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Soualiga Youth is merged with Lalibela Commonunity operating in Rotterdam and Ethiopia.

Africa, Black History, Caribbean, Christianity, Lalibela Commonunity, ,

This is to certify that Soualiga Youth is now resident in Rotterdam. Out of Foundation Soualiga Youth foundation, Lalibela was formed by Bernardo Bailey and Ivan Richardson+. From now into the foreseeable future, I will highlight the work of Foundation Lalibela which is inextricably linked to Soualiga Youth since they are one and the same. Foundation Lalibela has done and is still doing, vital work here in Rotterdam for over 20 years.

Bernardo Bailey aka Ras Enoch in Shashamane Ethiopia aka Ityoppia during Foundation Lalibela’s pilgrimage to Lalibela Ethiopia.

An Ethiopian monk showing members of the Foundation Lalibela incense used in the church there in Lalibela Ethiopia.

Art work

Members of Foundation Lalibela with young men from the community in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, second from left Ivan Richardson middle Bernardo Bailey (founders of Lalibela Commonunity).

Foundation Lalibela has been supporting Ethiopians in Ethiopia since 2011 with financial assistance and the purchasing of medicine and dry goods to aid communities, families, and individuals there in Ethiopia. Recently the war in Tigray (northern Ethiopia), comprising ethno-regional militias, the Federal Government, and the Eritrean military has garnered the attention of foreign governments and NGO’ssince 2020. Foundation Lalibela – has been involved in the relief effort and I will – do several post’s about – that in the future. This is a new epoch and era in the life of this Blog, more posts will follow expounding on our work in Ethiopia and the Caribbean. Blessed love.

Shamanism A Global Value System.

Nationalism, Occultidm, politics, Pre-Aryan, Satanism, Shamanism., Sun God, Theosophy, tibet, Tibetan Shamanism, Witchcraft, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In Tibet, the pre-Buddhist cultural value system is referred to by anthropologists, the Tibetans themselves as well as a host of other disciplines and professions as a Shamanist culture. The Tibetan practitioners of Bon consider themselves to be Shamen. The Shamanism of Tibet is ancient, and it incorporates Black magic as well as so-called “white magic”. The Tibetans have written extensively about their spiritual value system a well-known work on Tibetan Shamanism is the: “Tibetan book of the Dead”. The Bonpo Shamen were and still many are members of a clan guild. The Bon Shaman like Shamen of every culture globally are visited and then possessed by an “ancestral spirit”, a god or a demon this is their own account, not mine.
The possessed would then become “divinely mad”; temporarily retreating into the wilderness the Shaman lived primitive existences i.e., “like an animal” and saw visions of him/herself devoured by animals. After the possessed returned to their clan they were taught by elder Shamen how to use their powers and how to invoke spirits to do their bidding through the incantation of mantras.

Figure: above is of Mantras/Runes carved into the rock in Tibet. The word Rune means secret or mystery in early English and related languages.

The flag of Tibet is a culture wholly given over to Shamanic principles and has been thus for thousands of years. The sun symbol is easily recognized on this flag, the “yin yang” between the lions, the two Snow Lions (associated with the heavens); they represent the East, cheerfulness, a precise and clear mind free of doubt, and the earth element. The Snow Lion is one of the Four Dignities which are the Lion, Tiger, Garuda, and Dragon they four are symbolic of the confidence the leader must develop in order to rule with wisdom and compassion.

Image: an illustration depicting the Four Dignitaries the sun is again a central theme here.

Tibetan Shamanism existed and was practiced in Tibet hundreds, if not thousands of years before Buddhism came to Tibet, it is a distinct spiritual value system that today has incorporated Buddhism. A true study of Tibetan spirituality for example, the Tibetan book of the dead will expose the student to Buddhist thought already being explored in Tibetan Shamanism, any study and practice of Buddhism will not necessarily expose one to the multi layered and complexed nature of the Shamanic culture in Tibetan Shamanism also known as Bon, Bon-po ,or Bön. Bon religion is also incorporated into their spiritual practices by Satanists as well as Witches. Iam inferring here that Tibetan Shamanic practices, are a highly complexed set of magical rituals complete with spirit possession, that is of such sophistry, that secular scholars equate their spiritual manuals as historical and cultural but have no comprehension of them , or they choose to ignore the inherent “spirituality”, as practiced by the Tibetan Shamen. The present “living god”, of Tibetan Lamaism, is the Dalai Lama Tenzien Gyatso. The Dalai Lama is held to be a god in flesh, by his followers, and a reincarnation of Buddha. A quote here from Helena Blavatsky’s “Isis Unveiled Volume I”, will lay bare some of the essence of what is being said herein. “Lamas-Buddhist monks belonging to the Lamaic religion of Tibet, as for instance friars are to the popish or Roman catholic religion. Every lama is subject to the grand Taley-, the Buddhist pope of Tibet, who holds his residence at Lhasa and is a reincarnation of Buddha”.

The “Tibetan Shamanic Wheel of Life”, which predates Buddhism yet it, incorporates in its entirety Buddhist thought. The Samsara Wheel/The Wheel of Joy is the middle illustration in the painting. From the: Tibetan Book of the Dead.

The Gyankil Chakra above represents the Samsara wheel to the left of the page.
As an example of the idea of Buddhist taught in a pre-Buddhist culture let us examine the Samsara Wheel. This Chakra is replete with Buddhist thought and it predates Buddhism, to call Tibetan Shamanism Buddhism is to miss the point entirely. Bon in its darkest manifestation is an ancient form of Sun god spirituality as such witchcraft and Satanists can and do incorporate and draw from this spirituality as it is authentic pristine sorcery. Many will be offended by the above statement their offense stems from their ignorance pertinent to spiritual matters. I will quote from the Tibetan Buddhist text entitled: “The Epitome of The Great Symbol”. “Whatever thoughts, or concepts, or obscuring [or disturbing] passions arise are neither to be abandoned nor allowed to control one; they are to be allowed to arise without one’s trying to direct [or shape] them. If one do no more than merely to recognize them as soon as they arise, and persists in so doing, they will come to be realized [or to dawn] in their true [or void] form through not being abandoned. By that method, all things which may seem to be obstacles to spiritual growth can be made use of as aids on the Path. And therefore, the method is called “The utilizing of obstacles as aids on the Path. “Though the text is called Tibetan Buddhism the thought processes expressed. were known to Tibetan Shamen and present in their literature. The quote is of the type that, “Left Hand Path”, practitioners i.e. Satanist’s”, delight in uttering hence their incorporation of Tibetan Shamanism, into their own practices.


Another example of a spiritual value system being used to sell everything, from cologne to soap is the line of Samsara products. Presently what people refer to as secular society, is not secular at all, since civilizations are built from the value systems of the people within them, and all “secular” states and governments still gather inspiration from the mythology, culture and spiritual values of their forebearers.

The flag of South Korea this flag is fully Shamanistic in its entirety. At left an original rendering of same.


The white background symbolizes the cleanliness/purity of the people, taeguks/trigrams represent the origins of all things universally, red represents the earth and blue heaven/sky.
For those who may think that what I propose here is mere supposition, I refer you to the book Liber 777 by Aleister Crowley. In the editorial preface Liber 777 is called a cabbalistic dictionary of ceremonial magic, oriental mysticism, comparative religion, and symbology.
Crowley on page 67 used the taeguks or trigrams below, in his Trigrams of the Yi King with their various attributes. The fact that the trigrams shown below, all correspond to an element namely wind, water, earth, fire all necessary for the practice of witchcraft is telling in the sense that, the Korean’s knowingly placed such symbols along with the, “Ying Yang”, on their flag thus signalling their spiritual values to the symbol literate.
The Korean Sam-Taegeuk is to the right of the page. This flag begs the question why a secular government would incorporate Shamanism, in modernity into their national flag? The lessons that history and etymology has taught humanity, has largely gone unnoticed by the majority of people, yet these symbols that are representative of “spiritual value systems”, are being used throughout modern society globally, pointing to the very spiritual nature of human beings, even in the twenty first century . I will continue here with the explanation of the colors on the Korean flag, yellow is for the Korean people, blue is symbolic of the heavens, red is the earth.
The symbolism on the sides, of both flags above are characters that have the same meaning; the meanings are as follows:

This symbol above on the right of both flags is a Korean character it is called gam.

  1. The variant meanings of the above character are as follows moon, winter, north, intelligence, son, water, and wisdom.

This character is seen at the lower half at right of both flags above called in Korean gon it stands for, earth as in nature, summer, west, courtesy, mother, earth as in one of the four elements, vitality.

  1. The final character ri is representative of the following and can be seen on the bottom left on both flags, sun, autumn, south, justice, daughter, fire, fruition.
    The Shamanist characteristic of South Korea is visible throughout the flag and its symbolism.

The Logo of the World Conference against Racism racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance a creation of the United Nations. Observe the logo an ancient Shamanic symbol used in many cultures as we have already shown throughout this book. Today it is showing up in the logo of a United Nations created “representative” body. It is indeed not surprising to me in the least as the UN is a known supporter of all things esoteric and occultic. Again, we see that organizations globally that claim to be “secular” are nothing but fronts for a spirituality that is expressly forbidden in scripture.
The flag to the right of the page was once used by what is now communist North Korea supposedly two opposing ideologies both using the same symbolism as the symbols are representative of spirit and spirit is universal and all encompassing.

The present flag of North Korea. The blue, red and white are still present and have the same meanings as the South Korean flag. Ironically, the state is called The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, all this from a dictatorial, government.

The presidential seal of the President of Communist Korea two Phoenix birds on both sides, with the national flower the Hibiscus middle at bottom of the seal. The Phoenix bird is also a sunsymbol and a prominent feature in Shamanic, occultic and esoteric spirituality globally, its use on this seal is in keeping with that tradition.

The phoenix is known in the mythology of all cultures globally the mystical bird which self-combusts into flames and is miraculously reborn from its own ashes. The phoenix also corresponds and is shown directly in the book the Goetia or the Lesser Key of Solomon, as the demon Fennex a great Marquis of Hell and has twenty legions of demons under his command, he teaches all wonderful science, he is an excellent poet and is very obedient to the conjurer his color is purple as he claims royalty, other spellings of his name is Phoenix, Pheynix and Phoenix.


Caribbean Countries among those benefitting from UN SDG Financing.

Caribbean, Covid 19, Entrpreneurship, Innovation, Leadership, politics, Sint Maarten, Technology, Thought Leaders., , , , , , , , ,

Media Release Courtesy UN Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean

Monday, July 13, 2020 — Bridgetown, Barbados – As Eastern Caribbean countries strive to build back better from COVID-19 and accelerate progress toward attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),  support is being provided as part of a historic United Nations Joint SDG Fund US$60 million grant launched to close the SDG financing gap and foster more inclusive, sustainable and resilient countries across the world.

In response to a global call, United Nations Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, in collaboration with the governments of Barbados, Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, has been awarded a USD$1 million Joint SDG Fund Grant after successfully submitting a proposal for a joint programme entitled ‘Harnessing Blue Economy Finance for SIDS Recovery and Sustainable Development’. 

The initiative will support the efforts of the three participating Eastern Caribbean governments to develop financing strategies in the Blue Economy and create an enabling framework for SDG investment. The successful proposal was among 62 joint programmes selected from 258 submissions supporting interventions in over 100 countries.

The two-year USD$1,140,000 Joint Programme will be led by the United National Development Programme (UNDP), with participation from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It will also benefit from counterpart funding of USD$140,000 from the three participating UN agencies.

The joint UN SDG Fund is a critical facet of the ongoing global UN reform, which enables the UN Sub-regional team in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean to access funding for SDG acceleration support to countries, working under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, by leveraging the individual strengths of specialized funds, agencies and programmes, to ‘deliver results as one’ and ensure that no one is left behind.

In welcoming the new joint initiative, that exemplifies the UN’s approach to ‘deliver as one’, UN Resident Coordinator, Didier Trebucq noted:

“This presents another opportunity for the UN development system working cohesively, to deepen its partnerships with Governments of the Eastern Caribbean and to foster blue economic growth through innovative financing mechanisms, while ensuring that the SDGs are at the forefront of national policy and no one is left behind.”

With the Blue Economy engaged as a driver for regional economic recovery and development, emphasis will be placed on creating an enabling environment for Blue Economy financing by identifying policy gaps, key opportunities and specific financing mechanisms for achieving resilient growth. This catalytic investment will address the current financial challenges of the beneficiary countries, including the additional financial burden arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and build on existing partnerships with the private sector and development financing institutions, as well as existing UN projects on Blue Economy and other SDG-related areas in-country.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, UNDP Resident Representative Magdy Martinez-Soliman stated:

“The COVID-19 crisis has affected the Caribbean’s ambitions to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It has drained away resources that were much needed to finance the SDGs. This Joint Programme will support Barbados, Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, in their efforts to develop financing strategies in the Blue Economy and SDG investments. The three countries are at the vanguard of the Blue Economy “wave” in the region.”  

The UN investments in 62 Joint Programmes around the world will offer pragmatic solutions, all assessed as relevant in the context of the COVID-19 crisis: from addressing reduced fiscal space to align with the SDGs amidst COVID-19 recovery and financial planning to co-creating a new generation of risk-sensitive and responsive Integrated National Financing Frameworks. The results of the investment in SDG financing interventions will begin to materialize in the first quarter of 2021, and a second component is expected to be launched by the Joint SDG Fund soon that would allow other countries to benefit.

Learn more: SDG Financing portfolio.

COVID 19’s Effect on Emerging Market and Developing Economies.

Caribbean, Covid 19, Entrpreneurship, Innovation, Leadership, NGO, politics, Sint Maarten, Technology, Thought Leaders., , , , , , , ,

St Peters Sint Martin: By Wade A Bailey.

 

 

I cite the World Bank 2020 report listed below under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/3.0/ igo. Under the Creative Commons Attribution license.

 

World Bank. 2020. Global Economic Prospects, June 2020. Washington, DC: World Bank. DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1553-9. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO.

ISSN: 1014-8906 ISBN (paper): 978-1-4648-1553-9 ISBN (electronic): 978-1-4648-1580-5 DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1553-9

 

What follows are various citations and highlights from the report listed previously, the report is used in documenting pertinent facts, that will highlight the dire looming possible economic crisis, that could engulf the global economy. The dire economic scenario presented previously, proves the unsustainability of the ‘one pillar’ economic model used, in the past by regional governments including Sint Martin, its inability to sustain the island’s populace, in a post-Covid19 world.

Global Outlook: Pandemic, Recession: The Global Economy in Crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has, with alarming speed, delivered a global economic shock of enormous magnitude, leading to steep recessions in many countries. The baseline forecast envisions a 5.2 percent contraction in global GDP in 2020—the deepest global recession in eight decades, despite unprecedented policy support. Per capita incomes in the vast majority of EMDEs are expected to shrink this year. The global recession would be deeper if bringing the pandemic under control took longer than expected, or if financial stress triggered cascading defaults. The pandemic highlights the urgent need for health and economic policy action—including global cooperation—to cushion its consequences, protect vulnerable populations, and improve countries’ capacity to prevent and cope with similar events in the future. Since EMDEs are particularly vulnerable, it is critical to strengthen their public health care systems, to address the challenges posed by informality and limited safety nets, and, once the health crisis abates, to undertake reforms that enable strong and sustainable growth. Regional Macroeconomic Implications of COVID-19. The rapid rise of COVID-19 cases, together with the wide range of measures to slow the spread of the virus, has slowed economic activity precipitously in many EMDEs. Economic disruptions are likely to be more severe and protracted in those countries with larger domestic outbreaks, greater exposure to international spillovers (particularly through exposure to global commodity and financial markets, global value chains, and tourism), and larger pre-existing challenges such as informality. Growth forecasts for all regions have been severely downgraded; Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Europe and Central Asia (ECA) in particular have large downgrades partly because of the size of their domestic outbreaks and exposure to global spillovers, while South Asia’s substantial downgrade is primarily the result of stringent lockdown measures. Many countries have avoided more adverse outcomes through sizable fiscal and monetary policy support measures. Despite these measures, per capita incomes in all EMDE regions are expected to contract in 2020, likely causing many millions to fall back into poverty. This edition of Global Economic Prospects also includes analytical chapters on the short- and long-term growth impact of the pandemic, as well as on global implications of the recent plunge in oil prices. Lasting Scars of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has struck a devastating blow to an already-fragile global economy. Lockdowns and other restrictions needed to Executive Summary COVID-19 has triggered a global crisis like no other—a global health crisis that, in addition to an enormous human toll, is leading to the deepest global recession since the second world war. While the ultimate growth outcome is still uncertain, and an even worse scenario is possible if it takes longer to bring the health crisis under control, the pandemic will result in output contractions across the vast majority of emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs). Moreover, the pandemic is likely to exert lasting damage to fundamental determinants of long-term growth prospects, further eroding living standards for years to come. The immediate policy priorities are to alleviate the ongoing health and human costs and attenuate the near-term economic losses, while addressing challenges such as informality and weak social safety nets that have heightened the impact on vulnerable populations. Once the crisis abates, it will be necessary to reaffirm credible commitment to sustainable policies—including medium-term fiscal frameworks in energy-exporting EMDEs suffering from the large plunge in oil prices—and undertake the necessary reforms to buttress long-term growth prospects. For these actions, global coordination and cooperation will be critical. xvi address the public health crisis, together with spontaneous reductions in economic activity by many consumers and producers, constitute an unprecedented combination of adverse shocks that is causing deep recessions in many advanced economies and EMDEs. Those EMDEs that have weak health systems; those that rely heavily on global trade, tourism, or remittances from abroad; and those that depend on commodity exports will be particularly hard-hit. Beyond its short-term impact, deep recessions triggered by the pandemic are likely to leave lasting scars through multiple channels, including lower investment; erosion of the human capital of the unemployed; and a retreat from global trade and supply linkages. These effects may well lower potential growth and labor productivity in the longer term. Immediate policy measures should support health care systems and moderate the short-term impact of the pandemic on activity and employment. In addition, a comprehensive reform drive is needed to reduce the adverse impact of the pandemic on long-term growth prospects by improving governance and business environments and expanding investment in education and public health. Adding Fuel to the Fire: Cheap Oil during the Pandemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 and the wide-ranging measures needed to slow its advance have precipitated an unprecedented collapse in oil demand, a surge in oil inventories, and, in March, the steepest one-month decline in oil prices on record. In the context of the current restrictions on a broad swath of economic activity, low oil prices are unlikely to do much to buffer the effects of the pandemic, but they may provide some initial support for a recovery once these restrictions begin to be lifted. Like other countries, energy exporting EMDEs face an unprecedented public health crisis, but their fiscal positions were already strained even before the recent collapse in oil revenues. To help retain access to market-based financing for fiscal support programs, these EMDEs will need to make credible commitments to a sustainable medium-term fiscal position. For some of them, current low oil prices provide an opportunity to implement energy-pricing policies that yield efficiency and fiscal gains over the medium term.

The COVID-19 pandemic has, with alarming speed, delivered a global economic shock of enormous magnitude, leading to steep recessions in many countries. The baseline forecast envisions a 5.2 percent contraction in global GDP in 2020—the deepest global recession in eight decades, despite unprecedented policy support. Per capita incomes in the vast majority of emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) are expected to shrink this year, tipping many millions back into poverty. The global recession would be deeper if bringing the pandemic under control took longer than expected, or if financial stress triggered cascading defaults. The pandemic highlights the urgent need for health and economic policy action—including global cooperation—to cushion its consequences, protect vulnerable populations, and improve countries’ capacity to prevent and cope with similar events in the future. Since EMDEs are particularly vulnerable, it is critical to strengthen their public health care systems, to address the challenges posed by informality and limited safety nets, and, once the health crisis abates, to undertake reforms that enable strong and sustainable growth.

Summary The COVID-19 pandemic has spread with astonishing speed to every part of the world and infected millions   The health and human toll is already large and continues to grow, with hundreds of thousands of deaths and many more suffering from diminished prospects and disrupted livelihoods. The pandemic represents the largest economic shock the world economy has witnessed in decades, causing a collapse in global activity   Various mitigation measures—such as lockdowns, closure of schools and non-essential business, and travel restrictions—have been imposed by most countries to limit the spread of COVID-19 and ease the strain on health care systems. The pandemic and associated mitigation measures have sharply curbed consumption and investment, as well as restricted labor supply and production. The cross-border spill overs have disrupted financial and commodity markets, global trade, supply chains, travel, and tourism. Financial markets have been extremely volatile, reflecting exceptionally high uncertainty and the worsening outlook. Flight to safety led to a sharp tightening of global and EMDE financial conditions. Equity markets around the world plunged, spreads on riskier categories of debt widened considerably, and EMDEs experienced large capital outflows in much of March and April that bottomed out only recently. Commodity prices have declined sharply as a result of falling global demand, with oil particularly affected (Figure 1.1.D). Many countries have provided large-scale macroeconomic support to alleviate the economic blow, which has contributed to a recent stabilization in financial markets. Central banks in advanced economies have cut policy rates and taken other far-reaching steps to provide liquidity and to maintain investor confidence. In many EMDEs, central banks have also eased monetary policy. The fiscal policy support that has been announced already far exceeds that enacted during the 2008-09 global financial crisis. In all, the pandemic is expected to plunge a majority of countries into recession this year, with per capita output contracting in the largest fraction of countries since 1870. Advanced economies are projected to shrink by 7 percent in 2020, as widespread social-distancing measures, a sharp tightening of financial conditions, and a collapse in external demand depress activity. Assuming that the outbreak remains under control and activity recovers later this year, China is projected to slow to 1 percent in 2020—by far the lowest growth it has registered in more than four decades. Due to the negative spillovers from weakness in major economies, alongside the disruptions associated with their own domestic outbreaks, EMDE GDP is forecast to contract by 2.5 percent in 2020. This would be well below the previous trough in EMDE growth of 0.9 percent in 1982, and the lowest rate since at least 1960, the earliest year with available aggregate data. EMDEs with large domestic COVID-19 outbreaks and limited health care capacity; that are deeply integrated in global value chains; that are heavily dependent on foreign financing; and that rely extensively on international trade, commodity exports, and tourism will suffer disproportionately. Commodity-exporting EMDEs will be hard hit by adverse spillovers from sharply weaker growth in China, and by the collapse in global commodity demand, especially for oil. With more than 90 percent of EMDEs expected to experience contractions in per capita incomes this year, many millions are likely to fall back into poverty. With advanced economies contracting, China experiencing record-low growth, and EMDE growth savaged by external and domestic headwinds, the global economy is expected to shrink by 5.2 percent this year in a baseline forecast. This would be the deepest global recession since World War II, and almost three times as steep as the 2009 global recession.

The 2020 global recession is expected to be the deepest in eight decades, and the subsequent recovery will be insufficient to bring output to previously projected levels. Amid heightened uncertainty, worse outcomes could arise if the pandemic and economic disruptions persist or cascading defaults amid high debt lead to financial crises. A lack of space is constraining fiscal responses in many EMDEs. Building resilient health care systems is critical to prevent similar crises. With ongoing recessions exerting scarring effects on potential output, pursuing reforms that bolster long-term growth prospects will be essential.

 

The forecast assumes that the pandemic recedes in such a way that domestic mitigation measures can be lifted by mid-year, adverse global spill overs ease during the second half of the year, and dislocations in financial markets are not long-lasting. Although a moderate recovery is envisioned in 2021, with global growth reaching 4.2 percent, output is not expected to return to its previously expected levels. Since uncertainty around the outlook remains exceptionally high, alternative scenarios help illustrate the range of plausible global growth outcomes in the. In particular, the baseline forecast for 2020 could prove optimistic. If COVID-19 outbreaks persist longer than expected, restrictions on movement and interactions may have to be maintained or reintroduced, prolonging the disruptions to domestic activity and further setting back confidence. Disruptions to activity would weaken businesses’ ability to remain in operation and service their debt, while the increase in risk aversion could raise interest rates for higher-risk borrowers. With debt levels already at historic highs, this could lead to cascading defaults and financial crises across many economies .Under this downside scenario, global growth would shrink almost 8 percent in 2020. The recovery that follows would be markedly sluggish, hampered by severely impaired balance sheets, heightened financial market stress and widespread bankruptcies in EMDEs. In 2021, global growth would barely begin to recover, increasing to just over 1 percent. In contrast, in an upside scenario, a sharp economic rebound would begin promptly if pandemic-control measures could be largely lifted in the near term, and fiscal and monetary policy responses succeed in supporting consumer and investor confidence, leading to a prompt normalization of financial conditions and the unleashing of pent-up demand. However, even with these positive developments, the near-term contraction in global activity of more than 3 percent in 2020 would still be much larger than during the global recession of 2009, and EMDE growth would also be negative. Once pandemic control measures are fully lifted, global growth would rebound markedly in 2021, to above 5 percent. Policymakers face formidable challenges as they seek to contain the devastating health, macroeconomic, and social effects of the pandemic. During the last global recession, in 2009, many EMDEs were able to implement large -scale fiscal and monetary responses. Today, however, many EMDEs are less prepared to weather a global downturn and must simultaneously grapple with a severe public health crisis with heavy human costs. Particularly vulnerable EMDEs include those that have weak health systems; those that rely heavily on global trade, tourism, and remittances; those that are prone to financial market disruptions; and those that depend on oil and other commodity exports. EMDEs where poverty and informality are widespread, including many low-income countries, are also vulnerable, since their poor have limited access to proper sanitation and adequate social safety nets, and often suffer greater food insecurity . An arsenal of macroprudential support policies has been deployed in EMDEs to maintain financial sector resilience and promote lending during the crisis. These include relaxing capital and liquidity coverage requirements, allowing banks to draw down capital and liquidity buffers, and encouraging banks to offer temporary loan repayment holidays to distressed borrowers. Further, many countries have initiated debt moratoria and government guarantees on bank loans to strengthen bank balance sheets and support distressed borrowers. Policymakers would, however, need to carefully balance some of these actions against jeopardizing the future stability of the financial sector. Once economic activity begins to normalize, they will also need to prudently withdraw the large-scale policy stimulus provided during the crisis without endangering the recovery. Meanwhile, many EMDEs have introduced fiscal measures to expand social safety nets and protect those most vulnerable, including wage support to preserve jobs, increased access to unemployment benefits, and targeted cash transfers to low-income households. In EMDEs with wider fiscal space, the policy response has been markedly greater than in those more constrained by higher debt levels. For many energy exporting EMDEs, fiscal balances are deteriorating as oil prices have fallen below fiscal break-even prices. Elevated debt burdens in some low- and middle-income countries also underscore the need for temporary debt relief. In this context, global coordination and cooperation—of the measures needed to slow the spread of the pandemic, and of the economic actions needed to alleviate the economic damage, including international support—provide the greatest chance of achieving public health goals and enabling a robust global recovery. In the near term, COVID-19 has underscored the need for governments to prioritize the timely and transparent dissemination of accurate information in order to stem the spread of the disease, and to build public trust. In the long term, the pandemic has laid bare the weaknesses of national health care and social safety nets in many countries. It has also exposed the severe consequences of widespread informality and financing constraints for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in many EMDEs   There is a critical need to invest in resilient health care systems that prioritize national health security, in order to prevent and mitigate similar crises   It is also necessary to put in place social benefit systems that can provide an effective, flexible, and efficient safety net during disasters. Such systems can be augmented by measures to deliver income support and emergency financing to vulnerable groups such as the poor, urban slum dwellers, migrants, and informal firms. In particular, digital technologies can enhance the provision of cash transfers and other critical support measures, as well as facilitate the flow of remittances. In many countries, deep recessions triggered by COVID-19 will likely weigh on potential output for years to come. Governments can take steps to alleviate the adverse impact of the crisis on potential output by placing a renewed emphasis on reforms that can boost long-term growth prospects.

More to follow.

 

 

 

 

Regional Mobility actors charged to ‘Get Started.

Caribbean, Innovation, Leadership, politics, Sint Maarten, Technology, Thought Leaders., , , , , , , ,

(Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Press Release, 25 June 2020 |Bridgetown, Barbados) –  Stakeholders in the energy and transportation sectors were charged not to wait until a comprehensive plan and perfect conditions are available in order to get started on the Regional Electric Vehicle Strategy during an online discussion, which focused on innovation opportunities and the Caribbean reality.

The discussion, which was hosted by the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) and the Energy Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat, saw more than two hundred and fifty stakeholders gathered to hear from regional and global experts in the field. Stakeholders also had the opportunity to express their opinions and have their queries addressed.

The Need for Regional Coordination

During the online event, attendees in majority identified cost as the most important factor when deciding on an electric vehicle (EV) purchase versus an Internal Combustible Engine (ICE) vehicle. In response, panelist Xavier Gordon shared that the total cost of ownership of an EV was lower when compared to an ICE vehicle, as global market trends show a decline in EV costs.  He warned, however, that there was a need to produce economies of scale in the region, which could, in turn, further reduce costs for CARICOM Member States and consumers, particularly procurement costs.

Mr. Gordon added that both public-private partnerships, particularly in the installation of charging infrastructure, and regulator-utility collaboration for the development of attractive charging prices for consumers, were key innovative approaches to support the adoption of EVs. To stimulate market response in the region, project implementation and demonstration were important, panelists shared.  Antonio Sealy of the Barbados Light and Power Company Limited revealed that when the Electric Bus Project commenced in Barbados, they began to receive significant interest from global EV service providers.

Innovation Opportunities & Challenges

Head of the CARICOM Energy Unit, Dr Devon Gardner, responded to the charge to “get started” by sharing that CARICOM, with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) implemented TAPSEC Project, was in the process of having a Regional Electric Vehicle Strategy (REVS) prepared. Project implementation will continue at the same time, with a view to having relevant projects inform the strategy. This was in line with another recommendation from panelist Andrea Denzinger, who suggested that the region implement pilot projects and allow them to create data and build trust.

In their quest to support the development of the sustainable transport sector, the CARICOM Secretariat – through its Energy Unit – and the CCREEE have established a Regional Electric Vehicle Working Group to produce the Regional Electric Vehicle Strategy Framework. Having been presented with an overview of the framework, eighty-five percent (85%) of participants joining the discussion indicated that they were sufficiently convinced of the need for such a strategy. Nonetheless, there were cautions in light of the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelist Xavier Gordon shared that he completed the region’s first empirical meter reading study in 2017 and, the results show that electrification makes sense for the region. Nevertheless, he noted that access to finance may be significantly slowed as countries and donors redirect available funds.

The Caribbean Reality

Within the region, several opportunities exist to propel a transition towards wide-spread use of electric mobility, according to panelists. Sharing on the Barbados experience in implementing the Electric Bus Project where 33 electric buses are being procured, panelist Antonio Sealy told attendees that there was tremendous value to the transport sector, through electrification of public transportation. He maintained that cost benefits were to be found through fueling and maintenance, with estimated savings of BBD $2M annually for the current project. Improved comfort and commuter experiences, as well as reduced environmental impact through lessenend noise and greenhouse gas emissions were also identified as advantages.

The University of the West Indies is also supporting the electric mobility sector through their Electric Vehicle Research and Development Platform (EVRDP) and, an application developed to control charging time, to avoid congestion in the electrical network. Professor Chandrabhan Sharma explained the characteristics of EV charging, noting that uncoordinated charging could put significant stress on the power system, whereas providing power from a vehicle to the grid could contribute to stabilising the power grid and improve contribution of intermittent renewable energy supply to the electrical network.

This discussion was another step toward the development and implementation of the Regional Electric Vehicle Strategy which will lean on lessons learned from other jurisdictions and projects; and incorporate plans and approaches to produce economies of scale, within CARICOM. This is all to be accomplished with the ultimate goal of transforming the regional energy sector, for the benefit of Caribbean people.

Research Training for Multi-Dimensional Poverty underway in the OECS.

Caribbean, Entrpreneurship, Innovation, Leadership, NGO, politics, Technology, Thought Leaders., , , , ,

Regional trainers develop skills to train others in research methodology

 

Tuesday, August 15, 2017 — Training seminars that build the capacity of public servants, and community representatives, in data collection on multidimensional poverty, are currently being held in select OECS Member States.

 

The OECS Commission, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Sub-regional Office for the OECS and Barbados, is conducting Training of Trainer Workshops in Participatory Action Research on multi-dimensional poverty.

 

The initiative, which forms part of the Multi-dimensional Approaches to Poverty Eradication Project (MDAPP), has successfully completed training in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Antigua and Barbuda. Additional training sessions are scheduled to continue in Dominica and St. Lucia in the weeks to come.

 

UNDP Project Coordinator at the OECS Commission, Dr. Julie Xavier, said the MDAPP intends to leave each project country with trainers who will be equipped with the skills to train others in the implementation of this research methodology. Participants were targeted from various social service ministries, as well as Departments of Statistics.

 

Project Coordinator at Grenada National Organisation of Women (GNOW) Ms. Jacqueline Pascal said that, despite her years of experience in the field as a researcher, the training highlighted areas for development.

 

“I have experience in doing research, both qualitative and quantitative, as well as interviewing techniques at the highest level. This gives a person a bit of complacency [with regards to] their knowledge base but, coming here, I have realized that I was on a learning curve as far as research is concerned,” Pascal said.

One participant from St. Vincent and the Grenadines commended the comprehensive nature of the new approach stating that “participatory action research encourages community participation and ensures that some specific action comes out of the research.”

 

Overall, the project is aimed at promoting greater awareness of the multi-dimensional nature of poverty through the development of policies and programmes that move away from the traditional focus income or employment, and underscore the importance of other dimensions of holistic human development such as experiences in health, housing, education, and feelings of safety and security.

 

The MDAP project is sponsored by the Government of Chile through the Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AGCID).

Caribbean adopts plan to seek slavery reparations.

American Slave Trade, Black History, Caribbean, Innovation, Leadership, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, politics, Sint Maarten, Thought Leaders., , , , , ,

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (AP) — Leaders of Caribbean nations on Monday unanimously adopted a broad plan on seeking reparations from European nations for what they say are the lingering ill effects of the Atlantic slave trade on the region.

 

A British human rights law firm hired by the Caribbean Community grouping of nations announced that prime ministers had authorized a 10-point plan that would seek a formal apology and debt cancellation from former colonizers such as Britain, France and the Netherlands. The decision came at a closed-door meeting in St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

 

According to the Leigh Day law firm, the Caribbean Community also wants reparation payments to repair the persisting “psychological trauma” from the days of plantation slavery and calls for assistance to boost the region’s technological know-how since the Caribbean was denied participation in Europe’s industrialization and confined to producing and exporting raw materials such as sugar.

 

The plan further demands European aid in strengthening the region’s public health, educational and cultural institutions such as museums and research centers.

 

It is even pushing for the creation of a “repatriation program,” including legal and diplomatic assistance from European governments, to potentially resettle members of the Rastafarian spiritual movement in Africa. Repatriation to Africa has long been a central belief of Rastafari, a melding of Old Testament teachings and Pan-Africanism whose followers have long pushed for reparations.

 

Martyn Day of the law firm called the plan a “fair set of demands on the governments whose countries grew rich at the expense of those regions whose human wealth was stolen from them.”

 

Day said an upcoming meeting in London between Caribbean and European officials “will enable our clients to quickly gauge whether or not their concerns are being taken seriously.” It was not immediately clear when the meeting to potentially seek a negotiated settlement will take place.

 

The idea of the countries that benefited from slavery paying some form of reparations has been a decades-long quest but only recently has it gained serious momentum in the Caribbean.

 

Caricom, as the political grouping of 15 countries and dependencies is known, announced in July that it intended to seek reparations for slavery and the genocide of native peoples and created the Caribbean Reparations Commission to push the issue and present their recommendations to political leaders.

 

They then hired Leigh Day, which waged a successful fight for an award compensation of about $21.5 million for surviving Kenyans who were tortured by the British colonial government during the so-called Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s and 1960s.

 

The commission’s chairman, Hilary Beckles, a scholar who has written several books on the history of Caribbean slavery, said he was “very pleased” that the political leaders adopted the plan.

 

In 2007, then British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed regret for the “unbearable suffering” caused by his country’s role in slavery but made no formal apology. In 2010, then French President Nicolas Sarkozy acknowledged the “wounds of colonization” and pointed out France had canceled a 56 million euro debt owed by Haiti and approved an aid package.

 

The Caribbean Reparations Commission said Monday that far more needed to be done for the descendants of slaves on struggling islands, saying it sees the “persistent racial victimization of the descendants of slavery and genocide as the root cause of their suffering today.”

 

Reblogged by Wade Bailey

 

Associated Press writer Duggie Joseph reported this story in Kingstown, St. Vincent, and David McFadden reported from Kingston, Jamaica.

 

Strategy Report Volume II Money Laundering and Financial Crimes March 2017. Sint Maarten.

Caribbean, Leadership, politics, Sint Maarten, Thought Leaders., , , , ,

United States Department of State

Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

International

Narcotics Control

Strategy Report

Volume II

Money Laundering and Financial Crimes

March 2017

 

 

Sint Maarten

OVERVIEW

Sint Maarten is an autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom retains responsibility for foreign policy and defense, including entering into international conventions. The Kingdom may extend international conventions to the autonomous countries. With the Kingdom’s agreement, each autonomous country can be assigned a status of its own within international or regional organizations subject to the organization’s agreement. The individual countries may conclude MOUs in areas in which they have autonomy, as long as these MOUs do not infringe on the foreign policy of the Kingdom as a whole. In 1999, the Kingdom extended the UN Drug Convention to Sint Maarten, and in 2010, the UNTOC was extended to Sint Maarten.

A governor appointed by the King represents the Kingdom on the island and a Minister Plenipotentiary represents Sint Maarten in the Kingdom Council of Ministers in the Netherlands.

In June 2016, Aruba, Sint Maarten, the Netherlands, and Curacao signed an MOU with the United States to stimulate joint activities and enhance sharing of information in the areas of criminal investigation and upholding public order and security and to strengthen mutual cooperation in forensics and the organization of the criminal justice system. While the MOU is a broad-based attempt to improve all of the criminal justice system, one priority area is cracking down on money laundering operations.

VULNERABILITIES AND EXPECTED TYPOLOGIES

Sint Maarten has an offshore banking industry consisting of one bank.

Many hotels legally operate casinos on the island, and online gaming is also legal but is not subject to supervision.

Sint Maarten’s favorable investment climate and rapid economic growth over the last few decades have drawn wealthy investors to the island to invest their money in large scale real estate developments, including hotels and casinos. In Sint Maarten, money laundering of criminal profits occurs through business investments and international tax shelters. Its weak government sector continues to be vulnerable to integrity-related crimes.

KEY AML LAWS AND REGULATIONS

INCSR 2017 Volume II Country Reports

156

KYC laws cover banks, lawyers, insurance companies, customs, money remitters, the Central Bank, trust companies, accountants, car dealers, administrative offices, Tax Office, jewelers, credit unions, real estate businesses, notaries, currency exchange offices, and stock exchange brokers.

The MLAT between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States, rather than the U.S. – EU Agreement, which has not yet been extended to the Kingdom’s Caribbean countries, applies to Sint Maarten and is regularly used by U.S. and Sint Maarten law enforcement agencies for international drug trafficking and money laundering investigations.

Sint Maarten is a member of the CFATF, a FATF-style regional body, and, through the Kingdom, the FATF. Its most recent mutual evaluation can be found at: https://www.cfatf-gafic.org/index.php/documents/cfatf-mutual-evaluation-reports/sint-maarten-1

 

AML DEFICIENCIES

In July 2015, Sint Maarten’s FIU reported that hundreds of unusual financial transaction investigations were backlogged at the Sint Maarten Public Prosecutor’s Office. Approximately 1,138 reports totaling $243 million have not been investigated.

The UNCAC has not yet been extended to Sint Maarten.

Sint Maarten has yet to pass and implement legislation to regulate and supervise its casino, lottery, and online gaming sectors in compliance with international standards. In addition, the threshold for conducting customer due diligence in the casino sector does not comply with international standards.

ENFORCEMENT/IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES AND COMMENTS

The National Ordinance Reporting Unusual Transactions establishes an “unusual transaction” reporting system. Designated entities are required to file unusual transaction reports (UTRs) with the FIU on any transaction that appears unusual (applying a broader standard than “suspicious”) or when there is reason to believe a transaction is connected with money laundering. If, after analysis of an unusual transaction, a strong suspicion of money laundering arises, those suspicious transactions are reported to the public prosecutor’s office.

The harbor of Sint Maarten is well known for its cruise terminal, one of the largest in the Caribbean islands. The local container facility plays an important role in the region. Larger container ships dock their containers in Sint Maarten where they are picked up by regional feeders to supply the smaller islands surrounding Sint Maarten. Customs and law enforcement authorities should be alert for regional smuggling, TBML, and value transfer schemes.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) what and how?

Entrpreneurship, Innovation, Leadership, SEO, Technology, Thought Leaders., Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

SEO Search engine optimization concept.

 

 

Hi my name is Wade Bailey. For regular readers of my Blogs, my name is pretty familiar by now. However for first time visitors, this is sort of my own little introduction to you. I’am not a SEO expert, nor am I trying to sell anything to you in this post, so just relax and benefit from what Iam about to share with everyone. After having read this post, several things are guaranteed to have occurred with your knowledge base and “online skill-sets”.  I can unequivocally guarantee 100% without a shadow of a doubt, that, you will be better equipped to navigate the internet, you will be able to better understand the how and why of “key words” and you will gain insight into using certain platforms, like Canva and Bitly.

 

Every piece of information here is 100% free, yes absolutely no cost and I’m not even giving away a PDF file (yet) . Those of you who are thinking where’s the catch? There is none. This is a service to my many readers who continue to like and share my content.

 

This content has value whether you’re a reader of this blog, or whether you are a first time visitor. All of us, who use the internet, want to grow our following or at least get more views and likes. This information will help you do just that.

The internet Holy Grail at this point in its evolution is link-building, in order to build and gain links, SEO will at some point have to enter your equation if you run a Blog or if you have a website, links from credible sites send your Google ranking way up. Even those of you who just like to post stuff on Face Book will find this information useful Twitterers too. Like a said I’m not an SEO professional am simply giving my readers value for their time and I’m thanking you, not, by posting “thanks for liking and sharing”, but Iam expressing gratitude by actually giving the readers something that they can tangibly apply, across their social media platforms that works, has value and improves their internet experience as a whole.

 

Here goes:

1: Key Words. Key words are how people find you, or your product when they type in search words in their search engines. Use them always, some Bloggers use irrelevant key words that don’t jibe with their content. You want to use key words that actually relate to your post.

2: #Hashtags. Hash tags are the keys to appearing at many different locations all across, the internet at once. For instance if I tweet Shamanism https://soualigayouth.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/thug-culture-and-its-hindu-linkages/. That post will only be seen by my Twitter followers online at that specific time. Who may or may not, like or retweet that tweet. If I did this #Shamanism #Hindu # Culture https://soualigayouth.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/thug-culture-and-its-hindu-linkages/the tweet gets seen by way more people and twitterers can use my hashtags to search twitter .  The exact same principle applys for FB. Those of you are multi-lingual like myself hashtags in those languages work too.

 

3: Long URL’s made shorter. Long URL’s in Twitter and now even on FB is like a curseword . Shortened URL’s get more click through rates than long URL’s and more engagement. People view you as outdated and or unsophisticated if you use URL’s that are considered “too long”.  Create shortened custom URL’s using Bitly.com. Of course there is the FREE service and the UPGRADE. Here is what a bitly link looks http://bit.ly/1SUAliga, it is from my Soualiga Youth About page on Word Press.

 

4: You FB’ers who want more “friends” or page likes and followers. The #hashtag principle coupled with shortened URL’s and posting original content applies. Canva.com and PicMonkey.com  two great content creators, that are extremely budget friendly.

 

That’s it for now. Many of you may have noticed I don’t have an optin page and I’ve never attempted to sell you anything here. I deliberately did that, in order to build trust and “relationship”. Most or all websites immediately offer you something, or you landed on their optin page from some link on the internet. My approach is the exact opposite. I have given you literally years of FREE, high-quality fact based information. I did that as I said to build trust. You know that Iam not eating off of this, nor am I making money from you. My main aim is to be of service to humanity, specifically young people, hence my articles and essays on gang-culture, government corruption and prostitution, human trafficking, modern slavery and human rights violations. My aim here is humanitarian; this site is a democratizational tool in the Caribbean context. Since I posted on “Prostitution on Sint Maarten Supported by Government” that article first was written and posted on CNN, via their i-reporter app. The article was taken up by the Kentucky Journal.com and several other online portals. Today the government here was forced to apply the law since the government of Sint Maarten was condemned in international circles as an abettor  and facilitator of, sex slavery and human trafficking, my articles were a key factor in that development. Hence this sites use as an aid in creating a more open and democratic society here on Sint Mararten.

In closing: If you found this article helpful which I know you will if you were not already familiar with these methods. There is a possibility of showing your appreciation by of course liking and sharing. Today I will ask readers of this Blog for the first time and I’ve been posting since 2012 till the present here, so that’s four years. I want to let you know that you can now follow this Blog by email. Simply click on this link https://soualigayouth.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/thug-culture-and-its-hindu-linkages/, which takes you to my Soualiga Youth foundation site where you can, “follow” by email to reserve updates and links of free downloads and eventually book offers and other products that I will have for sale. I reiterate I have given value for four straight years to show that Iam not dependent on this blog for my livelihood, so there are no strings attached in anything that I do here. I guarantee my products one hundred percent, and you can always get back your money no questions asked if your not totally satisfied. The link to click on is called PARTNER WITH SOUALIGA YOUTH I use the word partner because that’s what it is not a “follower” Iam looking for partners not followers, the link allows you to receive updates in your inbox and as I stated before relevant product offers et al , as well as free downloads.

Those of you who have an Amazon account with a verified purchase, I respectfully ask if you can give my book Rastafari and its Shamanist Origins an honest review, negative or positive doesn’t matter the feedback is what count’s. You can read the book Rastafari and its Shamanist Origins free on this site. Or on Google Reads you can leave a review on Reads also.

 

With kind regards Wade Bailey.

This post was cross posted from:  my Nazaritze website http://bit.ly/1SEO5tacts