world news
EDITORIAL: Who or What caused COVID-19 and when are we gonna catch them?
#Caribbean – April 17, 2020 — Someone needs to answer for the Coronavirus which has infected over two million people around the globe, killed over 145,000 of those infected and collapsed dreams, industries and economies.
In under four months, the contagion has wiped out decades of dedicated work to building a more interlinked and interlocked global community and deflated the expectation for a buoyant beginning to a new decade.
The 2020 we all imagined is forever tarnished, and while there is optimism that this season will pass, it is startling that country leaders – save for maybe one – lack vigor when it comes to finding the culprit.
At an agonizingly slow pace, truths are emerging including that China under reported deaths related to the novel coronavirus by 40 percent and other, more controversial charges allege that the disease is not at all derived from a bat bought and eaten in Wuhan through its blacklisted wet market, but more dastardly, that it was created in a laboratory in that capital city of China’s Hubei province.
It is a peculiar thing to many mourners, onlookers and victims that this crime against humanity, as it appears to be, has no obvious investigator trying to hunt down the perpetrator.
Usually, in events when people are hurt or killed, there is unrelenting, headlining, focus on catching a suspect; apprehending a possible killer. Not only in an effort to ensure someone is held responsible for the injustice, but to ensure that the tragedy never, ever repeats itself.
Not so or less so in this case.
The world’s health police has reported no such investigation and the world’s leaders who pay them on behalf of the 7.5 billion people on the planet, including the 145,000 who have died and the 195 million projected to be thrust into unemployment are virtually ‘mum’ on the matter.
Except for the vociferous Donald Trump, President of the United States of America – who was scolded for announcing that the US would halt funding to the United Nations’ health arm, aka the World Health Organization – there is no mainstream report of someone demanding better service by the WHO and prominently pursuing who caused this mess.
As expected, since U.S. President Trump made his announcement, there are finally media reports probing and pressing for pertinent answers on who is responsible for the virus which has precipitated such a dismal level of causalities and a world recession of unprecedented proportions, as announced by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier this week.
It is unacceptable that people who have scraped and scrounged, people who have dug deep and plowed hard to build their families and countries had to die alone; locked in a room, forced to make death declarations to four walls, or strangers all while gasping for air, when they ordinarily enjoyed a rich relationship with their loved ones.
It is unacceptable, that millions of people, who were poised to have their best year ever financially, have had to accept letters of termination or closed the doors of businesses they have built from scratch.
It is unacceptable that we can no longer shake each other’s hands or give a greeting by kiss or hug; that we are now afraid to speak face to face due to fear that a sliver of saliva may reach our mouths or eyes and infect us with this respiratory attacker.
It is unacceptable that people who have labored in the valued medical profession are being sickened, are terrified of going to their own homes, being with their own families and some of them catching COVID-19 and dying from it.
It is unacceptable that we cannot visit our aged -parents and grand-parents because they have superannuated and are most susceptible to death from this disease. Generations unfairly unhinged by this public health crisis.
And it is unacceptable that our governments, who in most of our small island countries were already struggling to make ends meet for the people dependent upon them, are now scampering to find solutions. We have watched these administrators labour for ways to ease the pain, fill the voids and pledge what they cannot afford, which means our indebted countries are plunged further into debt.
Magnetic Media CEO
If my commentary sounds angry about what Coronavirus has done to the world; you are not mistaken. I am angry and I am brokenhearted every time I consider the pain and suffering this is causing to my fellow human beings.
We all hear the rumors and reports, so conveniently labelled ‘fake news’ about the possible motivation for this allegedly man-made contagion. Greed and Pride and Folly; among the most shallow characteristics have probably birthed this beast.
I am a believer in Jesus Christ and Almighty God and so I know there is purpose and there is embedded within humankind an indomitable spirit which will cause us to prevail and to emerge enriched by this experience.
Still, my faith in this truth does not extinguish the fire for answers and explanations on behalf of mankind.
The culprit or culprits cannot and must not go undetected or unpunished and 2020 must be the year when global organisations which pledge to uphold marvelous mandates on behalf of humanity, will recommit to doing their jobs or else face being terminated by the people of this planet.
It is time to find the cause of this killer of our loved ones, our livelihoods, our ways of life and our economies; it is time to for the narrative to shift from coping with COVID-19 to catching whomever is culpable.
By Deandrea Hamilton
June 9, 2026 – The world has just four years left to deliver on one of its most ambitious environmental commitments: protecting 30 percent of the planet’s oceans by 2030.
On World Oceans Day 2026, environmental organizations, governments and international leaders are shifting the conversation away from
awareness and toward action, urging countries to turn decades of promises into measurable protection for marine ecosystems.
The theme for this year’s observance — “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet” — is a direct challenge to governments to move beyond declarations and establish meaningful protections for ocean habitats, fisheries and biodiversity.
The urgency is especially relevant in the Caribbean, where economies, jobs and entire communities depend on healthy oceans.
From tourism and fishing to transportation and climate resilience, the sea is the region’s most valuable natural resource.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that humanity can no longer treat the ocean as limitless.
“In these turbulent times, the ocean reminds us that we are bound together,” Guterres said. “But the ocean is in deep trouble.”
The global push follows the recent ratification of the High Seas Treaty, designed to protect marine biodiversity beyond national waters. Together with the international 30×30 target, the agreement represents one of the largest conservation efforts ever attempted.
Closer to home, Caribbean nations are also advancing ocean protection initiatives.
CARICOM says it is developing a regional Ocean Policy aimed at strengthening marine governance and supporting sustainable blue economies.
In the Turks and Caicos Islands, World Oceans Day coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Blue Belt Programme, which has focused on
protecting marine resources while supporting sustainable use of the Territory’s waters.
In The Bahamas, conservation advocates are encouraging citizens to reconnect with the ocean and recognize its value not only as a source of recreation, but as the foundation of national prosperity.
Yet conservationists say government action alone will not be enough.
Protecting the ocean begins with everyday decisions: reducing pollution, respecting marine habitats, supporting sustainable fishing practices, participating in clean-up efforts and holding leaders accountable for environmental commitments.
The message of World Oceans Day 2026 is straightforward.
The promises have been made.
The treaties have been signed.
The targets have been announced.
Now comes the hard part: protecting the ocean before time runs out.
Developed by Deandrea Hamilton • with ChatGPT (AI) • edited by Magnetic Media.
May 29, 2026 – Two years after The Bahamas made history as the first Caribbean nation to host the African Export-Import Bank’s Annual
Meetings, thousands of delegates are expected to gather in Egypt next month for AAM2026.
The 33rd Afreximbank Annual Meetings will be held from June 21-24 in El Alamein, Egypt, under the theme: “Intra-African Trade and Industrialisation: Pathway to Economic Sovereignty.”
The event is regarded as one of Africa’s most important gatherings on trade, investment, finance and economic development, bringing together heads of state, policymakers, business leaders, development finance institutions and international partners.
For Caribbean nations, the meetings hold special significance.
In 2024, The Bahamas welcomed thousands of delegates to Nassau for the landmark event, marking the first time the annual meetings were staged outside the African continent and placing the Caribbean at the center of growing discussions on Africa-Caribbean trade and investment.
Since then, Afreximbank has continued to expand its engagement in the region, promoting stronger commercial ties between Africa and
Caribbean countries and exploring opportunities in trade finance, infrastructure development, logistics, investment and private sector growth.
Organizers say this year’s discussions will focus on strengthening intra-African trade, advancing industrialization, building regional value chains and increasing economic resilience amid global uncertainty.
The meetings are also expected to provide a platform for new partnerships, investment opportunities and development initiatives that could have implications beyond Africa, including for Caribbean nations seeking to deepen economic cooperation with the continent.
As leaders prepare to convene in Egypt, the Caribbean’s growing relationship with Afreximbank remains a key part of the institution’s broader vision of expanding trade and investment connections across the Global South.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
The Bahamas, May 29, 2026 – The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to expand, with United Nations officials now warning that the disease has spread across multiple eastern provinces and become the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of May 26 the outbreak had reached 13 health zones in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. More than 1,000 suspected cases have been reported, including 121 confirmed infections and 17 deaths. Six healthcare workers are among those who have died.
The United Nations says humanitarian teams remain actively engaged in treatment, surveillance, community outreach and disease containment efforts. However, the response is being complicated by insecurity, population movement and restrictions affecting the delivery of supplies and personnel.
While the outbreak remains confined to Africa, authorities in The Bahamas recently activated emergency health protocols after two men who had spent time in the Democratic Republic of the Congo arrived at Lynden Pindling International Airport aboard a British Airways flight.
The Ministry of Health confirmed the travelers were isolated after presenting low-grade fevers upon arrival on May 22. Officials later
reported that the fevers subsided and neither individual displayed symptoms consistent with Ebola Virus Disease.
The two men, identified as a British national residing in Australia and a French national, were transferred to the Modular Unit at Princess Margaret Hospital for continued monitoring.
Health officials emphasized that there are currently no confirmed Ebola cases in The Bahamas and assessed the risk to the public as low.
Still, the growing outbreak overseas has prompted increased vigilance. Health Minister Dr. Michael Darville said the government is reviewing whether additional travel measures may be necessary for countries affected by the outbreak.
The United Nations this week announced up to US$60 million in emergency funding to support the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries, warning that rapid action remains critical to preventing further spread.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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