Carib Scope

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  • Overleg tussen presidenten Simons en Ali over economie en wateroverlast

    Overleg tussen presidenten Simons en Ali over economie en wateroverlast

    In a recent virtual high-level meeting held on 15 May, the heads of state of neighboring South American nations Suriname and Guyana convened to address pressing shared challenges and advance bilateral collaboration, bringing renewed momentum to regional integration efforts.

    Suriname President Jennifer Simons and Guyana President Irfaan Ali centered a large portion of their discussion on the growing, interconnected impacts of climate change that have recently disrupted both countries, particularly the severe flooding events that have impacted communities and infrastructure across border regions. Both leaders emphasized that climate-driven hazards do not recognize national boundaries, making coordinated cross-border action a necessity rather than an option. To move this agenda forward, the two presidents agreed that their respective public works ministries will hold follow-up technical-level consultations to coordinate infrastructure adaptations and collective flood mitigation strategies.

    Beyond climate and disaster response, the summit also focused heavily on deepening bilateral socioeconomic cooperation across multiple strategic sectors. Oil and gas, a rapidly growing industry that has transformed Guyana’s economy in recent years and holds significant untapped potential for Suriname, was highlighted as a key area for mutually beneficial partnership that can drive long-term sustainable growth for both nations. The meeting also covered other core cross-border issues, including fisheries management and commercial navigation access along the Corantijn River, which forms the shared border between the two countries. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing constructive, dialogue-driven solutions rooted in mutual respect that prioritize the well-being of all citizens on both sides of the border.

    A major long-term infrastructure priority, the construction of a fixed bridge connecting Suriname and Guyana, also featured prominently on the summit agenda. Leaders from both nations framed the permanent cross-river connection as a transformative project that will unlock new opportunities for expanded bilateral trade, grow cross-border tourism, strengthen regional integration, and accelerate inclusive economic development across the region. President Simons noted that following the completion of internal national consultations, additional talks will be held to advance all agenda items, ensuring that next steps are planned carefully through joint collaboration.

    As a concrete outcome of the productive talks, the two countries agreed to hold the next meeting of the Suriname-Guyana Strategic Dialogue and Cooperation Platform in the near term. They also committed to actively engaging the private sector in all future cooperation processes, recognizing the central role that entrepreneurs and investors play in driving sustained economic development and job creation in both countries.

    According to Suriname’s Communication Service, the entire meeting took place in a warm, constructive atmosphere that reaffirmed the deep historical ties and longstanding positive bilateral relationship between the two neighboring nations.

  • Kickstart Rush thrash Gall Hill to move into third

    Kickstart Rush thrash Gall Hill to move into third

    As the Barbados Football Association (BFA) Premier League enters its final stretch, title hopefuls Kickstart Rush have reignited their bid for a coveted top-three finish after a dominant 4-0 win over Eyre’s Meat Shop Pride of Gall Hill in a rescheduled Thursday fixture at the BFA Technical Centre in Wildey. The three points propelled Kickstart up the table into third place with a total of 30 points, shifting previous third-place side Brittons Hill United down to fourth on 29 points, with Ellerton trailing just one point behind in fifth. Gall Hill, currently competing in just their second season back in the top flight, remain stuck in seventh position on 16 points after a second consecutive defeat.

    After a tightly contested first half, Jaylan Gilkes broke the deadlock for Kickstart in the 41st minute, sending the Wildey-based side into halftime with a narrow lead. The team turned up the pressure after the break, putting on a rampant attacking display that delivered three more goals to seal the emphatic rout. Nathan Skeete doubled the advantage in the 57th minute, Jamarco Johnson extended the lead further 11 minutes later, and Romario Drakes put the finishing touches on the win with a fourth goal in the 85th minute.

    In the late nightcap fixture, UWI Blackbirds notched their second straight victory with a dramatic 2-1 win over already-relegated Wotton, decided by a stunning last-minute counterattack goal. Wotton, who cannot avoid dropping down to Division One for the next season, drew first blood in the 52nd minute through a finish from Amari Small, and held their lead until Shaine Hermas leveled the score for UWI in the 74th minute.

    Deep into fifth minute of stoppage time, with Wotton still pushing for what would be just their third win of a difficult season, goalkeeper Raheem Agard pushed forward to join his teammates for a late corner kick. While pressing for a late winner, Wotton surrendered possession, and the ball broke to Teon Cadogan inside his own half. With the Wotton goalkeeper well out of position, Cadogan struck a spectacular long-range effort that found the empty net to secure all three points for UWI. The win lifts UWI to sixth place in the table on 19 points, capping an inconsistent season for the side that has been disrupted by multiple key player departures.

    The penultimate matchweek of the season kicks off this Sunday at Wildey, with the tight title race remaining the main focus. Defending champions Weymouth Wales currently sit atop the table on 34 points, holding just a one-point lead over second-place Paradise on 33 points. Kickstart Rush (30 points) and Brittons Hill United (29 points) round out the top four, all still vying for the valuable top-three finish.

    Sunday’s opening fixture will see Kickstart face relegation-bound St Andrew Lions at 4 p.m., with the side desperate to secure another three crucial points to hold their third-place spot. If Kickstart drops points, Brittons Hill will get the chance to reclaim third when they face Wotton at 6 p.m. Despite already being confirmed for relegation, Wotton has shown no willingness to roll over, leaving Brittons Hill bracing for a surprisingly tricky encounter.

    The final match of the day will pit league leaders Weymouth Wales against UWI Blackbirds at 8 p.m. Wales know that three more wins will be enough to retain their Premier League crown. Both sides have navigated constant matchday squad changes throughout the season due to a mix of injuries and player departures, but Wales enter the fixture as clear favorites.

    Adding extra complexity to the title race, a bush fire in the Wildey area last Sunday forced multiple match postponements. Weymouth Wales will now face Kickstart Rush in a later rescheduled fixture, while second-place Paradise will also have a critical postponed clash with Brittons Hill to come, keeping the race for both the title and top-three spots wide open.

  • Education officials probe alleged assault of student at school

    Education officials probe alleged assault of student at school

    A controversial incident of alleged corporal violence against a young primary school student has triggered an official probe by Saint Lucia’s Department of Education and Digital Transformation, and sparked growing community tensions that forced a school shutdown this week.

    According to an official statement released by the department Friday, the alleged assault took place on May 8 at a local urban primary school, where a second-grade student is reported to have been struck by a classroom teacher, resulting in a nasal injury. Three days after the incident, on May 11, the student’s mother lodged a formal complaint first with school leadership, then directly with the Department of Education. Sources close to the situation confirm the mother has expressed open dissatisfaction with the early responses she received from school authorities, amplifying public attention to the case.

    As community frustration over the incident has mounted, St Lucia Times has verified that escalating tensions in the student’s local neighborhood have resulted in unconfirmed reports of threats directed at the accused teacher and senior school administrators. In response to these security concerns, the school chose to remain fully closed to all students and staff this Friday.

    In its official public address, the Department of Education confirmed it had opened a full investigation into the allegation, noting that it takes the welfare of all enrolled students as its non-negotiable top priority. Department officials reaffirmed their ongoing commitment to upholding public trust in the national education system, adding that school administration activated standard response protocols immediately after being notified of the incident, including arranging a full medical evaluation for the injured child. Early official assessments confirm the student did not sustain life-altering or permanent serious injury, the department stated.

    A full, transparent investigation is currently underway, with the department already holding preliminary consultation sessions with all involved parties to ensure the matter is resolved with the gravity and care it requires. The department also explicitly reiterated its long-standing opposition to any form of corporal punishment in Saint Lucian schools, a practice that has been legally banned across all educational institutions in the country since May 1, 2020. The department stressed that protecting both the physical and mental well-being of every student remains a core institutional mandate.

    While acknowledging the legitimacy of parental and community concerns over the incident, department officials issued a clear appeal for the public to avoid spreading unsubstantiated claims or issuing threats against school principals, teachers, and other personnel. The statement, signed by Chief Education Officer Beverly Dieudionne, warns that harassment and extrajudicial threats risk undermining the impartiality of the ongoing investigation and violating the legal privacy rights of all individuals connected to the case.

    The department also reminded parents and guardians of the formal, structured grievance process for addressing school-related concerns: issues should first be raised with the school’s principal, before being escalated to the District Education Officer and ultimately the Chief Education Officer if satisfactory resolution is not achieved. “Our schools must remain safe, secure spaces for principals, teachers, students, and ancillary staff alike. We appeal to all stakeholders to allow the investigation process to conclude without outside interference,” the statement read.

    In closing, the department reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the values of transparency, accountability, and professionalism throughout the probe, and pledged to protect the rights and dignity of every person involved in the case.

  • NISSS expands EZPay+, SurePay access for self-employed

    NISSS expands EZPay+, SurePay access for self-employed

    Barbados has taken a landmark step to close a long-standing gap in its national social safety net, launching round-the-clock digital payment options for National Insurance contributions that remove major barriers to social security coverage for the country’s large self-employed workforce. Labour, Social Security and Third Sector Minister Colin Jordan made the announcement at the official launch of the “Self-Employed and Secure” community engagement initiative in Speightstown, St Peter, framing the reform as the start of a new era of equitable financial protection for independent workers across the island.

    Effective immediately, self-employed contributors can make National Insurance payments through two integrated platforms: the government’s native EZPay+ portal and commercial bill payment service SurePay. Both platforms operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, eliminating the logistical hurdles that have kept thousands of independent workers outside the social security system for decades.

    Jordan emphasized that flexible, anytime-anywhere payments are not just a matter of added convenience for self-employed workers—they are a practical necessity. Unlike traditional formal employment tied to a 9-to-5 office schedule, independent work spans irregular hours across sectors from taxi driving and fishing to artisanal craft and creative industries. “No more disrupting your schedule or your earning of money. You can now, in the middle of the night, sit on your bed or at your dining room table and make your payments,” Jordan said, adding that the reform ensures every working Barbadian, regardless of their work model, can access the protection they deserve.

    The policy change comes as the National Insurance Scheme faces urgent long-term sustainability challenges. A recent 17th Actuarial Review delivered a sobering projection: if the contributor base does not expand significantly, the National Insurance Fund could be fully depleted by 2034. When Jordan took office, official data showed only 12 percent of Barbados’s self-employed population actively contributed to the fund—a gap the current administration has refused to delay addressing.

    “As a government, we decided we would not do the politically expedient thing and kick the can down the road. Once we recognised we had a challenge, we did what former Prime Minister Owen Arthur would say: you face it and you fix it,” Jordan noted. “We are addressing the sustainability of the fund because our self-employed are too valuable to be left to ad hoc relief.”

    In additional support for self-employed workers who have fallen behind on past contributions, the new digital system also allows payments for prior coverage years. Workers can now make up missed contributions for 2024 and 2025, alongside current 2026 payments, allowing them to build up their eligibility for future benefits without losing credit for past work. “Every year counts, and this facility allows you to add those missing weeks to your foundation,” the minister explained.

    Jordan praised the courage and creativity of Barbadian self-employed workers, who “bet on themselves” every day to grow the island’s economy. But he stressed that hard work alone cannot serve as a retirement plan, and ad hoc emergency assistance is not a substitute for comprehensive social security. Lessons from past crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Beryl, have made clear the devastating human cost of leaving independent workers without a financial safety net, he added.

    “The National Insurance Scheme exists precisely so no self-employed person has to face a crisis without a firm foundation,” Jordan said. “I encourage all of you: do not wait until something happens. Join up, sign up, and participate.”

  • Self-employed unit expands reach to thousands – NISSS

    Self-employed unit expands reach to thousands – NISSS

    Barbados’ National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS) has announced a landmark milestone for its specialized Self-Employed Unit, revealing that more than 3,000 independent workers have signed up for national social security coverage in just over 14 months since the initiative launched. Officials made the announcement Friday during a celebratory ceremony held at Speightstown Esplanade, where they detailed the community-centered strategy driving the program’s rapid growth and unveiled new flexible payment options tailored to the unique needs of self-employed workers.

    Alethea Thomas, acting project manager of the Self-Employed Unit, presented the official progress update at the event, breaking down the results of the unit’s ground-up outreach approach launched on March 17, 2025. By the end of the program’s first full year, 3,039 self-employed Barbadians had completed new registrations, with a sharp late surge pushing totals even higher. Thomas shared that April 2026 alone saw 678 total processed registrations, including 543 first-time sign-ups and 135 reactivations of lapsed coverage, a result she credited to the unit’s intentional, community-facing model.

    Unlike traditional social security outreach that relies on centralized bureaucratic offices, the NISSS initiative has shifted to meet independent workers where they already operate. To date, the team has hosted 28 interactive workshops and community sessions across every part of the island, connecting directly with street vendors, skilled tradespeople, creative professionals and other independent workers in their daily work environments. What started as a registration drive has evolved into a long-term relationship-building framework, Thomas explained, that has made NISSS more visible, accessible and trusted among the self-employed community than ever before in the institution’s history.

    A key new rollout announced at the ceremony is flexible payment terms designed to accommodate the irregular, fluctuating income streams that are common for independent workers. The initiative’s 15 field officers, all recruited from the local communities they now serve, have been central to the program’s success, Thomas noted, adding that their existing connections to the populations they engage with has helped break down barriers to registration.

    Thomas emphasized that the self-employed workforce, whose members make a deliberate choice to “bet on themselves” through independent work, deserve the same long-term social protection that traditional employees access through the national insurance system. “The self-employed persons of Barbados work hard, and they make the necessary sacrifices for themselves, living on their own terms through skill, labour, creativity, and courage that deserves to be honoured,” Thomas told attendees. “What we are offering through the NISSS is the assurance that that hard work pays off, not just today, but for the rest of their lives — that the years of hard work and hustle will lead to somewhere safe, secure, and worry-free.”

    She added that every Barbadian, regardless of whether they work for an employer or run their own business, is entitled to financial security during retirement. “Every Barbadian, whether employee or self-employed, deserves those golden years, and it is the mission of the Self-Employed Unit to assure this.” Immediately following the ceremony, the unit’s field officers departed for new outreach stops in Six Men’s Bay and Mile-and-a-Quarter in St Peter, continuing the ongoing registration drive to reach remaining unregistered self-employed workers across the island.

  • Students eye non-traditional careers at national showcase

    Students eye non-traditional careers at national showcase

    As secondary school students across Barbados increasingly turn away from long-established conventional professions to explore unconventional vocational paths, the Barbados Association of Guidance Counsellors (BAGC) has broadened its industry partnerships to meet this shifting demand. The expansion was announced Friday by BAGC president Sharnell Clarke, during the opening of the association’s 19th National Career Showcase, hosted this year at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill.

    Clarke noted that while core traditional careers including law, medicine, and education still draw significant student interest, a clear divergence in vocational preferences has emerged in recent years. To reflect this changing landscape, organizers this year added non-traditional roles to the showcase lineup – including a professional fruit carving artist, one of the creative vocational paths that has piqued growing curiosity among attending students.

    “More young people are actively broadening their horizons and opening themselves up to career options their parents or older generations rarely considered,” Clarke explained in an interview on site. “That’s why we worked to bring in representatives from every corner of Barbados’ economy, from skilled creative trades to public service roles that many students have never gotten the chance to learn about first-hand.”

    This year’s showcase brought together 70 distinct organizations spanning virtually every major sector of the Barbadian economy: finance, insurance, education, medical and mental health, business development, entrepreneurship, tourism, agriculture, animal control, food nutrition, and skilled creative trades. Even niche public service sectors got a spot in the event: the Barbados Police Service brought representatives from its canine unit and traffic division, while the national agriculture ministry featured six separate departments to introduce students to roles in agribusiness and rural development. For sports-inclined students, Barbados’ iconic cricket legends were also on hand to walk attendees through what it takes to build a professional career in competitive sports. BAGC also hosted its own exhibition, to demystify the work of guidance counsellors and encourage students interested in education and mental health to consider the profession themselves.

    Unlike past years, when the showcase opened to secondary students from third to sixth form, resource constraints – including limited event space and tightened funding – forced organizers to refocus the event exclusively on third-form students. This demographic, Clarke explained, is at a critical career juncture: they are just weeks away from selecting specialized subjects for their fourth and fifth form studies, a choice that directly shapes their future post-graduation vocational options.

    All secondary schools across the island were invited to send their third-form cohorts, including the specialized Derrick Smith School and Vocational Centre. According to Clarke, the core mission of the annual showcase is to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world work, giving students access to professionals and industries that most would never encounter in their daily school lives.

    “For most young people, there’s no way to learn what a typical day looks like in an unfamiliar career until you actually talk to someone who does that work every day,” Clarke said. “This event gives them that chance: they can ask questions, get behind-the-scenes insight, and even discover entirely new careers they never knew existed before.”

    Clarke added that a national, centralized showcase offers unique value that smaller, individual school career fairs cannot match. As an island-wide association, BAGC has the resources and network to bring together a far wider range of professions under one roof, giving every attending student access to a broader scope of vocational opportunities no matter what school they attend.

  • Belize Coast Guard Gets 49 New Recruits

    Belize Coast Guard Gets 49 New Recruits

    On May 15, 2026, the Belize Coast Guard welcomed 49 freshly trained service members into its ranks at an official graduation ceremony held at the organization’s Belize City headquarters. These new recruits, part of the service’s Recruit Intake #12, completed 13 weeks of grueling military training that transformed them from ordinary civilians into disciplined national guardians.

    The ceremony marked a major personal and professional turning point for every graduate, who left their civilian lives behind to commit to national security service. In a keynote address, Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis, the top leader of the Belize Coast Guard, congratulated the new service members on their remarkable achievement.

    “Three months ago, the men and women standing before you arrived at this institution as civilians, young people who made the most consequential decision to step forward to serve their nation,” Soberanis remarked. “They came with potential, hope and a willingness to be tested to their limits. Today they leave as uniformed Coast Guard men and women of Belize. That transformation does not happen by accident – it is earned, and every one of these graduates earned this honor through their hard work and perseverance.”

    Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, also attended the celebratory event and framed the graduation as a landmark occasion for both the new recruits and the entire country. Calling the moment “a proud and significant milestone,” she highlighted the enormous challenges the recruits overcame to reach this day.

    “You have endured physical hardship, mental challenges, strict discipline, and personal sacrifice through long days of preparation,” Balderamos-Garcia told the graduates. “Your commitment strengthens our nation’s ability to protect our coasts and our people, and every Belizean should be proud of the dedication you have shown.”

    Following the formal remarks, the event featured coordinated military drills and capability displays from the new graduates, before the service members officially entered active duty. This intake of new personnel is expected to boost the Belize Coast Guard’s operational capacity as it carries out its core mandates of maritime security, search and rescue, and border protection along Belize’s extensive coastline.

  • Official list of Grenadiers called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

    Official list of Grenadiers called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

    For the first time in the nation’s modern history, Haiti has secured a spot at the FIFA World Cup, and on May 16, 2026, French head coach Sébastien Migné officially named the 26 players that will carry the hopes and pride of more than 12 million Haitians onto the global stage of the 2026 tournament.

    This historic qualification marked a watershed moment for Haitian football, capping a dramatic qualifying campaign that saw the Grenadiers battle through tough Concacaf competition to earn their place at the expanded 48-team World Cup, co-hosted this year by Canada, the United States and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

    Migné’s final squad features players plying their trade across 12 different top leagues around the world, a reflection of the growing global footprint of Haitian football. Three goalkeepers made the cut: Johnny Placide of France’s SC Bastia, Alexandre Pierre of FC Sochaux (France), and Josué Duverger from Germany’s FC Cosmos Koblenz. The defensive line includes seven players: Carlens Arcus (Angers SCO, France), Wilguens Pauguain (SV Zulte Waregem, Belgium), Duke Lacroix (Colorado Springs, USA), Martin Experience (AS Nancy-Lorraine, France), JK Duverne (KAA Gent, Netherlands), Ricardo Ade (LDU Quito, Ecuador), Hannes Delcroix (FC Lugano, Switzerland), and Keeto Thermoncy (BSC Young Boys II, Switzerland).

    In midfield, the squad brings together Leverton Pierre (FC Vizela, Portugal), Carl-Fred Sainthe (El Paso Locomotive FC, USA), Jean-Jacques Danley (Philadelphia Union, USA), Jeanricner Bellegarde (Wolverhampton Wanderers, United Kingdom), Pierre Woodenski (Violette AC, Haiti), and Dominique Simon (FC Tatran Prešov, Slovakia). Woodenski’s inclusion draws particular attention: he is the only player currently competing in Haiti’s domestic national league to earn a spot in the World Cup squad. Nine attackers round out the roster: Louicius Deedson (FC Dallas, USA), Ruben Providence (Almere City FC, Netherlands), Josué Casimir (AJ Auxerre, France), Derrick Etienne (Toronto FC, Canada), Wilson Isidor (Sunderland AFC, England), Duckens Nazon (Esteghlal FC, Iran), Frantzdy Pierrot (Çaykur Rizespor, Türkiye), Yassin Fortune (FC Vizela, Portugal), and Lenny Joseph (Ferencváros TC, Hungary).

    Ahead of their World Cup opener, the 83rd-ranked Grenadiers will wrap up their preparation with two high-profile international friendlies in Florida. On June 2, they will face 85th-ranked New Zealand at Fort Lauderdale’s Chase Stadium, followed by a June 5 clash against 53rd-ranked Peru at Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium. These matches follow two prior warm-up outings: a narrow 0-1 loss to 44th-ranked Tunisia, and a hard-fought 1-1 draw against 75th-ranked Iceland that showcased the team’s growing cohesion.

    Haiti has been drawn into Group C for the 2026 tournament, with three high-stakes matches scheduled across host cities in the United States. The Grenadiers will kick off their historic World Cup campaign on June 13 at Boston Stadium, facing Scotland – a side that returns to the World Cup after a 28-year drought, qualifying in dramatic fashion. Four days later on June 19, Haiti will take on five-time World Cup champions Brazil at Philadelphia Stadium, a legendary side that remains the only nation to have featured in every edition of the tournament. The group stage will conclude on June 24 at Atlanta Stadium, where Haiti will face Morocco, the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists and one of the top ranked teams in African football.

    Haiti’s Minister of Youth and Sports Pythagore Dumas has welcomed the squad announcement, praising the inclusion of the domestic-based Woodenski as a testament to the growing strength of local Haitian football. Echoing the resilient spirit of the Haitian nation, Dumas emphasized that the team would not be satisfied with just participating in the global elite. “We will play this competition with our heads held high, just as our heroes did at Vertières in 1803, striving to push our limits as far as possible in this global event,” he said in a statement. The minister called on all Haitians, at home and abroad, to rally behind the Grenadiers, attend matches in large numbers, and share the unique passion of Haitian football across the world, noting that this public support will give the team extra energy to deliver strong performances on the pitch.

  • ILO News: Haiti and ILO sign two-year country programme to advance decent work and social dialogue

    ILO News: Haiti and ILO sign two-year country programme to advance decent work and social dialogue

    In a landmark collaborative step aimed at addressing deep-seated labor and socioeconomic challenges in Haiti, government, employer, and worker representatives formalized a two-year national decent work program with the International Labour Organization (ILO) during a signing ceremony held May 14, 2026 at the ILO Caribbean Office in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

    The agreement was signed by a cross-section of key stakeholders: Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Marc Elie Nelson represented the Haitian government; Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) president Maulik Radia stood in for national employer groups; Yvel Admettre, Secretary General of the Confederation of Public and Private Sector Workers, and Louis Fignole St Cyr, General Secretary of the Autonomous Central of Haitian Workers, signed on behalf of Haitian workers; and Joni Musabayana, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, completed the signing for the ILO. Additional Haitian stakeholders joined the working sessions that preceded the signing remotely from Port-au-Prince, where the full delegation and ILO technical teams spent a full day refining program details, aligning priorities, and building consensus on how to structure existing and new development interventions to meet national goals. The finalized framework has already secured formal approval from Haiti’s Office of the Prime Minister, creating a shared roadmap for ILO technical cooperation across 2026 and 2027. This program marks the first national initiative developed under the ILO Caribbean Office’s recently expanded mandate, which added Haiti to its portfolio in a January 2026 restructuring designed to boost regional alignment and responsive support for the country.

    The program is built around four core priorities, all identified through inclusive tripartite consultation between Haiti’s three key labor sector groups. First, the initiative will work to revitalize national social dialogue, including reactivating dormant national tripartite coordination mechanisms and strengthening protections for core fundamental principles and rights at work. Second, it will support improvements to national labor governance, through upgrades to labor administration and inspection systems, expanded access to fair labor dispute resolution, and tripartite-led reform of Haiti’s national Labor Code. Third, the program will expand access to viable employment and livelihood opportunities, with targeted support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), expanded national skills development programs, and intentional inclusion of marginalized groups including youth, women, internally displaced persons, and workers employed in the informal economy. Fourth, the framework will strengthen national social protection systems, supporting institutional reforms for key social security bodies and working toward the gradual expansion of coverage to informal sector workers who currently lack protection. Cross-cutting priorities including gender equality, youth inclusion, conflict sensitivity, and climate-responsive employment and enterprise development are integrated across all four program pillars.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Nelson confirmed the Haitian government’s full political backing for the program and announced that implementation would begin without delay. “The government, through the Prime Minister, has approved the proposal submitted, thereby marking an important milestone in this preparatory process,” Nelson said, praising the collaborative spirit that shaped the weeks of discussion leading up to the signing. He thanked Musabayana and all participating stakeholders for their commitment and high-quality input, adding that his technical team would immediately begin work on initial program documentation to keep the initiative on track for upcoming international labor governance processes.

    Musabayana emphasized that the program’s tripartite foundation is its greatest strength, noting that Haitian stakeholders led the process of defining their own priorities. “Haiti’s tripartite constituents have shown real leadership in defining what support they need and on what terms. This programme of work is built on that ownership. Our role as the Caribbean Office is to turn these commitments into results that Haitian workers and enterprises can feel – more productive dialogue, stronger institutions, and more decent jobs,” he said.

    ADIH President Radia framed the agreement as a rare show of cross-sector unity amid Haiti’s ongoing political and socioeconomic crisis. “Haiti, as everybody knows, is going through a major crisis. And in a crisis, when we come together as a unity, it is very positive. This brings all sectors of the country together and will allow us to work in a very formal but cooperative way,” he added.

    Worker representatives highlighted the historic nature of the new framework. Louis Fignole St Cyr noted, “It is extraordinary and it is historic. The social dialogue championed by the ILO has become a backbone for us, a foundation for the labour movement in Haiti and for trade union organizations to function within tripartism.” Yvel Admettre called for sustained momentum to embed collaborative dialogue as a core part of Haitian labor governance: “We must build a culture of dialogue. Without that culture, you will not always feel the need to come together to talk. With dialogue, we know we can find solutions even in the most difficult situations. I hope this will be a beginning, not an end.”

    The new program opens a fresh chapter in ILO’s cooperation with Haiti, which comes on the heels of the January 2026 decision to reassign Haiti to the Port of Spain-based ILO Caribbean Office, a shift designed to strengthen regional alignment and responsiveness to Haitian needs. As a founding member of the ILO since the organization’s creation in 1919, Haiti has ratified 25 ILO conventions, including eight of the organization’s 10 core Fundamental Conventions. This new national program builds on longstanding normative commitments to turn those standards into tangible, on-the-ground results for Haitian workers and employers over the next two years.

    In advance of the signing, the week-long working visit also included peer learning exchanges for the Haitian delegation with Trinidad and Tobago’s labor market institutions, including the Ministry of Labour, Small and Micro Enterprise Development, the National Trade Union Centre, and the Employers Consultative Association. The exchanges allowed Haitian stakeholders to study good practices and lessons learned from Trinidad and Tobago’s experience in advancing social dialogue and national labor governance.

    Implementation of the program is set to begin immediately. The ILO Caribbean Office will deploy technical expertise through its existing Decent Work Team and ongoing projects in Haiti, working in close coordination with United Nations agency partners, bilateral donor governments, and Haitian national institutions. A tripartite national steering committee will oversee ongoing progress, and annual strategic reviews will be conducted to track outcomes and adjust priorities as needed. The full program is aligned with the 2025 Punta Cana Declaration for democracy, peace, decent work and social dialogue, ILO Recommendation No. 205 on Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Haiti covering 2023 to 2028.

  • West Indies Women begin final prep ahead of T20 World Cup

    West Indies Women begin final prep ahead of T20 World Cup

    West Indies Women’s cricket team has touched down in Newport, Wales, kicking off a 10-day high-performance preparatory camp that marks a key milestone on their road to the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup hosted in England. Organized by Cricket West Indies (CWI), the camp running from May 14 to 23 will set the stage for the team ahead of a crucial tri-nation T20 series against Ireland and Pakistan, a contest designed to give the squad competitive match experience in conditions nearly identical to those they will face at the upcoming global tournament.

    Over the course of the 10-day training block, the 16-member selected squad will fine-tune every dimension of their game through a packed schedule: intensive technical skill sessions, strategic tactical planning drills, realistic match simulations, targeted fitness conditioning, and collaborative team-building activities. This preparation comes as the Maroon Warriors prepare for their return to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup main draw, a moment the squad has worked toward for months.

    Buoyed by a semi-final finish at the 2024 edition of the tournament, the team enters this preparation phase with clear ambition. Players and coaching staff alike note that the side has grown dramatically over the past two years, adding depth to their roster, sharpening their competitive edge, and boosting collective confidence after two years of high-level international play. The ultimate goal for the side is to repeat the historic triumph the team claimed 10 years ago, when they lifted the 2016 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy.

    CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe emphasized the strategic logic behind scheduling both the training camp in Wales and the subsequent tri-series in Ireland, noting that the location and timing offer unique advantages for the team. “The opportunity to train in the United Kingdom and then also get the experience of playing competitive matches in Ireland in similar conditions immediately prior to the start of the June 5th tournament is invaluable,” Bascombe explained. “This period will be utilised to help the squad gel, cement gameplans and remain connected. We are looking forward to a great showing by several key veterans and the emergence of our future stars on the back of this extended preparation.”

    This Wales camp is the latest step in a structured, long-term preparation pathway mapped out by CWI and team management, which has already included challenging white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Australia earlier in 2026. Following the conclusion of the camp, the team will travel to Ireland for the tri-nation series, kicking off their campaign against the host side on May 28 before wrapping up their group stage fixtures against Pakistan on June 3. Immediately after the tri-series, the squad will head to England for the World Cup, where they will play their opening tournament match against New Zealand on June 13.

    Final trimmed squads for both the tri-nation series and the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be announced by CWI at a later date. The 16-member group currently in Wales for the preparatory camp is: Aaliyah Alleyne, Eboni Brathwaite, Shemaine Campbelle, Jahzara Claxton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Hayley Matthews, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack and Stafanie Taylor.