Pulse of the Caribbean

#61 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 2 Week of June 16

• Pulse of the Caribbean

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Caribbean nations are implementing strategic initiatives to strengthen resilience across multiple sectors. From pandemic preparedness and healthcare worker policies to education reforms and economic diversification, the region demonstrates commitment to sustainable development.

  • Eastern Caribbean launches groundbreaking pandemic response initiative covering six nations
  • Bahamas pauses controversial Cuban healthcare worker recruitment program 
  • Guyana's president proposes expanding sugar corporation into a diversified rural economic hub
  • Dominican Republic's Puerto Plata expects nearly 1 million visitors in 2025

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Speaker 1:

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, yosemite, british Virgin Islands. Home of Foxy's Taboo and Gateway to the Bubbly Pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem.

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Welcome to the Pulse of the Caribbean. News Roundup, episode 2 for the week of June 16th. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We start our report at the Pan-American Health Organization. A groundbreaking pandemic preparedness and response effort in the Eastern Caribbean was launched this week in Castries, st Lucia, focusing on establishing resilience, integrated health systems that can better detect and respond to future health risks. The Pandemic Fund has sponsored strengthening prevention, preparedness and response to emergent health threats in the Eastern Caribbean, which will assist Antigua and Barbuda, dominica, grenada, st Lucia, st Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines. The Pan American Health Organization, world Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Bank have collaborated to implement it. The project aims to avoid outbreaks, detect them early and respond promptly and efficiently. The four key areas of focus are conducting assessments for gaps, enhancing surveillance and early response systems, enhancing laboratory diagnostics and to develop and maintain qualified health and veterinary staff. This effort exemplifies collaborative governance and multi-sectoral action, with health and agriculture included. It aims to improve Eastern Caribbean countries' technical, operational and institutional capabilities to prevent and respond to outbreaks.

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Now on to the Bahamas. Bahamas Minister of Health and Wellness, dr Michael Darville, told the Bahamas Parliament that the controversial program with Cuba to recruit teachers and health care workers has been paused. Darville announced that the Bahamian government will end its contract with the Cuban Recruitment Agency and hire Cuban health care personnel in the Bahamas directly. This comes months after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved visa restrictions against Cuban governments for forced labor in international medical missions. Two weeks ago, darville was in Cuba to assess Cuban health care worker recruitment methods. Darville told the House Assembly during the 2025-2026 budget debate that his ministry established new contractual terms with Cuban recruitment companies after conversations with US government through the Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said all further recruitment exercises of Cuban teachers and health care workers are currently on hold, pending the outcome of ongoing discussions between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Bahamas and their relevant counterparts in the United States. The Bahamas Prime Minister, philip Brave Davis, told reporters in May that the Bahamas was renegotiating its labor agreements with Cuba and would pay all foreign workers directly.

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Our next stop is to British Virgin Islands. The British Virgin Islands Education Minister, sherry DeCastro, has restored interest in public education after years of struggling to attract and retain teachers. Citing the government's compensation hikes, the British Virgin Islands public school teachers received salary increases as a part of the government's remuneration review. The starting wage for certified public school teachers in the British Virgin Islands is now $55,000. Decastro welcomed an increase in application from skill instructors and government trainees for high school and college graduates. With these advances, the minister encouraged BVI lenders at home and abroad to submit applications for teaching in the British Virgin Islands. The education minister has directed the H Lavity Stout Community College to raise faculty compensation to match elementary and secondary school adjustments. Now we head to Guyana.

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Guyana's president, dr Ifram Ali, believes Guyana's sugar corporation, gaisuco, must grow to promote rice and cassava to boost rural economic development. He announced the news on Monday at the 77th anniversary of the Enmore Martyrs Guy Succo's role. Expansion must be planned strategically, the president suggested Guy Succo's role may be. The president suggested Gai Sukar's role may need to be redefined. Why is sugar the only requirement? Gai Sukar must become a rural economic hub. He said President Ali believes Gai Sukar's land, infrastructure and knowledge can support rice, corn and cassava. He added that it can support livestock operations, agro processing hubs, farmer training and extension, fabrication and engineering. He emphasized Gaisuko and sugar workers' goal to diversify crops, skills and income. The president proposed co-investing with Gaisuco workers to generate new economic activity. The president proposed co-investing with Gaisuco to generate new economic activity. Next up, the Dominican Republic's Puerto Plata expected expected. Next up the Dominican Republic Puerto Plata expects nearly 1 million visitors in 2025.

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After this, this is the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode two for the week of June 16th. One of Jamaica's greatest artisan marketplaces, kingston Craft Market, is getting internet service from the Jamaica Universal Service Fund. Charlton McFarlane, ceo of the Universal Service Fund, said that the program is part of the organization's efforts to improve connectivity in economic and small business settings. He said the fund is working with craft market managers nationwide in Jamaica to give Internet connection to stimulate trade and entrepreneurship. Mr McFarland told the Jamaica Information Service News that the project is one of numerous Universal Service Fund partnerships to boost national growth through technology. Universal Service Fund enforces its duty to provide information and communication technology to underrepresented people and industries. The Kingston Craft Market Project and other Universal Service Fund projects are helping Jamaicans get the digital skills they need to succeed in a contemporary economy.

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And here's our final note. Rigoberto Gomez, the Dominican Republic's terminal manager, says that Puerto Taino Bay in Puerto Plata expects to see between 900,000 to 950,000 visitors this year. He also says that even more people are expected to come next year. Gomez said that the port gets between 9 to 15 cruise ships a month during the low season and up to 35 to 40 ships a month during the high season. He said that everything is going well and that most people are quite happy with the destination and their whole experience.

Speaker 1:

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, yosemite, 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. 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 two for the week of June 16th. Here's a shout out to our listeners in Jamaica. Thanks for listening and do spread the word. Share our podcast with others across the region and the diaspora. I'm Keisha Blyden. See you next time.