REDjet Update

The Barbados-based REDjet had been battling to get clearance to fly to both countries starting May 15 with the Trinidad flights.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  – Low-budget carrier REDjet yesterday opened bookings for flights in and out of Trinidad and Tobago with 37,000 flights at US$9.99, in time for people from the twin-island republic to get to Barbados for its Crop Over festival.

The flights between Barbados and Trinidad begin on July 28.

However, Jamaica flights are still in limbo as the airline awaits official word from the authorities there.

Aviation officials in both countries this weekend announced that REDjet would be allowed to fly, but up to yesterday the airline said that it had “not received official word from authorities in Jamaica and are not yet authorized to commence services”.

Caribbean film company lands major deal

 CTWD is the first full-service film distribution company in the English-speaking Caribbean, and aims to become the go-to solution for producers and buyers of Caribbean-themed content.

NEW YORK, United States, – A Caribbean film company has announced a major deal with a veteran New York-based distributor to promote Caribbean culture to global audiences.

The Barbados-based CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (CTWD) has entered a new partnership with New York's Third World Newsreel (TWN), linking the region's premier sales and distribution company for Caribbean films with a seasoned educational distributor, in a deal that will allow both companies to distribute each other's Caribbean-themed content across their respective networks.

Barbados spending millions to diversify sugar industry

 Senator Darcy Boyce says Government is looking at producing bagasse outside of the sugar industry.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  – Government plans to embark on a BDS$200 million (US$100 million) project to diversify the sugar industry with bagasse, ethanol, special sugars and molasses.

This was revealed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Darcy Boyce, who says Government is also looking at producing bagasse outside of the sugar industry.

Don't panic, Finance Minister tells Barbadians

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Monday June 20, 2011 – Finance Minister Chris Sinckler, is urging Barbadians "not to push the panic button" because of a downgrade of the island's domestic currency rating by international rating agency Moody's.

Last Tuesday, Moody's downgraded Barbados' domestic credit rating from Baa2 to Baa3, and revised the country's outlook to negative, while affirming its rating on Barbados' foreign currency bonds. Twenty-four hours after that report was issued, another ratings agency, Standard and Poor's, reported that the island's economy was accelerating and maintained the island's BBB- investment grade rating and its economic outlook as "stable".

Saying that he was still puzzled about Moody's latest rating, Sinckler insisted that the island's economy was in a better position today than in 2010.

Barbados a step closer to 100% free Wi-Fi

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Thursday June 2, 2011 – The Barbados Entrepreneurship Foundation’s (BEF) mission to provide free Wi-Fi service across the island by November 11 this year has received another boost with the active participation of a leading law firm.

LEX Caribbean, which also has offices in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and London, is the latest company to unlock their Wi-Fi in furtherance of the BEF initiative. LEX Caribbean now provides free access via a signal that extends approximately a kilometre to the West and North of their offices in the south of the country.

REDjet appeals to CARICOM

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Thursday June 2, 2011 – Amid continuing delays in starting operations in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, REDjet’s CEO and Chairman Ian Burns has turned to CARICOM for assistance.

He has written to acting Secretary General Lolita Applewhaite saying that due to the critical nature of air transport infrastructure and “the widely reported obstructionism REDjet has faced trying to enter many regional markets”, the airline wanted consideration given to a motion to support open competition for inter-regional travel, as exists in much of extra-regional travel though open skies agreements.

INKED AGAIN?

Rihanna is known for her love of tattoos and so far has at least 14 etchings on her skin. However, the Bajan beauty has seemingly become addicted to inking and may be adding to her collection. The 23-year-old visited a tattoo parlour in New York yesterday, seemingly on a mission to get a new design. Rihanna wore a short-sleeved, long, black dress with a thigh-high split.

She dressed down her ensemble with flat black sneakers and carried a large denim Prada bag. Her long-flame-coloured hair cascaded over her shoulders in wavy curls and she carried a red rose that a fan gave her just before she entered the store. It's not yet known what the feisty star had done but it will only be a matter of time before she shows it off if she had a new one added.

REDjet supporters launch petition

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Monday May 30, 2011 – A petition has been created by supporters of regional low-cost carrier REDjet to force the authorities in Jamaica and Trinidad to give the airline clearance to fly there.

The ‘Freedom of Caribbean Air Travel’ petition, created over the weekend, had garnered more than 125 signatures from people all across the region, including those two countries, by this morning.

The document, addressed to the Governments of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, appeals for an explanation for the REDjet delays.

Rihanna wins Radio award at Billboard

"Barbados we got another one!"

And with those words, Barbados' own singing sensation Rihanna collected her award tonight at the Billboard Awards in Las Vegas. She won the Billboard Top Radio Artiste award. Rihanna was up against the likes of Usher, Drake and Bruno Mars.

Rihanna, with her flaming red tresses and clad in all white pants suit, also hailed music mogul Jay-Z.

Rihanna opened the show with Britney Spears with the remake of her hit S&M. She is expected to host the Billboard Awards after party. (CM)

Bob Marley still on top

He’s been dubbed the Master Blaster Jammer, the Black Moses, the Reggae King, modern day prophet and other fitting tributes.

These accolades only serve to confirm Robert Nesta Marley as undoubtably the most important figure in Jamaican and 20th century music. Unlike mere pop stars, he was also a religious figure and a major international record seller, a Rastaman whose Vibrations have shaken the world with tremors that will long outlive his short life.

May 11 this year marked the 30th annniversary of his death at just age 36 and WE Magazine today pays tribute to Marley with the excerpts from an article by Barbara Campbell featured in the 2010-2011 edition of the UK magazine Black Heritage Today.

CHTA head: Tourism now ‘half dead’

GOVERNMENTS in the region have practically killed the tourism industry.

This charge comes from CEO and director general of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Alec Sanguinetti.

Addressing members of the media last week at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC) at Iberostar Hotel and Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Sanguinetti lamented: “We have repeatedly said that Government must not kill the golden goose, but the goose is already half dead. There is not much more to kill.

100 per cent Legend

John Legend embodies music. With his “old school” voice that can float between falsetto passages and deep tenor bordering on bass, he gives at least 95 per cent of himself to his audience.

He’d probably tell you it’s 100 per cent, based on his mission to give the audience 100 minutes in every performance, instead of the traditional 90-minute set.

Switching between his seat at the piano and standing before the microphone, then suddenly leaping on top of the piano, Legend puts his all into the music, as he told WE Magazine.

Barbados economy on the rebound, says PM

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) -- Figures for 2010 show the Barbados economy has stopped contracting and there was evidence of modest advancement, reinforced by a 2.8 percent growth in the first three months of this fiscal year.

Now is the time for all citizens and businesses to be recommitted to the sustainable development of Barbados, "as a just and thriving society", emphasised Prime Minister Freundel Stuart on Wednesday, as he delivered the feature address at the 51st Annual General Meeting and Luncheon of the Barbados Employers' Confederation (BEC).

Caribbean on Wendy’s radar, Trinidad and Guyana up first

ATLANTA (AP) - Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. plans to develop 24 Wendy's restaurants in the next 10 years throughout the Eastern Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago and eight other markets.

 The first of these restaurants will open in Trinidad in 2011, the company said in a news release Wednesday.

Beenie warns Barbados to stop pressuring Jamaicans

DANCEHALL deejay Beenie Man has warned immigration officials in that country to stop pressuring Jamaicans, reports the Barbados Nation.

“Ease up Jamaican. Stop pressure Jamaican,” he said from the stage at the Reggae Beach Party in Brandons Beach, St Michael last Sunday.

In reference to the ongoing dispute about alleged mistreatment of Jamaicans by Barbados immigration, the entertainer — real name Moses Davis — claimed that several of his friends had similar experiences.

Barbados PM breaks silence on Shanique Myrie case

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said surveillance cameras will be installed at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) as Barbados continues to deal with the controversy sparked by allegations by a Jamaican woman that she had been sexually abused by immigration officials on her arrival here last month.

In his first televised news conference with the state-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) yesterday night, Stuart, who became head of government following the death of Prime Minister David Thompson last October, said that 20-year-old Shanique Myrie is free to return to Barbados and identify the person who assaulted her.

Holder sets new record at Carifta swimming

Barbados added 14 more medals to its tally on day 2 of the CARIFTA Swimming Championships at the Aquatic Centre on Sunday night, to bring the overall medal haul to 25.

Barbados now has nine gold, nine silver and seven bronze medals and sits atop the medal standings as a result of a superior gold medal tally. Trinidad is second with 28 medals (eight gold, 11 silver, nine bronze) and Bahamas is third with 20 medals (seven gold, five silver and eight bronze).

Regional nurses to be trained and encouraged, says Barbados minister

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- The need for improvements in the quality and quantity of nurses in the region has been put on the front burner by health ministers, who recently concluded the 21st meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council of Human and Social Development (COHSOD) held in Guyana.

In making the disclosure to the media, Barbados Health Minister Donville Innis said the conference accepted the model curriculum of the Regional Nursing Body (RNB), the body in the CARICOM that oversees nursing issues.

Canadian work making Caribbean migrants sick

Jamaica and Barbados are among Caribbean countries which have sent scores of people overseas to work on Canadian farm labour programmes. (File photo)

According to reports in the Canadian press, the research has found that workers from Mexico, Jamaica, the Philippines and other countries develop ailments linked to the work they do on Canadian farms, largely in British Columbia and Ontario.

Embassy hosts Facebook discussion on visa issues

The US Embassy says the aim is to demystify the world of visas via social media.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Monday April 18, 2011 – The United States Embassy to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean is responding to the calls of the nearly 11,000 fans of its Facebook page. It will launch two official discussion threads on its Facebook page to respond to the scores of questions we receive on visa issues and American citizen services.

Starting tomorrow, people will be able to post their questions about visas and American citizen services in the two discussion threads which will be titled American Citizens Services Q&A and Visas Q&A.