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The Guyanese government has issued a firm rebuttal to Venezuela’s claims regarding maritime jurisdiction in the Essequibo region, asserting that Caracas possesses no legal authority over these contested waters. This diplomatic response comes following Venezuela’s allegations that Guyana has engaged in unilateral exploration activities within disputed maritime territory and that the maritime boundary remains legally unresolved.

In an official statement from Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, authorities emphasized that the land boundary between the two nations was definitively established through the 1899 Arbitral Award, which settled the territorial frontier between what was then British Guiana and Venezuela. The ministry stated this historical settlement provides Guyana with unquestionable authority to conduct seismic surveys and authorize economic activities within its maritime zones.

“The Government of Guyana maintains the absolute right to permit activities within maritime areas adjacent to its coastal territory as defined by the 1899 Arbitral Award,” the foreign ministry declared. It further noted that Venezuela has historically benefited from the stability and legal clarity provided by this century-old settlement, making its current objections particularly inconsistent.

Guyana’s response specifically rejects Venezuela’s protest against a ongoing 3D seismic survey covering 25,000 square kilometers of offshore territory. The government maintains these activities occur unequivocally within Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf, where Georgetown exercises full sovereign rights under international law.

The ministry characterized Venezuela’s position as “unfounded, inaccurate and entirely inconsistent” with established principles of international law, particularly regarding maritime boundaries. Guyana reaffirmed its sovereignty up to 12 nautical miles in the territorial sea and its sovereign rights beyond this limit within its EEZ and continental shelf.

This exchange represents the latest development in a long-standing territorial dispute between the South American neighbors, with significant implications for offshore resource development and regional diplomacy.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby has intensified his appeal for the Jamaican Government to initiate formal discussions concerning two significant regulatory proposals: the reinstatement of a centralized permit system for entertainment events and the creation of a unified One Road Authority to oversee the nation’s road infrastructure management.

The call to action comes despite Works Minister Robert Morgan’s November 2025 announcement during an Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica seminar that consultation processes with municipal corporations and stakeholders were being organized to establish the framework for the One Road Authority.

Addressing the monthly gathering of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) on Tuesday, Mayor Swaby revealed that no official communication from Minister Morgan had materialized since their public disagreement in January, when the minister characterized Swaby’s criticisms of the proposed authority as premature and misguided.

“Despite extensive public discourse regarding the One Road Authority concept, the KSAMC and fellow local authorities continue to await the promised meeting with Mr. Robert Morgan to examine this proposal,” Swaby stated. “We consider it imperative that the minister provide transparent clarification on this matter, ensuring meaningful consultation with local authorities remains central to these progressing discussions.”

Additionally, Mayor Swaby expressed his anticipation for dialogue with Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport Minister Olivia Grange regarding the proposed “One-stop shop” system. This initiative, reactivated last August, aims to streamline the permitting process for entertainment events through a centralized application platform that would distribute submissions to appropriate regulatory bodies.

While Minister Grange has promoted the program as a mechanism to boost operational efficiency within Jamaica’s entertainment and creative sectors while simplifying approval procedures for stakeholders, Swaby raised substantive concerns about its practical implementation. He emphasized the critical role municipal corporations play in event planning and public safety enforcement.

“Local authorities possess the optimal capacity to manage practical and logistical dimensions of these activities,” Swaby explained. “Our trained and experienced personnel conduct thorough inspections of event sites, including structural assessments of stages and temporary installations, to verify compliance with mandatory safety standards before permit issuance.”

The mayor further cautioned that inadequate planning and communication prior to program launch could potentially jeopardize event planners and attendees. He highlighted the specialized work of the Corporate Disaster Management Department in patron safeguarding and risk mitigation, which encompasses reviewing site layouts, evaluating emergency access routes, and establishing safety protocols for large public gatherings.

Swaby advocated for a governance model where central government maintains regulatory and policy-setting functions while local authorities retain service implementation responsibilities. “The KSAMC maintains that central government should concentrate on policy development, oversight, and strategic direction, while execution and daily service implementation should remain with local authorities, where work is most immediate to citizens and accountability is most direct,” he argued. “It is therefore vital that the operational role of local government is respected and reinforced, not replaced, particularly where public safety is directly implicated.”

PARAMARIBO, Suriname – In a national address, President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons announced her administration’s decision to fast-track the implementation of critical social support measures designed to shield vulnerable citizens from the escalating economic repercussions of the Middle East conflict. The President articulated that international geopolitical instability is exerting direct pressure on Suriname’s domestic economy, necessitating immediate governmental intervention.

Geerlings-Simons underscored the global nature of the economic shockwaves emanating from the prolonged war, warning that a protracted conflict would intensify the adverse effects on the nation. Expressing a dual concern for both the directly affected populations in the conflict zone and her own citizens, the head of state called for a swift resolution to the hostilities.

Citing the existing economic hardships faced by the population, the government has resolved to expedite the full disbursement of several financial aid packages by the end of March, rather than distributing them in phases as initially planned. This accelerated fiscal response was formulated following consultations with the Ministry of Finance, which also assessed the implications for government revenues.

The comprehensive relief package includes an increase in universal child benefit to SRD 250. Furthermore, a supplementary allowance of SRD 1,000 will be granted to individuals with disabilities, recipients of disability benefits, and registered low-income households. To bolster purchasing power, all civil servants and government employees will receive a one-time boost of SRD 1,500. In a targeted measure for the education sector, teachers are slated to receive a special support allowance of SRD 2,500.

Jamaica’s economic trajectory faced scathing criticism in Parliament on Thursday as Opposition Finance Spokesman Julian Robinson launched a forceful assault on the Government’s fiscal policies, characterizing them as condemning the nation to a perpetual cycle of economic stagnation. During his address in the 2026/27 Budget Debate, Robinson articulated profound concerns regarding the nation’s long-term growth prospects, citing official projections that anticipate a mere 1% growth rate beyond 2029 following post-hurricane recovery.

The central thrust of Robinson’s argument centered on what he termed a ‘pattern of chronically low economic growth’ with devastating real-world consequences. He detailed how this stagnation manifests through inadequate wages, chronically under-resourced public services, widespread youth underemployment, and collective national frustration. The opposition spokesman particularly emphasized the alarming nature of the Government’s own fiscal projections that anticipate economic growth plateauing at 1% after a temporary recovery period from Hurricane Melissa’s October impact.

Robinson asserted that at such minimal growth levels, living standards cannot experience meaningful improvement, causing Jamaica to consistently fall short of its potential. While acknowledging the immediate priority of restoring pre-hurricane productive capacity, he insisted this should represent merely the baseline rather than the ultimate objective. The opposition finance spokesman reintroduced his Four-E strategy—focusing on energy, efficiency, education, and emerging sectors—as a comprehensive alternative to what he characterized as the Government’s inadequate tinkering around the edges of economic policy.

He concluded with a stark warning that without addressing these fundamental structural issues predating and outlasting hurricane impacts, Jamaica’s economy would remain trapped in a low-value-added system incapable of delivering improved quality of life for its citizens.