Carib Scope

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  • Can Oscar Mira and Florencio Marin Jr. Survive the Audit?

    Can Oscar Mira and Florencio Marin Jr. Survive the Audit?

    Three weeks have passed since Belize Prime Minister John Briceño ordered a sweeping audit of the nation’s Ministry of Defense, launched amid a public controversy that has left two senior officials – Oscar Mira and Florencio Marin Jr. – at the center of growing scrutiny. With the 12-week review timeline already ticking, the public now faces a nine-week wait before official findings are released, leaving unanswered questions hanging over the future of the two embattled officials and the outcome of the investigation.

    As speculation builds over what investigators will uncover and whether Mira and Marin could eventually be reinstated to their positions, United Democratic Party (UDP) Leader Tracy Panton has publicly shared her expectations for the audit, pushing back against any suggestion that the probe could clear the officials and allow their return.

    In comments carried by local media, Panton emphasized that accountability must be the core priority for the process, arguing that any leadership seeking to hold a sitting government to account must first uphold strict standards of transparency. She framed the audit as a turning point for Belize, saying the public has grown weary of mismanagement and misuse of public funds.

    “The money that is being stolen from the public purse is your money,” Panton told reporters, noting that the details already available to the public represent only a small fraction of the full picture of wrongdoing.

    When asked how the opposition would respond if Prime Minister Briceño ultimately clears the two officials and reinstates them following the audit, Panton rejected the scenario as untenable. While she acknowledged Briceño could choose to issue such a ruling, she argued the Belizean public would not accept that outcome. “I don’t think the prime minister can get away with telling the Belizean people nothing is happening,” she said.

    Panton confirmed that the UDP plans to release additional leaked internal government documents in the coming weeks as the audit progresses, expanding on the information that has already sparked the current controversy. News outlets across Belize will continue tracking developments as the audit moves toward its conclusion and new details emerge.

  • Two Wins, One Loss for Enriquez and Ramlogan at CCJ

    Two Wins, One Loss for Enriquez and Ramlogan at CCJ

    On July 10, 2026, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) delivered a split verdict on three linked appeals brought by claimant Jeremy Enriquez and senior defense counsel Anand Ramlogan, centered on a high-stakes electoral redistricting dispute in Belize.

    The legal battle traces its origins to Enriquez’s original challenge against the Belizean government, which he accused of failing to revise electoral district boundaries in line with recommendations put forward by the country’s independent Elections and Boundaries Commission. Redistricting is a critical process in democratic systems, designed to ensure equal representation by adjusting boundaries to reflect population shifts, making this case a key test of democratic accountability in the region.

    When the case first moved through Belize’s lower High Court, Justice Hondora issued three contentious rulings that set the stage for the appeals: she dismissed Enriquez’s urgent application for judicial review, ordered Ramlogan to cover a portion of the Attorney General’s legal fees out of his own pocket personally, and implemented a gag order restricting public reporting on the ongoing proceedings. Dissatisfied with this outcome, Enriquez and Ramlogan launched an appeal to Belize’s intermediate Court of Appeal, which ultimately rejected or struck down all three of their challenges.

    In its landmark ruling this week, the CCJ — the final appellate court for many Caribbean nations — overturned the lower appellate court’s decision on two of the three challenges. The court found that one of the appellants’ notice of appeal was legally valid, and even if it had contained minor technical errors, it should have been permitted to be corrected rather than thrown out entirely. On the issue of the personal costs order against Ramlogan, the CCJ ruled that the senior counsel did not require advance court permission to launch an appeal against the ruling, and further found that Justice Hondora had issued the original costs order without following proper procedural protocol or giving Ramlogan adequate advance notice to defend against the penalty.

    Despite the two wins, the CCJ upheld the dismissal of the third appeal, centered on the publication restriction order. The top court ruled that appellants had skipped a required procedural step: before bringing a challenge to the CCJ, they must first petition the original High Court to modify or rescind the ex parte publication order before pursuing an appeal.

    In line with the mixed outcome, the CCJ ordered that legal costs for the appeal be allocated to the parties proportional to their success in the case. The ruling clears the way for the underlying dispute over Belize’s electoral boundaries to move forward, reopening a debate that has major implications for political representation in the country ahead of upcoming elections.

  • Justice Antoinette Moore Retires After Twelve Years on the Bench

    Justice Antoinette Moore Retires After Twelve Years on the Bench

    Twelve years ago, what started as a six-month emergency appointment to clear a case backlog at Belize’s Supreme Court is drawing to a close: Justice Antoinette Moore, one of the nation’s most influential legal figures, will step down from the High Court at the end of August 2026, leaving an indelible mark on Belize’s pursuit of equal justice.

    Moore’s long career in law began long before she took the bench. A legal scholar trained at two of the world’s most prestigious institutions — Loyola University Chicago and the University of Oxford — she first built her reputation as a fierce human rights attorney working in private practice. Throughout these early years, she dedicated much of her work to upholding constitutional protections and amplifying the voices of marginalized, vulnerable communities across Belize. Her most landmark contribution from this era came in her decades-long advocacy for Maya customary land rights, a battle that wound through domestic Belizean courts, regional human rights bodies, and ultimately reached the nation’s highest judicial forum. “That is what you have been struggling for and that certainly… That has gone for the last ten years through the courts, through the regional human rights bodies, through the courts of Belize and until now it reached the last, the highest, that mountaintop in terms of the courts, the highest court,” Moore said of the land rights campaign in a 2015 interview.

    Beyond her human rights work, Moore also stepped into a critical role as lead prosecutor for Belize’s Financial Intelligence Unit, where she took on the complex, high-stakes work of combating financial crime. She led the prosecution of what was then the largest money laundering case in Belize’s history, which involved more than $1.5 million in illegally laundered funds. Her work secured guilty convictions against all five accused, including defendants Michael and Melonie Coye. “We are very pleased that the jury saw the evidence and resulted in guilty verdicts for all five of the accused, which of course includes the corporate accused and the four natural persons,” Moore stated after the 2012 verdict.

    In 2014, Moore was tapped for a temporary six-month assignment to the Supreme Court’s criminal division, tasked solely with clearing a backlog of more than 70 pending criminal cases. What was meant to be a short-term gap-filling role extended far beyond its original timeline: 12 years later, Moore leaves the bench as one of Belize’s most respected and trusted criminal judges, having presided over nearly all of the nation’s most high-profile, consequential criminal trials in over a decade.

    Among her most notable rulings was the life sentence handed down to William “Danny” Mason and four accomplices for the brutal kidnapping, murder, and beheading of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas, a case that shocked the nation and became one of the most sensational criminal events in Belize’s modern history. She also delivered life sentences for a string of high-profile murders, including Enrique DePaz for the killing of Harrison Bowers, Shane Bennett for the murder of Anthony Parks, Wilmer Escobar for the double murder of sisters Cresencia and Josephine Oh, Nicholas Swazo for the murder of Gerald “Shiny” Tillett, and Christopher Bradley for the death of Martha Gonzales. In 2023, Moore drew national attention for her sentencing of former police corporal Kareem Martinez to 18 years in prison for the manslaughter of 14-year-old Laddie Gillett, a ruling that sparked renewed national conversation and scrutiny over excessive use of force by law enforcement.

    Across more than three decades in Belize’s legal system, Moore has served in nearly every critical role: from human rights advocate, to financial crime prosecutor, to judicial educator, to High Court Justice. As she prepares to retire, her legacy extends far beyond the walls of the courtroom, shaping how Belize approaches justice, equity, and accountability for all.
    This report is from Shane Williams, for News Five.

  • Are Statutory Bodies Following the Law or Flying Under the Radar?

    Are Statutory Bodies Following the Law or Flying Under the Radar?

    In the wake of the unfolding Mira millions corruption controversy, public scrutiny in Belize has expanded beyond the initial scandal to cast a probing light on the nation’s network of statutory bodies, raising urgent questions about widespread compliance with financial reporting and public disclosure rules.

    Dean Flowers, president of Belize’s Public Service Union, has emerged as a leading voice demanding a comprehensive, long-overdue review of these state-affiliated agencies. Under existing Belizean law, nearly all statutory bodies are mandated to submit detailed audited financial statements, approved budgets, and annual performance reports to the National Assembly, with many required to publish key documents publicly via the official Gazette. But Flowers argues that non-compliance is systemic, and the corruption exposed at the Ministry of Defense tied to the Mira case is only the first visible layer of a far deeper problem.

    “Ever since I took office as union president, I have warned the Belizean people that dozens of statutory bodies managing millions, and in some cases hundreds of millions of dollars, are failing to account for how those public funds are spent,” Flowers stated in an on-camera interview, portions of which aired during a primetime evening newscast. “If people think the Mira scandal is bad, they need to prepare for what will come when the veil is pulled back on these agencies. The problem isn’t isolated to defense, either. Ministries including Health, Education, and Works—all of which handle hundreds of millions in annual public spending, particularly for large procurement contracts—have not had their full spending properly documented and audited by the Auditor General for decades. We need the government to commit to full, unobstructed investigations to expose the corruption that has festered over the past 20 to 30 years.”

    One high-profile agency already under public examination is the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), a key statutory body that drives one of Belize’s largest economic sectors. An independent review by news reporters found that BTB has not tabled a single audited financial report in the National Assembly for more than six years, despite a clear requirement to do so under the Belize Tourism Board Act. No audited reports are available to the public on BTB’s official website either, leaving the public with no independent insight into how public tourism funding is allocated and spent.

    This report is an official transcript of a televised evening newscast, with all Kriol-language quotes transcribed using a standardized spelling system for public accessibility.

  • Drone Regulations Delayed Until July Thirtieth

    Drone Regulations Delayed Until July Thirtieth

    The Belize Department of Civil Aviation (BDCA) has announced a one-month extension to its deadline for releasing a revised draft of national unmanned aircraft systems regulations, pushing the date from the originally scheduled June 30 to July 30, 2026. The extension comes in the wake of a public consultation phase that drew far more input than initially anticipated, with dozens of targeted comments and technical recommendations submitted by key stakeholders across both the traditional aviation sector and fast-growing commercial and recreational drone industries. BDCA officials have emphasized that the timeline shift is purely an administrative adjustment to accommodate the review of all submitted feedback, and in no way signals a reduction in the department’s commitment to rolling out clear, effective rules for drone operations in Belizean airspace. Once the revised draft is published next month, the department will open a second public comment window, giving all interested parties another opportunity to review the proposed framework and submit formal feedback before the regulations are finalized. BDCA reaffirmed that its top priority is upholding full transparent regulatory due process, with the end goal of establishing a clear set of standards that allows both manned commercial and private aircraft and unmanned drone systems to operate safely in shared Belizean airspace, mitigating collision risks and supporting the sustainable growth of the burgeoning local drone sector.

  • Labour Department moves to tackle issues in security industry

    Labour Department moves to tackle issues in security industry

    In a groundbreaking move to tackle widespread labor disputes, the Saint Lucia Department of Labour has launched an unprecedented targeted engagement initiative with private security service providers, a sector that has consistently accounted for a disproportionate share of worker complaints related to unfair wages, substandard working conditions and unlawful employment termination.

    The first gathering of this initiative, held on July 8, brought together key operators and senior leadership from across the private security industry. The meeting centered on unpacking the most common recurring labor relations challenges, walking stakeholders through explicit employer obligations outlined in the national Labour Act, and rolling out evidence-based best practices for ethical and compliant human resource management.

    Deputy Labour Commissioner Nicolai Lansiquot explained that the unprecedented collaborative approach was born from years of data showing the private security sector outpaces most other industries in labor complaints. “For years, our department has recorded that security firms make up a significant share of all grievances we receive, covering everything from unpaid wages to unfair dismissal,” Lansiquot noted in remarks at the meeting. “Through routine inspections, formal investigations and alternative dispute resolution conciliation processes, we’ve mapped out consistent, solvable gaps in compliance. This direct engagement lets us address these concerns head-on, boost industry-wide understanding of legal requirements, and encourage voluntary compliance before individual issues escalate into costly, formal legal disputes.”

    Department investigations have outlined eight core recurring violations that plague the sector: employers failing to issue legally compliant pay slips to workers, incorrect calculations of overtime wages, refusal to pay mandatory premium rates for work on public holidays, violation of legally required rest break rules, inadequate and non-compliant employee record-keeping, improper and unlawful use of fixed-term employment contracts, and significant procedural flaws in disciplinary actions and employment termination processes.

    While the Department of Labour remains fully committed to rigorous enforcement of the Labour Act to protect worker rights, Lansiquant emphasized that the new strategy prioritizes proactive education, dispute prevention and public-private partnership over reactive enforcement alone. The agency recognizes that private security firms operate under unique operational constraints: the nature of the work requires nonstop around-the-clock coverage, irregular shift scheduling, extended work periods and mandatory staffing on public holidays. Even with these unique operating conditions, the department stressed that all employers are legally obligated to meet the minimum labor standards set out in the national legislation.

    Speaking directly to industry stakeholders at the July 8 meeting, Labour Minister Emma Hippolyte acknowledged the outsized positive contribution the private security sector makes to both national economic activity and public safety. “Our government recognizes the critical work done by private security officers and the companies that employ them,” Hippolyte said. “This sector delivers essential services across every corner of our national economy, and it plays a huge role in upholding public safety and keeping businesses operating smoothly. That said, compliance with the Labour Act is non-negotiable: it is the foundation of fair, stable and productive workplaces that benefit both employers and employees.”

    Hippolyte reaffirmed the government’s dual commitment to supporting sustainable private sector growth while upholding fundamental worker rights and fostering healthy, collaborative industrial relations. “Strong, positive industrial relations deliver benefits for every group: employers, workers, and the entire national community,” she added. “Our core goal is to partner with industry stakeholders to strengthen employment practices, boost overall compliance, and make sure every workplace in the sector remains fair, respectful and productive for all.”

    Moving forward, the Department of Labour plans to hold regular ongoing engagement sessions with private security industry stakeholders as part of its long-term efforts to cut down on preventable workplace disputes, lift overall compliance with labor laws, and build stronger, more collaborative labor relations across the entire sector.

  • Govt to target derelict properties tied up in family disputes, revive City

    Govt to target derelict properties tied up in family disputes, revive City

    Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley has announced a sweeping new national housing initiative designed to unlock thousands of derelict properties trapped in intergenerational family disputes, a move aimed at easing national housing shortages, cutting urban blight, and driving widespread homeownership across the island ahead of key national milestones.

    Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new public-private joint venture housing project in Vineyard, St. Philip, Mottley explained that hundreds of unused properties across Barbados have sat abandoned for decades, frozen in limbo after the death of their original owners when surviving family members fail to reach a consensus on managing or developing the assets. What starts as a private family deadlock quickly becomes a public liability, she noted, dragging down neighborhood property values and contributing to urban decay. To break these logjams, the Prime Minister has tasked the Ministry of Housing with developing a comprehensive support framework that brings together a cross-disciplinary team of legal experts, architects, engineers, financiers and contractors to offer families a flexible “menu of options” to move forward with stalled properties.

    Under the proposed scheme, the government will offer multiple pathways to unlock deadlocked assets. The state can enter into formal agreements to standardize legal documentation and pre-approved architectural plans for families, or even enter into long-term leases of up to 15 years, developing the property before returning full ownership to the family. The administration is also open to increasing housing density in established neighborhoods, allowing underused single-family derelict structures to be converted into duplexes, four-unit or six-unit multi-family dwellings to expand the total housing stock.

    This initiative forms the centerpiece of a far-reaching restructuring of Barbados’s national housing policy, launched as the country prepares to mark its 60th anniversary of independence. Mottley outlined a clear strategic shift away from the traditional model of fully state-funded housing construction toward a model centered on public-private partnerships and joint ventures. The ambitious target of this new approach is to deliver at least 2,000 new housing units per year, generating an estimated $400 million in annual economic activity across the construction and real estate sectors.

    “It is the ambition of this government to see and to create the opportunities for every Bajan to be homeowners rather than renters and tenants in their own land,” Mottley said. To scale up housing production to meet this goal, the administration is working to transform Barbados’s housing construction sector from a fragmented, artisanal activity into a streamlined industrial process. Key regulatory reforms planned in the coming months include expanding the scope of the Mortgage Indemnity Act to cover all commercial banks, a change designed to make mortgage lending more accessible to average citizens — including informal sector workers and self-employed people who can prove consistent income via digital records.

    Mottley emphasized that revitalizing existing communities by repurposing abandoned and derelict properties carries major cost benefits compared to building new greenfield residential developments, as it avoids the heavy public expense of building entirely new roads, water, sewage and power infrastructure for undeveloped land. She also moved to reassure the public that the national urban renewal drive, which includes planned multi-storey residential developments across the greater Bridgetown area, will not come at the expense of Barbados’s agricultural sector or food security. This assurance came even as she presided over the groundbreaking of a new residential project that converts a former rural plantation into a large residential district. Mottley noted the country is already shifting toward vertical, climate-smart greenhouse agriculture to boost domestic food production and protect food security, freeing up low-lying urban and former agricultural land for residential use.

    Looking ahead to the 400th anniversary of Bridgetown’s settlement in 2028, the Prime Minister laid out a two-year timeline to revitalize the capital city and bring it back to active life. She argued that a functioning capital city must be more than a hub for work and commerce; it must also be a vibrant residential community where people live year-round. To achieve this vision, the government is moving forward with new multi-storey condominium developments within Bridgetown’s city limits, with active planning already underway for central city districts including Exmouth and Greenfield. By building upward and expanding the range of housing options available in the urban core, the administration aims to modernize Bridgetown, reverse decades of urban blight, and make homeownership a reality for more Barbadians.

  • COMMUNIQUE | Fifty-First Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM

    COMMUNIQUE | Fifty-First Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM

    Between July 5 and 8 2026, leaders from across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) gathered in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, for the bloc’s 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, chaired by Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre. The gathering brought together full member state leaders, observer delegates from associate members, and special guests, kicking off with a vibrant opening ceremony showcasing Saint Lucian cultural performance that centered a unifying call to make regional integration deliver tangible benefits to everyday Caribbean people.

    Opening remarks set the tone for a meeting framed around the theme “From Resilience to Renewal”. CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett highlighted the bloc’s recent progress, including the upcoming launch of full free movement of people across four member states in October 2025 and steady gains in regional agricultural output under the 25 by 2025+5 food security strategy. She emphasized that shaping the region’s future requires collective, unified action on the bloc’s own terms: “To move ‘from resilience to renewal’ … requires active recognition that as architects of this Region’s future, we should work, in unison, to shape our own destiny, on our own terms.”

    Youth voice took center stage during the opening, with Saint Lucian Rhodes Scholar Rahym Augustin-Joseph urging leaders to match the ambition of young Caribbean people who already live integration daily. He called for placing youth participation, innovation, freedom of movement, food security, and AI at the core of CARICOM’s agenda, warning that outdated political processes for integration were falling short of young people’s expectations. “If ever there was a time for us to integrate, it is now,” he stressed.

    Outgoing CARICOM Chair Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, noted that modernized governance and faster implementation of collective decisions would deliver a safer, more prosperous region. Current Chair Pierre expanded on this vision, arguing that integration must move beyond bureaucratic discussions to impact community life: “It must move from conference rooms to communities; from rhetoric to reality; from communiqués to results.” He added that a unified Caribbean holds far more global influence than a divided one, noting that external powers have long benefited from Caribbean disunity.

    ### Core Policy Priorities and Agreed Actions

    Leaders focused first on advancing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), identifying rising cost of living driven by global inflation, geopolitical shocks, and disrupted energy and supply chains as a top priority for citizens. They discussed expanding free movement of labor, activating a regional intraregional ferry service, and building an integrated regional capital market with efficient cross-border payments. In a landmark step for regional digital governance, leaders agreed to establish a Blue-Ribbon Commission of top regional and international experts to develop a comprehensive regional AI framework covering policy, governance, and capacity building. Three jurisdictions — Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Montserrat — also confirmed they are taking steps to join the full free movement regime for CARICOM nationals.

    On climate change, CARICOM leaders reaffirmed their core goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and securing recognition of the unique vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) ahead of COP 31 in Turkey in 2026. They endorsed the 2026–2030 CARICOM Climate Diplomacy and COP 35 Framework as a guide for advancing regional interests in global climate talks, and formally backed Guyana’s bid to host COP 35 in 2030. To address the growing gap in disaster coverage amid more frequent extreme weather, leaders agreed to create a CARICOM Reinsurance Task Force to develop a regional strategy expanding catastrophic insurance coverage for critical tourism, health, and social infrastructure.

    Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to regional food and nutrition security, acknowledging ongoing challenges amplified by the Middle East conflict and welcoming progress under the 25 by 2025+5 initiative. They formally supported the 20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture to be held in Jamaica in September 2026.

    In a historic step for the regional reparations movement, leaders approved the *CARICOM Ten Point Plan for Reparations: A Manifesto for the Coming Enlightenment*. They agreed to a series of coordinated actions to advance the agenda, including high-profile advocacy at the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, ongoing collaboration with the African Union, a third regional reparations conference in Barbados in September 2026, the unveiling of the Newton Enslaved Burial Ground Memorial in Barbados that November, and support for Jamaica’s upcoming reparations petition to King Charles III in London.

    The meeting also marked major expansion of the bloc: following Martinique’s accession in June 2026, French Guiana formally became CARICOM’s eighth associate member during the gathering. Leaders also noted progress on reviewing full membership applications from Bermuda and the Turks and Caicos Islands, agreeing to continue advancing the processes alongside broader discussions of CARICOM’s enlargement policy.

    On global and regional security, leaders addressed multiple pressing issues. They expressed unwavering solidarity with Haiti’s government as it addresses complex security challenges and prepares for upcoming elections, agreeing to support the renewal of the Gang Suppression Force’s mandate and accept The Bahamas’ offer to host a permanent CARICOM presence in Port-au-Prince. With incremental security gains allowing improved aid delivery, Guyana committed 500 tons of rice as the first installment of new regional humanitarian support for Haiti. Leaders also voiced deep concern over the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Cuba and committed to continuing coordinated regional humanitarian aid, and joined global calls for a ceasefire and two-state solution to resolve the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, condemning military incursions into Lebanon.

    On public health, CARICOM leaders endorsed recommendations from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to strengthen regional preparedness for emerging health threats, including Ebola, noting that while importation risk to the Caribbean is low, coordinated regional action and information sharing remain critical.

    A key institutional process was launched after Trinidad and Tobago maintained its objection to the process used for the reappointment of the CARICOM Secretary-General. Leaders agreed to refer the dispute to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for an advisory opinion under the terms of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, with the status quo remaining in place until the court’s opinion is received. Leaders emphasized that the process reflects the bloc’s commitment to good governance and does not question the integrity of any member state or individual.

    On border disputes, CARICOM reaffirmed its full support for ongoing International Court of Justice (ICJ) processes to resolve the longstanding Guyana-Venezuela territorial controversy, as well as border disputes between Belize and Guatemala and Belize and Honduras. Leaders condemned recent attacks on Guyanese security personnel in Guyana’s sovereign territory from Venezuelan soil, and expressed concern over illegal deforestation and rising tensions along the Belize-Guatemala border, urging both parties to avoid escalating tensions and finalize a cooperation mechanism for the Sarstoon River with support from the Organization of American States (OAS).

    In a significant endorsement for regional representation at the United Nations, CARICOM leaders fully endorsed Guyana’s nomination of Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for the position of UN Secretary-General, noting the critical need for strong multilateral leadership amid global challenges.

    ### Closing Outcomes and Next Steps

    Other key decisions included accepting Guyana’s offer to host CARIFESTA 2027 and the 2027 CARIFTA Games, with Antigua and Barbuda set to host CARIFESTA 2029 and Barbados the 2028 CARIFTA Games. Leaders also agreed to continue supporting the indigenization of the University of the West Indies as it transitions from a Royal Charter to a CARICOM intergovernmental agreement. They observed a moment of silence to honor recently deceased regional leaders and public servants, including former Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi and former CARICOM Secretary-General Roderick Rainford.

    Leaders closed the meeting by thanking the government and people of Saint Lucia for their warm hospitality and excellent hosting arrangements. The 52nd CARICOM Regular Meeting of Heads of Government will be held in Suriname in February 2027.

  • PM Browne, Skerrit and Regional Leaders Unite Over EU Citizenship by Investment Demands

    PM Browne, Skerrit and Regional Leaders Unite Over EU Citizenship by Investment Demands

    In a high-level gathering held in Roseau, the capital of the Commonwealth of Dominica on July 10, 2026, the heads of government from seven Eastern Caribbean nations convened to coordinate a collective approach to their Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes amid evolving negotiations with the European Union. Chaired by Dominica Prime Minister Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, the meeting brought together top leaders from Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, all gathered to assess recent updates from the European Commission and map out a unified regional response to the EU’s revised visa suspension mechanism.

    At the opening of discussions, participating leaders first reaffirmed the deep, long-standing collaborative partnership between their small island developing states (SIDS) and the European Union. Built on a foundation of shared democratic values, mutual respect, and a joint commitment to global cooperation and inclusive sustainable development, the leaders emphasized their openness to ongoing dialogue and their dedication to constructive engagement to resolve shared concerns.

    Central to the meeting’s deliberations was the future of CBI programmes, a policy area that has drawn increased scrutiny from European regulators. Responding to global standards, Eastern Caribbean governments have invested heavily in systemic reforms of their CBI frameworks over recent years. These changes include strengthening due diligence protocols for all applicants, expanding cross-border information sharing, introducing new transparency requirements, and adopting strict regional operating standards that position the region’s programmes among the most rigorous in the world. A landmark step in this reform process has been the establishment of the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority, a regional body designed to harmonize rules, boost compliance, and align the region’s practices with evolving international best practices through collective governance.

    Beyond regulatory issues, leaders underscored the outsized economic role CBI programmes play for the region’s SIDS, which face unique structural vulnerabilities including limited economic diversity, high exposure to climate disasters, and constrained access to development financing. For these nations, CBI revenues have become a core pillar of economic resilience and development investment, funding critical priorities ranging from climate adaptation infrastructure and post-hurricane disaster recovery to affordable housing, public healthcare, universal education, and long-term fiscal stability. During periods of unprecedented external shocks—including the COVID-19 pandemic and global energy price spikes—CBI revenues enabled these governments to fund emergency response without taking on unsustainable levels of sovereign debt, helping to preserve macroeconomic stability across the region.

    Against this backdrop, leaders stressed that any future changes to the EU’s regulatory relationship with the region’s CBI programmes must fully account for the specific economic realities and development vulnerabilities of SIDS. Any policy shift that reduces or eliminates this critical source of development financing, they argued, must be paired with a comprehensive support framework that protects existing development gains, preserves current economic stability, and supports the development of equivalent sustainable alternative financing sources to meet the region’s long-term needs.

    To advance their shared objectives, the regional leaders have agreed to launch a coordinated diplomatic engagement strategy with EU institutions and member state governments. A high-level delegation is scheduled to travel to Brussels at the earliest practical opportunity to hold direct talks with the President of the European Commission, President of the European Council, and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The core goals of these discussions will be to deepen European policymakers’ understanding of the unique challenges facing Eastern Caribbean SIDS, negotiate practical, mutually beneficial solutions to the concerns raised by the European Commission, and strengthen the decades-long partnership between the two blocs.

    To ensure a unified regional voice, leaders have directed foreign ministers, CBI programme leads, ambassadors, and senior official teams to coordinate closely across all engagements with European stakeholders. A structured diplomatic outreach programme to key European national capitals has also been mandated to build support for the region’s position ahead of formal negotiations. The heads of government concluded their meeting by noting that balanced, durable solutions can only be developed through genuine collaborative partnership, one that honors both the EU’s legitimate regulatory objectives and the equally legitimate development needs of small island developing states. Rooted in the principles of proportionality, shared responsibility, partnership, and sustainable development, leaders reaffirmed their commitment to constructive dialogue and expressed confidence that mutually acceptable outcomes can be achieved through cooperation.

  • CCJ president meets St Lucia Prime Minister during CARICOM Summit visit

    CCJ president meets St Lucia Prime Minister during CARICOM Summit visit

    On July 5, 2026, as the Caribbean prepared for one of its most important annual regional governance gatherings, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) President Justice Winston Anderson made an official courtesy visit to Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, deepening judicial-government ties across the region. The meeting was held ahead of the opening of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM, which brought regional leaders to the island nation for three days of policy coordination and collective decision-making.

    Justice Anderson was joined during the meeting by Her Ladyship Justice Margaret Price-Findlay, who holds dual senior roles as Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and Commissioner of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission. Following the courtesy engagement, Anderson took part in the official opening ceremony of the CARICOM Heads of Government summit, an appearance that came at the formal invitation of the conference. This attendance marked the continuation of a longstanding CCJ tradition of engaging with the highest regional political gatherings, reflecting the court’s integrated role in Caribbean governance.

    In an official press statement published after the meeting, the CCJ emphasized that the dialogue was part of the court’s sustained, long-term strategy to strengthen collaborative ties with national governments and domestic judicial bodies across all CARICOM member states. The engagement also aligns directly with the court’s recently launched Strategic Plan for 2025–2032, a guiding document that prioritizes expanding and deepening partnerships between the CCJ and a broad range of regional stakeholders.

    Beyond a formal diplomatic courtesy, the meeting created a dedicated space for open, continued dialogue between the Caribbean’s highest regional court and national political leadership. As Caribbean regional institutions increasingly work in lockstep to advance cross-border integration, sustainable development, and coordinated policy action, such engagements reinforce the shared commitment of judicial and governmental bodies to advancing collective progress across the region.