Category Archives: Caribbean

Back in late 2018, it was revealed that Disney was letting Johnny Depp go from thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise and was looking to reboot it with a new female-led series. Initially,Deadpoolscribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were on hand to write, but they ultimately left the project, to be replaced byChernobylcreator Craig Mazin and original screenwriter Terry Rossio. The planss still going ahead, then, but Disney just needs to find its new star.

We Got This Covered has previously reported that Karen Gillan is in the running for the lead role, and according to our sources the same ones who told us about theBambilive-action movie months ago, before it was confirmed this week Gillan is still being looked at, but another British actress has recently entered the fray, too. From what we understand, Disney is now reportedly considering former Harry Potterstar Emma Watson to take over the sea-faring franchise from Depp as well. Its unknown which of the actresses is the favorite or if there are any other major contenders in consideration at this time, but its been said that both of them are being eyed.

Gillan makes a lot of sense as a prospective lead, considering her background in action-adventure movies, while Watsons a slightly left-field choice. Of course, shes been a major player in another successful fantasy-flavored franchise before now, but she didnt have to do a whole lot of action and generally piratical behavior as Hermione Granger. Still, Watsons a versatile performer, so theres no reason she couldnt pull off such a different role.

If youll recall, our sources the same ones who told us about anAladdinsequel andNational Treasure 3being in the works before they were both confirmed have also said that Disney is entertaining a separate idea for a reboot alongside this one. In case you missed it, we reported earlier this week that Zac Efron is one actor being looked at to play a young Jack Sparrow in aPiratesprequel TV show, which would land on Disney Plus.

With all that in mind, are we about to get an MCU-like Pirates of the Caribbean universe made up of various spinoffs and sequels? That remains to be seen, but for now, it certainly sounds like the franchise is alive and well and fans will have much to look forward to over the coming years. Even if many are still upset that Depp is no longer involved.

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Harry Potter Star Reportedly Eyed To Lead Pirates Of The Caribbean Reboot - We Got This Covered

The weathers been a little inconsistent lately, but the powerhouse team behind Sally Roots, a Caribbean American barbecue joint in Bushwick, just gave Bed-Stuy denizens a new place to warm up whenever they want Sallys.

Sallys, which offers Asian-influenced Caribbean food and cocktails, is the latest project from partners and good friends James Freeman, Johnny De Piper, and James Beard Award-nominated restaurant designer Matthew Maddy. The interior was designed by Maddy who, along with his partner at American Construction League, Nico Arze, designed for some of the biggest names in the Brooklyn dining scene: Lilia, LaLou, and Colonia Verde. Hes also responsible for the Sallys teams first two projects, Weather Up and Sweet Science.

The team wanted to expand the concept behind Sally Roots into a section of Bed-Stuy where, they said, there wasnt much competition from other bars, and they fell in love with the particular space, located at 151 Tompkins Avenue near the Myrtle-Willoughby subway station. The new spot feels like someones sunlit dream of a vintage rum bar with a murmur of Brooklyn creeping in through the windows all ivory and white with lush greenery lining the walls. A repurposed greenhouse panel on one wall presents a faint beach scene, compounding the escapist vibe even further.

Its the perfect place to crush one of De Pipers easy-drinking cocktails, many of which are rum-based. De Pipers signature Irie is a blend of juice from the tropical guanabana fruit which tastes like something between a strawberry and a pineapple as well as lime, cucumber, poblano, and rum from Bushwick-based Owneys distillery. Irie is the Jamaican English term for alright or, generally, the state of feeling good. Other cocktails include the Ya Mon a Japanese-leaning drink made with lemon, yuzu sake, and yet more rum and the sky-blue Fuhgeddaboudit, made of coconut, Blue Curacao, and all the rums, according to the menu. All of the drinks, whether crisp or sugary, are meant to play well with the spiciness of the food.

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The food goes down just as easily. De Piper designed the menu with Natalie Nera-Raab, the manager at Sally Roots, inspired by the unique melding of cuisines that comes from a long history of Asian immigration to the Caribbean. Dumplings are filled with either an oxtail-short rib blend, or with jerk veggies a humble but delicious mish-mash of cabbage, carrots, and guandules, or pigeon peas, combined with jerk sauce.

Theres also a version of Crab Rangoon, which De Piper and Natalie spike with curry powder for a gentle nod to the Caribbean, and which comes with a Thai sweet chili sauce and mango chutney.

Chinese-style steamed buns were served at Sally Roots for only a hot minute, but they worked so well there that they made it onto Sallys menu. Both options, the pork and the mushroom, come with a duo of sauces a homemade mojo, which combines garlic with herbs like parsley and cilantro, and hoisin. Rice bowls form the menus centerpiece, with five options: curried vegetables, curried chicken, pork fried rice, mushroom fried rice, and oxtail.

Ramen will join the menu as soon as Freeman and De Piper can nail down a provider for their noodles. When it finally hits, they plan to have three or four ramen varieties, each with a different Caribbean flavor profile, like braised oxtail or curry chicken.

Listening to Freeman and De Piper recount the birth of Sally Roots and, simultaneously, their friendship, is like hearing two old college buddies gleefully recounting antics from back in the day.

[James] is one of my best friends in the world, De Piper said.

Sallys is a happy marriage of both De Pipers and Freemans backgrounds. Freeman, who grew up moving back and forth between New York and St. Croix, was reared on Caribbean dishes like curry chicken and roti. De Piper was born in Italy and has lived all over Europe. The two of them together make an excellent team they bounce ideas off each other like theyre doing a jam session, Freeman sporadically breaking into a lilting St. Croix accent.

While the food and drink are the centerpieces, Freeman and De Piper ultimately wanted Sallys to be a gathering place.

We try to create spaces that are friendly and welcoming to everybody, De Piper said. We dont care who you are. Young, old, doesnt matter who you are. We treat you exactly the same and we try to get you to take shots with us.

So far, that goal has been a success.

We have neighbors that are coming to us saying Oh my god, weve been waiting for something to come here! Freeman said. The restaurant held a soft opening last month, and since then, De Piper said, the neighborhood has really, really come out.

Sallys is open every day of the week, and is located at 151 Tompkins Avenue, corner of Willoughby Ave, in Bed-Stuy.While it doesnt open until 5 p.m., the team plans to begin offering brunch starting in the warmer months, when they can count on better business. Happy hour is every day from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The kitchen closes at 12 a.m., while the bar stays open until 2 a.m.

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Sally's: The Team Behind Sally Roots Brings Asian-Influenced Caribbean Food to Bed-Stuy - BKLYNER

It wasnt that long ago that Disney fans everywhere had learned about the reboot of the popular film franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean.

The last film of the franchise was only released a few years ago, in 2017, but this hasnt stopped Disney from deciding to make a reboot!

This isnt surprising as the first film was very well-received by critics and fans and was an overall success. Fans were extremely excited each and every time Disney announced another Pirates of the Caribbeanfilm so it only makes sense to keep the buzz going by creating another film.

Overall, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise grossed $4.5 billion worldwide, with each individual film performing very well at the box office.

But with the reboot happening, it has left a lot of fans wondering what characters would be involved as well as who would portray these characters? Well, heres what we know so far.

The reboot of the Pirates of the Caribbeanis already in the process and it looks like it will involve new characters as well as original characters.

According to some reports, Zac Efron is in talks of portraying the one and only, Jack Sparrow. Yes, theHigh School Musicalactor may be filling the shoes of Johnny Depp and taking on the role of the clever pirate.

The directors of the Pirates of the Caribbeanfilm includes the creator of Chernobyl, Craig Mazin, who you also may know from The Hangover 2and3. Also returning is Ted Elliott, who is the veteran Pirates of the Caribbean screenwriter. Previously the writers of Deadpooland Zombieland, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, were on the project but they decided to back out.

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Zac Efron Rumored To Play Jack Sparrow In "Pirates of the Caribbean" Reboot - Inside the Magic

Its about that time of year again, when the holidays are over, and the world is starting to freeze over. That hump of winter right after Christmas and New Year can bring a lot of depression to a lot of people. There are no holidays to look forward to, and all we are left with is cold, wet weather that seems like it will never leave.

There are some islands that are more popular than others when it comes to getting away. Turks and Caicos is one of the most popular tourist destinations, and thousands of people flock there every year.

However, there are a lot of other islands out there that dont get the same attention, and they should. We have uncovered 15 Caribbean islands that no one is really talking about, and we tell you why they should be.

Guadalupe may be located in the Caribbean, but it is actually a region that is owned by France, bringing a European flair to the island.

There is a lot to do on the island, that a tourist would never be bored. There is swimming in hot springs, climbing an active volcano and many historic sites to see.

Barbuda is an island that is often forgotten about, and that is because people are more familiar with its sister island, Antigua.

What draws people to Barbuda is that it has a small andrelaxed feeling to it. The island is small, and only has about 1, 600 people, but it has some of the most beautiful beaches.

Grenada has a great tag line, The Spice of the Caribbean. The reason it has this tag line is that it is one of the largest producers of nutmeg and mace.

Grand Anse Beach is a world-famous beach located there that has a 2-mile stretch of soft, white sand and very calm waters for wading in.

If you are thinking of travelling to Trinidad, you may also want to skip it for Tobago, the smaller part of the island.

Tobago is a divers dream, as there is a lot to discover under the sea. They have 3 underwater shipwrecks to explore and a lot of tropical fish. There is also a ton of shopping and dining experiences.

If Martinique has a French sound to it that is because this is another Caribbean island that is owned by France. This is one of the largest islands found in The Lesser Antilles.

There are tons of things to do there, including exploring a volcano. They also have a wide array of beaches, including one that has grey and black sand.

Anguilla is an island that is located near Saint Martin in the middle of the Caribbean sea. It is a British territory, so that means that cars will drive on the left side of the road.

It is a smaller island, but there are still tons of things to do. The Travel Channel actually named this the number one in the world for best overall beaches. The island has 33 of them!

The Dominican Republic is well travelled and known, but Dominica is one that is often forgotten about. This island is located in the southern part of the Caribbean sea and is called the nature island.

The island is known for its many waterfalls, springs, rivers and a huge rainforest. This is the perfect island for nature lovers out there to explore.

Vieques is definitely a place that should be on your bucket list of Caribbean islands to visit. It is actually located in Puerto Rico.

It is home to Mosquito Bay, but dont let the name fool you, it is one of the brightest bays in the whole world. It is also home to some of the most secluded towns in the country.

The Bahamas may not be the most under-the-radar islands in the Caribbean, but they have a lot more to offer than a lot of people realize.

The Bahamas is home to one of the most beautiful pink beaches in the world. It is due to a small organism that has a reddish-pink shell. It is definitely one of the most fascinating things you will ever see.

Iles Des Saintes may technically be another Caribbean island that belongs to France, but it is a great destination in the Caribbean.

It has been described as a small slice of paradise, and it is often overlooked for the larger islands. This location is actually a small string of islands, and they have some of the best cafes in the world.

Jamaica is definitely still a popular vacation spot, but has the world forgotten about Montego Bay? If they have, then it is time that they book a trip.

Swimming is one of the most popular activities for tourists to do when they are in the Caribbean, however, Montego Bay offers something special. You can swim with horses!

One of the best parts about going on vacation is eating. A lot of people look forward to trying the delicious food and letting their diet go out the window for a week or two.

Saint Martin is where you want to go if you are looking for good food. They are famous for their skilled chefs and fine cuisine. The food is heavily influenced by French and Creole cooking.

Barbados is another island that is being neglected, and it shouldnt be if you are a surfer.

The island has the most consistent surf conditions. It is a coral island, which means that it has a coral reef that stretches all around the islands coastline. There is always a place to surf on this island.

Belize is one that you dont hear too often, but it is a dream for anyone out there who is itching to explore something.

Belize is home to Mayan ruins and lush jungles, perfect for anyone who wants to explore. They also have a lot of perfect beaches and caves, meaning there is something for everyone to do.

Cuba tends to get a bad reputation, and not a lot of people choose it as the first choice for their vacation. This may be a mistake because it is a great island to explore.

The 16th-centurytown of Old Havana is one of the most interesting and unique destinations in the world. The architecture is stunning, and the culture of the island will have you see the country in a new light.

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15 Under-The-Radar Caribbean Destinations Better Than Turks And Caicos - TheTravel

WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) The director of the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr Carissa Etienne, is urging countries in the Americas, including those in the Caribbean, to be prepared to detect early, isolate and care for patients infected with the new coronavirus.

Etienne said that was necessary in the event of receiving travellers from countries where there is ongoing transmission of novel coronavirus cases.

Health services need to be prepared, because they will most likely be the entry point where cases of the new coronavirus will be detected, as has already happened with previous epidemics, said Dr Etienne told ambassadors of the Americas to the Organization of American States (OAS) at a PAHO briefing on Friday.

The Dominican-born PAHO official said the UN agency stands ready to support the Americas because detecting cases early can prevent the spread of the disease.

PAHO said up until Friday, there had been 846 confirmed cases of infection by Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCov) globally, including 830 cases from China.

It said 177 cases were severe and 25 people had died.

Etienne said PAHO has activated its incident management system, stating that, since the beginning of January, it has shared information with ministries of health through the International Health Regulations channel and through its country representatives.

She said PAHO will continue to update information on what countries can do to effectively respond to this new virus, about which there is still uncertainty.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus convened the Emergency Committee to advise on whether the outbreak in China constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.

Ghebreyesus decided not to declare a public health emergency at this time, according to PAHO, but stressed it is an emergency in China, and that the outbreak poses a high risk at the regional and global levels.

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PAHO Director urges Caribbean to Prepare for Early Detection of Coronavirus - caribbeannationalweekly.com

The Seminar on Integral Ecological Conversion, held Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2019, in San Jos, Costa Rica, focused on the challenges and roles of religious life with the conclusion of the Amazon synod. (GSR photo/Soli Salgado)

San Jose, Costa Rica As one of just 10 women who participated in the Amazon synod, Sr. Daniela Cannavina returned to Latin America eager to impart the wisdom from her experience at the Vatican to fellow religious, with anecdotes and summaries of the lively discussions from inside the hall.

But mainly, Cannavina returned eager to keep the momentum of the synod alive.

"We didn't want to waste time," she said, adding that to wait for the pope to publish his final document on the synod, which has not yet been released, risked spoiling the "nutrients" within the working drafts. (A Capuchin Sister of Mother Rubatto, Cannavina attended as a representative of the International Union of Superiors General.)

At the synod, which explored the Amazon's pastoral and environmental concerns Oct. 6-27, 2019, every participant was granted four minutes to speak. Cannavina chose to spend her brief time advocating for women deacons and for the region's ministries to have a more elevated, "feminine, Amazonian profile," she said.

She told Global Sisters Report that the many committees and seminars of the Confederation of Latin American and Caribbean Religious (CLAR), of which she is general secretary, are almost entirely made up of women, so "it is up to us to create our own visibility, to continue that formation and build a synodal church."

She took this message and all her reflections from the synod back to Latin America, where, not even two months later, her representative role was flipped: Cannavina, an Argentine, was now tasked with communicating her experience to a small room full of Latin American religious, all of whom gathered in San Jos, Costa Rica, Nov. 30-Dec. 2, ready to localize the synod.

Sr. Daniela Cannavina, a Capuchin Sister of Mother Rubatto, is CLAR's general secretary and participated in the Amazon synod as a delegate for the International Union of Superiors General. (GSR photo/Soli Salgado)

Amazon region's challenges apply to all

The group of roughly 40 women and men religious, priests, deacons and lay theologians came from all over Latin America for the CLAR gathering. But most of their respective countries are geographically untouched by the Amazon.

Alirio Cceres Aguirre, a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Bogot, Colombia, who spent 15 days at the synod, said one of the triumphs of the synod was the understanding that the Amazon is a "laboratory," meaning all the challenges and issues discussed with respect to that specific region "still apply to other 'little Amazons,' the planet as a common home that contains pluralities, different cultures fundamentally linked by ecology," he said.

A chemical engineer and theologian, Cceres attended the CLAR gathering in Costa Rica on behalf of the Episcopal Conference of Latin America and Caritas' integral ecology program.

He described the synod as a "confluence between an ancestral, indigenous, Latin American worldview and the European structures of Catholic thought."

"The fact that the synod happened is, in and of itself, a success," he said. That many Catholics on the outside, including his own friends and family, saw the synod as controversial accusations of pagan practices and fear for the church's future, he said, contrasted the beauty and fraternity experienced within the synod serves as "a kind of diagnosis on where we are as a church."

"It's an invitation to think: How is it that we are going to achieve communion?" he said, adding that those meeting in Costa Rica were privileged to live out the lessons imparted by the Amazonian people: Words must become actions; beware of letting good intentions stay trapped in discussion.

The three-day CLAR summit included presentations from religious and laypeople on various environmental challenges they face in their regions and how they've worked to address them, which was a source of inspiration for those gathered.

Ariana Daz Acua is a 33-year-old lay theologian and the deputy director of the Laudato Si' Observatory, which the Catholic University of Costa Rica launched in 2017 to influence environmental public policy in developing countries in the spirit of the encyclical.

While education is a key focus of the observatory, promoting workshops and projects throughout Latin America, Daz said she and her colleagues also educated local bishops several months ahead of the synod who knew only rough details about the pastoral and ecological challenges in the Amazon.

At the CLAR gathering, she presented scientific information from the observatory's Environmental Development Index, which measures environmental impacts of countries all over the globe.

"We already have a lot of theological depth on this topic, but sometimes, we don't know the science as well," Daz said.

But being among men and women religious who see the negative effects of climate change firsthand, she said, was a powerful reminder of the greater purpose of her academic work.

"I could feel the pain of the people who suffer from drought, who are up against mining, whose homes are destroyed," Daz said. "The work I do in the observatory, the synod, this seminar, it leaves me restless and makes me think, on a personal level, about what decisions I can make in 2020 to help the disadvantaged in my community."

But while smaller day-to-day deeds at the individual level are necessary, Cceres emphasized that "it is at the institutional, community level where meaningful change happens."

"Our response should not be through a rigid, business-like structure, but rather, through networks, alliances and coalitions that create concrete action," he said, adding that they ought to replicate the synodal process in its inclusivity and open dialogue.

"This is how the global Catholic movement can offer guidance and inspiration to all of humanity."

The Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2019, CLAR gathering was an opportunity for religious involved in ecology in their respective Latin American countries to network and share experiences. (GSR photo/Soli Salgado)

Religious must be involved

Sr. Marleen Renders, a Missionary Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary from Belgium, has been ministering in Guatemala since 1986. She's spent much of the last decade accompanying Guatemalans who have been resisting a mining operation on their land outside Guatemala City.

"It hurt this community that the church wasn't present on this issue," she said, noting that parish priests hesitated to get involved because some in the community were in favor of the mine. In 2012, locals then turned to Guatemala's conference of religious, CONFREGUA, for which Renders was then the secretary.

A few times a week, Renders joins the protests that take the form of overnight campgrounds in the middle of the street to prevent the mining trucks from reaching the pueblos.

"Those fights are never just about the people today, but about future generations, the animals dying in exchange for gold extraction," she said. The more time she spent with them, Renders added, the more she understood the overlap between the Earth and their spirituality.

"I've been a part of so many experiences like these, where you see people who are willing to put their lives on the line for their environment, for their community," she said. "As religious, we can't be on the outside looking in."

Participants discuss their countries' issues at the Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2019, CLAR gathering. (GSR photo/Soli Salgado)

Even though the focus of the synod was the Amazon, Renders said, "you still feel Guatemala's indigenous in all of this, the people who live in the ravines.

"You can't look at the Amazon like one specific place in the world. The conversation is bigger than that. We're talking about all the territories who share those problems and concerns," she said. "And I have a lot of hope."

Moving forward, CLAR's role in supporting the religious in the Amazon, Cannavina said, will be through strengthening the Panamanian ecclesial network, REPAM, ensuring that "the process that was lived in the synod does not fall through the cracks, but that it continues to mobilize us." She added that CLAR will also reflect on and revisit its structures, such as how they can expand their presence in the regions where it's needed.

At the synod, Pope Francis encouraged creativity and novelty in addressing the challenges before the church, which Cannavina emphasized as a key takeaway but, ultimately, an ongoing process.

"Creativity isn't just born in a few days of meeting; it's all the possibilities that come from the reception of the synod," she said. (The CLAR gathering concluded with a final document summarizing the group's reflections and calls to action, available here in Spanish.)

"We as a church have to be allies with the people who are most exploited, who are most in need of a presence to walk beside them," she said. "With that alone, we have a lot on our plate."

The synod more than anything demonstrated "emerging points," Cannavina said, such as developing formation houses inspired by Amazonian cultures, an observatory for Latin American research, and for religious life to see themselves as pilgrims in a process that is at once intercultural, intercongregational and itinerant.

"I'll never forget at the synod when the pope was told he is not alone in this, that there were many of us accompanying and supporting him," Cannavina said. "It was like an invitation for the pope to keep paddling, to keep sailing inland because we'll go with him a church in communion. We're all in this process of looking for a new way of being a church."

Like after all CLAR gatherings, the group wrapped up the three days in San Jos, Costa Rica, with a cultural party, this time with a local Costa Rican dance troupe kicking off an evening of music and dance. (GSR photo/Soli Salgado)

[Soli Salgado is a staff writer for Global Sisters Report. Her email address is ssalgado@ncronline.org. Follow her on Twitter: @soli_salgado.]

The rest is here:

Religious keep momentum of Amazon synod alive in wider Latin American, Caribbean region - Global Sisters Report

CEO Richard Fain says his company is deviating ships to bring hot meals to the people of the Bahamas.

The grandfather of a toddler who fell to her death from a cruise ship window was "reckless and irresponsible," the cruise line said as it asked a federal court to dismiss a civil lawsuit.

Royal Caribbean blamed the grandfather, Salvatore Anello, for the death of 18-month-old Chloe Wiegand last summer, the Indianapolis Star reported.

Photo of 18-month-old Chloe Wiegand in the Freedom of the Seas' H2O Zone. (Photo provided in lawsuit)

ROYAL CARIBBEAN SUED BY FAMILY OF TODDLER WHO FELL TO HER DEATH

The cruise line made the accusation in court records filed in response to a lawsuit from the Indiana family. The family's lawsuit alleged the cruise line neglected to warn passengers that windows in the play area where Chloe fell could open.

The cruise line, however, said that surveillance video showed Anello leaning out the window for several seconds before picking up Chloe and holding her out the window, according to the report.

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Photograph showing distance between the wooden railing and the window, which was open at the time of Chloe Wiegand's death (lawsuit)

ROYAL CARIBBEAN PASSENGERS HURT IN VOLCANO ERUPTION: WHO IS LIABLE?

Anello "held her by and out of the open window for thirty-four seconds before he lost his grip and dropped Chloe out of the window,"the court documents state.

An attorney for the family told the Star that the cruise line "did not implement industry standards for toddler safety aboard its ships."

In a statement to FOX Business, Royal Caribbean said, The death of Chloe Wieband is undeniably a heartbreaking tragedy that has prompted a criminal prosecution of Chloes step-grandfather and a civil lawsuit brought by the Wiegand family attorneys. Our position in the matter is outlined in our Motion to Dismiss, which we were legally mandated to do in response to the civil complaint.

In a separate criminal case, Anello is facing a charge of negligent homicide in Chloe's death.

The family was aboard the Freedom of the Seas, which was docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when Chloe fell 150 feet from the ship to the pier.

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Royal Caribbean: Grandfather 'reckless' in toddler death: report - Fox Business

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has warned of the attempt to divide the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping as some regional leaders get ready to meet with United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Tuesday.

Addressing a gala to celebrate the centenary of the birth of the late Barbados prime minister and regional integrationist Errol W. Barrow on Saturday night, Mottley said that she is conscious that in the next week questions will be asked as to whether the Barbados foreign minister happened to be missing in a meeting in Kingston in Jamaica that will take place on Tuesday.

We dont look to pick fights. I dont look to pick fights, but I am conscious that if this country does not stand for something, then it will fall for anything. As chairman of CARICOM, it is impossible for me to agree that my foreign minister should attend a meeting with anyone to which members of CARICOM are not invited. If some are invited and not all, then it is an attempt to divide this region, Mottley said.

Earlier this week, Jamaicas Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith said Pompeos two-day working visit, which begins on January 21, is a commitment to strengthen relations with the Caribbean.

We welcome the visit of Secretary Pompeo as a demonstration of the commitment of the United States of America to once more strengthen its engagement with Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. We truly look forward to this opportunity to engage and reinforce our longstanding ties, she added.

Pompeo will hold talks with Jamaicas Prime Minister Andrew Holness and senior members of his cabinet on the second day of the visit and is expected to give a policy speech on the Caribbean regions critical importance to the United States, and the countrys renewed commitment to closer ties, based on shared values, interests and economic prosperity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade said.

Both the Jamaica Gleaner and the Observer newspaper, quoting sources, said that Pompeo is also due to meet with several Caribbean leaders.

But a CARICOM source told the Caribbean Media Corporation that the regional grouping had not been formally invited to participate in the discussions during Pompeos visit.

Last year, Holness was among four Caribbean leaders St. Lucia, the Bahamas and Haiti who flew to Miami to meet with US President Donald Trump where they discussed the ongoing political situation in Venezuela where Washington is seeking to remove President Nicolas Maduro in favour of opposition leader Juan Guaido.

CARICOM leaders at their last summit in St Lucia last July reiterated their position of non-interference and non-intervention in the internal affairs of Venezuela.

Mottley told the gala that she was conscious that when Errol Barrow stood and remarked that we shall be friends of all and satellites of none, little did he know that that statement would be embraced by every single prime minister of Barbados that succeeded him.

It is as valid today, perhaps even more so than it was at the time of its initial delivery. And I say so conscious that principles only mean something when it is inconvenient to stand by them.

Conscious that this region must always cheek itself to ensure that we do not become the pawns of others, the satellites of others, but that we keep every most and uppermost in our minds what we must do for our people without simply becoming pawns on a chessboard for others to be able to benefit from, she added.

The CARICOM chairman said that the sense of commitment to principle is what inspires the region to this position.

And therefore, it didnt take a lot of thought as to what our decision should be because this country does not pretend to be what it is not and does not pretend to have that which it doesnt. But it does aspire to be sincere and to be correct and to be moral and to be principled.

She told the audience that the expression delivered to Trump who offered to pay our dues to join the Organization of American States when Barrow politely refused and said in our part of the world where I come from, if you cannot afford the dues, you do not join the club.

That is the Barbados first to which I speak, she told the gala.

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Mottley warns of attempts to divide the Caribbean - Jamaica Gleaner

By Sophie Hares, UNDRR Americas and the Caribbean

Menaced by increasingly violent hurricanes, Caribbean countries face an enormous bill to better protect themselves disasters and need to weave a web of financing options to help insulate against shocks, said speakers at a regional conference.

Boosting lackluster economic growth, ramping up insurance and disaster funds, and embracing the private sector would help bolster countries which needed to invest more in resilience, said speakers at the Comprehensive Disaster Management Conference (CDM11) in Sint Maarten.

"Budgeting for disaster should be a must for us all," said Silveria Jacobs, prime minister of Sint Maarten, which was ravaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

A common disaster fund and a joint insurance plan to protect the small businesses that drive local economies could help the region, she told the conference, organized by the Caribbean Disasters and Emergency Agency (CDEMA).

"Government cannot definitely not go it alone Business resilience drives the economy which ensures that islands can bounce back even faster," said Jacobs, who urged more investment in resilient infrastructure.

With many countries heavily indebted, creating layers of risk financing was key if countries are to limit the economic impact of disasters, which could also include flooding, drought, tsunamis and seismic activity, said speakers.

Risk financing layers should include funds shaved from national budgets, paired with fast-paying parametric insurance and access to lines of credit, said Ming Zhang, World Bank regional practice manager for urban and disaster risk management.

While new insurance products could help protect livelihoods and the fishing industry in the event of disasters, there was more scope to expand insurance to include households and small businesses, said Zhang in an interview.

"You cannot set up a contingency fund to address a Category 5 hurricane," said Zhang, who estimates disasters cost the Caribbean 1 percent of its gross domestic product each year.

"You need a risk financing strategy each country should look at different layers and different contingencies, insurance and other mechanisms."

While countries such as St. Lucia and Grenada were looking to set up disaster funds bolstered by lines of credit, there needs to be more focus on how money was being spent in the region to better prepare for disasters, he said.

More advanced recovery planning was needed to make sure emergency shelters and supplies were available, while strengthening homes and infrastructure could help reduce economic impact down the track, he said.

"In the midst of borrowing for public investment, governments need to ensure that these funds are certainly being spent to ensure resilience," said Ronald Jackson, CDEMA executive director, said in an interview.

"That's one area that will drive down exposure and be a lower cost to government when these events occur."

NO SILVER BULLET

Emergency cash payments to small businesses, farmers and the most vulnerable after hurricanes in Barbados and Dominica helped stimulate the local economies and get people back on their feet, said speakers.

But countries needed to ensure adequate systems were in place to disperse social protection payments to make sure they reach the right people as quickly as possible, they added.

"No single financial instrument is the solution, we have to adopt a risk layering approach," Nicholas Grainger, programme associate at the World Food Programme, told the conference.

Given the private sector shells out for up to 85 percent of all investment and absorbs the lion's share of disaster losses, businesses should be closer involved in trying to driving down risk and promoting economic resilience, said speakers.

"It's very clear that reducing disaster risk cannot be done by one actor or sector alone," Nahuel Arenas, Deputy Chief of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, told the conference.

"Resilient investment is about integrating risk through business practices and investment decisions."

The UNDRR-backed business network, known as The Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies or ARISE, is growing quickly in the Caribbean where companies are increasingly aware that disaster risk reduction (DRR) makes sound business sense, said speakers.

Jeffrey Beckles, chief executive of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce, said the private sector wanted a greater role in DRR given it was a major employer and driver of growth.

It also has a lot to lose. Businesses suffered some 90 percent of the massive losses in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian in September, he added.

"We bring to the table the ability to look further down the road than any single administration," Beckles told the conference.

"We bring to the table a much deeper, wider capacity for casting a longer-term strategy for resiliency and prospects for our country's stability,"

Developing the digital and blue economies, while finding ways to expand the benefits of industries such as tourism could help bolster the region's economy and ultimately make households more resilient, said speakers.

"Resilient people build resilient lives, and resilient communities and economies," said Sint Maarten's Jacobs.

Original post:

Mix up financing to better protect Caribbean, say experts - World - ReliefWeb

Every franchise needs a breakout character to establish itself, and Pirates of the Caribbean had its star-making performancein Captain Jack Sparrow. He has been so popular that the series has exclusively relied on the audience draw that comes with the character with each film.

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Jack is such an interesting figure that even his very first appearance had everything you needed to know about him - in a scene where he didnt even speak. But his strongest suit remains his fast tongue, and here are 10 of the best quotes that we heard Captain Jack Sparrow say in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

Jack hasapersonality that brims with confidence, and hefindspositivity even in the worst of positions. During the first part, everybody tended to underestimate Jacks worth, who only proved them wrong every time.

In this scene, Commodore Norrington looked to take the mickey out of Jack by listing down all the things that made him the worst pirate that Norrington had ever heard. To this, Jack pointed out that, while Norringtons assertion might not be wrong, the latter had still heard of him, meaning Jack was still someone worth knowing.

Talking your way out of a bad situation is a much more valuable technique than fighting out of it, as it avoids needless conflict and an easy getaway. We all know that Jack isnt supposed to be Superman who can just punch his way around, but his effectiveness was perhaps just as great.

Jacks method of putting the other person in a false sense of security by playing the fool meant he could wiggle his way to freedom and even walk away with something in return. This allowed him to catch weaknesses in his enemy that he could use later on.

Many wondered how Jack remained on top of his game even though it appeared as if everyone was out to get his head. The answer would be that Jack was always mentally prepared for his battles. He did thingson the fly rather than have it premeditated.

He did this by having the right attitude to approach his problems, as Jack would take the situation in stride rather than rue over it. This quote was actually one of the rare glimpses in Jacks mind, which told us that he improvised his solutions each time.

Jack was clearly a shipper on deck in the matter of Will and Elizabeth, providing one-liners as his pieces of advice for the two of them to get their act together. Will, being the shy guy that he was, never knew when to make his move on her.

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Jack inwardly decided he would look out for when Will would have his opening where the moment arrived. Catching onto it, he informed Will that his opportune moment with Elizabeth had just passed. He didnt say this to mock him; rather, it was Jack telling Will that Elizabeth loved him too and there was nothing to fear.

Pirates are those without honor, and they look for openings where they can cheat and win their fights. While Jack was of the same mold, he wasnt one to take an innocents life this way. After he defeated Will through his cheating, Jack found him still standing in the way.

Anyone such as Barbossa wouldve instantly shot and killed Will, but Jack insisted Will move out; he even used please as a request. With a solitary bullet in his gun - that was meant for Barbossa - Jack confessed that he only had one target for that bullet.

Playing the fool and being a fool are two very different things, and Jack fellin the former category easily. While incarcerated, he heard the Black Pearl approaching as the other inmates started freaking out over the undead crew.

Jack proved he was hardly as gullible and foolish as the other pirates when he scoffed at the idea that the undead crew never left anyone alive. He made the very true and hilarious point that it wasnt possible for there to be any stories about the Black Pearl if nobody who encountered it was allowed to live.

Jacks superhero equivalent would definitely be Tony Stark, as he had the same level of wit and snark that Tony had. In between his many rants, Jack would generally throw in words of wisdom that ultimately were profound and meaningful.

Unlike the other pirates, Jacks idea of treasure wasnt the silver and gold kind as he was above such worldly pleasures. It was by knowing where the limits of treasure began and ended that Jack knew when to fold and walk away rather than lose his life for something that ultimately was a superficial prize.

Perhaps we spoke too soon on Jacks idea of treasure, seeing as he did seem to value rum above everything else in the world. If you were to ask him if he wanted world peace or rum, then Jack would easily give the world away for a bottle.

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Unfortunately for him, he had horrible luck when it came to keeping said rum within his reach as circumstances around him always led to Jack being devoid of his favorite drink. At one point, in his exasperation, he asked this very question to the universe.

Never trust a pirate because they always lie, but poor Jack doesnt get trusted even though he doesnt lie all that much. If you notice, Jack tends to skirt around the truth rather than tell an outright lie. He plays the others distrust in him to his advantage.

However, Jack himself didnt seem to understand why people didnt consider him a truthful person, as when Norrington confessed his surprise that Jack really was telling the truth during a particular situation, the latter voiced his exasperation that his honesty is always met with surprise.

The funny thing is that whenever Jack says this line, things end up going very badly for him. Even funnier is how he tends to say it after hes managed to pull off a great escape, only for karma to come roaring back at him the next moment.

And yet, it still ranks as Jacks finest line because it tells you most of what his characterization is. The quote conveys that Jack is a confident man capable of talking his way out of any given situation, and that those who encounter him would always remember him for the larger than life person that he was.

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

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Pirates of the Caribbean: 10 Best Jack Sparrow Quotes - Screen Rant