled her, and she will file complaints with Jet Blue and the United States Embassy about her ordeal in Antigua and Barbuda.
Efforts to reach health officials for comment were unsuccessful up to press time.
A private plane crash has killed all six people on board, including two American missionaries, in Haiti, southwest of capital Port-au-Prince.
The New Telegraph, the plane crashed over the weekend en route an airport in Port-au-Prince to the southern coastal city of Jacmel.
The newspaper cited a statement by the National Civil Aviation Office (NCAO) and the cause of the crash was not immediately known.
The US-based organisation Gospel to Haiti also posted an announcement on its Facebook page confirming that two of its group members, 35-year-old Trent Hostetler, and John Miller, 43, both American citizens, died in the crash.
The identities of the other four passengers were not immediately released by officials.
Hostetler’s wife and three children escaped death after they boarded a smaller plane, leaving him and Miller to catch the next plane.
“When the second plane didn’t show up, they were very concerned and soon heard that the plane had gone down somewhere near Leogane. A search team was formed and sent out and they located the plane early this morning and confirmed that all 6 people were killed,” the group’s Facebook post said.
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