HBO Premieres the Documentary: A Special Day
May 18, 2012
MIAMI, May 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — HBO Latin America announced that it will premiere the documentary, A Special Day, this upcoming May 21st at 9 pm, only one day after its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, in order to mark the celebration of the 65th edition of the festival.
Directed by Gilles Jacob, president of the Cannes Film Festival, and produced by Pyramide Productions and Le Festival de Cannes (The Cannes Film Festival), the documentary presents a tribute to film and its contemporary creators, and follows 35 renowned directors during the day of the Cannes Film Festival’s 60th Anniversary. The film takes a behind-the-scenes look at the organization of the festival, from the arrival of the directors, the photos, the red carpet, and the press conferences until the final farewell.
Some of the renowned directors that this documentary features are David Lynch, Joel and Ethan Coen, Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, Manoel de Oliveira, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Roman Polanski, among others.
A Special Day, edited by Samuel Faure, is 52 minutes long and was arranged entirely from official archive material and images from the Festival.
The documentary premieres in all of Latin America on the MAX channel this Monday, May 21st, at 9 pm, and will be rebroadcast Thursday, May 24th at 10 pm; Saturday, May 26th at 12:30 am and Sunday, May 27th at 7:30 pm.
MAX is a channel dedicated to independent film and cinema, offering cult, classic and not so classic movies, experimental films, exclusive documentaries, shorts and new film styles, as well as innovative and exciting vanguard productions.
About HBO Latin America
HBO Latin America is the leader in paid, Premium television network broadcasting in the region, who as well as being recognized for the quality and diversity of its original programming, movies and documentaries, delivers services of the highest technology in SD and HD formats in over 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through its channels HBO®, HBO2®, HBO® Signature, HBO® Plus, HBO® Family, HBO Caribbean®, Cinemax®, Max®, Max HD®, Max Prime(SM) and its SVOD services.
Irosoft Announces the Successful Implementation of its LIMS Solutions in Barbados
May 18, 2012
MONTREAL and BARBADOS, May 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Irosoft Inc., a worldwide leader in Acts and subsidiary legislation management solutions, in partnership with ESI Technologies Inc., is proud to announce the successful implementation of its LIMS Drafting and Consolidating solutions for the Government of Barbados.
“We are honoured to have been part of the LIMS project in Barbados for many reasons,” said René-Luc Morin. Vice-president and co-founder of Irosoft, Morin was in Bridgetown to complete the assignment and attend the official launch of the system held by the Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Adriel D. Brathwaite.
“Barbados can now manage its legislation using the latest and most advanced fully integrated system on the market,” Morin adds. “Our Irosoft LIMS implementation is now in full production in Barbados, and legislative drafters are already seeing the benefits of not having to deal with many repetitive and tedious tasks. Those involved in the consolidation process now have an easy-to-use, semi-automated system that respects the legal principal of ‘point-in-time’.
“Most of all, we have had the privilege of working with high-level professionals who have made our job easier. Supported by a strong project management, headed by Michael Forde of NexLevel Info on the client side and Chantal Lamarre, L.L.B, for Irosoft, we were able to finish the project on time and on budget, as we usually do.”
Project Manager Michael Forde commented: “Our success was due in large measure to the hard work, professionalism, and dedication of the legislative drafters and other staff in the office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel. For this, I commend them. Also contributing to our success, of course, was the expertise of the Irosoft team, their understanding of the legislative processes in our jurisdiction, and the quality of their LIMS product.”
“I see direct benefits to a wide cross-section of users,” said Attorney-General, Hon. Adriel D. Brathwaite, “from the ordinary man on the street to judges to attorneys to ourselves and, of course, to the draftsman themselves. LIMS brings tremendous benefits to them. It assists them not only in terms of research but certainly in terms of updating other laws that may be impacted by a piece of legislation. It is going to make that aspect of their lives that much easier.”
“We have now implemented our LIMS product in three countries in this part of the world,” concludes René-Luc Morin, “and we are looking forward to many more successful implementations in the near future.”
About Irosoft Inc.
Founded in 1995, Irosoft is a world leader in Document/Record Management and Legal Information Management. As a specialist in integrated content management, Irosoft offers innovative and easy-to-use solutions so that clients can simply and efficiently develop, organize, exploit and preserve their information capital. To date, more than 100 national and international organizations — government departments and agencies, municipalities, as well as private companies — have come to Irosoft to carry out large-scale content management projects.
Haiti Gets New PM Again
May 18, 2012
News Americas, PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Fri. May 18, 2012: Haiti has a new prime minister again. He is Laurent Lamothe.
Lamothe, a close friend and former business associate of President Michel Martelly, officially took over the second toughest job in Haiti on Wednesday as he and his 21-member Cabinet were sworn-in.
“I have the ambition of working and being the prime minister that takes care of the people’s needs,’’ Lamothe, 39, told The Miami Herald. Lamothe was Martelly’s fourth pick, and the second prime minister to be ratified by parliament in six months. Former Prime Minister Garry Conille resigned after only four months amid friction with Martelly.
Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today Lamothe and stressed his commitment to the principles and core values of the hemispheric organization.
“I’ve taken note of your statements on general policy that emphasize the importance of good governance, strengthening democracy, eliminating extreme poverty, respecting human rights and modernizing the state in order to achieve strong institutions,” Secretary General Insulza wrote in a letter sent to Prime Minister Lamothe. “These key elements reflect the principles and values of the Member States of the OAS, of which Haiti is a founding member.”
Lamothe has served in the government of Haiti as Minister of Foreign Affairs since October 2011. Previously, he was co-founder and CEO of the company Global Voice Group.
He is the son of Louis G. Lamothe, a doctor in Spanish literature and the founder of the Lope de Vega Institute, and of Ghislaine Fortuney Lamothe, a painter, and was born in Port-au-Prince. He grew up in an academic and artistic, but also athletic environment. His elder brother, Ruben, served as captain of the Haitian Davis Cup tennis team for some time. A tennis player himself, Laurent Lamothe represented his country at the Davis Cup in 1994 and 1995.
Lamothe left Haiti to complete his tertiary studies in the United States. After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in political sciences at Barry University in Miami, he turned to business management and obtained a Master’s degree with an honorable mention from Saint Thomas University.
Two years after obtaining his Masters degree in business management, he founded the telecommunications company Global Voice Group with his business partner, Patrice Baker. The company started out as a small telecommunications company and is today a worldwide provider of technological solutions in emerging markets and developing countries.
Through his company, Global Voice Group, he introduced telecoms governance technologies in Africa which allow regulation agencies to manage the sector in terms of control, tariff equity and transparency. This earned him a nomination as Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” in May 2008.
His involvement in the political and social life of Haiti subsequently led him to accept the position of Special Advisor to Haitian President Michel Martelly.
In September 2011, Lamothe and former United States President Bill Clinton co-chaired the Presidential Advisory Council for the Economic Development and Investment in Haiti launched by President Martelly on September 8, 2011 to help redevelop Haiti by making it more attractive to foreign companies and investors.
Subsequently, Lamothe was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti. On October 26, 2011, he made his first speech as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs during his installation ceremony, which took place in Bois-Verna, Haiti.
On March 1, 2012, Lamothe was designated as the Prime Minister of Haiti by President Michel Martelly following the resignation of Prime Minister Garry Conille.
On April 10, 2012, the Senate endorsed his nomination with 19 votes in favor to 3 votes against.
The Chamber of Deputies endorsed him 62 to 3 on May 3, 2012. He was formally appointed on May 4, 2012.
Trinidad PM To Address NYU Law Grads.
May 18, 2012
PM Persad-Bissessar
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. May 18, 2012: Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, will address the Class of 2012 at NYU School of Law’s J.D. Convocation later today.
Persad-Bissessar will speak to graduates, along with Patricia O’Brien, the United Nations’ under-secretary-general for legal affairs and legal counsel and Anthony Foxx ’96, the mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Persad-Bissessar became the first female prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago in 2010. She was previously the first woman to serve as attorney general in that state as well as a member of the parliament, minister of education, and minister of legal affairs. Before pursuing politics, Persad-Bissessar was first a social worker and teacher, and later a lawyer.
In her absence from T&T, Minister Jack Warner is at the helm.
Branson Centre Head To Put Spotlight On Caribbean
May 18, 2012
Lisa Lake, chief entrepreneurship officer, the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean.
CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. May 18, 2012: The leader of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean will reveal the attractions of the region’s market at Invest Caribbean Now, set for this June 6th at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City.
The Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s breakfast power forum will spotlight on the Caribbean as a viable investment destination. The event will boast speakers from Jonathan Blue, chairman of Blue Equity, Jay Yeo, Solamon Energy Corp, Jean Arnell, of The Chamber of Commerce for French St. Martin, an official of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Agency, and Lisa Lake, chief entrepreneurship officer, the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean, and will highlight the investment opportunities in the region and its Diaspora.
The speakers will share their views on whether the Caribbean is the next hot emerging market that investors should be eyeing and explain how the region is developing new industries to balance the reliance on tourism that has powered many of the islands economies for years.
The Caribbean region, home to some 41 million people, has great tax benefits for investors, is politically stable, has a high literate work force, is open to free trade and has an established tourism market.
Lake will be speaking of her plans to support the economic development of the region through supporting high potential entrepreneurs through the early stages of their business development. The Centre is supported by Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, and has been developed in partnership with Virgin Holidays and Virgin Unite, the group’s not-for-profit foundation. Branson will be honored with the first Invest Caribbean Now Leadership Award on June 6th.
“The Caribbean region is rich in entrepreneurial spirit and in opportunities to grow the economy. Tourism has sustained this region for many years. We now need to develop and add diversity to the market by investing in the skills of entrepreneurs in the Caribbean and to help them scale their businesses and employ people while to competing in a global market,” Lake said.
The Invest Caribbean Now forum, the brainchild of Hard Beat Communications CEO, Felicia Persaud, will take place at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on June 6, 2012 from 7:30 to 10 a.m. during Caribbean Week in New York.
The June investment forum is a partnership between the Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat, a digital media company.
Cost to attend is $100 per person and registration can be done at investcaribbeannow.com or by email to joe@investcaribbeannow.com.
About Invest Caribbean Now 2012
The Invest Caribbean Now series aims to connect investors with entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce and ministers of governments in the hot new emerging market that is the Caribbean and its Diaspora. Its sponsors to date include One Caribbean Television, La Chambre Consulaire Interprofessionnelle de Saint-Martin, (CCISM), the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas (“ALTA”). For additional partnership opportunities log on to the sponsorship section of investcaribbeannow or call 646-820-5694.
About The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean
The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean, based in Montego Bay, Jamaica, was launched by Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, using funding from lead partner Virgin Holidays, the UK’s leading long haul holiday company last September. It is a hub for aspiring entrepreneurs and aims to offer practical business skills, access to coaches to offer guidance, mentors to share their experiences and in the future plans to work with partners to develop financing opportunities to enable growth. It supports the development of small and growing businesses and job creation in the Caribbean with an emphasis on tourism related businesses with strong financial, social and environmental credentials. The first Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship was established in 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa as a unique launch pad for bold and aspiring entrepreneurs to create successful businesses.
About Lisa Lake
Prior to joining The Branson Centre, Lake was Director of Operations for Brand Extensions at Sandals Resorts International. In this role, she had operational oversight of the Sandals Lifestyle Division and Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours. Prior to joining Sandals, Lake worked with OTF Group – a consulting firm focused on issues of competitiveness in developing countries. She sits on the Economic Planning Committee of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica.
One Caribbean Television Returns As Partner Of Invest Caribbean Now 2012
May 12, 2012
Carib PR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. May 11, 2012: Reiterating its commitment to the Caribbean region, One Caribbean Television returns this June as a partner of the 2012 Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum.
OCTV, which jumped on board to help present the inaugural forum last June, has again signed on to the second annual Caribbean Tourism Organization and Hard Beat Communications investment forum, slated for June 6, 2012 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City.
“We are pleased to be joined by OCTV for a second year in a row,” said Felicia Persaud, CEO of Hard Beat Communications and convener of Invest Caribbean Now. “What OCTV has done is reiterated its investment commitment to this region and that is certainly a breath of fresh air in an investment arena here few respect this region as a fertile investment destination.”
“OCTV is proud to partner with Hard Beat Communications at Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum because it brings together so many like minded” people who see the Caribbean as a future place to do business, not just in recreation and tourism, but the many areas of untapped resources and talent the region has to offer,” said OTV officials. “We look forward to meeting people at the forum that we can not only do business with, but form long term partnerships and friendships!”
One Caribbean Television (OCTV) started off as a Caribbean Weather Channel, serving the Caribbean, Latin, Central and South America with current conditions and severe weather, tropical storm and hurricane coverage. That platform has been rapidly expanding to News, Business Reports, Sports Reports, Entertainment and Local Events as well as reports from correspondents on the islands and reports from New York City, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Our goal is to provide as much Caribbean content as possible and to continue to provide our viewers the quality programming that they deserve.
OCTV is expanding its cable penetration in the Caribbean, Latin, Central and South America and is projecting its launch in the US and Canadian markets!
The Invest Caribbean Now Power Forum is done in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization to educate the private sector on Wall Street of the hot Caribbean market as well and boost interest in investment opportunities in the Caribbean and its Diaspora.
This year’s panelists are Chairman of Blue Equity, Jonathan Blue; President and co-founder of Solamon Energy Corp, Jay Yeo, Hon. Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization & Minister of Tourism & International Transport Government of St. Kitts & Nevis, Ricky Skerritt and Lisa Lake, the chief development director of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean. The 2012 Leadership Award recipient is Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group.
Invest Caribbean Now returns for a second year as Chinese investment in the Caribbean continues to boom in this free trade region that is politically stable and boosts attractive tax incentives, a highly literate work force and an established tourism market, and which the International Monetary Fund and World Bank forecast will see a 3.5 percent growth into 2013, higher than those of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and similar to those of East Asia.
Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors include La Chambre Consulaire Interprofessionnelle de Saint-Martin, (CCISM) and One Caribbean Television while supporting sponsors are the PR Newswire, WSEE TV, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc., The Museum of American Finance and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas.
Additional information on the event can be found at InvestCaribbeanNow.com, the event’s pages on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/people/Invest-Caribbean/100002110419705 and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/InvestingCarib.
Invest Caribbean Now 2012 sponsors also include La Chambre Consulaire Interprofessionnelle de Saint-Martin, (CCISM), the PR Newswire, CaribPR Wire, News Americas Now, Damoola Inc and The Affiliated Lawyers of the Americas (“ALTA”) and the Museum of American Finance.
For additional partnership opportunities email Joe Bernstein at joe@investcaribbeannow.com or log on to the sponsorship section of investcaribbeannow.com.
Caribbean News In Brief
May 10, 2012
Cholera Resurges In Haiti
May 9, 2012
News Americas, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Weds. May 9, 2012: Cholera has shown a resurgence in Haiti and cases are on the rise following the onset of the rainy season.
That’s the word from the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, (MSF).
The number of people treated by MSF alone in the capital, Port-au-Prince, has quadrupled in less than a month, reaching 1,600 cases in April, the organization said in a statement Wednesday.
MSF also said it has increased treatment capacity in the city and in the town of Léogâne, and is preparing to open additional treatment sites in the country. Nearly 200,000 cholera cases were reported during the rainy season last year, between May and October.
MSF officials added that while Haiti’s Ministry of Health and Populations claims to be in control of the situation, health facilities in many regions of the country remain incapable of responding to the seasonal fluctuations of the cholera epidemic and the surveillance system, which is supposed to monitor the situation and raise the alarm, is still dysfunctional.
“Too little has been done in terms of prevention to think that cholera would not surge again in 2012,” said Gaëtan Drossart, MSF head of mission in Haiti. “It is concerning that the health authorities are not better prepared and that they cling to reassuring messages that bear no resemblance to reality. There are many meetings going on between the government, the United Nations and their humanitarian partners, but there are few concrete solutions,” he said.
An MSF study in the Artibonite region, where approximately 20 percent of cholera cases have been reported, has revealed a clear reduction of cholera prevention measures since 2011. More than half of the organizations working in the region last year are now gone. Additionally, health centers are short of drugs and some staff have not been paid since January.
“Rain is just one of the risk factors for contamination. But as soon as the rains end, cholera subsides, and funding stops until the next rainy season, instead of money being channeled towards cholera prevention activities. As a consequence, people are still highly vulnerable when cholera comes back,” said Maya Allan, MSF epidemiologist.
The majority of Haitians do not have access to latrines, and obtaining clean water is a daily challenge. Of the half-million survivors of the January, 2010 earthquake who continue to live in camps, less than one third are provided with clean drinking water and only one percent recently received soap, according to a April 2012 investigation by Haiti’s National Directorate of Water Supply and Sanitation.
“Hygiene advice is of little use if people are unable to put it into practice,” said Drossart. ”People urgently need the means to protect themselves against cholera.”
While the cholera vaccination being used in some parts of Haiti can help control the disease, it is not a foolproof solution. The vaccine provides immunity for approximately three years and is estimated to be only 70 percent effective. Only major improvements of Haiti’s water and sanitation systems will provide durable solutions to the epidemic, but that will take time.
“The priority today is to save lives,” said Drossart. “All health actors in Haiti need to start working towards this goal immediately.”
Since cholera emerged in Haiti in October 2010, 535,000 people have been infected and more than 7,000 people have died, according to the Ministry of Health and Populations. To date, MSF has treated more than 170,000 people, or 33 percent of total cases, across the country.
Haiti’s Minister of the Interior Mobilizes Strong Support for Haiti in New Orleans
May 8, 2012
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The Haitian delegation that participated in the 2012 World Cultural Economic Forum in New Orleans, led by Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul, returned home from a very productive visit, having signed LOIs and MOUs for development partnerships with three renowned multinational and regional organizations. Minister Mayard-Paul inked preliminary agreements for cooperation with Ochsner Health Systems, the World Trade Center New Orleans and the Tulane Payson Center for International Development.
“Our meetings in New Orleans were exceptionally rewarding and gratifying,” said Mr. Mayard-Paul. “We are solidifying valuable partnerships with outstanding agencies that will help advance our goals for building a stronger, more resilient Haiti under the umbrella of Katye Pam Poze, Haiti’s community-based decentralization program.”
According to Mayard-Paul, Ochsner, which has been a reliable partner to Haiti since the earthquake, is interested in establishing a relationship with Haiti’s Justinien hospital and the Ecole Polytechnic De Mayaya La Victoire, allowing Ochsner physicians and medical students to provide health services in and around Cap-Haitien. “Ochsner plans to implement a recurring medical mission to Haiti, supported by United States board-certified physicians,” he said. “They expect to launch their first mission this year.”
The MOI also plans to include Ochsner as a key health services partner within KPP, to help strengthen capacity building through training, and access to basic services through regional health centers and hospitals, in order to increase coverage throughout the country. “The Government of Haiti is seeking to enhance healthcare services available to Haitians by encouraging and supporting Ochsner and others to contribute to the health and well-being of the people of Haiti throughout the country,” added Mayard-Paul.
In signing the agreement with Tulane’s Payson Center, the Minister of the Interior emphasized that in its post-earthquake recovery process, the Republic of Haiti faces many challenges for which the Payson Center can provide meaningful solutions. “The Center is interested in providing its well-known expertise and experience in legal system reform, affordable housing and higher education, through a public-private partnership with the Government of Haiti,” said Mayard-Paul. The minister pointed out that Payson showed special interest in introducing online learning within the education module of Katye Pam Poze (KPP).
In addition, Tulane expressed an interest in also providing technical assistance/collaboration in waste water management, given its expertise in this particular area and the importance of this service to Haiti and KPP. “All of this is aligned with Haitian priorities,” highlighted Mayard-Paul, who reiterated that he was “greatly encouraged to find a long-term partner who shares the government’s vision of increasing access to basic social infrastructure and services through a ‘bottom-up’ approach so that, in the end, people would have no need to migrate out of their communities and into urban areas. This is the cornerstone of KPP and the government’s National Decentralization Agenda,” added Mayard-Paul.
During the delegation’s visit with the World Trade Center New Orleans, Mayard-Paul, met with Jessica Steverson, Marketing Director of the World Trade Center and they discussed the ways in which they could partner to “bring to life” the myriad of energy, agriculture and maritime investment opportunities available in Haiti. “Louisiana and the Gulf South region have many companies with the knowledge and capacity to develop these critical areas,” assured Mayard-Paul. During the discussion both parties agreed to work on building investment opportunities and establishing reciprocal trade missions between the two regions.
Of special significance to Mayard-Paul and the Haitian delegation was a meeting with the city of New Orleans including Mayor Mitchell J. Landrieu, who successfully led the efforts to rebuild the city and restore thousands of jobs following Hurricane Katrina.
“Mayor Landrieu’s rebuilding efforts set a viable model for Haiti to learn from,” remarked Mayard-Paul. “Looking at New Orleans’ regional economy, it is clear it has begun to diversify, spearheading growth in knowledge-based industries. As a result, entrepreneurship in New Orleans has spiked dramatically post-Katrina. With jobs a pressing need in Haiti, this is a valuable take-away from our visit.”
The City of New Orleans welcomed the idea of partnering with the Ministry of the Interior and the Government of Haiti by providing technical expertise and support in different fields that enable building back a better Haiti, as well as facilitating other investment opportunities identified by the minister.
Mayard-Paul was “humbled and grateful” for the warm reception provided by WCEF and its participants to Katye Pam Poze, Haiti’s innovative “bottom-up” approach to community integration and sustainable development, which is focused on improving delivery of government services, as well as fostering development and job creation by promoting strong community involvement. “KPP has been designed as a holistic community-based program, where the end prize is to improve the quality of life of the Haitian people by enabling safe and prosperous communities right where they live, so they don’t have to migrate to urban centers to look for jobs.”
