Category Archives: Caribbean

Were in the mountainous rainforest of St. Kittsalmost 10,000 acres of protected land, designated the Central Forest Reserve National Park in 2006when a couple of mangos plunge down from the sky, narrowly missing our noggins. Im convinced were being attacked by the islands most notorious residents.

Monkeys! I conclude, pointing at the fallen fruit. Specifically, the black-faced, hazel-eyed green vervet monkeys indigenous to Africa that for 300 years have roamed freely around the Eastern Caribbean island and its sister isle, Nevis. But my guide, O'Neil Mulraine, says no, the mangos have simply dropped off the tree. Any monkeys would have disappeared as soon as we thundered up in our safari Jeep.

Still, the monkey evidence is strong. Below us, the muddy ground is littered with juicy yellow mangosthe kind that would go for a pretty penny back home in the Statesmany displaying a single, delicate monkey-sized chomp. Mulraine concedes this one. The monkey is a very wasteful animal, he says. They behave like they have rich people taste.

Drive around St. Kitts and the mangos are plentiful: hanging low on branches, raining down in over 40 species throughout the summer. Theyre so revered that every July, Nevis holds a mango festival, an ode to the versatile varieties, with mango eating competitions, cocktails, tastings, and cooking demos.

But while the fruit is indigenous to the island, the 80,000 or so green vervet monkeys that snack on themalmost double the number of St. Kitts human populationare a product of colonial whims. There are a couple of stories explaining how these furry guys made their way here from West Africa back in the 17th century. Some say they were brought by the French as pets while transporting the enslaved. Others say the French brought them to terrorize the British after the two countrieswho initially agreed to share the islandwent to war. Either way, when the French were defeated and eventually took off, the monkeys stayed.

Today, the primates are both a help and a hindrance for St. Kittians. They get drunk on stolen cocktails and frustratingly swipe and feast on farmers crops (some citizens dine on monkey stew as a means of retaliation and population control). But theyre also so darn cute. Tourists flock to St. Kitts just for the photo opps,the green vervets wrangled by reliable handlersor monkey menat bars or down by Port Zante, where cruise ships dock in the capital city of Basseterre.

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For better or worse, the island is so intertwined with the little guys that you can hike up to the town of Monkey Hill, have a drink on the beach at Monkey Bar, or dive at Monkey Shoals Reef off Nevis. Monkeys stare you down from postage stamps and promotional materials advertising the islands as a tourist destination. Theres even a children book starring two vervet monkeys, Lia and Wally.

Later, I spotted a monkey in the wild at the imposing Brimstone Hill FortressNational Park, the second national park in St. Kitts. The animals light tan fur was almost camouflaged by the trees and surprisingly, it took a few beats between noticing us and disappearing. Here, they dont mind the humanstheyre even encouraged. On our way up to the fortress, we see a sign: No Dogs Allowed. Were told its because they frighten away the monkeys.

Explore a rainforest that defies the odds

A lesson from the monkey and mango-laden St. Kitts rainforest: Sometimes it pays to be difficult. The tropical rainforest were touring with Mulraine escaped sugarcane cultivationthe major industry in St. Kitts from the time of its European settlement in the 1600s up until 2005thanks to its challenging access and nutrient-deficient soil, at least for agricultural purposes. Now, its looked at as a model of conservation. Taking over a swath of thickly vegetated, contoured land in the middle of the island, the Central Forest Reserve National Park was designated a national park for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. And because of the re-envelopment of land formerly used for sugarcane, its an example of a rainforest thats actually growing.

It sustains itself in myriad ways, not only the domain of monkeys and other wild creatures like mongoose, but also ecotourismgroups like ours that hike its steep trails to the dormant Mount Luigima volcano some 3,972 feet up, or climb aboard Jeeps for educational safari tours. Here, rainfall serves as a major freshwater source for the national water supply. And as we travel, Mulraine points out naturally occuring produce like breadfruit and mamey sapote plus plants his family has used for medicinal remedies for generations: lemongrass for fever, silver trumpet for hypertension, and so on. He presses the bottom of a silver fern against our skin to make a white tattoo. That ones just for fun.

Tour a scenic landscape once only seen by sugarcane

These days you might spot green vervets in residential neighborhoods and on beaches, but there was a time they kept primarily to the mountains. Because that was where the sugarcane was (see: the main photo of this story). By 1775, there were 200 sugar estates on the island, rendering it the wealthiest of all the British colonies. But the introduction of the sugar beet undercut cane prices and kicked off a steady downfall, and while St Kitts was one of the last holdouts of the sugar industry, it finally shut down in 2005. When the cane went away, monkeys started making their way down the hills looking for other sources of food.

Around the island youll still find remnants of the sugar industrys past, ruins of factories and windmills used for grinding the stalks. And a train. From 1912 to 1926, a railway transported sugarcane from estates 30 miles around the island to a central factory in Basseterre. In 2003, it was converted to the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, a three-hour sightseeing and informational tour taking riders through villages and around the outskirts of the island and treating them to spectacular views once only witnessed by the crops. It also carries the distinction as the Last Railway in the West Indies.

Some of the original estates also remain intact, like Romney Manor, dating back to the mid-1600s. It was the first estate on the island to free the enslaved, and was once owned by Sam Jefferson II, ancestor of Thomas Jefferson. Outside the building sits lush botanical gardens, including a 400-year-old Saman tree. Inside is Caribelle Batik, which, since the 1970s, has been producing popular Indonesian-inspired batik textiles right there on property. (If you cant make it to the estate to pick one up, theres also a retail outpost on Port Zante.)

Adjacent to the Manor is Wingfield Estate, where youll find Amerindian petroglyphs as well as the office of Sky Safari zipline tours, and, perhaps most exciting, remains of the oldest rum distillery in the Caribbean. When youre done dreaming about the booze of yore, head to the Rainforest Bar at Romney Manor for a taste of the modern iteration in the form of St. Kitts own Old Road Rum.

Explore the weight of the islands colonial past

Monkeys and plantation relics arent the only visible remnants of the islands colonial history. But the most significant has to be the massive Brimstone Hill FortressNational Park.Though St. Kitts was first named by Christopher Columbus after he spotted it in 1493, the island wasnt actually settled by Europeans until the British set up shop in 1623, followed shortly after by the French. It thus became the first Caribbean island to be colonized, sporting a fortress designed by British architects to protect its coastline against multiple attacks (the fort was abandoned by 1854, while St. Kitts & Nevis remained under British control until independence in 1983).

Today the fortress is a remarkably preserved feat of 17th and 18th century military engineering, built over several levels over 100 years and complete with freshwater drainage and sturdy arches. Its perched high up on an 800-foot-tall volcanic hill, with multiple canons pointing toward views of pristine blue waters, sandy beaches, and islands miles away on a clear day.

Knowing this hulking structure was built on the backs of the enslaved makes a visit at once impressive and unsettling. Alongside examples of weaponry, uniforms, re-created living and sleeping quarters, and life-sized mannequins in the museum the fortress now houses, the building process is detailed in a set of three images illustrating the carving of the stone, carrying the stone up the hill, and using the stones together to build a wall. Theres also an explanation of the role of the enslaved in the French siege of Brimstone Hill in 1782, put to work fighting guerrilla warfare on behalf of the British, and capturing French officials.

And, of course, a display showcasing the origins of the one and only green vervet monkey.

When to visit St. Kitts

With gorgeous weather year-round and plenty of uncrowded sandy beaches and bays to soak up sun (and seafood), theres never a bad time to visit St. Kitts. But there are times when the island feels particularly alive. Every last weekend in June features the St. Kitts Music Festival, running since 1996 and now one of the most star-studded and eclectic events on the Caribbeans music calendar. But its not just names like Sean Paul, Ashanti, Kelly Rowland, Destra, Popcaan, and, yup, Kenny Rogers (in 2005) that draw the crowds. Youll also get up-and-coming local players like the soulful Dejour, and dancehall artists Hi-Light and Shaneil Muir. You can say you saw them when.

In St. Kitts, theres no such thing as a downtime lull between Christmas and New Years Day. Their Carnival, also known as Sugar Mas, starts mid-November and goes hard for six weeks until January 2. There are pageants, concerts, parties, parades, Jouvert, calypso and colorful bacchanalia blending Caribbean and African traditions, sprinkled with a heavy dose of holiday cheer. Just bring a costume, hit the streets, and prepare to party.

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Mingle with Monkeys in this Caribbean Island's National Parks - Thrillist

After receiving the new Wonder of the Seas in 2022, the Royal Caribbean International fleet is set to grow further over the next years.

In addition to an extra LNG-powered Oasis-class vessel in 2024, the company will get a new three-ship class starting in 2023.

Heres the complete list of ships currently on order for Royal Caribbean International:

Ship:Icon of the Seas Debut Date: Fall 2023Capacity:5,600 guestsTonnage:200,000Status: Under construction in Finland

As the first vessel in a brand-new class, the Icon of the Seas is currently under construction at the Meyer Turk shipyard in Finland. Set to become one of the biggest of the fleet, the 5,600-guest cruise ship will debut in late 2023.

While further details about the LNG-powered cruise ship and its deployment are yet to be announced, Royal Caribbean revealed in April that the Icon is poised to debut in the Caribbean.

Ship:Utopia of the SeasDebut Date: Q2 2024Capacity:5,714 guestsTonnage:231,000Status: Under construction in France

Currently being built at the Chantiers de lAtlantique shipyard in France, the Utopia of the Seas is set to enter service in 2024.

Following the Wonder of the Seas, the 5,714-guest vessel will become the sixth in a series of ships known as the Oasis Class. Powered by LNG, the Utopia is also expected to assume the title of worlds largest cruise ship.

Ship:Icon Class IIDebut Date: Q2 2025Capacity:5,600Tonnage:200,000Status: Planned

Royal Caribbeans orderbook also includes a sister to the Icon of the Seas. To be built at the Meyer Turku shipyard, the LNG-powered vessel is poised to enter service in Q2 2025.

Ship:Icon Class IIIDebut Date: Spring 2026Capacity:5,600Tonnage:200,000Status: Planned

In 2019, Royal Caribbean firmed an order for a third vessel in the Icon series. Also being built at the Meyer Turku shipyard, the 5,600-guest ship will welcome its first guests during 2026s spring.

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Complete List: All The Ships Joining the Royal Caribbean Fleet Through 2026 - Cruise Industry News

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line came to the idyllic dual-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago with the intent of finding workers for its ships.

Did it ever.

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Following a successful recruitment drive, RCCL hired 602 workers from the island, according to CrewCenter.com.

Royal Caribbean told the website that it received more than 6,000 applications from recruitment drives held in the cities of Port-of-Spain, San Fernando and Scarborough last month.

A RCCL group of 20 executives performed screening and ended up interviewing 822 applicants. "These exercises have generated (had) an overwhelming response," the cruise line said in a statement.

Positions available included bar/utility workers, bar servers, chefs, housekeeping, restaurant staff, guest services and catering and doctors.

The remaining applicants will still have a chance to be interviewed.

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

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Royal Caribbean's Recruitment Drive in Trinidad and Tobago Proves Successful - TravelPulse

THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH. By Monique Roffey. Knopf. 240 pages. $26.

David is a fisherman and Aycayia is a mermaid. Its pretty obvious where the story goes from here: David falls for Aycayia. But author Monique Roffey isnt giving us an endearing tale of love this is a story of duality and curses.

The Mermaid of Black Conch is a uniquely Caribbean novel with all the hallmarks of the genre presented in different manners. Roffey moves between a general narrator, Davids thickly Caribbean journal entries and broken stanzas of Aycayias free-form poetry.

Insidiously, David and Aycayias first meeting in 1976 is in Murder Bay. David is smitten by her strange beauty and Aycayia by his music.

David ceases fishing for fear of her entanglement in his nets, but his efforts backfire when Aycayia follows the sound of his motor out to a fishing competition and is ensnared by two Yankee men, intent on a stunning victory, which, it turns out, is the mermaid.

Upon learning of her capture, David plans to rescue Aycayia and return her to the sea. But his scheme falls apart when she begins to change back into a woman, the curse put on her by other jealous women from her Taino tribe apparently lifting after some 1,000 years.

When Aycayia is inadvertently introduced to Reggie, the only deaf person on the island, they form a deep, fast bond on the basis of their otherness in Black Conch society. The mermaid metaphor is applied to gender, disability and oppression throughout the book. Theyre filed under curse, described as loneliness.

Sexual tension is constant throughout a story that, perversely, loses steam as it nears its climax. Roffey, however, makes up for a lackluster ending with the strong storytelling up to that point.

Vivid imagery, discussion-worthy themes, Creole verbiage and a melding of history and magic make The Mermaid of the Black Conch come to life. Its a confluence of lore in which subtle details change depending on who is telling the story. Each has their own idea of what it is to be a man, a woman, the oppressor, the oppressed, or something in between worlds.

In representing so many so roundly, Roffey maintains a fine balancing act portraying identities that are not her own while connecting them to ones that are by their shared relationship: the push and pull that Aycayia comes to learn transcends the ocean, the bedroom and the human race to encapsulate nature as a whole.

The novel itself exhibits the same in-betweenness as its characters and author who was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, but lives in London though The Mermaid of the Black Conch is far from cursed for it. Having won the Costa Book of the Year and the Costa Novel Award 2020, it seems Roffey has hit her stride with her fifth book, being re-released with its new accolades to adorn it.

Link:

Review: 'Mermaid of Black Conch' a novel of the Caribbean that melds history and magic - Charleston Post Courier

Countries around the world are lifting COVID restrictions, schools and workplaces are opening, and mask-wearing and COVID-testing are no longer necessary for many international flights.

However, the pandemic is not yet over. Countries are still experiencing new waves of infection. Overall, there is uncertainty about what the end of the COVID-19 pandemic will look like.

Vaccination remains one of our main tools to manage the shift from pandemic to endemic. However, in the Caribbean, governments are struggling to vaccinate much of their population.

COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in the Caribbean had a slow start. Immunization picked up, but most countries are falling short of the World Health Organization (WHO) 70 % vaccination target. Eight of 20 countries in the Caribbean are below a 50 % vaccination rate - Dominica, Suriname, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Bahamas. Only Aruba, Turks and Caicos and the Cayman Islands met the WHO target all which are high-income countries.

For Caribbean countries, high vaccination rates are essential because of the vulnerability profile of their population and their dependency on tourism. Caribbean countries have among the fastest aging populations in the developing world, according to PAHO, and one of the highest levels of global inequities in health outcomes, putting much of the population at higher risk of severe COVID-19.

Whereas limited vaccine supply was initially a reason for low vaccination rates, this is no longer the case. Now, vaccine acceptance and uptake represent the main roadblock in the Caribbean vaccination journey. According to recent High Frequency Phone Surveys (HFPS) administered by the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Caribbean countries stand out in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region for having the highest shares of unvaccinated people who are unsure about vaccination or do not plan to vaccinate (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Share of population that are unsure about or do not plan to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (among the unvaccinated population) (Nov Dec 2021)

Why are people concerned about being vaccinated against COVID-19?

The HFPS data tell us more about the reasons for the comparatively low COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake in the Caribbean. The main reasons were concerns around the risks of vaccines with few perceived benefits and issues related to trust. Specifically, many people did not feel they were at risk for COVID. Others were worried about side effects and/or limited vaccine effectiveness and felt they lacked information. People without internet access were more worried, which might suggest that vaccination concerns may be more common in households isolated from easy access to information.

Figure 2: Main reasons for being unsure or unwilling to take a COVID-19 vaccine

The data also show positive developments between mid- (wave 1) and end-2021 (wave 2). Vaccine acceptance and vaccination rates improved among the unvaccinated across all ages. The largest improvement in vaccine acceptance and uptake occurred among older adults (55-64 age group). Knowledge of how to get vaccinated also increased.

How to increase vaccine acceptance and uptake in the Caribbean?

Without progress on vaccination, COVID-19 could continue to plague the Caribbean and its tourist-dependent economic recovery. What communication strategies can encourage acceptance and uptake?

A first step is combating the infodemic by providing accurate information on the risks and benefits of vaccination to address the concerns of unvaccinated people. Accurate, transparent information must be communicated through various mediums to reach different populations, including those without internet. Relatedly, it is extremely important to counter false narratives in the region to mitigate the impacts of misinformation on vaccine decisions and to increase trust in the vaccine approval processes and in health systems.

But combating the info-demic is not enough. We need to know more about country-specific socio-behavioral motivations and constraints to vaccination.

In an effort to gain insights into peoples perceptions of COVID vaccines, the World Banks Mind, Behavior and Development Unit (eMBeD) launched social media surveys in Belize, Haiti and Jamaica. Behavioral insights from these surveys can further inform the crafting of tailored communication messages.

Caribbean governments have taken up the challenge. Ministries of Health and their dedicated communication teams developed and implemented a multitude of targeted communication and outreach efforts to increase vaccine acceptance and uptake. For example, Belize deployed various interventions that contributed to high vaccination rates, such as: sending of mobile units to provide door-to-door educational sessions in remote villages prior to the arrival of vaccination teams, information-sharing via social media, and using radio to reach those without internet.

However, these efforts are often limited by the human and financial constraints of overburdened health systems, and by the lack of knowledge of what interventions worked.

Existing efforts can be further refined and targeted using the increasing evidence and lessons learned on the ground from countries. However, two key gaps need to be filled to take the challenge to the next step.

First, there is need to complement online surveys with in-depth qualitative research to identify sub-populations and their specific vaccine concerns. Second, the global health community can work together to build evidence on what works in convincing those who are unsure or unwilling to actually get shots.

These will be critical steps towards developing effective local and multi-pronged demand-promotion strategies to target barriers to acceptancemoving the needle where progress has stalled and to get shots into arms.

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A shot in the arm: How to increase COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake in the Caribbean? - World Bank Group

You probably are aware of the four main kinds of cruise ship cabins, but on some ships, you'll find a few variations that stand out from the pack.

While most balcony rooms look pretty much the same, and inside cabins as well, over the years, there's been a few cabin designs that had to vary somewhat in order to conform to the ship design.

These unique layouts have become popular with people that cruise a lot because they may offer more space, perks, or another benefit that usually doesn't come with that sort of room.

Not only are these cruise cabins unlike other rooms, they often sell out sooner. It's kind of like a "secret menu" at a restaurant that insiders know about.

Whether you want to book these rooms for yourself, or are simply curious about what they offer, here's a look at a few rare cruise ship cabins that are not only different from the rest, they will be booked quickly.

When Royal Caribbean built the Freedom Class cruise ships, they added a Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor to the Royal Promenade, but the design of the shop blocked the view of one Promenade View stateroom on each ship.

Cabin 6305 on Freedom, Independence, and Liberty of the Seas has two cows from the store sign in the way of the bay window.

As a result, Royal Caribbean wanted to give anyone that booked this room an added benefit to make up for the ruined view.

Known as the"Ben & Jerry's Sweet," this room is designed with a black and white cow motif, and includesvouchers for a complimentary ice cream at Ben & Jerry's as well as access to the suite lounge.

On some Royal Caribbean cruise ships, there are a few staterooms meant for someone traveling by themselves.

These studio staterooms are smaller than a traditional cabin, but they have just enough space for one person. Best yet, they do not get charged the single supplement fee.

The single supplement fee is traditionally charged to someone booking a cruise alone, because cabin pricing is based on double occupancy,

When Royal Caribbean added these rooms, they designed them to be respective of the ship's business model and this means solo cruisers do not have to pay double the cost of what the cruise should be.

Depending on the ship, there could be as few as two studio rooms, or as much as a dozen.

You can view a list of which ships have studio cabins and if you want one, book it early.

Most balcony cabins across the fleet look the same, but you might be able to get a larger balcony if your room is positioned perfectly.

The so-called "hump" balcony cabins are the rooms on the outwards part of the curvy outline of the ship. If you look at a deck plan, you'll notice around mid-ship, the hull design jets outward.

On many ships, balcony cabins in these areas are significantly larger than other balcony cabins. And usually the price is the same.

You'll find hump balcony rooms with massive balconies on Radiance Class, Voyager, Freedom, Oasis or Quantum, but look closely at the deck plan to see which balconies are larger.

Similar to the aforementioned hump balcony rooms, some ships have rather large balcony rooms on the back of the ship.

There are aft balcony rooms on every Royal Caribbean ship, but some of the rear-facing cabins on Vision Class, Radiance Class, and Freedom Class cruise ships have very large balcony space.

This means you not only get an interesting vantage point to enjoy, but much more living space outdoors.

People that cruise a lot will book up the aft balcony cabins on an Alaska cruise for the viewing opportunities.

Ever since I learned about the handful of Central Park balcony rooms on Oasis Class ships, I always look to book these first.

There are two Central Park balcony rooms on each deck that have almost double width balconies for the same cost as other Central Park balcony staterooms.

The cabin numbers are on decks 10, 11 and 12:

Why do these rooms have extra space? There's no actual cabin next door because the area is used by Royal Caribbean for something else.

Having that extra balcony space is a very nice benefit during your sailing.

If you have two or three kids with you, it could be a great idea to try out one of the family oceanview and family inside cabins available on select ships.

While these cabins don't have a balcony, they do offer a ton of living space.

First and foremost, these cabins offer a bedroom for the parents, and either an additional bedroom for the kids, or a nook with bunk beds for the kids.

There's also two bathrooms, which can be a godsend for parents sailing with older kids.

These cabins are typically locatedat the very front or very rear of the ship and offer a ton of living space, meant to be shared by families of 4 or more guests.

Family rooms are cheaper than a suite and in many cases offers more space.

Read the rest here:

The rare cruise ship cabins that get booked very quickly - Royal Caribbean Blog

Book that holiday that you deserve, the one that you have been thinking of, take time for yourself and recharge. Swissx Island Wellness Resorts offer the most extraordinary experience, the one that will transform you as a person. At Swissx Island, awaken your spiritual self, explore within, meditate, embark on a journey with yourself. Set in 37 acres of landscaped tropical gardens directly at the beach, Swissx Island is one of Antiguas finest resorts.

Swissx Island Wellness resorts make use of plant-based treatments and therapies. Everything natural and completely organic, enjoy hikes, beautiful beaches, beach activities, yoga, Pilates or just access to super cool tech gadgets, Swiss Island is a dream.

Swissx Island offers multiple packages to choose from, from 1-week Spiritual Awakening to a 10-day Spirit Adventure to a 2-week Shamanic Vision Quest. Yoga, Pilates, Spiritual Exploration, Spa treatments, Organic Meals, Nature walks, with a dramatic Caribbean view. Swiss Island Retreat believes in holistic wellness and one can experience a complete transformation from within.

At Swissx Island one gets access to the exclusive with Swissx TV membership. This membership gets you access to 1000+ channels from around the world along with 5 million movie titles. With this membership you get access to exclusive events, celebrity studded galas, invites to secret concerts and access to exclusive resorts around the world.

For similar articles read here.

Swissx CBD is extracted from organic grown hemp, made from an organic blend of essential oils including bees pollen and coconut. It is rich in antioxidants and has multiple health and wellness benefits. It is used as a popular natural pain remedy that helps alleviate chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. In todays world, where everyone is under stress and leading a fast-paced life, Swissx through its various products such as its Swissx CBD goodies, skincare oils, chocolates and more, provides its legal CBD goodies to your doorstep to help be calm and more mindful towards oneself.

For more information, please visit Swissx Official website.

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Enjoy in Lap of the Caribbean with Swissx Island Wellness Retreat - Shockya.com

While calling for the implementation of a single-use visa for visitors, Jamaicas Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has reiterated that partnership and the implementation of a multi-destination tourism framework are necessary to boost the recovery of tourism in the Caribbean.

Addressing the first ever Caribbean Saudi Arabia Summit in the Dominican Republic on July 7, Bartlett stressed that as individual island states, our recovery from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic will be elongated if not near impossible, adding, however, that there is enormous capacity for the region to collaborate and market the Caribbean as a single destination.

He noted also that the future of Caribbean tourism is intricately bound in finding a convergence of marketing and product arrangements combined with air travel and transportation logistics.

Among other things, Bartlett suggested that harmonizing a number of protocols, including a single visa regime that will allow for ease of movement across borders for tourist purposes, will make the collaboration and recovery possible.

He further explained that this will enable multiple experiences throughout the region for visitors to our islands who travel from new markets including Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

He also highlighted that Jamaica and the Dominican Republic have concluded the first phase of the multi-destination discussion process. Bartlett met with the Association of Hotels and Tourism of Dominican Republic as well as representatives of a number of airlines that have interest in enabling connectivity.

Source: Jamaica Information Services (JIS)

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Collaboration Essential to Tourism Recovery in Caribbean: Minister of Tourism - The Washington Informer

When it comes to going out for breakfast in Coventry there is plenty on offer. Be it a much-loved greasy spoon or a favourite batch bar, there is always somewhere to go to satisfy your cravings.

But outside your traditional eggs and bacon, there are some fantastic alternatives in the city should you feel the need for something a bit different. So we popped along to Coventry's 2-Tone village in Ball Hill to try a Caribbean breakfast.

If you haven't been to the 2-Tone Village, it is squirrelled away between shops on Walsgrave Road. A little path takes you through to a courtyard which somehow manages to feel a million miles away from the bustle of Ball Hill, despite only being a few yards.

READ MORE: Coventry school in special measures considering name change as a fresh start

The 2-Tone Caf is placed at the heart of the small village opposite the much-loved Coventry Music Museum. As you would expect, it is adorned with memorabilia linked to The Specials, The Selecter and a slew of other Ska legends.

I checked out the menu and settled immediately on the Caribbean breakfast, which at 6 seemed reasonably priced. The menu told me it consisted of a jerk sausage, ackee and saltfish, hardo bread, fried plantain, seasoned beans and choice of tea or coffee.

I instead opted for a cold drink of ginger beer. I did see cans of Red Stripe in the fridge, but as it was still early I made the grown-up decision to stick to soft drinks.

The caf is small but, as it was still early, just after 9am, there was plenty of seating to choose from, with each table themed to a specific 2-Tone icon. I sat and waited, taking in the room around me, and it struck I was sitting in perhaps the most proudly Cov eatery in the city.

A reassuring wait of around ten to fifteen minutes confirmed the food was cooked fresh. The plate was delivered to my table by the same staff member who had taken my order and I was struck straight away by how different a Caribbean breakfast looked to your traditional fry-up.

Asides from the sausage and the beans, and even they were totally different, it was worlds away from a full English. The chap told me they were out of hardo bread, so they had replaced it with a 'bake' which he explained was a bit like a dumpling, all the same ingredients, only cooked differently.

Intrigued by the bake, I tucked into this first. It was crispy and delicious and fell somewhere between a dumpling and a flat bread. The beans were flecked with spices and had quite a satisfying kick.

The ackee was delicious and again had a lovely kick, and was thick with peppers and onions. The fried plantain, which had caramelised slightly, added some sweet relief to offset the spice of the rest of the dish without being cloyingly so.

But the winner of the plate was the jerk sausage, which was girthy like a giant's finger. It was obviously of good quality with a high meat content as it was fairly solid.

The meat was seasoned with jerk and was head and shoulders above your standard sausage. A visit here is almost worth it for the sausage alone.

If you like a breakfast, but find your standard fare lacking flavour, I would definitely recommend a Caribbean version at the 2-Tone Caf. The surroundings alone are so ensconced in Coventry and its history it made this city boy feel right at home.

But the food was fantastic too. And they have lots more on offer as well as breakfast. But they also offer more traditional food, breakfasts included, if you like the sound of the surroundings but have a palette suited to more mundane flavours.

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We tried the Caribbean breakfast at Coventry's 2-Tone caf - and it was completely different to a full English - Coventry Live

The forum, held in partnership with the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA), brought together investment leaders from the public and private sectors from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the countries of the Caribbean to discuss investment opportunities and developments in priority investment sectors.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Investment, Bader Al-Badr, said during the forum that the development of the tourism sector will play a key role in implementing the national investment strategy and achieving the goals of Vision 2030.

And we look forward to continuing to build relations between the Kingdom and the Caribbean in the coming years.

Jamaicas Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett used the opportunity to call for the implementation of a single-use visa for visitors, reiterating that partnership and the implementation of a multi-destination tourism framework, are necessary to boost the recovery of tourism in the Caribbean.

Bartlett stressed that as individual island states, our recovery from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic will be elongated if not near impossible, adding however that there is enormous capacity for the region to collaborate and market the Caribbean as a single destination.

He noted also that the future of Caribbean tourism is intricately bound in finding a convergence of marketing and product arrangements combined with air travel and transportation logistics.

Among other things, Bartlett suggested that harmonizing a number of protocols, including a single visa regime that will allow for ease of movement across borders for tourist purposes, will make the collaboration and recovery possible.

The Jamaica Tourism Minister said also that this will enable multiple experiences throughout the region for visitors to our islands who travel from new markets including Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

He said that Jamaica and the Dominican Republic Thursday concluded the first phase of the multi-destination discussion process by holding discussions with the Association of Hotels and Tourism of Dominican Republic as well as representatives of a number of airlines that have interest in enabling connectivity.

Bartlett also met with the Minister of Tourism for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Al Khateeb regarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was previously signed by both parties concerning air connectivity.

Bartlett said that through the MOU, Al Khateeb will coordinate the mega airlines in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) area to meet with a delegation from the Caribbean who are prepared to advance multi-destination tourism as a critical pathway for air connectivity through the gateways of the Middle East.

The chief executive officer of the Guyana Office for Investment (GOI), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop said the Saudi Caribbean Investment Forum, currently was timely as it connected Guyana and other Caricom nations to large investment markets.

Ramsaroop, who led a Guyanese delegation to the forum where several local companies from the construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, and tourism sectors, showcased investment-ready projects to Saudi investors, said bridging stronger ties to the region has significant benefits to Guyana.

Ramsaroop in his presentation highlighted potential areas for investment opportunities in Guyana, including in national projects, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and information and communications technology. CMC

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Caricom Countries Satisfied With Saudi-Caribbean Investment Forum - New York Carib News - NYCaribNews