Carib Scope

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  • COE expands yellow alert for Santo Domingo and 11 provinces

    COE expands yellow alert for Santo Domingo and 11 provinces

    On Tuesday, the Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) rolled out an expanded network of severe weather alerts across the country, ramping up preparedness measures in response to predicted dangerous precipitation and storm activity. Eleven provinces and the National District have been placed under yellow alert, the second-highest warning level, while six more provinces remain under lower-level green alert as atmospheric conditions set the stage for heavy rain, thunderstorms and potential flash flooding.

    Meteorological and hydrological agencies, the National Institute of Meteorology (Indomet) and the National Institute of Water Resources (Indrhi), have traced the unstable weather pattern to three overlapping atmospheric drivers: a low-pressure trough lingering over the region, a tropical wave moving south of Hispaniola, and increased daytime heating that is amplifying atmospheric instability. These combined conditions are forecast to trigger intense localized downpours, severe electrical storms, powerful wind gusts, and even isolated episodes of hail across multiple regions of the nation.

    The areas elevated to yellow alert include Monte Plata, Sánchez Ramírez, Santo Domingo, San Cristóbal, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, San Pedro de Macorís, Monseñor Nouel, La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez and La Altagracia, in addition to the capital’s National District. The six provinces maintaining green alert are Duarte, particularly the low-lying Bajo Yuna region, San José de Ocoa, Peravia, Santiago, La Romana and Samaná. Green alert status indicates that while residents should remain watchful for changing conditions, the threat level is lower than in areas under yellow alert.

    Emergency officials have flagged the most at-risk regions for severe weather, including the country’s northeast, the fertile Cibao Valley, the eastern plains, the Central Mountain Range, and all Caribbean coastal areas. To prevent preventable accidents and casualties, the COE has issued clear public safety guidance: residents are strongly advised to avoid attempting to cross swollen rivers, streams and steep ravines where water levels have risen rapidly. Authorities also recommended that the public steer clear of all recreational bathing sites in provinces currently under active weather alert, as fluctuating water conditions can create hidden hazards.

  • Sakka Club, Reno FC seek redemption after Championships heartbreak

    Sakka Club, Reno FC seek redemption after Championships heartbreak

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Fresh off heartbreaking semi-final eliminations from the Jamaica Football Championships promotion race, two non-top-flight sides are gearing up to test their mettle against Premier League opposition when the third round of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Popeyes Challenge Cup gets underway on Tuesday.

    Sakka Club Brown’s Town (Sakka Club BT) and Reno FC both saw their dreams of promotion to the 2024-25 Jamaica Premier League dashed in penalty shootouts last week. Sakka Club BT fell to Humble Lion FC, while Reno lost out to Tru-Juice FC, with both winners securing their spots in the top flight for next season. Now, the two clubs are shifting focus to the country’s first national cup tournament in several years, looking to pull off upset wins over higher-ranked opponents.

    On Tuesday afternoon, Sakka Club BT will face off against Molynes United at the Drax Hall Sports Complex, kicking off at 3:30 pm local time. At the same kickoff time, Reno FC will play host to Chapleton Maroons at their home ground of Llandilo Sports Complex. The third matchup of the day will see Arnett Gardens, a Premier League side that narrowly missed out on qualifying for this season’s JPL play-offs, welcome Jamaica Football Championship side Roaring River to the Anthony Spaulding Complex for a 5:00 pm kickoff.

    The action will continue on Wednesday with three additional third-round fixtures. Cavalier SC, a top-flight side that reached this season’s JPL final but fell short of the title, will square off against the Jamaica Defence Force at Stadium East, starting at 4:00 pm. A primetime double-header will follow at Drax Hall: first, 2024 JPL semi-finalist Montego Bay United will take on Meadforest FC at 5:30 pm, before another fallen semi-finalist, Mt Pleasant FA, faces off against underdog Lime Hall Academy at 8:00 pm.

    For Jamaican football fans, the Popeyes Challenge Cup carries historic weight: it marks the first national cup competition held by the JFF since the Lynx Cup, which was last hosted several seasons ago and won by Portmore United, who defeated current side Cavalier SC in that final.

    The tournament’s unique cross-league format brings together teams from across the country’s two tiers. Seven Premier League clubs accepted invitations to compete: Arnett Gardens, Cavalier SC, Montego Bay United, Mt Pleasant FA, Chapleton Maroons, Portmore United, and Molynes United. All 18 teams from the lower-division Jamaica Football Championships were also granted entry, with a portion of those sides already eliminated in the tournament’s opening two rounds.

    As the first national knockout competition in years, the Popeyes Challenge Cup gives lower-tier underdogs a rare chance to upset top-flight sides and make a run for national silverware, while giving Premier League teams an opportunity to stay sharp ahead of next season’s campaign.

  • BOJ warns inflation could breach target

    BOJ warns inflation could breach target

    The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) has issued a cautious inflation forecast, warning that consumer price growth is on track to exceed the upper bound of the nation’s 4-6% target range during the second and third quarters of 2026. The primary driver of this projected overshoot, central bank officials confirm, is the steady climb in global crude oil prices, which has already begun pushing up costs for Jamaican electricity providers and transportation operators. Domestic fuel prices have already absorbed these increases, traced directly to persistent geopolitical volatility roiling key global energy markets. BOJ Governor Richard Byles emphasized during a recent public press briefing that the magnitude of the target range breach will hinge entirely on how intense and long-lasting the ongoing Middle East conflict proves to be.

    Economic forecasting experts at the central bank have flagged that risks to the inflation outlook remain at heightened levels. On the upside, two key additional threats stand out: El Niño-driven weather patterns that could disrupt domestic agricultural output and push food prices higher, and stronger-than-expected consumer and business demand stemming from post-hurricane reconstruction efforts across the island. On the downside, the BOJ warns that extended periods of elevated energy costs could erode household disposable income, dragging down broader consumer spending on non-essential goods and services.

    Current data shows inflation remains well-contained for the moment: headline inflation hit 4.3% in April 2026, holding firmly within the BOJ’s official target range. Once geopolitical tensions de-escalate and global oil markets stabilize with normalized supply levels, the central bank projects headline inflation will gradually cool back into the target range.

    Against this backdrop, the BOJ’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously to leave the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 5.50%. The central bank will also continue its targeted special foreign exchange interventions, designed to preserve stability in Jamaica’s domestic currency market. Byles noted that the current monetary policy stance remains appropriate even with the projected 2026 target breach, explaining that the central bank’s priority is limiting what economists term ‘second-round effects’ — a cycle where higher fuel and transport costs spill over into broad-based price increases across every sector of the economy.

    “Recent geopolitical tensions have injected significant uncertainty and new challenges into Jamaica’s economic outlook,” Byles stated. “That said, the Bank of Jamaica remains fully committed to its core mandate of preserving price stability for the Jamaican people.”

    During the post-briefing question-and-answer session, Byles pushed back against calls for the BOJ to adjust its official inflation target range to account for mounting global economic uncertainty. The current 4-6% range was set by the Jamaican government following technical recommendations from the BOJ, and Byles argued it remains well-suited to the needs of the domestic economy, with no adjustments planned in the near term. He explained that shifting the range lower would require aggressive monetary tightening, pushing interest rates higher and dampening economic growth, while raising the target range would allow looser policy and lower rates — only to generate higher persistent inflation that would place an unfair burden on Jamaican households.

    Jamaica first adopted the 4-6% inflation targeting framework in 2017. The framework was codified into law with 2020 amendments to the Bank of Jamaica Act, which also strengthened the central bank’s operational independence and formalized its inflation-targeting mandate. While the BOJ has not kept inflation within the target band consistently over the past nine years, central bank leadership assesses the framework as largely successful overall. Past target breaches include inflation spikes in 2017 and 2018, when extreme rainfall and widespread flooding pushed agricultural prices above normal levels. The most significant recent overshoot occurred between 2021 and 2023, during the post-pandemic global inflation surge, driven by skyrocketing shipping costs, elevated global energy and food prices, widespread supply chain disruptions, and the spillover effects of the Russia-Ukraine war. BOJ data shows inflation peaked at roughly 11.8% in April 2022, one of the highest annual inflation readings recorded in Jamaica in recent decades.

  • Abinader announces RD$20 billion transformation plan for Boca Chica

    Abinader announces RD$20 billion transformation plan for Boca Chica

    BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic — Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has launched an ambitious, multi-sector transformation initiative for the coastal municipality of Boca Chica, backed by over RD$20 billion in combined public and private investment. The sweeping project aims to reposition this popular coastal community as a leading hub for tourism, logistics, and broad-based economic development across the country.

    Strategically located adjacent to Las Américas International Airport and the growing Caucedo logistics corridor, the Boca Chica development plan allocates funding across nearly every core sector of urban life. Large-scale investments are earmarked for sanitation infrastructure, road networks, new tourism developments, affordable housing, education facilities, healthcare services, and expanded public recreational spaces. The overarching goal is to build a modern, environmentally sustainable, community-focused urban center that benefits both existing residents and future visitors and investors.

    During the project’s official launch event, Abinader framed the initiative as a cornerstone of the country’s long-term national development vision, centered on three core priorities: inclusive economic growth, comprehensive urban renewal, and measurable improvements to quality of life for local residents. He stressed that the plan is a collaborative effort, bringing together resources and expertise from the national central government, local municipal authorities, and private sector stakeholders to deliver organized, sustainable growth across both Boca Chica and the neighboring community of Andrés.

    The single largest component of the public investment package is led by the National Institute of Water Potabilization and Sewerage (Inapa), which has been allocated more than RD$11 billion to deliver critical sanitation and environmental infrastructure upgrades. The Inapa project includes construction of a completely new municipal sewer network, a modern wastewater treatment plant, and a regulated submarine outfall. All three components are designed to protect the ecologically and economically vital Boca Chica beach, improve regional groundwater quality, and strengthen long-term environmental resilience along the Dominican coast.

    On the transportation front, the government has outlined a series of major mobility and connectivity upgrades to support the area’s growth. Key projects include extending the Ecological Avenue corridor to the Multimodal Port, comprehensive rehabilitation work on the Las Amícas marginal road, and full paving for more than 125 kilometers of local streets. Government officials note that these infrastructure improvements will cut down on chronic traffic congestion, strengthen regional connectivity, and create the reliable transportation network needed to support logistics, tourism, and small business growth across eastern Santo Domingo.

    Community-focused urban renewal forms another core pillar of the plan. Renovation work is scheduled for the high-traffic Duarte Street commercial corridor and the popular Boca Chica Park, while a new public boardwalk will be developed in Andrés. The site of the area’s former sugar mill will also be transformed into a large-scale recreational park, complete with dedicated sports zones, pedestrian walking trails, and flexible cultural event spaces for local families and visiting tourists.

    Private sector investment will play a central role in the transformation, anchored by the large-scale Costa Blanca mixed-use development project. The complex will include hundreds of new residential units, new luxury and mid-scale hotels, expanded commercial retail and dining districts, and a public linear park along the beachfront. As part of the project, the initiative will also support the organized relocation of existing informal beach vendors, a move designed to modernize the tourism zone without displacing local small businesses or eroding the area’s unique community character.

    Additional public projects outlined in the plan include new primary and secondary schools, expanded childcare centers, upgraded local healthcare clinics, new public sports facilities, energy-efficient smart LED streetlights across the municipality, and widespread upgrades to the regional electrical grid. Authorities also confirmed that more than 2,000 formal property titles will be issued to local resident families, a measure intended to strengthen long-term housing security and boost household economic stability for low- and middle-income communities in Boca Chica.

    Government and project leaders describe the comprehensive Boca Chica transformation as the opening of a “new era” for one of the Dominican Republic’s most iconic beach destinations. The initiative balances targeted tourism growth, critical infrastructure modernization, and inclusive long-term economic development to deliver benefits that extend beyond Boca Chica to the entire eastern Santo Domingo region.

  • UN says humanitarian situation in Haiti continues to decline

    UN says humanitarian situation in Haiti continues to decline

    The United Nations has issued an urgent update warning of a sharp deterioration in humanitarian conditions across Haiti’s Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, with the densely populated Cité Soleil neighborhood bearing the brunt of the crisis following a dramatic escalation of gang-related armed violence earlier this month. Speaking at the organization’s regular daily press briefing on Tuesday, Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq outlined the rapidly evolving emergency and the coordinated response being mobilized by global humanitarian bodies.

    According to freshly compiled displacement figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the upsurge in violence over the past 14 days has forced approximately 17,500 people – equivalent to more than 4,200 households – to flee their homes in search of safety. Haq confirmed that over 80 percent of these displaced residents are now staying in 33 makeshift emergency shelters across the region, while the remaining have sought refuge with local families already struggling with economic hardship and food insecurity.

    Rapid needs assessments conducted at the displacement sites have uncovered alarmingly high unmet demand for basic life-sustaining resources, including staple food, potable clean water, emergency medical care, and critical hygiene products. Beyond shortages of essential supplies, unsafe conditions at the shelters – most notably inadequate lighting – have sparked growing fears for the personal safety of residents. Vulnerable groups face the greatest danger in this unstable environment: children who have become separated from their caregivers during the chaos of displacement, expectant mothers, and people living with disabilities are all at disproportionately higher risk of harm, Haq added.

    Despite persistent widespread insecurity and significant logistical barriers that limit access to hard-hit communities, Haq emphasized that UN and partner humanitarian organizations are continuing their relief operations to reach affected populations. To streamline the delivery of aid, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is leading a coordinated effort to improve access and ensure assistance reaches vulnerable groups as effectively as possible. The current crisis traces back to May 10, when a large-scale wave of inter-gang clashes and violent attacks broke out across the Caribbean Community (Caricom) nation, hitting Cité Soleil and the broader Port-au-Prince metropolitan area the hardest.

  • Onesvie says Naco inspections were part of seismic evaluation training

    Onesvie says Naco inspections were part of seismic evaluation training

    In Santo Domingo, a recent wave of confusion among residents of the National District’s Naco sector over unprompted building inspections has been resolved by the National Office of Seismic Evaluation and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (Onesvie), the country’s leading public body for seismic risk management. The agency has confirmed that the teams spotted carrying out structural assessments in the area were affiliated with the Dominican Network of Structural Evaluators (REED), a national technical program focused on upgrading the Dominican Republic’s seismic preparedness and structural safety standards.

    According to an official statement from Onesvie, the Naco sector activity was not a random or unauthorized operation, but a supervised field training exercise for students enrolled in the institution’s specialized Building Evaluation Diploma. This credential program was created to build a skilled workforce of structural engineers and construction professionals capable of accurately identifying seismic vulnerability across the country’s building stock.

    Onesvie further detailed that the field practice, conducted between May 12 and 15, was strictly limited to external visual surveys of building exteriors. At no point did participants enter private residential or commercial properties, nor did they carry out any modifications, structural alterations, or invasive testing on the structures they observed. All participants carried official institutional identification throughout the exercise to verify their affiliation with the program, the agency added.

    The clarification comes after out-of-context misinformation spread across local community networks, leading some Naco residents to link the technical training activity to unrelated government or private operations, sparking unnecessary uncertainty and concern among local property owners.

    In its statement, Onesvie reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to transparency, public safety, and proactive national seismic prevention work. The agency stressed that continuous technical training and widespread structural evaluations are critical investments that save lives and protect critical national infrastructure from the impact of potential seismic events.

    To further expand public access to seismic safety resources, authorities also issued a call to action for Dominican citizens who are interested in obtaining a free professional building evaluation. Those seeking the service are encouraged to reach out to Onesvie through its verified official communication channels and digital platforms to access accurate guidance and process requests.

  • Jamaica advises against travel to Ebola-hit countries, tightens quarantine measures

    Jamaica advises against travel to Ebola-hit countries, tightens quarantine measures

    In response to a new global health alert over spreading Ebola outbreaks in Central Africa, Jamaica’s national health authority has rolled out enhanced protective measures and updated travel guidance for all residents and international visitors.

    The newly enforced protocols come immediately after the World Health Organization designated the concurrent Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the UN body’s highest tier of global health alert. While WHO’s official risk assessment classifies the danger as severe within the African continent but low across the rest of the globe, Jamaican health officials have moved quickly to pre-empt any potential importation of the virus into the island nation.

    At the core of the new regulations are strengthened screening and surveillance systems at all of Jamaica’s ports of entry, including international airports, seaports, and border crossings. Health authorities confirmed that any traveler—whether Jamaican citizen or foreign visitor—who has visited or transited through one of the two affected African countries within the 21-day Ebola incubation period will face specific public health requirements, even if they show no signs of infection. Asymptomatic travelers must complete a mandatory 21-day period of self-quarantine, monitored directly by local public health teams to enable rapid detection of any emerging symptoms.

    For travelers who develop or present with Ebola symptoms consistent with the outbreak upon arrival in Jamaica, officials have outlined stricter protocols: these individuals will immediately be classified as suspected cases and transferred to designated isolation facilities for testing and monitoring until their status is confirmed.

    Beyond border controls and quarantine requirements, Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness has issued a public appeal for all residents to rely exclusively on official, authorized public health sources for the latest information and guidance on the Ebola situation. The advisory emphasizes that misinformation from unofficial outlets can increase public risk, and urges people to avoid unvetted social media posts or secondhand reports about the outbreak.

    Public health experts note that Jamaica’s proactive response aligns with global best practices for emerging outbreak management, leveraging the 21-day incubation period of the Ebola virus to catch imported cases early before they can lead to local transmission. With the WHO’s declaration triggering coordinated global action, Jamaican officials say they will continue to update their protocols in line with the evolving situation in Africa and emerging guidance from international health bodies.

  • Dominican Republic adopts WE Finance Code, marking regional milestone in financial inclusion

    Dominican Republic adopts WE Finance Code, marking regional milestone in financial inclusion

    In a groundbreaking move for gender-inclusive economic development, the Dominican Republic has made history as the first nation in Latin America and the Caribbean to embed mandatory gender-disaggregated MSME financing data reporting into its national financial supervision regulatory framework.

    The new rule, issued by the Superintendency of Banks of the Dominican Republic (SB) via official circular CSB-REG-2026000008, imposes quarterly reporting requirements on all licensed banks and other regulated financial entities operating within the country. Under the mandate, institutions must break down data on micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) financing by the gender of business ownership, including detailed records of the share of female ownership for each client, the volume of loan applications from women-led ventures, approval and rejection rates, and documented justifications for every loan denial. The first mandatory reporting period will conclude on September 30, 2026, giving institutions time to adjust their internal data systems to meet the new standards.

    This policy intervention is directly aligned with the global WE Finance Code initiative, a collaborative program spearheaded by the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The core mission of the WE Finance Code is to close the persistent global financing gap that disproportionately blocks growth opportunities for women-led businesses, which are systematically more likely to face credit access barriers than male-owned enterprises.

    Recent high-level coordination meetings brought together representatives from the SB, the Dominican Republic Bankers Association (ABA), and the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) to map out the next stage of implementation. A key milestone on the agenda is the preparation of the Dominican Republic’s first national report of gender-disaggregated financial indicators to be submitted to the OECD for regional and global benchmarking.

    Private sector buy-in for the initiative has been nearly universal across the Dominican financial system. The ABA confirms that 26 major financial institutions, which collectively hold approximately 97% of all assets in the country’s financial sector, have already formally joined the WE Finance Code initiative. Since collaborative work on the framework launched in 2023, participating entities have collaborated to develop unified reporting standards, build out the technical infrastructure required for consistent data collection, and adopt a shared regulatory definition of women-led MSMEs that aligns with the new national mandate.

    The IDB Group’s private sector lending arm, IDB Invest, has provided critical financial backing to advance the effort, committing over $160 million in targeted investments and financing programs designed to expand affordable capital access for women entrepreneurs across the Dominican Republic.

    Today, the WE Finance Code operates in more than 33 countries across all regions of the world. With the Dominican Republic’s landmark regulatory integration, proponents expect the initiative to gain further momentum and expand rapidly across other Latin American and Caribbean nations in the years ahead, opening up new economic opportunities for millions of women business owners across the region.

  • Criminal Records Office collections unit to move to Duke Street in June

    Criminal Records Office collections unit to move to Duke Street in June

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — A key administrative shift is coming to Jamaica’s law enforcement infrastructure next year, as the Criminal Records Office has issued an official public announcement regarding the planned relocation of its core collections department. Currently housed at 34 Hope Road in central Kingston, the unit will move operations to its new permanent address at 56 Duke Street, Kingston, with the change officially taking effect on Monday, June 1, 2026.

    The advisory, released to ensure minimal disruption for residents and businesses that rely on the unit’s services, urges all individuals with upcoming business with the collections department to take note of the new address ahead of the moving date. For any questions about the relocation, adjusted service timelines, or other related concerns, the public has been directed to reach out directly to the Criminal Records Office via their dedicated contact line at 876-922-3221 during regular operating hours.

  • Mexico captures US-wanted nephew of drug lord ‘El Chapo’

    Mexico captures US-wanted nephew of drug lord ‘El Chapo’

    MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Mexican law enforcement officials confirmed Tuesday that security operatives have taken into custody a nephew of infamous incarcerated drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán, who faces extradition requests from U.S. authorities. The arrest was carried out in Sonora, a northern Mexican state that shares a long border with the United States.

    Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s top security official, announced the capture via the social platform X, confirming that the detainee is a close nephew of the former Sinaloa Cartel leader, who is currently serving a life sentence at a U.S. maximum security prison. García Harfuch also noted that the suspect has been actively wanted by U.S. law enforcement agencies on unspecified charges related to organized crime.

    In line with Mexican privacy protocols for criminal suspects, official authorities only publicly identified the detainee by the initial “Isai N.” However, multiple independent Mexican media outlets have named the suspect as Isai Martínez Zepeda. Press representatives for the Mexican security secretariat told Agence France-Presse they could not immediately verify or comment on additional local media reporting that the suspect was first apprehended by authorities back in 2008 while in possession of a cache of high-caliber military-grade weapons. Officials also declined to answer questions about when the suspect was released from prior custody, leaving a gap in the public timeline of his criminal history.

    The capture of the younger Guzmán associate comes amid a years-long coordinated crackdown on the remnants of the Sinaloa Cartel led by both Mexican and U.S. authorities. El Chapo, the cartel’s founding leader, was extradited to the U.S. in 2017 following two high-profile escapes from maximum security Mexican prisons. He was convicted on a range of federal charges including large-scale drug trafficking, organized crime conspiracy, and money laundering, and is currently held at the ADX Florence supermax prison in Colorado.

    In recent years, multiple other close family members of El Chapo have also been taken into custody and extradited to the U.S. Two of El Chapo’s own sons, Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquín Guzmán López, both key leaders in the cartel’s operations, are currently imprisoned in the U.S. facing similar narcotrafficking charges.