Carib Scope

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  • The 2026 MOFA Taiwan Scholarship Program Now Open for Applications

    The 2026 MOFA Taiwan Scholarship Program Now Open for Applications

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Taiwan has officially announced the opening of applications for its prestigious 2026 Taiwan Scholarship Program. This initiative provides exceptional educational opportunities for international students seeking to pursue undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degrees at Taiwanese institutions, with instruction available in both Mandarin Chinese and English.

    The comprehensive scholarship program offers varying durations of support depending on academic level: up to one year for Mandarin Language Enrichment Programs, four years for undergraduate studies, two years for master’s programs, and four years for doctoral candidates. The maximum combined duration across any program combination is five years.

    A significant development for the 2026 cycle is the introduction of a specialized sub-program focusing on public health-related English programs. This track caters specifically to applicants interested in advanced public health education, though it notably excludes the pre-degree language program component.

    Eligibility requires applicants to possess at least a high school diploma. Prospective candidates from St. Kitts and Nevis must submit their applications through the Ministry of Education of St. Kitts and Nevis for preliminary review before onward transmission to Taiwanese authorities.

    The application package necessitates several critical documents: a completed application form, photocopied proof of identity and nationality, authenticated educational certificates and transcripts, evidence of institution application, language proficiency documentation for Chinese-taught programs, two letters of recommendation, and any additional materials requested by the Taiwanese Embassy.

    The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) emphasizes that incomplete submissions or late applications will not be processed. Final scholarship decisions will be made by a joint committee in Taiwan. Interested parties are directed to contact the Embassy at 465-2421 for further clarification and to ascertain specific application deadlines.

  • Dominican Republic attracts over US$3.5 billion in energy investment

    Dominican Republic attracts over US$3.5 billion in energy investment

    Santo Domingo has emerged as a powerhouse for energy sector investment, with the Dominican Republic securing an impressive $3.5 billion in foreign direct investment for power generation between 2020 and 2025. This remarkable financial influx, announced by Alfonso Rodríguez Tejada, Executive Director of the Dominican Electricity Transmission Company (ETED), underscores the nation’s growing appeal to international investors.

    The investment surge, averaging $1 billion annually, stems from unprecedented private-sector confidence in the country’s economic direction. Rodríguez Tejada emphasized that President Luis Abinader’s administration has created ideal conditions for energy development through political stability, transparent governance, and a coherent national development strategy.

    Critical to this success has been the comprehensive modernization of the nation’s transmission infrastructure. The ETED has successfully integrated over 1,300 megawatts of new capacity into the National Interconnected Electric System (SENI), establishing technical foundations that support continued expansion. This infrastructure advancement has transformed the Dominican Republic’s energy profile, presenting investors with a reliable and robust grid capable of accommodating substantial new generation projects.

    The tangible outcomes of this investment boom are reflected in dramatically improved electricity coverage rates. National access has surged from 85% in 2020 to exceeding 98% currently, representing one of the most rapid electrification expansions in the region.

    Rodríguez Tejada concluded that the current administration has presided over the most significant private investment period in the nation’s energy history, attributing this achievement to institutional stability, legal certainty, and a business climate optimally configured for sustainable development.

  • Column: Regelmatig wandelen

    Column: Regelmatig wandelen

    Thousands of Surinamese citizens from all age groups undertook an extraordinary predawn pilgrimage across the Wijdenboschbridge on January 8th, transforming the infrastructure project into the nation’s largest participatory fitness event. The annual walking tradition saw participants converging on Commewijne as early as 5:00 AM, with all attendees required to commence their journey by 7:00 AM, demonstrating remarkable dedication to this increasingly popular wellness ritual.

    This massive turnout reveals a substantial public demand for accessible physical activities that current offerings fail to satisfy. While the bridge walk has successfully mobilized citizens who might otherwise remain sedentary, its current format as a standalone annual event represents a missed opportunity for broader public health advancement.

    Organizational stakeholders, particularly the national athletics association, could leverage this demonstrated enthusiasm to develop structured movement initiatives. Practical constraints understandably prevent frequent bridge closures, but alternative approaches could replicate the event’s success through decentralized community-based programs.

    A proposed framework suggests regular neighborhood walking events organized at the ressort level, complemented by quarterly district-wide gatherings. Such structured programming would provide ongoing mental health benefits through stress reduction while simultaneously addressing Suriname’s growing obesity concerns.

    The consistent thousands-strong participation indicates deep-seated public appetite for organized physical activity. Rather than relying solely on government coordination, neighborhood associations and non-governmental organizations could spearhead these initiatives, potentially transforming a singular annual phenomenon into sustained movement supporting national physical and mental wellbeing.

  • WIN, FGM slam govt’s plan to settle foreigners from US

    WIN, FGM slam govt’s plan to settle foreigners from US

    Guyana’s political landscape erupted in controversy as two major opposition parties vehemently condemned the government’s clandestine negotiations with the Trump administration regarding the settlement of third-country nationals from the United States.

    The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) issued separate statements on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, castigating President Irfaan Ali’s administration for engaging in talks about accepting deportees or refugees without parliamentary oversight or national consultation. Both parties characterized the negotiations as a fundamental breach of democratic principles and national sovereignty.

    FGM denounced the potential agreement as a ‘direct affront to the sovereignty of the Guyanese people,’ particularly given the absence of a functioning Parliament to provide legislative scrutiny. The party emphasized that any policy substantially altering Guyana’s demographic composition or imposing new social responsibilities must undergo rigorous parliamentary debate and national consultation.

    Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud confirmed on January 5 that ‘productive discussions’ were underway with the US to establish a ‘framework of understanding’ consistent with Guyana’s national priorities while supporting US objectives. This initiative forms part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to relocate unwanted migrants, with several Caribbean nations including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Belize having already signed similar agreements.

    The opposition parties raised multifaceted concerns spanning security, economic, and social dimensions. FGM challenged the government to disclose the agreement’s contents publicly, subject it to parliamentary debate, and conduct comprehensive security and economic impact assessments. Critical questions emerged regarding the verification systems for migrant backgrounds, administrative oversight mechanisms, and the potential strain on Guyana’s already stretched infrastructure.

    WIN explicitly rejected supporting any agreement until the government provides full disclosure, ensures parliamentary oversight, and presents a clear plan prioritizing Guyanese citizens’ well-being. The party highlighted the existing pressure from over 100,000 Venezuelan migrants on hospitals, schools, housing, and essential services, questioning how additional influxes would be managed.

    Both opposition groups demanded transparency regarding financial contributions from the US, long-term integration plans, housing arrangements, and the potential diversion of resources from Guyanese citizens already facing challenges in accessing land and affordable homes. The parties insisted that any demographic transformation affecting the nation’s future stability and security must not be decided through secretive negotiations without clear disclosure to the Guyanese people.

  • IAD launches national program to regularize occupied state lands

    IAD launches national program to regularize occupied state lands

    SANTO DOMINGO – The Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD) has unveiled a comprehensive national initiative to address longstanding issues of irregular land occupation across the country. Under the leadership of interim director general Darío Castillo Lugo, the institution announced the National Program for the Regularization of IAD Land Occupations, designed to bring legal clarity to thousands of undocumented land holdings.

    This ambitious program represents a cornerstone of the IAD’s institutional transformation efforts, operating within the legal framework of the Agrarian Reform Law. The initiative seeks to establish enhanced legal security for land tenure, create transparent management protocols for state-owned land assets, and foster systematic territorial development that aligns with sustainable practices.

    Prospective participants have been granted an extensive application window stretching from January 12, 2026, through April 17, 2026. All submissions must be processed exclusively through the dedicated digital portal at regularizacion.iad.gob.do. The application requirements are comprehensive, mandating the presentation of documented evidence of land occupancy, detailed records of agricultural or livestock operations, financial documentation, proof of property enhancements, and authorization for technical surveys to facilitate thorough evaluation.

    The IAD has issued a clear warning regarding post-deadline consequences: properties that remain outside the regularization process will face legal reclamation procedures in strict accordance with prevailing legislation. Importantly, the program specifically excludes agrarian reform beneficiaries holding provisional titles, who will instead be serviced through the separately announced National Program for Definitive Titling of Agrarian Reform Landowners revealed in December 2025.

  • Army seizes 100,000 contraband cigarettes in Dajabón

    Army seizes 100,000 contraband cigarettes in Dajabón

    In a targeted intelligence operation, Dominican military forces have intercepted a massive shipment of contraband cigarettes near the nation’s northern border with Haiti. The successful mission resulted in the confiscation of 100,000 illicit cigarette units in Dajabón province, marking a significant blow to cross-border smuggling networks.

    The operation was initiated following intelligence reports indicating the movement of illegal merchandise into Dominican territory. Personnel from military intelligence services collaborated with members of the 10th Infantry Battalion to execute the strategic intervention. The operation focused on the Colonia Japonesa sector, specifically targeting the vicinity of a residence linked to an individual known by the alias ‘Buchín’.

    As military forces approached the location, multiple Haitian nationals were intercepted at the scene. The primary suspect, Buchín, managed to evade capture by fleeing upon detecting the military presence. The abandoned contraband consisted of 10 large boxes containing Capital-brand cigarettes, with each box holding 50 packages of 200 units, culminating in the substantial seizure of 100,000 cigarettes.

    The confiscated merchandise has been securely transported to the headquarters of the 10th Infantry Battalion, where it remains in military custody pending formal legal proceedings. Dominican Army officials emphasized their ongoing commitment to combating illicit activities along the border region through coordinated operations with various state institutions.

    The military command reiterated its strategic focus on protecting national sovereignty and maintaining legal order in border areas through continuous intelligence-driven operations against smuggling networks and other illegal cross-border activities.

  • Agriculture : World Bank, School Feeding Program Evaluation Mission

    Agriculture : World Bank, School Feeding Program Evaluation Mission

    A comprehensive evaluation mission conducted by the World Bank in collaboration with multiple international agencies has assessed the progress of Haiti’s innovative school feeding initiatives under the Resilient Agriculture for Food Security Project (PARSA). The December 2025 mission to Grand’Anse Department involved representatives from the World Bank, PARSA coordination team, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and World Food Programme (WFP) examining the implementation of various project components with particular emphasis on school nutrition programs.

    The assessment focused on operational functionality of school canteens and meal quality standards for students across the region. Since the 2023-2024 academic year, PARSA has significantly expanded its school feeding coverage, now benefiting over 125,000 students across Nippes, Sud, Grande Anse, and Centre Departments through two distinct implementation models.

    The primary model, serving 95% of beneficiary students, utilizes a decentralized local purchasing system where WFP partners with cooperating organizations to source supplies directly from agricultural producer organizations within the project’s intervention zone. This approach simultaneously addresses child nutrition while stimulating local agricultural economies.

    A particularly innovative pilot model in Chambellan and Moron communes grants substantial autonomy to canteen workers who receive fixed per-meal allocations and manage local market purchases and meal preparation independently. This stock-free approach requires daily market purchases by canteen workers who earn income based on dish pricing and actual preparation expenses rather than receiving direct compensation.

    The evaluation included site visits to Saint-Joseph National Congregational Girls’ School in Moron and Bon Berger College in Chambellan, enabling year-over-year progress assessment. Through the PARSA framework, WFP and Haiti’s Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR) are collaboratively strengthening the national school feeding system while bolstering local economic networks.

    During the 2024-2025 academic year, WFP’s comprehensive funding approach, including PARSA resources, provided daily school meals to approximately 600,000 children across 10 departments, with nearly 400,000 beneficiaries receiving meals sourced exclusively from local food systems.

  • Guyana can withstand oil price decline if US sells Venezuela’s crude

    Guyana can withstand oil price decline if US sells Venezuela’s crude

    Amidst global oil price fluctuations, Guyana’s burgeoning petroleum sector demonstrates resilience against potential market pressures from US marketing of Venezuelan crude. Business analyst Christopher Ram asserts that while increased Venezuelan oil supplies could drive prices down to the early $50s range—representing a 12-15% decline—Guyana’s simultaneous production scaling will counteract revenue impacts through volume increases.

    ExxonMobil’s current Stabroek Block operations yield approximately 900,000 barrels daily from Liza 1, Liza 2, and Payara developments. The consortium, including China National Overseas Oil Corporation and Chevron, anticipates reaching 1.7 million barrels per day by 2029 as additional projects (Uaru, Whiptail, Longtail, and Hammerhead) commence operations. Ram emphasizes that Venezuela’s heavy crude presents no direct competitive threat to Guyana’s premium light sweet oil due to fundamental quality differences.

    The market context reveals significant oversupply concerns, with Brent crude closing at $59.96 per barrel on January 7, 2026—well below Guyana’s projected $71.90 average for the previous year. Actual 2025 prices averaged $69.00 annually, declining from January’s $79 peak to December’s $63 low—the weakest monthly performance since early 2021.

    Meanwhile, civil society activists including Ram and Vanda Radzik staged symbolic protests near the US Embassy in Kingston, condemning the military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The demonstration, constrained by police barriers, featured accusations of US oil-motivated interventionism and demands for evidence regarding narco-terrorism charges against Maduro. Radzik characterized the operation as undermining Caribbean peace initiatives and regional sovereignty.

    International relations expert Professor Mark Kirton warns that Venezuelan production resurgence could introduce competitive pressures within an already saturated market, potentially affecting Guyana’s revenue streams. However, energy analysts note that substantial investment in Venezuela’s deteriorated infrastructure remains prerequisite to significant output restoration, creating natural market buffers for Guyana’s continued development.

  • Antonio Taveras pushes asset recovery in SENASA corruption case

    Antonio Taveras pushes asset recovery in SENASA corruption case

    SANTO DOMINGO – In a significant move against public corruption, Senator Antonio Taveras has formally petitioned the Public Prosecutor’s Office to implement the Law of Extinction of Ownership regarding the high-profile SENASA (National Health Insurance) corruption case. Representing Santo Domingo province, the senator seeks expedited recovery of public funds allegedly embezzled from the national healthcare system.

    The senator’s legal submission emphasizes the extraordinary nature of the case, noting that stolen resources were specifically allocated for public health services, thereby disproportionately harming the nation’s most vulnerable citizens. While explicitly acknowledging the constitutional autonomy of prosecutors, Taveras maintained that asset recovery represents an urgent parallel process that can proceed independently of criminal prosecutions.

    Legal grounds for the petition cite multiple alleged violations including systematic fraud against the state, blatant embezzlement schemes, utilization of front men to conceal ownership, inexplicable asset accumulation by officials, and irregular financial operations. Taveras underscored that public outrage demands not merely criminal convictions but full restitution of diverted funds.

    The senator concluded that recovered assets must be channeled back into the national health infrastructure to restore critical services, including essential medicine access and medical treatments for Dominican citizens who suffered from the alleged corruption.

  • Inside the Collapse of American Northwest University

    Inside the Collapse of American Northwest University

    A promising medical education pathway has disintegrated into chaos as American Northwest University (ANU) in Belmopan, Belize, has abruptly ceased operations, leaving dozens of aspiring physicians in academic and financial limbo. The institution, which aggressively marketed itself as an accredited international medical school offering U.S. clinical rotations, now stands abandoned with its campus chained shut and devoid of staff or academic activities.

    The crisis deepened when Belize’s Ministry of Education confirmed that ANU’s operating charter expired in June 2024 and was never renewed. This revelation came amid emerging legal complications involving a senior figure associated with the institution. According to Becker’s ASC Review, an Illinois physician faces charges exceeding $1 million in alleged Medicaid and Medicare fraud, including permitting an unlicensed individual described as a medical student from a non-certified institution to treat patients during his absence from the country.

    Education Minister Francis Fonseca acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating: “We believe this matter will be resolved very quickly. The reality is that the university’s charter expired and was not renewed because they failed to meet the terms and conditions.” The ministry is now collaborating with the University of Belize, which recently established its own medical school, to facilitate potential student transfers.

    Despite these efforts, affected students report losing thousands of dollars in tuition and years of academic investment without refunds or formal notification. Compounding their distress, many fear speaking publicly after receiving legal threats from university representatives warning of defamation action. The institution’s director allegedly claimed to possess evidence of legitimacy despite operating without valid authorization for over eighteen months.

    The complete absence of transparency, coupled with the ministry’s delayed response, has created an environment of uncertainty and apprehension among international medical students whose career aspirations now hang in precarious balance as investigations continue.