News
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EDITORIAL – Misdirected IMF debate
KINGSTON, Jamaica – IT IS the considered position of this newspaper that much of the public discussion about Jamaica's negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is misdirected, of limited value, and does little to advance an understanding of the issues facing the island's economy and how to make things better. Essentially, what we have engaged in is keeping time…
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PNP, IMF – year one
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The first year of this new People's National Party (PNP) administration has been a mixed bag. Among the things under its control, there (have) been spectacular lows, but no spectacular highs. There have been promises kept and pledges broken. There has been talk on specific issues but no commensurate action and, as the world knows by now,…
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PM says brace for harsh conditions
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has acknowledged the reality of harsh conditions that may accompany an International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement expected to be finalised during this New Year. “This new year will bring stark realities into focus, Jamaicans are capable and we must live up to the challenges, our people have what it takes to…
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Haiti’s Long Road
On the eve of the third anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in January 2010, the country remains in a fragile state. Billions of dollars in aid and lofty promises to “build back better” have brought it only so far. A recent article by Deborah Sontag of The Times showed, in disheartening detail, the distance between hope and reality.…
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Year of Environment declared in Haiti
President Michel Martelly on Tuesday declared 2013 as Haiti's Year of Environment and called on citizens to join government efforts to preserve the country's ecosystem. Speaking at a ceremony in northern Haiti to commemorate the 209th anniversary of Haitian Independence, Martelly also urged every Haitian to plant a tree this year. Haiti is currently in an “ecological catastrophe,” according to…
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Fiscal consolidation inevitable in the Caribbean – says IMF
WASHINGTON, CMC – An International Monetary Fund (IMF) working paper says since growth in the current global economic environment is “virtually nonexistent,” significant fiscal consolidation is inevitable in the region. The paper, dubbed “The Challenges of Fiscal Consolidation and Debt Reduction in the Caribbean,” examines debt dynamics in the Caribbean and discusses policy options for reducing the high debt levels.…
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A spectacular display of talent unfolds at the CARICOM Secretariat
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkey, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Monday 26 November continued the unveiling of the prodigious array skills and talents that reside within the walls of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Georgetown. The occasion was the opening of the CARICOM Staff Talent Celebration 2012; an activity which has formed a main part of the Secretariat’s calendar. This year,…
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CARICOM Youth dub social media interaction a resounding success
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) More than 9, 000 young people logged on to new media platforms on Thursday afternoon, to participate in a two hour social media interaction with the CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque. Dubbed Live with SG and hosted by the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors, the live social media interaction facilitated by Dominican based COMESEE TV in…
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2nd CARIFORUM International Financial Services Conference
On October 30-31, the 2nd CARIFORUM International Financial Services Conference took place in Antigua and Barbuda at the Sandals Grande Resort. The two-day conference examined the emerging framework of governance of international finance and new non tax business models to guide the future of Caribbean financial centres in an increasingly competitive international environment. Just over a hundred experts and practitioners…
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CARICOM CEBO project provides entrepreneurship training for regional youth
As the unemployment rate continues to escalate, especially among young people who comprise about 64% of the region’s population, job creation is one of the most challenging tasks facing Caribbean governments today. By no means confined to the Caribbean, youth unemployment is a global problem, with the International Labour Organization (ILO) saying that 70 million young people are actively, but…
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