One-Minute Reads ... News from around the region

US authorities seize guns and magazines destined for T&T

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it has seized six semi-automatic pistols and nine pistol magazines inside a toolbox destined for Trinidad and Tobago.

The agency said that the illegal weapons were being sent from Tennessee via air courier.

The CBP said that on July 1, it inspected outbound parcels at the Rafael Hernandez International Airport in Puerto Rico and that a K-9 dog was alerted to a box manifested as 'Gift Shipment' with US$100 customs value declared.

The agency said a more intrusive inspection revealed that the toolbox had semi-automatic pistols and pistol magazines, and that US Homeland Security took custody of the weapons for further investigation.

It did not disclose who sent the weapons from Tennessee, not did it disclose the name of the intended recipient.

BERMUDA

Cabinet ministers resign over coronavirus breaches

Two of Bermuda's leading cabinet ministers resigned on Monday night after sparking a furore by attending a party at a plush restaurant, where coronavirus (COVID-19) regulations were breached.

National Security Minister Wayne Caines and Tourism and Transport Minister Zane DeSilva left the cabinet after they accepted an "invitation to resign" from Premier David Burt.

Last Friday's party at the Blu Bar and Grill restaurant in Warwick parish was attended by Caines and DeSilva, and drew widespread criticism for breaches of COVID-19 health restrictions.

Short video clips making the rounds on social media showed guests, including Caines and DeSilva, dancing in proximity without face masks.

UNAIDS says COVID-19 has worsened HIV situation in region

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the efforts by Caribbean countries to meet the 2020 targets on HIV/AIDS, a senior UNAIDS official said Tuesday.

UNAIDS Caribbean Director Dr James Guwani, speaking at a virtual news conference, has warned that the pandemic may blow the Caribbean "off course".

"The crisis is an opportunity to adopt multi-monthly dispensing of HIV infections for stable patients in accordance with PAHO (Pan American Health Organization)/ WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines," he said.

He said most reporting Caribbean countries dispense treatment on a monthly basis, and "adopting the multi-monthly dispensing would reduce the time spent in clinics both during and after COVID".

The new report by UNAIDS shows remarkable, but highly unequal, progress, notably in expanding access to antiretroviral therapy.

ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

One Caribbean could start regional flights by next Sunday

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves says the Kingstown-based One Caribbean airline could begin regional flights as soon as next Sunday as part of its efforts to fill the void left by cash-strapped regional carrier LIAT.

The major shareholder governments of LIAT have, with the exception of Antigua and Barbuda, agreed to place the airline into liquidation.

But St John's (Antigua's capital) has criticised the move and, instead, is urging support for the idea of a new company, LIAT 2020, to take over the operations of the financially strapped LIAT (1974) Limited.

Gonsalves, speaking a local radio programme, said he had held discussions last weekend with One Caribbean and a letter was supplied to him from one of the airline's planes, a 30-seater.

Gonsalves said that One Caribbean could get another 30-seater aircraft within two weeks.

ST LUCIA

Curfew to end Friday

The St Lucia government says it will lift the curfew that had been imposed as part of the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on Friday, July 10.

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet made the announcement on Monday night as he updated the island on the response of his administration to the pandemic that had infected 22 people, but so far caused no deaths.

Chastanet also announced other measures, which he said would also come into effect as of July 10.

He said they include the reopening of cinemas with proper protocols, the reopening of childhood development centres with protocols, and the allowing of sports tournaments and contact sports with protocols for spectators.

Chastanet said the total number of persons who will be allowed is 200, regardless of how large the sports facility is, and that the attendees will be required to observe social distancing.

The yachting sector will also reopen with strict protocols.