Improving Lives in the Caribbean

Headwinds Facing the Post-Pandemic Recovery in the Caribbean

After two tumultuous years, 2023 remains characterized by headwinds facing countries across the world. Just as the pandemic’s effects began to dissipate in 2021, a new series of shocks emerged to test Caribbean economies’ fragile recoveries and resilience in 2022, linked in large part to residual impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on supply chains and demand conditions, rising inflation and tightening financial conditions, as well as new global shocks — particularly driven by the conflict in Ukraine. To learn more about the topics discussed, please: * Visit this blog: https://blogs.iadb.org/caribbean-dev-trends/en/headwinds-facing-the-post-pandemic-recovery-in-the-caribbean/ [https://blogs.iadb.org/caribbean-dev-trends/en/headwinds-facing-the-post-pandemic-recovery-in-the-caribbean/] * Download the publication: https://publications.iadb.org/en/caribbean-economics-quarterly-volume-11-issue-3-headwinds-facing-post-pandemic-recovery [https://publications.iadb.org/en/caribbean-economics-quarterly-volume-11-issue-3-headwinds-facing-post-pandemic-recovery] #Caribbean #improvinglives #development #economy #recovery #COVID19 #pandemic

Corrections Reform in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond

Should corrections reform continue during the pandemic and how? From The Bahamas, hear how they are strengthening corrections reform amid the circumstances, which includes training of inmates in various skill areas, training of corrections officers, and addressing other key issues under the Citizen Security and Justice Program (CSJP). Inderia Saunders, IDB Communications Consultant The Bahamas, speaks to Dr. Valerie Knowles, the CSJP Rehabilitation and Reintegration coordinator, Alexander Darville, dean of Construction Trades and Workforce at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) and Natalie Bethel, IDB Operations Analyst in The Bahamas. If you have questions or comments about this podcast, you can email podcast242@iadb.org [podcast242@iadb.org]. To learn more about our work in the Caribbean region, visit https://blogs.iadb.org/caribbean-dev-trends/en/ [https://blogs.iadb.org/caribbean-dev-trends/en/]. Read more about corrections reform and rehabilitation in The Bahamas https://www.iadb.org/en/improving-lives/pandemic-paves-virtual-path-rehabilitation [https://www.iadb.org/en/improving-lives/pandemic-paves-virtual-path-rehabilitation].

Road Safety in the Caribbean

In Latin America and the Caribbean, road traffic injuries are the second-leading cause of death among young adults (15-29 years old) and almost half of the fatalities are among vulnerable road users – Motorcyclists (23%), pedestrians (22%) and cyclists. Joining Golda Lee Bruce, our podcast host and Development Storyteller for the IDB Caribbean Department, to talk about the importance of road safety and what more can be done in the Caribbean to reduce crashes and the associated social and economic costs, are Alana Fook, Transport Focal Point - IDB Country Office in Jamaica, and Christopher Persaud, Senior Transport Specialist - IDB Country Office in The Bahamas. Also highlighted in their discussion are three free online courses on Road Safety in Caribbean region that are available now. They are Safe Urban Mobility, Institutions and Data Management and Safe Infrastructure. You can register for one, two or all three free online courses here https://www.edx.org/professional-certificate/idbx-road-safety-in-the-caribbean-region?utm_campaign=idbx&utm_medium=partner-marketing&utm_source=organic&utm_content=road_safety_podcast [https://www.edx.org/professional-certificate/idbx-road-safety-in-the-caribbean-region?utm_campaign=idbx&utm_medium=partner-marketing&utm_source=organic&utm_content=road_safety_podcast] It is possible to obtain a Professional Certificate if you complete the 3 courses. The cost is $USD25. To join the conversation about Caribbean development, visit https://blogs.iadb.org/caribbean-dev-trends/en/ [https://blogs.iadb.org/caribbean-dev-trends/en/]

Small Business Survival: The Business of Surviving the Pandemic

Small businesses are said to be the lifeblood of an economy, but they struggle even during the best of times – listen in on how the pandemic is affecting micro, small and medium sized enterprises in The Bahamas as the country struggles with curfews, lockdowns and fluctuating COVID-19 infection rates. Together, with Nicholas Higgs from the IDB-funded Access Accelerator, Small Business Development Center, small business owner Santina McKinney (Media Box Bahamas) and Maria Eugenia Roca – the Chief of Operations for Country Office Bahamas, we explore the context and the steps being taken to mitigate MSME challenges. Inderia Saunders, Communications Consultant for IDB in The Bahamas, hosts this episode of Improving Lives in the Caribbean. If you have questions or comments about this podcast, you can email podcast242@iadb.org [podcast242@iadb.org]. To learn more about our work in the Caribbean, visit https://devtrends.iadb.org/en [https://devtrends.iadb.org/en].

Growing Access to Quality and Affordable Electricity, Water and Transportation

In our second discussion about the new flagship publication by the Inter-American Development Bank, From Structures to Services: The Path to Better Infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean, we take a deeper look at energy, transport and water services. Tomas Serebrisky, Economics Principal Advisor in our Infrastructure and Energy Division and Michelle Carvalho, Economics Senior Specialist, also from the Infrastructure and Energy Division discuss changing the focus of the infrastructure agenda when dealing with these services in this podcast hosted by Golda Lee Bruce, Caribbean Development Storyteller. To access the publication 'From Structures to Services The Path to Better Infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean', visit https://flagships.iadb.org/en/DIA2020/from-structures-to-services [https://flagships.iadb.org/en/DIA2020/from-structures-to-services]. To explore more of our work in the Caribbean https://devtrends.iadb.org/en [https://devtrends.iadb.org/en]