Pulse of the Caribbean

#84 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 1 Week of July 28

• Pulse of the Caribbean

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The heartbeat of regional development pulses strongly across the Caribbean as nations forge innovative partnerships and solutions to shared challenges. From Grenada to Guyana, Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic, transformative initiatives are reshaping the economic and environmental landscape of the region as highlighted in this episode of Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup. 

  • Grenada hosts the Afreximbank Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum aimed at growing bilateral trade
  • Guyana concludes the first Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit with the Georgetown Declaration 
  • CARICOM officials create new ocean policy for managing marine resources in the region 
  • Puerto Rico receives $2.4 million in FEMA grants for coastal protection 
  • US Entertainment Attorneys from  Dominican to present at the US National Bar Association Centennial Convention
  • Dominican Republic evaluates new cruise terminal for Santo Domingo to serve as a regional hub

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Send news releases to news@pulseofthecaribean.com. If you have an interest in sponsoring our podcast, email us at  biz@pulseofthecaribbean.com.

Speaker 1:

This is the Pulse of the Caribbean Caribbean News Roundup. Now today's Caribbean News Headlines.

Speaker 2:

This podcast is brought to you by Victory Run Walk, sponsored by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Accommodations are now available. Register at VictoryRunWalkVIcom for the 5K, 10k and Half Marathon. Labor Day weekend, august 30th. St Thomas, us Virgin Islands, and Diamond Key, marina, yosvendike, british Virgin Islands, home of Foxy's Taboo and Gateway to the Bubbly Pool. A News Roundup, episode 1, for the week of July 28th. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We start our report in Grenada.

Speaker 2:

The Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum will begin today in St George's, grenada, from July 28 to 30, 2025. Despite a long history, bilateral exports between Africa and the Caribbean have never exceeded 6%, according to an ITC and Africa Export-Import Bank study. The new 2025 study showed potential growth of up to $2.1 billion within five years. Value added in mineral processed foods, manufacturing products, transport, travel and creative industries are the driving forces for this expansion. Forces for this expansion. According to the AfriMix bank release, trade between Africa and the Caribbean is low. Despite regional integration attempts, bilateral trade has never topped 6% of exports for either region. According to ITC data, african exports to the Caribbean have dropped since 2014 and are close to 0.1% since 2020, whereas Caribbean exports to Africa are fluctuating from 0.8% of total exports in 2020 to 2.3% in 2022. A Frexenbanks Barbados branch, which opened two years ago, will enhance trade between the two regions. The development of the Afrexim Bank African Trade Center and Caricom Exim Bank and Afrexim Bank subsidiary strengthens this. Afrexim Bank and Caricom Central Banks are developing the Caricom Payment and payment and settlement system to deepen and strengthen intra-CARICOM national currency payments. This merger will speed up financial system integration and boost African and Caribbean trade and investments. During the Afro-Caribbean trade and investment forum in St George's, grenada this week, the two regions will continue to increase trade and investment.

Speaker 2:

Our next stop is Guyana. On Friday, georgetown-guyana concluded the first Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit, which launched the alliance, endorsed the Georgetown Declaration and outlined a plan to protect and conserve biodiversity, stop biodiversity loss and accelerate nature-positive action. With the support of the Guyana's President, dr Muhammad Ifrim Ali, the government of the Corporative Republic of Guyana hosted the summit, which drew over 140 governments, indigenous leaders, scientists, financial institutions, NGOs, youth and private sector leaders from around the world. The Global Biodiversity Alliance opened a voluntary, inclusive framework for shared implementation, scalable finance and information exchange to protect and restore ecosystems through International Biodiversity Corporation. The Georgetown Declaration recognizes biodiversity as a global public good and commits to integrating it into national development plans, climate strategies and financial frameworks. Heads of state, indigenous leaders, ngos, academia and private sector leaders supported it. The alliance presented a five-pillar roadmap. The global 30-30 target aims to safeguard 30% of land and marine by 2030. Number two integrating biodiversity into national and corporate growth. Three, unlocking biodiversity credits, green bonds and debt for nature swaps. Four, empowering indigenous peoples and local communities through governance, finance and recognition. And five, developing the Gross Biodiversity Power Index and other monitoring, accountability and data sovereignty mechanisms. Royal Bank, sylvania, caribbean Biodiversity Fund and government officials stressed a need to link funds to environmental performance and integrity. The signing of an MEU between Guyana and the Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global Change was a major summit outcome. Scientists will collaborate to develop Guyana's National Biodiversity Information System, a digital backbone for the country's new National Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy, which seeks to create the world's first fully standardized national scale biodiversity tracking framework. The National Biodiversity Information System is based on science, transparency and sovereignty and is meant to be replicated by alliance states.

Speaker 2:

Now on to CARICOM. Last week, caribbean officials and stakeholders met, also in Guyana, for a two-day conference to create a new ocean policy to guide marine resource management, marine spatial planning and maritime security. The high-level summit discussed the ocean's importance in tourism, fisheries, transit, renewable energy and the blue economy fisheries, transit, renewable energy and the blue economy. It was also allow stakeholders to comment on a regional ocean policy draft. Dr Carla Burnett, caricom Secretary General, stressed the ocean centrality to the region's identity in her opening statement, stating that maritime space averages 4 to 1 to land area. Dr Burnett acknowledged the blue economy's potential, but also warned that the Caribbean's waters mounting hazards, including sea level rise, ocean acidification and bigger, more frequent storms. The World Bank estimates CARICOM's ocean economy at 407 billion US dollars. Dr Barnett applauded the region's investment in blue economy industries like marine renewable energy, aquaculture and biotechnology, which are expected to reach $13 billion. The summit comes just months before the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP30, in Brazil set for November, which will focus on ocean management. Now we head to.

Speaker 2:

Puerto Rico approved two hazard mitigation grant program projects worth $2.4 million for coastal and infrastructure improvements in Vieques and Culebra. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency, fema, granted $543,311 for hybrid reef system design and environmental studies. In Culebra, artificial coral-shaped cement structures will be combined with native coral and mangroves. Installation of sand fences will enhance dune formation. The project intends to prevent coastal erosion and safeguard the island's ferry, ports, power line, underground water pipeline and stormwater surge and wave action. The first phase if it is successful, fema may add $1.5 million for development. In Vieques, fema approved $113,600 for the first phase of an Esperanza stormwater drainage improvement project. Hydrological and hydraulic investigations, environmental assessment, design and permitting are included. The second phase could get $304,851 for construction, if approved, to regulate LaGuana Esperanza runoff and its natural drainage channel.

Speaker 2:

Next up, us entertainment attorneys originally from Dominica are presenters at the upcoming US National Bar Association Centennial Convention. After this, st Thomas Virgin Islands Victory Run 2025 accommodations are now available After race registration. Book your stay and be the first occupants to stay at the Hamptons by Hilton, directly located at the start and finish line of Victory Run 2025. While around the bend and at the beach shore is the beautiful Westin Resort and connecting waterfront villas of the Bowie House. Both locations are family friendly and here to accommodate you with special rates, making your stay a breeze as you gear up and get ready for St Thomas Victory Run 2025. Usvi. Book your stay now.

Speaker 2:

This is Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 1, for the week of July 28. Dominica Bourne Entertainer attorney, bernie Lawrence Watkins and Chester Wilkins will appear at the National Bar Association Centennial Convention. The Hyatt Regency in Chicago is hosting the event, which began on July 26 and ends on August 1, 2025. According to a media release on Tuesday, july 29, the duo will participate in a panel discussion on the entertainment industry and artificial intelligence. This conference continuing legal education event will examine the changing link between AI and entertainment. Lawrence Watkins and Wilkins will join moderators, attorney Rick Anderson and representatives from major media companies and law firms like Joseph Ford of NBC Universal, derek Hooker of Barnes and Thurnborg, and Daryl D Jones of the law office of Daryl D Jones PC. In 2002, lawrence Watkins founded the Atlanta-based entertainment intellectual property and corporate law companyem Usher, dj Khaled and 21 Savage another impactful Dominican heritage talent in entertainment, among others, with 25 years of experience.

Speaker 2:

Chester Wilkins, known as Massive, is a digital strategist and ISRC. A digital strategist and ISRC International Standard Record Coding coding expert, who helps musicians survive in the streaming economy and clarifies music information. Wilkins runs the Iowa-based LinkQ Media with a Dominica branch and has worked with music companies such as Def Jams and Jive Records. And here's our final note the Dominican Republic's Port Authority head, jean-louis Rodriguez, is evaluating a new cruise terminal for Santo Domingo to serve as a home port for Caribbean and international cruise lines. The proposed terminal would allow travelers to embark straight from the capital, competing with ports like Miami, florida and San Juan, puerto Rico. This project is part of a larger effort to enhance cruise tourism and establish the Dominican Republic as a regional hub.

Speaker 2:

This podcast has been brought to you by Victory Run Walk, sponsored by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Accommodations are now available. Register at VictoryRunWalkVIcom for the 5k, 10k and half marathon. Labor Day weekend, august 30th, st Thomas, us Virgin Islands, and Diamond Key Marina, yosemite, british Virgin Islands, home of Foxy's Taboo and Gateway to the Bubbly Pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. Have news and information you'd like to share with us. Send news releases to news at pulseofthecaribbeancom and if you have an interest in sponsoring our podcast, email us at biz at pulseofthecaribbeancom. Our podcast. Email us at biz at pulseofthecaribbeancom. This has been your Pulse of the Caribbean Caribbean News Roundup, episode 1 for the week of July 28. Here's a shout out to our listeners in Grenada and Washington DC. Thanks for listening and do spread the word and share our podcast with others across the region and the diaspora. I'm Keisha Blyden.

Speaker 1:

See you next time to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and thank you in advance for choosing pulso, the caribbean caribbean news roundup, as your source for caribbean centered news.