AVON TO END OPERATIONS IN 16 CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES—02/14/15
Avon Product Incorporated has decided to end its operations in 16 Caribbean nations. According to a company spokesperson, the firm will not accept orders from Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas, and other Caribbean countries, although it plans to continue service in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is unknown how many sales representatives will be affected by the discontinued operations. Avon intends to focus its resources on making improvements to its business in the United States.
GENDER GAP EVIDENT BETWEEN MEN, WOMEN IN CARIBBEAN BUSINESSES—02/15/15
Women in the Caribbean are doing better in business than men, according to the International Labor Organization. Women in the region are frequently the chief sources of support for their families, and the United Nations has found that women are making considerable advances in professions that have traditionally been dominated by men. Jamaica has the highest percentage of female bosses in the world, according to the UN study. Almost 60 percent of the managers in Jamaica are women.
ENHANCED SURVEILLANCE FOR MEASLES RECOMMENDED FOR CARIBBEAN—02/16/15
The United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO) believes that there should be enhanced surveillance in Caribbean countries to prevent the spread of measles. Measles is one of the top causes of death among young children in the world. WHO, along with the Pan American Health Organization IPAHO) reported 147 confirmed cases of measles in the four nations in the Americas in 2015.
CAMPUS OF CARIBBEAN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OPENS IN INDIA—02/17/15
Caribbean Medical University is opening a satellite campus in India. This campus will be the first
international bridging program for a pre-med campus in Punjab that has links to US/Canadian hospitals’ for its clinical rotations. Classes are scheduled to being in May 2015 at the 16,000-square-foot campus, which includes an onsite hospital designed to enhance learning experiences for students. The campus also includes research labs and state-of-the-art technology.
CARIBBEAN NATIONALS BECOME U.S. CITIZENS ON PRESIDENT’S DAY—02/18/15
According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), 5,000 individuals across the country will become new U.S. citizens on President’s Day 2015. Among them will be many Caribbean nationals. President’s Day honors the birth of George Washington, the first U.S. president and all other presidents who followed him in the office.
BAHAMIAN PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH EXECUTIVES—02/19/15
The Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Perry Christie, held a meeting with executives of Bahamas Striping Group of Companies concerning a proposed $50 million partnership between public and private entities. The partnership is expected to address the country’s ageing infrastructure. A subsidiary of Bahamas Striping, Caribbean pavement Solutions, has proposed revitalizing, sealing, and protecting roads and runways across the country.
