Daily Archives: January 13, 2021

ACI-LAC, ALTA, CANSO and IATA have called for the implementation and adherence to internationally-agreed measures which permit safe air travel during the COVID19 pandemic.

2021 began as a promising and hopeful year with vaccination campaigns being started. Health and safety are, and will always be, the number one priority; therefore, the aviation industry has been supporting and advising States in their efforts to prevent the spread of COVID19 by implementing multilayered biosafety protocols at all stages of travel.

However, measures that had been lifted such as quarantines on top of testing requirements are being reimposed, in addition to new bans on flights to certain destinations. All of this represents a setback in the recovery efforts of many economic sectors, such as travel and tourism, among others.

As a result, Airports Council International Latin America and Caribbean (ACILAC), the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA), the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) and The International Air Transport Association (IATA) are jointly expressing their deep concerns about the new measures and restrictions being imposed on air travel across Latin America and the Caribbean.

In a joint call to governments, they have asked for the implementation and adherence to internationally-agreed measures which permit safe air travel during the COVID19 pandemic. Rolling back the progress made on restoring air connectivity in 2020 will have an adverse effect on the socioeconomic recovery in the region, placing millions of jobs at risk.

The regions airports have seen a gradual but sustained recovery since June 2020, reaching 45 per cent of the total number of passengers carried in November 2019. It has been a joint effort to regain the confidence of passengers and provide a safe travel experience. The airports have been very strict in the implementation of sanitary protocols. In addition, the application of tests instead of quarantines has proven to be a highly effective alternative, generating confidence in travellers and contributing to the revival of travel and tourism. With the arrival of the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere, we expected a more accelerated recovery; however, the imposition of new measures and restrictions will reduce incentives to travel, comments Rafael Echevarne, Director General of ACILAC.

ALTAs Executive Director and CEO, Jos Ricardo Botelho, said: Between January and November 2020, the airlines operating in the region carried about 40 per cent of the total passengers transported in that period of 2019. November marked a milestone, with close to 16 million passengers in the region (45 per cent of the total for November 2019) thanks to the reactivation of practically all the countries in the region. This shows that there is interest and need for travel. Therefore, we cannot return to border closures or reimpose obstacles to passengers. We reiterate our willingness to work with governments in the implementation of effective and sustainable mechanisms that guarantee the health of passengers and citizens, while we recover connectivity and this important economic sector.

We again call on governments to implement and follow the internationally-agreed biosafety protocols for aviation. We cannot go back to the beginning of the pandemic, closing borders or applying quarantines when even the World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed out that the virus cannot be controlled in this way. There will always be an element of risk, but there are strategies to mitigate this and, as an industry, we have necessary protocols in place. Thats why we must learn to live with the virus without putting millions of jobs at risk and crippling the economies that depend on aviation; because there are no alternatives for fast, safe and reliable transportation. Air transport is key to a countrys connectivity, especially when vaccine logistics require efficient transportation links to ensure deliveries, says Peter Cerd, IATAs Regional Vice President for the Americas.

The industry is also reminding governments of the importance of providing a clear and reliable regulatory framework under which airlines can provide stable operations to passengers, which is an integral part of rebuilding customer confidence.Airlines, airports and suppliers require sufficient advance notice to allow for the proper planning of efficient and safe operations. Passengers also plan their trips in advance, and changing requirements generates uncertainty and disincentives to travel.

Director General CANSO, Simon Hocquard, said: The COVID19 pandemic has created a significant challenge for aviation, and a major focus right now is coordinating the industry restart. Global recovery has been uneven, with some regions seeing declines in volumes in the past few months, while others are experiencing a continued slow recovery of flight numbers. For example, the most significant growth was seen in the Caribbean, where 900 additional daily flights were added between late October and late November 2020. As well as preparing for the restart, organisations across the industry are contending with an unprecedented financial challenge and, while I understand the important measures being put in place to protect the public, as we move into the new normal, we call upon governments to coordinate and support the aviation sector for the duration of this crisis.

According to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in 2020, the global tourism industry went back 30 years, with one billion fewer travellers arriving and approximately $1.1 billion in lost revenue from international tourism. For its part, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has reported that some six million jobs in the travel and tourism industry and more than $110 billion in contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are at risk in Latin America and the Caribbean alone.

The availability of a vaccine is great news for the population, but waiting for mass vaccination to lift restrictions would end up doing more harm. Standardised protocols and the pretesting of passengers will ensure that keeping borders open does not pose a risk of contagion, while the industry continues on the road to recovery. Aviation and tourism are major drivers of socioeconomic development in the region and, by working together, we will regain the connectivity that generates millions of jobs and wellbeing for our population.

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Concern shown over new Latin America and Caribbean travel restrictions - International Airport Review

LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN: COVID-19Source: PAHO/WHO - https://bit.ly/2O25YQw

KEY FIGURES

16.5M CUMULATIVE COVID-19 CASES IN LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN AS OF 10 JANUARY

203.1K COVID-19 DEATHS IN BRAZIL AS OF 10 JANUARY, THE WORLD'S SECOND-HIGHEST DEATH TOLL

50K INITIAL COVID-19 VACCINE DOSES TO BE ADMINISTERED IN ECUADOR ON 18 JANUARY

MEXICO

Mexico's fast-rising caseload in recent weeks is leading to high hospital bed occupancy rates, with Mexico City reporting general hospital beds and beds with ventilators are both currently 85 per cent occupied. Dozens of migrant shelters run by NGOs or faith-based organizations in northern Mexico have closed or reduced their operations in recent weeks due to health regulations. Mexico's COVID-19 death toll of more than 133,700 as of 10 January is the fourthhighest in the world.

ECUADOR

The Ministry of Health signed an agreement with Pfizer and BioNTech for manufacturing and supplying 2 million COVID-19 vaccines, with the Ministry already working to extend the order for another 2 million vaccines.Ecuador's pilot vaccination program will begin on 18 January with 50,000 doses for an initial group of healthcare workers, elderly people in public facilities and their caretakers.

BRAZIL

The country passed 200,000 COVID-19 deaths, the second highest total in the world after the US. The city of Manaus in the Amazon region has declared a 180-day state of emergency due to a surge of new cases. Private hospital intensive care unit (ICU) beds were at 100 per cent occupancy the first week of January, which is also placing significant strain on public health system hospitals where 92 percent of the ICUs capable of hosting COVID-19 patients were in use by 4 January.

BARBADOS

Barbados recorded 360 new COVID-19 cases in seven days, leading to an incidence rate of 112 cases per every 100,000 people during this time. This increase is due to three newly identified clusters, with the first cluster traced to a COVID-19 outbreak at the Dodds Prison involving prison officials and inmates with over 170 cases, a second cluster traced to the island's western coast and a third cluster related to travelers arriving from the United Kingdom over holidays. These new clusters have led to an increase that accounts for a third of all confirmed cases in Barbados since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.

The Government has since declared a set daily curfew until 14 January and revised emergency management protocols to adopt new specific measures.

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Latin America & The Caribbean - Weekly Situation Update (4-10 January 2021) As of 11 January 2021 - Mexico - ReliefWeb

The CEO of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, Frank Comito, has stepped down from the position.

The move comes after Comito helped guide the association through the pandemic, along with several devastating hurricanes and a number of other global challenges facing the tourism industry.

Comito has spent nearly 40 years working for local and regional private sector organizations in the wider Caribbean region.

He will now be serving as a part-time special advisor to the organization following the transition.

Industry veteran and longtime CHTA executive Vanessa Ledesman will be serving as acting CEO and director general of the organization in the interim.

In his outgoing remarks, Comito said the pandemic remained a critical concern, and that the Caribbeans tourism industry needs CHTA.

Our work has a bottom line impact on restoring tourism and economies, he said. While we immediately shifted course, adapting to the newfound needs of the industry, we have not lost sight of the long-game of CHTAs ongoing viability and our role in continuing to support tourisms development.

CJ

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Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association CEO Steps Down - Caribbean Journal

Megan Davis, Ph.D., shows queen conch at various developmental stages in The Bahamas (Photo credit: H. Forrest Thomas ).

With an estimated lifespan between 25 to 40 years, the queen conch (Strombus gigas) is a prized delicacy long harvested for food and is revered for its beautiful shell. Second only to the spiny lobster, it is one of the most important benthic fisheries in the Caribbean region. Unfortunately, the species faces a challenge of survival: how to endure and thrive, as populations are in a steady state of decline from overfishing, habitat degradation and hurricane damage. In some places, the conch populations have dwindled so low that the remaining conch cannot find breeding partners. This dire situation isurgentin ecological and economic terms.

To preserve this most significant molluscan fishery in the Caribbean, a scientist from Florida Atlantic Universitys Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute has dedicated more than four decades of research into the science and art of growing queen conch. Her latest contribution an 80-page, step-by-step user manual that provides complete illustrations and photos of how to culture queen conch. The Queen Conch Aquaculture: Hatchery and Nursery Phases User Manual, was recently published in the National Shellfisheries Associations Journal of Shellfish Research.

The manual is a deliverable of the Puerto Rico Saltonstall-Kennedy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries grant, which is a two-year collaboration and project with Conservacin Conciencia, the Naguabo Commercial Fishing Association and fishers in Puerto Rico.

I wrote this edition for the Puerto Rican fishers of the Naguabo Fishing Association who are learning to operate the Naguabo Queen Conch Hatchery and Nursery, said Megan Davis, Ph.D., author and a research professor of aquaculture and stock enhancement, FAUs Harbor Branch, who collaborated with Victoria Cassar, a science communicator who designed the manual. However, the majority of the information presented in this new manual can be applied to other queen conch hatchery and nursery projects to produce conch for sustainable seafood, conservation and restoration.

Video shows the various developmental stages of the queen conch from eggs to larvae to tiny juveniles in a controlled environment and later in the wild in the Caribbean. Second only to the spiny lobster, the queen conch (Strombus gigas) is a prized delicacy long harvested for food and is revered for its beautiful shell. (Video credit: FAUs Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute; Michiel van Nierop; and Bo Boudart Production).

Last year, Davis teamed up with Conservacin ConCiencia in Puerto Rico to assist with stock enhancement fisheries of the queen conch. The goal: to produce up to 2,000 queen conch juveniles in a fishers-operated aquaculture facility for release into conch juvenile habitats. The Saltonstall-Kennedy NOAA-funded project includes aiding sustainable fisheries practices through aquaculture. The team is working with the fishery communities, utilizing the commercial Fishing Associations working waterfront for conch aquaculture infrastructure, helping provide diversified incomes for the fishery communities, promoting aquaculture practices, and ensuring the conch population is available for future fishing and food security through aquaculture and restoration.

Aquaculture, along with conservation of breeding populations and fishery management, are ways to help ensure longevity of the species, said Davis. Our queen conch aquaculture project in Puerto Rico will serve as a model to ensure that conch populations are available for future fishing and to aid food security for Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean region.

With requests for queen conch mariculture know-how coming from many communities throughout the Caribbean including The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Curacao, Antigua, and Turks and Caicos Islands, and with the recent release of this manual, Davis and partners are expanding their Caribbean-wide queen conch conservation, education and restorative mariculture program.

Desired outcomes include establishing protected areas where conch breeding populations can spawn egg masses for future populations; raising queen conch for education, conservation, restoration and sustainable seafood through the establishment of in-classroom, research, pilot-scale or commercial size hatcheries; and locating protected habitats to release hatchery-reared juvenile conch to help repopulate seagrass beds to rebuild conch stocks.

Forty years of queen conch mariculture research and pilot-scale to commercial application conducted by Dr. Davis holds promise as a way of addressing this critical situation with the queen conch through community-based solutions, said James Sullivan, Ph.D., executive director of FAUs Harbor Branch. There are no other mariculture labs with the knowledge and capacity that she brings to the table to tackle the plight of the queen conch.

This new, in-depth manual will be used to support the eLearning platform that includes place-based experiential activities and workshops that can be accessed by anyone, which is featured in FAU Harbor Branchs crowd funding initiative, Save the Queen of the Sea.

-FAU-

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'Hail to the Queen' - Saving the Caribbean Queen Conch - Florida Atlantic University

Expands availability of Ribbon's UC&C-enabling Edge solutions in CALA market

WESTFORD, Mass., Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a global provider of real time communications software and network solutions to service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure sectors, today announced that it is expanding its relationship with Synnex(NYSE: SNX), a Fortune 200 corporation and a leading provider of a comprehensive range of distribution, logistics and integration services for the technology industry to a wide range of enterprises, into the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA).

"We're proud to work with Ribbon and leverage their market leadership with our resellers," said Otavio Lazarini, SVP, Latin America from Synnex. "Ribbon's Unified Communications and Collaboration-enabling Edge solutions and relationship with Microsoft will help us deliver additional value to our CALA partner base and grow market share."

Synnex is reselling Ribbon's Cloud and Edge portfolio of products, designed to meet the demanding needs of service providers and enterprises looking to deploy Unified Communications and Collaboration with a high degree of security and quality. In addition to its Microsoft-certified SBCs, the product portfolio includes analytics, media gateways, policy and routing capabilities and an advanced application server platform.

"Working with Synnex in the CALA region will enable us to reach more customers with our unique value proposition," said Julio Villafae, Ribbon's Vice President of Sales for the Caribbean and Latin America. "We know from our experience together in North America that Synnex brings tremendous technical expertise and deep relationships to the table. We're delighted to work with them and augment the availability of our market-leading solutions into this important region."

About SYNNEX SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX) is a Fortune 200 corporation and a leading provider of a comprehensive range of distribution, logistics and integration services for the technology industry to a wide range of enterprises. SYNNEX distributes a broad range of information technology solutions, and also provides systems design and integration services. Founded in 1980, SYNNEX Corporation operates in numerous countries throughout North and South America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Additional information about SYNNEX may be found online at synnex.com.

About Ribbon Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN) delivers global communications software and packet and optical network solutions to service providers, enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors. We engage deeply with our customers, helping them modernize their networks for improved competitive positioning and business outcomes in today's smart, always-on and data-hungry world. Our innovative, end-to-end solutions portfolio delivers unparalleled scale, performance, and agility, including core to edge IP solutions, cloud-native offers, leading-edge software security and analytics tools, as well as 5G-ready packet and optical networking solutions acquired via our recent merger with ECI Telecom. To learn more about Ribbon visit rbbn.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The information in this release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this release, including those regarding market expansion, are forward-looking statements. The actual results of Ribbon Communications may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Ribbon Communications' business, please refer to the "Risk Factors" section of Ribbon Communications' most recent annual or quarterly report filed with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements represent Ribbon Communications' views only as of the date on which such statement is made and should not be relied upon as representing Ribbon Communications' views as of any subsequent date. While Ribbon Communications may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point, Ribbon Communications specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

SOURCE Ribbon Communications Inc.

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Ribbon and Synnex Expand Reseller Partnership Into the Caribbean and Latin America - PRNewswire

Virgin Islands. File Image / Pixabay

The Limetree Bay refinery in St Croix, US Virgin Islands has been given more time "to fully restart and retain its crude oil supply agreement" by its owner oil major BP, according to news agency Reuters.

The plant,which has supplied bunkers to the international market in the past, had been slated to return to operational life by mid-January under an agreement signed with BP in 2018.

Under the plan, the refinery was looking to meet the new global demand for low sulfur marine fuel. However, setbacks such as the decimation of demand for IMO2020 fuel by the COVID-19 pandemic and other operational issues have seen the 210,000 b/d plant stuck in the doldrums.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the report said that the plant could restart completely later this month which would allow the production of gasoline and diesel.

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Caribbean Refinery Given More Time to Restart - Ship & Bunker

Back in November, we noticed that the sail outside of Magic Kingdoms Pirates of the Caribbean had been replaced. The sail acted as a sign for the attraction, with Pirates of the Caribbean printed on it, plus a few cannonball holes. The sail was replaced with a solid black one, and we expected a quick update to add the lettering. But almost two months later, the new sail hasnt been touched.

The sails mast sits just outside the Pirates of the Caribbean entrance, with a skeletal pirate standing in the crows nest above it.

While such a prominent advertisement for Pirates of the Caribbean might not be necessary, the plain black sail does stand out as odd in the highly-themed area.

Keep checking WDWNT for updates about refurbishments at Walt Disney World.

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PHOTOS: Pirates of the Caribbean Entrance Sail Blank for Almost Two Months at Magic Kingdom - wdwnt.com

It's a new year, and a new webcam construction photo update of Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship.

The Meyer Werft webcam has finally been updated with a new photo, after about a month of no photo updates.

Odyssey of the Seas is under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and will be the cruise line's second Quantum Ultra Class ship.

Odyssey of the Seas floated out of her covered dock on November 28, 2020, and has since been moored outside for additional features to be installed onboard.

Photos byBjrn Ha

The 169,000 GT cruise liner has an overall length of 347.1 meters, is 41.4 meters wide and can accommodate more than 5000 passengers.

Odyssey will feature a number of firsts onboard, including thefirst Quantum Class ship with Giovannis Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, a Playmakers Bar location in the SeaPlex, a revamped Adventure Ocean and two-level pool deck.

Read more:5 ways Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas will be different from other Quantum Class ships

Odyssey of the Seas is now the fifth Quantum/Quantum Ultra Class ship to be constructed at Meyer Werft, following Quantum, Anthem, Ovation and Spectrum of the Seas.

Odyssey of the Seas was originally scheduled to be delivered in autumn 2020, but Royal Caribbean delayed that until spring 2021.

With her float out complete and work being done to install outdoor features, you might be wondering what the next steps are for this ship.

Neither the shipyard nor Royal Caribbean has announced any kind of timeline, but you should expect some key milestones coming up soon.

The ship will need to conduct her conveyance down the River Ems. This is how the ship gets from the inland shipyard to the open ocean.

Once she reaches the ocean, her next step will be to conduct sea trials.During these sea trials, tests are conducted to finalize the performance of the ship. There are sometimes multiple sea trials.

Finally, the ship will be prepared for delivery to Royal Caribbean at which point the ship officially joins the fleet.

Royal Caribbean has scheduled the first sailings of Odyssey of the Seas in April 2021, which means all of this needs to occur before that date.

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Odyssey of the Seas construction photo update - January 11, 2021 - Royal Caribbean Blog

Holland America Line will offer cruises to the Caribbean on six cruise ships for the 2021-2022 season that includes their newest vessel Rotterdam.

Holland America Lines cruises between October 2021 and April 2022 feature three to 14day itineraries to the Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean. A few select sailings will spend a day discovering the Panama Canal.

In addition to Rotterdam, guests can choose a Caribbean cruise on Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Volendam and one holiday sailing on Zaandam.

All of the itineraries include a call at Half Moon Cay, affording guests more opportunities to experience Holland America Lines award-winning private Bahamian island. Both Porthole Cruise Magazine and Travel Weekly readers have named Half Moon Cay the industrys Best Private Island, and it is Holland America Lines highest-rated Caribbean port call by its guests.

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Book by February 28, 2021, and take advantage of the View & Verandah offer that includes stateroom upgrades, free beverages, one-night specialty dining, 10% off shore excursions and more.

View Prices on Cruises on Holland America Line

Savings with the View and Verandah Big Event is valued at up to $3,800 per stateroom, depending on length of cruise and category booked. Caribbean cruise pricing starts at $699 per person, double occupancy, for a seven-day sailing.

Holland America Lines newest cruise ship kicks off the Caribbean season with three and four day sample cruises. The four-day departs November 3 and calls at Half Moon Cay and Key West Florida, and the three-day departs November 7 and calls at Half Moon Cay.

With the most varied options of the season, Rotterdam will then sail a series of cruises that include tropical, western, eastern and southern itineraries ranging from six to 11 days.

Many of the cruises can be extended into Collectors Voyages to create the ultimate Caribbean exploration with more economical fares than if booking the cruises individually. Ranging from 13 to 21 days, these longer journeys combine nonrepeating, back-to-back itineraries, allowing guests to span more than one Caribbean region and enjoy the ultimate island-hopping journey.

Throughout each cruise, EXC programming brings the Caribbeans local traditions, culinary tastes and cultural experiences to life. Guests who want to learn more about the region can attend an EXC Talk on topics ranging from The Caribbean Spirit: The Story of Rum to The Deep Blue: Life Below the Waters Edge.

Foodies can head to a Port to Table cooking demonstration, cooking class or themed mixology class featuring local fare, or participate in an exclusive culinary-themed shore excursion in partnership with FOOD & WINE magazine showcasing the regions food scene from a local perspective.

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Holland America Line Offering Cruises to Caribbean on 6 Ships in 2021-2022 - Cruise Fever

After finding himself in a spot courtesy his divorce battle and now abuse claims by his ex-wife, support for Hollywood actor Johnny Depp is gaining momentum. In online voting to reinstate Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean fans have come together and voted for the star on change.org.

In massive support for the actor, 400k votes have been counted and continues to grow to get Johnny Depp back in the franchise.

Johnny Depp has been losing big films owing to his cases against Amber Heard. In the most recent, Depp lost a libel suit against a UK paper after they called him a wife-beater basis the claims of Amber Heard. Johnny Depp lost the libel case. Post that, he has had to walk out of the Fantastic Beasts film and not cast for Pirates of the Caribbean.

From Vanessa Paradis to Amber Heard: A look at Johnny Depp's dating history

As of now, there are two Pirates of the Caribbean movies in development, and the makers have decided to not cast Johnny Depp. At least one of the films follows the original plotline while another is a spin-off that stars Margot Robbie.

For a while now, Johnny Depps fans have been asking movie studios to recast the actor. Whether the studios decide to bring back Depp on the insistence of his fans is still to be seen.Johnny Depp, Kevin Spacey & other actors who've been replaced from a project after serious allegations

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Fans want Johnny Depp back in `Pirates of the Caribbean` as they gather 400k votes and plus in petition - WION