Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • End of the capacity building program for the Study and Programming Units

    End of the capacity building program for the Study and Programming Units

    Three weeks of targeted skills training for public sector planning professionals drew to a formal close on July 10, 2026, after Haiti’s Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE) partnered with the Center for Planning Techniques and Applied Economics (CTPEA) to deliver the specialized program for staff of the Study and Programming Units (UEP) across all sectoral ministries. Designed to upgrade institutional capabilities and strengthen the delivery of national public policies, the training split participants into three sequential weekly cohorts to maximize engagement and hands-on learning.

    In her official closing address at the ceremony, Planning Minister Sandra Paulemon voiced clear satisfaction with the program’s successful completion, highlighting the intentional, integrated framework that structured the curriculum. Unlike disconnected siloed training modules, the five core course units were designed to map to the full value chain of public sector action, from initial policy planning through programming, budget allocation, ongoing monitoring, and final impact evaluation. This interconnected structure, Paulemon emphasized, equips UEP leaders to work within a results-focused, performance-driven culture that aligns all stages of policy implementation with national development goals.

    Minister Paulemon stressed that sustained investment in upskilling public administration leadership is a foundational strategic lever to improve the overall quality of national public policy and advance inclusive, effective national development planning. She used the closing event to urge all participating professionals to translate their newly acquired knowledge and skills into tangible changes in their day-to-day roles, pushing forward the broader goal of building a public administration that is more efficient, more responsive, and consistently focused on delivering measurable results for Haitian citizens.

    Looking ahead, Paulemon confirmed that a formal certificate awarding ceremony will be held on July 24, 2026. The scheduled date was chosen to ensure that all trainees from the three cohorts, alongside the program’s trainers and institutional partners, can attend the official recognition event. Adding his perspective at the closing ceremony, Guy Roméo Latry, Director General of MPCE, echoed the minister’s positive assessment of the program. Latry noted that the initiative went far beyond traditional one-way skills training: it served as a collaborative forum for cross-agency dialogue, experience sharing, and collective consultation among public administration officials from across different sectors, creating new connections that will support inter-agency coordination moving forward.

  • Haiti : Review of the first 100 days of the new Director General of the ONA

    Haiti : Review of the first 100 days of the new Director General of the ONA

    July 13, 2026 — Haiti’s National Old-Age Insurance Office (ONA) is marking a major milestone this week, as Director General Lovely François presents the outcomes of her first 100 days leading the state social security institution, a period defined by sweeping institutional reforms, renewed financial discipline, and expanded social programming for Haitian communities.

    As a core pillar of ONA’s ongoing institutional modernization push, leadership launched two national open tender processes last week for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bids cover procurement of information technology infrastructure, office hardware, and general operating supplies — one of multiple upgrades rolling out across the agency. Additional modernization initiatives already underway include the creation of ONA’s first unified manuals covering administrative, financial, technical, and operational protocols, upgrades to the institution’s digital information system, the rollout of encrypted secure employee identification badges, and sustained overhauls to customer services for insured people and pension recipients across the country.

    Last week also saw a high-profile official ceremony, presided over by Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, to relaunch two of ONA’s flagship social initiatives: the ONA-Polis and ONA-Education programs. ONA-Polis, which receives direct government backing under Prime Minister Fils-Aimé’s administration, operates as a targeted support framework for officers of the Haitian National Police (PNH). The program recognizes the critical, high-stakes role that police play in upholding national security, protecting civilian communities, and maintaining stability across Haiti amid ongoing security challenges. The ONA-Education program, by contrast, is designed to reduce the financial strain on families at the start of each school year, easing barriers to access for children’s schooling in line with the government’s framing of education as a foundational driver of long-term national development.

    François’ 100-day report is far more than a routine public accountability exercise: it lays out a clear new vision for public sector governance centered on core principles of transparency, fiscal accountability, administrative discipline, measurable performance outcomes, and consistent public reporting. The framework reflects ONA’s explicit commitment to building a modern, trusted public institution that prioritizes service delivery for all insured people, pensioners, contributors, and the broader Haitian public.

    In her first three months in office, François’ leadership has delivered measurable early results. The general directorate has strengthened institutional governance and internal control frameworks, restored consistent administrative discipline rooted in transparency and accountability, and recovered more than 439 million Haitian gourdes in overdue delinquent loans. The institution has also placed over 6 billion gourdes in strategic investments in bonds issued by the Bank of the Republic of Haiti, begun rehabilitation work on underfunded regional ONA offices, opened multiple new tender processes to upgrade outdated infrastructure and equipment, expanded ongoing professional training for ONA employees, relaunched the institutional ONA conference as a permanent space for cross-stakeholder dialogue, and advanced development of new social support programs for insured beneficiaries.

    Speaking at the official ceremony, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé praised the rapid progress ONA has achieved in François’ first 100 days, and reaffirmed that the Haitian government will provide full backing for the ongoing reform agenda. He repeated that investments in education, expanded social security coverage, and targeted support for police officers are top priorities for his administration, stressing that ONA now holds a key strategic role in turning this policy vision into tangible action for Haitian people.

  • Prime Minister Gaston Browne to Open Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium

    Prime Minister Gaston Browne to Open Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium

    Next Monday, July 13, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne will open the Second Annual Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium, a three-day international gathering taking place at the St. James’s Club that brings together maritime leaders, senior government officials, and industry specialists to ramp up global collaboration against transnational illegal maritime activity and strengthen cross-border sanctions enforcement.

    The event is co-organized by Antigua and Barbuda’s Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) and the U.S. Department of State, with technical backing from Sandia National Laboratories. Around 100 delegates from every region of the globe are expected to attend, including senior representatives from ship registries, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC), the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring (GCMSM), the Maritime UN Sanctions Enforcement (MUSE) initiative, and dozens of other international maritime bodies and law enforcement agencies.

    As the cabinet minister with oversight for merchant shipping and ports, Prime Minister Browne will use his opening address to reaffirm Antigua and Barbuda’s long-standing commitment to upholding one of the world’s most trusted, regulation-compliant ship registries, while advancing collective global action to protect the integrity of the international maritime sector.

    Browne will emphasize that rigorous flag State compliance, systematic due diligence, and transparent regulatory frameworks are non-negotiable to shield global commerce from sanctions evasion, fraudulent vessel registration, and a growing range of other transnational illegal maritime activities. He will also recognize ADOMS for its work to build out a comprehensive national compliance system that has drastically reinforced the credibility of Antigua and Barbuda’s ship registry and cut the nation’s exposure to regulatory risk.

    In a note of emphasis for small island developing states, Browne will tell delegates that geographic size and population do not limit a nation’s ability to lead on pressing global challenges. Antigua and Barbuda, a SIDS, has emerged as a proactive actor in global maritime governance, he will argue, pointing to the nation’s expanding role in shaping international maritime policy through strategic partnerships with the United States and other key global stakeholders. He will also highlight the country’s consistent participation in multilateral initiatives designed to strengthen sanctions enforcement and crack down on fraudulent maritime practices.

    The Prime Minister will also welcome the IMO’s recently finalized guidelines targeting fraudulent ship registration and rogue registries, framing the new rules as a critical step toward closing long-standing regulatory gaps and lifting industry-wide global standards.

    Outlining the urgent need for this year’s symposium, Browne will highlight that the global maritime sector now faces increasingly complex, evolving threats: these include widespread sanctions evasion, the rapid growth of unregulated “shadow fleets”, fraudulent vessel registration, and deceptive shipping practices that erode global security and undercut fair market competition. He will urge attending delegates to leverage the symposium’s collaborative format to deepen cross-border coordination, share actionable intelligence, and co-develop practical solutions that embed greater transparency and accountability across every segment of the maritime supply chain.

    Browne will restate Antigua and Barbuda’s unwavering commitment to multilateral cooperation, pointing to the country’s status as a founding member of the GCMSM and its long-standing support for RISC – two initiatives that prioritize rapid, targeted information sharing to identify and preempt illegal maritime activity before it causes harm. He will stress that cross-border collaboration and open information exchange remain the most powerful tools available to counter bad actors operating within the global shipping system.

    Over the course of the three-day event, attendees will take part in technical briefings and interactive collaborative workshops focused on the most pressing emerging threats to maritime security. Key topics include Automatic Identification System (AIS) spoofing, updated due diligence protocols for vessel registration, cross-border sanctions compliance, structured intelligence sharing, and evidence-based best practices for strengthening flag State regulatory oversight.

    The government of Antigua and Barbuda has extended a formal welcome to all visiting delegates from the international maritime community, and reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to working alongside global partners to advance maritime safety, strengthen global sanctions enforcement, promote industry transparency, and uphold the highest standards of regulatory compliance across the international shipping sector.

  • Prime Minister Browne’s Call for United Response to European Union Position on Citizenship by Investment Programmes Gains OECS Backing

    Prime Minister Browne’s Call for United Response to European Union Position on Citizenship by Investment Programmes Gains OECS Backing

    Leaders from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have rallied behind Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne to form a coordinated regional pushback against the European Union’s demand to eliminate regional Citizenship by Investment (CIP) programmes by June 2028. This unified stance emerged just 24 hours after Browne first called for collective action during the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Monetary Council Meeting hosted in Dominica, where regional heads of government formally adopted a shared position and committed to a joint diplomatic strategy toward the EU.

    In his opening address to the Monetary Council, Browne emphasized that CIP initiatives are irreplaceable cornerstones of economic growth and long-term fiscal stability for multiple small island nations across the Eastern Caribbean. He reminded attendees that regional governments have already implemented sweeping, rigorous reforms to reinforce the integrity, transparency and global standing of these programmes, most notably the creation of the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority. This body has established a harmonized regional regulatory framework that strengthens oversight and aligns the programmes with international standards.

    Despite these meaningful reforms, Browne highlighted that the European Commission’s updated Visa Suspension Mechanism now singles out the existence of any CIP programme as a potential justification for revoking visa-free travel access to the EU for member states of the OECS. He also confirmed that the European Commission has formally delivered a demand that OECS nations with active CIP programmes phase them out completely by June 1, 2028, paired with a proposed 24-month transition period and a set of incremental interim requirements.

    Browne stressed that the EU’s proposal fails to account for the harsh economic realities that shape small island developing states (SIDS). “Our Citizenship by Investment Programmes are critical pillars of our non-tax revenue base. They cannot simply be abandoned without viable, credible and sustainable replacement sources of revenue,” he said. He also warned that an abrupt shutdown of the programmes would trigger severe, far-reaching consequences for public budgets, major infrastructure projects, climate adaptation efforts, healthcare access, affordable housing, education systems and other core public services across every OECS member state.

    In response to Browne’s call for regional solidarity, the assembled heads of government gathered in Roseau, Dominica to formalize their unified response. The leaders reaffirmed that CIP programmes have grown into a foundational source of development financing across the region, funding everything from climate resilience projects and post-disaster reconstruction to infrastructure expansion, public healthcare, affordable housing, education systems and overall fiscal stability.

    The OECS leaders also agreed that any future adjustments to CIP rules must fully center the unique development vulnerabilities of small island developing states. Any changes, they stated, must be paired with concrete measures to protect existing economic development gains, preserve regional economic stability, and establish fully functional alternative sustainable financing mechanisms before CIP programmes can be altered or phased out.

    A key outcome of the meeting was the formal endorsement of Browne’s plan for coordinated diplomatic action. Leaders agreed to launch a joint diplomatic engagement campaign with the European Union, which will include a high-level official mission to Brussels to meet directly with senior EU leadership and institutional representatives. They have also instructed their foreign affairs ministers, CIP programme leads, ambassadors and senior civil servants to maintain close coordination and present a consistent, unified regional position in all upcoming talks with European officials.

    Following the meeting, Browne praised the outcome, noting that it sends a clear message of the region’s collective resolve to defend its legitimate economic interests while preserving constructive ties with longstanding European partners. “Our Governments will continue to engage the European Commission in a principled and constructive manner consistent with the spirit of our longstanding partnership,” he said.

    Browne reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s unwavering commitment to upholding the highest global standards for due diligence, transparency and regulatory oversight for its CIP programme, while also defending the fundamental sovereign right of independent nations to set the economic policies that best serve their development needs. He expressed confidence that through ongoing dialogue, mutual respect and collaborative partnership, the Eastern Caribbean and the European Union can reach a balanced resolution that addresses the EU’s legitimate policy concerns while also honoring the unique vulnerabilities and development priorities of small island developing states. Closing out the meeting, Browne celebrated the powerful demonstration of regional solidarity from his fellow OECS leaders, underscoring that a unified Caribbean voice will be critical in the coming months as negotiations with the EU progress.

  • Strait of Hormuz Closed Again as US Strikes Iran

    Strait of Hormuz Closed Again as US Strikes Iran

    July 12, 2026 — Tensions between the United States and Iran have surged to alarming new levels this week, shattering a fragile month-old ceasefire and raising urgent global fears of a full-scale regional conflict. The latest cycle of escalation began after U.S. military forces launched targeted strikes against Iranian missile installations, air defense systems, and fast attack craft operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in waters and areas surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, multiple international outlets have confirmed, citing reporting from Axos and a senior anonymous U.S. administration official.

    The U.S. action capped off four days of growing air and naval bombardment across Iran, with strikes documented in no fewer than 10 of the country’s provinces. According to reporting from Al Jazeera, U.S. fighter jets and naval warships have hit hundreds of designated military sites across the country, alongside multiple civilian locations. Iranian government officials have confirmed that the attacks have left both military service members and civilian bystanders dead, while inflicting heavy damage on key public and industrial infrastructure.

    In a direct retaliatory response, Tehran has announced the full closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical strategic chokepoints for global oil and maritime trade. Iranian officials have explicitly accused the U.S. of violating the terms of the ceasefire memorandum both sides agreed to just one month prior. The IRGC confirmed it had targeted two commercial transiting vessels operating along a Western-supported alternate shipping route, and Tehran also claimed responsibility for coordinated strikes against U.S. diplomatic and military interests across five regional partners: Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, and Oman.

    The escalation has hit critical energy infrastructure particularly hard: attacks on Iran’s national power grid have taken a large share of the country’s total electricity generation capacity offline, leaving communities across multiple regions facing widespread blackouts. The unrest has also unfolded against a charged domestic backdrop: the U.S. strikes disrupted the funeral procession of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has publicly called for widespread revenge against the U.S. for the disruption and the ongoing military campaign.

    For ordinary residents living in Iran’s capital Tehran, the rapidly unfolding events have stoked growing anxiety. Multiple residents interviewed by Al Jazeera expressed rising fear that the region is now on the cusp of a new, prolonged full-scale conflict that would have devastating consequences for civilians across the country and the broader Middle East.

  • Trump ally and longtime US Senator Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after sudden illness

    Trump ally and longtime US Senator Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after sudden illness

    Veteran Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the most high-profile figures shaping United States foreign policy and a late-in-career close ally of President Donald Trump, has passed away at age 71 after what his Senate office termed a “brief and sudden illness.”

    Graham’s death was announced shortly after he died at his Washington, D.C., home on Saturday evening. The senior lawmaker had only returned one day prior from an official trip to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. While Graham’s office has not released an official cause of death, multiple major US media outlets have confirmed that first responders were dispatched to his residence following reports of a cardiac arrest incident.

    President Trump was among the first to issue a public tribute to Graham, remembering the long-serving senator as a “true American Patriot” whose absence will be deeply felt across the country. Speaking exclusively to NBC News, Trump revealed he had spoken with Graham just hours before the senator’s passing. “He sounded great, but a little tired,” Trump said, adding that “[Graham] was a tough cookie in many ways and a good person.”

    First elected to the US House of Representatives before winning a Senate seat in 2002, Graham built a decades-long reputation as one of Washington’s most unapologetic foreign policy hawks. Over his career, he consistently pushed for robust US military intervention across the globe: he backed the 2003 invasion of Iraq in the wake of the September 11 attacks, publicly opposed the 2021 withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, and emerged as one of the most vocal congressional supporters of sweeping military and financial aid packages for Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing invasion. Just one month before his death, Graham made headlines for a televised interview warning that the US would “obliterate” Iran if it attempted to seize control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a statement that aligned with his lifelong hard-line stance on national security issues.

    Graham’s passing came as a sudden shock to political circles in Washington. The senator had shown no visible signs of poor health ahead of his Ukraine trip, and was scheduled to appear as a lead guest on NBC’s flagship Sunday morning public affairs program *Meet the Press* the day after he died.

    A defining throughline of Graham’s later political career was his dramatically shifting relationship with Donald Trump. During the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Graham stood as one of Trump’s most fierce critics, famously labeling the then-candidate a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” and warning Republican colleagues that nominating Trump would guarantee a general election defeat. In the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, Graham publicly split with Trump, telling the Senate: “Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a journey. I hate it to end this way. All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough.”

    Yet the two political figures gradually repaired their rift. Graham voted to acquit Trump during his second impeachment trial, evolved into one of Trump’s most reliable allies in the Senate, and threw his full weight behind Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign. In a 2023 interview with the BBC, Graham acknowledged Trump’s well-documented flaws but defended his presidency, pointing to his record on border security, conservative judicial appointments, and the 2020 drone strike that killed top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.

    Tributes have poured in from world leaders in the days following Graham’s death. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Graham one of the State of Israel’s greatest friends in US politics, noting that the senator “understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable.” Zelensky also honored Graham’s unwavering support for Ukraine, releasing a statement thanking him for his consistent backing since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

    Born in the small town of Central, South Carolina, Graham faced devastating personal hardship at a young age: he lost both of his parents while still attending university, and stepped forward to raise his younger sister, whom he later legally adopted. After earning a law degree from the University of South Carolina, Graham launched his professional career as a military lawyer in the US Air Force, later serving in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve before retiring with the rank of colonel.

    Graham never married and had no children. Earlier this year, he secured the Republican nomination to run for a fifth Senate term in the 2026 midterm elections.

    His death creates an unexpected vacancy in the US Senate at a politically pivotal moment for the country. Per South Carolina state law, Republican Governor Henry McMaster will appoint an interim senator to fill the seat through the end of Graham’s current term, with a permanent successor set to be elected by voters in November’s midterms. Prior to Graham’s passing, Republicans held a narrow 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning the upcoming special election to fill his seat will carry outsize importance in the ongoing battle for partisan control of the upper chamber.

  • APNU-backed election commissioners “not morally entitled” to remain in office- Ramkarran

    APNU-backed election commissioners “not morally entitled” to remain in office- Ramkarran

    A brewing constitutional dispute over three Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) seats aligned with the former APNU+AFC coalition has intensified, with former National Assembly Speaker Ralph Ramkarran calling for the commissioners’ immediate resignation following the 2025 general and regional elections. In his weekly Conversation Tree column published Saturday, Ramkarran argued that the three commissioners – Desmond Trotman, Vincent Alexander, and Charles Corbin – appointed on the recommendation of a previous opposition leader no longer hold any moral or legitimate claim to their posts after the 2025 vote reshaped Guyana’s political opposition landscape.

    The 2025 general election installed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), a new 16-seat opposition party founded by Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, as the official main opposition, replacing the 12-seat APNU bloc that originally backed the three sitting commissioners. Ramkarran, a senior counsel and former executive member of the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC), noted that while the principle that an opposition leader should be able to recommend their own representatives to the election commission is widely undisputed, Guyana’s constitution contains no clear framework for removing sitting commissioners outside of cases of death, incapacity, misconduct findings by a tribunal, or voluntary resignation. The three incumbents have so far refused to step down, creating an immediate deadlock.

    The standoff has been further complicated by long-running political tensions between the PPPC administration and WIN. The Mohameds, once close allies of President Irfaan Ali and prominent PPPC supporters, broke ranks to form WIN in 2024 after the United States imposed sanctions on them over alleged financial crimes tied to their gold trading operations. Shortly after the sanctions were announced, the Guyanese government revoked the pair’s foreign exchange dealer licenses and gold sector operating permits, and forced all domestic commercial banks to close their company accounts. Relations deteriorated further when WIN contested the 2025 general elections to become the largest opposition bloc.

    Ramkarran warned that the PPPC’s deep-seated hostility toward WIN will likely block any path to constitutional amendment to resolve the vacancy issue. “The government’s hostility to WIN is so deep-seated that it might prefer to have the three Commissioners retain their positions rather than amend the Constitution to have the three Commissioners unseated,” he wrote. Well-placed government sources confirmed that Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed’s formal request to President Ali to appoint three new nominees – Roysdale Forde, Damien Da Silva, and Siand Dhurjon – to replace the sitting commissioners has been rejected on the grounds that no official vacancies exist on the commission.

    According to Ramkarran, the only remaining path for WIN to resolve the deadlock is to bring the dispute before Guyana’s judiciary. The former speaker, who specializes in constitutional and electoral law, expressed cautious optimism that courts would rule in WIN’s favor. He argued that under Article 161(3) of Guyana’s constitution, GECOM commissioners nominated by the opposition leader are required to hold the confidence of the sitting opposition leader. Since Mohamed has formally submitted new nominations, the court could find that the incumbents no longer hold that confidence and could even rule their continued occupation of the seats unlawful. At the same time, Ramkarran cautioned that the absence of explicit constitutional language for removal may lead courts to stop short of formally declaring the seats vacant, prolonging the impasse.

    The ongoing stalemate already threatens to derail planned 2026 local government elections, sources familiar with GECOM operations confirmed. Retired Justice Claudette Singh, GECOM’s chair, has not convened a full commission meeting for months. While technical staff have drafted and updated a detailed workplan for the upcoming local polls, the inability of the commission to convene and make formal decisions puts the timeline for the elections at serious risk.

    The sitting APNU-aligned commissioners have echoed the government’s position, stating that no vacancy exists and the deadlock can only be resolved either by a court ruling or a formal constitutional amendment. Ramkarran noted that prior to the 1992 democratic transition, Guyana’s electoral laws explicitly required the entire election commission to resign within three months of a general and regional election, a provision that was not carried forward into the current constitutional framework.

  • Fenatrano warns of possible fare hike over high fuel prices

    Fenatrano warns of possible fare hike over high fuel prices

    In the capital city of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, the head of one of the nation’s largest public transportation organizations has issued a stark warning that a fare increase for riders across the greater metropolitan area may be unavoidable in the coming weeks. Juan Hubieres, president of the National Federation of New Transportation Option (Fenatrano), stated that his organization has repeatedly intervened to block affiliated drivers from raising fares over the past several months, even as global and domestic fuel costs have climbed steadily. But growing financial strain on independent transport operators has pushed the union to the edge, he said, and leadership may soon lose the ability to hold back price hikes. For months, Fenatrano has chosen to absorb inflated fuel costs rather than pass extra expenses to commuters, who already grapple with rising daily living costs across the country. Now, however, that buffer has been exhausted, Hubieres explained, as independent operators continue to see their profit margins shrink against elevated fuel expenses. Beyond just blaming global market trends, Hubieres levied sharp criticism at the Dominican government’s current fuel regulatory framework, claiming that domestic fuel prices are marked far higher than the average price seen on global commodity markets. To avoid passing costs onto everyday passengers, the union leader laid out a series of clear policy demands for national authorities. First, Hubieres called for the government to expand the existing Bonogás subsidy program, which provides financial support to public transport drivers to offset fuel costs. Second, he pushed officials to follow through on long-overdue pension commitments to retired workers in the transportation sector, a promise that has remained unfulfilled for years. Beyond sector-specific demands, Hubieres also called for broader economic policy reforms to ease pressure on working- and middle-class Dominicans. He urged the government to reduce the overall tax burden for low- and middle-income households, and proposed reallocating the tax burden to large corporate and mining entities that currently benefit from heavily subsidized fuel. Reversing current subsidies for large actors and applying new taxes to their fuel use, he argued, would generate enough government revenue to offset cuts to working-class taxes and fund expanded support for public transportation. Hubieres closed by warning that unaddressed economic pressure across critical sectors like public transport will not just lead to higher fares for commuters – it will also fuel growing social discontent across the country. He reiterated that Fenatrano will continue pressing authorities to implement targeted measures to cut operating costs for public transport operators, to protect both drivers and riders from the impact of soaring fuel prices.

  • Abinader says Dominican Republic supports Haiti mission with logistics, not combat

    Abinader says Dominican Republic supports Haiti mission with logistics, not combat

    In a press briefing held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has outlined his nation’s clear position on the ongoing multinational security effort to stabilize crisis-stricken Haiti, confirming that while the country remains a committed partner to the mission, it will not deploy forces to take part in direct offensive operations against Haitian armed gangs.

    Abinader elaborated that Dominican Republic’s contribution to the mission centers on three core areas: logistical backing, humanitarian relief, and cross-party coordination. Specifically, the country is providing critical medical humanitarian support to those affected by the violence in Haiti, while maintaining constant open communication channels with leadership of the international security force. The president also confirmed that Dominican security agencies regularly exchange intelligence with the mission to help prepare for and mitigate potential spillover security risks that could cross into Dominican territory.

    Beyond its support for the international mission, Abinader highlighted sweeping upgrades to Dominican security infrastructure and capacity along the shared 392-kilometer border with Haiti. A key centerpiece of these upgrades, the new smart perimeter fence, has already delivered measurable results, cutting down on cross-border criminal activity including cargo theft and illicit smuggling, the president noted. Abinader added that the Dominican Armed Forces have undergone comprehensive modernization in recent years, receiving new armored vehicles, upgraded infantry weaponry, and a substantial pay increase for personnel. Entry-level military salaries have jumped from the previous rate of 9,000 Dominican pesos to roughly 27,000 Dominican pesos, while troops deployed to border outposts receive additional specialized combat and hardship pay to recognize their increased responsibilities.

    Turning to bilateral relations with Haiti, Abinader acknowledged that direct, regular communication with Port-au-Prince remains severely constrained due to Haiti’s months-long deep institutional crisis, which has left much of the capital city under the control of heavily armed gangs that have violently pushed out official government forces. When coordination with Haitian authorities is required for urgent cross-border matters, all interactions are currently handled through the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he added.

    In closing, the president reaffirmed the Dominican government’s dual long-term commitments: first, safeguarding Dominican national sovereignty and territorial integrity through robust border security, and second, standing with the international community to support efforts to bring an end to gang violence and restore lasting democratic stability to neighboring Haiti.

  • Abinader highlights Dominican economy’s strength and protection of the middle class

    Abinader highlights Dominican economy’s strength and protection of the middle class

    In Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has laid out his administration’s strategic economic approach, prioritizing protection for middle-class and vulnerable households while shoring up the country’s macroeconomic stability in the face of ongoing global economic headwinds.

    During a recent public interview, Abinader pushed back against calls for sweeping nationwide tax reform, arguing that current global economic volatility creates unfavorable conditions for such a major policy overhaul. Instead, he pointed to the government’s existing Anti-Crisis Plan as a targeted framework that prioritizes the financial well-being of the vast majority of Dominican taxpayers.

    Under the plan, Abinader explained, salary indexation will be implemented to bolster the purchasing power of middle-class workers, while adjustments to tax policy are intentionally focused on high-earning individuals making more than 400,000 Dominican pesos (RD$) per month and large corporations. This tiered approach, he noted, ensures that the burden of fiscal adjustment does not fall on working and low-income households.

    Addressing recent public confusion over changes to tax withholding for self-employed professionals, Abinader clarified that the increased withholding is not a new tax levy. Rather, it represents an advance payment on income tax obligations that will be credited back to qualifying workers when they file their annual tax returns.

    The president acknowledged that persistent global inflation has squeezed household budgets across the Dominican Republic, but he highlighted that the government has already taken action to offset these pressures: the national minimum wage has been raised to a level that outpaces current inflation, helping to maintain workers’ purchasing power amid rising costs.

    Looking at the broader Dominican economy, Abinader expressed confidence in its ongoing resilience, citing multiple strong pillars that support sustained growth. These include a booming tourism sector, robust output from the country’s free trade zones, a recovering construction industry, growing exports, steady inflows of remittances from Dominican workers abroad, and consistent foreign direct investment (FDI).

    He highlighted that the Dominican Republic attracted more than US$5 billion in foreign direct investment in 2023, a figure that underscores international investor confidence in the country’s economic trajectory. Abinader projected that FDI inflows will grow even further in 2024, a trend that will continue to strengthen the Dominican peso and reinforce the country’s overall macroeconomic stability.