Moontown

The two longtime foes, which have had no diplomatic relations for half a century, have met three times so far to discuss cooperation on Haiti and could meet again soon, said Jorge Bolanos, who heads the Cuban Interests Section in Washington.

“We have to continue because we have not produced any agreements” on how to coordinate bilateral aid to impoverished Haiti after it was devastated by a massive earthquake that killed an estimated 220,000 people in January, Bolanos said.

“We have not produced a definition of what the US could do” to rebuild Haiti’s health system, he added.

Cuba dispatched doctors to its Caribbean neighbor to assist in the aid effort, and 700 of them remain, according to the Cuban envoy. It also opened up its airspace to the United States for aid transfers after the quake, in a gesture widely hailed by US officials.

“That shows the disposition of Cuba to cooperate with any country, including the US,” Bolanos said in English.

Cuba wants to build a hospital in Haiti, where Cuban doctors would help train Haitians to eventually manage the health center. But Bolanos said the project needed cooperation from other countries to be implemented.

“We need unity in Haiti,” Bolanos said, warning that aid to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere should not be “a charity project,” nor should it seek to divide up the country into “market segments.”

Haiti’s sovereignty must be respected by countries participating in reconstruction efforts he said, “so that the Haitian government could exercise “its authority and work for the benefit of the Haitian people, not foreign companies,” he said. (Caribnet)

Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett made this statement while addressing regional representatives at the opening session of an Amazon Regional two- day workshop at the Grand Coastal Inn, La Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara on April 20.

The workshop which was aimed at sharing conservation experiences of indigenous and local communities in and around protected areas to advance conservation of the Amazon biome (a major community of plants and animals) attracted participants from several Latin American countries, French Guiana and Guyana.

The Foreign Affairs Minister noted that Guyana is also a member of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) which aims at promoting joint action for the sustainable development of the Amazon region and its people.

She further highlighted that the country has acceded to several environmental treaties and conventions including that on climate change biological biodiversity and international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora.

Rodrigues-Birkett noted that even though reference were made to these achievements, she is fully aware that no one country irrespective of how committed it may be can address the challenges of the Amazon on its own.

“We are fully aware of the many challenges that we set this region but we believe that the recipe to address the challenges facing the Amazon is through a partnership involving the people of the Amazon, Government and the international community; and the Government of Guyana is committed to this collective responsibility to ensure lasting benefits in the context of an environmental, socio-economic and cultural development for our people not only in Guyana but in all of the countries involved,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said.

The Minister expressed pleasure that the United Nations member states are engaged in deliberations in New York at the Ninth Session of the permanent forum adding that it is a useful platform to advance issues of concern to the world’s indigenous people for their mutual benefits. One such matter, she noted included on the agenda is the issue of forest.

The workshop she said presents an opportunity for sharing of experiences and perspectives which can lead to a regional conservation and vision.

She noted that indigenous peoples have played and continued to play an important role in protecting and preserving the lungs of the world (the Amazon) and biodiversity.

“In the last decades, this stewardship has been recognised by some governments, international organisations and others and efforts have been made to create partnership for the management of our nation,” she said.

Birkett noted that for various reasons there was increasing pressure on the resources on which the country’s indigenous people depend and that it is important to examine how to manage them.
Guyana, she highlighted for the last decade and a half has attached tremendous importance to the development of its indigenous people.

“We have worked very hard on different fronts to narrow and hopefully very soon close the gap between indigenous population which numbers approximately 70, 000 and the remainder of the Guyanese population,” the Foreign Affairs Minister told regional representatives.

While pointing to the Amerindian Act which was enacted in 2006, the Minister highlighted that it includes a section on protected areas which speaks to the recognition of traditional rights and the fact that indigenous people must give consent if protected areas are to be established on their legally
recognised land.

“We have managed in the last six/seven years or so to increase the amount of land owned by our indigenous communities from 6.5% to approximately 14% at this point in time and we believe that we must continue this process. We still have more to do but it is not possible for us to be discussing protected areas and not discussing on the other hand how we move forward with land issues and…together with the communities and I would like to say it has been very successful,” the Minister said.
Another important aspect of the legislation, she stated is that the communities are given the authority to make rules for the management of those lands and enforcement capability.

The session also sought to identify institutional and policy-related constraints and opportunities to carry out conservation processes between governmental entities and local and indigenous communities and preparing a work plan to continue to share and multiply experiences. (Caribnet)

Jagdeo, who is in South Korea for the Business for Environment (B4E) summit in Seoul, said he wants Korean businesses to participate in the development of many national projects in the resource-rich state to boost mutual cooperation between the two countries.

Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo. AFP PHOTO

At a luncheon with the senior staff of the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA) on Wednesday, Jagdeo said Guyana is developing at a rapid pace and this itself can provide a number of opportunities for Korean investors.

“We welcome foreign investment and our country is a land of opportunity for overseas investors. We have lots of raw materials, such as sugar, gold and bauxite,” Jagdeo said.

The president said his government is ready to provide tax benefits for any foreign businesses who invest in the development of resource mining and the country’s enterprises.

“We also have some oil fields and natural gas. Development is just starting up now, so you can find many business opportunities there. You can even get tax exemption.”

The Guyanese leader who is expected to present Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) at the summit urged Korean companies to become involved in those projects informing them of international oil companies who have already joined development programs in the nation.

“Many international oil companies, including Shell and Exxon Mobile, are taking part in the (mining) projects. A US research center said Guyana will become one of the major producers of oil and natural gas in 10 years.”

Korean importers agreed with the president in terms of the economic potential of the nation.

“We visited Guyana earlier this year and realized many opportunities in the country. We plan to increase imports of raw materials, such as bauxite, gold and timber,” Oh Jung-nam, executive director of KOIMA, said.

They also suggested that Guyana provide tourism programs for Koreans, which will increase relationships between the two countries as well as business opportunities.

“There are many Korean tourists traveling all over the world. If Guyana can attract them, the nation may get many benefits. Providing package tourism programs, which combine other Caribbean countries with our country, could be one option,” Kim Wan-hee, chairman of Trico International and former chairman of KOIMA, said. (Caribnet)

Harold Lovell

The delegation, headed by Finance Minister Harold Lovell, met with the Fund’s executive directors for Ireland, Canada and the Caribbean; Switzerland; Germany; and the US. They also met with the IMF’s deputy managing director and the director of the Western Hemisphere Department.

Lovell indicated that the NEST plan shows a responsible approach to macroeconomic management while taking into account social safety net programmes. He stressed the need for continued support for Antigua and Barbuda from friendly nations, development partners, and international institutions.

The executive directors noted the government’s commitment to achieving fiscal and debt sustainability, as evidenced by the fact that it had already begun to implement the FCP. One of them pointed out that Antigua and Barbuda’s approach to fiscal consolidation, if successful, could serve as an example for other members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.

Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, Murilo Portugal, said the programme being pursued by Antigua and Barbuda is impressive and assured Minister Lovell of the Fund’s continued support as Antigua and Barbuda seeks to emerge from the shock of the global economic and financial crises.

Lovell and his team, which includes the financial secretary, deputy financial secretaries and debt manager, will continue their meetings on Thursday with IMF representatives and the World Bank Caribbean Country Director, among others.(Caribnet)

The site, a joint project between the UN Development Programme and the Haitian government, will promote efficient spending while “ensuring transparency and accountability of the use of their funds,” a UN statement said.

“The system tracks the money from pledge to impact,” the statement added.

UN Resident Coordinator Nigel Fisher said the project would serve two key constituencies.

“We believe it addresses all the concerns of the international community as to how the funds will be spent, by whom and for what,” he said.

“It also provides a portal through which the people of Haiti can monitor use of the funds and hold their elected representatives accountable for how those funds are spent.”

At a meeting in New York in March, 138 countries and numerous international organizations pledged to deliver 5.3 billion dollars to Haiti over the next two years and a total of 9.9 billion dollars over three years.

At least 220,000 people were killed and some 1.3 million people were left homeless by the 7.0-magnitude quake that struck Haiti on January 12, devastating the country’s capital Port-au-Prince. (Caribnet)

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — The leaders of Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago have hailed the signing of a maritime treaty between the two countries as symbolic of their historical bonds of friendship.

(L) Trinidad & Tabago Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Grenada Prime Minister Tillman Thomas (Photos by Lincoln Depradine)

Prime Ministers Tillman Thomas of Grenada and Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago affixed their signatures to the treaty at about 11.20 Wednesday morning in Port of Spain, the Trinidad and Tobago capital.

“Today,’’ said Thomas, “is testament to our shared commitment to the continued deepening of relations and cooperation between our two states.’’

Thomas said the agreement leading to the signing of the treaty is “consistent with international maritime law and conventions,’’ and is in keeping with the “mutual interest’’ of both Grenada and Trinidad.

In the case of Grenada, added Thomas, the stage is set “for the exploration and exploitation of our marine resources, which will be to the benefit of our people and the development of our nation.’’

One Grenadian maritime expert, who witnessed the signing ceremony, projects that Grenada could reap immediate benefits by establishing a body to manage the expected oil and natural resources deposited in the country’s waters.

He explained that once the proper infrastructure is in place, Grenada could be generating up to US$200 billion in revenue from oil and gas in less than three years time.

Manning called the treaty “just and equitable,’’ and described its signing as an “extremely positive development’’ for Grenada and Trinidad, and for progress in the Caribbean.

Manning referred to the historically “good neighbourliness’’ between Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, and said the treaty establishes a course for a “new direction in the relations between the two countries.’’

The treaty follows a report of a Joint Boundary Commission that met in three rounds of maritime talks.

According to Manning, the commission’s report was “well-written and well-reasoned.” (Caribnet)