Daily Archives: June 18, 2022

Nudge St. Lucia Group Photo

Since its pilot launch in September 2021 in Saint Lucia, the Nudge Caribbean social enterprise has welcomed twenty-six mindful entrepreneurs. As cohort 3 sets to activate its instore promotion in Massy Stores Mega on Friday 17th June 2022, entrepreneurs in the community and key stakeholders met at Coco Palm Resort for an interactive mixer to mark the occasion.

Nudge Caribbean is founded by creative entrepreneur Anya Ayoung-Chee and Julie Avey, Massy Groups Senior Vice President of People and Culture. The programme was first introduced in the Trinidadian market in 2020, to support entrepreneurs affected by the COVID19 pandemic and a year later welcomed Barbados and Saint Lucia into the community.

Nudge Caribbean is supported by the Massy Group and the Caribbean Development Bank to aid in developing the various initiatives in each island. The products are all #MindfullyMade, handmade with locally sourced materials (where possible).

For partners like Massy Stores, supporting this initiative aligns with the companys mandate to assist small businesses in developing products which are sustainable and purposeful.

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According to Linda Augier, Division Head Category Management, Merchandising and Sales, of Massy Stores Saint Lucia: Our role in this initiative is similar to our Because We Care campaign which supports local manufacturers and places a spotlight on their achievements. For us, to provide a platform for Saint Lucian Nudge entrepreneurs to raise awareness and experience sales in our stores is immeasurable, and we are committed to providing our continuous support.

A consortium from the Nudge regional team joined the local coordinators in welcoming the entrepreneurs. Also present at the mixer were strategic partners from the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards, Bank of Saint Lucia, Cabot Saint Lucia, Massy Group and Massy Stores (St. Lucia), They were able to engage the community, interact with the products and participate in a pre-sale activity.

The e ntrepreneurs have the expertise of the entire regional community within Nudge and receive guidance and hands-on support from Nudge Country Coordinator Kezia Preville of AdVizze Consulting Inc, and Brand Ambassadors Shenel Charles and Keamalyn Charles in Saint Lucia.

The new cohort joining the growing network in Saint Lucia and showcasing locally made products at Massy Stores Mega Friday 17th June 2022 are:

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Lisa Barton- Volney, DeKloze Line (clothing, jewelry) Allana Maximin, Mallee Designs (jewelry) Jasmine Joseph, Natiwelo et Belle (natural deodorants and soaps) Huanna French-Leon, Sak Sa (creole activity book) Kisha James-Henry, Luvysmade758 (face and body products) Easteline Lewis, Els Designs (handbag sets) Nydia Norville, Choiselle (coconut wax candles and body products)

Edisa Eugene, EBamboo CreationsKayode James, Real 3D PrintingKera Rene, KerNaturalsTerill Nicholas, Illuminating DesignsShena Nathaniel. XennEmma Abraham, Emma DollsJessica Alexander, Sa Nou (St Lucia)Malon Joseph, Lucian ChildJancel Thomas, Healthy StrandsShakira Roberts, Lotus Cosmetics Slu

Christina Jn Pierre, KleteChelsea Jongue, Katuri DesignsCatherine Edmund, CK DesignsJenneivi Augustin, Adellee BagsCecilia Augustin, Ceelouette BijouxMelissa Charles, Springforth Hair OilsDarnica Jn Charles, DAtizayAngella Dalsou, Local Hippie ProductsSheena Xavier, Ti Kay Bouton

Visit the Nudge Market Stall inside Massy Stores Mega every Friday (9AM 4PM) and Saturday (8AM 1PM) from June 17 to July 24 and show support for these incredible creatives!

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Nudge Caribbean Continues To Grow Its Community In Saint Lucia - St. Lucia News From The Voice - The Voice St. Lucia

Compiled By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. June 17, 2022: The founder of the African Blood Brotherhood, one of the one of the seminal groups of African American associations in the 1917s, was born in the Caribbean.

Cyril Valentine Briggs was born on May 28, 1888, in Nevis and emigrated to the United States in July 1905 to join his mother, who had already emigrated here. Briggs first American writing job came in 1912 at the Amsterdam News.

In 1917, Briggs founded the African Blood Brotherhood (ABB), with a goal to stop lynching and racial discrimination, and ensure voting and civil rights for African Americans in the South. He also called for black self-determination. The group initially opposed American involvement in the First World War.

In 1918, the ABB started a magazine called The Crusader, which supported the Socialist Party of Americas platform and helped expose lynchings in the South and discrimination in the North.

Briggs hoped that President Woodrow Wilson would support voting rights for African Americans in the South after the service of veterans in the war. Southern Democratic congressmen opposed any changes. Disillusioned by Socialist and progressive efforts, Briggs joined the Communist Party of America in 1921 and called for control by African-American workers of the means of production which employed them, whether in industry or in agriculture.

Briggs became a leading exponent of racial separatism. Briggs saw American White-Black racism as a form of hatred of the unlike that draws its virulence from the firm conviction in the white mans mind of the inequality of races the belief that there are superior and inferior races and that the former are marked with a white skin and the latter with dark skin and that only the former are capable and virtuous and therefore alone fit to vote, rule and inherit the earth.

Briggs proposed a new solution then emerging, in which the African American had come to the realization that the salvation of his race and an honorable solution of the American Race Problem call for action and decision in preference to the twaddling, dreaming, and indecision of leaders.'

Briggs would remain an active member of the Communist Party, USA (CPUSA) throughout the decade of the 1920s.] In 1925 the African Blood Brotherhood was dissolved and replaced with a new organizational entity, the American Negro Labor Congress. Briggs was tapped as the new national secretary of the new Communist Party-sponsored organization.

He would remain an influential figure in the partys hierarchy until the advent of the moderate Popular Front. Briggs would ultimately be expelled from the CPUSA at the end of the 1930s, accused of maintaining a Negro nationalist way of thinking in defiance of the new integrationist party line.

Briggs died on October 18, 1966, in Los Angeles, California.

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This Caribbean Immigrant Founded The African Blood Brotherhood - Caribbean and Latin America Daily News - News Americas

THE WOODLANDS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Eagle LNG Partners LLC (Eagle LNG) announced today it has partnered with the Royal Caribbean Group to provide liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering for the cruise companys LNG ships, including the first ship debuting in 2023 Icon of the Seas, the first ship in the Icon Class for the companys Royal Caribbean International brand. Eagle LNG will debut multiple purpose-built LNG vessels equipped for marine bunkering and gas delivery throughout the Caribbean.

The LNG bunker supply vessels are optimized for cruise ship bunkering with state-of-the-art distance keeping, hose handling, product conditioning and mooring solutions. Given the beauty of the countries and islands where they will operate, the vessels will maintain the highest possible environmental ship index (ESI) score, fuel efficiency, versatility and cargo handling capabilities while incorporating design elements from the vibrant colors of the Caribbean islands.

Eagle LNG is honored to have been chosen by Royal Caribbean Group as its LNG bunker partner. Our shared vision for a sustainable future, including achieving net zero emissions by 2050, creates a strong foundation for a long-term partnership, said Matthew Fisher, Vice President of Corporate Development and Sustainability for Eagle LNG. By introducing these purpose-built bunkering ships for the Caribbean, we are setting that vision into motion while also creating opportunities for island nations to access low-cost, secure, U.S. produced natural gas for power generation.

The LNG supply will be sourced from Eagle LNGs liquefaction facilities in Jacksonville, Florida. Eagle LNGs facilities are designed for loading bunker vessels and LNG carriers for the Caribbean while maintaining economies of scale using modular liquefaction technology. The facilities will be capable of blending in renewable feedstocks to help customers achieve their carbon reduction goals.

About Eagle LNG

Eagle LNG is a privately held and operated portfolio company of The Energy & Minerals Group. Eagle LNG provides affordable, efficient, and clean-burning energy. It develops bespoke small-scale LNG fueling solutions for marine industries and power generation in the Caribbean and Latin America. Eagle LNG is based in Houston, Texas. For additional information, please visit http://www.eaglelng.com.

About The Energy & Minerals Group

The Energy & Minerals Group (EMG) is a private investment firm with Regulatory Assets Under Management of approximately $13 billion as of March 31, 2022. EMG targets equity investments of $150 million to $1,000 million in the energy and minerals sectors with talented, experienced management teams, focused on hard assets that are integral to existing and growing markets. For additional information, please visit http://www.emgtx.com.

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Eagle LNG To Introduce Caribbean-Based Vessels to Fuel Royal Caribbean Group Ships - Business Wire

Verbinski's work on the remake of the Japanese horror movie "The Ring" and his Rube Goldberg-filled film "Mouse Hunt" gave him a unique skill set for his work on "Pirates." That combination of supernatural and slapstick created exploding skeletons, swinging Sparrows, and of course, the wheel fight in "Dead Man's Chest." In the scene, James Norrington (Jack Davenport) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) clash swords while balancing on an unhinged mill wheel, which traps the hapless Sparrow (Johnny Depp).

Bloom shot another scene with his pirate crew inside a large, bone cage that swung like a pendulum between two green screens. In the film, it looks far more dangerous as the pirates dangle between two cliffs. But by contrast, the wheel fight isn't a work of CGI. In an interview with MovieWeb, Bloom recalled the scene as the most challenging he had to shoot for the film.

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The Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Stunt That Challenged Orlando Bloom - /Film

Ignition-Innovation, a digital ID firm in the Caribbean, has selected the face biometric authentication and liveness detection services of iProov to verify users of its TruMeID product in Trinidad & Tobago.

TruMeID is digital ID software that opens access to online services with facial recognition. It compares a selfie to photo ID for authentication and biometric liveness detection. The passive face biometric scan also enables authentication in real-time, which prevents digital injection attacks such as with deepfakes, according to the announcement.

Jeston Lett, CEO of Ignition-Innovation, says the company chose iProov because of its, superior facial verification technology, as well as the support from the team, their willingness to help and the spirit of collaboration.

Governments around the world are all facing the same challenge how to provide citizen access to more digital services when cyber criminals are ramping up their tactics and intensity, says Andrew Bud, CEO of iProov. Our technology plays a major role in helping governments keep people and data safe in light of this growing threat.

iProovs biometric authentication services were also recently integrated into Nuggets self-sovereign ID platform and a decentralized digital ID platform from Finema.

biometric authentication | biometric liveness detection | biometrics | digital identity | face biometrics | identity verification | iProov | selfie biometrics

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iProov biometric identity verification sails into Caribbean - Biometric Update

A dreamy escape to the Caribbean is on most peoples bucket list, but it may not be as far away as you think.

Escape to BCs magical Calvert Island for the next best thing to a tropical vacation that is also a lot easier on the wallet.

RELATED:5 BC Getaways With Incredible White Sand Beaches

With glistening waters and pristine sandy white beaches, this gem is known as being the Canadian Caribbean.

The beautiful oasis is nestled on the southern edge of the Great Bear Rainforest, about 100 km north of the town of Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. While its quite the trek to travel here, its well worth every minute.

Photo: @kelly.durst/Instagram

Whats more, is it offers world class scuba diving in Carrington Reef. And it features a variety of secluded bays, coves in addition to lagoons just waiting to be explored.

Photo: @yestoeverything/Instagram

The island is also home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, wolves and black bears.

By visiting this seemingly tropical spot, you may feel like youve been swept away to the Caribbean without leaving B.C.

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Where: About 100 km north of the town of Port Hardy on Vancouver Island

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This Remote Island In BC Is Known As The Canadian Caribbean - 604 Now

And so it was that another historical opportunity was missed by the countries of the Caribbean, Central and South America, with the exception of a few who had the courage to take a stand. The majority of leaders from the region, those who Maurice Bishop so aptly called yard fowls, and those who should have known better, traipsed up to Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas held on June 5 10th, 2022, despite the fact that Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua were excluded.

On May 5th, Telesur reported that CARICOM will not attend Summit of the Americas with exclusions. In the same report, Antigua and Barbudas ambassador to the US, Ronald Sanders, was quoted as saying, The Summit of the Americas is not a meeting of the United States, and it cannot decide who is invited and who is not.

Unfortunately, behind the scenes there was much wrangling to steer CARICOM off course and ensure that they towed the Masters line. Some did not even bother to explain their complicity, while others sought to excuse their attendance, claiming that they would use the platform to denounce the US position. However, the exclusion of three nations, and the boycotting of the Summit by six others, rendered the Summit even more ineffectual than previous Summits, and a diplomatic disaster for the Imperial hegemon. Former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, rightly called the Summit a stillborn event, stating that The latest version of the misnamed Summit of the Americas is born dead by the absence of several brother presidents who reject the arbitrary and unilateral exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua by the United States.What a ShameAnti-imperialist organizations throughout the region were calling for a full boycott. It seemed so clear what had to be done. Although decisive and unified action against the Empires ruthless repression alludes us, with so many yard fowls in our midst, this was surely a red line that everyone could agree should not be crossed. Surely, it was clearly understood that the US did not have the authority, as Sanders pointed out, to enforce this type of exclusion, amounting to blatant and unacceptable victimization. It was not a difficult stand to take, even for the yard fowls. It did not require any degree of militancy, since it is simply preposterous that the US should exclude certain nations at its whim. But alas, once again US hegemony and white supremacy had such a grip on the conceptually incarcerated minds of our misleaders that even this crude and blatant disregard for the rights of sovereign nations was to be ignored. The Master tells them to jump and they cry how high. What a shame.

Historical Opportunity MissedAt a time when the US is becoming increasingly isolated globally, as a result of its attempt to encircle Russia, a majority region-wide boycott, as CARICOM originally proposed, would have dealt a significant blow to the Empire. It would have also given impetus to the growing number of countries in Africa, Asia and parts of the Arab world, weary of US intimidation, and sending signals that US bullying will no longer be tolerated.

It is clear that the decline of the US Empire and its West European surrogates is underway. This is the tipping point that our ancestors fought and died for. The end of the US dollar as the global reserve currency is inevitable. Of course, its economic and military power is beyond all measure, and it will not go down quickly or easily. In the midst of this historical struggle, it is imperative that those who have been oppressed for centuries by US and West Europes genocidal policies do whatever they can to assist in the effort to isolate and further the demise of the Empire. And so it was all the more painful to see the descendants of captured Africans, and those throughout the Americas, whose ancestors suffered genocide and brutal oppression at the hands of this Empire, and who are still being strangled by its imperial policies to this day, flocking to Los Angeles at the Masters behest.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley joins the ranks of Misleaders Then there was the terrible moment when Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, took to the podium. She began her speech quoting Bob Marley, so fitting to the times we live in, Bless my eyes this morning, Jah sun is on the rise again, the way earthly things are going, anything can happen Indeed, including the fall of the US Empire if we all join in the push! What followed, in a speech full of progressive initiatives, was an expos of the contradictions and inconsistencies of her social democratic ideology. The belief that somehow capitalism can be humanized and imperialism can be ended by an appeal to reason, by persuasion and eloquent speeches. Appealing to the Beast, she called for an end to the inequalities of an old imperial order with sincerity and that hopeless naivet that fails to recognize that the very existence of the Empire depends on that imperial order.

She urged the gathering to learn from Europes recent example, that there is a dignified way to treat migrants. It was clear that she was alluding to the way that the Ukrainian refugees have been received with open arms. Did she really miss what the entire world noticed, that is, the way that Europe received European refugees in stark contrast to its inhumane and racist treatment of refugees from war torn countries in the Global South, such as Syria, Somalia and Afghanistan?

And the worst moments were yet to come. At the very end of her speech she said that it was wrong that Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua were not present but added an absurd caveat and I quote, however, those countries must equally recognize that you cannot want to fully participate, if you are not prepared equally to engage and to see progress and that the simple priority must be people, not ideology.These are the words that Prime Minister Mottley, perceived to be one of CARICOMs most progressive leaders, uttered from the podium in Los Angeles. Confusion surely reigns. Since she quoted Bob Marley, she should remember his famous words, none but ourselves can free our minds.In the speech, she thanked Joe Biden and Kamala Harris without a mention of their impropriety. Since she chose to introduce the notion of prioritizing ideology over people, she ought to have pointed out that the US proxy war with Russia, which is most certainly about prioritizing ideology over the welfare of the entire global population, is pushing our region, and indeed the world, to famine, or that the United States exclusion of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua from the Summit was a clear example of prioritizing ideology over people.

In fact, her statement reeks of the fallacious and deceptive post-modern narrative, that we now live in a post-ideological world. That it is only those who take a stand against the Empire that are ideologically driven. What about Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and you Prime Minister Mottley, do you not have an ideology? Is the neo-liberal capitalist agenda not ideologically driven? Were you seriously suggesting that it is Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua that dont want to engage and see progress, when it is the administration of the very people you thanked, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris that have maintained crippling sanctions on those countries? And why? Simply because they asserted their God-given right to self-determination, which includes the right to adhere to any ideology and political system of their choice?

It was Joe Biden and Kamala Harris that chose not to engage these countries by excluding them, even though they had no right to do so, since this was not a US Summit but a Summit of the Americas, as Ron Sanders rightly acknowledged, and yet they were not admonished by Prime Minister Mottley. Instead, the blame was placed on the victims of the United States ideological dogmatism, which obstructs progress and inclusion not only in our region, but throughout the entire world. In contrast, Bolivian president Luis Arce, who chose not to attend the Summit, was clear with regard to where the blame lies when it comes to hindering progress: With blockades and sanctions, a sustainable, resilient and equitable future will never be able to be built in the hemisphere, as the Summit of the Americas is proposing.

Antony Blinken, take Bobs name out of your mouth Certainly, the most sickening moment of the entire Summit was after Mia Mottleys speech, when chairperson of the session, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken commented, In the words of Bob, no woman no cry, dont shed no tears, Lets act, we can sing a redemption song together. Blinken was clearly delighted with Prime Minister Mottleys speech. An arch-imperialist, Blinken felt so inspired and confident, realizing that Mia Mottley, who has become very influential in the region, was on side with the US agenda, that he called Bob by his first name, and spoke about us singing a redemption song together.

Antony Blinken supports an ideology that for centuries, and in its present form, has spawned policies that are responsible for the death of millions of people throughout our region and the world. We, the descendants of captured Africans, and the rightful inheritors of the legacy of all our ancestors, including the late, great Robert Nesta Marley, say to this war-monger, take Bobs name out of your mouth.

We salute those on the right side of history We salute Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines, President Andre Lpez Obrador of Mexico, President Luis Arce of Bolivia, President Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala, President Xiomara Castro of Honduras and President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who chose not to attend. It will be recorded that they were on the right side of this crucial historical juncture. So many are risking everything, including their lives, to send a clear message to the evil Empire that enough is enough. History will record that these leaders took a stand, joining the ranks of freedom fighters like Maurice Bishop, who said, No country has the right to tell us what to do or how to run our country or who to be friendly with. We certainly would not attempt to tell any other country what to do. We are not in anybodys backyard and we are definitely not for sale. Anybody who thinks they can bully us or threaten us clearly has no understanding, idea, or clue as to what material we are made ofwe would sooner give up our lives before we compromise, sell-out or betray our sovereignty, our independence, our integrity, our manhood and the right of our people to national self-determination and social progress.

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Leaders of the Americas and the Caribbean Miss Historical Opportunity to Deal Blow to US Imperialism - CounterPunch

In 2020, 8.2 million units of blood were collected, benefiting more than one million people in need of a transfusion.

Washington, DC/ CDMX, June 14, 2022 (PAHO) - In the framework of World Blood Donor Day, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) calls for people to donate blood following a 20% drop in blood donations in Latin America and the Caribbean during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to 2017, according to latest data.

The pandemic has shown us that the contribution of blood donors is essential. Without them, the transfusions that help save millions of lives each year are not possible, said PAHO Acting Assistant Director Marcos Espinal, during a global event hosted by Mexico to mark the day.

"The need for blood is universal, but access to it is not," said Dr. Espinal. The situation is particularly serious in low- and middle-income countries.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, 8.2 million units of blood were collected in 2020, benefiting more than one million people in need of a transfusion. But in many countries, demand for blood outstrips supply, and blood services face the challenge of ensuring the availability of safe, quality blood and blood components.

To prevent shortages and ensure safety, PAHO recommends that 100% of blood and blood component donations come from voluntary and regular donors, and that family or friends of patients do not need to be called upon to replenish this life-saving resource.

However, the region is still far from reaching that goal. In 2020, 48% of the blood collected came from voluntary donors, 2% more than in 2017. And while more than 80% of the blood in ten countries came from regular altruistic donors, in nine others, this proportion failed to reach 10%. PAHO works with countries to increase voluntary donations and ensure safety.

World Blood Donor Day, established by WHO in 2005, is celebrated every 14 June to highlight the importance of the availability of safe and sufficient blood and blood products for all, and to thank voluntary, repetitive and unpaid donors for their act of solidarity. This year's theme is "Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives."

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PAHO calls for solidarity after 20% drop in blood donations in Latin America and the Caribbean during first year of the pandemic - Pan American Health...

Recent extra regional developments, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic together with the Russia/Ukraine conflict have forced our region to come full face with the issue of developing a regional food strategy.

The recent initiatives and plans for expanded production within our region of staples such as wheat, rice, sugar are very well intentioned and primarily involve Guyana lands. There is an urgent need to have these plans framed within the context of a regional food strategy.

Essentially such a strategy would entail a clear focus on identifying the specifics of domestic/regional production, the existing supply chains and how proposals will impact on regional food production.

There is also an imperative to disaggregate as far as possible the value of specific initiatives to be undertaken by each participating state or entity in the overall regional plan.

Additionally, there must be realistic quantification and dollar estimates for three key elements of the plan:

Required investment on necessary technology to realise the increased production targets.

The proposed food-spend within the regional public sector on regionally produced food or food certified to regionally agreed standards.

A policy framework within which regional producers will be encouraged to produce more food that is compliant with certified and/or the agreed standards within the plan.

It is against this background that immediate consideration be given to the development of policy related to genetic technology.

Science has provided opportunities to engineer and/or develop biological organisms, crops and/or livestock including birds/fish and their products to deal with some of the consequences brought on by pollution, climate change as well as various other dysfunctional human interventions.

Technologies would entail both gene editing in which scientists change plant or animals DNA or in genetic modification where genetic material from any organism may be added or substituted wholly or partially into the DNA.

In both these instances there are huge implications in global trading not the least of which involve cross-border disputes some of which have already begun to impact in other jurisdictions.

The region is already lagging in addressing these issues. I am suggesting that we should do so now or risk further marginalisation of our people.

Samuel B Howard

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Food strategy and a Caribbean perspective | Letters to Editor | trinidadexpress.com - Trinidad & Tobago Express Newspapers