Pulse of the Caribbean

#102 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 3 Week of August 25

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The Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup delivers critical updates spanning marine conservation, cybersecurity initiatives, and historic land preservation across island nations. This episode highlights regional progress in technology, sustainability, and international cooperation. Here’s a look at what’s making Caribbean headlines. 

  • Cayman Islands Department of Environment tracking Caribbean reef sharks with satellite tags
  • OECS countries launching unified cybersecurity awareness campaign targeting vulnerable populations 
  • Dominican Republic preparing to host the International Anti-Corruption Conference with participants from 140 countries
  • Two Barbadian engineers become first Caribbean-certified industrial robotics specialists 
  • Trinidad and Tobago offering expertise to help Grenada develop its oil and gas sector
  • US Virgin Islands Government purchases 2,469 acres to protect historically significant land

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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. Victory Run Walk 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. Welcome to the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode three for the week of August 25th. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We start our report in the Cayman Islands.

Speaker 2:

Satellite tagging is helping the Cayman Islands Department of Environment shark research team explore Caribbean reef sharks and blacktip reef sharks' secret lifestyles. Team leader, dr Joanna Kohler said fieldwork resume in July to tag more sharks to build on their last year's data, which reveal new behavior patterns and interesting new findings. The satellite tag data from last year showed very interesting behavioral patterns in our reef sharks, kohler said on the Department of Environment website. She said that they learned more about the sharks' long-distant migrations and deep water use. This year the research team will use two types of satellite tags to track sharks far from the islands. Each shark will receive a spot tag, like spot tag, and pop-off archival tags to record temperature, depth and light levels. Kohler said the spot tag will provide live updates on sharks' whereabouts whenever they breach the service. Live locations will verify each shark's estimated track, including likelihood tracks from sharks tagged last year. The July tags will stay onto sharks until November when they are set to disengage After floating to the surface. The tags will communicate archived data. Officials say this new investigation will go deeper into the ocean and assess if these critical marine predators deserve more protection. Uk funding for the pop-off satellite archival tags to track Caribbean reef sharks throughout the Cayman Islands was acquired in 2024 by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment. Sharks are protected and endangered in the Cayman Islands due to their ecological and socioeconomic importance. Caribbean reef sharks are one of the top predators on coral reefs and are vital to their health and resources. Since March 2024, a Darwin Plus local grant of nearly $52,000 from the UK Government Biodiversity Challenge Fund has financed the initiative. It also benefits from Cayman Islands Brewery White Tip Lager Sales.

Speaker 2:

Our next stop is the OACS Government officials in Dominica, grenada, st Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines are preparing a unified cyber security and cyber crime awareness campaign with CARICOM Impacts and the OACS Commission. The World Bank-funded Caribbean Digital Transformation Project promotes OACS digital upgrading and supports strengthening Caribbean digital resilience. The campaign focuses on public awareness of cyber dangers, safe online practices and CARICOM cybersecurity and cybercrime action plan compliance. A recent regional research found inadequate knowledge among vulnerable groups like elderly, women and rural communities. This program is crucial, according to OACS Director General, dr Didicus Jules. He said as we embrace digital transformation, we must ensure that our people are equipped with the knowledge and tools to navigate the online world safely and confidently. Campaigns aim to empower, not only raise awareness, but to reach vulnerable people, including the elderly, women and rural areas, who are typically left behind in national technology conversations, to bridge the digital divide. He said, regional integration improves our ability to respond to threats, increase standards and build resilience in cybersecurity. Caricom Impact's Executive Director, lieutenant Colonel Michael Jones, says we look forward to collaborating with all stakeholders to ensure the campaign's success and to support the broader objectives of the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project. We will assist with law enforcement, training, intelligence sharing and policy creation to combat cybercrime. To secure Caribbean citizens' digital environments, we recommend combining public awareness, legislative frameworks and effective law enforcement. Each country will have engagement sessions with national authorities. Each country will have engagement sessions with national authorities, local coordinators and regional partners showcasing the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project's accomplishments, including live stream events for Caribbean audiences On August 26, the campaign launch in St Lucia.

Speaker 2:

Next will be Dominica on August 28, st Vincent and the Grenadines on September 2, and Grenada on September 4. Now on to the Dominican Republic. From December 1st to 4th 2026, with about 2,000 participants from 140 countries, under the subject Igniting the Power of Integrity, the conference will share ideas, experiences and methods to fight corruption worldwide. Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader said the event could boost international collaboration and openness and integrity measures. He stressed that the conference will build alliances and develop methods to promote integrity in politics, justice, business and finance, locally and globally. And globally, international Corruption Conference promotes governance and accountability discussions among the public, corporate sectors, civil society, media, academia and youth. Following the 2024 edition in Lithuania, which gathered over 2,000 attendees from 140 nations, the event addressed global governance, law enforcement and human rights issues.

Speaker 2:

Now we head to Barbados. Export Barbados has helped two Barbadian engineers become the first in the Caribbean to become certified in industrial robotics after completing advanced training at Fuji Automatic Numerical Control's global headquarters in Michigan. Barbadian tech firm Touchstar Robotics announced that engineers Kyle Batson and Antonio Toppin have completed training with the Fuji Automatic Numerical Control control, a prominent industrial robot and factory automation system maker that serves Tesla, bmw, amazon and Panasonic. The first credited Caribbean-based robotics integrators demonstrate Barbados' commitment to Industry 4.0 leadership, the business stated. The Ministry of Industry, innovation, science and Technology and Export Barbados supported the theoretical hands-on training. Ceo Mark Hill of Export Barbados said this aligns perfectly with our nation's green industrialization gateway advantage ambitions developing globally competitive innovation-driven talent pipelines that support re-industrialization and smart manufacturing. These young engineers are a regional exemplar Next up Trinidad and Tobago, ready to help Grenada develop its oil and gas sector.

Speaker 2:

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. This is the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 3, for the week of August 25.

Speaker 2:

After high-level meetings with Grenada, prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and other authorities. Trinidad and Tobago's Energy Minister, dr Rudal Moulinal, declared the island is ready to help Grenada expand its oil and gas sector. A media statement on August 26 said oil and gas sector. A media statement on August 26 said this collaboration will transfer skills and technology, providing jobs, income and possibilities to Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada. Moon Lanal met with Mitchell, grenada's AG, claudette Joseph, hydrocarbons Technical Working Group Chairman Nazim Burke and others August 23rd to 24th. According to the media statement, in 2012, trinidad and Tobago and Grenada signed an MOU for Energy Development Corporation. This renewed engagement builds on that MOU and signals Trinidad and Tobago's willingness to share gas and oil expertise to support Grenada's energy development. The release said Mitchell welcomed the opportunity to collaborate and pledge to deepen partnerships with Trinidad and Tobago, particularly in support services, as Grenada assesses its hydrocarbon resource potential. And here's our final note.

Speaker 2:

Governor Albert Bryan Jr of the US Virgin Islands announced a historic purchase of 2,469 acres at Maroon Ridge and Annalee Bay on St Croix. This is the Virgin Islands' largest land purchase. The area, historically a shelter for enslaved people seeking freedom, will become a part of the US Virgin Islands park system. The governor stated that the US Virgin Islands government would not leave the area unprotected and vulnerable to development. The US Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funded the purchase. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funded the purchase. Last July, noaa's Climate Ready Coast Initiative, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, awarded the US Virgin Islands $69 million to purchase four development risky properties. Noaa said in July 2024 that the funds will also be used to build a working group to guide the implementation of nature-based solutions and train local youth to provide increased local capacity for conducting restoration products.

Speaker 2:

This podcast has been brought to you by Victory Run Walk, sponsored by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. 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 natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. Have news and information you'd like to share with us. Send news releases to news at pulseofthecaribbeancom. If you have an interest in sponsoring our podcast, email us at biz B-I-Z at pulseofthecaribbeancom. This has been your Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 3, for the week of August 25th. Here's a shout out to our listeners in Puerto Rico, illinois and France. Thanks for listening and do spread the word and share a podcast with others across the region and the diaspora. I'm Keisha Blyden. See you next time.

Speaker 1:

For more Caribbean news stories and information, visit us online at pulseofthecaribbeancom. If you found value in this podcast, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and thank you in advance for choosing Pulse of the Caribbean Caribbean News Roundup as your source for Caribbean-centered news.