NEWS WRAP: The Caribbean this Week
Taiwan blames China for Guyana’s retraction of rep office
UPDATE—In a sudden turn of events, Guyana revoked its decision to allow Taiwan to have its representative office in the Caribbean nation.
In an update reported by Reuters, Taiwan had tried to get Guyana to change its mind but without success, and accused China of “bullying” Guyana that led to the reversal of the agreement.
“We express our strongest dissatisfaction and condemnation of the Chinese government once again bullying and compressing Taiwan’s international space and Taiwan’s participation in international affairs,” Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said.
It has been previously reported that Taiwan had already begun initial operations at the office, in effect a de facto embassy, on January 25, and has been welcomed by Washington. China, however, was not pleased.
Canada’s Caribbean flight ban may cost Jamaica $449M
The decision to cancel all Canadian flights to the Caribbean until April 30 came as a disappointing shock to the private and public sectors of Jamaica, including its government, after it rushed to provide a new testing and quarantine system that could meet all North American requirements.
In an interview with CBC News, Jamaican Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said that while he was surprised by the extent of the measures Canada took, he acknowledged that countries must do what they can to manage the pandemic domestically.
“Yes, it is painful. Yes, it is difficult and it is causing us some unintended consequences, because I know that Canada has no real intention of hurting Jamaica,” Bartlett said.
Cuba declares curfew in Havana as COVID-19 surges
in a Reuters article, a curfew will be imposed Cuba’s capital, Havana, following a devastating ordeal of having its worst coronavirus surge since the beginning of the pandemic.
From 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., only authorized vehicles and personnel would be allowed outdoors in the city.
More than 15,000 cases were reported in January, nearly 50% of them in Havana and around five times the monthly figures last year.
The government said a majority of the cases were linked to travelers breaking quarantine, mainly Cubans living abroad.