Category Archives: Caribbean

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

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Submitted by Arcos Dorados Holdings

Despite the global context and with the adjustments needed to comply with the new normality, the solidarity campaign that donates proceeds from Big Mac sales to support dozens of institutions and projects exceeded by far the established goals.

In the new edition of the Gran Dia, the company reinforced its commitment to keep families together and to promote first formal job opportunities in the region.

January 13, 2021 /CSRwire/- Arcos Dorados, the worlds largest independent McDonalds franchisee, operating the largest quick-service restaurant chain in Latin America and the Caribbean, announces the results of the Gran Da* (Big Day) 2020 edition, the campaign where all the proceeds from the days Big Mac sales in its 20 markets are donated to collaborate with children and young people from local communities in all of those countries. This initiative enables the company to strengthen its ESG framework, known as Recipe for the Future, and the 2020 edition exceededits goals by raising a total of more than 5 million dollars to be distributed among dozens of social organizations.

As a result of this edition, Arcos Dorados was able to collaborate to keep together those families of children undergoing medical treatments housed in the Ronald McDonald Houses of the region, as well as the beneficiaries of the programs promoted by organizations such as the Ayrton Senna Institute (Brazil), Fundacin S (Argentina), Fundacin Coanil (Chile), Aldeas Infantiles SOS (Peru, Mxico, Panam, Costa Rica & Colombia), Fundacin El Tringulo (Ecuador), Liceo Impulso (Uruguay), Centro Man Na Obra (Aruba), Fonditut (Curacao), The Heroes Foundation (Trinidad) and P.E.C.E.S (Puerto Rico), amongst others.

For more than 10 years, at Arcos Dorados we have turned into action our commitment to the families and young people of the communities in which we operate. Today, we are proud to confirm that, despite the global context and the changes that we were forced to make as a society, peoples solidarity has been reinforced and that once again we managed to exceed our expectations. In a challenging year for everyone such as 2020, we were able to adapt and keep our main solidarity campaign of the year in full effect, which allows us to continue contributing to the health and well-being of children and opening doors so that more and more young people in America Latin America and the Caribbean have the chance to access a first formal job," stated Woods Staton, Executive Chairman of Arcos Dorados.

A different edition

In such a challenging year, Arcos Dorados adapted the celebration of its Gran Da to the new regulations, in order to maintain its commitment to the communities in which it operates.

That is why, for the 2020 edition, the company offered those interested the possibility of buying the coupons in advance through its digital channels, in addition to extending the period in which they could be redeemed and strengthen sales through AutoMac or McDelivery. With the aim of maintaining the festive spirit of the day, virtual events were held giving renowned artists the possibility of taking part, without breaking the social distancing.

Social commitment and sustainable development

ESG is part of Arcos Dorados DNA. In order to have a meaningful effect on the communities in which it operates and on the planet, the company has developed its social and environmental framework called Recipe for the Future (www.recetadelfuturo.com), focusing on five key pillars: Sustainable Sourcing, Climate Change, Packaging and Recycling, Youth Employment and Family Welfare. Guided by them, the company keeps its commitment to positively impact the wellbeing of employees and customers, offering personal development opportunities as well as contributing to local economies through a sustainable supply chain that strives to minimize the environmental impact of its proceeding.

* In Brazil, the initiative bears the name of "McDa Feliz" (Happy McDa)

About Arcos Dorados

Arcos Dorados is the worlds largest independent McDonalds franchisee, operating the largest quick-service restaurant chain in Latin America and the Caribbean. It has the exclusive right to own, operate and grant franchises of McDonalds restaurants in 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries and territories with more than 2,200 restaurants, operated by the Company or by its sub-franchisees, that together employ over 100 thousand people (as of 09/30/2020). The Company is also solidly committed to the development of the communities in which it operates, to providing young people their first formal job opportunities and to utilize its Scale for Good to achieve a positive environmental impact. Arcos Dorados is listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ARCO). To learn more about the Company, please visit our website:www.arcosdorados.com

Arcos Dorados is the world's largest independent McDonald's franchisee in terms of system-wide sales and number of locations. The company is the largest fast-service restaurant chain in Latin America and the Caribbean. You have the exclusive right to own, operate, and franchise McDonald's locations in 20 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Argentina, Aruba, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curaao, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique , Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela. The company operates or franchises more than 2,200 McDonald's restaurants with more than 90,000 employees and is known as one of the best companies to work for in Latin America. Arcos Dorados is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ARCO).

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Arcos Dorados' Gran Da Donated More Than USD 5 Million in 2020 to Support Several Social Organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean -...

Luis Carlos Marcano, managing partner of Kevane Grant Thornton, and new audit and business advisory partners Roberto Luciano, Carlos Dolagaray and Eduardo Herencia (Courtesy)

SAN JUAN Kevane Grant Thornton (KGT), a leading accounting and advisory firm in Puerto Rico, announced three new partners Wednesday to strengthen the range of audit and business consulting services offered by the company.

The new partnersRoberto Luciano, Eduardo Herencia and Carlos Dolagaray from LLM & D, PSC, more recently known as LHD Amrica LLCjoined KGT along with 30 other professionals on Jan. 1.

The experience and technical capabilities of our new partners and the team of professionals joining KGT will strengthen the range of auditing and business advisory services, adding innovative, specialized offerings for industries and complementing the services we currently provide at our firm. This represents an important step, consistent with our strategic plans for expansion and growth. Similarly, it raises the reputation of our firm, as one that is dynamic, that continues to evolve thanks to the quality of our services and the marked difference in our offer to clients, said Luis Carlos Marcano, managing partner at KGT.

The firm said the new team of professionals brings additional technical capabilities, which include: life, accident, property and health insurance; services for the public sector and the banking sector. Other services added include financial consulting, evaluation in Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) training, SOX outsourcing, auditing of controls for service organizations under the Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 18, consulting on regulatory issues and specialized accounting for industries, as well as consulting services for the acquisition of businesses, and business process design and improvement.

The firm said its range of services reflect its mission to cater to any needs that clients may require.

Kevane Grant Thornton is a great example of what member firms are accomplishing to accelerate growth, innovate and evolve to anticipate and meet market demands. KGT is a firm with proven leadership in the Caribbean and Latin America region for its exceptional and consistent quality of service. I want to congratulate the partners and the firms team for this achievement, and I wish them the best of success in this new stage, said Peter Bodin, CEO of Grant Thornton International

KGTs workforce now comprises 180 professionals, including CPAs, lawyers and personnel certified in the areas of fraud evaluation, internal audits, valuation analysis, valuation of accredited companies and information systems auditing, as well as accountants for insolvency and restructuring matters, hospitality account executives, money laundering specialists and SOX-certified professionals.

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Kevane Grant Thornton Strengthens Operations for 2021 - Caribbean Business

Photo credit: cornstalker on Visualhunt.com / CC BY

By Michael Plouffe, Lecturer in International Political Economy, UCL and Thomas Gift, Associate Professor and Director of the Centre on US Politics, UCL

Joe Biden will inherit among the most challenging political and economic environments of any US president. With America reeling from the storming of the Capitol by pro-Trump insurrectionists, not to mention a raging pandemic, President Biden must heal partisan wounds and put the worlds largest economy back on track.

For the first time in a decade, a Democrat president has both congressional houses on his side albeit with slim majorities. So what will Bidens economic agenda entail at home and abroad? Below are five key themes.

1. Additional stimulus and pandemic response

More stimulus is almost certain. Congressional Democrats, urged on by President Trump, pushed for US$2,000 cheques for each American in Decembers stimulus bill, only to be blocked by Republicans.

The size of the next stimulus cheques remains unclear figures between US$1,400 and US$2,000 are being floated. Expect extended protections for renters and support for small-business owners and self-employed workers. Greater aid to state and local governments might also be on the table.

Promises by Biden to follow the science and calls for all US citizens to wear masks during his first 100 days in office should help slow the spread of new, highly contagious variants of the virus. Trump labelled Operation Warp Speed a monumental achievement, but vaccine distribution has been clumsy. Biden has pledged to accelerate vaccine distribution, but this will probably hit roadblocks, both around transportation and end-user delivery. Unlike Trump, Biden wants to distribute all vaccine doses immediately, rather than keep second doses in reserve. https://www.youtube.com/embed/RIkZl5yx1QE?wmode=transparent&start=0

Additional stimulus should mitigate some of the effects the pandemic has had on inequality, while an effective approach to public health and extensive vaccine roll-out should encourage an eventual return to economic growth.

2. Infrastructure and climate change

The American Society of Civil Engineers recently graded US infrastructure a D minus. Biden has pledged to invest US$2 trillion in roads, bridges, transit, housing, broadband, clean energy and other initiatives. He is pitching infrastructure as vital to boost US global competitiveness, increase national employment and curb climate change.

Infrastructure is often heralded as a rare policy issue where bipartisan compromise is feasible. Yet Trumps 2017 proposal to generate roughly US$1 trillion in investments faltered amid opposition.

Sweeping climate provisions pushed by progressives may now limit support for Bidens infrastructure agenda, since most opposition to infrastructure spending and climate-related measures comes from Republicans. A Democrat-controlled Congress may renew hopes for action, however, including rolling a pared-down set of infrastructure measures into a new stimulus.

Although infrastructure spending would fuel future economic growth and provide jobs in the short term, it would also increase government debt, which has risen during the pandemic from 106% to 136% of GDP.

3. Big tech

In 2019, the Department of Justice launched an antitrust investigation into some of Silicon Valleys most successful corporations. The first fruits recently emerged as cases were filed against Facebook and Google.

Regulation of big tech has been notably lax for several decades, even as questions arose about whether the firms spread into seemingly disparate operating arenas was in consumers interests. Theres now bipartisan appetite in Congress for tougher antitrust legislation and enforcement, and in some cases, break-ups.

Biden views break-ups as something we should take a really hard look at, but has also sounded notes of caution. His incoming administration has numerous ties to Silicon Valley. Even if break-ups dont occur, expect more active regulatory oversight from takeover activities to data privacy as well as greater transparency over the algorithms employed to both collect and disseminate information.

Regulatory reform in the tech sector will create some uncertainty among tech firms, especially if common monetisation practices for personal data become unworkable. However, reducing big techs grip on innovation and market share would likely increase consumer choice in the longer term.

4. Relations with China

In 2011, Biden said that a rising China is a positive, positive development for America and the world. Today, his rhetoric has done a 180-degree turn to become much more wary. But compared to Trumps gloves-off approach, Bidens task will be to evolve the current stalemate so that its not lose-lose.

Observers of all political stripes view Trumps trade war with China as an unmitigated economic disaster. Not only did he fail to achieve major concessions, the trade war slowed US economic growth.

Biden has said he will not immediately remove tariffs, but some forecasters expect them to be dialled back eventually. The new president will surely take a more diplomatic approach that engages more US allies in the region and expands the dialogue with China beyond trade to rules on investment and intellectual property and human rights.

The short-term use of existing tariffs as a bargaining chip will extend the trade wars negative impact on the US economy, but a mutually beneficial outcome to negotiations would be a welcome, if admittedly unlikely, development.

5. Relations with the UK and Europe

Many Democrats would like to see the US both harmonise trade relations with the EU and reinforce the special relationship with the UK, but dont expect Biden to broker a bevy of new economic alliances abroad.

Unfortunately for the UK, which has increasingly looked across the Atlantic in the wake of Brexit, Biden has pledged that he wont enter into any new trade agreements until [the US has] made major investments here at home. Biden is hardly an economic isolationist, but he does tout a more moderate stance toward free trade than Democratic predecessors Obama and Clinton, apparently hoping it might mute anti-globalist opposition.

Biden has also promised to re-engage with European allies and to take a more collaborative tone than Trump. Gaining allies in American efforts to reform the World Trade Organization will be one of Bidens first crucial tests on this front, with considerable bipartisan agreement in Washington over issues like the lengthy dispute settlement process and judicial overreach.

Whether Biden can get the EU to cooperate should offer an indication of how successful his international coalition-building might be.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Five economic effects from the Democratic sweep in Washington - Caribbean Business

The British Virgin Islands Ports Authority (BVIPA), today announced that since permission was granted for the acceptance of technical calls and warm lay-ups at its seaports, a booking has been accepted. The BVIPA has agreed on conditions to allow Royal Caribbean Internationals Grandeur of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas berthing at the BVIPAs cruise pier under strict health and safety rules starting on 11 January 2021 for an initial period of thirty (30) days for a warm lay-up.

Acting Managing Director, Oleanvine Maynard noted that: This is not a regular cruise call, the vessel does not have any guests on board, and it will be berthing exclusively to lay up, refuel, take on provisions and spare parts, and possibly other services. Maynard further commented that: Crew members will not be allowed to disembark and there is no access to vessels from shore-based staff during stays in the BVI. The BVIPAs cruise pier is a secure zone and persons are not permitted to pass the security gate area which will be manned. Health and safety protocols were also shared with the ships agents and cruise line.

Patricia Romney, Director of Operations for Romasco Group had this to say about the upcoming warm lay-up, As Agents for Royal Caribbean, we are indeed pleased to have two of its vessels calling in Tortola. We are grateful to the Virgin Islands Government for creating a path to assist our cruise partners during these critical times.

In a detailed presentation to the BVIPA, Royal Caribbean Group explained their hybrid connection plans and other details pertaining to the warm lay-up procedures.

Hernan Zini, the Vice President of Worldwide Operations for Royal Caribbean Group said, Royal Caribbean Group is grateful and fortunate to have the government and people of the British Virgin Islands welcome our vessels during the pandemic for lay-up so that critical services can be

provided. As we face this challenging time together, our first priority is the health and safety of the communities we visit and our crew members. We all look forward to the day when we can resume sailing and return with our guests to visit the beautiful destination and warm people of the BVI.

The economic benefits of extending technical calls or warm lay-ups include ships carrying out refueling, repairs and start-up activities in the Territory before they set sail again. The BVIPA believes that maintaining a link with and continuing to service the cruising industry in the safe manner proposed with technical calls/warm lay-ups can be a vital part of the rebooting strategy.

NOTE TO EDITOR(S):

Royal Caribbean InternationalsGrandeur of the SeasandRhapsody of the Seas(Photo Credits: Royal Caribbean Group)

ABOUT THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS PORTS AUTHORITY

The BVI Ports Authority is the managing authority for all official seaports within the British Virgin Islands inclusive of the 60.-ft-wide, 1,312-ft.-long cruise pier that can berth ships up to a maximum tonnage of 180,000 GRT. The BVIPA is responsible for the welcoming and safe arrival of seafaring passengers, as well as the reception, handling and security of cargo and sea-based trade.

For more information, please visit http://www.bviports.org

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BVI Ports Authority announces warm lay-up with Royal Caribbean Group - Government of the Virgin Islands

1. Ontario Finance Minister Resigns Over Caribbean Vacation Outrage  Bloomberg
2. Ontario minister who flouted Covid advice to take Caribbean holiday resigns  The Guardian
3. Ontario finance minister Rod Phillips resigns over Caribbean vacation  BBC News
4. Canadian politician faked Twitter posts to conceal Caribbean holiday  The Guardian
5. Politician Resigns After Returning From Caribbean Vacation He Tried to Keep Secret  Newsweek
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Ontario Finance Minister Resigns Over Caribbean Vacation Outrage - Bloomberg

Restaurants are about more than just food.

When we go out to eat, we arent doing so because we have to we do it because we want to.

Because restaurants make our lives more interesting. They break up the monotony, they teach us, they bring us together and they make us happy.

And for those who didnt realize it before, this past year has reminded us of just how integral a role the restaurant and hospitality industry plays for us, how much we need it.

Thats particularly true when traveling.

Visiting a place and eating in its restaurants teaches us so much about its culture, its people and the things people care about.

The massive disruption to the global travel industry did not spare the Caribbean, and it forced the regions restaurants to immediately adapt to new realities.

Happily, theyve done that and, all across the Caribbean, travelers can dine safely, securely and comfortably.

This is the eighth annual edition of what began in 2013 as a landmark list of the 50 best restaurants in the Caribbean and remains the leading annual celebration of restaurants region-wide.

While weve focused this year on destinations that are open to visitors (and with restaurant sectors that are open), our evaluating criteria remain the same: we focus on the three pillars that define the restaurant experience: food, service and ambience.

And this year weve added a fourth every restaurant on the list must at least give diners the option of eating outdoors or in an open-air space.

Lets not forget that this industry only exists because of the risk-takers, entrepreneurs and adventurers who choose to open restaurants and serve the food, drink and hospitality that helps enrich our daily lives.

So lets celebrate them and our favorite places to eat. And when you next come back to the Caribbean, make sure you pay them a visit.

Here are the best restaurants in the Caribbean for 2021.

Brass Boer, Bonaire The husband-and-wife team of Jonnie and Therese Boer have been behind the three-Michelin-star De Librije restaurant in Holland for nearly three decades, and Brass Boer, their first Caribbean endeavor, is a masterwork, with inspired, out-of-this-world gastronomic creations both continental and Caribbean and everywhere in between. Its yet another sign of Bonaires growing stature as a regional culinary powerhouse.

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The 50 Best Restaurants in the Caribbean - 2021 - Caribbean Journal

Music, art, people, history and of course immense natural beauty help define the magic of Jamaica, and the Caribbean islands small boutique resorts allow visitors to connect with it all without having to make any concessions to comfort.

Here are seven of Jamaicas best boutique resorts for immersing in Jamaican culture up close and personal.

Tensing Pen, Negril Its hard to find a literal definition of a tensing pen, but I like the notion that this Negril resort takes your tension, confines it to a little cage, and tosses it off the nearby cliffs into the Caribbean. Often described as rustic due to its construction from blocks of local stone and thatched-roofed buildings, Tensing Pen is hardly a place where guests need to rough it. Inside the walls of the hotels rooms and cottages youll find bamboo and mahogany furniture that blend as well with the garden setting as the hotel walls do with Negrils famous cliffs. Likewise, trails lined with lush foliage wander from the rooms to a freeform pool, open-air restaurant, a spa, and spots where you can test your courage with a cliff dive into the inviting waters below.

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7 Small Resorts to Try in Jamaica Caribbean Journal - Caribbean Journal

The first civilizations that arrived in the tropical islands of the Caribbean Sea did not write, and for this reason, it has been so difficult to describe human history in thearea.

The first surprise archaeologists encountered wasthat 1000 yearsbefore the Spanish arrived in the archipelago, South American peoples could have exterminated the original inhabitants onislands like Puerto Rico or Hispaniola.

Another new estimate would also correct the amount of population the two islands could have hosted, and is much less than was previously thought.

The research has been directed by prestigious geneticist David Reich from Harvard University. His team has managed to analyze the skeletalof 174 individuals found in very diverse places along the Caribbean coast.

The findings were published in the journal, Nature, last Dec.23, but had a precedent in a study published in Science that managed to classify the genomes of 93 remote Caribbeans.

Scientists have identified two human groups that do not seem to have mixed much: one could have arrived in canoes from the northeast of the continent some 2,500 years ago to generate what has been agreed to be called the Age of Ceramics a culture that overlapped with an earlier one that was dedicated to livestock and could have been installed there some 6,000 years ago.

The individuals from theCeramic Eracould be the ancestors of the current Arawak-speaking peoples.

The Arawak have always been especially skilled at pottery. Traditionally, they extended over a large area between Florida, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, and even areas of Peru and Brazil.

On the Caribbean islands, Arawak-speaking peoples were called Tainos. Christopher Columbus described them as extremely friendly communities.

All this has been possible thanks to new techniques of genetic analysis that allow the extraction of information from bones exhumed in very hot areas, which was not possible until very recently.

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Who were the first invaders of the Caribbean? - AL DIA News

Regional Highlights

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Latin America and the Caribbean at a time of low growth, marked inequality and vulnerability, growing poverty, weakening of social cohesion and increasing expressions of social discontent.

Cases of COVID-19 continue to increase in the region and are currently at or near the highest levels observed since the start of the pandemic.

Most countries in the region have weak and fragmented health systems, which do not guarantee the universal access to health care needed to address the COVID-19 crisis.

The impact is high on the frontline health workers, who often lack sufficient PPE.

The crisis is also having a considerable impact on womens access to health care and, in particular, to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.Lockdown measures enforced in countries have also led to a sharp increase in gender-based violence (GBV).

Contraceptives are expected to suffer shortages or stockouts by the end of this year.

The pandemic is also showing increased incidence among vulnerable populations, particularly indigenous people, afro-descendants, prisoners, migrants, and LGBTI people.

Urgent funding is needed to meet these rising needs.

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Latin America and the Caribbean Region COVID-19 Situation Report No. 10 (Reporting Period: 1 - 30 November 2020) - Argentina - ReliefWeb