Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

December 10, 2023 – There is an urgent need for a global methane agreement to drive the fight against worsening the climate crisis. Otherwise temperatures will continue to increase and more lives will be lost.

Mia Amor Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados, known for her firm advocacy and award winning dedication to vocalising the path toward creating a safer planet, made the remark at this year’s Cop28 conference in the UAE.

With 180 seconds to speak, Mottley made powerful points regarding the needs for winning against climate change effects.

She expressed that without change in the approach to the climate crisis, the results will be catastrophic.

Regarding the global methane agreements, which she says the world needs, to help drive “concrete action,” to control methane, as the damage I can cause in the near future, exceeds that of Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

For progress to be made with methane control, she says oil and gas companies need to agree to fix leaks in their pipelines  as well as stop flaring.

Mottley highlights this against the fact that “oil and gas operations are the largest sources of methane methane emissions from the energy sector,” according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

In continuation, Mottley continues to speak about other factors in relation to methane, that need reform to cater to a safe and more resilient earth in light of climate change.

The prime minister refers to farming and waste management practices which she maintained must change in order to control the level of methane that the world is seeing.

Emphasizing her argument she said, “ the science is simple, to turn down the heat, you simply have to turn down the methane, and until we accept that, we will go over a tipping point.”

Tying the issue of capital into her argument, Mottley, expressed that she has exhausted the point that long term capital is needed to stop the world leaders from choosing between people and planet. Regarding this, the attitude towards access to capital must change, she also said.

Calling attention to the Bridgetown Initiative and the Paris Plan for action, she said they all outline that the issues of methane and capital are “tipping points” that the world needs to pass.

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

December 10, 2023 – Multiple earthquakes were felt last weekend, Friday night into Saturday, a cause for concern among citizens.

Recorded near Guadeloupe, Antigua and Barbuda and Monsterrat, was a 6.0 magnitude at around 4:48 am at a depth of 16 kilometers (km).

The University of the West Indies, Seismic Research Centre’s (UWI-SRC) Automatic Earthquake Location informed that it struck Point-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe at 71 km north-east, Saint John’s Antigua and Barbuda at 89 km south-east and Brades, Montserrat at 120 km east.

After this, another tremor with a magnitude of 4.4 was recorded northeast of Guadeloupe, southeast of Antigua and east of Montserrat at around 6:29 am local time, with a depth of 10 km.

The Automatic Earthquake Location says for Point-à-Porte it was 76 km northeast, Saint John’s, 91 km south-east and Brades 123 km east.

On Friday, several earthquakes were recorded in the same chain of islands, reports say.

At 10:31 pm, a magnitude 4.3 hit in the same area with a depth of 7.7 km.

Then, a 4.4 magnitude was picked up with a depth of 34.8 km at around 11 pm local time; Pointe-à-Pitre, 120 km northeast, Saint John’s 131km east-south-east and Brades, 164 km east.

Not even 2 minutes after, a 3.6 magnitude occurred at 11:01 pm with a 5 km depth and shortly after another at 11:13 pm, with a 3.8 magnitude at a depth of 10 km; 115 km of Pointe-à- Pitre, north-east, 138 km, east-south-east of Saint John’s and 173 km east of Brades.

St Kitts and Nevis was also affected as a 3.8 magnitude struck near the islands as well as Antigua and Barbuda dams Montserrat at about 8:17 pm, a depth of 80.6 km.

As informed by the Automatic Earthquake Location from the UWI SRC, it is 70 km north of Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis, 133 km northwest of Saint John’s Antigua and Barbuda and 134 km northwest of Brades, Monsterrat.

Despite the multiple tremors felt, no injuries or damages were reported.

Responding to concerned citizens, the UWI SRC in a statement said, “please note that our region is a seismically active one and we can feel events in a short period of time. This is why we always urge persons to plan, prepare and practice for any earthquake event.”

Just about a month ago, Jamaica was struck by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake, one the strongest it has felt in about 30 years, leaving many shaken up.

#Miami, Florida, December 10, 2023 – President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Nicola Madden-Greig, OD, received the 2023 Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) Leadership Award in Miami over the weekend.

The Awards recognize excellence and innovation in Caribbean communication and hospitality, celebrating individuals who have made significant contributions to sustainable tourism, community engagement, and cultural preservation.

“As president of the CHTA, I want to see the Caribbean region not only grow but reach the stratosphere. I am honored to be among so many other persons who work so hard and tirelessly to see Caribbean tourism advance. I thank each and every one of you for your efforts, which has inspired me to continue to work hard to ensure that we reach our goals,” Madden-Greig told a packed audience at Loews Coral Gables on Saturday.

Grateful for the honor, Madden-Greig stated, “Thank you to the CMEx Awards for providing us the opportunity to recognize Caribbean hospitality leaders and communities. This recognition lets us spotlight the true value of hospitality, emphasizing its impact on the economy and beyond.”

Since assuming the Presidency of CHTA, Madden-Greig has taken a forward-looking approach and added both a Technology Taskforce to ensure the embedding of new technologies to drive efficiency and marketing, as well as the Caribbean Travel Forum, which engages private and public thought leaders to discuss the business of tourism.

During the awards, several CHTA members were also recognized with Leadership Awards for their efforts in shaping the region’s tourism landscape.

CHTA-member honorees included:

• Beverly Nicholson-Doty, CEO of Figment Design, a CHTA Strategic Partner
• Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary-General & CEO of the Caribbean Tourism Organization and a CHTA Board Member
• Ewald Biemans, Owner/CEO of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort in Aruba and CHTA Board Member, whose company also received a Hall of Fame recognition at CHTA’s Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) earlier in the week
• Joy Jibrilu, CEO of the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board
• Stan Hartling, Chief Executive Officer and lead partner of The Hartling Group, Turks and Caicos Islands

“These accolades reflect the commitment of our president and our members to elevating the Caribbean tourism experience,” said Vanessa Ledesma, Acting CEO and Director General of CHTA. “Their achievements inspire us all as we continue to work together towards a vibrant and responsible future for Caribbean tourism.”

CMEx supports and develops the ability of the media, government, the travel and tourism industry, and communities to consider the importance of tourism in sustainable development, while lending a hand to the communities involved by sharing relevant expertise, financial and in-kind assistance.