Caribbean Times 34th Issue

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4 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g Friday 11th November 2016 ECCB takes up de-risking issue By Everton Barnes The issue of de-risking that has occupied the attention of Caribbean governments and banking institutions over the past year, is a focal point at this week’s 27 th annual conference of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) now underway in St Kitts. Head of the ECCB Unit in Antigua, Albert Lockhart, as well as the President of the Antigua and Barbuda Bankers Association, Michael Spencer, are in St. Kitts attending the meeting which concludes today. They are among managers and other senior officers from commercial banks and non-bank financial institutions which operate in the Eastern Caribbean Central Union and the wider Caribbean attending the conference. A release from the bank said this year the conference is being held under the theme: The Way Forward: By Joanna Paris As Antigua and Barbuda prepares to commemorate World Diabetes Day on Monday, the Antigua and Barbuda Diabetes Association, will be hosting a walk on Saturday. Public Relations Officer of the Association, Theolinda Charles, has indicated that the activity is designed to encourage persons to practice living a healthy lifestyle, which begins with exercising regularly and eating well. The walk is scheduled to begin at 5:30 am and Charles invites everyone to attend. The logo for World Diabetes Day is a blue circle, the global symbol Commercial Banks in a New Environment. The sessions will focus on three of the major issues which affect the banking sector currently: The Impact and Solution for De-Risking; The Progress on Basel II and the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS9) and Credit and the Macro-environment. According to the release the ECCB began hosting the annual conference with commercial banks in 1990. The conference serves as a forum for discussing issues which are critical to the development of the region’s financial and banking sector. Recently, Prime Minister Gaston Browne hosted a major regional conference on the issue of de-risking and correspondent bank relations which are under threat from mainly major US Banks. Residents encouraged to support World Diabetes Day Walk on Saturday for diabetes. World Diabetes Day was launched in 1991 in response to the rapid rise of diabetes around the world. This year, World Diabetes Day is being celebrated by over 230 associations in more than 160 countries and territories, as well as by other organizations, companies, healthcare professionals, politicians, celebrities, and people living with diabetes and their families. Activities will include diabetes screening programmes, radio and television campaigns and sports events. Equivalence assessment By ABNAB The expression ‘the world is now a global village’ is often used by persons who marvel at how lives, cultures and economic and political systems of the nations of the world have become so closely connected, even intertwined in fact. People in our region have embraced the opportunity afforded by jet travel to visit and all parts of the world. Differences in language are now no longer considered to be barriers. Places which some time ago were considered ‘far flung’ or ‘on the other side of the world’ and therefore inaccessible to us, are now just hours away. We in Antigua and Barbuda have nationals attending universities in non-English speaking countries and in unfamiliar educational systems. This results in graduates returning to their home territories with qualifications that may not be readily understood and so they may encounter difficulties when they seek employment or a promotion at work or when they try to gain admission to other educational institutions if they want to pursue further study. Often, the literal translation of non-English documents does not provide the clarity needed. It may even be that documents from education institutions in some English-speaking countries need to be assessed. These qualifications have to be evaluated and explained in terms that local persons can relate to. Equivalence assessment is one of the services offered by ABNAB. We are able to provide an interpretation of what the foreign or unfamiliar qualifications mean when measured against the familiar standards. At ABNAB we also assist clients who have successfully completed a number of short courses and want an assessment of their currency, as well as others with a variety of equivalency concerns.
Friday 11th November 2016 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g 5 Safety first at the port By Renio Abbott According to Port Workers who contacted Caribbean Times, they received a rude awakening just before 7:00 am when they arrived for work. They stated that they were greeted by a padlocked gate and advised by security that they would not be allowed entry unless they were wearing regulation protective footwear and headgear. Following up on the report, however, Caribbean Times reached out to Port Manager, Darwin Telemaque, who clarified that as a part of the security protocol, the gates at the port are always locked at night and early in the morning and must be unlocked by security for any staff, himself included that wishes to gain entry. He expounded on the matter of safety, indicating that he has to wear the same safety gear if he goes in to By Joanna Paris Lower St. John’s will be bustling with activity today as the country welcomes the Carnival Vista, the second cruise ship to make its maiden voyage to the twin island state this winter season. The first was the luxurious Viking Star, which first docked here on October 21st. While appearing on ABS’s Against the Backdrop on Thursday, the President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cruise Tourism Association, Nathan Dundas, said that the month of November will be a good one for cruise arrivals. He added that stakeholders are looking forward to the arrival of the Carnival work at the port facility at night He further clarified that a group of some 5 workers had maintained non-compliance with regards to the regulations which require them to wear proper safety gear including footwear and had been advised on more than one occasion of the regulated footwear that they were mandated to wear. They have refused to comply with the necessary safety precautions that are required of all port staff, even providing fashion alternatives to the proper footwear, which By Joanna Paris Junior Minister of Agriculture and Member of Parliament for St. Mary’s South, the Hon. Samantha Marshall, is eagerly looking forward to the establishment of an aquaponics farm and research facility at the St. Mary’s Secondary School. A grant of $83,070 US from the Japanese Government through the Embassy of Japan in Trinidad will assist in bringing the project to fruition. Minister Marshall anticipates that the facility will have tremendous benefits not only for the students at the school but for the development of Agriculture in the wider community. She has also expressed her gratitude to the Japanese government for the grant. “I am sincerely grateful that you have committed this money to the project. It is a contribution towards the development of our young people and towards the development of a community”, she expressed. She made mention of Indies Green and Lincoln Farm, where aquaponics is they were subsequently advised did not satisfy the safety requirements. The port manager maintains that the Antigua Port Authority is dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of all employed at the port and has gone through the necessary steps to make sure that all workers are secure and avoid physical injury at all times. Carnival Vista calls today Vista which will bring over four thousand passengers to the country’s shores. “We are looking forward for the Carnival Vista, there will be celebrations to ensure that we give the passengers and crew the best experience possible. We want to impress them as much as we can, so we will be putting out our best”, he indicated. He said steel bands, dancers and other entertaining presentations will form part of the welcome experience. The ship will be docked at the Nevis Street Pier since work is still being carried out at Heritage Quay to enhance its capacity to accommodate larger vessels. Minister Marshall looks forward to aquaponics farm at St. Mary’s Secondary also a feature. She added that the facility will also play a part in securing food security. “I look forward to St. Mary’s Secondary School making maximum use of this opportunity. I look forward to the community of St. Mary’s South, making maximum use of this contribution. We have to recognize that as a nation, we must prepare ourselves for food sovereignty and safety. We must ensure that we are sustainable and must ensure that we can grow to the point that we can export”, she emphasized.
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Caribbean Times 34th Issue

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