作者： admin

City vendors told to use $5K payout wisely, keep up with rent

A long period of business disruption for local vendors in Castries, Saint Lucia, took a step toward resolution on Tuesday, when 95 impacted sellers received compensation cheques for months of forced displacement from their regular workspaces. The disruption stemmed from the ongoing Castries Vendors Arcade redevelopment, a core component of the larger Saint Lucia Cruise Port Redevelopment Project along the city’s waterfront, which required vendors to vacate their permanent stalls for multiple months.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre first announced the government’s commitment to delivering financial relief to the displaced vendors, a promise fulfilled during Tuesday’s official cheque distribution ceremony hosted at Castries City Hall. In total, officials disbursed EC$433,143.30 in ex-gratia payments to eligible sellers, though payouts were not uniform across recipients.

Payments were structured around each vendor’s outstanding rent balance owed to the Castries City Council, with sellers split into three tiers: Low Balance, Medium Balance, and High Balance. Vendors in the Low Balance category, who owed little to no back rent, received the full standard payment of EC$5,263.16. For vendors in the Medium and High Balance groups, a portion of the compensation was automatically deducted to settle outstanding rent obligations. In a small number of cases, the total unpaid rent even exceeded the full value of the ex-gratia payment, leaving vendors with no net payout from the distribution.

Beyond delivering financial relief, senior government and port officials used the ceremony to share guidance and announce upcoming support programs for vendors as they prepare to move into the redeveloped arcade. Prime Minister Pierre encouraged vendors to adopt formal business management practices, emphasizing that daily sales revenue should not be confused with net profit.

“Sales are not profit… When you have a good day, and you see things looking nice, don’t push your hand in it. You have to pay rent, you have to pay for the goods that you sell… You must treat it [vending] as a business,” Pierre told attendees. He also stressed the value of continued skills development, noting, “You are never too old to learn.”

In line with that message, Saint Lucia Cruise Port has scheduled a specialized training program to help vendors maximize the benefits of their new, upgraded facilities once construction is complete. Lancelot Arnold, Director of Saint Lucia Cruise Port, also revealed that plans are in motion to form a new partnership with Export Saint Lucia after vendors relocate to the renovated space. This partnership will connect local vendors with domestic producers, expanding their access to a wider range of locally made goods tailored to the interests of the island’s cruise ship tourists.

Officials also used the event to issue a reminder about ongoing rent obligations, referencing a 2021 rent reprieve program designed to help vendors catch up on outstanding balances. With the current compensation already being used to clear back rent, authorities urged vendors to avoid falling behind on payments again. The government made clear that financial assistance should not become an enabler for persistent non-payment, particularly for vendors who have a history of falling behind on their financial commitments to the city council.

23 9 月, 2026
ABWU Warns Employers Are Disguising Workers as Independent Contractors

At the 59th Annual Delegates Conference of the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU), union president Kem Riley has delivered a sharp rebuke to local employers engaging in a growing, controversial labor practice: intentionally misclassifying regular employees as independent contractors to evade their mandatory legal responsibilities to their staff.

Riley pointed out that this deceptive labeling is one of the key drivers of rising employment insecurity across the nation’s labor market, a trend amplified by the growing adoption of temporary contracts and other non-standard working arrangements by businesses. Even after the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code was revised in 2019 to introduce clearer protections for temporary workers, Riley noted that many workers still remain locked into repetitive, short-term temporary contracts that offer no long-term stability.

For other workers, the exploitation takes the form of fraudulent independent contracting. Under the “guise” of this arrangement, Riley explained, workers are stripped of the core labor protections and benefits that are legally guaranteed to standard full-time employees.

He pushed back against the bad faith practice of redefining worker status through paperwork alone, emphasizing: “A worker does not become an independent contractor simply because someone writes those words on a piece of paper.” Under national labor law, the actual classification of a working relationship hinges on the true nature of the arrangement — most notably the extent of control the employer exercises over the worker’s daily tasks and schedule — rather than whatever label an employer chooses to print on a contract.

While Riley acknowledged that flexible working arrangements can play a legitimate and useful role in a modern, dynamic labor market, he raised critical questions about who these arrangements are actually designed to benefit. “Are we creating flexibility for workers, or are we creating insecurity and instability for workers? There is a difference,” he stated.

Riley affirmed that all working people are entitled to reasonable job security, equitable compensation, dignified treatment, and full legal protection on the job. He confirmed that the ABWU will maintain unwavering vigilance against any attempt to dodge legitimate employment obligations through nothing more than deceptive labeling of worker status.

In addition to addressing misclassification, Riley outlined the union’s ongoing commitments: the ABWU will continue to vigorously defend workers against unfair workplace practices including unlawful dismissal, workplace victimization, discriminatory treatment, unjustified suspensions, and unfair redundancy procedures.

The union president also struck a balanced tone, recognizing that employers hold valid operational and business interests, and that workers do have responsibilities to uphold in the workplace. Even so, he stressed that any workplace investigation into employee conduct must be conducted in good faith, workers must be given a fair opportunity to respond to allegations against them, and any disciplinary actions taken must be both fair and proportionate to the infraction.

“We are not asking for workers to be above accountability,” Riley clarified. “We are asking for accountability to be fair, consistent and just.”

23 9 月, 2026
Prime Minister Browne to Highlight Antigua and Barbuda’s Vision-Care Leadership at UNGA81 Development Forum

NEW YORK, September 23, 2026 – As world leaders gather for the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne is set to share the Caribbean nation’s groundbreaking experience in expanding national eye health services with a global audience on Wednesday. Browne will present the country’s successful model at a high-level special development forum convened on the margins of UNGA, focused on turning global recognition of vision care’s broad benefits into large-scale, actionable government programs.

Organizers of the forum have singled out Antigua and Barbuda as a leading emerging example of sustained political commitment to expanding universal access to vision care. Unlike many nations that frame eye health as a narrow public health concern, the Caribbean country has positioned vision care as a core strategic investment in human capital, long-term productivity, and inclusive economic growth – a framework Browne will highlight during the panel discussion.

In pre-event comments, Browne emphasized that the impacts of quality vision care stretch far beyond the health sector. “Good vision shapes a child’s ability to keep up in school, an adult’s capacity to contribute productively to the workforce, and a whole family’s ability to climb the economic ladder,” he explained. “That is why we view investments in eye health as direct investments in our people, and the foundation of our country’s long-term social and economic development.”

The forum itself was created to elevate the issue of uncorrected near-vision impairment on the global development agenda, and to highlight the strong economic returns generated by low-cost, accessible interventions such as reading glasses. Official event briefings highlight a stark global gap: more than 826 million people around the world live with untreated near-vision impairment, a crisis that drags down worker productivity, reduces household income, and limits socio-economic mobility, particularly in low- and middle-income nations.

During his address, Browne will outline three core priorities for the global community: why Antigua and Barbuda made eye health a top national policy priority, how political will can be translated into cross-government practical action, and what lessons the small island nation’s experience can offer other countries ahead of the upcoming Global Summit for Eye Health.

“For governments, the real test is not just acknowledging a public health challenge – it is acting on the clear evidence we have,” Browne said. “When an affordable intervention can improve population health, boost national productivity, and raise quality of life for millions, we have a fundamental responsibility to build the necessary partnerships and delivery systems to make that care accessible to every person.”

Joining Browne on the discussion panel is H.E. Keisha McGuire, Chief Global Affairs Officer of the non-profit organization RestoringVision. The conversation will center on the concept of “Visionomics” – the well-documented causal link between expanded access to quality vision care and measurable gains in workforce productivity, household livelihoods, and broadened economic opportunity.

Organizers noted that Antigua and Barbuda’s model provides a critical case study for the international community: it demonstrates how intentional political leadership, cross-sector partnerships, and robust accountability mechanisms can turn research evidence into sustained, impactful government action. Browne confirmed that the Antigua and Barbuda government will continue expanding its cross-sector partnerships in eye health, and will actively share the lessons learned from its national program with other nations.

“Our goals are simple: we aim to prevent avoidable vision loss, restore sight wherever possible, and ensure that a person’s financial situation never creates an unnecessary barrier to accessing essential eye care,” Browne said. “At the same time, we want to show the world that small states can develop innovative, scalable approaches to eye health that other countries can adapt and benefit from.”

Right now, Antigua and Barbuda is actively scaling up its national vision care initiatives through global and local partnerships, expanding access to free community screenings, affordable corrective eyewear, specialized clinical treatment, and life-changing sight-restoring procedures. This UNGA presentation also serves a broader strategic purpose: building global momentum ahead of the Global Summit for Eye Health, pushing the international community to move beyond non-binding commitments and deliver measurable, on-the-ground implementation of vision care programs.

Browne is leading Antigua and Barbuda’s official delegation to the 81st UNGA, which includes Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene, Health Minister Michael Joseph, and the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Walton Webson.

23 9 月, 2026
Prime Minister Browne Leads Antigua and Barbuda Delegation to 81st United Nations General Assembly

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) — As the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) convenes in New York this week, Antigua and Barbuda has dispatched a high-level delegation led by Prime Minister Gaston Browne to advance the priorities and amplify the concerns of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) across a packed schedule of diplomatic events.

23 9 月, 2026
Vijfjarig programma met UNIDO moet lokale verwerking en industrie versterken

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday, the government of Suriname and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) formalized a landmark five-year partnership framework aimed at accelerating the country’s long-term economic transformation. The Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) for 2026-2031 sets out an ambitious agenda to boost local processing of raw materials and agricultural goods, attract targeted foreign and domestic investment, strengthen small and medium enterprise (SME) entrepreneurship, and expand inclusive, quality job creation across the nation.

The agreement was signed by Suriname’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation (EZOTI) Andrew Baasaron and UNIDO Director-General Gerd Müller. Designed as a collaborative strategic framework, the PCP brings together government stakeholders, private sector actors, development partners, and global financing institutions to co-develop projects and mobilize capital for inclusive industrial growth. A core guiding principle of the initiative is retaining greater economic value within Suriname’s borders, moving the country beyond its historical reliance on exporting unprocessed raw materials and agricultural commodities by scaling local production of semi-finished and finished goods. Priority sectors targeted for expansion include agro-industry, light manufacturing, and the strengthening of local end-to-end value chains.

Minister Baasaron emphasized that the new partnership aligns directly with Suriname’s national strategy to build long-term economic growth rooted in sustainable diversification. The initiative places targeted focus on high-priority inclusive development goals: expanding youth employment and entrepreneurship, advancing women’s economic empowerment, accelerating digital adoption across industries, and ensuring meaningful participation of Indigenous and Tribal communities in economic growth. “Suriname has embarked on a path of economic growth, built on the sustainable diversification of our economy,” Baasaron stated during the signing ceremony, noting that teams from EZOTI and UNIDO had spent months refining the program’s details to fit Suriname’s unique national context.

The PCP is structured around four core pillars that guide all planned activities under the framework. The first pillar focuses on improving policy, regulatory frameworks, and institutional capacity to support sustainable industrial development. The second pillar works to boost the competitiveness of domestic enterprises, scale resilient agro-industrial value chains, advance green industrial development, and expand workforce skills training to meet growing industry demand. Third, the initiative prioritizes mobilizing green and blended financing to support productive private and public investment across targeted sectors. The fourth and final pillar centers on developing forest-related value chains and growing Suriname’s emerging bio-economy.

As part of the broader program, stakeholders will also explore the potential development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to further attract investment, expand industrial activity, and increase local value addition. UNIDO confirmed that Director-General Müller has committed the organization’s full support to developing a regulatory and operational framework for sustainable SEZs in Suriname if the initiative moves forward. A key cross-cutting requirement baked into the PCP is ensuring industrial expansion does not come at the cost of Suriname’s rich natural ecosystems. The program is designed to pair economic growth with protection of the country’s status as one of the world’s most heavily forested nations with low rates of deforestation. As such, climate resilience, efficient natural resource management, and low-carbon development are integrated into every pillar of the initiative.

For Suriname’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the PCP will create new pathways to expand production capacity, boost global competitiveness, and gain improved access to financing and investment opportunities that have historically been out of reach for many smaller domestic businesses. Beyond industrial growth, the program maintains a constant focus on creating quality formal employment, with targeted outreach to increase job opportunities for young people and women across all sectors. It is important to note that the signing of the framework document does not mean all proposed projects and planned investments have already secured full funding. Instead, the PCP acts primarily as a shared strategic roadmap that will guide the government, UNIDO, financing partners, development organizations, and the private sector as they work to develop and fund concrete projects over the coming five years from 2026 through 2031.

23 9 月, 2026
ORTT for CJ, Mark and Suruj

Trinidad and Tobago will bestow its most prestigious national honor, the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT), on three distinguished public figures at a formal ceremony hosted this evening at Port of Spain’s Queen’s Hall, kicking off at 6 p.m. The full list of awardees across six honor categories was publicly released by the Office of the President last night, with President Christine Kangaloo set to preside over the presentations and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar expected to return from an official visit to New York to attend the event.

The ORTT, the nation’s highest recognition granted only in gold grade, honors individuals who have rendered exceptional and distinguished service to the country, with a statutory cap of no more than five recipients per year. This year, only three individuals have been selected for the honor: Chief Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, Senate President Wade Mark, and former government minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan.

Boodoosingh, who gained admission to legal practice in 1992, was appointed to the High Court bench in 2007 and elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2020. Prior to his judicial career, he served as a lecturer at the Hugh Wooding Law School, and was appointed Chief Justice by then-acting president Wade Mark in October 2024.

Mark, who was elected Senate President in May 2024, boasts a decades-long parliamentary career that began in 1990. Over the course of his public service, he has held a wide range of senior roles, including Minister of Public Administration, Vice-President of the Senate, Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Rambachan, a veteran leader from the United National Congress, has served as Member of Parliament for Tabaquite, a senator, mayor of Chaguanas, ambassador to Brazil, and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Beyond his political career, he is also recognized as a respected Ramayan scholar and bhajan singer, and credited with playing a key role in establishing Indian Arrival Day as an official national celebration in Trinidad and Tobago.

Following the top-tier ORTT honorees, six distinguished individuals will receive the Chaconia Medal in Gold. The list includes epidemiologist Dr Paul Elias Alexander, a former Covid-19 advisor to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with over 20 years of experience in public health and clinical research; former government minister Joseph Toney, who represented the Toco/Manzanilla constituency under the National Alliance for Reconstruction administration and later chaired major state-owned entities including the Port Authority and First Citizens; veteran educator Keshmani Dhaniram-Gosine, who over four decades of teaching saw more than 215 of her students place in the top 200 of the national Secondary Entrance Assessment between 1999 and 2024; prominent political scientist Dr Maukesh Basdeo, who has spent over 20 years at The University of the West Indies St. Augustine campus advancing research on parliamentary governance, public administration, and Caribbean political development; retired Justice of Appeal Allan Mendonça, who served as a High Court judge from 1999 to 2004 and a Court of Appeal justice from 2004 to 2024, and acted as Chief Justice on multiple occasions; and posthumous recipient Haji Churchill Azad Akaloo, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who built manufacturing firm Sheik Lisha Ltd into a major industry player, and was known for his ongoing charitable work including providing monthly food support to over 150 low-income families until his passing earlier this month.

Four veteran journalists, including two former leaders from the Trinidad Express, will be awarded the Chaconia Medal in Silver. Omatie Lyder, who retired as Editor-in-Chief of the Express in February after 43 years with the outlet (15 of those in the top editor role), is honored for her decades of newsroom leadership and mentorship of generations of Trinidadian journalists, having risen from trainee reporter to hold nearly every senior editorial role across the Express and its former sister publication the Independent. Lyder now serves as Consulting Editor at the Express.

Political editor Ria Taitt, who retired in March after 42 years in journalism including 20 years as the Express’ political editor, is recognized for her comprehensive coverage of 11 national general elections. Photojournalist Andrea De Silva, who has 33 years of experience in the field, becomes one of the few honorees for photojournalism, recognized as the first Caribbean photojournalist to secure long-term accreditation with global news agency Thomson Reuters. Veteran journalist and author Jai Parasram, who began his career in 1972 at Trinidad and Tobago Television and later worked with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as part of the founding team for CBC Newsworld, is honored for his 50-year career spanning Caribbean and Canadian media.

Ten individuals and organizations will receive the Hummingbird Medal in Gold for their contributions across community service, culture, business, and religion. Recipients include Shamsudeen Ayube and Vallence Rambharat of the Hunters Search and Rescue Team; the Ganesh Utsav Foundation, recognized for its ongoing humanitarian and community outreach work; the Chinmaya Mission, honored for its religious and community service; posthumous honoree Rakesh “The Raja” Yankarran, the legendary chutney singer who won the National Chutney Monarch title in 1996 and 1997 after a 50-year performance career; business leader and philanthropist Shamshad Ali; posthumous honoree Sadhruddin “Sadro” Mohammed, the first on-air voice of Trinidadian station 103FM at its 1993 launch, recognized for his contributions to broadcasting, music, and national culture; posthumous honoree Emamool “Mamoo” Deen, who alongside his wife Rasulan Deen popularized the iconic local street food doubles in Princes Town in the 1930s; Sylbert “Bellman” Robley, honored for decades of community and Spiritual Baptist service; and Dr Winston Mansingh, recognized for his religious leadership and ministry.

Athletics pioneer Rawle “Mr Hampton” Raphael is the sole recipient of the Hummingbird Medal in Silver. Raphael co-founded the Hampton International Games and contributed over 50 years to advancing local athletics, and was inducted into the Central American and Caribbean Athletic Confederation Hall of Fame in 2012. Three individuals will receive the Hummingbird Medal in Bronze: Junior Bisnath, who has spent over three decades preserving the traditional Moko Jumbie stilt-walking cultural practice; Fyzool “Haroon” Awardy, recognized for his service to business, sport, and community development; and 84-year-old Bishop Marjorie Anderson, honored for decades of contributions to education, nursing, correctional services, counseling, rehabilitation, and community and spiritual service.

Five recipients will receive the Public Service Medal of Merit in Gold: Ian Macintyre SC, who has dedicated over three decades to legislative drafting and legal administration and was appointed Chief Parliamentary Counsel in 2010; Raymond Surujbally, recognized for 40 years of service to education and youth development; Master Ralph Doyle, whose legal and public service includes tenure as Master of the High Court and as the first deputy director of the Police Complaints Authority; Leonard Bradshaw, who served as Vice-President of the Senate from 1988 to 1991 under the NAR administration; and the Trinidad and Tobago Cadet Force, which is celebrating 116 years of youth development work, and currently serves over 2,300 cadets through eight battalions and more than 75 school-based units.

To close the honors list, three trailblazing women will receive the Medal for the Development of Women in Gold: prominent soca artist Destra Garcia, lawyer, author and women’s rights advocate Deborah Moore-Miggins, and public service human resources pioneer Rudrawatee Nan Gosine-Ramgoolam. Garcia, who has worked for over two decades as a soca performer, songwriter, and motivational speaker, is recognized for expanding space for women in the soca and creative industries, and for promoting female confidence, self-expression, and empowerment through her work. Moore-Miggins is honored for her work advancing literacy, mentorship, women’s political participation, and gender empowerment. Gosine-Ramgoolam is recognized for her pioneering work in public service human resource management and for introducing the national Employee Assistance Programme.

23 9 月, 2026
Minister Greene advocates at the UN for greater cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean

Against the backdrop of the 81st United Nations General Assembly convening in New York, a high-level dialogue between the African Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) has brought renewed focus to South-South collaboration. At this gathering, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Greene, delivered a clear call for intensified practical partnership between Africa and the Caribbean, rooted in shared history and aligned against common global challenges.

CELAC, a bloc uniting 33 nations across Latin America and the Caribbean, has built a foundational partnership with the African Union that carries unprecedented strategic weight in today’s global landscape. Greene emphasized that this alliance creates a rare opportunity for African, Caribbean and Latin American nations to align their positions and speak with a unified, powerful voice on critical global issues, spanning inclusive development, climate finance reform, equitable trade frameworks, and more. What binds these regions together beyond policy coordination is a common legacy: generations of colonial rule and enslavement, alongside a shared urgent need to build tangible, mutually beneficial cooperation across trade, cross-border investment, technology transfer, and climate disaster resilience.

“Our CELAC-Africa partnership holds deep strategic significance,” Greene told attendees. “Together, our regions account for a substantial portion of the global population, endowed with abundant economic, human and natural resources. Even more importantly, we carry shared historical experiences, face overlapping development hurdles, and stand united in our commitment to building a far more equitable global order.”

Despite this strong foundation of shared values and aspirations, Greene stressed that common ground alone is not enough to deliver meaningful progress. He argued that the time for incremental dialogue has passed, and the global South must move quickly to translate goodwill into actionable, on-the-ground cooperation. The minister outlined a range of high-potential areas for mutual growth, noting that both regions stand to gain from deeper collaboration across trade and investment, cross-regional connectivity, technological innovation, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy expansion, education, public health, and the creative economy.

However, Greene also sounded a note of caution: tangible advancement will remain out of reach unless regional leaders confront the long-standing structural barriers that continue to stifle increased trade and investment flows between Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. To turn his vision for collaboration into reality, Greene laid out a clear roadmap of core priorities for fellow leaders to advance, focused on strengthening practical ties and deepening institutional bonds across the three regions.

Key priorities identified in the roadmap include expanding air and maritime connectivity between African and CELAC nations, boosting regulatory and institutional coordination to cut red tape for cross-border trade and investment, expanding access to development funding and innovative financing tools for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and structurally vulnerable economies, and leveraging digital technology to better connect businesses, public institutions and regional markets.

Greene also placed particular emphasis on the urgent need to deepen partnership around climate resilience and sustainable development, highlighting the disproportionate vulnerability of Small Island Developing States like Antigua and Barbuda to the impacts of climate change, even though they contribute the least to global emissions.

Concluding his address, Greene reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s unwavering commitment to growing the CELAC-Africa relationship, built on the core principles of mutual respect, solidarity, sovereign equality, and shared mutual benefit. “Let us seize this moment to deepen our partnership, amplify our collective voice within the multilateral system, and advance a development agenda that is more inclusive, more resilient, and far more responsive to the needs of all our people,” he said.

23 9 月, 2026
National Student Council Launches New Resources To Strengthen Student Leadership And Student Councils

A landmark initiative to embed meaningful student leadership across Antigua and Barbuda’s entire education system has moved forward, as the National Student Council (NSC) officially launched a comprehensive suite of new governance and development resources for school-level student councils.

The launch marks a key milestone in the ongoing institutionalization of student governing bodies across the country’s education sector. Under the new initiative, every primary and secondary school in the nation will receive three core documents: the updated Constitution of the National Student Council, the newly created Student Council Guide and Regulations, and a dedicated Training Manual for emerging student leaders.

Each resource serves a distinct purpose to build a cohesive national framework for student governance. The NSC Constitution lays out the formal governing structure and operational rules for the country’s national student representative body, creating a clear foundation for coordinated national-level student advocacy. The new Student Council Guide and Regulations fills a longstanding gap by offering school administrators and student groups step-by-step, practical guidance covering every stage of a local student council’s work, from initial establishment and organizational structuring to day-to-day administration and long-term operations. The manual is designed to help local councils contribute meaningfully to education improvement at the school level. Completing the set, the Training Manual targets skill development for student leaders, outlining targeted modules to build the competencies needed to effectively serve their peers and school communities.

Collectively, the resources are designed to align students, teachers, and school administrators around a shared understanding of student councils’ core role, and to remove barriers to effective student participation in both school governance and broader education policy conversations. Prior to national distribution, the NSC formally presented the finalized document set to Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Education, signaling official alignment on the initiative’s goals. Following the presentation, the resources are now set to be rolled out to every campus across the country.

Clare Browne, Director of Education for the nation, reaffirmed the Ministry of Education’s full commitment to advancing the development of student councils, growing student leadership capacity, and strengthening democratic institutional practice within the education system. Browne emphasized that the Ministry recognizes that student participation does not only benefit school communities—it also equips young people with critical life skills, including leadership, communication, and civic literacy, that are essential for active, informed engagement in broader society after graduation.

The NSC’s work on this initiative remains anchored in its three longstanding core pillars: Representation, Mobilization, and Advocacy. Through these guiding principles, the organization aims to amplify student voices across the education system, create space for genuine, meaningful youth participation in decision-making, and nurture a new generation of capable, socially responsible young leaders. Moving forward, the NSC will not stop at document distribution: the organization plans to continue partnering with individual schools, designated Lead Teachers, and local student representatives to deliver targeted skills training, technical support, and other assistance needed to strengthen school-based student councils and help them thrive.

23 9 月, 2026
Antigua and Barbuda plays prominent role on opening day of UN General Debate

As the 81st United Nations General Assembly kicked off its High-Level Week in New York on September 22, 2026, a small Caribbean nation stepped into an unexpected spotlight: Antigua and Barbuda was tapped to lead the opening day proceedings, a gesture that underscores the growing respect the dual-island nation holds across the global diplomatic community.

On the opening afternoon of the General Debate, where heads of state and senior diplomatic delegations from every corner of the globe deliver their formal national addresses to the UN, E. Paul Chet Greene, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, stepped to the podium to chair the day’s sessions. The appointment places the small island developing state in a position of unprecedented leadership at a critical turning point for global multilateralism.

Today, the United Nations faces growing scrutiny over eroding trust among member states and questions about its ability to adapt to and address the rapid shifts reshaping the modern international order. The 81st session’s official theme, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All,” directly confronts these pressing challenges, making Greene’s leadership role on opening day all the more significant.

For Greene, the opportunity to chair the opening proceedings marked a source of national as well as personal pride. In remarks following his assumption of the role, he emphasized that the appointment sends a clear message about Antigua and Barbuda’s standing in global affairs. “It shows that the country is still being held with considerable respect among the international community,” Greene said. “And being called on to serve in such a role moves us beyond simply participating in an important diplomatic process but playing a role in managing its proceedings.”

Antigua and Barbuda’s full national delegation, led by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, will arrive in New York to join the assembly’s proceedings tomorrow. Alongside Foreign Minister Greene, Minister of Health and the Environment Michael Joseph is already on the ground in New York, taking part in the full schedule of High-Level Week meetings focused on global health and environmental action.

23 9 月, 2026
GOVT WEAKENING OPR

A brewing political controversy has emerged in Trinidad and Tobago over planned amendments to the national Procurement Act, with Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles raising urgent red flags about what she calls a power grab that erodes independent oversight of public spending. In a public statement posted to her official Facebook page over the weekend, Beckles laid out a sweeping critique of the proposed legislative changes, arguing the ruling government is systematically stripping the country’s independent procurement watchdog of its core enforcement powers while granting cabinet ministers broad, unchecked discretion to exclude public spending projects from legal scrutiny.

At the heart of Beckles’ criticism is the stripping of key intervention authorities from the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR), the independent body tasked with monitoring and enforcing compliance with public procurement rules. Under Clause 5 of the new bill, the OPR will lose its ability to take meaningful action even when it uncovers irregularities through investigation or public complaints. These stripped powers include the ability to suspend ongoing procurement proceedings, block public bodies from moving forward with flawed award decisions, compel agencies to reverse or reconsider problematic rulings, order re-evaluation of bids, terminate entire procurement processes, and block or pause the award or implementation of contested contracts. Instead of binding enforcement action, Beckles explained, the OPR will only be permitted to issue non-binding, advisory recommendations that carry no legal weight.

Beckles specifically questioned the timing and motivation of these changes, pointing to a high-profile 2024 case where the OPR used its existing powers to halt billions in public housing contracts. Back in April, the OPR ordered the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to pause the award of $3.4 billion in public housing project contracts mid-way through the process, launching a full review of the procurement proceedings to check for irregularities. The Opposition Leader asked pointedly why the government would move to eliminate the very powers that were already used to protect billions in taxpayer money, noting the lack of public consultation and transparency around the proposed changes. She also questioned the role of the Joint Select Committee, the parliamentary body that normally provides oversight for major legislative changes, asking why the panel had not carried out public engagement on the proposed amendments before they were brought forward.

Beyond weakening the OPR’s enforcement powers, Beckles highlighted a series of new broad exemptions the bill creates for major public spending categories. These new carve-outs include energy sector projects covering oil and natural gas development, national security initiatives, public-private partnership projects for public housing development, and a wide range of emergency-related procurement. Most concerning, Beckles argued, is a new provision that grants individual cabinet ministers the unilateral authority to add any additional procurement project to the exemption list via executive order. Under current law, any new exemptions to procurement rules require either a recommendation from the independent OPR or formal approval from the minister with the explicit agreement of the OPR. The proposed changes would completely eliminate this independent check on ministerial power, Beckles warned, leaving no guardrail against arbitrary or politically motivated exemptions for public spending.

The bill also doubles the monetary threshold for exempted procurement from $1 million to $2 million, a change Beckles says will put hundreds of millions in annual public spending outside the OPR’s regulatory framework. The proposed amendments would also repeal the existing Simplified Procurement Regulations that currently govern these lower-value purchases, removing existing transparency requirements for these contracts. Under the new framework, national ministries and designated public bodies will be able to spend up to $2 million on contracts without following the procurement rules laid out in the Act, while chief executive officers of Municipal Corporations will have an exemption threshold of $500,000 for their spending. Critically, the OPR will only receive notification of these contracts after they have already been awarded, eliminating any possibility for pre-award oversight to catch irregularities or corruption.

Beckles also pointed to two additional controversial changes in the bill: a reduction in the window of time that suppliers have to challenge flawed procurement decisions, and a new requirement that losing challengers cover the legal costs of the defending public body. She argued that these changes will deter suppliers from speaking out about irregularities, even when they have clear evidence of unfair or corrupt practices, leaving the status quo unchallenged.

Summarizing the scope of the changes for the public, Beckles said the amendments amount to a systemic rollback of procurement transparency: more public spending conducted outside the bounds of the Act, fewer enforcement powers for the independent regulator, weaker protections for suppliers that challenge irregularities, and far more unaccountable discretion in the hands of cabinet ministers and public bodies. She went on to allege that the changes open the door for renewed controversy connected to the HDC and LandmarkTT, claiming the amendments could ultimately clear the way for “massive payouts to UNC financiers.”

23 9 月, 2026