Pulse of the Caribbean

#92 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 1 Week of August 11

• Pulse of the Caribbean

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Caribbean nations make significant strides in sustainable energy, alternative payment systems, healthcare partnerships, and digital education. The region demonstrates commitment to innovation and development through strategic investments and international collaborations.

  • Caribbean Development Bank secures $26.7 million from Green Climate Fund for renewable energy projects benefiting Barbados, Belize, and Jamaica
  • Four Caribbean Central Banks pilot alternative payment mechanism to reduce US dollar dependency for trade and remittances
  • Dominican Republic expands Santo Domingo Metro with new tunnel and trains, increasing capacity 
  • Dominica and China sign five-year agreement extending Chinese medical personnel support 
  • Turks and Caicos receives 500 Coursera licenses for digital skills training across various demographics
  •  Jamaica's Prime Minister announces general election date

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Send news releases to news@pulseofthecaribean.com. If you have an interest in sponsoring our podcast, email us at  biz@pulseofthecaribbean.com.

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 Runwalk, sponsored by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Accommodations are now available. Register at VictoryRunwalkVIcom for the 5K, 10k and Half Marathon Labor Day weekend, august 30th. 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. Welcome to the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 1 for the week of August 11th. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We start a report.

Speaker 2:

At CARICOM, the Caribbean Development Bank will undertake an innovative energy strategy valued at 26.7 million US dollars from the Green Climate Fund to benefit Barbados, belize and Jamaica. Transformation in the Caribbean. Phase 1 Program aims to accelerate distributed renewable energy, energy efficiency and other clean energy technologies. It is expected to benefit 40,700 people across Barbados, belize and Jamaica. This is a green Climate Fund First approved for Caribbean Development Bank program and signals a joint commitment to expand access to sustainable, affordable and resilient renewable energy. As storms, floods and rising temperatures increase in the Caribbean, the bank will build utility led integrated utility service models with national and regional partners to lower financial and technical barriers to sustainable energy adoption. Utility firms will provide comprehensive sustainable energy services, including support for critical technology acquisition, installation, operation and maintenance. Utility users are expected to benefit from lower cost risk and equal access, while lowering greenhouse gas emissions and boosting resilience. Phase one of the six-year program will help Barbados, belize and Jamaica. The Caribbean Development Bank will use phase two to duplicate this help in other Caribbean countries, using lessons learned in other Caribbean countries. Using Lessons Learned. The initiative was approved during the 42nd Green Climate Fund Board meeting in Papua New Guinea on July 3, 2025, with $26,073,295 in funding, the Caribbean Development Bank and partners will contribute $42,010,000 in loan and in-kind funding.

Speaker 2:

Now on to the Caribbean Central Bank. Four Caribbean Central Banks are piloting an alternate payment mechanism to reduce trade and remittances reliance on the US dollar. The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank is leading the push to alter cross-border payment and link it to Africa's system, which developed the system three years ago. Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Governor Timothy Anton announced at the Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum in Grenada that Barbados, the Bahamas, eastern Caribbean Central Bank member states and one additional country will participate in the CARICOM payment and settlement system pilot.

Speaker 2:

Now we head to the Dominican Republic. On Sunday, dominican Republic President Luis Abinader inaugurated a new pedestrian interconnection tunnel between Lines 1 and 2 and four new six-car trains for line 1 of the Santo Domingo Metro On August 10,. The enlarged fleet can carry 17,000 passengers per hour, rising to 22,000 by December, reducing peak hour congestion and enhancing travel. Five elevated stations in Santo Domingo Norte had 60-meter platforms expanded to 120 meters for longer trains. In response to demand, new trains will be added progressively to serve the over 380,000 daily traffic. The French Development Agency and the Government of the Dominican Republic funded the $260 million project.

Speaker 2:

Our next stop is Dominica. Chinese medical personnel will continue to visit Dominica under a five-year agreement between the Commonwealth of Dominica and China. The Chinese embassy hosted the signing event, which officials called a milestone in the two nations' historic partnership. Zhou Mo Ming, chinese ambassador to Dominica, called the agreement another important milestone in bilateral relations. Chinese doctors have assisted Dominica at Dominica Friendship Hospital since 2009. Dominica's Minister for Health, wellness and Social Services, kasani Laville, thanked China for its 16-year relationship and its impact. The extended protocol ensures that Chinese medical teams will support Dominica's health care system through 2030, strengthening a collaboration based on mutual respect and public health goals.

Speaker 2:

Next up, turk and Keiko's awarded full access to Coursera licenses. After this, st Thomas Virgin Islands Victory Run 2025 accommodations are now available After race registration. Book your stay and be the first occupants to stay at the Hamptons by Hilton. Stay and be the first occupants to stay at the Hamptons by Hilton, directly located at the start and finish line of Victory Run 2025. While around the bend and at the beach shore, is the beautiful Westin Resort and connecting waterfront villas of the Bowie House. Both locations are family friendly and here to accommodate you with special rates, making your stay a breeze as you gear up and get ready for St Thomas Victory Run 2025. Usvi. Book your stay now. This is the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 1 for the week of August 11.

Speaker 2:

The Turk and Caicos Islands government announced it has been accepted into the Vincular LAC Digital Skills for Future Program, a World Bank and Coursera initiative to enhance digital talent in Latin America and the Caribbean. In Latin America and the Caribbean, turks and Caicos Islands government received 500 full-access Coursera licenses, the most for any country, as a part of the initiative. This digital learning initiative will allow Turk and Caicos Islanders of all backgrounds to access free Coursera and professional certifications from Yale, johns Hopkins University, london Business School, mcmaster University, google, microsoft, meta and Facebook and others. The Turk and Keikos Ministry of Innovation, technology and Energy and the Ministry of Education, youth, sports and Culture are leading this effort. Through this program, students, civil servants, retirees and prospective entrepreneurs in the islands can receive free certificates from leading global institutions. Vincula LAC offers six months of free access for over 400 online courses and micro-credentials in high-demand fields like AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, computer programming, entrepreneurship, project management, communication and leadership, and more. The Turk and Caicos Islands government implementation strategy prioritizes students, civil servants and disadvantaged groups like parolees and retirees, with a goal of 50% female participation. And here's our final note. Dr Andrew Holness, the Prime Minister of Jamaica and head of the Jamaica Labour Party, made the formal announcement of the date for Jamaica's next general election. Holness told supporters at a Jamaica Labour Party event in Halfway Tree, st Andrew, that the general election will take place on September 3, 2025, and that nomination day will be on August 18, 2025.

Speaker 2:

This podcast is brought to you by Victory Runwalk, sponsored by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Accommodations are now available. Register at VictoryRunwalkVIcom for the 5K, 10k and Half Marathon. Labor Day weekend, august 30th. 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. 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 UK. Thanks for listening and do spread the word and share a podcast with others across the region and the diaspora. I'm Keisha Blyden. See you next time.

Speaker 1:

For more Caribbean news stories and information, visit us online at pulseofthecaribbeancom. If you found value in this podcast, 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.