Monthly Archives: April 2022

It has taken a few years, delayed by the pandemic, but formal Maxi yacht racing is coming to the Caribbean, considerably increasing the competitive opportunities sailors have to race their sleek monohull behemoths that can reach 100 feet long.

Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille, which begins on Sunday, will join the inaugural I.M.A. Caribbean Maxi Challenge, a four-stop event created to increase the participation of Maxis in those regattas and draw more Maxis to the Caribbean sailing circuit.

Maxi sailors are really excited because this increases the standards and quality, and the number of regattas they can sail, said Benot de Froidmont, president of the International Maxi Association. Now we will have proper starts and courses.

And more opportunities to sail their boats, which are expensive to maintain and cost as much as $10 million owners want to get as much out of their boats as possible. The biggest sin is to let these boats just sit, said Ken Keefe, a former Americas Cup sailor who manages and sails on Vesper, a Maxi 72.

After a two-year pause for many regattas around the world because of the pandemic, sailors are excited about the new series, Keefe said. But many are also practicing a degree of restraint because of Covid and the war in Ukraine.

Everyone is still a little shellshocked coming out of Covid, he said. We are all counting our blessings, but are more reserved this year we wont be dancing on tables. But the overall feeling is: Lets get back to sailing, lets get the band back together.

Modeled after the races in the Mediterranean Maxi circuits, the Caribbean challenge invites Maxis over 60 feet long to compete February through May at the Caribbean 600 in Antigua, the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, Les Voiles de St. Barth, and at Antigua Sailing Week.

To qualify for the series, sailors must compete in a minimum of two of the events, though this may eventually be increased to three once the circuit is better established, said James Boyd, an I.M.A. spokesman. Teams that compete in more than two events get to discard their worst result.

Technically, the addition of the Caribbean Maxi Challenge adds to I.M.A.-sanctioned Maxi events, but not all Maxi sailors were planning on sailing all four of the Caribbean events. Many will sail in just two or three and win on cumulative performance points, de Froidmont said.

Keefe, who manages logistics for Vesper, which includes transporting the boat around the world, said it would be possible to do all four of the Caribbean regattas and still take part in the Mediterranean sailing seasons.

It can work out to move these boats around and boat in nice places and do it in a safe manner, Keefe said. The trick is to get the boat out of the Caribbean as soon as the series ends to avoid the hurricane season.

The first stop of the series was the Caribbean 600 in Antigua. Comanche, a 100-foot Verdier design, won the regatta, followed by the VO65 Sailing Poland and the VO70 I Love Poland.

Conditions were challenging. One sailor told the I.M.A website that the race was one of the hardest in the world.

It is like a heavyweight boxing match the lefts and the rights just keep coming at you and you wait for that knockout punch, said Richard Clarke, a tactician for Warrior Won. No lead is safe until the very end.

The Russian-owned Comanche, a recent trans-Atlantic ocean race winner and a dominating presence in regattas, withdrew from the Caribbean Maxi Challenge after World Sailing, the sports governing body, banned Russian participation because of the war in Ukraine. Skorpios, a ClubSwan 125 Maxi yacht, also withdrew under similar circumstances.

Theres an awareness of whats going on in Ukraine, Keefe said. The Russians have touched our sport in a strange way.

The second stop, the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, held in early March, was four days of racing. Sailing Poland took first, Janssen de Jong-DutchSail second and I Love Poland third.

The third stop is the Les Voiles de St. Barth, and the fourth and final is Antigua Sailing Week, which starts April 30.

The winners of Maxi racing receive only a trophy and bragging rights. It remains an ancient sport, de Froidmont said. There is no prize money, just very passionate people who enjoy the challenge.

The number of Maxis competing has increased over the past several years, he said, and should continue to rise.

Boyd, the I.M.A. spokesman, said it might take a few years to build a deep fleet for the Caribbean Maxi Challenge.

This is the first year, he said, so we imagine it will take a few years for this to gain traction fully. Nonetheless, we are pleased with the Maxi turnout.

The Maxi participation in Les Voiles de St. Barth is also looking strong with I.M.A. members participating from both sides of the Atlantic, Boyd added. Twelve Maxis are scheduled to race.

Currently leading the series is the VO70 I Love Poland ahead of the Farr 100 Leopard 3.

But neither is competing in St. Barth, so it could be that we will see some new teams move into the lead after St Barth and Antigua, Boyd said.

We have some incredible competition this year, said Keefe, who has won the Voiles de St. Barth four times. I cant wait.

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The (Really) Big Boats Have Arrived - The New York Times

Patricia Scotlands hopes of being re-elected Commonwealth secretary general are under threat, after Jamaicas foreign minister, Kamina Johnson-Smith, announced that she was challenging Scotland for the post.

The decision has sparked controversy in the Caribbean, which had previously met to back Scotlands bid for a second term. The Antiguan prime minister, Gaston Browne, has described Jamaicas decision to break ranks as a monumental error.

Jamaica was party to a recent Caribbean Community (Caricom) consensus endorsing the re-election of Baroness Scotland, he said.

I think Jamaicas proposed candidature for Commonwealth secretary general is a monumental error, which could only serve to divide the Caribbean.

He said the Dominican-born Scotland was being hounded out of office by a group that have now skilfully engineered a plan to divide Caricom and to stain the performance of the region.

He said that Jamaicas tactics might only serve as a gateway for a non-Caricom secretary general to succeed.

In a bid to heal the rift, it has now been agreed that a Caricom sub-group will interview the two candidates in a bid to reach a consensus, according to St Vincent and the Grenadines prime minister, Ralph Gonsalves. The sub-group consists of the Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica.

It has been the convention that a secretary general is not contested if he or she seeks a second four-year term.

The 15-member Caricom had given overwhelming support for Scotland when they met in Belize in March, but that phrasing may have disguised the objections of a minority. Either way, the Jamaican decision on 1 April to announce Johnson-Smiths candidacy caught most observers by surprise.

One former Jamaican foreign minister, Delano Franklyn, noted his countrys surprise move came after the visit to Jamaica by Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, and that visit may have been used as a backchannel to lobby the Jamaican government.

He said: As chairman of the Commonwealth, prime minister Boris Johnson is doing everything to ensure that he has a secretary general of the Commonwealth who will fall in line with the thinking of British conservative politics.

The UK, however, insists it is staying neutral, but supporters of Scotland believe Foreign Office officials have been manoeuvring for years to remove her on the basis it believed she has awarded contracts improperly and proved a poor administrator.

A previous potential challenger, Monica Juma, the Kenyan energy minister and a former diplomat, had announced in August 2021 that she was to stand against Scotland, received Britains endorsement and started campaigning. However, she then mysteriously pulled out, leaving Scotlands opponents without a challenger.

Juma had been endorsed for the top job by President Uhuru Kenyatta last year, who called her an exemplar of what we in the Commonwealth hold. The 19 African members of the Commonwealth had only recently, through the African Union, endorsed Jumas bid, but she clearly could not gain traction in the Caribbean.

In a brochure she released in September, Juma said she wanted to change the perception of the Commonwealth as an organisation of the past. It appears Juma was not receiving sufficient support across the 54-member Commonwealth and it was agreed that she stand down to find a candidate more likely to defeat Scotland.

The Commonwealth summit is supposed to reach a decision by consensus and the royal family will not want an unedifying row at what may be one of the Queens last summits. Judging by her recent public appearances, she is unlikely to attend in person.

Jamaicas decision to put up a candidate has its ironies since the country had previously hinted that it was considering quitting the Commonwealth or removing the Queen as head of state. However, its prime minister, Andrew Holness, in announcing Johnson-Smiths candidacy, praised her qualifications for the post of secretary general, including her high moral character, diplomatic and political acumen, proven competence and commitment to the work of the Commonwealth.

She will bring a wealth of experience to the position and is committed to international public service, he said.

Johnson-Smith, foreign minister since 2016 and a former barrister, said on Twitter: It would be an absolute privilege to serve this great family of nations.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda was due in Jamaica this week, where the post of secretary general is bound to be discussed. The delayed Commonwealth heads of government meeting was initially due to be held in 2020, but that has twice been postponed due to Covid, meaning Scotlands term has already been extended.

Scotland, a former Labour frontbench politician and member of the House of Lords, has been dogged by stories in the UK accusing her of a misuse of funds, including an internal auditors report that suggested normal procedures had not been followed in the award of a management consultancy contract to a fellow Labour peer. She has always denied any wrongdoing.

This article was amended on 15 April 2022 because an earlier version said that Johnson-Smith has been foreign minister of Jamaica since 2020. In fact she has been in that post since 2016.

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Commonwealth rift in Caribbean as re-election of Lady Scotland challenged - The Guardian

After a three month break, Jewels Caribbean,2230 N. Martin Luther King Jr.Dr., is reawakening for the spring and welcoming guests back to celebrate.

The St. Lucian themed venue will be hosting a grand re-opening celebration on Friday, April 15 beginning at 6 p.m.

During the event, guests can enjoy a menu of Caribbean fare including the evenings special: curry goat. Other favorite dishes including jerk chicken, curry chicken or fish and other popular items. Drink specials will also be available, as well as free rum punch shots for every guest over 21 years of age.

Beginning at 7 p.m. guests can also enjoy an evening filled with reggae, soca, dancehall and Afrobeats with performances from KOJO, JD Rankin and Club Exodus. The cover charge is just $10 for anyone who enters before 10 p.m.

Throughout the spring and summer, Jewels Caribbean will continue to offer dinner service on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m., along with live entertainment.

Excerpt from:

Jewels Caribbean to host grand re-opening on April 15 - OnMilwaukee.com

KEY FIGURES

16K IRREGULAR MIGRANT ENTRIES INTO HONDURAS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2022

HONDURAS: MIGRANTS & REFUGEES

The UN in Honduras and its partners are coordinating with migration authorities to respond to needs arising from the growing number of migrants coming in through the Trojes municipality in the eastern border department of El Paraso. Per NGOs calling for assistance to these migrants, at least 7,000 irregular migrants have entered Honduras in the first quarter of 2022, with reports of as many as 2,300 in the past week alone.

Most are seeking to make their way to the Mexico-US border, with many awaiting their permits from national migration authorities to travel safely to the western border.

The UN Resident Coordinator, who led a joint mission to El Paraso, indicated that many migrants lack the required resources, while adding that others have experienced violence along their journey.

KEY FIGURES

5.1K PEOPLE AFFECTED BY EARTHQUAKE IN NORTHWESTERN ECUADOR

ECUADOR: EARTHQUAKE Humanitarian partners and nationaland local-level authorities continue responding to needs in the wake of the 26 March 6.0-magnitude earthquake in the north-western province of Esmeraldas. Per the National Risk and Emergency Management Service (SNGRE), the earthquake affected some 5,100 people. These numbers are likely to grow as evaluations continue in affected communities.

The provincial Emergency Operations Committee (COE) in Esmeraldas is active, with SNGRE responding to identified needs related to shelter, WASH, food security, protection and logistics. Early recovery and livelihood remain medium- and long-term priorities. Partners are assisting with multi-purpose cash transfers, assorted non-food item (NFI) kits such as shelter, hygiene and kitchen kits, food kits and rations and medical atention.

KEY FIGURES

67.6% OF PEOPLE IN LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN FULLY VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19

REGIONAL: COVID-19 According to PAHO, the current surge in COVID-19 cases in Europe and East Asia due to the Omicron BA.2 variant is likely to replicate in the Americas in a matter of weeks. The variant has already been detected in 8.7 per cent of sequences reported from South America. In areas in the Caribbean where the original Omicron variant is predominant, new infections are beginning to rise. PAHO is urging for countries to continue closing their vaccination gaps and to keep testing capacity in place to be able to adequately respond to the next wave of cases.

As of 10 April 2022, 76.4 per cent of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean have at least one vaccination,

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Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (4-10 April 2022) As of 11 April 2022 - Honduras - ReliefWeb

It remains one of the great frontiers for Caribbean travel aficionados: Bocas del Toro, the spectacular archipelago in the Caribbean waters off the coast of Panama.

For years, its also been home to the vast majority of overwater bungalow resorts in the region, at least until Sandals entered the space several years ago.

But now theres another significant new addition: Bocas Bali, a luxury overwater resort in the heart of Bocas del Toro.

The resort, which opened late last year, has a mix of 16 overwater villas, along with a 70-foot freshwater pool and an eatery called Elephant House.

Most notably, Bocas Bali has created what it calls the worlds first aerial beach, an elevated, 90-foot-long, 20-foot-wide beach set on a platform.

We have the most picturesque private island retreat at Bocas Bali and the only thing missing was the beach, says Dan Behm, owner and founder of the hotel. We wanted to create an experience in a class by itself that pays homage to the incomparable natural setting while providing our guests the luxury of a private beach experience on our exclusive island.

The beach, called Kupu-Kupu (which comes from the Indonesian word for Butterly), has white sand, lounge chairs and a lounge called the Tipsy Bar.

Green quartz-tiled stairs cascade down from the beach to allow guests to go straight into the water.

The property is also 100 percent off the grid, powered by solar energy, using an eco-friendly wastewater treatment system and a construction process that specifically avoided any coral interference.

Sustainable luxury is the core of Bocas Bali, says Scott Dinsmore, general manager of Bocas Bali. We are very proud of what we have created.

For more, visit Bocas Bali.

See the article here:

The Caribbean's Newest Overwater Bungalow Resort Is in Panama - Caribbean Journal

Travellers from Caribbean countries may be able to enter the US Virgin Islands without a visa.

This move comes as theVirgin Islands Visa Waiver Act (H.R. 5460) was approved by the House Judiciary Committee in a bipartisan vote of 24-14.

The Virgin Islands Visa Waiver Act would allow the Department of Homeland Security to consider approving nonimmigrant visitor visa waivers for entry into the US Virgin Islands for up to 45 days primarily for residents of neighbouring Caribbean countries.

Congresswoman Stacey E Plaskett, representative for the USVI, made the announcement after the Act was passed.

I and my team have worked steadfastly with the House Judiciary Committee over several years on the Virgin Islands Visa Waiver Act. I would like to thank my Republican colleague, Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky for his vote in favour of this bill.

She said such a nonimmigrant visitor visa waiver program is already being utilised successfully in both Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands for nationals of other countries.

This legislation would extend this same program to the USVirgin Islands. This limited visa waiver program would better enable the Virgin Islands to compete economically with other islands and nations in the Caribbean community. A nationwide USVisa Waiver Program already allows nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa. This bill would apply solely to the US Virgin Islands and because the Virgin Islands is outside the UScustoms zone by law, it would not allow entry into any other part of the United States," she said via a press release.

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Visa requirement waived for Caribbean travellers to the USVI | Loop Trinidad & Tobago - Loop News Trinidad & Tobago

Royal Caribbean (RCL) - Get Royal Caribbean Group Report has embraced the idea that bigger is better at least when it comes to its latest cruise ships.

The cruise line just introduced its latest ship, Wonder of the Seas, which it seized from its sister ship, Symphony of the Seas.

And while being the biggest 236,857 gross tons with 18 decks and accommodations for 5,734 guests at double occupancy (nearly 7,000 at full capacity) counts as a claim to fame, it's what's in the ship that actually matters.

Wonder of the Seas offers the trademark Oasis-class neighborhoods which include the outdoor "Central Park," an indoor carousel, the first edition of the company's southern-themed Mason Jar restaurant, Royal Caribbean's first-ever suites-only neighborhood, the tallest water slide at sea, a robot bar, another bar that cantilevers over the ocean, and many more things.

Nobody books the big ships like Wonder of the Seas or Carnival's (CCL) - Get Carnival Corporation Report Mardi Gras simply for their size, they book because every square foot on these mega-ships has been thought out carefully.

Now, Royal Caribbean has a plan to go even bigger with its latest Oasis-class ship.

Image source: Royal Caribbean.

Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) - Get Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Report have opted to concede the title of largest ship to Royal Caribbean.

Neither company has a ship in the works that might take the crown and its next ship, Carnival Celebration will be a near-twin of Mardi Gras (with its own theming tweaks).

Royal Caribbean has played it close to the vest with details on its next Oasis-call ship, the sixth in that line. The company had not even shared the ships name which it picked from 25 ideas it trademarked last year.

Now, however, the name has been settled upon and the next largest ship in the world will be called "Utopia of the Seas."

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"Currently, Utopia of the Seas is scheduled to make its debut in mid-2024, at which point it will take the throne as the largest cruise ship in the world," Cruise Critic reported.

"Details on where, when, or how long we can expect sailings on Utopia to be are still under wraps, so stay tuned. What we do know is that this massive cruise ship will hold just shy of 10,000 passengers and crew."

Construction on the ship has already begun in St. Nazaire, France, at the Chantiers de LAtlantique shipyard. Building the new cruise ship will take roughly 30 months.

While Utopia of the Seas will likely have its own signature entertainment venues, restaurants, and shows, the most exciting part of the ship might be what's under the hood so to speak.

Royal Caribbean noted that its new ship will be part of its transition to cleaner energy.

"By introducing the first LNG-powered Oasis Class ship, the cruise line will take yet another step toward a clean-energy future after its first LNG ship, Icon of the Seas, debuts in fall 2023,"said in a statement.

"The use of the cleanest fossil fuel available to cruise ships today and additional environmentally friendly applications onboard Utopia will boost energy efficiencies and further reduce emissions overall," the company said.

Icon of the Seas is currently being built and it's the first ship of its class, but it will be smaller than Utopia of the Seas.

Larger ships have some limits on which ports they can dock in. In many ways that makes the ship, not where it's stopping the destination.

On the sixth Oasis Class ship, vacationers can look forward to the signature combination of Royal Caribbean experiences and many brand-new adventures that has and will continue to make the Oasis class of ships the ultimate vacation for guests of all ages, President Michael Bayley shared.

In the cruise world, however, bragging rights do matter as passengers seek out the newest (and the biggest) ships not just due to their size but because they offer so many entertainment, dining, and relaxation options.

Read the rest here:

Royal Caribbean Readies the Next Biggest Cruise Ship in the World - TheStreet

Leaders of the parties that make up the Team Unity coalition in St Kitts and Nevis

wrapped up their second meeting on Thursday where discussions centred around issues put forward by Shawn Richards, leader of the Peoples Action Movement (PAM), and Mark Brantley, leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), were discussed.

Following the meeting, Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) and Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis Dr Timothy Harris addressed the nation to inform them of the outcome of the meeting.

Thursdays meeting was a follow up to another meeting held last Wednesday in which the Leader of Pam and the Leader of CCM put forward areas of concern for the Prime Ministers consideration.

Given the nature of the concerns presented, it was agreed that the second meeting would take place a week later, giving Harris the opportunity to present his views on the matters raised.

Referring to the meeting as cordial in his address to the nation, Harris informed that he proposed a framework to address the issues raised.

This framework included the introduction of a code of conduct for the better functioning of the cabinet. I further propose that all ministries should be subject to greater accountability to the cabinet through regular reporting so that members may be better apprised of the workings of the entire government.

One of the demands raised during the meeting was that portfolios within government should be reassigned.

Speaking to this, Harris said: I committed to undertake a review of the makeup of the cabinet in due course, with a view to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of government as a whole. I made it clear that I could not allow the constitutional prerogative of the office of the Prime Minister to be diminished.

Another issue raised in the meeting was a review of the funds allocated to the island of Nevis. Harris said: I informed colleagues that further progress has been made, with the World Bank giving its consent to undertake a study to advise on equitable revenue-sharing arrangements between the federal government and the Nevis Island Administration.

He said in the interim, the budgetary support to Nevis has been increased as per the request of Brantley, who is the Premier of Nevis.

Over the past several weeks, tensions have been high as Brantley continues to call for a fair financial share for the island of Nevis and Richards making it known that he is not pleased with the way Harris is handling certain things within Team Unity.

The Peoples Action Movement held its party convention recently, inviting Brantley to be featuredspeaker. The party made clear the expectation that after two terms Harris would relinquish his position as Prime Minister and Richards would take the helm as the next Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis.

At the moment, PLP holds only two seats in government, the least of the coalition partners. Rumours have been circulating that Harris is attempting to gain political traction by fielding PLP candidates in all 8 constituencies in St Kitts which would essentially mean that PLP candidates would be running against coalition partners of the PAM party. Harris has not addressed these rumours, only to say that it has always been agreed that Team Unity would put forward the best person to achieve the goals of the administration.

Ending his address on Thursday, Harris said, I recognise that the political events over the last several weeks have created considerable and undue anxiety, discomfort and uncertainty for you the beloved people of St Kitts and Nevis. It is for this reason that I remain fully committed to the process that would bring this unfortunate situation to an end.

He added: I believe at this time that our country must have a cabinet that has fully committed to addressing the pressing issues that confront our people.

While every and concern to members cannot be addressed and resolved at this moment, I remain open to further discussions.

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SKN: Ruling coalition meet to discuss concerns within Team Unity | Loop Caribbean News - Loop News Caribbean