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Jamaicans will head to the polls on Thursday, September 3, 2020 to elect their next government in the country’s 18th general elections.
Since 1944 when Universal Adult Suffrage was attained in Jamaica, 17 elections have been called.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the announcement in Parliament after first moving five resolutions that led to the revocation of the states of emergency (SOEs) effective Monday, August 17.
Nomination Day will be Tuesday August 18.
There are four registered political parties in Jamaica: the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) the People’s National Party (PNP), the United Independents’ Congress (UIC) and the newly registered Jamaica Progressive Party
PNP and JLP are expected to field a full slate of 63 candidates while the newly formed JPP could have candidates in two-thirds of the seats.
General election will be held on Thursday, September 3, 2020. Nomination Day will be Tuesday, August 18, 2020. #BuildBackStronger
Posted by Andrew Holness on Tuesday, August 11, 2020
The upcoming September 3rd general elections will be one of the most consequential elections in Jamaica because the government that will be elected will lead the country’s continuous battle with the COVID-19 pandemic.
In recent opinion polls, Jamaicans have given the Government the thumbs up for the management of the pandemic despite COVID-19 cases breaching the 1,000-mark, with 14 deaths and two communities currently under quarantine.
The campaign will be one of the shortest ever and will pit the JLP against the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) led by former finance minister Dr Peter Phillips.
And with COVID-19, election campaign protocols were rolled out.
Any group doing a walkabout or door-to-door campaigning should be made up of not more than five persons and there should be no mixing between groups.
No more than two persons (campaigning party) within any group is allowed to enter homes within communities. On entering each home, the hands of the individuals must be sanitized and the persons must wear a face mask.
If the persons are invited to enter the living quarters i.e., within the house or bedroom, the campaigning party must ensure that they either remove their shoes or have them sanitized at the doorway of the dwelling.
The campaigning party should ensure that each visit lasts for no more than 15 minutes and that all infection prevention and control measures are maintained.
Additionally, there can be no more than 20 persons at any election meetings, including rallies and gatherings during the campaign or on counting night at any assembly centres or venue. And as for the use of perambulating vehicles for campaigning, persons within the vehicle must adhere to the requirements as per the rules for public passenger vehicles.
The post Jamaica’s election day announced appeared first on Caribbean News Now!.
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NOAA’s National Hurricane Center issued a Public Advisory as Tropical Depression Eleven (formerly Invest 95L) forms in the Atlantic Ocean.
Eleven and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Josephine as it tracks towards the Caribbean.
The center of Tropical Depression Eleven was located near latitude 12.0 North, longitude 41.5 West, about 1350 miles East of the Lesser Antilles. Eleven is moving toward the west near 16 mph until through Wednesday. Followed by a west-northwestward motion at a similar forward speed by Wednesday night through the rest of the week.
If Tropical Depression Eleven or another future system gains this name before Aug. 22, then the Atlantic would have its earliest-forming “J” storm on record, as noted below by Phil Klotzbach, a tropical scientist at Colorado State University. Another first in this “extremely active” hurricane season.
Low pressure area in eastern Atlantic is now given 50% chance of tropical cyclone development in next five days by the National #Hurricane Center. If it gets named, it would be Josephine. Current record for earliest ‘J’ storm in the Atlantic is Jose on August 22, 2005. pic.twitter.com/kHKcwG1jkF
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) August 9, 2020
The other remaining storm names for 2020 are Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.
However, strong vertical wind shear and dry air are eventually set to impact the system, which may result in weakening.
The National Hurricane Center notes the possibility of Eleven will weaken to a tropical wave by then.
“Wind shear and dry air is going to stymie this system as it works its way toward the Bahamas,” said Fox 35 meteorologist Glenn Richards, who added the system will likely be gone by early next week.
The post Tropical Depression Eleven forms in the Atlantic appeared first on Caribbean News Now!.
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Choice Hotels has completed the onboarding of more than 50 AMResorts all-inclusive resorts to its network.
The move is the result of a strategic agreement with AMResorts’ parent company, Apple Leisure Group, signed last year, which allows for members of Choice Hotel’s Choice Privileges loyalty program to earn and redeem points at AMResorts’ Zoëtry, Secrets, Breathless, Dreams, Now and Sunscape-branded hotels.
It also means guests can make reservations at those properties with Choice.
“Through our collaboration with AMResorts®, Choice’s all-inclusive luxury resort offering is now the largest of any major U.S. hotel company, which means our loyalty members have access to unparalleled vacation and rewards options in top leisure destinations like Cancun, Montego Bay, and St. Martin,” said Jamie Russo, vice president, loyalty programs and customer engagement at Choice Hotels. “We’re proud to provide our loyal guests with even more possibilities for their next getaway through the ability to earn and redeem points at some of the world’s most renowned all-inclusive resorts.”
AMResorts has already reopened a number of its resorts in the wider Caribbean-Mexico region under the company’s CleanComplete Verification program, which features a series of health and safety protocols amid the new realities of travel.
For more, visit Choice Hotels.
— CJ
The post Choice Hotels Adds AMResorts All-Inclusives to Loyalty Program appeared first on Caribbean Journal.
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St Maarten’s leading all-inclusive resort is open again, Caribbean Journal has learned.
The adults-only Sonesta Ocean Point Resort, the adults-only resort adjacent to the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, is open and accepting guests following St Maarten’s tourism reopening. (The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort remains closed, however).
St Maarten continued its multi-phased reopening earlier this month, officially welcoming back travelers from the United States (see St Maarten’s health and safety protocols for visitors here).
The Sonesta Ocean Point has reopened with a host of new health and safety measures called PureCare.
So what’s changed at the property?
The resort’s signature Azul restaurant and The Point are both open; Casa Blue will be open at a later date following an upgrade project, Sonesta said in a statement.
Four bars are open, including One Zero Pool Bar, Martin’s Bar, Azul Bar, Sunset Lounge + Bar, along with poolside service.
The Serenity Spa has shifted its operations outdoors, meaning guests can get treatments in an oceanfront gazebo.
That’s along with new, 24-hour contactless room service, along with a new coffee and pastry bar called Carmen’s Cafe.
Butler service will be available on request, but Sonesta has “strict, limited room entry guidelines” that also mean nightly turndown service has been paused for now.
As for the aforementioned Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, its closure has been extended through at least Oct. 29.
For more, visit Sonesta Ocean Point.
— CJ
The post The Top All-Inclusive In St Maarten Is Open Again appeared first on Caribbean Journal.
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