CARIFESTA XIV to be launched in Trinidad and Tobago Tuesday
Planning for the Festival started in late 2017 and a Meeting of the Interim Festival Directorate (IFD) was convened by videoconference in April 2018, followed by a Meeting of the Regional Cultural Committee (RCC) in Guyana in June 2018. Directors of Culture as well as representatives from various Regional Cultural stakeholders converged at the CARICOM Secretariat to discuss cultural matters, chief of which was CARIFESTA XIV. Issues such as leveraging CARICOM’s cultural assets, Reparations for Native Genocide and Slavery, Animation and financing culture, were also on the agenda. The Sixteenth Meeting of the Interim Festival Directorate (IFD) and a Meeting of the Regional Cultural Committee (RCC) Working Group will also be convened in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 22-24 October, 2018. The IFD will review and discuss CARIFESTA XIII which was held in Barbados in August 2017; preparations for CARIFESTA XIV and the Future of CARIFESTA. You may be interested in… CARIFESTA XV in Antigua and Barbuda postponed to 2022 Jun 4, 2020 Antigua and Barbuda Still Committed to Hosting CARIFESTA in… CARIFESTA XIV will be launched at the Hilton Conference Centre in Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, 23 October, 2018. Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr the Honourable Keith Rowley, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. the Honourable Nyan Gadsby Dolly, and Programme Manager for Culture and Community Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr. Hilary Brown, are expected to speak at the launch. The roving Caribbean Festival of Arts will be held in Trinidad and Tobago from 16-25 August, 2019, under the theme ‘The Tangible and Intangible – Connect, Share, Invest’. Jul 13, 2020 Market Region as Safe Haven – Business Leader 
Oct 9, 2020 Trinidad and Tobago signs CARIFESTA XIV Host Country AgreementPort of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – As the excitement builds in the lead up to this country’s hosting of the Caribbean’s premiere Festival of the Arts in 2019, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago signed the Host Country Agreement for CARIFESTA XIV with Ambassador…December 11, 2018In “CARICOM”CARIFESTA XIV preparations in full swingPreparations for the fourteenth hosting of CARIFESTA in Trinidad and Tobago are well underway. The sixteenth meeting of the Interim Festival Directorate (IFD) was convened at the Trinidad Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre where planning for CARIFESTA XIV was the main item on the agenda. The IFD team also…October 23, 2018In “Associate Member States”Preparations for CARIFESTA XIII well underwayTrinidad and Tobago, host of CARIFESTA XIV, assured the Regional Culture Committee (RCC) of its preparedness for the mega arts festival at the 26th Meeting of the RCC which was held recently in Georgetown, Guyana. Dr. Hilary Brown, Programme Manager for Culture and Community Development within the Directorate of Human…July 16, 2018In “CARICOM”Share this on WhatsApp CARIFESTA, first held in 1972, is the Caribbean Community’s premier art and culture festival. It’s main purpose, which was a mandate of the CARICOM Heads of Government, is to celebrate the arts, foster a vision of Caribbean unity while advancing Caribbean culture regionally and internationally. This event attracts artists and culture professionals from more than 30 countries in the Region and has been held 13 times across eight countries. Among the CARICOM Member States that have hosted this culturally iconic event are: Guyana (1972, 2008), Jamaica (1976), Barbados (1981, 2017), Trinidad and Tobago (1992, 1995, 2006), St. Kitts and Nevis (2000), Suriname (2003, 2013) and Haiti (2015). The Festival was held in Cuba in 1979. Share this:PrintTwitterFacebookLinkedInLike this:Like Loading… After 13 years, the festival will return to sweet T&T, fitting into the Government’s National Development Strategy (for Vision 2030) and the development theme of “Putting People First, Nurturing Our Greatest Asset” ⠀Who’s excited? 😃 ⠀⠀#CarifestaXIV #Caribbean #Arts pic.twitter.com/hJmFwL6ijU— carifestatt19 (@CarifestaTT2019) October 16, 2018 Jul 28, 2020 Caribbean Leaders Urged to Diversify Creative Economy… 
CSME Implementation This week’s 40th Conference of Heads will be focusing on the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). You will recall that Jamaica’s Golding Report, the 2017 Report of the Commission to Review Jamaica’s Relations within the CARICOM and CARIFORUM Framework, led the Community to reflect on the protracted and unbalanced implementation of the CSME at the 39th Heads Conference held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, 4-6 July 2018. CSME implementation has been in progress since the Revised Treaty of Chaguramas was adopted in 2002, 17 years ago. Arising from the Montego Bay Conference, a Special Heads Meeting was convened in December 2018 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, focusing specifically on the CSME and resulting in the adoption of the St. Ann Declaration. The 30th Intersessional Meeting of the CARICOM Heads held in St. Kitts/Nevis in February 2019 addressed progress in CSME implementation. Former Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding sits on a panel which discusses his Report at a 2018 Meeting on the CSME The CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) has responsibility for implementing the CSME. The 48th COTED Meeting was held in Georgetown, Guyana, April 29-30, and, as expected, CSME implementation was a key agenda item. On this, I took particular note of the opening remarks made by the CARICOM Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque. I quote from these remarks as follows: “In a little over two months our Heads of Government will be expecting to receive a report card that indicates that the mandates laid out last July in Montego Bay; in Port-of-Spain last December; and in Frigate Bay last February have been fulfilled. Priorities were identified by the Leaders and an Implementation Plan agreed upon. Member States recommitted fully to the effective implementation of the CSME and agreed to the timelines – short, medium and long-term – set by the Plan. This [COTED] Meeting presents an opportunity to review the actions taken by Member States to meet the timelines so that there could be an assessment of our progress. Implementation cannot be a shifting target. We cannot come to meeting after meeting and agree to a Plan and not carry forward the work. An urgency to complete the agreed measures and make the CSME a lived reality for our citizens, has been the hallmark of the recent discussions among our Heads of Government. As the Council tasked under the Revised Treaty to “promote the development and oversee the operation of the CSME” you have a pivotal role to play in ensuring that we accomplish the goals in that regard.” Oct 14, 2020 Sep 23, 2020 Trade-in-Services and Technology: More missed opportunities… CARICOM Day On July 1, Guyana and possibly a few other Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) commemorated CARICOM Day marking the signing on July 4, 1973 of the Treaty of Chaguaramas creating the Caribbean Community and Common Market. It seems the day is usually marked on the first Monday in July. Member States decided that this day should be commemorated to recall the creation of CARICOM and provide an opportunity for public education and reflection on achievements, challenges and the way forward. The CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government is customarily convened to coincide with the actual signing date. This year, the 40th Conference of Heads of Government is being held in St. Lucia, July 3-5. The commemoration of CARICOM Day across the region, or lack of it, illustrates the general difficulty with implementation. The decision was taken, but only a few Members States and regional institutions actually implement it demonstrating their commitment to the Community which they founded. Oct 7, 2020 Relations within the Western Hemisphere: an uneasy alliance Oct 1, 2020 CARICOM Trade Ministers begin two-day meeting in Guyana on Thursday44th COTED Officials 9 May 2017 from Caribbean Community on Vimeo. The CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) will be one of the main areas of focus when Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers with responsibility for Trade meet in Georgetown, Guyana, Thursday and Friday. In preparation for the two-day Ministerial Meeting,…May 10, 2017In “CARICOM”Trinidad accords special priority to CARICOM – PM wants security, CSME on forefrontPrime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr, The Hon. Keith Rowley, on Monday said that his country’s continued commitment to CARICOM has precipitated the refocusing of the ministry with responsibility for foreign policy, to the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs. Delivering his maiden address to the Conference at the…July 5, 2016In “Anguilla”Statement – Prime Minister Rowley to Parliament on CSMEConceived as an instrument to facilitate economic development, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME) is the manifestation of the intent to deepen the integration process that began with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas in 1973. That Treaty was later revised and the Community is now…December 12, 2018In “CARICOM”Share this on WhatsApp Trade in Services – For CARICOM, Tourism dominates You may be interested in… The Secretary General was clear; Member States must demonstrate their commitment to implementing the CSME by their actions. He reminded the Ministers of the challenges currently existing globally which CARICOM’s small economies must face head on. Progress in CSME Implementation Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has lead responsibility for CSME It seems that Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, who has responsibility for the CSME, is committed to making progress. She has been endeavouring to have action taken on CSME decisions both at the national and regional levels. The Prime Minister has particular interest in engaging with the regional private sector and labour representatives as set out in the St. Ann Declaration. The Caribbean Congress of Labour already exist. The challenge is organizing the regional private sector. PM Mottley has met with sector representatives to advance engagement and encourage organization. The Network of Caribbean Chambers of Commerce (CARICHAM) was formed in April. The Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC) still exist in some form. There are a number of product specific regional private sector organizations. The Caribbean Business Council (CBC), which could be an umbrella body, still remains a work in progress after 13 years. The St. Ann Declaration envisages a private sector body as an associate institution of CARICOM and a key player in the CSME. The onus is on the regional private sector to find an acceptable structure from which to engage with CARICOM and in other regional and international trade matters. I am hoping the performance appraisal for the CSME to be presented to CARICOM Heads in St. Lucia will demonstrate through action a genuine commitment to implementation and problem-solving among CARICOM Heads and Ministers, particularly those in the CSME. I await the Communique. Maybe next year, CARICOM Day will be marked by all Member States signaling their renewed commitment to the Community and implementation of their decisions. Submitted by Elizabeth Morgan, Specialist in International Trade Policy and International Politics Share this:PrintTwitterFacebookLinkedInLike this:Like Loading… CARICOM Competition Authorities encouraged to co-operate 
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Mitchell International has announced that Tom Fleming, vice president of database development and 25-year veteran of the company, recently retired. Fleming will continue to work as a private consultant in the collision repair industry as part of his newly formed consultancy, Pelham Business Advisors.AdvertisementClick Here to Read MoreAdvertisement Alex Sun, Mitchell’s president and CEO, said, “Tom exemplifies the Mitchell commitment to making the collision repair industry perform at as high a level as possible. His work on important industry initiatives, ranging from database development to leading important industry collaborations, has had a lasting positive impact on all who have had the opportunity to work with him. We look forward to his continued contributions to the industry as a whole and wish him well.” Fleming’s career at Mitchell started in the Labor Department in the mid-80s, and by 2007, after several promotions, he assumed the responsibilities of vice president of industry relations — proudly becoming the “face” of Mitchell at all key industry functions and gatherings. Throughout his long and distinguished career, Fleming has been a catalyst for innovation and market leadership, benefiting Mitchell as well as the entire collision repair industry. His many accomplishments include creating the Mitchell Advisory Board, a landmark achievement that put in place a vehicle to gather input from a permanent group of body shop, insurance and independent industry representatives on the data, procedures and functionality of Mitchell’s products. Fleming also contributed a tremendous amount of effort directly into developing the company’s products by overseeing and improving the production of its industry leading Mitchell Collision Estimating Parts & Labor Database and introducing the Mitchell “How To” series — the predecessor to the current online RepairCenter Tech Advisor. He was also responsible for creating the Materials Estimating Guide (MEG) from its evolution to the current electronic Refinishing Materials Calculator (RMC) and extending Mitchell’s estimating offerings into specialty claims to cover items in the heavy and medium duty truck, motorcycle, RV and marine areas. Harnessing his extensive industry knowledge, Fleming expanded critical research projects and deep dives on industry facing issues as well.Advertisement Fleming has also donated his time generously as an I-CAR instructor, readily sharing his knowledge and expertise with many. Throughout the years, he has represented the industry on countless subcommittees at CIC, with the I-CAR Education Foundation and many other industry functions. “Speaking on behalf of all Mitchell employees and many industry partners, we want to congratulate and show our appreciation to Tom for his longstanding service to the industry and to Mitchell International. We thank you for your 25 years of loyal and dedicated service, and we wish you the best and continued health and success in your next chapter of your life,” added Marc Brungger, executive vice president, Auto Physical Damage, Mitchell International.
LSI President Brett Tennar says, “Steve’s success in developing operational strategies that improves the bottom line, builds teamwork, reduces waste and ensures quality product development and distribution checks many of the boxes of what we were looking for in a COO. This, coupled with his career in the Air Force working with highly technical systems and his in-depth understanding of Lean Six Sigma and Business Process Management sealed our offer. As our tagline states, our products are Powered by Science. This data driven approach is one reason why our company has grown exponentially as we employ the most advanced technology to product development. I am confident that Steve is the right person to drive operational strategy for our diverse and growing brands.” Advertisement With more than 20 years of experience across multiple industries and functional areas, deMoulpied has particular expertise in organizations with complex technical products. Combined, his prior positions have required a spectrum of skills in corporate strategy, operations improvement, product quality, and revenue cycle management. He has an impressive history of utilizing data driven problem solving (Lean Six Sigma) and project management (PMP and CSM) to achieve strategic goals surrounding customer satisfaction, operational efficiency and improved profit. DeMoulpied comes to LSI from the Private Client Services practice of Ernst & Young where he managed strategy & operations improvement engagements for privately held client businesses. Some of his prior roles include VP of strategic development, director of strategic initiatives, and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at OptumHealth, UnitedHealth Group’s health services business, as well as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt at General Electric, where he applied operations improvement principles to customer service, supply chain and product development. A successful entrepreneur, deMoulpied is also the founder of PrestoFresh, a Cleveland-based e-commerce food/grocery business. CARSON CITY, Nev. — United Engine and Machine Co. (UEM) of Carson City, Nev., has appointed Glen Howard as its new national accounts manager. Howard joins United Engine and Machine Co. with more than 30 years of automotive experience. AdvertisementClick Here to Read MoreAdvertisement “Glen’s knowledge of the automotive aftermarket, performance and specialty OEM markets will allow UEM to continue to expand its product offering into all phases of combustible engines,” said Dan Qualls, director of sales and marketing of UEM. Howard comes to UEM from Crane Cams Inc. in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Pioneer Automotive Inc. in Meridian, Miss. He says he is excited to be a part of the UEM sales team. “With our current direction in sales, marketing and manufacturing, UEM has placed itself as the premier piston supplier in North America,” Howard said. Howard will report directly to Qualls.,Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI), manufacturer of Hot Shot’s Secret brand of performance additives and oils, recently announced the expansion of senior leadership. Steve deMoulpied joins LSI as the company’s chief operating officer (COO). AdvertisementClick Here to Read MoreAdvertisement DeMoulpied has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Management from the United States Air Force Academy and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Dayton in Marketing and International Business. He served six years with the USAF overseeing the development of technology used on fighter aircraft and the E-3 Surveillance aircraft, finishing his career honorably as Captain.
DeMoulpied comes to LSI from the Private Client Services practice of Ernst & Young where he managed strategy & operations improvement engagements for privately held client businesses. Some of his prior roles include VP of strategic development, director of strategic initiatives, and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at OptumHealth, UnitedHealth Group’s health services business, as well as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt at General Electric, where he applied operations improvement principles to customer service, supply chain and product development. A successful entrepreneur, deMoulpied is also the founder of PrestoFresh, a Cleveland-based e-commerce food/grocery business. WHEELING, Ill. – Penray announced that Mike McCullough has joined the team as the company’s controller effective today. McCullough will report to CFO Tom McGonigle and will be based out of Penray’s Wheeling, Ill., office. “It is with great pleasure that I welcome Mike McCullough to Penray as our new controller,” said McGonigle. “Mike is an accomplished financial professional and CPA with extensive experience. Penray will benefit from his financial background and knowledge of the manufacturing industry.” Before joining Penray, Mike spent nearly 10 years with Sealy Mattress Co. and most recently held the position of division controller. He also has held controller positions with other organizations including Smurfit-Stone Container Co. and Laird Plastics Inc. AdvertisementClick Here to Read MoreAdvertisement,Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI), manufacturer of Hot Shot’s Secret brand of performance additives and oils, recently announced the expansion of senior leadership. Steve deMoulpied joins LSI as the company’s chief operating officer (COO). AdvertisementClick Here to Read MoreAdvertisement LSI President Brett Tennar says, “Steve’s success in developing operational strategies that improves the bottom line, builds teamwork, reduces waste and ensures quality product development and distribution checks many of the boxes of what we were looking for in a COO. This, coupled with his career in the Air Force working with highly technical systems and his in-depth understanding of Lean Six Sigma and Business Process Management sealed our offer. As our tagline states, our products are Powered by Science. This data driven approach is one reason why our company has grown exponentially as we employ the most advanced technology to product development. I am confident that Steve is the right person to drive operational strategy for our diverse and growing brands.” Advertisement With more than 20 years of experience across multiple industries and functional areas, deMoulpied has particular expertise in organizations with complex technical products. Combined, his prior positions have required a spectrum of skills in corporate strategy, operations improvement, product quality, and revenue cycle management. He has an impressive history of utilizing data driven problem solving (Lean Six Sigma) and project management (PMP and CSM) to achieve strategic goals surrounding customer satisfaction, operational efficiency and improved profit. DeMoulpied has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Management from the United States Air Force Academy and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Dayton in Marketing and International Business. He served six years with the USAF overseeing the development of technology used on fighter aircraft and the E-3 Surveillance aircraft, finishing his career honorably as Captain.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is closed due to impassable road. Courtesy/BLMBLM News:ALBUQUERQUE – Due to thunderstorms Tuesday, the road to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is impassable.The Monument is closed starting and updates will be posted to www.blm.gov/visit/kktr.For more information, contact the BLM Rio Puerco Field Office at 505.761.8700.About BLMThe BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.
Daily Postcard: Large bruin samples trash cart contents around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the Western Area. Animal Control and Los Alamos Police responded to the area, but the results of their interaction with the bear are as yet unknown. According to reference.com, ‘Bruin was the name of the bear character in the tales of Reynard the Fox, which were popular in the Middle Ages.’ Photo by Brint PereraMidafternoon snack. Photo by Brint Perera
Daily Postcard: A bear is spotted Friday morning on Barranca Mesa. Photo by Maco Stewart
By CARY NEEPERLos Alamos Daily PostWe humans are so focused on our verbal ways of communicating, it is easy to overlook the more subtle methods used by plants and animals.However, that topic has appeared in some excellent books (The Hidden Life Of Trees and The Inner Life of Animals: What They Feel by Peter Wohlben )Communication between living beings, and between themselves and their environments, is not limited to sound. Smell and taste play large roles in animal and plant communication. A giraffe can smell danger when eating.Electrical impulses can travel 1/3 inch per second in trees, increasing the tannin in some. The scent of willow trees attracts bees, who collect their pollen. Saliva from an insect is tasted by the leaf that insect is eating. Reacting to the saliva, the leaf then produces a chemical that attracts predators to the hungry insect.Soil fungi have been found to act as communicators of nourishment, making it available in a felled tree. The roots interact with the fungal hyphae. Some root tips also have nerve cells. Trees often grow close together and share nutrients gathered in their roots.These communication skills are usually lost in agricultural plants and “cultivated,” not wild plants. That’s why insects feed better off farm crops.The amazing ability of dogs to smell has been put to work in many ways. Their work finding victims of fires or earthquakes and snow avalanches is well known. They can detect killer whales’ scat floating on Puget Sound waters. They can smell mice in large meadows and find the scat from silverspot caterpillars.In the excellent series Planet Earth II, David Attenborough has captured videos of a grouper and an octopus working together to catch small fish hiding in a coral alcove. The grouper points his body at the small fish to attract the octopus’s attention.Octopuses disguise themselves with shells when they see a shark approaching. If the shells don’t confuse the shark and the octopus gets caught, the octopus puts his arm into the shark’s gills so he can’t breathe.The stories continue as we learn how other lives invent ways to survive. Some of the most remarkable examples of life’s genius is found in Ross Piper’s huge book of 540 gorgeous photos and scanning electron micrographs (SEMs) “focused” on the world’s tiniest animals.These 1.5 million microscopic species “feed on other organisms.” Some of these weird blobs move around and respond to stimuli…” like us humans.”1.5 million known species have been identified out of a possible 10 to 200 million species so small we have little or no awareness of them.Recently we are also learning about large animal strategies for survival. An August 2019 article in Scientific American by Garath Arnott and Robert W. Elwood of Northern Ireland, “When Animals Fight,” reports evidence showing that when large male nonhuman animals decide to fight or to retreat for the right to mate, they do not assess the strength of their opponent.They assess their own chances, based on their own size and weight. Studied were Siamese fighting fish, jumping spiders, stalk-eyed flies, hermit crabs, killer fish, house crickets, domestic pigs, and wild giraffes. Are humans very different? Wild California turkeys ‘communicating’. Courtesy photo
RTD News: In partnership with the Santa Fe National Forest and to honor the nation’s veterans and their families, the North Central Regional Transit District will waive fares for all on its RTD Blue Bus 255 Mountain Trail route Monday, Nov. 11. The Santa Fe National Forest has been a valuable partner in the design and service of the Mountain Trail route. The RTD Mountain Trail provides year-round public transit service from downtown Santa Fe up Hyde Park Road, to trailheads through the Santa Fe National Forest concluding at Ski Santa Fe. At its August Board meeting, the NCRTD passed a resolution designating three National Forest fee-free days as fare-free days on the Mountain Trail route: National Public Lands Day, Veterans Day and National Get Outdoors Day. By providing fare-free service on these days the NCRTD demonstrates its commitment to cooperate with the Forest Service, enhance access to the forest, and promote health and awareness of public lands. The North Central Regional Transit District provides fare-free and premium fare public transit service to a service area that encompasses more than 10,000 square miles of north central New Mexico including the counties of Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and Taos. The NCRTD thanks and honors all veterans for the time they served and the sacrifices they, and their families, made for our country. On Veterans Day, the Santa Fe National Forest will waive fees at many recreation sites. In cooperation with other federal agencies and under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the forest service encourages “fee-free days” to create an opportunity for more Americans to connect with their public lands and participate in outdoor activities. For more information, visit RidetheBlueBus.com.