“I assure you that we know what to do to bring back our economy – back to life. What we do not know is how to bring people back to life. We will therefore protect people’s lives, then their livelihoods. ” – Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana
“I keep telling the Jamaican people that I have two priorities. Priority number one is their health and safety, and priority number one is their livelihoods … you need healthy people to make the economy work, and a working economy gives you healthy people.” – Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica (CNN)
“COVID-19 reminds us that when we invest in health systems, we keep our people safe and our economies strong. When we guarantee access to health services for everyone, we reduce inequality and build more resilient societies.” – Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, Director, Pan American Health Organization
“Coordination is of utmost importance in this fight against the spread of COVID-19 and CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency) continues to play a critical role in keeping with their intergovernmental mandate from CARICOM (The Caribbean Community). What is a threat to one country in the Caribbean is a threat to all.” – Tatsuo Hirayama, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
“While there are ongoing discussions about the reopening of borders, no firm date has been set to facilitate regional travel as yet.” – Julie Reifer-Jones, Chief Executive Officer, LIAT
“I think to my parents and my grandparents, and all of the many influential black and African American individuals I’ve had in my life who’ve encouraged me to be my best self, be my truest self, not feel obliged to conform to the expectations that the world has of me, and feel a certain confidence in carving my own path. And that guidance, those words, have truly pushed me over my time at Princeton.” – Nicholas Johnson, first black student to be named valedictorian (Class of 2020) in the history of Princeton University (‘We Roar’ podcast, Princeton University)
“Today, a global pandemic has impacted our industry in ways that are completely unprecedented. However, I believe it is human nature to travel and explore new places and cultures and meet new people. I have no doubt that Holland America Line will thrive again soon, and its guests will be ready when cruise operations resume. I look forward to being one of the first to sail.” – Orlando Ashford, outgoing President, Holland America Line
Quotable Caribbean is compiled by Marketplace Excellence Corporation, a global public relations, marketing and media company.
