Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has issued a firm statement asserting that the twin-island nation has placed itself on a positive developmental trajectory, reversing 10 years of economic mismanagement and instability under the previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration. Her remarks came in response to questions from the Express in the wake of the International Monetary Fund’s completion of its 2026 Article IV consultation with the Caribbean nation, a routine assessment that delivered a glowing review of the current government’s policy agenda. For Persad-Bissessar, the IMF’s positive assessment is far more than a third-party review—it is a powerful, independent validation of her administration’s leadership, cautious fiscal stewardship, and relentless commitment to rebuilding the country after a decade of sustained economic decline. She framed the PNM’s tenure as a prolonged period of “doom and gloom” that her government has begun to reverse, urging Trinidad and Tobago’s citizens to maintain patience and hope as pro-growth policies are rolled out to drive long-term national progress. The successful conclusion of the IMF consultation, the prime minister emphasized, confirms the country is once again “moving in the right direction” and has restored its standing and credibility among the global community. Under her leadership, Persad-Bissessar noted, the nation has transitioned from a phase of steady economic deterioration inherited from the PNM to a new era focused on reconstruction, systemic transformation, and renewed forward momentum. The IMF’s report explicitly highlighted a series of tangible achievements the current administration has delivered in just over one year in office: contained, low inflation, a stable and sufficiently capitalized domestic banking sector, a robust external financial position, and healthy international reserves backed by the country’s Heritage and Stabilisation Fund. Persad-Bissessar stressed that these wins carry even greater weight given the severe economic challenges her government inherited when it took office, including dwindling foreign currency reserves, rapidly growing national debt, eroded fiscal buffers, and years of unaddressed fiscal mismanagement. From the first days of her administration, she explained, leaders have taken bold, accountable action to stabilize the national economy, rebuild trust among international and domestic investors, and roll out evidence-based fiscal reforms designed to lay the foundation for long-term sustainability, economic resilience, and inclusive growth. The IMF’s findings, she argued, directly confirm that the tough but necessary policy choices her government has made to restore economic stability, strengthen public institutions, and reposition Trinidad and Tobago on a sustainable development path are already delivering results. “I have said repeatedly that we could not repair the damage and disorder we inherited overnight,” Persad-Bissessar said. “However, through discipline, competence, sound governance and strategic planning, we have succeeded in restoring confidence both locally and internationally.” Crucially, the prime minister noted, these stabilizing economic gains have been achieved without abandoning core commitments to the Trinidad and Tobago public. Her administration has followed through on campaign promises including delivering a 10 percent wage increase to public sector employees and reviving key social programs such as the universal laptop initiative for school-aged children. Persad-Bissessar acknowledged the IMF’s formal caution regarding the potential economic spillover effects of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, a global risk that could impact small open economies like Trinidad and Tobago. Even so, she highlighted the IMF’s own observation that faster implementation of structural reforms outlined in the government’s Revitalisation Blueprint, paired with sustained domestic and foreign investment, could boost the country’s medium-term growth outlook. “We remain focused on revitalizing the energy sector, diversifying the economy, improving the investment climate, reducing bureaucracy and accelerating national development,” the prime minister said. As foreign direct investment continues to climb, and both public and private sector partners advance critical infrastructure and development projects, Persad-Bissessar projected that expanded opportunity and new jobs will follow for local citizens. “My Government remains fully committed to protecting the vulnerable, empowering businesses and young people, expanding opportunities and ensuring that Trinidad and Tobago achieves sustainable growth, lasting prosperity and renewed national pride,” she added.
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PM trying to distract from ‘failing govt’, says Penny
A sharp political feud has erupted in Trinidad and Tobago this week, as Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles launched a blistering counterattack against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, calling on the ruling government head to prioritize answering to the public instead of meddling in the makeup of the Opposition’s Senate delegation.
The back-and-forth began Sunday at a People’s National Movement (PNM) Sport and Family Day gathering hosted at Port of Spain’s Nelson Mandela Park. During the event, Beckles made public claims that multiple current members of Persad-Bissessar’s ruling United National Congress (UNC) government have questionable personal and professional backgrounds. These allegations surfaced amid growing pressure from the government on Opposition Senator Janelle John-Bates, who remains in her parliamentary seat despite stepping down from the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) following accusations of professional misconduct.
Persad-Bissessar hit back at Beckles in comments published by a local daily newspaper on Monday, arguing that the Opposition Leader was the last person qualified to raise questions about politicians with questionable reputations within the UNC. The Prime Minister’s remarks did not go unanswered, with Beckles firing back within 24 hours via a public Facebook post, framing the Prime Minister’s critique as a deliberate distraction tactic.
In her statement, Beckles accused Persad-Bissessar of steering a failing administration that has increasingly lost the confidence of Trinidad and Tobago’s citizens. She outlined a list of grievances against the ruling government, including a lack of empathy for the public, no accountability for the awarding of more than $4 billion in public contracts, failure to jumpstart sustained economic growth, and the absence of a actionable plan to address rising crime across the nation.
Beckles went on to argue that Trinidad and Tobago is currently mired in a national crisis under the leadership of the UNC government, which she claims is populated by figures of questionable character – including individuals currently out on bail and others facing serious criminal charges in court.
“It is shamelessly oxymoronic that Kamla Persad-Bissessar seeks to lecture me on integrity, accountability, or leadership when she herself has dozens of unanswered questions hanging over her administration,” Beckles said in her post. “She has been permanently absent from key policy debates and notoriously impotent in delivering on her promises, having over-promised and delivered precisely nothing to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”
She added that the current UNC government is on the brink of political collapse, and that Persad-Bissessar’s attacks are just a desperate effort to cling to power. “Trying to disparage me will not resolve her administration’s failures. I say again to Kamla: leave me alone,” Beckles said.
The Opposition Leader also emphasized that the Prime Minister’s recent comments are designed to draw public attention away from two high-profile ongoing controversies: the LandmarkTT corruption scandal and the so-called HDC Gate affair. Despite the government’s attempts to shift focus, Beckles insisted the distraction tactic is already failing.
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Police: Samaroo shooting file to move to DPP
Months after a fatal police shooting left one man dead and his partner permanently disabled in Trinidad and Tobago, law enforcement authorities have confirmed the long-awaited forensic analysis into the incident is finally complete, clearing the way for the case file to be sent to the country’s top prosecutorial official for next steps.
The deadly encounter dates back to January 20, when 31-year-old Joshua Samaroo and his common-law wife Kaia Sealy were shot multiple times at a street intersection in St. Augustine, following a high-speed chase that began when the couple reportedly attempted to evade a police stop in Maloney. According to initial police accounts, officers attempted to pull the pair over, but Samaroo sped off, triggering the pursuit that ended when the couple’s vehicle crashed into a roadside drain. At that point, officers opened fire on the car.
Surveillance footage that emerged publicly after the shooting contradicted key parts of the official narrative, showing Samaroo with his hands raised outside the vehicle moments before officers fired. Both Samaroo and Sealy were hit multiple times and rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope, where Samaroo was pronounced dead on arrival. Sealy survived the attack but suffered life-altering injuries: she is now partially paralyzed and has lost the ability to walk.
The incident sparked immediate outrage among Samaroo’s relatives and Sealy’s friends, who launched sustained public protests demanding accountability. Demonstrators called for the resignation of Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro and pushed for criminal charges to be filed against the officers involved in the shooting. While protest crowds shrank in the months following the incident, demonstrations continued nonethelss, as organizers pressed authorities to move forward with the investigation.
Back in March, Guevarro had announced that the probe was nearly finished, with only a single outstanding document delaying the submission of the full case file. On Wednesday, police issued a formal statement confirming that the forensic report, the final outstanding document, had been received from the Forensic Science Centre located in Federation Park. As part of standard investigative procedure, multiple pieces of evidence from the shooting scene had been submitted to the center for forensic testing, and investigators had held up progress on the case while waiting for the results of that analysis.
“Now that the forensic report is in hand, investigating officers will next submit the full case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for review,” the police statement noted. “Once reviewed, the DPP will issue formal guidance on what legal steps will be taken moving forward.”
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Escalatie van protesten in Bolivia: duizenden eisen aftreden president Paz
Bolivia has been rocked by rapidly escalating mass anti-government demonstrations that have swept the nation in recent days, bringing the administrative capital La Paz to a near-standstill. Thousands of protesters drawn from across Bolivian society – including small-scale farmers, artisanal miners, teachers, public sector workers and Indigenous communities – have shut down key arterial routes surrounding the city, creating critical shortages of food, fuel and life-saving medications for local residents.
The unrest first erupted weeks ago, targeting the administration of center-right President Rodrigo Paz, who took office less than six months ago, ending nearly two decades of continuous socialist rule in the South American nation. Demonstrators are demanding Paz’s immediate resignation, citing skyrocketing living costs, persistent widespread economic instability, and controversial plans to privatize state-owned enterprises as core grievances.
Bolivia is currently grappling with its most severe economic crisis in four decades. Official data puts annual inflation at 14% as of April, a figure that has gutted household purchasing power and amplified public discontent across all income groups. For many protesters, the crisis has reached an unmanageable breaking point. “Paz is unfit to govern, and our country is spiraling into chaos,” said 60-year-old farmer Ivan Alarcon, who traveled 90 kilometers to join the demonstrations in La Paz.
Artisanal small-scale miners, another key bloc of protesters, have marched through the city to demand expanded access to mining territories, escalating tensions in already volatile streets. Clashes have broken out between demonstrators and riot police in central La Paz, with tear gas deployed to disperse crowds attempting to reach the main city square, which houses major government administrative buildings. Protesters have thrown stones and homemade explosive devices, with at least two demonstrators confirmed injured. Local media reports more than 100 arrests have been made, and on-the-ground footage shows protesters entering government office buildings and removing property from the sites.
A major flashpoint for the unrest was Paz’s recent decision to cut long-standing national fuel subsidies, a move his administration defended as necessary to reverse the depletion of the country’s foreign currency reserves. Far from stabilizing energy supplies, however, the policy triggered immediate fuel price hikes and worsened existing supply shortages, giving new momentum to the growing protest movement.
The escalating political crisis has drawn international attention, with the United States formally weighing in on the unrest. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau expressed deep concern following talks with President Paz, framing the mass demonstrations as an attempted coup partially funded by what he called an “unholy alliance between political actors and organized crime” in the region. Landau called for international support for Bolivia’s democratically elected government, warning that prolonged political instability would have damaging ripple effects across the entire South American region. He added that the U.S. is actively working to prevent anti-government and anti-institutional factions from seizing power.
Amid the ongoing street violence and political uncertainty, multiple commercial banks across La Paz have temporarily suspended operations, closing their doors to the public out of caution for staff and customer safety.
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Brunswijk zet strijd tegen bondsvoorzitter Hellings voort met hoger beroep
A long-running high-profile labor conflict at Suriname’s state-owned energy utility Energiebedrijven Suriname (EBS) has entered a new phase, after EBS General Director Leo Brunswijk launched an appeal against a lower court ruling that favored Marciano Hellings, chair of the EBS employees’ union. The formal notice of appeal was officially served to Hellings on Tuesday, court documents confirm. In the notification, Brunswijk states that EBS leadership rejects the cantonal court’s earlier decision, which dismissed the utility’s request to terminate Hellings’ employment contract.
Per the terms outlined in the appeal notice, Hellings will remain temporarily relieved of his work duties while retaining full access to his regular salary and all medical benefits through the duration of the appellate process. The contentious dispute between EBS executive leadership and the union chair first emerged in July of the previous year, and has since grown into one of the most widely discussed labor controversies at any state-owned enterprise in Suriname. Prior to the cantonal court’s ruling, EBS had already lost previous procedural challenges brought before the Labor Inspectorate, marking the second consecutive setback for the utility in the conflict.
When contacted for comment by local outlet Starnieuws, Hellings responded calmly to the news of the appeal, saying he had fully anticipated the move from EBS leadership. “This doesn’t keep me up at night,” the union leader told reporters. He added that it had been clear for months that EBS intended to push the case to appellate court regardless of the lower court outcome.
Hellings also echoed a observation the cantonal judge made in the initial ruling: the conflict has primarily been driven by a single individual within EBS’s executive leadership. The union chair expressed full confidence in the appellate process, saying he expects the lower court’s ruling will be upheld. “I am convinced that when this case is heard on appeal, we will get the same outcome,” he said.
In additional comments, Hellings pointed out that the prolonged legal battle has already incurred substantial public costs, including fees for attorneys, court procedures and process servers. “The lawyer gets paid again, the process server gets paid, and all of that comes at the expense of state-owned NV EBS,” he noted.
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Leisure : Did you know ? #25
In the 25th installment of HaitiLibre’s popular ‘Did You Know?’ leisure series, published May 20, 2026, readers are invited to explore the little-known history and unique culinary character of sumac, a versatile ancient spice with deep roots in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food traditions.
Sumac is harvested from the berries of wild shrubs that thrive in the rugged rocky terrain spanning the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East. What sets this spice apart from common acidic seasonings is its bright, lemony-forward profile paired with a subtle astringent bite, which adds fresh, tangy depth to dishes without requiring liquid additives like vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice. It has long been a staple in the national cuisines of Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, and serves as a core component of the iconic Za’atar spice blend—an aromatic mix that also includes dried thyme, toasted sesame seeds, and salt.
The historical reach of sumac stretches back far earlier than many modern home cooks realize. Long before lemons were introduced to European markets, ancient Romans already relied on sumac for both its medicinal benefits and culinary versatility. This long legacy offers a powerful reminder: regional biodiversity shaped unique culinary identities centuries before the globalization of food ingredients homogenized modern diets. In highlighting sumac’s story, the feature also issues a quiet call to action: to honor distinct regional terroirs, and recognize that every corner of the world holds one-of-a-kind natural treasures that deserve protection from conflict and the gradual erasure of ancient cultural traditions.
This fun, educational fact comes straight from the HaitiLibre Quiz platform, an interactive general knowledge hub designed to challenge and engage learners across a wide range of topics. The platform caters to casual knowledge seekers and trivia enthusiasts alike, covering everything from Haitian current affairs and culture to global general knowledge. For users ready to test their expertise, the platform’s expert menu, hosted at https://quiz.haitilibre.com/en, offers a diverse array of specialized, challenging themes.
Currently, the platform hosts 119 unique interactive quiz games, with new content added on a monthly basis. As part of the May 2026 monthly update, 30 brand-new quizzes were added to the library on May 4, expanding the platform’s offerings for all audiences. All HaitiLibre Quiz games are exclusive, completely free to access, and require no account registration to play. They are designed to be accessible to all age groups and knowledge levels, with three difficulty tiers—easy, intermediate, and hard—available for every quiz, and full support for both French and English languages.
Readers are invited to visit the quiz hub at https://quiz.haitilibre.com/en to explore the full collection of content, test their own general knowledge, share the platform with family and friends, and send feedback to the HaitiLibre team to help improve future updates. This ‘Did You Know?’ entry is pulled from the platform’s International Cuisine 2.1 themed quiz, and previous installments of the series dating back to the 21st entry are also archived on the HaitiLibre website for interested readers to explore.
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DNA keurt in korte tijd twee belangrijke wetten van Justitie en Politie goed
On Tuesday, Suriname’s National Assembly (DNA) passed the amended Suriname Fire Service Bill with a unanimous 39-0 vote, marking the second major piece of legislation from the Ministry of Justice and Police to clear parliament in a single week. Just seven days prior, the Road Traffic Act also secured unanimous approval from the legislative body, signaling a productive stretch for the justice portfolio.
Debate over the fire service law amendments included pointed scrutiny from assembly members, who raised detailed questions on core provisions ranging from expanded fire department authority and proactive fire prevention frameworks to cross-agency coordination with other emergency response units and fire safety standards for inland rural areas.
Minister of Justice and Police Harish Monorath emphasized that the overarching goal of the revised legislation is to drive comprehensive modernization of Suriname’s fire corps and strengthen coordinated response across all emergency scenarios. Under the new law, greater institutional priority will be placed on proactive fire prevention, public fire safety education, and integrated collaboration between fire services, police, ambulance units and other relevant public agencies. Monorath also noted that the law establishes mandatory unified fire safety standards that will apply to all residential and commercial buildings, industrial operations, and public infrastructure across the country.
A key topic of extensive discussion during plenary debate was the gap in fire coverage for remote inland communities that currently lack permanent fire stations. To address this gap, Monorath outlined that volunteer fire corps and partnerships with local community groups will form the core of the solution for underserved areas. He confirmed that the ministry has already held preliminary consultations with traditional community leaders to develop local frameworks for fire prevention and emergency response.
Multiple assembly members stressed that while the amended law represents a critical first step forward, additional investment and institutional strengthening for the Suriname Fire Corps remains an urgent priority. Lawmakers noted that as Suriname’s rapidly expanding oil and gas sector drives national development, the fire service needs enhanced operational capacity and upgraded equipment to meet growing public safety demands. They also called for greater clarity on the role of district commissioners in unserved areas, pushed for alternative emergency response models for remote regions, and advocated for stricter routine fire safety inspections for existing buildings and private businesses.
At the close of the debate, multiple assembly members including committee chair Dinotha Vorswijk urged the full chamber to support the legislation, framing the vote as a landmark milestone in building a more modern, professional, and responsive fire service for all Surinamese communities.
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Studenten krijgen weer studiebeurzen voor Ghana
A groundbreaking educational partnership has been established that will soon open new academic doors for Surinamese students seeking advanced technical training. The Anton de Kom University of Suriname (AdeKUS) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation to launch a annual scholarship scheme for Surinamese learners.
The collaborative initiative is designed to offer up to five scholarships each year to Surinamese students admitted to postgraduate programs at the Ghanaian institution. Priority for the awards will be given to candidates enrolling in high-demand technical fields critical to Suriname’s growing resource sector, including mining engineering, oil and gas technology, general engineering and other related technical disciplines.
The initial signing of the non-binding intent agreement took place during an official working visit by a Ghanaian delegation to Suriname, with senior government representatives including Sergio Akiemboto, Chief of Staff to the President of Suriname, in attendance to mark the milestone. At present, AdeKUS confirms that the university is awaiting final formal signatures from its Ghanaian partners on the intent agreement. Once that step is completed, work will begin to draft and finalize a binding full partnership agreement that outlines the details of program administration, selection criteria and funding arrangements.
Organizers are moving forward with an ambitious timeline, with plans to have the first cohort of scholarship recipients begin their academic programs in Ghana as early as this August. To streamline the process for selected students, planning teams are working alongside Suriname’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation to work out logistical details, including visa processing, in-country student support, and preparation of required travel documentation.
The partnership represents a deepening of educational cooperation between Suriname and Ghana, addressing a gap in advanced technical training opportunities for Surinamese students in sectors that form a core part of the country’s national economy.
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Internships : Launch of the Youth Employment Initiation Program in the Private Sector
In a formal ceremony held at Port-au-Prince’s Ritz Kinam Hotel on May 15, 2026, Haitian academic leaders and stakeholders marked the official launch of the long-awaited Youth Employment Initiation Program, known locally by its Haitian Creole acronym PIJE, an initiative designed to bridge the gap between academic training and professional employment for the country’s young graduates.
Dr. Jean Denis Saint-Felix S.J., dean of the Faculty of Economic, Social, and Political Sciences at Notre Dame University of Haiti (FSESP-UNDH), delivered opening remarks at the event, expressing heartfelt appreciation for the collaborative effort behind the program’s rollout. He emphasized that youth unemployment remains one of Haiti’s most pressing social and economic challenges, and called on the Haitian government to prioritize long-term, sustainable funding and implementation of PIJE to ensure that thousands of job-seeking young people across the country can access its benefits in coming years.
Unlike generic unpaid internship programs that leave young graduates covering their own living costs during training, PIJE is structured to remove common barriers to entry for early-career workers. The initiative targets recent graduates from all accredited public and private universities and vocational training institutions across Haiti, placing selected participants into three-month paid internships at both public sector agencies and approved private companies. All participant stipends are fully covered by Haiti’s Public Treasury, eliminating the financial barrier that often prevents low-income young people from accessing skill-building work experience.
The core mission of PIJE is to equip new graduates with hands-on, practical professional skills that cannot be taught in a classroom setting. By offering structured on-the-job training, the program prepares participants to enter the open job market with verifiable work experience, expanding their employment prospects while encouraging them to contribute actively to Haiti’s ongoing economic and social recovery.
The program’s selection process is managed through coordinated outreach between the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Haiti’s post-secondary institutions. Each cohort of participants is selected through a progressive process: ministry officials contact participating universities and vocational schools in phases, requesting institutions to nominate candidates based on a combination of strong academic performance and demonstrated professional aptitude. To date, more than 60 post-secondary institutions across Haiti have already participated in earlier iterations of the program, including 16 vocational training centers, 14 public universities, and 33 private higher education institutions.
As Haiti continues to work toward stabilizing its economy and expanding opportunities for its growing youth population, PIJE represents a targeted policy intervention that addresses a critical gap in the country’s workforce development ecosystem.
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Colombia : Haiti participates in an important Conference of Ministers of Labor from Latin America and the Caribbean
In a step that underscores Haiti’s growing engagement with regional policy cooperation on labor issues, Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Marc-Elie Nelson departed the country on May 20, 2026, for Bogotá, Colombia, to take part in the upcoming 2026 Conference of Ministers of Labor from Latin America and the Caribbean. The two-day event, scheduled to kick off on May 21, brings together a diverse cross-section of stakeholders to address the pressing, complex challenge of labor migration across the region. Attendees include heads of state, senior labor officials from across the Americas and the Caribbean, multilateral organization representatives, private sector leaders, and leading international experts focused on labor rights and migration policy.
Over the course of the conference, participants will dive into a broad range of interconnected topics central to creating fair, sustainable migration frameworks. Key discussion themes cover the professional integration of migrant workers and robust protection of their fundamental rights, mechanisms for the mutual recognition of professional skills and qualifications across national borders, the development of regulated, secure pathways for professional mobility, and targeted strategies to advance socio-economic inclusion in communities and regions that face high rates of migration inflow. Additional agenda items include exploring opportunities to support migrant entrepreneurship and address challenges tied to the informal economy, fostering social innovation to strengthen community cohesion, and expanding targeted technical cooperation to improve vocational training systems across the region.
On the second day of the gathering, Nelson is set to deliver an official address focused on the specific theme of “Migration and Professional Integration,” sharing Haiti’s perspectives and experiences on this critical policy area. When the conference draws to a close, participating ministers will gather to sign two landmark documents: the Bogotá Declaration and the Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding on Dignified Labor Migration and Rights-Based Mobility in Latin America and the Caribbean. These agreements will formalize a new regional cooperation framework centered on advancing decent work for migrant workers, standardizing qualification recognition, and upholding migrants’ rights, all with the goal of supporting seamless socio-economic integration for people moving across regional borders.
his official participation in the high-profile regional conference makes clear the commitment of Haiti’s Prime Minister Fils-Aimé administration to strengthening inclusive social policies. These policies prioritize both the socio-economic integration of Haitian migrants across the region and the protection of their core fundamental rights, aligning Haiti with broader regional efforts to create more equitable, rights-centered migration systems.