Pulse of the Caribbean

#111 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 2 Week of September 15

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The Caribbean region faces growing military tensions as the US deploys advanced F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico for drug trafficking operations while Venezuela mobilizes troops across hundreds of battlefronts in response. This among the headlines on today’s Episode. Here are other stories making Caribbean headlines.

  • BVI Finance strengthens Latin American partnerships at STEP-LATAM Conference in Mexico City
  • Antigua and Barbuda announces visa-free travel agreement between Africa and Caribbean nations
  • Caribbean Development Bank reports persistent youth unemployment despite labor shortages 
  • World Bank Group appoints first Latin American woman as Vice President for the region
  • Jamaica breaks ground on new state-of-the-art music museum celebrating the nation's cultural heritage 

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Listen and subscribe to the  Pulse of the Caribbean Caribbean News Round Up for news you need to know. 

Send news releases and information to news@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 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 2, for the week of September 15th. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We start our report today in Puerto Rico.

Speaker 2:

Five fifth-generation US F-35 fighter jets landed at Roosevelt Roads, a former Puerto Rico US military base, as a part of US President Donald Trump's deployment to combat Caribbean drug trafficking. Fifth-generation stealth fighters are the most advanced. The deployment followed US Defense Secretary Pete Hexet's surprise visit to Puerto Rico and Washington's raid on a Venezuelan gang ship carrying cocaine in the southern Caribbean Sea. Peter Hexet, who was recently renamed Secretary of War, visited Puerto Rico this month with Dan Cain, the top US general. With Dan Cain, the top US general, venezuela Minister Van Gil stated Saturday that US Navy destroyer soldiers boarded a Venezuelan fishing boat in South American waters on Friday a direct provocation, adding that Venezuela demands the United States immediately halt these actions that risk security and peace in the Caribbean. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has mobilized troops on 284 battlefronts to secure all coastlines of Venezuela In reaction to US measures. Thousands of troops and militia participated in Plan Independencia 200, drills to safeguard Venezuelan sovereignty. Along with Puerto Rico, us troops are on St Croix in the US Virgin Islands.

Speaker 2:

Our next stop is the British Virgin Islands Finance sponsored and attended the 2025 Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners Latin American Conference, known as STEP-LATAM, in Mexico City September 4-5. This premier event brought together renowned law, accounting, banking, trust and estate planning and investment and advising professionals in Latin America to plan, structure and manage wealth. In conjunction with Step Latam, bvi Finance presented BVI Connect Cultivating Global Partnerships, a gathering to strengthen ties and share information with Latin American partners. The event examined the British Virgin Islands' longstanding top status among Latin American clients. The British Virgin Islands' legal and regulatory strengths, adaptive and creative financial services and exceptional record of balancing transparency with privacy and customer confidentiality were discussed. Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners hosts the largest private wealth conference for Latin American clients. Over 21,000 members in 95 countries make STEP a global platform for trust and estate planning. Education, professional growth and collaboration. Wealth management, corporate services, trust fund administration and digital assets are the British Virgin Islands' strategic strengths attracting worldwide corporations, investors and financial experts.

Speaker 2:

Now on to Antigua and Barbuda. Prime Minister Gaston Brown of Antigua and Barbuda said that leaders at the recent Africa-Caribbean summit in Addis Ababa, ethiopia, agreed to provide visa-free travel between Africa and the Caribbean. Brown remarked on the Brown and Brown show that the move will promote cultural and people-to-people exchange trade, investment and education to people exchange trade, investment and education. He stated that Ethiopian Airlines, ghana Aviation and Airpeace are negotiating direct aviation links targeting at least one weekly charter or scheduled service. The visa waivers and air links are part of a summit strategy to enhance Africa-Caribbean integration, boost investment and promote intellectual and student interactions.

Speaker 2:

In other news from Antigua and Barbuda, gaston Brown, the prime minister, said that the government needed 50 skilled Dominican Republic workers to alleviate a labor deficit. The personnel, mostly carpenters and masons, were hired to speed up national housing program home deliveries. Mr Brown stated on the Brown and Brown show, even after two years of advertising, there was insufficient local applicants From Antigua and Barbuda. We now head to the Caribbean Development Bank's 2024-2025 Economic Review. While nationalinidad and Tobago and Belize have 15% youth unemployment, belize, jamaica, grenada, the Bahamas and Barbados have youth employment gaps over 10%, despite tourism and construction labor shortages. This difference shows persisting difficulty in integrating young people into the workforce, according to the Caribbean Development Bank's 2024-2025 Economic Review. To bridge the gap and encourage inclusive economic growth, skill development and youth employment policies are needed.

Speaker 2:

Next up, the World Bank Group names new vice president overseeing Latin America and the Caribbean. After this For Pulse of the Caribbean, podcast, advertising or marketplace feature opportunities email biz B-I-Z. At pulseofthecaribbeancom. Get your ads in front of our ever-expanding Caribbean and diaspora community. Contact us at biz B-I-Z. At pulseofthecaribbeancom. Engage in networking and advertising with Pulse of the Caribbean. This is the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 2,.

Speaker 2:

For the week of September 15th, the World Bank Group named Susana Cordero Guerra Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean. Effective immediately, she will supervise a $41.5 billion US dollar portfolio of projects and coordinate the bank's interaction with 31 regional governments. Her office will be the bank's interaction with 31 regional governments. Her office will be the bank headquarters in Washington DC. Latin American women have never held this leadership position until Ms Cadero Guerra. She specializes in development effectiveness, institutional capacity building and innovative financial solutions. Ms Codera-Guerra said as I begin this role, my priority is to support Latin America and the Caribbean in creating quality jobs that are the foundation of inclusive growth and poverty reduction. Jobs give income dignity, community strength and opportunity, working with governments, the commercial sector and local partners can foster investment and innovation for more resilient economies and flourishing societies. She led fiscal and economic policies, promoted data-driven policymaking and supported financial innovation at the Inter-American Development Bank.

Speaker 2:

Before her appointment, and here's our final note, the Institute of Jamaica Jamaica Music Museum is getting a new home, a modern home. Olivia Grange, minister of Culture, gender, entertainment and Sports for Jamaica, broke ground on the downtown Kingston development at East Street and Tower Street. She said that the new structure will be a living monumental edifice that will reflect the past, the present and the future. She added that the new state-of-the-art structure will showcase a more expanded collection, a museum that resonates with pulsating performances and Jamaican cultural expression. The day also saw the minister unveil two new Institute of Jamaica exhibitions. These are Jamaica Music Museums from African to Jamaican Music and Creolized Black Culture, a Display and the Natural History Museum of Jamaica's New Permanent Exhibition Gallery. The Jamaica Music Museum exhibition demonstrates the power of music as a multidisciplinary connector and as a compelling chronicle of Afro-Jamaican legacy and socio-political history. Grange added art, music and history tell our story and how far we've come. Ms Grange said the Natural History Museum's new permanent display will offer opportunities for young people and everyone to learn about the environment that has shaped our identity as Jamaicans. The display encourages scientific study and educates the public about Jamaica's biodiversity and natural history.

Speaker 2:

This podcast has been brought to you by 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 or information you'd like to share with us? Send news releases to news at pulseofthecaribbeancom. This has been your Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 2, for the week of September 15th. Greetings to our listeners in the British Virgin Islands, puerto Rico and the UK. Thanks for listening and do spread the word and share our 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 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.