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JAMAICA: Viking Cruises Joins Norwegian Cruise Line in Making Jamaica Home Port

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#Kingston, April 22, 2021 – Viking Cruises has joined the Norwegian Cruise Line in ‘home-porting’ one of their vessels in Jamaica.  Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, announced on Tuesday (April 20), that Viking Cruises will have a Jamaican itinerary starting August.

Viking joins the previously announced Norwegian Cruise Line, which is scheduled to begin service from Montego Bay that same month.

“They (Viking Cruises) are scheduled to start home-porting also in August from Montego Bay… so they will start in Montego Bay, they will go to Falmouth, then to Ocho Rios, then to Port Antonio and then to Port Royal and then back to Montego Bay for the next round,” he said.

Mr. Bartlett said this arrangement is “something that we have been talking about for a while and we really want to bring out that Jamaica can have its own itinerary and we have to look now at how we improve the ports”.   He was opening the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives under the theme ‘Building Forward Stronger: Tourism 2021 and Beyond’.

As it relates to the Norwegian Cruise Line, Minister Bartlett told the House that arrangements have been finalised for service to begin.

“They will originate in Montego Bay… stop in Ocho Rios, provide support in the Ocho Rios area and then head on to the other [countries] but they will be taking all their supplies here in Montego Bay,” he said.

In the cruise industry the term “home port” refers to the port where a ship takes on/changes over the majority of its passengers while taking on stores, supplies and fuel. 

“The importance of home-porting is that it offers opportunities for supplies, it enables jobs, it provides purchases of not just fuel but also water, and critical to it all, it also provides accommodation for stopover visitors who come into the island,” Minister Bartlett said.

He informed that Norwegian Cruise Line has also provided US$1 million to utilise in the COVID-19 recovery programme, particularly for small players in the industry. “But it is not only Jamaica because they are also giving to Dominican Republic,” he said.

Mr. Bartlett said cruise has had the highest casualty of all the tourism activities in the Caribbean region.

“As at March 2020, zero cruise arrivals have been in the country and zero dollars have been driven by cruise activities,” he pointed out.

With operating headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, Viking Cruises has a fleet of more than 70 state-of- the-art vessels offering cruises along the rivers and oceans of North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Russia, Egypt, China, and Southeast Asia.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. is a leading international cruise company that operates several brands, including the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. With a combined fleet of 28 ships with approximately 59,150 berths, these brands offer itineraries to more than 490 destinations globally. The Company is slated to introduce nine additional ships through 2027.

The Jamaica Vacations Limited has responsibility for the Ministry’s cruise portfolio.

Release: JIS

Contact: Chris Patterson

Photo Caption:  Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, delivers the opening 2021/22 Sectoral Debate Presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (April 20), under the theme ‘Building Forward Stronger: Tourism 2021 and Beyond’.

Michael Sloley Photos

Caribbean News

Widow’s Testimony Recounts Night Haiti President Was Killed

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MIAMI, Florida — Emotional testimony from Martine Moïse, the widow of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, has given jurors in a U.S. federal courtroom a chilling account of the night gunmen stormed the presidential residence and killed the country’s leader.

Martine Moïse took the stand this week in Miami as part of the ongoing trial of several men accused of helping plan and finance the July 7, 2021 assassination, a crime that plunged Haiti into political crisis and remains only partially solved.

She told the court that armed men forced their way into the president’s private home in the hills above Port-au-Prince during the early morning hours, firing multiple shots at her husband while she lay beside him. She testified that she was also wounded in the attack and survived by pretending to be dead until the gunmen left the room.

According to prosecutors, the plot involved a group of foreign mercenaries, including former Colombian soldiers, along with Haitian and Haitian-American suspects. Investigators say some of the men believed the mission was to detain the president, but the operation turned into an assassination.

The Miami trial is focusing on the alleged role of South Florida businessmen and others accused of organizing or financing the plan, part of a wider international investigation that has stretched across several countries.

More than four years after the killing, the question of who ultimately ordered the assassination remains unanswered, with suspects still in custody in both Haiti and the United States as the case continues to unfold.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Jamaica Joins Afreximbank Agreement, Strengthening Africa–Caribbean Partnership

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CARIBBEAN — Jamaica has become the 13th CARICOM member state to accede to the African Export-Import Bank Establishment Agreement, further strengthening economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean.

The development was confirmed during the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, where an Afreximbank delegation led by George Elombi and Kanayo Awani met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness to advance cooperation.

Prime Minister Holness thanked the bank for its support following Jamaica’s recent hurricane, noting that Afreximbank financing helped restore critical infrastructure including water, electricity, sewage systems and roads, while also assisting reconstruction efforts aimed at building stronger resilience to future disasters.

The meeting also focused on broader development opportunities tied to Jamaica’s membership in the agreement. Discussions included rebuilding and modernising infrastructure such as railways, hospitals and other public facilities, while strengthening regional transportation and trade networks to improve the movement of people and goods across the Caribbean.

Afreximbank has been expanding its presence in the Caribbean as part of its strategy to connect Africa with the region often referred to as “Global Africa.” The bank has already committed billions of dollars in financing and trade support to Caribbean economies in recent years, including funding for infrastructure, trade facilitation and private sector investment.

By joining the agreement, Jamaica gains expanded access to Afreximbank’s financial instruments, technical support and trade networks designed to promote commerce between Africa and CARICOM states.

Regional leaders say the growing partnership could unlock new opportunities in areas such as trade, logistics, tourism, manufacturing and cultural exchange, strengthening economic cooperation between the two regions with deep historical and diaspora ties.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion  

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Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.

The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.

“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.

“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”

Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.

Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.

Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”

Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.

Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.

Photo Caption: 

TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain

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