Five countries pledge personnel for Haiti security mission, UN says
United Nations Reuters The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin and Chad have formally notified the United Nations of their intent to contribute personnel to an international force to help Haitian national police fight armed gangs, a UN spokesman said on Thursday. Contributions of $US10.8 million have also been deposited into a trust fund to support the […]
Barbados PM Mottley calls for slavery reparation conversations
London, UKReuters Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley used a speech in London on Wednesday to call for a global conversation on reparations for countries that saw their people enslaved, sometimes for centuries, under colonial rule. “The conspiracy of silence has diminished the horror of what our people faced,” Mottley said in a lecture at the […]
African, Caribbean nations join forces to call for reparations for slavery
Reuters Representatives from various African and Caribbean entities joined forces at a historic event this week in the capital of Barbados, Bridgetown, to demand reparations for slavery and its legacy in today’s society. The University of the West Indies, the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union, Barbados’ government, grant-making network Open Society […]
Ecuador seals record debt-for-nature swap with Galapagos bond
London, UK/New York, US Reuters Ecuador sealed the world’s largest “debt-for-nature” swap on record on Tuesday, selling a new “blue bond” that will funnel at least $US12 million a year into conservation of the Galapagos Islands, one of the world’s most precious ecosystems. Having bought back roughly $US1.6 billion of the country’s debt at a […]
Essay: How Putin’s war and small islands are accelerating the global shift to clean energy, and what to watch for in 2023
International sustainable development expert RACHEL KYTE, in an article published on The Conversation, looks at some of the “significant changes” which are underway and have the potential to create a more sustainable world…
Does the Commonwealth have a future after Queen Elizabeth?
London, UKReuters As Queen Elizabeth celebrates her 70th year on the throne, there are questions about whether the Commonwealth of Nations, which she was instrumental in creating and remains one of her proudest achievements, has a future when her reign is over. The Commonwealth evolved out of the British empire, and Elizabeth became its head […]
UK’s Prince William says he wants to serve after Caribbean criticism
London, UKReuters Prince William has said he is committed to service and “not telling people what to do” after a tour of the Caribbean that was marked by protests over the British empire and criticism that the trip reflected a throwback to colonial times. William released the statement at the end of an eight-day tour […]
British royals arrive in The Bahamas amid colonial reckoning
Nassau, BahamasReuters Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate arrived in The Bahamas on Thursday for the third leg of a Caribbean tour that has been marked by protests over the British Empire’s legacy and signs of waning influence of the monarchical system. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge faced a protest by Belize villagers […]
British royal couple starts Caribbean tour dogged by protest in Belize
Belize City, BelizeReuters Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate arrived in Belize on Saturday for a weeklong Caribbean tour that was marred by a local protest before it even began amid growing scrutiny of the British Empire’s colonial ties to the region. The arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge coincides with the […]
Commonwealth nations face hurdles to follow Barbados’ republican path
Kingston, Jamaica Reuters Barbados’ declaration of a republic on Tuesday may fuel fervor in other Commonwealth countries to follow suit, but experts say removing the queen requires overcoming political hurdles that have for decades stymied republican initiatives. Barbados inaugurated President Sandra Mason as its head of state on Tuesday to replace Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II […]