Caribbean News

92 Earthquakes recorded in Jamaica last year

Published

6 years ago

January 10, 2018

#Jamaica, January 9, 2018 – Kingston – Ninety-two earthquakes were recorded in Jamaica in 2017. Scientific Officer at the Earthquake Unit at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Karleen Black, made the disclosure at the Earthquake Awareness Week launch on Monday (January 8) at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) on Haining Road, St. Andrew.

She said “felt earthquake reports” were received for eight events with magnitudes ranging from 3.1 to 3.6. Two of these were in St. Elizabeth, two in Portland, one in Manchester, one in St. Mary and the other two were offshore, with one in the region of Cuba and the other in the Pedro Banks. Ms. Black informed that an additional 33 events were detected locally, but these were later classified as possible explosions.

In total, the seismograph network, which is comprised of 12 stations across the island, detected and recorded 279 tremors occurring locally and regionally. Seventy-five were near earthquakes and 79 were distant earthquakes coming from areas such as South America and other parts of the globe, she indicated.

Meanwhile, Ms. Black noted that a damaging earthquake can occur anytime, day or night “so the onus is on us to be in a constant state of readiness if we are to safely navigate the effects of a major earthquake.” She said that for this year, the Earthquake Unit will work towards upgrading its seismograph network in order to improve its capabilities.

“As such, we hope to add a new (seismic) station to our complement of 12, making it 13. The unit will also be benefiting from an upcoming Jamaica Social Investment Fund Project (JSIF), which is sponsored by the World Bank, as part of its disaster reduction efforts,” she pointed out.

Under JSIF’s Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP), 10 digital seismometer systems will be placed at seismic stations across the island to give data on an earthquake’s magnitude, depth and epicentre on land and offshore.

Earthquake Awareness Week is being observed from January 7-13 under the theme ‘Preparing for the Quake Helps Reduce Damage After the Shakes’. While Jamaica has experienced several tremors, the last major event was the great Kingston earthquake of 1907, which caused more than 1,000 deaths, damaged numerous buildings and started several fires.

The 1692 Port Royal quake was perhaps the largest and most damaging, with about 5,000 deaths from the quake itself and the subsequent outbreak of yellow fever. A section of the town sank into the sea.

Release: JIS

Caribbean News

FCCA launches Owen Arthur Scholarship

Published

3 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

By: The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter

May 9, 2024 – The FCCA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), has launched an annual scholarship in honor of former Prime Minister of Barbados, The Right Honorable Professor Owen Seymour Arthur, who played a significant role in advancing the cruise trade association’s vision.

The annual gift of US$25,000 will be awarded to a different Caribbean destination each year to support the work of either an educational institution or a nonprofit organization chosen by the destination.

Barbados will receive the inaugural Owen Arthur scholarship, and next year’s scholarship destination winner will be announced at the ‘Shining Stars FCCA Foundation Dinner’ during Seatrade Cruise Global 2025.

“I am honored that the Foundation can continue the legacy of The Right Honorable Professor Owen Seymour Arthur, who truly inspired my career and empowered so many throughout the Caribbean, as well as making it possible to have the current partnership between the cruise industry and the Caribbean,” said Michele Paige, CEO, FCCA. “Hopefully this scholarship can live up to his memory by providing a platform for future generations in the region.”

Caribbean News

Barbados remembers SIDS process, celebrates the life of Ambassador Miles Stoby

Published

4 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

By: The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter

May 9, 2024 – The historic UN Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island States (SIDS) brought global attention to the significant challenges faced by small islands, underscoring that their concerns were big issues for all.

On April 26, several key figures who contributed to the 1994 Barbados meeting gathered in Bridgetown to commemorate its 30th anniversary. The outcome of the 1994 meeting was the Barbados Program of Action, which delineated how the world community should address the unique vulnerabilities of islands, particularly in response to climate change.

Despite initial reluctance from powerful UN members to hold more than one SIDS conference, subsequent gatherings in Mauritius and Samoa and a fourth global conference scheduled for Antigua and Barbuda in May 2024 are a testament to some of the successes of the SIDS process.

In Antigua and Barbuda, the international community will convene to review the sustainable development progress of SIDS and propose a new decade of partnerships and solutions to accelerate their journey toward resilient prosperity.

The Barbados meeting last month provided a reflective journey for many, as attendees, including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, paid tribute to the late Ambassador Miles Stoby of Guyana, the visionary behind the initiative and for whom Barbados was, fittingly, a second

Caption: Ambassador Lyutha al Mughairy (widow of Ambassador Miles Stoby) greets Garth Sandiford, son of late Barbados Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford. Looking on are Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and former UN Under-Secretary General Peter Hansen.

Caribbean News

CTO Sustainable Tourism meeting successful

Published

5 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

By: The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter

May 9, 2024 – The Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC), held April 22-24 at Radisson Grenada Beach Resort was a resounding success.

The conference is the Caribbean’s foremost event for high-level networking and dialogue on sustainable tourism, providing a crucial platform for tourism policymakers, private sector stakeholders, thought leaders, and strategic partners to address the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of Caribbean tourism.

The meeting highlighted the essential pillars necessary for creating a transformative and regenerative legacy under the theme “The 5 Ps for a Legacy of Caribbean Tourism Sustainability: People, Planet, Prosperity, Purpose & Partnership”.

Thought-provoking addresses from Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, set the stage for discussions about the future of Caribbean tourism.

PM Mitchell stressed the need to include a broader array of stakeholders in the tourism conversation, while Stewart highlighted the importance of partnerships and unity within the sector. The conference was marked by authentic displays of Grenadian culture and dynamic panel sessions.

Caption: Adam Stewart of Sandals Resorts International delivered the keynote address.

The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter