CaribPR Wire

Unveiling of Katye Pam Poze, Haiti’s proprietary, community-based decentralization initiative and civil preparedness programs discussed

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –  Focusing on Haiti’s natural disaster planning and creation of strong community-based civil defense programs, Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul, accompanying President Michel Martelly, met with United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Senior Director, Jessica Faieta to discuss progress and next steps.  The meeting, which took place March 21 in Port-au-Prince, comes within the framework of strengthening the existing, long-term partnership between the UNPD and the Government of Haiti.

Recognizing the role played by the UNDP within Haiti, including fortifying the Department of Civil Protection (DPC), Minister Mayard-Paul underscored the importance of ongoing dialogue to demonstrate that both the Haitian government and the UNDP are committed to completing what we begin.

“The UNDP has been instrumental in strengthening the DPC’s institutional capacity, improving infrastructure and access to equipment that will help Haiti reduce risks and be better prepared to manage and respond to emergency situations,” said Mr. Mayard-Paul.  He added that the UNDP and Haiti have been committed partners, saying “We will demonstrate how working together we accomplish remarkable things,” referring to the validation ceremony for Haiti’s precedent-setting “Seismic Risk Reduction Plan.”

The Minister and Ms. Faieta also discussed the unveiling of Haiti’s new community-based decentralization program, Katye Pam Poze, which took place the previous week in a meeting between Mr. Mayard-Paul and Margareta Wahlstrom,  the UN’s Assistant Secretary General for Disaster and Risk Reduction.  Katye Pam Poze (KPP) forms the cornerstone for President Martelly’s National Agenda for Decentralization.

“Katye Pam Poze is a program developed by Haitians for Haitians that seeks to bring decision-making closer to the people,” said Mr. Mayard-Paul. “Our goal is to promote good governance, boost economic development and achieve our goals for job creation.  We also aim to ensure the efficient delivery of public services and safety for our citizens.”

At the core of Katye Pam Poze is a plan to mobilize local governments for disaster risk prevention and emergency response which is a top priority for the Martelly administration.  Both Katye Pam Poze and the new risk reduction initiative are aligned with the UNDP view that in a national emergency, the immediate priority is to ensure people receive help as quickly as possible, ideally within the first few hours.  “This can only be accomplished through community-based programs where everyone knows their roles,” said the Minister.  To this end, the Minister of the Interior has several initiatives underway, including a widespread national first aid training program. “Our comprehensive disaster preparedness strategy includes building a network of emergency operations centers, warehouses, disaster and fire stations throughout Haiti in order to help make all parts of the country safer,” said Mr. Mayard-Paul. “Complementing and bolstering the efforts of the Haitian Red Cross, first aid training will be provided to schoolchildren, workers, professionals, representatives of the informal sector, and the population-at large.”

In January 2012, Haiti’s Civil Protection network received a generous gift of SUVs, trucks, boats, canoes, 11,000 solar radios, tents and other disaster-response equipment from the U.S. Department of Defense further bolstering Haiti’s institutional capacity with modern emergency equipment.

“Civil Protection is a top priority for my department,” said the Minister. “As a next phase we will be creating a commission to define the five most critical concerns for civil protection and with the collaboration of everyone at the local and central government level we will implement our new initiative.  We will keep you informed about the outcome of this commission, and we hope that UNDP will continue to be our partner as it has proven to be throughout all these years.”

Also present at the meeting were Nigel Fisher, Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator of UN System, UNDP Resident Representative; UNDP Administrator, Helen Clark and Haiti’s Minister of Planning Herve Day.

Aligned with national decentralization agenda, President Martelly’s administration is proactively building capacity of municipalities and departments to better prepare communities for emergency response

 CAP HAITIEN, Haiti, March 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul and United Nation’s Development Program (UNDP) administrator, Helen Clark hosted a landmark validation ceremony in Cap-Haitien today, putting into action a precedent-setting “Seismic Risk Reduction Plan for Northern Haiti.”

The plan, a flagship project for UNDP and its national partners, is a joint venture between UNDP and Haiti’s National System for Disaster Risk Reduction, under the Ministry of the Interior.  According to the UNDP’s Clark, this is one of the first times that a developing country has taken advance measures to reduce the vulnerability of its people and economy to future earthquakes. “This project is a historical landmark and this is to the credit of the Haitian government, which decided to engage a proactive strategy of risk reduction in order to avoid a similar tragedy to that which struck Port-au-Prince and its region on January 12th, 2010,” she said.

In response, Minister Mayard-Paul remarked, “That the Haitian Government chose to take action, rather than wait for the next earthquake, storm or hurricane, as part of our national strategy for decentralization.  We are putting in place a very pro-active strategy for risk reduction to protect our people and our economy as a way of strengthening our communities throughout Haiti, in full alignment with our decentralization strategy.”

Because of its geographical location, Haiti is exposed to floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, landslides and earthquakes, with particular vulnerability in the northern regions, which sit atop two tectonic plates.  Although scientists have no way of telling when the next earthquake will hit, they agree that the level of threat in Northern Haiti is high. At the same time, Northern Haiti is poised to play a key role in the decentralization that is part of the post-January 12th, 2010 regional and economic rebuilding for the country. In particular, tourism represents a strategic development opportunity thanks to the amazing coastline and landscape, as well as to the rich cultural heritage found in this part of the country. Additionally, recent international investments in the Caracol-Fort Liberte economic development area enhance the region’s future as a manufacturing center poised to attract factories and tens of thousands new inhabitants.

Ms. Clark emphasized that in order to invest the hundreds of millions of dollars necessary to develop Northern Haiti into an attractive pole for economic activity; Haiti must first ensure the safety of that investment in the face of natural hazards. “The ‘Seismic Risk Reduction plan for Northern Haiti’ will help local and national authorities face this challenge,” she said.

Minister Mayard-Paul concurred saying, “Our country and our people are vulnerable. We will be looking to the seismic risk reduction program here in the north in order to learn lessons we can integrate into wider programs for the Government of Haiti and our partner organizations.  We are hoping that this program will become a model for reducing seismic risk in other parts of the country.”

Disaster and Risk Reduction, and building strong civil preparedness programs, are at the very heart of Haiti’s new community-based decentralization program, Katye Pam Poze, the cornerstone initiative of President Martelly’s National Agenda for Decentralization. Launched by Minister Mayard-Paul one week ago in Jacmel, Katye Pam Poze seeks to bring decision-making closer to the Haitian people. At the same time, it seeks to promote good governance; boost economic development and job creation, ensure the efficient delivery of public services and promote citizen safety.  Defined by Minister Mayard-Paul as a plan created “by Haitians, for Haitians”, Katye Pam Poze mobilizes local governments for disaster risk prevention and emergency response; a top priority for the Martelly administration.

“Civil Protection, which will oversee Natural Disaster prevention and mitigation, is within the scope of programs encompassed by Katye Pam Poze,” explained the Minister. “As our administration works towards decentralization, our efforts to empower and support local government and local development, must take into account efforts to reduce and manage disaster risk.”

Stressing that the Martelly administration plans to complement earthquake risk reduction with similar programs to mitigate risks related to cyclones and flooding, the Minister said, “We are proactively building capacity of our municipalities and departments for seismic-risk management so all Haiti can be better prepared to manage and respond to emergency situations. Programs such as this are close to my heart, as they involve the safety, welfare and lives of our People.”

Cross-sector participation shows strong support as new community-based decentralization program kicks off

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Haiti’s recently-launched community-based decentralization program, Katye Pam Poze (KPP), kicked off its community cafe series in Jacmel with nearly 100 local residents sharing their views on what their neighborhoods need most.

According to Minister of the Interior Thierry Mayard-Paul, who is spearheading and coordinating President Michel Martelly’s new program, “every community’s needs are different, so we will be visiting all ten pilot cities throughout Haiti learning their specific requirements through our cafe dialogues,” he said. “That way, we can ensure that we address the needs of each community, under an integral and manageable framework.”

The cafe dialogues are a key aspect of KPP’s participatory approach, which seeks to bring decision-making closer to the citizen level. Once local needs are assessed through cafes, as well as extensive asset-based community development research on-the-ground, a detailed blueprint will be developed for each of the ten pilot communities, laying out priority subprograms that will guarantee access to basic social services and citizen safety.

President Martelly’s Delegate, Pierre Michel Lafontant, stated during his opening remarks that President Martelly has committed the full support of his administration to KPP as a cornerstone of the Haitian government’s National Decentralization Agenda.  ”Katye Pam Poze will build a safer and more prosperous Haiti, one community at a time, while moving towards the consolidation of democratic governance,” said the delegate.  “It has been the President’s goal from the beginning of his decision to run for president, that Haitian citizens be more directly involved in planning, implementing, and managing programs and initiatives that impact their communities.   With the launch of Katye Pam Poze, Haitians now have a voice—and a responsibility—-within and alongside the central government.”

The inaugural cafe was attended by nearly 100 people representing Jacmel’s diverse resident base, including the mayor, Andris Ronald, whose enthusiastic participation showed full support for the program. Initiating the research models that will inform local Katye Pam Poze pilots, participants in Friday’s kick-off cafe in Jacmel were asked to identify the most pressing issues confronting their community.  Security was the overarching concern, followed by other issues ranging from water sanitation to education.  Almost everyone agreed that the Sud-Est department, within which Jacmel is located, requires a comprehensive healthcare facility.

“The enthusiastic participation of everyone here today fully validates our approach to community-based decentralization through the Katye Pam Poze program and the accompanying cafes,” said Mayard-Paul. “There was a lot of energy and expectation centered on having a voice in the decision-making table, and participants took their roles very seriously in working together to determine Jacmel’s priority needs.”

Citizen participation is critical for the success of KPP, and Minister Mayard-Paul instructed participants that within the context of decentralization, Haiti’s communities are owned by the citizens. “These are your communities,” he said. “And I applaud you for stepping up to be part of the change, in partnership with the government.”

The Minister highlighted that the range of actions within KPP includes strengthening natural disaster mitigation efforts; improving the delivery of health, housing and education services; recovering public spaces; developing local citizen initiatives and creating job opportunities in tandem with the private sector.  “In the end, our goal is to improve the quality of life of the Haitian people by enabling safe and prosperous communities, right where they live,” he said.  “Building the capacity of citizens to manage and maintain KPP programs and infrastructure at the local level is very important to our administration, as is developing culture and sports programs.  This is an ambitious decentralization program.”

Broadly defined, decentralization is the process by which power and other resources are transferred from the central government to lower governmental levels, such as regions, departments, municipalities, and communal sections.  This enables local entities to provide services to their communities and conduct local government tasks.  According to Mayard-Paul, advocates believe that decentralization is one of the most effective ways to ensure that local governments are held accountable to the citizens they represent. 

Mayard-Paul pointed out that while Katye Pam Poze is modeled on successful experiences in other parts of the world, including Asia, the Americas, Africa, Europe and the United States, it is Haitian-specific. “Katye Pam Poze introduces a new and innovative Haitian approach to community-based decentralization that addresses our conditions and reality in order to drive sustainable development and job creation at the local level,” concluded Mayard-Paul.

Katye Pam Pose brings decision-making, basic services and accountability closer to the people

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – The government of President Michel Martelly, working through the Ministry of Interior and local communities, today launched Katye Pam Pose (KPP), an innovative, community-based decentralization program.   Katye Pam Pose (KPP), which is the cornerstone of the Haitian government’s National Decentralization Agenda, is focused on improving delivery of government services, as well as fostering development and job creation by promoting strong community involvement. 

The overarching objectives of Katye Pam Pose are to bring decision-making closer to the citizen level; promote good governance; boost economic development and job creation; ensure the efficient delivery of public services; promote citizen safety, and accommodate the interests of diverse local interest groups.

According to Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul, who will spearhead and coordinate the program nationwide, “Working community by community, Katye Pam Pose will guarantee access to basic social services and citizen safety to our people, which will lead to job creation and development.”

Mayard-Paul explained that the launch of Katye Pam Pose will include a pilot program in 10 communities, representing all 10 departments.  “That way, we can ensure that we address the specific needs of each community, under an integral and manageable framework, allowing us to make adjustments to enhance the program as it progresses,”  he said.

The range of actions within KPP include strengthening natural disaster mitigation efforts; improving the delivery of health, housing and education services; recover public spaces, develop local citizen initiatives and creating job opportunities in tandem with the private sector.  “In the end, our goal is to improve the quality of life of the Haitian people by enabling safe and prosperous communities, right where they live,” he said.  “Building the capacity of citizens to manage and maintain KPP programs and infrastructure at the local level is very important to our administration, as is developing culture and sports programs.  This is an ambitious decentralization program.”

Broadly defined, decentralization is the process by which power and other resources are transferred from the central government to lower governmental levels, such as regions, departments, municipalities, and communal sections.  This enables local entities to provide services to their communities and conduct local government tasks.  According to Mayard-Paul, advocates believe that decentralization is one of the most effective ways to ensure that local governments are held accountable to the citizens they represent. 

Mayard-Paul pointed out that Katye Pam Pose is a community-based program for decentralization modeled on successful experiences in other parts of the world, including Asia, the Americas, Africa, Europe and the United States.  “However, it’s a community-based model, a new and innovative Haitian approach to decentralization,” he added.

“KPP pilot program in each of the 10 selected communities will be based on an in-depth participatory needs assessment diagnosis to ensure program implementation is prioritized by community need,” said Mr. Mayard-Paul. “Assessments will determine the level of impact, the feasibility of implementing each initiative and will make it possible for us to tailor pilot programs to each specific community based on the priorities identified.”

The Ministry of the Interior is also identifying and exploring national and international partnerships, that could accelerate deployment of KPP.

“The government of Haiti is committed to the success of Katye Pam Pose,” said Minister Mayard-Paul. “In implementing the program, I am committed to carrying out the vision of President Martelly and his administration, driving sustainable development and job creation at the local level.” 

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Mar. 9. 2012:  The spotlight is set to shine on investment opportunities on the French Caribbean territory of Saint Martin in New York City this June at the 2012 Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum.

La Chambre Consulaire Interprofessionnelle de Saint-Martin, (CCISM) has signed on as one of the partners of the second annual Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat Communications investment forum, slated for June 6, 2012 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City.

CCISM represents all companies within the government and the local authority in Saint Martin. Elle en traduit les besoins et en exprime les avis. The Chamber provides all necessary information to support development in all fields across the island and also supports businesses in their development, including facilitating their expansion plans outside of St. Martin to the rest of Caribbean to help improve their performance and competitiveness.

“Our participation in this international event places Saint Martin at the sides of the large economic actors of the Caribbean and we are also hoping to reveal the many assets of our beautiful country,” said Stephen Tackling, President of the CCISM.

“We are very happy to welcome the Chamber of Commerce, Art Craft, Industry and Agriculture of Saint Martin as a sponsor of our 2012 Invest Caribbean Now forum,” said Invest Caribbean Now convener and CEO of Hard Beat Communications, Felicia Persaud. “Saint Martin is a unique Caribbean nation that has a lot to offer to investors and we look forward to Chamber reps. telling their investment story.”

The Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum is done in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization to educate the private sector on Wall Street of the hot Caribbean market as well and boost interest in investment opportunities in the Caribbean and its Diaspora. It earned rave reviews in its inaugural years in 2011, secured significant media coverage for its impassioned appeal from Hard Beat CEO, Persaud, and presentations from Wendell Dave Dowrich, Vice President, Goldman Sachs; David Brillembourg, Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Brilla Group and Martin Mohabeer, Managing Director, Spackman Group and CEO of Spackman Capital and was attended by some 300 delegates, who included ministers of governments, Wall Street money managers, hoteliers, architects, real estate developers and entrepreneurs.

This year, the event’s organizers hope to top the 2011 buzz by having its speakers’ share their take on whether the Caribbean is the next hot emerging markets investors should be eyeing. The June 6th event will feature Chairman of Blue Equity, Jonathan Blue; President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo and Lisa Lake, the chief development director of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean. A special honoree will be announced shortly.

Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors also include the PR Newswire, One Caribbean Television, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas (”ALTA”).

For additional partnership opportunities email Joe Bertnstein at [email protected] or log on to the sponsorship section of investcaribbeannow.com.

Training and reconstruction work by civilian and military teams onboard the HSV SWIFT reinforce capacity building in key areas of health, security and rule of law in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — International civilian and military teams aboard the U.S. naval vessel HSV SWIFT have completed their three-week mission of knowledge-sharing and capacity building in Northern Haiti, significantly strengthening the nation in key priority sectors and advancing the Martelly administration’s strategy for decentralization.  Presiding over a ceremony marking the departure of the vessel and crew, Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul, expressed the gratitude of the Haitian government, saying, “Thank you for your training and reconstruction work. This is the cornerstone of what our administration calls community-based decentralization—providing the tools that will enable each and every neighborhood across Haiti to build the basic network of safety, infrastructure and knowledge that will empower that community to generate jobs locally and to better serve the Haitian people.” 

Noting that Northern Haiti is one of the priority regions for U.S. development assistance, Commander Wright, the SWIFT’S mission commander commented, “Over the last three weeks, the ship’s crew, both civilian and military, worked together with our Haitian and international partners in support of the U.S. government’s commitment to help the Haitian people build a better future here.”

While moored in Haiti, at Cap Haitien, the High Speed Vessel SWIFT performed a number of projects aligned with the Martelly administration’s priority sectors: agriculture, infrastructure, rule of law and governance, and health.  Concentrating on health and security, “the SWIFT” crew partnered with the Haitian Ministry of Public Health, the Haitian National Police, and the National Port Authority to increase the capacity to serve the Haitian people. Naval medical specialists conducted seminars with their Haitian medical peers, and Navy Seabee engineers completed four reconstruction projects for medical facilities.

Working to strengthen security and rule of law in Haiti, investigators from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, along with marine and navy security experts, trained with the Haitian National Police and officials from the National Port Authority.  The USMC, in cooperation with the United Nations Police, trained 38 Haitian National Police and Haitian Coast Guard officers at the Chilean Battalion in Cap Haitien. Doctors and medical experts on board the HSV SWIFT conducted Subject Matter Expert Exchanges with doctors from Cap Haitien’s Justinian Hospital.

Members of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service trained the security officers from the National Port Authority (APN) and the Haitian National Police in order to better secure the Port of Cap Haitien, training a total of 40 officers in two weeks.

“In just three weeks you’ve been able to leave an indelible mark in the Northeastern part of Haiti, one that can withstand the test of time and Mother Nature,” commented Mayard-Paul. “Your mission served to improve our physical infrastructure, and made big contributions for knowledge transfer and capacity building, which are at the core of strengthening Haiti’s institutions and advancing decentralization.”

Initiative is part of the Ministry of the Interior’s community-based decentralization strategy, which seeks to build a safety, infrastructure and institutional capacity network across Haiti.

FORT-LIBERTE, Haiti, March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Haiti’s comprehensive disaster preparedness strategy advanced significantly with today’s groundbreaking ceremony for a new emergency operations center, disaster relief warehouse, and fire station in Fort-Liberte.  As the first of 10 such emergency operations centers and disaster relief warehouses, eight community clusters and 14 fire stations to be constructed throughout Haiti, the Fort-Liberte facility marks the beginning of the next phase of construction under the auspices of the U.S. Southern Command’s Humanitarian Assistance Program in partnership with the Government of Haiti.

Presiding over the ground-breaking, Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul remarked that functional emergency operations centers and disaster relief warehouses “are not only critical in saving lives and minimizing damage during disasters; they also enhance institutional capacity throughout Haiti so we can increase safety in all parts of the country.”

Daniel Foote, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy, representing the U.S. Southern Command, noted that Haiti’s civil preparedness projects have entered construction phase and are one step closer to helping the Government of Haiti provide vital services to communities in the Nord-Est Department. “This Emergency Operations Center will allow local emergency response personnel to collect and analyze reported information, make decisions, and manage Haiti’s collective response to emergencies or natural disasters.”

He added that by providing additional fire-fighting and emergency service capabilities to the Fort Liberte area, the fire station facility will play a significant role in the event of a larger-scale emergency within Haiti.

Minister Mayard-Paul concluded “The new facilities will also enable us, through the Civil Protection Agency (DCP), to improve the quality of life of our communities, providing vital safety services.  We could not do this without the unwavering support of our friends in the United States who, through Southern Command, the embassy and USAID, along with the United Nations Development Program, World Food and others in the international community, help us turn necessities into plans, and plans into reality.”

The new facilities are expected to be used as soon as available, with plans to hold community first aid trainings as part of the DPC’s recently-launched annual campaign, “Civil Protection is Everyone’s Responsibility,” already under way.

“At the Ministry of  the Interior, we are following through on our commitment to identify the most pressing needs of the Haitian people, and turn those needs into plans that materialize into actual infrastructure, tools and programs that will benefit  communities across the country,” said Mayard-Paul. “That is the essence of our community-based decentralization program.”

NEW ORLEANS, March 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG), a leading provider of life and health insurance in Latin America and the US Hispanic market, today announced financial results for the full year ending December 31, 2011.

Revenues grew 9.8 percent to $470 million, while pre-tax operating earnings also gained 9.8 percent to close the year at $35.5 million. Revenue gains were mostly attributable to premium revenue, which boosted profits across all three major business segments: Domestic, International and Global Life. Net income for the year was $30.7 million, an 11.5 percent improvement over 2010, reflecting the continued strong performance of the company’s investment portfolio.

“Continued execution of our core strategy, expansion of distribution partners and new product development combined to make 2011 a very successful year,” said Jose S. Suquet, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Pan-American Life Insurance Group. “Our revenue growth reflects strong sales performance throughout our core business segments and we are also very encouraged by the sales gains experienced across multiple markets in Latin America.”

Latin America Group – the largest line of business – posted double digit sales growth at 24 percent, as did Domestic Markets with a 16 percent increase. Global Life insurance sales grew 9 percent, far outpacing the industry average.

“Our experienced executive management team and operating managers have successfully guided Pan-American Life through a challenging economic environment and positioned us for future success,” added Mr. Suquet. “In 2012 we will build on these results and continue providing trusted financial security to customers throughout the Americas while integrating the operations that we are in the process of acquiring from MetLife and exploring new avenues for sustained growth.”

In November 2011 PALIG announced that the company had entered into an agreement to acquire select businesses and assets from MetLife – ALICO/ALGICO units in Central America and the Caribbean. PALIG is currently securing regulatory approval for the acquisition in the appropriate jurisdictions and the company expects to close the transaction in the first half of 2012.

In 2011 PALIG also invested more than $10 million in strategic initiatives, including the launch of its Private Client International Major Medical unit; incremental investment in the Costa Rica operation that opened in 2010; and the initial filing for a Mexico affiliate in May 2011, for which management expects to receive regulatory approval to begin operation in 2012.

PALIG’s financial strength and stability continue to be recognized within the industry. Earlier in 2011, Fitch Ratings and A.M Best reaffirmed Pan-American Life’s ratings with ‘A’ Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating.

2011 financial and sales highlights follow:

2011 Financial Highlights

• Total Assets: $2.2 billion
• Total Equity: $538 million
• Net Income: $30.7 million
• Total Revenues: $470 million
• Pre-tax Operating Earnings: $35.5 million

2011 Sales Highlights

• Overall sales in 2011 increased 19 percent
• Global Life showed a 9 percent increase
• Latin America Group increased 24 percent
• Domestic Markets showed an 16 percent increase

About Pan-American Life

The Pan-American Life Insurance Group is a leading provider of insurance and financial services serving nearly half a million customers throughout the Americas. New Orleans-based Pan-American Life Insurance Company, the Group’s flagship member, has been delivering trusted financial services since 1911, employing more than 800 worldwide, providing top-rated life and health insurance, worksite benefits and financial services in 47 states, the District of Columbia (DC) and Puerto Rico. The Group’s member companies offer individual and/or group life and health insurance throughout Latin America. The Group has branches and affiliates in Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and the Cayman Islands. For more information, visit the Pan-American Life Web site at palig.com

Tony Fiddy, President of Waste to Energy Division and the Regional Vice President for Europe and Africa, Naanovo Energy Inc.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Mar. 2, 2012: “The Caribbean represents a huge potential for renewable energy projects, primarily because of the ideal climate conditions which exist there for solar, wind and biomass power production.”

That’s according to Tony Fiddy, President of Waste to Energy Division and the Regional Vice President for Europe and Africa, Naanovo Energy Inc. Fiddy is one of three panelists who will address delegates at the inaugural “Going Green” Invest Caribbean Now Forum, part of this year’s Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 13^th annual Sustainable Tourism Conference.

The CTO is partnering with Invest Caribbean Now, the brand founded by Felicia Persaud, the Guyana-born CEO of the New York-based digital media company Hard Beat Communications, to present the inaugural green forum.

The event is set for April 18, 2012 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal and representatives from The Inter-American Development Group.

Fiddy will focus on turning waste to energy in the Caribbean, one of the new renewable energy sectors that could transform the region from its dependence on foreign oil.

“Unfortunately, what Caribbean islands do not have plenty of is available land and the natural resources that tend to go along with that.  As a result, most Caribbean islands have had little choice but to import fossil-fuels to generate power.  In fact, low grade bunker-C power plants are still common in the Caribbean,” said Fiddy. “Fortunately, for us, Naanovo is poised to play a greater role in the future toward helping the Caribbean region transform itself away from fossil-fuels and into alternative energy.  Our solar power, waste to energy and biomass energy solutions will help us do that and we look forward to being part of this transformation.  What governments in the Caribbean region need to do is open the door for companies like ours to show them how it can be done and to take the bold steps necessary to invest in these kinds of alternative energy solutions. I hope to share some insights at the Going Green Invest Caribbean Now Forum in Guyana Conference as to how to accomplish that.”

As head of the WTE Division, Fiddy’s primary responsibility is to oversee the global deployment of WTE/Maax systems and to work with regional representatives of Naanovo and its subsidiaries in the development of WTE projects. This includes projects in the Caribbean, among them St. Kitts/Nevis.

Watson serves as the team leader for the IDB’s MIF environment and clean energy team, conceptualizing, overseeing, and implementing the MIF’s climate change projects, investments, and research in clean and efficient energy, natural capital, and adaptation.  He leads several projects in the Caribbean, including a recent regional project on adaptation, projects on energy efficiency in Jamaica and Barbados, and a project on sustainable tourism and biodiversity in Guyana. 

Partnership and exhibitor opportunities to be a part of the historic Green Forum are available by calling 1-646-820-5694 or emailing Joe Bernstein at [email protected].

To attend STC 13, log on to http://www.caribbeanstc.com/register

Guyana has become a key player in the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions which significantly contribute to climate change.  The Caribbean Tourism Organization has been staging its Annual Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC) since 1997. The 2012 conference will be keynoted by former Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo on April 15^th and is part of the information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO’s Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. STC also serves as a primary arena where new and creative ideas about enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the Caribbean tourism product are generated.

Partners to date for the April 18^th Green Investment forum include One Caribbean Television, CaribPR Wire and News Americas Now.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul said Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program, will accelerate the implementation of the Seismic Risk Plan (SRP) in Northern Haiti, which seeks to improve the way that this region prepares for and reduces risks of earthquakes.  Haiti’s northeastern region is one the country’s key economic areas, in terms of manufacturing, tourism and agribusiness. 

“We are committed to reducing vulnerability to natural disasters across the country and this program can be a pilot for the rest of the regions,” said Mayard-Paul. “We are grateful to the UNDP for its enduring commitment to our Civil Protection Agency (DPC) and to technology and knowledge-transfer, which will strengthen our own institutional capacity for the long term.”

“The Northern Seismic Reduction Plan focuses on reducing vulnerability to earthquake risk in the three Departments. Disaster preparedness efforts are an important part of this work and our objectives include helping the Departments and their populations to be better able to respond when the next earthquake hits,” explains Fenella Frost, head of UNDP’s Disaster Risk Reduction Unit. “We have set up a strong program team, based in the three departmental capitals of the North in close partnership with local government. Working with international expert groups, including the French Bureau of Mines and Geology, will also ensure that the ‘Grand Nord’ benefits and learns from the highest level technical expertise possible.”

The program, which is funded by the Haiti Reconstruction Fund, will be implemented hand-in-hand with regional delegates. This initiative encompasses four distinct phases:  evaluating the region’s natural risks, putting a work plan together to reduce these risks, building institutional capacity through training, as well as establishing applicable public policies.

Mayard-Paul made the announcement during the commemoration of international World Day of Civil Protection, where he also launched the DPC’s annual program “Civil protection is everyone’s responsibility.” This initiative will conduct a widespread national first aid training program, complementing and bolstering the commendable efforts of the Haitian Red Cross, “which has been doing this for decades,” added Mayard-Paul.

First aid training will be provided to schoolchildren, workers, professionals, representatives of the informal sector, and the population-at large. 

At the event, Mayard-Paul encouraged “all those involved in civil protection to incorporate this emergency response first-aid training, into their ongoing curricula, and the general population to take advantage of it.”

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — In a Club de Madrid Conference held today in Port-au-Prince, Jorge Quiroga, the former president of Bolivia, and Jose Maria Figueres, the former president of Costa Rica, conferred with the Presidential Advisory Council for Economic Growth and Investment (PACEGI) and Haitian business leaders regarding investment opportunities waiting within Haiti’s mining and eco-tourism sectors.

According to Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul, who welcomed the former presidents and other conference attendees, the key objective of this Conference is to explore these untapped opportunities with the goal of attracting investments that will accelerate our vision for sustainable economic development based on decentralization and job creation.   Job creation is a top priority for the Martelly administration, whose goal is to create 500,000 jobs over the next 36 months.

Drawing on Costa Rica’s success as an ecotourism destination, Figueres discussed best practices for the sector, pointing out that development is about more than opening your borders; it is about creating jobs and investment opportunities.  Think of activities as clusters of economic activities, he said, adding that decentralized energy generation, smart grids and carbon credits are considerations for developing Haiti’s eco-tourism sector.

In looking at successful eco-tourism models in the region, Minister Mayard-Paul recently interviewed leaders in the Dominican Republic, including visionary tourism pioneer Frank R. Rainieri, the force behind the development of Punta Cana Resort & Club.   Currently, Punta Cana is the Caribbean’s most highly visited destination, yet is a resort community that respects the natural habitat of the area while offering visitors a world-class vacation experience.    Figueres advised Haitian officials to benchmark with the best in class ­ not just Caribbean neighbors, but also look at Singapore, Ireland and Israel.

Bolivia’s Quiroga shared mining best practices, emphasizing that stable politics and a stable economy are essential for attracting investors to this sector. To bring in all the investments you can, you need broad-based legislation providing the right legal framework.  He also  advocated creating a strong Civil Service to ensure capacity within the  government to partner with investors.

Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul told the audience that in working on multiple fronts to attract investment to Haiti, the Martelly administration continues to present new economic development opportunities, such as mining.  The possibilities for extracting Haiti’s deposits of gold and copper will benefit the Haitian people and foreign investors alike, driving job creation and economic development especially in our northeast regions — in full alignment with our vision for decentralization.

Mining presents substantial potential for Haiti, according to Quiroga, who referenced the rich deposits in the Dominican Republic’s Pueblo Viejo mine, the fourth largest active goldmine in the world.  This mine is in the northern Dominican Republic and it runs very close to the Dominican Republic /Haiti border, he said. So the thought is that between that factor and similar typography in the region there could be significant gold reserves in Haiti.  Several other mining companies have expressed initial interest in potentially exploring Haiti as a mining destination.

Minister Mayard-Paul noted that Haiti is in the process of updating its mining laws, which mining executives evaluate as needing some updating and expansion to ensure natural resource protection, proper remediation and benefits to the impacted communities.

Regarding benefits to the communities, Quiroga presented ideas for linking mining revenues to conditional cash flows to the poorest pockets of Haiti. When public and private sectors collaborate, and work together in partnership, ventures such as mining and eco-tourism can bring positive benefits to everyone, said Mayard-Paul. Our government is doing its part to provide the political will and robust regulatory framework that will insure that projects are well managed and investments are secure. Now, we need investment dollars, and investors with bold ideas.

This was the seventh high-level mission to Haiti for Club de Madrid, who has assisted Haitian leaders since the January 2010 earthquake.  In addition to being members of Club de Madrid former presidents Quiroga and Figueres are also dedicated members of President Martelly’s PACEGI composed of former world leaders and business dignitaries dedicated to promoting foreign investments in Haiti as a way to develop prosperity for the Haitian people.

Attends Primary Rural Clinic Inauguration, which Serves 60% Haitian Patients; Discusses Potential Collaboration for Community Programs in Tourism Destinations

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic, Feb. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Haiti’s Minister of the Interior and Chief of Staff, Thierry Mayard-Paul, representing Haiti’s President Michel Martelly, attended the inauguration of the Rural Clinic of Veron in Punta Cana, the only primary care facility serving the local community, where 60 percent of its patients are Haitians.  Dominican businessman Frank Rainieri, president of Punta Cana Group and whose PUNTACANA Foundation led reconstruction of the clinic, a representative from the Dominican Ministry of Health, as well as the clinic’s medical director, were on hand at the inauguration.

“The Veron clinic is an excellent example of social infrastructure projects that make decentralization a reality,” said Mayard-Paul.  ”These are the types of projects that we need to promote in Haiti’s heartland so that people can stay in their hometowns, have access to primary social services, and local economies can thrive.”

The populations of Veron and the surrounding communities have grown dramatically in recent years as the region has become one of the Caribbean’s top tourist destinations. Today Punta Cana welcomes five times as many visitors as just five years ago. While the creation of jobs and economic opportunity are positives, the pace of growth far outstripped the capacity of the existing medical and educational facilities. “The clinic is just one element of a holistic program, which seeks to improve the community and the quality of life of all its residents and the surrounding areas,” said Rainieri.  “The initiative includes educational, environmental and health programs, and integrates the entire population so we can continue to provide excellent service both to our tourists who feed our families, as well as to our people who take care of them.”

The Rural Clinic of Veron is financed and managed by a private-public partnership, which includes the PUNTACANA Foundation; Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia; the Dominican Ministry of Public Health and Veron’s Neighborhood Association.  Mayard-Paul highlighted that these are the type of innovative financing and operation programs that the Haitian government, through the Ministry of the Interior, seeks to put in place “because they integrate all the actors working toward a common goal, shared responsibility and benefits for everyone.”

Mayard-Paul and Rainieri, who is also a member of Haiti’s Presidential Advisory Council on Economic Growth and Investment, also discussed potential cooperation in Haiti to further decentralization, including community and eco-friendly programs in tourism destinations.

Chairman and managing director of Blue Equity, LLC., Jonathan S. Blue

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Feb. 24, 2012: “There are many opportunities for well capitalized, foreign investors entering into the emerging economies of the Caribbean.”

That’s the word from one of the top 50 powerful Louisvillians and chairman and managing director of Blue Equity, LLC., Jonathan S. Blue, one of the speakers of this year’s Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum in New York City.

Invest Caribbean Now forum is the brainchild of Hard Beat Communications CEO, Felicia Persaud, and aims to showcase the Caribbean as a great investment option as well while connecting investors with entrepreneurs and ministers of governments.

The June partnership presentation by the Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat, a digital media company,  is set for June 6, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square and will feature the Blue Equity head along with President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo and Lisa Lake, head of The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean. A special honoree will be announced shortly.

The event earned rave reviews in its inaugural years in 2011, secured significant media coverage for its impassioned appeal from Hard Beat CEO, Persaud, and presentations from Wendell Dave Dowrich, Vice President, Goldman Sachs; David Brillembourg, Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Brilla Group and Martin Mohabeer, Managing Director, Spackman Group and CEO of Spackman Capital and was attended by some 300 delegates, who included ministers of governments, Wall Street money managers, hoteliers, architects, real estate developers and entrepreneurs.

Blue, who heads the private equity firm with a diverse and innovative portfolio of business enterprises with concentrations in oil and gas, media, healthcare, defense, financial services, real estate, manufacturing, art commerce, sports and entertainment, is looking forward to being a part of the panel at this year’s event. In his role as chairman, Jonathan Blue oversees the management of the current holdings in the company. He also serves as the chairman and CEO of Cool Petroleum. Cool Petroleum Ltd., the licensed operator of Shell brands in Jamaica, is an integrated downstream petroleum products business operating in the captive Jamaican market.

“At Blue Equity, we believe that our management and business processes transcend industries and regions and are universally successful in the development and growth of companies worldwide,” said Jonathan. “Our initial entry in the Caribbean market has led us to more progressive and larger scale opportunities in which we are investing or are continuing to evaluate.  We look forward to expanding our Caribbean presence in the very near future.”

“Invest Caribbean Now is honored to have Jonathan as part of this year’s panelists,” said Persaud. “His investment in the Caribbean helps us to make the case that the Caribbean, like emerging markets globally, is definitely a lucrative investment option as well.”

Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors to date include the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas (”ALTA”). For additional partnership opportunities log on to the sponsorship section of investcaribbeannow or call 646-820-5694.

Capacity building, best-practice sharing and job creating opportunities are addressed with CARICOM leaders during two-day mission to Haiti

 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – In meeting with the President of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mr. Desire Delano Bouterse and the Bureau of Heads of Government during CARICOM’s two-day mission to Haiti, Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul stressed that Haiti is charting a new course for sustainable economic development. ”We are focusing our efforts on investment and job creation, particularly in Haiti’s heartland,” he said, articulating the Martelly administration’s new vision for Haiti. ”We understand that the key to driving sustainable development in Haiti is to map it throughout our entire nation and then drive it through local initiatives and decentralized cooperation.”

CARICOM leaders are in Haiti to forge stronger ties and closer cooperation between the 14 member states while exploring ways to strengthen Haiti’s participation in the organization.  Under discussion is the adoption of French as an official and working language for the organization. 

After thanking CARICOM members for their ongoing support of Haiti since the 2010 earthquake, Mayard-Paul emphasized that his nation is progressing in its recovery efforts, saying, “President Martelly’s new vision for Haiti is to build a socially just, economically free, and politically independent nation that does not end with reconstruction but rather, begins with renovation. This is aligned with the administration’s vision for decentralization and job creation through investment.”

Stressing the fact that Haiti offers an energetic and willing workforce, Mayard-Paul said, “It is clear that what Haitians want and need is jobs that will restore their dignity. We are therefore looking forward to working in close collaboration with our CARICOM neighbors to promote opportunities that reflect our communities’ most pressing priorities – jobs. We also seek to share those best practices that are yielding results for other member nations.”

The Minister pointed to collaboration in Civil Protection activities, such as disaster preparedness and relief. ”All of our nations are in geographic locations that make us vulnerable to the variances of nature,” he said. ”Therefore, we welcome best-practice sharing focused on institutional capacity building for preparedness and response, and equipment that will allow us to react more quickly and effectively.”

In encouraging investments from CARICOM nations, the Minister highlighted the myriad of investment opportunities waiting in Haiti’s heartland, especially in social infrastructure initiatives that enable communities to generate jobs and sustainable development.  “With so many great opportunities in agriculture, tourism, infrastructure development and other sectors, we would be looking to CARICOM to help steer investments and contributions in these areas,” he said. “Additionally, as part of CSME [Single Market Economy of the Caribbean], we should be looking at standards that will facilitate the export of Haitian products to our Caribbean neighbors.”

The Haitian minister asked for closer collaboration on cultural exchange activities and cited the possibility of establishing a Caribbean Youth Parliament or Organization that seeks to build lasting relationships among the future leaders of the Caribbean. ”Caribbean universities could also embark on region-wide research related to the environment, the economy and social integration. The idea is that future leaders have a common understanding and culture that will facilitate a common market,” he said.

Overall, the Ministry of the Interior identified 40 key projects pertaining to meeting the needs of Haiti’s population outside the capital of Port-au-Prince, telling CARICOM representatives, ”We would welcome the opportunity to present and discuss them with you.  Our brother nations of CARICOM have been of great support to us since the earthquake and we are grateful.”

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Ivonne Chirino-Klevans, program director for Walden University’s Center for International Programs, will speak at the opening of The Hispanic Educational Technology Services (HETS) Consortium Second Annual Best Practices Showcase, Feb. 16–17, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Dr. Chirino-Klevans will join Dr. Jose Rivera, president of Universidad del Sagrado Corazon, and Reggie Smith III, chair emeritus of the United States Distance Learning Association, to discuss attracting and retaining Hispanic students in online higher education.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110920/MM71012-b )

In her position at Walden, Dr. Chirino-Klevans works to develop tools, activities and improvements that enhance and support the international student experience at the online university. She also explores new partnerships in Latin America, the Caribbean and Puerto Rico to expand online higher education access in the region.

Dr. Chirino-Klevans is a member of the HETS board of directors as well as the chief editor of HETS Online Journal. She has written extensively about the specific needs and concerns that Hispanic students have as online learners. Her articles appear in The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine, HispanicBusiness.com, Poder 360 Magazine, Diversity Executive and Hispanic Executive.

Prior to joining Walden in 2005 as a professor of organizational psychology, she worked with Fortune 500 companies designing training and development programs and serving as program director for Duke Corporate Education. Dr. Chirino-Klevans received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the Universidad Iberoamericana. She also holds an M.B.A. from the Universidad de las Americas and a master’s degree in psychology from Georgia College.

The HETS Consortium annual conference celebrates innovative technology strategies in higher education. Conference presentations will highlight best practices for access, retention and assessment strategies as well as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for Hispanics. 

As a member of HETS Consortium, Walden partners with the organization’s 27 other members to focus on making a positive impact on the Hispanic student population by improving college retention, completion and successful learning outcomes. For more information about Walden University, visit www.WaldenU.edu.

About Walden University
For more than 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 48,500 students from all 50 states and more than 140 countries are pursuing their bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 55 campus-based and online universities in 28 countries.

Walden offers more than 65 degree programs with more than 330 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.

About HETS

The Hispanic Educational Technology Services (HETS) is the first bilingual consortium dedicated to serving the higher education needs of the fast-growing Hispanic communities. Starting in 1993 as a group of institutions interested in sharing courses at a distance, the HETS Consortium has evolved from the use of telecommunications into the asynchronous modes of anywhere-anytime learning, to the use of technology to reach greater collaboration among and within educational institutions. For more information, go to www.hets.org.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 10, 2012: The first Green Investment power forum has been added to the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 13^th annual Sustainable Tourism Conference and is set for Guyana this April.

The CTO is partnering with Invest Caribbean Now, the brand founded by Felicia Persaud, the Guyana-born CEO of the New York-based digital media company Hard Beat Communications, to present the inaugural green forum.

The event is set for April 18, 2012 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal and will feature Greg Watson, head of the Climate Change team at the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of The Inter-American Development Group and Tony Fiddy, President of Naanovo Energy UK Ltd.

Persaud explained that the green forum will be similar to the company’s Invest Caribbean Now New York forum, which took place last June in New York, allowing presentations from both speakers while giving ministers of government, tourism officials, entrepreneurs and other delegates the opportunity to pitch their investment ideas and prospects to both Watson and Fiddy. 

The successful June 9, 2011 event at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel featured over 300 money managers, investors, hoteliers, ministers of governments and real estate developers as part of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Caribbean Week in New York series of events. The event returns this June 6^th to New York City and will feature CEO of McKinney Rogers, Damian Rogers as the key note speaker along with the chairman of Blue Equity, LLC, Jonathan Blue and President of Solamon Energy, Jay Neo.

“The Caribbean and Guyana has tremendous potential for investments, especially for green investors, as evidenced by the interest of many renewable companies in a region rich with sun, wind and waterfalls, all of which have become attractive potential sources of power,” said Persaud. “This event presents an opportunity for the government of Guyana as well as Caribbean ministers and entrepreneurs to do business in renewables.”

Watson re-joined the Multilateral Investment Fund of the IDB Group in 2008, having previously worked there from 2004-2007. He serves as the team leader for the MIF’s environment and clean energy team, conceptualizing, overseeing, and implementing the MIF’s climate change projects, investments and research in clean and efficient energy, natural capital, and adaptation. 

Watson leads several projects in the Caribbean, including a recent regional project on adaptation, projects on energy efficiency in Jamaica and Barbados, and a project on sustainable tourism and biodiversity in Guyana. 

Reporting to the President and CEO of Naanovo Energy Inc., Fiddy holds the dual position of President of Naanovo’s Waste to Energy Division and the Regional Vice President for Europe and Africa. As head of the WTE Division, his primary responsibility is to oversee the global deployment of WTE/Maax^TM systems and to work with regional representatives of Naanovo and its subsidiaries in the development of WTE projects. This includes projects in the Caribbean, among them St. Kitts/Nevis.

Partnership and exhibitor opportunities to be a part of the historic Guyana Green Energy forum are available by calling 1-646-820-5694 or emailing Joe Bernstein at [email protected].

Guyana has become a key player in the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions which significantly contribute to climate change.  The Caribbean Tourism Organization has been staging its Annual Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC) since 1997. This conference will be keynoted by former Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo on April 15^th and is part of the information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO’s Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. STC also serves as a primary arena where new and creative ideas about enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the Caribbean tourism product are generated.

Partners to date for the April 18^th Green Investment forum include One Caribbean Television, CaribPR Wire and News Americas Now.

Carib PR Newswire, NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 7 2012: The man who is set to build the Caribbean’s largest solar energy plant is among the speakers confirmed, for the 2012 Invest Caribbean Now.

The second annual Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat Communications investment forum is set for June 6, 2012 in New York City and comes on the heels of June 9, 2011that drew over 300 high powered investors to the New York Marriott Marquis event and earned rave reviews from money managers, real estate developers, architects, entrepreneurs, ministers of governments and the media, and the top speakers including Wendell Dave Dowrich, Vice President, Goldman Sachs; David Brillembourg, Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Brilla Group and Martin Mohabeer, Managing Director, Spackman Group and CEO of Spackman Capital.

President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo, will join other top speakers this year, including Damion McKinney, CEO of McKinney Rogers and Jonathan Blue, Chairman of Blue Equity LLC.

 Solamon Energy Corp is a renewable energy developer, providing Caribbean clients with cost effective and reliable RE power generation solutions. The company recently announced it will build the biggest solar energy plant in the Caribbean in Jamaica. With a keen understanding of the Caribbean energy marketplace, Yeo has become a cornerstone of organization, developing business opportunities in key territories across the region. Solamon presently has over 100 MW of projects in their pipeline.

An export of the blossoming Canadian solar industry, Jay previously worked with Spark Solar, a solar development firm and manager of the AGRIS Solar Co-operative, an agricultural energy co-operative with over 700 PV installations.

Prior to his career in renewables, Jay held several executive positions with emerging technology companies working in the areas of business development and marketing.

Ideally suited for the burgeoning renewable energy sector, Jay has made a career of articulating the benefits and value of new technologies to consumers and business professionals.

Jay presently splits his time between Toronto and Barbados.

Additional sponsors include the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc. and ALTA.

For additional sponsorship opportunities log on to http://investcaribbean.wordpress.com/sponsorship-opportunites/

A Lasting Tribute for a Lifetime of Giving 

Celebrating sixty years. From and for all generations of the Commonwealth Family

LONDON, Feb. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Today marks the formal launch of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, on the 60th anniversary of the accession of the Queen to the throne.

The establishment of the Trust was originally announced at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Perth, Australia in 2011. The Trust aims to celebrate HM The Queen’s enormous contribution and unswerving dedication to the Commonwealth over the course of her 60 year reign.

Sir John Major, Chairman of the Trustee Board said, “I am delighted and honoured to have been invited to Chair the Diamond Jubilee Trust. The purpose of the Trust is to raise funds throughout the Commonwealth, and then work with strategic partners to identify charitable projects that will enrich the lives and opportunities of all its citizens – across generations and geographical boundaries – in order to provide a lasting legacy for HM The Queen.

It is our hope that individuals, organisations and countries will all wish to contribute to the Trust, as a tangible and enduring way of honouring HM The Queen, and to demonstrate the enormous respect and affection in which she is held, not only within the Commonwealth family, but also the wider world.” 

The Trust aims to reflect the qualities that citizens respect and value in Her Majesty. It will identify investments in legacy projects which will have a transforming impact on the life of Commonwealth citizens. The Trust will aim in particular to invest in some projects which encourage generations to work together for the benefit of communities, and activities that bring Commonwealth citizens together across geographical boundaries.

The Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, also on the board of Trustees, said, “Throughout sixty years of dedicated service and leadership as Head of the Commonwealth, The Queen has shown personal and unwavering commitment to all that the Commonwealth represents and holds dear – especially our shared values of democracy, development and diversity. The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust is an opportunity for Commonwealth citizens everywhere both to contribute and to be associated with initiatives that will ensure Her Majesty’s commitment and service are celebrated in ways that are to the enduring benefit of our global Commonwealth family.”

Details of some of the initial planned investments and partnerships will be announced in due course.

During the Jubilee year, individuals, groups, organisations and companies inside or outside the Commonwealth are invited to contribute to the Trust, as a lasting tribute to HM The Queen.

 More details about the Trust, including a way to contribute, can be found at the Trust’s website: www.jubileetribute.org

Notes to Editors:

1. Queen Elizabeth is Head of the Commonwealth of 54 states embracing 2 billion people living in 16 Commonwealth Realms.
2. The Trust will be run and administered to ensure that every donation is used to the maximum benefit of commonwealth citizens and delivers results that make a real difference to people’s lives.  It will not establish a major new institution.  It will work with established partner charities and organisations across the Commonwealth, both in the UK and elsewhere, to deliver iconic projects that are a fitting tribute to The Queen. 
3. As announced at CHOGM this may include tackling curable diseases, promoting all forms of education and culture and other Commonwealth priorities.
4. The trustees are: The Rt Hon Sir John Major (Chairman), The Commonwealth Secretary General, The Rt Hon Lord Robertson, Professor Sir Mervyn King, The Rt Hon Sir Christopher Geidt & the Rt Rev and Rt Hon Richard Chartres, Bishop of London.
5. Projects will be chosen by the Trustees, who will consult widely before reaching decisions

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Groom Law Group, Chartered, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm that focuses exclusively on employee benefits law, announced today that Juan Luis Alonso – a widely respected attorney with broad-based expertise in Puerto Rico employee benefits matters, has joined the Firm.

Before joining Groom Law Group, Alonso spent over a decade at McConnell Valdes LLC in Puerto Rico, most recently serving as Chair of the Employee Benefits team.  He has an extensive background in the design and qualification of Puerto Rico and U.S. qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, ERISA litigation support, and Puerto Rico, U.S. tax code and ERISA compliance, including fiduciary issues.  Alonso, who is also a CPA, worked for a Big 4 accounting firm for three years as a tax consultant before joining McConnell Valdes.

“Adding Juan Luis to our Plan Design and Taxation Group fits the firm’s strategic expansion plans – consistent with our goal to provide clients with ‘one-stop benefit services’ from a single location in the nation’s capital,” explains the Firm’s managing partner, John McGuiness.

McGuiness notes that many of the firm’s Fortune 500 clients maintain pension and savings plans for their Puerto Rico workers, and many other firm clients invest the funds of Puerto Rico plans.  Groom has advised clients on plan qualification, distribution taxation, and ERISA issues on Puerto Rico plan matters for many years.  Most recently, Groom has spearheaded efforts to persuade IRS and Treasury policymakers to provide relief for Puerto Rico plans to invest alongside their U.S. counterparts.  Alonso’s expertise will greatly enhance Groom’s ability to meet client needs in this important area.

Extensive 2011 changes in the Puerto Rico tax code have further harmonized the plan qualification rules in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.  McGuiness adds, “Juan Luis’ knowledge of Puerto Rico law – and of Hacienda’s policies and procedures – will complement and add substantial value to Groom’s practice in this area, benefitting firm clients.”  Alonso will continue to be actively involved with Puerto Rico legislative and regulatory officials when working from the firm’s D.C. office.

Groom’s Plan Design and Taxation Group has a national reputation for its expertise in the design and operation of all forms of employee benefit programs.  The firm provides services to Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, government entities, tax-exempt organizations, churches, and financial institutions – working with them to create and maintain a wide variety of employee benefit programs that adhere to the highest regulatory standards.

About Groom Law Group

Groom Law Group, Chartered (www.groom.com) is the premier employee benefits law firm in the United States with 55 attorneys dedicated to this dynamic and complex area of law. Groom provides clients with cost-effective, creative, and practical solutions to sophisticated benefits and tax law challenges.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Haiti’s Minister of the Interior Thierry Mayard-Paul accompanied by Prime Minister Garry Conille at a meeting with Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General for the Organization of American States, discussed potential cooperation in the areas of civil registry, security and disaster relief.

Topics addressed included a potential contribution from the OAS to strengthen security and disaster relief capacity building, as well as  preparedness.  “We had a very productive meeting and are encouraged by the OAS’ intent to support and contribute to the reinforcement of our institutional capacity, particularly in areas that the Ministry has outlined in its strategic action plan,” said Minister Mayard-Paul.  “Our goal is to strengthen our institutional capabilities across the country, as a key element within our decentralization strategy.”

The delegations agreed to meet again in February to discuss specifics.

The meeting was also attended by Francois Bolduc, OAS Representative in Haiti, Shelly Dass, Counselor to Ambassador Ramdin, General Guy Thibault, IACD, Lieutenant Dennis Lepes, IACD and Catherine Pognat, OAS’ Senior Officer.