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Martinique.
Inauguration of the Institut Caribéen d'Imagerie Nucléaire at CHUM
The Institut Caribéen d'Imagerie Nucléaire de Martinique was inaugurated with great fanfare on Saturday November 23rd by the board of directors and management of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU). According to specialists, this new facility marks a major step forward for medical imaging in the region. Although the project was initiated in 2021, its conception dates back more than ten years. The institute will modernize cancer treatment in Martinique and the wider Caribbean region. It comprises several state-of-the-art facilities, including the famous cyclotron, which generates radiopharmaceuticals. Since April, the institute has successfully treated almost 3,000 patients, as RCI points out in an article dedicated to the inauguration. "A radiopharmaceutical is a cancer-specific molecule produced by the cyclotron and injected into the patient.The radiopharmaceutical is the cancer-specific molecule produced by the cyclotron and injected into the patient, which will pick up on the site and tell us that something is going on here, that cancer cells are growing", explains Professor Karim Fard, head of the Institute, to our RCI colleagues. There is low-dose radioactivity, which is controlled by the nuclear safety authority, one of the most stringent in the world," adds the professor. Thanks to our machines, which are very sensitive, we can reduce this quantity of radioactivity for the comfort and well-being of everyone, both the professionals who work here, who are in contact with the radioactivity, and the patients who will receive it. "Among the objectives outlined at the inauguration by the facility's managers was the ability to attract new medical skills and strengthen research.
For Jérôme Le Brière, General Director of the CHU de la Martinique, the Caribbean Nuclear Imaging Institute will also, and above all, bring benefits to the population. First and foremost, rapid diagnosis," he insists. Obviously, the top priority in cancer care is the care pathway, its fluidity and, above all, delays. It's not just the CHU that's responsible for this, but it's also a question of delays. And really, this is an enormous oxygen balloon. It's a jewel for the CHUM, for Martinique and for France as a whole. Objectively speaking, we're one of the top 10 facilities in the world, third in France, the most up to date, so to speak. There really aren't many facilities like this in the greater Caribbean, South America and Central America region. "
Haiti.
Local turmoil and French contempt
Daily life in the Pearl of the Caribbean has been going from Charybdis to Scylla for almost two years. Every week, violence and atrocities of all kinds punctuate the country's news. For example, according to Unicef (the United Nations Children's Fund), "up to half the members of Haitian armed groups are children". In 2023, "the number of children recruited by armed groups in Haiti increased by 70%", says the UN agency. Gang members are often very young, confirms Gotson Pierre, director of the Alterpresse agency, in the columns of RFI. Those who carry heavy weapons are in most cases teenagers," he continues. They often act as scouts and informers. "
In addition, since Sunday November 24, operations by the Haitian National Police have been concentrated in the lower Delmas neighborhoods, home to the stronghold of the leader of the "Viv Ansanm" (Living Together) gang coalition. Other downtown neighborhoods are also the scene of intense police operations, reports RFI. The Kenyan-led multinational mission says these operations are aimed at "subduing notorious gang leaders". In recent weeks, gang activity has triggered the largest wave of displacement in Haiti since January 2023. Nearly 41,000 people have been forced to flee their homes due to escalating violence and insecurity in just two weeks, according to UN agencies.
To top it all off, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, made remarks that were as insulting as they were contemptuous of the Haitian people. In a video shot on Wednesday November 20, shortly before his departure for Chile and in the absence of the press, Emmanuel Macron described the Haitian leaders of the Presidential Council as "completely stupid". the Haitian leaders of the Presidential Transitional Council who dismissed Garry Conille on November 10, five months after appointing him Prime Minister in an attempt to stabilize his country. On the video shot in Brazil, Emmanuel Macron can be seen and heard replying to a man who accuses France of being responsible for the Haitian situation in these terms: "The Prime Minister was great, I defended him, they fired him (...) It's terrible. And I can't replace him. They're completely stupid, they should never have fired him, the Prime Minister was great. "
Grenada.
Strong increase in foreign investment in 2023
In its annual report, published last week and covering the year 2023, the Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC) reports significant growth in foreign investment. Foreign capital inflows will reach a record $180 million in 2023. This represents an increase of 55% compared with 2022, reports the Caribbean National Weekly. The Investment Promotion Agency, whose "crucial role" in this development is mentioned by the GIDC, is responsible for 81% of the 2.573 jobs created through various projects during the year, in sectors as varied as manufacturing, tourism, agri-food, health, services and construction.
Saba.
Fishing boat customs clearance system criticized
In an open letter written by "a resident" and published on the Saba News website, a "supporter of local fishermen" is critical of the system for clearing fishing boats in and out of Saba. He believes that the system is "not only inefficient, but also unfairly burdens local fishermen who are essential to the island's economy". The writer explains that fishing boat captains are required to handle customs clearance themselves. "This contrasts with the cargo ship system," he continues, "where shipping agents are authorized to submit the necessary documents for customs clearance. This disparity creates unnecessary delays for fishermen, forcing them to cut short their long, arduous working days to meet the customs office's limited opening hours of 8am to 4pm. "It goes without saying that fishermen start their working day well before 8am."After a long day's work, they return to port well before 4 p.m. to find that the customs office is closed," says the resident. On the office door, a sign tells people to call if customs officers are not available, but more often than not, the phone rings unanswered. When someone does answer, the message is the same: Our agents don't work overtime. "And the local fishermen's supporter suggests that customs officers' working hours should be adjusted to meet the needs of sailors. It remains to be seen whether the relevant authorities will respond to this cry from the heart.
Saint Kitts and Nevis.
An environmental laboratory as early as 2025
According to an article in the Observer, the island of Nevis is about to take a major step forward with the construction of its own standards office, scheduled to begin in 2025. The facility, a kind of environmental laboratory, will be the first of its kind on the island. It will enable local testing of water, food, scales, mold and other essential quality assurance measures. The project is the result of a partnership between the Nevis Island Administration and the U.S. Embassy in Barbados, as well as the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Southern Command. The overall budget for the installation is $2 million. "This means that, for the first time, the island of Nevis will now be able to carry out its own tests," boasts Prime Minister Spencer Brand.
Jamaica.
44 murders in one week
Between November 18 and 24, Jamaica recorded 44 murders. A week described as "bloody" by the country's various media outlets, where the number of homicides has risen to 1,039 since the start of 2024. "Jamaica has one of the highest homicide rates in the world among countries with reliable statistics, with a rate of 53.3 per 100,000 inhabitants," notes the 1st. What's more, the country has recently seen an increase in mass shootings. In late October, five men were killed during a soccer match in a Kingstown neighborhood. Despite these alarming figures, as with injuries, rapes, robberies and break-ins, the number of murders this year is down on the 2023 toll. 1,262 homicides were recorded in Jamaica at the same time in 2023. The "record" dates back to 2009 with 1,683 murders, according to official Jamaican police statistics.
Saint-Martin.
Les Galets restaurant voted best on the island
The fourth edition of the Saint-Martin Gastronomy Festival came to a close last weekend. And to round off what has become a not-to-be-missed event, the verdict on the island's best table was eagerly awaited. This year, the title went to the restaurant Les Galets, located in the gardens of Baie Orientale. It was preferred by the jury to Sandy's Créole cuisine, runner-up, and Coco Beach, third. For desserts, Savannah won ahead of Les Galets (again) and Bona Mama. In the "foodtrucks" category, Quesmex won ahead of Claquettes Chaussettes (si, si) and Taste of joy. Chef Jackson won the catering category, while the public's favorite went to Wonderfood (ahead of Sandy's Créole cuisine and La Terrasse).
Guadeloupe.
Small businesses plagued by late payments
Based on the annual report of the Institut d'émission des départements d'outre-mer (Iedom), the daily newspaper Les Echos devotes an article to the difficulties encountered by the island's VSEs and SMEs (very small, small and medium-sized enterprises). According to Iedom, small businesses, which make up 85% of the island's companies, have been facing abnormally long payment terms for years. Particularly in the public sector. According to Bercy, writes Les Echos, the average payment period for communes with more than 3,500 inhabitants is 60 days in the département, when the legal deadline for public procurement is 30 days. The Grand Sud Caraïbes agglomeration community is almost a year late (339 days) on average. A record on the island. Fortunately, not all communes are affected. Deshaies honors its invoices in just 6 days on average, while Petit-Bourg takes 26 days to pay its suppliers.
