Stanford Saw Antigua As “Crown Jewel” Jury Hears
February 16, 2012
News Americas, HOUSTON, Texas, Fri. Feb. 17, 2012: The former Sir R. Allen Stanford, the man U.S. federal prosecutors accuse of a $7 billion investor scam through certificates of deposit in an offshore bank, saw his adopted country of Antigua and Barbuda as a “crown jewel.”
The disclosure came from a lawyer and former U.S. Customs Agent Thursday, who testified in defense of Stanford. The defense opened its case yesterday, a day after the prosecution rested, and called its first of 27 witnesses, Patrick O’Brien, to the stand.
O’Brien served with Stanford during the late 1990s on a committee charged with reforming banking laws in the Caribbean nation of Antigua, where Stanford owned the largest bank.
O’Brien told jurors and the court that Stanford wanted to make Antigua the “crown jewel” among Caribbean nations for providing financial services and even loaned the island’s government the money to fund the committee.
He said the vision and effort yielded new laws and a new regulatory body in Antigua, and Stanford was named to its board even though he owned an institution it was charged with overseeing.
O’Brien painted a different picture of the prosecution witness, Althea Crick, who was executive director of the new agency. Crick in her testimony had said that his position on the board allowed him to impede efforts to regulate his bank.
But O’Brien said it was Crick who obstructed reform efforts and resisted sharing agency documents with U.S. authorities.
He said the banking law revisions were intended to increase the transparency of bank ownership while maintaining the confidentiality about depositors’ identities and accounts that is a key attraction of offshore institutions.
Lloyd Harrell, a retired FBI agent and private investigator, who also testified on behalf of Stanford’s defense Thursday, also dubbed Crick as an obstructionist and said he participated with Stanford in Operation Clean Slate, an offshore bank reform effort.
It is unclear whether Stanford himself will take the stand. A 14-count indictment alleges that Stanford defrauded clients who invested in certificates of deposit issued by the bank, marketing them as conservative investments when the funds really went to Stanford’s luxurious lifestyle and speculative business ventures. Stanford, the once flamboyant billionaire and cricket entrepreneur, has insisted he is innocent of all charges.
Antigua ranks 57th in the world on the overall scale of ease of doing business with a GDP as of last year of $1.734 billion. Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda’s economy, accounting for nearly 60 percent of GDP and 40 percent of investment.
Caribbean Report Rise In 2011 Tourist Arrivals
February 15, 2012
News Americas, BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Weds. Feb. 15, 2012: The Caribbean region saw a growth in last year in tourist arrivals to its shore, Statistical Specialist of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, Sean Smith, revealed today.
Smith said the region welcomed an estimated 23.8 million tourists in 2011, 3.3 per cent rise over 2010 when just over 23 million stay-over visitors came to the Caribbean.
Speaking at CTO Headquarters in Barbados, Smith said the Caribbean recorded modest performances from all major source markets in 2011. Stay-over arrivals from the United States were up 1.7 per cent when compared to the previous year. Anguilla, Barbados, Belize and Curaçao were among the destinations with increased business from the US. Contrary to the norm, there were fewer US residents arriving in some destinations that traditionally benefit the most from this market.
On the other hand, Canada continued to outpace all other markets, with arrivals from there up 6.8 per cent over 2010. This represented a continuation of the sustained growth experienced in the market over the last five years. The arrivals pattern has not changed much, with Cancún, Cuba and the Dominican Republic receiving the majority of Canadian tourists. However, 13 other CTO member countries also recorded increases in arrivals from Canada.
Of the 23 destinations with market details, 14 reported increases in arrivals from Europe, with Barbados (6.0 per cent), Cancún (3.9 per cent), Curaçao (2.9 per cent) and Cuba (1.1 per cent) being the best performers, receiving hundreds of thousands of European. Several other destinations recorded growth in arrivals from Europe on smaller numbers. Still, compared to 2010, the overall figures from Europe remained flat, with the Caribbean recording a 0.6 per cent increase.
With the exception of May and October, which were down marginally, the region recorded a rise on arrivals every month in 2011 over the corresponding month of the previous year.
Tourist arrivals during the winter months (January to April) were up 4.4 per cent over the previous winter, which had grown by 3.9 per cent over 2009. The summer period ending December recorded a lower than expected increase of three per cent.
The larger destinations, including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, continued the historical trend of leading growth in the region. This subgroup, which accounts for more than half of all arrivals to the region on an annual basis, grew by 4.2 per cent.
The larger grouping of Commonwealth Countries made up of CARICOM plus Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands recorded a 2.2 per cent rise, while Martinique, the lone French Caribbean destination reporting during the period, saw arrivals go up 3.9 per cent.
Tourism in the Dutch Caribbean performed slightly better, recording a 4.9 per cent rise, with robust performances in Curaçao and Aruba of 13.9 per cent and 5.6 per cent respectively.
Reflecting poor performances from the European markets, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) had a much slower rate of recovery, with arrivals up by just 1.2 per cent. This was as a result of modest growth of 1.8 per cent in the O E C S countries, coupled with one per cent increase in arrivals to the Other CARICOM Countries.
The hotel sector performed marginally better last year than it did in 2010. According to Smith Travel Research, average room occupancy was 61.8 per cent compared to 60.3 per cent in 2010, while the average room rate reached US$167.56 compared to US$163.36 in 2010. These results indicate some measure of recovery within this sub-sector.
“The Caribbean tourism industry is holding its own, remaining afloat and resilient amidst turbulence in the marketplace,” said Smith. But he warned that the region is not yet out of the woods as the figures revealed uneven growth among the destinations and revenue continued to lag arrivals.
CARICOM Leaders and Haiti’s Minister of the Interior Agree that Collaboration is Key to a Stronger Caribbean
February 14, 2012
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — In meeting with the President of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mr. Desire Delano Bouterse and the Bureau of Heads of Government during CARICOM’s two-day mission to Haiti, Haiti’s Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul stressed that Haiti is charting a new course for sustainable economic development. “We are focusing our efforts on investment and job creation, particularly in Haiti’s heartland,” he said, articulating the Martelly administration’s new vision for Haiti. “We understand that the key to driving sustainable development in Haiti is to map it throughout our entire nation and then drive it through local initiatives and decentralized cooperation.”
CARICOM leaders are in Haiti to forge stronger ties and closer cooperation between the 14 member states while exploring ways to strengthen Haiti’s participation in the organization. Under discussion is the adoption of French as an official and working language for the organization.
After thanking CARICOM members for their ongoing support of Haiti since the 2010 earthquake, Mayard-Paul emphasized that his nation is progressing in its recovery efforts, saying, “President Martelly’s new vision for Haiti is to build a socially just, economically free, and politically independent nation that does not end with reconstruction but rather, begins with renovation. This is aligned with the administration’s vision for decentralization and job creation through investment.”
Stressing the fact that Haiti offers an energetic and willing workforce, Mayard-Paul said, “It is clear that what Haitians want and need is jobs that will restore their dignity. We are therefore looking forward to working in close collaboration with our CARICOM neighbors to promote opportunities that reflect our communities’ most pressing priorities – jobs. We also seek to share those best practices that are yielding results for other member nations.”
The Minister pointed to collaboration in Civil Protection activities, such as disaster preparedness and relief. “All of our nations are in geographic locations that make us vulnerable to the variances of nature,” he said. “Therefore, we welcome best-practice sharing focused on institutional capacity building for preparedness and response, and equipment that will allow us to react more quickly and effectively.”
In encouraging investments from CARICOM nations, the Minister highlighted the myriad of investment opportunities waiting in Haiti’s heartland, especially in social infrastructure initiatives that enable communities to generate jobs and sustainable development. “With so many great opportunities in agriculture, tourism, infrastructure development and other sectors, we would be looking to CARICOM to help steer investments and contributions in these areas,” he said. “Additionally, as part of CSME [Single Market Economy of the Caribbean], we should be looking at standards that will facilitate the export of Haitian products to our Caribbean neighbors.”
The Haitian minister asked for closer collaboration on cultural exchange activities and cited the possibility of establishing a Caribbean Youth Parliament or Organization that seeks to build lasting relationships among the future leaders of the Caribbean. “Caribbean universities could also embark on region-wide research related to the environment, the economy and social integration. The idea is that future leaders have a common understanding and culture that will facilitate a common market,” he said.
Overall, the Ministry of the Interior identified 40 key projects pertaining to meeting the needs of Haiti’s population outside the capital of Port-au-Prince, telling CARICOM representatives, “We would welcome the opportunity to present and discuss them with you. Our brother nations of CARICOM have been of great support to us since the earthquake and we are grateful.”
Adele’s Bajan Connection
February 13, 2012
News Americas, LOS ANGELES, CA, Tues. Feb. 14, 2012: Those fans watching Adele’s first post surgery performance at the Grammy’s Sunday night, may also have caught sight of her pianist, who accompanied her during her performance of “Rolling In The Deep.”
He is Miles Robertson, Adele’s musical director and keyboardist who was born in Barbados. Robertson was born into a family of musicians. His maternal grandparents as well as his mother, Janice Millington, were established Barbadian artists, and his father, Raf Robertson is a noted Caribbean jazz pianist.
Robertson bases his success on hard work, discipline and dedication, for which he gives credit to his mother, a graduate of The Royal Academy of Music, United Kingdom. His mother began to train him in classical piano and violin at age four. He ensures that her legacy lives on by naming his production company Anita J. Productions Inc. However, it wasn’t until Robertson was 14 that he decided he wanted to pursue a career in music. While attending the Lodge School, he began drumming for the school ensemble.
His professional breakthrough came in 2005, when he toured as a backup musician for Atlantic recording Soca artiste Rupee. As either a keyboardist or musical director, Miles has worked with a diverse group of artists, including rocker Drew Seeley, the gospel group Take 6, rapper Fabolous, One Republic, Ashley Tisdale, Sean Kingston, jazz musician Najee and old school band Lisa Lisa & Cultjam. In 2008, Robertson began touring with the now six-time Grammy Award winning international music sensation, Adele. As her keyboardist, he has appeared on numerous television shows including Saturday Night Live, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live!
He has also toured with Irish singer Laura Izibor in the United Kingdom and continues to play at clubs in New York City such as The Village Underground and Club Groove during the few breaks he gets from his hectic touring schedule.
See more from Robertson here:
Catch a glimpse of Adele’s performance here:
Dr. Ivonne Chirino-Klevans, Walden University, to Speak at Opening of Hispanic Educational Technology Services (HETS) Consortium Annual Conference
February 13, 2012
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Ivonne Chirino-Klevans, program director for Walden University’s Center for International Programs, will speak at the opening of The Hispanic Educational Technology Services (HETS) Consortium Second Annual Best Practices Showcase, Feb. 16–17, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Dr. Chirino-Klevans will join Dr. Jose Rivera, president of Universidad del Sagrado Corazon, and Reggie Smith III, chair emeritus of the United States Distance Learning Association, to discuss attracting and retaining Hispanic students in online higher education.
In her position at Walden, Dr. Chirino-Klevans works to develop tools, activities and improvements that enhance and support the international student experience at the online university. She also explores new partnerships in Latin America, the Caribbean and Puerto Rico to expand online higher education access in the region.
Dr. Chirino-Klevans is a member of the HETS board of directors as well as the chief editor of HETS Online Journal. She has written extensively about the specific needs and concerns that Hispanic students have as online learners. Her articles appear in The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine, HispanicBusiness.com, Poder 360 Magazine, Diversity Executive and Hispanic Executive.
Prior to joining Walden in 2005 as a professor of organizational psychology, she worked with Fortune 500 companies designing training and development programs and serving as program director for Duke Corporate Education. Dr. Chirino-Klevans received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the Universidad Iberoamericana. She also holds an M.B.A. from the Universidad de las Americas and a master’s degree in psychology from Georgia College.
The HETS Consortium annual conference celebrates innovative technology strategies in higher education. Conference presentations will highlight best practices for access, retention and assessment strategies as well as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for Hispanics.
As a member of HETS Consortium, Walden partners with the organization’s 27 other members to focus on making a positive impact on the Hispanic student population by improving college retention, completion and successful learning outcomes. For more information about Walden University, visit www.WaldenU.edu.
About Walden University
For more than 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 48,500 students from all 50 states and more than 140 countries are pursuing their bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 55 campus-based and online universities in 28 countries.
Walden offers more than 65 degree programs with more than 330 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.
About HETS
The Hispanic Educational Technology Services (HETS) is the first bilingual consortium dedicated to serving the higher education needs of the fast-growing Hispanic communities. Starting in 1993 as a group of institutions interested in sharing courses at a distance, the HETS Consortium has evolved from the use of telecommunications into the asynchronous modes of anywhere-anytime learning, to the use of technology to reach greater collaboration among and within educational institutions. For more information, go to www.hets.org.
Former Guyana President To Keynote Caribbean’s Sustainable Tourism Development Conference
February 9, 2012
News Americas, BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Fri. Feb. 10, 2012: Former Guyana President, Bharrat Jagdeo, is set to deliver the keynote address to the Caribbean’s leading and most important gathering on sustainable tourism development this April.
Jagdeo, whose term as head of the Guyana Government ended last December, will address delegates attending the 13th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development – otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC-13) – which will be held from 15 to 18 April in Guyana.
“We are pleased that former president Jagdeo has accepted our invitation to keynote STC. The former president has gained international recognition and has developed a strong reputation globally for his relentless advocacy for action to avert the worst extremes of climate change,” said Gail Henry, the sustainable tourism product specialist at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the conference organizer. “We eagerly anticipate a dynamic and highly relevant keynote presentation from him.”
As part of the plan to combat climate change, then President Jagdeo established an Office of Climate Change within the Office of the President, and a Low Carbon Development Strategy was developed, outlining Guyana’s approach to promoting economic development while combating climate change. A key element of the strategy is the deployment of the country’s tropical forests towards addressing climate change.
For championing the cause of developing countries in the fight against climate change, the former Guyana leader was named by Time Magazine and CNN as one of their “Heroes of the Environment” in 2008, and he was awarded the United Nations “Champion of the Earth” award in 2010. He also served on the UN Secretary General’s High Level Advisory Group on Climate Finance, and earlier this month, he was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy by the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) University in New Delhi, India. He was presented with the honor by Dr. R.K Pachauri, the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Chancellor of TERI University.
STC-13, which has as its theme, Keeping the Right Balance: Sustaining our Resources, will be held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, and is being organized in collaboration with the Guyana Tourism Authority. For more information on STC-13, visit www.caribbeanstc.com.
Green Investment Power Forum For Guyana
February 9, 2012
CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 10, 2012: The first Green Investment power forum has been added to the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 13th annual Sustainable Tourism Conference and is set for Guyana this April.
The CTO is partnering with Invest Caribbean Now, the brand founded by Felicia Persaud, the Guyana-born CEO of the New York-based digital media company Hard Beat Communications, to present the inaugural green forum.
The event is set for April 8, 2012 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal and will feature Greg Watson, head of the Climate Change team at the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of The Inter-American Development Group and Tony Fiddy, President of Naanovo Energy UK Ltd.
Persaud explained that the green forum will be similar to the company’s Invest Caribbean Now New York forum, which took place last June in New York, allowing presentations from both speakers while giving ministers of government, tourism officials, entrepreneurs and other delegates the opportunity to pitch their investment ideas and prospects to both Watson and Fiddy.
The successful June 9, 2011 event at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel featured over 300 money managers, investors, hoteliers, ministers of governments and real estate developers as part of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Caribbean Week in New York series of events. The event returns this June 6th to New York City and will feature CEO of McKinney Rogers, Damian Rogers as the key note speaker along with the chairman of Blue Equity, LLC, Jonathan Blue and President of Solamon Energy, Jay Neo.
“The Caribbean and Guyana has tremendous potential for investments, especially for green investors, as evidenced by the interest of many renewable companies in a region rich with sun, wind and waterfalls, all of which have become attractive potential sources of power,” said Persaud. “This event presents an opportunity for the government of Guyana as well as Caribbean ministers and entrepreneurs to do business in renewables.”
Watson re-joined the Multilateral Investment Fund of the IDB Group in 2008, having previously worked there from 2004-2007. He serves as the team leader for the MIF’s environment and clean energy team, conceptualizing, overseeing, and implementing the MIF’s climate change projects, investments and research in clean and efficient energy, natural capital, and adaptation.
Watson leads several projects in the Caribbean, including a recent regional project on adaptation, projects on energy efficiency in Jamaica and Barbados, and a project on sustainable tourism and biodiversity in Guyana.
Reporting to the President and CEO of Naanovo Energy Inc., Fiddy holds the dual position of President of Naanovo’s Waste to Energy Division and the Regional Vice President for Europe and Africa. As head of the WTE Division, his primary responsibility is to oversee the global deployment of WTE/MaaxTM systems and to work with regional representatives of Naanovo and its subsidiaries in the development of WTE projects. This includes projects in the Caribbean, among them St. Kitts/Nevis.
Partnership and exhibitor opportunities to be a part of the historic Guyana Green Energy forum are available by calling 1-646-820-5694 or emailing Joe Bernstein at joe@investcaribbeannow.com.
Guyana has become a key player in the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions which significantly contribute to climate change. The Caribbean Tourism Organization has been staging its Annual Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC) since 1997. This conference will be keynoted by former Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo on April 15th and is part of the information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO’s Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. STC also serves as a primary arena where new and creative ideas about enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the Caribbean tourism product are generated.
Partners to date for the April 18th Green Investment forum include One Caribbean Television, CaribPR Wire and News Americas Now.
Solamon Energy President For Invest Caribbean Now 2012
February 7, 2012
CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 7 2012: The man who is set to build the Caribbean’s largest solar energy plant is among the speakers confirmed, for the 2012 Invest Caribbean Now.
The second annual Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat Communications investment forum is set for June 6, 2012 in New York City and comes on the heels of June 9, 2011that drew over 300 high powered investors to the New York Marriott Marquis event and earned rave reviews from money managers, real estate developers, architects, entrepreneurs, ministers of governments and the media, and the top speakers including Wendell Dave Dowrich, Vice President, Goldman Sachs; David Brillembourg, Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Brilla Group and Martin Mohabeer, Managing Director, Spackman Group and CEO of Spackman Capital.
President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo, will join other top speakers this year, including Damion McKinney, CEO of McKinney Rogers and Jonathan Blue, Chairman of Blue Equity LLC.
Solamon Energy Corp is a renewable energy developer, providing Caribbean clients with cost effective and reliable RE power generation solutions. The company recently announced it will build the biggest solar energy plant in the Caribbean in Jamaica. With a keen understanding of the Caribbean energy marketplace, Yeo has become a cornerstone of organization, developing business opportunities in key territories across the region. Solamon presently has over 100 MW of projects in their pipeline.
An export of the blossoming Canadian solar industry, Jay previously worked with Spark Solar, a solar development firm and manager of the AGRIS Solar Co-operative, an agricultural energy co-operative with over 700 PV installations.
Prior to his career in renewables, Jay held several executive positions with emerging technology companies working in the areas of business development and marketing.
Ideally suited for the burgeoning renewable energy sector, Jay has made a career of articulating the benefits and value of new technologies to consumers and business professionals.
Jay presently splits his time between Toronto and Barbados.
Additional sponsors include the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc. and ALTA.
For additional sponsorship opportunities log on to http://investcaribbean.wordpress.com/sponsorship-opportunites/
Caribbean News In Brief
February 5, 2012
Haitian American Helps NY Giants To Super Bowl Win
February 5, 2012
News Americas, INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Mon. Feb. 6, 2012: Haitian American footballer, Jason Pierre-Paul, helped lead his team, the New York Giants to a nail biting 21-17 win Sunday night to take home the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLVI at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
As his blind Haitian-born father, Jean Pierre-Paul, sat in the stand, experiencing his first Super Bowl as he listened to the game in French, the Florida-born JPP, helped make a big impact for the Giants defense.
Pierre-Paul, who was drafted by the Giants in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft and led the team with 16.5 sacks, and was selected to his first Pro Bowl.
On Sunday he helped blocked several passes for his captain, Eli Manning.
It was 9-3 after Stephen Gostkowski’s 29-yard field goal and The Patriots got to the Giants’ 11, but All-Pro DE Jason Pierre-Paul blocked a third-down pass.
Soon after, when the Patriots had a three-and-out and Pierre-Paul blocked another throw.
As for JPP’s dad, well the Haitian migrant told USA Today through a translator: “I am 60 years old and even if I die right now I will be happy. I am so proud.”
Meanwhile, Manning was named MVP and as the team and fans celebrated last night, New York City Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, announced that the city will host a ticker-tape parade in honor of the Super Bowl XLVI Champions New York Giants on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012.
The parade will begin at Battery Place and Washington Street at 11:00 AM and continue northbound up the Canyon of Heroes to Worth Street. The parade will be followed by a ceremony at City Hall Plaza, at which the Mayor will present the NY Giants with Keys to the City.
“Big Blue gave us a game to remember, and on Tuesday we’re going to give them a parade to remember,” said Mayor Bloomberg.
