Caribbean Times 46th Issue - Thursday 7th July 2016

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6 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g Thursday 7th July 2016 Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority appoints Director of Tourism, Canada The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is pleased to announce that Colin Skerritt, of Antiguan heritage, has been named Director of Tourism, Canada, based in Toronto, Ontario. He began his tenure as of July 5 th , 2016. “We are delighted to appoint Colin Skerritt, as Director of Tourism, Canada,” says Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Tourism, Economic Development, Investment and Energy, Asot Michael. “Our objective is to increase visibility and prominence of Antigua and Barbuda in Canada. “With a new airport, increased opportunities for airlift and multiple new properties on the horizon, it is an exciting time to take on this role and Colin’s experience makes him the most qualified to achieve these goals.” Skerritt is an experienced and well-established travel tourism professional in the Canadian travel and airline industry, having implemented travel marketing programs across Canada and in Antigua and Jamaica for Colin Skerritt, Director of Tourism, Canada, Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. more than 10 years. He joined Air Canada in 2010 as a Global Accounts Manager with responsibilities for travel revenue growth in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and UK. While at Air Canada, Skerritt managed the airline’s largest corporate and leisure travel management partners and also lead Air Canada Vacations relationship. Prior to Air Canada, he worked for Virgin Atlantic Airways as a Corporate Sales Manager developing strategic travel partnerships in Antigua, Jamaica and St. Lucia with a focus on the expansion of Caribbean business travel to the United Kingdom. He recently gained significant press coverage as the host of the Air Canada Vacations national program rollout which featured a series of town hall press events for over 3,500 travel agents across Canada. “Antigua has always been a very special place for me as it is the island where my parents were raised. Antigua offers Canadians an extraordinary Caribbean tourism experience. “It is truly an exciting time to be in this role as Antigua and Barbuda are well positioned for exciting growth,” Skerritt said. In his new position, Skerritt is responsible for the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority operations in Canada. Mr. Skerritt holds a Graphic Communication Management Degree, from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada.
Thursday 7th July 2016 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g 7 Caricom Heads meeting update The unwavering commitment to the integration movement and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) project are among tangible outcomes of the 37 Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). “The meeting can be described as an unequivocal success,” remarked Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the Caribbean Community, Dr. Clarence Henry. “From the Opening Ceremony to the commencement of the substantive debate by Heads in Plenary and Caucus, there was consensus on the relevance and importance of CARICOM. Pushing back hard against critics, the meeting underscored among other things, that in these times of myriad challenges, regional cooperation among the Member States is critical for the survival of CARICOM,” he said. Brexit, correspondent banking, security issues were among the challenges that occupied the minds of the leaders and in Antigua and Barbuda’s case, Prime Minister Gaston Browne underscored the importance of the tourism industry to the region and as such should be a regular item on their agenda. That was one of the earliest decisions of the meeting. The Heads welcomed the President of Chile and sought her assistance on advocacy for and on behalf of the region in forums where the Caribbean is not represented. Chile reaffirmed its commitment to assisting the Caribbean in the areas of economic and development matters. Special mention was made of the bilateral cooperation between Antigua and Barbuda and Chile. Climate change, regional security were among the myriad of areas mentioned for regional cooperation with Chile. On the matter of the CSME, it was agreed that the regional project will be a regular agenda item and that countries should take appropriate measures to fulfill the different obligations so that the CSME project could realize the ambition outlined in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramus. The institution of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was added to the Agenda of the Heads discussions particularly as it pertains to the need for more CARICOM Member States to sign onto the Appellate Jurisdiction of the Court. Other matters added to the agenda included the recent political situation on Suriname, the on-going CLICO/BA- ICO issue, an update on the health situation in the region and a resolution acknowledging the passing of the late Patrick Manning former PM of Trinidad Tobago. Countries were reminded that as an institution anchored in the Revised Treaty, it would be in the best interest of the Community if the CCJ becomes the final court of justice for all of CARICOM for uniformity in the dispensation of justice across the Caribbean. Antigua and Barbuda is gearing up for a national referendum to determine whether the country should migrate from the London based Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and adopt the CCJ as its final court in civil and criminal matters. “For me, it is clear that the spirit of cooperation is alive and well in CARICOM. Certainly, as a Community of sovereign nations there will be disagreements from time to time, but by sitting down and engaging, each nation has an opportunity to bring its national interest to the table which is infused as a regional cross cutting agenda. This meeting of Heads reaffirmed that CARICOM spirit which is alive and working for the benefit of the people of CAR- ICOM,” according to Ambassador Henry. A strong call was also made for the Organs of the Community to meet regularly in order to fulfill their mandate as enshrined in the Revised Treaty. The Council for Finance and Planning was single out for special mention. The two-day meeting of the Caricom Heads was held in Georgetown, Guyana.
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Caribbean Times 46th Issue - Thursday 7th July 2016

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