CaribPR Wire

CaribPR Wire, Castries, Nov. 09, 2022: In response to the global food crisis, Saint Lucia, a small island state in the Caribbean, has rolled out a number of government programs to increase food security, boosting its agricultural production and minimizing its reliance on imports.

And indeed, the country’s recent measures have proved timely. With inflation on the rise even within wealthy countries, it appears that the global food crisis will worsen before it improves. The conflict in Europe has also impacted inflation, having affected how commodities are produced, used and traded across the world. These changes are likely to keep food prices high until 2024, prolonging and worsening international food security.

This state of affairs has proved particularly challenging for many Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which, already on the frontline of climate change, are facing increased food insecurity due to the rising cost of imports. In response to this, Saint Lucia has increased its food production capacities in a bid to overcome its dependency on imports. Under the direction of Alfred Prospere, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, the government has launched several initiatives to strengthen the country’s production.

These efforts include the government’s Seven Crops project which aims to grow and strengthen supply chains in the fruit and vegetable sector. The Ministry of Agriculture reported that since the introduction of the project, the island has significantly increased production for a number of crops targeted by the programme – these include papaya, broccoli, cucumber, pumpkin, cauliflower, eggplant, corn, dragon fruit and sugar apples.

The government also improved its agriculture intelligence information systems, setting up stable markets for farmers and introducing new technologies into the agricultural sector in an effort to lower Saint Lucia’s food import bill. So far, this development has led to an increase in both the quality and quantity of agricultural yields.

In addition to these measures, the government has also offered a 30% subsidy to banana crop farmers to support its export industry. In 2020, bananas were one of the country’s most profitable exports, with crops being sent to Barbados (US$302,000), Canada (US$1 412,000) and the United Kingdom ( US$2.61M).

With the global supply chain experiencing significant disruption and many agricultural commodities facing significant breaks to their supply, the government’s actions have come at an opportune moment. For many countries, global supply chain problems have led to skyrocketing prices for food commodities, a problem exacerbated by the increasing cost of agricultural commodities.

Saint Lucia’s government has therefore been prioritising the development and promotion of extensive farming on the island, with the goal of increasing self-reliance in the country’s food supply. By lessening its dependence on imports, Saint Lucia has sought to insulate itself from the ever-rising inflation affecting countries across the world.

Current projections from economic forecasters indicate that further rises in inflation are expected for 2023. This increase will prove particularly onerous for emerging and underdeveloped nations. According to data collected between May and August 2022, most low and middle-income countries have already experienced significantly high inflation, with 88.2% of low-income, 91.1% of lower-middle-income and 93% of upper-middle-income countries having experienced inflation rises above 5%. With domestic food price inflation very high across the world, including in the United States, Saint Lucia is standing firm against the odds.

One factor contributing to Saint Lucia’s success is the active participation of its youth in its agricultural upliftment. Across the world, there has been a decline in young workers entering the agriculture sector. With this shortage of farmers, most major food producers have reported declines in their output – with knock-on effects on food security. However, Saint Lucia’s agriculture minister noted that its youth are actively participating in the sector and that this participation has led to an improvement in the island’s food supply.

Building on this contribution from Saint Lucia’s youth, the government has introduced a number of new policies and subsidies to assist local farmers. These policies are supported by funds from the country’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP).  Citizenship by Investment allows individuals to gain citizenship to a country by investing a certain amount in the country’s economy. In Saint Lucia, this investment involves contributing to the National Economic Fund Investment Option which sponsors social development.

Launched in 2016, Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) is the newest CIP in the Caribbean. The programme hopes to establish itself as one of the best programmes in the world. In line with these aims, the programme is already ranked among the top three Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programmes in the world, according to the “CBI Index 2022” published by the PWM Magazine of the Financial Times.

High-net-worth individuals can invest in the National Economic Fund Investment, known as the Fund Option, to apply for alternative citizenship in Saint Lucia. The Fund Option allows investors to support the country’s socio-economic advancement as well as the expansion and development of its infrastructure. The minimum investment required is $100,000 (US).

Since the inception of the programme, Saint Lucia’s government has time and again proved its judiciousness, allocating the funds generated by its CIP to support socio-economic advancement. The programme also operates with a high degree of transparency, with the CIP providing detailed information to investors about how their funds are being used. Most recently, CIP funds have contributed to the uplift of the agriculture sector, particularly to the development of new and advanced farming techniques. The success of this support has become evident, with the country’s food production surging as it progresses towards food security.

Along with its support of Saint Lucia’s development, the CIP has proved exceptionally beneficial to investors. Given the opportunity to become global citizens, investors have thrived, with unimpeded access to the country providing an ideal framework for wealth planning, the expansion of business and access to international business markets.

Defying global uncertainties and crises in these uncertain times, Saint Lucia’s careful investment in food production proves its ability to provide a safe and secure environment for those looking to share in its prosperous future.

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CARIBPR WIRE, Roseau, Dominica, Fri. Nov. 04, 2022: There are a few days left until COP27 takes place in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh from 6 to 18 November and the Commonwealth of Dominica, like many nations around the world, will be watching to see if this summit finally brings action and implementation of proposals and promises.

“We are at the stage where we can no longer use these events as talk shops, but rather, we need to be laser-focused and intentional about developing actionable plans to tackle the biggest challenge of our time – climate change,” says Dr. Vince Henderson, Dominica’s minister for planning, economic development, climate resilience, sustainable development, and renewable energy.

Small island nations like Dominica, are not the only countries facing extreme weather conditions as a result of global warming. UN Secretary-General António Guterres mentioned to journalists in New York recently that a third of Pakistan is flooded, Europe is experiencing its hottest summer in 500 years, the Philippines is dealing with the aftermath of tropical storm Paeng and in the United States, Category 4 Hurricane Ian was just another reminder of the climate crisis.

Dominica has been on a path to be the world’s first climate-resilient nation following Hurricane Maria which left an estimated 90 percent of buildings damaged or destroyed in 2019.

This year, at COP27, Dominica wants to showcase how it will reach climate resiliency by 2030. The country has implemented a number of projects that can be used as case studies that can be used as a flywheel of action.

“Everybody is talking about sustainability and climate change and why we need to reduce carbon emissions, the issue is how we are going to make a meaningful impact. For people to translate insight into action, they need to see good examples that motivate them, and we believe Dominica has an abundance of examples that are yielding results,” continues Minister Henderson.

In response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria, Dominica launched a climate resilience policy framework to help guide its recovery journey in the form of the National Resilience Development Strategy 2030 (NRDS).

The Climate Resilience and Recovery Plan of Dominica aim to build strong communities, build a robust economy, have a well-planned and durable infrastructure; strengthen institutional systems and, protect and sustain natural and other unique assets.

It centres around three pillars: structural resilience, financial resilience, and post-disaster resilience.

Structural resilience: The government of Dominica is building a resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding natural disasters, including Category 5 hurricanes. It includes the construction of 5 000 climate-resilient homes, healthcare centres, roads, bridges, airports, and schools.

Financial Resilience: The government of Dominica is implementing institutional fiscal reform to ensure stronger fiscal resilience which will aid in the strengthening of debt sustainability utilising several key institutional fiscal areas.

Post Disaster and Social Resilience: This pillar helps encourage farmers to plant more root crops which are more resilient to heavy rain and wind, and increases farmer training programmes and government assistance with the provision of seeds and fertilizers. The government’s plan to strengthen food security includes specific policies for the resiliency of the agriculture and fisheries industries.

With 2022 set to rank among the 10 warmest years on record, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Dominica is also constructing a geothermal power plant which will increase the country’s share of renewables and diversify the country’s energy matrix. The Commonwealth of Dominica already obtains 28% of its energy requirements from renewable energy sources such as hydropower and wind.

The UN is urging the world’s industrialized nations to ‘lead by example’ by taking ‘bold and immediate actions’. One of these nations includes the United States of America and with President Joe Biden confirmed to attend, it is said he will build on the significant work the United States has undertaken to advance the global climate fight and help the most vulnerable build resilience to climate impacts.

Last year, Biden arrived at COP26 largely empty handed and this year he will promote the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, a bill that devotes hundreds of billions of dollars to clean energy initiatives and brings Biden’s pledge to cut United States emissions in half by 2030 closer within reach.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the group of nations that have signed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which was put together in 1992. It commits them to act together to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human-induced) interference with the climate system”. Since then, the parties, or nations, have met almost annually.

COP26 was held in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November 2021 and it brought together 120 world leaders and representatives from almost 200 countries. It culminated in the Glasgow Climate Pact, which reaffirmed the 2015 Paris Agreement goal of “limiting the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C”.

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ABC Paediatrics to be the first to unveil the device at their medical facility on 11/1/22

CARIBPR WIRE, MIAMI, FL., Thurs. October, 27, 2022: The first ever portable hematology analytical instrument by Sight Diagnostics called the OLO has been installed in the Caribbean to provide near-immediate Complete Blood Count (CBC) results to patients of Trinidad and Tobago, especially within the areas of the critically ill, oncology, and pediatrics. The CBC analyzer that accelerates the time to diagnosis and treatment will be deployed at ABC Paediatrics on November 1 at a gathering of country officials in conjunction with the medical community. This cutting-edge technology is meant to replace the bulky Flow Cytometers in low-volume and critical-need point-of-care testing (POCT) sites and settings.

A CBC test is the most elemental of medical laboratory tests and therefore, the “base camp” for diagnosing a medical condition. Up until this point, the residents of CARICOM and Trinidad and Tobago’s more remote areas had a long and involved process for getting CBC tests completed as the current method requires multiple steps, facilities, and large flow cytometer instruments at central labs. While highly accurate and fast, they proved expensive to buy and keep. With the introduction of the OLO, medical facilities won’t have to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to acquire a flow cytometer.

The 22-pound device measuring 12.7 inches x 11.2 inches x 10 inches will bring readily available, portable, and cost-effective CBC testing without compromising the accuracy of the blood test. This device will only require two drops of blood from a finger prick of a patient aged three months or over versus the usual blood vial, though sample collection from a traditional blood collection tube is also possible. In addition, it will only take minutes to deliver results via a touchscreen interface, printout, or email.

Johann Ali, Managing Director of the distributor companies, says, “We’re known for bringing revolutionary technology to the Caribbean, and we’re incredibly honored to be involved with the distribution of the first method for ‘digitizing’ blood to the region.  Sapphire Export Group is the authorized distributor in the CARICOM region, while in Trinidad and Tobago, the product will be sold through JT Rapid Diagnostics, Ltd.  Both are pioneers in rapid point-of-care diagnostics in the Caribbean for more than 30 years. Making this happen will be ABC Paediatrics, a group pediatric practice in St. Augustine, Trinidad led by Dr. Leonardo Akan, who was Chief Resident at Jackson/U Health in Miami, Florida, and Dr. Tricia Jailal, who trained in the UK. Both doctors, executives from the manufacturer, and city officials will be present during the deployment, led by Sight Diagnostics, Inc. In addition, executives of Sapphire Export Group, LLC and JT Rapid Diagnostics, Ltd will be on hand for questions.

The historical deployment will take place at 10:00 am on November 1, 2022, at ABC Paediatrics #139 Eastern Main Road, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. For questions contact Johann Ali, representing both distributors, by email at [email protected].

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ABOUT SIGHT DIAGNOSTICS

Founded in 2011, Sight Diagnostics® is a blood diagnostic company that combines machine vision and AI to improve health through fast, convenient, and pain-free diagnostic testing. Sight’s technology, developed over almost a decade of research, represents innovations in blood sample preparation and optics, as well as advancements in chemistry, biology, physics, and computer science. Sight’s first product, Parasight ™, has been used to detect malaria in almost 1 million tests across 24 countries. Sight OLO®, Sight’s latest blood analyzer aimed at improving how Complete Blood Count (CBC) tests are performed, received FDA 510(k) clearance for use in moderately complex settings. With just 2 drops of blood obtained from a finger prick or venous sample, OLO digitizes each blood sample with more than 1,000 high-resolution images to provide accurate, lab-grade CBC results in minutes. Across Europe and the US, OLO has been adopted by both public and private healthcare institutions. Sight has also established partnerships to bring OLO to market in Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia. Sight is committed to applying its AI-based technology to transform health systems in a world where decentralized diagnostics play an increasingly important role in patient outcomes. For full indications for use and safety information, please visit https://sightdx.com/en-us.

ABOUT JT RAPID DIAGNOSTICS, LTD.

JT Rapid Diagnostics, Ltd. is a manufacturer representative focused primarily on the medical, oil and gas, and hospitality & food safety industries. JT Rapid has been a pioneer in rapid point-of-care diagnostics in the Caribbean for more than 30 years. Our founder brought modern, home-based patient-managed diabetes care to the Caribbean region in 1984, and we have led the way since. Today, we are the sole distributor of top-rated, exceptionally high-quality products for multiple points of care and critical-need areas of public and industrial health. For more info, visit https://jtrapid.com/.

ABOUT SAPHIRE EXPORT GROUP, LLC.

Sapphire Export Group is a manufacturer representative focused primarily on the medical, oil and gas, and hospitality & food safety industries, and services all of CARICOM including Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarteen/Saint Martin.

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CALGARY, AB and BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Oct. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – Integrated Sustainability, Canada, acquires Ecohesion Ltd, Barbados, effective September 1^st, 2022.

Climate sensitivity in the Caribbean necessitates inventive solutions now. The merger between our two purpose-driven companies facilitates faster technology exchange between regions and consolidates our endeavours to deliver conscientious water, waste, and energy solutions.

The partnership signals the continued strength of the relationship between Canada and Barbados, as both countries work to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and expand the reach and availability of services required to meet acute environmental challenges.

President of Integrated Sustainability, Stuart Torr, speaking of the acquisition in Barbados said:

“Integrated Sustainability is incredibly excited to expand our Caribbean design-build-operate services and tackle some of the big challenges facing the region.

Typically, when you bring an international company together with a smaller one the expectation is that the international company has solved everything, but we haven’t. We need innovative, task-focused companies that are looking for solutions like rainwater harvesting, and renewable natural gas; companies looking for water and wastewater, recycling, and reuse opportunities.

Ecohesion brings unique expertise and perspective that we can also export into our broader offering in North America. In the process, we will create opportunities for Ecohesion staff to help us support those projects internationally as well.

Canada and the Caribbean have benefitted from a special relationship. The Caribbean is a vital place to tackle some of the most significant challenges globally, and what we are looking at here is a combined team that enables us to do it with passion.”

Andre Quesnel, Ecohesion’s Director, Caribbean operations, and business development, said that the company has grown from four people when it started in 2013 to more than 25 before the acquisition by Integrated Sustainability, and now the focus was now on further expansion.

“The future is really exciting. Joining up with Integrated Sustainability provides nitro to our gas tank – to go out and continue to expand to places like Bermuda, to Belize, to Guyana – to be more efficient, and drive sustainability in the region.”

Ecohesion has previously worked with the University of the West Indies to develop talent and Quesnel explains how that would continue to provide fruitful career growth.

“What’s amazing about this partnership is that it has opened up the career growth for Barbadians, and for Caribbean nationals, to grow and work on international projects, with international mentors . . .  it is removing that ceiling.”

Integrated Sustainability’s Vice President of International Development, Nick St-Georges, leads Integrated Sustainability’s International design-build development and has recently completed a variety of consultancy and advisory work on the impacts of climate change for various Caribbean nation-states, funded by international funding institutions (IFIs) including the Inter-American Development Bank, United Nations, and the Green Climate Fund.

St-Georges describes the immense implications for the global market:

“Ecohesion’s novel operational and maintenance services complement fully-integrated infrastructure development and provide customers with additional expertise beyond project hand-over.

This is truly exciting. When a project requires the combination of both design and operation of a treatment facility, we naturally focus on the design quality and efficiency, reducing costs and increasing longevity for our clients. Everyone wins from this type of holistic approach.”

Ecohesion’s customers and the broader Caribbean market now benefit from world-leading expertise in a broad range of specialisms, ranging from desalination to biogas and industrial water management. St-George’s goes on to explain:

“Ecohesion’s Caribbean clients will now benefit from a larger variety of services offered by our combined companies. Together, we offer additional services including ESG compliance reporting, data management services, and regulatory expertise; as well as the necessary financial capacity to tackle exciting large-scale projects.

I’ve known Sam and the [Ecohesion] team personally for over 7 years now, having worked together collaboratively on several projects, and I am extremely excited that we are now one team. Ecohesion’s excellent brand recognition and financial stability, united with Integrated Sustainability’s innovative turn-key solutions, provide the Caribbean with ‘end-to-end’ development services and enhanced development capabilities.”

Integrated Sustainability and Ecohesion have already partnered on several ongoing initiatives in the Caribbean and look forward to sharing further details in the coming months.

Sam Neilands, Director of Business Development, commented:

“We are extremely eager – having spent a long time looking for the right people who align with our vision – to introduce our new extended team to our clients across the Caribbean region. Together, Ecohesion and Integrated Sustainability represent a game-changing move to help action and deliver positive change for our community, now.

The Caribbean is on the front line of combating climate change. Shouldering the brunt of the impact of global warming, the region continues to maintain leadership in innovation driven by necessity. Many of the tried and tested solutions Ecohesion has already introduced across multiple islands are case studies for larger global markets that have not had to innovate as quickly and are now playing catch up.

This international partnership brings in the additional resources needed by the Caribbean to raise our (the Region’s) climate change response to the next level.”

Integrated Sustainability is a pioneer of ESG-ready (Environmental, Social, and Governance) water, waste, and energy infrastructure.

Framed from an advisory background, Integrated Sustainability employs world-leading multi-disciplinary experts across four office locations in Calgary, Vancouver, Houston, and Barbados.

To explore Integrated Sustainability’s range of expertise please visit Caribbean Water and Wastewater Solutions and/or contact Nick St-Georges for more information.

Ecohesion provides the Caribbean with industrial, commercial, and residential water treatment solutions. They currently operate and maintain nineteen MBR facilities in Barbados and support another ten across the Caribbean with technicians and offices in Barbados, Antigua, Trinidad, St. Lucia, and Bermuda.

Their local expertise helps guide clients through every phase of an asset’s life cycle. Recent successes include onboarding major international drink corporations and leading hotel chains.

To arrange a demonstration of how wastewater can be safely reused for applications ranging from irrigation, laundry, and other non-potable purposes, please contact Sam Neilands for a tour of the Coverley Water Reclamation Plant.

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Suriname location is brand’s first sub-franchised fun center

DALLAS, Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Chuck E. Cheese, the world’s #1 family entertainment restaurant brand has opened its doors in Suriname, their first location in the market.

The newly operational fun center marks the first sub-franchised location in their already robust international franchise network.

“We are incredibly excited to have officially brought the Chuck E. Cheese brand and the inevitable family memories that come with it to the Suriname market,” says David McKillips, President and CEO of CEC Entertainment. “Our Master Franchisee and operator has done a fantastic job in localizing the concept and offering a unique experience for our newly welcomed guests in the area.” He continued, “Given the geographical separation of the Caribbean market, the Master Franchise agreement gives existing strong Franchise partners the autonomy to develop neighboring, smaller and yet culturally similar markets.”

“We are extremely proud to be the first Master Franchisee within the CEC Entertainment network,” said Joanna Rostant, Founder and Director of Yay Entertainment Limited, franchise holder for Trinidad and Tobago and Master Franchisee for Suriname, and Guyana. “We have taken our learnings of operating in Trinidad and Tobago for over eight years to our Caribbean neighbors, which allows us to export goods, services, and human expertise.”

Yay Entertainment Limited has teamed up with Blue Falcon NV (Suriname), to operate this concept for the Surinamese market. Sasja Lie Pauw Sam, CEO and owner of Blue Falcon, and his team is thrilled to start this venture into the entertainment and restaurant business. Based on vast experience in managing and operating retail & franchising concepts, he welcomes this new challenge for the Surinamese market. Blue Falcon will offer employment to about 75, all locally hired, and sustainable business opportunities to local vendors and suppliers, as supported by the franchise. “I see enormous potential for our market, as this combination of entertainment and food and its unparalleled execution, will serve well, as there is a gap in high quality offerings for families and kids.”

The new location is the first of its kind, offering over 11,000 sqft of family entertainment, including an interactive dance floor, two private party rooms and teen room, and the first Virtual Reality (VR) game in the region. The continued expansion of the brand outside of the U.S. is part of its commitment to reach 100 global locations by 2023. Chuck E. Cheese is continuing to pursue expansion through master franchising efforts across the globe and has several available markets open for international development across Asia, South America, and Europe.

For franchising interests or to learn more about how to bring the joy of Chuck E. Cheese to kids & families in more markets, please visit the all-new international franchising website (here). It is the central hub to discover all of the latest news and exciting growth plans.

About CEC Entertainment, Inc.

CEC Entertainment is the nationally recognized leader in family entertainment and dining with its Chuck E. Cheese, Peter Piper Pizza and, delivery only, Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings brands. As the place where a million happy birthdays are celebrated every year, Chuck E. Cheese’s goal is to create positive, lifelong memories for families through entertainment, food and play. Committed to providing a fun, safe environment, Chuck E. Cheese helps protect families through industry-leading programs such as Kid Check®. As a strong advocate for its local communities, Chuck E. Cheese has donated more than $19 million to schools through its fundraising programs. The Company and its franchisees operate a system of nearly 600 Chuck E. Cheese and 120 Peter Piper Pizza venues, with locations in 47 states and 18 foreign countries and territories. For more information, visit our website or connect with us on social media.

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CaribPR Wire, Castries, St. Lucia, Sept. 13, 2022: The Citizenship by Investment Programme of Saint Lucia participated in the 12th Edition of the “IREX Citizenship and Residency Conclave” over the past weekend. The two-day event took place in New Delhi, India, from the 9^th to 10^th September 2022 at the Le Meridian Hotel.

The Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Programme was launched in 2016, making it the newest in the Eastern Caribbean region and it also happens to be one of the fastest growing programmes. It was recently recognised as the world’s third best programme according to the CBI Index 2022, published by the PWM Magazine of Financial Times. St Lucia received a total of 78 marks ranking it third out of thirteen countries that were evaluated for the 2022 CBI Index

The “IREX Citizenship and Residency Conclave” is hosted annually to promote residency and citizenship programmes offered by various countries from across the globe to High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs). Presentations from several citizenship consultants, real estate developers and investment firms took place throughout the first day.

According to statistics from 2017, there were approximately 270,000 HNWIs in India, with these numbers expected to increase to around 950,000 by 2027. India also has the second largest millionaire outflow in the world with numerous individuals and families seeking foreign residency and citizenship.

The Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Unit was represented at IREX and gave potential applicants the opportunity to find out more about the Eastern Caribbean island thereby allowing them to explore new investment options.

The CIP of Saint Lucia is an attractive option for applicants seeking alternate citizenship as the minimum investment outlay for a single applicant is USD 100,000.

The geographical location of Saint Lucia makes it an extremely desirable location due to the global mobility that it offers as it is close to many major business hubs in the Americas. The country offers a safe and secure lifestyle in beautiful surroundings, world-class schooling facilities, and a stable currency. The Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD) has been pegged at a fixed rate to the US dollar since July 1976.

Saint Lucia is an excellent choice for the investor because business expansion and portfolio diversification is possible as there are many favourable opportunities to plan and spread ones wealth due to the wide range of investment programmes. Backed by a strong due diligence process, the programme is one of the most transparent in the industry as it gives investors and partners access to information on how the funds are used. Investments in countries such as Saint Lucia also tend to offer considerably more stable returns because of reduced political risk from upheavals or conflict.

Saint Lucia also has a large Non-Resident Indian (NRI) community, especially in the business sector. Tourism, real estate, banking and manufacturing are the prominent business sectors in the country, generating almost half of the country’s total revenue.

Obtaining alternative citizenship from Saint Lucia comes with many non-economic benefits as well. These include reduced citizenship application timelines without the bureaucracy, extending citizenship to family, a high standard of living and enjoying the general benefits that come with living in modern, diverse countries. Other key benefits include access to modern healthcare facilities and quality education for the children of investors. Small island countries rank high in terms of freedom of expression, civil liberties, and political rights which all contribute to a high standard of living.

Being an island country, it also offers a tranquil environment; it is home to a pair of dramatically tapered mountains on its west coast with beautiful volcanic beaches along the coast. Saint Lucia is home to numerous spectacular reef diving sites that make it perfect for the adventure enthusiast

Saint Lucia’s CIP programme is highly acclaimed, well-ranked and well-developed which gives individuals from all over the world the confidence that they would be making the right choice if they opted to take up the offer for alternate citizenship from St Lucia.

The IREX Conclave 2022 was a great success and gave investors from all over the world the opportunity to interact with the Eastern Caribbean country representatives and they got a better understanding on the technicalities of the Citizenship Programme offered by Saint Lucia. Investors attending the conclave in New Delhi were able to explore the wide variety of benefits that the Saint Lucia CIP offers, which include:

• Lifetime citizenship that can be passed on to future generations
• Efficient and confidential processing of applications
• Full resident status, including the right to live and work in Saint Lucia
• No residency requirements.

The Government of St Lucia is meticulous about the use of funds generated through their Citizenship by Investment Programme with funds being utilised in the completion of developmental projects and upliftment of infrastructure, all of which benefit their citizens.

The IREX Citizenship and Residency Conclave was the perfect opportunity for the Citizenship Programme of Saint Lucia to promote itself and for investors from all over the globe to find out about the extensive benefits of investing in their CIP Programme.

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The donation will be instrumental in helping Nature Seekers protect the ancient, endangered leatherback turtles nesting in Trinidad

MATURA, Trinidad and Tobago and MONTREAL, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – Age of Union Alliance, led by tech leader and environmental activist Dax Dasilva, is proud to announce a USD $1.5 million donation to Nature Seekers, a non-profit community-based organization in the village of Matura, on the east coast of Trinidad, with a focus on the conservation and protection of sea turtles. This will be the single largest private donation in Nature Seekers’ history. Age of Union’s support will be instrumental in the protection of endangered leatherback turtles whose nesting grounds on Matura Beach are in more danger than ever before due to climate change and pollution.

Matura Beach is one of the last remaining major turtle nesting sites in the world for leatherback turtles, which have existed for over 100 million years, dating back to the age of dinosaurs. These massive creatures, as long as 2.2 metres, are the largest sea turtle species in the world and also one of the most migratory, crossing the Atlantic Ocean. New GPS technology has allowed scientists to track their journeys, and many have migrated to Canada’s Atlantic coasts in recent years where they feed on the abundant jellyfish every summer and fall.

The population of these turtles has declined drastically in the last century as a result of intense egg collection, poaching, fishery bycatch, habitat loss, climate change, and much more. They are listed as Vulnerable on International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of Threatened Species. Nature Seekers, who have been working to conserve these turtles for over 30 years, were in desperate need of help after beach closures during the pandemic nearly eradicated their historical revenue sources.

• Patrol and protect the nesting site throughout the annual season to maintain or increase the survival rates of both adult and hatchling leatherback turtles. New drone technology will now extend their capabilities.
• Collect data during nesting season to better understand the physical health of the nesting population and monitor inter-nesting movement and migration of satellite-tagged turtles. This work is done in partnership with Dr. Michael James of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Sea Turtle Network.
• Collect data and assess the potential impacts of climate change on the turtle population at the Matura nesting site; create climate adaptation and/or mitigation plans.
• Design and deploy artificial hatcheries to promote the survival of at-risk nests and allow for the collection of new data sets.
• Increase community engagement and provide opportunities for sustainable livelihood activities that align with conservation goals, such as becoming a ranger to patrol the beach during nesting season.

This marks the ninth conservation project Age of Union has announced in less than one year following Dax Dasilva’s initial pledge of $40 million. Today’s announcement also aligns with Age of Union’s global premiere of its short documentary film CAUGHT in Toronto on the evening of September 12. In partnership with Sea Shepherd, this film reveals the shocking consequences of industrial fishing and excess consumerism, depleting oceanic ecosystems, with a specific lens on dolphin bycatch off the coast of France.

“When I first met Suzan Baptiste, Managing Director at Nature Seekers, I was incredibly inspired by her determination and perseverance to help shift this coastal community in Trinidad from turtle poaching to turtle conservation. We hope with Age of Union’s help, Nature Seekers will now be better equipped to protect these beautiful, endangered turtles who, through their incredible migration journeys, also have connections to Canada.” - Dax Dasilva, Founder of Age of Union.

“We couldn’t be more thankful for this generous gift from Age of Union. Leatherback turtles are recognized as a keystone species, and their demise could have global consequences on our oceans and their ecosystems. Now, with the help of Age of Union, these turtles have an amazing chance for survival.” - Suzan Baptiste, Managing Director of Nature Seekers

“The Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries looks forward to continued conversations with both the High Commission of Canada and Mr. Dasilva to improve the sector and by extension Trinidad and Tobago.” - Kazim Hosein, Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

“The Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago sincerely appreciate the support from Age of Union for their conservation initiatives in the country. We commit to working with Dax Dasilva and his team, exploring opportunities for broader collaboration in the environmental and technology sectors and beyond.” - Senator Dr. Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago

“Age of Union’s conservation project for leatherback turtles is an excellent example of Canada Trinbagonian cooperation on environmental conservation.” - Kumar Gupta, High Commissioner of Canada to Trinidad and Tobago

Age of Union is a non-profit environmental alliance that supports and makes visible a global community of changemakers working on the ground to protect the planet’s threatened species and ecosystems. Launched in October 2021 by tech leader and environmental activist Dax Dasilva in Montreal, Canada with an initial $40 million pledge, Age of Union seeks to ignite a flame within every person through conservation efforts that solve critical environmental challenges around the world and inspire high-impact change by showing the positive impact that every individual can make.

For more information, please visit: AgeofUnion.com
On social media:Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter

Nature Seekers is a non-profit community-based organization founded in 1990 and situated in the village of Matura, on the east coast of Trinidad in the south Caribbean. Its primary focus is the conservation and protection of the sea turtles that nest in the region, including the Leatherback turtle. Over a 30+ year period, Nature Seekers helped to shift this coastal community from turtle poaching to turtle conservation.

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CARIBPR WIRE, London, May 13, 2022:  The Financial Times’ Private Wealth Management (PWM) magazine has hosted a virtual panel discussion on the impact of global risks on countries with Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes.

As part of its PWM Perspectives series, the four-part panel discussion shares the views and insights of notable experts from major due diligence investigation agencies including Karen Kelly, director of strategy and development at Exiger; Eddy Leviton, chief operating officer at Fact WorldWide and Heyrick Bond Gunning, chief operating officer at S-RM.

In the last instalment, the panel moderated by Yuri Bender, editor in chief of Professional Wealth Management magazine, discusses how international CBI units are putting extra focus on due diligence processes amid global risks.

Global political risks are unfortunately a reality for many people across the world and investors across a number of jurisdictions are constantly looking for ways to distance themselves from restrictive regimes. This means that suitable safeguards need to be in place to ensure that the verification of applicants from territories deemed to be of higher risk which poses potential difficulties is of the strictest measures.

In response to this, Karen Kelly, director of strategy and development at Exiger says “Any risk needs to be viewed in context – whether its political exposure or jurisdictional risk. Each CBI country has their own risk appetite or threshold.”

“Intelligence agencies are not there to make decisions on behalf of countries as to who should or should not be approved but rather, they provide client countries with the facts and information needed to arm the CBI Units with the details they need to say this person is above or below the risk threshold we have for acceptance. It is important to also keep in mind that CBI Units will also consider the information they get from other sources such as law enforcement agencies.”

In response to Yuri Bender’s question of whether it is necessary to apply a deeper and enhanced due diligence process on high-risk applicants and a lighter version for others, Eddy Leviton, chief operating officer at Fact WorldWide says “We carry out the same stringent levels of investigations and checks for all applicants and dependents. We do not discriminate because when we get an application, we do not know whether that applicant will be high risk or low risk – whether they declare that they are wealthy or if they have managed to scrape enough money to purchase alternative citizenship, we apply the same verification and due diligence process to all applicants. We provide a risk profile to the client to enable them to make the ultimate decision.”

There is never a scenario where a ‘lighter’ version would be applied to an applicant when it comes to due diligence. All applicants undergo the same level of scrutiny, and should an applicant be flagged as high risk, additional due diligence will be applied.

A multi-layered due diligence system is an essential element of any successful CBI programme, as it combines internal government checks with research by specialist third-party due diligence firms and assessments by regional and international bodies. The rigour put around due diligence ensures that individuals of only the highest integrity are successful.

The Caribbean has been under immense pressure over the last few years – with deadly hurricanes increasing in number and tourism decreasing due to the pandemic. This has led some to believe that these jurisdictions sometimes ignore red flags instituted by pan-regional anti-crime bodies because they badly need the money.

Heyrick Bond Gunning, chief operating officer at S-RM says that these Caribbean nations are taking a “longer-term view in terms of the integrity of their programmes.”

“Caribbean nations have realised how vital CBI funds are to their economies and maintaining the integrity of the programmes is essential for the entire region. There’s no point in having a quick win if it will jeopardise their status, which could result in the banks not wanting to do business with them meaning the programmes fall over straight away anyway.

“Caribbean nations are working very hard to fix mistakes made in the past as they are acutely aware of the scrutiny they are under at the moment, and therefore we have not seen any problematic individuals being accepted into these programmes recently.”

When responding to how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the CBI industry and the due diligence which enables its functioning, Gunning adds, “There has been a huge reliance on tourism which has really dropped away over the last couple of years and that has certainly put a lot more pressure on the units.

“It’s important to note that the units have become a lot more focused on their processes and how they run themselves to become as efficient as possible so that they can ensure that they are making the most of opportunities in terms of the applicants presenting themselves, within that there hasn’t been a compromise on the due diligence as they understand how important a part it plays and they want to be able to hold their hands up and say ‘we have external third parties auditing all our applicants at least twice but usually three or four times when you bring in to play the security agencies or Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to ensure that there isn’t a compromise on due diligence.”

Proper due diligence practices show a nation’s commitment to ensuring that its programme remains transparent and effective at evaluating potential candidates for citizenship. It is, therefore, a measure of that programme’s integrity.

Increasingly, strict anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering legislation has prompted some governments to exclude applicants of certain nationalities from their programmes or to restrict funds transferred from certain jurisdictions, in order to ensure compliance with international sanctions.

A multi-layered due diligence system, rooted in law and subject to procedural rules and policies, is an essential element of any successful CBI programme, as it combines internal government checks with research by specialist third-party due diligence firms, and assessments by regional and international bodies. Failures in due diligence harm the reputation of a host country and its programme, and these failures often have widespread consequences for the entire industry.

Funds from CBI programmes often provide a vital source of income for some countries, especially in times of crisis – as is often the case for Caribbean countries devastated by hurricanes – these countries value the investment that goes into their economies as it allows them to be economically self-sustainable.

“Caribbean nations are some of the most transparent in terms of reporting on their due diligence processes which has positively impacted their brand and reputation in the international market,” adds Paul Singh, director at CS Global Partners – an international government marketing agency.

“We have been doing ongoing work to help countries realise the importance of protecting and enhancing not only their reputation in the international community but also ensuring that their citizens and applicants know that they are investing in reputable and trusted brands for their businesses and families.”

Professional Wealth Management, from the FT Group, is the premier resource for private banking and mutual fund coverage in Europe, Asia and beyond.

Watch the full four-episode PWM Perspectives series on due diligence here.

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WESTON, Fla., May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – The global Flex Seal® Family of Products is filling gaps, cracks and holes across the Caribbean. And many of their products are now available at a variety of retailers in Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Lucia.

Available products include Flex Seal, Flex Tape®, Flex Glue®, Flex Seal Liquid®, Flex Shot® and the Flex Seal Mini® products, each in a variety of their respective colors. These products are available at over 30 locations in-store and on some websites.

“The whole Flex Seal Family joins me in the excitement of this new opportunity and growth for our company,” said Phil Swift, CEO, Inventor and Spokesperson. “We are proud to partner with these new retailers and expand our offering of products to more countries globally.”

It’s important to protect your home and property during the storm season, and The Flex Seal Family of Products is there for you. Each product is useful for a variety of fixes and weatherizing around the home.

About The Flex Seal Family of Products
Swift Response, LLC is the distributor and marketer of The Flex Seal® Family of Products. Founded in 2011, the company provides a variety of DIY home repair and maintenance products specializing in waterproofing, adhesive, bonding and sealing.

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CaribPR Wire, PORTMORE, Jamaica, April 27, 2022: ibex (NASDAQ: IBEX), a leading global provider of business process outsourcing (BPO) and customer engagement technology solutions, today announced its team in Jamaica raised $1 million JMD to help pay for new prosthetic legs for teammate Charmonique Willis. Willis lost her legs when she was two years old and needs new prosthetics.

“I would like to thank ibex and all my co-workers for this wonderful gift,” said Willis. “This company treats you like family. I love and appreciate ibex for all they have done.”

In addition to raising funds to help Willis, ibex is committed to the fight against breast cancer and plans to make a donation to the Jamaica Cancer Society later this year. The company also supports local children’s homes across the island and has donated educational tablets to various schools.

“We are all so proud of our team here in Jamaica for their overwhelming compassion and generosity for our dear friend and colleague, Charmonique,” said Jaime Vergara, SVP and Country Manager, ibex. “ibex cares about our people and has a long history of giving to help support the communities where they live and work.”

ibex is the leading BPO in Jamaica with six facilities, including Ocho Rios, Portmore and Kingston, and is growing across multiple vertical markets, such as travel and hospitality, insurance, finance, retail, and others. This growth is helping to further reinforce Jamaica’s position as a global shared services hub that is digitally transforming our clients’ customer experience.

ibex recently celebrated the 5^th anniversary of ibex Cares, its philanthropic program that supports local communities where the company operates. This year, the program will be responsible for giving more than $250,000 in donations to local charities and causes.

About ibex
ibex delivers innovative business process outsourcing (BPO), smart digital marketing, online acquisition technology, and end-to-end customer engagement solutions to help companies acquire, engage, and retain valuable customers. Today, ibex operates a global CX delivery center model consisting of 34 operations facilities around the world, while deploying next-generation technology to drive superior customer experiences for many of the world’s leading companies across retail, e-commerce, healthcare, fintech, utilities and logistics.

ibex leverages its diverse global team of over 30,000 employees together with industry-leading technology, including its Wave X platform, to manage nearly 200 million critical customer interactions, adding over $2.2B in lifetime customer revenue each year and driving a truly differentiated customer experience. To learn more, visit our website at ibex.co and connect with us on LinkedIn.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ea21bb9-516e-4f09-9b21-bd51850514a8

ibex Cares: Equipo de Jamaica recauda $ 1 millón de JMD para ayudar a compañera de trabajo

CaribPR Wire, PORTMORE, Jamaica, April 27, 2022: – ibex (NASDAQ: IBEX), un proveedor líder mundial de externalización de procesos de negocios (BPO) y soluciones de tecnología de participación del cliente, anunció hoy que su equipo en Jamaica recaudó $ 1 millón de dólares jamaiquinos (JMD) para ayudar a pagar las nuevas prótesis de piernas para su compañera de equipo, Charmonique Willis. Charmonique perdió las piernas cuando tenía dos años y necesita nuevas prótesis.

“Me gustaría agradecer a ibex y a todos mis compañeros de trabajo por este maravilloso regalo”, dijo Charmonique. “Esta empresa te trata como familia. Quiero y aprecio a ibex por todo lo que han hecho”.

Además de recaudar fondos para ayudar a Willis, ibex mantiene su compromiso con la lucha contra el cáncer de mama y planea hacer una donación a la Jamaica Cancer Society a finales de este año. La empresa también apoya hogares infantiles locales en toda la isla y donó tabletas educativas a varias escuelas.

“Todos estamos muy orgullosos de nuestro equipo aquí en Jamaica por su abrumadora compasión y generosidad para nuestra querida amiga y colega, Charmonique”, dijo Jaime Vergara, vicepresidente sénior y gerente de país de ibex. “ibex se preocupa por nuestra gente y tiene una larga historia de donaciones para ayudar a apoyar a las comunidades donde viven y trabajan”.

ibex es el BPO líder en Jamaica con seis instalaciones, incluyendo Ocho Ríos, Portmore y Kingston, y está creciendo en varios mercados verticales, como viajes y hospitalidad, seguros, finanzas, minorista y otros. Este crecimiento ayuda a reforzar aún más la posición de Jamaica como un centro global de servicios compartidos que está transformando de forma digital la experiencia de consumo de nuestros clientes.

ibex recientemente celebró el quinto aniversario de ibex Cares, su programa filantrópico que apoya a las comunidades locales donde opera la empresa. Este año, el programa se encargará de entregar más de $ 250,000 en donaciones a organizaciones benéficas y causas locales.

Acerca de ibex
ibex ofrece externalización de procesos de negocios (BPO) innovadores, marketing digital inteligente, tecnología de adquisición en línea y soluciones de participación del cliente de extremo a extremo para ayudar a las empresas en la adquisición, participación y retención de clientes valiosos. Hoy, ibex opera un modelo de centro de entrega de experiencia del cliente (CX) global que consiste de 34 instalaciones de operaciones en todo el mundo, al mismo tiempo que implementa tecnología de última generación para promover experiencias superiores para el cliente para muchas de las empresas líderes mundiales en los sectores minorista, comercio electrónico, atención médica, tecnología financiera (fintech), servicios públicos y logística.

ibex aprovecha su diverso equipo global de más de 30.000 empleados junto con tecnología líder en el sector, incluyendo su plataforma Wave X, para la gestión de cerca de 200 millones de interacciones críticas con clientes, añadiendo más de $2.2 mil millones en ingresos vitalicios de clientes cada año e impulsando una experiencia de cliente verdaderamente diferenciada. Para más información, visite nuestro sitio web ibex.co y comuníquese con nosotros en LinkedIn.

Una foto adjunta a este comunicado de prensa está disponible en https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ea21bb9-516e-4f09-9b21-bd51850514a8

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GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Dr. Yaron Rado, Chief Radiologist and Chairman of the Board of Doctors Hospital, issued the following statement regarding the three-day judicial review, Grand Court Cases Nos 55 and 150 of 2021 challenging Institutionally registered medical professionals practising in Cayman and the financial concessions awarded to them.

“To set the scene:

Unlike doctors on the Principal List, the Health Practice Regulations don’t require institutionally registered doctors to have any postgraduate qualifications or any special training. Institutional List practitioners need only have obtained their qualifications from almost any medical school in the world (vs Principal List providers who must be registered from one of seven countries: Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States).

They are also not required to provide proof of specialist qualifications to call themselves a specialist or consultant, let alone a proper residency program (5 years), a fellowship program (an additional two years), and then three years of post-specialisation experience as required for the Principal List.

The only safeguard for patients to date is that institutionally registered doctors must practice at a “designated facility” and that Cabinet is responsible for designating these facilities.

Of course, the problem is that until April 6 2022, the Cabinet did not require facilities to meet any particular criteria before designating them, and Cabinet has no record of why Health City, Total Health, and Aster DM were designated as such. Cabinet has also not produced any criteria for reviewing the designation of facilities. In other words, there has been nothing to stop facilities from employing inexperienced Institutional List doctors with minimal supervision.

Until this court hearing, the concern had repeatedly been expressed by the local medical community that doctors on the institutional list were subject to a far lower level of regulation than doctors on the principal list, with consequent concerns for patient safety. This meant that doctors could be registered to practice here as institutional list practitioners with potentially very limited experience and qualifications.

On day 2 of the JR hearing, however, the Government’s QC stated that, on the Governments interpretation of the legislation, all doctors must possess the same or equivalent level of qualification and experience for registration. He stated that this is because Regulation 5 of the Health Practice Regulations is applicable to institutional list doctors as well as principal list doctors.  On day 3 of the JR hearing, the Government’s QC once more confirmed that this is the correct interpretation of the law, and the interpretation the government applies in regulating the institutional list.

We must await Justice William’s judgment to find out whether he will record that this new construction of the health practice law and regulations is correct, and must be applied going forwards, or whether he will instead recommend that the position is clarified by amending the legislation. Either way, the Government’s formal position, as articulated in court last week, means that all doctors registered to practice in Cayman must now possess an appropriate, minimum level of qualification and experience. As such, Regulation 5A, and the “second-tier” institutional list (initially introduced by the Health Practice law (2013 revision), will effectively be abolished.”

Of these two Grand Court Cases Nos 55 and 150 of 2021 in the Cayman court, this is a huge win for healthcare in Cayman – and for all duly regulated Principal List practitioners after years of dedication and investment into their education in compliance with the Health Practice Act and under the supervision of the Medical and Dental Council (MDC). I want to express my sincere appreciation for our lawyers Sally Bowler, Chris Buttler, and Ben Tonner from McGrath Tonner, who have worked tirelessly on our behalf to help affect these changes.

Unfortunately, all Institutional List physicians with boots on the ground in Cayman are exempted from meeting Principal List standards. Thankfully, the Cayman Islands Medical and Dental Society (CIMDS) has recently launched the “Green Tick” campaign to raise awareness about healthcare providers’ two separate registration lists. We invite the people of the Cayman Islands to educate themselves so they can make informed healthcare choices for their families. We also ask our Government to strongly reconsider their position on this matter as each existing Institutional List provider renews their registration (every two years). They should be held to the same medical standards, values, and code of ethics we Principal List providers stand behind for our patients.

At this juncture, only half the battle is won.

The Government has a discretion under the various laws to waive the duties payable by healthcare facilities, indeed by anyone. However, there is currently no transparent, published guideline or criteria assisting those liable to pay these duties to understand when they will or won’t be eligible for a waiver or an exemption: meaning that there is currently no transparent benchmark for obtaining a duty waiver or exemption. Health City (both in the east end and at its current and forthcoming Camana Bay facilities) receives huge financial privileges in the form of stamp duty waivers, import duty exemptions and discounts on work permit fees. This is all predicated on a contract that it entered into with the Government in 2010.

By comparison, Doctors Hospital paid CI$ 1.2 million in stamp duty to acquire its current site and has spent more than CI$ 1 million in customs duty alone over the last three years. Yet 12 years later Health City’s medical tourism facility, at least as the 2010 contract envisioned it to be, namely, an integrated hospital comprising of a hospital, medical university and an assisted living facility, has not materialized. So why are these concessions continuing to be granted?

Doctors Hospital is concerned about this lack of transparency and the lack of any regulatory framework which ensures fairness. As a result, Doctors Hospitals seeks a declaration that transparent criteria for the granting and refusal of concessions ought to be published for all to see.

Doctors Hospital has the same interest as any other taxpayer in the lawfulness of the Government collecting taxes and believes it is unlawful for the Government to grant waivers to Health City and others on the premise that it is now contractually bound to do so. In particular, when the public is losing out on large sums of money that would be available for public services.

Doctors Hospital’s motivation in bringing this judicial review is to, first and foremost, promote and preserve the integrity of healthcare in Cayman and to ensure that the Cayman Islands Government provides a fair and transparent tax system for all.

The ultimate findings from this three-day judicial review will be revealing. I sincerely hope that patient safety and the highest principles of healthcare are fully realised and that we bring an end to a long list of discriminatory concessions that Health City’s arrival in the Cayman Islands has brought about.”

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• Mastercard is bringing contactless acceptance to the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, enabling fans to make fast, simple, and secure payments

CaribPR Wire, HAMILTON, Bermuda, Thurs. Oct. 28, 2021: Moving toward a world beyond cash, Mastercard is partnering with Butterfield to bring its cardholders a fully contactless payment experience at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, an official PGA TOUR event that will be held at the Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, October 25 to 31.

In addition to contactless acceptance at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Butterfield Mastercard cardholders will enjoy exclusive opportunities, which will make their experience and attendance to the event a priceless one. With this partnership, Mastercard demonstrates its continued commitment to provide consumers with Priceless experiences that bring fans closer to the action and to see the world’s best golfers compete.  “Alongside our partners at Butterfield, we’re committed to celebrating and supporting the shared passions of our communities and are thrilled to provide the resources needed to help Bermuda continue to thrive in an increasingly contactless world,” said Marcelo Tangioni, president of Mastercard’s Caribbean Division.

Technology has taken a front seat in our world due to the unexpected arrival of COVID-19. In this new world, Bermuda is leading the way as one of the world’s first countries that has eliminated the use of paper notes, choosing to go totally contactless. In 2018, Bermuda began the process of adding the “tap-and-go” technology, to enhance card security and give customers a quicker checkout process.  Card usage is high in general in the Caribbean region, especially in Barbados and Puerto Rico; while mobile payments were already gaining traction in 2020 and now have increased widely in markets such as the Bahamas, according to data provided by Finextra.

As a result of the challenges presented by COVID-19, consumers are adopting new payment habits at an accelerated pace, according to the Mastercard New Payment Index conducted in 18 countries, including several markets in Latin America and the Caribbean region. The study shows nearly 90% of in-person transactions globally take place at a contactless-enabled merchant, and nearly all merchant categories saw an increase in contactless transactions as a share of total in-person transactions year-over-year in the first quarter of 2021.

Using contactless payment methods while at sports events, such as golf, is especially convenient, as it reduces the inconvenience of carrying cash, including having to purchase local currency (if applicable), carrying large amounts of cash, or running out of cash in a restaurant, golf facility or other.  Places such as Bermuda that have adopted this method early – the first country to formally adopt a non-paper money economy will be Sweden in 2023—are positioned to attract technology-oriented, savvy, and affluent tourists to enjoy their sports events.

For more information about the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, please visit www.bermudachampionship.com. For more information about Mastercard and its technology-driven solutions for customers who are seeking priceless experience, please visit www.mastercard.com.

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About Mastercard (NYSE:MA)
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

www.mastercard.com

About Butterfield Bermuda Championship

The Butterfield Bermuda Championship is an annual stop on the PGA TOUR. To date, the tournament has raised over $400,000 for local charities. This is the first PGA TOUR event ever held in Bermuda, highlighted by a field that includes a minimum of four Bermudians who qualify to compete via a Local Qualifying event. Scheduled for October 28 to 31 at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, the 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship will feature a field of 132 players, 72 holes of stroke play and a purse of US $6.5 million. This official FedEx Cup event will showcase Bermuda to the world with 14 hours of live Golf Channel broadcast. For more information, visit bermudachampionship.com and connect with the tournament on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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