Carib Scope

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  • Aanpak wateroverlast en kustbescherming prioriteit in 2027

    Aanpak wateroverlast en kustbescherming prioriteit in 2027

    The Ministry of Public Works and Spatial Planning (OWRO) of Suriname has outlined its 2027 policy priorities centered on advancing the country’s updated National Drainage Master Plan 2024, with systemic upgrades to water management infrastructure and coastal protection topping its agenda, according to the department’s 2027 Financial Plan.

    Under the multi-year master plan, the 2027 implementation phase will target critical upgrades to core water management assets across the country. Key work streams include modernizing aging pumping stations and locks, expanding the country’s water storage capacity to mitigate flood risk, and carrying out systematic maintenance and upgrades to primary drainage canals and outfall channels. The ministry is also prioritizing the integration of automation systems into water management operations to improve response efficiency and reduce long-term operational costs. As a first step, authorities will conduct a national survey to map and prioritize high-need main drainage canals and channels for future upgrades.

    Coastal protection will remain a permanent, structural priority for the ministry, consistent with its core mandate to safeguard Suriname’s shorelines and sustainable water management. Suriname’s low-lying coastal geography leaves the country particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and coastal erosion, impacts that have accelerated amid global climate change in recent decades.

    Notably, the current published section of the 2027 Financial Plan does not include specific budget allocations for individual projects, a detailed timeline for implementation, or a list of priority regions that will receive the first round of infrastructure investment. Additional details are expected to be released at a later stage of the budget approval process.

    Water management upgrades form just one part of OWRO’s broader 2027 infrastructure and public works agenda. Beyond water-related projects, the ministry has earmarked resources for structural repairs and routine maintenance of the country’s transportation network, including public roads, bridges, piers, and drainage gutters. Other core priorities for the coming year include improving solid waste management systems, advancing evidence-based spatial planning across the country, and rolling out new measures to boost road traffic safety for all residents.

  • Bolsonaro Beats Poll Projections as Brazil Heads to Lula Runoff

    Bolsonaro Beats Poll Projections as Brazil Heads to Lula Runoff

    On Sunday, Brazil’s first-round presidential voting concluded with no candidate clearing the 50% vote threshold needed for an outright win, setting the stage for a high-stakes October 25 runoff between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

    Together, the two leading candidates captured more than 92% of the total first-round vote, in a result that defied pre-election forecasting: Flávio Bolsonaro far outstripped poll projections, netting a nearly four-point advantage over the first-round performance his father posted in the 2022 election. Running on a platform centered on public safety and economic policy, Bolsonaro secured victory in two of Brazil’s most electorally significant states: São Paulo and Minas Gerais.

    Notably, Minas Gerais holds a decades-long track record of backing the eventual winner of every presidential election held since Brazil’s return to democracy in 1989. For Lula, the first-round results carried clear warning signs: his vote share in Minas Gerais dropped to 43.21%, down from 48.3% he won in the state in 2022. The incumbent also failed to build the commanding lead in Brazil’s Northeast, his traditional political stronghold, that his campaign had targeted ahead of the first round.

    The outcome of the upcoming runoff will likely be shaped by two key blocs of voters: the supporters of the eight minor candidates eliminated in the first round, who collectively captured 7.82% of the vote, the vast majority of whom lean center-right or right, and the roughly 21% of eligible Brazilian voters who abstained from Sunday’s voting. Bolsonaro enters the second round with significant momentum, as his right-wing party and its ideological allies captured a large number of Senate seats and won several key state governorship races across the country.

    International backing for Bolsonaro has already come from two high-profile conservative leaders: former U.S. President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei. But observers have noted that Trump has kept a noticeably low profile in his support for the candidate recently. Peruvian political analyst Farid Kahhat told CNN this deliberate restraint is likely a strategic move.

    “They’ve noticed that in Brazil, [external interference] might not work the same way as it does in Honduras or Colombia,” Kahhat explained.

    CNN’s political analysis notes that a Flávio Bolsonaro victory in the runoff would deliver a key ideological ally to Trump in Latin America’s largest nation, should Trump win a second U.S. presidential term. Such an outcome would also potentially strengthen the United States’ position as it works to counter China’s growing diplomatic and economic influence across the Western Hemisphere.

  • New Barbuda Port Expected to Support Direct Cargo Shipments

    New Barbuda Port Expected to Support Direct Cargo Shipments

    Plans for a new port facility on the Caribbean island of Barbuda are moving forward, with development leaders projecting that the completed infrastructure will open new opportunities for direct cargo shipments to and from the island. Currently, much of Barbuda’s cargo is routed through neighboring Antigua before being transferred to smaller vessels for the final leg of the journey. The new port is designed to eliminate this extra step, reducing transportation costs and shortening delivery times for goods moving into and out of the country. This infrastructure upgrade is expected to support local economic growth by strengthening Barbuda’s supply chain connections to regional and global trade networks, while also creating local construction jobs during the development phase.

  • LIVE: Launch of Missing Person’s Alert System

    LIVE: Launch of Missing Person’s Alert System

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  • CaribNOG 32 to focus on Caribbean’s digital resilience

    CaribNOG 32 to focus on Caribbean’s digital resilience

    This week, hundreds of Caribbean technology and digital infrastructure professionals will converge on Willemstad, Curaçao, for the 32nd meeting of the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG), an event focused on translating regional digital infrastructure discussions into actionable progress and building long-term digital resilience across the Caribbean. Running from October 7 to 9 at the Courtyard by Marriott, the three-day gathering brings together a cross-sector cohort of stakeholders including network engineers, internet service providers, data centre operators, cloud service managers, cybersecurity experts, government regulators and digital policy makers. The event will combine plenary discussions, hands-on technical training, site visits and collaborative knowledge sharing to address the Caribbean’s most pressing digital connectivity challenges.

    The conference follows CaribNOG’s 31st meeting held in Jamaica this past April, which centered on raising awareness of the critical role that robust internet infrastructure plays in the Caribbean’s social and economic stability. For the Curaçao iteration, organizers have shifted focus to concrete, practical steps that stakeholders across the region can take to reinforce that infrastructure, according to Bevil Wooding, CaribNOG co-founder and Director of Caribbean Affairs at the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN).

    “Digital resilience is fundamental to the security, reliability and accessibility of the electronic services we have come to depend on for communications, commerce and public service delivery,” Wooding explained. The event’s technical program will dive into deep dives on the core systems that underpin all regional digital services, including satellite communication links, transcontinental submarine cables, regional data centres and the power grids that keep these systems running continuously. Attendees will also get an exclusive opportunity to tour Curaçao’s major data centre facilities and international submarine cable landing stations to view key regional infrastructure firsthand.

    Curaçao was selected as the host for this pivotal meeting in large part due to its already established role as a leading hub for Caribbean digital connectivity. The island hosts AMS-IX Caribbean, the regional branch of the world-renowned Amsterdam Internet Exchange, and boasts a growing, interconnected data centre ecosystem that serves more than 14 million users across the region, according to Giovanni King, CEO of BlueNAP Americas and Chairman of the Caribbean Datacenter Association. King emphasized that advancing the region’s digital connectivity cannot be achieved through isolated action by individual island nations or private operators.

    “The next phase of Caribbean connectivity cannot be addressed island by island or operator by operator,” King said. He added that long-term goals of regional digital sovereignty and resilience must be embedded into corporate boardroom strategy, updated national regulatory frameworks and core national development planning to deliver meaningful progress.

    Beyond technical infrastructure discussions, the conference will also tackle broader policy and governance issues shaping the Caribbean’s digital future. Executives, regulators and policy makers will hold dedicated sessions on digital governance, building public digital trust, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on network management and cybersecurity. A full day of immersive, hands-on technical training will be offered to attendees, covering three high-priority areas: routing security, AI-assisted network administration, and expanding local interconnection between regional networks. Stephen Lee, CEO of regional managed services provider ArkiTechs, noted that the practical training modules are designed to help attendees turn high-level conference discussions into tangible changes they can implement within their own organizations when they return home.

    The Curaçao meeting also marks a key institutional transition for CaribNOG itself. After 15 years operating as an entirely volunteer-run community network, the organization is moving to a more formalized institutional structure, adding dedicated program management, structured special project teams and expanded research capacity. CaribNOG leadership says this structural change reflects the growing importance of network operator groups as collaborative spaces where private operators, regulators and policy makers can co-develop shared solutions to regional digital challenges. This Curaçao gathering will be the final meeting held under CaribNOG’s original volunteer-led format, making the event a milestone for the organization as well as the region.

    CaribNOG 32 receives sponsorship and support from a range of leading regional and global digital organizations, including ARIN, the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Internet Society, Packet Clearing House, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, Connected Caribbean, the Caribbean Datacenter Association, ArkiTechs and AMS-IX. Registration for the event is open to the general public and free of charge, though all attendees must complete pre-registration to secure access. Full event details and the complete conference agenda are available through the official CaribNOG website.

  • LIVE: ERC Press Conference 5th October 2026

    LIVE: ERC Press Conference 5th October 2026

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  • Opposition leader challenges prime minister to national debate

    Opposition leader challenges prime minister to national debate

    As Grenada prepares for an early general election scheduled for November 5, the political landscape has intensified with a high-stakes challenge from the main opposition bloc. Emmalin Pierre, the trailblazing new leader of the New National Party (NNP), formally called on incumbent Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell to participate in an independently organized national debate on Monday, opening a new chapter of electoral confrontation ahead of the vote.

    The election, which arrives nearly three years ahead of the constitutional October 2027 deadline, follows a 2023 vote where Mitchell’s ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) defeated the NNP, a party that made history in Grenadian politics by securing all 15 parliamentary seats on three separate occasions. Speaking at a campaign rally in St. Mark on Sunday night, Mitchell struck a confident tone as he rallied NDC supporters. He emphasized that his administration has centered its tenure on public service, and urged voters to renew the NDC’s mandate to continue advancing progress across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. With the official campaign period now underway, Mitchell signaled an aggressive ground game, telling attendees that the focus would immediately shift to “boots on the ground” outreach to voters across the country.

    Pierre’s challenge comes amid a historic shift for the NNP: she is the first woman to lead the party into a general election, following the retirement of founder Dr. Keith Mitchell after 42 years in active politics. Speaking in a Facebook broadcast outlining her campaign platform, Pierre committed that the NNP would run a policy-focused, clean electoral contest. Rejecting calls for special consideration based on her gender, she called on voters to judge her candidacy and her party on the strength of their policy proposals and the collective track record of their team.

    Central to her opening pitch is the call for a transparent national debate, where she says she will lay out a full critique of the incumbent NDC administration’s four-year term. “I believe Grenada needs a different kind of leadership — leadership that cares, leadership that understands that behind every policy is a person,” Pierre said. The 51-year-old business management graduate and mother of two framed the upcoming election as a pivotal moment for the country, arguing that the choice before voters is not just about who holds office, but about the kind of future Grenada will build for coming generations.

    Pierre centered her opening critique on rising cost of living pressures that have strained household finances across the country. During her travels across Grenada, she said, the same consistent concern emerges from voters: everyday life is growing more unaffordable, and working families are struggling to cover basic needs. Costs for food, rent, utilities, transportation and other essentials have climbed steadily, while wages have not kept pace, leaving parents working longer hours yet still struggling to provide for their children. Young people face uncertainty about affording home ownership and building stable futures, while elderly residents are forced to stretch fixed incomes to cover basic costs.

    Pierre also accused the incumbent administration of prioritizing benefits for a narrow, connected circle of political allies, arguing that opportunity has been reserved for “a select few, those with the right connection or political affiliation” rather than all Grenadians. If elected, she pledged to serve as a prime minister for all citizens, regardless of social class, economic background or political affiliation, with a core policy goal of putting more disposable income back in Grenadians’ pockets and easing the financial strain of rising everyday costs.

    She also committed to a compassionate, accessible style of leadership, promising that she would prioritize listening to all constituents, not just during election season or when cameras are rolling, and would turn that input into tangible action. “This election is a moment of consequence,” Pierre emphasized, urging voters to hold the incumbent government accountable for unkept promises, and make their voices count when they cast their ballots on November 5.

  • Cap

    Cap

    As Haiti works to shore up its emergency response infrastructure ahead of the 2027 operational cycle, a key initiative to strengthen rescue and fire services in the country’s northern region has moved into its next implementation phase. A working delegation from Haiti’s General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC), headed by Director General Emmanuel Pierre, recently traveled to Cap-Haitien to advance the French-funded Phénix project, holding coordinated planning sessions with top local government officials.

    During the visit, the DGPC team met with Marc Présumé, the North Department’s regional delegate, and Michel Saint-Croix, mayor of Cap-Haitien, to align on project priorities. Discussions centered on three core objectives: auditing progress of already approved interventions across the North Department, aligning ongoing work streams with local government priorities, and mapping out concrete next steps for rolling out new upgrades. The talks also zeroed in on key project milestones, preconditions for launching upcoming construction and supply efforts, and long-term plans for building sustainable, high-capacity rescue and firefighting services across the department.

    Two core focus areas will anchor the project’s next phase of work. First, the initiative will fund full rehabilitation of existing emergency response centers across the region, bringing aging facilities up to modern operational standards. Second, it will deliver specialized, fit-for-purpose protective and operational gear to frontline rescue and firefighting personnel, addressing longstanding gaps in equipment access that have hampered response efforts.

    The working visit also served as an opportunity to finalize pre-construction requirements for upcoming renovation work at the Cap-Haitien central fire station, which is scheduled to kick off in the coming weeks. All planned upgrades are designed to transform outdated infrastructure, improve difficult working conditions for first responders, and expand the overall operational capacity of emergency services across the North Department.

    In addition to infrastructure and equipment planning, participants discussed immediate operational priorities as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season draws to a close. The group also mapped out measures to ensure uninterrupted service delivery during the project transition and lay the groundwork for 2027 operational planning.

    At its core, the DGPC’s visit aims to embed the Phénix project’s interventions in a long-term strategy for sustainable capacity-building for local fire and rescue teams. By continuing the momentum of already completed work, project stakeholders will consolidate existing gains and gradually support emergency services to boost their response capabilities, ultimately delivering more reliable protection for the Haitian public.

    The Phénix project is backed by funding from the French Development Agency (AFD), and is co-implemented by Expertise France and Haiti’s DGPC, in close partnership with national and local Haitian government authorities.

  • Portuguese national trail champion Hélio Fumo leads elite field for Antigua’s first-ever 50K ultra

    Portuguese national trail champion Hélio Fumo leads elite field for Antigua’s first-ever 50K ultra

    The 2027 AUA Rohrman Trail & Swim Fest, one of the Caribbean’s most respected endurance sports gatherings, is set to make history this April when it hosts Antigua and Barbuda’s first-ever 50K ultramarathon, bringing together a star-studded field of international champions, top regional runners, and promising young talent from across the Caribbean.

    Portuguese national trail champion Hélio Fumo will lead the elite lineup for the groundbreaking 50K race, scheduled to kick off on Saturday, April 10, 2027. A former middle-distance track athlete who turned to trail running with enormous success, Fumo boasts an 800-metre personal best of 1:50.06 and claimed the Portuguese national trail championship title in 2021. Since his transition to mountain racing, he has notched an impressive series of wins: he took first place in the 110K Centurion at Slovenia’s Ultra Trail Vipava Valley, won the event’s 63K Gladiator race, claimed victory at the 66K İda Half Ultra in Türkiye, and earned a second-place finish in the 110K race at Istria 100 by UTMB. He also placed 10th at the 2019 Trail World Championships and completed the gruelling 174K UTMB Mont-Blanc in 2025, cementing his status as one of the field’s most formidable competitors.

    Fumo will face stiff competition from a deep roster of international and regional challengers. France’s Ronan Lorré, who claimed victory at the 100K Ultra Trace de Guadeloupe in 2024 with a finishing time of 15:18:25, brings proven experience on Caribbean mountain courses to the inaugural 50K. Trinidad and Tobago’s Michael Honoré, who finished just 21 seconds behind the winner to take second place in the 2026 AUA Rohrman 25K with a time of 2:32:54, will step up to the longer 50K distance after a third-place finish in the demanding 55K Ultra Trace de Guadeloupe in 2026, proving his ability to perform over extended Caribbean trail routes. Host nation Antigua and Barbuda will be represented by Kamar Thomas, who made history with a home victory in the 2026 AUA Rohrman 25K and will now test his skills against a world-class field on his home terrain.

    Beyond the marquee 50K event, the full Trail & Swim Fest lineup features a stacked field of additional elite and up-and-coming regional talent. Two-time Guyanese national 10K champion Cleveland Thomas, sponsored by InterCaribbean Airways, will compete in the 25K race. With personal bests of 15:09 for 5K and 32:30 for 10K, plus back-to-back podium finishes at the 2025 and 2026 CARICOM 10K Road Race, Thomas adds significant regional competitive depth to the event. Fourteen-year-old Barbadian trail running prodigy Ezra Sikkens will also travel to Antigua to compete, already holding his own against seasoned adult competitors despite his young age. Sikkens won the 2026 Great Train Trail Run outright in 1:32:00.3 and took third overall at the Barbados Hill Challenge, with his participation supported by The Athlete’s Foot Barbados and Tropic Ace Antigua – two local businesses committed to nurturing young sporting talent across the Caribbean.

    The historic 50K ultramarathon will start at 5:30 a.m. from Morris Bay, Old Road, routing competitors across two unique 25K loops through Antigua’s rugged southern coastal landscape. With a total elevation gain of roughly 2,097 metres, the course will push athletes to their limits with steep ascents, technical trail sections, exposed ridgelines, hot tropical conditions, and constantly shifting terrain. Unlike standard loop courses, the second 25K features entirely new routing aside from one small shared segment, rather than repeating the opening loop. To qualify for the second loop, runners must complete the first 25K within a six-hour cut-off; athletes who miss the mark will still receive an official finishing time for the 25K distance.

    In addition to the headline 50K, the event’s trail running programme includes a 25K race with 1,185 metres of elevation gain, a 17K route with 512 metres of climbing, a 7K trail race, and an inclusive 5K run/walk open to participants of all ability levels. The multi-day festival continues on Sunday, April 11 at Carlisle Bay, with open-water swimming events (2K and 4K) and a full slate of triathlon competitions including Olympic-distance, sprint, team, mini, and youth races.

    While the addition of the 50K marks the event’s most ambitious expansion in its 15-year history, the AUA Rohrman Trail & Swim Fest remains deeply tied to the community-focused, commemorative legacy on which it was founded. The event was first launched in 2012 as a memorial to Jonathan R. Rohr, a medical student at the American University of Antigua (AUA) and passionate athlete whose legacy continues to anchor the gathering. What began as a small memorial competition has grown into one of Antigua and Barbuda’s premier endurance sports festivals, uniting elite racers, recreational athletes, young participants, volunteers, and communities from across the Caribbean and around the world. The event also honours the legacy of co-founder André Simon, a celebrated Antiguan cyclist and athlete whose courage, determination, and contributions to regional sport left an enduring mark on the Antiguan community.

    Throughout its history, the Rohrman festival has welcomed Olympians, world champions, and top international athletes while remaining open and accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels – a balance of elite competition and grassroots community engagement that remains central to its mission. The inaugural 50K ultramarathon opens a new chapter in the event’s story, showcasing Antigua’s stunning but challenging natural terrain, establishing a world-class ultramarathon challenge for the Caribbean region, and creating new opportunities for the region’s top runners to compete alongside the world’s best.

    Registration for the 2027 AUA Rohrman Trail & Swim Fest is currently open and will close on April 1, 2027.

  • Economy : 2026-2027 Budget – The 3 Government Priorities

    Economy : 2026-2027 Budget – The 3 Government Priorities

    On September 30, 2026, Haitian authorities formally adopted the national budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal cycle, a 401.2 billion Gourde spending plan structured around three urgent, interconnected government priorities: shoring up public security and national defense, organizing long-delayed general elections to restore democratic institutions, and driving gradual economic recovery paired with expanded social protection and regional development. The budget framework was crafted to address Haiti’s most pressing crises amid a constrained fiscal landscape, balancing immediate emergency needs with long-term national stabilization goals.

    Public security and national defense stand as the budget’s top priority, reflecting the government’s recognition that restored security is a prerequisite for any progress in other sectors. A total of 73 billion Gourdes, equal to 18 percent of the entire budget, has been allocated to the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Defense to advance this goal. This funding covers all core operating costs for the Haitian National Police (PNH) and the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H), including personnel salaries and benefits, as well as critical operational supplies: food, fuel, upgraded equipment, maintenance, logistics coordination, communications infrastructure, and frontline operational support.

    Among the key initiatives financed by this allocation is the continuation of the P-4000 police recruitment and training program, which aims to add 4,000 newly trained officers to the national police force. The funding also covers contractual payments for new security equipment for the PNH, and supports the gradual expansion of the FAd’H, which targets a total active force of 15,000 soldiers over a three-year period. Additionally, the budget earmarks funds for the construction of a new national prison, a critical investment to strengthen the country’s broken criminal justice system and reduce widespread impunity for gang-related and violent crime. A core overarching goal of this security investment is to secure Haiti’s major transportation corridors, crack down on violent armed criminal groups, and create the baseline stable conditions needed for economic activity to resume across the country.

    The second core priority laid out in the budget is the organization of national elections and the restoration of fully functional democratic institutions. To support this milestone, the budget allocates 8.6 billion Gourdes to cover exceptional electoral costs, including security operations, logistics management, institutional communication, and operational support for independent election management bodies, as well as direct support to registered political parties. This figure marks a 2.7 billion Gourde increase from the 5.9 billion Gourdes allocated for electoral preparations in the 2025-2026 supplementary budget, signaling the government’s firm commitment to holding the vote as scheduled. Additional funding has also been set aside to ensure the ongoing operations of core state institutions, including the bicameral Parliament (Chamber of Deputies and Senate) and the Office of the Presidency, to accommodate the turnover of elected officials following the completion of the electoral process.

    The third and final priority outlined in the budget is advancing gradual, tangible economic recovery that centers tangible benefits for Haitian communities, paired with targeted social protection investments and regional revitalization. Government planners structured the 2026-2027 budget to strike a careful balance between multiple competing demands: expanding domestic revenue mobilization, meeting urgent security and electoral obligations, expanding social safety nets for vulnerable populations, addressing critical infrastructure investment gaps, and maintaining macroeconomic fiscal discipline. In a context of severely limited national resources, the budget reflects deliberate, rigorous trade-offs between the Haitian population’s immediate social and economic needs and the long-term requirements of fiscal transparency, accountability, and sustainable stabilization. Ultimately, the spending framework is designed to guarantee continuity of core state functions, strengthen weak democratic institutions, and lay the foundational groundwork for a gradual return to robust, inclusive economic growth in the coming years.