Caribbean News
CARPHA Partners with The UWI – School of Veterinary Medicine, St. Augustine for Capacity Building Entomology Workshop
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 24 June 2024. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) collaborated with The School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of the West Indies (UWI) for a three-day workshop titled “Identification of Arthropod Vectors of Diseases of
Public Health, Animal Health, and Zoonotic Importance,” held from June 10th – 12th, 2024, at the UWI School of Veterinary Medicine campus, Mt. Hope, Trinidad and Tobago. The intensive workshop aimed to build the capacity of Public Health Specialists and Veterinarians, from seven CARPHA Member States, to identify common arthropod vectors under the One Health Framework.
With Neglected Infectious Diseases like dengue fever, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis, as well as Transboundary Animal Diseases like African Swine Fever posing significant public health and food security challenges to CARPHA Member States, enhancing the identification and control of these vectors has never been more critical.
Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director of CARPHA, highlighted the importance of this initiative while presenting certificates to the
twenty-six workshop participants. “The introduction of Animal Diseases, such as diseases caused by the Avian Influenza virus, continues to pose a threat to livelihoods of poultry farmers, results in food insecurity and economic instability of many countries, as well as heightens the threat of the development of zoonoses which threaten human health. This workshop is the kind of intervention that will ensure the security of the region. CARPHA and The UWI are keen to implement activities that address the threats to One Health safety and security.” Dr. Karla Georges, Director of the School of Veterinary Medicine at The UWI St. Augustine, added, “As a region we have the capacity to train our professionals and this workshop allowed further engagement and development of strong links among local, regional and international experts under the One Health umbrella. ”
Prof. Hariharan Seetharaman, Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at The UWI, and Dr. Lisa Indar, Director of Surveillance, Diseases Prevention and Control at CARPHA, also attended the opening ceremony in support of this initiative.
The workshop was facilitated by regional and international experts from CARPHA, The UWI, the
Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Brazil), The University of Delaware, The University of Concepción (Chile), and CIRAD. Fieldwork was conducted at the UWI Field Station and Maracas St Joseph. Participants included policymakers, representatives from Ministries of Health and Agriculture, researchers, and other public health professionals.
This regional entomology workshop was funded with support from the European Union under the 11th EDF Programme, supporting health system strengthening for the prevention and control of outbreaks of Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases in the Caribbean, Boehringer Ingelheim, Centre de coopé ration internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), the CaribVET network and CaribGREEN.
For more information about regional vector control activities, visit the Caribbean Vector Borne
Diseases Network website at https://carivecnet.carpha.org/ and the UWI School of Veterinary Medicine at https://sta.uwi.edu/fms/vet/ and CaribVET Caribbean animal health network (caribvet.net)
Caribbean News
Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts celebrate a night of wins, and take home a total of 16 titles at the 32nd Annual World Travel Awards
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (October 6th, 2025) – CaribCon, the Caribbean conference celebrating culture, innovation, and creativity, will welcome some of the region’s most influential voices to its inaugural edition in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The event, set to be a dynamic gathering of thought leaders and cultural icons, will feature impactful panel discussions, inspiring and intimate fireside chats and a flow of knowledge from some of the Caribbean’s brightest and best in the creative sector.
Elizabeth “Lady” Montano
Jamaica’s own Dr. Terri-Karelle Johnson, celebrated communications specialist, media personality, and global keynote speaker, will headline CaribCon as the official keynote speaker. Known for her ability to connect authentically and inspire audiences worldwide, Dr. Reid will share her insights on Caribbean identity, storytelling, and the power of representation in shaping global narratives. Another highlight of CaribCon will be the presence of Elizabeth “Lady” Montano, mother and former manager of soca superstar Machel Montano. Lady will launch her award-winning book, King of Soca, in which she is positioned as the ultimate insider, chronicling the evolution of one of the Caribbean’s most iconic entertainers. She will also share her invaluable experiences on nurturing talent, building a brand, and sustaining longevity in the competitive music industry in an intimate fireside chat. Adding further star power to the event is Simon Baptiste, CEO of Question Mark Entertainment, co-founder of ODOS, a global collective network spanning over 1000 professionals in 35 countries, film director, talent manager and creative strategist. Baptiste will bring his expertise to conversations on shaping the region’s creative sector and talent.
Simon Baptiste
“CaribCon is where the Caribbean’s voices, ideas, and creativity converge,” says Omega Simmons, founder of CaribCon and CEO of SOS Media. “Having leaders like Terri Karelle, Lady Montano, and Simon Baptiste share their stories and expertise truly embodies the spirit of this event. Their presence reinforces the power of Caribbean culture to inspire and influence on the world stage.” CaribCon will take place at the Shore Club in Providenciales, the Turks and Caicos Islands, from October 23rd to 26th. Attendees can look forward to networking opportunities, panel discussions, and meaningful dialogue to foster an ecosystem that develops the region’s creative sector and propels it onto the global stage.
Sponsors are:
Signature Experience Partners: Ministry of Tourism, Experience Turks and Caicos, and The Shore Club.
Other sponsors: PPID, Invest TCI, InterCaribbean Airways, Subtronic Sounds, Spotlight Communications.
Hotel partners: Ocean Club Resorts, Waterloo Hotel Management, The Somerset on Grace Bay and Ports of Call Resort.
For more information, tickets, and updates, visit www.caribcon.co or follow @caribconhq on all social media platforms.
For more information please email: contact@caribcon.co
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