Ever since Ursula Andress took her sensuous stroll out of the surf at Dunns River Falls in 1962s Dr. No, theres been a love affair between the James Bond movies and the Caribbean.

And the sultry relationship continues right through the latest in the 25-film franchise, 2020s No Time to Die, which like the original takes place party in Jamaica. (Its slated for a premiere in November).

The pairing of a sleek British agent with a license to kill, and the laid-back tropics may seem incongruous at first glance. But Ian Fleming, the former intelligence officer who penned 14 James Bond books, had a home in Jamaica, and often featured the islands in his books, which inevitably made their way into the film adaptations, as well.

007 has a broad reach in the Caribbean and you can travel to all of these destinations just by watching a Bond film right now.

Jamaica: The most 007 address in Jamaica is Goldeneye, Ian Flemings former home in Oracabessa thats now a beautiful boutique hotel, part of Chris Blackwells Island Outpost group. Among the lodging options is the Fleming Villa, designed by the author himself and where he wrote all of his James Bond books four of which were set at least in part in Jamaica. GoldenEye, by the way, was named after one of Flemings wartime intelligence missions.

Dr. No introduced the world to Sean Connery as 007 and Andress as an iconic Sixties sex symbol, clad in an unforgettable belted white bikini complete with diving knife as she met James Bond on the fictional Crab Key in reality, Dunns River Falls and Laughing Waters Beach.

In fact, most of the movie was set and filmed in Jamaica, with many locations still recognizable more than half a century later, including the Bauxite terminal in Ocho Rios, Kingston, the Blue Mountains, the White River, Montego Bay, the Morgans Harbor Hotel in Port Royal (now the GrandPort RoyalHotel), and the former San Souci resort, now Couples San Souci (Roger Moores room was D20).

Sans Soucis lobby, gift shop, hibiscus cottage, spa terrace, main beach and entrance all have cameos in Live and Let Die.And even the underground lair of the title character in Dr. No where Bond destroys to prevent an attack on an American space capsule is located in Jamaica in the story.

Another villainous hideout, that of Mr. Kananga in 1973s film version of Live and Let Die, also has Jamaican roots: scenes were filmed in the Green Grotto Caves in Runaway Bay. A villa (Cottage 10) at Half Moon (then the Half Moon Bay Club) was James Bonds (Roger Moores) hotel room during his visit to the fictional island of San Monique in Live and Let Die, where 007 confronted snakes, a villainous waiter, and a beautiful double agent as well as spending the night with Rosie Carver. Cottage 10 remains at the Founders Cove section of Half Moon and can be reserved by guests.

The Jamaican Safari Village near Falmouth is where the scene where several bad guys are dispatched in a pool full of alligators (the attraction is now known as the J. Charles Swabys Black River Safari). And the grounds of the Rose Hall Great House also featured in several scenes in the movie, including a memorable chase through poppy fields.

James Bond will return to Jamaica in 2020s No Time to Die, which was partially filmed in Port Antonio, where the storyline has Bond (Daniel Craig) retiring after years of hard service in the British intelligence agency MI6. Theres also some speculation that the film may include the reincarnation of Dr. No, complete with his Jamaican hideout at Crab Cay.

The Bahamas: Nassau and several other Bahamas locations also have made repeat appearances in James Bond films over the years, and original James Bond actor Sean Connery is a longtime resident of Lyford Cay, a gated community on the western tip of New Providence Island, where Nassau is located.

As Bond, Connery visited the British Colonial Hilton in downtown Nassau in not one but two films: Thunderball and the off-brand Never Say Never Again. The unmissable yellow-walled beachfront hotel retains much of the colonial charm evident in the movie.(Some underwater scenes in Thunderball were also filmed in Exuma at the now-famous Thunderball Grotto.

Other instantly recognizable Nassau locations are all over Thunderball, which includes a Junkanoo parade on Bay Street. The original Cafe Martinique where Bond meets baddie Largo and Bond Girl Domino is long gone, but you can visit a reproduction in the Marina Village at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. Nassau also makes an appearance in The Spy Who Loved Me the dramatic final showdown was shot at Coral Harbor. Oddly, however, scenes in License to Kill that were supposedly set in Bimini were in fact shot in Key West.

Daniel Craigs James Bond spends a lot of time on Paradise Island in 2006s Casino Royale, which features scenes shot in the lobby of the then-One&Only Ocean Club (now the Four Seasons Ocean Club) as well as one of the resorts beach villas (#108), where Bond seduces Solange, the girlfriend of movie villain Dimitrios. The poker game in the movie was filmed in the resorts library. The neighboring Atlantis resort and the Nassau airport also appear in the film.

The Bahamas also served as a shooting location for the Roger Moore 007 film For Your Eyes Only (the memorable underwater speargun fight) and for The World is Not Enough (the underwater submarine scenes), which starred Pierce Brosnan.

And theres even a rum distillery. Sort of. The opening scene of Casino Royale is set in Madagascar but actually filmed in The Bahamas, with the Nambutu Embassy scenes filmed at what is now the John Watlings Distillery.

Puerto Rico: Pierce Brosnans Bond also pays a visit to Cuba in GoldenEye, where he fights an epic battle with a renegade double O agent played by Sean Bean (later Ned Stark in Game of Thrones), but its actually all filmed in Puerto Rico, in the massive radio telescope bowl at the Arecibo Observatory.

Haiti: Quantum of Solace, the 2008 Bond film starring Daniel Craig, includes a key sequence set in Haiti. However, it actually was filmed in Panama City.

Cuba: The 2002 Pierce Bronan Bond film Die Another Day also includes scenes set in Havana, Cuba, but filmed in Spain.

Read more from the original source:

On the Trail of James Bond in the Caribbean, From Jamaica to Nassau - Caribbean Journal

The Caribbean, long referred to as theWest Indies, includes more than 7,000 islands; of those, 13 are independent island countries (shown in red on the map), and some are dependencies or overseas territories of other nations.

In addition, that large number includes islets (very small rocky islands); cay's (small, low islands composed largely of coral or sand) and a few inhabited reefs: See Belize.

In geographical terms the Caribbean area includes the Caribbean Sea and all of the islands located to the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico, east of Central America and Mexico, and to the north of South America. Some of its counted cay's, islands, islets and inhabited reefs front the handful of countries that border the region.

TheBahamas and Turks and Caicos are not considered a part of the Caribbean, however, we show them here because of their cultural, geographical and political associations with the Greater Antilles and other Caribbean Islands.

At the beginning of the 15th century the population of the Caribbean was estimated to be nearly 900,000 indigenous people immediately before European contact.

Then in 1492, Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer began his exploration of the Caribbean, becoming the firstEuropean to venture into the area.

After reportedly landing in the eastern Bahamas, Columbus named these islands theIndies, because he thought he had finally reached Asia (and the East Indies).

Numerous explorers followed in his path, then tens of thousands of settlers arrived from the Americas, China, European countries and India. Included in that mix were religious outcasts and a small army of pirates.

Across the Caribbean, slaves fromAfrica were imported in great numbers to work the sugar and tobacco plantations.

By then the indigenous populations of the islands were in severe decline as exposure to disease and brutal genocide wiped out much of their number.

Great military powers continually fought for control of the islands, and finally, a blended mix of African andEuropean cultures and languages transformed this large group of islands and its peoples into one of the premier tourist destinations on the planet.

Long called theWest Indies, the overall area is now commonly referred to as the Caribbean, a name that became popular after World War II.

Over the last few decades legions of travelers have journeyed to the Caribbean to enjoy the amenities. They frequently arrive in cruise ships that sail in and out, from ports in Florida and Puerto Rico.

Overall the Caribbean is a magical place of palm trees, white sand beaches, turquoise waters and sunshine, all blessed with a climate that consistently offers a much-needed break for those stuck in the cold weather doldrums of the north.

If you haven't been, you should, and if you've been here more than once, you will come again, as these islands, these beach-ringed, jungle-covered rocks are home to thousands of historical surprises and activities galore.

So come wiggle you toes in the sand, and eat and sleep under the stars in the Caribbean.You won't be disappointed.

The rest is here:

Caribbean Map / Map of the Caribbean - Maps and Information ...

KINGSTON, Jamaica The Director-General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Manuel Otero, says the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic provides a situation for the Caribbean to develop food security strategies and greater efforts to increase self-sufficiency.

Approximately 20 countries in the hemisphere are net importers of food. Each year the Caribbean region alone draws a cheque for six billion US dollars to feed 44.5 million people, Otero said, adding, we must again reassess the role of family farmers, who, ironically, although pivotal in ensuring food self-sufficiency, are the adjustment variable in times of economic uncertainty.

These farmers supply close to 60 per cent of the food demand in the hemisphere. This situation requires us to focus on policies that benefit these producers, emphasizing areas such as associativity, extension services, access to technology and agricultural insurance.

But he warned that the new generation of pests, and diseases affecting men and women, crops and animals, such as Fusarium on bananas, locusts, and African Swine Fever, create the need for sophisticated surveillance and agricultural quarantine services, as a means of reinforcing the importance of health intelligence and prospective monitoring.

Otera said that the world is witnessing the spread of a new pandemic and less than four months since it first erupted, this emergency is rocking the world, and we are not yet able to foresee what life will be like in a few months, when this dramatic event is finally over.

But he said amidst the confusion, fear and disorientation, we can draw some conclusions and identify preliminary lessons.

The first is obvious. This situation is having a greater impact on economies that are excessively dependent on one sector, such as tourism, petroleum or agricultural raw materials. The structural, long-term antidote to this is diversification.

Otero said that the slowing down of trade is also endangering peoples ability to fully exercise their right to food, especially in countries with an extremely high agricultural trade deficit.

In some cases, it seems that there may be insufficient labour to transport goods, especially over long distances, although, this is not affecting the food supply at the moment.

Otero said that the regional countries will have to strengthen national and regional innovation and development systems before the developed countries leave them behind completely.

See the article here:

Caribbean Must Prepare Against Food Shortages because of COVID-19 - caribbeannationalweekly.com

This blog is the first in a series providing regional analysis on the effects of the coronavirus.

By Alejandro Werner

, , Espaol, Franais, , Portugus,

COVID-19 is spreading very quickly. This is no longer a regional issueit is a challenge calling for a global response. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have been hit later than other regions from the pandemic and therefore have a chance to flatten the curve of contagion.

Efforts on multiple fronts to achieve this goal are underway. In addition to strengthening health policy responses, many countries in the region are taking measures of containment, including border closures, school closings, and other social distancing measures.

For the region, a 2020 with negative growth is not an unlikely scenario.

These measures, together with the world economic slowdown and disruption in supply chains, the decline in commodity prices, the contraction in tourism, and the sharp tightening of global financial conditions are bringing activity to a halt in many Latin American countriesseverely damaging economic prospects. For the region, the recovery we were expecting a few months ago will not happen and a 2020 with negative growth is not an unlikely scenario.

Deep impact

The resulting increase in borrowing costs will expose financial vulnerabilities that have accumulated over years of low interest rates. While the sharp fall in the oil price is expected to benefit the oil importing countries in the region, it will dampen investment and economic activity in countries that are heavily dependent on oil exports.

In the event of a local outbreak, service sector activity will likely be hit the hardest as a result of containment efforts and social distancing, with sectors such as tourism and hospitality, and transportation particularly affected.

Moreover, countries with weak public health infrastructures and limited fiscal space to ramp up public health services and support affected sectors and households would come under significant pressure.

The economic impact of the pandemic is likely to vary due to regional and country-specific characteristics.

South America will face lower export revenues, both from the drop in commodity prices and reduction in export volumes, especially to China, Europe and the United States which are important trade partners. The sharp decline in oil prices will hit the oil exporters especially. The tightening of financial conditions will affect negatively the large and financially integrated economies and those with underlying vulnerabilities. Containment measures in several countries will reduce economic activity in service and manufacturing sectors for at least the next quarter, with a rebound once the epidemic is contained.

In Central America and Mexico, a slowdown in the United States will lead to a reduction in trade, foreign direct investment, tourism flows, and remittances. Key agricultural exports (coffee, sugar, banana) as well as trade flows through the Panama Canal could also be adversely affected by lower global demand. Local outbreaks will strain economic activity in the next quarter and aggravate already uncertain business conditions (especially in Mexico).

In the Caribbean, lower tourism demand due to travel restrictions and the fear factoreven after the outbreak recedeswill weigh heavily on economic activity. Commodity exporters will also be strongly impacted and a reduction in remittances is likely to add to the economic strain.

Policy priorities

The top priority is ensuring that front-line health-related spending is available to protect peoples wellbeing, take care of the sick, and slow the spread of the virus. In countries where there are limitations in health care systems, the international community must step in to help them avert a humanitarian crisis.

In addition, targeted fiscal, monetary, and financial market measures will be key to mitigate the economic impact of the virus. Governments should use cash transfers, wage subsidies and tax relief to help affected households and businesses to confront this temporary and sudden stop in production.

Central banks should increase monitoring, develop contingency plans, and be ready to provide ample liquidity to financial institutions, particularly those lending to small and medium sized enterprises, which may be less prepared to withstand prolonged disruptions. Temporary regulatory forbearance may also be appropriate in some cases.

Where policy space exists, broader monetary and fiscal stimulus can lift confidence and aggregate demand but would most likely be more effective when business operations begin to normalize. Given the extensive cross-border economic linkages, the argument for a coordinated, global response to the epidemic is clear.

Countries are starting to take policy initiatives in this direction. For example, additional funds are being secured for health spending in many countries including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. Moreover, Brazil announced an emergency economic package on March 17 that is targeted for supporting the socially vulnerable, maintenance of employment, and combatting the pandemic.

For our part, the IMF stands ready to help mitigate the economic fallout from the coronavirus and we have several facilities and instruments at our disposal.

In closing, I would like to iterate the importance of decisive actions by all of us to limit the economic fallout from the coronavirus and avert a humanitarian crisis. The Fund stands ready to assist and work with member countries in these difficult times.

The IMF and Covid-19

View post:

COVID-19 Pandemic and Latin America and the Caribbean: Time for Strong Policy Actions - International Monetary Fund

KEY POINTS

Travel bans and cancelled airplane flights are damaging the all-important tourism industry across much of the Caribbean.

While Jamaica, the Bahamas and Guyana have postponed their annual carnival celebrations, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe and Anguilla remained closed to visitors.

Jamaicas tourism minister, Edmund Bartlett, went so far as to claim the tourism industry was facing imminent closure.

[Travel warnings will] be the deciding factor in hotels, attractions and other tourism entities remaining open or closed, Bartlett said after the U.S. issued an advisory against travelling abroad. Survival is the key right now.

Hotels across Jamaica have closed, throwing thousands out of work.

The Spanish hotel chain RIU, which owns several hotels in Jamaica, said: We are facing an unprecedented situation that requires us to take exceptional measures.

Bartlett hopes these closures will only be temporary.

In fact the entire world is following that position [closing markets for travel]. It is proven that the optimal way to deal with the virus now is to prevent the movement of [people] from one location to the other, Bartlett said.

World Travel and Tourism Council reported that travel and tourism either directly or indirectly represented 34% of Jamaica's 2018 GDP, 31% of employment and nearly 60% of total exports.

Tourism activity in Jamaica jumped to 4.2 million arrivals in 2019 from 2.8 million in 2010, partly buoyed by investments in facilities and domestic infrastructures like highways.

The United States accounted for 66% of total arrivals in 2018, followed by Canada at 16% and the U.K. at 9%.

After Canada advised its people against overseas travel, the senior strategist in Jamaicas tourism ministry Delano Seiveright said: Canada is our second largest market for stopover arrivals, representing roughly 15% of the business. It's a huge blow but expected given current trends globally which lean towards restriction of nonessential travel.

The Chairman of the Montego Bay Chapter of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association Robin Russell said members of his association have reported waves of cancellations and postponements.

Right now we have a few bookings but most of our forward bookings are not materializing and also they are being cancelled. People are calling and cancelling their reservations right across the membership, said Russell, who also manages Deja Resorts in Montego Bay.

Russell thinks layoffs are inevitable.

I know that there is at least one property in Negril that is already closed. I can [understand] if there is no business, that properties will either have to close or scale down, he said. A lot of the larger properties and these tour operators have closed down their operations temporarily [in] Jamaica. The small properties also depend on these tour operators and closing down their operation simply means there is no business. When airlines have cancelled up to 80% of their international flights the destinations are going to be affected.

John Byles, executive director of Chukka Adventures, said: The cruise lines have stopped operations for 30 days; [there are also] travel restrictions worldwide and some [are] our international partners. It's a major shock. We are in the midst of the shock right now, it's going to be [this way] for a period of time.

Thus far, Jamaica has confirmed 19 cases of the virus and no deaths and imposed air and sea travel restrictions.

This is a difficult time; we all understand what is happening in the global space and that tourism is the first casualty because of how vulnerable we are to travel. However, the government is taking steps to ensure that there is a cash grant to each person who has lost his or her job as a result of COVID-19, Bartlett said. The resilience of tourism makes it able to recover very quickly and grow and do much better than other industries.

Moody's, the U.S. credit rating agency, offered some hope by citing that Jamaica's large primary surplus and sufficient international reserves will allow the government to alleviate losses suffered by its tourist industry.

While we expect growth to slow from declining tourist arrivals, the effect on Jamaica's external accounts will be partially offset by the high import content of tourism earnings, which will reduce the country's import bill. Moreover, lower oil prices will also have a positive effect on Jamaica's current account, Moody's said. We believe that the country has sufficient fiscal and external buffers to cope with a shock in the tourism industry, limiting the immediate credit negative effect.

Tourism accounts for more than 15% of the Caribbeans annual gross domestic product. The sector was already reeling from hurricane damage even before the emergence of the coronavirus.

An overall contraction in domestic short-term economic growth is inevitable, said the Bahamas deputy prime minister, Peter Turnquest.

Cuba has essentially shut down its tourism sector for one month by banning most air travel arrivals to the island for at least 30 days.

Miguel Daz-Canel, the president of Cuba, encouraged the 60,000 tourists currently in the country to leave the country immediately.

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero said most government-run hotels will close by next week and that hotel workers who lose their jobs will be transferred to other state-owned enterprises.

Cubs has confirmed 21 cases of the virus one of them, an Italian tourist, has died.

Cuba received about 4 million tourists last year, a drop from 4.7 million the prior year.

The Dominican Republics tourism sector will suffer an intense fall due the coronavirus pandemic, warned, Frank Rainieri, president of Puntacana Group, a resort and residential community.

Rainieri said both the country and tourist industry will suffer the consequences of an intense drop in tourist activity which will bring about a difficult situation for all.

In 2019, the Dominican Republic generated income of $11 billion from tourism, supporting more than 300,000 jobs.

Three of the biggest sources of tourism, Spain, Italy and the U.S. have imposed travel bans and facing their own health emergencies.

We have a weakness, this [virus] is a disease that has not been generated [within]the country that until now has not spread, but we have an enormous risk, because this country, its main economic activity is tourism, said the Administrative Minister of the Presidency, Jos Ramn Peralta

Original post:

Coronavirus Threatens Tourism Industry In The Caribbean - International Business Times

(Buzz Caribbean) Cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to climb in the Caribbean, fuelling fears of an impending widespread outbreak across the region.

As at 1:11 pm Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT) on Wednesday, March 25, an alarming 775 cases have been confirmed by respective health officials in 29 countries and territories across the Caribbean. To date, only St Kitts and Nevis, and the British Virgin Islands are yet to be affected by the pandemic.

Across 9 countries, there are a total of 15 coronavirus-related deaths. An additional 13 cases have closed as patients recovered from the illness in the Dominican Republic (three), Cuba (one), French Guiana (six), Aruba (one) and Jamaica (two).

Dominican Republic: 67 new cases; 312 confirmed. Six patients have died.

Guadeloupe: 11 new cases; 73 confirmed. One patient has died.

Trinidad and Tobago: Five new cases; 57 confirmed.

Martinique: Four new cases; 57 confirmed. One patient has died.

Puerto Rico: 12 new cases: 51 confirmed. Two patients have died.

Cuba: Eight new cases; 48 confirmed. One patient has died.

French Guiana: Four new cases; 27 confirmed.

Jamaica: Four new cases; 25 confirmed. One patient has died.

Barbados: One new case; 18 confirmed.

Aruba: Five new cases; 17 confirmed.

US Virgin Islands: No new cases; 17 confirmed.

St Martin: No new cases; eight confirmed.

Dominica: Five new cases; seven confirmed.

Haiti: One new case; seven confirmed.

Suriname: One new case; seven confirmed.

Curaao: Two new cases; six confirmed. One patient has died.

Cayman Islands: One new case; six confirmed. One patient has died.

Bermuda: No new cases; six confirmed.

The Bahamas: One new case; five confirmed.

Guyana: No new cases; five confirmed. One patient has died.

Antigua and Barbuda: No new cases; three confirmed.

St Lucia: No new cases; three confirmed.

Saint-Barthlemy: No new cases; three confirmed.

Sint Maarten: No new cases; two confirmed.

Grenada: No new cases; one confirmed.

St Vincent and the Grenadines: No new cases; one confirmed.

Monserrat: No new cases; one confirmed.

Turks and Caicos Islands: No new cases; one confirmed.

Belize: No new cases; one confirmed.

More:

COVID-19 Watch: Caribbean islands surge past 750 confirmed cases of coronavirus - Antigua Observer

There was a time when the Pirates of the Caribbean films ruled the box office, and it was a given that a new entry would go on to become a blockbuster. These films were preceded and followed by a number of similar features as well, though, and if youre jonesing for a lot of adventurous fun, then this list is for you.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 10 Ways Real Life Pirate History Influenced The Franchise

Weve taken into account the blend of comedy, action, among many other things that can be found in the Pirates of the Carribeanseries to bring you the collection of these films. The backdrops may vary for these movies, but the entertainment value is definitely to be found here.

A gallant boy is adopted by a king for his bravery, becoming a prince of Persia. As a man, he is framed for the death of his father by his evil uncle and hunted for this crime. Realizing he can use an enchanted dagger to turn back time, the prince goes on a quest to set the timeline right.

Considered as one of the best video game-based movies, Prince of Persia has a fun feel to it right from the start, as the story shifts from one location to another with the prince picking up new friends along the way.

In the Old West, a mismatched duo are tasked by the president to rescue kidnapped scientists by a man who has sinister intentions to use a weapon like none other. Unfortunately, their constant bickering makes things harder than predicted.

While its known today to be the film that Will Smith chose over starring in The Matrix, Wild Wild West is actually a pretty fun film. The chemistry between the lead pair is hilarious, and watching them trip and stumble toward becoming heroes is silly fun.

In the early adventures of Han Solo, the smugglers background is explored as we see how he rose up the ranks to meeting his trusted friends and establishing his name across the galaxy. We find more than a few surprises in this origin story.

Having a central comedic theme is something Star Wars didnt attempt before Solo, and it made for a worthy attempt as the film has a charming cast who make Hans see-saw journey worth a ride. Its links to the main series also serve up plenty of Easter eggs.

After giving up his memories of Neverland and his time as the leader of the Lost Boys, the adult Peter is swooped back into his former life when Captain Hook resurfaces. Faced with finding the inner child in himself again, Peter reunites with his old friends for a final adventure.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 5 Reasons The Franchise Deserves Another Chance (& 5 Why Disney Should Let It Die)

In one of Robin Williams more beloved films, regardless of critical opinion,Hook serves up both nostalgic value and a bag of laughs. Its a well-meaning film whose adventurous spirit transcends its relatively simple premise.

Thousands of years in the past, the mercenary Mathayus undergoes a perilous journey to bring down a brutal ruler and avenge the death of his brother. As he completes his mission, he sets in motion the events that lead to him becoming the Scorpion King.

The first leading role for The Rock in Hollywood, this film captured the spirit of the fantasy-adventure genre, being an entertaining romp through dangerous obstacles. Bringing his trademark comedic talents to the forefront, The Rock shows us why hes such a draw for audiences by excelling in all departments.

A vigilante dons the identity of Zorro, a moniker passed down to him by the original in order to gain revenge on the evil governor responsible for the death of his father. As he goes through with his plans, he learns the meaning of what makes one a hero.

Before superhero movies and TV series were all the rage, The Mask of Zorro gave audiences a taste of swashbuckling entertainment. Its character development is a thing of its own, supplemented well by the many action-packed moments that have a genuine feel to them.

A boy is told an extraordinary tale of love, friendship, and adventure by his grandfather. This story sees a common man go up against an evil prince to save the one he loves, complete with fantastical elements and new comrades.

Considered a classic in cinema, The Princess Bride is a film where you cannot go wrong, as it features characters of all kinds with their own blend of comedic wit. The style of the movie is one that accommodates older and younger viewers, and its whimsical nature makes it an evergreen watch.

After his father is killed by his evil uncle, Arthur goes on a journey to reclaim his right as king, starting with becoming the master of the fabled sword Excalibur. With his uncle having powers of his own, Arthur prepares to fight for his legacy.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 5 Ways The Franchise Aged Perfectly (& 5 Ways It Did Not)

Its a shame this film slipped under the radar, as it was planned to be the first in a six-film series around King Arthur. Unlike the dire theme the trailers made it out to have, the movie actually is pretty breezy fun featuring a tried-and-tested format that viewers enjoy.

An adolescent with a thirst for adventure is taken aboard a massive literal ship in space, he finds himself joining the alien crew venturing across galaxies seeking danger. However, the long-sought Treasure Planet brings with it peril and betrayal in the journey.

A film that takes its adventurous tone and runs with it, Treasure Planet is the unorthodox film you want since the genre usually has a set format, something that is averted here. With dazzling visuals and a futuristic twist in the pirate genre, youll find this to be an underrated gem.

Siblings Evie and Jonathan enlist the help of adventurer Rick OConnell, in order to uncover the City of the Dead. Unfortunately, they end up accidentally releasing a horrifying Mummy who brings in a cursed plague. Faced with no choice, the heroes step forward to stop this evil creature from taking over the world.

A lot of the success of the adventure genre belongs to The Mummy, which revived interest in the industry for these films. The film combines comedy with action, and even horror, in a way that makes for a delightful feature that has incredible replay value and loads of nostalgia factor.

NEXT:Pirates Of The Caribbean Franchise: 5 Reasons Why It Is Still Great (& 5 Reasons Why It Is Outdated)

Next10 Best Val Kilmer Movies Ever, Ranked (According To IMDb)

Saim Cheeda is an entertainment writer covering all of Film, TV, Gaming and Books. He's been a writer for Valnet since 2017, contributing 500+ articles for The Gamer, The Things, Game Rant, Comic Book Resources and Screen Rant. Apart from freelance writing, Saim is a lifestyle blogger, co-owning the blog 3 States Apart.http://3statesapart.com

Excerpt from:

10 Movies To Watch If You Love Pirates Of The Caribbean - Screen Rant

By Martn Rama, Chief Economist, Latin America and Caribbean (LAC), The World Bank

This article was originally published in the Winter/February 2020 edition of International Banker

After a period of rapid economic growth associated with high commodity prices, the Latin America and Caribbean region has entered a new phase of lackluster performance. In a recent report, we at the World Bank assessed whether deep South-North trade agreements, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and European Union-Mercosur (Mercosur members include Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) deals signed last year, could be a source of new dynamism. The answer is a resounding yes, but the spatial and environmental impacts of the agreements require attention.

During the golden decade of high commodity prices, the growth rate of Latin America and the Caribbean lay somewhere in between that of advanced economies and the more vigorous results of other emerging markets, especially in Asia. Not anymore: for the last three years, the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of the region has been around two percentage points lower than that of the much richer advanced economies, in a clear sign of economic divergence. In 2019, it did not even reach 1 percent.

There is variation within the region, but it is not wide enough to modify the big picture. Overall, countries in the Pacific and the Caribbean subregions have done better than those in the Atlantic subregion. This last group of countries comprises Mercosur members, as well as Venezuela, which has experienced a dramatic economic meltdown. A few individual countries continue to do well, but the largest economies in the region have faced recession, macroeconomic turbulence or growth deceleration. And across the region, a wave of social unrest serves as a reminder that local populations expect much more.

It would be tempting to attribute the sluggish growth of the region to a less conducive external environment or to trade-related tensions. But commodity prices have stabilized in recent years, and the terms of trade have slightly improved for the region. Also, trade diversion from the US-China tension might have benefitted some countries in the regionespecially Mexico and Brazil. The slowdown is in large part related to the problems in local economies, not just to the outside world.

A possible contributor to the sluggish economic growth of the Latin America and Caribbean region is its relatively low integration in international trade and global value chains. Exposure to world markets brings in more choices and fosters competition. Selling abroad requires reaching high-quality standards and meeting tight deadlines. And in the process of trading with more advanced economies, much is learned about technical innovations and management practices.

A standard measure of a countrys external openness is the ratio of its international trade to its overall economic activity. In practice, this ratio is often computed by adding up exports and imports of goods and services and then dividing by the countrys GDP. By this measure, the Latin America and Caribbean area has the lowest external openness among all developing regions

The regions inward orientation is in part the result of economic-policy choices. Some of those choices are related to explicit tariff barriers. Other policy choices are related to logistics and trade facilitation, including limited competition in port and transport services, deficient infrastructure and burdensome customs procedures. And then, there are non-tariff barriers, under the form of licensing procedures or sanitary inspections. Some of them are justified for public health and other defensible reasons. Many may reflect disguised protectionism.

Measuring policy choices related to international trade is challenging. Explicit tariffs are easy to quantify for individual products, but converting a slow port or a burdensome customs administration into an equivalent price surcharge may require multiple assumptions. Aggregating tariff and non-tariff barriers across sectors of activity, or for the entire economy, raises an additional methodological complication.

However, regardless of the metric used, the Latin America and Caribbean region is among the most protectionist developing regions (Figure 1). And not surprisingly, barriers to international trade are highest among countries in the stagnating Atlantic subregion.

Figure 1. The Latin America and Caribbean area has among the highest trade barriers of all regions

Such inward orientation may come as a surprise, given the large number of preferential trade agreements signed by countries in the region over the last few decades. Some of the most significant regional initiatives are the Andean Community agreement (1969), the Caribbean Community or CARICOM (1973), the Latin American Integration Association or ALADI (1980), Mercosur (1991), the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreements or CAFTA-DR (2004) and the Pacific Alliance (2012).

By now, the number of agreements per country is the highest among all developing regions. Given that agreements may involve varying numbers of countries on each side, a defensible way to conduct the comparison is to count the number of bilateral trade agreements signed by each country participating in an agreement. For example, when Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay joined Mercosur, each country signed three agreements, so, in total, 12 (4 times 3) bilateral trade agreements were signed. By this way of counting, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have signed 441 bilateral trade agreements over the last half-century. So, how come they remain so inward-oriented?

The answer is that most of these agreements are South-South rather than South-North. In fact, until the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, with Mexico as one of its members, these agreements were all intra-regional. Only in recent years have South-North agreements become more common, especially among countries in the Caribbean and the Pacific subregions. The latest examples of South-North agreements are the renegotiation of NAFTA as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the EU-Mercosur Agreement, both of them signed over the last 12 months.

Figure 2. Most trade agreements in Latin America and the Caribbean are intra-regional

While all preferential trade agreements create export opportunities, some offer much better possibilities because they provide access to bigger and richer markets, and they enable knowledge exchange with more advanced economies once implemented. Thus, the potential for productivity transfers embedded in the exchange of goods and services may vary substantially across trade deals.

To account for market size, each trade agreement can be weighted by the product of the GDP of the two signing parties measured as a share of global GDP. This way of counting obviously increases the importance of those that involve an advanced economy. By this metric, the 110 bilateral trade agreements signed under ALADI become equivalent to the two agreements signed by Mexico under NAFTA.

Further, to account for learning effects, each trade agreement can additionally be weighted by the degree of economic sophistication of the signatories, as measured by their Economic Complexity Index (ECI). The ECI computes the diversity of a countrys exports and their ubiquity, as reflected in the number of countries in the world that produce them. By this more telling metric, it takes the equivalent of two ALADI agreements to reach the same economic potential as NAFTA.

Not surprisingly, it also appears that the share of South-North agreements in the total (weighted) number of trade agreements signed by each country is much higher in the Caribbean and Pacific subregions than on the Atlantic side of the region.

South-North agreements also tend to be deeper than South-South agreements. Many of them reach beyond tariff reductions to cover through legally enforceable provisions new policy areas such as customs procedures, cross-border investments, competition policies, public procurement, state-owned enterprises and intellectual-property rights. By comparison, Mercosur includes very few provisions beyond tariffs, and even those have proved difficult to enforce.

A new analysis was conducted by my team to assess the growth impact of trade agreements of different sorts. The analysis builds on data from 60 economies over the last six decades. The results confirm that a positive relationship exists between trade openness and economic growth. They also show that trade openness carries the risk of heightened macroeconomic instability. However, this second regularity hides quite a lot of heterogeneity. When the 60 countries are split based on their ECIs, it appears that in less-complex economies, greater openness is associated with substantially larger volatility, whereas the opposite is true in more complex economies (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Volatility falls with trade openness in more complex economies

These results imply that trade integration may lead to better economic outcomes if it results in an increase in economic complexity. A comparison between NAFTA and Mercosur is telling in this respect. A simple before-versus-after comparison shows that the volume of trade unambiguously increased in both cases. But while Mexicos ECI was boosted by the agreement, there were almost no changes in the ECIs of Mercosur countries, with the possible exception of Paraguay.

A more rigorous econometric analysis based on the panel with 60 countries over six decades confirms that preferential trade agreements lead to greater trade and that the type of agreement matters. A South-North agreement tends to expand the trade volume of a typical developing country by around 12 percent of GDP over time, 5 percentage points more than a South-South agreement. A South-North agreement also increases the ECI of a typical developing country by 25 points, on a normalized scale from 0 to 100. On the flip side, signing a South-South agreement with other developing countries tends to reduce the ECI score of a typical developing country by as much as five points. Considering the ensuing dynamics, a typical developing country would be around 2 percent richer a dozen years after entering into a South-South agreement but 10 percent richer if a South-North agreement had been signed instead.

Based on these findings, USMCA and EU-Mercosur, the two milestone South-North agreements signed in 2019, could reinvigorate countries with economic growth that has once again stalled. But there could be negative impacts on other fronts.

Trading with countries that have substantially different comparative advantages may entail more economic restructuring than trading with similar countries. Deep agreements also bring in changes affecting the entire economy, such as higher labor standards or greater market competition. And by stimulating the development of sectors with higher carbon emissions, or potentially leading to deforestation, these agreements can also have environmental impacts that need to be assessed as well.

A detailed analysis of the expected impacts of the USMCA and the EU-Mercosur deals, conducted by my office, shows that they will not entail major structural transformation. Agriculture and livestock production will expand in Mercosur countries and skill-intensive manufacturing in Mexico. But except for a few activities, changes in output and employment are not expected to be dramatic. Moreover, there will be both expansion and contraction within aggregated sectors, with the effects roughly offsetting each other, so that the overall structure in terms of agriculture, manufacturing and services will remain almost unchanged.

Income distribution should not change much either. Because the agreements do not lead to major structural restructuring, and they are bound to be implemented gradually, no major losses in sectoral employment are expected. Needless to say, by encouraging soy and livestock production, the EU-Mercosur agreement will boost land rent. But skilled workers will also benefit considerably in Mexico as will unskilled workers in Mercosur countries.

At the same time, these two agreements will have consequences requiring attention. The spatial concentration of economic activity implies that some municipalities, departments and districts will strongly benefit, while others will be adversely affected (Map 1). Similarly, substantial growth impacts will lead to greater carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions, and the expansion of livestock production in Brazil could result in substantial deforestation (Map 2).

Map 1. A potentially greater spatial polarization in Mexico

Map 2. Livestock production will expand mainly in Brazils Serrado region

In sum, at a time when the multilateral avenue to trade integration does not look promising, deep South-North agreements offer a chance for Latin American and Caribbean countries to export to bigger and more sophisticated markets, to integrate themselves into global value chains, and to learn and increase their productivity along the way. But infrastructure, regulatory and administrative bottlenecks need to be removed for this to happen.

At the same time, it would be unwise to downplay the tradeoffs associated with greater trade integration. As with most major reforms, there will likely be winners and losers. Spatial divergence could be amplified, and specific areas could suffer. Meanwhile, carbon-dioxide emissions would increase and the forest-covered surfaces decrease. These downsides call for place-based policies to redress the imbalances and for environmental policies to offset the damage.

References:

The World Bank, Semiannual Report of the Latin America and Caribbean Region, October 2019

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Martn Rama is currently the Chief Economist for the Latin America and Caribbean region of The World Bank. From 2013 to 2018, he held the same position for the South Asia region, based in Delhi. Previously he was the Director of the World Development Report 2013 on Jobs. From 2002 to 2010, he was based in Hanoi, where he led the economic program of The World Bank in Vietnam.

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Reinvigorating Economic Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean: Can deep trade agreements help? - International Banker

Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) today issued the following update on the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the region:

Turks and Caicos Islands

TCI Travel Advisory # 3

The Emergency Powers (COVID-19) Regulations 2020.

BORDER CLOSURE

The Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Tourism and Tourist Board continue to work along with the Ministry of Health as we prepare for the possibility of coronavirus (COVID-19) reaching the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Turks and Caicos Islands as of today 20th March 2020 reported zero confirmed cases of COVID-19 virus.

The safety and security of the travelling population is our major concern. We would like to advise visitors and travel industry partners of the recent changes in regulations that will affect travel to the destination. Please take note of the following: The Emergency Powers (COVID-19) Regulations 2020 which will come into operation on 24th March 2020.

Closure of Airports and Sea Ports

(1) For the purposes of preventing, controlling and suppressing the spread of the virus

(a)all airports shall be closed to regional and international flights;

(b) all sea ports shall be closed to regional and international seafaring; and

(c) no visitor shall be permitted to enter or transit through the Turks and Caicos Islands,for a period of twenty-one days, commencing on the date these Regulations come into force or until such date as the Governor may be notice specify.

(2) The restriction contained in subregulation (1) does not apply to

(a) outgoing flights or outgoing ships, as the case may be;

(b) cargo flights or cargo ships, as the case may be;

(c) courier flights;

(d) medevac flights;

(e) technical stops (stops by aircraft to refuel and proceed onward to another destination);

(f) emergency flights approved by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Airports Authority; or

(g) a Turks and Caicos Islander or resident returning to the Islands.

(3) A Turks and Caicos Islander or resident who, at the date of commencement of these Regulations, had travelled to the Islands from a place outside the Islands, shall be

(a) subjected to screening and passenger tracing at port of entry;

(b) subjected to clinical examination at port of entry;

(c) for the purposes of surveillance by the Chief Medical officer, required to remain at home or such other place of quarantine as specified by the Chief Medical officer and subject to such conditions as are provided by the Chief Medical Officer, for a period of fourteen days.

Screening Requirements

(a)answer questions about his health or other relevant circumstances (including travel history and information about other individuals with whom he may have had contact);

(b)produce any documents which may assist a medical officer in assessing his health;

(c)at such time as a medical officer may specify, allow a medical officer, to take a biological sample the person, including a sample of his respiratory secretions or blood, by appropriate means including by swabbing his nasopharyngeal cavity, or provide such a sample; and

(d)provide sufficient information to enable the person to be contacted immediately by a medical officer during such period as a medical officer may specify, where the medical officer considers that such provision of information is necessary in order to reduce or remove the risk of the person infecting or contaminating others.

Please be reminded that: As of March 17th the list of infected countries in Regulation 2 of the Public and Environmental Health (Control Measures)(COVID-19) Regulations 2020 has been amended to include the following additional countries which are experiencing sustained in country transmission and may pose a risk to the public health of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

This list is based on the CDCs travel advisories which lists the following countries as having widespread ongoing transmission (level 3 warning). The expansion includes the following countries;

In addition to the above screening protocols, travellers coming from such states will be asked to monitor themselves for symptoms over the subsequent 14 days and if they develop symptoms, then immediately call the Ministry of Heaths Coronavirus hotline: (649) 333-0911 and (649) 232-9444.

The government continues to monitor this fluid situation and will update the general public regularly.

Saint Lucia

OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

MEASURES TO ADDRESS COVID-19:

The Government of Saint Lucia has announced the Implementation of Heightened Protocol and Social Distancing Regime with measures which come into effect from Monday 23rd March to Sunday April 5th 2020. The measures announced by Prime Minister Honourable Allen Chastanet are as follows:

Partial scale down of all non-essential economic and social activities for a two-week period commencing from date of Monday 23rd March to Sunday April 5th 2020

ESSENTIAL SERVICES WHICH WILL CONTINUE INCLUDE:

Emergency Services: Fire, Police as well as private security services.

Border Control: Saint Lucia will strengthen, tighten and escalate port health protocols as part of its heightened protocols.

Utilities (Wasco, Lucelec, telecoms),

Sanitation collection and disposal,

Supermarkets/minimarts/shops, bakeries, & pharmacies,

Petrol/Gas stations,

Air and Seaports operations (to facilitate cargo handling and US flights if they are still flying, to allow for return of nationals returning home)

Limited public transportation services,

Limited banking services,

Trucking services related to movement and delivery of essential supplies and the food chain.

Restaurants and Fast Food services only those who do take away/take out, delivery or drive through capabilities will be allowed to open

News and Broadcast Services

Manufacturing activities related to production of food, water and products of personal hygiene

Providers of Cleaning Services

PLEASE NOTE: Those operations and business that can continue delivery of services under a working-from-home environment are encouraged to do so. Businesses which cannot operate with work-from-home will shut down for the stipulated time period.

Martinique

Due to the spreading of the Covid-19, the French Government has established several measures to contain and decrease the spread of the Coronavirus on all its territory. Therefore, The Martinique Authority (CTM), the Martinique Tourism Authority, the Port of Martinique, the Martinique International Airport, the Regional Health Agency (A.R.S.) along with all establishments of the public and private sector are taking an active part against the spread of the virus ensuring the safety of its local residents and present guests.

However, with this unexpected turn of events, all guests are strongly advised to return home.

Below is a summary of the restrictions implemented in Martinique:

Airports: In accordance to the French Government travel restrictions, Martinique International Airport is not allowing inbound flight (leisure, family visit etc..) to the Island. And as a further step to stop the spread of COVID-19, all international flights to/from Martinique are interrupted starting March 23rd, 2020.

Air service will only be authorized for:1) The reunification of families with children or dependent person,2) Professional obligations strictly necessary for the continuity of essential services,3) Health requirements.

Flights from Martinique to France will be maintained until March 22, midnight; transport capacity will then be reduced to the same three criteria.

The same regulations apply between the 5 French overseas Islands: Saint-Martin, Saint-Barth, Guadeloupe, French Guyana and Martinique.

Cruise operations: The Martinique Port Authority has stopped all cruise calls scheduled for the season. Requests for technical stops will be treated case by case.

Container transport activities are still maintained, as well as oil and gas refueling.

Maritime Transport: Due to the important decrease of passenger capacity allowed by the French authorities; all maritime transportations are suspended.

Marinas: All activities at Marinas are discontinued.

Hotels & Villas: Due to travel restrictions, most hotels and villa rentals are bringing their activities to a close, while waiting for the departure of their last guests. No new guest will be allowed, and all the amenities such as pools, spa and other activities are closed to the public.Leisure Activities & Restaurants: Due to the quarantine implemented by the French Government, leisure activities, restaurants & bars are closed to the public. Only restaurants inside hotels with guests are still operating, until the departure of their last visitors.

Economic Activities: In accordance to the restrictions in effect, all businesses are closed, and public transportation is no longer in operation. An exception is made for vital activities such as supermarkets, banks and pharmacies.

All the residents have the obligation to remain in confinement until further notice. For any necessary purposes such as food supply, sanitary reasons or essential work activities, an exemption certificate, available on the Prefecture of Martiniques website, is mandatory.

The Bahamas

BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISM & AVIATION STATEMENT ON COVID-19

NASSAU, Bahamas, March 20, 2020 The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation is following guidance from the Bahamas Ministry of Health and other government agencies pertaining to the countrys Preparedness and Response Plan for COVID-19. At this time, there are four confirmed cases of coronavirus in Nassau, The Bahamas. Patients are isolated in quarantine following the guidelines outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To further protect the well-being of Bahamian citizens, Prime Minister, The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis, yesterday announced increased preventative measures and protocol to minimize the potential spread of the illness. These include new border control and quarantine measures for persons travelling from highly infected areas, as well as an imposed curfew extending each night from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. effective Friday, March 20. Given the growing public health concern and to protect the health and well-being of the population of The Bahamas, effective Thursday, March 19, expanded travel restrictions were introduced. Foreign nationals and foreign individuals who have travelled within the last 20 days from United Kingdom, Ireland and other countries in Europe will be prohibited entry into The Bahamas. This is in addition to restrictions already in place for China, Iran, Italy and South Korea. This restricted travel list of countries will be continuously monitored and updated as necessary.

The Bahamas is conducting COVID-19 testing and is actively employing several measures used globally to screen visitors and residents and to manage the response to individuals of concern, in line with international health best practices. Traveller health questionnaires and a screening protocol are used at ports, hotels and rental properties to identify guests who may require surveillance or treatment. In addition, all Bahamian nationals and residents returning to The Bahamas through any point of entry from any of the restricted countries or an area where community infection and spread is present will be quarantined or be placed under self-isolation upon arrival and are expected to follow the protocols of the Ministry of Health.

A destination-wide education campaign is underway to remind the public of the basic hygiene practices that can be used to prevent the spread of the virus including frequent, proper hand washing, use of hand sanitizers, frequent disinfection of surfaces and avoiding close contact with those exhibiting signs of respiratory illness.

All COVID-19 inquiries should be directed to the Ministry of Health.

Grenada

GRENADAS UPDATED RESPONSE TO THE THREAT OF COVID-19

The Government of Grenada through the Ministry of Health (MOH) continues to work with all stakeholders to implement strong measures in response to the external threat of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Grenada remains well-informed of the latest international developments while implementing measures to safeguard citizens and visitors alike. To date, Grenada has no confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The Government of Grenada issued the following travel advisory on March 19, 2020. Countries placed on Grenadas restricted travel list now include: Iran, China, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Europe including the United Kingdom and Ireland and the USA.

1) Effective Friday March 20, 2020 at 23:59pm, non-nationals originating from the above mentioned countries in the last 14 days will be refused entry into Grenada. 2) Effective Saturday March 21, 2020 at 23:59pm the USA will be added to the advisory as per the stipulations outlined above. 3) Grenadian nationals/residents travelling from any of the above locations will be selfquarantined for a period of 14 days upon arrival into Grenada. 4) If you are arriving from any other destination outside the list above you will be screened upon entry, and self-quarantined for 14 days. 5) Before disembarking, every passenger is required to complete a declaration form on his/her health status. 6) On March 16, the Government of Grenada announced that passengers will not be allowed to disembark from ANY cruise ship on the shores of Grenada, until further notice. 7) All yachts and small vessels will now be processed/screened through the Camper and Nicholson Port Louis Marina in Grenada and Carriacou Marine in the South West side of Tyrrel Bay in Carriacou. (T: 473 443 6292)

Pure Grenada, the Spice of the Caribbean remains committed to delivering an outstanding experience to all our visitors. The health and safety of our visitors and citizens alike is of the utmost importance to us. We wish to remind you to continue to practice all safety and health protocols outlined by the Government. For those of you returning to your country of residence during this period, please contact your travel agent to make the necessary arrangements

Given the fluidity of the global COVID-19 pandemic, please note that all air travel and cruise ship advisories are subject to change, as more information becomes available. For further information please visit the Government of Grenadas webpage or the Ministry of Healths Facebook page at Facebook/HealthGrenada. The Ministry of Health has advised the public to continue using proper hygiene methods when they cough and sneeze and to practice social distancing.

Cayman Islands

As of Wednesday,18 March2020 there are no additional casesof COVID-19 in the CaymanIslands.There are currently44 test results pending.

Inbound passenger air traffic will cease tonight, Thursday, 19 March, as scheduled in preparation for a complete closure of both ORIA and CKIA

Read more from the original source:

Caribbean update on COVID-19 situation in the region - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News

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Cruise ship with COVID-19 patients docks in Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba (AP) A British cruise ship rejected by Caribbean port officials for weeks docked in Cuba yesterday to unload more than 1,000 people who were on-board, including five with confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The Braemar arrived in the port of Mariel early in the morning. Passengers leaving the ship were being taken by medical workers in protective gear to Jos Mart International Airport, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) east of the capital, Havana.

Most of the 682 passengers were expected to arrive in London this morning on planes chartered by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. Passengers with the coronavirus or flu-like symptoms were being flown to a British military base on a separate plane.

Meanwhile, Cuba announced its first death from the coronavirus, a 61-year-old Italian tourist who was one of 10 confirmed cases on the island.

The Braemar has been sailing the Caribbean since late February and was turned away by the Dominican Republic, Barbados and The Bahamas. Cuba said it is allowing the passengers to transit as an act of humanitarian solidarity.

Our country has the resources and means necessary to carry out a successful operation, Health Ministry spokesman Jos Ral de Armas told reporters yesterday.

St Lucia PM tests negative for COVID-19

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) Prime Minister Allen Chastanet has tested negative for COVID-19 after he had been experiencing a mild cough following a recent travel history to Miami for medical attention, the Ministry of Health said yesterday.

It said that in an abundance of caution Chastanet had opted to place himself in voluntary quarantine and that a sample was taken for testing by the relevant authorities.

The sample was sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency. The result was received late on the same day, March 17, 2020, and it is negative for COVID-19. The honourable prime minister has been informed of his results. He is in stable condition and good spirits, the statement said.

The Ministry of Health said that prior to receiving the results, it had commenced the routine process of contact tracing and that some of the close prime minister's contacts also voluntarily placed themselves into quarantine as a precaution, while we awaited the results.

Montserrat registers first case of COVID-19

BRADES, Montserrat (CMC) Montserrat became the latest Caricom country to register a case of the novel coronavirus disease after a person visiting from the United Kingdom tested positive for the virus that has killed more than 6,000 people worldwide.

Health and Social Services Minister Charles T Kirnon, said that confirmation had been received Tuesday from the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

The sample was sent from the suspected case identified on Friday, March 13th. The patient is someone who is visiting from the UK and who travelled on the March 10, 2020 British Airways flight (BA 2157) from London to Antigua, which was transporting a passenger whom the Antiguan authorities identified as being positive for COVID-19.

Kirnon said that on learning from the Antiguan authorities that a passenger on that flight had fallen ill with COVID-19, the authorities here activated its outbreak investigation protocol to locate, assess, and quarantine all passengers who travelled to Montserrat, through Antigua on the same British Airways flight.

The patient has been in isolation since March 13 and will remain in isolation, while being treated and monitored until the disease is no longer detected, the health and social services minister said, noting that a total of three samples were sent to CARPHA for testing.

One tested positive for COVID-19 and two came back negative.

Antigua PM wants bi-partisan approach to COVID-19

ST JOHN'S, Antigua, Mar 18, CMC Prime Minister Gaston Browne has called for a bi-partisan approach to the fight against the novel coronavirus and reiterated an earlier statement that his Administration has no intention of shutting down its borders.

Browne, speaking in Parliament, said he wanted all stakeholders to come together in optimistic solidarity to work together as a nation of one people with a common destiny to fight this threat.

Antigua and Barbuda is among several Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries that have registered cases of the virus that has been imported into the region since all of the cases have been brought in by travellers mainly from Europe and the United States.

Browne told legislators that the best defence the court could have against the virus, which has killed more than 6,000 people worldwide, is to establish a united front, since more people will get infected here.

Hoteliers in Dominica feel impact of coronavirus

ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) The Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association (DHTA) says its members have lost an estimated EC$1 million (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) over the past few days as guests cancel their reservations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

DHTA President Marvlyn James, speaking on the State-owned DBS radio, said that at least 76 per cent of her members who had been surveyed had reported cancellations estimated at one million dollars.

We expect to see a further decline in the coming weeks as you have seen in the news, countries have closed their borders. So, for example, Europe and their restricting travel of their citizens, the United Kingdom, the United States, and most recently the French West Indies, which contribute between 20 to 25 per cent of arrivals into Dominica, she said.

We are seeing it, we are feeling it, and we expect it to get worse, James said, warning of the possibilities of lay-offs and closure of some establishments.

Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaperlive

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Around the Caribbean... Around the Caribbean... Around the Caribbean - Jamaica Observer

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica The Caribbeans leading hotel chain, Sandals Resorts International says it is closing all Sandals and Beaches Resorts for the period March 30 to May 15, 2020, to protect guests and staff against COVID-19.

In a statement, Sandals founder and Chairman Gordon Butch Stewart described the decision as difficult, but said it will use the time to make further enhancements to its resorts, so that we will continue to surpass your expectations and provide you with the luxury-included vacation you so well deserve

Therefore, we will not be able to accept new arrivals as of March 23, 2020. We also want to alleviate any additional worry you might have about your upcoming vacation. Our dedicated team will be reaching out to you personally to assist with rescheduling your future plans. This way, you can spend less time trying to reach us and more time with your loved ones, Stewart said.

The Caribbean is resilient. We have always come back better, stronger and more passionate than ever. We promise this time will be no exception, Stewart added.

When the time is right, you can trust us to be here, ready to welcome you back with open arms and a warm smile. Soon come back, he said.

The brand, which operates 19 properties in the Caribbean (10 of which are in Jamaica), are responsible for thousands of jobs, particularly on Jamaicas north coast. The temporary closure of these and other hotels means that thousands of hospitality workers will possibly be without an income.

Just last week, three RIU Hotel properties in western Jamaica announced their closure due to low visitor arrival. Some 1,000 workers are expected to be left without jobs during the period of closure at the three affected properties: RIU Palace Jamaica, RIU Negril and RIU Montego Bay.

See the original post:

Virus: Sandals Closing All 19 Caribbean Resorts - The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer

The last time the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) updated its lexicon it added words like Jafaican and awesomesauce. Apparently the OED does updates four times a year and the next update might have a few new words associated with Coronavirus.

Coronavirus is shaping up to be a cultural phenomenon with wide-ranging impacts on almost every facet of our daily lives, including the way we talk. Since the crisis began, we have seen words such as isolation, quarantine, vaccine and asymptomatic, just to name a few. But coronavirus has also given way to brand new words, conceived in direct response to the crisis.

Some of these words are entertaining and others are brow-raising but they all might just be here to stay.

Here are the 5 most popular words and terms spawned by Coronavirus so far:

Rona

Rona is a nickname given to the virus. Persons have been overheard making reference to Rona as she and her which for some reason makes this nickname even scarier to me.

How Caribbean people can use Rona in a sentence:

Cover yuh mouth bredrin, Rona is no joke, she nah play.

COVidiot

Apparently a COVidiot is someone who hoards things like toilet paper and ignores warnings during a pandemic.

How Caribbean people can use COVidiot in a sentence:

The way dem buy toilet paper you would think it can eat, one bunch a COVidiot dem.

Quarantine n Chill

Apparently this is a play on the popular phrase Netflix N Chill and it refers to singles declaring that although there is quarantine they are still willing to socialize.

How Caribbean people can use Quarantine n Chill in a sentence:

Man, I tell she to let us Quarantine n Chill and she tell me not call back her blasted phone.

Quarantine Baby

This refers to any child born as result of increased intimacy during quarantine period.

How Caribbean people can use Quarantine baby in a sentence:

If there is one good ting to come out a dis crisis is mi quarantine baby.

Quarantini

An alcoholic beverage made and consumed during quarantine. This is a combination of the words quarantine and martini but can refer to any alcoholic beverage.

How Caribbean people can use Quarantini in a sentence:

Come over so we can drink some quarantini, but stay 6 feet away and DOAN TOUCH mi toilet paper.

See original here:

Five Caribbean words that were spawned by coronavirus - Loop News Cayman

NEW YORK, Mar 23, CMC A coalition of 18 attorneys general from around the United States have called on the Trump administration to delay implementation of its Public Charge Rule against Caribbean and other immigrants as the coronavirus (COVID-19) progresses nationwide.

The Public Charge Rule drives immigrants and their families away from accessing the health benefits to which they are entitled by threatening their eligibility for green cards and visas.

As the coronavirus spreads across the US, the attorneys general said immigrants should be encouraged to access health insurance and medical care, but the Trump administrations rule does the opposite.

Every person who doesnt get the health coverage they need today risks infecting another person tomorrow, said New York Attorney General Letitia James, the lead attorney general on the issue.

More and more individuals across the nation become infected with the coronavirus every day, yet the Trump administration refuses to assure immigrants that getting the tests and health coverage they need will not be used against them, she added.

At this time, we should all be working to make testing and health coverage available to every single person in this country, regardless of immigration status. Our coalition will continue fighting to protect the health and well-being of our nation by halting this rule.

The attorneys general said US federal law allows lawful immigrants to apply for public benefits if they have been in the country for at least five years.

But they said that the new Public Charge Rule creates a bait-and-switch and that if immigrants use the public assistance to which they are legally entitled, they would jeopardize their chances of later renewing their visa or becoming permanent residents.

As a result, since the spread of COVID-19 began in the United States, immigrants may now be afraid to seek out the health coverage they need to remain healthy, the coalition said.

Earlier this month, the coalition of attorneys general sent a letter to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) seeking to suspend the Public Charge Rule as coronavirus infections began increasing in the United States.

Though neither agency responded to the initial letter, the attorneys general said USCIS last week posted what they described as a confusing and contradictory alert claiming to offer a resolution for immigrants.

According to the attorneys general, the alert said the government would not consider any form of testing or care related to COVID-19 in immigrants public charge assessment, even if such treatment is provided or paid for by one or more public benefits, as defined in the rule (e.g. federally funded Medicaid).

In response, the coalition has now sent another letter to DHS and USCIS again calling for a halt of the rule, pointing out that last weeks alert contains confusing and contradictory statements about the impact that using Medicaid would have on non-citizens.

If DHS is attempting to ensure noncitizens in our communities remain enrolled in Medicaid so they can use Medicaid services should they have symptoms of COVID-19, the Alert fails to achieve this, the attorneys generals letter said, adding likewise, if DHS is attempting to ensure that noncitizens seek testing and treatment for COVID-19 without fear of public charge consequences, the Alert also utterly fails to achieve this.

The Alert fails to recognize that, in order to receive adequate health services, our residents need adequate health insurance benefits.

To achieve DHSs stated goal of encouraging noncitizens to seek testing and treatment for COVID-19, noncitizens must be encouraged to enroll or remain enrolled in health insurance programs, including Medicaid, and they must be assured that such enrollment during this dire national health emergency will not be considered in any future public charge determination, the letter added.

The attorneys general said the conflicting statements could cause Caribbean and other immigrants to forgo medical treatment during this national crisis, which could be critical to protecting communities from the spread of COVID-19.

Given the grave danger facing our nations health and economy, it is imperative that DHS not chill immigrants from enrolling in Medicaid or using Medicaid benefits for any purpose until the COVID-19 crisis is over, they said.

Under the Alert, however, noncitizens who remain enrolled in Medicaid continue to risk their green cards and visas. As DHS previously conceded, this will prompt immigrants to disenroll from Medicaid and lead to an increased prevalence of communicable diseases, as the nation is now experiencing at a horrifying rate.

To protect the residents of our states and the rest of the country, we ask that DHS immediately announce that the Rule is stayed pending successful containment of COVID-19, the attorneys general continued.

Short of that, however, it is imperative that DHS at least make clear that enrollment in Medicaid and the use of Medicaid benefits for any reason will not be considered in the public charge assessment.

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Government urged to halt implementation of public charge rule against Caribbean immigrants - NYCaribNews

Sam Duncombe, head of the Bahamian environmental organization reEarth, looked on with concern Thursday as island authorities debated whether to allow passengers to disembark from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines Braemar, the latest ship hit by the novel coronavirus. Duncombe is a longtime critic of the cruise industry and has led the fight against Disneys plan to build a private cruise port in an area recommended for marine-protected status, home to a fragile coral reef ecosystem. Cruise ships have repeatedly come under fire in the Bahamas for dumping sewage, food waste, plastic, and oil into the aqua waters. Duncombe doesnt trust the cruise industry to protect the islands from a health crisis any more than she trusts it to protect the environment.

The Dominican Republic turned away the Braemar at the end of February due to health officials concerns about flu-like symptoms reported on board. But in a move typical of an industry that tends to play island nations against one another, the cruise company called the decision an overreaction and found a friendly port in St. Maarten. Passengers disembarked and new ones filed on board.

From there, the Braemar headed to Cartagena, Colombia, where an American who disembarked became the first recorded coronavirus case in the city. Four crew members and one passenger tested positive on a stop in Curaao. Meanwhile, in Canada, Albertas chief medical officer revealed that a Braemar passenger had tested positive after returning home from the ship. As the crisis continued to unfold on board, Barbados turned the Braemar away, and it headed toward the Bahamas, the country whose flag the ship flies, home to one of the busiest Caribbean island cruise ports.

So far officials have not confirmed any coronavirus cases in the Bahamas, but Duncombe worries that the country is not ready for what could come. The hospital is already overwhelmed with normal sicknesses and problems that are happening, she said, noting that recovery after the devastation of Hurricane Dorian has been like molasses in the snow. We simply do not have the resources to be dealing with any kind of massive outbreak.

Late Thursday, to Duncombes relief, the Bahamian government announced that the Braemar would not be allowed to dock, and by Friday, Fred Olsen announced it would suspend cruises in the face of the crisis. This is odd for the industry. Theyre not used to ports standing up for themselves, said Ross Klein, a professor at Canadas Memorial University who studies maritime tourism. Typically, he added, the cruise industry says, If you dont like us, well go somewhere else.

Across the Caribbean, cruise lines have placed enormous pressure on governments to be allowed to continue to dock cruise ships, even when concerns about illness on board arise.

In Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos, Carnival Cruise Line, the namesake brand of Carnival Corporation, which controls about half the market share, threatened to pull its business after government officials attempted to stop ships carrying potentially sick passengers from docking in their ports or restricted which passengers could disembark. The three island governments were left to make critical public health decisions under threat from a corporation that holds enormous sway over island economies.

One of the ships turned out to be carrying the virus. On Friday, authorities in the Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico announced that their first confirmed coronavirus patients had entered on the Costa Luminosa, a Carnival Corporation ship.

Only after news broke that the Cayman Islands would be forced to shut down one of its three hospitals because of worker exposure to a Costa Luminosa patient did the Cruise Lines International Association announce that its members would suspend operations in the U.S., cancelling many Caribbean cruises.

As Klein put it, Its an industry that tends to be arrogant. Its an industry that tends not to listen to consumers or listen to people providing feedback. The outcome, he said, is that theyre exporting illness.

Even after the U.S. State Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that Americans avoid cruise ships, and the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, cruise companies like Carnival and Royal Caribbean continued offering bargain-basement deals and flexible cancellation plans incentivizing vacationers to keep cruising despite the risk of spreading the virus.

Emails leaked to the Miami New Times by a Norwegian Cruise Line employee showed a manager pressuring sales staff to lie to potential customers about the risk of the virus, telling them, for example, that the coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise.

It was a dangerous form of crisis capitalism, considering that cruise lines had already been linked to multiple outbreaks. Some of the first Americans diagnosed with Covid-19 were aboard Carnival Corporations Diamond Princess, which sat off the coast of Japan for two weeks during a bungled quarantine effort carried out by low-paid workers who were not properly trained or given effective safety equipment. Eight people died, and around 700 caught the virus. Weeks later, Carnival Corporations Grand Princess idled for days off the coast of Oakland as 19 crew members and two passengers were diagnosed with the virus. The first coronavirus patient to die in California had previously disembarked from the same ship.

The cruise industry is one of a handful that the Trump administration has flagged as a potential recipient for special aid in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. The industry is certainly struggling; share prices tumbled as passengers have canceled voyages. But its special treatment is also the result of the cruise lines intense lobbying efforts and close relationships with the Trump family. On Monday, the president told the press, Were working with them very, very strongly. We want them to travel.

Indeed, the crisis has displayed the strong-arming capability of an under-regulated industry that has a poor record on labor, the environment, and public health. And nowhere has cruise companies risky determination to stay afloat been felt more acutely than in the Caribbean.

Passengers onboard the MSC Meraviglia cruise ship in Cozumel, Mexico, on Feb. 27, 2020.

Photo: Jose Castillo/AFP via Getty Images

Puerto Ricos first coronavirus case came from an Italian tourist whose cruise ship, Carnival Corporations Costa Luminosa, had sparked a clash between Jamaican authorities and the cruise industry, after Jamaica refused to allow Italian passengers to disembark. Puerto Ricans have cried foul, criticizing their government for being less strict with the ship. However, Jamaicas move came at a price.

After learning that a crew member on the MSC Meraviglia was quarantined with flu-like symptoms, Jamaicas health minister turned the ship away on February 25. To the cruise industrys dismay, the Cayman Islands followed suit. A few days later, the Costa Luminosa approached Jamaicas shores. This time, government officials informed the company that guests from hard-hit Italy would not be allowed onshore.

Carnival Cruise Line had seen enough. The company, which has the same parent company as the Costa Luminosa, threatened to end its stops in Jamaica if the government didnt soften its hard line on coronavirus. Cruises account for nearly 1 percent of the countrys GDP, and the downturn in recent weeks has cost the economy $4 million. To show that it was serious, Carnival rerouted two ships away from Jamaica, and MSC also diverted a cruise. Carnival Cruise Line skipped the Cayman Islands, too.

Carnival Cruise Line threatened to end its stops in Jamaica if the government didnt soften its hard line on coronavirus.

While we are following all U.S. CDC and World Health Organization screening protocols and guidelines, we want to avoid any possibility of a visit to a destination where there is uncertainty or we risk being turned away, said Carnival in a statement to press at the time.

What were Jamaica and the Cayman Islands doing? They were just trying to enforce their own health codes. Carnival didnt like it, said Jim Walker, an attorney who created the blog Cruise Law News and represents clients suing cruise companies.

After a meeting with Carnival and MSC on March 6, Jamaican officials announced a deal in which the cruise lines would begin handing over the ships medical logs, including temperature readings and travel history. The companies also consented to stricter rules for passengers with a recent history of travel to the most impacted countries.

The same day, the government of Turks and Caicos declined to allow the Carnival Magic cruise to dock because several guests on board were exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Carnival was enormously frustrated. The company responded in the same way that it had to Jamaica, rerouting three cruises from Turks and Caicos as it entered discussions with the government.

Meanwhile, the Costa Luminosa sailed on, making stops in the Cayman Islands, Honduras, and Mexico. By March 8, the tourist from Italy had arrived in Puerto Rico. The island government had no notification from Carnival that anyone on board had presented coronavirus-like symptoms when 1,370 passengers and 410 crew members disembarked in Old San Juan. But after the woman was diagnosed with pneumonia by a ship doctor, she was rushed to a local hospital. Because she came from the heart of the pandemic in northern Italy, medical workers administered a Covid-19 test.

Of course, in another indication of the deep uncertainty that the pandemic has sown, Puerto Ricans only received the results of the Italian tourists Covid-19 test from the CDC on Friday night, a week after the patient was hospitalized. The news that the cruise passenger and her husband had tested positive broke hours after the Cayman Islands government announced that another Costa Luminosa traveler had become the first patient to test positive in the territory. He was hospitalized at Health City Cayman Islands after going into cardiac arrest but developed a dry cough after six days of treatment. Thirty medical workers who came into contact with him are now under quarantine, and the private hospital has decided to close for the next two weeks. The 68-year-old patient died Saturday morning.

Klein said the cruise industrys response to the crisis is business as usual. The cruise industry always wants ports to know, Were mobile, so if you get out of line, theres plenty of ports that will welcome us, he said.

The ships operate under flags of convenience, basing themselves in whatever nation gives them the best deal. They enjoy freedoms from many laws and controls, whether it be in the U.S. or a Caribbean island, said Klein.

One of the most important ways the industry is able to fleece Caribbean nations is via port fees, a tax per head on the passengers who disembark. Klein said the fees are often lower than what it costs for the islands to maintain the facilities the cruise companies demand. Caribbean islands have attempted to collectively demand fair fees, but so far, the industry has succeeded in a divide-and-conquer strategy that leaves all of the region at the behest of the corporations.

Many critics argue that the problems the ships bring arent worth the tourists they attract on shore. In many cases, cruise companies steer passengers toward excursions and shopping destinations that allow them to take a cut of profits.

The cruise industry always wants ports to know, Were mobile, so if you get out of line, theres plenty of ports that will welcome us.

The latest trend is cruises that bypass local communities entirely. Last month, Antigua and Barbuda signed an agreement with Royal Caribbean International to open a Royal Beach Club. A half mile of the Antiguan coast will be available exclusively to Royal Caribbean cruise passengers, away from the islands small businesses. It follows a model similar to the Disney project Duncombe opposes in the Bahamas.

On Thursday, the same day that five U.S. states announced that they would close all schools to limit the spread of the virus, Carnival Cruise Line told The Intercept that it would continue to operate, with a few new protocols. We have five departures scheduled for today and those sailings will depart this afternoon, spokesperson Vance Gulliksen said. Neither Carnival Corporation nor its Costa Cruises responded to requests for comment.

Although some major cruise companies suspended operations, including Carnival Corporations embattled Princess line, most waited until their handswere forced.

Even as news broke of the Cayman Islands hospital closing on Friday, a spokesperson for the Cruise Lines International Association, Bari Golin-Blaugrund, reassured The Intercept in an email that the vast majority of the 272 ships in the Cruise Lines International Association fleet have been unaffected by this growing public health crisis, which we believe points to the effectiveness of our policies. He continued, We realize the situation is changing rapidly, and we are changing with it appropriately.

Within hours, the same organization announced its members would suspend all cruise operations at U.S. ports of call for 30 days. Trump issued a Twitter announcement soon afterward that Carnival Cruise Line and other major companies would be among those pausing operations. At my request, effective midnight tonight, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and MSC have all agreed to suspend outbound cruises for thirty days. It is a great and important industry it will be kept that way! the president said.

Both Puerto Rico and the Cayman Islands have suspended the entry of all cruises.

In a video message, Princesss President Jan Swartz assured customers that the health of guests, crew members, and the communities they visit are the companys No. 1 priority. She closed her message with a plea for vacationers to book a cruise now for the sake of the common good. We ask you to book a future Princess cruise to your dream destination as a sign of encouragement for our team; as a support to the people, companies, and communities who rely on us; as a vote of our collective faith that we will find solutions to address this virus together; and as a symbol to the world that the things that connect us are stronger than those that divide us.

Walker, the attorney, said he doesnt expect the coronavirus crisis to lead the industry to rethink its pressure tactics in the Caribbean. Do I see this as a moment where the cruise line industry is inherently going to make changes? No, I dont, he said. The business model is set.

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The Cruise Industry Pressured Caribbean Islands Amid Coronavirus Concerns - The Intercept

(CNN) A transatlantic cruise ship carrying more than 600 passengers with at least five confirmed coronavirus cases on board has spent days searching for somewhere to dock after it was refused entry at multiple Caribbean ports.

British officials launched an intense diplomatic effort to find a country willing to take the MS Braemar, which belongs to the British company Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Twenty passengers and another 20 crew members, including a doctor, are in isolation after displaying influenza-like symptoms while traveling on the ship.

The Cuban government has now said it is willing to receive the ship and "comprehends the difficult situation these passengers find themselves in," a diplomatic source in Cuba told CNN.

Cuba said it would allow the ship to dock there out of "humanitarian concerns" and the need for "a shared effort to confront and stop the spread of the pandemic."

It is not yet clear when the ship may arrive in Cuba and where the infected passengers will be treated if the British government decides to send the ship to dock there.

The cruise ship was refused docking in Barbados on Thursday and the Bahamas on Friday.

The Braemar is anchored about 25 miles offshore in the Bahamas where it is resupplying with vital food, fuel and medications.

The vessel, which is carrying 682 passengers and 381 crew members, arrived in the Bahamas on Saturday. Authorities there were the latest to prevent the ship from docking but it was given permission to drop anchor southwest of Freeport.

"No other Caribbean ports were willing to accept the ship because of local sensitivities towards COVID-19 coronavirus," the company said in a statement.

A plan to allow the ship to sail back to the UK was ruled out on practical grounds due to the distance involved and the health of the passengers.

A Fred Olsen spokeswoman told CNN that all options on where to go were being considered, including returning to its starting point in Southampton in the UK.

"We are exploring a number of opportunities and working extremely hard to find a resolution," she said.

"The key thing for us is to get guests home as quickly and as safely as possible."

The passengers on the Braemar are predominantly British but also include Canadian, Australian, Belgian, Colombian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, New Zealand, Norwegian and Swedish citizens.

Keith Livingstone, whose wife Suzanne has been on board with a friend since February 12, has been keeping in touch with her as much as possible with unreliable internet connections.

"Whilst spirits are high the lack of information and any decision as to what may happen is beginning to concern," he told CNN from Northern Ireland. "The crew from the Captain down have been fantastic by all accounts but they seem to be as much in the dark as anyone.

"The lack of information is leading to speculation, which leads to rumors, which then become fact to some."

He said most passengers were elderly, which was "leading to anxiety levels rising the longer the situation is unresolved," adding: "The Voyage of the Damned continues."

Passengers have been advised to self-isolate and contact the ship's medical center if they felt unwell. The ship's bars and restaurants remain open. The UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office wrote to all British nationals on board on Saturday, advising them to follow the cruise firm's guidance. Two officials are in Freeport offering support to the Bahamian authorities.

"We are working intensively with Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and the authorities in the region to urgently make arrangements to get British nationals safely home," the FCO told CNN in a statement. "The ship is being resupplied in the Bahamas. We are ensuring medical supplies are available -- including by funding resupply by helicopter."

The cruise line was unable to drop passengers on its Caribbean cruise in La Romana in the Dominican Republic on February 27 after a number of influenza-like cases on board were reported.

Instead, it made an unscheduled stop in St. Maarten on March 2 to allow passengers to disembark and take the cruise's charter flights back to the UK. New passengers boarded and the vessel set sail for Jamaica as it continued to the Western Caribbean and Central America. It was due to continue to Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Curacao, and reach Barbados on March 12.

On Monday, March 9, the company reported that two people who had been on the Braemar were diagnosed with the coronavirus after returning home. Six people reporting flu-like symptoms on the ship were tested, and five cases were confirmed on Wednesday -- four crew and one passenger -- with another inconclusive result.

The ship was unable to dock at the island of Curaao on Tuesday or Barbados on Thursday and changed course to the Bahamas, its flagged state, with the intention of allowing passengers to disembark there.

The captain told passengers in an announcement that he was in talks with local authorities and asked passengers to "bear with me in this incredibly frustrating time, where rumor is plentiful and facts are in short supply."

Peter Deer, managing director at Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, on Sunday thanked Captain Jozo Glavic and his crew "for working so hard for so long in very challenging circumstances" and thanked passengers for their patience. "We have been working around the clock with the Bahamian authorities to get supplies on to the ship but it is taking longer than we expected to get the necessary clearances," he said.

Deer said the company had "acted on the best advice available" when it boarded passengers in St Maarten on March 2. "No one who joined the ship declared illness, and no passenger had traveled to a high-risk area nor been exposed to anyone with COVID-19 coronavirus.

"Anyone remaining on the ship had been in the Caribbean for at least 14 days and there had been no known instances of the virus in the region."

He said the flights from the Dominican Republic were authorized by the UK authorities and none of the passengers were quarantined on their return to the UK.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said it was addressing the "challenging and changing situation" from its headquarters in Ipswich, England, in consultation with authorities in the UK and the Bahamas. "This must be a very worrying time for our guests on board and their families," the company said, adding, "we find ourselves in an unprecedented situation."

The firm has canceled all cruises until May 23.

The Bahamas Ministry of Transport said in a statement that the "cruise ship will not be permitted to dock at any port in The Bahamas and no persons will be permitted to disembark the vessel" but said the government would "provide the Braemar with humanitarian assistance."

"They will be in The Bahamas for a short period while the ship is refueling and the Braemar will leave The Bahamas immediately thereafter.

"The Government of The Bahamas reaffirms its continued commitment to take action in the best interest of the public health and safety and well-being of the Bahamian people and residents of The Bahamas.

"Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people who have contracted the coronavirus and who are at immediate risk."

Emma Reynolds wrote in London, Patrick Oppmann reported from Havana, Cuba. CNN's Leona Siaw and Alisha Ebrahimji also contributed to this report.

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Coronavirus-hit cruise ship in diplomatic scramble to find somewhere to dock - CNN

Sitting under a palapa at the waters edge, dining on whole snapper glazed in unagi joined by a 2016 Astrid & Therese riesling, one begins to realize just how much the Caribbean culinary scene has changed in recent years.

Because experiences like the above arent unique anymore the regions gastronomic might has grown by leaps and bounds, with both a renewed appreciation for local cuisine (and sourcing) and a new injection of international styles and techniques.

It all adds up to what is a truly thriving food world in the Caribbean.

But certain destinations are setting the bar even higher, thanks to intrepid chefs, risk-taking restaurateurs and a good, old-fashioned love of fine food.

St Croix, US Virgin Islands Nowhere in the region is generating more culinary buzz right now than St Croix, the increasingly hip hotspot in the US Virgin Islands that has seen a full-fledged gastronomic boom, primarily in the historic downtown of Christiansted, where top eateries like Balter, Zion, Uptown Eatery, Too Chez and the islands Grande Dame, Savant, have all cultivated a vibrant food scene, along with an impressive craft cocktail culture ranging from Frank Robinsons BES Craft Cocktail Lounge and Rum and Wine to the islands first true tiki bar, Breakers Roar. Plainly, its the buzziest foodie destination in the Caribbean right now.

But its not limited to Christiansted: the west-coast town of Frederiksted is getting tastier, too, from the brand-new 7AF Asian fusion eatery to the beachy Louie & Nachos gastropub. A lot of the credit, too, goes to local Chef Digby Stridiron (and his newest venture, AMA at Cane Bay), who has helped tell the story of Crucian food to the world.

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5 Trending Food Destinations in the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal

Nearly half of the best family resorts in the Caribbean are in the DR

Going on vacation to the Caribbean seemed to be an adults-only option overall, but resorts across the area cater to families.

Today, thousands of families are finding resorts in theDominican Republic(Punta Cana),Montego Bay, andTurks & Caicos, to name a few, which have amenities for children.

Therefore, below are 20 Caribbean resorts that are ideal for a family vacation with children, of which 9 are in Punta Cana.

The Grand Reserve At Paradisus Palma Real

The hotel has a fantastic family section with a childrens area that includes a trampoline and a climbing wall. In addition how much with a care service for the youngest.

Family Club At Barcelo Bavaro Palace

It allows guests to access all the comforts and facilities of the main resort, even if they stay in the family section, as well as other advantages for children.

The Family Club offers a smaller water park and drinks and snacks for children in the minibar of a family suite.

Eden Roc Cap Cana

The resort is ideal for families who want to get away from the crowds and enjoy a relaxing vacation with each other.Children can hang out at the Koko Kids Club, which is free for three hours.

Now Onyx Punta Cana

There are several activities that parents and children can enjoy with each other, including water sports and even spa treatments for children.All restaurants at Now Onyx Punta Cana have a childrens menu and parents will also find a childrens club if they want to enjoy a moment with other adults.

Majestic Colonial Punta Cana

It accepts children up to three years of age and reviews have shown that children who have spent time at the community kids club still want to return day after day.The resort staff is great with younger kids and a mini disco will keep the kids entertained all night.

Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa

It has an amazing Explorers Club for kids, which gives parents their own time to enjoy the holidays.

Activities at Explorers Club include arts and crafts, a pirate ship water slide, storytelling, big-screen movies on the beach, and weekly camping adventures.

Grand Memories Splash Punta Cana

Multiple reviews have rated Grand Memories Splash Punta Cana five stars for its incredible activities for children.Parents have been excited about professional care while their kids are at the kids club while having a quiet time for themselves.

Also, you cant beat the water park, which is said to be the largest in the Caribbean.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana

It is where adults and children will find many things to do during the day.In fact, this all-inclusive resort is opening a Hard Rock Roxity Kids Club that will feature endless entertainment for children, including crafts, water games, and nature walks.

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana

The first resort of its kind in the Caribbean where there are amenities for children of all ages, such as the Aqua Nick playground, colorful water slides, and the chance to hang out with Nickelodeon characters over breakfast.

The other resorts that make up the list, according to TheTravel.com are:

Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Village & Spas Sesame Street

Ocho Rios Resort & Golf Club Beaches

The Reef At Atlantis

Beaches Negril Resort & Spa

Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa

Marriotts Aruba Surf Club

Grace Bay Club

Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites

Carlisle Bay Antigua Beachfront Resort

Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino

Half Moon

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Punta Cana has 9 of the 20 best family resorts in the Caribbean - Dominican Today

The Dominican Republic is a geographically diverse, culturally rich oasis in the Caribbean that has something for everyone. From the powdery-sand beaches, long mountain regions, natural pools and dense jungles to the local arts, sports, music and shops there is a draw for every kind of traveler at any age.

As the second-largest country in the Caribbean, there is a wide range of activities in the Dominican Republic that will suit all generations. The beaches are a perfect place for parents and grandparents to relax with a drink in hand while kids can splash about in the calm waters or partake in a number of water sports.

The capital of Santo Domingo, meanwhile, is great for a daytime excursion, where adults can enjoy the shops and cafes while children will be stimulated by the citys lively atmosphere.

While there are general activities and sites that will appeal to all ages, the Dominican Republic is so big that there are plenty of pursuits for travelers with specific interests to enjoy with their families or companions. Athletes and sports fans can enjoy the seemingly infinite number of golf courses on the islands and the countrys favored sport, baseball. Explorers can experience their own adventures through scuba diving, caving, ziplining and hiking, all of which provide children-friendly options for families to participate in.

History buffs and scholars can peruse the islands many museums and theaters that exemplify the Dominican Republics culture. National parks can also be found all over the country, where nature-lovers can immerse themselves in the local flora and fauna.

Naturally, the Caribbean island is full of all-inclusive luxury resorts that make it difficult to leave. There are plenty of features at a Dominican resort for all guests to enjoy: pools, spa treatments, lounges, restaurants, nightclubs and special events for kids. With a majority of the countrys resorts settled on the pristine beaches, visitors are given all they need to enjoy their vacations with their loved ones.

The energetic island also hosts many events that welcome tourists to partake and enjoy. From fairs celebrating the arts to music festivals to sporting events, there are plenty of reasons for families and groups to leave their resorts to explore the beauty of the Dominican Republic.

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A Destination for All Ages in the Caribbean - TravelPulse

Members of media gather at the Diamond Princess cruise ship, operated by Carnival Corp., docked in Yokohama, Japan, on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020.

Toru Hanai | Bloomberg Getty Images

Jackie Ceren has seen a lot in 41 years working in the travel industry, but she's never seen anything like what's happened to the cruise industry since the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.

Passengers have fallen ill and died as cruise ships become the sites of epidemics. In response, ports have denied vessels entry, travelers have canceled tripsandthe largest cruise companies in the world have suspended operations.

"I've only ever seen them close cruise ports for like hurricanes or earthquakes," said Ceren, a travel agent based out of Florida. "And I've been through SARS, Ebola, Swine Flu. I've seen it all."

Every booking she had has now canceled. "This is like a travel apocalypse," Ceren said.

Two of her clients were actually stuck at sea.Ray Cutro, 73, and his wife Arline ultimately made the decision to abort their four-month Viking cruise trip around the world.

They were just over two months in, Cutro said, and the ship was sailing around Australia trying to re-chart a course that avoided China, then the epicenter of the new coronavirus pandemic. It was the end of February, he said, and ports around Southeast Asia were turning the ship away, fearing a situation similar to that which occurred earlier in February when an outbreak spread aboard the Diamond Princess in Japan.

The captain called an all-hands meeting with the passengers, Cutro said, adding that the captain and company handled the situation well. The message was, "you can get off or you can stay on, but we don't know where we're going," Cutro recalled. His mind was already made up.

"We were fooling ourselves to stay," he said, so he and his wife flew home to Florida last week.

Cutro said he paid $100,000 for the four-month cruise that was supposed to be a celebration of him and his wife's 50th anniversary. The Viking Sun voyage was supposed to set a record for the longest continuous passenger cruise trip ever. Cutro said the company is compensating them for at least some of the trip, but the decision to cut the trip short wasn't easy, he said. As the virus continues to sweep across the world, he thinks he made the right decision.

"The whole world feels like a cruise ship now," he said.

It started with the Diamond Princess, a vessel operated by Carnival Corp.'s Princess Cruises. Its 3,700 passengers and crew were quarantined at a Japanese port on Feb. 4 after a previous guest, who didn't have any symptoms while aboard the ship, tested positive for the virusafter he returned to Hong Kong.More than 700 passengers and crew on the ship ultimately tested positive for the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, and at least 8 died. The Japanese government and other nations eventually evacuated their citizens from the vessel.

Another Carnival-owned ship, the Grand Princess, was forced to moor off the coast of California when 21 people tested positive for the virus. After several days, California officials brought the ship on Mondayto the Port of Oakland, where the last passengers disembarked Friday for transport to federal quarantine facilities. More than 1,000 crew remained aboard the ship, which is anchored in the bay.

Amid the rapid spread of the virus on ships and on-board quarantines, the State Department last week warned Americans against traveling by cruise ship.

"When the government came out and said don't go on anymore cruises, that was it. That was the death blow," Ceren said. "What they have created is fear."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he is weighing cruise restrictions along the California coast as he awaits new federal guidelines for the industry. He said cruise operators should introduce aggressive requirements for travelers "at the peril of that industry collapsing."

The fallout from the deadly Princess Cruises fiasco wasn't limited to Carnival Corp. All three publicly traded cruise line companies, including Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, were left with little choice but to suspend voyages as the authorities threatened to crack down.

Their stocks have collapsed, leading the market's broader sell-off that saw the Dow lose over 20% of its value the past month.Carnival's stock has dropped by nearly 60% while Royal Caribbean and Norwegian have lost more than 70% of their value over the past 30 days.

Ceren compared the buckling of the cruise lines with the devastating impact of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the airline industry. The federal government shut airports after the attacks; passenger demand plummeted; and businesses suspended non-essential travel. According to Ceren, the coronavirus has been even worse for the cruise lines.

"Things happen, but nothing of this caliber," Ceren said. "This is worse than 9/11 when they were canceling flights all over the place. This is the cruise lines' 9/11."

Despite federal relief efforts, several major American airlines declared bankruptcy in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Ceren, however, predicts the cruise lines will recover. They have already dropped ticket prices to entice customers on trips once the pandemic is under control.

Both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruises have pulled on fresh lines of credit to weather the storm. Last week, Norwegian secured an additional revolving loan of $675 million and Royal announced it was increasing its revolving credit capacity by $550 million.

"These are extraordinary times and we are taking these steps to manage the company prudently and conservatively," Royal CEO Richard Fain said.

The increasing debt is nothing to be concerned about yet, said Colin Mansfield, director at Fitch Ratings, who has experience covering the cruise industry. He added that if the outbreak is just a near-term shock to the industry, they'll likely recover quickly once it's under control.

"The cruise companies really have a lot of tools at their disposal," Mansfield said, adding that cruise companies have a lot of flexibility in terms of reducing expenses to cover reduced cash flow.

"From that perspective having those options is a good thing," he continued. "It would really only be a bad thing if this ends up being a more long-term shock than is expected right now."

Customers, investors and authorities have a lot of questions about how Princesses Cruises was hit so hard by the virus and what it means for the the future of the cruise industry. Carnival Corp., so far, has few answers.

A company spokesman told CNBC that the cruise industry has taken proactive steps to provide a level of advanced screening, pre-boarding and on-ship health and safety protocols.

Leaders of the cruise industry including Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald, recently met with Vice President Mike Pence and health officials regarding steps forward.

"We want to work with the cruise line industry to ensure that when we come through this, that cruise lines and the medical services that are available for the passengers and all of the crew, that cruise lines are safer than ever before and can prosper for years to come," Vice President Mike Pence said Friday at a news briefing.

On Saturday, Pence even hinted that the cruise lines could receive financial assistance from the federal government.

But Princess Cruises President Jan Swartz admitted there remain a lot of unanswered questions.

"We've been asked, and we've asked ourselves, why COVID-19 seems to be impacting Princess so heavily," Swartz said. "We don't really know."

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How the deadly coronavirus brought an industry to its knees: The 'cruise lines 9/11' - CNBC

The spectacular beaches of the Caribbean remain the regions ultimate siren song for travelers. Theyre the reason we sit at our desks, dreaming of the islands, placing ourselves there, even just for a moment.

Theyre the essence of what makes the Caribbean the worlds most romantic destination.

And while the Caribbeans exotic white sands are unmatched around the world, if you dig deep enough you can find something rather special: pink sand.

Dotted around the Caribbean are some truly delightful little stretches of pink sand, which are typically the result of miniscule pink-and-red shells that once housed tiny organisms called foraminifera.

So where can you find these wonders? Take a journey with us around some of our favorite pink sand beaches in the Caribbean, from The Bahamas to Grenada.

Pink Sand Beach, Harbour Island The ultimate pink sand beach in the Caribbean, this three-mile-long stunner is a radiant shade of pink, endlessly wide, rimmed with some of the most beautiful boutique hotels in The Bahamas.

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The 10 Best Pink Sand Beaches in the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal