CaribPR Wire

CARIBPR WIRE, Roseau, Dominica, Fri. Sept. 08, 2023: The Commonwealth of Dominica is a small island located in the Caribbean between Martinique and Guadeloupe. Tourists marvel at the crystal blue ocean views and tropical humid climate, there is an abundance of discovery on the Nature Isle of the Caribbean.

Explore 30 interesting facts about the magical island of Dominica!

Cultural history

1. Dominica was named by Christopher Columbus

Prior to Christopher Columbus’ arrival on the island, the Caribbean settlers named it Watikbuli, meaning ‘Tall is her Body’. In 1493, Christopher arrived on the island and named it Domingo, which means Sunday, the day which he discovered the island.

2. Dominica has an interesting motto

The motto is French, ‘Après le Bon Dieu, c’est la Terre’, translated to English as ‘After God, the Earth’, Dominica eloquently displays its natural beauty.

3. Dominica is a republic in the Commonwealth

The Nature Isle gained its independence on 3 November 1978 and celebrates this day annually with vibrant national festivities. These include cultural markets, music festivals, and beauty pageants.

4. The National Anthem is titled ‘Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour’

Dominica’s national anthem was written by Wilfred Oscar Morgan, with the music composed by Lemuel McPherson Christian OBE, after receiving statehood in 1967.

5. Government system

As a parliamentary democratic republic nation, The Executive branch of government has a President and Prime Minister, whereby nominees are elected in consultation with the opposition leader. The two-party system, with the ruling Dominica Labour Party and the opposition party, the United Worker’s Party.

All Dominican adult citizens may cast their ballots every five years during the government elections.

6. Dominica’s President, His Excellency, the Honourable Charles Savarin

Elected as Dominica’s eighth president in October 2013, Honourable Charles Savarin is a member of the Dominica Labour Party. He received his nomination from Prime Minister, Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, who has been the head of government since August 2004. Previously, His Excellency, Honourable Savarin was a teacher, trade unionist, parliamentarian, diplomat, and government minister.

7. English Common Law system

Dominica’s constitution includes the right to life, personal liberty, and freedom of expression, which follows one-third of the world’s English Common Law. The hierarchy of Dominica’s court starts from the Magistrate Court, High Court, Court of Appeal, and lastly The Court of Appeal the Privy Council.

8. Dominica’s small population of 72,412

The population of Dominica is currently sitting at 72,414, making it the 11th least-populated nation in the world.

9. The Dominican flag is one of only two national flags with the colour purple

Out of all the nations in the world, Dominica’s national flag is one of only two national flags to incorporate the colour purple. The other is the Nicaraguan national flag. The Dominican national flag features a Sisserou Parrot that has purple feathers on the underside and the crown.

Geographical landscape

10. The island is also known as the Nature Isle of the Caribbean

Dominica’s spectacular natural beauty is oftentimes affectionately known as “The Nature Isle of the Caribbean.” The vast amount of the island is covered in lush forests. Year-round visitors can experience wondrous waterfalls and mud ponds. Indigenous rainforest animals and insects such as parrots, iguanas and rare butterflies make up some of the phenomenal fauna.

11. The national flowers for Dominica

The Sabinea carinalis, warmly known as the ‘Bwa Kwaib’ or the Carib Wood. Is the indigenous wild xerophytic plant. In bloom, it exhibits bright scarlet flowers from its branches. It is said to represent the longevity of the Dominican youth.

12. The National Bird of Dominica is the Sisserou Parrot

The national bird of Dominica the Sisserou (Amazona Imperialis), “The Pride of Dominica” is found on the country’s emblems such as the Coat of Arms, the National Flag, the Public Seal, The Mace of the House of Assembly and Dominica’s Honours for Meritorious Service. The imperial parrot is endemic to Dominica’s dense mountainous rainforests. This shy and yet attractive indigenous bird has resided on the island for numerous thousands of years and can live over 70 years of age. The bird is an endangered species and is under preservation.

13. Dominica is the only country in the world where sperm whales reside year-round!

Sperm whales have called Dominica’s waters their home, and it is extremely likely to spot them swimming in pods, as whales and dolphins live close to shore throughout the year.

14. The Island is home to the Giant Ditch Frog known as the “mountain chicken”

Dominicans refer to the frog as the “mountain chicken” due to its legs imitating drumsticks. The frog used to be a delicacy as a national dish and is now under conservation to preserve the species.

15. Home to the Caribbean’s first long-distance hiking trail

The Waitukubuli National Trail (WNT) is the first long-distance hiking trail in the Caribbean. It is estimated to be 183 km long and is split into 14 sections. The trail was built between 2007 and 2012, the route crosses through Dominica and traverses some of the country’s most spectacular terrain. It will take a minimum of two weeks to complete the hiking trail.

16. Dominica is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Morne Trois Pitons National Park is the exclusive Heritage Site in Dominica and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. This national park is situated in the southern half of the island and contains many of Dominica’s most spectacular attractions including the Titou Gorge, Boeri, Freshwater Lakes, the Boiling Lake, and the Middleham Falls. The Morne Trois Pitons National Park covers roughly 9 per cent of Dominica’s land area.

17. Dominica has practised herbal medicine for centuries

The original inhabitants of the island, the Caribs, and later Africans, brought with them thorough knowledge of plants and herbs. This knowledge has been passed down through generations and many herbs like Moringa, Basil and Dandelion are still used today for medicinal purposes, usually referred to as “bush medicine.”

Economic features of Dominica

18. Dominica’s main industries

The country’s main industries are agriculture, tourism and manufacturing. Over 20 per cent of the island’s land is arable and under cultivation, with bananas traditionally serving as Dominica’s largest export. Although Dominica has recently increased the production of other fruits, as well as vegetables and coffee beans.

Dominica’s tourism sector continues to steadily grow, with the alluring nature attracting an estimated 200,000 holidaymakers annually. The island’s manufacturing industry primarily depends on raw materials from the agricultural sector, where in-demand exports include coconut soap, ceramics and shoes.

19. Dominica’s official currency is the East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)

Dominica introduced the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (ECD) currency in 1965, which is used in another seven countries in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Foreign currencies including the euro and dollar are also accepted as tender. It is also pegged to the US dollar at a rate of US$1 to ECD (East Caribbean Dollar) $2.70. As Dominica is a member of the Commonwealth, all banknotes and coins feature an image of King Charles III.

20. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Dominica

The World Bank recorded the island’s GDP had an outstanding US$612,048,148 in financial year 2022.

21. Investors can acquire Citizenship of Dominica by Investment

Investors in Dominica tend to seek citizenship through investment opportunities around the country. When visitors officially become Dominican citizens, they can develop businesses, work, relocate and extend their citizenship to their family members.

Dominica’s CBI Programme received first in the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) initiative for six consecutive years by the CBI Index.

22. English is Dominica’s official language

English is universally spoken in Dominica and UK English spelling is used. Dominican Creole (an Antillean Creole derived from French), and French Patois are spoken amongst the locals. This is because of the long history of French migration to the island as well as Dominica’s location between two French-speaking countries; Martinique and Guadeloupe.

23. Christian religious practices

Christianity is the most common religion in Dominica, practised by over 90 per cent of the population. However, religious freedom is enshrined in the Constitution of Dominica so inhabitants can follow alternative faiths if they so choose, such as Rastafarianism.

24. Cricket is the most popular sport in Dominica

Many Dominican cricketers play for the West Indies cricket team internationally. Shane Shillingford and Adam Sanford are two of the most notable cricketers from Dominica.

25. The capital city of Dominica is Roseau

The largest city in Dominica it is located on the Southwest coast of the country and is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, the Morne Bruce Hill and the Roseau River. Filled with lively markets, 18th-century French architecture and famous landmarks like the Roseau Cathedral and the Morne Bruce Cross.

26. The Main Airport is Douglas-Charles Airport

Formerly known as Melville Hall Airport, Douglas–Charles Airport is Dominica’s largest of the country’s two airports. Douglas–Charles Airport operates both passenger and cargo planes to other destinations in the Eastern Caribbean region.

27. Dominica is on a quest to be the world’s first climate-resilient nation

The Government of Dominica has called on investors around the world to assist in the development of sustainable and robust industries and infrastructure. This is an exclusive opportunity to implement the latest technologies and developmental approaches. Dominica aims to be at the forefront of tackling climate change challenges.

28. Unique rivers for each day of the year

Apart from breathtaking beaches and volcanoes, Dominica has over 365 rivers! While some are cool and clear, others are cloudy and fast. All the rivers are surrounded by exotic plants and flowers. The Indian River is the widest on the island, and many visitors choose this river to explore the rivers for the first time.

29. There are nine active volcanoes in Dominica

Dominica has the highest concentration of volcanoes in the world, with approximately nine active volcanoes. Eruptions are very rare, and the last volcanic eruption was in 1997 and the one before that was in 1880.

The highest mountain and volcano are Morne Diablotins, and it is a magical sight. Adventurists can take a six-hour hike to reach the top where neighbouring islands, Martinique and Guadeloupe can be seen from the top.

30. Many of Dominica’s beaches are covered in black sand

The volcanoes in Dominica influence the colour of beautiful black-sand beaches. Some of the most famous black sand beaches in Dominica include the Number One Beach, Mero Beach, and Rosalie Bay Beach.

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”.

CARIBPR WIRE, Roseau, Mon. Oct. 31, 2022: Anichi Resort & Spa will be providing a 2% annual return to investors despite being under construction. The management of the much-anticipated five-star luxury resort and spa in Dominica has said that the project is in full swing, and that once construction is completed, annual returns will be based on the resort’s operation.

Following an official update, an estimated 70% of the project is now complete; this includes the flooring as well as an extensive electricity infrastructure. The resort is being built on 12 acres of land, with 128 rooms. I will host world-class amenities, such as a lagoon swimming pool, an infinity pool, restaurants, a business centre and many others. Overlooking a picturesque beach, the resort will tastefully blend its modern architecture with the landscape’s tropical foliage.

Developed by Oriental Developers (Caribbean) Ltd, the resort will form part of the Autograph Collection, a premium international brand developed by renowned hotelier Marriott International. This links the resort to more than 100 luxury lifestyle hotels across 30 countries and territories – all of which have been constructed as part of Autograph Collection Hotels. Furthermore, Anichi Resort will be managed by Highgate, a dominant player in major US gateway cities with a growing footprint in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Anichi Resort & Spa is also one of the premium real estate options approved by the Dominican government’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme. The CBI Index of 2022, published by the PWM Magazine of the Financial Times, recognises it as the “World’s Best Citizenship by Investment Programme”. The minimum investment threshold for Anichi Resort & Spa is $220,000 (USD), an expenditure which also comes with lifetime Dominican citizenship and property ownership.

The resort will bolster the tourism sector and generate extensive employment for locals. The country already occupies a notable position, ranking first among 25 other Caribbean islands – winning due to its lush green jungles, hot springs and striking black-sand beaches. Annually, scores of investors fly to Dominica owing to its large number of government-approved investment projects. The Citizenship by Investment Programme of Dominica allows these individuals to purchase freehold shares in government-approved properties.

Anichi Resort & Spa provides investors and CBI applicants with a Return on Investment (ROI) as well as a route towards diversifying their portfolios and planning their wealth.

The Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, praised the CBI Programme, “Thanks to the real-estate investment option of the Citizenship by Investment Programme,” he noted, “the country is catching the attraction of travel-enthusiasts and is now known for [its] luxury tourism offering. Under the Citizenship Programme, investors looking to expand their real estate portfolio have the opportunity to invest in established luxury hotel brands and villas.”

Dominica’s real estate investment option has long provided premium, luxury projects for investment. A prior example of this is Secret Bay, a real estate property which paid out more than $1 million (USD) in returns to investors. The Residences at Secret Bay also promises great returns, having drawn more than 100 Citizenship by Investment (CBI) owners. The resort has already won a number of awards, and it is anticipated that Anichi Resort & Spa will likewise be counted as one of the jewels in Dominica’s real estate crown.

Anichi Resort promises to be a meaningful asset during this time of global uncertainty. CS Global Partners, a legal consulting firm working in the investment citizenship field, noted that, beyond the resort’s world-class architecture and lush surrounding environment, “[t]he project also brings in interest from investors keen to participate in the development through Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. Once completed, the resort promises to transform Dominica’s tourism sector while also boosting employment for the local community”.

Concurrently, Dominica is witnessing the construction of several other hotels, including a Hilton hotel, which will also fall under the government-approved real estate investment options of the country’s CBI programme. Many of these properties are being built to be sustainable and climate-resilient, with the continued construction of such resorts and hotels positioning the island as a top destination for eco-luxury resorts.

Dominica’s real estate is thus proving to be a popular option among investors and high net-worth individuals (HNWIs). Bolstering investment is the strength of the country’s CBI programme. The credibility and trustworthiness of Dominica’s programme has been maintained since its launch almost three decades ago, and it has been ranked the world’s best CBI programme for its sixth consecutive year. Alongside alternative citizenship, the Citizenship by Investment Programme of Dominica provides a number of other opportunities to investors. These include:

• The ability to become a global citizen and be part of a global community transcends Dominica’s land borders.
• The ability to hold multiple citizenships.
• A citizenship that is granted for life and can be passed on to future generations.
• An opportunity to provide families and children with a peaceful, stable, safe and welcoming home.
• Access to countless business opportunities, with the option of portfolio diversification.
• Enhanced opportunities for wealth planning and expanding business overseas.
• A stable currency, with Dominica’s currency, the East Caribbean Dollar (XCD), pegged to USD.

These factors, combined with alternative citizenship, present individuals with a rich array of business and personal advantages. As the success and promise of the Anichi Resort & Spa attest, the island along with its CBI programme offers investment with unrivalled returns.

CARIBPR WIRE, Roseau, Aug. 23, 2022: The Commonwealth of Dominica came out tops in the annual CBI Index, a rating system designed to measure the performance and appeal of global citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes across a diverse range of indicators.

The CBI Index is intended as a practical tool to compare CBI programmes as a whole and specific aspects of each programme. These aspects are reflected by the CBI Index’s nine pillars which Freedom of Movement, Standard of Living, Minimum Investment Outlay, Mandatory Travel or Residence, Citizenship Timeline, Ease of Processing, Due Diligence, Family and Certainty of Product.

Number one for six consecutive years, Dominica beat 11 other nations with active citizenship by investment programmes and scored full marks in the areas of Minimum Outlay, Mandatory travel or residence, Ease of Processing, Due Diligence, Family and Certainty of Product.

These nations include Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Cambodia, Egypt, Grenada, Jordan, Malta, Montenegro, St Lucia, Turkey and Vanuatu.

“For the last 29 years we have ensured that our CBI programme really meets the needs of an ever-changing global investor. We’re proud to yet again be ranked as one of the best CBI offering in the world and look to increase our scores across all nine pillars next year,” commented Dominica’s Prime Minister, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit.

Dominica continues to be on a concerted drive to offer investors – through its Economic Diversification Fund and government-approve real estate options – a reliable safe haven amidst the constant global upheavals. Accompanied by a robust due diligence process, Dominica uses a multi-layered process in partnership with third-party due diligence firms from the USA and the UK, investors can be confident that they are buying a product that will enhance their portfolio.

Dominica’s scoring in the nine pillars:

Freedom of Movement: Dominica scored seven out of 10 as the country offers visa-free and visa-on-arrival access to 14 countries across the world, including the globe’s most sought-after business hubs.

Freedom of movement within and between countries is paramount to global investors seeking second citizenship and this year, the Index placed emphasis on the total number of countries and territories that can be visited without applying for a visa.

Standard of Living: Dominica scored five in this area due to its low average expected years of schooling, but it must be noted that the country has the highest life expectancy at 78.2 and a perfect freedom score when compared to Egypt, Jordan, St Kitts and Nevis and Vanuatu – who also shared the same score.

Minimum Investment Outlay: Dominica received a perfect score of 10 here as the minimum investment outlay for their CBI programme is only US$100,000 per applicant, one of the lowest citizenship investment outlays in the industry.

Mandatory Travel or Residence: As last year, Dominica kept its score of 10 out of 10 as the country does not require mandatory travel or residence in the country for processing its citizenship application.

Citizenship Timeline: Dominica scored a nine in the citizenship timeline pillar. The pillar accesses the duration to get the application processed.

Ease of Processing: The citizenship by investment unit of Dominica continues to make the application process straightforward and more robust, helping the country secure a score full marks in this area.

Due Diligence: Dominica is recognized for its stringent and comprehensive due diligence checks on applicants seeking second citizenship and once again retained the score of 10 for due diligence processing. The country requires the provision of either fingerprints or a biometric passport and has robust external due diligence procedures that are undertaken by internationally renowned third-party due diligence firms.

Family: As Dominica allows main applicants to add additional dependents under a single application, once again making it easy to bring in additional family members, the country scored 10 under this pillar.

Certainty of Product: Dominica, along with St Kitts and Nevis, attained a perfect score for Certainty of Product Pillar thanks to the programme’s longevity, popularity, renown, stability, and adaptability. The CBI Index also lauded Dominica for its transparent two-track investment routes.

Regarded as an industry voice and reputable benchmark for CBI programmes across the globe, this year’s CBI Index offers readers a glimpse of the possibility that could in the CBI industry should all relevant parties cooperate.

The current turmoil has certainly brought a negative spotlight to the investment migration industry and overlooked the fundamentals of CBI – offering honest, hardworking families and entrepreneurs to explore and participate in meaningful global opportunities, especially where they have been let down by their own home countries.

Findings in the CBI Index state that in 2023, it is predicted over 125,000 millionaires will look to relocate to more secure and attractive destinations around the world and this trend is expected to continue and increase to 2030. Political fragmentation, instability, social polarisation are some of the reasons why investors look for second citizenship options.

It is for this reason that countries like the Commonwealth of Dominica are a popular investment choice, offering political and economic stability, a currency pegged against the US-dollar and, even more appealing is an eco-conscious government working its way to be carbon-neutral and sustainable.

“People who invest in our programme can be 100% sure that they are also investing in a country that cares about the planet and one that is taking tangible, measurable steps to protect the planet,” continues Prime Minister Skerrit.

The CBI Index is the world’s most definitive guide on citizenship by investment and is published today by PWM Magazine, a publication from the Financial Times in collaboration with CS Global Partners.

Download and read the full report here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Tuskegee Airmen ECCTAI President, Gabriel J. Christian, and Keynote Speaker Robert Rashford Bring Caribbean Leaders to Forefront

CaribPR Wire, WASHINGTON, Thursday, June 27, 2019: On December 1, 2018, Gabriel J. Christian, Esq., became the first Caribbean-born President of the Tuskegee Airmen East Coast Chapter.

This summer, Christian led the Tuskegee Airmen by organizing and hosting a historic fundraising event which featured two prominent Caribbean nationals during its 2019 Tuskegee Youth In Aviation Breakfast Fundraiser on May 25th in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

The theme for this year’s fundraiser event was ‘Honoring the Legacy of Excellence’ as featured on CBS News (WUSA9) in Washington, D.C. The full news feature is available on CBS online at https://on.wusa9.com/2J9tIzi.

The East Coast Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc,. (ECCTAI), is the largest and most active chapter in the national organization and brings together — in the spirit of friendship and goodwill — all who share in the aspirations and successes of the men and women who pioneered military aviation in the Tuskegee Airmen; a group of Black military pilots who fought in World War II.

As the newly elected President of ECCTAI, Gabriel J. Christian, a native islander from The Commonwealth of Dominica, is the first Caribbean-born President to serve in this role. Keeping the legacy of his father, Wendell McKenzie Christian, who was a British Army World War II veteran.

Christian is an attorney, an author, and a long-standing and active volunteer member of ECCTAI for over a decade whilst also serving as Lead Counsel at his Bowie-based law practice: The Maryland Law Offices of Gabriel J. Christian & Associates. Having been raised by a decorated fireman father and a dutiful mother who impressed upon him the importance of civil services, Christian seeks to preserve the legacy of the proud Tuskegee Airmen. “Their successes expanded the bounds of freedom and equality for all people, at home and abroad.”

The event’s keynote speaker, Jamaican-native islander, Robert Rashford, is an internationally known aerospace engineer who makes tools for use in outer space. His wide-ranging work has earned him many awards. This includes four awards from NASA for his work on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite and the Hubble Space Telescope. He also received an award for Excellence in Science and Technology from the Institute of Caribbean Studies.

Today, he says to young people: “Expect challenges in your life; if you have no challenges, you do not live- use each one to motivate you to achieve great things.”

Rashford’s stellar accomplishments and focus on encouraging today’s youth to challenge themselves made him the ideal choice for Keynote during the event. “At a time when space exploration is key to the survival of our species, our scholarship program helps fund activities that promote aerospace and youth leadership development, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” said Christian.

ECCTAI is dedicated to fostering recognition of and preserving the history of Black achievements in aviation, and to inspiring and motivating young men and women toward endeavors in aviation and aerospace careers.

For more on ECCTAI and to start making a difference, log on to http://ecctai.org/.

###

REFERENCES

CaribNation TV News Feature of Tuskegee Airmen Youth in Aviation Event

https://youtu.be/FfEpsDuvWS0

CBS News Feature of Tuskegee Airmen

https://on.wusa9.com/2J9tIzi

https://www.wusa9.com/video/opinion/editorials/off-script/tuskegee-airmen-work-to-get-teens-interested-in-aviation-stem/65-cb75b160-7da0-4ad4-8644-48731dfbefa6

Tuskegee Airmen Photo Gallery

https://ecctai.smugmug.com/2019-ECCTAI-YOUTH-RECOGNITION-BREAKFAST-FUNDRAISER/

Tuskegee Airmen ECCTAI – President’s Message

http://ecctai.org/presidents-message

Robert Rashford Bio

http://icons.niherst.gov.tt/icon/robert-rashford-ci1/

Wendell M. Christian Obituary

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?n=wendell-m-christian&pid=154037173

PRESS CONTACT:

Above Prestige Public Relations

Office: 202-670-6489

Email: [email protected]

www.AbovePrestigePR.com

Five grants to be made to a variety of education projects in the Caribbean

CaribPR Wire, MIAMI, March 16, 2018: The Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation today announced that it will provide additional funding of over US$290,000 to projects that will improve the lives of children in areas of the Caribbean impacted by last year’s hurricanes. This follows the Foundation’s initial US$100,000 donation to ShelterBox for relief efforts after the hurricanes, as well as a clean-up of the CHANCES children’s home in Dominica as part of C&W Communications’ annual Mission Day.

The new funding – made up of five individual grants – is a continuation of the Foundation’s plans to restore and rebuild affected countries. The grants will be used to support critical education services in some of the most badly impacted countries including the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), Dominica and Anguilla.

Specifically, the Foundation’s funding will be used as follows:

• In BVI:
  • US$100,000 will be used towards replacing the roof at the sole secondary school – Bregado Flax Secondary School – on Virgin Gorda
  • US$25,000 will be used towards repairs for the Eslyn Richiez Henly School for Disabled Children
• In TCI, US$100,000 will be used to provide computers, printers, desks and chairs for children in the Osetta Jolly Primary School
• In Dominica, US$45,000 will be used towards refurnishing the computer lab of Roseau Primary School, providing essential equipment like computers, projectors, flat screens and printers
• In Anguilla, US$22,500 will be used to provide supplies and repair the doors, windows and roof of Bethel Pre-School, working in partnership with Rotary District 7020.

The Board of the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation chose these projects as it believed they would have a long-lasting positive impact on a great number of children and their families. The projects chosen also align with the Foundation’s strategic aims of educating and empowering communities.

Gina Colesanti, Director of the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to provide these much-needed grants to improve the lives of children impacted by the 2017 hurricane season in the Caribbean. By rebuilding and furnishing schools in BVI, TCI, Dominica and Anguilla, we’re creating a better environment for these kids to learn and grow – giving them a great start in life and setting them up for future success.”

Colesanti also thanked the major sponsors of the Foundation which include Sterlite; the Premier League; Anixter; Evolution Digital; One Caribbean; Lorac; HBO Latin America; Advantage Communications; Deloitte and Telenet. Their generosity contributed to the US$1 million that the Foundation has raised so far – which includes the US$500,000 seed funding provided by C&W Communications at its launch.

The Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation was set up by C&W Communications initially as response to the humanitarian crisis caused by devastating hurricanes in 2017. The Foundation is increasingly the company’s platform for advancing social development in the region, as it strives to fulfil its mission of connecting communities and transforming lives, by funding education and empowerment projects like these five initiatives. The Foundation has a number of similar projects in the pipeline and will announce more details in due course.

To find out more about the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation, visit cwc.com, or follow C&W Communications on Twitter.

About C&W Communications

C&W is a full-service communications and entertainment provider that delivers market-leading video, broadband, telephony and mobile services to consumers in 18 countries. Through its business division, C&W provides data center hosting, domestic and international managed network services, and customized IT service solutions, utilizing cloud technology to serve business and government customers. C&W also operates a state-of-the-art submarine fiber network – the most extensive in the region.

Learn more at www.cwc.com, or follow C&W on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Liberty Latin America

Liberty Latin America Ltd. (“Liberty Latin America”) is a leading telecommunications company operating in over 20 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean under the consumer brands VTR, Flow, Liberty, Más Móvil and BTC. The communications and entertainment services that we offer to our residential and business customers in the region increasingly include combinations of services comprised of digital video, broadband internet, telephony and mobile services. Our business products and services include enterprise-grade connectivity, data center, hosting and managed solutions, as well as information technology solutions with customers ranging from small and medium enterprises to international companies and governmental agencies. In addition, Liberty Latin America operates a sub-sea and terrestrial fiber optic cable network that connects over 40 markets in the region.

Liberty Latin America has three separate classes of common shares, which are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbols “LILA” (Class A) and “LILAK” (Class C), and on the OTC link under the symbol “LILAB” (Class B). For more information, please visit www.lla.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f1a8f3fb-5e96-4557-806d-6b28c3e9b3e1

La Fundación de Caridad de Cable & Wireless otorgará fondos por US$290.000 para mejorar la vida de niños en el Caribe

Se realizarán cinco asignaciones de fondos a diferentes proyectos educativos en el Caribe

CaribPR Wire, MIAMI, March 16, 2018: La Fundación de Caridad de Cable & Wireless anunció hoy que aportará fondos adicionales de más de US$290.000 a proyectos que mejorarán la vida de los niños en las áreas del Caribe impactadas por los huracanes del año pasado. Esto se suma a la donación inicial de la Fundación de US$100.000 a ShelterBox destinada a las tareas posteriores a los huracanes y a la limpieza del hogar de niños CHANCES en Domínica como parte del Día de Misión anual de C&W Communications.

El otorgamiento de nuevos fondos –compuesto por cinco donaciones individuales– es una continuación de los planes de la Fundación para reestablecer y reconstruir los países afectados. Estas asignaciones respaldarán servicios de educación esenciales en algunos de los países más afectados, entre los que se encuentran las Islas Vírgenes Británicas (BVI), las Islas Turcas y Caicos (TCI), Domínica y Anguila.

Los fondos de la Fundación se emplearán de la siguiente manera:

• En las Islas Vírgenes Británicas (BVI):
  • US$100.000 se utilizarán para reemplazar el techo en la única escuela secundaria en Virgin Gorda, Bregado Flax Secondary School.
  • US$25.000 se utilizarán para realizar reparaciones en la escuela para niños discapacitados Eslyn Richiez Henly School.
• En las Islas Turcas y Caicos (TCI), se emplearán US$100.000 en la compra de computadoras, impresoras, escritorios y sillas para los niños de la Osetta Jolly Primary School.
• En Domínica, se utilizarán US$45.000 para renovar el laboratorio de informática de la Roseau Primary School a través de la adquisición de equipamiento esencial como computadoras, proyectores, pantallas planas e impresoras.
• En Anguilla, se gastarán US$22.500 en la adquisición de suministros y la reparación de las puertas, las ventanas y el techo de la Bethel Pre-School en asociación con el Distrito Rotary 7020.

La Junta Directiva de la Fundación de Caridad de Cable & Wireless seleccionó estos proyectos porque consideró que tendrán un impacto positivo a largo plazo en muchos niños y sus familias.

Además, se alinean con los objetivos estratégicos de la Fundación con respecto a la educación y el impulso a las comunidades.

Gina Colesanti, Directora de la Fundación de Caridad de Cable & Wireless, dijo: “Es un honor realizar estas asignaciones de fondos que tanto se necesitan para mejorar la vida de niños que sufrieron el impacto de la temporada de huracanes de 2017 en el Caribe. A través de la reconstrucción y reparación de escuelas en las Islas Vírgenes Británicas (BVI), las Islas Turcas y Caicos (TCI), Domínica y Anguila, estamos creando un mejor ambiente para que estos niños aprendan y crezcan brindándoles un gran comienzo en sus vidas y preparándolos para un futuro exitoso”.

Colesanti también le agradeció a los principales patrocinadores de la Fundación, entre los que se encuentran Sterlite, la Liga Premier, Anixter, Evolution Digital, One Caribbean, Lorac, HBO Latin America, Advantage Communications, Deloitte y Telenet. Su generosidad contribuyó al US$1 millón de dólares que la Fundación ha recaudado hasta el momento, que incluye los US$500.000 dólares de fondo inicial que aportó C&W Communications al momento de su lanzamiento.

La Fundación de Caridad de Cable & Wireless fue creada por C&W Communications inicialmente como respuesta a la crisis humanitaria ocasionada por los devastadores huracanes en 2017. Esta Fundación es crecientemente la plataforma de la compañía para impulsar el desarrollo social en la región, ya que se esfuerza por cumplir con su misión de conectar comunidades y transformar vidas, por medio del otorgamiento de fondos para proyectos de educación e impulso tales como estas cinco iniciativas. La Fundación está trabajando en otros proyectos que anunciará con más detalles oportunamente.

Para conocer más información sobre la Fundación de Caridad de Cable & Wireless, visite cwc.com o siga a C&W Communications en Twitter.

Acerca de C&W Communications

C&W es un proveedor de servicios completos de comunicaciones y entretenimientos que brinda servicios móviles, de telefonía, de banda ancha y de video líderes en el mercado a consumidores de 18 países. A través de su división de negocios, C&W brinda servicios nacionales e internacionales de gestión de redes, hosting de centros de datos y soluciones de servicios de TI personalizadas mediante tecnología en la Nube para servir a gobiernos y negocios. C&W también opera una red de fibra submarina de última generación –la más extensa en la región–.

Lea más información en www.cwc.com o siga a C&W en Twitter y LinkedIn.

Acerca de Liberty Latin America

Liberty Latin America Ltd. (“Liberty Latin America”) es una compañía de telecomunicaciones líder que opera en más de 20 países en América Latina y el Caribe bajo las marcas al consumidor VTR, Flow, Liberty, Más Móvil y BTC. Los servicios de entretenimiento y comunicaciones que les ofrecemos a nuestros clientes corporativos y residenciales en la región incluyen crecientemente combinaciones de servicios que contienen servicios móviles, de telefonía, de Internet de banda ancha y de video digital. Nuestros productos y servicios corporativos incluyen soluciones gestionadas, de hosting, de Datacenter y de conectividad corporativa así como también soluciones de tecnología de la información que les brindamos a clientes que son desde pequeñas y medianas empresas hasta compañías internacionales y agencias gubernamentales. Además, Liberty Latin America opera una red de cable de fibra óptica terrestre y submarina que conecta a más de 40 mercados en la región.

Liberty Latin America cuenta con tres clases separadas de acciones comunes, que cotizan en el mercado selecto global NASDAQ bajo los símbolos “LILA” (Clase A) y “LILAK” (Clase C) y en el OTC Link bajo el símbolo “LILAB” (Clase B). Para más información, por favor visite www.lla.com.

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands, Feb. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — interCaribbean Airways, celebrating 26 years of continuous services, is pleased to announce new nonstop schedule services from Dominica to St Lucia and Tortola, with 1 stop easy connections via Tortola to St Thomas, St Croix, Sint Maarten, San Juan, Providenciales and Santo Domingo.

Travelers can make two-stop connections via interCaribbean flights to Kingston and Nassau.  Even allowing for two stops this is still one of the fastest travel times in the Caribbean.

Flights to and from Dominica begin on March 22 with 3 weekly flights as follows Schedule.

DOM = Dominica Douglas Charles Airport, EIS = Tortola Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport, SLU = St. Lucia – Castries International Airport.

interCaribbean has expanded its schedule to new points throughout the Caribbean connecting more of the Caribbean than any other Caribbean Airline.

CEO Trevor Sadler, stated “We are pleased to begin connecting Dominica with our Caribbean, bringing affordable air fares to this latest interCaribbean destination”.  We look forward to welcoming Citizens and Residents aboard and adding new connections and cities that Dominica can enjoy.

Mr. Colin Piper. Director of Tourism, Dominica welcomes the new service, stating “interCaribbean is giving Dominicans new choices to fly to and from Dominica and more connections to more places, the service is very timely and very welcome.  We look forward to the launch and anticipation of service to further islands.”

Visit interCaribbean.com to learn more about the company and its operations.

About interCaribbean

interCaribbean operates EMB 120, Twin Otter and shortly ERJ145 aircrafts connecting the Turks & Caicos Islands, Antigua, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, the Bahamas, St Thomas and St Croix in the US Virgin Islands, Dominica, St Lucia and St. Maarten. Domestic flights are operated in the Turks & Caicos Islands, as well as in Jamaica between Kingston and Montego Bay.

CaribPR Wire, MIAMI, FL, Dec. 06, 2017: John Reid, CEO of Cable & Wireless – along with Jeffrey Baptiste, General Manager Flow Dominica and other top executives and employees –spent the day with the residents of CHANCES, a home for at-risk children in Dominica as part of a region-wide initiative to celebrate the Company’s mission of Connecting Communities…Transforming Lives.

Photos accompanying this release are available at:

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5ccca59a-7b8a-4829-9342-6a4b50da3199

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2eaebcaf-bb9d-4d28-9d53-1f24d86ab551

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/72b93182-10a7-4ce5-848b-55e9fc98dac9

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ac934653-9300-4c1e-852c-04637e203b00

‘Mission Day’ is an annual C&W company-wide activity to celebrate the ‘connections’ with communities that the Company serves. This year, the focus of all 24 C&W operations from Cayman to Colombia was to garner support for the islands impacted by Hurricanes Maria and Irma.  Teams across the region led a variety of activities, from fundraisers to community engagement activities, to continue to raise funds and awareness for the hurricane affected islands.

In Dominica specifically, efforts centered on support to CHANCES, home to twenty-one children.  The goal was to help restore the home after the facility was left uninhabitable from floods and dangerous debris. The team started the ‘Mission’ early; removing debris and clearing the grounds of dangerous wires and branches to restore a safe environment for the residents. At the end of the day, residents had a clean, safe facility, as well as a brand new and much needed refrigerator.

Dominica was one of the islands most severely impacted by Hurricane Maria and will continue to be a focus for support for C&W, through the newly established Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation.  According to Reid, the Foundation which has raised over US$1 million to date, initiated support and relief activities through a grant to Shelter Box to provide essential supplies to families across the region including Dominica.  “We will now build on these initial activities by working with local leadership teams to identify areas of greatest need,” Reid explained.

Flow’s General Manager, Jeffrey Baptiste who is currently leading intensive network rebuilding efforts so that Dominica can continue to receive essential communication services, views the rebuilding process as more than just restoration of Flow services.  “It is important that we work hand in hand with the community, especially our vulnerable groups and rebuild Dominica together,” said Baptiste.

The residents of CHANCES, and its Managing Director Ava Roach, were extremely appreciative of the efforts. “It’s been more than two months since Hurricane Maria, but it’s still a long way to recovery for Dominicans and particularly the children of the home,” Roach said. “The debris was a constant reminder to the children of what happened on the night of September 18^th and I am pleased that it has all been removed.”  She also expressed her sincere appreciation for the new refrigerator, essential to the residents of CHANCES.

Acting Prime Minister Honourable Reginald Austrie also took the opportunity to meet with Reid to discuss how the Cable & Wireless Foundation could further support the recovery and relief efforts in Dominica.

About C&W Communications
C&W is a full service communications and entertainment provider and delivers market-leading video, broadband, telephony and mobile services to consumers in 18 countries. Through its business division, C&W provides data center hosting, domestic and international managed network services, and customized IT service solutions, utilizing cloud technology to serve business and government customers.

C&W also operates a state-of-the-art submarine fiber network – the most extensive in the region.

Learn more at www.cwc.com, or follow C&W on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

About Liberty Global
Liberty Global is the world’s largest international TV and broadband company, with operations in more than 30 countries across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. We invest in the infrastructure that empowers our customers to make the most of the digital revolution. Our scale and commitment to innovation enable us to develop market-leading products delivered through next-generation networks that connect our over 24 million customers who subscribe to over 50 million television, broadband internet and telephony services. We also serve over 10 million mobile subscribers and offer WiFi service across 10 million access points.

Liberty Global’s businesses are comprised of two stocks: the Liberty Global Group (NASDAQ:LBTYA) (NASDAQ:LBTYB) and (NASDAQ:LBTYK) for our European operations, and the LiLAC Group (NASDAQ:LILA) and (NASDAQ:LILAK) (OTC:LILAB), which consists of our operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Liberty Global Group operates in 12 European countries under the consumer brands Virgin Media, Unitymedia, Telenet and UPC. The Liberty Global Group also owns 50% of VodafoneZiggo, a Dutch joint venture, which has 4 million customers, 10 million fixed-line subscribers and 5 million mobile subscribers. The LiLAC Group operates in over 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean under the consumer brands VTR, Flow, Liberty, Más Móvil and BTC. In addition, the LiLAC Group operates a sub-sea fiber network throughout the region in over 40 markets.

For more information, please visit www.libertyglobal.com.

Gracias a C&W, los niños dominiqueses tienen más “CHANCES”

Parte de la ‘Misión’ en toda la región para ofrecer apoyo a las islas azotadas por los huracanes

CARIBPR WIRE, MIAMI, FL, Dec. 07, 2017: John Reid, director ejecutivo de Cable & Wireless —junto con Jeffrey Baptiste, gerente general de Flow Dominica y otros altos ejecutivos y empleados— pasaron el día con los residentes de CHANCES, un hogar para niños en situación de riesgo en Dominica, como parte de una iniciativa en la región que celebra la misión de la compañía de conectar comunidades y transformar vidas.

Las fotografías que acompañan a este comunicado se pueden encontrar en:

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5ccca59a-7b8a-4829-9342-6a4b50da3199

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2eaebcaf-bb9d-4d28-9d53-1f24d86ab551

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/72b93182-10a7-4ce5-848b-55e9fc98dac9

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ac934653-9300-4c1e-852c-04637e203b00

El Día de la Misión (‘Mission Day’) es una actividad anual corporativa de C&W en la que se celebran las “conexiones” con las comunidades en las que la compañía presta servicios. Este año, el objetivo de la totalidad de las 24 operaciones de C&W desde Caimán hasta Colombia fue obtener apoyo para las islas afectadas por los huracanes María e Irma. Equipos de todas las regiones realizaron diversas actividades, desde eventos de recaudación de fondos hasta actividades de participación comunitaria, para continuar recaudando fondos y generando conciencia en favor de las islas afectadas por los huracanes.

En Dominica, particularmente, los esfuerzos se centraron en asistir a CHANCES, un hogar donde viven 21 niños. El objetivo fue ayudarlos a restaurar el hogar luego de que las instalaciones se volvieran inhabitables como consecuencia de las inundaciones y los peligrosos escombros. El equipo inició su “Misión” temprano; limpiaron los escombros y quitaron los cables y las ramas del sitio para restablecer la seguridad para los residentes. Al final del día, los residentes contaban con un sitio seguro y limpio, además del refrigerador nuevo que tanto necesitaban.

Dominica fue una de las islas más gravemente afectadas por el huracán María y seguirá recibiendo asistencia de C&W mediante la recientemente creada Fundación de Beneficencia Cable & Wireless. Según Reid, la Fundación, que ha recaudado 1 millón de dólares hasta la fecha, inició sus actividades de apoyo y asistencia a través de una subvención a Shelter Box destinada a proporcionar suministros básicos a las familias de toda la región, incluida Dominica.“Ahora, seguiremos impulsando estas actividades iniciales al trabajar con equipos de liderazgo locales para identificar las áreas de mayor necesidad”, explicó Reid.

El gerente general de Flow, Jeffrey Baptiste, quien actualmente dirige los intensos esfuerzos de reconstrucción de redes para que Dominica pueda continuar recibiendo servicios de comunicación esenciales, considera que el proceso de reconstrucción implica mucho más que simplemente el restablecimiento de los servicios de Flow. “Es importante que trabajemos mano a mano con la comunidad, en especial, con los grupos vulnerables, y reconstruyamos Dominica juntos”, indicó Baptiste.

Los residentes de CHANCES, y su directora administrativa Ava Roach, estuvieron muy agradecidos por los esfuerzos realizados. “Han pasado más de dos meses desde que ocurrió el huracán María, pero aún tenemos un largo camino por recorrer en la recuperación de los dominiqueses, y en especial de los niños del hogar”, explicó Roach. “Los escombros recordaban constantemente a los niños lo que sucedió la noche del 18 de septiembre, y estoy muy agradecida de que hayan sido retirados”. También expresó su sincero agradecimiento por el nuevo refrigerador, que resulta esencial para los residentes de CHANCES.

El primer ministro en funciones, el Honorable Reginald Austrie, también aprovechó la oportunidad para reunirse con Reid y analizar cómo la Fundación Cable & Wireless podría respaldar aún más las iniciativas de recuperación y asistencia en Dominica.

Acerca de C&W Communications
C&W es un proveedor de comunicaciones y entretenimiento de servicio completo que brinda servicios de video, banda ancha, telefonía y telefonía móvil líderes en el mercado a consumidores en 18 países. A través de su división de negocios, C&W ofrece alojamiento de centros de datos, servicios de red administrados nacionales e internacionales y soluciones de servicios de TI personalizados, que utilizan la tecnología de la nube para brindar servicio a clientes comerciales y gubernamentales.

C&W también opera una red de fibra submarina de última generación —la más extensa de la región—.

Obtenga más información en www.cwc.com o siga a C&W en LinkedIn, Facebook o Twitter.

Acerca de Liberty Global
Liberty Global es la compañía internacional de TV y banda ancha más grande del mundo, con operaciones en más de 30 países en Europa, Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Invertimos en la infraestructura que hace posible que nuestros clientes aprovechen al máximo la revolución digital. Nuestra escala y compromiso con la innovación nos permiten desarrollar productos líderes en el mercado, entregados a través de redes de última generación, que conectan a nuestros más de 24 millones de clientes que se suscriben a más de 50 millones de servicios de televisión, Internet de banda ancha y telefonía. Asimismo, prestamos servicio a más de 10 millones de suscriptores móviles y ofrecemos servicio WiFi en 10 millones de puntos de acceso.

Los negocios de Liberty Global están compuestos por dos acciones: Liberty Global Group (NASDAQ: LBTYA) (NASDAQ: LBTYB) y (NASDAQ: LBTYK) para nuestras operaciones europeas, y el Grupo LiLAC (NASDAQ: LILA) y (NASDAQ: LILAK) (OTC:LILAB), que consiste de nuestras operaciones en Latinoamérica y el Caribe.

Liberty Global Group opera en 12 países europeos con las marcas de consumo Virgin Media, Unitymedia, Telenet y UPC. Liberty Global Group también es propietario del 50 % de VodafoneZiggo, una empresa conjunta holandesa, que tiene 4 millones de clientes, 10 millones de suscriptores de línea fija y 5 millones de suscriptores de servicios móviles. El Grupo LiLAC opera en más de 20 países en Latinoamérica y el Caribe con las marcas de consumo VTR, Flow, Liberty, Más Móvil y BTC. Además, el Grupo LiLAC opera una red de fibra submarina a lo largo de la región en más de 40 mercados.

Para obtener más información, visite www.libertyglobal.com.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Sept. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Seaborne Airlines has announced it is restarting normal operations to the Island of Dominica effective Wednesday, September 23^rd, 2015.   This will include resumption of the American Airlines code-shared connecting service from San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport to Douglas Charles International Airport in Dominica, on a daily basis, as well as interline connecting service to JetBlue, Delta and United Airlines, also through San Juan.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20150921/MX07003

Schedule:

Dep. Airport   Arr. Airport   Dep. Time Arr. Time Day of Week

------------   ------------   --------- --------- -----------

San Juan (SJU) Dominica (DOM) 3:25 PM   5:35 PM   Daily

-------------  -------------  -------   -------   -----

Dominica (DOM) San Juan (SJU) 7:00 AM   8:45 AM   Daily

-------------  -------------  -------   -------   -----

In the wake of Tropical Storm Erika, all passenger flights to Dominica were cancelled due to weather-related damage at Douglas Charles International Airport. Seaborne operated 92 relief flights from August 23 to September 22, 2015 into and out of the region, to include 76 flights into and out of Guadeloupe (PTP) and 18 non-passenger flights into and out of Dominica’s Canefield Airport (DCF) and Douglas Charles International Airport (DOM) in conjunction with Ross University.   Many hundreds of medical students, faculty and relief workers were transported during this time, allowing students to start their studies and aiding recovery efforts.  During this period, Seaborne Airlines also transported water and other needed relief items to assist with the recovery effort.

Gary Foss, President and CEO of Seaborne Airlines said, “We want to thank Ross University for their massive efforts to move students, faculty and relief workers into and out of the country as well as providing additional ferry service from Guadeloupe to Dominica during this challenging time.”   “We also would like to recognize and thank The Dominica Air and Sea Ports Authority, for their round-the-clock work to restore the airport’s infrastructure, allowing the country to be re-linked to the global transportation grid.   Their efforts have been nothing less than heroic.”

Seaborne Airlines, will continue to support the island’s recovery efforts.   As previously announced, Seaborne will be accepting items such as over-the-counter medical supplies, non-perishable goods, men’s and/or women’s underwear, bedding supplies, towels, and toiletries. These items can be delivered to Seaborne Airlines San Juan counter at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport or at Seaborne Headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Please visit our website at www.seaborneairlines.com or contact our reservations number 787-946-7800 for further information.

About Seaborne Airlines

Seaborne Airlines has been operating in the Caribbean for over 23 years, carrying approximately 3 million customers safely. With over 1,500 monthly departures to 17 airports, Seaborne serves San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, St. Thomas airport and Seaplane base,

St. Croix airport and Seaplane Base, Anguilla, Antigua, Tortola, Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, St. Kitts, Nevis, La Romana, Punta Cana and Santo Domingo.  All Flights operate with two pilots and two engines under Federal Air Regulations Part 121, the strictest code of the US Federal Air Regulation governing air travel.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150921/MX07003

CONTACT: Sandra Colon, [email protected]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Sept. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Seaborne Airlines and its partners are working together to send much needed supplies to the storm stricken island nation of Dominica.

Seaborne Airlines will be accepting items such as over-the-counter medical supplies, non-perishable goods, men’s and/or women’s underwear, bedding supplies, towels, and toiletries. These items can be delivered to Seaborne Airlines San Juan counter at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport between the hours of 1 P.M. and 5 P.M. starting Saturday, September 5, 2015. All donations need to be in a box no larger than 20 pounds, 24″x24″, and open with a list of the contents inside.

Please note that no hazardous material can be accepted (i.e. batteries, aerosol cans, medicines with radioactive ingredients, etc.)

As with any disaster, crisis brings out the true human spirit and kindness of all mankind. This is no different! The Seaborne Airlines family will continue to support our neighbors to the south, and help them through this crisis.

Please visit our website at www.seaborneairlines.com or contact our reservations number 787-946-7800 for any questions.

About Seaborne Airlines

Seaborne Airlines has been operating in the Caribbean for over 23 years, carrying approximately 3 million customers safely. With over 1,500 monthly departures to 17 airports, Seaborne serves San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, St. Thomas airport and Seaplane base, St. Croix airport and Seaplane Base, Anguilla, Antigua, Tortola, Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, St. Kitts, Nevis, La Romana, Punta Cana and Santo Domingo. All Flights operate with two pilots and two engines under Federal Air Regulations Part 121, the strictest code of the US Federal Air Regulation governing air travel.

CONTACT: Sandra Colón, [email protected]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Now, it will be easier than ever to make your dream of traveling the Caribbean come true. Seaborne Airlines, the fastest growing airline in the Caribbean, announced that they will be launching the “Fly Anywhere you like for as many times as you like” promotion for $699*.  This promotion offers a customer the option to book as many trips as they like, to travel as often as they like, between September 3^rd, 2014 and November 17^th, 2014. To take advantage of this unprecedented offer, customers must call Reservations to book or to even buy the offer for another individual as a sweet gift **.

“We wanted to give our customers an excuse to see the beauty of the Caribbean by taking multiple trips for one low price.  With just two trips, this can pay for itself.  Whether to sightsee or visit friends and relatives, we hope that many will experience Seaborne’s exemplary service under this promotion.” said Gary D. Foss, president and chief executive officer of Seaborne Airlines.

Reservations can be made by calling: 1-866-359-8784 or 787-946-7800.

With service to 15 airports throughout the Caribbean; connecting service to American, Jet Blue and Delta at San Juan, Puerto Rico; two pilots on every flight; a flight attendant on our new Saab 340 aircraft and the outstanding dependability, Seaborne is becoming the preferred regional airline in the Caribbean.

*Taxes / fees still apply per booking. Certain conditions and restrictions may apply. Passenger cannot have more than two (2) outstanding reservations at a time.

** Must have passport information for international bookings.

About Seaborne Airlines
Seaborne Airlines has been operating in the Caribbean for over 21 years, carrying over two and a half million customers safely.  Seaborne operates over 2,100 monthly departures throughout the Caribbean to San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Thomas Seaplane, St. Croix, St. Croix Seaplane, Dominica, Fort de France, Martinique, Point a Pitre, Guadeloupe, La Romana, DR, Punta Cana, DR, Santo Domingo, DR, St. Maarten, St. Kitts and Nevis.

CONTACT: Sandra Colon Perez, [email protected], +1-866-359-8784 or +1-787-946-7800

CaribPR Wire, PORSTMOUTH, Dominica , Tues. Feb. 25, 2014: Dominica hotelier, Gregor Nassief, is urging St. Vincent & the Grenadines Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves, to step aside as chairman of the shareholder’s committee of regional airline LIAT, in a fourth open letter to the shareholders. Nassief insists that since Gonsalves believes LIAT can never be profitable, then the airline urgently needs a new chairman and ‘general’ who can find a new approach for taking LIAT and the Caribbean aviation industry forward without a perpetual and unfair burden on the treasuries of St. Vincent, Antigua, Barbados and Dominica. The open letter follows.

February 25, 2014

Honourable Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Dear Prime Minister Gonsalves:

Re:  Run it like a business before it goes out of business

On the televised program Time to Face the Facts on Sunday, February 23^rd, I appealed to you to step aside as Chairman of the Shareholder’s committee of LIAT.  As mentioned on the program, given the respect and admiration I have for you, particularly on your stance and leadership on issues such as reparations and the cholera outbreak in Haiti, it was personally difficult for me to do this.  But it is necessary.

LIAT has moved from an operational meltdown in the Summer of 2013 to a financial meltdown a mere 7 months later.  LIAT drains our treasuries, operates inefficiently and stifles competition.  The source of LIAT’s problem is its financial unsustainability and as with everything else at LIAT, no one is accountable.  As Chairman of the Shareholder’s committee, the buck stops with you.

LIAT needs to fight the battle of its life to transform itself to be financially viable and sustainable.  But you believe, and have stated so publicly, that LIAT can never be profitable.  This battle, therefore, needs a different general.

Unsustainability

LIAT has lost ec$120m in the last four years.  Last month, LIAT could not pay both the lease on its aircraft as well as its payroll.  So it chose one and delayed the other.  A leased ATR gives 36% more seat capacity than its closest Dash 8 equivalent but is double the (lease) expense.  In 2015, repayments will begin on LIAT’s recent loan of us$65m to purchase new aircraft.   So monthly cash outflows go up even more.

And the new inflows to cover this?  Inter-island tourism is down 60% in 7 years and LIAT’s load factor is running at about 55%.  The fantasy (aka “business plan”) is that the load factor will go up to 75%.  The fantasy is also that LIAT will fly its way out of losses by expanding to new destinations – Jamaica, Haiti, Aruba, Panama, and eventually to cities in North and South America.

LIAT employs 850+ people, flies 22 destinations, operates between 10 and 12 aircraft from 2 hubs (3 if you count Trinidad) to move 800,000+ passengers a year to generate massive losses.

So it’s bail out time again.  Call on shareholders, and call on other good neighbors so that we can continue to drain our treasuries, operate inefficiently and stifle competition.  And for you this is acceptable because LIAT should not be run like a business and can never make a profit.

Our fragile economies can no longer support perpetual bailouts.  If we do not take the bull by the horns LIAT will go out of business – it will employ no one, fly nowhere, operate no aircraft and use no hubs.  But alas, it will generate no losses and competitive players will fill the gaps because LIAT, the airline unfairly propped up by perpetual subsidies, will not be there to run them out of business.

LIAT must therefore immediately begin a journey towards financial sustainability to save itself.  But if the leader does not believe in the journey, then the journey will never begin.  It is on this basis, with full respect and admiration, that I ask you to step aside as Chairman of the Shareholder’s committee, so that a new mandate to make LIAT financially sustainable can be ushered in.

Sustainability

The new chairman of the Shareholder’s committee needs to believe that the battle can be won.  And what needs to be done is not rocket science.

Appoint a Chairman and a Board capable of turning around the financial fortunes of the company and running a top-notch airline.  Give them the authority and autonomy to do what needs to be done.  Allow them to appoint a CEO and restructure the management team as necessary.   Allow LIAT to become a real business free from political interference tasked with a perfect safety record, high employee satisfaction, great customer service and solid financial performance.  A fierce focus on the company’s finances with adjustments made to yield (including renegotiation of government/airport taxes), network efficiency and operating costs will be required.  The resulting operation will have fewer employees, fewer destinations and fewer aircraft.  It will be profitable, dependable and it will deliver great service.  Like any airline, unprofitable routes will continue only with guarantees from the interested party/government.  But at least then, the taxpayers will know what they are paying for, and can make that decision.  And other/smaller airlines will take up the slack.  Competition will flourish, as will LIAT, and the Caribbean will finally get the airlift network it needs.

With a restructured board and executive, confidence in the airline’s financial performance will be established and other Caribbean governments may even want to invest.

At the right time, joint venture the company while maintaining a minimum 50% shares among shareholder governments.  The two best run airlines in the world (Singapore Airlines and Air Malaysia) are run like a business and are profitable and remain owned 50% or more by the State and 50% or less by private interests.  Like LIAT, they were bleeding losses and their shareholder governments could no longer manage the bailouts.  So they took the tough decisions, appointed the right board and executive team, and turned the airlines around to the benefit of all stakeholders.

Yes, it will be painful, but it is necessary.  And most importantly it will pull LIAT back from the financial cliff and put it on a course to long term financial sustainability.

Please consider that I am a hotelier from an island that is almost 80% dependent on LIAT for airlift.  Cut one route to Dominica, and we/Dominica will suffer.  But if my option is (a) to continue to have all the LIAT routes we have today with an airline that is prone to poor service, ad hoc cancellations, occasional and irrational pilot strikes and constantly at the edge of a financial precipice due to insurmountable financial losses – OR – (b) an airline with fewer routes but with good service, dependable schedules and solid financial performance, then my choice is definitely the latter.  And other airlines, once permitted, will take up the slack.

In Summary

Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”  And then finally, he invented the electric light bulb.

We have lived through and exhausted the many ways that LIAT won’t work.  It is time to try the way that will.

I appeal to you, Prime Minister Gonsalves, as well as the other Shareholder Prime Ministers, to mandate a new approach for taking LIAT and the Caribbean aviation industry forward without this perpetual and unfair burden on our treasuries.

It is time to run it like a business before it goes out of business.

Respectfully Yours,

Gregor Nassief

Owner/Director – Secret Bay

Executive Chairman – Fort Young Hotel

cc:        Honourable Dr. Baldwin Spencer of Antigua and Barbuda

Honourable Freundel Stuart of Barbados

Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica

p.s.       As we again desperately seek additional funds for yet another bailout, make it the last please.  Don’t put the money into the black hole of an unsustainable business model.  Instead, use it to restructure the airline, rationalize its operations and place it on a solid long term footing.  In other words, make it the last bailout!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Mr. Nassief’s full letter is also available at http://www.scribd.com/doc/209141390/Letter-to-LIAT-Chairman-of-LIAT-s-Shareholders-Committee-February-25-2014-from-Dominica-Hotelier-Gregor-Nassief

CaribPR Wire, PORSTMOUTH, Dominica, Mon. Aug. 12, 2013: Dominica hotelier Gregor Nassief has issued an open letter to the Board of Directors of regional airlines LIAT calling for an executive shake-up, insisting that “heads must roll.”  The letter complains of disastrous customer service over the past two months as well as disastrous public relations and the damage this is causing to the region and to fragile economies of island states like Dominica so dependent on tourism and the airline’s service. The public complaint is enclosed for publication.

August 12, 2013

Board of Directors

Dear Directors:

Re:  Heads must roll

I respectfully ask you, on behalf of the people of the Caribbean, and the people that visit the Caribbean, and especially on behalf of the people of Dominica who depend on LIAT for their travel and also for their tourism industry, to enforce significant change in the executive ranks at LIAT.

This request is being made first because of 8+ weeks of disastrous customer service which continues to this day due to lack of foresight and planning on the part of LIAT’s executives, and second because of LIAT’s disastrous public relations which has revealed the depth of your executives’ indifference to your customers.

It is your duty to hold your executives accountable for their actions and performance.

Disastrous Service

There has been a complete breakdown in service for over 2 months now, which I and most persons traveling LIAT have experienced.  Here is a list of incidents:

20+ incidents in less than 8 weeks related to one island and connected to one person (the affected passengers include me and those known to me).   And none of these are related to Tropical Storm Chantal or bad weather.

LIAT introduced the new ATR aircraft in early July.  Your executives were well aware that pilots operating the new ATRs could not also operate the Dash 8.  LIAT also knew that before the ATRs began operating, pilots would have to be taken off line for training.  LIAT also returned Dash 8s that were on lease before the ATRs were operational.  LIAT went into their peak summer season with the implementation of new aircraft and with the full knowledge of what they were doing and of the risks involved.  There were no contingency plans, and everything fell apart.  The result is too few pilots and too few aircraft to adequately meet the demand and cover the routes.  The results have been a disaster for the region, and especially for Dominica (68% of our arrivals by air are on LIAT).

The inability to properly plan such a major event and to put the airline and its employees and especially its customers through such chaos, further damaging the reputation of LIAT and that of the tourism industry which it serves is, in to my mind, gross negligence. Who pays for the damage done to each customer, and for the damage to Dominica and its tourism industry, and to the region?  Who is accountable?

Do you believe a visitor traveling to the region for a hard-earned vacation can separate LIAT’s disastrous service from the rest of their experience?  Do think they will return or encourage others to come?

So many that work so hard to bring visitors to our region and to our island cannot and should not continue to the pay the price for the incompetence and actions of your executives.

Disastrous Public Relations

Your CEO has gone on record only once, as far I can see, explaining the crisis as follows: “an increase in unscheduled maintenance at a time when our schedule calls for maximum aircraft availability; crew shortages; bad weather; airport limitations; and delays in obtaining licences for operating our new ATR aircraft in some territories”.

Your Chairman has focused on maintenance issues with the old Dash 8s being the heart of the problem.

This is only part of the truth – poor planning and implementation is the crux of the matter.  It is a great disservice to your ultimate shareholders – the people of the Caribbean – to not deal with the crisis truthfully and clearly and to ensure swift correction action.  Who is accountable?

In the most baffling public relations event that I have ever witnessed, your Chief Commercial Officer responded via a YouTube video to a customer complaint letter which was publicized by Richard Branson.   Your executive said that “LIAT is second only to Virgin to receive the funniest complaint letter every written” and challenged Branson to a race to Necker Island saying that “the loser can wipe the other airline’s tail” or Branson can dress up as a flight attendant for LIAT.

This is your top marketing, commercial and PR executive, the face of your organization, the depth of your indifference to what customers suffer, and for me, the lowest point in my perception of what LIAT stands for.  Who is accountable?

Your customer-facing staff, who through this crisis have had to work incredible hours and deal with an unimaginable number of irate clients, are clueless as to what is happening operationally on a day to day basis.  They are typically unable to answer customer questions as to when or if a scheduled flight will arrive or depart.

Your customer-facing staff are your public relations link to your clients and are your best hope of lifting clients up in their moments of despair, yet your executives give them no information and no tools to manager your most important asset – your customers – through this crisis.  Who is accountable?

In Closing

A friend once said to me that the secret to a stress-free life is simply to lower your expectations, that way you are never disappointed.   I didn’t have to lower them, LIAT’s service to me and several people connected to me, did that for me.  LIAT did it consistently, dependably and ruthlessly.  Through a crisis like this, LIAT could have recovered at least to some extent the understanding and trust of its customers, through clear, honest and appropriate communication and public relations, followed with decisive action, all of which would have demonstrated that LIAT cares, that you care.

But do you care? Do you care about LIAT’s customers who get on and off its planes every day?  Do you care about the disruption to their personal and professional lives caused by LIAT’s incompetence and indifference?  Do you care about the damage LIAT’s poor service and reputation does to the fragile economies of island states like Dominica so dependent on tourism and the airline’s service?  Do you care that your customers are not getting what they pay for?  Do you care that your customers do not travel LIAT by choice, but because they have no other choice?  Caring for your customers is the first step and the raison d’être – the reason for existence – of a business.

It is time to care.  It is time for change.  Heads must roll.

Respectfully Yours,

Gregor Nassief

Owner/Director – Secret Bay

Executive Chairman – Fort Young Hotel

EDITOR’S NOTE: Gregor Nassief is involved in the tourism business in Dominica and the technology business in Latin America.  He is the Owner and Director of Secret Bay, the Exeuctive Chairman of the Fort Young Hotel and the CEO of Tecsys Latin America.

See more at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFPNSAVt9qY and http://www.scribd.com/doc/159417966/Letter-to-LIAT-Board-of-Directors

CaribPR, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. April 2, 2013: Jamaican-born, Caribbean-raised jazz great and Grammy-nominated artist, Monty Alexander, is in high demand this year, with performances that has him globetrotting and city-hopping on the heels of his new album and his 51^st year as a musician.

Alexander, whose 50^th anniversary album, “Harlem-Kingston Express: Live!” was nominated for a Reggae Grammy and won rave reviews from The Wall Street Journal, The London Evening Standard and Jazz Times among dozens of other media houses, is set to take his brand of stirring jazz to the Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland from Tuesday, April 16th to Saturday, April 20^th.

The performance comes as Alexander’s new album release “Uplift 2” on the JLP label, sits at #2 on the Jazz charts.

The stellar musician will then return to the U.S. to share a similar kind of joy with his fans at Boston’s legendary Scullers Jazz Club on April 26^th and New York City’s famous Birdland Club Jazz Club from May 7^th to 11^th.

Jamaica’s Commander of Distinction and ‘Luminary Award’ 2012 recipient, then returns to the U.S. for performances in Boston and New York City, before heading to the nature isle of Dominica for the first time, where he will headline the increasingly popular, Dominica Jazz ‘n Creole Festival on May 19^th at the Cabrits National Park.

“For many years I have harbored the desire to be able to visit one of the beautiful island if the Caribbean – Dominica,” commented Alexander. “I have had friends of Dominica heritage, including Connie Kay, the great drummer from the great Modern Jazz Quartet.  To be able to bring a musical offering to Dominica makes my visit extra special.”

Dominica’s jazz fans are sure to experience a different kind of jazz from Alexander – the kind that will have them putting on their dancing shoes on and keeping them on.

And his Grammy-nominated band, The Harlem Kingston Express, will add to the experience that combines traditional jazz with the rocking rhythms of Jamaica which results in a sound that is uniquely Alexander’s and The Harlem Kingston Express!

Tickets for his Boston and New York performances are $30 per person. For Scullers, get tickets at http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3466214&pl=scullers and for Birdland, log on to http://www.birdlandjazz.com/event/243141-monty-alexander-harlem-new-york/

Following his Dominica debut, Alexander, will again join his Harlem Kingston Express to bring his brand of jiving jazz to Washington, D.C.’s popular Blues Alley from June 20th to 23^rd and Pittsburgh, PA on June 28^th at the South Park Band Shell.

He and his band will wrap up the first half of 2013 in Rochester, NY with a scintillating performance at the Rochester International Jazz Festival on June 29th. For more see http://www.rochesterjazz.com/artist_lineup/?artist_id=934.

2013 Performance Dates:

Switzerland – Bern Jazz Festival – April 16-20^th.

Boston, MA – Scullers Jazz Club  – April 26^th.

News York City – Birdland Club Jazz Club- May 7^th to 11^th.

Dominica, W.I. – Dominica Jazz ‘n Creole Festival -  May 19^th.

Washington, D.C. – Blues Alley – June 20^th to 23^rd.

Pittsburgh, PA – South Park Band Shell – June 28^th.

Rochester, NY – Rochester International Jazz Festival – June 29^th.

About Monty Alexander

Over his stellar career, Alexander, whose influence combines that of Oscar Peterson, Gene Harris and Nat “King” Cole, has performed with international stars including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Bill Cosby, Bobby McFerrin, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare.

In fact, it was Sinatra and his best friend Jilly Rizzo who hired Alexander after he moved to the United States in 1961 at the age of 17.  And it was at Jilly’s famed New York City nightclub that this Jamaican teen caught the ears of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Milt “Bags” Jackson.

Bags introduced him to the great bassist Ray Brown, and the rest as they say, is history, including Alexander’s 1976 Montreux (Switzerland) Jazz Festival performance with drummer Jeff Hamilton and bassist John Clayton, which has become one of the most celebrated live recordings in contemporary jazz.

For more on the Caribbean’s greatest jazz pianist and his music visit www.montyalexander.com.