Historic Plan To Get Haitians Mortages

The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and the Haiti Reconstruction Fund (HRF) are providing US$47 million in funding for a programme

Freeze In UK Air Passenger Duty

Chancellor of the Exchequer Chancellor George Osborne today told the House of Commons that there will be no increase in the Air Passenger Duty (APD) until 2012.

He also indicated that a consultation would commence straightaway to examine the efficacy of the current distance banding for assessing the duty.

“It is no doubt welcome news for the viability of the UK national transportation system and for foreign destinations heavily dependent upon British holidaymakers that the Air Passenger Duty will not be increased,” said Business Travel Coalition chairman Kevin Mitchell.

“However, the current levels of duty still represent a huge problem and they must be radically reduced to bring the UK back into competitive alignment with other countries for meetings, incentive trips and conventions. The next order of business is to expand the coalition of concerned parties outside the UK and deepen communications with UK government officials.”

The news should also be welcomed by Caribbean tourism stakeholders who say the tax is unfair.

Source

Oil $101/barrel Gold Nearly $1500/oz

New York oil prices briefly hit $101 on Wednesday, as Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi’s regime loyalists clashed with opposition rebels, while safe-haven gold struck another record high point.

Caribbean Faces Uncertain Times

This year promises to be another hard slog for many Caribbean economies.

Antigua Government Sued For US$1Million

National Security Minister Dr Errol Cort is facing a US$1 million lawsuit filed by investors in the Stanford International Bank (SIB) yesterday – the last day they were allowed by law to submit such a claim.

Regional Countries Vulnerable To Food Price Hikes

Like two sides of the same worn coin, the spiraling costs of food stuffs across the globe have raised the spectrum of a new food crisis in some Caribbean countries while simultaneously benefitting most others in Latin America with windfall profits, said the region’s top World Bank officials.

The Threat Of Rising Food Prices

This is as much a part of what’s wrong with our financial sector as the Greek and Irish debt crises.

World Food Prices Skyrocket For Seventh Consecutive Month

World food prices surged to a new historic peak in January, for the seventh consecutive month, according to the updated FAO Food Price Index, a commodity basket that regularly tracks monthly changes in global food prices.

Caribbean Faces Uncertain Times

This year promises to be another hard slog for many Caribbean economies.

Thousands Of Haitians Targeted For Job Training

The Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)announced a US$4 million grant for a project to provide job training to 9,000 unemployed and out-of-school young Haitians.

Barbados Concerned About High Food Import Bill

A senior government official is concerned about Barbados‘s high food import bill, stressing that every effort will be made to boost local agricultural production.

Stanford Trial Delayed Over Drug Addiction

Fraud accused Allen Stanford has been granted a delay in his criminal trial while he gets treatment for a prescription drug addiction.

Sustainable Development Project Launched For Haiti

The United Nations and its partners have launched a 20-year, US$200 million environmental recovery programme in south-west Haiti that aims to benefit more than 200,000 people and show that sustainable rural development, from fisheries to tourism, is indeed practical. 

Standord Investors Rush To Sue US Government

Victims of Allen Stanford’s alleged multi-billion dollar fraud are racing against time to sue the United States government in an attempt to get back the money they lost.

Hungary, Ireland And Others Snatch Retirement Accounts Is California Next?

The avalanche of failing governments in Europe has left many legislators with no choice but to seize European taxpayer savings and pension accounts to cover the governments’ bills.

EU’s Economic Recovery Gloomy – IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns that the euro zone debt crisis could dash EU’s hopes for economic recovery, amid continuing financial turmoil in the region.

Crisis of Fiat Currencies: US Dollar Surpluses Converted into Gold China, Russia, Iran are Dumping the Dollar

Something is going on that your government does not want you to know about. Very few journalists have written about it and

Ireland Swallows Bitter Pill Asked For Bailout

Debt-crippled Ireland formally applied Sunday for a massive EU-IMF loan to stem the flight of capital from its banks, joining Greece

Jamaica Airport To Be Renamed After James Bond Author

The Boscobel Aerodrome in Jamaica is be renamed the Ian Fleming International Airport in honour of the late James Bond author who lived in the northeastern parish of St Mary where the facility is located.

Barbados Aims For Civil Aviation Big Leagues

Government’s Civil Aviation Department is working assiduously to attain Category 1 Status for Barbados in accordance with the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).