Caribbean News

BTC Fetes Mathematics Champions

Published

3 years ago

December 12, 2022

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: Beaches Turks and Caicos recently treated talented mathematics champions Shecaniah Robertson and Emilly Charles and their families to a day filled with fun and excitement in recognition of their feat as the champions of the inaugural Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Education mathematics competition.

Robertson and Charles, grade six students at Oseta Jolly Primary School in Providenciales, walked away winners in the recently held competition at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex turning back the challenge from 13 other primary schools. Beaches Turks & Caicos were supporting sponsors of the much-heralded academic event.

General Manager, James McAnally in welcoming the students and their families shared, “As a resort, we believe in championing educational advancement and opportunities and it was our pleasure to lend support for the competition with the provision of prizes. We are pleased to welcome our mathematics champions and their families and share the many amenities of our resort with them as a reward for their hard work. We remain excited to encourage future participants to work just as hard and come celebrate with us.”

As the saying goes, to the victors belong the spoils, as Robertson and Charles reaped the fruits of their hard work courtesy of a day pass for four at the luxury-included Beaches Turks and Caicos.For Robertson, it was well received. “WOW… this is a beautiful place. The team members here are kind and accommodating and they made us feel like we are tourists. The waterpark was the most ideal place for us to start and it was so much fun. The activities that we enjoyed included exploring and having fun at the Pirates Island.”

Her teammate and friend, Emilly added, “The food was good. We had the chance to dine at many of the restaurants and the variety was really great. Pirates Island Waterpark with slides, and X-Box room alone can finish the day if we had not gone to the beach to do any watersports or other restaurants or participate in any of the fun activities that were organised.”

Said Ava Robertson, mother of Shecaniah, “I am overwhelmed and very thankful to the Beaches Turks and Caicos resort and its general manager, Mr. McAnally for making this day so special and memorable for us as a family. This is a great motivation as these girls will now see that whenever they work hard academically, these perks will be forthcoming and we hope to be back soon.”

Emilly’s father, Edley Charles, who was a part of the day of frolicking believes it was a day well deserved. This, as he reflected on and spoke proudly of his daughter’s hard work and commitment in studying. “It’s not difficult to support her, in fact, it is quite easy. This is because she is disciplined. When you find a child who listens, parenting and coaching become a bit easier because her studying habits can develop faster.

“Mathematics is a subject that calls for practice and mental discipline. Emilly is a child who enjoys the challenge and the competition they have won in order to be here. This is a good foundation for what our schools are doing in this subject area. For the Beaches Turks and Caicos to be major sponsor and provide for the champions this reward shows that the resort believes in the development of the children and people of Turks and Caicos. This is a commendable act on behalf of this corporate giant who puts their money where their mouth is, in building the nation, one child at a time,” Charles continued.

An ecstatic Emilly could barely contain her excitement following her first experience at the water park. “This experience is almost magical. These activities were only seen by me in magazines, but Beaches Turks and Caicos has allowed us to enjoy all the fun activities that tourists pay to come to this island to enjoy. As for my friend and I, we have achieved this dream occasion because of our academic discipline and the support that this resort has been giving to the children and for the development of education.”

Emilly’s teammate Shecaniah added, “Winning the competition was a very exciting time, but being here to live out this prize is like a dream come true. We were able to have fun and enjoy different kinds of meals. Emilly and I have been waiting for this celebration and I am happy that we are able to enjoy this treat from this world class resort.”

Release: Beaches Resorts

Photo Captions:

Header: Shecaniah Robertson (left) and Emilly Charles float along the lazy river as they enjoyed their main prize in the primary school Mathematics competition from Beaches Turks and Caicos

1st insert: Shecaniah Robertson (left) and Emilly Charles share a moment with the camera before they decided to explore the BTC Waterpark and the many dining opportunities

2nd insert: Emilly Charles and her sibling (let) along with Shecaniah Robertson and her sibling float along the lazy river during their exploration of the Waterpark at BTC

Caribbean News

Jamaica Records US$2.4B in Earnings from 2.3 Million Visitor Arrivals Since Start of 2025

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Kingston, Jamaica, July 11, 2025 – Jamaica has welcomed approximately 2.3 million visitors since the start of 2025, generating US$2.4 billion in earnings.

This was disclosed by Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, who further reported that the industry grew by two per cent in the first quarter of the year, contributing to a one per cent increase in Jamaica’s overall economic performance during the period.

“After Hurricane Beryl and all the disruptions – travel advisories, political and geopolitical issues – we are back on the growth path, and that’s going to continue,” Mr. Bartlett said, highlighting the sector’s resilience and renewed momentum despite challenges faced in 2024.

He was speaking during the opening ceremony for the 11^th ‘Christmas in July’ trade show at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Thursday (July 10).

Meanwhile, Mr. Bartlett anticipates a significant increase in tourism earnings for the current quarter, compared to the corresponding period last year, which is attributable to the sector’s strong rebound from the disruptions caused by Hurricane Beryl.

“I’m worried about how big the growth is going to look for this quarter because… you’re comparing a Beryl period to now, a normal period. But that’s how growth goes, because you’re measuring against another period. The good news is that you’re back to where you were in 2023,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bartlett encouraged the 180 exhibitors showcasing a wide range of Jamaican-made products to capitalise on the sector’s growth.

He noted that Jamaica’s nearly three million stopover arrivals have created a robust market demand that local entrepreneurs are urged to tap into.

“A new demand has been created for goods and services that must be supplied by you; and if it is not supplied by you, it is going to have to be imported. If it is imported, then we are going to have what we call leakage. That is to say, the [earnings] that [have] come from tourism will leave by the same plane that brings the visitors or the same ship that brings the cruise passenger. We want the money to stay here,” he added.

The two-day ‘Christmas in July’ trade show, which ended on Friday (July 11), provided an opportunity for local producers and creatives to showcase their work and products, while networking with potential consumers from the tourism sector, corporate Jamaica, and international organisations.

The event is an initiative of the Tourism Linkages Network, a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), in partnership with Government agencies and the private sector.

CONTACT: VANESSA JAMES

Photo Caption: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (centre), greets owner of ‘Daroza’, Rosalee Davis, during the 11^th staging of the ‘Christmas in July’ trade show at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Thursday (July 10). At right is Chief Technical Director in the Tourism Ministry, David Dobson.

Photo: Michael Sloley

Caribbean News

Guyana: Toll to be removed for three major bridges on August 1

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Guyana, July 11, 2025 – On August 1, less than a month from now, the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), the Berbice River Bridge and the Wismar Bridge will be toll-free.

This fulfils a promise that President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali made on Sunday, March 23, while addressing a large gathering at Babu Jaan in Port Mourant, Corentyne, during the annual observance to celebrate the life of Dr Cheddi Jagan.

The removal of the tolls was meant to coincide with the commissioning of the new Demerara River Bridge. The bridge stands at a 90 percent completion rate and is scheduled to be opened by August 31.

The removal of the tolls is expected to bring financial relief to over 50,000 daily commuters, translating to an estimated $3.5 billion in annual savings for citizens, as highlighted in Budget 2025.

Currently, bridge tolls for the Demerara Harbour Bridge range from $40 for motorcycles to $700 for motor lorries, with cars and minibuses paying $200. The Berbice River Bridge toll for a motor car is $1900, and the Wismar Bridge in Linden charge a toll of $60 for cars.

“This initiative reflects our government’s dedication to making daily transportation more affordable, reducing travel time, while also facilitating greater economic activity and internal regional integration,” the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh, said during the presentation of the 2025 budget in the National Assembly earlier this year.

As the new Demerara River Bridge advances towards its completion date, it will serve as a key link between Regions Three and Four.

According to the Project Engineer with the Ministry of Public Works, Siddiq Khan, the new bridge will offer an improved capacity with 24-hour accessibility. The timely completion, along with the abolition of tolls, will be an important step in modernising Guyana’s transportation systems.

As August 31 nears, excitement grows about what the removal of bridge tolls will mean for Guyanese citizens. This change will quickly and significantly benefit households in Guyana, putting more disposable income in the pockets of citizens.

Caribbean News

Spreading gang violence poses major risk to Haiti and Caribbean sub-region, UN human rights report warns

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

GENEVA/PORT-AU-PRINCE (11 July 2025) – Escalating gang violence outside Port-au-Prince has claimed over 1,000 lives and forced hundreds of thousands to flee since October 2024, threatening to destabilise not only Haiti but also other countries in the Caribbean, a UN human rights report warned today.

The report, by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office, details the evolution of violent gang incidents since October 2024 up to June 2025. It also shows how violence increased sharply in recent months, especially in the Lower Artibonite and Centre departments, as gangs continue to extend their influence along key routes in the north and centre of the country, and towards the Dominican Republic.

“Human rights abuses outside Port-au-Prince are intensifying in areas of the country where the presence of the State is extremely limited. The international community must strengthen its support to the authorities, who bear the primary responsibility for protecting the Haitian population,” said Ulrika Richardson, ad interim Head of BINUH and UN Resident Coordinator.

Between 1 October 2024 and 30 June 2025, at least 1,018 people were killed, 213 others injured and 620 abducted in Artibonite and Centre, as well as in Ganthier and Fonds Parisien, west of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, the report says.

Over the same period, the total number of killings across Haiti was 4,864.*

The report notes that the mass killing in Pont Sondé (Lower Artibonite) in October 2024, which left over 100 people dead, marked a major turning point in the cycle of violence between gangs and the so-called ‘self-defence’ groups. Several other mass killings followed, causing mass displacement, including in the town of Mirebalais (Centre department) which earlier this year saw all its 100,000 residents flee.

The Haitian authorities have deployed specialised police units, supported by the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, to some extent slowing the gangs’ advances. Ultimately, however, given their lack of resources, they have been unable to reassert control over the affected areas.

Against this backdrop, human rights abuses by self-defence groups have increased. Summary executions involving Haitian security forces have also been committed against individuals accused of supporting gangs, the report says.

“Caught in the middle of this unending horror story are the Haitian people, who are at the mercy of horrific violence by gangs and exposed to human rights violations from the security forces and abuses by the so-called ‘self-defence’ groups,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

“The human rights violations and abuses that we have documented are further evidence of why Haiti and the international community urgently need to step up to end the violence,” he added.

The expansion of gang territorial control poses a major risk of spreading violence and increasing transnational trafficking in arms and people, the report says.

Among its recommendations, it calls on the Haitian authorities to ensure police have the necessary resources to tackle the gangs, in full respect of international human rights law. It calls for specialised judicial units to combat corruption and mass crimes, including sexual violence, to be established as soon as possible.

The report also calls on the international community to maintain BINUH’s full operational capacity so that the office can continue to advise and support the Haitian government in its efforts to strengthen good governance and ensure the respect for, and promotion of, human rights. The strengthening of MSS mission and the full implementation of the arms embargo will be equally essential to restore security and the rule of law in Haiti.