Grenada Sports Pass

Maurice Bishop International Airport

noreply@blogger.com (grenadafocus) — Sat, 30 May 2009 00:06:00 +0000

In less that 24 hrs visitors arriving at Grenada's International airport will be greeted with a new name - Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA). The official name change is carded for May 30th 2009 at 3:30pm and from all indications hundreds of Grenadianns are expected to gather at the airport for this historic ceremony.

During the 2008 election campaign, the now ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) had made a promise to the electorate that when in government the airport in Grenada and Carriacou will be renamed. This decision has sparked debate from anti-Maurice Bishop forces in the country, however Minister of Tourism Hon. Peter David says this is long overdue and most Grenadians welcome the change.

The entire project is expected to cost the authority under $50,000.

Launch of Spicemas 2K9 in UK

noreply@blogger.com (grenadafocus) — Sat, 16 May 2009 21:06:00 +0000

Teachers ready for the polls

noreply@blogger.com (grenadafocus) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:31:00 +0000

17 nominations were received for the 9 positions up for contention.

Current president general of the GUT Marvin Andall will not be contesting the seat however, Lydon Lewis & Kenny James first & second vice presidents respectively has been nominated for the position.

The two have also been nominated for the 1^st Vice President position.

Carlton Lendore, who is the representative for teachers on the sister isle is the lone nominee for the 2^nd vice president’s position and indications are that once he accepts the nomination then he will be the new vice president.

Current General Secretary Leonora George will not be contesting that position which means that current assistant secretary Tessa Mc Quilken who is the only nominee for the position will assume that post.

Jennifer Rodney has been nominated for the position of Assistant General Secretary.

Glydon Christopher who is the current treasurer along with Jessie Sylvester has been nominated for the treasurer position.

8 people were nominated to sit as trustees including the current representatives.

Teachers will go to the polls on March 10^th to elect a new executive which will take charge of the affairs of the GUT.

Fourth season of Internship Program comes to a close.

noreply@blogger.com (grenadafocus) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:42:00 +0000

Fifteen young students from four learning institutions on the island completed an eight-week internship program with Crown Princess, and a graduation ceremony was held on Tuesday April 1st, 2008.

The Internship Program which has been offered by Princess Cruise Lines in Grenada since 2004, offers participants hands-on training in functional areas of hospitality.

This includes bar operations, accommodation and pursers department.

Personnel & Training Manager Mark Teubert says that the role of the program is to give the students the necessary tools that they need to work in the hospitality arts. He said that "it's a good thing they have ongoing and he hopes that to branch off into different areas as it progress with the program getting even better"..

Minister of Tourism, Dr. Honourable Clarice Modeste-Curwen says programs like these are very important in the development of the tourism sector.

The students in the Internship Program were drawn from New Life Organisation (NEWLO), TA Marryshow Community College (TAMCC), Program for Adolescent Mothers (PAM) and UNESCO

Growing Pollution Threats

noreply@blogger.com (grenadafocus) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:11:00 +0000

Pollution can take many forms. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the ground where we grow our food, and even the increasing noise we hear every day—all contribute to health problems and a lower quality of life.

More than 10 million people in eight different countries are at serious risk for cancer, respiratory diseases, and premature death because they live in the 10 most polluted places on Earth, according to a report by the Blacksmith Institute, a non-profit organization that works to identify and solve specific environmental problems worldwide.

Smog, or ground-level ozone, creates serious health risks for children and seniors, and causes or aggravates many respiratory illnesses.

The (EPA) Environmental Protection Agency lists indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental risks to public health, and the concentrations of some toxic chemicals that cause indoor air pollution are five times higher inside your car than at your home or office.

More than half the world’s population—about 3 billion people—cook their meals with wood, dung, coal and other solid fuels over open fires or on simple stoves inside their homes, and that simple act is killing 1.5 million people every year, according to a report by the World Health Organization.

Modern stoves that burn cleaner fuels could be installed cheaply, but would create enormous health and economic benefits.

Kern Mason

Decline of the US Dollar

noreply@blogger.com (grenadafocus) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:09:00 +0000

The depreciation of the US dollar has been closely bound up with the movement of oil prices, as world oil trade is typically denominated in this currency.
The relationship between oil and the US dollar has been at the heart of the way international economic relations have been organised for more than half a century.

More than 60 per cent of the foreign exchange reserves held by central banks of all countries, 80 per cent of all international currency transactions are in US dollar assets.

Oil is the central commodity of manufacturing free enterprise, absolutely essential for the production of essential and widely used goods. All industrial economies, and most developing ones, would grind to a halt with even a moderate disruption of oil supplies.
Most of the world oil trade has operated and continues to operate in US dollars, even when the US is not the trade partner. As a result, oil importing countries also pay in US dollars.
So as the US dollar continues to decline, one can expect the price of oil to increase, which will in turn affect the price of household & other products throughout the world.
Kern Mason

Breaking Cycle of Crime & Violence

noreply@blogger.com (grenadafocus) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:04:00 +0000

In today’s world with the help of the media (TV, film, rap music, magazines, video games, etc.) the gangster image has become glamorized – no longer is there any sense of shame and failure to be jailed for criminal activity or to have a police record.
Often too the media focus on the double standards of some of our political, religious and business leaders and ignore the healthy role models represented by other leaders in society.
Unfortunately, some young people in small-island communities are influenced by all this and want to imitate the criminal heroes. It is a struggle for the small-island family and community to raise and educate their young under these conditions.
If the death penalty and threat of prison worked as a deterrent in free societies today, then why does America have the greatest prison population in the world? America has over 2 million people in prison (25% of the world’s total prisoners) and the rates for crime and murder are still increasing. The tough law and order system of the past 30 years is not working to protect America’s society.
So tougher laws and punishment are not the answer, However, Smarter laws, rehabilitation, and drug treatment can help take us in the right direction.
It will teach a lesson to everyone.
Kern Mason

What can be done to help alleviate Rural Poverty In Grenada

noreply@blogger.com (grenadafocus) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:31:00 +0000

Grenada has one of the highest unemployment rates in the Caribbean. As of January 1ST , 2007 the island ranked 57th in the world and 6th in the Caribbean with an unemployment rate of 12.5%. Unemployment is highest among young persons and people living in rural areas. People will all have different reasons as to why this is so which include economic & historical factors along with the economie's vulnerability as a small island state.

In a report by the International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD), it states that "Poverty and the limitations of a small island economy affect rural youth, restricting their opportunity to complete schooling or to find employment. Young men in particular feel disenfranchised and participate less at the community level, so it is more difficult to involve them in economic activities. Young people see agriculture as an unsatisfactory employment option unless they have control over family lands. The tourism sector holds much more appeal for them, but they may lack appropriate qualifications and skills".

Statistics

Poverty, hunger and malnutrition

More than one billion people in the world live on less than US$1 a day
2.7 billion struggle to survive on less than US$2 per day
More than 800 million people go to bed hungry every day, including 300 million children
Every 3.6 seconds a person dies of starvation, and most of those who die are children under age of 5
Every year 6 million children die from malnutrition before their fifth birthday

Source: Millennium Project

Grenada'a Economy

noreply@blogger.com (grenadafocus) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:03:00 +0000

Over the last several years, the agricultural sector has seen decreased productivity, inadequate inputs and infestation by pests and diseases. One result was that, because of poor-quality production, banana exports were blocked for two years. Approximately 26% of the country's import are food items.
In 2004 Grenada’s GDP amounted to US$436.1 million, and gross national income per capita was US$3,760. The national debt more than doubled between 2000 and 2004. Over the last two decades, tourism has become the main source of foreign exchange earnings. Grenada’s economy is adversely affected by a lack of integration among economic sectors.

Tourism & Agriculture has been the main pillar of Grenada's Economy for many years. What can be done to help these two sectors rebound?