Carib Scope

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  • Governor General and Lady Williams Attend St. John Hospice Fundraiser at Casa Palmadita

    Governor General and Lady Williams Attend St. John Hospice Fundraiser at Casa Palmadita

    On Sunday, May 3, 2026, a community-focused fundraising event dubbed “Wash You Foot and Come” brought together dozens of engaged locals and dignitaries at Casa Palmadita in Fitches Creek, with the highest-profile guests being Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda Sir Rodney Williams and his wife Lady Williams. The event was organized to benefit St. John Hospice, a palliative care institution that counts the couple as its official patrons.

    For years, St. John Hospice has filled a critical gap in Antigua and Barbuda’s care ecosystem, delivering specialized, compassionate end-of-life support to terminally ill residents and their loved ones navigating the emotional and practical challenges of serious illness. Unlike many healthcare services that focus on curative treatment, the hospice centers its work on upholding patient dignity, reducing physical discomfort, and surrounding patients and families with emotional support — a mission that has earned it deep respect across the nation.

    In opening remarks delivered to the gathered crowd, Sir Rodney Williams highlighted the quiet but transformative impact of the hospice’s work. He praised the organization for staying rooted in core values of dignity, comfort, and radical empathy, and urged all attendees to continue their long-term support of the institution beyond the one-day fundraiser. He noted that sustained backing, whether through financial donations, hands-on volunteer work, or public advocacy to expand the hospice’s reach, remains essential to keeping the organization’s critical services running.

    Following his remarks, Lady Williams presented a sizable donation on behalf of The Halo Foundation, a long-standing partner of St. John Hospice, to Charlene Selkridge, chair of the event’s planning committee. The Halo Foundation has built its mission around supporting vulnerable community members, and its ongoing partnership with the hospice aligns with its core commitments to care, compassion, and public service. This latest contribution marks another chapter in the foundation’s years of investment in palliative care across the country.

    The day’s program was smoothly run by Colin Maynard, the newest appointee to the St. John Hospice Board of Directors, who stepped into the role of Master of Ceremonies. Between appeals for support and formal remarks, guests were treated to a lively lineup of local musical entertainment: Armani Gomes performed on the steelpan, Garrett Gill took on guitar duties, and Jevonte played keyboard, adding a warm, community-focused tone to the gathering.

    Before the event concluded, Sir Rodney and Lady Williams extended formal thanks to every group that contributed to its success, from Selkridge and the entire planning committee to the hospice’s board, executive leadership, frontline care staff, volunteer caregivers, corporate sponsors, the performing artists, and every individual attendee who gave their time or money to the cause.

    Beyond raising the critical operating funds the hospice relies on to continue its work, the fundraiser also achieved a second key goal: it raised public awareness of the irreplaceable role St. John Hospice plays in supporting families across Antigua and Barbuda. By bringing community members together in a spirit of generosity and fellowship, organizers helped more locals understand the value of palliative care and the ongoing need for collective support to sustain the service for years to come.

  • Guyana tells World Court that Spain or Venezuela never ran Essequibo

    Guyana tells World Court that Spain or Venezuela never ran Essequibo

    On Monday, 4 May 2026, legal and diplomatic representatives of Guyana laid out a comprehensive, evidence-backed case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), refuting Venezuela’s long-standing territorial claim to the 160,000-square-kilometer Essequibo region by documenting Guyana’s continuous, uninterrupted administration of the territory and challenging the legitimacy of Venezuela’s legal arguments.

    This week marks a critical milestone in the decades-long border dispute, as the ICJ convenes to hear the merits of Guyana’s case centered on the legal validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award, the original agreement that formalized the land boundary between the two neighboring South American nations.

    Speaking on behalf of Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Donnette Streete, Director of the Frontiers Division, told the UN’s highest judicial body that neither historical colonial power Spain nor modern Venezuela ever exercised governing control over Essequibo. Streete outlined the territory’s deep demographic and administrative ties to Guyana, noting that Dutch settlers were the first Europeans to occupy the region, which was later populated by descendants of enslaved Africans and indentured Asian workers brought to the area by Dutch and British colonial rulers between the 17th and 19th centuries. Today, Essequibo is fully integrated into Guyana’s national governance: the region elects nine representatives to Guyana’s national parliament, Guyana collects all regional taxes, manages public services, and leads conservation efforts to protect the area’s extraordinary biodiversity. According to Guyana’s 2022 national census, more than 313,000 people call Essequibo home – accounting for over one-third of the country’s total population, including nine indigenous groups that have inhabited the land long before the formation of modern national borders.

    Carl Greenidge, Guyana’s lead agent before the ICJ for the case, supported Streete’s arguments with extensive cartographic and historical evidence. He presented maps demonstrating that the farthest eastern Spanish colonial outposts never reached Essequibo, sitting roughly 650 kilometers outside the region’s boundaries. To further prove early Dutch administrative control, Greenidge highlighted that 35 locations across Essequibo still retain their original Dutch place names to this day.

    Greenidge walked the court through the documented timeline of European settlement: “Post-Columbian history of what is now Guyana begins with the arrival of the Dutch in 1598, the first Europeans to establish permanent settlements in the territory. By 1616, they had formally founded the Colony of Essequibo, constructed Fort Kykoveral along the Mazaruni River – west of the Essequibo River – as their official seat of government, and began administering the territory stretching west all the way to the Orinoco River. Five years later, in 1621, the Dutch West India Company took over formal governance of the colony, and the administrative capital was relocated to Fort Zealandia in 1744.”

    He emphasized that Spanish colonial forces never established a presence east of the Orinoco, where Essequibo is located: “The Spanish were nowhere to be found, not east of the Orinoco, at any rate. Their nearest outpost was San Tome on the banks of the Orinoco, the easternmost Spanish settlement ever established. The Spanish Governor of that outpost was candid about his inability to extend control further east, writing that the settlement was already far too distant from all other Spanish positions to expand governance.”

    Earlier in the day, Guyana’s Foreign Minister Hugh Todd opened the proceedings by calling on Venezuela to commit to abiding by the ICJ’s final ruling. “Guyana reiterates its pledge to honor and comply with the court’s judgment whatever it may be, as it is bound to do in any event by the United Nations Charter and the Statute of the court. Guyana hopes that Venezuela would make the same pledge,” Todd stated.

    Leading international public international law expert Pierre d’Argent, one of Guyana’s legal team members, grounded the case in prior ICJ precedent. He referenced the court’s 2020 and 2023 rulings on preliminary matters in the dispute, noting that Venezuela has never directly challenged the long-standing legal principle of res judicata – the rule that finalized court judgments are binding. D’Argent added that Venezuela has not filed a formal application for review under Article 61 of the ICJ Statute, the only legal pathway to challenge a binding res judicata ruling. “It must be concluded therefore that Venezuela has not discovered any new fact of such a nature that, had it been known earlier, would be a decisive factor on the conclusions reached by the court in its judgments of 2020 and 2023,” d’Argent argued. “In these conditions, these judgments remain res judicata for the parties and for the court itself.”

    Another senior member of Guyana’s legal team, Paul Reichler, reminded the court that Venezuela itself accepted, respected, and complied with the 1899 Arbitral Award for more than 60 years after it was issued. Venezuela only first formally challenged the award’s validity in February 1962, in a letter from its Permanent Representative to the UN Secretary-General. At that time, Reichler noted, Venezuela explicitly reaffirmed that it still recognized the 1897 border treaty – the agreement that established the original arbitral process – as a valid binding international treaty. It was not until 1963, 66 years after Venezuela ratified the 1897 treaty, that the country first raised objections to the treaty itself.

  • President roept jongeren op kansen te benutten na komst stroom Langu-gebied

    President roept jongeren op kansen te benutten na komst stroom Langu-gebied

    A landmark renewable energy development in Suriname has brought permanent, round-the-clock electricity to 1,300 households in the rural Boven-Suriname region, following the official inauguration of a new solar power facility in the Langu area by President Jennifer Simons.

    During the opening ceremony held on Sunday, President Simons emphasized that reliable access to energy is a foundational requirement for driving inclusive development across Suriname’s inland territories. She used the occasion to call on local young people to seize the new opportunities unlocked by consistent electricity access. “Take this chance to study harder and build meaningful futures for yourselves in our society,” the president told attendees. For other community members, she highlighted that the new power infrastructure can also be leveraged to grow local economic activity, encouraging residents to develop community-led initiatives such as eco-tourism camps to foster self-sufficient local growth.

    The president noted that expanding electricity access across Suriname’s inland regions has been a years-long priority for the government. Planning for the broader electrification initiative first launched in 2019, with the core goal of delivering continuous power across the entire Boven-Suriname area. This newly completed solar facility forms part of the second phase of the national Suriname Villages Micro-grid Solar Project. According to the Suriname Communication Service, the construction and implementation of the project is being carried out by two experienced Chinese state-owned energy infrastructure firms, PowerChina and Sinohydro.

    David Abiamofo, Suriname’s Minister of Natural Resources, outlined that the administration’s policy focuses on delivering long-term, structural solutions to improve living standards in inland communities. “The development we are pursuing for the interior is not just occasional access to power – it is 24-hour electricity every single day,” Abiamofo stated. He also expressed praise for the progress the government has delivered on this agenda, noting that “they say self-praise is unseemly, but I want to compliment the government of Suriname. Since we began work from Atjoni, almost all villages now have access to 24/7 power, and today it is Langu’s turn to benefit.”

    Moving forward, Minister Abiamofo confirmed that the government is actively pursuing additional funding from regional and international development organizations to support further infrastructure projects across inland areas, acknowledging that public funding alone is not sufficient to deliver all planned improvements. Following the completion of the electrification project, the government’s next priority for the Langu area and surrounding communities is upgrading access to clean drinking water. In total, 26 villages across the region will gain access to safe, reliable drinking water through the upcoming initiative, and work on the water project is already underway, with the minister asking local communities for a small amount of additional patience as construction progresses.

  • ‘NGC part of all cross-border talks’

    ‘NGC part of all cross-border talks’

    A week of rapid diplomatic and commercial developments in cross-border energy cooperation between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela has clarified the role of the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC), with Chairman Gerald Ramdeen confirming that the state-owned entity is a core partner in every cross-border natural gas exploration and development agreement active in Venezuelan waters.

    Ramdeen made the remarks Friday during a gas supply agreement signing ceremony hosted at Port of Spain’s Hyatt Regency, addressing widespread public interest sparked by Thursday’s formalization of a strategic partnership between British energy giant BP and Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez. He told reporters that technical discussions between BP’s London-based leadership team had already advanced to advanced stages by Wednesday, focused specifically on the cross-border Manakin-Cocuina field, adding he was legally barred from disclosing further confidential details of the ongoing negotiations.

    Despite public speculation and conflicting commentary around the projects, Ramdeen emphasized that development work for three key assets — Dragon, Manakin-Cocuina and Loran-Manatee — is progressing at maximum speed, with the shared goal of delivering gas to Trinidad and Tobago’s processing infrastructure as quickly as possible. He confirmed that NGC is partnering on all three projects alongside BP Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT) and global energy major Shell.

    Addressing competition for rights to the Loran field from other market players, Ramdeen asserted that all cross-border gas from the region must ultimately flow to Trinidad and Tobago for commercialization. “No part of these gas reserves can be turned into marketable product without access to Trinidad and Tobago’s infrastructure. That is the only existing facility in the region capable of monetizing these resources, so all parties have no choice but to route development through our country,” he explained.

    One major barrier to the projects had been the revocation of U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) specific licenses for the Dragon and Manakin-Cocuina initiatives, but Ramdeen noted that a broader general license has since been issued that permits all market participants to pursue operations in Venezuela. He added that this updated regulatory framework came about in large part due to advocacy from NGC: when the first round of general licenses was issued, only a small set of pre-named entities were permitted to conduct energy business in Venezuela, a restriction that has since been lifted to cover all qualified players.

    When asked about the upcoming government-led negotiation delegation to Caracas, Ramdeen confirmed that the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs holds full oversight of the diplomatic process, and that he has not yet been invited to join the delegation by Minister Sean Sobers. He stressed that from NGC’s operational perspective, technical work is moving forward without delay, with joint teams from the Ministry of Energy, NGC and each project partner already advancing exploration and planning. Ramdeen predicted that tangible progress on the projects will become publicly visible in the coming weeks and months, demonstrating how much work has already been completed behind the scenes.

    He added that NGC holds daily and weekly discussions with all joint venture partners involved in cross-border gas projects, including the Dragon field, which is located within Venezuelan territorial waters. “These cross-border reserves deliver mutual benefits to both the people of Venezuela and the people of Trinidad and Tobago. NGC, working alongside the Ministry of Energy, the government and Cabinet under the leadership of the Prime Minister, is prioritizing bringing these resources to market as quickly as possible on the most favorable terms for all stakeholders,” Ramdeen said.

    The NGC chairman also addressed ongoing confidential talks with Canadian fertilizer giant Nutrien, noting that negotiations have reached a critical juncture. He declined to share additional details to avoid creating unsupported public expectations, while confirming that discussions have proceeded positively to date. Ramdeen did, however, raise concerns over a breach of confidentiality: unapproved public statements about the talks, which did not come from either NGC or Nutrien, have disrupted the process, as both parties have committed to negotiating in a confidential environment to advance discussions effectively.

    The Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago later confirmed in an official release that BP and Venezuela had formally signed the strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding to develop the Cocuina-Manakin field. The agreement aims to leverage BP’s advanced technical expertise to unlock large natural gas reserves on Venezuela’s Deltana Platform, a development that is expected to strengthen Venezuela’s long-term energy independence and boost its role as a key regional energy supplier.

    The Cocuina portion of the field, part of the currently inactive Deltana Platform project on the Venezuelan side, extends across the maritime border into Trinidadian waters, where a BP subsidiary already operates the asset as Block 5b. In the announcement, Rodriguez framed the agreement as opening a new chapter in Venezuela’s diplomatic and commercial relations with the international community, marking the reopening of a BP representative office in Caracas that will be led by a Venezuelan national.

    “BP’s return is a clear demonstration of the future we aim to forge for Venezuela and its international energy relations,” Rodriguez said, calling for mutually beneficial cooperation to drive development and improve living standards for the Venezuelan people. The agreement is part of a broader trend of Venezuela reopening its oil and gas sector to foreign investment: in recent months, the country has signed new exploration and development deals with other major international energy firms, including Italy’s Eni and Spain’s Repsol.

    Reuters also reported that BP’s Executive Vice President for Gas and Low Carbon Energy William Lin confirmed the company is eager to partner with Venezuela on exploration of the Loran area, as well as other initiatives including gas commercialization. Global energy major Shell has also publicly confirmed its interest in developing the Loran field.

  • A WIN FOR MOM

    A WIN FOR MOM

    On a memorable Saturday evening in Port of Spain at the annual Bocas Lit Fest prize-giving ceremony, literary history was made as Guyanese-Canadian writer Tessa McWatt claimed the overall 2026 OCM Bocas Prize, becoming the first author from Guyana to take home the region’s most prestigious literary honor. In an intimate, emotionally charged acceptance speech delivered at the Old Fire Station venue on Abercromby Street, McWatt centered her landmark win on the woman at the heart of her award-winning memoir: her mother.

    Born in Guyana and now based in Canada while holding a creative writing professorship at the UK’s University of East Anglia, McWatt opened her remarks by expressing heartfelt gratitude for the chance to finally attend the festival in person. The 2020 iteration of the event saw McWatt unable to travel from London due to global COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, making this in-person acceptance a full-circle moment for the long-connected Caribbean writer. “For someone who left the Caribbean at a young age, this event and others like it keep me connected to my essence,” she told the packed audience.

    McWatt’s winning work, *The Snag: A Mother, a Forest, and Wild Grief*, is a deeply personal memoir that weaves together themes of familial loss, inherited memory, and natural renewal, with her mother serving as the book’s emotional anchor. “This honour is really for my mother, the central figure of this book — the proud Guyanese woman who bore me,” McWatt said. “She is my heart’s guide.”

    The author shared that even as her mother lives with declining cognitive health in a care home, a copy of the memoir now rests beside her bed, and McWatt visits regularly. Before traveling to Trinidad and Tobago for the ceremony, McWatt told her mother of the nomination, and received a characteristically vibrant response: “She said, ‘Oh, I’m coming—bring me.’” McWatt drew warm laughter and applause from the crowd as she recalled her mother’s lifelong love of Caribbean culture, noting that even into her seventies, she traveled annually to Trinidad’s Carnival, “jumping up in a band wearing very little.”

    Though her mother can no longer read due to her dementia, McWatt said her mother still recognizes herself in the memoir’s photographs, including one of her playing piano. *The Snag* confronts the grief and complexity of caring for a parent with dementia, while drawing parallels between the natural cycles of the forest—decay and regrowth—to process the experience. A well-established author with 11 published books spanning fiction, non-fiction, short stories, essays, and musical libretti, McWatt struck a humble tone, emphasizing that she never expected to claim the top prize. “I told her the book was nominated for a very important prize, but I wasn’t going to win because the writers I was up against were among the very best in the world,” she explained. “I told her I had already won, just being on the list among these incredible writers.” She closed her remarks by thanking her network of supporters, from family and friends to her literary agent and publishing teams across Canada and the UK. This is not McWatt’s first recognition from the OCM Bocas Prize: she took home the non-fiction category award in 2021 for *Shame on Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging*.

    Saturday’s ceremony also celebrated other standout contributors to Caribbean literature. Canisia Lubrin won the prize’s poetry category for *The World After Rain*, while Justin Haynes took home the fiction award for his debut novel *Ibis*. The 2026 Bocas Henry Swanzy Award for Distinguished Service to Caribbean Letters went to Guyanese-Canadian literary scholar and critic Frank Birbalsingh, marking a second Guyanese-Canadian honoree of the night.

    The 16th edition of the Bocas Lit Fest, one of the world’s premier celebrations of Caribbean literary work, concluded the following evening with a rousing grand finale: the National Poetry Slam held at the National Academy for the Performing Arts.

  • Manhunt for two suspects

    Manhunt for two suspects

    A massive coordinated manhunt is still underway across central Trinidad for two suspects who fled the scene of a fatal early-morning home invasion that left four suspects dead in a police-military operation on Saturday. Two other people connected to the incident are currently in law enforcement custody, but investigators have not yet closed the case as they work to track down the remaining fugitives and dismantle a suspected criminal ring linked to a string of recent break-ins in the region.

    Law enforcement insiders shared new updates on Sunday, confirming that one of the two detainees is being held at the Caroni Police Station. The second arrested suspect was injured during an exchange of gunfire with responding officers and remains under constant police supervision at a local medical facility, where he is receiving treatment for his wounds.

    Senior law enforcement officials confirmed that the two detainees are being held within the 48-hour detention window permitted under Trinidad’s existing legal framework. When this initial period comes to an end, investigating officers are prepared to submit a formal request to a senior officer ranked above Assistant Superintendent of Police to extend the detention period by up to seven additional days. Sources close to the investigation also told local outlet Express that authorities are already evaluating the use of extraordinary emergency measures, specifically a preventative detention order (PDO). This legal tool would allow officials to hold the detainees for the full duration of the active state of emergency (SoE) currently in place across the country.

    The entire operation was triggered by a reported home invasion in the community of Cunupia early Saturday. Local police received an urgent call about the break-in and launched a rapid response, bringing in military support to contain the scene. The confrontation escalated into a shootout that left four of the suspected intruders dead. Two people were taken into custody at the scene, while two others managed to evade capture and escape.

    In the days following the confrontation, police have maintained a visibly increased presence in the communities affected by the recent string of home invasions. Investigators are actively following up on every tip and lead they receive, with the dual goal of capturing the two remaining fugitives and breaking up the organized criminal network believed to be responsible for the recent wave of break-ins across central Trinidad.

    As the search operation moves forward, government and law enforcement officials are calling on local residents to stay alert to any unusual or suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. Members of the public with any information that could help investigators locate the two at-large suspects are urged to come forward and share their tips with authorities.

  • ICJ begins hearing today on Essequibo dispute

    ICJ begins hearing today on Essequibo dispute

    One of the longest-running territorial disputes in the Western Hemisphere is set to take a critical new step this week, as the United Nations’ highest court for inter-state disputes begins a seven-day public hearing into the conflicting claims over Guyana’s Essequibo region between the South American neighbors Guyana and Venezuela.

    The oral proceedings, open to the public, are scheduled to take place at the iconic Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, the permanent headquarters of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The hearing centers on the legal status of the 1899 Arbitral Award, a century-old border ruling that forms the core of the conflict between the two nations.

    The dispute traces its origins back to 1899, when an international tribunal based in Paris issued the Arbitral Award that granted control of roughly two-thirds of the contested 159,000-square-kilometer Essequibo region to British Guiana, the predecessor state to modern-day independent Guyana. For decades, Venezuela has rejected the legitimacy of the ruling, arguing that the 1899 process was riddled with procedural and legal flaws. Under the terms of the 1966 Geneva Agreement, signed as Guyana prepared for independence from Britain, both countries agreed to pursue a negotiated settlement to the dispute.

    The legal journey to the ICJ began in 2018, when Guyana formally submitted an application to the court, initiating official proceedings against Venezuela. Guyana’s filing asked the court to confirm the legal validity and binding force of the 1899 Arbitral Award that established the border between the two states.

    From the outset, Venezuela has disputed the ICJ’s authority to hear the case. Shortly after Guyana filed its claim, Venezuela notified the court that it rejected ICJ jurisdiction and would not participate in the proceedings. That position was challenged in a December 2020 ICJ ruling, which found that the court did have the legal authority to hear the application, including questions related to the validity of the 1899 award and the final settlement of the land border dispute.

    Venezuela filed a formal preliminary objection to this ruling in June 2022. In response, the ICJ issued a follow-up judgment this past April, rejecting Venezuela’s objection and confirming that it could proceed to adjudicate the substance of Guyana’s claims, within the bounds of the jurisdiction outlined in the 2020 ruling. This decision clears the way for this week’s public hearings on the merits of the dispute.

    The dispute re-emerged in global headlines just days before the hearing, after Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez wore a map-shaped brooch depicting Venezuela as including the entire Essequibo region during a diplomatic engagement with the Caribbean Community (Caricom). The move drew an immediate rebuke from Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who sent a formal letter to Caricom Chairman Dr. Terrance Drew. In the letter, Ali argued that using a Caricom-hosted event to advance a territorial claim against another Caricom member state risks being interpreted as the regional body acquiescing to or tolerating the claim.

    Ali reaffirmed Guyana’s long-held position that the dispute is properly before the ICJ for a binding final ruling. “Guyana remains fully committed to the peaceful resolution of this matter in accordance with international law,” he stated. “We continue to repose our confidence in the court and to respect its processes and eventual judgement.”

    Rodriguez assumed the role of acting President of Venezuela earlier this year, after a U.S. military operation led to the capture of former President Nicolas Maduro, who is currently detained and awaiting trial on criminal charges in a New York court.

  • I won’t be bullied

    I won’t be bullied

    A sharp exchange of public accusations has escalated political tensions in Trinidad and Tobago, after Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles issued a fiery rejection of claims from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) has been hijacked and controlled by unelected “fake elite financiers”.

    The verbal confrontation traces back to a chaotic parliamentary sitting last Friday, when the entire PNM bloc staged a mass walkout from the chamber after Deputy House Speaker Dr. Aiyna Ali shut down the opposition’s protests. The unrest began when PNM leaders objected to the inclusion of Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi in the debate over the adoption of the Special Report from the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC). Al-Rawi and fellow PNM Senator Janelle John-Bates had helped former health minister Terrence Deyalsingh draft his witness statement submitted to the committee. In the wake of the controversy, John-Bates publicly offered her resignation from the Senate, with Beckles confirming Friday that she is still reviewing whether to accept the departure.

    During the heated debate, Beckles’ leadership of the opposition was publicly labeled as “weak” by ruling party figures. Shortly after the walkout, Persad-Bissessar took to social media to amplify the criticism, claiming that Al-Rawi — the PNM’s public relations officer — remained untouchable and protected by the party’s hidden backers. She argued that the entire PNM now operates solely to serve the interests of its secret financiers, alleging that Beckles was installed by these outside forces to replace the old PNM leadership and cannot defy their demands. The Prime Minister further claimed that the PNM’s walkout was not triggered by the government’s call for John-Bates’ removal, but by the demand that Beckles remove Al-Rawi over his role in the scandal.

    In her formal response released via social media on the following day, Beckles struck back with equally harsh criticism, labeling the prime minister’s claims as baseless, desperate, and embarrassing. She dismissed the accusations of outside financial control as wild, spurious attacks from a leader who has run out of factual arguments, describing the social media outburst as nothing more than a childish political tantrum. Opening her response with a firm declaration of “I will not be bullied,” Beckles pushed back against Persad-Bissessar’s narrative, pointing out that the prime minister herself occupies a vulnerable, isolated position amid growing discontent.

    Beckles emphasized that as PNM leader, all decisions about parliamentary representation will follow due process, and the ruling government has no right to dictate how the opposition manages its own members. She went on to attack the governing bloc, noting that multiple current government legislators are out on bail, hold falsified professional qualifications, face active court proceedings, and post vulgar, inappropriate content on public social media platforms — yet the prime minister has not taken action against any of these figures.

    The opposition leader also defended the PNM’s decision to walk out of parliament, framing the move as a principled stand against a government that abused its parliamentary majority, ignored established standing orders, and allowed proceedings to descend into political theater and chaos. She highlighted a key contradiction in the prime minister’s criticism: Persad-Bissessar was not present for Friday’s sitting or the debate at all, yet she is now issuing sweeping judgments on events she did not witness first-hand. Beckles argued that if the prime minister wants to lecture on proper parliamentary conduct, she must first show consistent attendance in the chamber to fulfill her responsibilities to the public and understand the issues on the ground.

    Beckles also accused the government of manufacturing selective outrage to inflate a minor procedural issue, while ignoring serious procedural breaches outlined in the PAAC Minority Report. She insisted that all parliamentary misconduct must be investigated with the same level of scrutiny, and that a single universal standard of conduct applied equally to all lawmakers is essential to protecting public trust and upholding the proper function of Trinidad and Tobago’s democratic institutions. Closing her statement, Beckles reaffirmed that the PNM will not be intimidated by the ruling party’s attacks, and will continue to act responsibly, uphold due process, and defend the interests of all Trinidad and Tobago citizens.

  • Hormuz-conflict houdt olieprijzen stevig boven $100

    Hormuz-conflict houdt olieprijzen stevig boven $100

    Global oil prices edged lower in early trading on Monday, driven by a new announcement from former U.S. President Donald Trump outlining planned American military action to free commercial vessels detained in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Even with this pledge of intervention, persistent uncertainty around stalled U.S.-Iran peace talks has kept upward pressure on prices, leaving benchmarks holding firmly above the $100 per barrel threshold.

    Brent crude futures fell 64 cents, a 0.59% drop, to settle at $107.53 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined 84 cents, or 0.82%, to hit $101.10 per barrel. Both benchmarks already recorded significant losses in trading on the prior Friday, extending a period of volatile price swings tied to Middle East geopolitics.

    In a post to his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump stated that the U.S. has committed to escorting vessels from other nations safely through the narrow waterway, allowing commercial shipping traffic to resume unimpeded. “For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we will provide this escort protection,” Trump wrote in the post.

    Despite Trump’s public statement, regional geopolitical tensions remain elevated. Negotiations between Washington and Tehran have hit repeated snags, with both sides refusing to back away from their core non-negotiable positions. While Trump has prioritized reaching a new nuclear deal with the Iranian government as a top policy goal, Tehran has proposed setting nuclear discussions aside temporarily until the ongoing regional conflict ends and blockades in the Persian Gulf are lifted.

    In a separate development over the weekend, OPEC+ announced it would raise collective oil production targets for June, with seven member nations set to add a combined 188,000 barrels per day to global output. This marks the third consecutive month of production increases from the alliance, though the planned hike was scaled back slightly following the United Arab Emirates’ withdrawal from OPEC earlier this year. Even with the announced target increase, actual growth in global oil supply remains constrained by the ongoing conflict in the region and persistent shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly 20% of global oil supplies pass each day.

  • Republic Bank and Cricket West Indies renew commitment for 2026 primary schools ‘Five For Fun’ Cricket Programme

    Republic Bank and Cricket West Indies renew commitment for 2026 primary schools ‘Five For Fun’ Cricket Programme

    In an exciting development for grassroots youth cricket across the Caribbean, Republic Bank and Cricket West Indies (CWI) have formally renewed their collaborative partnership for the 2026 iteration of the popular Primary Schools ‘Five for Fun’ Cricket Programme, reaffirming their long-held shared dedication to nurturing young talent and strengthening community cricket across the region.

    Now marking its sixth consecutive year of operation, the fast-paced, inclusive initiative has cemented its status as a foundational pillar of youth cricket development in the Caribbean. Tailored specifically for children aged 7 to 11, the program opens the door to structured access to cricket — the region’s most culturally unifying national pastime — welcoming participants of all genders. Unlike traditional competitive cricket formats, Five for Fun introduces young learners to the core rules and skills of the game through a dynamic, modern framework that prioritizes participation, fun, and the development of transferable life skills over winning at all costs.

    The 2026 competition season is scheduled to run from April through September, with activities hosted across five established Caribbean locations: Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. In a key milestone for the program’s growth this year, organizers have expanded the regional footprint to include Barbados for the first time ever. When the season kicks off, more than 320 primary schools across 187 local communities are expected to take part, engaging over 10,000 young students in professional structured coaching sessions and low-pressure competitive matches.

    Richard S. Sammy, Group Vice President of Republic Financial Holdings and Vice President of Republic Bank, emphasized the institution’s core belief in the transformative power of recreational sport in a statement on the partnership renewal. “At Republic Bank, we believe in the power of sport as a conduit for building confidence, character, and transforming lives. Our continued partnership with Cricket West Indies through the Republic Bank Five for Fun Cricket Programme reflects our commitment to youth development and strengthening communities across the Caribbean,” Sammy explained. “Through this initiative, we are not only introducing children to the joy of cricket, but also helping them develop important life skills such as teamwork, discipline, resilience, and ambition. These lessons extend far beyond the field and help prepare them for success in every aspect of life. We are proud to support a programme that creates meaningful pathways for the next generation, both in sport and in leadership across our region.”

    CWI Chief Executive Officer Chris Dehring echoed this enthusiasm, highlighting the unique value of the long-running public-private partnership for Caribbean communities. “Cricket West Indies is tremendously proud of our continued partnership with Republic Bank on the Republic Bank Five for Fun Cricket programme, as it continues to grow as a vital grassroots initiative, combining cricket development with life skills in a safe and engaging environment where young boys and girls can learn, express themselves, thrive and grow,” Dehring said. “It reflects a shared commitment to ensuring cricket remains a meaningful part of the school experience, while creating clear development pathways for young talent across the Caribbean to progress both on and off the field.”

    The Five for Fun Programme operates as a core component of the Caribbean’s broader regional cricket development ecosystem, working in close coordination with local and national stakeholders including regional Ministries of Education and Sport, national Cricket Associations, public primary school systems, local community cricket clubs, and other community partners. This integrated collaborative model has already delivered proven results: several program alumni have already progressed to represent their home countries at both the national junior and senior international cricket levels.

    As the program continues to expand its reach and impact across the Caribbean, it has emerged as a leading example of how intentional strategic partnerships between private enterprise and sporting governing bodies can integrate sport and education to empower the next generation of both Caribbean cricketers and community leaders.