Carib Scope

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  • 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.

  • Eight-Year-Old ‘Lucky to Walk Again’ After Being Struck by Motorcycle

    Eight-Year-Old ‘Lucky to Walk Again’ After Being Struck by Motorcycle

    A severe traffic incident involving an eight-year-old student has ignited urgent conversations about road safety measures near educational institutions. Karter Benedit, a second-grade pupil at Holy Family RC Primary School, sustained significant injuries when a motorcycle struck him in Hopkins Village this past Tuesday. The accident occurred shortly after school dismissal as Benedit was crossing the street alongside classmates.

    Emergency services transported the critically injured child to Southern Regional Hospital where medical personnel performed immediate surgical interventions. Benedit’s mother, Dydy Martinez, provided disturbing details regarding her son’s condition, noting visible muscle tissue exposure in his leg and multiple deep lacerations requiring approximately fifteen stitches across his back and head. Additionally, the young victim suffered substantial facial swelling and extensive abrasions.

    Medical professionals indicated the family should consider themselves extraordinarily fortunate, as the boy’s white tissue—likely referring to bone or deep connective tissue—remained intact despite the traumatic impact. Specialists emphasized that damage to this critical anatomical structure could have resulted in permanent mobility impairment.

    Law enforcement authorities have detained the motorcycle operator pending formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision. The victim’s family has publicly criticized the absence of adequate safety protocols near the school premises, specifically highlighting the lack of crossing guards and necessary traffic calming infrastructure like speed bumps. This incident has amplified existing concerns about vehicular compliance with school zone regulations and enforcement effectiveness.

  • Hotel says sewage plant meets standards amid residents’ concerns

    Hotel says sewage plant meets standards amid residents’ concerns

    Royalton Hotels and Resorts has publicly addressed mounting concerns regarding the construction of a new sewage treatment plant for its Royalton Vessence Barbados resort in Holetown. During a media briefing on Tuesday, company executives assured the public that the facility will adhere to Barbados’ rigorous environmental regulations, which they claim exceed regional standards.

    Executive Vice-President Daniel Diaz confirmed that construction along Highway 1 would conclude within approximately ten days if work proceeds expeditiously. The project involves implementing traffic management measures to facilitate the installation of new utility lines for the hotel development. Diaz emphasized that all construction strictly follows previously approved plans presented during a 2020 town hall meeting, with no subsequent modifications made to the original design.

    While acknowledging suggestions to relocate the treatment facility, Diaz defended its current placement as necessary for upgrading infrastructure in an area that has experienced limited development over the past twenty years. The executive detailed the advanced features of the planned facility, describing it as a state-of-the-art, enclosed system equipped with odor control and noise reduction technology.

    Dr. William Duguid, Senior Minister for Coordinating Infrastructural Projects, provided context regarding the West Coast’s wastewater management challenges. Unlike Bridgetown and the South Coast—which benefit from a central sewage treatment plant serving approximately 4,000 customers—the West Coast lacks a comprehensive sewer system. Dr. Duguid noted that several prominent properties along the coast, including Glitter Bay, Sandy Lane, Mullins, and St. Peter’s Bay, already operate individual treatment plants without incident.

    The timing of construction during peak tourist season raised additional concerns about potential disruptions to nearby hospitality businesses. Diaz acknowledged these challenges but explained that the scale of the resort development made the scheduling unavoidable. Royalton’s technical team has conducted assessments indicating that noise and dust impacts will remain minimal throughout the construction phase.

  • The difficulties and the much that remains to be done continue to be the guiding principles of the Revolution

    The difficulties and the much that remains to be done continue to be the guiding principles of the Revolution

    On the 67th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution’s triumphant entry into Havana, the nation reflects on Fidel Castro’s enduring legacy amidst contemporary geopolitical pressures. January 8, 1959, marked the historic moment when Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz led the Caravan of Liberty through the capital, greeted by millions of citizens celebrating what they perceived as their ultimate independence.

    This year’s commemoration coincides with the centenary of Castro’s birth, reviving his prophetic warnings about the difficulties inherent in revolutionary governance. His famous address—’Tyranny has been overthrown. The joy is immense. And yet, much remains to be done’—resonates profoundly in current circumstances, as Cuba faces renewed external pressures and internal challenges.

    The article draws parallels between historical and contemporary struggles, emphasizing how the United States has persistently attempted to undermine Cuba’s revolutionary project through various means. Recent developments in Venezuela, including alleged military aggression and the political targeting of President Nicolás Maduro, are presented as evidence of continued imperial ambitions in the region.

    Despite these challenges, the piece emphasizes Cuba’s resilience, attributing its endurance to the ideological foundation established by Castro and the revolutionary generation. The narrative portrays Cuba as maintaining its commitment to sovereignty and resistance against foreign domination, with Castro’s teachings continuing to guide the nation’s response to contemporary adversities.

    The commemoration serves as both a historical reflection and a call to action, invoking José Martí’s concept of ‘Our America’ while reaffirming Cuba’s revolutionary principles in the face of modern geopolitical realities.

  • Motorcycle Accidents Renew Safety Concerns

    Motorcycle Accidents Renew Safety Concerns

    A disturbing pattern of motorcycle accidents in Belize has sparked urgent national concern and prompted government action in the opening days of 2026. The recent tragedies include the fatal collision involving Brian Miguel, who was thrown from his motorbike during an incident with a Ford F-150 on the George Price Highway on January 3rd. In a separate incident, eight-year-old Karter Benedit of Hopkins Village remains hospitalized after being struck by a motorcycle while crossing the street after school.

    These incidents have intensified calls for comprehensive road safety reforms, particularly emphasizing protection for pedestrians in school zones and addressing concerns about reckless riding practices. The alarming frequency of these events has highlighted the severe consequences for both riders and vulnerable road users.

    In response to the growing crisis, Transport CEO Chester Williams revealed that Cabinet is actively reviewing enhanced motorcycle safety measures. The proposed initiatives include overhauling training requirements with government subsidies for riders. Under the contemplated system, experienced riders with 2-5 years of infraction-free operation would undergo partial training, while new applicants and those with less than two years of experience would complete comprehensive government-subsidized training programs.

    Williams confirmed that the Ministry of Transport has prepared an information paper for Cabinet consideration at next week’s meeting, which is expected to provide definitive direction on motorcycle training protocols. The Transport CEO emphasized that Prime Minister himself recognizes the essential nature of proper training, indicating strong governmental support for these initiatives.

    Enforcement measures will also be significantly strengthened with Cabinet approval for additional traffic officers, aiming to expand the department to approximately 200 personnel capable of conducting 24-hour highway enforcement. The enhanced enforcement capabilities will include advanced equipment such as body cameras for officers, dashboard cameras for vehicles, speed detection devices, and breathalyzers to comprehensively address traffic safety concerns.

  • Civil Aviation Pushes Forward on Drone Regulations

    Civil Aviation Pushes Forward on Drone Regulations

    The Belize Department of Civil Aviation (BDCA) has initiated a comprehensive review of national drone regulations following substantial feedback from industry operators and stakeholders. Director Nigel Carter confirmed the agency is actively revising existing frameworks through an ongoing consultation process that will include open public meetings.

    This regulatory overhaul represents a significant development for Belize’s expanding drone community, balancing operational flexibility with national security requirements. The BDCA emphasizes that while recognizing drones as legitimate commercial tools, the primary objective remains ensuring safe integration with manned aviation within Belize’s airspace.

    Carter outlined specific criteria for effective stakeholder participation, stating concerns must be accompanied by alternative proposals rather than general objections. The department employs a rigorous risk assessment methodology for each substantiated concern, implementing changes only when safety standards remain uncompromised.

    The forthcoming regulations aim to establish structured operational parameters for commercial and recreational drone usage while addressing national security priorities. Industry participants anticipate these developments will provide clearer operational guidelines while maintaining safety protocols essential for Belize’s aviation ecosystem.

  • Public Pressure Forces Thirteenth Amendment Withdrawal

    Public Pressure Forces Thirteenth Amendment Withdrawal

    In a significant policy reversal, the Belizean government has officially withdrawn its proposed Thirteenth Amendment to the constitution following substantial public opposition. The controversial legislation, which had sparked nationwide debate, faced mounting criticism from civil society organizations and citizens who argued the measures would undermine civil liberties while failing to address fundamental crime prevention strategies.

    The National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) emerged as a leading voice against the amendment, consistently warning that the proposed changes would disproportionately impact ordinary citizens rather than enhance community safety. NTUCB President Ella Waight confirmed the government’s decision, revealing that Prime Minister John Briceño has committed to pursuing alternative legislative approaches through modifications to the criminal code instead of constitutional amendments.

    According to Waight, the revised approach will require any state of emergency (SOE) declarations to receive approval through the National Security Council, creating a more inclusive and progressive framework for addressing security concerns. This procedural change aims to prevent ordinary citizens from becoming inadvertently entangled in security operations while conducting their daily activities.

    The government’s retreat represents a notable victory for civic engagement in Belize, demonstrating how sustained public pressure can influence policymaking at the highest levels. The development underscores the continuing tension between security measures and civil liberties in addressing crime-related challenges across the nation.