A Pirates of the Caribbean game released in 2003 still has an active community thanks to a huge overhaul mod named New Horizons,

Pirate games are often popular in the gaming industry simply due to the popularity of pirates in mainstream pop culture. But there are surprisingly few pirate games, despite that. Sea of Thieves and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag are two modern examples, as well as the now-rebooted Skull & Bones multiplayer game. But some gaming fans havebeen looking for, and have found, something more authentic in the 17-year-old action RPG Pirates of the Caribbean.

Pirates of the Caribbean is a 17-year old game developed by a now-defunct developer named Akella. Akella was, at the time, well known for its pirate games, including Sea Dogs and Age of Sail 2. A sequel for Sea Dogs was ultimately re-branded to be a licensed Pirates of the Caribbean game to coincide with the movie's release. Now, 17 years later, a mod named New Horizons has resurrected the game and has led to a new thriving community.

RELATED:Ghost of Tsushima Devs Nearly Made a Pirate Game

PCGamer recently ran an in-depth piece exploring the surprisingly active community surroundingNew Horizons and Pirates of the Caribbean. It describes how a community of around 8,000 members has been built around the game mod, going all the way back to the game's launch in 2003.

The New Horizons mod is a massive complete overhaul of Pirates of the Caribbean filled with new content. It's difficult to even summarize. There are new features for International Relations, Time Periods, a Realism Game Mode,Careers, Abilities, and more. The graphics have been improved with new models and textures, new pirate ships and customizations have been added, and that's just scratching the surface. A lot can be done in 17 years.

But New Horizons' biggest addition is the release of several Storylines for players to experience. These are campaigns filled with a rich narrative experience including quests and goals. For game players looking for a proper pirate story to experience, many of New Horizons Storylines provide something special.

The development of New Horizonsmay have run its course, however. In 2017 the modding team announced the development of New Horizons Remastered, which was scuttled in 2018 as the developers moved in new directions. However, the lead modder joined a studio named Skyward Digital, which is currently working on a classic pirate game named Buccaneers!. Hopefully, it can live up to the legacy of the now 17-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean game and the community that still enjoys it.

Pirates of the Caribbean is no longer available from storefronts, but can be found on abandonware sites on PC. The New Horizons mod is available via ModDB.

MORE:Here's A List of Publishers/Developers Who've Gone Pirate Hunting

Source: PC Gamer

Brie Larson Reveals Her Favorite Animal Crossing: New Horizons Villager

Read the rest here:

Pirates of the Caribbean Game Still Has a Faithful Mod Community - GameRant

When the producers of Top Chef Canada reached out to Adrian Forte to invite him to compete on the latest season of the reality cooking show, he almost declined. The Jamaica-born, Toronto-based, 32-year-old chef and restaurateur had participated on a cooking competition show once before, on the second season of Chopped Canada, in which chefs are tasked with preparing restaurant-quality meals in half an hour using the random and often incongruous ingredients presented to them. Forte bombed. He panicked, was paralyzed. I literally blacked out for 30 minutes, he remembers. They really wanted to have me on Top Chef, but the last time I did TV, I sucked. So I figured Id better pass on this.

The producers managed to persuade him in the end. And on the eighth season of Top Chef Canada, which aired on the Food Network earlier this summer, Forte not only didnt suck he excelled. As a cook, he acquitted himself admirably, making it to the semi-finals, where he placed fifth overall. As a camera presence, he was a natural: he was charming, funny and full of easy confidence, always ready with a one-liner or amusing reaction, moving through the kitchen like a certified pro. He was an obvious audience-favourite, and though he didnt win the $100,000 prize, he emerged as the most memorable contestant of the season. The production company loved me, he says. I gave them everything they wanted to make it a really good season of TV.

Original post:

How Afro-Caribbean chef Adrian Forte cooked himself up a role as one of Canada's top TV food personalities - National Post

Republic Bank Limited partnered with New Energy Events LLC to host the first of a 3-part webinar series From the Front-Line: Caribbean Corporate Leaders on the Impacts of COVID-19. The webinar series is the latest initiative by Corporate and Investment Banking Division of Republic Bank aimed at highlighting unique challenges faced by Caribbean businesses and sharing real time best practices for businesses adversely affected by the pandemic.

Engaging a virtual audience of close to 450 persons, the panel featured leading executives from the hospitality, travel, sports, finance and real estate sectors, who shared valuable insight into how COVID-19 has affected corporations in the Caribbean and the way forward. The panel featured Executive Vice President, Sunwing Travel Group, Daniel Diaz; Managing Director, Blue Waters Products Limited, Dominic Hadeed; Managing Director Republic Bank (EC) Limited, Michelle Palmer-Keizer; and CEO, Caribbean Premier League, Pete Russell. The panel was moderated by Ian De Souza, Principal at Advice Financial Co. Ltd., a corporate advisory practice specializing in business reorganization. Ian De Souza is a former banking executive with over 35 years of experience in the banking industry across the Caribbean.

The panellists shared insights surrounding COVID-19s effect on the day-to-day operations and the prospects for growth; the pandemics impact on their respective industries; relief measures and concessions provided by their respective principal bankers; the response of regional governments and what more needs to be done, and opportunities emerging out of the crisis.

THE IMPACT ON CARIBBEAN CORPORATIONS

Blue Waters Products Limited

Dominic Hadeed, Managing Director of Blue Waters Products Limited, noted that the pandemic has required business leaders to not only plan for their scheduled reopening, but to focus their attention on improving their business model to adapt to the changing environment. What we have seen from the pandemic is that its not just good to come back, but you have to come better, he said. Hadeed noted that his flagship brand, Blue Waters, saw a decline in sales during the peak months of the pandemic resulting from the temporary closure of hotels, offices, and gyms.

However, despite these challenges, he said that his company would press ahead with its planned capital investments for the year noting that in some ways the pandemic could yield competitive advantages for businesses willing to make long-term investments during an economic downturn.

He noted history has shown that businesses that make investments during the downturn of an economic cycle are better positioned to realize greater benefits during periods of recovery and expansionary in the economic cycle.

Caribbean Premier League

On the heels of the recent announcement that the 2020 instalment of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be held in Trinidad and Tobago, Pete Russell, admitted that the CPL was very fortunate to be a Caribbean League given how well the region has been able to contain the spread of the virus as compared to the US and Europe. Like many other businesses, Russell noted that the CPLs pre-COVID prospects were very bright, but quickly dwindled during April and May. Due to the limitations resulting from the pandemic, the CPL was forced to adapt and present a different look and feel from previous years.

Sunwing Travel Group

Daniel Diaz, Executive Vice President, Sunwing Travel Group, noted how unprecedented the pandemic has been on global tourism stating that it is the first ever economic downturn in recent times to occur without an economic base of activity. For the Royalton All-Inclusive Luxury Resorts across the Caribbean, he noted that within 72 hours, the Groups hotel occupancy in the respective countries fell from 95 percent down to 0 percent. Sunwing Travel Group is the largest tour operator in North America boasting the leading tour operators Sunwing Airlines, SunwingJets, SellOffVacations.com, Luxe Destination Weddings and Blue Diamonds Luxury Resorts.

Diaz noted that the pandemic has forced travellers to rethink their vacation experience with a

preference towards hotels that offer open-air options and lots of spacing. He noted that the all-inclusive business model is resilient to shocks, such as a global pandemic given its ability to offer travellers a controlled environment without imposing onerous restrictions on the travel experience.

He further stated that he expects the US and Canada source markets to quickly rebound for the Caribbean. He pointed to very strong pre-bookings for the upcoming winter season from Canada and the resumption of flights by American Airlines and other US carriers to the Caribbean. While he was cautious about relying on the US market given how certain parts of the country has fared with COVID-19, he did express reserved optimism about the health protocols implemented in the region so far for travellers from the US. To this end, Diaz implored Caribbean Governments and CARICOM to take a united approach to health protocols for arrivals and hotel certification requirements.

Republic Bank (EC) Limited

Michelle Palmer-Keizer, Managing Director of Republic Banks Eastern Caribbean operations pointed to the decision taken by the Groups Executive Leadership Team to ensure their clients financial preservation was maintained. Even without a clear understanding of the impact to our clients businesses, our first response was to help our customers keep the lights on and pay salaries. We did so through a series package of relief measures for businesses directly impacted, she said.

She noted that Republic Bank has now shifted its focus away from the existential threat to its

customer base and finding new ways to help businesses retool their operations for the long term.

She expressed that each customers situation will be different and will require unique strategies for rebuilding and returning their businesses to acceptable levels of profitability. However, the pandemic has offered corporate leaders the opportunity to relook at the fundamentals in each of your businesses.

Read the original here:

Corporate Executives Discuss the Impact of Covid-19 on the Caribbean - The Voice St. Lucia

Ordinarily, being laid off from your high-powered consulting job while five months pregnant is cause for immediate panic.

But for Shelly Marshall, it was just the sort of life-altering push that she needed to finally devote herself full-time to her true passion: ice cream making. My mother said, Are you going to go to one of your competitors and go back into consulting? Or are you going to open up that shop that youve always wanted? Marshall recalls.

Up until that point in 2017, Marshall and her husband Khalid Hamid had been running Island Pops as a side project, specializing in Caribbean-inspired ice cream and popsicle flavors.

Click here to view original web page at http://www.thrillist.com

The Crown Heights ice cream parlor specializes in flavors inspired by ingredients from Trinidad, Grenada, and Jamaica.

Shelly Marshall of Island Pops | Courtesy of Island Pops Ordinarily, being laid off from your high-powered consulting job while five months pregnant is cause for immediate panic. But for Shelly Marshall, []

Link:

Island Pops Captures the Vibe of the Caribbean in a Cone - Brooklyn Reader

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says he believes there is a general acceptance within the Caribbean for a lowering of taxes so as to encourage intra-regional travel.

Gonsalves, who is chairman of the 15-member regional integration grouping, CARICOM, told a panel discussion organised by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) on Thursday night, that the regional governments have come to the realisation that there is a need to lower airline taxes in order to make the sector profitable.

He told the discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic and regional air transport that the governments would have to be prepared to fund the operations of their airports in the short term.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we have already cut our taxes from US$40 to US$20, Grenada has announced that they are doing that I know Roosevelt Skerrit, the Prime Minister in Dominica is talking the same thing, Prime Minister (Allen) Chastanet (of St. Lucia) is talking the same thing, though Antigua and Barbuda has a departure tax plus this other kind of development levy or fee,.

There is I think a general acceptance that we have to lower the taxes. It means that the governments will have to put more money from the Consolidated Fund in the short run to operate their airports and move into a model to make them places to do business in addition to just being locals for the movement of passengers, said Gonsalves, who has lead responsibility for transportation within the quasi-CARICOM cabinet.

Regional economist, Dr, Justin Ram, who also participated in the programme, regarding infrastructure the airports that we have in the region are huge cost centers and it is actually one of the reasons we have high taxes and fees.

If you think about it for our size of population in the Caribbean, if we were a single land mass we would probably only have about three airportsbut becausewe are small islands we have many airports to contend with and those are quite costly. So I think the model around airports and how we utilise infrastructure we need to change, we need to stop thinking about them as cost centers and start changing them into revenue centers.

Ram said that Caribbean countries needed to re-think their policies regarding transportation and airport development.

I think it is time for us in the Caribbean to have a single regulator. So if, for example, I am authorised to operate out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines that should give me clearance to operate anywhere in the Caribbean.

I think this is where we need to go, and more importantly, I think having a single Caribbean airspace is critical also for the passengers. It means that once I enter the Caribbean through immigration, I should not have to go through immigration, customs, again. We really need to have one set of rules so that we have that single airspace, he added.

Meanwhile, Gonsalves has defended the decision of Caribbean countries to establish a travel bubble so as to encourage travel given the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Caribbean economies.

The idea of the bubble is that really once the territories are at the same level with respect of infection and the other thingsis that you would not require PCR tests upon arrival in any country which is in the bubble.

He said once the person undergoes the usual tests, you will move safely without requiring a PCR either when you leaving or when you are arrivingthere would not be any quarantine either.

This is about a management of risks but you will have to be in the territory for 48 days, you cant go from St. Kitts to Miami and you come from Miamito St. Vincent, you will have to either do your PCR out of the USA in Miami or you will have to do it when you come in St. Vincent and there will be a period of quarantine because you would have not have been in the Caribbean territory for 14 days continuously

So the bubble has that defining element too, said Gonsalves.

CMC

See the original post:

CARICOM Chairman Says There is need for Lowering of Airport Taxes - caribbeannationalweekly.com

ThePirates of the CaribbeanandLord of the Rings/Middle Earthfranchiseshave been two of the biggest names in the fantasy movie genreover the past several decades with new projects always seeming to be in high demand. But which of the franchise's is superior in the eyes of critics.

RELATED:The 5 Best (& 5 Worst) DC Comics Movies, According To Metacritic

Looking at every movie from both franchises along with their scores on review aggregate site Metacritic, this list should hopefully paint a clear picture of each series' ups and downs throughout the years.

ThefifthPirates of the Caribbeanmovie continued the franchise's downward trend with critics but the box office returnsappeared to dwindle somewhat also in this instance whilst still being one of the most successful movies released that year.

Even though it provided a closing story arc for one of the longest-running characters of the franchise, and teased the return of several others,Dead Men Tell No Talesemphasized the increasing loneliness of Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow, a performance which critics had grown progressively weary with over time.

ThefirstPirates of the Caribbeanmovie to feature Jack Sparrow as the out and out main character, and the fourth movie in the series overall,On Stranger Tideswas actually far more normal than the preceding movies in the franchise but that didn't appear to have any impact with growing dissatisfaction amongst critics.

The movie was still another massive hit at the box office for the franchise but the astronomical costs of its production, making it reportedly the most expensive movie ever made, established the series as one that was now too big to fail and would continue in the face of any level of scrutiny or failure.

The thirdPirates of the Caribbeanmovie followed directly on from the previous movie, Dead Man's Chest, in the back-to-back style ofBack to the FutureParts II & IIIand would be last in the franchise from original director Gore Verbinski, neatly rounding an Original Trilogy for the series.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 5 Ways To Reboot The Franchise (& 5 Reasons It Should Be Left Alone)

Still a big hit at the box office, fatigue had settled in for asignificantnumber of critics with the convoluted plotlines and overall limited potential of the story.

A similarly massive hit at the box officedespite atepid reception from critics,Dead Man's Chestwas the first sequel in thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise and the overpowering effect of its popularity with audiences secured the title as one that could survive without critical approval very early on in its lifespan.

Introducing a number of new villains and plot threads to add onto the originalensemble, the sequel is bursting with hugely elaborate alliances and betrayals that also flow over intoAt World's End, released just shy of a year later, not to mention its massive action set pieces.

Peter Jackson's first movie in hisHobbitPrequel Trilogywhich would end up actually bearing a number of similarities to George Lucas similarly-debatedStar Warsprequelswas met with relatively little of the acclaim from hisLord of the Ringstrilogy.

RELATED:5 Reasons Why The Hobbit Trilogy Wasn't As Good As The Lord Of The Rings (And 5 Why It Was Better)

A long-gestating, and heavily restructured, project that was of huge interest to everyone in the movie community,An Unexpected Journeywas too familiar in the end for a number of critics.

The final movie in Jackson'sHobbittrilogy was met with a similarly mixed bag of reviews from critics after a brief improvement with the second installment.

Taking whatwould have typically been the climax of the previous movie and adding it as the opening scene ofBattle of the Five Armies, the finale can't be accused of being short on action spectacle with the enormity of the climax seeming to either captivate or overwhelm critics.

Orlando Bloom managed to dominate both the summer and winter movie box office of 2003 by starring in bothPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black PearlandThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingbut it was Johnny Depp who stole the show and secured himself an Oscar nomination for his iconic performance.

RELATED:Johnny Depp's 10 Highest-Grossing Movies, Ranked According To Box Office Mojo

The most well-received of the franchise by critics by quite a wide margin,Gore Verbinski's originalPirates of the Caribbeanmovie is a rip-roaring adventure that few can resist being swept up in.

The secondHobbitmovie fared much better with critics than either of the other two entries in the trilogy, dealing with the main bulk of storytelling duties and appearing to confirm that the trilogy's fundamental issue with critics was a lack of sufficient story to spread out evenly over the 3 movies.

Finally introducing Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular dragon, and reintroducing Orlando Bloom as his character from theLord of the Ringsmovies,Desolation of Smaugdelivered a lot for fans and critics seemed more in tune with their satisfaction than usual.

The least well-reviewed movie of theLord of the Ringstrilogy according to Metacritic's calculations, but the best-reviewed according to Rotten Tomatoes',Two Towersiseither waya very highly-respected movie.

RELATED:Sean Astin's 10 Best Movies, Ranked According To Rotten Tomatoes

Expanding on everything that the first movie set up while introducinggroundbreaking techniques to audiences, like Andy Serkis' motion-capture performance as Gollum, the movie has few peers in the fantasy genre as far as critics are concerned and they're all from the same trilogy.

The firstLord of the Ringsmovie has been one of the few movies to ever be compared to the success of the originalStar Warsin 1977 and a majority of critics appear to echo sentiments of its greatness.

A surprising and clearly lovingly-crafted experience,Fellowship of the Ringirrevocably altered audiences' expectations for the fantasy movie genre in the future.

Clean sweeping its 11 nominations at the Oscarspicking up Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, and Best Adapted Screenplay, amongst many othersReturn of the Kingis an undeniable triumph.

With a running time of well over three hours, even in its much shorter theatrical cut form, the grand finale resolved a mountain of plot threads in what critics seem to confirm as a pretty much universally satisfying way.

NEXT:Harry Potter Vs Lord Of The Rings: 10 Highest Grossing Movies, According To Box Office Mojo

Next The 5 Best (& 5 Worst) Animated Movies From The '80s

Mark is a freelance copywriter and copyeditor. When not writing or editing, he can most likely be found complaining about movies on Twitter.

See original here:

Every Middle Earth & Pirates Of The Caribbean Movie (Ranked By Metacritic) - Screen Rant

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Andersen Global announces an expanded presence in Trinidad and Tobago with collaborating firm, Johnson, Camacho & Singh, adding depth to the organizations platform as it accelerates its expansion efforts the Caribbean region.

Located in Port of Spain, Trinidad, the full-service law firm, is well known throughout the region, with thirteen attorneys covering corporate and commercial law, commercial litigation, property development and conveyancing, oil and gas, mergers and acquisitions, insolvency, and banking and finance. Additionally, the firm is ranked Band 2 for General Business Law in Trinidad and Tobago, Global Ranking by Chambers & Partners.

The partners of Johnson, Camacho & Singh are of the view that the collaboration with Andersen Global is the next milestone for the firm as it will allow us to extend beyond the regional market and provide our clients with the resources of a global firm. Senior Partner, Stephen Singh, added, Expertise and professionalism are important qualities for any firm, but its transparency and stewardship that have laid the foundation for our firms success by ensuring our clients receive best-in-class solutions.

Andersen Global Chairman and Andersen CEO Mark Vorsatz added, The addition of Johnson, Camacho & Singh broadens our capabilities in the Caribbean as we continue to expand in this critical market. The Johnson, Camacho & Singh team share our organizations commitment to independence and demonstrate the highest of professional standards when handling client matters, which will allow us to further deliver the highest quality tax and legal services in a seamless manner.

Andersen Global is an international association of legally separate, independent member firms comprised of tax and legal professionals around the world. Established in 2013 by U.S. member firm Andersen Tax LLC, Andersen Global now has more than 6,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 180 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms.

More:

Andersen Global Continues Caribbean Expansion with Additional Presence in Trinidad and Tobago - Business Wire

John spent his 16th birthday the same way he's spent every day during theUK's Covid-19lockdown alone in a cell for 23 hours, with no visits, no internet and few phone calls. He is one of hundreds of children locked up in UK prisons, the forgotten casualties ofthe pandemic.

"It gives you a lot of time to think and my thoughts aren't always positive," John tells his lawyer, Jude Lanchin, on the rare occasion that she gets access to the prison video link service. "I struggle to sleep," he adds.

In the UK, teens and children aged 18 and younger are held in what the government refers to as secure children's homes, secure training centers and young offender institutions. The lawyers CNN spoke to universally refer to such institutions as prisons.

A CNN crew was allowed to observe Lanchin's call with her client and has changed his name due to UK reporting restrictions for ongoing criminal cases involving children.

I get thirty minutes out a day and then apart from that I'm just in my cell, just thinking," John says. "There's a lot of time to think, and it messes with your head a little bit."

The restrictions have been imposed by the UK government as part of the Covid-19 lockdown. Visits have been temporarily suspended and time outside of prison cells has been severely reduced, as part of broader measures to enforce social distancing in prisons due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to multiple lawyers and experts CNN has spoken to, these restrictions have left children like John in solitary confinement.

The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Mandela rules, define solitary confinement as 22 hours a day or more without meaningful human contact.

Read the rest of the report here:

Here is the original post:

Latin America and the Caribbean have reported more coronavirus deaths than US and Canada - CNN International

The UN brief revealsthat several countries in the region, are now among those with the highest per capita infection rates worldwide and shines a light on how the crisis is impacting vulnerable groups, includingindigenous communities and women.

The most vulnerable populations and individuals are once again being hit the hardest, Secretary-General Antnio Guterres said in a video message on the pandemics effect throughout a zone grappling with fragmented health services even before the coronavirus.

The UN chief emphasized the impact of the coronavirus on women across the region, who make up the majority of the workforce and now bear the brunt of additional caregiving. He highlighted the plight of older persons and individuals with disabilities, who are at greater risk; and indigenous peoples, those of African descent, migrants and refugees, who suffering disproportionately.

It is projected that there will be a 9.1 per cent contraction in gross domestic product (GDP), which will be the largest in a century.

While stressing the need to do everything possible to limit the spread of the virus and tackle the health effects of the pandemic, Mr. Guterres noted that we must also address the unprecedented social and economic impacts.

The policy brief underlines an array of urgent and longer-term steps for better recovery, including the prioritization of distance learning and continued child-centered services to mitigate education interruptions.

Governments within the region are also being asked to do more to reduce poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition, such as by providing basic emergency income and anti-hunger grants.

Mr. Guterres also flagged the urgent need for greater international support.

I have called for a rescue and recovery package equivalent to more than 10 per cent of the global economy, reminded the UN chief, underscoring the need of the international community to provide liquidity, financial assistance and debt relief for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Latin American and Caribbean countries and in particular small island developing States should not be excluded from global assistance, he asserted. The international multilateral response needs to be extended to middle-income countries.

Broader structural challenges must be addressed to build back better and transform the regions development model.

Against the backdrop of pervasive inequality, accessible and comprehensive welfare systems must be developed, fair taxation systems created, decent jobs promoted, environmental sustainability strengthened, and social protection mechanisms reinforced, according to the UN chief.

Original post:

Address 'unprecedented' impact of coronavirus on Latin America and the Caribbean, urges Guterres - UN News

RICHARDSON, Texas, July 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- HFR Networks, Inc., leading the industry with intelligent xHaul RAN Transport and Edge Access solutions, today announced a distribution agreement with TVC Communications, a division of WESCO Distribution, Inc., to deliver integrated products and professional services to operators throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. With wireless network builds advancing throughout the region, TVC Communications is well positioned to address the critical RAN transport demands of mobile operators utilizing HFR Networks' portfolio of flexiHaul intelligent xHaul solutions.

With continued capacity additions supporting 3G and 4G services in parallel with the introduction of new services, operators around the world are evolving their RAN transport and access infrastructure to address new network and market demands. Ramping up new 5G and Ethernet business services with rapid, cost efficient deployment models is vital to solve the complex challenges operators face across a highly competitive marketplace.

HFR Networks' flexiHaul portfolio of xHaul solutions, based on open standards and purpose-built to overcome today's most difficult RAN transport challenges, ensure operators can easily add needed capacity while migrating from single-vendor hardware-centric architectures to multi-vendor open solutions. Located in Miami, FL, TVC's Caribbean and Latin American operation serves Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America andSouth America. By combining HFR Networks' best-of-breed solutions with TVC's extensive pre-sales and post-sale professional service capabilities, service providers in these markets will be able to quickly deploy solutions to meet their business challenges. Enabling an advanced mobile network with nanosecond timing connecting cellular radios using Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI), eCPRI, and Ethernet services, HFR Networks supports both traditional and cloud-based NFV mobile architectures. flexiHaul solutions enable service providers to combine RAN transport with other traffic types such as Ethernet business services on a common infrastructure and expand mobile services quickly, especially when fiber is constrained.

"HFR Networks provides us access to state-of-the-art RAN transport solutions which help service providers to future-proof their networks by converging 4G and 5G network deployment strategies for rapid time to market with profitable service offerings," said Ken Olsen, Senior Vice President, TVC Communications, Caribbean and Latin America. "With HFR Networks, TVC can deliver on service provider requirements including cost savings, operational efficiency, and the acceleration of new services."

"TVC Communications is a company with deep customer relationships and an excellent track record of delivering for its customers," stated Paul Crann, CEO, HFR Networks. "Partnering with TVC gives us access to an amazing team with the resources, experience, and talent to best serve operators in these regions."

About HFR Networks:HFR Networks, Inc. is leading the industry with our flexiHaul portfolio of intelligent xHaul RAN Transport and Edge Access solutions. We solve today's most critical RAN transport demands, especially when fiber is constrained for fronthaul or backhaul applications. Our solutions have optimized economics for this segment of the network, while also delivering high performance, simplified operations, interoperability across wireless technologies and a diverse ecosystem of 3rd party RAN suppliers. HFR Networks' technological leadership helps customers to lower costs for 3G/4G operations, while also accelerating new 5G and Ethernet services. We enable advanced mobile networks by utilizing nanosecond timing to connect radios using CPRI and eCPRI, within both traditional and cloud-based mobile architectures. For more information, please visit http://www.hfrnetworks.com.

About WESCO WESCO International, Inc., a publicly traded Fortune 500 holding company headquartered inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading provider of electrical, industrial, and communications maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) products, construction materials, and advanced supply chain management and logistic services. 2019 annual sales were approximately$8.4 billion. The company employs approximately 9,500 people, maintains relationships with approximately 30,000 suppliers, and serves approximately 70,000 active customers worldwide. Customers include commercial and industrial businesses, contractors, government agencies, institutions, telecommunications providers, and utilities. WESCO operates 11 fully automated distribution centers and approximately 500 branches inNorth Americaand international markets, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and multi-national corporations.

For HFR Networks, please contact:Kelly Friedland, Director of Marketing+1 781-640-4864[emailprotected]

For TVC/Wesco, please contact: William RuthrauffDirector, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications+1 412-454-4220

SOURCE HFR Networks

Home

Read more:

HFR Networks Partners with TVC to Deliver xHaul Solutions to Service Providers Across the Caribbean and Latin America - PRNewswire

Shelly Marshall of Island Pops | Courtesy of Island Pops

Shelly Marshall of Island Pops | Courtesy of Island Pops

Ordinarily, being laid off from your high-powered consulting job while five months pregnant is cause for immediate panic. But for Shelly Marshall, it was just the sort of life-altering push that she needed to finally devote herself full-time to her true passion: ice cream making. My mother said, Are you going to go to one of your competitors and go back into consulting? Or are you going to open up that shop that youve always wanted? Marshall recalls. Up until that point in 2017, Marshall and her husband Khalid Hamid had been running Island Pops as a side project, specializing in Caribbean-inspired ice cream and popsicle flavors. All their free time was spent hustling at street fairs and food markets. I think if I hadnt gotten laid off, I probably would still be working in consulting and doing this on the side, says Marshall.

Island Popss origin story begins even earlier, however. Much earlier: Marshall and Hamid are both from Trinidad and Tobago -- though raised on opposite sides of the island of Trinidad -- and even attended the same high school (although they didnt know each other then). As luck would have it, St. James Secondary School was across the street from one of Port of Spains most famous ice cream parlors: B&M. We grew up very humbly in the Caribbean, Marshall says. Ice cream was a luxury. But, if you had a dollar left over at the end of the day, you could go to B&M and get a huge, 16-ounce cup and theyd fill it up with like four different flavors. Thats one of my most profound memories. Popular varieties included Trinidadian stalwarts like soursop, sapodilla, sea moss, and pineapple.Fast forward to adulthood: After connecting at a school reunion event in New York, the two began dating and eventually married. And, one day in 2014, when Marshall was craving a taste of home -- soursop ice cream, to be exact -- Hamid discovered there was no shop in Brooklyn that could offer them that taste of their Trinidadian childhood. The idea for Island Pops was born. Just a year later, the couple completed Penn States famed ice cream course and won Brooklyn Public Librarys PowerUP! Competition, where entrepreneurs competed for seed money for their businesses. From there, they began to grow their fan base, catering private events on the weekends. Part of what makes their ice cream so unique is its 18% butterfat content; many other varieties top out at 14%. The result is a rich, ultra creamy ice cream base, which may cost a bit more to manufacture, but Marshall and Hamid did not want to compromise on taste.

They dont want to come from Staten Island and not get their soursop or sapodilla."

But, back to the layoff: Luckily for ice cream aficionados across the city, the corporate worlds loss was their gain. In 2018, just two months after they gave birth to their first child, the couple opened up the first brick and mortar outpost of Island Pops in Crown Heights. They decided on the location because the neighborhood not only caters to Caribbean transplants, but is also hip enough to attract those looking for the next big thing, whether thats fashion or food. But make no mistake: Island Pops creates ice cream for the Caribbean palate. There are other stores that carry some of the same flavors -- Marshall mentions Taste of the Tropics and Crme and Cocoa -- but Island Pops is the only shop that specializes solely in flavors that hail from the islands. They make about 15 core flavors, which Marshall and Hamid are generally loath to switch out, because their customer base is very loyal to their favorites. They dont want to come from Staten Island and not get their soursop or sapodilla, Marshall says. We know our customers are set in their ways, which is good!

And for those who may be unfamiliar with Caribbean flavors, the couple knows describing them only goes so far. I always hand them a taste of it, because thats the only way theyll understand, Marshall says of soursop, for example. While she likens the prickly green fruit to something like a guava-vanilla flavor, some say its like strawberry or pineapple. Everyone comes to the shop and thinks it tastes like something else, she says.

Marshall and Hamid initially created Island Pops because they missed the ice cream of Trinidad, but the store carries flavors that resonate for many different Caribbean immigrants. We always have nutmeg, because Grenadians love that. The Jamaicans love grapenut. For Barbados expats, we have the banana-Baileys-coconut. Bahamians have the Dark n Stormy. Were trying to please every Caribbean island palate, Marshall says.

Catering to so many different tastes means keeping the menu relatively static, but the couple did roll out one new flavor this season thats been very successful: sea moss. Its not fishy at all and I know a lot of celebrities are putting it in their smoothies now, she says.

In addition to traditional ice creams, Island Pops also has a substantial selection of vegan flavors. In what may be one of the industrys biggest ironies, Hamid developed a lactose intolerance during the first year of opening the shop. Its one of those things where its a gift and curse at the same time, he says. Lord knows Ive always enjoyed ice cream. So, having my own ice cream shop and being able to eat an unlimited amount of ice cream would have been spectacular. But, it would also have been very weight-gaining, I would say, he adds with a laugh. Island Popss vegan flavors start with a house-made cashew milk, which is almost as rich as a traditional dairy base. Then, its blended with fruits like strawberry or -- Hamids favorite -- into a Caribbean Chocolate flavor, which is made with cocoa imported from Trinidad. The shops rotating popsicle selection is also dairy-free: current blends include everything from watermelon-mint to rum punch.

Like any small business, Island Pops has had to be nimble during the COVID-19 crisis, but the silver lining is that theyve been able to expand in ways they hadnt considered before. The pandemic forced us all to be more creative in our delivery system, Hamid says. Now were servicing the Bronx, Long Island, Queens, and all throughout Brooklyn. And, even amid quarantine restrictions, they still plan on celebrating the shops second anniversary this month. Looking ahead, the couple would also like to begin wholesale operations locally, with an eventual goal of being a recognizable brand everywhere.

Were starting off slowly, focusing on getting into smaller, neighborhood groceries, and then eventually going nationwide, he says. The sky is the limit.

Sign up here for our daily NYC email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun New York has to offer.

Juliet Izon is a Thrillist contributor.

Go here to see the original:

Island Pops Captures the Vibe of the Caribbean in a Cone - Thrillist

A new Rocky Mountain Institute report entails how policymakers and regulators can collaborate to quicken solar photovoltaic installation across the Caribbeanimproving communities' livelihoods, enabling cost savings, building resilience and reducing dependency on foreign oil.

NEW YORK (PRWEB) July 14, 2020

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the Clinton Foundation and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States released a joint report that details how island policymakers and regulators can work together to enhance the resilience of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems across the Caribbean.

The Caribbean and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) continue to face more frequent and intense weather events. When critical infrastructure, like hospitals and schools, are without power, communities suffer deeply. Solar PV systems are a way to increase the resilience of the grid and greatly improve people's access to reliable electricity, but they are useless if they fail.

The report underscores the need to ensure resilient solar PV systems are installed in the most cost-effective and collaborative way. Other key topics include incentivizing the use of the correct equipment and ensuring building codes incorporate resilient solar PV design and construction standards.

"I cannot stress enough the value of stakeholder collaboration. Collaboration ensures that the correct equipment is available, known best practices are enforced, and that systems are built to the highest standards. These components ensure that islands build the most resilient solar projects and ultimately more resilient communities," said Jules Kortenhorst, Chief Executive Officer, RMI.

Key recommendations for collaboration presented in the report include:

"In the Sustainable Development Goals, the world committed to ensuring access to affordable, reliable and modern energy for all. Many Small Island Developing States are emerging as frontrunners in the pursuit of renewable energy, with solar power leading the way. International support in the form of access to finance, investments and technology will be critical to accelerate their transitionand their resilience," said Fekitamoeloa Katoa Utoikamanu, High Representative for the UN-OHRLLS.

"President Clinton's commitment to the environment continues to drive our work across the Caribbean and island states, finding scalable, replicable solutions for clean energy. We are proud to partner with RMI and UN OHRLLS to share these best practices with the global community. Today, it is even more important to find reliable, cost-effective energy solutions to keep essential services up and running in the face of extreme weather events and the current pandemic," explained Kevin Thurm, chief executive officer, Clinton Foundation.

Solar Under Storm for Policymakers is the third in a series of reports by RMI and partners that focus on installing hurricane-resilient solar systems. The first Solar Under Storm guide discussed the root causes of past solar failures focused on ground-mounted systems. Solar Under Storm Part II explored best practices for equipment and procedures for rooftop systems.

To download the Solar Under Storm for Policymakers report,visit Solar Under Storm for Policymakers: Select Best Practices for Resilient Photovoltaic Systems for Small Island Developing States.

Media Inquiries please contact:

Nick Steel, Media Relations Manager, T: +1 347-574-0887, E: nsteel@rmi.org

Conor O'Loughlin, Head of Advocacy, E: conoroloughlin@un.org

Notes to Editors

About Rocky Mountain Institute

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)an independent nonprofit founded in 1982transforms global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future. It engages businesses, communities, institutions, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the adoption of market-based solutions that cost-effectively shift from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; the San Francisco Bay Area; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.

More information on RMI can be found at http://www.rmi.org or follow us on Twitter @RockyMtnInst.

About the Clinton Foundation

Building on a lifetime of public service, President Clinton established the Clinton Foundation on the simple belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, everyone has a responsibility to act, and we all do better when we work together.

For nearly two decades, that belief has energized the work of the Foundation in overcoming complex challenges and improving the lives of people across the United States and around the world. As an operating foundation, we work on issues directly or with strategic partners from the business, government, and nonprofit sectors to create economic opportunity, improve public health, and inspire civic engagement and service.

Our programs are designed to make a real difference today while serving as proven models for tomorrow. The goal of every effort is to use available resources to get better results fasterat the lowest possible cost. We firmly believe that when diverse groups of people bring resources together in the spirit of true cooperation, transformative ideas will emerge to drive life-changing action. Learn more at https://www.clintonfoundation.org/, on Facebook at Facebook.com/ClintonFoundation, and on Twitter @ClintonFdn.

About the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Land Locked Countries, and Small Island Developing States

The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) assists vulnerable countries in areas including economic growth, poverty reduction, and meeting targets laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: https://www.prweb.com/releases/to_expedite_resilient_solar_in_the_caribbean_collaboration_is_key/prweb17254640.htm

See the article here:

To Expedite Resilient Solar in the Caribbean, Collaboration is Key - Benzinga

Yo ho, yo ho, a Pirates life for me. Who wouldve thought such a simple ride couldve made such a lucrative film series. Ranking Pirates of the Caribbean movies is difficult as each of the five contains something to love.

From The Curse of the Black Pearls horror-themedaesthetic to Dead Mans Chest and At Worlds Ends epic story, each Pirates of the Caribbean movie has something for everyone.

With the news that Margot Robbie will lead a female-led Pirates movie set in the same world (possibly co-starring Karen Gillen), theres no better time to reflect on the franchise so far.

So, starting off in fifth place

Also known as Salazars Revenge in some countries, Dead Men Tell No Tales is often thought to be the weakest entry in the series. The film actually does some really great things; re-introducing series veterans Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom for one and giving Geoffrey Rushs Captain Barbossa an appropriate send-off.

What it does not handle well, however, is what almost everyone is here to see: Johnny Depps Captain Jack Sparrow. Instead of pretending to be an idiot to outwit his rivals, this Jack is just a fool. Its truly sad to see and might have something to do with the fact that Depp was reportedly taking his lines through an earpiece on set. The action and jokes also reflect this more kid-friendly approach, as they rely on just impossible stunts (dragging a bank, really?) or gross-out humor, and thats not what Pirates was ever about.

However, the film really benefits from two incredible additions; Javier Bardems Captain Salazar and that sweet as heck scene where we get to see a young Captain Jack Sparrow. So so cool.

Related: Pirates Fans Demand the Return of Johnny Depp

The fourth film comes very, very close to the same level of blandness as the fifth installment but benefits from a slightly more competent Captain Jack.

Penlope Cruzs Angelica makes an excellent foil and the character has excellent chemistry with Depp. Regrettably, real-life pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane) is just not good as this films villain and is outmatched by just about every other Pirates antagonist.

On the whole, this one is a little too long, but it boasts some stunning visuals and a cool plot revolving around the fountain of youth that could be straight out of an Indiana Jones movie.

Related: Rumors suggest Johnny Depp is back for the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie!

Its way too long and overcomplicated, but boy do I love this movie. The final battle between The Black Pearl and The Flying Dutchman is one of the most iconic moments in the entire Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and wouldve made a fitting finale to the entire series.

As is, Tom Hollanders Lord Cutler Beckett makes a fine villain, and suitably different to the nasty Davy Jones and his ghostly crew. Not really sure what the whole Brethren Court and Pirate King schtick was doing though. Some foreshadowing wouldve been good on that one. Also, killing the Kraken off-screen? Worst. Move. Ever.

Still, the triumphant return of Captain Barbossa to the main cast alone makes this one worthwhile. For my money, the continuous story of the first three Pirates movies cements them as the Star Wars trilogy of the 2000s generation.

Related: OpEd: Taika Waititi is Perfect to Refresh Pirates Series

Dead Mans Chest is how you do a sequel. It raises the stakes, fills out the lore (hello Stellan Skarsgrd as an amazingly realized Bootstrap Bill), and most of all it progresses the story without rehashing the first.

Its a little more bloated than the first and already moves towards the absurd action of Dead Men Tell No Tales, though its done far better and really leans into the comedy. Seeing Johnny Depp skewered like a kebab while pretending to be the chief of an indigenous tribe will never not be funny.

And of course, the introduction of the greatest villain of the series Bill Nighys Davy Jones certainly doesnt hurt either. Jones is all at once sympathetic, scary, and cool; something that very few movie villains manage to achieve. Theres a reason this movie is the only one of the series to win the Academy Award for best special effects.

Hans Zimmers score is also off. The. Chain in this one. Bravo.

Related: Johnny Depp Fans Petition For His Pirates Return After Leak Of Amber Heard Tape

Yes, this does mean they just get progressively worse, but how could Curse of the Black Pearl not be number one? This film changed everything and made pirates cool again, something studios around the world had been trying to figure out for years.

Everything about it is perfect and to me, its the quintessential period adventure film, though it boldly leans into the horror genre too, drawing in an older audience in the process.

Of course, the cast is really what sells this movie. Knightley, Bloom, and Rush are all exceptional, but its Johnny Depps Captain Jack Sparrow who swaggers his way into the list of truly unforgettable characters.

Im still holding out hope that we can see Mr. Depp return for one last ride as the good Captain. One final pirate movie that sees him go out with a swashbuckling bang, not a foolish whimper.

Related: Zac Efron Rumored To Play Jack Sparrow In Pirates of the Caribbean Reboot

How would you go about ranking Pirates of the Caribbean movies? Let us know in the comments below.

Read more from the original source:

OpEd: Ranking the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Movies - Inside the Magic

If you can work from anywhere, would you stay where you are?

As much of the world has taken to working remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic, many employees are no longer tied to where their offices are.

Barbados is banking on the idea that many people will choose a tropical paradise over their current digs.

Imagine working from here. LU LIN/Shuttershock

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said last week that the Caribbean country was planning to introduce a "12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp" that would allow visitors to stay for up to a year and work remotely.

Mottley said the stamp would allow "persons to come and work from here overseas, digitally so, so that persons don't need to remain in the countries in which they are" but beyond that, information is scarce. A representative for Barbados Tourism Marketing told Insider that "details on the visa are still being finalized by the Government of Barbados."

The idea is that as short-term travel becomes increasingly difficult, a 12-month stamp would make the trip more worthwhile. It would also bring much-needed tourism dollars to the island.

Mottley said on June 26 that Barbados planned to reopen to tourists on July 12, this Sunday, when some air travel is expected to resume.

"We will continue to take a risk-based approach to the protection of our country, our people and our visitors," Mottley said.

It's important to note, however, that nonessential travel is still discouraged in many places, including the US, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned against it.

The island is a British Commonwealth nation. Styve Reineck/Shutterstock

A recent press release from Barbados Tourism Marketing said visitors from high-risk countries (more than 10,000 new cases in the past seven days) were "strongly encouraged" to take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their departure. Travelers from low-risk spots (with fewer than 100 cases in the past week) could take the test up to a week before departure.

Travelers who didn't take a test before their arrival will have to take one when they land, then quarantine at their expense until they receive the results, which could take about two days. Should they test positive, "they will be placed in isolation where they will receive care from the Ministry of Health and Wellness," the press release said.

Visitors will also have to fill out an online embarkation/disembarkation form related to their health and face temperature checks at the airport, the press release said.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, Barbados had 98 confirmed COVID-19 cases and seven deaths as of Wednesday.

While it's still unclear when this welcome stamp might launch, Mottley said: "The government is committed to working with you on the promotion of new concepts like the 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp, being able to open our borders to persons traveling and making it as hospitable as ever for all of us."

Representatives for the Barbados Government Information Service did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

See the article here:

You could move to Barbados and work there remotely for a year thanks to a new incentive - Insider - INSIDER

A joint editorial by Frank J. Comito, CEO and Director General, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA); and Brian D. Frontin, President, Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE) and CEO, Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants & Tourism Association (THRTA)

MIAMI The nonprofit tourism associations of the Caribbean are integral to the regions recovery and to the sustained profitability of the tourism and hospitality sector. And, during these difficult Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) times it is even more important to support these vital development-driver institutions if we are to emerge from the pandemic more quickly and in the best economic shape.

Moving beyond this pandemic well-prepared for the new realities of global tourism requires governments to collaborate closely with the private sector, speaking with one voice through their national associations and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) on hurdling the barriers lining the path back to profitability.

We know from experience with hurricanes and health crisis situations that when the business community and governments work in a unified way they are able to accelerate the return to full employment, restoring tax revenue, rebuilding dynamic business, and enhancing education, health and other government services.

The most important thing the business community can do is to support its local and regional hotel and tourism associations by being as collaborative and engaged as possible on a variety of issues which affect their bottom line and the well-being of the communities where they operate.

Nonprofit organizations are societys biggest (little-known) change agents, especially the business-led NGOs like ours, marshaling and leveraging resources at the local, regional and international levels.

Their historic contributions to the economies and development of the Caribbean region are considerable, working tirelessly for decades on advocacy, training and education, research, marketing, beautification, environmental protection, energy efficiency, product development and community enhancements.

One can easily state that through the dedicated volunteer business leadership of these nonprofit organizations, businesses and governments throughout the Caribbean have flourished.

Today, however, the very survival and future viability of many of these organizations is in question.

Leadership, beacons of guidance, providing answers, support and advice through crises are provided by national and regional associations to help businesses make it through the storms and create a path towards recovery.

We have received plaudits for the important benefits accruing from membership of CHTA and national associations which shone brightly over the past 100 days as tourism stakeholders, in many instances working in step with governments, have worked on response, mitigation and recovery.

The rapid Caribbean-wide response of CHTA to the crisis was made possible by national tourism associations assembling data from countries and territories, which were fed to member groups directly to support local efforts or through such avenues as the resilience series of webinars launched by CHTA.

The value of our membership associations has been proven so often that we may be suffering from our own success as destinations and resorts appear to be taking our collective efforts for granted. Our biggest challenge as nonprofit organizations is to get many more in the business community to realize that we are their insurance policy. But we need them to pay the correct premium for this insurance coverage.

We are supported by voluntary contributions and only about half of the private sector in most jurisdictions actually come to the table to help make the difference in their own industry often because they dont know the extent of what the organizations do for them, but also unfortunately because some businesses simply dont see supporting the collective as part of their responsibility, but are willing to freely accept the benefits to their businesses which these associations bring about, thanks to the dedicated leadership and support of some of their fellow businesses. This simply is not fair play.

Those who are disengaged dont seem to realize theyre hurting themselves and that its absolutely essential, especially during crises like the one we have now, to come to the table and lend talent and resources for the benefit not only of their own properties, but for all the Caribbean enterprises, because as we know all too well, in small island states, a rising tide raises all boats. At the minimum, a modest financial dues investment should be committed.

Every association in the Caribbean is financially strapped, but we in regional and national organizations are being asked on a daily basis to do far more with fewer resources during the toughest of times. Without the urgent support of industry stakeholders, some of these long-standing national hotel and tourism associations may soon be forced to close their doors.

Such closures would be lamentable because we are all in this together, not just those in the major breadwinner of the region, tourism, but also the majority of private sector concerns linked to the sector.

Banks, insurance companies, telecommunications firms, wholesalers, shipping firms and service providers are among the many industry players whose success has been built through tourism.

Decades of development work by the regions 33 national hotel and tourism associations and CHTA have contributed to their collective success. Now, in this time of incredible vulnerability, as best they can, we need these businesses, along with all tourism-related businesses, to support our nonprofit organizations and associations.

After all, this would be a business imperative not an act of charity because they will be investing in the recovery of the most important revenue producer of the region. The return on their investment in tourism associations will help to reignite tourism faster, which will more readily accrue benefits to these businesses in the medium to long term.

The pandemic lockdowns have allowed our associations to make our industry smarter and stronger by intensifying training in the sector with heightened hygiene and health and safety guidelines. Our training modules are now being carefully studied by the private sector another benefit produced by nonprofits that helps corporations.

CHTA has focused a lot of effort on improving and honing health, safety and environmental standards collaboratively with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Commission (OECSC), and the Jamaica-based Global Tourism Resiliency and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Such initiatives will help countries and territories rebound and recover faster, while building consumer confidence, and confidence in our own employees as they adhere to protocols that can keep them safe as well.

Importantly, this coordinated skills boosting will build confidence in travelers as word gets out that the Caribbean is really helping to mitigate or remove altogether health and safety risks.

The point is, tourism is everybodys business and for everybodys benefit: governments benefit because they generate tax revenue from our generation of business for the economy and many jobs and spin-off businesses are created, broadening tourisms impact even further.

Those businesses which have benefited so richly from tourism can look at ways of supporting their local national hotel and tourism associations and CHTA, because tourism generates a tremendous value that enhances the health, wealth, environment and well-being of all our people.

We applaud those businesses and their dedicated owners, operators, managers and supervisors in the region who have invested leadership, time and money into making these institutions possible.

We challenge those who have not stepped up to the plate, at a minimum, with the remittance of a small annual dues investment, to do so. Time and time again, whether theyve realized it or not, our nonprofit organizations have been there for them and it is not only long overdue, it is fair play and simply good business for them to step up in this time of tremendous need for their own benefit, if nothing else.

Standing by and watching nonprofit tourism associations struggle or fail is just bad business.

See the rest here:

Everybody Profits From Nonprofit Caribbean Tourism Bodies - South Florida Caribbean News

The CTO's Johnson JohnRose (left) with St. Maarten's Minister of Tourism, Ludmila de Weever (right) take part in the CTO's 'Plain Speaking' Facebook Live event this morning

TORONTO The Dutch Caribbean destination of St. Maarten has pushed back its reopening date for U.S. travellers from July 15 to Aug. 1.

As for Canadian travellers, St. Maartens Minister of Tourism Ludmila de Weever says Canada is in St. Maartens lower-risk bracket, and its really about when [Canadians] are ready to fly. Were ready to accept them.

De Weever took part in a CTO Facebook Live session this morning, updating the trade on St. Maartens reopening plans.

Meanwhile, Grenada has announced a new reopening date, one month later than originally planned.

Here are all the latest updates

ST. MAARTEN

On this mornings Facebook Live session, part of the CTOs Plain Speaking series, de Weever said that while St. Maarten originally planned to welcome back U.S. flights starting tomorrow, July 15, that date has now been pushed back to Aug. 1.

The one constant is that things are always changing, she said.

Everybody got a bit nervous when they heard we were reopening to the U.S., she added. However, Aug. 1 is now a hard deadline. August 1 is in the books now. What you dont want to do is keep pushing dates with airlines. You have to give them a date and stick to it.

She added that the airlines have been so understanding. In our discussions, one said to us, Any decision you make, we respect that. You have to keep your country safe. That kind of understanding, coming from these major airline companies, that means a lot.

People may get frustrated and lose patience but at the end of the day we are looking out for our visitors as well as our residents.

Presenting todays Facebook Live session along with de Weever was the CTOs Communications Specialist, Johnson JohnRose. If youre going to open to the U.S., you have to find that balance between lives and livelihoods, he said.

De Weever agreed, noting we are so grateful people want to come here, but were a small location and our capacities are limited.

The destination reopened to Europe and several Caribbean islands on July 1. So far that stage of the reopening process is going well, says de Weever. Anyone coming to St. Maarten must upload the results of their negative PCR test (taken within 72 hours of arrival) and complete a health questionnaire.

St. Maartens Health Declaration Platform, with all these details and more, is at stmaartenentry.com.

De Weever said St. Maarten is looking at reducing the number of people allowed into the destination. Not all airlines are doing reduced capacity [onboard]. Even with the Europe flights weve had already, were getting about 1,000 passengers per week. Thats already a lot and the flights and getting fuller and fuller. So we are considering [limiting the number of arrivals]. But we havent come to a final decision. Its one thing if airlines are reducing onboard capacity. But for airlines who arent doing that, its a different story.

St. Maarten will be watching the COVID-19 numbers in the U.S. very carefully in the next couple of weeks. Eighty percent of our market is North America, i.e. the U.S., said de Weever.

Two helpful sites for anyone looking to travel to St. Maarten, or agents with clients looking to travel to the destination, are stmaartenentry.com and stmaartenupdates.com.

GRENADA

Grenada has a new reopening date for international visitors, including the Canadian market.

Initially scheduled to reopen July 1, Grenada has remained closed following a June 28 address from Grenadas Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell, who called for a more cautious approach to reopening the countrys borders.

Now Grenada will reopen to international travellers on Aug. 1. The reopening date for regional visitors is July 15.

Canada is on Grenadas list of medium-risk countries, along with the UK and other EU countries.

Protocols include a mandatory certified copy of a negative PCR test dated no more than 7 days prior to departure. All passengers must also undergo a rapid test on arrival at the airport. If the rapid test is positive, the traveller will then be tested using swab/PCR and placed in quarantine at an approved accommodation at their expense, for 2 4 days, pending the PCR result. If that subsequent test is positive they will remain in quarantine for up to 14 days, or until they have tested negative on PCR.

All travellers must also complete, sign and submit a Health Declaration Form, and download and register on Grenadas contact tracing app. Both can be found at covid19.gov.gd.

Non-national must also have travel insurance covering COVID-19, or declare that they will bear the cost for treatment and isolation, according to a statement from Grenadas Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

Editor at Travelweek

Kathryn is Editor at Travelweek and has worked for the company since 1995. She has travelled to more than 50 countries and counts Hong Kong, Jerusalem, the Swiss Alps and the Galapagos Islands among her favourite destinations.

Read the original here:

Two Caribbean destinations tap the brakes on reopening as US numbers continue to climb - Travelweek

Pirates of the Caribbean was never supposed to work.

The film was born out of an initiative, started by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, to mine the companys many theme park attractions for potential movie franchises. It was already off to a wobbly start with Brian De Palmas Mission to Mars and, er, The Country Bears. And pirate movies, of any kind, were seen as box office kryptonite, especially since the last big budget endeavor, 1995s Cutthroat Island, bankrupted its studio and made the Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest flop. While in production, Disney executives were nervous about Johnny Depps fey portrayal of the lead pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, and the dark tone being conjured by director Gore Verbinski. When the film was released in 2003, it was the first Disney film to carry a PG-13 rating.

And yet somehow, Pirates of the Caribbean has become one of the most dependably bankable franchises in Hollywood. Even the last film, 2017s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which was already mired in Depps controversial private life, grossed $800 million worldwide. And as it was inspired by a theme park attraction, so has it inspired theme park attractions, with Jack Sparrow being added to the classic attraction and a brand new, state-of-the-art ride based on the franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, developed for Shanghai Disneyland (it debuted with the rest of the park in 2016). And recent rumors have suggest that the franchise will be resurrected soon enough, with one possibility being a female-led entry starring Margot Robbie and written by Christina Hodson.

But which Pirates of the Caribbean entry is the most swashbuckling, supernatural creature-filled joy? And which entry should be stranded ashore. Youll have to read on to find out, ya lousy landlubber.

Read the original post:

All the Pirates of the Caribbean Movies Ranked - Collider.com

Basil Springer, Ph.D.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

LIAT (1974) Ltd. (Leeward Islands Air Transport) has been hemorrhaging for a long time, primarily because of weaknesses in governance structure, political interference, undercapitalization, unimaginative marketing, high cost, low productivity and myopic partnership practices.

The advent of COVID-19 forced the already debt-ridden airline to suspend commercial services in early April 2020. The borders of most of its 15 destinations are still closed to commercial traffic and the exclusive government shareholders are seriously considering airline liquidation.

Last week, LIAT announced that no further information about its future will be available until after its next annual general meeting, which has not yet been scheduled.

Let us hope that good sense will prevail and that the minds of the leaders of this region will be renewed to find an efficient solution that strengthens the current weaknesses of LIAT and exploits the uniqueness of the Caribbean region as an attractive, warm weather destination.

The efficient Caribbean airline industry is essential for regional unity, without which some countries will struggle to survive.

The role of government in open market economies is to set policy regarding the legal and social framework, create a user-friendly enabling environment for the private sector to do business, provide public goods and services, stabilize the economy and negotiate global public-private sector partnerships. The general rules of government are not structured to manage commercial activities.

Over the last 20 years, I have had the opportunity to establish more than one trust under the trust laws of the Caribbean. As they search for a sustainable Caribbean airline solution, I would respectfully suggest that the governments of the Caribbean destinations served by LIAT should establish a Trust for the benefit of the people of the region.

Experienced private sector trustees, approved by the governments, would be appointed to govern the trust. The trustees would report to the governments, say, once every six months, to give an account of their stewardship. The governments would be responsible for capitalizing a Fund for the Trust and the management of the trust would be entrusted to the private sector. The management would report to the trustees monthly. The trust would be structured to permit private sector investment in the fund through a specific class of shares.

A knowledgeable marketing communications firm with expertise in public relations and digital marketing would be selected to promote the Caribbean globally as a diverse multicultural, multiethnic, multireligious, multi-culinary, multi-musical genre and multilingual region.

Based on the economic growth philosophy of tax the outputs, not the inputs, governments should remove the tax component from the regional airfares and hence increase the turnover of passenger traffic. The management would introduce a performance optimization system aimed at achieving high productivity yields from human resources, technology and innovative processes.

COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the global airline industry. Nevertheless, the Caribbean governments and private sector must work together in smart partnerships with established foreign airlines and financial partners to benefit from their superior investment resources, experience, and airline industry expertise towards their mutual benefit.

*The above is a column written by Basil Springer, who isa director of the New Jersey-based Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx), which has hosted many international events as well as Marketplace Excellence (MPE) a Public Relations, Marketing and Media Company. He is the Chairman of Global Business Innovation Corporation, which launched the Caribbean Food Business Innovation Revolution initiative in Trinidad in January 2015.

View post:

Airlines Are Working Toward A Sustainable Caribbean Solution - St. John Source

A new Rocky Mountain Institute report entails how policymakers and regulators can collaborate to quicken solar photovoltaic installation across the Caribbean--improving communities' livelihoods, enabling cost savings, building resilience and reducing dependency on foreign oil.

NEW YORK, July 14, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the Clinton Foundation and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States released a joint report that details how island policymakers and regulators can work together to enhance the resilience of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems across the Caribbean.

The Caribbean and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) continue to face more frequent and intense weather events. When critical infrastructure, like hospitals and schools, are without power, communities suffer deeply. Solar PV systems are a way to increase the resilience of the grid and greatly improve people's access to reliable electricity, but they are useless if they fail.

The report underscores the need to ensure resilient solar PV systems are installed in the most cost-effective and collaborative way. Other key topics include incentivizing the use of the correct equipment and ensuring building codes incorporate resilient solar PV design and construction standards.

"I cannot stress enough the value of stakeholder collaboration. Collaboration ensures that the correct equipment is available, known best practices are enforced, and that systems are built to the highest standards. These components ensure that islands build the most resilient solar projects and ultimately more resilient communities," said Jules Kortenhorst, Chief Executive Officer, RMI.

Key recommendations for collaboration presented in the report include:

Identify opportunities for increased resilience, which require multiparty consideration and action but do not represent current industry standard actions;

Encourage collaboration between installers and module suppliers/distributors to ensure local availability of specified modules;

Collaborate with equipment suppliers to implement incentives so that Category 5 standards are incorporated without putting local suppliers out of business.

"In the Sustainable Development Goals, the world committed to ensuring access to affordable, reliable and modern energy for all. Many Small Island Developing States are emerging as frontrunners in the pursuit of renewable energy, with solar power leading the way. International support in the form of access to finance, investments and technology will be critical to accelerate their transitionand their resilience," said Fekitamoeloa Katoa 'Utoikamanu, High Representative for the UN-OHRLLS.

Story continues

"President Clinton's commitment to the environment continues to drive our work across the Caribbean and island states, finding scalable, replicable solutions for clean energy. We are proud to partner with RMI and UN OHRLLS to share these best practices with the global community. Today, it is even more important to find reliable, cost-effective energy solutions to keep essential services up and running in the face of extreme weather events and the current pandemic," explained Kevin Thurm, chief executive officer, Clinton Foundation.

Solar Under Storm for Policymakers is the third in a series of reports by RMI and partners that focus on installing hurricane-resilient solar systems. The first Solar Under Storm guide discussed the root causes of past solar failures focused on ground-mounted systems. Solar Under Storm Part II explored best practices for equipment and procedures for rooftop systems.

To download the Solar Under Storm for Policymakers report,visit Solar Under Storm for Policymakers: Select Best Practices for Resilient Photovoltaic Systems for Small Island Developing States.

Media Inquiries please contact:

Nick Steel, Media Relations Manager, T: +1 347-574-0887, E: nsteel@rmi.org Conor O'Loughlin, Head of Advocacy, E: conoroloughlin@un.org

Notes to Editors

About Rocky Mountain Institute

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)an independent nonprofit founded in 1982transforms global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future. It engages businesses, communities, institutions, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the adoption of market-based solutions that cost-effectively shift from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; the San Francisco Bay Area; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.

More information on RMI can be found at http://www.rmi.org or follow us on Twitter @RockyMtnInst.

About the Clinton Foundation

Building on a lifetime of public service, President Clinton established the Clinton Foundation on the simple belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, everyone has a responsibility to act, and we all do better when we work together.

For nearly two decades, that belief has energized the work of the Foundation in overcoming complex challenges and improving the lives of people across the United States and around the world. As an operating foundation, we work on issues directly or with strategic partners from the business, government, and nonprofit sectors to create economic opportunity, improve public health, and inspire civic engagement and service.

Our programs are designed to make a real difference today while serving as proven models for tomorrow. The goal of every effort is to use available resources to get better results fasterat the lowest possible cost. We firmly believe that when diverse groups of people bring resources together in the spirit of true cooperation, transformative ideas will emerge to drive life-changing action. Learn more at https://www.clintonfoundation.org/, on Facebook at Facebook.com/ClintonFoundation, and on Twitter @ClintonFdn.

About the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Land Locked Countries, and Small Island Developing States

The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) assists vulnerable countries in areas including economic growth, poverty reduction, and meeting targets laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals.

SOURCE Rocky Mountain Institute

Read this article:

To Expedite Resilient Solar in the Caribbean, Collaboration is Key - Yahoo News

We'd all love to lay out on a beach right nowand no one does beaches better than the Caribbean. But more than toes in the sand, what the Caribbean and its economies need right now are tourist dollars. According to the Inter-American Development Bank, 14 of the 15 most tourism-dependent nations in the world are in the Caribbean, with Aruba, Antigua and Barbuda, and the Bahamas in the top three spots. But as many of these island nations and territories reopen to kick start their economies, health and safety questions for travelers remain: Do you need to take a COVID-19 test before arriving? How are hotels and resorts stepping up cleaning efforts? Will you be able to rent snorkel equipment? And, importantly, do you have to wear a face mask on the beach?

To help you sift from all the information out there, we broke down exactly what to expect if you're heading to the Caribbean in the coming months, for every destination with a reopening plan. Note that not everyone is rushing to welcome travelers back: you won't find the Cayman Islands, Guadeloupe, or Curaao belowas they don't plan on open their borders anytime soon.

Read on for what to know about visiting the Caribbean this summer. And as you plan your visits, remember to keep checking in on local government and tourism board sites, as coronavirus updates come often.

This dual-island country officially reopened its borders, and its international airport on Antigua, on June 1. (As of publishing, American is flying the only route from the U.S., with a daily flight from Miami.) Visitors have two options when it comes to Antigua and Barbuda's mandatory coronavirus testing: you can pay $100 for free test at the airport upon arrival and quarantine in your hotel for about 24 hours until you get the results; or you can quarantine at your hotel or rental for the first 14 days of your stay.

You'll have to wear a mask in all public places, and when interacting with others outside your family circlebut you won't have to wear them at beaches or pools where social distancing is possible, Colin James, head of the country's tourism board told the Telegraph. At beach bars, stools will be removed and tables will be at last six feet apart; and, for now, local restaurants outside of hotels will be restricted to takeout. All hotels and villas are also being certified by the local government to ensure they're following local health and cleaning guidelines. Check back on the government's COVID-19 site for continuing updates.

Aruba is reopening its border in stages. First, on July 1, European, Canadian, and Caribbean tourists (with the exception of the those from the Dominican Republic and Haiti) will be able to visit. Then, on July 10, that will extend to U.S. travelers. No date has been announced for travelers from countries not mentioned above. Like a number of U.S. airlines, Aruba is requiring visitors to both complete a health questionnaire and upload negative COVID-19 PCR test results, within 72 hours of arriving, as part of a new embarkation and disembarkation (ED) card process. (You can also prepay for a COVID-19 test upon arrival at Queen Beatrix International Airport.) Once you've filled out that ED card and received approval to visit, you're set to fly.

As for the experience on the ground, masks are not required, but are requested in situations where social distancing is difficult. Hotels have installed plexiglass barriers at front desks, and many are offering contactless check-in. Outdoor restaurants have been open since late May, restaurants with seating inside (as well as spas) opened June 1, and bars and nightclubs opened on June 10. The island has also instituted a Health & Happiness Codeessentially a certification that shows that a tour operator, water activities coordinator, car rental company, or spa is complying with suggested safety guidelines.

Follow this link:

A Guide to the Caribbean Islands Reopening this Summer - Cond Nast Traveler