Chile

Finance Ministers within CELAC discuss design of a common regional agenda in response to the global economic crisis

admin — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 23:00:01 +0000

Finance Ministers within CELAC discuss design of a common regional agenda in response to the global economic crisis

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admin Sun, 06/04/2023 - 23:00

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

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Political – The Bajan Reporter

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Finance Ministers within CELAC discuss design of a common regional agenda in re…

Ministers of Finance of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) agreed to move forward to a common regional agenda in response to the global economic crisis. The decision was made during a recent high-level face-to-face meeting held at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago, Chile. The meeting was organized by Saint...

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Politics

Citizens urged to take advantage of Vaccination Week

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 11:00:02 +0000

Citizens urged to take advantage of Vaccination Week

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admin Sun, 06/19/2022 - 11:00

Sunday, April 24, 2022

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Barbados Advocate - News

Original Article

Citizens urged to take advantage of Vaccination Week

PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne.

CITIZENS are being encouraged to take ad- vantage of PAHO’s pub- lic health initiative en- titled “Vaccination Week in the Americas” which is promoted in the last week of April, and which this year will serve as an oppor- tunity to accelerate vaccination against COVID-19 and improve coverage rates for other vaccines that have declined over the past decade.
The theme of the Week, which runs from April 23- 30, is “Are you fully vacci- nated? Get all your shots,” and calls on the entire population to review their vaccination schedules and get vaccinated to be fully protected.
“This Vaccination Week is an opportunity to im- prove vaccination rates against polio, measles, rubella, diphtheria and other preventable diseases that have fallen in
the last ten years,” said PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne.
“Vaccines work and in the last 20 years have prevented millions from getting sick, hospitalized and even dying. This is why it is vital that everyone has access,” she said.
In two years of the pandemic, the focus on controlling COVID-19 has left health systems and heath care professionals over- whelmed and has set back almost three decades of progress in the fight against polio and measles in the region. In 2020, more than 2.7 million chil- dren in the Americas were unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated, making them susceptible to diseases such as measles, polio and diphtheria, the first two of which were eliminated from the region.
While the coverage rate with the three doses of polio vaccine stood at 82% in 2020 - the lowest since 1994 - the regional coverage rate against measles, mumps and rubella (with MMR1 MMR vaccine) was 87%, six percentage points lower than the 93% recorded in 2016.
Meanwhile, regional coverage for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (with DTP3 vaccine) also fell from 91% in 2016 to 85% in 2020. All of these rates fell below the 95% recommended by PAHO to prevent outbreaks.
“Vaccines remain our best protection. We cannot let our guard down,” Etienne stressed. We must intensify efforts to reverse this situation, and we know how to do it, our his- tory of eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases proves it.”
With nearly 1.8 billion doses administered in the region in just 16 months, vaccination against COVID-19 is the largest
immunization program in history. Fourteen countries have already reached the WHO goal of vaccinat- ing 70% of their populations ahead of June 30th 2022, 26 have achieved coverage between 40% and 69%, and 11 remain below 40%. “Success is possible when we work together to embrace vaccination,” said the PAHO Director, urging countries to “take advantage of Vaccination Week to reach the most vulnerable.”
The launch of Vaccination Week in the Americas will be marked with an event on April 25 in Dominica, which will be attended by the PAHO Director and the highest authorities of the Caribbean country. Video messages are also ex- pected from the presidents of Chile, Ecuador and Honduras, as well as from the Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Barbados is meanwhile celebrating the 20th Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) from Saturday, April 23, to Saturday, April 30. According to the Government Information Service, all vaccines, COVID-19 as well as rou- tine vaccines, will be avail- able to members of the
public with the exception of Sunday, April 24, when only COVID-19 vaccines will be administered. During the week, persons may go to any polyclinic, within or outside of their catchment areas to receive their vaccines. No vaccines will be offered however on the National Heroes Day bank holiday.

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Caribbean

News

Three years on, Nigeria’s micro-pension targeting informal workers struggles to thrive

admin — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 04:00:01 +0000

Three years on, Nigeria’s micro-pension targeting informal workers struggles to thrive

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admin Sat, 06/18/2022 - 04:00

Monday, June 13, 2022

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Business - Premium Times Nigeria

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Three years on, Nigeria’s micro-pension targeting informal workers struggles to…

The Nigerian government’s ambition of urging informal sector workers to save for retirement when they could barely earn enough to survive today, amid growing poverty and rising cost of living, is delivering a predictable outcome. The government hopes to enroll 8 million people in five years but in three years it has only managed to register 77,689, less than one per cent of the projected figure.

Launched in 2019, Nigeria’s micro-pension scheme set out to extend the reach of pension to the self-employed and employees of organisations with a minimum staff strength of three, in a bid to provide cover for 30 per cent of the national workforce by 2024. A key goal of the effort is to boost the country’s financial inclusion.

Nigeria’s inflation accelerated from 12.3 per cent to 16.8 per cent between the April of that year and April 2022, living cost pressures eating away at the disposable income of most low-income households and weakening the capacity to save.

“The cost of living is high in the sense that no matter how much you have, by the time you go to the market,” you will hardly have anything left, said an official of Veritas Glanvills Pension, a Lagos-based pension fund administrator (PFA), who requested anonymity.

“They are not making much to feed themselves and equally save. Whatever people are making now, it goes to food, it goes to taking care of immediate needs. There is little or none left to save,” the official said.

That 19 PFAs registered only 2,166 enrollees in the last quarter of last year lends credence to the likelihood that profound micro-pension penetration in Nigeria is going to be a long haul. Only few adults pay into a pension in Nigeria, meaning a majority may rely on children and relatives for support at retirement or old age.

Building up rainy day savings by way of pension contribution is essential to fighting old-age poverty in Nigeria, where two out of every five people live in extreme poverty, according to figures from World Poverty Clock, an online tool that tracks real-time penury data.

That is particularly fitting for the informal sector which, despite accounting for four of every five jobs in Africa’s most populous nation and for half of its GDP, is underserved by the pension products.

But factors ranging from apathy, poor awareness and service dissatisfaction to low disposable income are standing in the way of participation.

“I like anything that has to do with savings. I like the micro-pension plan,” said Harry Isikima-Dick, who runs a barbing salon and sells electrical accessories in Ogba, Lagos. “But the problem is how I am sure the pension company will last till I am 50 years.”

Mr Isikima-Dick told PREMIUM TIMES he was hearing about micro-pension for the first time and would be happy to find a reliable PFA who can sign him up. He said he had no retirement savings plan.

Noimot Tiamiyu-Yusuf, who sells fairly used lingerie in Lagos, also told PREMIUM TIMES she’s not aware of micro-pension. She was skeptical about saving through micro-pension because of an ugly past experience that saw an informal thrift (ajo) collector run away with her savings.

“They (PFAs) may not run away with the pension of employed people. But what about our (artisans and unemployed people) own contribution?” She said she might consider micro-pension in future. She too had no alternative retirement saving plans.

Of the 11 products tracked in a survey by Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), an advocacy group championing financial inclusion in Nigeria, pension had the highest dissatisfaction rate after insurance among adult users of financial services.

The Veritas Glanvills staff sees Nigerian’s poor savings culture as a factor not enabling micro-pension to flower, and a lack of trust in the system, partly stemming from past experiences of people losing to similar organisations like microfinance, is forcing some informal workers to seek safety nets in other things but inclusive finance.

“Micro-pension is voluntary… But for the other pension, contributory pension, you know that one the money is deducted from your salary. So you have no control over that one. So that’s why that one is better,” the official said.

Modalities for signing up

The voluntary pension scheme enables people aged 18 and over with regular income to make small but frequent contributions to PFAs and comes with more flexible terms including the liberty to contribute, daily, weekly, monthly or at any convenient time in as much as contributions are made in any given year.

That is unlike compulsory pension plans, often marked by minimum contributions, high fees and sometimes imposes financial penalties for missed payments.

According to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy, contributors enjoy the benefit of making contingent withdrawals ahead of retirement and can access up to 40 per cent of their money at any point if they had contributed for a minimum of three months.

Africa

Business

CARIBBEAN-TRADE-ECLAC predicts regional trade will increase significantly in 2021

admin — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 10:40:01 +0000

CARIBBEAN-TRADE-ECLAC predicts regional trade will increase significantly in 2021 admin Sat, 12/11/2021 - 10:40

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

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Business – cananewsonline.com

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CARIBBEAN-TRADE-ECLAC predicts regional trade will increase significantly in 20…

SANTIAGO, Chile, Dec 8, CMC – The Economic Commiss...

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Caribbean

Business

Bayer official thanks IICA for handing over seeds to SVG

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 07:50:01 +0000

Bayer official thanks IICA for handing over seeds to SVG

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admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 07:50

Friday, December 3, 2021

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Searchlight

Original Article

Bayer official thanks IICA for handing over seeds to SVG

Compliance at the company Bayer AG, Alejandra Castro has thanked the Inter-American Institution for Co-operation on Agriculture( IICA) for serving as a bridge to facilitate the organisation of the donations in St Vincent and the Grenadines and for contributing to agriculture and rural development in the Americas.

This follows the most recent donation in late November of a quantity of seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture of St Vincent and the Grenadines(SVG), to assist with the rehabilitation of this country’s agriculture sector in the wake of the eruptions of La Soufriere in April.

That donation came from Bayer AG and was handed over by the hemispheric organisation, IICA.

Apart from the Bayer donation various types of seeds were also received from Argentina, Brazil and Chile, under the technical co-ordination of IICA.

It was the third batch of seeds to have been donated to SVG having an approximate total value of $300,000.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony on November 23, Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar Minister of Agriculture said: “We are working assiduously to boost our production and increase productivity. We are grateful for all the contributions received just at the right time to enable our family farmers to reap significant benefits, thus reducing our food imports.”

A release also quotes Caesar as saying that: “This donation will allow us to ensure the food supply for our people in the upcoming months and to continue on the path to a more resilient agriculture sector in 2022. These actions should be recognised as a gesture of solidarity that should be followed and I thank IICA, because a friend in need is a friend indeed”.

In addition to the Bayer AG donation, the Ministry also received cantaloupe and watermelon seeds, as well as an assortment of vegetable seeds, namely lettuce, broccoli, Swiss chard, carrot, cucumber, corn, and tomato, among others, supplied by the Argentinean Seed Producers’ Association(ASA) and Plantec de Chile, in co-ordination with the White Helmets Commission, an agency under Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IICA.

White Helmets Vice-President, Mariana Galvani said that, “The seeds will guarantee the recovery and continued functioning of agricultural production in this Caribbean nation”, and expressed a willingness to send a mission to provide technical support in areas such as water quality and the rehabilitation of livelihoods.

According to IICA’s Director General, Manuel Otero, “We believe situations like this one call for urgent and pointed actions to immediately assist those who are most in need and to support long-term actions that contribute to building a more competitive and efficient agriculture sector. We trust that these donations coupled with human support will provide a critical boost to offer relief to farmers and to strengthen the pivotal role of the Ministry of Agriculture in the recovery efforts.”
SVG received donated seeds in August and again in October.

Caribbean

News

10 most drunken surnames in Latin America, according to research

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 01:20:01 +0000

10 most drunken surnames in Latin America, according to research

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admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 01:20

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Original Publisher

People – Dominican Today

Original Article

10 most drunken surnames in Latin America, according to research

According to research conducted by the University of Miami, the ten surnames that were likely to consume the most alcohol in Latin America were revealed.

The test was done in 2015 with volunteers who were asked how many times they drank a week and in what amount, hence the result of the 10 most drunken surnames in Latin America.

The participants of the questionnaire came from countries such as Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Honduras, and Panama, among others.

Below is the list of surnames that like to “steepen the elbow…”

1. Gonzalez

2. Herrera

3. Fernandez

4. Rodriguez

5. Garcia

6. Gomez

7. Perez

8. Lopez

9. Martinez

10. Rosemary

Caribbean

Living Standard

Regional economies lose US$30 b annually due to mental health disorders

admin — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 10:30:01 +0000

Regional economies lose US$30 b annually due to mental health disorders

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admin Fri, 10/08/2021 - 10:30

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Original Publisher

Jamaica Observer

Original Article

Regional economies lose US$30 b annually due to mental health disorders

A recent report by UNICEF has found that the inaction on mental health in Latin America and the Caribbean has taken a serious toll on children's well-being and countries' economies - a situation worsened by the presence of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The report said that, while the effects on children's lives were incalculable, lost contribution to economies in these regions, due to mental disorders that lead to disability or death among young people was estimated at nearly US$30.6 billion a year.

Estimates from the State of the World's Children 2021 Report revealed that some 15 per cent or just about 16 million children and adolescents aged 10-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean, live with a diagnosed mental disorder.

"For far too long, children's mental health has been overlooked in Latin America and the Caribbean. Now, COVID-19 has thrust it into the spotlight," said Jean Gough, UNICEF regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

"More than 18 months of isolation from family and friends, during lockdowns, and the longest COVID-19 school closures in the world, have put the mental health of millions of the region's children at risk," she added.

The UNICEF report highlighted that, despite a growing awareness of the impact of mental health conditions, limited investments in mental health, which currently accounts for a mere 1.8 per cent of public spending in these region, continue to block children and their caregivers from getting the required help.

As such UNICEF, through the report, has called on governments along with public and private sector partners to commit, communicate and act to promote good mental health for all children, adolescents and caregivers. The body recommended the need for urgent investments to be made towards addressing mental health across all sectors supported by the integration and scaling up of evidence based interventions across health, education and social protection sectors. The need to break silence around the issue was also recommended as highly important if countries were to address stigmas and promote better understanding of mental health and take seriously the experiences of children and young people.

"The State of the World's Children is a rallying call for children's mental health that includes young voices from around the world, including Chile, Jamaica, Mexico and Peru. As parents, caregivers and decision makers, we must pay attention to young people, listen and co-create solutions for them and their families to thrive," Gough stated.

Caribbean

Business

Resurgence of COVID infections, PAHO chief reports

admin — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 03:20:01 +0000

Resurgence of COVID infections, PAHO chief reports admin Sun, 07/25/2021 - 03:20

Friday, July 16, 2021

Original Publisher

Barbados Advocate - News

Original Article

Resurgence of COVID infections, PAHO chief reports

The Head of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Dr Carissa Etienne has warned that many countries of the Americas are seeing a resurgence of coronavirus infections.

“In the Caribbean, infections are also going up,” Dr. Etienne reported, highlighting that Cuba saw the highest number of weekly cases since the start of the pandemic, and cases have tripled in the British Virgin Islands just weeks after reopening to cruise ships.

She said that COVID-19 cases rise when complacency sets in.

“We are all tired, but after experiencing successive peaks of infections in the same locations, we must break this cycle by embracing public health measures early and consistently.”

Dr. Etienne told PAHO’s weekly virtual press briefing on Wednesday that as of this week, the region reported nearly 74 million cases and 1.9 million deaths from COVID-19.

“And while new cases are down nearly 20% from last week, many countries are seeing a resurgence of infections.”

Cases are increasingin Central Americancountries, including El Salvador and Guatemala, where COVID deaths have also surged. And in Mexico and the United States, infections are rising.

“Meanwhile, South America is reporting a mixed picture. COVID infections, hospitalisations and deaths are dropping across most of the continent, including in Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, and Chile. However, infections are once again mounting in Argentina; and in Colombia, they’re reaching their highest-ever levels, raising concerns about the health system’s ability to cope as 98% of ICU beds are already in use.”

The Director said that when variants of concern circulate, it’s even more important that countries step up surveillance, especially while vaccine coverage remains low.

“Money, more than public health, has determined how quickly countries can secure the tools that they need to combat this virus. As countries that struck deals with vaccine manufacturers pull further ahead, vaccination coverage continues to linger in the single digits for much of our region.”

Moreover, Dr. Etienne warned that the pandemic is creating serious social and economic impacts.

“COVID-19 has not just ravaged our health systems, it has fractured social protection programmes and destabilised our economies,” she said, revealing that a new study from the Economic Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) reported that more than seven million companies have closed amid the pandemic.

“More than a third of people in our region are living in poverty and one in four worry about where they will get their next meal. Unemployment rates are higher here than any other developing region. The report shows how the pandemic continues to be fuelled by inequality. And unfortunately, our region is the most unequal in the world.

“We urge countries to continue prioritising health and social safety nets as part of their COVID response and as they turn their sights to COVID recovery,” she added. (TL)

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Caribbean

News

COVID cases fluctuate across Pan Am region

admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 11:50:01 +0000

COVID cases fluctuate across Pan Am region

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admin Fri, 07/23/2021 - 11:50

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NationNews Barbados — nationnews.com

Original Article

COVID cases fluctuate across Pan Am region

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While COVID positive cases are down nearly 20 per cent from last week, many countries, including the United States of America, are seeing a resurgence of infections.

That is according to director of the Pan American Health Organisation, Dr Clarissa Etienne, who was delivering remarks during a media briefing earlier today.

“This week alone the region has reported nearly 74 million cases of the COVID-19 virus, and 1.9 million deaths, accounting for more than one third of COVID cases and more than 40 per cent of deaths reported worldwide this week,” she said.

Many Central American nations are also seeing new cases including El Salvador where a consistent increase in daily cases was noted between late June and early July. Similarly, in Guatemala, at a departmental level, there were surges in COVID deaths in the past two weeks.

In North America, the United States of America and Mexico are reporting an increase in new infections across most states.

COVID infections, hospitalisations and deaths are dropping across most of the continent including Brazil, Peru, Paraguay and Chile.

Etienne once again sounded the call for countries to vaccinate as many of their citizens as they can, as they sought to reduce numbers across the globe. (RA)

Caribbean

News

Barbados on a digital high

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 21:20:02 +0000

Barbados on a digital high

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admin Thu, 07/22/2021 - 21:20

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Original Publisher

Business – Barbados Today

Original Article

Barbados on a digital high

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) says regional states, including Barbados, could dramatically increase employment levels and improve sustainable development if they closed the digital connectivity gap with nations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Importantly, the study has revealed that in Latin America and the Caribbean, major broadband penetration and 4G technology coverage gaps still existed compared with OECD countries.

Moreover, the average citizen in the region was spending more than 20 per cent of his or her income to access broadband services, a level way above the three per cent recommended by the International Telecommunication Union to make it affordable.

At the same time, the new IDB study titled Digital Gap in Latin America and the Caribbean: Annual Broadband Development Index Report, showed Barbados ranked among the top performers, making significant strides in the area.

The study, which evaluated the state of broadband penetration in 26 countries in the region and estimated the size of the gap vis-à-vis OECD nations.

The study suggested that millions of direct jobs could be created in the Caribbean and Latin America, leading to economic growth of approximately 7.7 per cent and result in an increase in productivity by 6.3 per cent.

There was good news in the study about Barbados in the global ranking of the index, which included a total of 65 countries.

“Barbados, Uruguay, and Argentina were the countries that advanced the most in the ranking, climbing 11, nine, and six positions, respectively, from 2018. In the case of Barbados, the reason for the hike was a dramatic improvement in the Public Policies and Strategic Vision pillar; in Uruguay, in the Infrastructure pillar; and in Argentina, in the Strategic Regulation pillar,” it was noted.

The best-placed regional country in the 2020 ranking was Barbados, in position 31, followed by Chile, Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and The Bahamas, in positions 33, 38, 39, 40, 42, and 43, respectively.

“Delays in improving connectivity and digitalization in Latin American and Caribbean countries have dramatically exacerbated the economic and social impact of COVID-19. But this reality also offers a historic opportunity to reduce inequality, and create jobs and sustainable economic growth,” said IDB president Mauricio Claver-Carone.

“The IDB is taking steps to drive a digital ecosystem that will help the region attain these investments, design national broadband plans, and create the public-private partnerships needed to expand coverage for all citizens, especially those who are most vulnerable,” he added.

To close the gap, countries in the region would need US$68.5 billion, according to the IDB. Of the total, 59 per cent should go to improving connectivity in urban areas, something which is mostly handled by the private sector.

In contrast, 41 per cent would go to rural areas, where public investment is typically the main source of funding. According to the study, more public-private partnerships were needed to close the divide with OECD countries.

Based on the index’s results, the report has recommended that for Caribbean countries, there should be greater investment in infrastructure and in updating regulatory frameworks.
(IMC1)

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