CalvinAir Helicopters assisting with monitoring St. Vincent volcano

The post originally appears on https://antiguanewsroom.com/calvinair-helicopters-assisting-with-monitoring-st-vincent-volcano/ and we republished with permission.

The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) Coordinating Unit, has selected CalvinAir Helicopters (CAH) as the top helicopter operator in the Caribbean to carry out the work of assisting scientists with monitoring the La Soufriere volcanic activity in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to a recent agency report, this support is extremely urgent to allow the scientists to analyze the data and present to the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines an informed interpretation of the current volcanic events.

It is against this backdrop that CAH was selected to assist the team with this undertaking, and will be responsible for providing The University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Centre’s (SRC) scientists with helicopter services for a period of seven (7) days, and then on an “as needed” basis.

According to CAH’s Director of Aviation, Mark Fleming, the decision was made after considering several other regional helicopter operations. “One of the requirements was to secure pilots with extensive mountainous terrain flying, as the peak is over 4,000 feet.

So it can be quite challenging with the strong winds at that altitude.

Additionally,” he added, “CalvinAir Helicopter pilots actually have extensive experience with flying for the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) with a scientist there. So we will be doing very similar flying on this mission; conducting observation flights around the dome; transporting equipment and supplies to monitoring sites; transporting the seismic research scientists and trying to find safe landing spots, where they will be able to set up and maintain their remote monitoring stations to analyze data.”

According to Fleming, the Antiguan-based helicopter operation conducts tours and charters around Antigua and Barbuda and surrounding islands.

“As well,” he said, “we’ll do more humanitarian work with Medevac flights as well as search and rescue and emergency missions like these, with the Montserrat Volcanic Observatory and now St. Vincent.”

The operation’s aircraft are stateof-the-art and not seen before in the Caribbean region. The Airbus EC130 is known to be the gold standard in helicopter aerial touring machines.

In addition, the style of its tail rotor reduces outside noise by up to fifty percent, earning it the nickname “ECO-Star”.

“CalvinAir Helicopters is the best of its breed in all-purpose helicopter operations,” said Calvin Ayre, owner of the company. “I am extremely proud of what our team has put together.

We can offer services across the spectrum, from search and rescue or medical airlift.”- POINTE EXPRESS

Bitcoin Association launches online education platform Bitcoin SV Academy

Bitcoin is a revolutionary technology and can be quite complex; for most people, it’s a steep learning curve – but it doesn’t have to be.

The following article, originally published on December 29th on CoinGeek.com, announces the launch of the BitcoinSV Academy, developed by the Bitcoin Association.

As part of the Bitcoin SV Academy, Bitcoin Association has curated a range of educational information and resources to establish a curriculum, from which training modules and courses have been developed to best serve the needs of the Bitcoin SV community.

ZUG, Switzerland – December 29, 2020 –  Bitcoin Association, the Switzerland-based global industry organisation that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV blockchain, today announces the official launch of Bitcoin SV Academy – a dedicated online education platform for Bitcoin, offering academia-quality, university-style courses and learning materials.

Developed by Bitcoin Association, Bitcoin SV Academy has been created to make learning about Bitcoin – the way creator Satoshi Nakamoto designed it – accessible, accurate and understandable. Courses are available in their entirety online and offered in three distinct streams:

Bitcoin Theory – covers the design of Bitcoin as a system as prescribed by Satoshi Nakamoto.

­­Bitcoin Development – provides vanguard information for application developers building with Bitcoin, including tools and techniques for leveraging the unique features of the network.

Bitcoin Infrastructure – looks at the underlying architecture of both the Bitcoin network and ledger, including how the network is constructed and scales.

Within each stream, courses are offered at introductory, intermediate and advanced levels, following a progressive structure designed to build on the concepts and knowledge introduced in the preceding course. At the conclusion of each course, participants will undertake an online assessment to test their understanding of the material, with certification available to those who pass.

The first course to launch, the introductory module of the Bitcoin Theory stream, is now available for enrolment at www.bitcoinsv.academy. Introductory level courses will be offered free of charge for the foreseeable future, part of Bitcoin Association’s commitment to making Bitcoin education available to as wide of an audience as possible.

Speaking on today’s announcement, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen, commented:

‘Education is a cornerstone of the work we do at Bitcoin Association, as we help businesses and individuals alike understand the Bitcoin system envisioned by Satoshi Nakamoto, and how Bitcoin SV is the only project implementing that Satoshi Vision. Bitcoin SV Academy will be a key component of that work moving forward, providing a platform to deliver a robust curriculum tailored to all levels of ability and knowledge, as we educate the world about just what’s possible with the power of the original Bitcoin protocol.’

Also commenting, Steve Shadders, Technical Director of the Bitcoin SV Infrastructure Team, said:

‘The most important piece of infrastructure that Bitcoin can have is access and availability of education – not only does it broaden the pool of talent available to work and build with Bitcoin, but it also helps to spread awareness of what Bitcoin as an entire technology system can do and is truly capable of. The launch of Bitcoin SV Academy is a huge step forward in making meaningful change in this area – and having taken the first course myself, I can confirm that there really is something for everybody to learn in there.’

Calvin Ayre: How Bitcoin SV can help create a brighter future

In the December 2020 issue of the Luxury Locations magazine (pages12-14), a stellar feature is presented on Special Economic Envoy to Antigua and Barbuda, Ambassador Calvin Ayre; which includes his vision, his views on the super powers of Bitcoin SV and its utility, and his plans for the future. 

Visionary, entrepreneur, industry pioneer and philanthropist, are just a few adjectives that have been used to describe Calvin Ayre. The phenomenal backstory about his rise to billionaire status is definitely one for the books.

Born in 1961, Calvin credits his modest upbringing on his family’s pig farm in rural Canada, for tempering his extraordinary ambition with humility and a heart for humanity, particularly the less fortunate.

From early entrepreneurial ventures such as fruit delivery and internet service provider, to revolutionizing online gaming, Calvin pursued every opportunity that presented itself with passion and determination.

Calvin’s success and reputation as the leading man in the online gaming industry were firmly established in the early 2000’s. His re-invention; transitioning from the Bodog online gaming brand to blockchain technology – specifically Bitcoin SV – illustrates his relentless inventiveness and ability to transform entire industries.

Through his strategic partnerships with Bitcoin industry leaders, Calvin now uses his various platforms, including CoinGeek.com, to educate the world – from major businesses, investors and policy-makers to the man-on-the-street – about the unique superpowers of Bitcoin SV.

We think this is the just the beginning of the epic second chapter to a phenomenal career, destined to be ranked among the best of the century.

1. The Digital Assets Business Bill has recently passed into law in Antigua & Barbuda. We understand that you were involved with the bill and its creation, are you happy with the outcome, what changes do you think will come in the future?

Yes, I am definitely happy with the outcome. Antigua’s forward-thinking legislation was inspired by the Bitcoin SV blockchain and has the potential to usher in a new era of safe, credible and regulated digital asset businesses coming together to foster economic innovation.

I say that the legislation has potential to revolutionize the economic landscape because, in order to take full advantage of the legislation to foster economic innovation, while ensuring safety and credibility, Antigua and Barbuda must only support technology and a platform that works within the existing and coming legal frameworks of the free world, which is only possible via the Bitcoin SV blockchain. Other platforms and technologies seek anonymity and attempt to enforce their beliefs through rebellion, as opposed to through legal mechanisms, which cannot be tolerated in a functioning society. The foundations of these other technologies and platforms enable criminals to violate the law with impunity, which would create a system in Antigua and Barbuda that not only creates unworkable businesses that do not comply with the law, but a system that would enable terrorist funding and other extremely serious crimes. The Bitcoin SV blockchain does not allow illegal activities in any form and would facilitate an honest system that would allow this innovative legislation to achieve its potential on a global stage.

In terms of innovation, I believe the future will be driven by the tokenization of everything, all assets, and that means real assets too, not just digital. Similar to my views above regarding choosing the right technology and platform, in order to maximize the opportunities presented by Antigua and Barbuda’s forward-thinking legislation, scaling and utility will be vital, which again is only possible on the Bitcoin SV blockchain. Other platforms do not scale and are focused on short-term results and fast money, which has created a market of worthless projects and tokens that have no utility other than pumping and dumping for profits, which has destroyed the personal wealth of honest people and will damage Antigua and Barbuda’s economy. The Bitcoin SV blockchain is a massively scalable blockchain, with real utility, that will create a long-term and sustainable economy that has the potential to revolutionize the world.

Antigua and Barbuda’s legislation lays the foundation but the Bitcoin SV ecosystem is what will allow Antigua and Barbuda and responsible businesses to realize the possibilities and opportunities of this innovative and unique network.

2. How will the bill affect businesses in Antigua and do you think it will stimulate an industry for crypto currencies based businesses to operate from Antigua?

As mentioned above, to affect businesses positively, realize real economic value and ensure Antiguan businesses are rooted in credibility, we need to ensure growth is fostered through innovative, safe and credible technology, which is only possible through the Bitcoin SV ecosystem. If the wrong platform is used, the amazing potential of this Act will not be realized.

The legislation has the potential to significantly stimulate the Antiguan economy as it provides a complete structure to govern a wide range of digital assets, which is not easily found in other jurisdictions. The Act is also intended to foster adoption and innovation through regulations that will encourage and make it easier for the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda to run responsible digital asset businesses, which will ensure we create a sustainable economic vision and future for Antigua and Barbuda.

We all need to do our part to ensure only the highest quality businesses are allowed to operate within our perimeter and the first line of defence is ensuring only businesses working within the Bitcoin SV ecosystem can take advantage of this valuable law. Not only will the Bitcoin SV platform uphold Antigua and Barbuda’s reputation as a highly reputable jurisdiction, but it will solidify its reputation as a technological inspiration as only the Bitcoin SV ecosystem has the ability to scale and bring to fruition the full utility of the original Bitcoin protocol, and grow a system in which Bitcoin is used to change the world as Satoshi intended.

3. Have you applied for your license under the bill? How was the process for you?

Not only will I be applying for a license under the Act as soon as the regulations are finalized, but as part of my work with the government and as an Ambassador, Economic Envoy for Antigua and Barbuda, I feel it is my responsibility to bring reputable businesses to Antigua and Barbuda to help shape its future as the jurisdiction of choice for innovative and credible digital asset businesses. An example of one of these businesses is The Bayesian Group (Fabriik), a collective of companies operating in the fintech and digital asset market with a focus on solutions for a digital asset-based business world. It decided to build its businesses on the Bitcoin SV blockchain after evaluating other platforms, including, Ethereum, BCH and Litecoin, primarily due to the Bitcoin SV ecosystem’s safety and security, low transaction costs and ability to scale, thus leaving the Bitcoin SV blockchain as the only viable and realistic base on which to build new and honest financial and exchange networks. Credible companies such as the Bayesian Group (Fabriik) will be vital to Antigua and Barbuda’s growth as a global economic leader in the digital asset space.

4. You have invested significantly in real estate projects in Antigua. What are your plans for the next five years with respect to those projects?

Ayre Group’s state-of-art headquarters, Canada Place, is a sought-after multi-tenant office complex, which is home to our various pioneering technology companies. It is now fully functional and capable of housing several companies and up to 600 persons.

I’ve just completed construction of my own home on the island, so now I am able to concentrate my efforts on the Ayre Resort luxury property brand. The first of several 5-Star Ayre Resort luxury properties around the world will be developed on the white sand beaches of Valley Church, on the verdant west coast of Antigua. Each Ayre Resort will offer guests thrilling moments in the Bodog Casino Club, relaxing beach clubs, world-class restaurants and a unique opportunity to enhance their lives by experiencing the Ayre Wellness Centre and Spa.

My hope is to attract visitors who are interested in experiencing the island’s landscape and culture, as opposed to those who prefer spending their entire vacation in the confines of their hotel.

As Special Economic Envoy for Antigua and Barbuda, I fully support the Government’s long-stay visa program designed for persons who can work remotely and are desirous of doing so from a safe Caribbean island.

I strongly consider the island to be a prime location for high net-worth individuals to be able to live and work. It is my hope that others, especially knowledge-based experts, will in turn, be motivated to invest and contribute to the diversification of the workforce, through a transfer of knowledge. The recent passing of the Digital Assets Bill, again, provides significant scope for such knowledge and skills sharing.

With one of the focuses of the Ayre Group being Real Estate, I have the capability of providing first-class accommodation, fully equipped with high speed internet and nearby to convenient amenities and, of course, the beach.

5. You have had an illustrious career in online gaming, crypto currency and now real estate projects, what does the future hold for Calvin Ayre?

My future is envisioned as a world I helped make a better place.

On the business front, I have always strived to play a pivotal role in developing industries that will benefit people and the economy. You may have noticed that I have a passion to grow and develop the Bitcoin SV landscape. As I see other platforms and technologies destroying global economic well-being, I will fight hard to develop an economy founded on innovation, honesty and doing things the right way, which can only be accomplished using the Bitcoin SV blockchain as an anchor. Part of this mission will be to continue to invest in companies that are contributing to a better world by growing the Bitcoin SV ecosystem.

As mentioned above, I am also focused on growing the economy of Antigua and Barbuda in other ways, such as through the development of a new resort that will focus on health and well-being.

With respect to my philanthropic efforts, I will maintain and strengthen my commitment to The Calvin Ayre Foundation, which continues to make a difference and ensure that we leave the world in a much better place than we found it.

6. What advice would you give individuals who are interested in getting into or learning more about the industry?

To those interested in getting into or learning more about the industry, my advice is to avoid short-sighted platforms that damage economic and social welfare and instead educate yourself about the Bitcoin SV blockchain, as it is the original Bitcoin protocol and only platform that realizes Satoshi’s intentions to transform our world.

7. Where is your favourite place in Antigua and why?

My favourite area of the island is the entire west coast; from Pearns Point, south to Turners Beach. My home atop Ayre Estate Hill, has a breathtaking view of the entire area. You just can’t beat the natural beauty, calm, warm Caribbean waters and the relaxing lifestyle.

For more information, visit https://bitcoinsv.com/en or www.ayre.group.com

Calvin Ayre supports government’s long stay visa initiative and passing of Digital Assets Bill

St. John’s, Antigua: Thursday, August, 20, 2020: Imagine being able to choose between 365 beaches for your morning jog and then working while overlooking the ocean.

These are just a few of the perks which anyone can look forward to, if they choose to reside in Antigua and Barbuda for up to two years. Economic Envoy for Antigua and Barbuda, Ambassador Calvin Ayre, says he fully supports of the Government’s long-stay visa program designed for persons who can work remotely and are desirous of doing so from a safe Caribbean island. Details of the program will be launched on a dedicated government website shortly.

The idea behind this initiative is to grant eligible persons a special resident authorization that will be valid for up to two (2) years in the first instance.  Antigua and Barbuda has successfully and impressively managed the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting infection and spread to comparatively very small numbers.  Further, its reliable and fast telecommunications network offers a unique setting to work comfortably in an idyllic setting.  All applicants would be subject to due diligence and COVID-19 pretesting.

According to the World Economic Forum, it is estimated that approximately 50% of “information workers” in the United States (US) are presently working remotely. Companies in Europe with a work from home policy are at a high of 88%, up from 4% that was reported prior to the health crisis.

With many technology-based companies, such as Twitter, becoming more open to the decentralizing of their workforce, many are supporting employees in working from anywhere in the world.

Antigua and Barbuda’s long-stay program will allow persons and their dependents to reside in Antigua, enjoy the ease of working from a “COVID-controlled”, luxury destination, and also be able to enjoy all the wonderful amenities that the island has to offer.  

With one of the focuses of the Ayre Group being Real Estate, Ayre is ready to offer first-class accommodation, fully equipped with high speed internet and nearby to convenient amenities and, of course, the beach.

Having established his Ayre Group headquarters in Antigua and Barbuda, he strongly considers the island as a prime location for high net-worth individuals to be able to live and work. It is his hope that others, especially knowledge-based experts, will in turn, be motivated to invest and contribute to the diversification of the workforce, through a transfer of knowledge.

The recent passing of the Digital Assets Bill provides significant scope for such knowledge and skills sharing.

Digital Assets Bill

This Bill provides a framework for the establishment of digital assets companies in Antigua and Barbuda and improves the commercial prospect for existing local businesses.

These recent regulations provide an appealing environment for leading players and participants in the digital eco-system, as businesses will, in short order, be able to accept digital currency as a payment option.

Johnny Jaswal, General Counsel at The Bayesian Group, believes that the Antigua and Barbuda legislative framework hits the right balance of regulation and industry flexibility so companies can operate effectively.  Governments will use Antigua and Barbuda’s forward-thinking legislation as a benchmark for how to bring safe, credible and regulated digital asset businesses together to foster economic innovation. ”

Roy Bernhard, CEO & Chief Visionary of The Bayesian Group, added – “We were impressed to see the Government of Antigua and Barbuda pass such progressive and well-rounded legislation. It is clear that much thought for, not only, the current digital asset business & fintech industry, but also its many potential future uses, were taken into consideration.”

Against this backdrop, Antigua and Barbuda offers the ideal remote-work solution.

‘Unplugging after work’, will no longer be an issue, as persons will have enough motivation to step away from the desk and enjoy Antigua and Barbuda’s rich recreational options. Get ready to #WorkWhereYouVacay.

About Ayre Group:

We are a global investment group that fund ground-breaking businesses and technologies. We invest in building ventures in real estate, blockchain technology, media, publishing, health & wellness and travel & leisure.

We build and support technology and businesses that break down barriers to entry, democratize opportunity, and positively enhance people’s lives.

Visit: www.ayre.group.com

For more information contact: [email protected]