Ritz-Carlton is reopening its Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico next month, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The resort, the only Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Caribbean, is relaunching on July 1.

The relaunch of what is Puerto Ricos leading luxury resort comes ahead of Puerto Ricos planned July 15 reopening for tourism.

It is the second Ritz-Carlton-branded property to reopen in the Caribbean, following the relaunch of the Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas, which began welcoming back visitors to the US Virgin Islands this week.

The 115-room-and-suite resort has reopened with parent company Marriott Internationals new cleanliness practices.

The resorts signature golf course has been open for several weeks already.

We are thrilled to once again welcome our beloved guests toDoradoBeach, said George Sotelo, General Manager. Our team of dedicated Ladies and Gentlemen have been hard at work preparing for our reopening and are excited to introduce guests to new handcrafted, memorable experiences while maintaining the sense of barefoot elegance and personalized service for which we are known.

In the age of COVID-19, the resort is emphasizing that each of the rooms and suites is accessible from the outdoors; many of the units have their own private plunge pools, and all of them have direct beach access, allowing ample space for physical distancing.

Puerto Rico officials say the destination is implementing major health and safety protocols island-wide ahead of the tourism reopening.

We mean it when we say we want to aim for a gold standard in health and safety. All tourism-related businesses must comply and practice the guidelines included in this comprehensive program, said Carla Campos, executive director of the Puert The PRTC will also inspect and certify over 350 hotels and operators over the next four months that must comply with these standards. We are certain that the assurances and security these measures provide, coupled with the experiences that makePuertoRicosuch an attractive destination, will play a vital role in the short-term recovery of the travel industry of the island.

For more, visit Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.

CJ

Excerpt from:

Ritz-Carlton Reserve Reopening in Puerto Rico Caribbean Journal - Caribbean Journal

The Caribbeans most glamorous destination is reopening for tourism, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The French Caribbean island of St Barth is reopening for travel and tourism on June 22, according to Bruno Magras, president of the islands territorial council.

Whether you are visiting an island friend or local resident, returning to spend time in your vacation home or coming back to spend some vacation time on the island, St Barth is pleased to welcome you back, Magras said.

Magras said life on the island has returned to normal.

Island beaches are open without restriction, restaurants and boutiques are operating as usual, houses of worship are open and holding services and nautical services as well as the other services to which you are accustomed are being provided as usual, he said.

Thats due to early, aggressive action to lock down the island in the early days of the pandemics spread, and now it means St Barth is open for business.

The island has implemented new COVID-19 protocols for incoming travelers, however.

Every visitor to the island will be asked to provide a COVID-negative RT-PCR test performed within three days prior to the visitors departure.

If its not possible to arrange a test prior to departure, visitors will be required to be tested for COVID-19 within 24 hours of arrival.

Until test results are known, visitors will be required to observe strict quarantine in their villa or hotel room during which time interaction is limited to only those traveling in your party.

Test results will take less than 24 hours to be released, Magras said. For those staying on the island for more than seven days, a second RT-PCR test will be required on Day 7. (Children under the age of 10 do not require a test).

The islands villas and resorts are beginning to reopen, most notably the Hotel Le Toiny, the first hotel on the island to announce its reopening, along with the popular Les Ilets de la Plage beachfront resort in St Jean.

Of course, leading villa companies like WIMCO and St Barth Properties are also reopening their properties for travelers.

And the best ways to get there from the United States remains flying luxury carrier Tradewind Aviation via San Juan.

CJ

Excerpt from:

St Barth to Reopen for Tourism on June 22 Caribbean Journal - Caribbean Journal

CTOSG, Neil Walters predicts significant integration of health and tourism

BRIDGETOWN,Barbados Tourism in the Caribbean and the rest of the world will be considerably different as countries begin to reopen their borders to international traffic following the forced closures occasioned by the onset of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), says the regions top tourism official.

Neil Walters, the acting secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), predicts closer alignment of tourism and health functions as destinations seek to reassure potential visitors that their health, safety and well-being are being taken seriously.

Walters says not only did the pause in tourism activity hurt Caribbean economies and disrupt lives, but it also allowed Caribbean countries to retrain workers across the sector and improve the product.

But one thing that has become critical is that the tourism that emerges from this pause will be different from the tourism that paused at the end of March. And the key way it will be different is that now tourism will be living and functioning with COVID-19. That means that there will be a significant integration of tourism and health functions across the world not just in the Caribbean and the Caribbean as arguably the most tourism-dependent region in the world has had to do the same thing: integrate tourism functions to ensure the safety and health of visitors and locals alike, he says in the final episode of theCTOpodcast,COVID-19: The Unwanted Visitor.

Although it has been economically impactful, that pause has actually given our destinations the chance to get that new process right, to work on getting it right, and to ensure that they reopen in a way that theres a level of comfort on all sides, he stresses.

The acting secretary general also emphasizes the level of collaboration among member countries, saying he hopes this will continue.

Ive been very heartened by the level of collaboration that Ive seen throughout this process. I hope that collaboration continues. That is the way this region and the brand Caribbean will become stronger. Even in the face of all the uncertainty we faced recently, that collaboration is key. I think that once we continue that collaboration, the spirit that it has been done in so far, the region which we live in will bounce back, he says.

This is the final episode in this series of podcasts, which covered a range of subjects, including coping with working from home during lock-down, consumer trust, the aviation and hospitality sectors and how the English-speaking Caribbean contained the virus.

The podcast is available on a number of platforms, including Anchor, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

See more here:

Tourism in the Caribbean will be different as they emerge from COVID-19 - South Florida Caribbean News

16/06/2020 Health spending in Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC) was about USD 1,000 per person in 2017, only of what was spent in OECD countries (adjusted for purchasing power). At the same time, health systems capacity is also considerably lower, including the ability to provide access to services of good quality to the most vulnerable groups. In addition, much is left to to be done to improve efficiency, effectiveness and targeting of health spending. While the LAC region is struggling to respond to the major challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, a serious reflection is needed not only on how to secure more funding but also on how to spend resources better, according to a new joint OECD World Bank report, the first Health at a Glance publication entirely dedicated to the LAC region.

Health at a Glance: Latin America & the Caribbean 2020 says that total health expenditure across LAC countries is 6.6% of GDP, lower than the 8.8% in OECD countries. Spending varied from 1.1% in Venezuela to up to 11.7% in Cuba and 9.2% in Uruguay in 2017.

Government spending and compulsory health insurance represent an average of 54.3% of total health spending in LAC, significantly lower than the 73.6% in the OECD. This shows that health systems in the LAC region are heavily dependent on out-of-pocket expenditures or supplemental private insurance from households. Honduras, Haiti and Guatemala have the highest proportions of private spending, while Cuba and Costa Rica have the lowest.

Health systems in LAC have fewer resources and less capacity than OECD countries to confront the COVID-19 pandemic. The LAC region has an average of two doctors per 1,000 population, and most countries stand well below the OECD average of 3.5, with only Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay having more. The average number of hospital beds in LAC is 2.1 per 1,000 population, that is less than half of the OECD average of 4.7. Barbados, Cuba and Argentina have more hospital beds than the OECD average, whereas the stock is below one hospital bed per 1,000 population in Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Moreover, according to data gathered just before the COVID-19 pandemic started, there were just 9.1 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) average beds per 100,000 population in 13 LAC countries, which is much lower than the 12 ICU average beds per 100,000 population found in OECD countries. Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina are above the LAC average, while the lowest ratios are observed in Costa Rica and El Salvador.

Health at a Glance: LAC 2020 highlights that poor allocation of health spending is slowing down, if not halting, progress towards universal health coverage in LAC. For example, weak health information systems are a major impediment. Across 22 LAC countries, an average of 10% of all deaths are never reported in public mortality databases. This means a reliable picture of population health is often missing. According to the Global Corruption Barometer, 42% of respondents across 12 LAC countries considered that there were corruption problems in the health sector. Most LAC countries have parallel health sub-systems with multiple and overlapping mechanisms of governance, financing and service provision, making it hard to steer resources to where they are most needed in an efficient way.

The report also highlights how quality of care in LAC is often poor. Twelve out of the 33 LAC countries fall short of attaining the minimum immunisation levels recommended by the WHO to prevent the spread of diphteria, tetanus and pertussis (90% of the target population) and 21 out of 33 fail to meet this target for measles (95% of the target population). This indicates the difficulties that countries are likely to have in making a future COVID-19 vaccine available for the whole population. Among six LAC countries with available data, women with early diagnosis for breast cancer had a 78% probability of surviving at least five years, while in adults with colon cancer it was 52% and for rectal cancer it was 46%, which are all much lower than the 85%, 62% and 61% survival rates observed in OECD countries.

Finally, the publication identifies key critical risk factors for poor health in LAC. Eight percent of children under the age of 5 and 28% of adolescents are overweight. This figure increases to over 53% among adult men and to more than 61% among adult women. Obesity increases the risk of chronic disease, and can also lead to complications and death in patients infected by COVID-19. Moreover, nearly one in four men and close to one in ten women aged 15 and above smoke daily. Smoking rates among children aged between 13 and 15 years old are 15% for boys and 12% for girls. Although average alcohol consumption in LAC is lower than in the OECD, it has increased by 3% between 2010 and 2016. Almost 35% and 22% of road traffic accidents among men and women, respectively, can be attributed to alcohol consumption.

Health at a Glance: Latin America & the Caribbean 2020 is available from June 16 at http://www.oecd.org/health/health-at-a-glance-latin-america-and-the-caribbean-2020-6089164f-en.htm.

World Bank Group Response to COVID-19 (coronavirus)

The World Bank Group, one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response. We are increasing disease surveillance, improving public health interventions, and helping the private sector continue to operate and sustain jobs. Over the next 15 months, we will be deploying up to $160 billion in financial support to help countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery, including $50 billion of new IDA resources in grants or highly concessional terms.

For further information, journalists should contact Carolina Ziehl, carolina.ziehl@oecd.org, and Shane Romig, sromig@worldbank.org.

Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.

Excerpt from:

Latin America & the Caribbean countries need to spend more and better on health to be better able to face a major health emergency like COVID-19...

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Wilting under the economic squeeze brought on by closed air and sea borders as a means of containing spread of COVID-19, a few of the tourism dependent Caribbean countries have cautiously re-opened their airports, while others are exploring the idea.

As of Wednesday Jamaica, St. Lucia, US virgin Iislands, St. Barts, and Antigua and Barbuda all opened their airports to visitors at varioous dates this month starting from June 01, with the Bahamas set to open its air gateway on July 01, and Aruba and Turks and Caicos to follow later in the month.

In Barbados, Prime Minister Mia Mottley began talks among what is termed the social partnership government, trade unions and the private sector seeking agreement on a a date for opening the island to non-national arrivals at its air and seaport.

Emphasizing the crucial importance for the islands economy to again be welcoming and hosting visitors since its lockdown some three months ago, Mottley said, in many respects, we die if we dont and we also die, if we do.

She explained that her current social partnership meetings are aimed at a consensus among all those who will be at risk of a COVID-19 resurgence, what is at stake is not just lives and livelihoods but indeed also the Barbadian way that reflects consultation. after consultation, the government reserves the right to decide and to act.

Antigua PM, Gaston Browne had similar sentiments.

Unless we open our borders and restore our economy, we face another powerful enemy economic collapse, high unemployment, overwhelming poverty, and no financial means to sustain ourselves, he said..

This is a time to face the inescapable truth frankly and boldly that we cannot take the unviable, risk-averse decision, to keep our countrys borders closed.

Unless the economy is reopened and every possible thing is done to rebuild it; the challenges we now confront will not be overcome any time soon. That is why we must not hesitate to act and to act now.

Caribbean territories with the exception of Haiti have been relatively successful in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic with Cuba reportedly leading with 84 deaths and Jamaica a distant second with 10 fatalities.

The need to urgently resume the Caribbean tourism trade is also felt by international air service providers including American Airlines, which the Antigua PM reportedly said is pressuring regional governments to set firm dates for re-opening of their airports.

I know for example that American Airlines would have read the riot act to a few Caribbean countries and would have said to them that if they do not give a specific timeline as to when they will reopen their airports, that they would not be part of their [AA] rotation between now and October.

So they may have to wait until about November before they can get flights. And I dont know any country within the Caribbean that is heavily dependent on tourism that would risk not opening before November because of the economic consequences, PM Browne said.

But this met with a stout denial form Barbados Tourism Minister, Kerrie Symmonds, who said, that is not applicable us, because we never closed our airport formally.

He told the Nation newspaper that AA had applied no pressure to Barbados and referred to the social partnership meetings through which the island will set its own date for re-opening, we are in discussions on protocols and other related specifics regarding the resumption of commercial traffic.

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Pressure on Caribbean tourism - Caribbean Life

NASSAU, Bahamas, Jun 20, CMC A new survey conducted by the audit, tax and advisory firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), has found that the greatest concern for Caribbean businesses is a new wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The sixth COVID-19 CFO Pulse Survey, which was conducted between June 1-11, involved 989 chief financial officers (CFO) in 23 countries including over 40 CFOs in the Caribbean.

The majority of CFOs surveyed in the Caribbean expect COVID-19 to decrease revenue/profits by 10 per cent.

Most Caribbean CFOs (70 per cent as compared to 63 per cent globally) cite offering new or enhanced products or services as most important to rebuilding or enhancing their revenue streams. None are considering making cuts to digital transformation or cybersecurity.

As Bahamians begin to return to the workplace, organisation's need to consider how they will support employees to adapt to new working conditions and realities, which may range from adjusting to reconfigured office layouts to the adoption of new behaviours designed to promote safety, said Prince Rahming, PwC Bahamas territory leader.

Only about a third of Caribbean region CFOs say they are very confident about their companys ability to manage their employees well-being and morale, yet these are factors that may significantly affect productivity and possibly the pace of future economic recovery, he added.

PwC Bahamas advisory partner, Kevin Cambridge, said given the current economic landscape, organisations are seeing the need now more than ever to implement an effective digital strategy to leverage the benefits of technology.

Equally important is the need to ensure that robust human capital engagement remains aligned as the driving force to achieve desired corporate goals.

According to the survey, 77 per cent of Caribbean CFOs say they are implementing cost containment, while 50 are considering deferring or cancelling planned investments as a result of COVID-19.

However, 32 per cent say in the next month they expect a productivity loss due to lack of remote work capabilities, while 34 per cent say in the next month they expect a change in staffing due to low/slow demand .

Most are very confident that on return to the workplace, they can meet customers safety expectations, while 82 per cent are very confident they can provide clear response and shut-down protocols if COVID-19 cases in their area rose significantly or if there was a second wave of infections.

A significant number of Caribbean CFOs (77 per cent) say the current work flexibility will make the company better in the long run while 59 per cent say the current situation has resulted in better resiliency and agility which will make the company better in the long run.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us atonlinefeedback@gleanerjm.comoreditors@gleanerjm.com.

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Caribbean business leaders worried about second wave of COVID-19 - Jamaica Gleaner

The 66th annual St. John Celebration is going virtual, with plans for a pop-up virtual festival, running from June 27 to July 4.

U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte said that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on mass gatherings in the territory, which will likely extend through the summer, the Division of Festivals team made the decision to cancel this years physical celebration.

We will, however, build on the virtual activities our team rolled out for Carnival Virgin Islands on St. Thomas, and we will take our music, culture and pageantry into the homes of thousands of Virgin Islanders and potential visitors to our islands, said Boschulte, who added that the Department of Tourism received tremendous positive feedback from the online social activities, which included musical performances as well as replays of previous carnival activities.

Some of the activities planned for the celebration include a virtual Local Cuisine Showcase, featuring Chef Julius Jackson and local culture bearer Irene Scatliff; and a Cultural Do It Yourself segment on costuming and traditional games in partnership with Reichhold Center for the Arts.

Historian Kurt Marsh, Jr. will speak on the history of Emancipation Day and St. Johns cultural roots.

The popular Home Wuk online series will once again feature the USVIs DJ Avalanche who will serve up feel-good music from the Virgin Islands and the region.

People thoroughly enjoyed seeing and hearing the sights and sounds of an authentic USVI carnival experience, and our goal is to offer more festival vibes to help Virgin Islanders near and far as well as prospective visitors feel connected to one another during the pandemic, said Ian Turnbull, Director of the USVI Division of Festivals.

There will be a virtual kick-off event on Fathers Day, this Sunday, June 21 at 4 p.m., featuring Cool Session and DJ Kuntry.

Festival sponsors include Caneel Bay, Cruzan Rum, Kismet, Oriental Bank, Reichhold Center for the Arts, Sea Shore Allure, Virgin Islands Lottery, Virgin Islands Port Authority and Viya.

The St. John Celebration traditionally culminates on July 4, combining the excitement of carnival with both the Fourth of July and the spirit of Emancipation.

Slaves in the U.S. Virgin Islands were freed on July 3, 1848.

Following the virtual edition of Love Citys annual festivities, plans will begin for staging the annual Crucian Christmas Festival, which is slated for St. Croix between December 4, 2020 and January 6, 2021.

For more, visit USVI.

CJ

Read more here:

This Year's St John Celebration Is Going Virtual Caribbean Journal - Caribbean Journal

What happened

America's cruise lines are extending their involuntary corona-cation -- but this time they're doing so voluntarily.

Just before 2 p.m. Friday, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the trade association representing Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) (NYSE:CUK), Royal Caribbean (NYSE:RCL), and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NASDAQ:NCLH), among others, announced that "the association's ocean-going cruise line members will voluntarily extend the suspension of cruise operations from U.S. ports until 15 September 2020."

As of 2:25 p.m. EDT, shares of Carnival stock are down 5.1%, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is down 5.8%, and Royal Caribbean is suffering worst of all -- down 6.3%.

Image source: Getty Images.

If you recall, it was way back in April that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last extended its no-sail order forbidding cruise ships from sailing out of U.S. ports before July 24. To date, the CDC has not updated or extended that order.

Regardless, observing that "it is increasingly clear that more time will be needed to resolve barriers to resumption in the United States," CLIA members have agreed "to err on the side of caution" and "further extend our suspension of operations from U.S. ports until 15 September."

This "extension of suspension" will come at a cost. According to CLIA, each day the cruise industry remains shut down costs the U.S. economy about $110 million "in economic activity."

More pertinently to cruise line investors, though, Norwegian Cruise says it is burning through cash at the rate of $110 million to $150 million each month, and has probably fewer than 10 months of cash left to it. Royal Caribbean is burning $250 million to $275 million per month during its shutdown, and Carnival just revealed a $650 million-a-month burn rate. And now, according to CLIA, each of these cruise lines can expect to keep burning cash for nearly two months longer than the most optimistic scenario for their respective returns to service.

Long story short? We all probably suspected that the CDC would extend its no-sail order eventually, and that cruise lines would have to remain out of service for longer than that optimistic July 24 scenario.

Now, sadly, that out-of-service suspicion has been confirmed, even if it didn't actually come at the behest of the CDC.

Go here to see the original:

Why Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Stocks Just Got Torpedoed and Are Going Down - Motley Fool

Divi Resorts is reopening its resorts in Aruba, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The regional resort company is planning to open its Divi DiviAruba Phoenix Beach Resort,DiviVillage Golf & Beach Resort, andDiviDutch Village Beach Resort on July 10, timed with the reopening of the island for United States travelers.

The company is implementing a new health and safety program called Clean Check to reflect the new realities of travel post COVID.

Divi has already reopened The Links at Divi Aruba, the Divi Village Golf and Beach Resorts nine-hole golf course, with new social distancing procedures in place.

All-inclusive guests at Divi Village Golf and Divi Dutch Village will now be able to play free golf all day, according to the company.

At Divi Resorts, cleanliness and safety standards have always been at the forefront of our policies. We sincerely care about the health and wellbeing of our guests and team members, and their safety remains a top priority as we reopen on Aruba, said Marco Galaverna, President and COO of Divi Resorts. We recently obtained our Aruba Health & Happiness Code seal from the Department of Public Health to show our commitment to providing healthy and safe hotel operations.

CJ

Read the rest here:

Divi Is Reopening Its Resorts in Aruba Caribbean Journal - Caribbean Journal

By Sam Bojarski

Caribbean flags of all colors filled the streets of Flatbush on the afternoon of June 14, as calls for racial justice were punctuated by the sounds of reggae music.

Marlyne Gaston was one of the protesters who marched up Flatbush Avenue, from Church Avenue to Grand Army Plaza, demanding justice for George Floyd and an end to racism and police brutality.

I was hesitant to come out earlier in the protests because of COVID, but last night another black man was killed in America, said Gaston, in reference to the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta, which occurred late Friday night.

I was vocal from my house, but now, I see I had to come out here, added Gaston, a Haitian-American who lives in Flatbush.

Several hundred people, perhaps more than 1,000, attended the Caribbean Americans for Justice march, organized as a show of unity during Caribbean American Heritage Month. The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy, Mount Zion Church of God, Byways & Hedges Youth for Christ Ministry, Ride Along Live and Haitian American community leader Rose Guerrier, of International Cultures United, were among the organizers of the event.

Speakers and marchers called for black unity and solidarity among immigrants, and attendees marched peacefully through the streets, chanting the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Call-and-response slogans like no justice, no peace, were regular features of the march.

Jeff Paul, a Haitian American who was in attendance, noted the significance of the event, given Brooklyns large Caribbean community.

I think its good for us to show unity with each other, were all from different islands and everything, but you know, when we all come together for a cause its a beautiful thing, said Paul, who lives in Flatbush.

Haitians, in particular, have been settling in the U.S. in large numbers since the 1960s. According to Paul, the generation of Haitians who were born in the U.S. have become more in tune with the challenges faced by other black Americans.

I think the generation that was born here, you know, we pretty much have been in black culture, and we know the different things in black society that affect us, he told the Haitian Times.

Gaston acknowledged that the past has not always been free of conflict between the different Caribbean communities in Brooklyn. But she said the march represented an opportunity for all people of African descent to come together as one.

When they said they (were) having a Caribbean protest, I was like, oh yeah, thats up my alley. African Americans, Caribbean Americans, were all one and the same, she said.

The crowd gradually began to swell at around noon, as march attendees, most of them dressed in black, gathered on all four corners of Church and Flatbush avenues. Rev. Terry Lee of Byways & Hedges kicked things off with an electrifying prayer and speech. After acknowledging his own background as a Jamaican immigrant, he called for solidarity among all immigrants during the march.

TO READ FULL STORY

Sam Bojarski has been covering Haiti and its diaspora for The Haitian Times since 2018. He is currently covering New York's Haitian community as a Report for America corps member.

Continued here:

Haitians join with Caribbean community to demand justice - Haitian Times

Last week a culture war erupted in Britain over its colonial history.

Ostensibly the debate revolved around how to respond to publicprotests against the memorialising in city streets, squares, andpublic spaces of those involved in slavery. More profoundly, however,what happened and was said illuminated the need for Britain find waysto rebalance the nations understanding of the role played byconquest, exploitation, and empire in creating its wealth.

The matter achieved prominence because of events on June 7 in Bristolin the West of England. There, protestors had taken to the streets tojoin the international condemnation of the death of George Floyd inMinneapolis, and to make clear that Black Lives Matter in Britain too.

In events eerily reminiscent of other turning points in history fromSouth Africa to Eastern Europe, a group of protestors pulled down astatue of Edward Colston, a seventeenth century slaver and citybenefactor, and threw him into the harbour. Captured on social media,the moment was significant in a yet to be fulfilled way, as itillustrated the need to change the trajectory of Britains history.

It was an act important for its symbolism, not least because many ofthose attending the protest there and in many other British citieswere not just young people of Caribbean and African descent, but alsonumerous others who were white. Their actions reflected a passion tohave their voices heard on racism, inequity, social injustice, andtheir common fears about employment and the future. Tellingly, thecountys police service decided not to intervene, accepted thatColston should fall, and that the greater public good in amulti-racial city was in not provoking a confrontation.

In contrast, a similar Black Lives Matter demonstration in London, sawa small minority indulge in violence and the mindless defacing of thenational war memorial and a statue of Churchill, who in Britainremains an understandable if unnuanced icon as the wartime leader ofan island that stood alone, and then with the US and Russia defeatedfascism in Europe.

The subsequent political and media reaction to events was predictable.The focus was on protecting property, achieving outcomes by democraticmeans, and calls for punitive jail sentences; only for such commentsto be followed by a backlash from menacing groups of ultra-right thugsmasquerading as protectors of statues and history.

Far more important, however, is the sense that the toppling ofColstons statue, marks the identifiable point at which significantparts of British society began to recognise that a more balancedfact-based understanding of the past is required if the country is tobecome more cohesive.

Colstons fall confronted the central un-spoken myth in much of UKsociety about the unremittingly positive nature of its history andmany of its citizens consequential and surprisingly commonplace senseof global superiority.

What happened in Bristol was in its own small way a revolutionary actchallenging the view that Britains future can continue to be based onan uncritical view of its past.

More generally, it highlighted the failure of the Britainseducational system to create an awareness that Britains wealth andeconomic development was built to a significant extent on thetransatlantic slave trade and the exploitation of other human beingson plantations in the Caribbean.

It pointed too, to the need for the teaching of economic and socialhistory rather political history; explaining the present-dayimplications of the acquisition of empire; where the funding forBritains early industrialisation came from and its subsequent socialconsequences; the more recent role played by the thousands from thethen colonies who fought and died for Britain; and how migrants afterthe second world war played a vital role in Britains economicrecovery.

Why none of this has yet happened requires holistic explanation, butthe simple answer could be because much of history shows that thewinners sit back, learning little from their victory, while thelosers learn from their defeat, manage to innovate, and eventuallyfind new ways to rise.

The reaction to Colstons toppling also indicated the absence of anyleading government politician with the courage to recognise how abetter national perspective on English history and a country atcultural peace with itself might channel honesty about the past intogreater global influence.

Shortly after Colstons statue came down, Prime Minister Johnsonannounced a new policy initiative to have a commission identify thedisparities in treatment experienced by minority ethnic groups andmake recommendations.

The problem was that this was not only behind the pay wall of anational newspaper in an article about Churchill, his hero, but itignored four recent and related national reports which have not beenacted on. Appearing to lack understanding, Prime Minister Johnsonsaid, What I really want to do as Prime Minister is change thenarrative, so we stop the sense of victimisation and discrimination.

In a hard-hitting public response, clear and to the point, DavidLammy, an opposition Member of Parliament of Guyanese parentage, whosegovernment-commissioned report is one of those not yet implemented,said that to distract from his inaction, Mr. Johnson was now seeking aculture war.

Britain of course continues to play an important role in the world,but to succeed post-Brexit, it will have to do much more than signtrade agreements and promote nostalgia. To retain its influence in theCaribbean and elsewhere, it will have to project soft power, enhanceits global standing, and cultivate a modern national image worthaspiring to.

Without genuinely addressing issues like racial inequality, injusticeand its history, Britain is likely to become more volatile, making itdifficult for its diplomats to explain its present and future place inthe world, let alone the relevance of Global Britain or the jingoismthat surrounds Brexit.

History cannot be changed, but it deserves to be better understood andexplained, not just in its original context, but in relation to todayand the future. The Caribbean has an important role to play in this.

It needs to remind Britain directly and through its Diaspora that itshistory is the regions history as well. It should find ways to warnabout the dangers inherent in provoking a culture war.

See the article here:

THE VIEW FROM EUROPE: Britain's culture war and the Caribbean - Barbados Advocate

JetBlue is launching a Caribbean expansion beginning in August, with new routes to Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.

Beginning Aug. 6, JetBlue will be operating a new route from Philadelphia to San Juan, Puerto Ricos Luis Muoz Marn International Airport up to once daily, the carrier said this week.

In October, JetBlue will be launching a new route from New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport to St Thomas, with up to two weekly flights to the islands Cyril E. King Airport.

Coronavirus has transformed airline route maps, and as we begin to see small signs of recovery, we continue to be flexible with our network plans to respond to demand trends and generate cash in support of our business, said Scott Laurence, head of revenue and planning at JetBlue. Weve selected routes where customers are showing some interest in travel again and where our low fares and award-winning experience will be noticed.

The carrier will be operating both routes on its Airbus A320 aircraft.

It should be noted that both of these are new routes, not relaunched routes.

JetBlue has also announced that it will relaunch service to a pair of airports in Puerto Rico beginning early next month, with relaunched flights both to Aguadillas Rafael Hernndez Airport and Ponces Mercedita International Airport.

Those relaunches come ahead of Puerto Ricos planned reopening for tourism on July 15.

JetBlue has not yet announced where else it will be relaunching flights in the Caribbean.

CJ

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JetBlue Is Adding New Flights to St Thomas, Puerto Rico - Caribbean Journal

Sandals Resorts is planning to open the vast majority of its Caribbean resorts in June, a company spokesperson confirmed to Caribbean Journal.

We are pleased to announce that all of our resorts (with the exception of our Bahamas resorts) are scheduled to reopen on June 4, 2020, a spokesperson told Caribbean Journal.

That includes Sandals and Beaches resorts in Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Turks and Caicos.

Of course, the reopening will depend on those destinations choosing to reopen their borders by those dates.

There have been several ongoing travel restrictions, airport closures, and increased government protocols, which have caused border closure extensions. These dates are, therefore, subject to change, as they are dependent on those factors, the company said.

In effect, that means the company will be prepared to reopen if borders are open by that date.

As for Sandals pair of branded resorts in The Bahamas (in Nassau and Exuma), the plan is for a scheduled opening date of July 1, 2020. (The Bahamas, too, currently has closed borders).

Its a major step for the all-inclusive brand though much will also depend on how quickly key source markets like the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom begin to send travelers.

The announcement comes after Sandals released a broad list of changes to its operational and hygiene procedures in a nod to the new realities of travel.

For more, visit Sandals.

CJ

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Sandals Planning to Reopen Most of Its Caribbean Resorts in June - Caribbean Journal

Caribbean medical schools often give students another chance of becoming a doctor in the United ... [+] States

Every year, thousands of students dream of getting into medical school. The chance to pursue this highly sought after career requires students to plan extensively for the application process. Unfortunately, there just arent enough spots to accommodate every applicant.

To put it in perspective, Stanford University was the most competitive undergraduate program in 2019, accepting just 4% of applicants. Stanford has a higher acceptance rate than the ten most competitive medical schools, which accepted an average of 2.5% of all applicants.

Out of the 53,371 applicants in 2019, just 21,869 matriculated into an allopathic medical school. That means roughly 60% of the students were rejected. Many of these students are highly qualified and competitive, but there arent enough seats for everyone.

As these rejected students weigh their options, they might wonder about medical schools outside of the U.S, specifically in the Caribbean. In general, the 80 Caribbean medical schools dont always have the best reputation, but they can provide an opportunity for U.S. students to study medicine.

Typically, these four Caribbean medical schools, known as The Big Four, have a reputation for being the best option for students who will ultimately return to the U.S. for their residency:

For some students, Caribbean medical schools offer a second chance to matriculate into a medical school. But before committing to four years of education, students must do their research first to understand the outcomes of their decision.

In medical school, the attrition rate is calculated by looking at how many students drop out of a program. Overall, six years after matriculating, the average attrition rate for allopathic U.S. medical schools was 4.1%, meaning roughly 96% of matriculating medical students graduated.

If you are considering an international medical school, one of the first things you should look at is the attrition rate. A rate of 50% or above is a major red flag, because a majority of their students leave the school without a degree. A school that wont share its attrition rate is likely hiding something. Many Caribbean medical schools are for-profit institutions, so financially, it is in their best interest to admit more students, without much concern if the students successfully graduate.

The Big Four tend to have a lower attrition rate than other Caribbean schools, but it is often still higher than U.S. medical schools. For example, Ross University reported that in July of 2017, 20% of the students who started in 2013 were no longer students at the university, 46% had graduated and 34% were still enrolled in the school.

Matching into a residency program is one of the biggest hurdles that medical students have to overcome, and it will dictate what type of medical specialty they will pursue. Starting in the fourth year, medical students send applications to hospitals that train in that particular specialty and interview for the position. The match system is extremely complex, with both the hospitals and the applicants ranking each other in order of desirability. Some programs are more selective about whom they will interview, with 68% of programs saying they seldom or never interview international medical graduates who are U.S. citizens.

In 2019, the Match Daywhen the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) releases the decisionswas the biggest ever. More than 38.373 applicants applied for 35,185 positions. For the students who dont match, they must try to match again after the initial process has ended. If they are unable to secure a spot, they will have to wait and reapply the following year.

For U.S. allopathic medical school graduates, 93.9% matched into a program. This number has been relatively consistent in recent years. The NRMP doesnt break the data down by specific country, but for all international medical school graduates, 59% matched into first-year positions (PGY-1). According to SGUthe second largest source of physicians in the U.S.93% of their 2017 eligible U.S. graduates had obtained a PGY-1 position. AUC had a similar match for its graduates at 91% in 2019. From 2013 to 2018, 94% of Saba Universitys graduates attained a residency.

While students from the Big Four are matching into U.S. residency programs, it is important to look at what type of programs they are matching into. For Caribbean medical school graduates, it can be challenging to get matched into some of the most competitive specialties. According to NRMP, in 2019 U.S. allopathic seniors filled more than 90% of the spots in the following specialties:

However, for students who want to pursue a different specialty, like internal or family medicine, a Caribbean medical school might be a good option. In 2020, the majority of graduates from SGU, AUC, Saba University and Ross University matched with an internal medicine or family medicine residency program.

According to NRMP, U.S. allopathic seniors filled less than 45% of the spots in the following specialties:

It Can Be Done!

While these statistics can be daunting, it is possible for international medical graduates to match into a highly-sought after residency program. Here are just a few examples of students who graduated from a Caribbean medical school and have matched into a competitive residency:

In the U.S., 143 allopathic medical colleges are accredited by the Liaison Committee of Medical Education and 38 osteopathic medical colleges are accredited by the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. Graduating from any of these medical schools will allow you to practice medicine, perform surgery and prescribe drugs in all 50 states in the U.S.

For Caribbean schools, it is a little bit different. The Caribbean schools are unofficially ranked into three tiers (top, mid and bottom). The ranking has nothing to do with the quality of education youll receive or the likelihood youll match at a good institution. Instead, it is based on approvals and accreditations.

For students who are considering studying in the Caribbean, the accreditation of the institution is essential to consider if they are planning on practicing medicine in the U.S. The only Caribbean medical school you should consider should be top-tier and have an accreditation recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education/Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (WFME/FAIMER).

Some states, like California, Florida, New Jersey and New York, have stricter guidelines, and even if the college has an accreditation recognized by WFME/FAIMER, it might not be enough to practice in that state. For example, California keeps a list of foreign medical schools that have been approved by the Medical Board of California. The Big Four and a few other Caribbean medical schools are approved to practice in California, but the list is limited.

Before enrolling in any international medical school, it is essential to weigh your options carefully. Think about what type of doctor you want to be and where you want to practice medicine. The road to becoming a doctor is long, expensive, and arduous, and the choice of a medical school to get you there should be meticulously researched and planned.

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Will Attending Medical School In The Caribbean Hurt My Chances Of Becoming A U.S. Doctor? - Forbes

In a major milestone for the wider Caribbean region, the island of Nevis says it is free of the coronavirus.

The announcement comes after the island, which has a population of around 12,000 people, launched a series of aggressive measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Its another strong sign for the region, following a similar revelation by the island of Anguilla at the end of last month.

Indeed, there were no active cases of the virus in Nevis on Sunday night nor were there any tests pending, according to a statement from Nevis Premier Mark Brantley, who has been an active, inspiring presence for locals during the lockdown.

According to Brantley, the island had seen four confirmed cases, all of which had recovered.

Nevis is part of the twin-island federation of St Kitts and Nevis, which continues to keep its borders closed, following a decision by the federation on March 25 one that included requiring nationals and residents overseas to remain offshore.

It was a bold move by the destination that is serious about containing the spread of coronavirus, but it seems to have paid off, the islands tourism authority said in a statement.

Nevis had also launched an app, Nevis Health, designed to help track cases on the island.

For its part, the larger island of St Kitts has been equally aggressive, with just a handful of active cases remaining on that island.

The decision to close our borders did not come without serious consideration as tourism is hugely important to Nevis, however, our highest priority is the health and well-being of our people. This has paid off and we are now Covid free. We wish the best for all those interested in Nevis and we hope to see you when we can finally accept visitors again.

While its not yet clear when Nevis or any other Caribbean country will begin to open their borders to tourists, the move is of course a significant step.

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The Island of Nevis Says It Is Coronavirus Free Caribbean Journal - Caribbean Journal

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As leaders in Beijing and Washington squandered precious early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic pointing fingers and abdicating responsibility, Taiwan prepared. The small island-nation less than 150 miles off the coast of mainland China appeared to be ripe kindling for a COVID-19 wildfire to take hold. Yet while nations and cities around the world shuttered and economies screeched to a halt, Taiwan has been a model for effective pandemic response, with only six deaths from the new coronavirus thus far.

For decades, Taipei has argued unsuccessfully that disease has no respect for borders or political disputes and that its exclusion from the World Health Organization (WHO) comes to the detriment of global health. Its COVID-19 response bolstered the claim and members of the international community, including the United States, are speaking up in favor of Taipei being granted observer status. Such a decision would rile Beijing, which considers the self-governed island a rightful part of its territory, but would do little to reverse the cascade of diplomatic losses Taiwan has suffered in recent years.

The success of Taiwans medical diplomacy during the COVID-19 outbreak has much starker implications for the self-governing democratic nation. As Beijing cracks down on Hong Kong protests and makes more brazen territorial claims in the South China Sea, diplomatic recognition is critical to Taiwans maintenance of de facto sovereignty. In the Latin America-Caribbean (LAC) region, home to nine of the 15 countries that officially recognize Taiwan, Beijing has used Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) dollars as a carrot and stick to gain a foothold in Americas backyard. However, the COVID-19 crisis has provided an opening for Taipei to push back against Beijing and shore up existing alliances in the region in what might be Taiwans final stand

Taiwans Medical Diplomacy

Taiwan has turned its successful COVID-19 response into a global campaign. Boxes proudly stamped with Made in Taiwan have sent millions of masks around the world to Italy, the United States, and Canada, while leading Taiwanese scientists have offered up their pandemic playbook remotely to the world. The message coming from President Tsai Ing-wen and her government is clear: Taiwan can help; if only more would listen. Taiwans shining moment is unlikely to persuade any country to risk violating Beijings One China policy, though, and too much chatter about Taiwans status could come at a steep price, with Beijing poaching another of its allies.

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Since Tsai took office in 2016, Beijing has taken seven of Taiwans allies, including three from the LAC region Panama, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador. Tsai has made Taiwans remaining allies in the LAC region a focal part of her foreign policy. She regularly visits nations like Haiti, St. Lucia, and St. Nevis and Kitts making a convenient stopover to the United States and Taiwans International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) is lending money to improve sectors like agriculture, energy, and technology. On the ground, Taiwan is much better able to compete with Beijing in small nations where massive infrastructure projects are less needed. The Trump administrations hard line against China has argued that cozying to Beijing has hidden costs, but much of the region including Taiwans recent allies the Dominican Republic and Panama has signed onto the BRI.

However, more than loyalty or geopolitics, the COVID-19 crisis has made a more forceful case for the value of retaining relations with Taiwan. Many LAC countries are uniquely susceptible to a pandemic. The region depends heavily on a tourist industry that is at a standstill, and many countries suffer from underdeveloped health systems. Taipei has worked hard to show its allies it can help, dispatching aid, advice, and precious personal protective equipment (PPE) to help prepare.

Through its Regional Emergency Fund against COVID-19 Pandemic, Taipei has donated $2 million and tens of thousands of masks to Belize to fill the gaps in badly needed medical equipment. In Saint Lucia, Taiwan has again come in their time of need and donated 40,000 face masks, six thermal imaging body temperature detection systems, and forehead thermometers. When the equipment was handed off to Prime Minister Allen Chastenet, Taiwans ambassador called St. Lucia one of Taiwans most important allies in the world. In St. Vincent and Grenadines, Taiwan provided 40,000 face masks and thermal imaging devices. In late March, Taiwan sent 180,000 face masks, food, and costly X-ray and ultrasound machinery to Guatemala.

However, in the face of a global recession, Taiwans allies in the region particularly Haiti may look to Beijing. In September 2019, still months before news broke of the initial coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, Beijing took the time to make a public overture to Haiti. The head of Chinas commercial office in Haiti told the nations largest newspaper, Le Nouvestille, that China could provide free assistance, interest free loans, and concessional loans, in improving Haitis infrastructure if they would uphold the One China principle. Chinas attention to Haiti coupled with a recent diplomatic disagreement that sent Taiwans ambassador home seemed to be eroding the long partnership. But Taiwan has helped Haiti in crisis before notably during a 2010 cataclysmic earthquake and cholera outbreak and has an opportunity to strengthen ties again.

The Taiwan-Haiti Relationship

In 2018, the Dominican Republic split with Taiwan after a 70-year relationship. Since then, Haiti has watched as its island-mate was rewarded with a litany of new cooperation agreements related to agriculture, tourism, and more. Taiwan promptly responded with a $150 million loan package for Haitis infrastructure and Tsai has since visited to affirm Taiwans commitments.

So far Haiti has had a rare bout of good news and there are less than 100 COVID-19 cases nationwide. But rampant poverty and a woefully unprepared health system require immediate international aid. In March, Haitis Health Ministry estimated they would need between $30 to 35 million to respond to COVID-19 and in a worst case scenario, the country could face 432,000 hospitalizations. Last month, the French Hospital of Haiti closed its doors after 100 years, citing a lack of equipment or medical gear to contain a highly contagious illness. Furthermore, according to some sources, the country has less than 60 ventilators nationwide for a population of 11 million.

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With international organizations like WHO stretched thin, Taiwan has looked to fill the gaps in Haitis preparation. On April 17, Haitian President Jovenel Mose visited Taiwans embassy to discuss strengthening relations in response to COVID-19. Taiwan responded by dispatching 1,000 tons of rice, seven thermal cameras, new ambulances, and over 280,000 face masks. Beyond just material aid, Taiwan has offered its advice; helping set up widespread sanitation and disinfectant campaigns in Haitis most densely populated areas while offering videoconferencing lessons from its best hospitals and doctors.

Moses political viability in Haiti is insecure and the Taiwan-China issue has become a political football for many of Taiwans remaining allies. Beijing could counter Taiwan being granted WHO observer status by offering Haiti a lucrative infrastructure package, putting Mose in an increasingly difficult position at home. However, Taiwans ability to shine on a global stage and help on-the-fence allies will be critical to keep its democracy and sovereignty strong.

Jared Ward, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the history department at the University of Akron in Ohio.

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Taiwan's Medical Diplomacy in the Caribbean: A Final Stand Against Beijing? - The Diplomat

Last month, I wrote about our month-long sojourn in Puerto Rico and how much of the island, though not the resort districts, is alive with the sound of music. Its excruciatingly loud pop music whose metronomic thumping bass notes rattle fillings and forestall thought.

A friend who has spent the past decade immersed in the culture of Central America and the Caribbean explained it this way. Preventing thought is the point of that music because what people would think about is how hopeless their situation is. There seemed, in our travels around the island, to be truth to that.

What follows are impressions and observations made after dozens of conversations, but nothing born of deep knowledge or long experience.

We drove around much of the island. Puerto Rico is, in land area, half the size of New Hampshire, but its landscape is even more varied. Flat farmlands south of San Juan, mountain jungles in the east, dry rolling desert-like terrain and cattle ranches in the south, California-like coastline and surfer beaches on the west.

We traveled west from San Juan through Arecibo, home to the giant radio telescope made famous in the movies GoldenEye (James Bond) and Contact (Jodie Foster) and on to Rincon, with its surf shops and hip bars.

We went east to El Yunque National Forest, swam from Luqillos famous beaches, kayaked in a bioluminescent bay in the dark in Fajardo, ate fresh-caught grilled snapper in El Makito, a bayside restaurant in Naguabo, where diving pelicans provided the entertainment, stayed beachside in Yabucoa, and made it as far as the quake-rattled city of Ponce in the south before cutting back through Caguas in the middle of the island to our $35-a-night home base.

Every person we spoke to, young and old, was revolted by President Trump, his attack on immigrants, and his disdain for their homeland.

But every person, young or old, said Trump was right not to send billions more in aid to Puerto Rico unless it was distributed by mainland agencies, not by Puerto Ricos politicians and public officials. All, or almost all, we were told, are hopelessly corrupt. The aid money would never reach those who needed it most.

Last week the Associated Press reported that most of the $290 million in U.S. aid meant to feed Puerto Rican schoolchildren during the pandemic has gone unspent for more than a month for want of a plan by the island government to distribute it. Hunger is widespread.

The island, like other U.S. territories, is a victim of outdated federal policies seemingly designed to guarantee continued second-class colonial status.

The 1920 Jones Act requires that goods sent to Puerto Rico be conveyed on U.S.-owned, flagged and operated ships, which is one of the reasons why groceries cost roughly 50% more than in mainland stores.

Puerto Ricos residents, though American citizens, cant vote. Their sole representative in Congress is relegated to observer status. The islands standard of living increased dramatically after a 1976 federal tax break made it profitable for manufacturers, especially pharmaceutical companies, to build plants on the island. In 1996 the Clinton administration phased out the tax incentives. Many factories closed and Puerto Rico has been in recession ever since.

The damage from ongoing recession and endemic corruption appears to be even greater than that of earthquakes and hurricanes. Seaside properties have tumbled into ruin. Trees grow out of centuries-old buildings in Arecibo and Ponce, places that would be on the historic register of most communities.

Citizens hope for electoral rescue by native Puerto Ricans like actor Benicio del Toro or children of the islands long diaspora, among them actor Jimmy Smits, singer Jennifer Lopez and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.

Protests, mostly by the young last summer, led to the ouster of the islands governor and a host of other elected officials, but no one we spoke to had faith in the current government or the possibility of change.

The poverty rate is roughly 45%. The young, educated and enterprising have been leaving the island in droves for want of jobs. The islands population, which peaked at just shy of 3.8 million, has fallen to 3.1 million. Whole blocks of commercial and office buildings just outside San Juans old city are empty and marred by graffiti.

About one-third of the island economy, to escape taxation, is estimated to be off the books. Big-box national chains like Walmart killed off downtown stores and picturesque shops. Fast-food chain restaurants are everywhere.

The Puerto Ricans we met were outgoing and friendly. The islands culture, starting with the indigenous Taino indians enslaved and killed by Christopher Columbus and those who came after him, has always been one of peace. The macho swagger of men and boys was nowhere to be seen. But the hopelessness, fatalism and belief that their second-class status would never change were disheartening.

The United States, in the 21st century, still treats Puerto Rico as a colony undeserving of full democracy. Because they are less, we are lessened. Statehood is the only potential solution to the islands many problems.

(Ralph Jimenez of Concord is a member of the Monitors editorial board.)

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Ralph Jimenez: Corruption and hopelessness in the Caribbean - Concord Monitor

Most Caribbean countries will be exposed to the sudden drop in tourism.

Government will need private-sector help to fill the gap.

A condition of resuming business could be employing furloughed tourist workers as cleaners and temperature-checkers.

We are all in the same COVID-19 storm, but not all countries are in the same boat. Here in the Bahamas, 70% of our GDP is generated from tourism. Tourist-based economies like ours throughout the Caribbean region have limited social safety nets. This means our people, economy and future are far more likely to be wrecked by COVID-19 than nations with more diversified economies. Today, airports and hotels here are shuttered, unemployment throughout the region is soaring, and nobody knows when these tourism sector jobs may come back.

The Caribbean countries of Barbados, Belize and the Bahamas are among the most exposed in the world to the sudden pause in global tourism. This pandemic shock is unlike any shock that these sovereigns have seen in their history, said Julia Smith, an analyst at S&P Global Ratings. S&P expects that tourism in the Caribbean will probably decline by 60-70% from April to December compared with last year. In fact, due to COVID-19, the ratings agency downgraded the Bahamas and Belize this month further to junk status, while lowering the credit outlooks in Aruba, Barbados, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica to negative.

To put the magnitude of the problem into perspective, these countries are accustomed to welcoming three to six cruise ships a day. That is 12,000-20,000 new tourists hitting their shores every day. They have no cruise ships now and havent had any since February. Right now, 95% of the 80,000 hotel rooms in the Cancun Hotel Zone are vacant. Without the Cancun-to-Cozumel tourist sector income, countries as large as Mexico are suffering.

Tourism money is very important for one reason: It pumps cash (dollars) into the economy. Without tourists to pay (with cash) for para-sailing, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, taxis, groceries, etc. tourism-dependent countries risk running out of US dollars, which they need for the importation of food, fuel and for servicing debt obligations. No tourism, no cash.

These economies need to be diversified, but this cant be done overnight meanwhile, every night, I fear these countries are on the cusp of civil unrest. Tourism-dependent economies are collapsing.

Tourist-dependent economies need to create thousands of jobs for furloughed tourism-sector workers. They need them quickly. Unlike the EU, UK or US, governments in the Caribbean cannot afford to offer wage subsidy furlough schemes. With unemployment levels soaring past post-war peaks in the US, analysts are looking at the Great Depression for guidance. Some commentators say that battling COVID-19 is akin to fighting a war. But this is far from a wartime economy where production runs full tilt, and everyone is needed to work.

What can be done? Here is a plan that would allow the private sector to work with the government in winning the unemployment war without any additional investment. Real jobs are based on real needs. In order to open our economies, even domestically, we will need the equivalent of a small army of workers to carry out health tasks testing, temperature checks, and contact tracing as well as the additional sterilization that will be necessary in businesses and public spaces.

If the private sector in Caribbean countries were asked to share the governments burden of creating employment, thousands of jobs could be created overnight in a mutually beneficial way. Leaders of Caribbean nations might consider mandating that the condition upon which high traffic businesses such as grocery stores, home improvement stores, retail banks, malls, large office buildings, ferry companies, gyms, etc. may reopen is the employment of repurposed tourism sector COVID cleaners and temperature-checkers at a fixed hourly rate during opening hours.

If that were the condition that enabled the private sector to get back in business, it would be the CEOs that were queuing outside the hotel union workers building to hire COVID cleaners and temperature checkers. Governments could make it clear that this is a temporary measure that will be in place until COVID-19 is under control and hotels are reopened.

A new strain of Coronavirus, COVID 19, is spreading around the world, causing deaths and major disruption to the global economy.

Responding to this crisis requires global cooperation among governments, international organizations and the business community, which is at the centre of the World Economic Forums mission as the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation.

The Forum has created the COVID Action Platform, a global platform to convene the business community for collective action, protect peoples livelihoods and facilitate business continuity, and mobilize support for the COVID-19 response. The platform is created with the support of the World Health Organization and is open to all businesses and industry groups, as well as other stakeholders, aiming to integrate and inform joint action.

As an organization, the Forum has a track record of supporting efforts to contain epidemics. In 2017, at our Annual Meeting, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) was launched bringing together experts from government, business, health, academia and civil society to accelerate the development of vaccines. CEPI is currently supporting the race to develop a vaccine against this strand of the coronavirus.

Repurposing human potential would give thousands of tourism sector workers dignity and purpose, as well as assisting these fiscally fragile nations. It would allow businesses to reopen sooner. Customers would feel safer going out to spend, which would get the domestic economy moving again. And yes, everyone benefits, even the regions debt ratings.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Caribbean tourism has been decimated by COVID-19. But the private sector can cushion the blow - World Economic Forum

Disney Springs plans to reopen in Orlando on May 20 with limited capacity, parking and operating hours. Under the initial phase, a limited number of shopping and dining experiences owned by third-party operating participants will open.

Walt Disney World Resort also issued an update on its overall reopening strategy last week that stopped short of announcing a reopening date but confirmed that it will limit capacity and encourage social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.

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Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings may be modified and will be limited in capacity and subject to limited availability or closure, based on direction from health experts and government officials to promote physical distancing, the company said.

Southwest Re-starting International Flights

Southwest is resuming a handful of international flights on June 7, 2020, including flights to the Caribbean and Mexico, after halting international routes since March 23, 2020.

Southwest will first fly to five select destinations on various routes. The airline will fly from Houston Hobby, Denver and Baltimore to Cancun; from Houston Hobby and Denver to Los Cabos; from Baltimore and Orlando to Montego Bay; from Baltimore to Nassau; and from Tampa to Havana.

These routes are expected to be operated throughout the summer and fall, and a flight from Phoenix to Los Cabos will resume on October 8, 2020. All other international destinations will continue to be suspended until October 30, 2020, or longer.

Air Canada Vacations last week said it will start flying to various sun destinations and European destinations in June.

BoJo Imposes Quarantine: Airlines Call it a Disaster

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that all travellers arriving in the UK will be quarantined for 14 days.

In his address to the nation Sunday evening Mr Johnson said that in order to prevent re-infection from abroad he was serving notice that it will soon be the time with transmission significantly lower to impose quarantine on people coming into this country by air," he said.

Government sources told the Mirror it will be for 14 days.

Johnson said its a necessary move to protect Britons, but the countrys aviation industry says its a disastrous move.

Quarantine would not only have a devastating impact on the UK aviation industry, but also on the wider economy, Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said in a story in The Guardian. If the government believes quarantine is medically necessary, then it should be applied on a selective basis following the science, there should be a clear exit strategy, and the economic impact on key sectors should be mitigated.

California on the Rebound

The Los Angeles Times has a good story on how California is gradually opening up its businesses. Its good, but theres no road map for this sort of thing. The story reports that Destination Marketing Organizations, hotels or vacation rental companies are wrestling with when they should commence re-imagined marketing campaigns.

Interesting point that holds true for countries around the world, including Italy, France and, of course, Canada.

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Road to Recovery: Disney Plans, Plus Restored Flights to the Caribbean - TravelPulse Canada

Sargassum seaweed "invasions" are "the new norm" say experts as a massive clear up operation to remove seaweed gets underway on Miami Beach.

Though the Lee and Collier coastlines are looking pretty clear at the moment, scientists warn beach-clogging blooms of sargassum may appear in the not-so-distant future.

University of South Florida oceanography professor Chuanmin Hu's monthly sargassum forecast predicts that vast drifts of the floating giant lifeform scientists dont include it in the plant kingdom could reach the Florida Straits next month.

The satellite-based model shows the sargassum currently making its way from the eastern Caribbean to South Florida. Depending on winds and current, researchers estimate an early July arrival.

Sargassum on the beach in Captiva. This prolific algae uses gas- (mostly oxygen) filled sacs to float.(Photo: Amy Bennett Williams/The News-Press)

On a recent afternoon, though, only the occasional strand of sargassum tumbled in the Sanibel surf.

Small amountsare a familiar sight on South Florida beaches, but in 2018 record-breaking amounts washed up, carpeting the shoreline in springy brown tangles that become foul-smelling as they decompose.

Last summer, it messed up Naples beaches, creating smelly headaches for city workers, who had to gather it up and haul it off.

The USF forecast isnt calling for a catastrophic level of the stuff, but it does anticipate an above-average year. The current is very fast, Hu told USA Today Network Florida earlier this week. It has reached Jamaica. In June, it could be transported into the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

The most recent USF forecast said the total amount of sargassum grew from 4.3 million metric tons in March to 5.8 miin April a 35 percent increase and about the same amount as in April 2015.

Sargassum is a macroalgae, commonly known as seaweed, and not to be confused with seagrasses, said Sanibel-Captiva Foundation research scientist Rick Bartleson.

Sargassum what?: 10 things you need to know about sargassum

Did you Know?: Sargassum on Florida beaches contains arsenic, other health hazards

Sargassum, which forms huge offshore mats, shelters young sea creatures, including baby sea turtles. The Sanibel-Captiva Foundations Rae Ann Wessel calls it a floating hotel and nursery to a myriad of other organisms. Small sea turtles swim near the seaweed looking for cover and an easy meal of the shrimp and crabs that live there.

The loggerheads that nest on Southwest Florida beaches swim thousands of miles to the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic to spend about a decade feeding on jellyfish, snails, crabs and shrimps protected from predators in the sargassum. It is breakfast, lunch, dinner and home to them, Wessel says.

Buoyed by small, gas-filled beads, sargassum gets pushed around by ocean currents. When waves break apart, the pieces reproduce asexually. Some of it eventually washes onshore, where it can make a nuisance of itself, snarling boat props and fouling beaches. Too much of it keep newly hatched sea turtles from reaching the water.

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The island of Bonaire is already reporting sargassum beachings with the Bonaire National Parks Foundation asking for volunteers to help clean beaches. The Yucatan Times had an article April 26 saying Cancun is bracing for sargassum mats to reach its beaches in late May or June.

This is the time of year the blooms start coming into the Caribbean and they are heading this way, Brian LaPointe, a researcher at Florida Atlantic Universitys Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, told the Sun Sentinel. A number of islands have been reporting inundations.

The 2018 seaweed ambush bled into 2019 with sargassum stacked thigh high south of the Palm Beach Inlet into July, but it was mostly gone from South Florida after Hurricane Dorians disastrous crawl through the northern Bahamas in early September that year.

While hurricane-induced waves can wash sargassum from the beaches, Hu said its unclear what impact tropical cyclones ultimately have on the bloom mats in the ocean. Heavy winds could churn up nutrients from lower levels of the water column that feed the blooms. At the same time, a turbulent ocean could burst the plants air bladders, LaPointe said.

LaPointe and Hu co-authored a study published last year in Science magazine that found sargassum growth spurts occur in years when runoff from the Amazon River includes large amounts of fertilizer. The seaweed can also increase when upwelling in the eastern Atlantic brings cooler water and nutrients from the bottom of the ocean to the surface.

USA Today Network Florida Contributed to this report.

A leaf is seen floating above red drift algae as it accumulates at Bowdtich Point on the north end of Fort Myers Beach on Monday April, 8, 2019. The non toxic smelly algae is showing up in patches throughout Southwest Florida. Some water quality scientists say that the algae is fed by higher nurient levels from runoff and other issues. (Photo: Andrew West, The News-Press USA Today Network-Florida)

Red drift This is a catch-all term for several varieties of fast-growing saltwater plants. Common in the region's estuaries and bays, where it anchors itself to rocks, submerged logs or even large pieces of scrap metal, it can be red, brown or green. Broken-off pieces are often found washed up on the shore, sometimes in such great quantity that they clog and foul the beaches and discourage visitors.

Dead man's fingers: Though a common sight on Southwest Florida shores, this rubbery manroalgae in the Codium genusoriginated inthe coastal areas of Japan and has sincehas made its way around the world. Also called "green sea fingers" for its swollen, finger-shaped branches that float in the water, or hang down the sides of rockswhen the tide is out.These "fingers" consist of plump, rounded branches that originate from a central fleshy mass.

Its scientific name, Codium, is a little less dramatic than its common one: dead man's fingers, but this seaweed variety often washes up on Southwest Florida shores, like this Captiva beach.(Photo: Amy Bennett Williams/The News-Press)

Sargassum: A favorite with young beach-goers because of its pea-sized air bladders, which can be popped like bubble wrap, those tiny organs are what allow this saltwater plant to float offshore, sometimes forming huge drifting rafts. Those floating mats become life-giving islands to a variety of seabirds, more than 100 fish species, 145 invertebrates and five sea turtles. Once harvested for cattle feed, it's now federally protected because it's so ecologically valuable. That is, when it's alive. Once it's washed up on the beach, it's legally fair game for the kids.

The News-Press archives contributed to this report.

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The coast may be clear now, but sargassum is heading from the Caribbean to Florida shores, scientists warn - News-Press