Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • Cuba rejects US ‘slander’ over sanctioned army business group

    Cuba rejects US ‘slander’ over sanctioned army business group

    HAVANA, Cuba — Cuban authorities issued a forceful rejection this Tuesday of what it calls American “slander” targeting GAESA, the island nation’s military-backed economic conglomerate that has become the latest focus of sweeping new United States sanctions. The fresh restrictions, announced earlier in May, represent a sharp escalation of the Trump administration’s long-running pressure campaign against Cuba’s communist-led government, a campaign that has included public musings from former President Trump about potential US takeover of the island.

    In unveiling the new sanctions, then-Secretary of State Marco Rubio leveled sharp accusations against GAESA, an entity analysts estimate controls roughly 70 percent of Cuba’s total national economy. Rubio claimed the conglomerate operates as an unaccountable “state within a state,” accumulating massive wealth for a small ruling elite while ordinary Cuban citizens bear the cost of its opaque operations. “It hoards the profits from its businesses for the benefit of a small elite,” Rubio stated.

    Cuba’s official response, released in a public statement Tuesday, pushed back firmly against these claims, rejecting characterizations of GAESA as either an opaque institution or a parallel structure operating outside of Cuban state oversight. “On the contrary,” the statement read, the conglomerate “has been a coordinated response of proven efficiency to the economic siege that has historically sought to suffocate the Cuban Revolution” — a direct reference to the US trade embargo that has been in place against Cuba since 1962.

    The latest round of US sanctions strengthens existing restrictions on GAESA, ordering a full freeze on all of the conglomerate’s assets held within US jurisdictions and imposing harsh penalties on any foreign companies that choose to conduct business with the entity. Cuban officials framed the measures as “the most intense, disproportionate, and dangerous escalation in the recent history of relations between Cuba and the United States.”

    The statement also highlighted GAESA’s widespread contributions to Cuban public welfare and economic stability, noting the conglomerate played a critical role in sustaining the island’s economy through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has overseen the construction of more than 10,000 new residential homes for Cuban citizens. “Its work speaks for itself, and it does so above the state slander concocted in Washington,” the statement concluded.

    Multiple independent sources confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that Spanish hospitality giant Iberostar has begun exiting from 12 Cuban hotel properties it previously operated in partnership with GAESA-affiliated firms. The company made the decision to withdraw from hotels co-managed with Gaviota, Cuba’s state tourism group that is a core subsidiary of GAESA, one insider confirmed. “As of June 1, Iberostar is pulling out of all its hotels (run with) Gaviota,” a second senior tourism industry source corroborated.

    When contacted by AFP for comment, the Mallorca-based hospitality group declined to provide on-the-record details about its decision. Sources added that Iberostar will maintain its existing co-management agreements for hotels owned directly by Cuba’s national tourism ministry, separate from GAESA-linked entities.

    Iberostar’s exit follows a similar move by Canadian mining corporation Sherritt, which terminated its long-standing partnership with GAESA earlier this year after facing US sanctions penalties for its operations in Cuba.

  • Chris Williams appointed honorary chair of Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica

    Chris Williams appointed honorary chair of Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a strategic move to set the stage for the next chapter of expansion and community impact, the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica (YEA) has named prominent Caribbean business leader Chris Williams as its new honorary chair, the organization confirmed in an official statement released Tuesday.

    The appointment aligns with YEA’s long-term leadership transition plan, as current president Cordell Williams is scheduled to step down from his role in 2026. During Cordell Williams’ tenure, the association has delivered substantial growth, expanding its reach across Jamaica and deepening its national engagement with emerging entrepreneurs and industry stakeholders.

    Cordell Williams explained that the selection process for the new honorary chair was deliberate and targeted, focused on finding a leader who combines top-tier expertise in global entrepreneurship with a core commitment to nurturing talent, building robust organizational systems, and strengthening institutional capacity. “We reviewed multiple highly qualified candidates, and this decision was made after careful consideration,” he noted. “Chris Williams brings an unparalleled mix of forward-thinking vision, industry credibility, decades of hands-on experience, and a deeply rooted dedication to lifting up the next generation of Jamaican entrepreneurs. He is exactly the leader we need to guide our association to new heights of growth.”

    The appointment carries particular symbolic weight: Williams also served as the featured keynote speaker at YEA’s official launch event, marking his return to the organization in a leadership role as a full-circle milestone for both the group and the business leader.

    Widely recognized as one of the most successful business figures across the Caribbean, Williams has over 30 years of experience building and scaling high-impact organizations across multiple sectors. He previously held the role of chief executive officer at NCB Capital Markets before going on to co-found PROVEN Group, where he led the firm from its early startup days to a regional financial conglomerate holding roughly US$3 billion in total assets.

    Beyond his corporate work, Sir Richard Branson selected Williams to chair the Branson Centre of the Caribbean, where he has supported hundreds of emerging entrepreneurs across the Caribbean region to grow their businesses. He also contributed to the founding of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market as a founding charter committee member, and later served as the market’s deputy chairman. Today, Williams holds positions as co-founder and chairman of Different Group, a real estate investment firm focused exclusively on Caribbean market opportunities.

    In his remarks accepting the appointment, Williams stressed that sustainable entrepreneurial growth requires a more intentional, disciplined and structured approach to business building for emerging founders across Jamaica. As honorary chair, he will take on two core responsibilities: serving as a strategic advisor and mentor to YEA’s current leadership team, and working to expand and strengthen the association’s partnerships across the private sector, investment community, national policymakers, and the broader regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.

    YEA was founded as a national non-profit organization focused on empowering emerging Jamaican entrepreneurs. It provides members with access to critical business tools, professional networking opportunities, industry knowledge, and growth opportunities designed to help them build sustainable companies, generate new jobs for Jamaican workers, and contribute to long-term economic and social transformation across the country.

  • Medicinal cannabis rollout expected before end of June

    Medicinal cannabis rollout expected before end of June

    The Bahamas is on the cusp of launching its first formal medicinal cannabis industry, with officials confirming that a final partnership agreement with U.S.-based cannabis supply chain tracking firm Metrc has cleared the way for rollout to begin within the next month, potentially before the end of June.

    Lynwood Brown, chairman of the Bahamas Cannabis Authority, shared details of the milestone in an interview with The Tribune, explaining that the deal was finalized several weeks ago and removes the final regulatory and operational barriers to unveiling the country’s new licensing framework, official industry website, and public application process.

    One of the authority’s top priorities ahead of opening applications is addressing a marked gap in public understanding of the new regulated industry. Brown emphasized that widespread public awareness remains insufficient, prompting the organization to prepare an aggressive, multi-channel public education campaign that will kick off alongside a formal launch press conference. The initiative will clarify key details for residents, including eligibility for industry participation, allowed and restricted locations for retail dispensaries, and the core public health mission of the sector.

    Notably, the authority intentionally delayed full implementation until after the country’s general election to avoid forcing any new incoming administration to adopt a regulatory structure designed by the previous government. With the incumbent administration retaining power, Brown confirmed the authority will move forward with its original pre-election development plan.

    The path to securing a technology partner was not without delays. Brown revealed that officials initially held negotiations with another leading tracking provider, BioTrack, but a corporate acquisition of the firm forced the authority to restart the selection process from scratch. Ultimately, the board settled on Metrc, which Brown described as a reliable partner ready to guide the Bahamas through building its first regulated medicinal cannabis market.

    “We are satisfied with our negotiations with Metrc. We have signed the contract for them to be our platform provider and guide us through this virgin territory,” Brown said. “They are eager to meet the Bahamian people and have a press conference to be introduced.”

    At the core of Metrc’s role is building a robust regulatory oversight system designed to block illicit cannabis from entering the legal market and protect public health. Every single cannabis seed will be assigned a unique barcode that tracks the plant through every stage of cultivation, processing, and final sale to consumers, creating an unbroken trail of accountability that makes it extremely difficult for unregulated black market product to infiltrate the legal supply chain. Random batch testing will be conducted at multiple points along the supply chain to close any remaining regulatory loopholes.

    The system will also address other common regulatory risks, including multiple prescription shopping by patients and the sale of substandard products that do not meet required medicinal quality and safety standards. Brown noted that even existing unlicensed cultivators who successfully obtain legal licenses will not be able to sell crops they grew prior to regulation, as any pre-license product would lack the required end-to-end tracking. The authority estimates that the first legal, regulated medicinal cannabis products will not reach patients for at least 18 months after licensing opens.

    Brown declined to share details on the financial terms of the Metrc contract or the authority’s total budget allocation, noting that those details will be released publicly as part of the Ministry of Health’s upcoming budget presentation. The national medicinal cannabis initiative is led by the Ministry of Health, with cross-agency support from the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, and domestic banking institutions, all of which have contributed to shaping the industry’s regulatory framework.

    Brown repeatedly stressed that public education will remain the authority’s top priority in the lead-up to launch, emphasizing that this is a strictly public health-focused initiative, not a recreational cannabis program. “Because of the critical nature of public health, we have to spend resources to get as much information in the hands of the public as possible because the public’s health and safety depends on it and we’re not taking this lightly,” he said.

    Moving forward, the authority is committed to full transparency as it builds the new industry, with a core goal of encouraging active Bahamian participation. “We are looking for Bahamians to be our partners on this, and in order for them to be partners we have to be transparent,” Brown said. “We won’t rush it, but we want to move as fast as possible while being as safe as possible.”

  • Government updates prescription rules to improve access to medicines

    Government updates prescription rules to improve access to medicines

    In a transformative move aimed at upgrading the nation’s public healthcare infrastructure, the Dominican government has formally approved sweeping updates to the regulations governing outpatient prescription and dispensing under the Dominican Social Security System (SDSS), with the changes codified in Decree 286-26. At the core of the reform is a policy shift designed to break down longstanding access barriers for patients: prescriptions written by licensed physicians outside of a patient’s contracted Health Risk Administrator (ARS) network will now be recognized as valid for insurance coverage, a change that upends previous restrictive rules that limited coverage to in-network providers only.

    Leadership from the National Social Security Council (CNSS), the body overseeing the Dominican Social Security System, has framed the reform as a patient-centric update that addresses critical gaps in the current healthcare framework. CNSS President Aura Celeste Fernández Rodríguez emphasized that the new rules will eliminate unnecessary treatment interruptions for patients who seek care from out-of-network physicians, while also expanding individual patient autonomy when choosing healthcare providers. Fernández called the update a meaningful milestone in ongoing efforts to expand equitable access to healthcare and modernize the country’s Family Health Insurance program.

    Beyond expanding access, the revised regulatory framework introduces enhanced accountability measures to boost medication safety and oversight. New, stricter standards for prescription documentation require clearer patient identification, detailed diagnosis records, and comprehensive clinical documentation, all of which will improve end-to-end traceability of controlled and prescription medications. Under the new rules, licensed pharmacies bear formal responsibility for verifying prescription compliance before dispensing medications, especially for substances classified as controlled substances that carry higher risks of misuse.

    The reform also sets a roadmap for the gradual adoption of standardized electronic prescription systems across the SDSS. Digital prescription tools are expected to cut down on common medication errors caused by illegible handwritten notes, streamline communication between treating clinicians and dispensing pharmacies, and bring the Dominican healthcare system’s medication management practices in line with global modernization standards. Additionally, the updated regulations formalize guidelines for partial medication dispensing when clinically appropriate, a change that supports more efficient use of pharmaceutical supplies and reduces unnecessary waste of healthcare resources.

    Regulatory authorities note that the updated regulatory structure strengthens state oversight of licensed pharmaceutical establishments, reinforces national commitments to medication safety, and creates new tools to crack down on the illegal sale of prescription medications that occur without proper medical authorization. For the Dominican government, the comprehensive reform represents a balanced step forward: it expands patient access to life-sustaining medications while reinforcing public health protections that keep communities safe, laying the groundwork for a more equitable, efficient, and secure national healthcare system.

  • PPV operators granted 16% increase in two phases

    PPV operators granted 16% increase in two phases

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s national administration has greenlit a 16% overall fare increase for public passenger vehicle (PPV) operators, rolling out the pricing adjustment in two incremental stages starting this month.

    The proposal for higher fares, which has been under official review since April 2024, will be implemented in two equal 8% increments. The first 8% adjustment will go into force across all regulated public passenger routes in June, with the second matching 8% hike scheduled to take effect in July.

    Transport Minister Daryl Vaz made the official announcement of the approved increase on Tuesday morning, explaining that the decision to spread out the adjustment instead of imposing it all at once was made to reduce the inflationary shock that an immediate 16% jump would have imposed on regular commuters.

    Vaz emphasized that the phased rollout was crafted as a compromise solution, designed to address the ongoing financial pressures that have pushed PPV operators to request higher fares while also shielding Jamaican households from the full immediate impact of higher transportation costs on already stretched household budgets.

  • New Parks and Beaches head cannot guarantee budget limits

    New Parks and Beaches head cannot guarantee budget limits

    The Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority, a government body tasked with managing the nation’s iconic public green spaces and coastal assets, is once again at the center of fiscal scrutiny, as its newly appointed executive chairman opened up this week about the challenges ahead for the embattled agency. Jamahl Strachan, who officially stepped into the top leadership role on the same day of his public remarks, stopped short of guaranteeing the authority will stay within its approved budget in the coming term. He pointed to widespread global price volatility, triggered by ongoing geopolitical conflicts and disrupted global supply chains, as an unpredictable force that shifts input costs for even the smallest infrastructure and maintenance projects. “It drives and changes prices of everything, so a $2 slide — and this is arbitrary of course — a $2 slide today, any impact with the various wars or trans shipping route will impact the cost of that particular product tomorrow,” Strachan explained to reporters. Beyond the external economic pressures, Strachan moved quickly to signal a shift in governance for the authority, which has faced sustained public and political backlash over persistent unapproved overspending and years of unpublicized financial audits. “What I can assure you is that you have a competent authority. You have an authority dedicated to fiscal management, and going forward, you will see increased oversight, and of course I would say bang for your buck going forward,” he added. The controversy first erupted around Strachan’s predecessor, former chairman McKell Bonaby, when local media outlet The Nassau Guardian published an investigation in April revealing the authority had repeatedly blown through its annual budget allocations for multiple consecutive fiscal years. The outlet’s analysis of official budget documents showed that in the 2021/2022 fiscal cycle, the authority spent $24.6 million against an approved budget of just $15.2 million. For the 2023/2024 fiscal year, spending hit more than $33 million, compared to a $24 million allocation. As of December 2025, cumulative spending by the agency had topped $141 million, all against repeatedly missed budget targets. Compounding public anger was the complete absence of any public audit to clarify how taxpayer funds were allocated and spent, a gap that opposition leaders have seized on to accuse the ruling party of mismanagement. When it comes to the long-delayed audit, Strachan confirmed that the final document will be presented to Parliament for consideration “in due course”, though he acknowledged that he had not yet personally reviewed the full audit, and plans to conduct an internal review with the agency’s executive leadership in the coming weeks. The new chairman also noted that basic audit frameworks and transparent operational protocols have already been put in place, but he would not commit to releasing public documentation for projects completed during the current Davis administration’s tenure. Strachan echoed a line previously pushed by outgoing officials, noting that a large share of the authority’s reported overspending stems from rollover expenditures carried over from prior budget cycles. Both Bonaby and the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) have mounted a robust defense of the agency’s spending record since the controversy broke earlier this year. Bonaby argued that elevated spending was necessary to support more than 1,200 local contractors across the Bahamas, generating much-needed jobs, economic opportunities and community benefits across every island chain. He also noted that the agency’s mandate has expanded significantly in recent years, adding more than 250 public parks to its management portfolio and requiring increased investment in staffing, new equipment, and expanded operational capacity, including the rollout of a new fleet management system. Bonaby has repeatedly insisted that “every dollar of taxpayer money spent by the authority is accounted for”, and that existing financial controls require contractors to submit valid documentation and proof of completed work before payments are issued. No project-level breakdowns, supporting expenditure figures, or full audit reports have been released to the public to back up these claims, however. PLP officials have pushed back against opposition criticism, framing the overspending as a long-standing problem inherited from previous governments, rather than a failure of the current administration. In an April press conference, PLP Director of Communications Latrae Rahming argued that higher spending reflected deliberate “investments in small and medium-sized businesses” across the country, while hitting back at opposition allegations as “disingenuous”. Rahming pointed to large budget gaps during the prior Minnis administration to back up the claim that overspending predates the Davis government: in one year, the agency was allocated $7 million and spent $15.6 million, while in another cycle, it spent $25.9 million against a $19.1 million allocation. Looking ahead, Strachan outlined his immediate priorities for the agency, starting with a comprehensive review to identify unmet needs and operational gaps across all public parks and beaches. The new chairman plans to implement quarterly public assessments of progress, paired with measurable performance targets that will allow Bahamian residents to track improvements and hold the agency accountable for its work. Even with these new transparency measures, the agency’s leadership still faces lingering questions about its commitment to opening its books to full public scrutiny, as it works to rebuild public trust after months of controversy.

  • Bahamas can shelter 14,000, but falls short of global mark

    Bahamas can shelter 14,000, but falls short of global mark

    As the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season officially gets underway, disaster management officials in The Bahamas have acknowledged that while the nation has made meaningful progress in preparedness, it still has not met the international benchmark for emergency shelter capacity to protect residents during major natural disasters. Currently, the country’s 144 public shelters can accommodate approximately 14,000 people, according to Aaron Sargent, Managing Director of the Bahamas Disaster Risk Management Authority (DRM).

    Speaking at a press briefing held to mark the start of the season, Sargent noted that 90 of these shelters have already completed mandatory safety inspections, with only three facilities in New Providence still awaiting evaluation. Against the global standard that requires shelter space for 10 percent of a country’s total population, The Bahamas currently falls well short of the target. Sargent emphasized that expanding shelter capacity – particularly in the country’s less developed southern island region – remains a top priority for the government, requiring ongoing infrastructure investment and new construction projects.

    The briefing came one day after senior DRM officials, along with Executive Chairman Alex Storr and representatives from multiple government agencies, presented the nation’s full preparedness plan to Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and newly appointed Minister of State for Disaster Risk Management McKell Bonaby. Despite the unmet shelter target, Sargent said the work completed during the low-risk “blue sky” period between hurricane seasons has significantly boosted the country’s ability to mount an effective response to storm events.

    The Bahamas Department of Meteorology has forecast a below-average season for 2026, projecting roughly 11 named storms and just one to three hurricanes forming across the Atlantic basin. Sargent tied this milder outlook to the ongoing El Niño weather pattern, which has also driven record-breaking extreme heat across much of the globe this year. Even with the favorable forecast, however, he issued a sharp warning to residents against lowering their guard, stressing that the country’s location within the active Atlantic hurricane belt means a single devastating storm is all it takes to cause widespread destruction across the island chain.

    To strengthen local response capacity, the DRM Authority has already completed regional readiness exercises on eight of The Bahamas’ major islands, with a full national disaster drill scheduled for July. The agency is also putting the final touches on a new National Recovery Framework, a document designed to standardize post-disaster relief and reconstruction protocols across all levels of government. Once finalized, the framework will be submitted to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Disaster Risk Management for formal review and approval.

    In addition to infrastructure and planning updates, the DRM Authority has invested heavily in workforce training and digital emergency management technology. Earlier this year, DRM officers completed a specialized training program alongside partners including the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, Rhode Island National Guard, and U.S. Northern Command, focused on mastering the WebEOC emergency coordination platform. Sargent explained that the system will dramatically improve cross-agency communication and shared situational awareness between the capital and outlying Family Islands during active disasters, with a full national deployment scheduled for the July readiness exercise.

    On the topic of shelter inspections, Sargent noted that the DRM Authority has tightened safety and operational standards since its establishment, and the vast majority of existing shelters already meet the new requirements. One notable milestone is the newly completed disaster shelter in Abaco, which is now fully operational and ready to accept evacuees. The facility already underwent an unplanned stress test during the recent electoral cycle, when local administrators used it as a polling and operations center, and it passed without any issues.

    Sargent emphasized that disaster preparedness is not a seasonal task, but a year-round priority, with the DRM Authority continuing to upgrade infrastructure, expand training, and integrate new technology to improve response outcomes. He urged all residents to take proactive steps before the next storm threat emerges: inspecting residential and commercial properties, securing storm shutters and plywood, organizing and protecting critical personal and legal documents, and formalizing family evacuation plans. Members of the public are also encouraged to learn the location of their nearest assigned shelter and take advantage of the resources available through the government’s national hurricane readiness campaign, including a free Hurricane Expo scheduled for June 20 at Marathon Mall, and downloadable preparedness materials available at getready.gov.bs.

    Bonaby, who was unable to attend the press briefing, is scheduled to deliver a formal preparedness address to the public across all national news platforms on the same day as the briefing.

  • “Pact for a Better City” marks new chapter for Santiago’s urban development

    “Pact for a Better City” marks new chapter for Santiago’s urban development

    Santiago, Dominican Republic – A landmark multi-stakeholder agreement aimed at redefining the future of urban growth in one of the country’s most dynamic cities is set to be signed next year, bringing together public agencies, private enterprises, academic leaders, and community groups around a shared vision of long-term sustainable development.

    The “Pact for a Better City” will be officially signed on June 5, 2026, at the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) in Santiago. The signing ceremony will also mark the formal launch of the landmark “Santiago Living City 2035” initiative, a 12-year planning project designed to guide intentional, inclusive growth for Santiago and its surrounding metropolitan area.

    Organized under the leadership of the Cibao Housing Developers and Builders Association (APROCOVIC), the initiative draws widespread institutional support from key local and national bodies. Backing partners include Santiago City Hall, host university PUCMM, the Santiago Strategic Development Council (CDES), the Vice Ministry of Territorial Planning and Regional Development, and major Dominican financial institutions. This broad coalition of partners reflects a collective recognition that uncoordinated urban growth poses long-term risks to the city’s economic and social vitality, and that cross-sector collaboration is critical to delivering lasting results.

    Per details released by the initiative’s organizing committee, the pact will serve as the foundational framework for a comprehensive, city-wide Urban Development Plan that targets high-priority areas for improvement. Key focus areas include expanding and modernizing public and private mobility infrastructure, upgrading core public utilities, advancing environmental protection and climate resilience, managing equitable urban expansion, and raising overall quality of life for all residents of the Santiago metropolitan area.

    Beyond infrastructure and planning targets, the initiative also seeks to institutionalize formal long-term planning processes that will outlast changes in political leadership. This institutional commitment is designed to ensure policy continuity and consistent, effective implementation of the plan’s goals through 2035, preventing the disruptions that often derail long-term public projects when administrations change.

    The upcoming launch event will feature deep dives into the initiative’s operational structure. Specialists from CAP Consultores & Asesores Profesionales will present the technical planning framework that underpins the comprehensive development plan, while Daritza Nicodemo will detail the mandate and responsibilities of the new Technical Monitoring Unit. This unit will be tasked with ongoing oversight of all commitments outlined in the inter-sector pact, ensuring that all stakeholders hold to their agreed roles and responsibilities.

    Organizers confirmed that attendance at the launch will include a broad cross-section of Santiago’s leadership, from sitting municipal officials and leading business executives to academic researchers and grassroots community stakeholders. The event is expected to set the stage for the first phase of planning work, which will begin immediately after the pact is signed.

  • Broadcasting Commission raps Flow and Digicel for ‘substandard customer service’ arising from channel changes

    Broadcasting Commission raps Flow and Digicel for ‘substandard customer service’ arising from channel changes

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s top broadcast regulator has formally ruled that two of the island’s leading subscription television providers, Flow and Digicel, violated the terms of their operating licences through the unprofessional and inadequate way they handled customer notifications for channel and programming adjustments rolled out in late 2025.

    In an official statement published Tuesday, the Broadcasting Commission announced it had wrapped up its full investigation into the controversial programming changes, confirming that both telecommunication giants failed to meet mandatory customer service standards when rolling out updates that directly impacted paying subscribers.

    The regulator’s investigation uncovered critical gaps in Flow’s notification strategy: the company relied almost entirely on email alerts to inform customers of upcoming changes, despite internal engagement data that proved most subscribers never opened these communications. Data presented during the review shows 68.5% of distribution emails went unopened in November 2025, followed by 64.1% unopened in December. A portion of emails also failed to reach inboxes entirely, sent to outdated, incorrect, or inactive email addresses on file. Further, Flow posted supplementary change notices on its website, but the commission noted this passive method proved particularly unreliable in the aftermath of a hurricane that disrupted digital access for many Jamaican households. Flow also failed to provide any analytics to confirm that subscribers actually accessed and viewed the online postings.

    For its part, Digicel went a step further, offering no advance warning at all to subscribers before removing certain channels from its line-up. The company later admitted to this oversight and issued a public apology to customers after the regulator launched its formal probe.

    While both providers added new and reconfigured existing channels to replace the removed content, the commission found that the explanatory materials shared with subscribers lacked enough detail and clear, objective metrics for customers to verify whether replacement channels offered comparable value and maintained the service quality customers paid for.

    As a corrective measure, the two operators have been ordered to implement comprehensive, multi-channel communication protocols to guarantee customers receive clear, accessible notice of all future service changes. The commission stressed that all customer notifications must be purposefully designed to actually reach most subscribers, rather than serving as a meaningless box-ticking exercise. This requirement explicitly extends to reaching older customers and Jamaicans with limited or inconsistent digital connectivity, who are often overlooked in all-digital communication strategies.

    The regulator also highlighted the long-term implications of this ruling: findings of customer service non-compliance are added to each operator’s permanent compliance record, and will be a core factor considered when the companies apply for licence renewal in the future, including when negotiating the terms and conditions of new operating agreements.

    In closing, the commission clarified that it does not challenge the right of television operators to make commercial decisions about their channel line-ups and service packages. “The issue is not the changes themselves, but the manner in which subscribers are treated,” the statement read. “Customers are entitled to clear, timely and effective communication whenever their services are altered. Subscription television operators are accountable for meeting this standard.”

  • Abinader inaugurates new highway to strengthen tourism in the South

    Abinader inaugurates new highway to strengthen tourism in the South

    In a major step forward for infrastructure development in the Dominican Republic’s southwest, President Luis Abinader has officially opened the 13.5-kilometer Enriquillo–El Higüero highway in Barahona, a transformative project set to lift connectivity and quality of life for over 300,000 residents across the region. Constructed under the oversight of the country’s Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), the new arterial road connects a string of dispersed communities, including Enriquillo, Cuatro Bocas, Arroyo Dulce, El Naranjal, and El Higüero, unlocking simplified access to critical public services ranging from primary and secondary education to emergency healthcare and inter-regional transportation.

    At the inauguration ceremony, Public Works Minister Eduardo Estrella outlined that the completed highway is just one segment of a far more ambitious 52-kilometer integrated road network that will ultimately link four major southwest hubs: Enriquillo, Paraíso, Oviedo, and Pedernales. Once fully interconnected, the full network will function as an alternative travel corridor leading to the regional capital of Barahona and the national capital of Santo Domingo, cutting both commute times for local residents and logistics expenses for agricultural and commercial producers operating in the area.

    Estrella went on to highlight the Dominican government’s sustained commitment to upgrading infrastructure across the entire southern region, noting several active and planned projects beyond the newly inaugurated highway. These include the ongoing development of the Barahona-Enriquillo highway, the expansion of the Enriquillo-Oviedo-Cabo Rojo-Pedernales road, and modernization upgrades to Oviedo Airport. He confirmed that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has remained a key financial and strategic partner in advancing these high-impact infrastructure initiatives, and made a major announcement: a national-scale bridge construction program will break ground across the country in the coming weeks.

    Per MOPC projections, the Enriquillo–El Higüero highway will do more than improve local travel: it will deepen economic and social integration across the southwest, opening up access to opportunity for communities spanning Barahona, Paraíso, Polo, Pedernales, and Bahoruco for years to come.