BARBADOS: Political will, leadership critical to HIV/AIDS fight. A regional leader who is also Chairman of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) has insisted that political will and leadership are critical to fighting the diseases and ensuring universal access to HIV and AIDS services in the region. Full article

BARBADOS: Call to increase consent age in Jamaica. A call has been made for the age of consent in Jamaica to be increased from 16 to 18 years. Full article

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: Jordans staff Dress for a Cause for World AIDS Day. If one had entered the office of JORDANS (Caribbean) Limited today they would have assumed that they had stumbled into a work study program, as all of the members of staff were dressed in uniforms from various schools for a worthy cause. Full article

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: Tag Team Alliance commemorates World AIDS Day. The Tag Team Alliance observed World Aids Day with a balloon releasing and candle lightning ceremony. Full article

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: Education Minister credits Ministry for reduction of criminal youth cases. Education Minister Hon. Andrew Fahie believes its also as a result of the amount of new initiatives introduced by his Ministry that has resulted in a reduction in the number of youths taken before the court. Full article

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: World AIDS Day Message by Minister of Health and Social Development, Hon. Dancia Penn, OBE, QC. December 1, 2008: Fellow Virgin Islanders and listeners, today December 1, 2008 we once again join millions of people in more than 190 countries in observing WORLD AIDS DAY. The celebration this year is special as it marks the 20th Anniversary of WORLD AIDS DAY. Full article

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: BVI initiates youth path project for disadvantaged youth. The BVI National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has officially embarked on its Youth PATH Project initiative, which targets disadvantaged youth. Full article

CUBA: Cuba Reports Lowest HIV Rate in the Caribbean. Cuba reported that 0,1 percent of its population is infected with the AIDS virus, a figure that is considered by experts as the lowest in the Caribbean, though there is a trend towards an increase, according to local reports. Full article

CUBA: Cuba Leads Latin American in Education for All. Cuba leads Latin America and the Caribbean in Education for All (EFA) according to a report released by the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO). Full article

CUBA: Cuban Youths Create Useful Software to Study History. An instructive software, facilitating the study of historical figures and events from the ancient and medieval ages, was created by youngsters from the eastern Cuban province of Las Tunas. Full article

CUBA: AIDS Prevention Is in Our Hands. Manuel Hernandez Fernandez from the Cuban National STD-HIV/AIDS Prevention Center spoke about the seriousness of the disease on occasion of December 1, World Aids Day. Full article

CUBA: Havana Hosts International Event on Medical Education. More than 600 delegates from 47 countries are attending the ‘International Conference on Medical Education for the 21st Century: Towards Health Equity’ that began on Sunday at the Habana Libre hotel in the Cuban capital. Full article

DOMINICA: Top cop concerned about youth violence. Dominica's police chief has expressed alarm over the high level of violence among the youth in Dominica. Full article

DOMINICA: Calls for AIDS issue to be adopted on national agenda. As Dominica joins the rest of the world in observance of World AIDS Day today, Coordinator of the National HIV/AIDS Prevention Unit Julie Frampton said the issue must be taken to Dominica's national agenda. Full article

DOMINICA: NYC recognises outstanding youths. In excess of 20 youths and groups were awarded at the 3rd annual National Youth Awards ceremony last Saturday for their contributions to achievements in various sectors of society. Full article

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Around 0.8% of Dominican population carries the AIDS virus. Around 0.8 percent of the Dominican population, or around 40,000 people, carries the HIV-AIDS virus, said Presidential Council on Aids (Copresida) director Leonardo Martinez. Full article

JAMAICA: More teen girls missing. Two teenage girls have been reported missing from their houses since last week Friday. Full article

JAMAICA: Hundreds turn out for HIV testing. Several hundred people yesterday got tested for HIV/AIDS during an exhibition hosted by the Ministry of Health to commemorate World AIDS Day. Full article

JAMAICA: Letter. Profile of a violent student - A principal examines the state of school behaviour. Full article

JAMAICA: Persons with HIV/AIDS still facing pressure from society. TWENTY-SIX years after HIV was first discovered in Jamaica, infected persons are still being ostracised, stigmatised and discriminated against, patrons at yesterday's World AIDS Day leadership breakfast were told. Full article

JAMAICA:  Foreign affairs ministry launches HIV workplace policy. THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade yesterday added its name to the list of employers who have taken a stand against HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination in the workplace, with the launch of its HIV/AIDS workplace policy. Full article

JAMAICA: 'Key education performance targets will be missed'. KEY performance targets for the country's primary and secondary schools to be achieved by 2015 - as set out in the 2004 report of the National Task Force on Education - will be missed, executive director of the Education Transformation Team (ETT) Frank Weeple has disclosed. Full article

JAMAICA: Jamaican youths urged to take lead in dealing with HIV/AIDS. With today's commemoration of World AIDS Day, Jamaican youth are being urged to take the lead in keeping HIV/AIDS issues on the public agenda and sex out of the schools. Full article

JAMAICA: Frequently asked questions about HIV/AIDS. The following are frequently asked questions and responses about HIV/AIDS as compiled by the Ministry of Health's National HIV/STI Prevention and Control Programme: Full article

JAMAICA: Jamaican youths advised to 'hold off and hold on'. He is only 22 years old, but Jordan Brown* has already been living with HIV for four years. Full article

JAMAICA: AIDS: Prognosis for the epidemic in Latin America, the Caribbean. Today is being observed as World AIDS Day and Flair takes the opportunity to offer perspectives on the implications of the disease for our region. Full article

JAMAICA: Should condoms be distributed in high schools? WITH the high rate of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in teenagers and the raging debate over whether the relevant authorities should make condoms available in schools, the Observer hit the streets of Kingston to ask: Would you support the government distributing condoms in schools? Full article

NETHERLAND ANTILLES: Leeflang: Build schools and get teachers after. --“Let’s build the schools, please. I beg you,” Education Minister Omayra Leeflang pleaded with St. Maarten in this week’s Parliamentary meetings on the 2009 Central Government Budget. “Use the money to build schools. Once they have been built, we will find the people to teach.”  Full article

NETHERLAND ANTILLES: Students rack up huge bills to S4. Some St. Maarten students pursuing tertiary studies in the Netherlands have racked up in excess of US $60,000 in soft loans to the St. Maarten Student Support Services (S4) and have resorted to being verbally abusive when sent correspondence to repay. Full article

 
NETHERLAND ANTILLES: Voluntary testing boosted by quick AIDS test results. MARIGOT--Officials of the national organisation AIDES (the word encompasses AIDS and the French word AIDE, meaning “support”) said Tuesday they were very pleased with the response to the activities organised on the French side for World AIDS Day on Monday. Full article

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: On the frontlines of the HIV/AIDS battle. PEOPLE living with HIV/AIDS are still family members, friends and part of the community. They should not be discriminated against and we should seek to understand their position. Persons infected should continue to be loved, cared for and appreciated by those who previously loved, cared for and appreciated them. Full article

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: NWRHA raises funds for HIV/AIDS care. The management and staff of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) got together last Thursday evening to celebrate the “power of one” in the fight to eliminate discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS. Full article

 
US VIRGIN ISLANDS: Students Get a Graphic Lesson for World AIDS Day. The AIDS epidemic is a crisis that can't be ignored, Delegate Donna M. Christensen says, a lesson educators put into practice for World AIDS Day Monday at the St. Croix Career and Technical Educational Center (CTEC). Full article

US VIRGIN ISLANDS: St. Croix teenager injured in shooting. Police are investigating a shooting that left a teenager injured Saturday night. Full article

US VIRGIN ISLANDS: YouthBuild receives advice from mainland visitors. A handful of YouthBuild directors from programs across the U.S. visited with local YouthBuild participants and staff Wednesday along with the organization's founder, John Bell. Full article