TACOMA, Washington The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) Authorization Act was first instituted in 2009 to create safer communities in Caribbean nations targeted by drug trafficking. The H.R. 7703 bill was introduced to authorize appropriations for the initiative, to implement disaster resilience strategies and to strengthen the security partnership between the United States and the Caribbean nations.

All 15 Caribbean countries, especially the Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, make up a network of illicit drug smuggling from South America to the United States. Due to the intervention from outside nations, including the U.S., there has been a significant decrease in the quantity of cocaine brought into the U.S. from the Caribbean, relative to the total shipments from South America since the 1980s. In 2001, 26% of the cocaine trafficked flowed through the Caribbean, but by 2012, the percentage fell to 5%.

Although drug trafficking rates have decreased, crime and violence related to drugs have been on an upwards trend. In 2010, homicide rates were especially high in Honduras, with 77 homicides per 100,000 people, followed by Jamaica and the Bahamas. To protect security among the Caribbean nations, the CBSI act was implemented in 2009.

The U.S. launched the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative to provide foreign assistance in the Caribbean in five areas: maritime and aerial cooperation, justice sector reform, border security and firearms interdiction, law enforcement capacity building and crime prevention. All aims of the initiative target threats to public safety and social justice within the Caribbean that are caused by drug trafficking.

From 2010 through 2020, Congress allocated nearly $677 million to support 13 countries in the Caribbean to carry out the CBSI. However, since 2018, the current presidential administration has been requesting significant budget cuts from the CBSI. For the 2021 fiscal year, only $32 million was requested by the administration, which is a 47% cut from the previous years budget. Threats to the funding of the initiative provoked the introduction of H.R. 7707, which seeks to protect the CBSIs budget and the people of the Caribbean.

On July 21, 2020, Representative Adriano Espaillat of New York introduced the H.R. 7707: Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act to allow for appropriations for the CBSI, to improve the security relationship between the United States and the Caribbean and to enhance disaster resilience. Compared to the proposed $32 million from the administration, authorization of at least $74.8 million for each fiscal year for the CBSI, is the top priority for the bill.

As an authorization bill, H.R. 7707 directs how increased federal funding can strengthen citizen safety, security and the rule of law in the Caribbean. The bill calls for the prioritization of efforts to counter corruption and carry out strategic engagement with the governments in the 13 countries covered under the CBSI. Cooperation between the U.S. and the Caribbean would be improved through the development of a public diplomacy strategy that educates Caribbean citizens on the benefits of the security and assistance cooperation programs.

H.R. 7707 is currently under review by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is predicted by Skopos lab to have a 26% chance of being enacted. Appropriating more funding to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative will create more opportunities to promote safety not only in the Caribbean but for surrounding countries. The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act can build up the rule of law in the Caribbean and oppose future terrorist threats created by drug-related violence.

Ilana IssulaPhoto: Flickr

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Examining the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act - Borgen Project

Significant demand was born as a result of Royal Caribbean Internationals announcement for the search of volunteers to go on its first test sailings prior to returning to sea in the U.S.

So much that a form has been created to sign up, which saw more than 150,000 hopeful cruise lovers leave their details.

It's a good feeling knowing that so many people want to get back on ships, said Vicki Freed, senior vice president for sales, trade support and service at Royal Caribbean International, on Dec. 8 in response to the demand.

The company has also launched a website for potential volunteers to sign up.

Cruise Industry News breaks down what is known about the sailings.

What are they?

The test sailings are part of thenew Conditional Frameworkby the CDC, which came in place of the "No Sail" order. They will include the company having a number of trial cruises using employees and volunteers as stand-in passengers to test safety and health protocols.

Trial sailings are said to be monitored by company officials, a third-party class society, as well as the CDC.

When will they take place?

Likely the first quarter of 2021, possibly even January. Heres a quote from Freed at Virtually Yours forum organized by Cruise Planners:

We don't know exactly when the test sailings are going to happen we think in Q1, and we're hoping for January.

Which vessels will be taking part?

Industry sources previously stated that they expect the Mariner and Navigator of the Seas, the company's recently-refurbished "short Caribbean" ships, to be the vessels pressed into service.

On what itineraries?

Freed said in November that the first cruises will be short sailings to CocoCay, which would allow the company to operate in a bubble on its own private island.

Who gets to go?

More than 150,000 people signed up, according to Royal Caribbean International, so it will be tough to choose from them. Apart from cruise line workers and CDC staff, the cruise line is likely to choose volunteers among its most loyal customers.

"We haven't figured out our protocols yet for the volunteers but certainly loyalty status will be a key selector," said Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean Cruises president and CEO during the International Cruise Summit that took place on Dec. 1-2.Our top tier has the name of Pinnacle and they've cruised with us a gazillion times they'll be amongst the first to receive the invitation."

Freed said on Dec. 8 that the companys travel partners will be invited, too.

What about safety?

Royal Caribbean is working on ensuring they are conducted safely and in compliance with the regulations.

While we review the requirements proposed by the CDC and consider when we can host our simulated trial sailings, we are gathering information from those who have shown interest on our Volunteers of the Seas Facebook page. Our priority is to ensure that we can exercise our comprehensive set of measures in a safe and healthy manner while making sure we provide a memorable vacation experience, Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

Yet a lot of information is still to be released about the sailings.

We will be announcing more as we get more information, Freed said. So, we look forward to it; we're looking forward to it.

See more here:

What We Know About Royal Caribbean's Free Test Cruises - Cruise Industry News

Wayne-based Eastern Airlines is the newest carrier to launch at Philadelphia International Airport, with service slated to begin Dec. 14, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported.

The airline will offer nonstop flights twice per week to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Eastern Airlines will use Boeing 767 aircraft, which also enables the company to carry cargo.

Having Eastern as one of our partners supports a local company and helps connect underserved markets to the Greater Philadelphia region, saidChellie Cameron, CEO at Philadelphia International Airport.

Eastern Airlines will offer the highest baggage allowance at PHL, with passengers able to check up to six bags. The first two (up to 70 pounds) are free.

Click here for PBJ.com's look back on Eastern Air's move from North Carolina to the Philadelphia suburbs last summer and the history of the Eastern name in aviation.

Stay in the know on all things business with thePhiladelphia Business Journal.

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Pa.-Based Eastern Airlines Jetting Off to the Caribbean From Philly Airport - NBC 10 Philadelphia

Heres where folks from Martinique and Guadeloupe go for some peace and quiet

Rebounding from the double-whammy of Tropical Storm Erika and Hurricane Maria, verdant Dominica one of the worlds blue zones (lots of centenarians) is back, with a new focus on sustainability and climate resiliency. Two-thirds of the landscape is tropical forest, laced with rivers (as featured in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest), waterfalls, and hiking trails. Were not saying youll live to 100 if you hike a portion of the islands 115-mile Waitukubuli National Trail, but it sure cant hurt.

Located near Guadeloupe and Martinique, Dominica is known for its low-key vibe, but some new luxury properties are springing up, including the Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski (www.kempinski.com). Were partial to the rustic-chic serenity of Rosalie Bay Eco-Resort (www.rosaliebaydominica.com), reopened to Zen-like exquisiteness after suffering damage from Hurricane Maria. The beaches here are nothing special, but there are lots of interesting ways to get wet: You can snorkel in champagne-like bubbles rising from geothermal vents at Champagne Reef, swim under a waterfall at Emerald Pool, and soak in the hot springs and mud baths at Wotten Waven. (How can you resist a place with a name like Wotten Waven?)

COVID-19 protocol: Dominica started welcoming travelers from the United States on Aug. 7. Visitors must submit a health questionnaire online at domcovid.19.dominica.gov.dm at least 24 hours before arrival along with negative PCR test results recorded 24 to 72 hours before arrival (for those age 5 and older). Upon arrival, all travelers will have to undergo a free rapid diagnostic test. If those results are negative, they will be allowed to check into a Safe in Nature certified property (the places we mention above are included) for a minimum of five days. Those with positive rapid tests will have a PCR test administered and will need to quarantine in a government-approved facility at their own expense until negative results come back.

How to get there: Connect through St. Maarten, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, or San Juan, Puerto Rico. http://www.discoverdominica.com

All about that beach

Beach-starved souls, rejoice. The tiny twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda (not to be confused with Anguilla or Barbados) resumed flights from the United States in June, so theyve had plenty of time to fine-tune safety protocols. Most tourism businesses have been certified for their health practices and are open for business. But, really, Everyone is here for the beach, says CEO of the tourism authority Colin C. James. With 95 miles of coastline along the eastern Caribbean Sea, Antigua claims 365 beaches, and our beaches have always been uncrowded, James notes.

But this year, were feeling Barbuda, located 27 miles northeast of its bigger sister. Devastated by Hurricane Irma in 2017, the island continues to rebuild, but is welcoming tourists (a major part of the island economy, along with fishing and lobstering). Ringed with 17 miles of pink sand, this low-lying coral outpost (population 1,500) typically hosts more magnificent frigatebirds than tourists. (Barbudas frigatebird sanctuary counts 170 species). Most of the attractions here were created by Mother Nature, like Dark Cave, a boulder-hung passage that leads to underground pools teeming with crustacean species found no place else on earth. Indian Cave has chambers that feature Amerindian petroglyphs, while Darbys Cave has a large sinkhole. Besides cave-hopping and birdwatching, most visitors are happy to swim, snorkel, and wander the peachy-pink sands at Low Bay and Palmetto Point beaches. Tiny pink shells dot the sand from November through April.

The dining and lodging scene is homey and unpretentious: Think snack bars and small restaurants, camping, and guest houses. Among the lodgings certified by the government are Barbuda Belle (www.barbudabelle.com) and Barbuda Cottages (www.barbudacottages.com). Both are situated right on the beach because where else would you want to be?

COVID-19 protocol: Visitors age 12 and over arriving from the US must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test within seven days of arrival.

How to get there: JetBlue, American, and Delta Airlines offer connecting flights from Boston to Antigua. Barbuda is reachable via 15-minute flight or two-hour ferry ride from Antigua. http://www.visitantiguabarbuda.com

Anegada da vida, baby

What can you say about an island of 285 souls that is famous for free-flying flamingos and the best-tasting lobsters in the Caribbean? Just say, Take me there!

Among the 60-plus isles in the British Virgin Islands, Anegada is far less known than Tortola, its neighbor to the southwest. Youll need to take a ferry from Tortola to get there, but youll be glad you did, especially if you love diving or snorkeling: The only coral island in the chain, Anegada is home to Horseshoe Reef, the third-largest barrier reef in the Caribbean. The reef is a wonderland of mazes, tunnels, and drops, featuring myriad marine life. Or explore the shipwrecks of Spanish galleons, American privateers, and British galleons more than 300 in all. Sport-fishing and bone fishing are a big deal, too.

Lobster season runs from November through June, perfect for winter escapees. (Local lobster pairs especially well with a Rum Teaser or Wreck Punch, Anegadans report.) The islands beaches are gorgeous, and largely deserted. Theres also a tour we havent seen elsewhere in the Caribbean: an excursion to conch shell mounds with Kellys Land & SeaTours. Made up of thousands of conch shells discarded by generations of fisherman, these mounds are humongous the only mountainous forms on this very flat island. If you like unspoiled and unglitzy, this ones for you. A beachfront palapa seems like a perfect fit for a place like this, and theyve got them at Anegada Beach Club (www.anegadabeachclub.com). The resort sections off a part of the beach and restaurant for each quarantined group so visitors can enjoy themselves while quarantining.

COVID-19 protocols: To enter the BVI, visitors need travel insurance that covers COVID-19, and a negative PCR test taken five days prior to departure. Visitors will also be tested upon arrival. Then, visitors must quarantine at their accommodations for four days and get another test on day four; when the result comes back negative, they are free to explore on the fifth day. ($175 fee covers two tests.) For updated details, go to https://www.bvitourism.com/reopening.

How to get here: Several of the major airlines offer connecting flights to Tortola. The easiest way to get to Anegada from Tortola is by ferry from Road Town. http://www.BVItourism.com

Give me green and gorgeous

They call it the Spice Island, thanks to the nutmeg and mace that grow here. Add the bean-to-bar cocoa plantations and local specialties like oil down and black cake, and its easy to focus on Grenadas vibrant food scene. But these days, when being outdoors is the way to go, this hilly lump of gorgeousness has much to recommend it.

A trip to Grand Etang Rainforest Reserve is a must, but some new operators are offering fun activities that are perfect for social distancing, like Cayaks (www.cayaks.com), fully transparent kayaks that reveal the underwater landscape. And if you want to work off that Grenadian chocolate and black cake, join outfitter Spice Isle Exploration (www.explorespiceisle.com) to explore the coastline of Grenada (and sister islands Carriacou and Petite Martinique) by pedal boat or kayak. Annandale Waterfall is another island classic visit at night to see these spectacular waterfalls illuminated by colored spotlights. All of these have been vetted as Pure Safe Travel approved attractions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 protocol: Visitors must apply for a Pure Safe travel certificate prior to arrival at the airport, along with a negative PCR test result. Then, theyll transfer to secured accommodations and have the option to holiday in place at the resort for the entire stay or choose to have a second PCR test on day four. With a confirmed negative result, provided within one to two working days by the Ministry of Health, visitors may explore outside their property. Two good (approved) hotels to consider: True Blue Bay Boutique Resort (www.truebluebay.com) and SilverSands Grenada (www.silversandsgrenada.com).

How to get there: Grenada is reachable via connecting flights on JetBlue and American Airlines. http://www.puregrenada.com

Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at bairwright@gmail.com

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Off the beaten track, Caribbean-style: Here's where to social distance in paradise - The Boston Globe

In the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, writer Tatiana Siegel provides an in-depth look at actor Johnny Depp and his recent fall from grace after years of success within Disneys Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. Siegel chronicles Johnny Depps self destructive and negative behaviors which were brought to light during Depps recent Libel suit against The Sun, a U.K. based tabloid.

In the article, Siegel writes:

While shooting DisneysPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Talesin Australia, Depp swallowed eight ecstasy pills at once, according to testimony in the U.K. case, and embarked on a campaign of terror aimed at Heard. It culminated with the tip of his finger being sliced off, which resulted in his being flown back to Los Angeles for surgery.Pirateswas forced to shut down production for two weeks, costing the studio some $350,000 a day. Depp claimed that Heard threw a bottle of alcohol at him, injuring his finger.

The article goes on to say:

Disney had already backed away from aPiratesfuture with Depp well before the U.K. trial, even if it never formally severed ties. Bruckheimer, who has been one of Depps biggest champions and once suggested the finger injury happened because he got it caught in a car door, was hoping to at least bring the Captain Jack Sparrow character back briefly in the next outing said to be a female-centric incarnation fronted by Margot Robbie. Disney balked.

It most certainly seems that weve seen the last of Captain Jack Sparrow on the big screen. However, it does make one wonder how long the character will maintain a presence in the Parks. What do you think? Is a Depp-less Pirates future enough? Or should all references to the character be removed as well? Let us know your thoughts below.

You can read the full, fascinating expos on Johnny Depp over at The Hollywood Reporter.

Related

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Johnny Depp Reportedly Took 8 Ecstasy Pills at Once During Filming of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" -...

The Atlantis Paradise Island megaresort in The Bahamas has completed its comeback, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The Paradise Island institution officially reopened its doors to visitors this week after having been closed amid the pandemic.

We are elated to announce that we are officially open, the property wrote in a statement.

The property also announced the completion of a renovation project of its Royal East Tower guest rooms, along with a host of new offerings with your safety and well-being in mind.

The mutt-resort propertys reopening is launching in stages; it kicked off this week with the relaunch of The Royal resort and the Harborside Resort.

On Dec. 17, Atlantis will reopen The Reef resort.

The majority of the resorts amenities are open and operating, from the casino to the marina to the spa to the Ocean Club Golf Course.

Atlantis popular Aquaventure water park is also open each day, with the Mayan Temple Slides and Power Tower rides and slides open again.

Pools are operating at reduce seating, with 50 percent capacity and physical distancing in place that includes seven pools in total.

Four beaches are open, with the Cove Beach set to open for the holidays from Dec. 22 to Jan. 3.

And the resorts vast shopping offering is also back, headlined by the return fo the Crystal Court and Marina Village stores.

The Bahamas recently entered a new phase of its tourism reopening that eliminated the mandatory quarantine.

All travelers need to present a negative PCR test within 5 days before their flight and complete an application for a Bahamas Travel Health Visa. You can find more on the countrys opening protocols here.

For more, visit Atlantis Paradise Island.

CJ

Originally posted here:

The Bahamas' Atlantis Resort Just Reopened Caribbean Journal - Caribbean Journal

The Nature Conservancy has completed a significant new project: a region-wide publication of maps of all shallow water coral reefs in the Caribbean.

Now, the Caribbean has a clear picture of the habitats found beneath its waves.

You cannot protect what you dont know is there. Having access to these maps is a game-changing achievement for the Caribbean, said Dr. Robert Brumbaugh, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancys Caribbean Division. Thirty countries and territories finally have access to better, more detailed information about their underwater habitats to help them better protect marine areas, support sustainable livelihoods and prioritize their adaptation to potential climate change impacts. Understanding and protecting natural resources is critical to the economic success of these countries.

The Nature Conservancy scientists, working with the Arizona State University Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, worked with Planet Labs to stitch together more than 38,000 high-resolution satellite images.

These maps are now being distributed and made widely available to a variety of stakeholders across the Caribbean. Working with partners, we will use these maps to strategically expand marine protected areas, inform smarter coral reef restoration, support nature-based solutions against the threats of climate change, and overall catalyze more effective conservation actions said Dr. Steve Schill, Lead Scientist for TNCs Caribbean Division.

The maps show the location of coral reefs, seagrass beds and other oases of underwater life, according to TNC.

The scope of these maps is unprecedented in the region, and the opportunities they unlock to provide a better future for Caribbean ecosystems, and the millions of people who depend upon them, are astonishing said Dr. Joseph Pollock, Senior Coral Reef Resilience Scientist for TNC. Using traditional approaches, it would have taken approximately 250 million diver hours to map such a large area. New technologies have helped deliver these desperately needed maps at a tiny fraction of the effort and cost.

A study by TNC published in 2019 found that approximately half of all livelihoods in the Caribbean region depended on healthy nearshore and coastal habitats with coral reefs and reef-associate activities generating almost $8 billion in economic value to the tourism industry and drawing around 11 million visitors to the Caribbean.

The organization says the maps are meant to inform a diverse array of conservation and policy decisions to protect and restore these essential coastal areas that people depend on.

You can find the complete set of maps here.

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Scientists Just Mapped All the Coral Reefs in the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal

Caribbean Airlines Cargo has partnered with the General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA), Network Cargo Management Corp to expand its coverage in the United States (US). The arrangement took effect on Dec. 7.

The agreement with Network Cargo Management excludes the territories of Miami and New York, which are Caribbean Airlines main gateways to the Caribbean. Sales and operations in these territories will continue to be managed by Caribbean Airlines Cargo.

As Caribbean Airlines Cargos General Sales Agent in the US, Network Cargo Management connects freight forwarders operating within the United States to several destinations in the Caribbean.

Through this alliance, customers interested in shipping to the Caribbean may:

The airline recently increased its freighter schedule from six (6) to twelve (12) weekly flights for the holiday peak season. Caribbean Airlines operates weekly B 767 - 300 freighter flights, offering 120,000 pounds of capacity between Miami and several Caribbean destinations including Trinidad, Georgetown, Kingston, Montego Bay and Barbados.

The carrier also transports cargo on its B 737 - 800 and ATR passenger flights to Caribbean destinations including but not limited to Antigua, Nassau, St. Vincent, St. Martin, Grenada, St. Lucia, Georgetown, Barbados, Kingston and Tobago.

As borders reopen, the airline is expected to re-introduce passenger and cargo flights to other Caribbean countries. Additionally, shipments may be moved throughout the region via Caribbean Airlines cargo charter service.

Original post:

Caribbean Airlines Expands Its Cargo Services in the US - AviationPros.com

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Dec. 14, 2020: A convicted terrorist is back in his homeland of Guyana after being deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

Compton Eversley, aka Abdel Nur, 70, was on Dec. 10, 2020 jailed in a plot to detonate fuel tanks at Kennedy International Airport. He had served 15 years in prison for providing material support to the conspiracy in Jamaica, New York, by exploding fuel tanks and the fuel pipeline under the airport.

Nur had pleaded guilty in 2010 to a single count of providing material support for terrorism.

On April 24, 2020, following completion of his sentence, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons transferred Eversley to ERO custody in Philadelphia, where he was served a Notice and Order of Expedited Removal.

ICE officers released Eversley to Guyanese officials in Georgetown, Guyana on Dec. 10th without incident

Eversely was admitted to the U.S. by immigration officials at the port of entry in Niagara Falls, New York, as a non-immigrant visitor in March 1988. He was authorized to remain for up to six months but failed to depart in accordance with the terms of his admission.

On Oct. 24, 1988, the 17th Circuit Court of Broward County, Florida, convicted Eversley of possession of cocaine and cannabis. He was sentenced to 60 days confinement. That December, the Broward County Sheriffs Office (BCS) transferred Eversley to the custody of the then Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), based on his overstaying his lawful entry.

On Jan. 30, 1989, an immigration judge in Miami issued him a final order of removal (deportation order) and in March 1989 Eversley was removed to Guyana.

In January 2006, an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force began investigating an international plot to attack JFK International Airport. The investigation revealed Eversley and his co-conspirators conspired to bomb fuel tanks, airport hangers, airplanes, fuel lines and a flight control tower at JFK. The FBI determined Eversley played a substantial role in the plot to attack the facility. He engaged in numerous meetings with other members of the conspiracy and agreed to serve as a liaison with obtaining the support of several known terrorist organizations with executing the scheme.

On June 1, 2007, the EDNY issued an arrest warrant for Eversley and three days later the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service arrested him in the city of Port of Spain and held him in custody pending extradition to the United States.

Following completion of the extradition, on June 24, 2008, the FBI extradited him from Trinidad and Tobago to the United States via San Juan, Puerto Rico. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) paroled Eversley into the United States to face criminal prosecution.

Eversley believed the attack would cause extensive damage to the airport and to the New York economy, as well as the loss of numerous lives.

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Convicted Terrorist Deported Back To Guyana - Caribbean and Latin America Daily News - News Americas

This snapshot focuses on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the useof smugglers by refugees and migrants in Guatemala and Mexico. It is based on 4Miinterviews with people on the move and a few key informant interviews in GuatemalaCity and Tapachula. It aims to contribute towards a solid evidence base to inform targetedresponses on the ground, as well as advocacy efforts related to the situation of refugeesand migrants during the coronavirus pandemic.

Recommendations

Closely monitor the impact of COVID-19 on smuggling, with a focus on protectionrisks.

Engage with authorities to promote protection-sensitive immigration policies andborder management during the pandemic.

Profiles

This analysis is based on 323 surveys conducted between 13 July and 25 September2020. Data collection was carried out remotely by phone.

43% of respondents were interviewed in Guatemala and 57% in Mexico. 88% of thosesurveyed in Guatemala were in the countrys capital, Guatemala City, while 12% were inother cities such as Chimaltenango, Escuintla, Quetzaltenango, Sacatepquez, amongothers. 90% of respondents in Mexico were in Tapachula (State of Chiapas) and theremaining 10% were in different cities including Tuxtla Gutierrez, Ciudad Hidalgo andEscuintla.

52% of all respondents were women and 48% were men. The average age of respondentswas 34

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MMC Latin America and the Caribbean - 4Mi Snapshot November 2020: Refugees and migrants in Guatemala and Mexico: a focus on smuggling during the...

LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN: COVID-19

KEY FIGURES

13.5M CUMULATIVE COVID-19 CASES IN LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN AS OF 29 NOVEMBER

8% DECLINE IN REMITTANCES TO LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN PROJECTED FOR 2021

REGIONAL: REMITTANCES

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean in March 2020, the World Bank estimated that remittances could drop by as much as 20 per cent in 2020 due to expected losses in employment and/or salary reduction. While the pandemic led to decreased remittances from March to May, losses that ranged from 2 per cent (Mexico) to more than 70 per cent (Bolivia), remittances rebounded from June onwards, with several countries now reporting remittance flows that are even higher than 2019 levels. Mexico, Colombia, Jamaica, Brazil and the Dominican Republic have reported months with remittances more than a third higher relative to the same month in 2019.

Moreover, some countries have registered record highs in remittances during the pandemic, including Brazil with US$317.6 million in August, Colombia with $715.9 million in March, the Dominican Republic with $827.7 million in July, El Salvador with $571.4 million in October, Guatemala with $1.1 billion in October and Mexico with $4 billion in March.

KEY FIGURES

500K PEOPLE IN HONDURAS WITH HEALTH NEEDS AFTER ETA & IOTA

267K FAMILIES IN GUATEMALA AFFECTED BY ETA & IOTA'S DAMAGE TO CROPS

HONDURAS

According to PAHO/WHO, more than 400 health facilities across Honduras have reported damage after Eta and Iota. At least 120 health facilities are inoperative, 27 are collapsed and 12 report damage to cold chain equipment. Nearly 100 health facilities report personnel that have been directly affected by the storms, further complicating the continual provision of badly needed health services.

PAHO/WHO estimate that approximately 2 million people have either limited or no access to health services due to these impacts to the health services network and that at least 500,000 of these people have health needs.

GUATEMALA

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock indicates that damage to the agriculture sector has so far affected more than 164,000 hectares of crops and more than 267,000 families.

WFP reports that Eta and Iotas damage to crops will create a high risk of food insecurity for vulnerable families who were relying on subsistence crops for food supply through the September 2021 harvest cycle, leading to estimations that families in affected communities are facing, or will soon face, hunger. WFP further reports that nearly 70 per cent of local markets are not fully y supplied due to the storms impact.

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Latin America & The Caribbean - Weekly Situation Update (30 November - 6 December 2020) As of 7 December 2020 - Honduras - ReliefWeb

The man who dropped his granddaughter from the window of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship has had his sentencing delayed.

Telemundo reports instead of being sentenced on Thursday, his court date has been rescheduled to February 8, 2021.

Salvatore SamAnello plead guilty to negligent manslaughter in October, and accepted a settlement that would allow for a reduced sentence.

In July 2019, 18-month-old Chloe Wiegand fell to her death after her grandfather dropped her from an open window on Freedom of the Seas.

Initially Mr. Anello said he would not plead guilty after his granddaughter fell from a top deck of Freedom of the Seas. He then changed his plea in order to avoid jail time and serve probation instead.

Anello and her family have maintained that Chloe Wiegand's fall was an accident and not a crime.

According to the maternal grandfather's testimony, Chloe asked be raised up by her grandfather. He put her on a rail by a window, thinking the glass would hold her. However, the window was open.

Royal Caribbean said that surveillance video shows Anello leaning out the window for about eight seconds before lifting the girl by and out of the open window for 34 seconds before he lost his grip.

After the initial accident occurred, Royal Caribbean issued a statement thatthe company was "deeply saddened by the tragic incident."

"Our hearts go out to the family. We have made our team available to assist them with the resources they need. Out of respect for their privacy, we do not plan to comment further on the incident."

Royal Caribbean released video and images in January in response to the lawsuit to prove Anello knew the window was open prior toholding his granddaughter up to it.Anello has repeatedly said that he did not know the window was open.

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Grandfather of toddler who fell from a Royal Caribbean ship has sentencing delayed - Royal Caribbean Blog

A MILLION AUNTIES By Alecia McKenzie

During a discussion of my own novel, These Ghosts Are Family, at a private book club, a group of Caribbean women told me that the one aspect of the story which teems with the supernatural that theyd found the most unbelievable was when a character dies and has his identity stolen because he has no family except for an aging grandmother to come looking for him. That would never happen in the Caribbean, one participant said. He would have cousins, he would have neighbors, uncles he would have aunties! The Commonwealth Prize-winning, Jamaican-born author Alecia McKenzies tender new novel an emotionally resonant ode to adopted families and community resilience fills this gap.

A Million Aunties is a polyphonic narrative with a cast of characters who have experienced betrayal, disaster and loss at different stages of life. Chris, a young Black painter from New York, has just arrived in the fictional village of Port Segovia in rural Jamaica, searching for beauty and solitude after his wifes death in a terrorist attack. Its his first time visiting the island without his Jamaican mother, who died from cancer years before. At the advice of his agent and friend, Stephen, he has come to board with Miss Della, Stephens auntie, a term that transcends blood relation. Once Stephen had mumbled something about his aunt getting him from a place called Anfields Childrens Home in Kingston, Chris recalls. Shed taken him to the country to help her grow plants and told everyone he was her nephew, and it had gone from being a lie to being true.

The novel moves between faraway settings of Jamaica, New York and France (where McKenzie herself lives), and though supporting characters momentarily take center stage, its Chris, Stephen and Della around whom all the others seem to orbit. Stephen serves as a connector, determined to bring people together so they can experience the same healing and warmth that Miss Della and her community gave him as a child. In his most morbid moments, McKenzie writes, he sometimes thought: Lose a mother, gain a million aunties.

Like Chris and Stephen, the broader community within this novel is also transnational. While most of the characters are Jamaican artists and their loved ones, McKenzie brings in others from different countries throughout the African diaspora, such as Fliciane, a French and West African installation artist caught in a love triangle between Stephen and her new boyfriend on the island. Of course no family exists without conflict. In a moving monologue, Chriss father, an African-American Vietnam veteran in failing health, laments Chriss late mothers dismissive attitude toward American racism as the arrogance and confidence of growing up as a majority.

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In the Caribbean and Beyond, Aunties Are So Much More Than Just Family - The New York Times

Hurricane Iota has roared onto Nicaraguas Caribbean coast as a dangerous Category 4 storm on Monday, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph. It hit land along almost exactly the same area that Hurricane Eta devastated 13 days earlier. (Nov. 17) AP Domestic

Hurricane Iota was smashing across Central America on Tuesday, a massive Category 4 storm that blasted ashore less than 15 miles from where powerful Hurricane Eta roared intwo weeks ago.

Iota, the strongest hurricane ever recorded this late in a year,had barely eased from Category 5 status when it began its devastating march through Nicaraguan and into Honduras with sustained winds of 155 mph just two 2 mph below Category 5 status.

The storm could bring one of the worst floods the region has had in a thousand years or more,AccuWeather said. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde warned that power outages could last for months in some areas.

Hurricane Iota will place another catastrophic blow to the region," Rinde said. "No amount of words can describe the problems this system will add to the crisis already occurring in the area."

Hurricane Eta, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Nov. 3, was among the five strongest storms to ever hit the nation. Eta also brought devastation to Honduras and Guatemala with rain measured in feet, heavy flooding and mudslides. More than 130 people died across the region.

'Extremely dangerous' Hurricane Iota threatens 'catastrophic' damage

Iota, the first Category 5 hurricane of the season, swept onto the coastabout 30 milessouth of the Nicaraguan city of Puerto Cabezas, also known as Bilwi. The stormwas heading west at 12 mph and was forecast to move farther inland across northern Nicaragua andsouthern Honduras Tuesday night and Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.

The move over land did ease some of Iota's fury, and maximum sustained winds had decreased to near 75 mph, although some gusts were much higher. Additional rapid weakening is expected today into Wednesday, and Iota was forecast to dissipate over Central America by Wednesday night.

Honduras, northern Nicaragua, southeast and central Guatemala and southern Belize could see up to20 inches, with isolated maximum totals of 30 inches, the weather service said.

"This rainfall will lead to significant, life-threatening flash flooding and river flooding, along with mudslides in areas of higher terrain," said Eric Blake, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

People hunkered down in Bilwi even before the hurricane arrived, already battered by screeching winds and torrential rains.

Business owner Adn Artola Schultz braced himself in the doorway of his house as strong gusts of wind and rain drover water in torrents down the street. He was amazed that as second storm was following so closely on Eta's destructive heels.

It is like bullets, he said of the sound of metal structures banging and buckling in the wind. This is double destruction. This is coming in with fury."

Neighbors help each other as they evacuate the area before Hurricane Iota makes landfall in San Manuel Cortes, Honduras, Monday, November 16, 2020.(Photo: Delmer Martinez, AP)

Evacuations were conducted from low-lying areas in Nicaragua and Honduras near their shared border through the weekend.

Nicaraguan Vice President Rosario Murillo said the government had done everything necessary to protect lives, including the evacuation of thousands. She added that Taiwan had donated 800 tons of rice to help those affected by the storms.

This hurricane is definitely worse than Eta, said Jason Bermdez, a university student from Bilwi. We will never forget this year.

Iota is the record 30th named storm of this years extraordinarily busy Atlantic hurricane season. Such activity has focused attention on climate change, which scientists say is causing wetter, stronger and more destructive storms.

The official end of hurricane season is Nov. 30.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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'We will never forget this year': Hurricane Iota roars through Caribbean coast just devastated by Eta - USA TODAY

Walt Disney(NYSE:DIS) announced a major expansion of its Disney+ service today, making scores of highly popular series and programs available to viewers in the Caribbean and Latin America for the first time. After a limited-time free seven-day trial, most subscribers will pay the equivalent of $5 to $6 in U.S. currency per month, or around $50 to $60 per year. Some countries will see higher fees, such as Uruguay, where subscribers will pay $7.49 monthly or $74.99 annually.

The hit series The Mandalorian, set in the Star Wars universe and featuring an armored bounty hunter and his young green sidekick, heads the list of offerings, and 40 other series and programs from Disney's regular lineup will also air on launch or in the coming weeks and months. Seventy series and programs produced locally in Brazil, Argentina, and elsewhere are also to be added or are in development in partnership with Disney.

Image source: Getty Images.

Disney+ has experienced red-hot growth during the pandemic lockdowns and recently attained 73.7 million subscribers, putting Disney almost four years ahead of its planned growth schedule, according to CBR. The company originally projected reaching between 60 million and 90 million subscribers by 2024.

Disney's focus on Disney+ and other online and streaming content helped the company maintain momentum despite theme park shutdowns amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. While pent-up demand could yield big profits after a viable COVID-19 vaccine is released, the extension of California business closures ordered by Gov. Gavin Newsom in response to increasing cases contributed to an ongoing reduction costing the entertainment giant $1.1 billion in lost park revenue during the fourth quarter, USA Today reports.

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Walt Disney's Disney+ Expands to Latin America and the Caribbean - Motley Fool

Along with proximity to the U.S. East Coast and robust business infrastructure, one of our unique selling proposition is, clearly, how well weve been able to manage the virus, said Premier David Burt.

Since launching its remote-worker visa program in July, Bermuda has received almost 600 applications. It may be a drop in the economic bucket but every drop counts.

Comfort zones

Barbados has also pushed hard and, since launching its Barbados Welcome Stamp in July, is playing host to almost 3,000 remote workers.

We have no plans to sunset the program, said Eusi Skeete, the U.S. director at Barbados Tourism Marketing. It has extended the life cycle of visitors on our island.

Competition is heating up. The Cayman Islands, which remains closed to general tourism, launched its Global Citizen Concierge Program last month for remote workers who make more than $100,000 a year and provide proof of employment and heath insurance.

The crowded market means destinations have to move beyond their usual pitch of beach, beauty, rum and sun.

Look, its the Caribbean, every place has beautiful beaches, and we have them in droves, said Rod Miller, the chief executive officer of Invest Puerto Rico, the U.S. territorys investment promotion agency. But we also have a critical mass in terms of business, opportunity and connectivity to the U.S. mainland in a way that these other markets dont have.

Part of Puerto Ricos pitch is that its a seamless transition for U.S. mainlanders a Caribbean island that doesnt require a passport, has multiple daily flights to the East Coast and where your mobile phone, Netflix account and health insurance work as soon as you deplane.

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'I just never went back': Caribbean islands looking to replace tourists with long-term workers - National Post

(CNN) A total of seven passengers have tested positive for Covid-19 aboard the SeaDream 1 cruise ship docked in Barbados, according to a passenger on the ship.

Forty six passengers who have tested negative for coronavirus began to disembark the SeaDream 1 cruise ship to fly home Saturday, according to passenger Ben Hewitt.

Five passengers who tested positive also disembarked for a private flight back to the United States, according to Hewitt.

The voyage was meant to demonstrate that increased safety protocols, including regular testing aboard the ship, could allow cruise voyages to take place during the pandemic.

Instead one passenger fell ill on Wednesday, forcing the SeaDream 1 to return to Barbados, where all 53 passengers and 66 crew were tested.

SeaDream Yacht Club said in a news release Thursday afternoon that "guests" had received "assumptive positive" results to preliminary rapid Covid tests, but did not specify the number who had done so.

"We are working closely with local health and government authorities to resolve this situation in the best possible way," said SeaDream's Andreas Brynestad, in the SeaDream release.

Passenger Gene Sloan took this photo during the cruise that's been cut short by a Covid-19 outbreak.

Gene Sloan/The Points Guy

Intercom announcement of positive test result

Passengers were instructed to return to their cabins and remain isolated there, he said.

The ship, which was in the Grenadines at the time of the first preliminary positive test, docked in Barbados Wednesday evening.

Passengers were tested in advance of traveling to the ship and also before boarding the ship, Sloan said.

"And SeaDream also was testing passengers four days into the trip," he said. "We were scheduled to be tested again today. That's a more rigorous testing plan than most lines had been discussing for the restarts."

The protocol is due in part to the strict testing required by Barbados, where the ship will be based for the season, Sloan noted.

"I think what this shows is it's going to happen. And until there's a vaccine or herd immunity, when cruising starts up you're going to see things like this happen. The question is how often and how big?"

The current sailing was carrying 53 passengers and 66 crew, Sloan said.

Gene Sloan/The Points Guy

Voyages from Barbados

SeaDream's winter voyages from Barbados started on November 7 with the sailing that has now been cut short.

"After completing a successful summer season in Norway, we implemented even stricter health and safety protocols for our Barbados winter season. All guests were tested twice prior to embarkation and we are in the process of retesting guests," said SeaDream's Andreas Brynestad in the statement released on Thursday.

Hewitt, the YouTube host, expressed his disappointment and frustration with the virus in an interview Thursday from his stateroom.

"It's just so disappointing that this has happened because everybody has their hopes up high, and we can't see anything more that they could've done," said Hewitt.

"It's just such a horrible virus, it just gets everywhere even with the constant testing."

The use of masks on the voyage has been far less stringent.

Sloan told CNN that initially no one was wearing face masks, not even the crew. Crew members told him they weren't necessary since the ship was a Covid-free "bubble."

Then a few days into sailing, SeaDream instituted a mask policy but didn't offer an explanation, he said.

Fewer than 250 guests

SeaDream's ships, which the company refers to as "superyachts," have 56 staterooms, with a capacity for 112 guests and 95 crew.

Carrying fewer than 250 guests outside of US waters allows SeaDream to operate outside of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's orders around cruising.

The CDC recently issued a "Framework for Conditional Sailing Order for Cruise Ships."

Safety measures may not be enough to contain the virus.

Gene Sloan/The Points Guy

On Friday, a letter signed by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) called on the CDC to reinstate its no-sail order for cruise ships and reverse efforts to restart the industry's US operations.

The letter cites the outbreak aboard SeaDream 1.

Despite precautions, "the virus was still able to infect multiple people on the ship, with the possibility of more confirmed cases emerging as passengers and crew are retested," the letter reads.

"Unfortunately, this troubling development is not surprising and reaffirms the need to exercise extreme caution before sending passengers and crew back out to sea on cruises."

Photo from SeaDream Yacht Club. CNN's Tamara Hardingham-Gill contributed to this report.

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Covid-19 outbreak strikes first cruise to resume sailing in the Caribbean - CNN

Dustin Johnson pocketed over $2 million in prize money for winning his first Masters title on Sunday, and he's wasting no time in splashing the cash to celebrate.

Just a day after his record-breaking victory at Augusta National, the American alongside his fiance, Paulina Gretzky, and a group of friends took a private jet to the Caribbean island of Saint Barthlemy, where they set up shop in luxury villa by the sea.

Kristina Melnichenko, who is on the trip with Johnson, shared snaps of the vacation on her Instagram account, which showed the group taking shots and playing giant Jenga.

Johnson and company flew out in a private jet. Instagram/kmelnichenko

They are staying in a luxury villa by the sea. Instagram/kmelnichenko

They have been passing the time with drinking games. Instagram/kmelnichenko

Melnichenko also posted a picture of the NHL legend Wayne Gretzky Paulina's father wearing one of the famed white boilersuits caddies at the Masters wear during the tournament.

Johnson set a Masters record during the weekend by finishing the tournament an astonishing 20 strokes under par as he claimed his first green jacket.

Afterward, he gave an emotional victory speech in which he was unable to hold back his tears.

"This is just a dream come true, as a kid, I always dreamed about being a Masters champion," he said."It's hard to talk. It's just incredible, as you can tell. Sorry.

"I've never had this much trouble trying to gather myself. On the golf course, I'm pretty good, but out here I'm not. I have a great team who Jesus, I can't even talk!"

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Dustin Johnson's Masters victory speech was so emotional it even made Tiger Woods cry

Dustin Johnson had to tell his younger brother caddying for him to stop crying on the final hole so he could wrap up the Masters

Bryson DeChambeau's plan to overpower Augusta National backfired spectacularly

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Photos: Dustin Johnson toasts Masters win with Caribbean vacation - Insider - INSIDER

WestJet today released its updated December schedule featuring up to 55 daily flights to sun destinations in the Caribbean, the United States (including Hawaii) and Mexico. The schedule also highlights increased domestic frequencies for travel starting December 5, 2020 through to January 4, 2021.

While this winter travel season looks quite different from years past, we are pleased to be able to offer our guests a variety of flights during the holidays, said Arved von zur Muehlen, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. Whatever the reason for travel, WestJet continues to safely connect Canadians to destinations across our network and will continue to make changes to the schedule to meet the ever-changing needs of our guests and airline.

For sun seekers the airline is adding December flights to Liberia (Costa Rica), Punta Cana, Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic), Bridgetown (Barbados), Mazatln (Mexico), Huatulco (Mexico), Orlando, Las Vegas, Honolulu (Oahu) and Kahului (Maui).

WestJet continues to operate at a reduced schedule and has removed over 63 per cent capacity year over year, including approximately 73 per cent capacity from the December schedule alone. During the holiday season, the airline will offer flights to 54 destinations including 33 in Canada, nine in the U.S. including Hawaii, five in Mexico, five in the Caribbean, one in Europe and one in Central America. Frequencies will increase throughout the month of December, full details at bottom of the release.

Canadians travelling back through Calgary see benefits of post-travel testing trial

On November 2, YYC Calgary International Airport began the COVID-19 testing trial supported by the Governments of Canada and Alberta, trialing a reduced quarantine period in Alberta, while protecting Canadians from COVID-19.

Many Canadians are seeking alternatives to the 14-day quarantine and the testing trial at Calgary International Airport is a welcome first step, continued von zur Muehlen. We are optimistic in the early results of the YYC COVID testing trial and hope to see future expansion of testing opportunities closely follow at airports across the country.

Canadians travelling abroad are still subject to a 14-day quarantine upon their return to the country if not eligible for Albertas COVID-19 testing trial program.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, WestJet has implemented more than 20 additional health and safety measures during the travel journey and continues to evolve its cleaning to meet the needs of guests and WestJetters through its Safety Above All program.

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WestJet Adds Flights to the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Costa Rica - RusTourismNews

Sabadeco Terrace is about five miles north of Kralendijk, a small coastal city with a few thousand residents and a strip of shops, supermarkets, restaurants and other amenities, Mr. Bartikoski said. The 111-square-mile island of Bonaire is a magnet for scuba divers, but also attracts wind surfers to Lac Bay and kite surfers to Atlantis Beach. Pink Beach, on the islands southwestern shore, and Washington-Slagbaai National Park, on its northern tip, are each less than 20 minutes away by car. Bonaire International Airport is a 15-minute drive.

The Dutch island of Bonaire, with about 21,000 residents, has long attracted outsiders with its arid climate, coral reefs and relatively low risk of hurricanes. In recent years, its largely tourism-based economy has generated a flourishing real estate market, and not unlike many other tropical locales, its allure seems to have grown during the coronavirus pandemic.

The outbreak of the pandemic has only enhanced the islands appeal, Mr. Cooper said. Weve seen a steady rise in inquiries this year, including a huge surge the day after the U.S. election.

According to Bonaires most recent official data, reported by Statistics Netherlands in 2018, the housing index showed prices for residential properties were on average 21.6 percent higher than they were the previous year. The number of housing transactions from 2017 to 2018 grew by 52.8 percent, from 214 to 327.

Official data for 2019 is not available, but real estate experts said the market has continued apace. Its been insane, said Roderick Groenman, a notary with the office of Aniek H. Schouten. For the past three or four years, things have been going really well.

Mr. Groenman attributed the consistent growth to the islands status as a special municipality of the Netherlands, which provides free, high-quality health care to residents. (Aruba and Curaao, by contrast, are autonomous constituent countries of the Netherlands.) He also pointed to Bonaires stability on the U.S. dollar, which the island adopted as its currency in 2011. The economy has been expanding, with a 3.9 percent increase in the gross domestic product in 2018, and this year the Dutch government has provided subsidies to thwart an economic downturn.

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House Hunting on Bonaire: Perched Above the Caribbean for $1.5 Million - The New York Times