Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • David Collado: Airbnb regulations will improve tourist safety, not raise taxes

    David Collado: Airbnb regulations will improve tourist safety, not raise taxes

    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – Amid a historic boom in national tourism and rapidly rising demand for alternative vacation stays, the Dominican government has confirmed it will move forward with a landmark regulatory framework for short-term vacation rentals like Airbnb, centered on a new national property registry aimed at elevating safety standards for international visitors.

    Tourism Minister David Collado made the formal announcement, taking care to draw a clear distinction between the new registry’s core mandate and unrelated tax policy. He stressed that the initiative does not aim to collect or manage taxes from private rental hosts; that responsibility remains exclusively with the Ministry of Finance and the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII).

    “The only objective of this program is to bring organizational structure to this fast-growing segment of our tourism industry, all for the sake of improved public safety,” Collado explained in his remarks. “Tax administration falls under the purview of our finance and tax authorities, not the Ministry of Tourism.”

    Under the proposed framework, the national registry will allow the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) to compile key operational data: it will catalog the exact locations of all active short-term rental properties across the country, and collect basic identifying information about guests staying at these locations. Collado noted that this centralized database will cut through the current lack of coordinated information, enabling emergency response teams to act far more quickly and effectively during crises, while also streamlining critical communications with foreign diplomatic missions when incidents involving international tourists occur.

    “When a serious incident or tragedy impacts a tourist staying in a short-term rental, foreign embassies immediately reach out to our ministry for information,” Collado said. “Right now, we often lack the basic data to respond quickly. This registry will fix that gap, and help us build a more structured, reliable tourism sector that visitors can trust.”

    The regulatory push arrives at a pivotal moment for the Dominican Republic’s $10 billion-plus tourism economy: the country is on track to post consecutive years of record-breaking visitor arrivals, with a growing share of travelers opting for private short-term rentals over traditional hotel accommodation. Industry analysts note that this unregulated growth has created unaddressed safety gaps, as authorities have had no systematic way to track where visitors are staying across the country’s popular coastal and island destinations.

    Dominican tourism authorities say that formal regulation of the short-term rental sector will not only improve protective measures for visitors, but also create a consistent oversight framework for the hundreds of thousands of accommodation units that now operate outside the traditional hotel system.

    Collado added that the short-term rental registry is just one component of a wider, multi-pronged government strategy to strengthen the country’s core tourism industry. Beyond the registry, the administration is advancing targeted territorial planning projects in the nation’s top tourist destinations, including Verón-Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, La Romana, Samaná, and Las Terrenas. The government is also rolling out a series of new policy frameworks focused on expanding sustainable tourism practices across the sector, as it works to balance growth with long-term environmental and community preservation.

  • Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez receives credentials of Honduras’ ambassador-designate

    Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez receives credentials of Honduras’ ambassador-designate

    A key diplomatic milestone unfolded this Wednesday at the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Santo Domingo, where Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez formally accepted the copies of credentials from Ernesto Alfonso Pumpo Aguilar, the newly appointed ambassador-designate of Honduras to the Caribbean nation.

    Following the credential presentation ceremony, Pumpo Aguilar, who brings extensive diplomatic experience from his prior posting as Honduras’ ambassador to Italy, held a closed-door working meeting with Álvarez. The two diplomats delved into a full bilateral agenda, covering areas of existing collaboration and exploring new opportunities for joint action. Both sides used the discussion to reaffirm their shared commitment to deepening the decades-long bonds of friendship, mutual cooperation and cross-cultural understanding that have defined relations between Honduras and the Dominican Republic.

    The gathering also included senior diplomatic leadership from the Dominican foreign ministry: Francisco Caraballo, Vice Minister of Bilateral Foreign Policy, and José Tomás Ares, Ambassador and director of the ministry’s Department of Relations with Latin America and the Caribbean, were in attendance to support the talks.

    Before Pumpo Aguilar can officially take up his role as Honduras’ ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Dominican Republic, one final formal step remains: he will present his original Letters of Credence to Dominican President Luis Abinader, completing the standard diplomatic accreditation process.

  • CCJ overturns Barbados man’s prison sentence in cannabis trafficking appeal

    CCJ overturns Barbados man’s prison sentence in cannabis trafficking appeal

    In a landmark ruling delivered on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has overturned a three-month custodial sentence handed down to a Barbadian man convicted of cannabis trafficking, correcting what senior judges identified as multiple critical errors in lower court applications of Barbados’ modern sentencing legislation.

    The case centers on Danny Lamar Husbands, who pled guilty to trafficking 90 grams of cannabis. Initially, the Magistrate’s Court sentenced Husbands to three months in prison, basing the ruling heavily on his prior criminal convictions and concluding that his offending behavior had escalated over time. The Barbados Court of Appeal later upheld this original custodial sentence, leaving Husbands to appeal to the region’s highest court for redress.

    In its official press release outlining the judgment, the CCJ confirmed it has granted Husbands’ appeal, setting aside both the lower appellate court’s ruling and the original prison term. In place of custody, the court ordered Husbands to enter a six-month good behavior bond. Should he fail to meet the terms of this bond, he will be required to pay a fine of 675 Barbadian dollars within a 14-day window.

    The core of the CCJ’s ruling rests on its finding that both lower courts failed to adhere to the requirements of Barbados’ Penal System Reform Act, a landmark piece of legislation designed to expand the use of non-custodial sentencing and cut down on unnecessary incarceration across the country. The CCJ explained that the act sets a strict high threshold that must be met before courts can issue a custodial sentence, adding that Barbadian courts have routinely opted for non-custodial penalties in cannabis trafficking cases involving quantities similar to the 90 grams at issue in Husbands’ case.

    Senior judges also emphasized that the lower courts incorrectly assigned excessive weight to Husbands’ prior criminal record. Under the explicit text of the Penal System Reform Act, an offender cannot be ordered to serve prison time solely on the basis of previous convictions, a rule that both lower courts failed to follow in this proceeding. Compounding this error, the CCJ found the Barbados Court of Appeal violated statutory requirements by upholding the custodial sentence without first ordering and reviewing a mandatory pre-sentence report.

    The appeal was heard by a five-justice panel consisting of Justices Rajnauth-Lee, Jamadar, Ononaiwu, Eboe-Osuji and Bulkan. Husbands was represented by Andrew O. G. Pilgrim, SC, and Martie R. M. Garnes, while Krystal C. Delaney and Kevin Forde represented the respondent. Anika Jackson, SC, and Rico Yearwood appeared as amicus curiae on behalf of Barbados’ Attorney General. The full text of the court’s judgment is currently available for public viewing on the CCJ’s official website.

    In the press release, the CCJ underscored that the ruling serves to reinforce the core purpose of the Penal System Reform Act, ensuring that the power to order imprisonment is only exercised in cases where it is clearly legally justified under the legislation.

  • Farmers Told to Regularize Crown Land Leases or Risk Losing Access

    Farmers Told to Regularize Crown Land Leases or Risk Losing Access

    In a major administrative shift for agricultural land governance in Antigua and Barbuda, the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy has launched a mandatory regularization program for all former tenants of government-owned agricultural lands previously overseen by the Agriculture Development Corporation (ADC). The policy change, which formalizes a transition approved by the country’s Cabinet back in November 2025, brings all lands formerly managed by the ADC under the direct control of the ministry, with the explicit goal of boosting national food production and strengthening long-term food security.

    Announced via a public notice released on July 27 by Permanent Secretary Walter Christopher, the new requirement mandates that every individual who previously held tenancy rights to these lands must complete a formal regularization process through the Agricultural Extension Division of the Department of Agriculture. Legitimate occupiers are instructed to schedule official appointments at the earliest possible opportunity to verify that they are actively using the allocated plots for agricultural cultivation, as required by the national land designation.

    Officials from the ministry emphasized that all affected parcels are officially classified as Crown lands held in public ownership, specifically zoned for agricultural production to advance the national interest. Against a backdrop of growing global concern over food supply chain disruptions and rising food insecurity, the initiative is framed as a core strategic step to shore up Antigua and Barbuda’s domestic food and nutrition resilience. Under the policy, any parcels that are found to be inactive or not under active agricultural production will be reallocated to new farmers who have demonstrated the capacity and willingness to contribute to the country’s total agricultural output.

    In closing, the ministry appealed for collaboration from agricultural stakeholders and the general public, noting that the regularization drive is designed not only to strengthen food security but also to advance long-term agricultural sustainability across the twin-island nation. Members of the public seeking additional information or clarification on the process are encouraged to contact the ministry directly via phone at 462-1213.

  • Gajadien vraagt regering om duidelijkheid over hogere ATM-tarieven

    Gajadien vraagt regering om duidelijkheid over hogere ATM-tarieven

    Ahead of the August 1 implementation of new, higher automated teller machine (ATM) transaction fees in Suriname, the leader of the ruling VHP party’s parliamentary faction, Asis Gajadien, is calling on the national government to open its books and deliver clear, public justification for the incoming price adjustment. Speaking during a plenary briefing session in Suriname’s parliament this week, Gajadien stressed that the public is fully entitled to full clarity on why the fee increases are necessary and what factors are driving the change.

    Gajadien clarified that he and his faction do not oppose financial institutions setting fees that cover their operational costs, but that transparency for the general public is a non-negotiable requirement. “This is not a fight against businesses that need to set cost-covering tariffs,” he explained. “This is about the public’s right to full, accessible transparency around changes that impact their daily finances.”

    The faction leader emphasized that both the Central Bank of Suriname and the national cabinet share responsibility for ensuring that any changes to financial service fees are fully disclosed and explained to the public. He also drew particular attention to the disproportionate impact the higher fees will have on low-income Surinamese households, noting that the most economically vulnerable groups will bear the brunt of the new costs.

    “It is the ordinary working person, the low-income citizen that will suffer the most from this increase,” Gajadien stated, urging the government to release full details to both the National Assembly and the general public as quickly as possible to address growing public uncertainty.

    The planned fee adjustment was first announced last week by the Suriname Bankers Association (SBV), which confirmed that fees for ATM cash withdrawals and balance inquiries will rise starting August 1, 2026. According to the SBV, the increase comes on the heels of a cost review by BNets, the national ATM network manager, which adjusted pricing to cover rising costs for network management, maintenance, cybersecurity upgrades, and ongoing expansion of the national ATM infrastructure.

    The SBV noted that individual member banks will retain authority to decide how much of the increased cost to pass on to their customers. However, when the association first made the announcement, it did not publish any public breakdown of what the new fee amounts will be. That lack of clear public information is what prompted Gajadien’s formal call for government intervention and full disclosure.

  • Bouva: Regering sluit zich aan bij krutu met Aucaanse granman over grensverdrag

    Bouva: Regering sluit zich aan bij krutu met Aucaanse granman over grensverdrag

    Suriname’s national government will join a traditional community gathering (krutu) this weekend with Granman Bono Velantie, leader of the Aucaner indigenous people, to discuss the long-awaited border treaty between Suriname and France. This commitment was announced Tuesday by Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation Minister Melvin Bouva during an address to the country’s National Assembly (De Nationale Assemblee, DNA).

    The announcement comes after parliament voted to postpone its review and approval of the border treaty ratification bill, a decision made to give traditional governing authorities time to conduct internal consultations with their communities before moving forward with the formal legislative process.
    Bouva emphasized that the Surinamese administration fully respects the request from traditional leadership for this internal discussion period. The national government will join the parliamentary delegation that has already been invited to participate in the krutu, and technical experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are on standby to provide substantive support for the talks, answer community questions, and address any concerns raised by Aucaner residents.

    The minister stressed that the decision to hold this extra round of consultations is not intended to signal that the border treaty itself is up for debate. Instead, Bouva explained, the extended process demonstrates that the national government acknowledges and prioritizes the concerns of affected communities, while working toward a deliberate, inclusive outcome that ultimately serves the best interests of both Suriname and its international partners.

    Among the core non-negotiable principles to be reaffirmed during the community talks, Bouva highlighted that unimpeded navigation and free movement across the Marowijne River, which forms part of the disputed border region, must remain guaranteed. This longstanding principle, he said, will be clearly restated to all community members during discussions.

    Bouva’s announcement of the government’s participation in the krutu received broad cross-party support from members of the National Assembly, though several opposition and ruling party leaders called for improved proactive communication with affected indigenous and tribal communities going forward.

    Asis Gajadien, parliamentary faction leader of the ruling VHP party, noted that the government already has access to multiple communication tools to inform the public earlier and more clearly about major policy decisions like the border treaty. Gajadien argued that gaps in communication and insufficient public outreach have been a key contributing factor to recent public unrest surrounding the treaty, and urged the government not only to accept invitations from traditional leadership, but also to proactively use all available resources to keep all affected communities fully informed at every stage of the process.

    Rabin Parmessar, faction leader of the main opposition NDP party, added that consultations with traditional indigenous authorities have been a topic of debate in Suriname for years. He reminded lawmakers that he took the position during the previous administration that the border treaty should not have been signed until all affected indigenous and tribal communities had been given an opportunity to share their perspectives.

    Parmessar noted that the permanent parliamentary committee on the treaty has already made multiple visits to Granman Bono Velantie and held extensive discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also confirmed that official documents received by parliament show that multiple other indigenous granmans and tribal communities already publicly support the treaty.

    The recent request from Granman Bono Velantie to hold a krutu with his community first, Parmessar said, is fully aligned with longstanding Aucaner traditional governance practices. “The granman must speak with his people first before taking a final position,” Parmessar told the assembly. For this reason, he called on both parliament and the national government to give traditional leadership the space it needs to complete this internal process carefully.

    Parmessar emphasized that the current delay is not related to disputes over the technical content of the border treaty, but rather over the way the decision-making process has included affected community members. “These are our fellow citizens,” he told the assembly. “If communication has been insufficient, we have to fix that together.”

    Following Tuesday’s debate, parliament reached broad consensus to wait for the completion of consultations with traditional leadership before resuming its formal review and approval process for the border treaty with France.

  • Two Women Appointed to Senior Leadership Posts in NIA Ministry of Finance

    Two Women Appointed to Senior Leadership Posts in NIA Ministry of Finance

    CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS – July 28, 2026 – The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) has announced two high-level appointments to senior leadership roles within its Ministry of Finance, advancing a deliberate strategy to strengthen government capacity, preserve institutional knowledge, and build a pipeline for long-term leadership continuity.

    Speaking at a July 23 press briefing, Nevis Premier Mark Brantley, who also holds the portfolios of Minister of Finance and Human Resources, formally confirmed the promotions of Neva Manners-Limonta and Janesha Daniel, both long-serving public sector professionals with deep roots in Nevis’ government operations.

    Effective July 1, 2026, Manners-Limonta moved into the post of Principal Assistant Secretary for the Ministry of Finance, following a career that most recently saw her serve as Deputy Comptroller of Nevis’ Inland Revenue Department. Brantley emphasized that her decades of hands-on experience in revenue regulation and public sector administration, paired with her proven track record of leadership, make her uniquely suited to guide the ministry’s ongoing work. He added that her extensive institutional background will directly boost the ministry’s ability to deliver on its core mandate and advance long-term strategic government goals. Manners-Limonta fills the vacancy created by the retirement of former Principal Assistant Secretary Joan Browne, whom Brantley publicly thanked for decades of dedicated service to the people of Nevis.

    In a parallel internal promotion, Janesha Daniel, previously Assistant Deputy Comptroller at the Inland Revenue Department’s Nevis branch, has been appointed Acting Deputy Comptroller, also effective July 1. Brantley praised Daniel for her consistent professionalism, sharp technical competence, and unwavering commitment to public service throughout her tenure, noting she is fully prepared to step into this senior leadership role and sustain the department’s high standards of operation.

    Brantley framed the dual appointments as a core component of the NIA’s proactive approach to public sector succession planning. As multiple senior government officials prepare to retire in the coming months, the administration has prioritized promoting existing internal talent rather than recruiting external candidates, a strategy designed to avoid disruptive leadership gaps and prevent the loss of critical institutional knowledge built over years of service to Nevis.

    “Instead of bringing in outsiders unfamiliar with how our government operates, we are lifting up the skilled professionals already serving our community,” Brantley explained. He added that succession planning remains an urgent priority for the administration, and additional leadership appointments will be announced following formal approval from the Public Service Commission as the NIA continues to realign and develop talent across the entire public service.

  • Court dismisses PCA pay cut challenge

    Court dismisses PCA pay cut challenge

    In a landmark public sector remuneration ruling handed down this week, High Court Judge Frank Seepersad has rejected a judicial review challenge brought by the top two leaders of Trinidad and Tobago’s Police Complaints Authority (PCA), overturning their claims that recommended pay cuts were the product of an unfair and unconstitutional process.

    The case centered on challenges by PCA head David West and Deputy Director Michelle Solomon-Baksh to salary recommendations put forward in the Salaries Review Commission (SRC)’s 120th report, which was formally adopted by the national Cabinet in 2024. The proposed salaries for the two roles set out in the report are lower than the current remuneration West and Solomon-Baksh receive. The pair secured court permission to file their judicial review claim last year, arguing the SRC’s process violated core legal standards.

    Counsel for the two PCA leaders argued that the failure to consult directly with them on their role-specific remuneration breached the principles of natural justice and dashed their legitimate expectation of consultation, a step the pair noted had been included in past salary review processes. They also contended that the entire procedure used to set the new pay scales was legally irregular.

    But Judge Seepersad rejected every plank of the claimants’ argument, concluding the SRC’s review was neither materially unfair nor procedurally flawed. In his ruling, Seepersad explained that requiring individual interviews and consultation for every position covered by the SRC would impose crippling, unfeasible financial and human resource burdens on the independent commission. The SRC’s mandate already covers 325 distinct offices and more than 950 individual office holders across the public service, and extending one-on-one consultation to every role would grind the commission’s work to a halt.

    The judge also emphasized that comprehensive salary reviews inherently carry the possibility of downward as well as upward remuneration adjustments. The SRC had publicly committed to a full review of all public sector allowances and benefits, Seepersad noted, and that process cannot be reasonably interpreted to guarantee only pay increases for any role. He confirmed that the SRC’s scoring of West and Solomon-Baksh’s positions was conducted objectively and fairly, per accepted professional evaluation standards.

    On the question of legitimate expectation, Seepersad found the SRC acted reasonably in updating its review processes to align with evolving international best practice. He stressed that procedural fairness does not require rigid adherence to outdated working methods, noting that the Constitution mandates progress rather than institutional stagnation. Modern, objective, professionally accepted job evaluation systems are a fully legitimate tool for setting public sector remuneration, he added, and courts have no authority to block lawful procedural improvements that align with global standards.

    “Viewed in this context, the methodology adopted by the Commission does not reflect a departure from the requirements of procedural fairness but an affirmation of them,” Seepersad wrote in his ruling.

    The judge also underscored the importance of maintaining the constitutional separation of powers between the state’s independent institutions. He noted that the Constitution creates separate bodies with distinct mandates not because any are infallible, but to ensure clear division of responsibility: the judiciary safeguards legality, the SRC evaluates and sets public sector remuneration, and the executive branch governs. Constitutional equilibrium, he argued, depends on each body sticking to its own role and respecting the authority of others.

    Concluding his judgment, Seepersad confirmed the SRC had acted fairly, objectively, and fully within its constitutional mandate, leading him to dismiss the challenge in its entirety. West and Solomon-Baksh were represented by a legal team led by Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes and Attorney Anthony Bullock, instructed by Attorney Imran Ali. The SRC was represented by Senior Counsel Jason Mootoo and Attorney Tamara Toolsie, instructed by Attorney Miranda Julien. The Cabinet, which joined the proceedings as an interested party, was represented by Shalini Singh, instructed by Attorney Vincent Jardine.

  • Adhin stelt behandeling grensprotocol uit voor overleg met traditioneel gezag

    Adhin stelt behandeling grensprotocol uit voor overleg met traditioneel gezag

    PARAMARIBO, Suriname – July 29 – The National Assembly of Suriname (DNA) has announced a postponement of further deliberations on a draft law to ratify a landmark border protocol between Suriname and France, bowing to longstanding calls from Indigenous traditional authorities for meaningful input on an agreement that directly shapes their ancestral territories.

    National Assembly Speaker Ashwin Adhin confirmed the delay Tuesday, explaining that the decision was made to give traditional Indigenous leadership space to deliver their formal positions on the protocol during two upcoming community consultative assemblies, known locally as *krutu*. The Aukaner people’s granman (paramount chief) will host the first consultation, the Liba-Krutu, this Sunday on Stoelmanseiland, while the Paramaccaan people will hold their own community gathering this Saturday in Langa Tabiki. Legislative deliberations will not resume until after both events conclude, with a new official notice convening the debate to be issued at a later date.

    “Out of respect for traditional authority, we have made the decision to delay deliberations until after these community consultations,” Adhin told members at the opening of this week’s public sitting.

    The agreement in question formalizes the official border between Suriname and French Guiana (an overseas department of France) along the Marowijne and Lawa Rivers, updating a century-old border treaty first signed in Paris on September 30, 1915. Beyond clarifying territorial boundaries, the protocol also establishes frameworks for joint management of the two transboundary rivers and plans for cooperative economic and infrastructure development across the border region. The draft ratification law has been before Suriname’s parliament since December 2021, with public deliberations first launching in November of last year.

    Adhin pushed back against any suggestions that the legislature had stalled progress on the file, noting that extensive pre-consultation work has already been completed over recent months. All relevant stakeholder groups have already been heard by parliamentary committees, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation has conducted its own series of cross-sector consultations. Just weeks ago, a parliamentary delegation met directly with the Aukaner granman to discuss core community priorities, with a key focus on preserving the right of free movement for Indigenous residents living on both banks of the border rivers.

    Traditional leaders from the Marowijne-Lawa border region have for years demanded formal inclusion in the protocol’s ratification and implementation process, arguing that the agreement’s terms will have direct, long-term impacts on their communities’ livelihoods, land access, and cultural heritage on both sides of the waterway. Adhin emphasized that the delayed legislative timeline creates the necessary space to resolve the issue “in a peaceful manner and in harmony” with all affected communities. Once the two krutu have concluded and traditional leadership have shared their formal positions, the National Assembly will restart its deliberation process on the draft ratification law.

  • Expert to testify as election petitions case continues

    Expert to testify as election petitions case continues

    Three days of scheduled High Court hearings into two contested 2025 general election results in St. Vincent and the Grenadines moved into its second day on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with an expert witness slated to testify before the court after a full first day of witness testimony and cross-examination on Tuesday. The two petitions, both filed by defeated opposition Unity Labour Party (ULP) candidates, challenge the eligibility of two sitting New Democratic Party (NDP) lawmakers on the grounds of dual citizenship with Canada, a foreign power under the nation’s constitution.

    The first dispute centers on the East Kingstown constituency seat, where incumbent NDP candidate Dwight Fitzgeral Bramble — currently serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment, and Diaspora Affairs in the new NDP administration — secured a second five-year term in the November 2025 general election. Bramble earned 2,728 total votes, beating ULP challenger Luke Browne by a margin of 1,001 votes, with 19 ballots rejected. Browne, who has now lost four consecutive bids for the East Kingstown seat, argues Bramble is constitutionally ineligible to hold office because he holds voluntary Canadian citizenship alongside his birthright Vincentian citizenship, violating the nation’s eligibility requirements for parliamentary office.

    The second petition targets NDP leader Godwin Friday, who now serves as Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, holding additional portfolios for finance, legal affairs and justice, economic planning, and private sector development. Friday secured his sixth consecutive five-year term as Member of Parliament for Northern Grenadines, winning 2,185 votes to ULP challenger Carlos Williams’ 339 — a margin so wide Williams lost his electoral deposit. Like Bramble, Friday holds voluntary Canadian citizenship, which the ULP’s petition argues disqualifies him from office.

    Friday led the NDP to a historic landslide victory in the 2025 general election, winning 14 of the nation’s 15 parliamentary seats. This result marks the second most decisive election outcome in the country’s electoral history, bested only by the NDP’s 1989 clean sweep of all 15 seats.

    Both Friday and Bramble appeared in person at the Kingstown High Court on Tuesday as witnesses testified and underwent cross-examination by legal teams. Speaking to reporters after the first day of hearings, Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago and lead counsel for the government defending the election results, expressed confidence in the government’s position. Ramlogan noted that the petitions come against a backdrop of an overwhelming popular mandate for Friday and the NDP, calling the ongoing proceedings a rare intersection of democratic and judicial processes.

    Ramlogan emphasized that Friday never concealed his dual citizenship status, arguing that Vincentian voters cast their ballots for him and the NDP with full knowledge of his citizenship and long record of public service. “Justice will prevail in the end, and the honourable prime minister will be vindicated,” he told reporters, adding that the scheduled Wednesday session would hear testimony from expert witnesses, with the three-day hearing moving forward incrementally. He also acknowledged the intensity of the judicial process, praising Friday for prioritizing the hearing by clearing his official schedule to attend, noting the public’s right to a timely resolution of the dispute in the interest of democratic governance.

    For the petitioners, Senior Counsel Stuart Young, former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago serving as lead legal counsel, stated the first day of hearings proceeded exactly as the legal team expected, saying only that the outcome of the three-day process would unfold in due course. The case is being heard by Acting High Court Justice Gertel Thom, a retired justice of appeal.

    The challenge to the two NDP candidates’ eligibility began long before the petitions were filed, ahead of the November 2025 election. The ULP published public notices in local media urging voters in both constituencies not to support the NDP candidates, framing a vote for either as a “wasted vote” on an ineligible candidate. The notices cited Section 26(1) of the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which bars any person from election to parliament if they have voluntarily acknowledged allegiance to a foreign power.

    The statutory declaration required of all electoral candidates mandates a statement confirming they have no such allegiance to a foreign state. The pre-election notices argued that Friday and Bramble each voluntarily applied for and obtained Canadian citizenship and passports, and have actively used those documents, putting them in direct violation of the constitutional eligibility requirement. Nomination objections were filed against both candidates on Nomination Day, November 10, 2025, with the petitioners maintaining that an invalid nomination automatically invalidates the election result.

    The legal dispute has drawn divided commentary from domestic legal scholars even before the trial began. Linton Lewis, a former NDP senator and party chairman who has since split with the party, authored pre-election commentaries arguing the eligibility challenge against Friday and Bramble would ultimately succeed in court. Conversely, fellow legal scholar Jason Hayne argued that a correct reading of the SVG constitution explicitly allows Commonwealth citizens — of which Canada is a member — to contest national elections, meaning any dual citizenship-based challenge would fail.

    A notable political irony accompanies the petitions: ULP leader and former Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, whose party brought the challenges, has repeatedly stated in past comments that elections are won at the polls on election day, not in courtrooms. Gonsalves was also present at the High Court for the first day of hearings on Tuesday, July 28.