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Project for 1,000 housing units in northern Haiti

In a landmark step to address Haiti’s growing affordable housing crisis and expand social protection coverage, Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST) Marc-Elie Nelson officially laid the foundation stone for the new regional office of the Public Enterprise for the Promotion of Social Housing (EPPLS) in the northern border city of Ouanaminthe on Saturday, April 26, 2026.

During the well-attended groundbreaking ceremony, Minister Nelson used the occasion to directly address local families, workers, and laborers, reaffirming the Haitian government’s unwavering commitment to supporting vulnerable populations across the Far North region through targeted, people-centered subsidy programs. He confirmed that a total allocation of 7.405 billion gourdes has already been disbursed to boost social protection frameworks and support the country’s most economically disadvantaged groups. As part of this broader effort, Nelson highlighted that the Fund for Economic and Social Support (FAES) has rolled out direct cash assistance, providing 5,000 gourdes in one-time support to every employed worker in Haiti’s key textile export sector.

EPPLS Director General Rony Charles praised the government’s strategic investments in social welfare and called for proactive collaboration from local communities to ensure sustainable, responsible management of the new social housing developments and planned residential villages. To institutionalize this local oversight, a nine-member Supervisory Commission made up of early-career young professional trainees has been established. The commission’s core mandate includes ongoing monitoring of infrastructure upkeep and enforcing public cleanliness standards across all social housing sites, with formal letters of appointment officially presented to the new commission members during Saturday’s ceremony.

In a major policy announcement made at the event, Nelson confirmed plans to construct 1,000 new housing units across the broader northern region of Haiti, a project designed to alleviate the severe housing shortage that has disproportionately impacted low-income households in the area. The entire development will be funded through partnerships with international development organizations, with all units reserved exclusively for low-income families struggling to access safe, affordable housing.

The Ouanaminthe groundbreaking is part of Minister Nelson’s official cross-country outreach tour, which launched in northern Haiti on April 24, 2026. Following the conclusion of his northern visit, Nelson is scheduled to travel to Haiti’s Great South region starting next week, where he will oversee the rollout of direct government assistance to vulnerable households in that part of the country.

27 4 月, 2026
Abinader inaugurates Bajo Yuna Road Circuit connecting Duarte and María Trinidad Sánchez

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has formally opened the transformative Bajo Yuna Road Circuit, a 49-plus kilometer infrastructure project that bridges Duarte Province and María Trinidad Sánchez Province in a long-awaited upgrade for the underserved Lower Yuna region.

Delivered by the nation’s Ministry of Public Works and Communications, the project comprises 42.8 kilometers of primary highway and an additional 6.2 kilometers of feeder roads connecting local settlements. It links a string of previously disconnected communities—including La Reforma, Las Coles, La Jagua, El Jobo, and La Garza—to critical national transport routes, namely the Juan Pablo Segundo Highway and the Nagua–Samaná road. For more than 20,000 people living in these areas, the new connection cuts travel times and removes long-standing barriers to accessing essential public services, from hospital care to primary and secondary schooling, as well as regional commercial markets.

Beyond connecting people, the roadway is designed to revolutionize the movement of the region’s key agricultural exports, most notably rice and cocoa. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Public Works Minister Eduardo Estrella emphasized that streamlined logistics will directly strengthen the sector’s competitiveness, with rice producers set to see the most significant gains from reduced transit costs and faster delivery times.

Project planners also prioritized climate resilience in response to the Lower Yuna region’s history of frequent flooding. Custom drainage systems were integrated into the circuit’s design to ensure the route remains passable through heavy rain and flood events, delivering reliable connectivity year-round rather than just during dry seasons.

Local community leaders have welcomed the infrastructure as a game-changer for the region. They note that the elimination of transport bottlenecks will lift local agricultural productivity, open new economic opportunities for smallholder producers, and lay the foundation for broad-based, sustainable development across the entire Bajo Yuna catchment area.

27 4 月, 2026
GTUC president calls for cost of living subsidies

As Guyana kicked off its annual Labour Week celebrations on Sunday, April 26, 2026, the country’s leading trade union chief has amplified pressure on the ruling administration to roll out broad new consumer subsidies, blaming cascading global conflicts for driving up everyday costs for working Guyanese.

Norris Witter, president of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), made the appeal immediately after he joined fellow union representatives in laying a ceremonial wreath at the Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow monument, located on the grounds of Georgetown’s Parliament Building. The annual tribute opens the country’s Labour Week, which honors the legacy of Critchlow, widely recognized as the founding father of Guyana’s trade union movement.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Witter traced the current cost-of-living crisis in Guyana back to two overlapping global conflicts: the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, and the escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf. According to Witter, these dual crises have severely disrupted global supply chains, exacerbated fossil fuel shortages, and driven up prices for a wide range of essential goods nationwide.

To counteract these inflationary pressures, Witter argued that targeted government subsidies — what he called the “invisible hand of the State” — are the most effective immediate tool to stabilize prices for basic commodities. The call comes as transportation providers across the country have already implemented fare hikes: public buses, private taxis, and domestic airlines have all raised ticket prices in response to sharp spikes in global fuel costs.

Witter criticized the incumbent People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration, arguing that the broad subsidy package the GTUC demands would require political will that the current government has so far failed to demonstrate. He accused the PPPC of overly aligning with Western geopolitical interests instead of prioritizing the economic needs of Guyanese workers, and called on the government to adopt a more inclusive approach that accommodates diverse perspectives from across Guyanese society.

Currently, the government already implements limited energy-related subsidies: it covers extra fuel costs for the state-owned Guyana Power and Light utility and Guyana Water Incorporated to prevent them from passing higher fuel expenses on to residential and commercial customers. The administration has also eliminated all taxes on gasoline and diesel, and state-owned petroleum firm Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL) sells fuel at below-market rates to act as a price anchor for private fuel importers and distributors.

Witter acknowledged that many union members expect private and public sector employers to raise wages and salaries to help workers keep up with rising costs. However, he emphasized that the ultimate responsibility for taming inflation falls on national policymakers. “Even though the unions will have a right to engage the employers for meaningful increases, we must not lose sight of the fact that it is political managers who manage the national economy, who have that foremost responsibility to ensure that the kinds of policies and programmes are put in place to arrest the increase in the cost of living,” Witter said.

Witter’s comments echo recent criticism from former Guyanese Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who has also called on the PPPC government to take stronger action to address the cost of living. Jordan recently recommended that the government distribute an interim salary increase to public workers using funds already allocated in the 2026 national budget, then revise the entire budget to cut non-essential spending on low-priority infrastructure projects. He has also faulted the administration for failing to roll out a public fuel conservation education campaign and implement formal policies to crack down on predatory price gouging by retailers and suppliers.

27 4 月, 2026
Situation report on the crisis in Haiti (January-March 2026)

Three months into 2026, Haiti’s humanitarian catastrophe continues to deepen, as brutal gang violence leaves large swathes of the country uninhabitable and pushes millions of vulnerable people into displacement. Hard-hit regions including the Artibonite and Central departments, as well as the densely populated Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, have seen widespread destruction of residential property, alongside sharp spikes in kidnapping and sexual violence. Current data confirms that roughly 1.4 million Haitians have been forced to abandon their homes to seek safety, while thousands more have been killed since the crisis escalated. Amidst the collapsing security environment, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and its local implementing partners have remained on the ground to deliver life-saving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, while stepping up efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) that disproportionately impacts women and adolescent girls. Between January and March 2026, the agency delivered critical SRH care to 7,470 vulnerable people, and ran GBV intervention and support programs that reached 5,580 survivors and at-risk community members. To meet the immediate hygiene and health needs of displaced women and girls, UNFPA also distributed 2,792 dignity kits, and supplied 100 inter-agency reproductive health kits to local health facilities and non-governmental organizations, enough to cover the care needs of 5,489 people across crisis-hit regions. To scale up these life-saving operations and meet the rapidly growing demand for services across the country in 2026, UNFPA has launched a $32.8 million emergency funding appeal. However, as of the end of March 2026, the agency has only received $1.8 million in donations since the start of the year – less than 5.5% of the total funding required. With humanitarian needs worsening by the day and violence continuing to displace more Haitian families, the UN body has warned that additional urgent funding is critical to ensure women and girls retain access to essential health care and protection services that are already on the brink of collapse.

27 4 月, 2026
Haiti : Access work underway at the Mont Fleury solar power plant site

Haiti’s landmark renewable energy transition is moving one step closer to reality, as access improvement works get underway at the Mont Fleury site earmarked for the new Jacmel photovoltaic solar power plant. This progress comes on the heels of the recent construction contract signing for the project, which stands as one of the Caribbean nation’s most ambitious renewable energy investments in recent years.

Joseph Almathe Pierre Louis, Haiti’s Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications (MTPTC), has formally directed engineering teams to accelerate upgrades to key road sections leading to the project site. The Southeast Departmental Directorate (DDSE-Jacmel) is providing technical oversight and support for the infrastructure works, which serve a dual purpose: clearing the way for smooth construction of the solar facility and delivering long-awaited connectivity improvements for local residents in Mont Fleury, the sixth communal section of Jacmel.

As the official project owner, MTPTC is overseeing strict quality controls and regular progress monitoring for the entire initiative. The project is backed by more than $17 million in financing from the World Bank, disbursed through Haiti’s flagship *Renewable Energy for All* (SREP) program, an initiative designed to expand affordable, reliable access to electricity across the country.

The construction contract was awarded to ESD Engineering Service S.R.L., a Dominican-based international engineering firm with extensive experience in large-scale energy infrastructure. The company is tasked with delivering a fully completed, turnkey facility equipped with cutting-edge clean energy technology. Key components of the finished plant will include a 4 megawatt solar generation capacity (with a guaranteed minimum output of 3.35 megawatts), a 6 megawatt-hour lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) to store excess power for low-sun periods, and comprehensive grid expansion works. These upgrades include the installation of roughly 4 kilometers of new low-voltage power lines and 7 kilometers of 23 kV medium-voltage lines to connect the facility to the national grid.

A standout feature of the project is its advanced grid-forming technology, a system engineered to maintain consistent voltage and frequency stability across Haiti’s electrical grid. This capability means the plant will continue to deliver reliable power even if the nation’s existing thermal power facilities shut down unexpectedly, or during extended periods of low sunlight. The technology addresses one of the biggest longstanding challenges facing Haiti’s fragile energy sector: persistent grid instability and widespread outages.

Construction of the solar power plant is scheduled to take 13 months, with work kicking off in February 2026 and commercial operations on track to launch by March 2027. Beyond boosting generation capacity, the project is expected to set a precedent for future renewable energy investment in Haiti, helping the nation reduce its dependence on expensive imported fossil fuels and expand access to electricity for underserved communities across the southeast region.

27 4 月, 2026
Abinader inaugurates RD$281 million highway project in Las Gordas, Nagua

After more than half a century of unmet community demands, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has officially opened the 13.8-kilometer Mata Bonita–Los Memisos highway in Nagua’s Las Gordas district, delivering a transformative infrastructure upgrade to María Trinidad Sánchez Province.

The new highway, constructed by the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGEHID) with a total investment of over 281 million Dominican pesos (approximately US$5 million), delivers connectedness gains to four key rural communities: Los Memisos, Mata Bonita, Los Guayabitos, and Las Catalinas. Beyond improving daily travel for local residents, the route also cuts travel time to the Rosa Julia de la Cruz, commonly known as Boba, hydroelectric power plant, streamlining access for facility operations and maintenance.

Engineers and construction crews outfitted the highway with a full suite of safety and accessibility features, including full asphalt paving, reinforced drainage networks, culverts for water runoff management, concrete curbs, clear road signage, strategically placed speed bumps, and reinforced slope protection to prevent erosion and landslide risks. These upgrades are designed to reduce accident rates and support smoother, more reliable traffic flow year-round, even during extreme weather events common to the region.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, EGEHID administrator Rafael Salazar emphasized that the project is fully aligned with the administration’s core priorities to uplift underserved vulnerable communities across the country. Salazar noted that improved road infrastructure will strengthen emergency response capabilities for medical and disaster events, cut commute times for students traveling to local schools, and reduce transportation costs for small-scale agricultural producers looking to get their crops to regional markets.

Local community leaders and residents have praised the initiative, noting that the new highway ends decades of geographic isolation for the area’s rural populations. Stakeholders highlighted that enhanced connectivity will unlock new economic opportunities, attract small business investment, and lay the groundwork for long-term sustainable development across rural María Trinidad Sánchez Province. The completion of the project marks a key campaign promise fulfilled by the Abinader administration, demonstrating its commitment to delivering public infrastructure improvements to underserved regions outside the country’s major urban centers.

27 4 月, 2026
LIVE NOW: PM Skerrit update on effects of heavy rainfall

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26 4 月, 2026
Voorstel wetswijziging moet uitvaartsector strenger reguleren

On Friday, a working committee of Suriname’s parliament led by Iona Rogers-Edwards held an in-depth discussion on a proposed update to the country’s Burial Act, a legislative change aimed at bringing much-needed reform to the nation’s fragmented funeral services industry.

The core goals of the proposed amendments are threefold: to expand government oversight of funeral operations, improve public health standards for body handling and burial site management, and standardize professional practices across the entire sector. The bill also seeks to introduce stricter legal requirements for the administration of public and private cemeteries, as well as formalize protocols for the respectful treatment of deceased persons, addressing longstanding gaps in current regulation.

During the session of the Committee of Rapporteurs, stakeholders including the newly formed Collective of Funeral Undertakers, the main industry umbrella group, requested additional time to submit formal written comments on the draft legislation, a request the committee granted. Members also turned their attention to outdated fee structures for legal corpse transportation, noting that the current fixed levy of 250 Surinamese dollars (SRD) no longer aligns with current operational costs. A proposal to double the levy to SRD 500 is currently under active consideration.

Committee members also highlighted a series of pressing systemic challenges plaguing the sector, including widespread lack of adequate safety protocols for post-mortem care, and weak enforcement of rules governing private funeral service providers. These gaps have created risks for both funeral workers and public health, the committee confirmed.

The committee reaffirmed that stronger, more consistent regulation is a critical public priority, and all input from industry stakeholders, community groups and other relevant parties will be integrated into the next stages of the legislative process. Attendees at the Friday session, in addition to chair Rogers-Edwards, included committee members Le-Roy Doorson, Dorothy Hoever and Dinotha Vorswijk. All submitted insights and proposals will be incorporated into the draft final report for the full legislative body before a final vote on the amendments.

26 4 月, 2026
Public Schools dominate at Classique Lighting Caribbean Communal Invitational

Grenada’s young track and field stars took center stage on Saturday, April 25, 2026, for the second annual Classique Lighting Caribbean Communal Invitational, the only competitive athletics event on the national calendar that pits elite young runners from the country’s public and private primary school systems against one another directly.

Co-hosted for the second consecutive year by Classique Lighting Caribbean and the Communal Cooperative Credit Union, the invitational brought together the top four qualifying athletes from two of the nation’s biggest primary school athletics championships: the Huggins Private Primary School Championships and the GUT National Primary Schools Championships. Designed to foster friendly cross-sector rivalry while elevating youth athletic development, the 2026 iteration delivered packed, high-energy competition across four age divisions and six sprint distances.

Young competitors took to the track in the Under-7, Under-9, Under-11, and Under-13 age groups, contesting the 60m, 80m, 100m, 150m, 200m, and 400m sprints. Throughout the afternoon, athletes turned in consistent, high-quality performances that kept spectators engaged and highlighted the depth of young running talent across both public and private school networks.

By the close of competition, public school athletes claimed a decisive lead in the overall medal standings, racking up 15 gold medals, 8 silver medals, and 11 bronze medals to secure the overall team advantage. Private school competitors finished with 1 gold, 8 silver, and 5 bronze medals total.

Multiple standout performances and podium sweeps from public school athletes anchored their commanding lead. In the Under-7 division, Kalyssa Phillip claimed top honors in both the girls’ 60m and 80m, while Leonardo Alexander took gold in the boys’ 60m. Private schools earned their only gold of the day in the Under-7 boys’ 80m, where Xayden DeCoteau Pierre pulled off a resilient final push to cross the finish line first.

The Under-9 division saw another sweep for public schools, with Kaylee Abraham taking gold in the girls’ 80m and 150m, and Dimari Paul claiming both boys’ sprint titles. In the Under-11 division, Taniyah Gibbs LaTouche dominated the girls’ 100m and 200m, while Kellie Howell matched the feat for public schools in the boys’ events. The senior Under-13 division delivered the most impressive individual performances of the day: Jammie Smith swept the girls’ 100m, 200m, and 400m to claim three gold medals, while Jediel Andrew took gold in the boys’ 100m and 200m, and Tyrone Alexis closed out the sprint slate with a gold in the boys’ 400m.

Organizers emphasized that despite the lopsided final medal count, the event achieved its core mission beyond the podium. The invitational was created not just to crown winners, but to give promising young athletes access to high-level competitive experience that will help them grow in the sport, while also creating shared community engagement opportunities for local corporate teams and grassroots community groups.

With two consecutive successful stagings under its belt and consistent backing from local corporate sponsors, the Classique Lighting Caribbean Communal Invitational has solidified its status as one of Grenada’s flagship youth athletics events. More than a competition, the meet has become a celebrated annual tradition that honors athletic excellence, strengthens community bonds, and reinforces the power of collaborative communal development in Grenada.

26 4 月, 2026
Huggins outshines competition at Classique Lighting Communal Invitational

The second annual Classique Lighting Caribbean Communal Invitational wrapped up its two-day competition over the weekend of April 25-26, with corporate track and field squad Geo. F Huggins and Company Ltd. delivering an unforgettable dominant performance, headlined by star sprinter Tisha Checkley who claimed two individual gold medals. Held in Grenada, the 2026 iteration of the invitational drew 12 competing teams across all categories, with senior corporate sprint events emerging as the most anticipated attractions of the tournament.

Checkley’s standout run came first in the women’s 100m dash, where she led a historic full podium sweep for the Huggins team. Crossing the finish line in a winning time of 14.10 seconds, Checkley finished well ahead of her competitors, with teammates Lanaya Woodroofe and Jaydee Samuel taking silver and bronze respectively with times of 14.83 seconds and 15.04 seconds. The 1-2-3 finish cemented the Huggins squad’s dominance, putting a substantial gap between the team and its closest corporate rival, Jonas Browne & Hubbard Ltd.

Not content with one gold medal, Checkley returned to the track later the same day to compete in the women’s 60m dash final, which was split into two timed sectional heats. Earlisha Prescott of Digicel Grenada set an early fast pace in the first heat, clocking 9.28 seconds to hold the top position going into the second heat. But Checkley delivered a powerful, explosive performance out of the starting blocks, pulling away from the second heat field to stop the clock at 8.88 seconds — fast enough to secure the overall gold medal. Digicel rounded out the 60m podium, with Prescott taking silver and Corene Procope claiming bronze in 9.32 seconds.

Martin Bedeau, Managing Director of event organizer Classique Lighting Caribbean (Grenada) and the creator of the invitational, highlighted the strong corporate participation as a key milestone for the growing competition. “I am incredibly proud of the performance from Team Huggins,” Bedeau said in comments following the event. “We look forward to seeing even more corporate partners participating in future editions of the invitational as we continue to grow this event.”

Organizers confirmed that the corporate competitive category will remain a core centerpiece of the annual invitational moving forward, following the success of the 2026 staging and the high level of competition displayed by teams like Geo. F Huggins.

26 4 月, 2026