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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar delivered a nuanced parliamentary address on Friday, acknowledging the Caribbean Community’s pressing need for structural reform while simultaneously reaffirming Trinidad and Tobago’s steadfast commitment to regional unity. The statement came during a special session attended by CARICOM Chairman Dr. Terrance Drew, who concurrently serves as Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, and CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett.

Persad-Bissessar expressed her administration’s substantial investment in regional prosperity, echoing Chairman Drew’s New Year’s message emphasizing collective regional strength. Despite previous criticisms of the organization’s operational effectiveness, the Prime Minister deliberately reiterated that “we remain committed to Caribbean unity” – a declaration met with audible approval from government legislators.

The diplomatic engagement continued at the Diplomatic Center where Chairman Drew outlined his vision for strengthened regional collaboration, emphasizing outreach to all member states to build “stronger and more stable heights” based on mutual respect and sovereign equality within the CARICOM framework. Persad-Bissessar characterized the discussions as “very encouraging,” particularly praising Drew’s fresh leadership approach.

This high-level consultation forms part of the CARICOM chairman’s broader initiative to conduct personal dialogues with regional leaders, following recent meetings with St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday. The developments precede the upcoming CARICOM heads of government summit scheduled for February 24-27 in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Prime Minister’s conciliatory tone marks a notable diplomatic shift from her December criticisms, where she had labeled CARICOM “not a reliable partner” citing organizational dysfunction, accountability deficiencies, and problematic interventions in member states’ domestic affairs. Those earlier remarks emerged amidst controversy surrounding Trinidad’s support for US drug enforcement policies and CARICOM’s stance on Venezuela’s political situation.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a landmark legislative move, Jamaica’s Parliament has passed the Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) (Amendment) Act 2026, significantly expanding opportunities for criminal record expungement. State Minister Senator Abka Fitz-Henley delivered a powerful address during Friday’s Senate debate, urging eligible citizens not to squander their ‘second chance’ at societal reintegration.

The amended legislation represents a substantial modernization of Jamaica’s justice framework, aligning the nation with progressive commonwealth countries and developed nations across North America and Oceania. Key reforms include extending eligibility to sentences up to 10 years (previously capped at five years) and introducing automatic expungement for minor, non-custodial convictions predating January 1, 2005.

Minister Fitz-Henley emphasized the transformative potential of the legislation: ‘This provides genuine opportunity for those whose progress has been hindered by past convictions to become positive contributors to their families and society.’ The minister clarified that the reform shouldn’t be misinterpreted as governmental softness on crime, highlighting simultaneous 54% reduction in murders as evidence of the administration’s comprehensive crime reduction strategy.

The rehabilitation mechanism requires applicants to have completed their sentences and maintained clean records for specified periods (typically 3-10 years depending on offense severity). Serious crimes including murder, rape, and drug trafficking remain ineligible for expungement. All applications will undergo rigorous review by the specialized Criminal Records Rehabilitation Board.

This legislative overhaul reflects Jamaica’s commitment to holistic social transformation through balanced approaches that combine punitive measures with rehabilitation opportunities, creating pathways for reformed individuals to contribute productively to national development.

CARACAS, Venezuela — The Venezuelan government has issued a forceful condemnation of the United States’ latest economic measures targeting nations that engage in energy trade with Cuba. This diplomatic rebuke follows President Donald Trump’s signing of a new tariff order on Thursday, which Caracas characterizes as an aggressive act of economic coercion.

In an official statement released Friday, Venezuela’s foreign ministry decried the US policy as a set of ‘punitive measures’ designed to penalize sovereign states for maintaining ‘legitimate trade relations with the Republic of Cuba.’ The declaration comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas, following recent political upheavals that saw a change in Venezuela’s leadership through US military involvement.

The South American nation, itself struggling under severe economic sanctions, pledged unwavering ‘solidarity with the Cuban people’ who face potential energy shortages due to the restrictions. Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba, a longstanding economic lifeline for the island nation, now fall under US regulatory control following recent geopolitical shifts.

Venezuela’s foreign ministry called for ‘collective action by the international community’ to address what it described as the ‘humanitarian consequences’ resulting from such economic aggressions. The statement emphasizes the need for global cooperation to mitigate the impact of unilateral sanctions on civilian populations, positioning the conflict within broader debates about economic sovereignty and international law.

HAVANA, Cuba – Long queues formed at gasoline stations across the Cuban capital Friday as citizens confronted an escalating fuel shortage following President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing punitive tariffs on nations supplying oil to the island nation. The move has been characterized by Cuban authorities as an economic stranglehold designed to destabilize the country.

The directive, which effectively forces international partners to choose between trading with the United States or Cuba, arrives amid the Caribbean nation’s most severe economic crisis since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. Current conditions include power blackouts extending up to 20 hours daily and critical shortages of food, medicine, and essential supplies.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the measures as “fascist, criminal and genocidal” tactics employed by what he described as a US cabal intent on suffocating Cuba’s economy. The sentiment was echoed by citizens like Jorge Rodriguez, a 60-year-old IT specialist, who noted that ordinary Cubans would bear the brunt of these policies.

This development follows the complete cessation of Venezuelan oil shipments after US special forces deposed Nicolás Maduro’s government in January. According to analyzed official statistics, Cuba generated merely half of its required electricity in 2025.

The Trump administration, featuring several officials with strong ties to Florida politics including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has openly advocated for regime change in Havana. Trump himself declared “NO MORE OIL OR MONEY FOR CUBA: ZERO!” while labeling the nation an “extraordinary threat” to US national security—a designation that raises concerns about potential military escalation.

Mexico faces particular complications as both a remaining oil supplier to Cuba and a nation deeply integrated with US trade networks. President Claudia Sheinbaum warned of impending humanitarian consequences while attempting to navigate the diplomatic challenge. Although China voiced opposition to the measures, neither it nor Cuba’s traditional allies have announced concrete support plans.

Diaz-Canel confirmed no ongoing negotiations with Washington, vowing that Cuban citizens stand “ready to defend the homeland to the last drop of blood.”