NOAA predicts an 85% chance of an above-average hurricane season this year, not good news when oil continues to be spewed out of the BP oil pipe in the Gulf of Mexico. View satellite images of the oil spill and their page dedicated to the Deepwater Horizon spill.

• 85% chance of an above-average hurricane season
• 10% chance of an average hurricane season
• 5% chance of a below-average season

What does that mean for the number of hurricanes?

• 14-23 Named Storms
• 8-14 Hurricanes
• 3-7 Major Hurricanes

Visit our 2010 Hurricane Season page for more details.

A amazing video of projections on how the gulf oil spill will disperse from its original location. It turns out, if this projection is accurate, that this oil spill may have minimal or no affect on the Caribbean area, but you never know.

A satellite image of the tragic BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico shows the extent of the oil dispersion. This picture was taken May 24, 2010.  As of this writing the BP well has finally been capped however it is still too early to claim success. The good news is that, for now, at least no more oil is being released.

BP is still working on the second drill hole, but it will not be complete until August (update: news reports now say this may be available earlier). Four times more oil has now been spilled than the Exxon Valdez.

I am angry and fear for what this is doing to southern coast of the US and the Caribbean – especially now that Hurricane Season has started. BP has been lucky with the weather so far but a Hurricane could push this oil spill anywhere on the Southern US coast or onto the coastlines of resorts in Mexico, even Cuba and the Bahamas.

The New York Times has a map, updated daily, of the oil spill status. As well, here’s live video from MSNBC of the leakage.

By now you’ve probably seen the oil spill photos, (click on the photo for more).

Live video feed of the BP ROV vehicles, and here’s a map using Google Earth to show you the BP oil spill.

If you feel strongly about this gulf oil spill disaster, as I do, you can vote with your wallet and avoid pumping BP gas into your vehicle.

BP Operates the following gas stations in the US:

BP Operates the following petrol stations in the UK:

You can find gas stations for other countries HERE, and a full list of BP’s Product and Services, such as Castrol Oil.

Many societies have setup funds to help with the oil spill cleanup as it hits landfall, but beware – many scams have also cropped up! A common argument I hear is why we should have to donate anything to the clean up. BP has plenty of money and, as of this writing, has committed $20billion to reimbursements, plus money for clean up costs.

Here’s a real-time map of earthquakes around the world. Click the map to go to the website and then click on the Caribbean region to see and follow earthquakes there.

Have you experienced an earthquake recently?

The Costa Rica Electricity Institue (ICE) has been the only government run provider for the last 40 years, but this will all change starting in February 2010.

According to the Financial Times, the five leading Latin American and Caribbean cell phone providers are interested; America Movil, Telephonica, Millicom, Digicel, and CWI.

If phone and cell phone technology and support is your field then now may be the time to approach these companies as they look to expand.

Caribbean Cell Phone Company Links:

• America Movil
• Telephonica
• Millicom
• Digicel
• CWI

A Tsunami warning was issued for parts of the Caribbean, but later dismissed. “I think it is really a catastrophe of major proportions,” Haiti Ambassador Raymond Joseph told CNN. Houses fell into a ravine and the full extent of the damage has not been assessed yet.

There are tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed, U.N. mission says. The U.N. says at least 16 members of its 9,000-strong peacekeeping mission killed. Haiti president says mission chief Hedi Annabi among dead. At least 11 Brazilian soldiers killed at least seven missing or trapped under rubble, said Brazil’s army. World Bank pledges additional $100 million. U.N. says $10 million to be released immediately from central emergency response fund.

How can you help?

• International Medical Corps
• Direct Relief International
• World Vision
• International Relief Teams
• Yéle Haiti
• American Red Cross
• Operation USA
• CARE
• Catholic Relief Services
• World Food Programme
• World Concern
• Save the Children
• UNICEF USA
• Mercy Corps
• Operation Blessing International
• Shelterbox
• Americares
• Operation USA
• Doctors Without Borders
• Medical Teams International
• The International Committee of the Red Cross
• The Salvation Army

The unemployment rate is 8.4% and the total number of unemployed is 18.1 million. Does this mean there are no jobs available for us Caribbean job seekers?

I don’t believe so. A review of the Caribbean job sites shows that new jobs have been added over the past days and weeks. Positions are still available for the right skills match.

What this means is that our skills arsenal must have at least one deep skill that would not be generally available in the region. For example, having knowledge and skills in insurance audits, rather than just being an insurance agent, or being Cisco certified rather than general router and firewall knowledge.

Every job market is tough right now and you must be able to show your benefits as en employee. Find an area in your skills you enjoy and learn more about it, dig deeper. This will benefit you whatever part of the world you work in.

/Caribguy

According to Business Week, Comfort Inn has announced it will open it’s first Hotel in Haiti in more than a decade. It will be a small hotel, only 32 rooms, but there is also plans to build a 120 room Hotel at nearby Belle Rive.

Here’s their careers page, but there is no mention of the new hotel there yet. If this interests you, then you may want to get your name on the books in readiness.

/Caribguy

AP article

The Hard Rock chain is well known for its music memorabilia collection and also runs hotels and casinos in Tampa and Hollywood.

The new resort lies on 121 acres in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (see map below). There will 1800 rooms, 457 slots, 40 tables and a high limit poker room.

Here’s their Career Section that includes opportunities worldwide.

Westjet now flies to:

• Barbados
• Mexico
• Cuba
• Bahamas
• Dominican Republic
• Jamaica
• St Maarten
• Turks and Caicos.

They have a new non-stop flight to Turks and Caicos, leaving Toronto three times a week at 10am and arriving at 1:50pm. See all their destinations.

I’ve flown Westjet a few times domestically, but never internationally. What’s your experience?