PRESORTED JUNE 2021 STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MIAMI, FL PERMIT NO. 7315 Tel: (305) 238-2868 3232 1-800-605-7516 [email protected] Vol. 32 No. 7 [email protected] We cover your world www.caribbeantoday.com THE MULTI-AWARD WINNING NEWS MAGAZINE WITH THE LARGEST PROVEN CIRCULATION IN FLORIDA GUARANTEED PLAYING CATCH-UP? The US Finally Gets Into The Vaccine Diplomacy Game… Page 3 Will A Shirley Chisholm Statue SaluteStand In To The Caribbean US Capitol? 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Nevertheless, Guyana’s Central Acting Cabinet Secretary, Bank in its report stated that while TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Hughland Allman, will be the local economy continued to Trinidad and Tobago has responsible for servicing the benefit from oil production, a mixed seen the deadliest month from committee. output performance was recorded COVID-19 since the pandemic Barbados has had two previous in the major sectors as the non-oil begun more than a year ago. The constitutional review commissions economy is still recovering from the twin-island republic now has seen in 1977 and 1994, headed by Sir impact of the ongoing COVID-19 over 500 deaths so far from the Mencea Cox and Sir Henry Forde, pandemic. virus, with over 260 occurring respectively. Sir Henry Forde’s in May alone. The country Commission recommended the BELIZE manner in which Barbados should The Belize government has also recorded over 10,000 new Emergency medical technicians mill around ambulances parked outside the Couva COVID-19 cases in May alone. Hospital and Multi-Training Facility in Trinidad and Tobago after dropping off COVID-19 settle all of the arrangements for formally informed bond holders patients as the country saw its highest caseloads and deaths in May. the President. that it will not be able to make a JAMAICA Guided by this, the new scheduled seven million US dollars Nicola Clarke, the woman was picked up at Cornwall “many borrowing sources have RSTAC will be required to coupon payment to its international who was doused with a flammable Regional Hospital by an AmbuCare been fully exhausted, locally, and discuss rights, responsibilities bondholders. substance and set ablaze by a ambulance and taken to Sangster moratoria granted by local banks to and aspirations and to specifically Belize is looking to restructure jealous spouse, is now in the US to International Airport in Montego the Government will soon come to include the youth and the Diaspora. a US$550 million Superbond receive reconstructive surgery, skin Bay where she was placed on a an end.” that emerged from 2006-07 grafting, and other treatment. Trinity Air Ambulance. It said the government was SURINAME restructuring and now contributes to Robert White, managing informed by Ministry of Finance Suriname has asked Cuba a 133 per cent debt-to-GDP (gross director of Sanmerna Foundation, ANTIGUA & BARBUDA officials “until such time as the whether or not the former finance domestic product) ratio that the the organization that made the The Antigua and Barbuda revenue situation improves, the minister, Gillmore Hoefdraad, who International Monetary Fund (IMF) overseas treatment transfer government says it has established days ahead will be extremely is wanted in relation to a number deems unsustainable. possible, said his organization got a Cabinet-Sub-Committee to challenging” and that a Cabinet of fraud –related charges, is in A government statement noted involved after seeing the story. help source funding as the island Sub-Committee was formed “for Havana. that it is seeking the consent of the “Sanmerna Foundation had continues to be seriously impacted the purpose of examining various Hoefdraad, who served bondholders to have the payment seen the story about a jealous by the coronavirus (COVID-19) options. as finance minister in the Desi deferred to September 19, this year boyfriend who doused his girlfriend pandemic. Bouterse government that lost ‘with the effect that the amended with gasoline and set her afire. It A government said that the BARBADOS the elections one year ago, has grace period will expire on the hurt us so badly that we jumped virus “has had a terrible impact on The Mia Mottley led not been seen in public the day same date as the grace period into action, and we can say today revenue, reducing the same by more administration has announced the after the inauguration of the applicable to the next schedule that action paid off,” White told than 40 per cent.” formation of a Republican Status new government of President coupon, payable on August 20, journalists shortly before Clarke According to the statement, Transition advisory committee Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi. 2021” A local media house published The statement said that the a story claiming that Hoefdraad country’s “economy and financial had travelled to Cuba via Guyana, conditions have been acutely Curacao and the Dominican affected by the consequences Republic of the coronavirus (COVID-19) Foreign Affairs’ Minister pandemic. Albert Ramdin told reporters that It said that the primary deficit while he could not confirm or deny increased to 8.3 per cent of gross whether the ex-minister is in Cuba, domestic product (GDP) in the there is an official warrant issued fiscal year 2020-21 from 1.4 per for his arrest. cent of GDP in the previous fiscal Hoefdraad, along with the year. former governor of the Central Bank of Suriname, Robert van Trikt TOBAGO and others are being investigated Police are investigating the in relation to alleged malpractice discovery of a fishing boat with at the financial institution. The the bodies of at least four people, former central bank governor, believed to be Venezuelan nationals former central bank board member on May 28, 2021. Faranaaz Hausil and Ashween The authorities said that one of Angnoe, former business partner the bodies was in an advanced stage of Van Trikt, are being held on of decomposition and the boat with remand. the bodies were towed back to the Belle Garden fishing port. GUYANA Media reports said local The Bank of Guyana (BoG) fishermen had spotted the boat has projected that the local drifting six miles of the coast economy will record a real oil of Belle Garden, early Friday Gross Domestic Product (GDP) morning. Police said that as many growth of some 20.9 per cent while as six people were on board the the non-oil economy is estimated to vessel and all are presumed dead. grow by 6.1 per cent. The authorities said that The news comes as the special protective equipment country marked its 55th anniversary would be used in retrieving the of independence from Britain on bodies since the cause of death is May 26th. This projection is in unknown and the island is dealing line with the World Economic with the coronavirus (COVID-19) Outlook estimating the global pandemic. economy to grow by 6.0 per cent Venezuelans have been fleeing in 2021 as a result of optimism their country as a result of the surrounding vaccine rollouts as well political and economic conditions as renewed fiscal and monetary there and illegally entering Trinidad countermeasures in several major and Tobago. economies. However, the spread of new COVID-19 strains, new Rewritten from CMC, Guyana infection waves and unequal access Times, and NewsAmericasnow.com to vaccines by emerging and Y developing economies have cast Over 11,396,000 copies printed and delivered in 32 years CARIBBEAN TODAY • JUNE 2021 • 3A NEWS How Many Vaccines Will The US Give The Caribbean? Months after ignoring notify him that the Biden-Harris the pleas for COVID-19 Administration will begin vaccines by their Third sharing the first 25 million doses Border neighbors, the of COVID vaccines to their Caribbean, the Joe Biden respective countries and others, administration has now as part of the Biden-Harris agreed to open up and Administration’s framework share a stash with the for sharing at least 80 million region and Latin America, vaccines globally by the end of as well as with the world. June. President Biden on The Vice President reiterated June 3rd said the US will that the administration’s efforts share up to 80 million are focused on achieving broad does with the world. Of global coverage,