January 14 2019

MINISTER OF FINANCE TO PRESENT 2019 BUDGET ON FEB 4TH

The 2019 Budget will be presented by Minister of Finance Hon Camillo Gonsalves in Parliament on Monday February 4th 2019.

A release from the Office of the Prime Minister’s Office indicates that the Budget Debate will be preceded by the debate on the 2019 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure on Tuesday January 29th 2019.  According to information from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Budget Debate will be preceded by the debate on the 2019 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure on Tuesday January 29th 2019.       

Consultations are being held with various sectors, in preparation for the final presentations. The 2018 Estimates had amounted to $993,535,449  , a 1.7 percent increase over the approved budget for 2017.

TRADE UNION REPRESENTATIVES HOLD DISCUSSION WITH PRIME MINISTER AND OTHER OFFICIALS

A number of matters were discussed by representatives of unions and Prime Minister Dr. Hon Ralph Gonsalves, Minister of Finance Hon Camillo Gonsalves and other relevant officials at a meeting which was held last Friday.

Speaking on Star Radio on Friday evening Dr. Gonsalves outlined some of the matters that were raised during the meeting that was held with representatives of the National Workers Movement NWM and the Commercial Technical and Allied Workers’ Union CTAWU.

PM Gonsalves also pointed out that one of the central agreements arrived at was that of a salary increase and retroactive payments in 2019 and two percent in 2020.  However, the Prime Minister informed that three of the unions the Teachers’ Union, the Public Service Union and the Police Welfare Association which were scheduled to be a part of Friday’s meeting did not turn up because they refused to comply with a particular security measure at the Office of the Prime Minister.

PM Gonsalves noted that the thee unions missed out on an opportunity to be a part of important discussions but further stated that the wok of the government and country must go on.

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN TAIWAN MAKES DONATION TO MINISTRY OF HEALTH

A medical team from the Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan has donated five Hemoglobin A1C (HA1C) machines worth over EC$100,000.00 to the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment.

The team which is here to commence a pilot project geared at preventing and controlling Diabetes made the donation last Friday 11th January 2019. The machines are used to analyze hemoglobin/glucose levels and will be placed at five different pilot health centers in the country.

Director of International Medical Service Centre, Dr. Yung-Wei Hsu in his remarks said, “we all face challenges such as climate change, Non-Communicable Diseases NCDs and Diabetes is one issue.” The International Medical Service Centre Director added that the HA1C machine is a vital tool for diabetic care and management and that the donation serves as a token of their love for this country.

Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment, Hon. Luke Browne, thanked the team for its kind gesture. Minister Browne revealed that a Vincentian team was trained at the Mackay Memorial Hospital for the provision of medical support to this project. He also noted that HA1C is a “critical piece of equipment” for Hemoglobin analysis; since current readings from the machine can analyze glucose levels three months prior to test. Minister Browne lauded the healthcare professionals noting that “they’ve selected the best of the best”. The team in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment will host a workshop showcasing the pieces of equipment and other aspects of Diabetic management at the Methodist Church Hall from today Monday 14th - 17th January 2019.

VINCENTIANS INVITED TO APPLY FOR ALTS IN JAPAN  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce has issued an invitation for Vincentians to apply for Assistant Language Teachers (ALTS) under the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme 2019.

The Programme provides an enriching opportunity for Vincentians to work in Japan. The ideal candidates should meet the following criteria:

· A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in English Language and/or Education

· TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) certification/training

· A valid driver’s license

· Be in good health

· Teaching Experience would be a valuable asset

· The participant should be single or unaccompanied as there will only be accommodation for one person.

Officials in the Department of Foreign Policy and Research in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce indicate that the deadline for applications is March 8, 2019 and application forms and other guidelines can be accessed on the Ministry’s website www.foreign.gov.vc. Applications should be submitted to the Bilateral Unit in the Ministry on or before the deadline.

RSVGPF STATES REPORT BY ANN NEWS NETWORK IS TOTALLY FALSE 

In response to an online publication by ANN News Network (ANN NEWS) on its website on 11.1.19 that a resident of Barrouallie was shot by members of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force and later died: The Public Relation and Complaints Office of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force has informed that the report is totally false and erroneous. 

Police say they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Osborne Rodgers, 21 years of Barrouallie/Pole Yard, Arnos Vale.  According to preliminary investigations, on Thursday, 10.01.2019 between 11:00pm and 11:59 pm at Arnos Vale (Pole Yard) Rodgers received a single gunshot to the right side of his chest and succumbed to his injuries. A post-mortem examination will be conducted on the body the ascertain the cause of death.

Investigations into this homicide continues and the police are urging anyone who may have information that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrator(s) to call the ACP in charge of Crime at 1784-456-1339, the Officer in Charge of South-Central Division at 1784-458-4200, the Officer in Charge of CID at 1784-456-1810 or any Police Station.

DIGICEL READY TO ROLL OUT NEW FIBRE OPTIC INFRASTRUCTURE

With the recent announcement that Digicel is ready to roll out its new fibre optic infrastructure, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines is set to enter a new era of global competitiveness and economic development.   Investment in this state-of-the-art technology helps to ensure SVG’s future: providing a faster, more reliable Internet service on island.

Digicel’s Country Manager, Fanta Williams said, “Digicel has been – and will continue to be – the catalyst for new technology. This fibre optic network will positively impact the lives and livelihoods of Vincentians; making even faster internet speeds available.” 

The DIGICEL FIBRE experience promises wider coverage, broader bandwidth, faster connections and a crystal clear video service that won’t fade or disconnect in inclement weather - all for a very competitive price. It is ideal for businesses, improving efficiency in the office and on-the-go. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing (in a technological sense) just got a whole lot faster – and smarter!

DIGICEL FIBRE additionally paves the way for new opportunities in healthcare, including remote access to doctors and diagnostics.  It also puts Vincentian students on an equal footing with their tech-savvy peers throughout the world. One of the most important features of DIGICEL FIBRE is its reliability and climate resilience. Whatever the weather conditions, the network will remain dependable with no interruptions to data transmission. 

Infrastructure for DIGICEL FIBRE connections to private businesses is slated to roll out throughout 2019. This will happen in step with the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program, also known as the CARCIP project – one of Digicel’s more significant undertakings in the region. Phase 1 of the CARCIP project will connect every Government building to the new high-speed fibre network. Schools and hospitals will follow, making 21st century initiatives - such as Smart Cities, Safe Cities, Connected Health and Advanced Learning - a reality.  

For more information on DIGICEL FIBRE and the CARCIP program, please visit
www.digicelgroup.com/carcip Pre-register for our new service today, and receive an amazing discount on your plan. 

EMBASSY OF THE ROC ON TAIWAN CONTINUES TO OFFER CLASSES IN MANDARIN

Vincentians are being offered the opportunity to learn Mandarin as classes are continuing to be offered at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College. According to the Embassy of the Republic of China on Taiwan this is the 6th year that the classes are being offered at the Community College at the Beginner and Intermediate levels.

The classes are provided for students and for persons who are interested in learning Mandarin after work. Siao An-Huei, a professional Mandarin teacher dispatched by the Taiwan ICDF, has been teaching Mandarin in the Community College since 2014.

The courses are one aspect of mutual co-operation between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She was assigned by the Taiwan ICDF not only to teach Mandarin in the Community College but also to exchange Taiwanese culture with the students of the College. 

REGIONAL 

BARBADOS GOVERNMENT PUTS TEMPORARY FREEZE ON BORROWING

The Barbados government has put a temporary freeze on borrowing even as it reported an improvement in the island’s economic position.  “Over the next four years the Barbados government will not borrow any new funds. To put the impact of that into context, over the past four years the government of Barbados has borrowed almost two billion (one Barbados dollar=US$0.50 cents),” said Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Marsha Caddle, adding “that’s two billion dollars of new Barbadian savings that were drawn into and trapped by government debt”.

According to regional reports Caddle, speaking at the 2019 planning conference for the Barbados Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, said the island’s debt had already declined from near 170 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in May last year to 124 per cent this year. She said last May, reserves stood at BDS$400 million, but the government’s US$290 million Extenal Fund Facility (EFF) agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international financial agencies including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have helped to improve the economic situation in the country. She said in bringing the economy to this new place, the Mia Mottley administration has also settled one of the largest domestic debt restructurings exercises in the island’s history. But she said that unless the government provides new safe avenues for persons to invest, those excess funds run the risk of sitting idly in banks, as the current rate of interest being offered is close to zero.

4.2 MAGNITUDE EARTH HITS PARTS OF TRINIDAD

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 rattled parts of the capital late on Sunday night, but there were no reports of damage or injury.
 

The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) said that the quake, which occurred at 11:18 pm (local time) was also felt in Venezuela.
 

It said that the quake, which is the latest in the series of tremors to rattle several Caribbean countries in recent days, was located Latitude: 10.50N, Longitude: 62.61W and at a depth of 93 kilometres (km).
 

The SRC, which has been warning the Caribbean to be prepared for a major earthquake, said that the latest tremor was felt 123 km west of Port of Spain, 71 km east south east of Carúpano, and 104 km north east of Maturín in Venezuela.  On Sunday, several countries in the region were rocked by a magnitude 3.4 earthquake.
 

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that at 7:29 am (local time) the tremor affected the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, St Martin, Sint Maarten, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St Kitts Nevis, US Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla and St Barthelemy.

USAID, CARICOM SECRETARIAT,  UNICEF AND LYNCS TO HOST SUMMIT ON YOUTH CRIME AND VIOLENCE

To combat youth crime and violence in the Caribbean, a region that has the highest rate of victimization by homicide, assault, and threat in the world, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the CARICOM Secretariat, UNICEF, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission, and the Caribbean Learning for Youth Networking and Change Sessions (LYNCS) Network will host a two-day summit to examine and redefine violence prevention solutions.

The Caribbean Summit on Youth Violence Prevention, held in Georgetown, Guyana on January 15-16, will convene leaders from youth movements, governments, civil society, development organizations and academia, to design transformational youth-centered action to combat crime and violence and address constraints that youth activists face in improving safety outcomes in their communities. The Caribbean Summit on Youth Violence Prevention 2019. Hosted by USAID’s Community, Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) Program in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat, UNICEF, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission, and the Caribbean Learning for Youth Networking and Change Sessions (LYNCS) Network Tuesday, January 15 – Wednesday, January 16, 2019 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. GYT each day Guyana Marriott Hotel Georgetown Block Alpha, Battery Road, Kingston, Georgetown.