Anthony Eterno, U.S. State Department, Office of Caribbean Affairs, Western Hemisphere Dept. and Xiaoguang Liu, consul in charge of economic & commercial affairs of the Consulate General of China in New York are among the ICN 2013 speakers.

The sold out Forum on June 5th at the Radisson Martinique Hotel in New York City, comes on the heels of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s Caribbean trip on May 28th for the signing of the United States – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, (TIFA) and the first visit to Trinidad & Tobago by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, which will take place from May 31 to June 2.

Xiaoguang Liu, consul in charge of economic & commercial affairs at the Consulate of China in New York will headline a panel on China’s growing interests in the Caribbean. Other panellists will include Jianxin Lin, chairman of the American Chinese Commerce Development Association, (ACCDA); and Li Li, managing director of the Chinese American Business Development Center, (CABDC). The Sino-American Friendship Association (SAFA) will present the panel, which will be supported by ACCDA and the CABDC and moderated by Martin Mohabeer, managing director of Spackman Group, a Hong-Kong based venture capital firm.

As well, Anthony Eterno, of the Office of Caribbean Affairs in the Western Hemisphere Division in the U.S. State Department, will discuss key issues regarding American investment in the Caribbean Additionally, US-based; Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd will discuss its investments in the Caribbean region before an audience that will include over a dozen Caribbean premiers and ministers of government.

In 2012, U.S. imports from Caribbean countries under the Caribbean Basin Initiative totalled more than $11 billion, representing a 178 percent increase over the past decade. U.S. exports equalled nearly $12 billion, representing a 133 percent increase over the past decade.
In 2011, China announced it would lend $6.3 billion to Caribbean governments, adding considerably to the hundreds of millions of dollars in loans, grants and other forms of economic assistance it has already channelled in the past decade.

Invest Caribbean Now is organized annually by The Caribbean Tourism Organization and digital media solutions company, Hard Beat Communications, during Caribbean Week in New York.

ICN 2013 is sponsored by marquee sponsor Avalon Partners; gold sponsors, The Turks & Caicos Islands Investment Agency and Royal Caribbean Cruise, Ltd; bronze sponsor, One Caribbean Television and supporting sponsors, The Chinese American Business Development Center, the American Chinese Commerce Development Association and No-Jet-Lag.

Speakers and panellists confirmed for ICN 2013 are:
Anthony Eterno, U.S. State Department, Office of Caribbean Affairs, Western Hemisphere;
Dr. Rufus Ewing, Premier Turks & Caicos Islands, (TCI);
Washington Misick, Finance Minister, Turks & Caicos Islands;
Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Chairman, Caribbean Tourism Organization, (CTO) and Commissioner Tourism, USVI;
Alan Lowenstein, managing director, Wedgewood Investment Group;
E. Jay Saunders, CEO, Digicel TCI;
Heather Floissac, managing director, Belle Vue Properties, Ltd;
Brian Lilly, CEO, Lilly Broadcasting and One Caribbean Television;
Adam Goldstein, president, Royal Caribbean International;
Miguel Reyna, director, port business development and asset management, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.;

Dr. Grace Lappin, managing director, Avalon Partners;
Xiaoguang Liu, consul in charge of economic & commercial affairs of the Consulate General of China in New York;
Jianxin Lin, chairman of the American Chinese Commerce Development Association, (ACCDA);
Li Li, managing director of the Chinese American Business Development Center, (CABDC);
Ganesh Ramanathan, creative director, Hard Beat Communications;
Felicia Persaud, CMO, Hard Beat Communications.

Other government attendees will include:
Premier Dr. Orlando Smith of the British Virgin Islands;
John Percy de Jongh, Jr, Governor, US Virgin Islands;
Chief Minister Hubert Hughes of Anguilla;
Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister Tourism & International Transport, International Trade, Industry, Commerce & Consumer Affairs, St. Kitts;
Lorne Theophilus, Minister Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industries, St. Lucia;
Stephen Cadiz, Minister Tourism, Trinidad & Tobago;
Assemblyman Tracy Davidson-Celestine, Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary, Division of Tourism and Transportation of Tobago;
Mark Brantley, Minister Tourism, Nevis;
Nicolaas Sneek, Commissioner St. Eustatius;
John Maginley, tourism minister of Antigua & Barbuda;
Damion Crawford, minister of state, Jamaica;
Maryse Noel of Haiti
and Hugh Riley, secretary general, Caribbean Tourism Organization, (CTO).
Private sector representatives will include senior executives from JP Morgan Chase, Merrill Lynch, Nomura, CIBC World Capital, Ibis Investments, Aegis Capital, Portfolio Credit Management Limited, DHL, Marriott International, Spackman Capital, Royal Caribbean Cruise, Ltd., One Caribbean Television, Avalon Partners, Digicel, TCI, Scotiabank TCI and Sun Realty among others.

2013 media partners include the PR Newswire, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, WINN FM of St. Kitts, South Florida Caribbean, Caribseek, Antigua Tribune, Bahamas Spectator, Barbados Gazette, British Caribbean News, Caribbean ET Roundup, Caribbean Financials, Cuba Chronicle, Dominica Gazette, Dominican Republic Post, Dutch Caribbean News, French Caribbean News, Grenada Chronicle, Guyana Inquirer, Haiti Gazette, Jamaica Inquirer, Puerto Rico Tribune, St. Kitts Gazette, St. Lucia Chronicle, St. Vincent Tribune, Trinidad Tribune, the Bajan Reporter, The Bahamas Weekly and Bahamas Local.

For more, log on to InvestCaribbeanNow.com.

News Americas, CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Fri. April 5, 2013: Not so long ago, when asked how to revive the Saint Lucian economy and put it on a sustainable path, the automatic response of the liberal ideologues within the Saint Lucia Labour Party, (SLP), used to be “we will have to borrow.”

Talk about misguided! Or was this the political establishment playing to the en-rouge marchers into the valley of death? Today, the word “borrow” is not only tortuous to the SLP administration, but adds a haunting element of delusion to the island’s future.

If anyone was under the delusion that the SLP’s electoral victory in 2011 meant that the island was about to experience a Lucian Spring then that belief must by now have completely dissipated in the face of glaring realities and expectations of more hardships to come.

“Better days” indeed! In fact, the only ones who seem to be benefiting from the SLP’s return to the cheese are those of its protected class and who have sworn loyalty to the party for as long as the perks continue to flow their way.

As such, the Labour administration that had advertised itself as having the secrets to economic growth and prosperity is approaching the 2013/2014 Budget with an even bigger challenge that proposes more taxes to lavish on ventures that will not create growth but instead make economic recovery more painful and of longer duration.

The situation is critical, as government initiatives are all too often partisan and do not provide forward guidance to impact on growth and employment in Saint Lucia.

This means that a complete make-over of current policies along with fresh ideas are needed to re-brand the upcoming Budget as an “action plan” to generate revenue and counter the risks to a widening deficit that is equivalent to higher taxes tomorrow. Meanwhile, to maintain fiscal stability and position Saint Lucia for a comeback the 2013/2014 Budget must be on a path towards a balanced budget rather than vested interest and ideological delusion!

First and foremost, Saint Lucia is not a billion-dollar economy, even with the misleading distinction of being the largest economy in the OECS.

As such, an adjustment should be made to reflect the disparity of an old pattern that has prolonged economic and political hangovers.

Otherwise, to remain on this path is a reflection of ideological suicide that will keep Saint Lucia in a foxhole of labour debt and extensive economic weakness.
The period 2011/2012 total revenue and grants was EC$926.7 million. The period 2012/2013 amounted to EC$808.4 million; while the current expenditure to date is EC$831.8 million – reasonably far from a billion!

In 2012 some of Saint Lucia’s Statistics read as follows: Growth rate -0.6%; inflation 4.2% and debt /GDP of 80.2%. The overall deficit/GDP -12.9%; unemployment 20.7% (not taking into account the underemployment rate) while 60% of job seekers have education levels below secondary school, 33% have a secondary school education (with CXC), and 7% have tertiary level education. Per capita income estimate for 2011 is US$7,379.

How long can this continue?

But, while concerns remain, to delay is an unforgiving act, mindful that perhaps there is legitimacy in believing that we’ve been digging our own graves and loving it and in the process losing many generations to a no- growth economy of high interest rates and the collapse of market confidence!

The numbers don’t lie! The preceding tells the story of an under-performing economy that is compounded by limited productivity gains; the lack of political and economic reform; the crude interpretation of liberal ideology; no growth; high unemployment; widening deficits; high risk and exposed vulnerability, and a lack of trust in leadership that promised $100 million, and an influx of investment projects with transparency and accountability to “better days” for the sworn loyalist while excluding the foot soldiers.

Saint Lucia’s short and long-term future are at stake. It is time to return to the image we used to have beyond our borders.

Therefore, concrete measures are required to support equal opportunity, with an action plan to trim government bureaucracy and reform the public service, in-line with the private sector to support high quality value-added job creation.

All things considered, a lower VAT percentage is required for business development, and the advancement of a more business friendly environment to increase infrastructure focus and public-private partnerships, skills training and retraining of the workforce; foreign direct investment, trade and export agreements, with support for local manufactures, and asset investment to pursue growth and return confidence in the local economy.

Attending to the above is the right thing to do with practical measures for economic growth and risk mitigation, instead of clouding taxpayers and continuing the anguish by calmly increasing government overdraft facilities and borrowing cost at local banks.

As well as having to roll over bonds and treasury bills as they become due, with an open policy towards heavy debt that could suddenly see bank deposits take a hair-cut on interest rates, and account holders having less money in their bank account, should the EC dollar suddenly be devalued and Saint Lucia forced to comply with an IMF structural reform program.

The whisper is getting louder as the SLP administration’s short-sightedness takes its toll.

Perhaps the Lucian Spring is a reflection of the unbearable situation that a nation not totally without resources has to scrunt at the hands of incompetent political and economic functionaries with their adopted regressive ideology.

Melanius Alphonse is a management and development consultant. He is an advocate for community development, social justice, economic freedom and equality; the Lucian People’s Movement (LPM) critic on youth initiative, infrastructure, economic and business development. He can be reached at malphonse@rogers.com

News Americas, CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Weds. Feb. 20, 2013: Last December, while most Saint Lucians were getting ready to celebrate National Day on December 13th, the International Monetary Fund, (IMF), issued a statement; following their discussions (Annual Article IV Consultation) with Saint Lucia’s public and private sector officials between November 27th – Dec 7th 2012.

The IMF report highlighted numerous concerns that are ripe for healthy conversation and a mild repair kit for Saint Lucia’s frail economy. But, thus far, most of their concerns seem to have fallen on death ears. Or is it possible that “we’re facing a coalition of the heartless, the clueless and the confused” that Paul Krugman alludes to in his writings?

On February 22nd, 2013, Saint Lucia will be celebrating 34 years as an independent nation with the theme: “Unlock Our Creativity, Transform Our World.”
The thought of this will perhaps cause one to shiver in quiet reflection to the current state of affairs in Saint Lucia.

One would recall the transformation from sugar cane to bananas and now, the heavy reliance on the tourism model that has evolved thus far. Likewise, both administrations, (SLP/UWP), have micro-managed state projects and investments that have created monopolies that serve narrow interest, and appear to serve pay-back politics.
In fact, if anyone cares to understand how things have operated in Saint Lucia for decades, they will eventually form the conclusion that much of what passes for governance in our country, is nothing more than a carefully crafted system that helps to facilitate and create instant political millionaires.

But thankfully, under the table rewards have no place in modern times to advance true economic revival. Such dealings primarily undermine efforts to revive growth; and disrupt the hard work needed to restore fiscal credibility.

As such, to follow a strategy along the path that associates with bits and pieces of the past will require strategic application. It will require one that leaves old troubles behind and focus on new and increase investments through Foreign Direct Investments, (FDI), that is private sector driven.
But, to achieve this in the immediate future, the Saint Lucian marketplace will require an economic environment that makes use of the instruments of capital markets, insurance and hedge funds in alignment with regional and global markets. The other ingredient is the ability to have significant investor confidence, and the ability to satisfy institutional trust in a big way. The strategy for this is simple – It is to foster investment!
This is a big deal!
Why?

Global businesses are directing and redirecting their efforts in strategic markets that present growth opportunities.

These strategic markets include Central and Latin America, with available workers and an abundance of attractive resources at their disposal.
This means that it is an opportune moment for Saint Lucia, given its geographical location, to examine growth prospects through significant capital inflows, (FDI), to impact its gross domestic product, (GDP).

In return, capital inflow and the private sector would have an opportunity to create joint ventures in Saint Lucia and, where mutually feasible, make capital acquisition that would facilitate trade, particularly with emerging economies like Brazil and Mexico. The desired result is to reduce our huge discretionary outflows (e.g. food import bill and transfers) and capitalize on global business trends to increase economic growth and offer direct access to G8 and G20 markets.

This process is already on the way.

China is Brazil largest trading partner. Their bilateral trade has grown to 40% from 2009. As a result, China’s Industrial and Commercial bank is set to open a branch in Brazil, well ahead of the upcoming 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic games.

Will they play by the rules?

Either way, this sets the stage for increase trade within the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, (OECS), and the Caribbean Community, (CARICOM), with the capacity to strengthen the region as an economic bloc, and thus lend support to stabilize the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, (ECCU).
Let’s be clear! Fighting old troubles requires brave exploration, innovation and strategy. As an independent nation it is about time to “unlock our creativity, transform our world.”

It is about time to make smart choices that will permit new strategies to bust open a future to facilitate happiness and the personal well-being of the people of Saint Lucia.

We must find a way in this global marketplace to strengthen our nation economically. And so, now more that ever is a truly unique moment that calls for leadership, with a firm understanding of economics, management and the art of decision making.
This is really not the time to play chicken fiddle or humpty dumpty!

But rather, this is the time to be brave; to get out of the conventional point of view; and to build on the adventure of transformation and self-reliance.
Saint Lucia “Simply Beautiful” cannot afford to wait much longer.

This is overdue!

About The Writer: Melanius Alphonse is a management and development consultant. He is an advocate for community development, social justice, economic freedom and equality; the Lucian People’s Movement, (LPM), critic on youth initiative, infrastructure, economic and business development. He can be reached at malphonse@rogers.com

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Jan. 2013: A total of 55,742 criminal immigrants were sent packing from the U.S. and back to their homelands in the Caribbean and Latin America in 2012, New Americas has found.

Data NAN obtained and analyzed from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency on deportee rates to Latin America and the Caribbean, found that while some 4,898 of all criminal immigrants were sent back to the Caribbean last year, Latin America accounted for over 12 time that number with 50,844.
A “criminal alien” is defined under U.S. immigration laws as a migrant who is convicted of a crime. Most of those deported were sent back for murders and sex and drug crimes.

Non-criminal immigrants deported to the Caribbean totaled 1,612 while to Latin America the number was a whopping 176,589. In total, the number of all immigrants sent back to the Caribbean region in 2012 was put at 6,510 by ICE and 227, 433 to Latin America.

But the number was actually a marked drop from 2011 when 14,912 Caribbean migrants were sent back and 555,801 Latin Americans.

For the Caribbean in 2012, the most criminal deportees were sent back to the Dominican Republic with a massive 2,264 while Jamaica was second with 1,213.

The rates for other countries were as follows:
Haiti: 758 total removals (568 criminal and 190 non-criminal);
Trinidad and Tobago: 242 total removals (187 criminal and 55 non-criminal);
Belize: 217 total removals (152 criminal and 65 non-criminal);
Guyana: 182 total removals (154 criminal and 28 non-criminal);
The Bahamas: 123 total removals (98 criminal and 25 non-criminal);
Cuba: 66 total removals (55 criminal and 11 non-criminal);
Barbados: 50 total removals (45 criminal and 5 non-criminal);
Dominica: 41 total removals (19 criminal and 22 non-criminal);
St. Kitts-Nevis: 40 total removals (32 criminal and 8 non-criminal);
Antigua & Barbuda: 36 total removals (25 criminal and 11 non-criminal)
St Lucia: 28 total removals (14 criminal and 14 non-criminal);
Grenada: 25 total removals (15 criminal and 10 non-criminal);
Turks Caicos Islands: 10 total removals (7 criminal and 3 non-criminal).
British Virgin Islands: 9 total removals (7 criminal and 2 non-criminal);
Bermuda: 8 total removals (5 criminal and 3 non-criminal);
Suriname: 6 total removals (6 criminal and 0 non-criminal);
Guadeloupe: 2 total removals (1 criminal and 1 non-criminal);
Montserrat: 2 total removals (2 criminal and 0 non-criminal);
Netherlands Antilles, inclusive of St. Maarten, Curacao, Saba, Bonaire: 2 total removals (1 criminal and 1 non-criminal);
Anguilla: 1 total removal (0 criminal and 1 non-criminal);
Cayman Islands: 1 total removals (1 criminal and 0 non-criminal);
Aruba: 0 total removal;
For Latin America, Mexico topped the list with 289,686 total removals including174,003 criminal and 115,683 non-criminals while Guatemala was second with 40,498 total removals (14,251 criminal and 26,247 non-criminal).
Other country rates were as follows:
Honduras: 32,464 total removals (14,180 criminal and 18,284 non-criminal);
El Salvador: 19,694 total removals (9,095 criminal and 10,599 non-criminal);
Brazil: 2,804 total removals (509 criminal and 2,295 non-criminal);
Ecuador: 1,976 total removals (819 criminal and 1,157 non-criminal);
Colombia: 1,681 total removals (1,121 criminal and 560 non-criminal);
Nicaragua: 1,507 total removals (777 criminal and 730 non-criminal);
Costa Rica: 380 total removals (152 criminal and 228 non-criminal);
Venezuela: 284 total removals (131 criminal and 153 non-criminal);
Argentina: 226 total removals (119 criminal and 107 non-criminal);
Bolivia: 197 total removals (131 criminal and 66 non-criminal);
Panama: 137 total removals (100 criminal and 37 non-criminal);
Uruguay: 119 total removals (63 criminal and 56 non-criminal)
Chile: 115 total removals (74 criminal and 41 non-criminal);
Peru: 908 total removals (504 criminal and 404 non-criminal);
Paraguay: 18 total removals (10 criminal and 8 non-criminal).

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they deported 409,849 immigrants who broke criminal laws, were threats to national security and were recent border crossers and repeat violators of immigration law, around the globe in 2012.

Of the total number removed, approximately 55 percent, or 225,390 were convicted of felonies or misdemeanors – almost double the removal of criminals in FY 2008. This includes 1,215 immigrants convicted of homicide; 5,557 immigrants convicted of sexual offenses; 40,448 immigrants convicted for crimes involving drugs; and 36,166 aliens convicted for driving under the influence.

ICE said it continues to make progress with regard to other categories prioritized for removal. Some 96 percent of all ICE’s removals fell into a priority category – a record high.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director, John Morton, said the administration’s focus remains on removing from the country convicted criminals and other individuals that fall into priority areas for enforcement.

“Smart and effective immigration enforcement relies on setting priorities for removal and executing on those priorities,” said Director Morton. “In order to further enhance our ability to focus enforcement efforts on serious offenders, we are changing who ICE will issue detainers against. While the FY 2012 removals indicate that we continue to make progress in focusing resources on criminal and priority aliens, with more convicted criminals being removed from the country than ever before, we are constantly looking for ways to ensure that we are doing everything we can to utilize our resources in a way that maximizes public safety.”

Beauties from this region, who included Miss St. Lucia Tara Edward; Miss Puerto Rico Bodine Koehler, Miss Trinidad and Tobago Avionne Mark, Miss Jamaica Chantal Zaky, Miss British Virgin Islands Abigail Hyndman, Miss Aruba Liza Helder, Miss Bahamas Celeste Marshall, Miss Cayman Islands Lindsay Japal, Miss Curacao Monifa Joanne Marie Jansen, Miss Dominican Republic Dulcita Lynn Lieggi, Miss Guyana Ruqayyah Boyer and Miss Haiti, Christela Jacques, were MIA from the top 16 in the competition on Dec. 19th.

Instead, the top 16 slots went to Venezuela, Turkey, France, Peru, Russia, Mexico, Poland, Hungary, South Africa, Philippines, Croatia, Brazil, Kosovo, Australia, India and the USA .

However, two Latin American nationals were among the top five pick in the Miss Universe competition that saw Miss USA, Olivia Cuplo, taking the crown.

Miss Venezuela, Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, placed third while Miss Brazil, Gabriela Markus was the fourth runner-up.

See related stories here: www.newsamericasnow.com/latin-americans-among-miss-universe-top-five/
www.newsamericasnow.com/caribbean-latin-american-beauties-among-miss-universe-contenders/

The distinguished panel of judges includes: Singer-Songwriter and Coach of NBC’s The Voice, CeeLo Green, Two-Time World Series Champion and MVP with the San Francisco Giants
Pablo Sandoval, Photographer and Host of Oxygen’s new series The Face, Nigel Barker, Singer and Actor best known for starring role in “Rock of Ages” film, Diego Boneta, TV Personality from the E! Network, Scott Disick, Celebrity Stylist and Star of Bravo’s It’s a Brad, Brad World, Brad Goreski, Star of Iron Chef and Award-Winning Chef, Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Miss Universe 2010 and Face of L’Oreal, Ximena Navarrete, Three-time US Olympic Gold Medalist in Beach Volleyball, Kerri Walsh Jennings and Star on Bravo’s hit series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and new series Vanderpump Rules, Lisa Vanderpump.

Miss Universe 2011Leila Lopes of Angola will crown her successor. Lopes has used her title to champion HIV/AIDS prevention and has shown the world that there is more to Africa than poverty, hunger and disease.

The Latin America and Caribbean contestants are: Miss St. Lucia Tara Edward; Miss Bolivia Yessica Mouton, Miss Honduras Jennifer Andrade, Miss Puerto Rico Bodine Koehler, Miss Trinidad and Tobago Avionne Mark, Miss Jamaica Chantal Zaky, Miss British Virgin Islands Abigail Hyndman, Miss Peru Nicole Faveron, Miss Brazil Gabriela Markus, Miss Venezuela Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, Miss Mexico Karina Gonzalez, Miss Argentina, Camila Solórzano, Miss Aruba Liza Helder, Miss Bahamas Celeste Marshall, Miss Cayman Islands Lindsay Japal, Miss Chile Ana Luisa Konig, Miss Costa Rica, Nazareth Cascante, Miss Columbia Daniella Álvarez Vasquez, Miss Curacao Monifa Joanne Marie Jansen, Miss Dominican Republic Dulcita Lynn Lieggi, Miss Ecuador Carolina Andrea Aguirre Pérez, Miss El Salvador, Ana Yancy Clavel, Miss Guatemala Laura Godoy Calle, Miss Guyana Ruqayyah Boyer, Miss Haiti, Christela Jacques, Miss Panama, Stephanie Vander Werf and Miss Peru, Nicole Faveron.

Eunice Sarahann Maurice is among those wanted by Interpol. (Interpol image)

The Dominican Republic topped the list with 120 criminals on the lam with most wanted for homicide or what is delicately defined by INTERPOL as life and health crimes.

Cuba was with 19 criminals, most wanted for fraud and money laundering while The Bahamas and Guyana tied for third, with a whopping 12, each.

Among them are three women – Eunice Sarahann Maurice, Nicole Russell and Youlenda Thompson Nelson, who are wanted for fraud and crimes involving the use of weapons/explosives, respectively. Maurice and Thompson Nelson are wanted by the Bahamas government while Russell is wanted in the U.S.

Guyana top 12, are mostly wanted by the U.S. for life and health crimes. However, George Andrew Hercules is wanted for sex crimes against children, while Gregory Alistair Ewan Barnes is wanted for fraud and Adnan El Shukrijumah for terrorism.

Eleven Haitians are on the list, including two women. Guirlande Baptistin, a 22-year-old woman, is wanted in Brazil for people smuggling, trafficking and illegal immigration while Jean Claude Jeanne Kenia, 28, is wanted for drug-related crimes in Argentina.

Jamaica made the list with nine criminals MIA, including Ena McNeish, a 60-year-old woman wanted for life and health and drug-related crimes in New York.

Belize made the list with three, including Jermaine Delroy, wanted for thefts and crimes involving the use of weapons/explosives; Raul Barahona, wanted for kidnapping and thefts and Michael Joseph Silva, wanted for life and health crimes.

Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines had one each, respectively. David Joseph, 43, was born in St. John’s, Antigua and is wanted by the U.S. for drug-related crimes and fraud while Toobooi Williams, 27, is wanted in Grenada for life and health crimes.

Alexander Rodionov, who has a St. Kitts passport but was born in Russia, is wanted for fraud in Canada while Tyson Joseph of St. Lucia is also wanted by Canadian authorities but and life and health crimes as well as thefts.

Cecil Gregory Boatswain, 43, of St. Vincent and the Greandines, is wanted by the U.S. government for drug-related crimes as well as organized crime.

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member countries. Its “role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place.”

Anyone with information on any of the above named criminals is urged to contact their local police.

“When the words ‘fiscal cliff’ are uttered on television every 30 seconds it tends to affect consumers’ propensity to plan their vacations,” said Ashwin Kamlani, President of Regatta Travel Solutions. “To combat this, these three Caribbean countries are working together in a way never seen before to attract US travelers. I applaud these Destination Marketing Organizations for working with the suppliers in their destinations to put their entire countries on sale. The US has never seen an offer like this out of the Caribbean in history.”

This blowout sale will launch on the morning of Black Friday and consumers will have until midnight Monday night to get 20% off any participating hotel or resort in all 3 countries when booked on the official DMO or Hotel Association website. The discount is available for any participating hotel on stays through December 15th, 2013, without any blackout dates. Consumers can book on the following sites:
Barbados: www.bookbarbadosnow.com or www.visitbarbados.org
St. Lucia: www.bookstlucianow.com or www.stlucianow.com
Antigua: www.bookantiguanow.com

About Regatta Travel Solutions Inc.

Regatta Travel Solutions provides specialized online booking technology and marketing tactics for DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations). DMOs that use Regatta to book travel on their sites can increase revenue for their destination, lower the cost paid by suppliers per booking, and increase membership and participation for their organizations. Visit www.regattatravelsolutions.com for more details. Regatta Travel Solutions is an Alliance Partner of DMAI.

Consuls general Julian Dubois of St. Lucia, Charles Forbin, of Haiti, Omyma E. David of Antigua and Barbuda, Francis Ignatious of St Lucia, Herman LaMont of Jamaica, and Derrick James of Grenada have begun pitching in to help Caribbean nationals who are affected by the hurricane that ravaged many New York areas, leaving thousands without a home as well as without power, heat, water or food in some instances.

The consuls say they have been fielding frantic calls from Caribbean nationals in the region trying to locate relatives in the city, since many residents are still without power and reliable phone connections.

“It’s an ongoing process,” LaMont of Jamaica told the New York Daily News. “A lot of it is going to be human support, empathizing with people. We hope to establish those reconnections.”

“We tried to mobilize as best we can,” Julian Dubois, consul general of St. Lucia, was quoted as saying during his visit.

Some of the consuls have also been going door-to-door in the enclaves of Canarsie and Far Rockaway, looking for those in the Caribbean Diaspora in need of assistance.

Several also doled out hot meals at an evacuation shelter at Queens College last week.

“The U.S. government is always willing to give to Haiti. It was my duty to offer my help,” Forbin, consul general of Haiti, who was at the school serving meals told the paper. “This was something that I needed to do.”

More persons of West Indian ancestry live in New York City than any city outside of the West Indies. The ten nations constituting the largest sources of modern immigration to New York City include Caribbean nations of the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guyana, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago.

“This acquisition will allow for greater cooperation between two leading electric utilities in the Eastern Caribbean,” stated Peter Williams, Managing Director, LPH. “LPH having an equity stake in LUCELEC will allow for a sharing of skills and increased efficiencies that we believe will result in benefits to customers in both countries.”

LPH is an investment company and the owner of The Barbados Light & Power Company Limited, a licensed supplier of electricity energy in Barbados. Formed as a holding company in 1997, LPH was created to allow Shareholders to take full advantage of potential investment opportunities in and outside of Barbados, including equity investments in other utilities. The acquisition of 19.1 % of LUCELEC is consistent with this mandate. LPH is 80% owned by Emera Inc.

LUCELEC is a vertically integrated electric utility serving more than 60,000 customers, with exclusive license to generate, transmit and distribute electricity on the island of St. Lucia to the year 2045. The utility has 76 MW of generation capacity, primarily oil fired, and 1000 Km of electricity transmission and distribution assets.

LUCELEC’s Managing Director, Trevor Louisy, welcomed news of the investment noting, “It marks the start of a new era in the utility sector in the region. Clearly the region has the financial and technical capacity to make such investments, which was unheard of in the past, and is indicative of a maturing of the sector. It also suggests that LUCELEC has been and continues to be a sound investment option.”

The terms of the acquisition agreement between Emera Caribbean and LPH provide for a potential sales price increase or decrease of US $4 million within 30 months of the closing date of the transaction. Any adjustment would be triggered by either an additional public offering by LUCELEC; or a change in its allowed return on equity as a result of a change in its regulatory framework.

This acquisition is subject to relevant government and regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2011.

About Light & Power Holdings:
Light & Power Holdings Ltd. is an investment company with electricity being its core business. The Company has a wholly owned regulated electric utility, The Barbados Light & Power Company Ltd., which has been serving electricity customers in Barbados since 1911. Electricity service is available to the entire island community.

About Emera:
Emera Inc. is an energy and services company with $6.6 billion in assets and 2010 revenues of $1.6 billion. The company invests in electricity generation, transmission and distribution, as well as gas transmission and utility energy services. Emera’s strategy is focused on the transformation of the electricity industry to cleaner generation and the delivery of that clean energy to market. Emera operates throughout northeastern North America, in three Caribbean countries and in California. More than 80% of the company’s earnings come from regulated investments. Emera common and preferred shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade respectively under the symbol EMA and EMA.PR.A. Additional information can be accessed at www.emera.com, www.sedar.com, or on www.sec.gov.