Carib Scope

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  • Straughn urges checks on online financial platforms

    Straughn urges checks on online financial platforms

    Against a backdrop of exploding growth in unregulated digital financial products and rising online fraud, Barbados’ Finance Minister Ryan Straughn has introduced landmark legislation to govern the virtual asset sector, while issuing an urgent public warning that Barbadians could lose their savings to unlicensed fraudulent platforms if they fail to verify provider credentials.

    Straughn tabled the Virtual Assets Service Providers Bill before the country’s House of Assembly this Tuesday, outlining that the new regulatory framework is designed to achieve two core goals: reinforce consumer protection, and arm regulatory bodies and law enforcement with the legal tools required to crack down on digital financial fraud. As global financial markets continue to evolve rapidly, bringing new digital products into mainstream use, clear legislation is critical to give the Barbadian public greater certainty around their virtual asset investments, Straughn told assembled lawmakers.

    The rapid proliferation of mobile apps and digital financial offerings has left ordinary consumers far more exposed to unvetted investment opportunities, with many people failing to conduct basic background checks to confirm the legitimacy of the entities behind advertised products, Straughn explained. Many consumers are lured by eye-catching promotions that fail to prove the substance and reliability of the virtual asset services on offer, a gap the new legislation is explicitly designed to close.

    Under the terms of the proposed bill, any entity seeking to offer virtual asset services to Barbadian residents will first be required to obtain an official operating license from the country’s Financial Services Commission (FSC), and must complete the same rigorous regulatory due diligence process that already applies to traditional financial institutions including banks, credit unions, insurance providers, pension funds and mutual funds.

    “ If there is anybody that wants to provide a virtual asset service to any Bajan, they must first come and get licensed with the Financial Services Commission, and go through the same regulatory process, like everybody else, to ensure that Barbadians are protected. We need to ensure Barbadians that there is a regulatory framework to protect them,” Straughn said.

    Even with the new regulatory regime in place, however, Straughn stressed that government oversight cannot replace individual consumer vigilance, urging all Barbadians to cross-check any virtual asset service provider with the FSC via its official website, fsc.gov.bb, before committing any funds. “I urge Barbadians, before you click on something saying that is going to be a forex trading platform or is a crypto this or a crypto that, please check with the Financial Services Commission to see whether the person even made an attempt to register and to provide these services to you. Because once that money is gone, it gone,” he warned.

    The minister noted that scammers are increasingly leveraging social media advertisements and in-app pop-up promotions to target potential victims, often baiting them with false promises of unrealistically high returns. A common tactic, he illustrated, sees pop-up ads for fake trading platforms offer users the chance to turn a $100 investment into $500 in less than a week. While the Barbadian government and FSC are developing technical blocks to restrict access to confirmed fraudulent platforms, Straughn cautioned that online scammers constantly adapt their tactics, meaning consumers must remain permanently alert to risks.

    Referring to the Central Bank of Barbados’ recently launched BimPay digital payment system, which was designed to simplify everyday transactions, Straughn added that the convenience of modern digital financial tools does not eliminate the need for users to verify the legitimacy of any service provider before transferring funds. Unlike transactions processed through regulated traditional financial institutions, which offer clear pathways to recover lost or misappropriated funds, unregulated digital transfers offer no such safety net for consumers who fall victim to scams.

    Straughn also issued a call to action for consumers who have already lost money to digital financial scams: instead of staying silent out of embarrassment, victims should report their experience to authorities. Official reports of scams allow law enforcement to launch investigations, and collaborate with partner agencies in other jurisdictions to trace and recover stolen funds.

    Beyond consumer protection, the new legislation is also a critical step to safeguard the integrity of Barbados’ entire financial system, preventing criminal groups from exploiting unregulated virtual asset activity to launder money or circumvent legal financial requirements, Straughn explained. As virtual asset transactions increasingly cross national borders, the minister added that Barbados will coordinate closely with its CARICOM regional partners to address shared risks collectively, building a coordinated regional response to digital financial fraud.

  • Caroo officially accredited as Saint Lucia’s CARICOM ambassador

    Caroo officially accredited as Saint Lucia’s CARICOM ambassador

    A new chapter in Saint Lucia’s engagement with regional Caribbean cooperation has begun, as Dr. Janet Caroo, the country’s newly appointed Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), has completed her official accreditation to the intergovernmental regional grouping.

    The formal accreditation ceremony took place last Friday at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters located in Georgetown, Guyana, where CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett officially extended a warm welcome to Caroo in her new role.

    Caroo was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to both CARICOM and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) on September 1, 2026. Her expanded portfolio covers a broad range of critical regional mandates, from advancing cross-border cooperation, labor mobility, trade and investment, to fostering innovation and strengthening personal and institutional ties across Caribbean communities.

    In her first public address following accreditation, Caroo emphasized that she assumes her post at a pivotal moment that demands unwavering long-term commitment, deeper collaborative action among member states, and most importantly, accelerated delivery of tangible results that improve lives across the region. “I come to CARICOM with a deeply felt conviction: regional integration must be measured by the opportunities it creates and the difference it makes in people’s lives,” she stated.

    Caroo went on to lay out four clear core priorities that will guide her tenure. First, she will work to expand accessible opportunities for free movement, accessible education, cross-regional skills development, and inclusive employment across all CARICOM member states. Second, she aims to build stronger, more resilient trade connections to open new markets for Saint Lucian goods producers and service exporters. Third, she will prioritize deepening institutional, digital, and people-to-people connections between Saint Lucia and other CARICOM members. Fourth, she plans to actively showcase the rich culture, creative industries, indigenous talent, and innovative ideas from Saint Lucia across the entire Caribbean region.

    Speaking during the ceremony, Secretary-General Barnett noted that Caroo’s appointment coincides with a significant milestone for Saint Lucia: the country currently holds the rotating Chair of CARICOM, under the leadership of Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre. Barnett added that Prime Minister Pierre’s administration has centered its regional leadership on a core goal: ensuring the regional integration process delivers clear, tangible benefits to all people across the CARICOM community.

    Barnett also drew attention to Caroo’s prior experience as Head of Saint Lucia’s Regional Integration Unit, framing her new ambassadorship as a critical linchpin for the country’s ongoing deep engagement with the regional integration movement. “Saint Lucia has long been an active member of CARICOM and consistently demonstrated its commitment to regional integration and collective action,” Barnett affirmed.

  • Gale double seals dramatic tridents comeback

    Gale double seals dramatic tridents comeback

    On a blustery, rain-soaked Monday at the Wildey Technical Centre, Bolton Wanderers winger Thierry Gale delivered a pair of late goals to power Barbados to a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Group B’s basement side Bermuda, cementing the Tridents’ place at the summit of Concacaf Nations League League B Group B after the four-game international window. The result left Barbados with 10 points from three wins and one draw, holding a narrow advantage over second-place Saint Lucia – who had jumped into the top spot hours earlier after a 1-0 win over Guadeloupe – who sit on nine points. Guadeloupe trails in third with four points, while Bermuda remains winless and stuck at the bottom of the group without a single point to their name. From the opening kickoff, the hosts carved out the first clear opportunity of the match in the ninth minute, but forward Omani Leacock dragged his shot wide of the mark, setting the tone for a frustrating first half for the home crowd. Barbados maintained consistent pressure on a well-organized Bermudian defensive block, with Jaheim Neblett testing the opposition twice, but neither chance found the back of the net before the break. For Bermuda, the outing marked a clear improvement from their lopsided 4-1 defeat at the hands of Barbados just weeks earlier on October 2, with the side showing far more defensive cohesion and tactical organization than their previous meeting. As the match ticked toward the final 15 minutes, home fans growing increasingly restless as the Tridents, led by head coach Kent Hall, pushed relentlessly for a breakthrough that would not come. In a cruel twist of irony for the hosts, it was Bermuda who broke the deadlock against the run of play in the 75th minute. Forward Djair Parfitt exploited a moment of confusion in the Barbadian penalty area after a quick sequence of passing from the visitors, slotting home the opening goal to silence the packed home stands. Stung by the late concession and facing the humiliation of a home defeat to the group’s lowest-ranked, winless side, Barbados upped their intensity in the attacking third. Just four minutes after falling behind, the equalizer arrived thanks to familiar chemistry between former school teammates Niall Reid-Stephen and Thierry Gale. Reid-Stephen delivered a pinpoint cross into the penalty area, which Gale met with a perfectly placed curling right-footed shot that left Bermudian goalkeeper Jahquill Hill with no chance, drawing the hosts level in the 79th minute. The goal marked Gale’s sixth strike of the Nations League window and his 13th international goal for Barbados – but the in-form winger was not done. Three minutes after leveling the score, Gale found the back of the net once again, crashing a clinical finish past Hill at the near post to put Barbados ahead. The home fans, who had braved the inclement wet and windy conditions to cheer their side on, erupted into wild celebrations that held through the final minutes of stoppage time until the final whistle. The result not only confirmed that Barbados cannot be relegated from League B, but also moves the side within one win of qualifying for the Concacaf Gold Cup – the most prestigious and high-profile regional men’s football competition in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. Following the final whistle, head coach Hall praised his entire squad for their resilience under challenging match conditions, noting that while Gale’s historic goalscoring run would dominate headlines, the comeback victory was a full-team effort. “I am so proud of the boys because the team has done so well to get to this point despite a nervy match from start to finish,” Hall told reporters. “I cannot express how proud I am of them and my staff.” For Gale, the two-goal haul has cemented his status as one of the breakout stars of this edition of the Nations League, but the winger says he remains focused on improving his consistency both on and off the pitch, with the long-term goal of ranking among the greatest Caribbean footballers of all time. “I try to be consistent, even off the pitch – making up my bed every morning, I try to be consistent,” Gale said. “My dream is to play at the highest level and to be the best ever Caribbean player, or at least one of the best. I am nowhere near there yet so I’m just getting started.”

  • More charges coming for mother-daughter duo hit with 100-plus counts

    More charges coming for mother-daughter duo hit with 100-plus counts

    A high-stakes fraud case unfolding in Kingstown, Saint Vincent, has seen a mother and daughter enter not guilty pleas to dozens of financial deception charges, with authorities confirming more accusations are still to come. The pair — 35-year-old Morenike Cottle, a serving votes clerk, and 56-year-old unemployed Lisby Cottle, both residents of Vermont — appeared Monday before Chief Magistrate Colin John at the Serious Offences Court to answer to the initial 104 charges laid between them. Morenike Cottle faces 98 total charges so far, split into two distinct sets of financial offenses. Prosecutors allege she falsified 43 entries in the SMARTSTREAM accounting system, the official platform used by the Saint Vincent government to manage public payroll and disbursements. Each falsified entry wrongfully claimed between 300 and 800 Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$) in unauthorized payments from the country’s Treasury Department for a roster of third-party beneficiaries. An additional 55 charges accuse Cottle of carrying out repeated dishonest schemes to obtain illegal pecuniary advantage through deception, with each transaction also falling in the EC$300 to EC$800 range, all siphoned from public funds. Among the third parties named as unintended beneficiaries of the alleged scheme are Nichanna Tamika Lewis, Sean Ronald Gilbert, Kenya Petra Ann Browne, Michael Carwess Smart, Perlina Blugh Luvinia Christopher, Marilyn St Eka Chance Shallow, John Rudolph Finch, and Khadilia Kengie Antonette Baptiste. Lisby Cottle, the elder defendant, faces six initial charges of deception connected to the same scheme. Prosecutors allege that between March and July 2024 (corrected from typo 2026) in Kingstown, she wrongfully obtained EC$450 per transaction for her own personal gain, linking her directly to the fraudulent activity carried out by her daughter. Grant Connell, the defense attorney representing both women, told the court during the hearing that he had been given confirmation the current charges only represent the first phase of the prosecution’s case, describing the existing counts as “volume one” of the total accusations expected to be filed. When Connell asked for clarification on the number of pending additional charges, lead case investigator Inspector Biorn Duncan confirmed that more than 20 new charges will be formally brought against the pair in the coming weeks. Connell requested an adjournment of the proceedings to allow time for preparation, and also applied for bail with a surety, arguing that his two clients have deep, permanent community and family ties to the jurisdiction of Saint Vincent that make them low flight risk. Renwick Coto, the lead prosecutor, did not raise any formal objection to the bail application. However, he requested specific conditions to be attached to the release: that both women comply with regular police reporting requirements, and that they surrender all valid travel documents to the court to prevent any attempt to leave the jurisdiction ahead of trial. Chief Magistrate John granted the bail request, approving a composite bail amount of EC$5,000 for each defendant, with one surety required for each. In addition to the bail terms, the court formally ordered the pair to report on a regular basis to the Vermont Police Station, and to hand over all travel documents to the court clerk as requested by the prosecution. The entire case has been adjourned to October 12, when the next hearing will take place to accommodate the pending additional charges and allow both sides to prepare for trial proceedings.

  • VIDEO: Heavy rain floods Buccament homes

    VIDEO: Heavy rain floods Buccament homes

    Residents of Buccament Bay are once again dealing with the devastating aftermath of flooding, after a round of intense overnight rain swept through the region on Monday, October 5, 2026. Multiple residential properties have been completely flooded out, leaving homeowners facing costly damage and disrupted lives for what many locals say is not the first time.

    Local independent news outlet iWitness News has dispatched correspondent Amandel Chance to the affected area to cover the unfolding situation, on-the-ground updates, and the experiences of impacted residents. The repeated flooding incidents in the coastal community have already sparked conversations about drainage infrastructure gaps and long-term flood mitigation planning for the region, as households work to recover from the latest weather event.

  • Talk less, act quicker on trade, Agriculture Minister tells regional counterparts

    Talk less, act quicker on trade, Agriculture Minister tells regional counterparts

    After wrapping up participation in the 2025 Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), hosted in Jamaica between September 27 and October 2, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Sustainable Development Lisa Jawahir is pushing regional stakeholders to move past decades of discussion and accelerate action to resolve persistent barriers to the movement of goods and people across the Caribbean.

    Addressing reporters at a pre-Cabinet press briefing held Tuesday, Jawahir highlighted one key takeaway from her time in Jamaica: the country’s rapid, coordinated response to the impacts of 2025’s Hurricane Melissa, a demonstration of effective crisis response that she called a critical lesson for regional governments.

    During her visit, Jawahir also toured Jamaican farms and agro park facilities, a model she confirmed will soon be rolled out across Saint Lucia to boost the island’s agricultural capacity. But beyond these positive takeaways, this year’s CWA meeting once again centered on long-unresolved challenges that have topped regional agendas for years — with the free flow of goods across Caribbean borders topping the list, especially as Saint Lucia works to establish itself as a leading agricultural hub in the southern Caribbean.

    Jawahir expressed growing frustration with the slow pace of progress on key regional integration initiatives, noting that core issues remain unaddressed despite repeated discussion at multiple regional summits and working meetings. “I find it very difficult to sit back and listen to the same things being said over and over,” she told media. “While there are positives coming out of these meetings on the way forward, we are still at the same place as it relates to regional travel.”

    One high-profile example she called out is the years-long proposal for a dedicated regional cargo vessel to transport livestock between Caribbean nations. When Saint Lucia looks to expand its domestic livestock production, Jawahir questioned where the promised regional transport capacity is, asking “Where is the boat that we have been talking about as a Caribbean, to take cows or swine from Jamaica to Saint Lucia?”

    To advance the island’s livestock sector despite ongoing cross-border delays, Jawahir announced that her ministry has already launched an artificial insemination laboratory in Volet, Micoud. The facility allows local producers to import genetic material from Jamaican livestock to improve domestic herds, sidestepping the need to ship live animals across regional waters for the time being. “We are at least able to get the semen samples from Jamaica and use that home and take it from there,” she explained.

    Looking ahead to her broader policy priorities, Jawahir also outlined plans to develop satellite abattoirs across the island, noting that a large share of Saint Lucia’s working butchers hail from her own Castries South-East constituency. She emphasized that any expanded production will need to align with strict quality standards to meet the demand for consistent, high-quality meat cuts from local supermarkets and tourist hotels.

    The push for a reliable, affordable regional ferry service that connects CARICOM member states for both passenger and cargo transport has been on the regional integration agenda for more than 50 years. Most recently, the issue was revisited during the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, hosted by Saint Lucia back in July. At that summit, Trinidad and Tobago stepped forward with a pilot proposal: the country would lead the initiative by repurposing one of its existing active vessels to launch an initial service, with the long-term goal of developing a private sector-led operation backed by harmonized maritime regulations, legal frameworks, and insurance coverage.

    Jawahir closed by reiterating her call for urgent, tangible progress. “Moving forward, the discussions will have to continue on regional travel and regional trade…but that was the biggest challenge, you know, knowing that this issue has existed for some time now,” she said. “And I really want to urge you, all of the participants, to take an active role, and I certainly will be an advocate for it, that we need to talk a little less and act quicker.”

  • ASEAN-landen zoeken gezamenlijke uitweg uit energiecrisis door oorlog rond Iran

    ASEAN-landen zoeken gezamenlijke uitweg uit energiecrisis door oorlog rond Iran

    Against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions between the U.S., Israel and Iran that have disrupted critical energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, energy ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are convening in Manila, the Philippines, this week to negotiate coordinated strategies to strengthen Southeast Asia’s long-term energy security.

    Hosted by the Philippines, this year’s ASEAN chair, the 44th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) is scheduled for October 7–8, with pre-meeting sessions and the accompanying ASEAN Energy Business Forum running from October 5 to 9. Top priorities on the agenda include building collective preparedness for future energy and fuel shortages, expanding cross-regional electricity interconnections, and diversifying regional energy supplies to reduce overreliance on unstable sources.

    The ongoing Middle East crisis has laid bare the deep structural vulnerabilities of Southeast Asia’s energy system. Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that before the conflict erupted, roughly 60 percent of the region’s crude oil imports, one-third of its natural gas imports, and 45 percent of its refined oil product supplies came from the Middle East, making the Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint through which most of these energy cargoes travel to Asia — a critical weak point for ASEAN’s energy security.

    A April 2026 analysis from the ASEAN Centre for Energy estimated that 55 percent of ASEAN’s crude oil imports from the Middle East pass through the strait, meaning up to 28 percent of the region’s total final oil consumption could be directly impacted by sustained disruptions. While recent market data shows partial recovery of shipping traffic through the Hormuz in September, risks to maritime navigation and energy price stability remain unresolved. As of early October, Brent crude has held steady at or above $100 per barrel, with global supply chains and refining capacity still under significant pressure. Iran has further compounded uncertainty by announcing it will not fully reopen the strait until its specific political demands are met, keeping the key waterway a major geopolitical risk for global energy trade.

    For the Philippines, the urgency of addressing these vulnerabilities is particularly acute. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency back in March 2026, citing the Middle East conflict, Hormuz Strait disruptions, and threats to domestic fuel supply. The government subsequently launched an emergency program to secure additional fuel imports, with four government-coordinated diesel shipments totaling more than 178 million liters arriving by late April. While supply conditions have improved since the emergency declaration, the country remains exposed: as of mid-September, the Philippines held just 57 days of gasoline reserves and just over 60 days of diesel reserves, according to the Department of Energy. Officials have continued rolling out measures to cushion the impact of sky-high global oil prices on consumers and public transport operators. Philippine Energy Secretary Sharon Garin has pushed for a unified ASEAN response, noting that shocks to global energy markets quickly transmit to the region, driving up fuel and food prices, raising production costs, and squeezing household budgets.

    Compounding these short-term risks is a long-term structural challenge: Southeast Asia’s energy demand is surging even as domestic oil production declines. The IEA’s 2026 *Southeast Asia Energy Outlook* finds that per capita energy use in the region has jumped nearly 30 percent over the past decade, while regional oil production has fallen roughly 40 percent from its 1990s peak. Demand for electricity, in particular, is growing faster than any other energy carrier, with the IEA projecting average annual growth of 5.4 percent between 2026 and 2030, driven by industrial expansion, rising cooling demand, digitalization, data center growth, and broader electrification of the economy. Without major structural reforms, the IEA projects ASEAN’s annual fossil fuel import bill could surge from more than $80 billion in 2024 to roughly $245 billion by 2035, deepening the region’s exposure to global price shocks and geopolitical disruption.

    A centerpiece of discussions in Manila is the further development of the ASEAN Power Grid (APG), a planned regional network designed to connect national electricity grids and enable cross-border sharing of power to improve stability. Progress on the project has accelerated in recent years: according to ASEAN’s latest energy cooperation roadmap, 9 of the 18 priority interconnection projects are now operational, with a total combined interconnection capacity of 10.2 gigawatts. A key milestone was also reached in 2025, when member states signed a strengthened memorandum of understanding to formalize cooperation on the APG. Despite these gains, full regional integration remains elusive, with most electricity trade still conducted through bilateral agreements. Barriers including divergent national regulations, financing gaps, conflicting national interests, and mismatched technical standards have slowed the creation of a unified regional electricity market. For the Philippines, expanding interconnections is a top priority, as it seeks better access to regional power markets via undersea cables, while Singapore aims to secure stable imports of clean electricity from neighbors including Indonesia.

    Ministers are also set to discuss the operationalization of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security (APSA), a pact designed to enable coordinated collective responses to severe oil supply disruptions. During a special emergency meeting in April, ASEAN energy ministers already agreed on the urgent need to diversify oil and gas suppliers, expand regional energy trade, scale up renewable energy and biofuels, accelerate electric vehicle adoption, and improve energy efficiency. The meeting also opened discussion of the potential role of civilian nuclear energy, developed in compliance with international safety standards.

    ASEAN’s 2026–2030 energy cooperation plan sets ambitious long-term targets: cutting the region’s energy intensity by 40 percent by 2030, increasing renewables to 30 percent of primary energy supply, and raising renewables’ share of installed power generation capacity to 45 percent. The scope of the agenda goes far beyond addressing the immediate fuel crisis: ASEAN aims to translate lessons from the Middle East conflict into a more resilient energy system that is less dependent on a single region, a single transport chokepoint, or fossil fuels.

    On the eve of the main ministerial meeting, the ASEAN Centre for Energy released its 2026 *ASEAN Energy Investment Report* in Manila, which centers on the critical role of financing in delivering energy security, resilience, and regional connectivity. The report emphasizes that binding political agreements alone are not enough: massive new capital investment is required to build out cross-border transmission links, energy storage facilities, renewable energy capacity, and interconnection infrastructure.

    This puts ASEAN face to face with a dual challenge: mitigating the short-term impacts of the Middle East conflict and ongoing Hormuz Strait uncertainty, while investing in structural transformation to build an energy system less vulnerable to future geopolitical shocks. The IEA has warned that emergency stopgap measures alone will not solve the region’s vulnerabilities, noting that supply diversification, accelerated electrification, energy efficiency gains, and expanded renewable energy are the only ways to permanently reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.

    The Manila meeting is widely seen as a critical test of whether ASEAN can leverage the current energy crisis to accelerate the implementation of its existing plans for regional energy cooperation, turning long-held goals into tangible progress for the 11-nation bloc.

  • Bayview Hospital offers ‘first’ virtual link to cancer specialists, nurse

    Bayview Hospital offers ‘first’ virtual link to cancer specialists, nurse

    Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in Barbados, responsible for roughly one in four fatalities island-wide, with nearly half of all diagnoses hitting adults during their prime working years. This public health burden does not just impact individual patients and their loved ones – it ripples through workplaces, communities, and the nation’s overall social fabric. To address this unmet need for continuous, patient-centered support, Bayview Hospital has launched the Caribbean region’s first fully virtual cancer navigation support programme, a groundbreaking initiative designed to complement local clinical care and reshape how patients experience their cancer journey.

  • Skerrit to Marigot residents: You must not exclude yourselves from opportunities because of ‘differences’

    Skerrit to Marigot residents: You must not exclude yourselves from opportunities because of ‘differences’

    During a recent community meeting with local residents in Marigot, Dominica, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit delivered a message of inclusive outreach, pushing attendees to put aside political divisions and access the wide range of development and support opportunities his administration has made available to all citizens.

    Addressing the gathered community directly, Skerrit emphasized that every Dominican holds equal entitlement to the benefits and opportunities the island nation offers, regardless of any disagreements they may hold with the current government. “All of us have a right to what Dominica has to offer. We must not exclude ourselves simply because we may have differences,” he stated, adding that the only person who ends up left behind is the individual who chooses to step away from available chances. He called on residents to break down the self-imposed barriers of division and segregation that keep many from accessing support, encouraging open participation in government programs.

    To illustrate the available opportunities, Skerrit highlighted multiple ongoing government initiatives open to Marigot residents. Among these are international scholarship programs for students seeking to study abroad, reminding attendees that no applicant can receive an award without first submitting an application. “If you don’t apply, there is no chance of getting one because your name is not on the paper,” he explained, noting that a shift in mindset to pursue existing openings is key to individual and community advancement.

    Skerrit also pointed to the growing trend of non-Dominicans purchasing land and constructing residences on the island, framing this influx of foreign investment as a net positive for Dominica that brings much-needed foreign capital and economic activity to the country, which the government actively welcomes.

    He went on to outline the long-standing support systems the government has built for local economic development, noting that a small business support unit established back in 2009 has distributed more than $111 million in agricultural grants to local Dominicans between 2009 and 2026. Additional low-interest financing is available through the AID Bank for sectors including tourism, agriculture, and agro-processing, with favorable terms: a 2% interest rate and a 12-month grace period that waives interest and penalty payments for the first year of the loan.

    Most recently, Skerrit highlighted a new land access program introduced in the latest national budget, where government-owned land in specified areas is available to applicants at just $1 per acre for a five-year term. Eligible residents simply need to complete an online application, and the government has already approved multiple applicants for the program, he confirmed.

    Following the in-person community meeting, Skerrit took to his official Facebook page to express gratitude to Marigot residents for the warm welcome he received during the gathering.

    Currently, the Marigot constituency is represented in Dominica’s House of Assembly by Anthony S. Charles, an independent politician who won his seat in the snap general elections held in December 2022. Charles is one of just two independent representatives in the 21-seat chamber, which is dominated by the ruling Labour Party. The other independent representative is Jesma Paul-Victor, who represents the Salisbury constituency.

  • Belize, Colombia Join Forces to Combat Cybercrime

    Belize, Colombia Join Forces to Combat Cybercrime

    Against a backdrop of rising transnational digital threats, Belize and Colombia have launched a collaborative regional capacity-building initiative to counter cybercrime, bringing together law enforcement and government stakeholders from eight Caribbean nations in early October 2026.

    The five-day workshop, which is part of a wider cooperation framework between Colombia and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states plus Aruba and Curaçao, centers on cross-border information sharing, experience exchange, and technical knowledge transfer to equip regional agencies to better prevent, probe, and respond to digital criminal activity. Participants from Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname joined their counterparts from Belize and Colombia to build inter-agency working relationships ahead of future cross-border investigations.

    Belize Police Commissioner Dr. A. Richard Rosado emphasized that the collaboration comes at a critical moment for the Latin America and Caribbean region, where uncoordinated national responses have left gaps that cybercriminals increasingly exploit. “As a region, we need to combine our capabilities,” Rosado noted. “We need to strengthen our network so that we can fight cybercrime on a collaborative front.”

    Leading the knowledge exchange, Colombia’s National Police has deployed top cybercrime specialists to share expertise in high-priority emerging threat areas, including cryptocurrency-facilitated money laundering, AI-powered cyber attacks, and ransomware incidents. Captain José Alejandro Reyes Duque of Colombia’s Cybernetic Police Centre explained that the borderless nature of cybercrime makes unified action non-negotiable: cybercriminals often operate from jurisdictions far from their targets, with threat actors based in Europe regularly targeting victims across the Caribbean and Latin America, for example. To build a solid case, investigators rely on cross-border data sharing to access critical evidence such as IP address geolocation data and technical details of attack infrastructure that is hosted outside a country’s borders.

    As part of Belize’s ongoing efforts to upgrade its national cybersecurity framework, the country is currently updating its core cybercrime legislation, a process that government officials say will benefit from international and regional best practices. Elton Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of Belize’s Ministry of Home Affairs, explained that the workshop aligns directly with the government’s strategic goal of aligning national cybersecurity efforts across agencies and partnering with regional actors to address shared threats. “This activity fits clearly within our strategic desire of bringing the different parts of the Government of Belize that are responsible for cybersecurity,” Bennett said. “We have the right partners at the table and working along with our regional counterparts.”

    The initiative marks a deepening of security cooperation between Colombia and Caribbean nations, with organizers noting that similar knowledge-sharing workshops are planned for the coming year as the region works to build a unified, resilient cyber defense network.