VP Digital

New Zealand, CDB To Partner In Geothermal Development

THE Government of New Zealand and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) have formally confirmed their ongoing partnership in support of geothermal energy development in the Eastern Caribbean. New Zealand High Commissioner, Mrs Jan Henderson met with President of CDB, Dr William Warren Smith on Monday, to discuss progress on the implementation of the CDB GeoSMART Initiative, which has been receiving technical support from the Government of New Zealand.

NEW ZIKA CONCERNS

NEW concerns about the impact of the Zika virus in St Lucia were raised yesterday in a statement from the Ministry of Health which announced “heightened surveillance” of pregnant women confirmed with the disease.
The Ministry said presently, it is monitoring 50 pregnant women who have tested positive for the Zika Virus Disease. All of the pregnant women confirmed so far have recovered from the illness. However, given the concerns regarding pregnancy outcomes in Zika positive pregnant women, they are being monitored closely through antenatal care services.

St. Lucian Among This Year’s PitchIT Finalists

PHILIP Wells, the entrepreneur behind the mobile app startup Parent Teacher Advisor made the finals of the PitchIT 2016, which was held in Trinidad and Tobago last week. The entrepreneur was one of 25 finalists competing for more than US$75,000 in cash and prizes through the challenge organized by the Caribbean Mobile Innovation Project (CMIP). PitchIT is a competition to discover new startup and mobile app ideas from across the Caribbean. It is funded through EPIC, which is a World Bank Group and Government of Canada programme to stimulate entrepreneurship in the region.

Trevor Daniel Football Programme

BIG things continue to happen as telecom leader FLOW partners with the biggest youth development programme in St. Lucia: the “Trevor Daniel Football Development Programme” (TDFDP). Last Saturday over 300 uniforms and balls were lined up awaiting eager little hands. The recipients were the enrolled active members of the FLOW-TDFDP, a wonderful indication of the corporate giant’s continued commitment to giving back to St. Lucia in a big way.

Netball At Vigie Complex

IT’S day two of the three match netball series between Saint Maarten and host Saint Lucia that’s currently being played at the Vigie Multi-Purpose Sports complex. Weather permitting the spectacle will serve off from centre court at 7:00 p.m. The two teams will face each other in the final match tomorrow starting from 4:00 p.m. at the same venue.

Freedom of Information Act for St. Lucia?

MOST States are moving towards enactment of a Freedom of Information Act as a push towards the transparency and accountability so vital to the life of our democracies. Does St Lucia need a Freedom of Information Act or is it that our cultural proclivity for roro surpasses that legislative need? There were two highly classified documents over the last two years which one would have thought would be held in tight guard. We found out during the last election campaign that the IMPACS report was leaked, despite the then Prime Minister’s insistence that this is so highly confidential that it could not be relayed to the p

Lessons from Britain – Exceptionalism And Failure

Image of Ronald Sanders

The Brexit chickens are coming home to roost in a troubled British economy, however much British government ministers and other English nationalistic hopefuls are trying to suggest otherwise. It was a colossal mistake to hold the referendum. In the words of former Conservative Party Prime Minister, David Cameron, it “unleashed the demons”. The decision of the referendum was an even greater mistake by the English voters who favoured leaving the European Union (EU).

Festival Of Lights On Monday

Image: Many eyes lit up during the lantern display. PHOTO: Stan Bishop)

THE traditional lighting up of the City of Castries popularly known as the Festival of Lights will be observed Monday night with the theme “Celebrate Light, Celebrate Jesus”. This is the time of year when the Castries Constituency Council, in collaboration with other partners, decorate the commercial center of the capital with Christmas lights and themes signifying the birth of Jesus Christ.

New Entrance to Piton Trail

Image: The Gros Piton Nature trail

IN the continued vein of community development and the creation of sustainable employment, the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation (SRDF), officially opened and endorsed an entrance to the Gros Piton Nature Tail through the AnseL’Ivorgne Beach on Thursday. The new hiking experience encapsulates a unique adventure in which visitors are now graced with an option through which to experience the allure of the world renowned Gros Piton climb from sea level, in addition to experiencing an adventurous sea excursion and a pristine beach with therapeutic surroundings.

Persad-Bissessar Ejected From Parliament Meeting

Image of Persad-Bissessar

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Dec 9, CMC –Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was ejected from the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament on Friday after she failed to heed a ruling by the Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George on a motion of a matter of national importance. The other opposition legislators walked out in solidarity with Persad-Bissessar, who had wanted the Parliament to debate the number of murders and missing people in the country “as a matter of urgent national interest”.

Jamaica Cops To Stop And Search

Jamaica Cops To Stop And Search

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC -The police force has announced plans to increase stop-and-search operations during the festive season. Head of the Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, said there will be a surge in the number of police on the ground during the festive season to counter the increase in robberies and the large migration of criminals at this time of year.