Providenciales, Turks And Caicos Islands, 7th October 2024 – The Department of Social Development and Welfare held a series of “Let’s Talk Social” Community Pop-Up Conversations on the island of Providenciales during September 2024. These events are part of the department’s ongoing initiative to raise awareness about the wide range of services and programs available to the community.

The “Let’s Talk Social” conversations aim to engage community members in an informal and approachable setting where they can learn about the support offered by the department, ask questions, and receive feedback on their concerns. Additionally, these pop-ups allow the public to meet and connect with the department’s staff and social workers, putting faces to names and fostering a more human, community-centered, and friendly experience.

The public is encouraged to make the most of these community pop-up visits to gain insight into the available services and programs, and to connect directly with the department’s staff.

The Department of Social Development and Welfare also intends to collaborate with businesses across the islands to ensure the ongoing success of this initiative.

Saint Lucia, October 7, 2024 – In a momentous ceremony on Thursday, September 26, The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority proudly announced ‘The Fastest Woman in the World’, Julien Alfred as an official Tourism Ambassador for the destination.

This landmark partnership seeks to elevate the island’s profile as a premier global travel destination.

As Tourism Ambassador, Julien will participate in promotional events for Saint Lucia in key markets globally, alongside conducting media engagements and advertising initiatives to promote the island and its marketing campaigns.

Additionally, Julien will engage in social media campaigns to highlight tourism in Saint Lucia. A key feature of this collaboration is the co-branding of the prominent Saint Lucia logo on Julien’s PUMA competition and warm-up kits.

This partnership is expected to enhance the island’s visibility and establish Julien as a contemporary global ambassador for Saint Lucia.

St Lucia declared Friday September 27 as Julien Alfred Day in honour of the dual-medal winning Olympian, who is the first to win a medal at the Olympics level for St Lucia.

On August 3, 2024 at the Summer Games in Paris, France, ‘JuJu’, in spectacular fashion captured the gold in 10.72 seconds in a shocking showdown in the Women’s 100m, now the fastest woman in the world.  Mere days later, Alfred went on to earn a second medal, in a time of 22:08 for a silver in the Women’s 200m.

Garfield Ekon

Staff Writer

Haiti, October 7, 2024 – Haiti is set to receive another US$160 million from the United States (US) Government, to boost economic activities, health, and security, which brings US assistance to US$ 1.3 billion, in the past months.

US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken who made the disclosure on Wednesday September 25, while speaking at the 79^th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, and at session dubbed “Building on Progress to Address Security in Haiti,” said his country supports the Haitian people and their aspirations for a peaceful and “democratic Haiti.”

Mr. Blinken said in September, he traveled to Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, and he “witnessed the many positive forces that are in motion, and today, we have a chance, to build on this foundation of security, to build on this progress, to build on a renewed sense of hope,” he said.

Stressing that the US is committed to doing it part, both to address immediate needs, and to invest in Haiti’s long-term success, and “we remain the largest contributor of humanitarian aid, including US$ 45 million in additional support. We have already delivered well over US$300 million to support the MSS mission, armored vehicles, radios, night-vision goggles drones,” he said.

The Secretary of State said consideration must be given to how the mission can be sustained, over the long-term, to provide for the “predictable funding and deployment” of personnel, in a way that has the continued support and trust of the Haitian people.

A release from the US State Department said the meeting “highlighted the progress the Haitian National Police is making, in restoring security in Haiti, with the support of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission,” the release said.

About 10 countries have pledged more than 3,100 troops to the multinational force, formally known as the MSS, but only approximately 400 of these have deployed. The mission’s one-year mandate expires in early October and the UN Security Council is set to vote on September 30 on whether to renew it.

On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that the funding for the mission, as well as the Haitian National Police, “remains totally inadequate”.

“I urge all those who have made financial commitments to deliver on them urgently. We must keep working to mobilize sufficient resources for the mission, and for the humanitarian response in Haiti.”