Volume 7 - Issue 8 August 2020 The Hummingbird

COVID-19: Economic recovery DISCUSSIONS ON SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES (SIDS) AT VIRTUAL MEETING DISASTER TRAINING ECLAC STAFF PARTICIPATES IN TRAINING AT CHILEAN GOVERNMENT AGENCY ONEMI e-government CREATING AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN

ECLAC CARIBBEAN Contents About us 4 ECLAC staff participates in ONEMI disaster training Issued on a monthly basis, The Hummingbird offers strategic insights into the latest projects, 6 COVID-19: Economic publications, technical assistance missions and research carried out by ECLAC Caribbean. In recovery and resilience addition to these, sneak previews are provided for small island developing of the most salient upcoming events, alongside states (SIDS) discussed at enriching follow-ups to previously covered issues. With a view to featuring a variety of facets of virtual meeting Caribbean life and lifestyle, The Hummingbird also zooms in on cultural activities and landmark 10 Storm Season in the occurrences through an eye-opening regional Caribbean round-up.

12 Saint Lucia to retire common EDITORIAL TEAM entrance Editor: Alexander Voccia Copy Editor: Denise Balgobin 14 Creating an enabling Publication Design: Blaine Marcano environment for

e-government in the Please see our contact details on the back cover of Caribbean this magazine

2|The Hummingbird International Days

9 August International Day of the World's Posted Aug 13 Indigenous Peoples The collapse of tourism (projected in -50% for 2020) will drag down service exports, especially from the #Caribbean, according to #ECLAC’s latest Special report. More here: https://bit.ly/2PwTDVg 12 August International Youth Day

19 August World Humanitarian Day

23 August International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition Posted Aug 13 #ECLAC has investigated the potential economic impacts of recurrent flood events and compared with a potential cost saving benefit of specific flood control interventions: See more: https://bit.ly/2PJEMqj

Upcoming Meetings

4 - 7 August Committee on the Elimination of Posted Aug 5 #ECLAC launch its #COVID19 special report N⁰ 6, which analyzes the Racial Discrimination, 101st session - effects of the pandemic on international #trade and #logistics. Details: Geneva https://bit.ly/30s2OMG

17 August - 4 September Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Twenty-third session - Geneva

The Hummingbird |3 ECLAC staff participates in ONEMI disaster training

The National Office of Emergency a multisectoral approach for elements in the evaluation: of the Interior Ministry (Spanish: estimating the effects and environment and gender Oficina Nacional de Emergencia impacts of a disaster. The global considerations. del Ministerio del Interior), widely description of the impact and the known as ONEMI, recently quantification and valuation of the ECLAC’s methodology considers benefitted from a training session damages, losses and additional three sectors: social, infrastructure on ECLAC’s "Damage and Loss costs caused by disasters make and productive. In turn, these Assessmeny (DaLA) Methodology it possible to determine the are analyzed through specific for Disaster Assessment". ONEMI resources required to restore the subsectors. Each presentation is a Chilean government agency functionality of economic and is followed by exercises that dedicated to the prevention, social activities and make the are designed to consolidate organization, coordination and necessary investments for the concepts such as damages, losses, information relative to natural resilience of physical, economic additional costs, reconstruction, disasters. and social infrastructures in the baselines, among others. face of the threat of new events. Attending the training during 15 Over the five days of the training, to 19 June 2020 from ECLAC To formulate and estimate the ONEMI representatives were given Caribbean was Public Information financial requirements of the information in the following areas: Assistant, Blaine Marcano, who recovery and reconstruction affected population, education, shared his experience of disaster strategy, it is essential to have housing, health, electricity, and assessment. quantitative information about the water and sanitation. effects and impacts of the disaster. ECLAC’s methodology for the In addition, the methodology Each area was conveyed to the evaluation of disasters follows incorporates two cross-cutting training participants through

4|The Hummingbird standardized concepts, which allow for sectoral analyses that inform a comprehensive estimate of the effect and impact on society.

For example, in the area of population, the correct evaluation of the affected population is essential for the general analysis of the event and for the estimation of damages and losses in various sectors. The analysis also provides an independent benchmark to assess the consistency of all estimates. Cuba to manufacture

Given its linkage with all lung ventilators other productive, social and infrastructure sectors, the electricity sector is also key. Its impact can translate into The Cuban Neuroscience Center (CNEURO) recently an impact on the rest of announced that it will have the first nationally produced the economy. For the same lung ventilators for patients affected by COVID-19. reason, power replenishment is an important element of The devices will be built to also measure oxygen levels the recovery and rebuilding with a high support range without electricity that works process. This sector includes on batteries. the generation of electrical energy in bulk, its transmission from the generation facilities to “The national health system will receive 250 invasive and the distribution centers, and its 250 non-invasive ventilators next October,” the CNEURO distribution to end users. director Mitchell Valdes Sosa stated. “This will strengthen the country’s response capacity to COVID-19 and any Marcano explained that type of disease.” following the presentations on each sector, exercises The Lung fans are being built with funds provided by the were conducted as part of the European Union (EU) the NGO MediCuba-Switzerland, training, to enhance the benefit and different campaigns undertaken by epidemiology to participant’s knowledge of and bio-engineering societies. disaster assessment.

“To check their operation under close-to-real-life conditions, the devices will be tested on pigs over 50 kilograms. If tests are satisfactory, ventilators would receive certification from Cuban authorities,” Sosa said.

The Hummingbird |5 The COVID-19: Economic recovery Hummingbird and resilience for small island developing states (SIDS) discussed at virtual meeting

6|The Hummingbird For many small island developing states (SIDS), the economic impact of COVID-19 has been extremely painful, given the disruption on tourism and even the supply chain for some, adding to a F decline in commodity prices for others, and constraints in health infrastructure on a broad scale. This was one of several key takeaways from a recent virtual meeting of representatives from ECLAC Caribbean, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the State of Hawai’i in the United States (US) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

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The Hummingbird |7 COVID-19: Economic recovery and resilience for small island developing states (SIDS) discussed at virtual meeting

Discussions centred on how context of limited fiscal space. for new potential cases, even the COVID-19 pandemic was as they work to open their depressing economic growth, Attending for ECLAC Caribbean economies and grapple with the job creation, increasing citizen was Deputy Director, Dr. immediate impacts on falling insecurity, and challenging Dillon Alleyne, who reported tourism revenue, loss of jobs, islanders’ capacity to provide that participants took note of and negative growth. health and education services the immediate challenges in particularly for the most deciding how far or how soon The representatives agreed that vulnerable. For many, it is a “locked down” islands could best practices for reopening major additional disruption to be reopened to visitors, given include establishing clear already stressed economies that there is no vaccine at the priorities and goals for each facing climate change and moment. They also discussed stage of the recovery. These natural disasters, and increasing how to manage the economic include engaging stakeholders, public debt. impact of travel restrictions ensuring transparency, projected to be in place for the increasing monitoring and Now, as the hurricane season is foreseeable future. testing, basing decision upon us, SIDS face additional making on facts, using national challenges and must take action Islands are balancing efforts to and global best practices, to mitigate against further social contain the virus and prepare considering a wide range of and economic disruption, in the their community health facilities funding sources and focusing

8|The Hummingbird Climate change poses both an existential challenge and an opportunity to invest in local renewable energy and resilience infrastructure, and in nature-based solutions.

on a need for speed. However, Speakers highlighted the Small island states are also since tourism is mostly externally necessity and opportunity large ocean economies and driven for many, their success to diversify economies over enhancing strategies to promote depends also on rapid recovery time, and to manage their sustainable use of ocean elsewhere. tourism in a way that better resources is a major opportunity. benefits islanders. Speakers With their geographic and also highlighted such key Climate change poses both an cultural contexts, islands must opportunities as, the role of existential challenge and an tread carefully as they negotiate digitalization, the need to invest opportunity to invest in local an uncertain post-COVID-19 in the blue economy, and to renewable energy and resilience economic future. A consistent transition to a low-emission and infrastructure, and in nature- message is that, despite the resilient infrastructure. based solutions. threats, the affected islands see the crisis as an opportunity Digital access has been a To support small island to steer future development in lifeline during the pandemic. developing states, it is critical a direction that sustains and COVID-19 has accelerated to implement the Sustainable strengthens island communities. the movement to digital and Development Goals (SDGs) and For islands, the discussion is distance-based work, learning, the 2014 UN Samoa Pathway, not only about the economy, and services, creating challenges which recognizes that SIDS it's about building resilience and opportunities for islands. are particularly vulnerable to in the context of sustainable There is a clear need to address external shocks due to their size development. inequities in access to the digital and geography, and highlights economy. However, digitizing the importance of commitments For islands heavily dependent on also opens the promise of to support island sustainability tourism or international trade for transformational new frontiers and partnerships. In this regard local income, COVID-19 created for islanders in providing and the private sector should be a particular challenge. Hawai’i accessing a range of goods and incentivized to come on board has the lowest infection rate services from remote providers. as partners with the public and the highest unemployment sector, to address the SDGs rate in the United States, while It was agreed during the virtual especially where governments Caribbean states are suffering meeting that Islands can seize are highly indebted. from the loss of crucial foreign this opportunity by investing exchange due to the closure of in broadband infrastructure, the tourism sectors, the decline training and retooling for in commodity prices and a high the digital economy and debt burden characterized by strengthening cybersecurity. significant debt servicing costs.

The Hummingbird |9 Storm Season in the Caribbean

Weather forecasters have Bay, in the Gulf of Mexico. Cuba is one of the few countries concluded that the number of An average of 12 tropical in Latin America that develops tropical storms this year is likely cyclones, that is, tropical storms its own weather forecasts of to break the average record plus hurricanes- normally the cyclone season, based on in the Atlantic Ocean and the develop in the Atlantic Basin (the statistics and numerical models. Caribbean Sea; hence, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean However, it is impossible to season is expected to be more Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico) determine with accuracy where active than usual. during the hurricane season; or when one of the expected subtropical events are not meteorological events will The cyclone or hurricane included in that number. develop. season in the Northern Atlantic, As many as 15 tropical storms Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico have been predicted for the The island has 14 Provincial zone officially began on 01 June Northern Atlantic Basin, eight Weather Forecast Centers, 68 and lasts until 30 November. of which could be rated as conventional stations and eight A few days after the season hurricanes, Llanes outlined. meteorological radars that allow began, three tropical storms Of them, 10 are expected to for early detection of weather were reported: Arthur, Bertha form over the Atlantic Ocean, events so as to be better and Cristobal, which is a record two over the Caribbean and prepared for any phenomenon number for a season in its early three over the Gulf of Mexico, of this kind. days, according to Dr. Miriam she added. Teresita Llanes, head of the National institutions such as the Weather Forecast Center of There is an 80% likelihood of at Forecast Center, the Maritime Cuba's Meteorology Institute least one hurricane developing Surveillance Center and the (INSMET). and getting stronger in the Atmospheric Physics Research Caribbean and of another Center also contribute to this Tropical storm Arthur developed forming over the Atlantic area effort. on 16 May, east of Florida moving toward the Caribbean Peninsula, while Bertha formed region. Meanwhile, there is a on 27 May near South Carolina, 60% chance of Cuba being hit and Cristobal on 02 June, in the by one hurricane at least, the warm waters of the Campeche expert said.

10|The Hummingbird SIDS national focal points focus on COVID-19 response

As the COVID-19 response vulnerability to economic and of COVID-19, in line with the continues to constrain the fiscal climatic shocks. principle to “build back better”. space of SIDS and exacerbate their vulnerabilities to natural Disproportionately high debt- Speaking at the virtual meeting disasters brought about by servicing burdens of many was ECLAC Caribbean climate change, international SIDS will weaken their external Director, Diane Quarless, support is critical. This also balance, potentially increasing who acknowledged that the requires a concerted effort the likelihood of debt defaults. pandemic has resulted in to promote coherence and As food importers, SIDS also increased challenges for many coordination at the national, face an immense challenge Caribbean SIDS, due to the regional and global levels of to ensuring food security and already high indebtedness of the the COVID-19 response, in line nutrition, a juggling feat that subregion. with the objectives of the SIDS requires balancing precarious national focal point network. supply chains in many fronts Solutions to this dilemma were including health supplies as SIDS suggested, including SIDS Against this backdrop, the respond to COVID-19. regional resilience funds, and United Nations Office of new multi-variable criteria the High Representative for The meeting provided an for SIDS beyond income Least Developed Countries, opportunity for national focal status, that take account of Landlocked Developing points to share experiences and their unique vulnerabilities, Countries and Small Island best practices on the response in considering eligibility for Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) to the COVID-19 pandemic at concessional finance. Speakers convened a virtual regional the national, regional and global also highlighted the need meeting on 29 July 2020. levels. The focal points also for urgent liquidity support, shared experiences and best through international financing Due to sharp falls in tourism practices on mainstreaming the institutions, to hopefully soften revenues and remittances flows, SAMOA Pathway and SDGs into some of the blows faced SIDS SIDS are likely to experience national development processes due to the Covid-19 pandemic. a pronounced contraction in as well their implementation 2020, further exacerbating their and follow up, in the context

The Hummingbird |11 Saint Lucia to retire common entrance

Several countries in the Caribbean, including Saint Lucia, have decided to retire the Common Entrance Examination, and implement the enhanced Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA).

The CPEA, introduced by CXC in 2012, will improve the quality of education in primary schools and enable increased literacies necessary for students to benefit fully from secondary school education.

Patterson Abraham, education officer for testing and evaluation at the Ministry of Education, elaborated on the measures being taken in the preparatory process.

“We are presently undergoing a two-week training program with our primary school teachers from grades 4 to 6. In the first week, we host sessions with teachers from the northern district, and in the second week, we meet with teachers from districts five to eight,” Abraham said.

The CPEA will be implemented in September beginning with Grade 5 students and will consist of both an internal and external component.

The internal component will include peer assessments, teacher-made tests, practice skills, book reports, and projects.

Under the CPEA, students will also be continuously assessed for the duration of the project component. The internal component of the CPEA contributes to 40% of the overall grade.

The external component, a test given by Caribbean Examination Council, will contribute 60% of the overall grade at the end of the program.

12|The Hummingbird Haiti is home to new fish species

Like many Caribbean children, James Josaphat With the economic and social challenges Haiti has grew up with a love for fishing, spending much of faced, conservation efforts have been difficult to his free time near water with his friends in Haiti. He put in place. Lake Miragoâne, in the south-west of didn’t know at the time that he would be involved Haiti, is where the incredible discovery was made in the discovery of a new species of fish many years - a fish called Limia mandibularis, a cousin of the later, right in his homeland. Trinidadian guppy.

“Since my childhood, I have been passionate about “It was very exciting for me because I am very fish,” James recalled. young in the field and I was able to be a part of a team that discovered a new species in my country,” Against the backdrop of Haiti’s incredible, much- James said. undiscovered biodiversity and widespread social unrest, James began his journey into the world The fish, whose discovery was recently published in of fish at the undergraduate level with courses in the journal Zootaxa, is an endemic species - which fisheries, coastal resources and aquacultures. means it is only found in Haiti. Its name, “jawed limia”, comes from its well-developed lower jaw “I obtained a scholarship for a master’s degree in a (mandible). programme (MSc in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the Caribbean), funded According to Prof Ingo Schlupp, a poeciliid expert by the European Union, ECCAM (Education for from the University of Oklahoma, “This is the most Climate Change and Adaptation and Migration) to unusual mouth I have ever seen in a livebearing go to Trinidad at The University of the West Indies.” [retains the eggs inside the body and gives birth to Originally, James’ plan had been to conduct his live offspring] fish.” research in Haiti, but the logistics of moving back and forth didn’t work, and decided instead to In other words, this fish is sporting a wicked design a project based in Trinidad that would give underbite. him the skills in freshwater fish and sampling to take back to Haiti.

The Hummingbird |13 Creating an enabling environment for e-government in the Caribbean

Several recommendations were made caused exposure of personal data from the Caribbean with significant towards having a sustainable system to unprecedented threats, which economic value for countries in the of e-government in the Caribbean, at necessitates the development subregion. a virtual expert group meeting (EGM) of enhanced frameworks for the held on 15 July 2020. protection of privacy. As a result “Global e-commerce offers new of its extraterritorial scope and opportunities for Caribbean The meeting was organized to discuss influence beyond European borders, organisations to operate in ECLAC Caribbean’s upcoming the European Union’s GDPR is international markets. Since study, entitled “Creating an enabling expected to have a global impact organisations processing the personal environment for e-government in the and contribute to the harmonization data of EU citizens outside the EU Caribbean: a review of data protection of data protection legislation around are also liable for fines under the legislation for alignment with the the world. National data protection GDPR, aligning national regimes with European Union’s General Data laws need not mirror each article of the GDPR will also reduce the risk Protection Regulation (GDPR)”. the GDPR but should aim to establish of financial penalties for Caribbean a comparable or essentially equivalent organisations”, she asserted. This study was undertaken as level of protection and the means for countries across the Caribbean ensuring the effective application of The components of a robust prepare to adopt or strengthen their each legislative provision. framework for processing personal data protection legislation in order data and enforcing privacy guarantees to guarantee individual privacy rights Another recommendation were further discussed by meeting and safeguard personal data, while coming from the EGM was for the participants. It was agreed that a creating an enabling environment for implementation of internationally competent supervisory authority data sharing and e-government in the aligned data protection legislation is an essential feature of a modern subregion. across the Caribbean. This will not data protection framework, but it only strengthen individual privacy must be adequately resourced and The recommendations mentioned rights but also help to facilitate empowered to fulfill its functions above include firstly an urgent need data and trade flows between independently. Guidance was also for Caribbean countries to put countries both within and beyond the given on the material scope of in place modern data protection Caribbean. modern data protection legislation, legislation that protects privacy rights how legislation can balance privacy and personal data, while creating Addressing the participants, rights with freedom of expression and an enabling environment for digital ECLAC Caribbean Director, Diane press freedoms, and the age whereby government and data sharing in the Quarless, stated that providing a children can give their consent to subregion. level of data protection for personal processing of their personal data data essentially equivalent to that under the GDPR. Secondly, the meeting noted that provided for in the GDPR can ensure a technological developments have continuous flow of information to and Participants also agreed on the need 14|The Hummingbird Renewable energy offers huge jobs potential for Cayman Island post- COVID-19 for Caribbean supervisory authorities to cooperate and engage in dialogue on A genuine commitment to renewable energy could help matters of data protection to contribute drive a green jobs revolution as Cayman seeks to kickstart the to the adoption of harmonized privacy economy in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis, industry protections in the subregion. Further leaders believe. regional projects in areas related to data protection and cybersecurity as well The country’s National Energy Plan already sets a target that as global cooperation forums for data 70% of its power supply should come from renewables by protection were discussed. 2037.

The EGM was attended by representatives But clean-power advocates hope the economic crisis will inject of government ministries, departments new urgency into making that target a reality. and supervisory authorities responsible for data protection, information sharing and Until now, much of the debate about renewable energy has e-government from six Caribbean countries focused on balancing the desire to reduce greenhouse gas participating in the study, namely Antigua emissions with the need to keep utility bills down and ensure and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, the lights stay on when the sun doesn’t shine. Belize, Cayman Islands and Jamaica. But with thousands of people out of work and whole sectors Representatives of regional and of the tourism economy in long-term peril, the focus is shifting international organizations with to another less heralded aspect of the switch to renewables – data protection, cybersecurity and employment. e-government mandates also participated in the meeting, including CARICOM’s Green energy is the fastest growing industry in North America Implementing Agency for Crime and and the fastest growing jobs category in the world. Security (CARICOM IMPACS), the It also has the advantage of offering well-paid career Caribbean Telecommunications Union opportunities to people of all academic backgrounds, says (CTU), the European Commission, the Inter- James Whittaker, president of the Cayman Renewable Energy American Development Bank (IDB), and the Association. World Bank. Other participants included legal advisers and consultants from other “You can come out of high school into this industry and make Caribbean countries and a representative really good money, or if you have a masters degree, you can from the German Federal Commission make twice as much on the engineering side,” he stated. for Data Protection and Freedom of “There is a broad range of job types and that is what Cayman Information. needs.”

The Hummingbird |15 Whole Roast Fish with Lemon and Herbs

What you will need:

Fish: • One 2 1/2 pound whole fish, such as red snapper, cleaned and scaled • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • Salt • Pepper • 1 lemon, thinly sliced • 1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs, such as thyme, oregano, parsley and rosemary • 1 shallot, thinly sliced • 1/4 fennel bulb, thinly sliced • 3 garlic cloves, crushed

Salsa Verde: • 1/2 cup minced parsley • 1/4 cup minced basil • 1/4 cup minced mint • 1 tablespoon minced capers • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar • 1 garlic clove, minced • 1/2 jalapeño (optional) • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • Salt • Pepper

How to Make it:

Step 1: Make the Fish

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. 2. Put the fish on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Make 3 crosswise slashes down to the bone on each side of the fish. Rub with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 3. Stuff each slash with 1 lemon slice and some herbs. 4. Stuff the cavity with the shallot, fennel, garlic and remaining lemon slices and herbs. 5. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the flesh is opaque.

Step 2: Make the Salsa Verde

1. In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients. 2. Serve the fish with the salsa verde.

16|The Hummingbird The Hummingbird |17 CONTACT US

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, 1 ChanceryCONTACT Lane, P.O. US Box 1113, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, 1 Chancery Lane, P.O. Box 1113, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies.

Telephone:MEDIA 1 CONTACT868 224 8000 E-mail:Tel.: [email protected] 1 868 224 8075 E-mail: [email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT Tel.: 1 868 224 8075 E-mail: [email protected]

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