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COVID-19 not only changed the workplace, but it also changed the world.

Gallup's most recent data show that the coronavirus situation affected 80% of people's lives globally at least "somewhat," with 45% saying it affected their lives "a lot." A great deal of the impact of COVID-19 was economic: Whereas 32% of people who were working at the time of the pandemic say they lost their job or business as a result of the pandemic, 50% claim to have received less money than usual from their employer or business because of COVID.

In this respect, Latin America and the Caribbean are no exception to the global trend. According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace: 2021 Report, 45% of adults in the region say their lives have been affected a lot by the pandemic, and the percentage of workers who have lost a job or business (31%) mirrors the global average. Over half of those working at the time of the pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean have lost pay (57%) and worked fewer hours (57%), while 58% say they temporarily stopped working.

Not only did COVID-19 put a strain on the region's formal economy, but it also put the informal sector -- which accounts for about half of all jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean -- against the ropes. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, estimations for real GDP contraction centered around 8.1%, higher than any other region in the world. But unlike other economic regions, the limited growth projections for 2020, coupled with the economic and social hardships brought about by the pandemic, created a perfect storm in the area.

Custom graphic. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 57% of employees say they have received less money than usual from their employer because of the pandemic, and 57% say they have lost a job or their business.

As the economy shrank, employee engagement declined by seven percentage points -- all the way back to 2015 levels -- to 24%. From Mexico to Argentina, almost every country in the region -- with some exceptions in Central America and the Caribbean -- saw the world's worst setbacks in employee engagement.

Custom graphic. 24% of employees in Latin America and the Caribbean are engaged. This latest reading shows that engagement has declined to 2015 levels.

One possible explanation may be the sudden shift to a work-from-home arrangement. Many leaders were not equipped to manage their teams remotely; failed to provide the necessary materials, support and expectations; and lacked the skills to effectively deal with the complexity of juggling their personal work-life balance, as well as that of their employees. In other cases, the infrastructure to effectively implement remote working was not there, such as proper internet connection, platforms and other IT requirements. Alternatively, it may also be a reflection of overall misery. Gallup found that in Latin America and the Caribbean, 61% of employees are categorized as struggling or suffering in their daily lives.

It may be no surprise, therefore, that workers in Latin America and the Caribbean have the highest rates of worry in the world -- 55%, compared with the global average of 41%.

What may come as a surprise, however, is that younger workers are far more optimistic than older workers.

This is surprising because younger workers in Latin America and the Caribbean report a heavier burden of economic concerns. Though younger adults were about equally affected by the coronavirus situation (46% of those aged 40 and older said their lives were affected a lot, as did 45% of those younger than 40) and were equally likely to say they'd lost pay (57% of both age groups did), employees younger than 40:

So, although Gallup finds that employees' overall life evaluation in the region is down seven percentage points from 2019, it's somewhat promising that younger workers are thriving at a much higher rate than older ones (43%, vs. 34% of those aged 40 and older) and suffering at a much lower rate (3%, compared with 10% of those aged 40 and older).

Though the rate of suffering among older generations is alarming, younger workers' experience should be read as auspicious. Never in its recorded history has Latin America and the Caribbean had such a large proportion of young people -- the region's median age is 31, which means the millennial and Gen Z age cohorts have enormous influence over their companies just from sheer size.

Although Gallup finds that employees' overall life evaluation in the region is down seven percentage points from 2019, it's somewhat promising that younger workers are thriving at a much higher rate than older ones.

The fact that younger Latin Americans -- who are beginning or in the thick of their professional lives -- have so much hope has the potential to change the shape of the region's future. And there's much leaders can do to help.

In hard-hit Latin America and the Caribbean, leaders may not be able to bolster workers' hope with higher pay or advancement, but our research shows that leaders who clearly communicate their plans and strategies strongly affect employees' perceptions about the future. But nothing improves workers' outlook like being engaged.

The most important factor behind employee engagement is the manager. But most managers aren't prepared to see to the 12 elements necessary for engagement -- the managerial approach in Latin America and the Caribbean tends toward paternalistic or command-and-control leadership -- nor to develop workers properly. Shifting from a figure of "boss" to a role of "coach" is a culture change that often requires a mandate from leadership. Regardless of the circumstances, this shift is possible.

The fact that younger Latin Americans -- who are beginning or in the thick of their professional lives -- have so much hope has the potential to change the shape of the region's future.

Where to start: Gallup's first recommendation is to change the paradigm of how businesses -- and, consequently, people -- strive for excellence, starting with using and developing talent. A new focus on strengths fundamentally changes how people interact with each other and provides the right conditions for collaboration, even in a remote setting. Developing talent may be a culture change, but it pays off.

Given the regional wellbeing picture -- where 61% of employees are categorized as struggling or suffering in their daily lives -- helping each person discover what they are naturally good at and positioning them to apply those talents productively will bring a positive impact at the micro and macro levels.

Next step: Gallup's second recommendation is to increase not only the quantity but also the quality of conversations between managers and employees. The topics will vary, but managers should always set expectations, clear obstacles, create accountability and demonstrate caring.

A manager's regular, meaningful feedback has a measurable effect on engagement and performance. But in this economic downturn, in which managers face increased pressure to hit their objectives, command-and-control management will further damage engagement and undermine people's sense of hope for the future.

A manager's regular, meaningful feedback has a measurable effect on engagement and performance.

Even before the pandemic, employees (particularly the younger generations) demanded development from their immediate supervisors -- not employee manuals -- and a clear set of expectations. These conversations must help employees feel inspired and motivated to do better work.

This is the motivation that the people of Latin America and the Caribbean need to set them up for success both inside and outside the workplace and to fuel their sense of hope.

And being hopeful is a very good attitude to have. Hope builds resiliency and is the wellspring of innovation. Gallup finds that employees who strongly agree that their leader makes them feel enthusiastic about the future (Gallup's measure of hope in the workplace) are 69 times more likely to be engaged in their work compared with employees who don't feel hopeful. Hope builds strong and prosperous organizations.

This time of economic hardship is, ironically, the perfect time to invest in employees' hope. Economists predict economic growth in Latin America in the near future and greater international competitiveness, especially in professional services, IT and risk management. Though the "blue economy" -- the sustainable use of ocean resources -- is a smart bet for economic diversification and growth in the Caribbean, many nations in the region are already broadening their economic base beyond tourism.

Inevitably, this will exert pressure on the demand for better managers. Young people have been leading that charge since before the pandemic -- and they're starting to move into leadership roles. Their numbers and the region's economic decline make younger workers' call for better, more modern management increasingly justified.

And as Gallup studies show that engaged workers are 18% more productive and 23% more profitable than less engaged workers, anything a business can do to support young workers' engagement affects their bottom line. But giving them a reason to hope will shape the future of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Hugo Ledesma is Regional Manager for Gallup in Latin America.

Jennifer Robison contributed to this article.

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Young Workers Optimistic in Latin America and the Caribbean - Gallup

Caribbean beauty influencers

In The Know is proud to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month. During this month, our team will highlight a wide range of Caribbean and Caribbean American-owned brands. We encourage you to support today and beyond.

Nowadays, theres a lot of beauty content out on Instagram. Not only is the app a great place to share ones latest work or inspiration, but a lot of beauty influencers, bloggers and content creators also use the medium to connect with their community.

Beauty whether it be hair, nails, skin care, makeup and more is deeper than skin, and many BIPOC influencers are using their voices to celebrate diversity. There are many Caribbean-owned beauty brands that you should know, but what about the influencers leading the way? Keep scrolling to get to know seven beauty influencers that deserve your follow.

Raschelle Clare, also known as MsRoshPosh online, is a beauty content creator who shares her amazing wig tutorials and hair transformations on her YouTube channel of over 800,000 subscribers.

Waheeda Khan is a Caribbean beauty influencer who creates breathtaking and glamorous makeup looks that are not for the faint of heart. A lot of her makeup looks are Caribbean and Carnival-inspired, an ode to her heritage and vibrant culture.

If you are a skin care fanatic, youve probably stumbled on Danielle Gray, more commonly known online as Stylenbeautydoc. Her content is informational and packed with valuable knowledge on everything from ingredients to look out for to how often you should really be applying sunscreen.

Its one thing to be a makeup artist, and its another to be a makeup artist with almost 200,000 followers on Instagram. Anscherley Noel is a Haitian Cuban makeup artist whose looks include the perfect cut crease, halo eyes and neon electric eyeliner.

If you havent had a chance to try out Alamar Cosmetics yet, youre missing out! The founder, Gabriela Trujillo, dishes on makeup as an artist and entrepreneur. Also, her fire-red hair is a vibe, seriously.

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Of course, you know all about Keyshia Kaoir, the beauty mogul behind Kaoir Cosmetics and wife of hip-hop legend Gucci Mane. Keyshia is not only one of the hardest working women in the beauty industry, but she does it so effortlessly, with a glam face and laid hairstyle.

There is no way we can discuss Caribbean beauty influencers and leave Queen Ri out of the picture. Rihanna has been a monumental beauty influencer for years; so much so, she is the founder of the groundbreaking beauty brand Fenty Beauty.

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out 50+ Caribbean-owned brands to support today and every day.

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The post 7 Caribbean beauty influencers who should be on your radar right now appeared first on In The Know.

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7 Caribbean beauty influencers who should be on your radar right now - Yahoo Sports

If you dig into the soil of Sint. Eustatius, you might sooner or later discover traces of a frightful past. The former Dutch colony was once an important center for the slave trade in the Caribbean.

Many descendants are searching for their roots, like Sherees Timber.

"I don`t know much about the history of my own family. I know about my grandparents. my grandparents were from and where they grew up. But prior to that I have no idea ."

On the grounds of the island airport (Oranjestad) archaeologists have discovered a former slave fiefdom. Maybe Sherees will find answers to their questions here.

53 skeletons have already been uncovered. First analyses show that they are people of African origin, probably the first generation of enslaved people who were brought to the island. The discovery is considered unique.

Never before has a burial site of this scale been discovered on any of the Caribbean islands.

"Every day we find new things. Spectacular finds that we never thought possible. What I find very special is that many burials have burial gifts. So objects that are placed in the grave with the deceased. And that is of course very nice. That brings the past very close, said Ruud Stelten, project leader.

In addition to the excavations, DNA analyses are to be carried out to find out where in Africa the former slaves came from.

By analyzing isotopes in bones and teeth, researchers hope to learn more about diet. Proteins in bones could indicate diseases. Ultimately, it is also a question of whether these people were born on the island or were deported there.

Most of what is known so far comes from the writings of colonial administrators and plantation owners.

Visit link:

Slave cemetery discovered on Caribbean island - Africanews English

UPDATED: Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones are finally coming to Sea of Thieves.

On Sunday, during Microsofts E3 showcase, developer Rare announced that it had officially partnered with Disney for a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed expansion, A Pirates Life, a free update hitting the multiplayer game on June 22. It is, as Rare executive producer Joe Neate tells it, the ultimate pirate crossover.

Speaking toVariety just a couple of days before the reveal and showing off footage and details for the first time, Neate, Rare creative director Mike Chapman and vice president of Disney and Pixar Games Luigi Priore are nearly giddy, and its easy to see why. Chapman has previously said Pirates of the Caribbean was one of the works the Sea of Thieves team drew on for inspiration during development, and he describes actually getting to work with Disney on it as one of the proper pinch-me moments.

According to Neate, Chapman and Priore, its a secret that theyve keep under their hats since E3 2019, when Rare first brought their idea to Disney. The trio says it very quickly became clear how the two properties would be a natural fit, and Priore remembers that Chapman was a walking encyclopedia of Pirates of the Caribbean knowledge, coming to the table with an idea that would tie together the worlds of both IPs.

That first meeting, Mike and I walked out and literally, when we got around the corner we made sure we were out of eyeshot we literally put our arms around each other and said, were gonna do something special here, just from spending 45 minutes in a room with the team at Disney, Neate recalls.

Once the partnership was officially a go, when it came down to the nitty-gritty, Chapman says one of the greatest priorities was authenticity not only to the world of Pirates of the Caribbean, but to that of Sea of Thieves, and the lore thats been built around the game since its launch in 2018.

The thing that we very quickly grasped onto was the idea that if the world of Pirates of the Caribbean is going to come to Sea of Thieves, it needed to be something fundamental in terms of how those two worlds cross over, he says. Not a bunch of side stories, take it or leave it, sort of parallel quests. It needed to be something that fundamentally moved the Sea of Thieves world forward.

With that in mind, the team began to dive into the mythos behind Sea of Thieves and Pirates of the Caribbean and saw some very fitting connections. One, Chapman explains, started with The Ferryman, a character well known to players of the game as the captain of the Ferry of the Damned who brings dead pirates back to the Sea of Thieves. Pirates of the Caribbeans main antagonist, Davy Jones, plays a similar role in the series, traveling between the worlds of the living and the dead. Both play with the idea of the pirates life being eternal.

Were delving into the idea of the deeper meaning of pirate freedom, or what it means to be a pirate, Chapman says. Jack has that awesome line that I love from the first movie around what a ship really is, is freedom. So the idea that the Sea of Thieves is positioned as this place that the pirates life lives forever that kind of narrative idea that Jack would want to be in the Sea of Thieves and he would see it like a legend, the legend of the fountain of youth the positioning of the two worlds made a lot of sense.

As Sparrow eventually becomes a crew mate for the player on their adventure, Rare went above and beyond to make sure his portrayal would seem genuine to Pirates of the Caribbean fans. Chapman says they had one of Johnny Depps stunt doubles visit the team to make sure they could answer questions like if Jack was gonna say this, what would he be doing with his hands? How would he carry himself? What would his posture be like?

Depp and Bill Nighy, who played Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbbean movies, are not features in A Pirates Life however, that doesnt mean some voices from the films arent back. According to a Microsoft spokesperson, For the main characters featured in the announce trailer such as Jack Sparrow & Davy Jones, the original cast arent featured, but the keener eared amongst you will have recognized Kevin McNally reprising his role as Gibbs. Rare have worked closely with the team at Disney Character Voices to ensure the characters you know and love sound as authentic as possible, and we look forward to players discovering more about the story and characters featured.

That effort for authenticity extends not only to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, but the Disneyland attraction. In fact, one of the glimpses thatVariety got to view was a location directly inspired by the ride, and Chapman says they used audio that comes from the 1967 attraction in the game. As players journey in the grottos, theyll hear the chanting of Dead Men Tell No Tales echoing throughout, just as those on the ride at Disneyland have for decades.

But the team isnt just taking cues from the Pirates of the Caribbean world its building on them. Chapman points to the Sea of the Damned in Sea of Thieves as an example, a place where pirates dreams and nightmares become reality.

If Jack Sparrow is lost in the Sea of the Damned, you get to explore some of the moments from his life, he says. So it allows us to bring these fantastical takes on moments you remember from the movies or moments you remember from the attraction to life in a way that makes absolute sense in the narrative that were telling.

Sea of Thieves: A Pirates Life doesnt mark the first time Pirates of the Caribbean has gotten the video game treatment, although it hasnt gotten a full game to itself since 2011 (aside from a 2017 mobile game). So if Disney wanted to return to Jack Sparrow and co. in video game form, why not just make a new game?

As Priore tells it, the answer to that question is pretty simple: the best pirate video game already exists. Why not jump on the ship thats already sailing?

Its hard to make a game from scratch, he says. And if youre thinking about pirates and youre thinking about whats the best pirate game out there, probably ever made, its Sea of Thieves. Why would you try to beat something thats the best out there? Why not build something together?

To say that its a collaboration that fans have been waiting for would be an understatement. Fans use Jack Sparrow gifs while tweeting about the game, streamers cosplay as the famous character while playing Sea of Thieves, and many have even asked the team at Rare directly if itll ever be a possibility (one tweet from 2018, before the partnership was born, even has the studio saying that there wouldnt be other IPs in the game).

As Chapman puts it, If you did a Venn Diagram of fans of Sea of Thieves and fans of Pirates of the Caribbean, it would just be a circle.

For our fans, the Sea of Thieves fans as well as Pirates of the Caribbean fans, I think theyre almost gonna be as emotional as us, says Neate. Its a genuine dream come true for everyone.

See original here:

How Sea of Thieves Brought Pirates of the Caribbean to Its World in New Expansion (EXCLUSIVE) - Variety

(5:20 p.m. EDT) -- As cruise ships get back up and running in North America, Royal Caribbean has a secret weapon that is already putting it ahead of the competition: Perfect Day at CocoCay, its private island.

The destination in The Bahamas received a huge glow up in fall 2019 when Royal Caribbean invested $250 million into making it a full-out resort, complete with a major waterpark that boasts North America's tallest water slide, the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, numerous eateries and beaches, and water excursions.

The addition of the upscale Coco Beach Club in the early days of 2020 ups the ante even more. The resort-within-a-resort carries a day pass fee, and includes an elevated lunch, where lobster and filet mignon are on the menu, as well as a separate infinity pool, beach chairs and a calming atmosphere. (Big spenders can splash out for private over-the-water private cabanas).

On Royal Caribbean's sailings from Nassau, Adventure of the Seas spends two days at Perfect Day at CocoCay. While this might sound repetitive at first glance, we found that it made the experience much more relaxing. There's no way that you can see and do everything on CocoCay in one day; with more time, you can really divide up your hours and relax. You won't need pack everything in and run around aimlessly. (Particularly if a Bahamian rain shower occurs, which is fairly frequent.)

Here are some of our observations from two days at Perfect Day at CocoCay:

With cruising just restarting in North America, your private island experience really feels like a private island. This first sailing only had 1,066 passengers onboard, and on an island that's built to handle two Oasis-class ships at full capacity, you really have a lot of space to spread out.

The Thrill Waterpark had absolutely no lines for the entire two days we were there. We could run on and off the waterslides as we saw fit, and parts of the park -- particularly those that catered to kids such as Splashaway Bay, were absolutely empty. It felt like there were more employees than people at times.

Likewise, there is no need to crowd at the free dining venues on the island. While not all of the buffet areas were fully open, there was more than enough choice. Even though you're now served all your food at the buffet, the reduced capacity means that you aren't waiting, at all, for anything to eat.

One tip: In these early days, it might not make as much sense to splash out for special cabanas and beach chairs, unless you're in the mood to splurge or just want to feel fancy (as we'll describe below at the Coco Beach Club). With so few people on the island, you will have your choice of beach loungers at most of the free venues.

Just as they have on their ships, Royal Caribbean has worked hard to make Perfect Day at CocoCay feel as much as it did before the pandemic. And for the most part, it seems to have succeeded.

The workers on the island, most of whom live onsite, are all fully vaccinated. Passengers can go off the ship without masks, which is extremely freeing in the hot Bahamian sun. The staff do wear masks, however, as an extra precaution.

You'll notice plenty of social distancing reminders, as well as hand sanitizer, when you walk around the island. Staff members encouraged us to sanitize at multiple points of our day -- when you ascend the stairs of the water slides, when you enter any buffet or bar, when you pick up any inner tubes or mats for sliding and when you head out to your cabana.

Another thing to watch when you pick up any tubes, mats or swimming vests for the kids -- the staff has put the sanitized items on one side of a peg board. Choose these, as opposed to the other side, where you put your things after you've used them.

At the Oasis Lagoon, the swim-up bar is open, although you're also encouraged to leave space among your fellow cruisers. Again, when capacity is so restricted, that's not hard to do.

With the two days, we split our time roughly up into two themes. On the first day, we focused on adrenaline at the Thrill Waterpark, as well as relaxing with other passengers around the Oasis Lagoon. We found this strategy allowed us to plan better, and feel like we got the most out of the experience.

It's a long 14 stories climb to Daredevil's Peak waterslide, the tallest in North America. This slide goes fast, so it's the best one for speed demons. We actually found that we preferred the Slingshot, a two-person raft ride with a huge drop, over at Splash Summit. This area, which has its own cabanas, seems friendlier and more chill than the chairs near the huge Daredevil's Peak.

We did some shopping and ate a buffet lunch on our first day at the island. The South Beach area of the island was not open on our visit, due to reduced capacity. Because our first day was about fun in the sun, we walked around quite a bit to see if we could find enough other passengers to have that beach party vibe -- for people who love that kind of atmosphere, Perfect Day can seem quiet when just one small ship is in port.

We found those beach club vibes at Oasis Lagoon after lunch. The huge pool is popular for a reason -- besides the swim-up bar, it offers comfortable loungers both around the water so you can check out the scene and within the water. A DJ was spinning dance tunes as the afternoon wore on, and we saw happy cruisers line dancing to the Wobble, the Cupid Shuffle and other favorites in and out of the water. It felt pre-pandemic, with great happy energy.

We closed out Day 1 sitting on the rope swing chairs, a Coco Loco in hand, at Captain Jack's, listening to a singer cover Bob Marley, Jimmy Buffet and other Caribbean favorites.

The ship pulled away from Perfect Day at CocoCay shortly after 5 p.m. Although the island is wired for lights and might eventually host late nights, it takes the staff hours just to put everything back in place for the next day, we were told by Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations Mark Tamis.

Coco Beach Club opened in early 2020, right before the pandemic began, so only a few cruisers have experienced the upscale resort in full. You can tell the difference in vibe as soon as you arrive. While Oasis Lagoon was loud, with Pitbull-dance music energy, Coco Beach Club is definitely more chill and adult.

Like the rest of Perfect Day at CocoCay, drinks are not included in your Coco Beach Club pass. (We found that most people had a drink or refreshment package, which does extend to Perfect Day and the Beach Club.) The club has its own cocktail menu, with decidedly more refined choices -- although you can still get that Coco Loco if you want!

The menu for lunch is worth the price of admission alone. The quality feels like what you would get at a specialty restaurant on the ship, and it's designed that way, we were told by Lincoln D'Souza, Royal Caribbean's global vice president for culinary, dining and beverage.

The starters come in individual bento boxes, full of finger snacks such as hummus, baba ganoush, shrimp cocktail and ceviche. These boxes are large; we realized quickly that we should have skipped breakfast that morning.

You can still get a burger, if you want one, as a lunch entree. But why stop there, when you can get the island's signature Coco Lobster Sandwich? The lobster is crusted with coconut and served with an avocado relish and pineapple salsa, and it's one of the most delicious things I've eaten in the Caribbean. The truffle fries that came with it were perfectly seasoned, crispy and salty like you want them. (D'Souza says that he's a fry snob.)

Seasoning was a theme throughout the menu, from the filet mignon to the garlic tiger prawns. You can even get Bahamian lobster (or more than one -- you can order as many entrees as you want). For those who don't like seafood, here's a secret menu tip -- you can order a chicken version of the lobster sandwich, which comes out just as crispy as the original.

Desserts are another highlight, so you'll want to save room. The rum cake has plenty of alcohol in it, so it's definitely more for the adults (unless, as D'Souza said, you want your kids to take a nap). The brownie is indulgent but we were just as satisfied with the mango sorbet.

After all this food, we retreated to our cabana to sleep things off. (Cabana guests can have the entire menu delivered to their hideaway, with the food biked out by staff over the wooden walkways.) The cabanas have a shaded area for sitting, a small slide into the water, a hammock at water's edge, a full-sized table for dining and multiple loungers. There's a lifeguard out near the cabanas, so you feel safe swimming and floating within the area.

We finally toddled back to the ship around 4 p.m. that second day, sun-drunk and satisfied with not just one, but two Perfect Days. The only thing we didn't do was take the Up, Up and Away hot air balloon ride. It's heavily weather dependent, and the winds just didn't cooperate.

Oh well. It just means I need another Perfect Day.

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Live From Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day At CocoCay: Come Now, and Spend Two Days - Cruise Critic

KEY FIGURES

1.04M NEW COVID-19 CASES IN LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN FROM 7-13 JUNE 2021

197.5M COVID-19 VACCINE DOSES ADMINISTERED IN LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN

HONDURAS

Of Honduras' 460,200 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered, or about 4.5 doses per every 100 people, more than half have been administered in the past two weeks. The country is approaching a milestone in their vaccination efforts as healthcare personnel who received their first doses in late April are now receiving their second doses. Medical workers associations report that colleagues are no longer occupying intensive care units (ICUs) and that there have been no deaths among healthcare workers in more than 50 days.

The Government announced that they are expecting more vaccines by the end of June with the arrival of more than 644,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses comprised of shipments from Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sputnik V, including 187,200 doses made available through the COVAX Facility.

PERU

The Government confirmed Perus first case of the B.1.617.2 variant of SARSCoV-2, commonly referred to as the Delta variant of concern first identified in India. Authorities identified the case in the southern area of Arequipa, the only area in Peru where cases are beginning to climb again amid a nineweek long decrease in cases and sevenweek long decrease in deaths across the country. The Ministry of Health indicates that it is the only confirmed Delta variant case identified so far and that they cannot attribute the current case growth in Arequipa to this variant.Authorities have placed high-risk areas of Arequipa under a state of alert, including the departmental capital of Arequipa, Perus second largest city.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

With cases declining after reaching record high daily case counts in May, the Government announced that Trinidad and Tobago will soon reopen their borders and end travel restrictions imposed more than 14 months ago as part of the countrys initial effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The Government also announced a weekend curfew and the order of 800,000 Johnson & Johnson singledose vaccines from the African Medical Supply Platform. Trinidad and Tobago have administered 151,659 vaccines, or about 10.64 doses for every 100 people. Vaccination efforts are ramping up, as a third of the doses administered so far have come since the beginning of June. The Ministry of Health indicates that the Governments vaccination efforts will include the migrant population, regardless of their status.

Originally posted here:

Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (7-13 June 2021), as of 14 June 2021 - Honduras - ReliefWeb

A family-owned Caribbean catering business that started in New York two years ago has moved to Fayetteville and opened its first restaurant.

In 2019, Aldane Ramsingh andhis older brother Odane, as well as his cousinPaul Mair and Paul's wife,Jamile Castro Mair, startedWesmore Caribbean Eats, the name paying homage to the rural Westmoreland parish on the western tip of Jamaica where the Ramsinghs grew up.

With Aldane Ramsingh as chef, the family operated Wesmore as a catering and deliverybusiness on Long Island in New York. Around three months ago, in search of warmer weather and a desire to be closer to family, they moved to Fayetteville and began looking for a spot to open their first restaurant.

More: Massive pizzas, spicy ice cream: Food challenges to conquer around Fayetteville, if you dare

It was around the same time that Jersey Mike's had moved from its standalone location into a spot next door in the Boone Trail Center plaza.The partners took the now-vacated spot and transformed it into a restaurant thathardly resembles the sub sandwich shop it was before.

Wesmore Caribbean Eats opened at 3057 Boone Trailon June 1.

"We wanted to start a generational wealth for our families," co-owner Jamile Castro Mair said. "This is a passion in our family."

The menu hits on all the Jamaican-Caribbean staples, such as curry chicken, oxtails and grilled jerk chicken,as well as a few offerings not found at every Jamaican restaurant, such as steamed coconut curry red snapper, jerk chicken wings and a variety of porridges, such as banana, hominy and peanut, that changes daily.

Mealsare served with a choice of two sides, including white rice, green salad, rice and peas and Jamaican cabbage, a sautedblend that includes green cabbage, carrot, onion andbell pepper.

"I feel like cooking was a God-given talent," Aldane Ramsingh said. "It just comes natural for me."

The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., andFriday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. The restaurant is closed Sunday.

Ramsingh said he plans to eventually open earlier for breakfast. The breakfast menu will feature a number of traditional Jamaican dishes, such as ackee and saltfish, saltfish fritters and callaloo.

It's only been a week, butRamsingh said the community's response so far has been strong. Still, he's already looking toward the future, including the possibility of more locations.

"I want Wesmore to be the next big thing," he said.

Jacob Pucci writes on food, restaurants and business. Contact him by email atjpucci@gannett.comor follow him on Twitter at@jacobpuccior onFacebook. Like talking food? Join ourFayetteville FoodiesFacebook group.

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At Wesmore Caribbean Eats, Jamaican family brings their take on island flavors to Fayetteville - The Fayetteville Observer

He hopes his Caribbean and Asian fusion cooking will wow the celebrity judges on season 2 of Food Networks BBQ Brawl.

Chef Max Hardy is one of the 12 chefs from around the country competing on the show which premieres on Monday, June 14 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Chef Hardy is the head chef and owner of COOP Detroit, a part of the Detroit Shipping Co. The restaurant is a Caribbean and Asian fusion grilled chicken concept. Chef Hardy says he gets his passion for cooking from both of his parents.

My mom, being from the Bahamas, food was always essential for us doing events and cooking on weekends and holidays and my dad was a weekend barbecue warrior. I do barbecue at my restaurant, but its more of a pastime for me. Chef Hardy told MLive. Im going to bring out a wide range of my cooking style on the show, but my Caribbean side is always going to come out.

BBQ Brawl is hosted by celebrity chefs Bobby Flay and Michael Symon. However, theres a new twist in store for this season as they are joined by a third coach, Eddie Jackson. The three will mentor and coach the 12 contestants as they are broken into three teams with various challenges each episode.

A panel of celebrity judges will then decide which team was the least successful each episode with one competitor being eliminated.

Meantime, if you head to COOP Detroit, Chef Hardy recommends a few of his signature flavors.

The jerk wings are amazing. Were known for those the most. I make them with a guava barbecue sauce. I would try the Caribbean corn. Its loaded up with cilantro aioli, queso fresco, toasted coconut and bacon crumbles. The jerk ribs are my all-time favorite. Thats what I love the most.

Again, you can watch Chef Hardy on BBQ Brawl on the Food Network. Season 2 premieres on Monday, June 14 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. The winner earns the title of Master of Cue and receives a starring role in a Food Network series.

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Food Networks BBQ Brawl has Caribbean and Asian fusion chef from Michigan competing - MLive.com

Gay Nagle Myers

I'm Zoomed out, but I've learned a lot from online meetings over the past 15 months.

The meetings told the story of the frightening pace of Covid and its relentless impact on the Caribbean in 2020 -- and now the success of vaccines and the encouraging pace of bookings in 2021.

This recovery is measured in small steps and big steps. In just the past two weeks alone, significant measures by several destinations tell this tale.

Puerto Rico reopened its bars at 50% capacity inside and placed no restrictions at outdoor "chinchorros" where locals gather; Curacao lifted its nightly curfew, which had been in effect for more than a year; vaccinated travelers in St. Lucia can now book rental cars, explore local shops and dine at more restaurants, and the borders in St. Barts have reopened to fully vaccinated travelers.

As restrictions lift, demand builds, airlines add flights, hotels and restaurants reopen, vendors set out their wares in craft markets, island tours fill up.

Zooms aren't all talk; graphs and charts tell stories, as well. During a Zoom webinar earlier this month by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association titled "Tourism Recovery Measures and Activities," one chart caught my eye. It showed answers from this question put to CHTA members: When do you expect your business to recover financially from the impact of the pandemic?

Fourteen percent said by this December; 27% said by December 2022 and 19% said by December 2023, which led Frank Comito, CHTA advisor and former director general of the association, to put it bluntly. "We need to shorten the recovery period."

The impact from Covid-19 in the Caribbean is staggering, with more than two million jobs lost in travel and tourism last year and a 68% decrease in international arrivals in 2020 versus 2019, according to the CHTA.

"This can all be mitigated through the return of safe travel," Comito said.

From that Zoom meeting, I learned that STR reported in May that more than 90% of the hotels in the region had opened and that April occupancy was 36.9%, up from 31% a month earlier.

"Even more important than this is that the ADR in April 2021 held at $245, higher than the $235 rate in April 2019," Comito said.

Another chart from STR showed that destinations leading the pack in the occupancy category were the USVI, at 81%, followed by Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, Cancun and Aruba.

Interest by investors has not dropped off, with the Dominican Republic reporting more than 6,000 rooms in the pipeline, only 2,000 rooms fewer than pre-pandemic numbers.

There are many other stats and data that point to a Caribbean rebound, but what seems to be holding some travelers back from actually hitting the Book Now button is concern about vaccination levels by resort staffs.

During the webinar, Conrad Wagner, general manager of Calabash Grenada, a Relais & Chateau luxury boutique property, said that 47 of his 50 staff who are in direct contact with guests have been jabbed.

"I'd love to be able to report that all 50 are vaxxed," Wagner said. "Those who haven't been have very strong reasons about why they're not getting the vaccine. I'm not one to strong arm them, but I have told them they have to get tested every two weeks, which might be enough to convince the reluctant ones."

One resort in St. Lucia is considering having vaccinated staff wear white wristbands to identify their status to guests and to send a not-so-subtle message to the non-vaxxed staff.

As post-Covid continues to evolve in the Caribbean, it's obvious that a year without travel has been horrendous for the region. But it's also obvious to me that the online meetings and webinars contributed valuable information that was critical to aid in planning for the tourism recovery.

Now, as we see resurgence building, I'm hoping to do my own zooming -- on a plane to a white (or pink) sand Caribbean beach.

Read the original:

A Zoom on tourism recovery and what holds travelers back - Travel Weekly

Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas will sail from Fort Lauderdale starting July 3. Vaccinations are optional.

Cruise lines have bent over backward to appease all sides in the Florida brawl over vaccine verifications. Sadly, its become abundantly clear that they just cant please everybody.

Last Friday, Royal Caribbean announced that it will begin sailing in early July from Florida with ships where vaccinations will be recommended but not required. To many, this was a curious flip-flop. Less than two weeks earlier, the cruise line had updated its vaccine requirements page to say that all guests age 16 and older would need to complete all doses of their Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days before sailing.

Since the announcement, Royal Caribbeans Facebook page is drawing at least as many negative comments as positive ones. For every Judy (No vax required? Great news!! So glad they believe in freedom of choice), theres a Pat (Not cruising with unvaccinated people. We are so disappointed in Royal Caribbean for its lack of caring about public health) or a Bruce (When the ship gets infected, all ports will close, you can quarantine and head for home. Sounds like a lot of fun).

We continue to hear both a willingness and a preference from a majority of cruisers to sail with a vaccine requirement, says Chris Gray Faust, Managing Editor of Cruise Critic, a popular review site owned by Tripadvisor. Anecdotally, were hearing a number of those cruisers say that they will only sail on ships that require a vaccine, but there is also a minority who will only sail on ships that do not. So its likely that booking decisions could be determined by which ships have requirements, and which dont.

Royal Caribbeans announcement did not hint at such concerns. Travelers could have peace of mind knowing that all crew members will be vaccinated against Covid-19, said the cruise line. Guests are strongly recommended to set sail fully vaccinated, if they are eligible. Those who are unvaccinated or unable to verify vaccination will be required to undergo testing and follow other protocols, which will be announced at a later date.

Yet that last sentence floats on a raft of question marks. Exactly what protocols are TBD? Will unvaccinated cruisers have to wear an m-word? (Spoiler: Yes, almost certainly.) How will cruise lines enforce a different set of rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers?

And what about Covid protocols in ports of call? Its worth noting that while cruise lines might not have vaccine requirements, the destinations that they visit very well could, says Faust. Its yet to be seen whether that could play a role in ships sailing from Florida with requirements made not by the line, but by the places they visit.

Notably, there was no mention of the word mask in Royal Caribbeans statement, but a two-pronged approach makes perfect sense from a health perspective, according to Dr. Vin Gupta, Affiliate Assistant Professor of Health Metrics Sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. Thats the type of friction that should exist for those not willing to show their vaccination status, he says. Cruise lines might say, If you're not going to show proof of vaccination, you have to get tested every other day with a rapid PCR test, and you have to mask whenever youre in a public place on the cruise.

Royal Caribbean made it clear that it prefers passengers to be vaccinated. As of today, 90% of all vacationers booking with Royal Caribbean are either vaccinated or planning to get vaccinated in time for their cruise, said Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbeans president and CEO, in the announcement.But his first three words as of today are perhaps the most important. Without a mandate, that 90%-vaccinated number will drop, perhaps significantly, by the time ships begin to sail an inevitability not lost on those who had booked cruises believing their fellow passengers would also be inoculated.

We booked our cruises on the assumption that 95% would be vaccinated. Nothing else is acceptable, said a California woman in Cruise Critics lively community forum, while an Atlanta man wrote, My RC ship just cancelled and Im glad since their policy changed. I will book onto [Celebrity] Edge, I suppose.And that is because of the vaccination policy. Its the only way I would want to sail, FOR NOW.This is all so new and they dont need to F this restart up!!!

Royal Caribbean did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

With the clock ticking for summer sailings, its become clear that the politicization of vaccine verification has done damage to an industry already battling an image problem. Only half of Americans (50%) are confident that the cruise industry can reopen safely coming out of the pandemic,according to a recentHarris Poll Covid-19 tracker surveyfielded in late May.

Like it or not, Royal Caribbeans reversal over its vaccine mandate is tainted with the stench of politics. Royal Caribbean is kowtowing to Governor DeSantis who is continuing his dangerous brinkmanship, says Jim Walker, a maritime attorney whoseCruise Law Newsblog has accrued nearly 250,000 Facebook followers. The line is disregarding what is clearly the safest protocol a fully vaccinated ship to resume sailing during a deadly pandemic.

And judging from comments littering Royal Caribbeans Facebook page, a good number of the cruise lines fans agree with Sharon (I was so excited until you bowed to DeSantis) and Janet (It is all so stupid and political!!!).

Mediation between federal and state stakeholders failed to come up with a way through an impasse between CDC restrictions on cruise ships and a new Florida law prohibiting businesses from checking individuals vaccination status. The governor and three major cruise operators discussed the possibility of an exemption for cruise lines but failed to see it through.

So tomorrow in Tampa, U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday will begin hearing arguments from the DeSantis administration on its request for an injunction against the CDCs guidelines. The U.S. Department of Justice attorneys will argue that the CDC has laid out a clear path for cruise lines to resume cruising by mid-summer.

Im not sure what will happen first, says Walker. Judge Merryday ruling against the state of Florida and upholding the right of the CDC to enter Conditional Sailing Orders? Or a Covid outbreak on a cruise ship, which returns to a port in Florida with its tail between its legs?

More:

Royal Caribbeans Plan To Carry Unvaccinated Passengers Draws Mixed Reactions From Its Fan Base - Forbes

While the Mardi Gras Carnaval of Flavors might be a memory, the Summer Bites menu at Universal Orlando has everyone enjoying those tropical flavors. Although the new Costa Rican inspired dishes might be tempting people in the Jurassic Park area of Islands of Adventure, these special limited time offerings in Universal Studios have many people going back for seconds.

Recently, Universal Orlando and its chefs have been offering new and innovative limited time menus throughout Universal Studios. Since the seasonal offerings have been a huge hit, the summer time is the perfect opportunity to bring some flavors of the Caribbean to help everyone cool off on those hot Florida days.

Located around Universal Studios, the various kiosks feature both food and beverages. Borrowing from some favorite offerings during the Mardi Gras event, these dishes are a great value in addition to offering something different than a simple burger or slice of pizza.

While the Summer Bites menu is diverse, a few food choices stood out as must tries. For example, the beef empanadas are a hearty bite. The dough has the right texture to contrast the well-seasoned beef. Although you will want to eat these empanadas by picking them up, a fork is necessarily for the side salad.

Served with seasoned cucumbers and tomatoes, the side salad offers a bright, sweet bite to contrast the hearty empanadas. If you choose to eat the dish with a fork, combining the two items makes for a tasty bite.

Other menu highlights include the always tasty arepas, Cuban sandwich and Coxinha. These items were featured during the Mardi Gras event earlier this year.

In addition, one food truck offers a selection of grilled cheese sandwiches and mac and cheese. If you want a taste of nostalgia, get a classic grilled cheese with tomato soup. Even on a hot day, that combination satisfies.

The biggest bite on the Summer Bites menu is the Tripleta. Before ordering this sandwich, it is best to be really hungry. From the combination of meats to the fries on top, it is one of the biggest sandwiches around. For the adults, an iced cold beer is a great pairing choice.

Speaking of beverages, the beer selection on the Summer Bites menu includes the Dogfish Head Seaquench Ale Session Sour. This sour ale has a briny quality that brings a taste of the seaside. Although this beer is often best enjoyed with a seafood dish, the sour, salty notes can be quite refreshing on a hot day.

The other specialty beverages include a mangonada and various agua frescas. If you have never had a mangonada, the flavor is delightful on a hot Florida afternoon. The slight heat from the Tajin offers a cooling effect. Plus, the touch of tamarind is that little flavor that rounds out all the sweetness.

With any of the specialty beverages, be cautious of those liquor floaters. Remember to hydrate or that 2-to-1 ratio of water to alcoholic beverages. No one wants a day of fun cut short.

The Summer Bites menu is available now at Universal Orlando. It is featured inside Universal Studios. Menu prices and opening hours vary.

What is your favorite Universal Orlando food? Do you always have the same food or do you try a new bite every visit?

See the original post here:

Summer Bites menu gives Universal Orlando guests a taste of the Caribbean - FoodSided

The Caribbean is vital to the strategic interests of the United States. It is the U.S. front door for maritime logistics, finance and tourism and generations of immigrants from the Caribbean that have helped shape U.S. society and culture.

Given the strategic position of the Caribbean it is not surprising that China is also working to build its presence there, or that, with a relative dearth of U.S. resources, the region has been receptive.

China has thus far refrained from building expensive bases or engaging in provocative military alliances, yet it has built a no less significant web of influence through gifts, political courtship, loan-backed infrastructure projects, including strategically located ports, tourism and logistics-sector investments, as well as participation in the regions bauxite, gold, timber and petroleum sectors.

An important part of that diversity is the regions economic base. While tourism has played an important role in the livelihood of many Caribbean nations, in Guyana and Suriname, as in Trinidad and Tobago, the development of the nations oil wealth is key to the national economy and plans for development.

In Guyana, the discovery of at least 8 billion barrels of recoverable oil, whose commercial production came on-line in 2020, has begun to transform what was once one of the Caribbean basins poorest countries into what is expected to be one of its wealthiest. By 2025, according to the IMF, Guyanas per capita GDP is set to pass $15,000, a four-fold jump in just a decade.

Guyana is also an important success story for the United States. During 2018-2019, as political actors within the country positioned themselves to control the nations expected oil bonanza, the U.S. gained an important, if unexpected friend. Standing for principle, it pressured the Partnership for National Unity (APNU) government of David Granger, with which it had had positive relations, to respect elections called for under the Guyanese constitution, and to honor their results, although the ultimate result was APNUs defeat by the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), with whom U.S. relations had previously been difficult.

The principled U.S. posture opened a door for the PPP to overcome mistrust of the U.S. rooted in a perceived U.S. historic role in the exclusion of PPP founding father Cheddi Jagan from power. In the process, the U.S. gained an important partner in the new PPP government of Irfaan Ali, which has supported Washington in the region on issues from Venezuela and Cuba to restraint in its dealings with the PRC, even as oil wealth began to transform the country.

The strategic importance of Guyana and its friendship with the United States is magnified by the advance of China in the Caribbean. China National Corporation for Exploration and Development of Oil and Gas (CNODC) has a 30 percent stake in the consortium developing the Stabroek Block. China-based companies such as Huawei and China Harbour are well established in the country, with longstanding relationships with the current government. As in other parts of the Caribbean, China has long donated needed equipment to the Guyana Defense Force and police, bringing their senior leaders to China for training and goodwill-building institutional visits.

It is thus remarkable that there has been no serious progress on projects in Guyana by the Development Finance Corporation, designed largely to provide vulnerable countries an alternative to predatory Chinese economic projects. One likely reason is that Guyanas oil-driven miracle is inconveniently out of step with the all green energy framework driving concepts within the left in both the Biden administration and Capitol Hill.

While the image of gentle sea breezes and sun-drenched Caribbean islands makes wind and solar power seem a reasonable solution for Caribbean development, Guyanas example highlights how overzealous application of environmental piety as a policy filter disrespects Caribbean diversity, with respect to the composition of its economies, the needs of its peoples and the strategic imperatives of Chinas advance. The United States can and should pursue endeavors that support environmentally friendly energy in the countries and situations where they make sense, but not by expecting our partners to set aside their best short-term hope for economic development because it does not align with Washingtons current environmental piety.

However much the Ali government has sought, in good faith, to accommodate the U.S., It is unrealistic and arrogant to presume that Guyana would halt its dramatic and long-anticipated economic transformation mid-course, relegating itself to marginally productive sugar and rice farming while awaiting vague promises of alternative future green development options on the scale of its oil. The rapid rise in expected GDP per capita after decades of grinding poverty means Guyana is ready to seize the moment. For Guyana, the hypocrisy is deepened because the alternatives for a Guyana condemned to near-term poverty, including bauxite, gold mining and the timber industry, are even more damaging for the environment.

Despite the present governments goodwill toward the U.S., if Washington refuses to work with Guyana because its economic miracle is based on oil, the most likely reaction of its leadership will be to shrug and work with the Chinese, unnecessarily deepening the influence of China in the country and the Caribbean and increasing potential governance problems. The U.S. has only to look to Guyanas neighbor Venezuela, where state-owned PDVSA has China as its most important creditor.

Evan Ellis is Latin America studies professor with the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute.

Ryan C. Berg is senior fellow in the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Kristie Pellecchia is principal of Pellecchia International, an advisory firm focused on capital markets, policy and partnerships.

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China reminds us why the Caribbean is vital to US strategic interests | TheHill - The Hill

Two passengers on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship have tested positive for COVID-19.

Cruise operator Royal Caribbean said Thursday the two guests on the Celebrity Millennium ship tested positive during required end-of-cruise testing.

Royal Caribbean said the two passengers who shared a room are asymptomatic, in isolation and are being monitored by a medical team.

"We are conducting contact tracing, expediting testing for all close contacts and closely monitoring the situation," Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

The cruise operator said the comprehensive protocols that the Celebrity Millennium had observed had exceeded CDC guidelines to protect the health and safety of our guests.

Celebrity Millennium set sail Saturday from St. Maarten and has made several stops around the Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean said its crew was fully vaccinated. Passengers were required to show proof of vaccination and negative results from a COVID test conducted within 72 hours of departure. Children too young for vaccination also were required to have negative COVID test results.

Excerpt from:

2 Passengers on Royal Caribbean Cruise Test Positive for COVID - Voice of America