News
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WEEK ENDING December 4, 2014 | www.caribbeantimesinternational.com
Jamaica to enter tourism Over 20,000 Guyana govt employees receive timeshare market
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INGSTON, JAMAICA: Jamaica’s Senate on Friday approved the Timeshare Vacations Bill, facilitating the country’s entrance into the tourism timeshare market. Timeshare/vacation ownership is defined as a method of use and or shared ownership of vacation real estate, where purchasers acquire a period of time (often one week) in a condominium, apartment or other type of vacation accommodation. Opening the debate, minister of justice, Mark Golding, said that Jamaica is keen on developing a more sophisticated tourism product and wishes to embrace the vacation ownership market of which the timeshare concept is the most developed and most important part. He pointed out that during the last decade or so, timeshare has been the most significant driver of business in the worldwide hospitality sector, with research showing that vacation ownership is one of the fastest growing sectors
Senator Mark Golding (JIS Photo)
of global hospitality. “There is a huge market, significant potential and further growth and development of the timeshare product in the Caribbean, especially in Jamaica,” Golding said. The minister noted that, currently, Jamaica is not a player in the timeshare market as a prolonged absence of a statutory framework has precluded Jamaica from reaping the benefits of participation in the worldwide industry. The Bill seeks to give legal recognition to timeshare vacation schemes in the form of right-touse agreements, which are timeshare contracts and deeds issued in re-
spect thereof. It also regulates the marketing, promotion and provision of timeshare accommodation. The Bill also provides for the licensing of agents of proprietors of timeshare plans; the registering of the timeshare plans under which the accommodation is offered; and standardizing of information to be provided to purchasers before they enter into any timeshare contract. In his remarks, government senator, Noel Sloley, noted that the Bill adds another lucrative dimension to the nation’s tourism product. He pointed out that the Real Estate Board has been nominated as regulator or the registrar of timeshare vacations in Jamaica. For his part, opposition senator, Alexander Williams, also welcomed passage of the legislation. “I can see no reason why this Timeshare Vacations Bill is not workable,” he said. The Bill was passed in the House of Representatives in October 2014. (JIS)
British couple to sue TT for £2 million
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Peter and Murium Green
O R T - O F S P A I N , TRINIDAD: A British couple is moving to sue the TT government for £2 million, five years after a brutal machete attack in Tobago. In August 2009, Peter Green and his wife Murium were chopped and left for dead at their Bacolet Crescent home. They survived, barely, and with permanent injuries. Green, 70, a retired hotelier, had a cracked skull, fractured cheekbones, smashed teeth, limited vision after the knife cut out his left cornea, and nerve damage. Murium, who has multiple sclerosis,
had both cheekbones and eye sockets smashed, and her jaw detached. According to UK media reports, the Greens are claiming that the TT government should have warned tourists the place was “dangerous.”They are reported as saying that they suffered ongoing physical and psychological damage from the incident. The reports days after a German couple— Hubertus Keil and his wife, Birgid—were found hacked to death at Minister’s Bay, a stone’s throw from their Bacolet residence. Green is quoted as saying: "It might cost us
a lot of money but we're going to do it. We want to bring it to people's attention that these islands are dangerous. According to the report, Green said, "The authorities don't like me because I am a constant reminder of what their republic stands for. They say I've ruined their tourism industry and had an effect on hoteliers, but people need to know how dangerous this place is." The legal challenge, the report said, will begin after medical assessments. One neighbour told the TT media: "Several couples from Europe and the USA came to view the property but after they were informed of the bloody attack they have changed their minds because they are very scared knowing too that the suspect is still on the loose." The resident is very concerned and is thinking of selling her property and leaving Tobago for good. Another resident compared it to a haunted house out of a horror movie.(TT Guardian)
salary increases for 2014
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EORGETOWN, GUYANA: In light of rumours surrounding teachers’ bonuses for 2014, the Office of President (OP) has cleared the air by stating that some teachers will receive an eight per cent increase for 2014. It said that teachers earning less than Gy$50,000 monthly as at the end of December 2013 are being granted an additional three per cent increase, retroactive to January 1, 2014 across the board. This increase will benefit nurses, Police officers, etc. On top of that increase, OP said a five per cent increase has already been paid to teachers in keeping with the multiyear agreement with the Guyana Teachers’ Union
(GTU). This brings their total increase to eight per cent and circulars have already been issued to effect the payment of these increases on wages and salaries for 2014. Recently, teachers from various parts of the country have been expressing concerns over their non-receipt of wage increases or bonuses for Christmas. When Mark Lyte, the new President of the GTU took office earlier this year, he said he would be advocating for better working conditions for teachers, among other things. He said that as a part of his mandate, he will not only engage the government, but also the Private Sector to see how teachers can enjoy some
non-salaried benefits. He said while he will still be advocating for higher salaries, he felt that with the rampant increase in cost of living, an increase will not be of much help. In addition, the Office of the President said over 20,000 public servants and members of the Disciplined Forces have been granted wages and salaries increases for 2014. As of December 31, 2013, retroactive to January 1, 2014, these government employees received five to eight per cent increase of their wages and salaries. It was further explained that government employees earning above Gy$50,000 monthly, are being granted a five per cent increase across the board. (Guyana Times)
Marley's cannabis brand raises concerns in Jamaica and abroad
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INGSTON, JAMAICA: "He's smiling at what's really happening right now." Those were the words of Cedella Marley, daughter of the late reggae legend Bob Marley as she spoke on the family's decision to make Marley the face of the world's first global cannabis brand. But ever since the announcement was made a couple of weeks ago, there have been several persons whose smile has been turned upside-down by the decision. Just over two weeks ago, Privateer Holdings,
Cedella Marley
a Seattle-based company, broke news of a partnership with the Marley family that will see them using the late icon's name to market its brand of cannabis products. Under the moniker Marley Natural,
Privateer Holdings will sell premium cannabis products, including cannabis and hemp-infused lotions and balms as well as handcrafted accessories. . Ian Thomson, author of The Dead Yard: Tales of Modern Jamaica, is one such person. In an interview with UKbased media house The Guardian, the author dubbed the decision by the Marley family as a "cynical, money-generating move" before going on to say that the move would turn the late icon into the 'Marlboro Man of Marijuana'.(Jamaica Gleaner)