Category Archives: Caribbean

St. Thomas has been named one of the best fishing destinations in the Caribbean for 2020, according to FishingBooker.com.

The list was based on a number of factors, such as user reviews, quality of fishing, and overall experience, and resulted in a list of the 12 best fishing spots in the Caribbean, according to a news release.

St. Thomas is a true paradise for any type of visitor. From some of the worlds most stunning beaches, to amazing nature, to numerous museums, forts, and historic houses, theres something here for everyone. And anglers here are in for a treat! Offshore, they can expect to catch anything from marlin, mahi mahi, and sailfish, to tuna and wahoo, while inshore, kingfish, bonito, barracuda, and yellowtail snapper are biting, according to the statement.

FishingBooker is the worlds largest platform for connecting anglers and fishing guides, with over 30,000 fishing trips available in more than 1,950 cities worldwide.

Other destinations on the list include Montego Bay, Jamaica, Freeport, Bahamas, and Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

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St. Thomas named one of Caribbean's best fishing destinations - Virgin Islands Daily News

Iguana, fish, fries, rice and fried plantain at Jaanchie's in Westpunt, Curacao Photo courtesy of Justin Blasi

Daydreams of island vacations usually include sunny visions of pina coladas and freshly caught seafood enjoyed beachside. While Curacao has plenty of both, the countrys blend of influences African, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Jewish and more creates an eclectic cuisine you might not expect to find on an island in the Caribbean.

So go ahead and order that fruity frozen cocktail, but make sure to sample some of these 10 dishes and drinks, too.

Bitterballen and mozzarella sticks at Cafe Old Dutch Photo courtesy of Rachel Vigoda

This quintessential Dutch snack is as common on Curacao as blue skies and beach chairs. The Netherlands colonized Curacao in the 1600s and it remained under Dutch rule until 2010. Today its still part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but as an autonomous country.

Four-hundred-plus years of Dutch in Curacao means that Dutch fried favorites, especially bitterballen, are easy to find at any bar or sidewalk cafe.

The beer-friendly bite-sized snack is a breaded, deep-fried ball of gooey beef and gravy and its typically served with mustard for dipping. Take a mid-afternoon break for a cold Polar pilsner and a plate of bitterballen or frikandel (deep-fried sausage) at Cafe Old Dutch, a laid-back European-styled pub with sports memorabilia on the walls in Willemstad, Curacaos capital.

Keshi yena at Avila Beach Hotel Photo courtesy of Justin Blasi

Curacaos tangled history includes its role as a center of the transatlantic slave trade. The countrys unofficial national dish is based around Dutch cheeses, but it likely has origins among enslaved Africans. They would turn leftover Edam or Gouda rinds into a meal by stuffing them with spiced chicken, and odds and ends like raisins, then bake the whole thing until the flavors fused.

"You can make it different ways, but the best-known way is with chicken and vegetables. They used to wrap it all in a banana leaf and put it in the oven," says Adrian Lake, chef at the upscale Pen restaurant at Willemstads Avila Beach Hotel, the longest-running hotel on the island.

Lake serves keshi yena the shredded chicken studded with raisins and olives and wrapped in melted Gouda with sides of rice, fried plantain, string beans and a krioyo (creole) sauce of onions, paprika, tomato puree and tomato sauce.

Giambo at Plasa Bieu in Willemstad, Curacao Photo courtesy of Justin Blasi

When asked about local foods, chef Lake brings up another African-Caribbean dish, giambo. He stops slightly short of recommending it, since the most accurate way to describe the stew, heavy with okra, is "slimy," but admits it definitely belongs on Curacaos list of must-try meals.

The green stew is a mix of okra, fish, salted meat (beef or goat) and basil. Dip a spoon in, pull it up, and youll see a trail of okra slime its a love it or hate it texture. Ask for a sample at Plasa Bieu (also called Marshe Bieu) in Willemstad. The busy cafeteria features a row of vendors selling local foods.

Plasa Bieu is a good spot to try another ubiquitous dish, karni stoba. The beef stew also made with kabritu (goat) is a hearty dish of cubed, marinated meat simmered with different combinations of onions, garlic, cumin, curry, nutmeg, bell peppers and tomatoes.

Youll find it everywhere, from the casual cafeteria to the elegant Restaurant & Caf Gouverneur de Rouville, set in a historic mansion overlooking the St. Anna Bay and the colorful row of Dutch colonial buildings that line the water.

Vendors at Plasa Bieu sell pumpkin pancakes Photo courtesy of Justin Blasi

Morning is one option for when to eat these sweet, fluffy-yet-dense pumpkin pancakes. But they also work as a cinnamon-sugary side dish with a plate of savory stoba or on their own as a filling snack.

Jaanchie's is the go-to spot for iguana Photo courtesy of Rachel Vigoda

You may not want to eat an iguana after spotting the regal lizards roaming around beaches and between tables at outdoor cafes in the more rugged western part of the island. But if youve got a hankering, iguana on a plate isnt hard to find.

The go-to spot is Jaanchies in Westpunt, an area thats much less developed than Willemstad to the east. Owner Jan "Jaanchi" Cristiaan stops by every table to talk through food options. If you havent had iguana before, hell encourage you to order a smaller portion along with something else, like a grouper fillet.

Its not a bad idea, considering the work that goes into eating iguana. It tastes like chicken (of course) but its filled with small bones. (On the other hand, as local lore has it, iguana is an aphrodisiac.)

Ask for a table by the big open windows so you can watch black and lemon-yellow birds frenetically amass on the hanging bowls Cristiaan fills with sugar.

Located less than 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela, Curacao counts South American cooking among its culinary influences. When you stop at a batidos truck for a mango or soursop shake (skip the milk and sugar for a bright burst of natural sweetness), check out the rest of the menu; chances are good youll see a few types of pastechi listed.

The savory, crescent-shaped, fried or baked pastry is similar to an empanada, though the dough is usually lighter. Common fillings for this handheld breakfast or snack include Gouda cheese or ground meat.

Sea Side Terrace in Curacao Photo courtesy of Justin Blasi

Seafood on an island is a no-brainer, whether its conch with garlic and butter or fried red snapper. But how about fish of the venomous variety? At Sea Side Terrace in Willemstad, Heinrich "Enchi" Ensermo has been feeding locals and tourists at palm treeshaded tables just steps from the beach for 25 years.

His mostly seafood menu often includes lionfish, the striped fish known for its long, venomous spines and its status as an unwelcome invasive species in the Caribbean, as well as other parts of the Atlantic. Getting them out of the water is a good thing and when you remove their sharp spines, theyre good to eat.

Dig into the white, buttery meat with a sprinkle of fiery pika sauce and sides of funchi (polenta) or fries drizzled with mayo and ketchup.

Turning curacao liqueur its signature bright blue shade Photo courtesy of Justin Blasi

Its no surprise that in a country named Curacao, youll find an original distillery that makes authentic curacao liqueur. But heres something you might not have expected: Senior & Co. makes red, orange, green, clear and the best-known blue curacao and they all taste exactly the same. The only difference is the color.

Spanish conquerors brought Valencia orange trees to the island in the 1500s but the hot, arid climate turned the fruit bitter and eventually created laraha trees, a descendant of Valencia with highly unpleasant oranges. In the late 1800s, business partners Haim Mendes Chumaceiro and Edgar Senior starting using the dried peels of the laraha fruit to make liqueur and bottling it for sale.

The distillery that came out of their collaboration is still in operation today, with the original copper kettle imported from Philadelphia, and open for tours and tastings. Make sure to try the tamarind, rum raisin, coffee and chocolate varieties of curacao too.

Green rum at Netto Bar in Willemstad's Otrobanda neighborhood Photo courtesy of Rachel Vigoda

Curacao has a thing for colored alcohol. But unlike the curacao liqueur, the islands rom berde, or green rum, doesnt taste like its clear counterparts. Along with its electric color, the rum has a strong licorice flavor.

It's said to have been invented at Netto Bar, a dive in Willemstads Otrobanda neighborhood open since 1954 and decorated in old photos, license plates and images of the Dutch royal family. Ask for it mixed with Sprite, or order a shot if youre feeling daring.

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10 unexpected foods to eat on the Caribbean island of Curacao - USA Today 10Best

LONDON, Jan. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) from the United Nations indicates that the Commonwealth of Dominica was the fastest growing economy in the entire Latin America and the Caribbean region in 2019. The island's GDP is said to have jumped up by 9%, attributed to Citizenship by Investment (CBI), soaring tourism numbers and public sector construction.

Foreign investors sought to obtain second citizenship from Dominica through the CBI Programme, choosing to either make a minimum US$100,000 contribution to a government fund or invest in pre-approved real estate, such as luxury resorts and boutique hotels. Some reasons driving investors' trust are linked to them seeking to belong to a stable democracy with great diplomatic relations, a trustworthy business environment and a promising economic future. Importantly, Dominica's CBI Programme is considered the best in the world, employing reliable due diligence that particularly attracts global individuals and families with indisputable integrity.

Dominica is leading the macroeconomic expansion in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). According to the ECLAC report, "construction activity increased across all ECCU economies" but it was especially notable in Dominica. "The robust performance of the tourism sector, as well as the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes and public sector-fuelled construction activity, were primary drivers of ECCU-wide GDP growth in 2019," the report notes.

The real estate option under CBI forms the foundation of a promising ecotourist sector, able to compete on the international market. Stopovers in Dominica increased threefold, the ECLAC report found, with cruise ship arrivals specifically increasing sevenfold. This is an even more impressive achievement considering the fact that island had suffered a loss worth 226% of GDP after Hurricane Maria in September 2017.

The other CBI option, known as the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF), in turn helps sponsor major nationwide development projects, either partially or fully. These include rehabilitating roads and bridges, creating new health centres, supporting education initiatives, building hurricane-proof public housing, an international airport and a geothermal plant.

Synergetically, investors' contributions through CBI are leading to an overall economic boom in Dominica, with good prospects for long-term sustainable growth. The island started investing in climate resilience in recent years and the results are paying off.

Contact: pr@csglobalpartners.com http://www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners

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Dominica Is the Fastest Growing Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean Region Thanks to Booming Tourism and Citizenship by Investment, UN ECLAC...

The Caribbean has a challenging year ahead as voters are set to head to the polls in Belize, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Elections will be hard-fought throughout the region, and with the economic outlook for the Caribbean being relatively positivethe International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts a pick-up in growth from 3.3 percent in 2019 to 3.7 percent in 2020the electorate of each country will keep a close eye on how candidates look to divide the economic pie.

Indeed, the economy is the most important issue for most voters across the Caribbean. In Guyana and Suriname this will take on greater meaning in light of massive offshore oil discoveries in the former, and a recent major oil discovery off the coast of the latter, strongly suggesting a similar hydrocarbon bounty. One last country that is overdue for national elections is Haiti, but the countrys political turmoil has meant that the vote has been postponed (in 2019) and no future date has been given.

Below is an overview of the upcoming Caribbean elections.

Guyana (Presidential/Parliamentary elections)

Guyana, which saw its elections postponed in 2019, heads to the polls on March 2.The election will be closely monitored as this South American country of a little under 800,000 people emerges as one of the worlds newest oil powers. Guyanas newfound fame became evident when it made the front page of The Wall Street Journal on January 2, 2020, with an article titled This Stock Exchange Only Trades on Mondays: Guyanas Sleepy Stock Exchange Braces for Change.The article focused on the low level of activity in Guyanas local stock exchange, however, the sleepy exchange would soon wake up when oil money begins to flood into country.

As Guyanese voters head to the polls they have to consider how the next government will manage the countrys newfound wealth, which according to the IMF is expected to make the economy expand in excess of 80 percent in 2020. Will voters re-elect President David Grangers A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC), or the opposition candidate Irfaan Ali, a former Minister of Housing running under the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP)?

Founded in 2011, the APNU groups several parties, including the largest political party, the Peoples National Congress (PNC)supported, to a large extent, by the countrys Afro-Guyanese community. The AFC was created in 2005 by dissident PNC members, and created an alliance with the APNU in 2015. Running against the APNU-AFC alliance is the center-left PPP, which was founded in 1950 and is generally supported by the Indo-Guyanese community. Political emotions are high in Guyana due to the postponement of the election last year, corruption accusations, and questions over contracts between the country and major oil companies.

The Dominican Republic (Presidential/Congressional elections)

In the Dominican Republics election the run-up has already seen considerable jockeying for position among presidential candidates in the countrys two major parties:the Dominican Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Dominicano or PRD) and the Dominican Liberation Party (Partido de la Liberacin Dominicana or PLD).The PLD currently makes up the government, headed by President Danilo Medina, who is not seeking re-election. Medina did explore the possibility of a third term, but this would require a constitutional change and was strongly opposed by much of the public.

While the Dominican Republic has seen strong economic expansion over the years, one of the major issues for the upcoming vote will concern income inequality. One Dominican speaking to a Bloomberg journalist in October 2019 outlined the countrys key issues: The economy grows, but doesnt flow down to us. There is no drainage system, water arrives every three days, and the lights go out for 24 hours at a time. This boils down to the need for better infrastructure in the areas of sanitation, water and electrical generation and distribution. The response also touches upon another more sensitive issue, which will no doubt be part of the campaign trail: official corruption.

A tough battle is expected over who will be the Dominican Republics next leader and deal with these issues, as well as its struggles with Haiti, which shares a lengthy land border with the country and is in a state of political turmoil, and the China-U.S. cold war.

Suriname (General Elections)

Surinames election should be equally as interesting. While the economy has enjoyed a gradual recovery from an earlier slump in key commodity prices, the incumbent president, Desi Bouterse, has been the dominant political figure in the country since 1980. In late November 2019 he was convicted for the murder of 15 political opponents in 1982 and sentenced to 20 years in prison by Surinames court system.That wasnt the first time hes been caught up in controversy.

Years earlier, Boutersewas convicted by the Netherlands for cocaine smuggling and more recently was accused of helping Venezuelan gold transit through Surinameto overseas markets. His son, Dino, sits in a U.S. federal prison after he was caught offering Hezbollah use Suriname as a base for its organization as well as for a sale of cocaine.

Despite those political blemishes, Bouterse has maintained a degree of popularity in the country partially due to the economic recovery of the country and his personal charisma. He has largely ignored the recent courts findings against him.

Surinames leader has also moved his country closer to China after a visit toBeijing in November 2019. During his visit, President Bouterse stated: Suriname firmly pursues one-China policy and supports Chinas grand cause of national reunification.He returned to Suriname with a promise of $300 million by the Chinese government to upgrade airports and roads and install solar power and 5G services.

President Bouterse, now 74, has stated that he is seeking re-election, or his third term in office. The election could be tension-packed if the opposition is able to stir enough public dissent toward Bouterses leadership issues, focused on his recent murder convictions.

President Bouterses National Democratic Party (NDP)-led government has the advantage of holding numerous seats in officehaving won 26 of 51 seats in the countrys National Assembly in 2015and enjoying the benefit of economic recovery,with real GDP expected to rise 2.5 percent this year. An unexpected added bonus for the government is a large offshore oil discovery in January 2020 by Apache and Total, holding out the prospect for a major boost to the national economy, much as what is occurring in neighboring Guyana.

With eyes focused on the presidential elections given Bouterses murder conviction, raising concerns over the rule of law; Surinames closer alignment to China, opposing U.S. concerns in the Caribbean; and concerns over who will be in charge of overseeing the countrys future monetizing of oil wealth, this is a major election for Suriname.

Trinidad and Tobago (Parliamentary elections)

While there is no official date for the Trinidad and Tobagos elections, they must be called by September 2020. The incumbent Peoples National Movement (PNM) led by Prime Minister Keith Rowley will face a tough challenge from the United National Congress (UNC), led by Kamla Persad Bissessar (a former prime minister from 2010-2015). Currently, there is a third party with representation in the parliament, the Congress of the People (COP), but it only holds one seat.

Trinidad and Tobagos economy has been in the grips of a prolonged recession driven by energy supply shocks and low energy prices. No doubt the economy will be the major issue for the campaign. The IMF is forecasting 1.5 percent growth for 2020, an improvement over two brutal years of economic contraction in 2016 and 2017, 0.3 percent growth in 2018 and zero growth last year. Unemployment has fallen, after peaking in 2017 at a little over 5.0 percent and is most likely around four percent, according to theCentral Bank of Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad and Tobagos political life is also being conditioned by other issues, such as the ongoing inflow of Venezuelan refugees and their accommodation, high levels of criminal violencesome of it related to the arrivals from Venezueladomestic violence and corruption. Although the election has not been officially called, both major political parties are in campaign mode.

Belize (Parliamentary elections)

Belize is set to head to the polls in November. The incumbent government is that of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, head of the United Democratic Party (UDP), which has been in office since 2008. It appears that Prime Minister Barrow will not be running in the November election due to health reasons. The UDP currently holds 19 seats to the opposition Peoples United Partys (PUP) 12 seats. The PUP is headed by Johnny Briceno and is considered a center-left Christian Democratic party.

The election is most likely to be driven by the state of the economy and the desire for a change of government, considering that the UDP has been in power since 2008. The economy remains in recovery since a recession in 2016, with real GDP expanding by 3.2 percent in 2018 and by an estimated 1.5 percent in 2019. Growth slowed down in 2019 due to severe drought experienced in the country. Belizes economic outlook, however, is challenging. As the International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted in December 2018: Public debt remains elevated, at above 90 percent of GDP. Belize is vulnerable to weaker U.S. growth, which could impact tourism, to higher oil prices, and weather-induced natural disasters. Violent crime poses risks to growth, competitiveness, and macroeconomic stability.

Considering the IMFs statement, key issues during this election cycle are expected to include economic growth, employment generation, government finances and public safety related to the countrys high crime rate. With the current government having been in power since 2008, there could be calls demanding new blood run the country.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Parliamentary elections)

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, one of the Caribbeans longest serving prime ministers, has indicated that the elections will be held in December. Gonsalves center-left Unity Labor Party,or ULP, won the last election in 2015, winning eight seats to seven against the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP).

One of the key issues in the Vincentian political arena is what some may see as the need for a change at the governments helm. Gonsalves has served several consecutive terms as prime minister since 2001 and now is 73 years of age. To his supporters, he has been a steady presence, guiding the country through a lengthy period in the countrys life, raising the standard of living, pushing alternative energy and hopefully creating a stronger economy. At the same time, his long tenure in office has raised questions over his behavior and when he will depart from the political scene and let someone else become prime minister.

The NDP is led by Dr. Godwin Friday who claims that irregularities in the 2015 election prevented it from winning the ministership. The government has denied these allegations. For its part, the ULP government is likely to run on the theme of economic recovery, taking credit for a considerable pickup in growth from the tough years of 2016-2017 to 2.0 percent in 2018 and 2.3 in 2019. If the 2015 election is any indication, 2020 could be a close and hard-fought affair.

St. Kitts and Nevis (Parliamentary elections)

In St. Kitts-Nevis the coalition Team Unity government under Prime Minister Timothy Harris, leader of the Peoples Labour Party, presided over the economic recovery of 2016 to 2017 to a marked rebound starting in 2018 (see real GDP table). This period also saw improvements in government finances. Part of the reason for the improvement in the economy is the Caribbean countrys use of its Citizenship-by-Investment program. While this has brought in revenues to the country, it has also incurred international criticism over issues of transparency and disclosure as well as local questioning as to where all of the funds go.

The issues most likely to surface during the countrys election this year are the future viability of the economy, how the citizenship program is regulated, and public safety due to a high crime rate. The Team Unity coalition is made up of the Peoples Action Movement (PAM), the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) and the Concerned Citizens Movement. The opposition St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party is headed by leader of the opposition and former Prime Minister Denzil Douglas (he served in that capacity from 1995 to 2015).

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A busy year in the Caribbean: Elections - Global Americans

I've traveled a lot, but I've never traveled to a private island owned by a British billionaire. In fact, come to think of it, I've never traveled to a private island at all.

So when I heard that I'd be part of the first group of media since 2016 to set foot on Richard Branson's Necker Island, I honestly had no idea what to expect.

Some background: Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, who founded theVirgin Group and has a$4 billion net worth, bought the 74-acre island for $180,000 back in 1978. In September 2017, the Caribbean island suffered extensive damage in the path of Hurricane Irma. Several buildings on site were destroyed, and the resort was closed for months. Repairs started in December 2017, Travel + Leisure reported at the time, and have been ongoing.

About a year later, in October 2018, it was officially back in business. And this past November, I got to spend a day on the island.

Spoiler alert: It was one of the top experiences of my entire life.

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I spent a day on Richard Branson's private island in the Caribbean. It was as spectacular as you can imagine. - Business Insider

Vision Zero has become a familiar term in urban mobility planning and road safety around the world. After starting in Sweden in the 1990s and being applied in Europe and the UK, the road safety strategy has recently increased in application at the city and state level. This is because the evidence to support it is clear. Countries and cities that have taken a Safe System approach to road safety accepting that people make mistakes and striving to create a mobility system where these mistakes dont cost human lives have reduced their traffic fatalities faster and by a greater degree than countries that have stuck with the traditional road safety approach, which places blame on the individual, focuses on a limited range of education and enforcement strategies, and tends to plateau in effectiveness over time.

While cities across Europe and now over 40 cities in the U.S. have adopted Vision Zero, a rapid uptake is needed in Latin America and the Caribbean. Each year, more than 100,000 people lose their lives in traffic crashes in the region. Traffic crashes are the number one cause of death for children aged 5-14 and the second greatest cause of death for people aged 15-44. It is estimated that road crashes in several Latin American countries have also led to economic losses ranging from 1.5 to 3.9% of national GDP. This could well be an underestimation; research on other regions has found that halving traffic deaths could add 7 to 22% to GDP per capita. The huge toll taken by road crashes on rapidly motorizing countries has demonstrated that road safety is not a luxury but a necessity for social and economic development.

Today, cities across Latin America and the Caribbean are facing a critical opportunity to raise ambition on lowering road deaths. With their vibrant energy and new generations of road safety experts, transport engineers and urban planners, they are ripe for a paradigm shift ready to take on these stark road safety challenges and surge past the hurdles that too often prevent full adoption of Vision Zero.

Latin American Cities Already Laying the Groundwork

Many cities in the region have made significant progress in making their streets safer and setting new standards, particularly three pioneering Vision Zero cities: Bogot, Colombia; So Paulo, Brazil; and Fortaleza, Brazil. In Bogot, Colombia, lowering speeds on the citys five arterial roads where 25% of the citys traffic deaths occurred is estimated to have saved over 60 lives in only six months (November 2018-May 2019), compared to the average number of fatalities from the previous four years.

In Brazil, both So Paulo and Fortaleza have used road design improvements and speed reduction measures particularly around schools and hospitals to make these areas safer for all users. So Paulos safety improvements in one busy corridor led to a68% reduction in fatalitiesin just one year, and in 2019 the city launched a road safety plan with the ambitious target of cutting traffic fatalities in half by 2028. Fortaleza recently finalized a road safety action plan and has already reduced traffic fatalities by 44% between 2011 and 2018, nearing the 50% reduction by 2020 goal set by the UN in 2011 for the Decade of Action for Road Safety.

Why More Action Is Needed

But as with any policy innovation, seeing Vision Zero through from high-level strategy to on-the-ground implementation has remained a struggle. Despite the Vision Zero approach becoming a global phenomenon, strong commitments to the strategy are often not followed by equally strong action and implementation based on Safe System principles. Challenges arise when administrations change and road safety becomes a point of political contention, or when funding and/or capacity does not align with political rhetoric. This challenge has also been experienced in the U.S., where many Vision Zero cities Los Angeles, for example have struggled to follow through on their commitments.

The Vision Zero Challenge

This is where the Vision Zero Challenge comes in. Designed by a network of road safety-focused partners and led by WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, this challenge aims to support cities in overcoming the barriers to full Vision Zero implementation. The inaugural Vision Zero Challenge 2020-2021 will focus on cities in Latin America and the Caribbean, striving to collaborate across a network of practitioners and funders to push for a paradigm change and expose city leaders to the tangible actions needed in their context to implement Vision Zero correctly and swiftly; build momentum in cities Vision Zero strategies to bridge the gap between commitment and implementation; and spur road safety action on the ground while building up awareness globally. The Challenges hashtag, #Vision2Action, represents the goal of moving beyond the Vision Zero branding to scale up systemic action for safer streets.

Latin American and Caribbean cities have the opportunity now to leapfrog over the traditional user-oriented road safety approach and tackle the issue from the systemic perspective that defines Vision Zero. Its an opportunity theyre ready for.

Learn more about the Vision Zero Challenge here.

Anna Bray Sharpinis a Transportation Associate for Health and Road Safety at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

Claudia Adriazola-Steilis Deputy Director of Urban Mobility and Director of Health and Road Safety at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

Alejandro SchwedhelmisUrban Mobility Associate at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

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From Vision to Action: Latin American and Caribbean Cities Ready for a Paradigm Shift in Road Safety - TheCityFix

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shopDisney UK offered up a sneak peek at the merchandise being released in February as part of Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction. As you may remember, Januarys line releases January 18th and features items inspired by Space Mountain.

Each item has a dark and spooky color tone consistent with Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney Parks. The extravagant ear headband features a pirate ship placed between the two ears which features a skull and a ship wheel.

Theres is a mug featuring a gold and black color scheme with a pirate ship placed in the middle of Minnies bow. The Loungefly fanny pack offers a unique bow and ear design that looks like the ear headband that offers the same design on the ears.

Minnie Mouse gets a plush that looks ominous with the gold, white, and black colors combined with the spooky bow and torso design. The three pins, which combine well with the previously announced pin collectors book, feature spooky Minnie inspired designs.

Each series will release on the 18th of each month and will be themed to a Disney Park attraction. All items will be available online and in select Disney Stores.

Disney previously stated that the collection would be available on the third Saturday of each month, so stay tuned to WDWNT for release dates on the February collection.

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PHOTOS: Disney Reveals Sneak Peek at February's Pirates of the Caribbean Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Line - wdwnt.com

The Caribbean, long referred to as theWest Indies, includes more than 7,000 islands; of those, 13 are independent island countries (shown in red on the map), and some are dependencies or overseas territories of other nations.

In addition, that large number includes islets (very small rocky islands); cay's (small, low islands composed largely of coral or sand) and a few inhabited reefs: See Belize.

In geographical terms the Caribbean area includes the Caribbean Sea and all of the islands located to the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico, east of Central America and Mexico, and to the north of South America. Some of its counted cay's, islands, islets and inhabited reefs front the handful of countries that border the region.

TheBahamas and Turks and Caicos are not considered a part of the Caribbean, however, we show them here because of their cultural, geographical and political associations with the Greater Antilles and other Caribbean Islands.

At the beginning of the 15th century the population of the Caribbean was estimated to be nearly 900,000 indigenous people immediately before European contact.

Then in 1492, Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer began his exploration of the Caribbean, becoming the firstEuropean to venture into the area.

After reportedly landing in the eastern Bahamas, Columbus named these islands theIndies, because he thought he had finally reached Asia (and the East Indies).

Numerous explorers followed in his path, then tens of thousands of settlers arrived from the Americas, China, European countries and India. Included in that mix were religious outcasts and a small army of pirates.

Across the Caribbean, slaves fromAfrica were imported in great numbers to work the sugar and tobacco plantations.

By then the indigenous populations of the islands were in severe decline as exposure to disease and brutal genocide wiped out much of their number.

Great military powers continually fought for control of the islands, and finally, a blended mix of African andEuropean cultures and languages transformed this large group of islands and its peoples into one of the premier tourist destinations on the planet.

Long called theWest Indies, the overall area is now commonly referred to as the Caribbean, a name that became popular after World War II.

Over the last few decades legions of travelers have journeyed to the Caribbean to enjoy the amenities. They frequently arrive in cruise ships that sail in and out, from ports in Florida and Puerto Rico.

Overall the Caribbean is a magical place of palm trees, white sand beaches, turquoise waters and sunshine, all blessed with a climate that consistently offers a much-needed break for those stuck in the cold weather doldrums of the north.

If you haven't been, you should, and if you've been here more than once, you will come again, as these islands, these beach-ringed, jungle-covered rocks are home to thousands of historical surprises and activities galore.

So come wiggle you toes in the sand, and eat and sleep under the stars in the Caribbean.You won't be disappointed.

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GAINESVILLE, FLORIDALive Science reports that William Keegan of the Florida Museum of Natural History and Ann Ross of North Carolina State University analyzed the structure of 103 skulls unearthed in the Caribbean, Florida, and Panama, and concluded that the Carib people may have traveled to the Bahamas from South America as early as A.D. 800. When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Bahamas in 1492, he recorded conflicts between the indigenous Arawak and Caribs, whom he described as marauding cannibals. But researchers lacked evidence showing that the Caribs had actually migrated so far north, and therefore doubted the accuracy of the explorers account. The new test results and archaeological evidence suggest that Carib settlers from the Yucatn Peninsula reached the Caribbean around 5000 B.C., and they then traveled to Cuba and the northern Antilles, while Arawaks from Colombia and Venezuela arrived in Puerto Rico between 800 and 200 B.C. The study also indicates that Caribs from the northwest Amazon were the first to arrive in the Bahamas and the island of Hispaniola. Keegan said this migration pattern fits with the spread of a unique pottery type as well. He and Ross now think Columbus may have actually encountered the Caribs, but they said that there is still no real evidence that the Caribs practiced cannibalism. To read about the fifteenth-century Martellus map that Columbus is believed to have consulted before sailing to the Caribbean, go to "Reading the Invisible Ink."

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New Thoughts on the Colonization of the Caribbean - Archaeology

BOCAS DEL TORO, PanamaAlison Nobles scuba tank drops over the side of the boat with a deep splash. After pulling on two long white fins and a mask, she follows her tank into the water, fastening the straps and buckles that secure it around her neoprene wetsuit.

Noble checks with her buddy, takes a breath from her regulator, and the two divers descend side-by-side, letting air out of their buoyancy control devices to sink towards the bottom, towards the reef. Noble lays down a long tape measure, known as a transect among scientists, to mark their research area, and starts swimming. Shes looking for a bright white blaze, a malevolent stowaway on the currents that wash over these reefs.

Its called stony coral tissue loss disease, a plague thats sweeping down the Caribbean from reefs just off of Miami, Florida.

Noble, a fourth-year marine biology student at Northeastern, is one of 13 students surveying a coral reef off the coast of Panama for signs of the disease as part of the Three Seas program, a year-long intensive marine biology curriculum. Shes surveying the reef in Panama as part of the Biology of Corals class, watching for what could be the newest outbreak of stony coral tissue loss disease.

The Caribbean is the third sea of Three Seas. The students also study the Salish Sea from a facility near Seattle, and the Gulf of Maine from Northeasterns Marine Science Center in Nahant, Massachusetts.

Along her transect, Noble takes note of the species and health of every coral she finds. Corals are made up of hundreds or thousands of small organisms called polyps, which live as a single colony. Each polyp is filled with colorful plankton called zooxanthellae, which photosynthesize and pass food on to their polyp hosts. When a coral dies, it turns a harsh white as it loses its zooxanthellae and reveals its limestone skeleton.

First seen in 2014 but not studied until 2017, stony coral tissue loss disease threatens twenty species that comprise the heart of the Caribbeans coral reefs. Reefs provide food and beauty to the islands, mainland, and world, attracting tourists and scientists alike.

Using a slate and a pencil to write underwater, Noble marks down a diseased coral: CNAT SCTLD? Translation: Colpophyllia natans, possible stony coral tissue loss disease. Colpophylia natans is the classical ideal of a brain coral, which features winding alleys of polyps separated by peaks and valleys of limestone dressed in vivid greens, yellows, and sometimes, purplespigments in their resident zooxanthellae that they use to photosynthesize. This coral, however, has been stripped of its regalia, and instead presents swaths of white death.

Symptoms of SCTLD are highly variable, so it was often difficult to tell whether a colony was affected by SCTLD, another disease, or something else entirely, says Noble. Our professors believe that there were cases of SCTLD on the reefs, which was incredibly alarming.

Though many researchers are trying to find the answer, no one knows what causes the disease. Early studies hint at bacteria, as some researchers have found success in saving some colonies by treating the infections with antibiotics. The first alarm that something was happening to Floridas reefs was raised by William Precht, an environmental consultant in Florida who has taught coral reef ecology for more than thirty years in the Three Seas program, where he teaches coral reef ecology in partnership with Northeastern associate professor Steve Vollmer. Prechts research on the cause of the disease is funded by a National Science Foundation grant.

Precht and Vollmer recently attended a meeting in Cozumel, Mexico, once home to some of the healthiest reefs in the Caribbean, now ravaged by stony coral tissue loss disease. In January, Vollmer will be teaching the graduate program of Three Seas, which will continue to monitor the area for new signs of the disease.

Given the rates of infection and mortality seen in other areas, an outbreak could completely devastate the corals of Bocas, Noble says. The reefs that we dove on could be gone a year from now. In a situation like this, its really important to hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

For media inquiries, please contact media@northeastern.edu.

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Stony coral tissue loss disease is sweeping through Caribbean reefs. Can these students find the answers? - News@Northeastern