Pulse of the Caribbean

#58 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 3 Week of June 9

• Pulse of the Caribbean

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The Caribbean faces transportation challenges as Silver Airways permanently closes operations, impacting critical routes to the Caribbean and Florida while Barbados urges regional businesses to increase intra-Caribbean commerce due to logistical vulnerabilities in the global supply chain.

  • Silver Airways ceases operations, affecting Caribbean destinations
  • Barbados Senator Lisa Cummings calls for increased regional trade
  • Inaugural Caribbean Film Festival launches in Trinidad and Tobago, featuring over 60 films from the region
  • Jamaica's disaster management official urges businesses to create continuity plans 

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Speaker 1:

This is the Pulse of the Caribbean Caribbean News Roundup. Now today's Caribbean News Headlines.

Speaker 2:

This podcast is brought to you by Victory Run Walk, sponsored by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Register now for the 5K, 10k and Half Marathon. Labor Day weekend St Thomas, us Virgin Islands, and Diamond Key. Marina, yosvendike, british Virgin Islands, home of Foxy's Taboo and Gateway to the Bubbly Pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. Welcome to the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 3 for the week of June 9th.

Speaker 2:

Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We start our report with a look at regional travel. Silver Airways closed permanently today, wednesday, june 11, terminating its critical service to key Caribbean locations and Florida routes. The unexpected closure followed a failed Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization and a bargain basement asset sale. Silver announced in a brief notice of its website we regret to inform you that we are ceasing operations as of today, june 11, 2025. It said Silver sold its assets to another airline holding to restructure in bankruptcy. However, the airline holding company has decided to end Silver's Florida, bahamas and Caribbean flying operation. The message online advises Silver travelers that all credit card purchases should be refundable through their credit card company or travel agency. No instructions were given for rebooking, disruption, compensation or alternative routes. Silver Airways failure hurts regional Caribbean travel and local economies. Silver previously served St Thomas, st Croix, us Virgin Islands, san Juan, puerto Rico, dominica, st Kitts, tortola, st Martin, nassau Freeport and Marsh Harbor in the Bahamas. Silver operated hubs in Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, florida, and also operated US flights to Key West, pensacola and Tallahassee, florida. Now we head to Barbados.

Speaker 2:

Barbados Energy and Business Minister Senator Lisa Cummings urged Barbados and regional enterprises to lead the way in increasing intra-regional commerce by 2035, due to increasing logistic costs and shipping delays affecting Caribbean economies. In her opening speech at the Barbados Manufacturers Association's International Business Conference on June 5th, senator Cummings said that the region is locked in a global logistic system that hurts Caribbean businesses and consumers. Cummings asks businesses to invest in regional logistics, increase port efficiency and reconsider trade routes that make the region exposed to global shock. Cummings warned that present procedures put the Caribbean at risk, citing $5 billion in food imports that's the bill and rising container costs during recent crises. Cummings recalled a Barbadian entrepreneur whose eco-friendly food business failed when importing packaging supplies were delayed. Cummings also cited pork clearance and custom bottlenecks that raise prices and irritates producers. She said the government is not solely responsible. The effort is shared. Governments must align policies, harmonize customs and enable multimodal hubs, adding that we rely too much on single trade partners, predetermined shipping routes and trans-shipment hubs. She stated that regional trade accounts for only 15 percent of exports and that 80 percent of our food is imported. Cummings encourages the region to diversify trading routes and is challenging business people within the region to look within the region. She mentioned regional relationships, including Suriname, guyana, latin America and Brazil.

Speaker 2:

The Barbados Manufacturers Association two-day conference, themed Our Global Village, brought together manufacturers, exporters, investors and regional leaders to discuss how the Caribbean might adapt to the changing global economy. Our next stop Guyana. At Tuesday's Guyana Online Academy for Learning Goal Graduation Ceremony, guyana's Vice President, dr Baharat Jadio, advised young professionals to grab possibilities in Guyana's fast-expanding economy, notably in oil and gas, finance, environment and hospitality. He proposed plans for a new development bank that would provide zero-interest financing to small and medium firms to boost graduate entrepreneurship. Judeo stated that over 1,000 Guyanese companies have received over 700 million US dollars in oil and gas procurement thanks to the local content law, with almost 10,000 Guyanese working in the industry. He declared that the law will be broadened to encompass more sectors, increasing employment development. Judeo told graduates that there will be thousands of new oil and gas opportunities that they will have to prepare for and that the law they pass would be expanded to include more sectors. He told students, you will have many opportunities to work, grow and live well. In other news from the Dominican Republic Greater Santo Domingo Transportation Plan.

Speaker 2:

President Macron hailed the two nations' good relations and declared France's commitment to the Dominican Republic's infrastructure initiatives. Abinader encouraged France and the international community to promote stability in Haiti. Boat leaders praised Kenya and international security forces in Haiti. Macron indicated interest in working with the Dominican Republic on security and defense issues, including sargassum, which affects both the Dominican Republic and French Caribbean territories. Macron accepted the Dominican Republic President Abinadir's invitation to inaugurate the Santiago Monorail in 2026. Macron and Abinader's meeting took place on the outskirt of the Third United Nations Conference on the Ocean in Nice, france.

Speaker 2:

Next up, the inaugural Caribbean Film Festival begins today in Trinidad and Tobago. After this, get ready for Victory Run Block 2025. Registration is open for the Virgin Islands 5K, 10k and half marathon. Register at VictoryRunWalkVIcom.

Speaker 2:

Whether you're a Caribbean national or just want to learn more about the Caribbean, you've got the right podcast. In our newest feature, the Pulse of the Caribbean podcast interview segment, episode number 50, meet Israel Peterson, culture bearer and teacher, as he shares the rich tradition of Mukajumbi stilt dancing and its deep cultural significance in the US Virgin Islands. His passion for preserving this African heritage shines through as he recounts his personal journey from childhood fascination to becoming a master practitioner. Pulse of the Caribbean podcast. Listen online on our website, pulseofthecaribbeancom or your favorite streaming platform. This is the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 3, for the week of June 9th.

Speaker 2:

From today, june 11th, through Sunday, june 15th, port of Spain, trinidad, will host the inaugural Caribbean Film Festival with five days of vibrant cinema, culture and connection. A vibrant cinema, culture and connection From red carpets and international prepares to industry mixers and engaging seminars. The Caribbean Film Festival ushers in a new era for regional storytelling and places Trinidad and Tobago at the center of global culture. Asha Lovelace, festival director and filmmaker, hopes it will boost regional film production. Cultural strategist and executive director Melanie Jones-Powell leads the initiative with Lovelace. Over 60 films from the Caribbean and diaspora will showcase varied voices and experiences from the whole spectrum of Caribbean life. The festival will begin with the Guadalupan film Zion by Nelson Foix at Cinema One IMAX on opening night. Aside from the screening, the Caribbean Film Festival will host master seminars, symposium and cultural events like Calabash Gardens Fever, a lively Caribbean party. The festival's Caribbean Cinema Symposium alongside Carafesta 15, allows for further complementation on the industry's progress and future. In an interview with Trinidad Tobago's Newsday, aisha Lovelace stated that the film industry is shifting away from North American films and towards streaming platforms, allowing for diverse voices to be heard. She said we must make our own films and share on these channels. She said Netflix was collecting programming from other regions, and the Caribbean may be next. And here's our final note.

Speaker 2:

Richard Thompson, jamaica's acting director general at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, was a panelist at the United Nations Development Program Hurricane Ready and Resilient Forum on Tuesday, june 10. He advised micro-, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs to create business continuity plans to increase their resilience to major storms and hurricanes. At the United Nations Development Program multi-country office in Kingston, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises discuss storm loss and damage. Mr Thompson noted that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises make up 97% of Jamaican businesses and employed 80% of the workers, making them vital to the Jamaican economy. Micro, small and medium-sized businesses are especially vulnerable to hurricane impacts due to their informality, size, limited resources and lack of funding, insurance and disaster preparedness, making business continuity planning even more crucial, he said. Successful business continuity planning should focus on sustaining business function, protecting corporate assets, safeguarding employment practices and communicating with customers. Limiting company downtime and restoring regular performance quickly is critical. Mr Thompson stressed that businesses' continuity requires recovery planning In the event of a natural disaster. Owners and operators should have secure documents, plans and business concepts, especially those that rely significantly on electricity, and to have a power generating backup plan. He pointed out that businesses should make sure they are registered in order to obtain state benefits. Another important factor that business owners frequently forget June 1st to November 30th is hurricane season, as we all experience similar hurricane effects. Jamaica's Acting Director General at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Advice is regional advice for businesses.

Speaker 2:

We are one Caribbean. This podcast is brought to you by Victory Run Walk, sponsored by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Register now for the 5K, 10k and half marathon. Labor Day weekend. St Thomas, us Virgin Islands, and Diamond Key, marina, yosvendike, British Virgin Islands. Home of Foxy's Taboo and Gateway to the Bubbly Pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. Have news and information you'd like to share with us. Send news releases to news at pulseofthecaribbeancom and, if you have an interest in sponsoring our podcast, email us at biz B-I-Z, at pulseofthecaribbeancom. This has been your Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, Episode 3, for the week of June 9th.

Speaker 1:

I'm Keisha Blyden. See you next time. Be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and thank you in advance for choosing Pulse of the Caribbean Caribbean News Roundup as your source for Caribbean-centered news.