Carib Scope

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  • Machel Montano leaves no stone unturned as he electrifies Warner Park

    Machel Montano leaves no stone unturned as he electrifies Warner Park

    The 28th annual St. Kitts Music Festival launched its 2026 edition in explosive fashion on the evening of June 25, with legendary soca performer Machel Montano delivering a career-spanning headline set that left thousands of attendees at Basseterre’s Warner Park buzzing long after the final note. Opening night of the widely anticipated Caribbean music event brought together a lineup of veteran stars, rising talent, and a heartfelt tribute honoring a fallen local legend, setting a high bar for the remaining days of the festival.

    The evening’s energy built steadily from the moment gates opened, with opening acts Brandon and returning performer Rucas HE laying the groundwork for the night’s celebrations. Making his fourth appearance at the festival and his second as a solo act after previously performing with the group Grand Masters, Rucas used his set to mark a new creative turning point in his career. “I am now identifying myself as a wider artiste and not a soca artiste,” he shared ahead of his performance, noting that this artistic evolution has shaped his current work and will guide his output moving forward. His dynamic set won over the growing crowd as fans streamed into the venue to claim their spots ahead of the headline performances.

    Following the opening act, veteran Barbadian entertainer Edwin Yearwood joined forces with the band Crossfire to deliver a set of classic, nostalgic hits that resonated deeply with audiences across generations. Proving that decades-old Caribbean music still holds powerful appeal for modern festivalgoers, Yearwood expressed his excitement at returning to the St. Kitts stage, telling reporters “It feels fantastic to be back here at the St. Kitts Music Festival.”

    One of the most moving moments of the opening night came before the headline performance, when the festival’s All-Star Band staged a heartfelt tribute to the late legendary calypsonian King Ellie Matt. The band worked through several of Matt’s most iconic and best-loved tracks, honoring his decades-long contribution to Caribbean music. The crowd responded warmly to the tribute, with many attendees singing along from memory to celebrate Matt’s enduring musical legacy.

    When Machel Montano finally stepped onto the stage as the night’s closing headliner, the crowd erupted. The Trinidadian soca icon, who has spent decades building his reputation as one of the most dynamic live performers in the genre, delivered a 60-plus minute set that pulled from his extensive catalog of hits, spanning his early career breakthroughs all the way to his latest chart-topping releases. From the first track, the energy between Montano and the crowd was electric: thousands of fans sang along to fan favorites like *Pardy*, danced, and waved along to the upbeat soca rhythms, turning Warner Park into a non-stop celebration. Montano fed off the audience’s excitement throughout the set, and expressed his gratitude for the warm reception after several years away from the St. Kitts Music Festival stage.

    In remarks during the set, Montano reflected on the deeper purpose behind his music, pushing back against the idea that soca is only about high-energy celebration. “You know, my songs are not just about whining or jumping and waving. It’s about raising the spirit of the human, lifting the human being. It’s about humility,” he said. “It’s about love. And, you know, when you take time to make good classic songs, I’ve been blessed to have a great catalogue. But I also work alongside a lot of different people, young writers, young producers.” Montano added that his sustained success in the industry comes from balancing an awareness of new musical trends with respect for timeless songcraft: “I think it’s just about keeping your finger on the pulse, knowing what is new, but knowing what works.”

    By the time Montano wrapped his set, many attendees said they were left craving an encore, stunned by the intensity and joy of the performance. Following the headline, rising Trinidadian soca star Voice took the stage for a late-night closing set, entertaining the reduced crowd that stayed past 1 a.m. Those who remained responded enthusiastically to his run of popular hits, extending the opening night celebrations into the early morning.

    The opening night of the 2026 festival wrapped up shortly before 3:00 a.m. on Friday, June 26, giving attendees time to rest and recharge before the next round of performances scheduled for the coming days. With the bar set high by Montano’s unforgettable opening set, festivalgoers are already anticipating the remaining acts set to take the Warner Park stage over the rest of the event.

  • Housing strategy for vulnerable, and low-income Guyanese- Pres Ali

    Housing strategy for vulnerable, and low-income Guyanese- Pres Ali

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Business Expo held at Guyana’s Providence National Stadium on Thursday, June 25, 2026, President Irfaan Ali announced a landmark new social housing initiative tailored to meet the growing housing needs of the country’s most vulnerable populations.

    The flagship program, which is set to be formally launched with full details in the coming weeks, is designed to directly prioritize marginalized groups that have historically faced barriers to accessing safe, affordable housing, including people living with disabilities and single-parent households. Beyond these vulnerable segments, the strategy also extends support to low, moderate, and middle-income earners, aligning housing supply with the rising public expectations for quality residential property across the country.

    In his address to more than 500 participating exhibitors — spanning real estate developers, financial institutions, prefabricated construction specialists, green technology innovators, architects, and civil engineers — President Ali outlined the administration’s bold core goal: to completely eliminate Guyana’s national housing backlog within the next four years. “We are designing a system that will allow you to have a home in which you can live in dignity,” he told attendees, confirming that the upcoming full strategy will lay out clear roadmaps for delivering properties to eligible applicants and scaling up targeted investment in affordable housing stock.

    The President also highlighted the significant growth in housing and development financing that has already laid the groundwork for this ambitious expansion. Between 2020 and 2025, total real estate loan allocation in Guyana surged from GY$90 billion to GY$185 billion, he reported. Over the same five-year period, lending for private residential dwellings jumped from GY$82 billion to GY$141 billion, while financing for industrial development grew more than fivefold, rising from GY$7.9 billion to GY$41 billion.

  • Jamaican to explore collaboration with Guyana on housing development- Jamaica’s PM

    Jamaican to explore collaboration with Guyana on housing development- Jamaica’s PM

    On Thursday, during the opening ceremony of Guyana’s 2026 International Business Expo, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced plans to explore mutually beneficial partnerships in housing development between Jamaica and Guyana, during his two-day official working visit to the South American nation.

    In his keynote address, Holness outlined clear potential for cross-border cooperation, pointing specifically to two high-impact areas: construction labor mobility and the adoption of cutting-edge construction technologies. As two emerging developing economies, both nations share the common goal of expanding affordable, accessible housing for their populations, creating a natural foundation for aligned collaboration. Holness confirmed he planned to advance detailed discussions on the partnership framework with Guyana’s president before concluding his visit.

    The proposal comes as Jamaica grapples with a significant national housing challenge. Holness revealed the country currently faces an estimated deficit of 150,000 housing units. His administration has committed to delivering 70,000 of these units directly through government agencies, and work is already underway: 10,000 completed units have been finished out of the 42,000-unit targeted pipeline of public housing projects. However, systemic bottlenecks have slowed large-scale delivery. Holness noted that the single greatest constraint to ramping up construction is a shortage of qualified contractors, skilled labor, and technical professionals trained to work with innovative building materials and modern construction methods. He also cited slow bureaucratic processing of planning and construction approvals as an additional persistent challenge. Just recently, Holness told Jamaica’s Chamber of Commerce that the country will eventually need to open its doors to imported labor to keep its massive pipeline of development projects on schedule.

    During his address, Holness also highlighted policy lessons Jamaica can draw from Guyana’s progress in streamlining housing administration. He commended the Guyanese government for its bold reforms to cut bureaucratic red tape, specifically its one-stop approval service for housing projects. This reform has dramatically reduced processing wait times for planning and land approvals, slashing what once took up to three years down to just three months. Holness also praised Guyana’s accelerated program to issue land titles for housing plots, noting the reform has greatly sped up access to land for homebuilders and buyers.

    Beyond collaboration on future housing development, Holness used his address to extend sincere gratitude to Guyana for its critical emergency assistance last year. Following the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, the Guyana Defence Force deployed personnel to support Jamaica’s post-storm reconstruction of residential homes and public infrastructure. Holness reported that beneficiaries of the reconstruction work have consistently praised the high quality of workmanship from Guyanese troops, saying their contribution was invaluable to early recovery efforts. He added that Jamaica’s post-hurricane recovery is already well underway, and the country is on track to fully rebuild.

    This update was originally published on June 25, 2026 at 20:16 UTC by correspondent Denis Chabrol.

  • ‘Anticipatory action’: New scheme calculates payouts before impact

    ‘Anticipatory action’: New scheme calculates payouts before impact

    As Caribbean communities brace for another active Atlantic hurricane season, a historic shift in disaster risk management is delivering new protection to one of the region’s most vulnerable economic sectors: small-scale fishing. In a first-of-its-kind launch, Barbados has rolled out an anticipatory action (AA) insurance mechanism that will disburse emergency funds to fishing communities up to three days before a hurricane makes landfall, a change that moves disaster support from post-damage response to pre-event preparedness and is set to benefit roughly 6,000 people across Barbados’ fishing industry.

    The new program was developed through a partnership between the government of Barbados, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and CCRIF SPC, the Caribbean region’s dedicated catastrophic risk insurance facility. It builds on the framework of COAST (the Caribbean Oceans and Aquaculture Sustainability Facility), the world’s first parametric insurance product built specifically for the fisheries sector that launched in 2019 and is currently used by seven Caribbean nations.

    Unlike traditional disaster insurance, which only processes payouts after a storm has hit and caused damage, this AA mechanism leverages cutting-edge probabilistic hurricane forecasting and pre-set, transparent risk thresholds to trigger automatic early payouts when a credible hurricane threat is identified. This advance access to funding gives fishers the resources they need to take life-saving protective action: pulling vessels out of the water, securing expensive equipment like boat engines, moving gear to safe storage, and evacuating to shelter before conditions deteriorate. By proactively reducing risk, the initiative aims to cut down on avoidable loss of life, cut economic losses, shorten post-storm recovery times, and make disaster management far more cost-effective for the region.

    The launch comes directly in the aftermath of 2024’s Hurricane Beryl, which devastated Barbados’ fishing fleet and left countless workers still struggling to rebuild their livelihoods months later. Moonesh Dharampaul, president of the Blackfin Fleet Cooperative Society (BFCS) which participated in pre-launch consultations on the program, confirmed the initiative will cover all workers connected to Barbados’ fishing sector, not just active fishermen. This includes net menders, fish vendors, processors, and workers across all fishing sub-sectors from pot fishing to spear fishing.

    Dharampaul emphasized that the new mechanism fills a long-unmet need for rapid financial protection for the industry amid growing climate-driven extreme weather. Payouts are routed through the Barbadian Ministry of Finance and Division of Fisheries, which will direct funds to the most vulnerable coastal fishing communities. The scheme also extends coverage to impacts from heavy rainfall and coastal erosion, two additional climate-linked threats that harm fishing livelihoods in the region.

    While industry leaders have broadly welcomed the new safety net, Dharampaul highlighted ongoing gaps that still threaten fishing communities ahead of hurricane season. Currently, Barbados lacks sufficient slipways and haul-out facilities to quickly and safely remove all 280 active fishing boats from the water before a storm. Even with early funding, it takes a minimum of 72 hours to move all vessels to safe storage, and workers still face challenges finding secure, storm-resistant locations to park boats out of the water. Dharampaul said the cooperative is working with government to address these infrastructure gaps to maximize the benefits of the new insurance program.

    Financially, the AA mechanism builds on the proven probabilistic hurricane risk models that already underpin CCRIF’s existing insurance products, with a key innovative twist: the timing of payouts. To maintain long-term financial sustainability despite more frequent trigger activations (a natural outcome of forecast-based early action), the program uses carefully calibrated risk thresholds, geographic adjustments, and adjusted premium pricing to balance operational effectiveness with financial stability. Payout calculations are structured to account for the number of affected workers, the value of at-risk vessels, and impacts across the entire supply chain, not just directly harm to fishermen.

    The initiative solves a deadly dilemma that has faced Atlantic fisherfolk for generations: when a hurricane is approaching, workers must choose between staying ashore and losing critical income that supports their families, or venturing out into dangerous seas to catch one last haul before the storm. With early access to emergency funding, that no longer has to be a choice, as workers have the resources to secure their livelihoods without risking their lives.

    Developers note the AA model has significant potential for expansion across the entire Caribbean, and can be adapted for other hurricane-prone regions around the world. It could also be modified to cover other forecastable climate hazards including drought, extreme lightning, and heavy rainfall that disproportionately harm vulnerable coastal communities. At present, it remains unclear whether the scheme will cover losses linked to invasive Sargassum seaweed blooms, another growing threat to Caribbean fishing.

    Structured as a macro-scale insurance solution, the program pays out to an intermediary institution rather than individual fishers, which then distributes funds to affected communities quickly. The World Food Programme has already expressed strong interest in serving as the policyholder, and has confirmed it has the capacity to disburse funds to thousands of fisherfolk rapidly at scale, though other organizations including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and national governments can also fill this intermediary role.

    The technical groundwork for the initiative was laid through a UNDRR-commissioned study as part of the global Early Warnings for All initiative, which tested feasibility across three pilot countries: Barbados, Jamaica, and Dominica. The study confirmed that an anticipatory action insurance product for hurricane wind impacts is technically viable, and integrates smoothly with the region’s existing forecasting and risk management infrastructure.

  • FLASH : Very bad news, the Supreme Court authorizes the Trump administration to revoke TPS

    FLASH : Very bad news, the Supreme Court authorizes the Trump administration to revoke TPS

    On June 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a landmark 6-3 ruling that clears the way for the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable migrants, upending lower court orders that had blocked the policy for years. The decision reverses prior injunctions issued by federal courts in New York and Washington, D.C., which had paused efforts to revoke protections for more than 350,000 Haitian TPS holders and approximately 6,100 Syrian beneficiaries, who have relied on the program to live and work legally in the United States.

    Writing for the conservative majority, Justice Samuel Alito argued that federal TPS legislation explicitly bars courts from considering non-constitutional challenges brought by opponents of termination decisions. The ruling broadly limits the legal standing of immigrants and immigrant advocacy groups to sue the executive branch over TPS policy changes, closing off a key avenue to challenge alleged violations of federal immigration law. With TPS protections now set to end, all affected migrants face the immediate risk of detainment and deportation by U.S. immigration enforcement officials at any time.

    The ripple effects of this decision extend far beyond the Haitian and Syrian communities directly targeted in this case. In total, more than one million immigrants from 17 different countries currently hold TPS, and all could face similar termination proceedings in the coming months. The White House quickly issued a statement praising the Supreme Court’s ruling, framing it as a validation of the Trump administration’s longstanding position that TPS was designed as a temporary emergency protection, not a pathway to permanent legal residency or citizenship.

    “Temporary Protected Status was never intended to become a permanent immigration program, and authority over the program is properly reserved to the Secretary of Homeland Security,” White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said in the statement. She added that the administration is committed to rooting out what it described as longstanding abuses of the U.S. immigration system that have harmed American workers and communities for years.

    In the wake of the ruling, major unanswered questions remain for thousands of affected families. For Haitian migrants who have given birth to children while residing in the U.S. – children who are automatically U.S. citizens by birth – it remains unclear whether these parents will still be prioritized for deportation, splitting families apart. The ruling comes after years of legal battles stretching back to the first Trump administration, which first moved to terminate Haitian TPS in 2017, with repeated legal challenges, stays, and appeals that ultimately led the case to the nation’s highest court.

  • Ramdin: OAS blijft onmisbaar voor democratie, veiligheid en regionale samenwerking

    Ramdin: OAS blijft onmisbaar voor democratie, veiligheid en regionale samenwerking

    Following the conclusion of the 56th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) hosted in Panama, Secretary-General Albert Ramdin has underscored the intergovernmental body’s enduring centrality to advancing democratic governance, human rights protection, and cross-regional collaboration across the Western Hemisphere. In his closing remarks to reporters, Ramdin emphasized that no major challenge facing the hemisphere can be addressed effectively through isolated national action—collective, coordinated engagement is the only path forward.

    Despite divergent policy positions among the OAS 35 member states, Ramdin noted that the assembly once again demonstrated the widespread commitment to maintaining open dialogue between nations. “The OAS is not just relevant to this region—it is necessary,” Ramdin stated during the press conference. He went on to outline the interconnected set of complex challenges currently facing countries across the Americas, ranging from growing threats to democratic institutions and transnational organized crime to mass migration, systemic economic uncertainty, accelerating climate change, and ongoing digital transformation. The long-unresolved deep crisis in Haiti also remained a top pressing concern for member states, he added.

    Political developments across four nations—Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba, and Bolivia—occupied a prominent position on the assembly’s agenda, according to Ramdin. He reiterated the OAS longstanding call for the immediate, unconditional release of all political detainees held in Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Cuba.

    For Bolivia, the General Assembly approved a resolution establishing an independent special mission to the Andean nation. In consultation with the Bolivian national government, the mission will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the country’s political and social landscape, before drafting evidence-based recommendations to strengthen democratic institutions, protect fundamental human rights, and advance inclusive national dialogue. Ramdin emphasized that this decision reaffirms the OAS core role as an impartial mediator that operates in full respect for member state sovereignty while working to advance regional stability and proactive conflict prevention.

    On the topic of Haiti, Ramdin stressed that the dire situation in the Caribbean nation will remain a high priority for the OAS moving forward. The organization will continue its close coordinated work with Haitian national stakeholders, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the United Nations, and other international partners to develop sustainable solutions to the country’s overlapping security, humanitarian, and political crises.

    Beyond high-profile political conflicts, the 56th General Assembly also addressed a broad range of cross-cutting policy priorities, including inclusive economic development, digital transition across the region, expanded access to mental health care, enhanced protections for people living with disabilities, and approval of the OAS 2027 institutional budget.

    Ramdin highlighted the launch of the Private Sector Initiative of the Americas as one of the assembly’s most notable tangible outcomes. The new initiative brings together more than 300 private sector entrepreneurs from across the region to boost cross-border investment, drive inclusive economic growth, and strengthen business-focused regional collaboration.

    Opening his closing address, Ramdin first extended words of solidarity and condolences to the populations of Venezuela, Colombia, Curaçao, and Aruba, which had been hit by a major earthquake shortly before the conclusion of the assembly. He expressed his sincere hope that the disaster would result in limited infrastructural damage and minimal loss of life.

    Looking ahead, Ramdin noted that the 56th General Assembly sent a clear message: even amid a period of rising political polarization across the globe, the nations of the Western Hemisphere recognize the critical need for expanded dialogue, deeper cross-border cooperation, and stronger multilateral institutions.

    “We depart Panama with a very clear message: the OAS has critical work to do across the hemisphere, we are the right organization to lead that work, and we are ready to take on this responsibility,” Ramdin said.

  • Should the $10K Payment Threshold Be Higher? Minister Perez Says Raise It

    Should the $10K Payment Threshold Be Higher? Minister Perez Says Raise It

    A public rift has emerged between two top Belizean government financial officials over a key regulatory payment threshold, unfolding against the backdrop of a corruption investigation that has already forced a sitting minister to step back from his duties. On June 25, 2026, Blue Economy Minister Andre Perez waded into the ongoing controversy around the ‘Mira Millions’ probe, calling for the current $10,000 mandatory processing threshold for government payments to be raised to between $15,000 and $20,000. His position directly contradicts comments made just one day earlier by Financial Secretary Joseph Waight, who framed the existing threshold as a key loophole exploited to evade treasury oversight in the ongoing investigation.

    Waight told reporters earlier this week that structured payments clustered just under the $10,000 limit, uncovered during the Mira Millions probe, were inherently suspicious. He argued the pattern suggested deliberate effort to avoid formal review, saying ‘Either somebody dropped the ball, fell asleep, or worse, they moved together on it. This case looks cute to me.’ The investigation centers on payments linked to the family of former Minister Oscar Mira, who has requested and been granted a leave of absence from his cabinet position pending the outcome of the probe.

    Speaking at the Fourth Blue Economy Climate Resilience Forum, Perez pushed back against the critique of the threshold itself, arguing that years of economy-wide cost inflation have rendered the $10,000 limit outdated and unworkable for modern government operations. From a practical administrative perspective, he explained, rising costs across all public sector activities mean routine payments now regularly approach or exceed the current limit, creating unnecessary bottlenecks for government accounting teams. ‘From a business standpoint, ten thousand is low,’ Perez said. ‘If I’m going to be engaging my accounting unit, and payments are getting bigger, the increase of cost on just about everything, then it’s time for us to look at maybe increasing the threshold from ten to fifteen or twenty thousand dollars.’

    When asked directly whether the structured payments under investigation tied to Mira’s family amounted to intentional abuse of the existing regulatory framework, Perez declined to speculate, saying independent auditors should be allowed to complete their work without political interference. ‘Let the audit department do what they need to do,’ he said. ‘Let’s not get into the realm of speculation.’

    The disagreement comes as the full cabinet moves to overhaul outdated financial regulations that have remained largely unchanged for more than half a century. During a Tuesday cabinet meeting, members formalized acceptance of Mira’s request for leave and approved an accelerated timeline for a comprehensive review and update of the government’s entire procurement rulebook. The current core financial regulations date back to 1965’s Financial Orders, while the framework governing government stores dates to 1968’s Stores Orders, provisions that many officials argue are ill-suited to 21st century public spending.

    A official cabinet press briefing confirmed the decision, noting ‘Cabinet discussed and examined the existing Government Procurement Rules and considered that the current process of comprehensively reviewing and updating these Procurement Rules (including the Financial Orders 1965, the Stores Orders 1968), must be fast-tracked. Cabinet therefore directed that the new draft Procurement Rules be submitted for its consideration within the next three months.’

  • Panton: Auditor General Should Not Await Instructions From Briceño

    Panton: Auditor General Should Not Await Instructions From Briceño

    In a high-stakes political development out of Belize dated June 25, 2026, Opposition Leader Tracy Panton has delivered a formal letter to Prime Minister John Briceño that pushes for full transparency and upholds institutional independence amid an ongoing probe into Cabinet Minister Oscar Mira.

    At the core of Panton’s letter is a firm rebuke of any executive overreach into the work of the Auditor General. Panton stresses that the Auditor General’s office holds a constitutional mandate to function free from interference by the executive branch, arguing that the independent oversight body should never be required to wait for direction from any government official to launch or advance an inquiry. She says public comments made by Prime Minister Briceño regarding directives issued to the Auditor General have raised troubling questions about the probe’s integrity.

    Panton has laid out a clear set of non-negotiable areas that the investigation must cover to be considered credible. These include full disclosure of the full membership of the investigative team, confirmation of whether the Auditor General will personally lead the inquiry, and a deep dive into whether Minister Mira exerted any direct or indirect influence over the awarding of government contracts to companies linked to his family members. She warns the public against taking unconfirmed circulating information as a final conclusion to the matter, emphasizing that a legitimate probe must move beyond surface-level fact-checking to address deeper systemic questions of governmental accountability.

    Beyond the Mira investigation, Panton’s correspondence also raises pointed concerns about a recent announcement from Prime Minister Briceño that he had directed the Cabinet Secretary to start the process of appointing a new board for the country’s RECONDEV development authority. Panton is demanding immediate, clear answers on multiple outstanding questions: what the Cabinet Secretary’s legal statutory role is in board appointments and removals, which government body actually holds the legal authority to make or remove board members under existing legislation, whether the current RECONDEV board has been removed, forced to resign, or replaced prematurely, and what legal framework supports any such action.

    In closing her appeal to the prime minister, Panton emphasized that the Belizean public is owed full confidence that these matters will not be wrapped up in a rushed, restricted administrative review. Instead, she argued, the country deserves a comprehensive, unbiased, rigorous and fully open inquiry that follows the evidence wherever it may lead. Further updates on this developing story are set to be aired during News 5 Live’s 6 o’clock broadcast this evening.

  • Low coverage leaves Barbados vulnerable to disaster costs

    Low coverage leaves Barbados vulnerable to disaster costs

    As Barbados prepares to enter another annual Atlantic hurricane season, a stark vulnerability threatens the Caribbean island’s economic stability: tens of thousands of residential properties remain without natural disaster insurance, leaving the nation exposed to mounting costs from increasingly frequent extreme weather events, local outlet Barbados TODAY has confirmed.

    The General Insurance Association of Barbados (GIAB), the industry’s leading trade body, has sounded the alarm over the persistent coverage gap, warning that far too many property owners have failed to secure protection despite the country’s constant exposure to hurricanes, seasonal flooding, and seismic activity. Current industry data shows that roughly 40,000 homes across the island hold active insurance policies, leaving a large share of residential properties uninsured for a range of interconnected reasons.

    “Property owners should not only think about disaster risk when a hurricane is already bearing down on the island,” a GIAB spokesperson noted. “Barbados faces multiple natural hazards, from earthquakes to flash floods, and even moderate events can leave property owners facing devastating repair costs. Insurance is not just a personal safety net—it is a critical pillar of financial stability for individual households and the national economy as a whole.”

    According to GIAB, the uninsured population breaks down into several groups: some homeowners opt for self-insurance, choosing to set aside personal funds to cover potential damage rather than pay annual premiums, while other properties fail to meet standard underwriting requirements due to outdated construction methods or poor structural condition. The association also confirmed that insurance coverage is typically required as a condition of mortgage approval, meaning the share of uninsured properties is heavily concentrated among homeowners who own their properties outright with no outstanding financing. GIAB is urging all property owners to assess their coverage and secure a policy before the peak of hurricane season, rather than scrambling to arrange protection after damage has already occurred.

    The industry’s warning comes just one week after Minister of Economic Affairs Marsha Caddle publicly called for expanded insurance coverage across high-risk sectors including housing and agriculture, echoing concerns that the current coverage gap leaves the nation financially vulnerable. Caddle explained that when uninsured properties are damaged in natural disasters, the bulk of recovery costs ultimately fall to the national government, stretching public budgets already constrained by other economic priorities.

    Speaking during parliamentary debate on the Protection of Depositors Bill earlier this week, Caddle acknowledged that the new deposit insurance scheme for credit union members marked an important step forward for the country’s financial resilience, but stressed that critical gaps remain for homeowners, small-scale farmers, and other groups disproportionately impacted by climate-fueled natural disasters. “Countries with higher insurance penetration are able to recover much faster after extreme weather events,” Caddle noted, “because private insurers absorb the majority of recovery costs, rather than passing that full burden on to taxpayers and the public purse.”

    GIAB emphasized that recent major hurricanes that have struck the island offer clear proof that natural disaster coverage should not be treated as an optional expense. During Hurricane Beryl, roughly 240 residential and commercial properties suffered damage, while Hurricane Elsa damaged more than 1,100 properties across Barbados. “Most of these incidents were partial losses, not total destruction of the property,” the association explained. “But that doesn’t make the cost any less significant—even partial damage can create crippling financial strain for households that have no insurance coverage to offset repair bills.”

    Addressing common concerns that insurance coverage is unaffordable for low- and middle-income households, GIAB pointed to low-cost basic policies that can offer meaningful protection at an accessible price point. For example, a basic fire-only policy for a timber residential property valued at 50,000 Barbadian dollars costs roughly 150 Barbadian dollars per year, a rate the association says is manageable for most households. “We encourage homeowners to start with these accessible options, rather than writing off insurance entirely as unaffordable,” the spokesperson said.

    GIAB also encouraged homeowners to invest in structural improvements to harden their properties against severe weather, noting that insurers factor construction quality, roof integrity, and pre-existing hazard mitigation into risk assessments and premium pricing. The association advised property owners to complete retrofitting work to strengthen older structures, and to ensure all new construction and renovations fully comply with the national Barbados Building Code to reduce risk and lower premium costs.

    While coverage is still available for beachfront properties, which are classified as higher risk due to their exposure to storm surge, coastal flooding, and extreme wind, GIAB confirmed that these properties face stricter underwriting standards to account for their elevated hazard profile.

    Closing the persistent natural disaster insurance gap, GIAB argues, will require coordinated cooperation between homeowners, insurance providers, financial institutions, and national policymakers. “Insurance is far more than just a financial product,” the association said. “It is a cornerstone of national climate resilience as we face growing risk from extreme weather. Improving the country’s ability to withstand and recover from disasters will require continued collaboration across all stakeholders, as Barbados adapts to a changing climate and rising natural hazard risk.”

  • ‘There’s No Regulation for That’: Ministry Promises New Law for Seaweed Industry

    ‘There’s No Regulation for That’: Ministry Promises New Law for Seaweed Industry

    Belize’s fast-expanding seaweed farming industry, which has operated in a legal grey area for years despite its rapid growth, is set to get its first formal regulatory framework after government officials confirmed that a long-awaited Mariculture Bill has entered its final drafting stages.

    Speaking at the Fourth Blue Economy Climate Resilience Forum on Wednesday, Beverly Wade, Chief Executive Officer of Belize’s Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Conservation, announced that following a recent public consultation period, the Fisheries Department is now putting the finishing touches on the draft legislation ahead of its formal submission to lawmakers.

    Wade emphasized that the lack of clear industry rules has been a major barrier to unlocking the sector’s full potential, limiting not only the ability of small-scale producers to operate formally but also discouraging outside investment that could drive further growth. “Without the requisite regulatory framework, you cannot attract the kind of long-term, serious investment that transforms a small informal industry into a major contributor to the blue economy,” she explained.

    Once enacted, the new law will put in place a clear, transparent permitting and application process for prospective seaweed farmers, grant formal legal tenure to producers over their designated cultivation areas, and establish structured oversight mechanisms to monitor and regulate all marine-based aquaculture operations. For the hundreds of producers already working in Belize’s waters, the legislation will end their status as informal operators and bring their activities under legal protection.

    “What this bill does is lay out exactly what producers need to operate legally, from application to approval, and build an enabling environment that lets the sector grow responsibly,” Wade added.

    Even without formal regulation, Belize’s seaweed industry has seen explosive growth in recent years, with a wave of entrepreneurs launching operations and developing a range of value-added seaweed products for domestic and regional markets. To ensure that the formalization of the sector translates directly to better livelihoods for producers, the ministry is simultaneously working to expand product development support and open new national and international market access routes. Wade noted that the government is prioritizing this work to avoid a scenario where newly legalized farmers have no outlet to sell their harvest after the bill comes into force.

    “We’re not just putting a legal framework in place and walking away,” Wade said. “We’re making sure that when producers are able to operate formally, they have guaranteed markets to sell their crop and earn a sustainable income.”