CARIBBEAN NEWS: October 4th – 10th, 2014

BAHAMIAN SCHOOL OPENS COMPUTER LAB WITH CORPORATE HELP—10/04/14
The Garvin Tynes Primary School in the Bahamas opened a new computer lab thanks to a donation from the Caribbean Bottling Company and Aetos Holdings Ltd. Jerome Fitzgerald, the nation’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology, was present to officially launch the new facility, which will benefit the 1,177 students at the school.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SUPPORTS WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM—10/05/14
The Dominican Republic is throwing its support to the Queens of the Caribbean, its women’s volleyball team. The team is one of the best in the world, and it is showing that it deserves this status at the World Championship in Italy. After finishing 17th in 2013 at the World competition in Japan, the team came back with a 7-0 record and is moving into the second round on the way to the championship.

COOPERATION STRONG BETWEEN CARIBBEAN AND EUROPE—10/06/14
In September 2014, the Caribbean celebrated European Cooperation Day by focusing on special projects in the French overseas territories. The Regional Council of Guadeloupe organized the event marking the cooperative efforts in collaboration with the Regional Councils of Martinique, French Guiana and St. Martin local authorities. Highlighted projects were those supported by the INTERREG IV Caraibes program.

CHARDELLE MOORE DEBUTS AT INTERNATIONAL REGGAE WINE EVENT—10/07/14
In spite of hosing several dancehall shows in Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., in the United States, and despite being a former Ms. Caribbean Metro USA, Chardelle Moore has never visited Jamaica. She will correct this situation on October 18, 2014, when she will host the fourth staging of the Jamaica International Reggae Wine Festival in Montego Bay. Moore was born in Dominica, but moved to the U.S. as a child. She has covered the Caribbean for various media outlets and hosts a weekly multicultural television program in D.C. where there is a large Caribbean community.

CARIBBEAN BANKING ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LAW—10/08/14
The Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) believes that Guyana should enact amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act of 2009. The CAB believes the amendments should be passed because the law does not only affect Guyana, but it also concerns the entire international financial sector. Carlton Barclay, chairman of the association, says the entire system is only as strong as its weakest link, and the amendments are meant to strengthen the entire system.

TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS GRANTS, TRAINING OFFERED IN ST. VINCENT—10/09/14
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is moving toward the creation of a new group of local entrepreneurs by providing government grants to fund business incubation and training. The grants are geared sat businesses that offer technology-enabled services. They will also provide appropriate training through local institutions. The program is part of an incentive seeking to encourage a new kind of entrepreneur in the Caribbean. Similar programs are being provided by St. Lucia and Grenada.