Carib Scope

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  • Entrepreneurship Fund told to Buy Small-Scale Manufacturing and Food-Processing Equipment

    Entrepreneurship Fund told to Buy Small-Scale Manufacturing and Food-Processing Equipment

    The government of Antigua and Barbuda is developing a new targeted adjustment to its existing entrepreneurship financing program, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced. Under the proposed change, the national Entrepreneurial Fund could directly purchase affordable small-scale manufacturing and food processing equipment, then make this machinery accessible to local aspiring business owners looking to launch their own ventures.

    The initiative grew out of ongoing conversations about underutilized local agricultural resources, particularly the large volume of locally grown mangoes that go to waste every peak harvest season. Government leaders have raised questions about whether this surplus produce could be transformed into value-added products such as pure fruit juices, frozen fruit goods, and other shelf-stable items if local entrepreneurs had access to the right processing tools.

    “One of the key adjustments we’re going to ask the Entrepreneurial Fund to make is to allocate resources to acquire specialized equipment for small operations,” Browne explained in his remarks. “Our core goal is to get more local entrepreneurs involved in diverse cottage industries that leverage our own natural resources.”

    Unlike large-scale industrial manufacturing that requires millions in upfront capital investment, Browne noted that modern compact machinery for small producers is surprisingly affordable, lowering the barrier to entry for first-time business owners. To help local aspiring entrepreneurs find cost-effective options, he specifically pointed to global online B2B marketplace Alibaba as a valuable resource for researching and sourcing equipment.

    “I encourage all of our people to set aside a little time to browse Alibaba,” Browne said. “You will be shocked by the wide range of consumer goods, manufacturing tools, and production equipment available at very competitive price points.”

    Among the low-cost machinery Browne highlighted for small local businesses are food dehydrators, fruit processing lines, automated packaging systems, and even automated car wash equipment. He used potato chip production as a clear example of how simple, affordable equipment can launch a profitable small enterprise. “You don’t need to spend a fortune to get into potato chip manufacturing,” he noted. “All the basic processing and packaging equipment is available at very reasonable costs.”

    Browne’s message to local residents with viable business ideas is straightforward: don’t hold back from applying for support from the entrepreneurship fund just because you think you can’t afford the necessary equipment to start production. “Go online, do your research, bring your solid business plans to the Entrepreneurial Fund, and we will work with you to make it happen,” he urged.

    Under the framework being considered, the fund would purchase the equipment directly where appropriate, then make it available to qualifying local entrepreneurs. Browne did not, however, share further details on how the program would operate logistically: he declined to outline whether machinery would be leased, sold at a subsidized rate, or provided through another arrangement, nor did he share details on eligibility criteria for participating entrepreneurs.

    The proposal comes at a time of growing momentum for domestic entrepreneurship in Antigua and Barbuda, Browne emphasized, noting that the fund now receives new applications for entrepreneurial financing every week. “I’m very encouraged by the steady increase in local people interested in starting their own businesses,” he said. “This is exactly the kind of growth we want to see.”

    Browne also highlighted two recent success stories in local manufacturing to build support for the “buy local” movement. He pointed to a newly launched domestic toilet paper producer that now makes three-ply toilet paper locally, and shared that a larger-scale toilet paper manufacturing facility is on track to begin operations next year. He also noted the ongoing development of a new brewery by Antigua Distillery as another sign of expanding domestic manufacturing capacity across the country.

    “So far, we’re already seeing meaningful improvements in our local manufacturing sector,” Browne said. “This new equipment initiative is designed to build on that momentum by removing one of the biggest hurdles new small producers face: the upfront cost of machinery.”

    As of now, the proposal remains in the early planning stages. Browne has not yet announced a specific budget allocation for equipment purchases, nor has he shared a formal timetable for launching the new program.

  • LETTER: COVID-19 Payments: Where Are They?

    LETTER: COVID-19 Payments: Where Are They?

    In December 2025, Antigua and Barbuda’s Cabinet made a formal move to address a long-unresolved issue for public sector workers: it ordered all permanent secretaries across the national public service to submit comprehensive reports detailing every public officer whose salaries were halted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mandate required these reports to clearly outline both the length of time each affected employee went without pay and the specific context that led to the missed wage disbursements.

    The request for this critical documentation was framed as an urgent priority when it was first issued. In response, government departments across the country moved quickly to gather and compile the required data. Many team members even put in extra overtime hours to meet the mandated deadline, ensuring all completed paperwork was sent to the national Treasury on schedule. This push came in the wake of an explicit election promise from the current ruling administration, which campaigned on a pledge to deliver on all its commitments—including the payout of these backlogged wages to affected workers.

    Now, 10 months after that Cabinet decision, with the calendar having turned to October 2026, pressing questions about the long-promised payments remain unanswered. Affected public officers and observers alike are asking for clarity: Where do the promised funds stand? Have all submitted reports been fully reviewed and verified by relevant authorities? Has a structured timeline for disbursement been finalized? Most importantly, when can the workers who are owed money expect to receive the wages they missed during the public health crisis?

    For many of these public servants, the unpaid amounts represent multiple months of lost income from a period that was already economically devastating for working people across the globe. The sums are far from trivial, especially at a time when household costs continue to climb, leaving public workers struggling to keep up with daily living expenses and ongoing financial obligations.

    Right now, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is dominating public attention and national resources in Antigua and Barbuda—and that focus is understandable for a major international event hosted on the country’s soil. But advocates argue that even as the nation prioritizes this high-profile gathering, outstanding issues that directly impact the livelihoods of ordinary public workers should not be sidelined or pushed into obscurity.

    Affected workers who already completed their part of the process by submitting the required information are long overdue for a public update. Even if full disbursement is not possible immediately, clear, transparent communication about how far the process has progressed, any outstanding barriers holding up payments, and a realistic expected timeline would go a long way to easing the uncertainty facing these households.

    This issue extends beyond the overdue wages themselves. At its core, it is a test of government accountability, open communication with public servants, and the ruling party’s ability to deliver on the commitments it made to the workforce when seeking election. After the government requested the information, departments complied, and all required documentation was submitted months ago.

    With CHOGM holding the national spotlight, there are growing calls to ensure the unresolved COVID-19 back pay does not get lost in the shuffle of high-profile event preparations. Thousands of affected public officers are still waiting for answers, and an official, public update from the government is long overdue.

  • Hurricane Power Athletics Club Announces Inaugural IC Popoy Half Marathon – 8 November 2026

    Hurricane Power Athletics Club Announces Inaugural IC Popoy Half Marathon – 8 November 2026

    Antigua and Barbuda’s leading distance-running organization, Hurricane Power Athletics Club, is preparing to launch a landmark new race on Sunday, 8 November 2026: the first ever IC Popoy Half Marathon. The 21.1-kilometer course will kick off at 6:00 a.m. from the Old Road Post Office, with runners traversing the island before crossing the finish line at the YASCO Sports Complex located on Old Parham Road.

    The event carries deep personal and community meaning, as it was named to honor Ian “Popoy” Codova Simon, the founding father of Hurricane Power Athletics Club and a celebrated champion distance runner in Antigua and Barbuda’s sporting history. Organizers have set ambitious goals for the annual race, hoping it will grow into the country’s premier professional distance running event that attracts top competitive runners from across the Caribbean region. Beyond competitive sport, the half marathon is designed to align with the island’s annual Independence celebrations, advancing three key priorities: boosting public health and fitness, expanding access to recreational sport, and growing Antigua and Barbuda’s fast-growing sports tourism sector.

    Registration for the 2026 inaugural race is now open, with multiple divisions available to accommodate runners of all age groups and skill levels, from recreational first-timers to elite professional competitors. Every runner who completes the full 21.1-kilometer course will take home a custom participation medal to commemorate their achievement, while the top performers in each division will earn additional honors including custom trophies and cash prizes. The overall first-place finisher across all divisions will claim the formal title of Antigua and Barbuda’s fastest half-marathon runner.

    In a special tribute to the race’s namesake, event organizers have added a unique incentive: any athlete who beats Simon’s decades-old standing half-marathon record of 1 hour, 8 minutes and 21 seconds, set back in 1990, will receive an extra $500 cash bonus on top of any other prize money they earn. Community members and visitors are invited to support the competitors, with organizers encouraging spectators to line the race route and gather at the YASCO Sports Complex to cheer runners across the finish line.

  • Brazilië naar tweede ronde: Bolsonaro troeft Lula af

    Brazilië naar tweede ronde: Bolsonaro troeft Lula af

    Brazil’s 2026 presidential election has advanced to a decisive second round scheduled for October 25, after a stunning first-round outcome that upended pre-election polling expectations and set the stage for a high-stakes ideological clash between Latin America’s largest economy’s left and right factions.

    Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, 45-year-old political heir to imprisoned former president Jair Bolsonaro, finished first in Sunday’s first round of voting, beating sitting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva but falling well short of the absolute majority required to win outright. With 99% of ballot boxes counted, Brazil’s Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE) recorded Flávio Bolsonaro capturing roughly 47.2% of valid votes, equal to around 55.9 million total votes, while Lula followed closely with 45% of valid votes, or 53.4 million. Final results are expected to shift only marginally as the final ballots are tallied, and TSE has formally confirmed that no candidate secured an absolute win, triggering the three-week campaign period leading to the runoff.

    The result marked a major upset for pre-election forecasts, which had consistently placed Lula ahead of Flávio Bolsonaro by a margin of around three percentage points. In the early hours of vote counting, Flávio Bolsonaro even briefly neared and surpassed the 50% threshold needed for an outright win, but his lead shrank dramatically as more ballots from Lula’s stronghold regions were added to the tally.

    For Flávio Bolsonaro, the first-round finish represents a critical breakthrough for the Bolsonaro political dynasty. Handpicked by his father as the family’s leading political successor, Flávio successfully unified the fragmented Brazilian right-wing electorate behind his campaign, outperforming a slate of rival right-wing candidates who attempted to position themselves as centrist alternatives to both Lula and the Bolsonaro movement. The Bolsonaro family name remains a powerful mobilizing force for Brazilian conservatives, and Flávio’s result far outstripped the expectations set by final pre-election polls.

    Flávio Bolsonaro campaigned on a platform centered on public security, accelerated economic growth, and a hardline crackdown on organized criminal groups, which he has called for designating as terrorist organizations. He has also explicitly positioned himself as a pro-Washington candidate, emphasizing the need for stronger economic and strategic strategic agreements with the Trump administration in the United States, highlighting Brazil’s central role in global markets for critical and rare minerals. A core campaign promise for Flávio has also been to politically rehabilitate his father and clear a path for his return to Brazilian politics. Jair Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence following his conviction for orchestrating an attempted coup to overturn the result of the 2022 presidential election.

    For 80-year-old Lula, who is running for a fourth non-consecutive presidential term in what is his seventh national presidential campaign, the close result confirms his status as one of the most influential political figures in modern Brazilian history, but also exposes weaknesses in his incumbent support. Lula’s campaign has centered on his popular social welfare legacy, particularly the Bolsa Família anti-poverty program, and his argument that Brazil must maintain an independent foreign policy free from U.S. influence. His administration has however faced sustained criticism over persistently high cost of living, rising violent crime, ballooning public debt, and new corruption controversies that have eroded his support among undecided voters.

    The narrow gap between the two top candidates makes the October 25 runoff one of the most unpredictable national elections in recent Brazilian history. Both candidates will now spend the next three weeks courting supporters of the minor first-round candidates, who collectively captured a substantial share of the electorate. None of the minor candidates, including psychiatrist and writer Augusto Cury, center-right candidate Renan Santos, former Goiás governor Ronaldo Caiado, and miner entrepreneur Romeu Zema, came close to challenging the two frontrunners. The support of moderate right-wing voters, particularly those who backed Caiado, is expected to be decisive. Caiado has already announced he will hold internal consultations with his party leadership before endorsing either candidate, leaving his base in play for both campaigns.

    Beyond the ideological divide between left and right, the election is being shaped by two core pocketbook and security issues that dominate Brazilian voters’ concerns. Organized crime and violent crime top the list of voter priorities: Flávio has positioned himself as the candidate of hardline security crackdowns, while Lula has advocated for a broader approach that combines social investment with state-led crime reduction. On the economic front, while some macroeconomic indicators have improved under Lula’s current term, millions of Brazilian households still struggle with high inflation, household debt, and economic uncertainty. Public debt and modest growth projections also remain major challenges that will face the next administration regardless of the outcome.

    Foreign interference has also emerged as a highly charged campaign issue. The Lula administration has repeatedly warned against U.S. meddling in Brazil’s election process, after the Trump administration openly endorsed Jair and Flávio Bolsonaro, imposed trade measures and sanctions on Brazilian officials that strained bilateral relations, and refused to accept Jair Bolsonaro’s 2022 conviction. The United States has repeatedly denied any claims of interference in the election. Brazilian security officials shared intelligence about suspected foreign interference attempts with global partners ahead of Sunday’s vote, but TSE and international election observers from the Organization of American States have confirmed that voting proceeded in an orderly, secure manner, with no concrete evidence of manipulation of the electronic voting system. This confirmation is particularly significant following the 2022 election, when Jair Bolsonaro repeatedly spread baseless claims that undermined public trust in Brazil’s electronic voting infrastructure. TSE’s voting system, which publishes precinct-level results for public verification, operated smoothly and quickly throughout the counting process, observers confirmed.

    Sunday’s vote was not limited to the presidency: 159 million eligible Brazilian voters also cast ballots for state governors, all 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies, two-thirds of the 81-seat Senate, and state legislative assemblies. The composition of the next Congress will play a critical role in the next president’s ability to pass policy, as a president without a parliamentary majority will be forced to negotiate with non-aligned, pragmatic parties to advance legislation. Analysts note that a strong right-wing showing in Congress would give Flávio Bolsonaro far more room to implement his economic and security policy agenda if he wins the runoff.

    The election outcome is being closely watched by global powers, as Brazil’s geopolitical and economic position carries major global ramifications. As Latin America’s largest economy and a key member of the BRICS bloc, a major global commodity exporter, and a central player in climate change and global trade negotiations, Brazil’s foreign policy shift could reshape regional and global power dynamics. Under Lula, Brazil has deepened its economic and diplomatic ties with China, while Flávio Bolsonaro has openly advocated for a closer alignment with Washington. A Flávio Bolsonaro victory would likely shift Brazil’s foreign policy toward the United States, while a Lula re-election would cement Brazil’s course of an independent foreign policy that prioritizes ties with China and other non-Western powers.

    The first round result makes clear that the runoff will be a direct referendum on two vastly different visions for Brazil’s future: Lula’s progressive social agenda and sovereign foreign policy against the Bolsonaro family’s conservative nationalist project. With neither candidate able to secure an outright win, the election will ultimately be decided by which candidate can win over the majority of voters who supported minor candidates in the first round. After an upset first round that defied all expectations, Brazil’s political future remains far from certain as the nation heads into three weeks of intense campaigning ahead of the October 25 decision.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Plans Robotic Surgery After 5G Upgrade, PM Says

    Antigua and Barbuda Plans Robotic Surgery After 5G Upgrade, PM Says

    The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is advancing an ambitious plan to bring cutting-edge robotic surgical technology to its main public hospital, but the initiative will move forward only after the country upgrades its national telecommunications infrastructure to 5G, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed. Speaking in a recent appearance on the local *Browne and Browne Show* on Saturday, Browne outlined that government officials have already entered early preliminary discussions to acquire the precision surgical system, which would expand care options for patients needing common procedures ranging from prostatectomies to hysterectomies.

    Browne’s public announcement came one week after his Cabinet received a formal presentation outlining a proposal for a dedicated robotic prostate surgery program, developed by Dr. David Samadi, a board-certified urologic oncologist and experienced robotic surgeon. Following the presentation, ministers requested a full, detailed proposal that outlines all core components of the plan, including technical specifications for equipment, required infrastructure upgrades, total project costs, staff training frameworks, and long-term operational protocols.

    Per the Prime Minister, the rollout of 5G services across the country is projected to be completed within the next six months, a timeline that has been communicated to the government by local telecommunications providers. Browne specifically named the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) as one of the providers on track to launch 5G coverage, noting that another major industry player, Cable & Wireless, had previously committed to rolling out the high-speed network and he expects the company to deliver on that promise in the near term.

    The link between 5G infrastructure and robotic surgery is clear, Browne explained: the ultra-low latency and high reliability of 5G networks are required to enable one of robotic surgery’s most transformative benefits – the ability for skilled surgeons to perform procedures remotely. Beyond enabling remote care, Browne highlighted that robotic systems offer inherent clinical advantages over traditional open surgery, including far greater precision during procedures, which minimizes damage to surrounding healthy tissue and supports faster, less complicated recovery for patients. While initial estimates place the cost of a single surgical robotic system at approximately $2 million, full details of total project expenditure remain unclear as the proposal is still being finalized.

    This robotic surgery initiative is just one component of a broader government push to modernize the country’s entire healthcare system, Browne emphasized. The administration has already approved immediate equipment upgrades for Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre – previously known as Mount St. John Medical Centre – the nation’s main public acute care facility. The long-term strategic goal of the modernization effort is to position the hospital as a regional center of excellence for advanced medical care, able to deliver world-class services first and foremost to Antigua and Barbuda’s own population, with the added potential to attract medical tourists from across the Caribbean and turn advanced healthcare into an exportable service for the region.

    As of the most recent post-Cabinet briefing, the robotic surgery program remains in the proposal stage, with no final decision, confirmed cost, or official implementation date announced. Even so, Browne confirmed that preliminary negotiations for the acquisition of robotic systems are already underway, and the government views the completion of 5G infrastructure as the critical prerequisite to launching the transformative investment, repeating that “as soon as we get 5G, we will be investing in robotic surgeries.”

  • Column: Twee woorden, meer niet 2.0

    Column: Twee woorden, meer niet 2.0

    On an ordinary October evening, a personal reflection took an unexpected turn that would reshape how I understand human connection. I had just finished drafting a short column about the power of care, and sent copies to two friends: one living in Sri Lanka, who once shared photos of Badulla’s temples with me years ago, and another who I met during a media project in Beijing, now based in Afghanistan. For years, we have stayed in touch, and I have often tried to encourage him to keep going amid the constant uncertainty and instability that defines life in his home country. I only expected a quick note of approval, maybe a simple “well written” or a thumbs-up in reply. What I received instead was a reflection that has stayed with me every day since.

    In his message, he told me he had been reading my column while watching a documentary exploring the relationship between humans and the natural world. One segment of the film stuck with him: a new rehabilitation program that gives prisoners the responsibility of caring for vulnerable living creatures, from small animals to reptiles like turtles. The rules of the program are simple: inmates spend time with the animals, tend to their needs, and build a quiet, low-stakes bond with another living being. The results of the program were staggering: the documentary reported that incidents of violent clashes between inmates had dropped dramatically since the initiative launched. My friend was not surprised by this outcome. He connected the story of the prison program to one of the longest-running scientific studies in modern history, the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which launched back in 1938.

    After nearly 90 years of ongoing research tracking participants across generations, the study reached a clear, profound conclusion: happiness is the foundational key to long-term health, and caring for other people is the foundational key to lasting happiness. Study participants who prioritized looking after the people they loved consistently scored the highest on measures of happiness and life satisfaction, far outperforming peers who prioritized wealth, fame or career success. He closed his note by writing, “Your big heart is a clear example of that. and thanks for sharing this.”

    I read his message over and over again. What touched me most deeply was not the kind compliment, but the quiet image of the prisoner stroking a turtle. There was nothing dramatic about the act: just a human being taking a few minutes to care for a small, vulnerable creature that asks for nothing in return. Violence in the prison did not drop because harsher punishments were introduced, or because new restrictive rules were put in place. It dropped because inmates had something outside of themselves to care for.

    This image brought me back to the core idea I had written about in my original column: care begins with truly seeing another person, and the next step is sharing that care, whether through a text message, a handwritten note, an unspoken prayer, or a small gesture that takes only a minute of effort. My friend demonstrated this truth perfectly in practice. Living in Afghanistan, where showing care for people outside your immediate circle is not a given, and where sharing personal thoughts can even put you at risk, he still took the time to watch a documentary, see the connection to my work, and share that insight with me. He did it not because he had to, but because he understands that love only becomes real when it is shared.

    Out of curiosity, I looked up the Harvard Study of Adult Development for myself, not because I doubted my friend’s words, but because I wanted to understand the full scope of the research. In 1938, researchers in Boston launched the study by recruiting a cohort of young men, then tracked their lives decade after decade, eventually following their spouses and children as well. For generations of researchers, the core questions remained the same: Who do you share your life with? Who do you care for? What makes you feel whole? Time and time again, the answer that rose to the top was not fame, not wealth, not professional success. It was connection. People who consistently cared for others lived longer, had better physical and mental health, and reported far higher levels of happiness than their peers. This is not because caring for others is a “good deed” that gets rewarded; it is because the act of caring itself sustains you.

    This reflection made me think of all the people I keep in touch with, even those who live thousands of miles away, even those who often go weeks without replying to my messages. I do not focus on the things I leave undone; I focus on the small things I keep doing: sending that text even when it feels inconvenient, saying that silent prayer even when I do not know if it will reach the person it is for. Caring feels like spreading a warm blanket out for someone, even if they do not pick it up right away. Sharing is something I keep doing, even if an answer never comes. When my friend writes that my big heart is an example of this principle, I do not know if I can claim that. But I know he means it, and that those words carry far more weight coming from a place where simple gestures of connection are not a given.

    I cannot stop thinking about that turtle in the prison. It is just an animal that exists, asks for nothing, demands nothing. But giving an inmate the chance to care for it changes everything. For a person who may have spent years only thinking of their own survival, only focused on getting through the day without falling apart, suddenly having something outside of themselves to care for shifts everything. And as a result, violence goes down. If this simple approach can work inside the walls of a prison, why can it not work in a neighborhood? In a family? Across an entire divided country?

    I think of my friend in Sri Lanka sending me photos of a Badulla temple. I think of my friend in Afghanistan sharing the story of the turtle. I think of all the people I miss, who I keep texting even when replies never come. All of them show me that another way of living is possible. One sends a photo of a temple. The other sends a story about a turtle. Both are saying the same thing: I thought of you. I wanted to share this with you. I did it not because I had to, but because I could. And that is enough. Two small thoughts, that is all it takes.

    I will never know if the prisoner who strokes that turtle will ever find out that his small gesture traveled through a documentary, through a message from Afghanistan, through a column in Suriname, to land with me. He almost certainly never will. But that does not matter. Some things do not need to be known. You only need to keep doing the small good that is in front of you: spread the blanket, send the text, stroke the turtle.

  • Jogi achter Noersalim: ‘Rijstsector belangrijker dan politiek belang’

    Jogi achter Noersalim: ‘Rijstsector belangrijker dan politiek belang’

    A political controversy over a contested shipment of rice imported from Guyana has rocked Suriname’s agricultural sector, with ruling party parliamentarian Mahinder Jogi publicly standing firm in support of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Minister Mike Noersalim’s handling of the case.

    The dispute centers on a shipment imported by local rice processor B. Ramadhin, a company that has been publicly linked to Jogi’s party, the VHP. But Jogi, in an interview with local outlet Starnieuws, emphasized that these political connections should have zero bearing on how the investigation and regulatory process moves forward. “This is not a partisan political issue. This is about the future of the entire rice sector, which is foundational to our country’s economy and livelihoods,” he stated.

    Jogi’s comments come amid growing public speculation that high-ranking government officials have attempted to exert political pressure to force the release of the disputed shipment, after Minister Noersalim confirmed that the required import protocols were not properly followed, and that he would not back down from enforcing regulatory rules. Jogi explicitly praised the minister for refusing outside interference, noting “I am glad the minister has made clear that no one should pressure him to cut corners. I only hope that no improper influence manages to sway the final outcome.”

    Highlighting the stakes of the dispute, Jogi warned that putting private or political interests ahead of the thousands of Surinamese rice farmers who depend on a stable, fair local market would carry irreversible long-term consequences. “Generations of Surinamese families have invested their lives, their work, and all their resources into this sector. If we make the wrong choice here, all of that blood, sweat, and entrepreneurship could be lost,” he said. Jogi added that the government has a core responsibility to prioritize the collective good of the sector over the commercial interests of one or two connected operators.

    To resolve the dispute transparently and prevent future legal challenges, Jogi called for a coordinated multi-agency response, rather than leaving the issue solely with the Ministry of Agriculture. He proposed that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Affairs also participate in the investigation, with involvement from justice and law enforcement authorities if necessary. Jogi also stressed that the case must follow full due legal process from the start to avoid future court orders that would force the release of the shipment after the fact.

    Beyond the import controversy, Jogi also addressed ongoing market conditions for local rice farmers, noting that current increases in farmgate paddy prices represent a long-overdue win for producers. As of October 2024, farmers are receiving more than 700 Surinamese dollars per bale of wet paddy, a sharp jump from the 400 to 500 Surinamese dollars per bale that farmers were forced to accept in previous growing seasons.

    The higher price point finally delivers some financial relief for farmers who have operated under strained conditions for years, Jogi explained, making it all the more critical to protect this progress from being undermined by unregulated cheap imports. He warned that allowing underpriced foreign rice to enter the local market would push down local paddy prices and erode the recent gains farmers have made, calling this outcome a serious threat to the entire sector.

    In closing, Jogi emphasized that any policy decision around rice imports cannot only center the commercial interests of importers and processors. Farmers, he said, are an essential link in the rice supply chain, and policy must guarantee they can earn enough to cover their production costs and sustain their operations long-term.

  • Grenadians go to the polls next month

    Grenadians go to the polls next month

    On a energized rally attended by thousands of ruling party supporters, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has officially locked in November 5, 2026 as the date for the country’s next general election. The announcement, capped by the traditional symbolic blowing of conch shells, kicked off what is shaping up to be a tightly contested political race for the Caribbean nation’s 15 parliamentary seats.

    Addressing the crowd of his National Democratic Congress (NDC) backers, the incumbent leader struck a confident tone, signaling his ambition to secure a full sweep of all 15 House of Representatives seats. He centered his opening campaign pitch on the progress his administration has delivered for everyday Grenadians, highlighting policy measures that have reduced the cost of basic consumer goods and cut household electricity costs via a government subsidy that will remain in place through the end of 2026.

    Approximately 70,000 eligible voters across Grenada and its sister islands Carriacou and Petit Martinique will head to the polls next month to select their representatives for the new parliamentary term. The NDC’s primary challenger is the main opposition New National Party (NNP), now led by former educator Emmalin Pierre. Pierre stepped into the party’s top role following the impending retirement of Dr. Keith Mitchell, a veteran political figure and former prime minister who is wrapping up a 43-year career in active politics. Last week, during the final sitting of the outgoing parliament, Dr. Mitchell, a mathematician by training, reflected on his decades in office, pointing to landmark infrastructure projects that expanded access to electricity, improved water supplies, upgraded telecommunications networks, and developed the country’s sports facilities as his key legacy.

    As campaigning gets underway, two central issues are dominating the political conversation across the country. The first is the persistent pressure of a rising cost of living, which has remained a top concern for Grenadian households. The opposition NNP has also levied sharp allegations against the incumbent NDC administration, accusing it of mismanagement and reckless public spending. Beyond domestic economic issues, the election coincides with a critical turning point for the country’s potential energy future: a government-appointed panel of local and international geoscience experts is currently analyzing seismic and geological survey data, with the end goal of inviting major global oil and gas firms to launch exploration activities in Grenada’s offshore territories. The outcome of the election could shape the trajectory of this potential natural resource development project for years to come.

  • PM Calls on Businesses to Give Struggling Students Part-Time Jobs

    PM Calls on Businesses to Give Struggling Students Part-Time Jobs

    Against a backdrop of rising concern over youth engagement in criminal activity across Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has launched a public appeal to domestic businesses of all sizes to prioritize offering part-time and summer work opportunities to young people from low-income, struggling households. Browne argues that gainful employment and coordinated community support act as a critical buffer, steering vulnerable youth away from the path of crime and violence before they become entrenched in harmful behavior.

    In personal remarks that ground his appeal in lived experience, the prime minister shared that casual, small-scale work was foundational to his own ability to stay in school and meet basic needs while growing up in financially constrained circumstances. “A little job for just a few dollars a day helped me get by,” Browne explained. “When I moved up to earning $20 a day, that’s what really allowed me to survive, buy the supplies I needed for school, and cover small daily costs.”

    Browne emphasized that enterprise size does not determine a business’s ability to create meaningful change for young people facing hardship. Even small local operations can carve out flexible roles to accommodate students, he noted, singling out gas stations as an example of businesses that could shift hiring priorities. Instead of relying exclusively on immigrant workers to fill all entry-level and evening shifts, Browne argued, these businesses could reserve part-time evening slots for school-aged youth needing extra income. Summer breaks, he added, present an ideal window to offer structured temporary work that not only puts much-needed cash in young people’s pockets but also builds valuable early work experience that serves them long-term.

    The prime minister also highlighted a recent personal example of community support making a difference, recounting his involvement with an academically gifted student taking 13 subjects who fell into financial crisis after the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent job loss. After a community member stepped up to buy the student new clothing, Browne contributed $1,000 through the same volunteer to keep the student in school. He stressed that support does not require large financial contributions, pointing to the small acts of kindness that carried him through his own childhood: when he was growing up poor, neighbors sharing meals made an enormous difference during his family’s hardest periods. “You don’t have to know the young person struggling to help them,” Browne said. “If you have a neighbor facing hardship, even just a plate of food matters a lot.”

    Reflecting on shifting community dynamics, Browne noted that many of the informal neighborhood support networks that sustained vulnerable youth when he was a child have eroded in recent years. While he stressed that challenging life circumstances never justify turning to crime, he acknowledged that many at-risk young people today feel deeply isolated and abandoned by their communities. “Sometimes, they just feel as though there’s absolutely no support, that no one cares about them,” he said, while also encouraging young people to build greater resilience in the face of hardship.

    Browne’s call to action formed a core part of a broader public conversation addressing youth crime, parental responsibility, and the overlapping roles that families, private businesses, and local communities must play in proactive intervention. His framework centers on upstream support: by meeting young people’s basic needs and giving them productive, meaningful ways to earn income before they turn to harmful activity, the nation can reduce youth crime rates and lift up entire generations.

  • New Antigua-Made Beer Expected in 2027 as Antigua Distillery Builds Brewery

    New Antigua-Made Beer Expected in 2027 as Antigua Distillery Builds Brewery

    Antigua and Barbuda’s push to expand domestic manufacturing is gaining momentum, with a new locally brewed beer set to enter the national market by 2027, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed. Speaking during a recent appearance on the *Browne and Browne Show*, the prime minister outlined ongoing progress in growing the country’s local production sector, while issuing a renewed call for residents to prioritize homegrown goods.

    Browne confirmed that Antigua Distillery, a local beverage producer, has already completed construction of a new brewery facility to support the new beer product. While the prime minister stopped short of sharing additional details – including the beer’s brand name, exact launch timeline, or the brewery’s planned annual production capacity – he framed the project as a key milestone in the country’s manufacturing expansion. “In manufacturing, we’re seeing some improvements,” Browne told listeners of the program.

    The new brewery project is just one of several signs of growing activity in Antigua and Barbuda’s domestic production sector, according to the prime minister. He highlighted ongoing developments in local paper goods manufacturing, noting that a new domestic producer of three-ply toilet paper has already launched operations, while a second, larger-scale toilet paper manufacturing plant is scheduled to come online in 2027. That facility will not only serve domestic demand but also have export capabilities, marking a significant step forward for the country’s small manufacturing export segment.

    Browne also pointed to rising demand for the government’s entrepreneurship financing programs as further evidence of a growing local business ecosystem. “Every week we get applications for entrepreneurial funding,” he said. “So I’m very happy with the increase in entrepreneurship.”

    Across all these developments, the prime minister emphasized a core message for Antiguans and Barbudans: support for local goods is critical to sustaining the sector’s growth. “I want to encourage our people, as products are being produced locally, we must support our own,” Browne said. “We want to encourage you to buy local.”

    The prime minister struck an optimistic tone about Antigua and Barbuda’s overall economic trajectory, pointing to the expanding manufacturing and entrepreneurship sectors as proof of broad-based progress. “I’d say in all sectors we are seeing progress, and we’re very happy in the way in which the country is progressing economically,” he added. No further details about the new brewery or the upcoming beer release were made available during the program.