Carib Scope

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  • PM: India delivered on promises

    PM: India delivered on promises

    During a ceremonial address to Trinidad and Tobago’s Parliament welcoming India’s top diplomat, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has confirmed that New Delhi has fully fulfilled all development commitments made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2025 visit to the Caribbean nation, marking a major milestone in the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries.

    India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar arrived in Port of Spain this week for a two-day official working visit, accompanied by a senior diplomatic delegation. The trip comes on the heels of Modi’s landmark July 2025 tour, which produced a suite of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) focused on cross-sector development cooperation.

    In her address to lawmakers, Persad-Bissessar highlighted that every pledge made during Modi’s visit has been translated into tangible action for Trinidad and Tobago’s people. Among the completed commitments is a donation of 2,000 laptops pledged to support the government’s national secondary school device distribution programme; all units have already arrived in the country and are scheduled for official rollout across all seven of Trinidad and Tobago’s educational districts. A prosthetic limb outreach initiative launched with Indian support has already delivered life-changing care to more than 800 local citizens, and on the second day of Jaishankar’s visit, the two leaders will formally open the new National Prosthetics Centre in Penal — a permanent, locally based facility built with Indian assistance.

    Additional pledged aid is set to arrive in the coming weeks, including 20 haemodialysis units to expand critical care access and two purpose-built sea ambulances designed to boost the country’s maritime emergency response capacity and overall healthcare delivery. In Couva, India has also provided grant financing and technical equipment to establish a new agro-processing facility at Brechin Castle, a project Persad-Bissessar said embodies both nations’ shared commitment to advancing agricultural modernization and strengthening regional food security.

    Beyond development aid, bilateral economic ties have already grown substantially, with annual two-way trade now surpassing $1.2 billion. Persad-Bissessar noted that the partnership holds massive untapped potential for further expansion across key sectors including agriculture, healthcare, finance, tourism, infrastructure development, and non-energy exports. Trinidad and Tobago has also moved to deepen alignment with India’s global cooperation agenda, formally joining the India-led Global Biofuels Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. India’s global leadership in digital innovation, the prime minister added, has opened new avenues for joint work on digital transformation, artificial intelligence, archival modernization, and renewable energy deployment.

    Jaishankar’s visit, Persad-Bissessar emphasized, builds directly on the foundation laid during Modi’s 2025 trip, which inaugurated a new era of strategic partnership between the two nations. The current visit is designed to move forward the dozens of initiatives and frameworks agreed during that historic engagement, which already cover areas ranging from diplomatic training and pharmaceutical cooperation to community-focused Quick Impact Projects. These existing agreements have established formal cooperation frameworks for public sector capacity building, public health standard-setting, youth development, cultural exchange, and grassroots community projects.

    During Wednesday’s parliamentary session, the prime minister also noted the profound historical and cultural context of Jaishankar’s visit, which comes just ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s annual commemoration of Indian Arrival Day. The holiday honors the legacy of the first indentured laborers who journeyed from India to Trinidad and Tobago starting in 1845, a chapter of history that has shaped the deep people-to-people bonds between the two countries.

    Persad-Bissessar reflected that the bilateral relationship is rooted not only in modern diplomacy but also in the shared experience of colonial exploitation. “India endured centuries of British colonial occupation and economic extraction, while enslaved Africans were simultaneously trafficked across the Atlantic. After Emancipation, indentured labourers from India were also effectively trafficked to our country under exploitative imperial labour systems,” she said. “Though they were distinct in form, both experiences formed part of the wider system of colonial exploitation, brutal, coerced labour and human displacement.” Yet from this shared history of hardship, she added, communities across Trinidad and Tobago turned struggle into endurance, survival, and nation-building: descendants of indentured laborers, alongside descendants of enslaved Africans and all other national communities, have shaped the country’s modern economic, cultural, and democratic identity.

    To cap the first day of the visit, Persad-Bissessar and Jaishankar signed six new bilateral MOUs expanding cooperation across priority areas: Economic and Financial Cooperation, to strengthen bilateral investment and trade flows; Tourism Cooperation, to grow bilateral tourism and deepen people-to-people connections; Digital Archival Cooperation, to modernize national heritage preservation systems; Quick Impact Projects, to support grassroots community development initiatives; Solar-PV Energy Cooperation, to advance Trinidad and Tobago’s national renewable energy targets; and a partnership to revive the Chair of Ayurveda at The University of the West Indies, strengthening collaboration in education, traditional medicine, and cultural exchange.

  • ‘Murder rate would be higher’

    ‘Murder rate would be higher’

    A shocking early-morning gang-linked triple shooting that claimed the life of a two-year-old child has ignited a fiery political debate in Trinidad and Tobago over the ruling government’s crime control policies, just months into its second state of emergency (SoE) implemented to curb spiraling violent crime.

    On Thursday, gunmen ambushed a vehicle carrying Akini Kafi, 2, his father Aquil Kafi, and Anthony Wilson in the Port of Spain neighborhood of Belmont, killing all three. The child’s mother, Antonia Cain-Kafi, was struck by four bullets and remains in critical condition at a local hospital. This brutal killing followed a similar April attack in Morvant that left nine-year-old J’Layna Armstrong dead alongside three adult relatives, in what police described as another targeted gang shooting.

    Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar addressed the tragedy Tuesday during a parliamentary crime debate, following a diplomatic ceremony at the Port of Spain Red House where 2,000 Indian-donated laptops were distributed to students across seven districts and bilateral education memoranda were signed. Opening her remarks, Persad-Bissessar expressed profound grief over the unnecessary loss of innocent life, emphasizing that the killing of a child represents an unconscionable national tragedy.

    “Every life lost is a heartbreak to many, and especially when there’s a child, it’s a tragedy,” she told reporters. “I know our law enforcement officers are doing the best they can to pursue those responsible for this tragedy, and our hearts go out to the families and the loved ones left behind.”

    Against this backdrop of national mourning, the prime minister defended her administration’s core crime control measure: the ongoing state of emergency. She pushed back against growing public and opposition criticism of the policy, arguing that the national murder rate would be far higher if the SoE had not been put in place. Persad-Bissessar also confirmed that no nationwide curfew would be introduced at this stage of the emergency.

    Persad-Bissessar’s government won a decisive victory in the April 28, 2025 general election. Just three months after taking office, the administration declared its first state of emergency in response to rapidly escalating gang violence and mounting national security threats. A second SoE was extended on March 3 of this year, after intelligence services received concrete warnings of imminent gang reprisal attacks across the Port of Spain metropolitan area.

    The parliamentary debate devolved into partisan acrimony after Defence Minister Wayne Sturge made the bombshell claim that the recent Belmont triple murder and the April Morvant quadruple killing are directly linked to ongoing inter-gang turf wars in constituencies controlled by the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM). Sturge, who is a resident of Belmont, told the chamber that two local streets – Serraneau Street and Belle Eau Road – have long been divided into rival gang territories, with residents blocked from crossing into the opposing area. He confirmed that both recent mass shooting incidents are rooted in this long-running territorial feud.

    Sturge launched a scathing counterattack against opposition calls for his resignation and that of Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander, pointing to the PNM’s own record of out-of-control violent crime when the party held power. He reminded lawmakers that under the previous PNM administration, the national murder rate hit all-time record highs, including one 24-hour period in July 2019 that saw 11 separate killings. Sturge went further, dismissing PNM MP Stuart Young, who first called for the ministers’ resignations, as one of the most ineffective national security ministers in the country’s history.

    “When 11 murders take place under his watch, he has the gall to come and call for resignations on this side,” Sturge said. “What he’s not saying is that his own constituents are largely responsible for the most murders in this country, and they refuse to allow zones of special operations (ZOSO) to be implemented in the area.”

    In a charged verbal exchange, Sturge pressed his attack, telling Young: “The same way you wouldn’t know when your constituents are going to murder some of your other constituents a street away, you expect us to know? But, let me tell you something, what we wouldn’t do, we wouldn’t know that four people are trapped in a pipeline and wait and let them die.”

    Young immediately stood to object, labeling Sturge’s remarks “gibberish” and “verbal diarrhoea.” Sturge quickly shot back, responding: “He could call it all kinds of things, verbal diarrhoea; you know what he couldn’t say? That I lie.”

  • Volcano-affected fishers get equipment ULP stored since 2022

    Volcano-affected fishers get equipment ULP stored since 2022

    Three and a half years after the devastating 2021 volcanic eruption in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, fishers across Central Leeward and South Windward have finally received critical fishing supplies that had sat locked in government storage since 2022. The long-overdue equipment, which includes essential gear such as rope, flotation devices, and fish pot wire, has been distributed to fishing communities across Buccament, Layou, Shipping Bay, and Barrouallie as part of this week’s handover events. The unclaimed supplies were originally earmarked for a post-eruption recovery initiative launched by the former Unity Labour Party (ULP) government, which was voted out of national office in last November’s general election. According to reporting from iWitness News, the gear was never distributed to the intended fisher recipients due to public infighting between at least two ULP cabinet ministers during the previous administration’s term. Conroy Huggins, who serves as both Member of Parliament for Central Leeward and the head of the new Ministry of Fisheries under the newly elected New Democratic Party (NDP) administration, made the remarks during an official handover ceremony held in Bottle and Glass, Barrouallie. Huggins explained that the now-defunct recovery program was designed from its inception to help fishing communities rebuild their livelihoods after the 2021 volcanic eruption, which caused widespread disruption to the local fishing industry. “Sadly, they were not distributed to the fishers within the time span,” Huggins told attendees at the ceremony. After winning office and learning of the years-long delay in delivering the critical supplies, Huggins said he immediately directed ministry staff to cut through bureaucratic hold-ups and get the gear to the fishers who needed it. “It’s long overdue. It is something that they should have had at least three, four years ago… So today, we have been doing these distributions,” he added. The fisheries chief also noted that fish pot fishing is a common traditional practice in Barrouallie, making the fish pot wire included in the shipment particularly useful for local fishers. The distribution is being held as a key event during the country’s annual Fisheries Month celebrations, which lead up to the 49th National Fisherman’s Day on May 25. Huggins framed the handover of backlogged recovery supplies as a perfect opportunity to highlight a stark difference in governing philosophy between the new NDP administration and the former ULP government. “And this is essentially the difference between the previous administration and this present administration,” he said. “We are operating on efficiency and delivery. We are about people. So whatever forms of benefits that the fishers are entitled to, we will ensure that they are able to receive this in a timely manner, so that they can be able to recover, operate and move forward with their business.” While he used the delay under the previous government to draw political contrasts, Huggins also acknowledged that the new administration faces a massive backlog of work to repair and upgrade fisheries infrastructure across all of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, from central ministry headquarters to small local fishery centers in remote coastal communities. “We have quite a lot of work to do in the fishery sector,” he said. Huggins added that the ongoing shifts in the national fisheries sector have drawn significant attention from local, regional, and international stakeholders, framing the current policy adjustments as a once-in-a-generation shift for the industry. “We are confident that we can maximise our ocean [and] improve the livelihoods of our fishers,” Huggins said. “So from a fisheries standpoint, we are here to facilitate and ensure that the capacity building takes place and the necessary equipment, tools that they need. We are here to give that support.”

  • Nevis Intensifies Push to Expand Financial Services Sector as Key Pillar of Economic Diversification

    Nevis Intensifies Push to Expand Financial Services Sector as Key Pillar of Economic Diversification

    The small Caribbean island of Nevis is stepping up targeted efforts to cement its position as a leading global international financial services hub, anchoring a broader economic diversification strategy designed to strengthen long-term growth and resilience. Nevis Premier Mark Brantley, who also holds the portfolios of Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, outlined the administration’s ambitious plans during his appearance at the 2026 Southpac Offshore Planning Institute (SOPI) International Conference, held April 14–16 in Vancouver, Canada.

    This year’s SOPI conference, themed “No Longer Optional,” gathered top-tier professionals across offshore planning, global wealth management, estate planning, private banking, citizenship-by-investment programs, and cross-border financial services — a timely gathering at a moment when global wealth structuring strategies are shifting rapidly in response to changing international regulatory and economic conditions. Brantley noted that his participation in the event was a core component of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA)’s proactive global outreach campaign to raise the jurisdiction’s profile among key industry decision-makers.

    Brantley called the intimate, industry-focused conference an exceptional platform for direct engagement with leading practitioners and intermediaries, many of whom already had existing working relationships with Nevis’s financial services ecosystem. “I attended the conference as a special guest of the Southpac group, which ranks among the top trust service providers operating both in the Cook Islands and here in Nevis,” Brantley explained in remarks following the event. “What made this gathering so valuable was that it brought together a small, focused group of industry leaders, and almost all discussion centered on Nevis and the Cook Islands. Nevis was top of mind for every attendee, and we found that dozens of intermediaries were already working with our jurisdiction. My message was simply to encourage them to deepen their partnerships and grow their business with Nevis — that was an easy sell.”

    The premier extended gratitude to Southpac for creating the opportunity to connect directly with global industry stakeholders, emphasizing that the NIA has pursued a deliberate, long-term strategy to strengthen Nevis’s financial services regulatory and operational framework while expanding its international market reach. Key recent moves to modernize and advance the sector include two strategic leadership appointments: Rita Hawkins was tapped to lead Nevis Finance, the newly created entity tasked with global marketing of the jurisdiction, while Andre Cadogan was named head regulator of the Nevis Branch of the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC), the island’s top financial services oversight body.

    “We are putting all the building blocks in place to lift Nevis’s financial services sector to the next level, with the goal of making it one of the most significant contributors to our national economy,” Brantley said. He added that the sector is already showing strong positive momentum heading into 2026, driven in part by the launch of innovative new service offerings including gaming financial services and expanded limited partnership structuring options. In a key milestone for the sector, 2025 full-year revenue from financial services surpassed EC$20 million for the first time in the island’s history.

    “Last year was an extraordinary year for our sector, with revenue crossing the $20 million threshold for the first time ever. If we execute our strategy correctly, attract the right global partners, and foster a welcoming environment for industry leaders, we have the potential to double or even triple that revenue in the coming years,” Brantley noted.

    Brantley also shared that a growing number of top financial services firms from Panama are establishing a foothold in Nevis through a structured “nesting” process, where newly licensed entities initially operate within established local Nevisian firms before launching independent local offices. The long-term goal of this initiative is to drive direct investment into Nevis’s local economy, generating new opportunities in commercial real estate through office space demand, business expansion, and local job creation for Nevisian workers.

    “Growing financial services is a core pillar of our broader economic diversification plan, and to date, that plan has delivered far better results than we anticipated,” Brantley said. He also thanked local private sector stakeholders for their ongoing partnership in advancing the sector’s growth, adding, “I am confident this sector will continue its upward trajectory, and I would be remiss not to recognize the critical role private sector partners have played in that success. We look forward to continuing to build on that momentum.”

    Brantly emphasized that Nevis’s greatest competitive advantage in the global financial services space remains its longstanding reputation as a stable, mature, and trusted jurisdiction. With more than four decades of experience in the international financial services sector, paired with a long history of stable democratic governance, respect for the rule of law, and an independent judicial system, Nevis continues to earn the confidence of international clients and investors across the globe.

  • West Indies Championship Playoff Preview – second finalist to be decided, while the WI Academy provides preparation for the Harpy Eagles

    West Indies Championship Playoff Preview – second finalist to be decided, while the WI Academy provides preparation for the Harpy Eagles

    As the 2026 West Indies Championship enters its decisive phase, two of Caribbean cricket’s most competitive sides are gearing up for a winner-takes-all playoff this weekend, with a spot in the tournament final on the line. From May 10 to 13 at Antigua’s Coolidge Cricket Ground, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force will face off against Barbados Pride, with the victor earning the right to challenge undefeated defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles in the title decider scheduled for May 20.

    Both teams enter the high-stakes fixture brimming with confidence, having earned their playoff places through gritty, consistent performances across the group stage. The Red Force secured their second-place finish on the standings with 53.6 points, anchored by a dominant innings-and-271-run win over Leeward Islands Hurricanes in their opening group fixture, followed by two solid drawn matches that preserved their position at the top of the table. The Red Force hold a recent psychological edge over their rivals: in their 2025 encounter at Barbados’ Kensington Oval, the side bowled out the Pride for just 86 runs in their first innings, sealing a comfortable innings-and-56-run victory inside two days.

    For the Barbados Pride, the road to the playoff has been a comeback story for the ages. After falling to an opening-match defeat against Jamaica Scorpions, the side fought back to end the bilateral group stage with 42.2 points, edging out the Scorpions’ 34 points to claim their playoff spot. A dramatic innings-and-11-run win in the third fixture, after a high-scoring second match ended in a draw, levelled the series and secured Pride’s place in the weekend’s decider.

    Both squads have entered the match with key reinforcements and strong form leading their key players. The Red Force welcome fast bowler Jayden Seales back into the starting squad following a planned rest period; Seales has already claimed 13 wickets across just two matches this tournament, and will line up alongside the championship’s leading pace bowler Anderson Phillip, who has notched 17 wickets so far this season. Red Force captain Joshua Da Silva emphasized that his side will not underestimate their opponents, instead leaning into the consistent team dynamics that have carried them this far. “It is about getting back to the basics and the drawing board by sharpening up a few skills that we may need for the upcoming games, but all in all the team is gelling well,” Da Silva said. “We have a good core here that I think can take us to the final and win it.”

    The Pride, meanwhile, come into the playoff with the tournament’s most prolific batting unit: they have recorded more 300-plus team totals than any other side, and lead the tournament with top run-scorer Kevin Wickham, who has amassed 371 runs across four innings at an average of 123.66. The side has made one squad change, bringing in fast bowler Akeem Jordan to replace Jair McAllister, adding extra depth to their new-ball attack. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite says the side’s comeback from their opening defeat has boosted morale, but stressed that the team will not take their opponent lightly, focusing on improved discipline across all departments. “Batting wise we had four innings where we scored above 300 plus, but I think we will still need to make improvements all round, batting, bowling and getting better in the field, because there are always things to work on and we can’t take things for granted because we have to get stronger,” Brathwaite noted.

    While the two playoff contenders battle it out for a spot in the final, the already qualified Guyana Harpy Eagles are taking the opportunity to fine-tune their preparations for the title decider with a warm-up fixture against the West Indies Academy at Antigua Recreation Ground this week. The defending champions have been unstoppable so far this tournament, notching three straight wins to sit comfortably atop the group standings, and boast the tournament’s overall leading wicket-taker in spinner Gudakesh Motie, who has claimed 24 wickets to date. The Harpy Eagles have called up Jonathan Van Lange and Thaddeus Lovell to replace injured bowler Isai Thorne, with star fast bowler Shamar Joseph rested for the warm-up. Captain Tevin Imlach says the fixture against the Academy gives his batting unit a critical chance to sharpen their skills ahead of the final. “We have some things to work on to be at our best, we need to be better as a batting group especially our top five, we need to be more consistent and score hundreds,” Imlach said.

    Both the playoff fixture and the Harpy Eagles-Academy warm-up are scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m. local Antigua time, which is 9 a.m. Jamaica time. Full squads for all four participating sides are listed below:
    – **Trinidad and Tobago Red Force**: Joshua Da Silva (Captain), Yannic Cariah, Bryan Charles, Cephas Cooper, Jyd Goolie, Terrence Hinds, Joshua James, Amir Jangoo, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Khary Pierre, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales
    – **Barbados Pride**: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Joshua Bishop, Jediah Blades, Leniko Boucher, Roston Chase, Jonathan Drakes, Akeem Jordan, Johann Layne, Kyle Mayers, Shayne Moseley, Shamar Springer, Jomel Warrican, Kevin Wickham
    – **Guyana Harpy Eagles**: Tevin Imlach (Captain), Kevlon Anderson, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Richie Looknauth, Thaddeus Lovell, Gudakesh Motie, Matthew Nandu, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy Permaul, Zeynul Ramsammy, Kemol Savory, Nial Smith, Jonathan Van Lange
    – **West Indies Academy**: Rivaldo Clarke (Captain), Ryan Bandoo, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, Giovonte Depeiza, Mavendra Dindyal, Nathan Edward, Damel Evelyn, Amari Goodridge, Mbeki Joseph, Zishan Motara, Shaqkere Parris, Jakeem Pollard, Kelvin Pitman, Reneico Smith

  • Williams-Grant to Be Elected Senate President, Shoul Deputy and Govia Majority Leader

    Williams-Grant to Be Elected Senate President, Shoul Deputy and Govia Majority Leader

    Following the decisive general election win of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) on April 30, the new administration has outlined its intended leadership lineup for the country’s Upper House of Parliament, revealed during a formal swearing-in ceremony for government-aligned senators hosted at Government House this Friday. During the official proceedings, the ceremony’s master of ceremonies publicly announced the planned nominations: sitting Senator Alincia Williams-Grant has been tapped to be put forward for the role of Senate President when the chamber holds its first formal session on May 20. Joining her in the top Senate leadership will be Philip Shoul, who has been selected for nomination as Deputy President of the Senate. Ten government-backed senators completed their formal swearing-in process at the event, marking the first step in establishing the new legislative body after the general election. Beyond the top two leadership roles, officials also confirmed that Senator Shenella Govia will take on the critical position of Leader of Government Business in the Senate, tasked with coordinating the administration’s legislative agenda in the Upper House. In addition to her Senate responsibilities, Govia was also sworn in during the ceremony as Minister of State within the Ministry of Housing and Works, giving her a dual role in the legislative and executive branches of government. The full ceremony followed longstanding constitutional protocol: each participating senator first took the three required oaths — the oath of allegiance to the crown, the oath of office, and the oath of secrecy — before Governor General Rodney Williams formally presented each official with their official instruments of appointment, formalizing their new roles. Event organizers also reminded attendees and the public of the full timeline for establishing the new parliament: the Lower House of Parliament is scheduled to convene first on May 18, where its members will hold a formal vote to elect a new Speaker and Deputy Speaker to lead the chamber’s proceedings. Two days later, on May 20, the Senate will gather for its inaugural session to hold the official vote to confirm the nominated President and Deputy President, formally completing the formation of the new national legislature after the ABLP’s election victory.

  • Laura Fernandez beëdigd als nieuwe president van Costa Rica

    Laura Fernandez beëdigd als nieuwe president van Costa Rica

    On May 9, 2026, Laura Fernandez, a 39-year-old center-right political leader, took the oath of office as Costa Rica’s new president during an inauguration ceremony held at San José’s National Stadium, marking a new chapter for the Central American nation already navigating rising security challenges and shifting regional geopolitics.

    Fernandez’s Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO) secured an absolute majority in the 57-seat national parliament, claiming 31 seats – a governing advantage that clears the way for her administration to advance its full legislative agenda without relying on opposition support. She first claimed victory in the country’s February 1 presidential election, a hotly contested race that saw her defeat competitors to succeed outgoing president Rodrigo Chaves, a well-documented ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump. In a surprising arrangement that preserves Chaves’ influence in national governance, the former leader will remain in the new cabinet as Minister of the Presidency and Finance, granting him continued significant sway over policy making.

    To underscore her administration’s commitment to deepening the strategic partnership between Costa Rica and the United States, Fernandez appointed new vice president Douglas Soto to serve concurrently as Costa Rica’s ambassador to Washington. The inauguration was attended by high-profile international guests that highlighted the new government’s geopolitical priorities: Kristi Noem, U.S. Special Envoy and leader of Trump’s ‘Shield of the Americas’ initiative, and Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, were both in attendance. Their presence drew attention to shifting regional alignment amid ongoing global tensions stemming from the Gaza conflict.

    At the top of Fernandez’s policy priority list is addressing the steady rise in criminal activity that has shaken Costa Rica’s long-held reputation as one of Central America’s most stable nations. The country has increasingly become a key transit route for drug smugglers moving contraband north to the United States, fueling a surge in gang-related violence and organized crime. In response, Fernandez has announced sweeping, ambitious reforms to the country’s justice system and national security legislation, naming Gerald Campos as the new Minister of Public Security to lead the crackdown. ‘We are waging a merciless war on organized crime,’ Fernandez stated in her inaugural address, laying out her hardline stance on security.

    Her administration’s approach to security closely echoes the controversial model adopted by neighboring El Salvador. Costa Rica is currently constructing a new maximum-security prison modeled after El Salvador’s mega-sized CECOT prison facility, which gained global attention for its mass incarceration of alleged gang members. The country is also a signatory to the controversial ‘third country agreements’ with the United States, a policy that allows the U.S. to deport migrants with no legal connection to Costa Rica to be detained and resettled in the country. Last year, hundreds of Venezuelan migrants deported from the U.S. were held in CECOT without due process, drawing widespread condemnation from global watchdogs. Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized these agreements, warning that they expose deported migrants to severe risk of inhumane living conditions and human rights abuses.

    With her party’s unchallenged majority in parliament, political analysts note that Fernandez faces few procedural barriers to pushing through her full proposed reform agenda, setting the stage for major shifts in both Costa Rica’s domestic security policy and its foreign relations in the coming years.

  • Abena St. Luce Says Youth Mentorship and Women’s Leadership Will Be Major Focus in Senate

    Abena St. Luce Says Youth Mentorship and Women’s Leadership Will Be Major Focus in Senate

    Following her formal swearing-in at Government House this Friday, newly appointed Senator Abena St. Luce of Antigua and Barbuda has laid out a clear policy agenda focused on expanding youth support and advancing female representation across the nation’s political and public spheres.

    The incoming senator, who is the daughter of revered late national leader Sir John E. St. Luce, opened up about the mixed emotions surrounding her historic inauguration, revealing that her father was too unwell to attend the ceremony. “I’m still processing how surreal this moment is,” St. Luce shared with reporters after the event. “To be honest, it’s a bittersweet occasion. I’m heartbroken my father couldn’t be here today to see this, since his health won’t allow it. But I know without a doubt that if he were able to be here, he’d be my loudest and most proud supporter.”

    St. Luce went on to express her gratitude to Prime Minister Gaston Browne for the opportunity to serve in the Upper House of Parliament. “I am deeply honored that Prime Minister Browne selected me for this position, and I am committed to serving the people of this nation to the absolute best of my ability,” she said.

    When asked which policy issues she will prioritize during her tenure, St. Luce explained that her experience as a parent has shaped her core focus areas. She emphasized that youth development in Antigua and Barbuda requires more than just expanding access to educational institutions and government programs; systematic mentorship and emotional encouragement are equally critical to helping young people thrive. “Building schools and rolling out new education initiatives is an important first step, but that alone isn’t enough,” St. Luce explained. “Young people need consistent mentors who can show up, encourage them, and remind them that not only are these opportunities available to them — they deserve to take advantage of them. That’s a mission that matters deeply to me.”

    Alongside youth mentorship, St. Luce named expanded female political leadership as a second key pillar of her Senate work. As an active member of the Caribbean Women in Leadership (SEWIL) network, she said she is dedicated to creating more space for women in decision-making roles across the country. “Naturally, as someone involved in this network, I’m committed to seeing more women step into leadership positions,” she noted. “My goal is to empower my fellow sisters across Antigua and Barbuda to aim for those top roles and claim their seat at the table where decisions are made.”

    St. Luce is one of multiple first-time senators inaugurated on Friday, as the country continues to reconstitute its Parliament following the general election held on April 30.

  • Angelica O’Donoghue Wants Public to Better Understand Laws as She Prepares for Senate Role

    Angelica O’Donoghue Wants Public to Better Understand Laws as She Prepares for Senate Role

    Following her formal swearing-in ceremony at Government House this Friday, newly appointed Senator Angelica O’Donoghue has stepped into her role in the Upper House of Antigua and Barbuda’s Parliament with a clear, people-centered policy agenda. The newest government senator, one of 10 ruling party appointees taking office after the April 30 general election that triggered a full reconstitution of the national legislature, called her appointment an emotionally meaningful and deeply gratifying milestone, crediting Prime Minister Gaston Browne for his mentorship and steady confidence throughout her career.

    “I consider myself truly blessed,” O’Donoghue shared in her first public remarks after taking office. “My path to this chamber has been one of constant growth. After moving back to Antigua, I had the opportunity to work closely with Prime Minister Browne, and his unwavering trust and commitment to helping me build the skills and capacity to serve has brought me to where I am today.”

    Drawing on her professional background in communications and public storytelling, O’Donoghue identified legislative transparency as her top priority in the Senate. She argued that complex legislative language often creates unnecessary barriers between lawmakers and the general public, leaving many citizens disconnected from the policy process that shapes their daily lives.

    “As a professional communicator, my core goal is to make sure that every resident of Antigua and Barbuda can clearly understand and engage with the bills and amendments we consider here,” she explained. “Too often, critical policy information gets lost in jargon. Many legislative texts are dense, inaccessible, and hard for ordinary people to digest. I want to change that.”

    O’Donoghue emphasized that closing this information gap is key to fostering greater public participation in national development. When citizens understand how proposed laws will impact their communities, they can contribute more meaningfully to the country’s growth, she said. “Whatever I bring before this chamber, the first priority will be making sure the public knows exactly what is at stake,” she added.

    Beyond improving legislative outreach, O’Donoghue outlined four key policy areas she plans to champion during her tenure: reparations for historical injustices, expanded youth development initiatives, full gender parity in political representation, and broader social justice reform. As a longstanding reparations advocate, she confirmed that she will elevate conversations around historical and reparatory justice ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, scheduled for later this year.

    She also celebrated the growing number of women serving in Antigua and Barbuda’s Parliament, crediting the Browne administration for making gender parity a central governing priority. “Gender parity has been a core mandate of Prime Minister Browne’s government from the start,” she noted. “It has long been top of his agenda to ensure that every community’s voice is fairly represented in both houses of the legislature.”

    Increased female representation, O’Donoghue argued, directly translates to more inclusive legislation that serves the needs of all members of society. For too long, proposed laws have often failed to center the interests of women, children, and marginalized vulnerable groups, she explained. “When more women take seats in the Upper House, the bills we draft and pass will reflect the needs of everyone in this country, not just a select few,” she said.

  • Lamin Newton Says Senate Appointment Allows Him to Continue Serving After Election Defeat

    Lamin Newton Says Senate Appointment Allows Him to Continue Serving After Election Defeat

    Fresh off his reappointment to the Upper House of Parliament following the April 30 general election, Senator Lamin Newton is moving past a recent electoral loss to refocus his legislative agenda on expanding educational access, growing scholarship opportunities, and driving inclusive national development.

    Newton shared his perspective shortly after Friday’s swearing-in ceremony held at Government House, where he spoke candidly about his emotions surrounding his return to parliamentary service. Calling the moment both energizing and meaningful, he opened up about the disappointment of his recent defeat in the race for the All Saints East and St. Luke constituency, where he ran as a candidate for the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party.

    “That chapter is closed now,” Newton stated. “I suffered a clear defeat, and that is a matter of public record. But I am not dwelling on what has passed — I am turning my attention to the larger opportunities ahead to serve the people of this country.” The loss, he explained, has given him unexpected space to reflect on his work, identify gaps in his outreach, and reframe his policy priorities ahead of his new Senate term.

    “The silver lining of this experience is that I now have both the time and the on-the-ground data to conduct a thorough, honest assessment of where I can improve as a representative,” he noted.

    At the top of his refocused agenda is expanding educational opportunity, an issue Newton says has become a core personal passion. His primary legislative initiative will center on building new partnerships with local tertiary and secondary learning institutions to expand need-based scholarship access for low-income and disadvantaged students.

    Newton frames widespread educational access as the single most effective catalyst for advancing social mobility and closing economic inequality across Antigua and Barbuda. “I have always held that education is the master key that opens doors of opportunity for every person, no matter what background they come from,” he explained. “It levels the playing field across every strata of our society, giving everyone a fair shot to build a better future for themselves and their families.”

    While education will be his defining policy focus moving forward, Newton emphasized that he remains committed to advancing critical infrastructure development projects across the country — a core pillar of the government’s ongoing national development agenda. “Infrastructure work never stops, and I will continue to push for investments that improve communities,” he said. “That said, education will be my central focus and highlight throughout this term.”

    Newton was one of 10 government-aligned senators officially sworn in on Friday, part of the ongoing process of reconstituting Parliament following the April general election. He is set to officially take up his seat and begin his legislative work when the Senate convenes for its first post-election session on May 20.