Caribbean Times Newspaper 07.20.2016

22
Caribbean TImes, July 20-26, 2016
Malteser international americas
launches fresh water initiative in haiti
credit to Caribbean News Service (CNS).
By CNS
MIAMI, Malteser International Americas,
a Miami-based global humanitarian organization,
has launched a fresh water program
in the south west of Haiti where the
worst drought in 35 years has put those already
experiencing profound poverty and
extreme vulnerability in further jeopardy.
“Malteser International Americas is improving
the lives of more than 31,000 Haitians
in Belle-Anse by connecting those suffering
from drought with drinkable water,
bettering their nutrition, and building their
local capacities in the key areas of water,
sanitation and hygiene, and the environment,”
said Ravi Tripptrap, Executive Director
of Malteser International Americas.
The drought – complicated by the tumultuous
environmental effects of El Niño– has
been detrimental to the livelihood of local
Haitians who have suffered severe agricultural
losses over the past few years due to
lack of rainfall and prolonged drought. Lack
of water and the drought-stricken land, nearly
incapable of yielding crops, have left over 1.5
million Haitians severely food insecure and
without water to drink and to irrigate crops.
In response, Malteser International Americas
launched the fresh water program to create
a lifeline to thirsty mouths and to dying
crops across Belle-Anse with an earthquakeresistant
aqueduct and irrigation system.
The goals of Malteser’s fresh water program
for Haiti include: Strengthening local
resilience to natural disasters and socioeconomic
downturns by providing stable access
to drinking water, and food; Improving
the quality of nutrition by creating local
partnerships and promoting the sustainable
use of water, good hygiene practices, and
sanitation; and Encouraging the sustainable
use of natural resources (water, soil, forest).
To survive, many locals have turned to
cutting down trees to use as charcoal for
cooking. Selling this wood has become their
primary means of making a living, but longterm
environmental costs of deforestation are
nearly irreparable. In response, Malteser’s
new program will also focus on promoting
alternatives to the sale and use of charcoal.
Malteser International Americas has
been working in Haiti since the earthquake
in 2010. Following initial emergency relief
and support with rebuilding efforts, Malteser‘s
programs have concentrated on building
up the structural capacity in the areas of
WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), disaster
preparedness, and food security. Malteser
works closely with local partners in the
urban slum areas of Cité Soleil and Tabarre,
as well as the rural region of Belle-Anse.
Canadian officials
seize “hot” cargo from
trinidad
Packages of cocaine concealed in the boxes of
hot peppers from Trinidad and Tobago. (Credit:
Canada Border Services Agency)
By Stephen Carr
Border officials in Canada found almost
20 kilos of cocaine in a shipment of hot peppers
from Trinidad & Tobago recently.
The Canada Border Services Agency
(CBSA) announced in a statement issued just
yesterday that the discovery was made on June
23, in a shipment that arrived at the Toronto Pearson
International Airport from Port of Spain.
According to the agency, CBSA officers
were in the offloading area when they pointed
out two suspicious boxes. When the officers
opened the boxes, they found 17 brick-shaped
packages under hot peppers.
All cargo on the flight was transferred to
CBSA facilities for X-ray examination while officers
carried out a search of the entire aircraft.
A sample of the packages in the box was
cut open and tested positive for cocaine which
was turned over to the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police.
The CBSA statement did not disclose either
the sender or intended recipient of the illegal
cargo.
“The continued vigilance of our officers
enables us to successfully intercept the illegal
importation of narcotics, fulfilling our commitment
to protect the safety of Canadians
and our communities,” said Goran Vragovic,
CBSA Regional Director General, Greater Toronto
Area Region after the seizure.
So far this year, CBSA officers in the
Greater Toronto Area have seized over 678 kilograms
of suspected cocaine.
Positive outlook for
Trinidad and Tobago
By Stephen Carr
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is
predicting an economic improvement in Trinidad
and Tobago next year.
It is basing that forecast not primarily on
better oil and gas prices or production but on
confidence in the Government.
In its 2016 country report recently released,
the IMF reiterated what it said in its June 20
news release- a 600 basis point jump in economic
growth from 207 percent in 2016 to 2.3
percent in 2017.
The IMF projected further economic growth
of 3.6 percent in 2016, 3.2 percent in 2019 m 1.2
percent in 2020 and 1.2 percent in 2021.
According to the report, Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) is expected to rebound sharply to
2.3 percent in 2017 and maintain steady positive
growth over the medium term.
It said despite the economic challenges faced
by the country, headline inflation has been well
contained by historical standards and unemployment
rate has remained very low.
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