Port of Spain-

The public and private sector and civil society groups in St. Kitts and Nevis participated in a second national consultation from July 10-12, 2018 to develop a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy to address the impacts of climate change and build resilience.

The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) co-facilitated the national consultation with the Department of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources, Cooperatives, Environment and Human Settlements in St. Kitts and Nevis. The aim of the consultation was to enable stakeholders to review and refine the priorities and strategies for adaptation and the framework for implementation of the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, including the institutional arrangements for coordinated cross-sectoral action, the key implementing organisations and financing. The consultation included a series of focused meetings with key sectors and a national workshop that brought together stakeholders from government, private sector and civil society organisations representing various sectors and interests.

Ms. Cheryl Jeffers, Conservation Officer, Department of the Environment noted in her opening remarks at the national workshop: “Adaptation is everyone’s business. The input and support of key sectoral agencies, including agriculture, fisheries, health, water and tourism, and civil society groups in St. Kitts and in Nevis is critical and there needs to be a collaborative approach to effectively address climate change and related impacts.” She also highlighted the importance of investing in adaptation and the critical need for support from the Green Climate Fund and other climate finance mechanisms…[+]

The European Union has led a chorus of criticism after Israel passed a controversial law declaring that only Jews have the right of self-determination in the country.

Adding that the legislation would complicate a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the EU joined Israeli Arab political leaders, Israeli opposition politicians and liberal Jewish groups in the US in flagging up concern, with some saying the law amounted to “apartheid”. The legislation stipulates that “Israel is the historic homeland of the Jewish people and they have an exclusive right to national self-determination in it”. It also strips Arabic of its designation as an official language alongside Hebrew, downgrading it to a “special status” that enables its continued use within Israeli institutions.(theguardian)…[+]

Mark Zuckerberg has been criticised by Jewish groups and anti-racism organisations for suggesting Holocaust denial should be allowed on Facebook because it could be unintentional. In an interview on Wednesday, the Facebook founder said he found Holocaust denial “deeply offensive”, but added: “I don’t believe that our platform should take that down because I think there are things that different people get wrong. I don’t think that they’re intentionally getting it wrong … It’s hard to impugn intent and to understand the intent.”

Zuckerberg, who is Jewish, later retracted his remarks, issuing an update that said: “I personally find Holocaust denial deeply offensive, and I absolutely didn’t intend to defend the intent of people who deny that.” But his comment came too late to stop criticism from Jewish groups, both for the specifics of his statement and the general practice of allowing Holocaust denial to thrive on his platform. Stephen Silverman, director of investigations and enforcement at the Campaign Against Antisemitism, told the Guardian: “Mark Zuckerberg’s remarks are deeply irresponsible. There is no such thing as benign Holocaust denial.(theguardian)…[+]

Port of Spain, Trinidad. A ceremonial sitting of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be the final in a series of events commemorating the Honourable Mr. Justice Adrian Saunders’ elevation to the office of CCJ President. The event will be held at the House of Assembly in Kingstown at 1 pm (AST), on Friday 20 July 2018, in Mr. Justice Saunders’ home country. This event will be broadcast live on the internet on the CCJ’s website at ccj.org.

The CCJ President stated, “it is with much anticipation that I return to my home country to preside at this first sitting of the CCJ in St Vincent and the Grenadines. While I am a son of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I have become a true Caribbean man, living in so many of our nations and working for over two decades in service to the region. However, it is always a distinct pleasure to be recognized in the place that is your first home”.

Judge of the CCJ, the Honourable Mr. Justice David Hayton will moderate the event, as well as, make his own remarks. The Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, MP, will head the list of speakers who will pay tribute to Mr. Justice Saunders. Other speakers include the Honourable Mme. Justice Dame Janice Pereira, DBE, Chief Justice, The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court; the Honourable Mr. Jaundy Martin, Attorney General, St. Vincent and the Grenadines; the Honourable Mr. Jomo Thomas, Speaker of the House, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Mr. Reginald Armour, SC, Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, will make his presentation by video...[+]