Carib Scope

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  • ‘Grande’ mother ambushed, shot dead

    ‘Grande’ mother ambushed, shot dead

    A senseless act of violence has cut short the life of a young mother in northeast Trinidad, leaving her community reeling and law enforcement searching for answers. On a routine weekday morning yesterday, 30-year-old Shennel Lewis left her Sangre Grande residence, intending to catch a ride to her workplace – what unfolded minutes later was a targeted attack that left her dead at the scene.

    According to local police reports, the tragedy unfolded shortly before 10 a.m. Lewis, a lifelong resident of the Brooklyn Settlement’s Bridge Road neighborhood, was walking toward McGillvary Road to access public transit. Her own sport utility vehicle was in the shop for repairs that morning, forcing her to make the trip on foot instead of driving herself.

    As she reached the street corner, a white Nissan Tiida pulled up alongside her. A male suspect stepped out of the car, drew a hidden firearm, and fired two shots at Lewis at close range before quickly getting back into the vehicle and fleeing the area. Lewis collapsed to the pavement immediately after the shooting and was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Neighbors and family members who heard the gunfire rushed to the site within seconds and contacted police emergency services. Officers from the Sangre Grande Police Department and a medical ambulance arrived minutes later, but there was nothing medical personnel could do to revive her.

    Soon after the shooting, investigators from the Region Two Homicide Bureau and the Crime Scene Unit were dispatched to process the scene and collect forensic evidence. As of yesterday evening, law enforcement officials confirmed they have not yet identified a clear motive for the killing, nor have they announced any suspects in the case.

    When local media outlet Trinidad Express visited Lewis’ family home yesterday afternoon, grieving relatives had already gathered to mourn the loss. The family initially declined to comment on the shooting, but roughly 15 minutes later, a man identifying himself as Lewis’ uncle spoke on behalf of the family to share details about her life.

    Lewis was a devoted mother to one child, and held a college degree in fitness education, her uncle shared. “She was a very nice, educated woman who had her whole life ahead of her. A very good person,” he said, adding that she was born and raised in the Sangre Grande area and had never given his family any reason to expect violence would find her. He also confirmed he did not have details on her specific employer at the time of her death.

    This latest homicide pushes the total murder toll across Trinidad and Tobago for the current year to 229 as of last night. By comparison, the murder count at the same point last year stood at 234, marking a small year-over-year decrease in total homicides despite the high number of deadly violence incidents recorded this year.

  • Chicken shortage drives up depot prices

    Chicken shortage drives up depot prices

    Trinidad and Tobago is grappling with an extended, nationwide chicken shortage that has put massive economic pressure on local poultry depot operators, who have been forced to pass rising costs and limited stock onto consumers. Multiple depot owners interviewed by the Express have pushed back against the government’s official explanation that extreme weather is the root cause of the crisis, highlighting how ongoing supply chain disruptions have upended their day-to-day operations.

    One operator from Reeyad’s Poultry Depot in San Juan, who requested partial anonymity, explained that while daily delivery volumes have held relatively steady, the chickens being supplied are far smaller than the industry standard, forcing the business to adjust its pricing and product offerings. “We get a good amount every day, (but) the chickens are smaller, we had to raise prices, and because of that, we had to cut back on the amount of chicken parts we sell. So, we basically are limited to selling only whole chickens,” he shared in a telephone interview. To offset the higher wholesale costs he faces, the depot has implemented gradual price increases of $1 to $2 per pound, and he stressed that the ongoing crisis is far outside the seasonal norms the sector typically experiences, calling the situation “not normal.”

    Nagib Ali, owner of Nagib’s Poultry Depot based in Freeport, has gone even further in rejecting the Ministry of Agriculture’s weather-based explanation. Ali, a veteran industry operator, noted that while temporary supply dips do occur twice annually, the current shortage has stretched far longer than any disruption he has seen in his years in business. “It’s probably twice a year we experience this, but not for this lengthy period. It never happened like this before. I don’t believe it’s the sun that’s causing this,” Ali said. The shortage has forced Ali to cut back his operating schedule, with the business only opening a few days each week as he waits for consistent supply to resume.

    Ali also pushed back on the heat narrative by pointing to modern infrastructure used by local poultry farms, which is designed to offset extreme temperatures. “Some people say it’s (foreign exchange); some people say it’s because of the heat. I don’t really believe that heat reason because of the modernised pens with big extractor fans. Some of these pens even have (air-conditioning units),” he explained. Like the San Juan operator, Ali confirmed that his allocated delivery quota remains consistent, but the birds are smaller and wholesale costs have skyrocketed. Over three weeks, prices have jumped from between $6 to $8 per pound to $10 per pound, crossing a 100% increase from the start of the crisis.

    Not all industry operators share the same grim outlook, however. An unnamed depot owner based in Chaguanas noted that minor seasonal shifts are standard at this time of year, and predicted that supply and pricing will return to normal levels within approximately three weeks. For the immediate future, she confirmed that consumers should still expect smaller than average chicken sizes across the market.

    In response to the ongoing consumer and industry disruption, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has outlined a series of long-term policy and infrastructure measures designed to stabilize the national poultry sector, even as officials acknowledge that expanding egg production alone will not resolve current shortages. The centerpiece of the government’s plan is a new large-scale poultry breeding and hatchery facility, to be developed through a public-private partnership (PPP) that is currently accepting expressions of interest from private investors and operators.

    If completed, the facility will produce fertile hatching eggs, breeder stock, and day-old chicks for both the broiler chicken and egg layer sectors right within Trinidad and Tobago, eliminating the country’s reliance on imported core inputs. Officials explain that building domestic production capacity will not only cut foreign exchange spending and create local jobs, but will also strengthen the nation’s food security and biosecurity by reducing vulnerability to global supply chain disruptions.

    The government has also already taken short-term steps to diversify its international supply chain for poultry inputs, adding the Netherlands as an approved sourcing destination for hatching eggs and live chicks alongside the existing main supplier, the United States. In response to global concerns over Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), the ministry clarified that its import policies follow science-based, risk-aligned standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), rather than implementing blanket bans on all imports from countries that report HPAI cases. Under this framework, imports are permitted from designated disease-free zones that meet strict veterinary and biosecurity requirements, allowing the country to balance animal health protection with consistent input supply for local farmers.

    Ministry officials emphasized that a stable, secure domestic poultry supply depends on the resilience of the entire value chain, from access to high-quality chicks and feed to reliable infrastructure, veterinary services, labor, and transportation. The new national breeding facility is designed to act as a foundational anchor for this entire system, bringing modern infrastructure, enhanced biosecurity and traceability, and new opportunities for developing local technical expertise to the sector. Moving forward, the ministry will continue to support sustainable, planned growth of the local egg and poultry industries, using national production and consumption data to guide policy and strengthen local production, cut supply chain vulnerabilities, and ensure consumers have consistent access to affordable poultry products.

  • 7 cops held over missing guns, ammo

    7 cops held over missing guns, ammo

    A major internal law enforcement investigation unfolding in Trinidad and Tobago’s capital has resulted in the detention of seven police officers, all linked to the mysterious disappearance of three Glock pistols, three firearm magazines and 45 rounds of 9mm ammunition from Port of Spain’s Central Police Station. Senior law enforcement officials confirmed Wednesday that two officers were taken into custody late Wednesday as the probe into the missing weapons intensified, with the remaining five arrested between Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon.

    Authorities have planned to search the residential properties of all seven detained officers, though as of late Thursday, senior leaders had not confirmed whether those searches had been completed. Police spokespersons have also declined to release any details on the ranks or ages of the seven officers in custody, noting only that all suspects are currently undergoing questioning as a standard part of the investigative process.

    The missing firearms and ammunition were originally deposited at the Central Police Station for secure storage by Port of Spain Municipal Police officers at 2:47 p.m. on August 10. Just under 13 hours later, at 3:40 a.m. on August 11, a routine inventory check revealed the cache of weapons was gone, and an official investigation was launched immediately.

    Beyond the ongoing criminal probe, the incident has sparked growing friction between Port of Spain Municipal Police and Central Police Station personnel over the current protocols for storing deposited firearms. Municipal police sources told local media outlet the Express that officers attempting to retrieve weapons from the Central Police Station on Thursday faced delays of up to two hours, even for routine processes such as getting pocket diaries signed to confirm weapon collection. These delays are cutting into active patrol time, sources said, leaving municipal officers spending more time navigating administrative holdups than serving communities on city streets, and turning the storage arrangement into a persistent source of frustration for frontline personnel.

    This latest weapons disappearance comes less than four months after a far deadlier incident at another Trinidad and Tobago police station: the murder of acting corporal Anuska Eversley and the theft of a large cache of firearms from the San Fernando Municipal Police Station. Eversley, a 42-year-old mother of three, was found dead at the King’s Wharf station on Lady Hailes Avenue. A post-mortem examination confirmed she died after being beaten and strangled.

    Three people – municipal police officer Jivan “Bigs” Cooper, construction worker Kwame Arnold, and scrap iron dealer Nicholas “Nico” Ramdass – have been charged with Eversley’s murder, as well as firearms trafficking connected to the weapons and ammunition stolen from the station’s armoury. Four municipal officers who were suspended during the early phase of that investigation have since returned to active duty, though one superintendent remains suspended pending the outcome of ongoing probe work.

    Back in May, Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro announced that an Interpol Red Notice had been issued for a fourth suspect in Eversley’s murder, who investigators believe fled the country as the case unfolded. At that time, Guevarro also noted that a full firearms audit of the weapons stolen from the San Fernando station was still ongoing, describing the effort as a massive, large-scale project carried out by a dedicated team of officers. He confirmed that the audit was roughly 50 to 55% complete as of mid-May, after earlier police reports suggested approximately 123 firearms had been taken from the station armoury. As of May 21, Guevarro added, Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) personnel had recovered 38 pistols, four shotguns, one MPX sub-machine gun, one revolver and more than 900 rounds of ammunition, most found in and around the Claxton Bay area. Many stolen weapons remain unaccounted for, however, leaving the investigation open.

  • Middle East conflict fuels rising costs as Nevis Premier warns against unsustainable subsidies

    Middle East conflict fuels rising costs as Nevis Premier warns against unsustainable subsidies

    As ongoing Middle East tensions between Israel, Iran, and the United States grind on with no immediate diplomatic resolution, small Caribbean island nations including St. Kitts and Nevis are already grappling with the tangible economic spillover of the global instability. The core disruption stems from increased volatility at the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic chokepoint that carries roughly one-third of the world’s seaborne crude oil shipments. Persistent threats to shipping through this route have driven global energy prices sharply upward, rippling through supply chains and lifting overall inflation across the Caribbean, a region heavily dependent on imported energy and food. In a recent interview with local broadcaster WINN FM, Nevis Premier Mark Brantley laid out the difficult policy tradeoffs facing regional governments, warning that indefinite, broad-based energy subsidies to offset rising consumer costs are not financially viable for small island economies.

    While Brantley acknowledged that expanding subsidies is politically popular among voters struggling with soaring fuel and electricity bills, he emphasized that maintaining such costly interventions would pose catastrophic long-term risks to Nevis’s public finances. Brantley reminded residents that the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) already enacted significant relief measures after the COVID-19 pandemic, eliminating residential fuel surcharges and capping commercial surcharges for a four-year period. But the sudden surge in global energy prices triggered by the Middle East conflict pushed the cost of these subsidies far beyond what the small government could absorb without sacrificing core public services.

    “Government couldn’t hold the line. It really would have been reckless of us in the extreme to continue that subsidy because it would have wiped out our ability even to pay salaries,” Brantley said. He explained that unlimited subsidies would inevitably divert funding away from non-negotiable public priorities including healthcare, education, and road infrastructure, arguing that governments have a fundamental responsibility to balance short-term relief with long-term fiscal stability. Brantley also called for more transparent public dialogue about the hard tradeoffs required during periods of global economic uncertainty, pushing back against empty political promises of unlimited relief that ignore the long-term costs to essential services. While Brantley acknowledged that the recent reinstatement of the fuel surcharge has created financial hardship for Nevis residents, he added that households can help mitigate their own costs through small behavioral changes, such as cutting unnecessary electricity use by turning off unneeded air conditioning when out of the home, to lower monthly energy bills.

    Separately, in its updated 2026 World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) offered its assessment of how the current energy shock is expected to impact Caribbean economies. The IMF said the regional growth outlook remains largely consistent with its April 2026 projections, but higher oil and food prices will create divergent outcomes across different types of economies in the region. Tourism-dependent economies, which make up the majority of Caribbean nations, will bear the brunt of the shock through higher import costs and accelerating inflation, while net commodity-exporting countries stand to benefit from improved terms of trade driven by elevated global energy prices.

    Specifically, the IMF projects that growth in tourism-dependent Caribbean economies will decelerate to 0.9% in 2026 before rebounding to 2.5% in 2027. For commodity exporters excluding Guyana, growth is forecast to hit 1.5% in 2026 and rise to 3.3% in 2027, lifted by higher global oil prices. Regional average inflation is expected to climb to 6.6% this year, with overall economic risks tilted firmly to the downside. The Fund added that additional headwinds include a potential slowdown in major source markets for Caribbean tourism, most notably the United States, which would further drag on regional growth. Combined with higher import costs and tighter global financial conditions, these pressures are already placing significant strain on small island government budgets. The IMF also noted that Caribbean economies face compounded uncertainty from ongoing geopolitical tensions globally and the constant risk of destructive natural disasters, a persistent vulnerability for small island states.

    Aligning with Brantley’s warnings about unsustainable spending, the IMF advised regional governments to prioritize targeted, temporary relief for low-income and vulnerable households rather than broad, untargeted subsidies that erode long-term fiscal stability. Given the Caribbean’s already high public debt levels, persistent global uncertainty, and inherent natural disaster risk, the IMF stressed that rebuilding fiscal buffers must be a top policy priority. It further recommended that governments strengthen fiscal governance frameworks, improve domestic revenue collection, and streamline public spending to build greater resilience against future economic shocks. The IMF concluded by reaffirming its commitment to supporting Caribbean nations, stating that it stands ready alongside international partner organizations to provide policy guidance, technical assistance, and targeted financing where needed to help the region navigate the current turbulence.

  • President Simons bevriest mijnbouwconcessies en wil volledig overzicht concessiehouders

    President Simons bevriest mijnbouwconcessies en wil volledig overzicht concessiehouders

    In a formal policy directive dated mid-August, Suriname President Jennifer Simons has implemented an immediate temporary freeze on the issuance of new mining concessions, alongside a ban on the extension or transfer of existing concessions across the country’s mining sector. This administrative action does not suspend ongoing legal mining operations or revoke currently held concessions, but it puts a halt to any expansion or change in the country’s existing concession structure while the government completes a comprehensive sector-wide review.

    Simons has formally instructed Minister of Natural Resources David Abiamofo to compile a full, detailed public inventory of all active mining concessions and their current holders, to bring long-needed transparency to the opaque sector. The president outlined five key policy drivers that motivated the temporary freeze in her written directive to the minister.

    First, the government has already launched a formal process to protect the ancestral residential and livelihood lands of Suriname’s Indigenous and tribal communities, which have repeatedly been threatened by unregulated mining expansion. Second, the administration is advancing new protections for ecologically critical forested areas across the country that are not currently formally protected. Third, the government is conducting a complete mapping and inventory of all existing mining concession areas, particularly those dedicated to small and large-scale gold mining, which currently lacks centralized public tracking. This process will give policymakers clear insight into the current state of the sector after decades of unregulated growth.

    Fourth, the government has prioritized addressing the widespread environmental and public health harms caused by unregulated chemical use in artisanal and industrial gold mining, particularly mercury pollution that contaminates river systems and food supplies across large swathes of the country. Officials are developing a new regulatory framework to strengthen monitoring of chemical use and the environmental impacts of common gold extraction techniques. Fifth, the administration plans to open formal consultations with current concession holders to develop a transition program toward more environmentally responsible mining methods that reduce harm to local communities and ecosystems.

    The dual-track policy freezes any changes to the current concession landscape while the government completes its inventory and regulatory planning, preventing new development that could undermine ongoing conservation and land protection efforts. The move responds to longstanding unresolved concerns about unregulated mining expansion across Suriname, which has disproportionately displaced Indigenous communities, destroyed critical tropical rainforest, and left widespread toxic pollution that has harmed public health for decades.

    Notably, Simons’ directive does not specify how long the temporary freeze will remain in place, nor does it outline what policy changes will be implemented for existing concessions after the inventory and review process is complete. The president’s statement only confirms that the temporary pause will remain in effect until the government achieves greater sector transparency, implements targeted land and environmental protections, and strengthens regulatory oversight of mining operations nationwide.

  • De FATF-klok tikt, Suriname rent weer op het laatste moment

    De FATF-klok tikt, Suriname rent weer op het laatste moment

    As a critical international deadline looms, Suriname is racing against the clock to implement remaining regulatory measures against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing to avoid being blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global standard-setter for combating illicit financial activity. To prevent lasting damage to the country’s international financial standing, new legislation must be passed, executive decrees finalized, and regulatory institutions strengthened—all at a pace that has put the nation’s long-proven ability to deliver under last-minute pressure to the test. For decades, Suriname has developed a reputation for slipping through regulatory deadlines at the eleventh hour, and many observers expect that pattern to hold this time around. While legislation can technically be rushed through parliament overnight, building a robust, fully functional anti-illicit finance system is a far more complex task that cannot be completed in hours.

  • Khudabux: Compliance wordt in Suriname afgestraft, non-compliance loont

    Khudabux: Compliance wordt in Suriname afgestraft, non-compliance loont

    Speaking at a recent CEO Talk hosted by the Suriname Association of Economists (VES), Farsi Khudabux, chief executive of leading local firm Baitali, has delivered a searing critique of Suriname’s deteriorating business climate, warning that law-abiding enterprises are increasingly disadvantaged compared to competitors that cut corners or openly flout existing regulations.

    In his presentation, Khudabux outlined five major systemic bottlenecks holding back Suriname’s private sector: businesses are not taken seriously by authorities, weak enforcement of existing laws and regulations, routine violations of public procurement rules, excessive foreign influence over domestic decision-making, and the overuse of limited government funding as an excuse to delay necessary actions for economic development.

    “In Suriname today, compliance is punished, and non-compliance pays,” Khudabux stated, adding that the operating environment for legitimate businesses is increasingly taking on the characteristics of the “Wild West.” He explained that unlicensed, unauthorized operations are allowed to continue in multiple sectors without meaningful intervention from regulators.

    As a concrete example of this unfair dynamic, Khudabux pointed to the cross-border crushed stone trade between Suriname’s Nickerie district and Guyana. Vessels carrying crushed stone traverse the Corantijn River without required export documentation, notifications to the Suriname Maritime Authority, or payment of mandatory port fees and other legal levies. This creates an immediate cost disadvantage for businesses that follow all regulatory requirements.

    The crushed stone market operates on extremely thin margins that depend on high sales volume to generate profit, meaning even small cost differences can drive compliant firms out of the market. Khudabux revealed that Baitali was forced to shut down one of its operations as a direct result of this unfair competition, eliminating 34 jobs in the process.

    Khudabux did not limit his criticism to government failures. He also called out Suriname’s organized private sector for failing to present a unified, strong front to advocate for fair rules. Business associations, he argued, have a responsibility not only to represent member interests but also to hold the government accountable for its commitments. He cited widespread late payments to contracted businesses by the government, sudden unannounced policy shifts, and unnecessarily lengthy permit approval processes as common issues that industry groups accept too passively. When the government breaks its agreements, Khudabux said, trade associations often respond only with mild, cautious statements, a practice he labeled “baking sweet buns” – or avoiding tough confrontation. “We need to get serious about doing business in Suriname, even when that means holding the government accountable,” he said.

    On the topic of public procurement, Khudabux was equally sharp, noting that the government’s own procurement rules are routinely ignored from the initial publication tender periods through to bid evaluation and final contract awards. He called this situation particularly contradictory amid widespread official rhetoric about boosting local content and supporting domestic enterprises. “A country cannot claim it wants to strengthen local businesses on one hand, then allow those same firms to be disadvantaged by broken procurement rules and unequal competitive conditions on the other,” he said.

    Khudabux also raised alarms about the outsized influence of foreign financial institutions and donors on Suriname’s national decision-making. He highlighted an infrastructure case where a foreign financier pressured the Surinamese government after a domestic court issued a final ruling, arguing that foreign funding must never be placed above the authority of Suriname’s own legal system.

    Khudabux emphasized that his critique was not intended as a simple list of complaints, but as a call for systemic change aligned with a broader vision for a healthier Surinamese economy. A thriving business climate requires more than just capital and headline GDP growth, he argued: it depends above all on predictable policy, a level playing field for all enterprises, independent public institutions, and consistent enforcement of the rule of law. This, Khudabux added, also requires a cultural shift within the private sector itself. Rather than waiting for problems to resolve themselves, local business leaders must come together to demand clear, equal rules for all market participants and hold the government to its own commitments. “This is not complaining,” he stressed. “This is a call to action.”

  • TOYP 2026 Competition : Registrations covered, the Ten Outstanding Young Persons

    TOYP 2026 Competition : Registrations covered, the Ten Outstanding Young Persons

    Junior Chamber International Haiti (JCI Haiti) has launched the 2026 edition of its Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) competition, a flagship initiative designed to celebrate and elevate young Haitians between the ages of 18 and 40 who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary accomplishments, bold leadership, and meaningful, community-focused contributions to national progress.

  • Improving mathematics performance, micro-credentials take centre stage at 52nd COHSOD Meeting

    Improving mathematics performance, micro-credentials take centre stage at 52nd COHSOD Meeting

    On August 12 and 13, 2026, education ministers and senior education officials from all member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) gathered in Georgetown, Guyana, for the 52nd meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) focused on education. Hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre under the unifying theme “Educating for Life, Purpose, and Caribbean Progress,” the gathering brought together regional institutional stakeholders and international development partners to align on a shared, forward-looking education agenda for the bloc. At the opening of the meeting, Guyana’s Minister of Education Sonia Parag officially took over the chairmanship of the regional education body.

    Throughout the two-day deliberations, attendees advanced multiple structural initiatives designed to modernize Caribbean education and align it with evolving economic and social needs. Two proposed regional frameworks took center stage: the Sub-Framework for Micro-Credentials and the Regional Apprenticeship Framework. Addressing delegates, Parag emphasized that micro-credentials have emerged as a critical tool to support lifelong learning, enabling workers to reskill and upskill to meet shifting labor market demands. A unified regional framework, she argued, will ensure these short-form qualifications maintain consistent quality standards, gain cross-regional recognition, and remain portable across all CARICOM member states, removing barriers to workforce mobility. The proposed apprenticeship framework, meanwhile, seeks to close the persistent gap between academic learning and industry requirements by expanding access to hands-on, workplace-based training for learners across the region.

    A core priority that emerged from the meeting was the urgent need to strengthen foundational learning outcomes, with mathematics singled out as a key area for intervention. The Caribbean Development Bank, in partnership with the University of the West Indies, presented a region-wide Mathematics Enhancement Programme for primary and secondary education, which outlines a systemic, coordinated approach to lifting math proficiency across CARICOM. Parag welcomed the initiative, noting that Guyana’s existing national mathematics intervention programs have already delivered measurable improvements to domestic learning outcomes. She stressed that strong foundational math skills are a prerequisite for success across high-growth sectors, including science, technology, technical vocational training, financial literacy, and the modern digital workplace.

    Delegates also centered the critical role of teaching quality in driving sustainable education improvement. Parag underscored that no education system can outperform the quality of its teaching workforce, leading the meeting to advance a coordinated regional agenda to support teachers and elevate the teaching profession. Proposals on the table include the establishment of a dedicated CARICOM Alliance for Teachers and the development of a cross-regional research agenda focused on addressing key challenges facing the teaching profession.

    CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett echoed the bloc’s focus on skills development, highlighting growing regional demand for technical, vocational, and digital skills. She emphasized that robust Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems are essential to boosting Caribbean competitiveness, strengthening economic resilience, and expanding inclusive economic participation across member states.

    Beyond these core priorities, the meeting also explored regional coordination on a range of additional education issues, including standardized assessment approaches, updates to Caribbean Vocational Qualifications, improved education data collection and management, and strategic education planning. Delegates also agreed on the importance of strengthening parental engagement in education through the Caribbean Council of National Parent Teacher Associations.

    Closing discussions reflected a widespread shared commitment among CARICOM member states to transform regional education systems. Rather than focusing solely on exam preparation, leaders agreed that education must equip learners with the critical thinking, adaptability, and purpose-driven mindsets needed to pursue further education, enter the workforce, launch entrepreneurial ventures, and contribute meaningfully to Caribbean society. Parag summed up this vision, stating that the bloc’s collective goal is to “create wholesome, well-rounded Caribbean citizens.”

  • BTL-Speednet Acquisition Fails to Win Cabinet Support

    BTL-Speednet Acquisition Fails to Win Cabinet Support

    In a high-stakes decision delivered late on August 13, 2026, Belize’s Cabinet has dealt a fatal blow to one of the nation’s most hotly contested corporate transactions: the proposed acquisition of Speednet by Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL). The ruling puts an end to weeks of growing public debate and leaves scheduled protest action by the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) in question, as stakeholders digest the government’s formal position.

    In an official public statement released Wednesday afternoon, Cabinet noted that the proposed merger had emerged as a flashpoint of national public interest, requiring the executive branch to conduct a full, deliberate review of all available information. The body emphasized that the government, the Social Security Board, and the Belizean public hold a majority stake in BTL, creating a direct public responsibility to weigh concerns from across the country before reaching a conclusion. Cabinet also confirmed it collected and considered input from sitting ministers, social partner organizations, local media outlets, and ordinary citizens before formalizing its position.

    Moments after the announcement was made public, News Five conducted an exclusive phone interview with Prime Minister John Briceño to unpack the decision. Briceño explained that a structured consultation process had been launched earlier that week, with representatives from Social Security, the Public Service Union, and BTL invited to Cabinet on Tuesday to lay out their case for why the merger was commercially justified. After Cabinet members completed their questioning, the process moved forward to engage with critical stakeholders including the NTUCB and the Belize Chamber of Commerce.

    According to Briceño, negotiations broke down when opposing stakeholders declined to enter constructive dialogue, making demands that fell outside the government’s scope to accommodate. The Prime Minister, who had already recused himself from deliberations due to a family connection to one of the involved parties, began consulting with Cabinet members Wednesday morning. While there was broad agreement among members that the merger held commercial merit, the Cabinet collectively decided that moving forward amid unconstructive opposition was not in the public interest.

    When asked whether the current ruling is final or could be reopened at a later date, Briceño acknowledged that nothing can ever be ruled out permanently, but confirmed that for the present, the decision to block the transaction stands. Responding to whether the ruling represents the Briceño administration bowing to public pressure, the Prime Minister noted that the government is elected to represent the people, and that listening to public sentiment is a core part of its mandate. He added that his recusal from the process created an unusual position, making a pause on the merger the most appropriate outcome, and confirmed BTL will formally notify Speednet that the acquisition will not move forward at this time.

    While Cabinet’s decision has pulled government support from the deal, Opposition Leader Tracy Panton is urging Belizean residents to remain alert and keep their scheduled protest plans intact for the coming Tuesday. Panton welcomed Cabinet’s ruling as concrete evidence that organized public pressure can shift government policy, but stressed that the transaction is not officially dead until regulatory bodies including the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) formally reject the proposal.

    Panton emphasized that public power drove this preliminary outcome, noting that when citizens unify around a shared concern, they can force governments to heed the public’s collective judgment. She cautioned, however, that Cabinet’s ruling does not legally kill the acquisition: the proposal still requires formal approval from the PUC, and the Cabinet’s statement only withheld government support rather than explicitly canceling the deal. Panton added that it remains to be seen whether the PUC, as an independent regulatory body, will conduct its own due diligence free from political pressure, and that Belizeans must continue to monitor the process to ensure the transaction is fully abandoned.

    Panton noted that until the public receives formal, written confirmation that the acquisition is completely off the table, the scheduled NTUCB protest will proceed as planned. The opposition leader added that the public should remain vigilant against attempts to reactivate the deal through regulatory channels outside of public scrutiny.