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San Jose, 24 May 2021 (IICA) – Registration is now open for the course on international trade and agriculture for the region encompassed by the Central American Integration System (SICA). The course is targeted at civil servants, and people working in the private sector who wish to learn more about international trade policy as it applies to regional agricultural trade. The virtual, self-taught course is free. Access will be provided via SIECA’s online training platform, and spaces are limited. Applications for the course “Introduction to International Trade Policy,” aimed at the agriculture sector, should be submitted by 26 May at the latest. The names…

San Jose, 24 May 2021 (IICA) – Soil, animal and human health—considered to be a single objective—is a key and decisive factor in the safety of agricultural products and in increasing the prominence in international markets of products from the Americas, according to hundreds of experts. This was the conclusion reached during the virtual forum entitled “One Health and International Trade: Basic Elements for the Transformation of Food Systems”, organized by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). The event was opened by Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, who expressed that “The ‘One Health’ approach encompasses environmental, soil, animal,…

As is customary each year, we join in the international celebration to observe Public Works Week within the month of May. It gives me great pleasure to address you as the Minister responsible for Public Infrastructure, Post and Urban Development on the occasion of the launch of “Public Works Week 2021” which will run from Sunday, May 23rd to Saturday, May 29th. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Post & Urban Development, through its Public Works Department, has organized several activities to honor the vital contribution public works professionals make every day to communities across the Federation. We also invite the general public to…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 25, 2021 (SKNIS): The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health have made a proactive decision to close all schools in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis in an effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. All public and private schools in St. Kitts and Nevis, at the early childhood, primary and secondary levels are physically closed for the next two weeks effective Tuesday, May 25, 2021, until Tuesday, June 8, 2021. On May 24, 2021, the Federation recorded six (6) new cases of COVID-19 bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 60. Forty-five…

TheMembers of the Monetary Council of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) today (Monday, May 24) utilized a public holiday to hold a special policy meeting on ‘Reinvigorating ECCU Tourism: Current Trends and Strategies’. TheSpecial Meeting was presided over by Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, Prime Minister and current Chairman of the Monetary Council of the ECCB. In attendance were members of the Monetary Council, members of the Board of Directors of the ECCU, Ministers of Tourism and their teams, as well as the Governor of the ECCB, Mr. Timothy Antoine. AtMonday’s meeting, it was noted that a joint approach…

22 May, Bridgetown, Barbados – The mere sight of bees sends us scampering in fear of being stung, however we savor their honey to sweeten our food, desserts, pastries and teas, especially a hot lemon tea when nursing a common cold. In Barbados alone, the demand for honey is estimated at 350,000 pounds on an annual basis. But bees are more than just producers of honey, a food rich in high-carbohydrate loaded with minerals and vitamins, they are critical to the pollination of many of our favorite fruits and vegetables and without them our biodiversity is at risk. The Food…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 23, 2021 (SKNIS): St. Kitts and Nevis’ Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Hazel Laws, issued advice for adults to remain safe while caring for a child who may have been exposed to COVID-19. The information was shared on Sunday (May 23, 2021) during a Special National Emergency Operations Centre COVID-19 Briefing. At the special briefing, it was announced that two additional cases of the coronavirus were detected, taking the total number of active cases to seven. Health authorities also announced that the Sandy Point Primary School is now temporarily closed as an extensive testing and contact…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 23, 2021 (SKNIS): The National COVID-19 Task Force has outlined a two-pronged approach to dealing with persons who have been placed in self or home quarantine as a result of the latest cases of COVID-19 in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. “We are going to have a two-pronged approach to maintaining and surveilling these individuals. There will be a periodic roll call that will be done by the Compliance Officers and there will be periodic visits by the Compliance Officers in collaboration with the Police Officers in that district to ensure that individuals who have…

Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 23, 2021 (SKNIS): There will be a special NEOC (National Emergency Operations Center) COVID-19 Briefing at 3:30 pm today Sunday 23rd May 2021. As usual, the briefing will be broadcast live via ZIZ Radio and Television and social media channels (www.zizonline.com).The briefing will address the latest COVID-19 situation in the Federation. -30-

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – In recent weeks, the management of the Caribbean Examinations Council® (CXC®), has engaged regional governments and other stakeholders on the conception and planning of the 2021 regional examinations. CXC® is enriched by the dialogues with Ministers of Education and other government officials, teachers and students and is proceeding in this pandemic to provide quality examinations to our students. Governance committees of CXC®, which are comprised of regional government representatives,are reviewing recommendations on CXC’s 2021 regional examination strategy that emanated from these consultations and the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Council of Human and Social Development (COHSOD) 28th Special session…