Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • New 70-Foot Patrol Vessel Coming as Antigua and Barbuda Steps Up Maritime Security

    New 70-Foot Patrol Vessel Coming as Antigua and Barbuda Steps Up Maritime Security

    The government of Antigua and Barbuda has unveiled a comprehensive maritime security enhancement plan as part of its 2026 national budget, signaling a decisive crackdown on transnational criminal operations in its territorial waters. Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the forthcoming acquisition of a substantial 65-70 foot offshore patrol vessel specifically designed to strengthen deep-water operations against narcotics trafficking networks.

    The strategic investment represents a significant escalation in the nation’s border protection capabilities, building upon earlier security measures that included the deployment of a 30-foot interceptor vessel to law enforcement agencies. ‘We’re going for the drug traffickers with superior resources,’ Browne declared before Parliament. ‘We now possess vessels that outperform those used by criminal elements.’

    Complementing the naval expansion, Cabinet has approved a substantial US$1 million allocation for advanced radar systems and communications infrastructure upgrades. This technological enhancement will provide authorities with unprecedented real-time surveillance coverage across the nation’s maritime territory, addressing critical visibility gaps that smugglers have historically exploited.

    The integrated approach—combining faster interception craft, extended radar coverage, and modernized communication networks—aims to comprehensively disrupt illegal entry points and reinforce anti-narcotics operations. The new offshore patrol capability will notably extend the Coast Guard’s operational range beyond coastal regions, enabling extended missions, enhanced interdiction capacity, and improved search-and-rescue capabilities in deeper waters.

    Additional specifications regarding deployment timelines and operational details are anticipated to emerge as parliamentary budget deliberations continue next week.

  • COMMENTARY: Sometimes Good Is Unacceptable

    COMMENTARY: Sometimes Good Is Unacceptable

    A profound national conversation is unfolding in Antigua and Barbuda, challenging the very definition of progress. Drawing parallels to the biblical narrative of Cain—whose sincere offering was rejected not for its lack of effort but for its misalignment with divine standards—commentator Yves Ephraim critiques the current government’s trajectory. The central argument posits that while the administration may showcase a list of accomplishments, these achievements hold little relevance if they fail to prioritize the economic empowerment and ownership opportunities for Antiguans and Barbudans themselves.

    The core issue is identified as a fundamental misalignment between government priorities and the people’s interests. Citizens are increasingly relegated to the role of perpetual low-wage workers and mendicants, with little prospect of owning homes, building substantive careers, or securing their economic future. This model, where citizens “own nothing but be happy,” is deemed unacceptable for a nation aspiring to become a sustainable ‘Economic Powerhouse’.

    Historical and contemporary evidence is marshaled to support the thesis that national wealth is intrinsically linked to citizen ownership. China’s remarkable transformation from poverty to global powerhouse is cited as a prime example, achieved by empowering its citizens to build and own export-oriented industries. Conversely, the author finds no historical precedent for a nation achieving wealth by selling prime assets to foreign interests or ceding economic control.

    The collapse of the nation’s Gaming Industry serves as a cautionary tale. When the U.S. government threatened its citizens involved in offshore gaming, the entire sector in Antigua and Barbuda crumbled. The author speculates that a different outcome might have emerged had local citizens held a 50% ownership stake, underscoring the vulnerability of foreign-dominated sectors.

    Specific policy barriers are highlighted, particularly in the telecommunications sector, where licensing regimes allegedly prevent private Antiguan and Barbudan entrepreneurs from profiting. The article argues that liberalizing this sector could unleash a wave of young, intelligent, and entrepreneurial talent to launch international ventures, earn foreign exchange, and reverse the crippling brain drain, especially in the high-demand IT field.

    Finally, the nation’s investment in education is called into question. Without a parallel focus on cultivating an entrepreneurial class, the author contends that expensive education, like that provided at the University of the West Indies campus, merely prepares young people to flee to first-world countries for meaningful employment. The article concludes that the ‘good’ achieved by the government is ultimately irrelevant without a significant advance in Antiguan and Barbudan ownership of their land and economy.

  • More Than $4 Million Set Aside to Train Police Recruits and Equip Officers, PM Announces

    More Than $4 Million Set Aside to Train Police Recruits and Equip Officers, PM Announces

    ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – In a decisive move to reinforce national security, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has unveiled a comprehensive $4 million investment package targeting crime prevention and border protection initiatives. The announcement came during Thursday’s parliamentary budget presentation for the 2026 fiscal year, representing one of the largest dedicated security allocations in recent history.

    Addressing lawmakers, Browne emphasized the critical connection between public safety and national prosperity. “Our economic achievements remain meaningless if citizens live in fear,” stated the Prime Minister, acknowledging ongoing concerns about violent crime and border vulnerabilities despite the nation’s status as one of the Caribbean’s safest jurisdictions.

    The substantial funding will facilitate expanded police recruitment programs, enhanced training protocols, and advanced equipment provisioning for law enforcement personnel. The investment specifically encompasses cutting-edge crime-fighting technologies, sophisticated surveillance systems, and improved operational resources designed to outpace criminal networks.

    Browne delivered an unequivocal message to potential offenders: “We’re coming for you. We’ll find you. We’ll prosecute you.” This stern warning accompanied details of a broader security strategy that includes maritime defense enhancements. Recent upgrades feature a high-speed 30-foot interceptor vessel capable of 75-mile-per-hour pursuits, complemented by a $1 million allocation for advanced communications and radar infrastructure. Future plans involve acquiring additional patrol vessels to monitor the country’s economic exclusion zone.

    The Prime Minister affirmed that even single homicide incidents remain unacceptable, pledging intensified policing measures and reinforced border controls. Parliamentary debates on the full 2026 budget are scheduled to continue throughout the coming week.

  • JLP Central Executive approves resolution to support intensification of hurricane recovery effort

    JLP Central Executive approves resolution to support intensification of hurricane recovery effort

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s governing political force, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has unanimously endorsed two critical resolutions during a Central Executive meeting held on Sunday. The decisions demonstrate the party’s strategic pivot toward national crisis management in the aftermath of a devastating natural disaster.

    The first resolution constitutes an official mandate of unwavering support for the government’s intensified Hurricane Melissa recovery initiative. JLP Chairman Robert Montague detailed that the directive commands all state agencies, departments, and institutions to accelerate relief and reconstruction operations in communities ravaged by the Category 5 hurricane, which struck the island on October 28.

    Acknowledging the unprecedented ferocity of the storm, the resolution commended the administration’s comprehensive preparedness and response strategy. This encompassed pre-emptive insurance protocols, shelter readiness, extensive drain clearance, and the strategic pre-positioning of vital relief materials. The government’s collaboration with both public and private sector entities has facilitated the distribution of an estimated 200,000 care packages to affected citizens.

    Significant progress has been reported, with electrical power restored to 80% of consumers and water services reinstated to approximately 70% of the island. Initiatives for distributing construction materials and executing broader reconstruction plans are currently in progress. However, the executive body soberly recognized the ongoing severe disruption to thousands of lives, with numerous residents still lacking permanent shelter and essential utilities. The resolution formally extended sympathies to families who suffered bereavement or property loss and reinforced the commitment to expedited rehabilitation efforts.

    The second resolution ratified the cancellation of the party’s scheduled 2025 Annual Conference. This move underscores the JLP’s prioritization of national recuperation over political activities. In a related organizational decision, the executive endorsed the en bloc re-election of the entire incumbent officer corps, ensuring leadership continuity during this period of focused governmental support.

  • Minister: Motor Vehicle Accident Fund soon

    Minister: Motor Vehicle Accident Fund soon

    Trinidad and Tobago’s Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo has announced the imminent operationalization of the long-awaited Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, with full infrastructure expected to be in place by the first quarter of 2026. The announcement comes amid heated political debate regarding recently passed financial legislation.

    During a December 7 interview, Minister Tancoo emphasized that the Financial Bill provisions were designed specifically to protect citizens, countering opposition claims that the measures simply imposed additional taxes. “The People’s National Movement is attempting to create the impression that this is a tax on people,” Tancoo stated, “when in reality it establishes crucial protections for accident victims.”

    The Minister explained that the current system leaves victims without recourse when involved in accidents with uninsured, unlicensed, or improperly documented drivers. The new framework establishes significantly increased penalties for traffic violations while simultaneously creating a safety net for those affected by such violations.

    “We have implemented substantially higher penalties for driving without insurance, operating overloaded vehicles, driving without proper permits, and using fraudulent insurance documentation,” Tancoo detailed. “Concurrently, we’ve established an Accident Victims Fund to provide compensation for those injured by uninsured motorists.”

    The fund’s history dates back to 2008, with significant development occurring during Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s first administration between 2010-2015. Cabinet approval for the fund was granted in 2015 with an initial $20 million allocation. The project faced delays due to legal challenges from the Motor Insurance Bureau Association, and as recently as last year, advocacy group Arrive Alive had questioned the ministry about the fund’s status, which was reported to contain approximately $1 billion.

    Tancoo directly addressed political opposition to the measures, asserting that only lawbreakers had reason to fear the increased penalties. “The PNM voted against these protections and apparently believe there should not be increased penalties for those who break the law,” he stated. “As far as I’m concerned, the PNM is encouraging violation of the law. They have never supported government anti-crime measures.”

    The Minister emphasized that the dual approach of increased penalties and victim compensation was designed to both deter unlawful behavior and provide protection for law-abiding citizens. “We are trying to encourage compliance with traffic laws while ensuring that victims have recourse when others choose to break those laws,” he concluded.

    The Financial Bill containing these provisions passed on December 5, 2024, during the 2025/2026 budget presentation, which also announced increased fines for dangerous driving, driving under influence, and driving while disqualified.

  • Tancoo: Landlord Tax is not property tax

    Tancoo: Landlord Tax is not property tax

    Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo has explicitly distinguished the newly implemented Landlord Tax from the previous administration’s controversial property tax, asserting fundamental differences in their underlying principles. In a December 7th interview with Newsday, Minister Tancoo addressed what he characterized as misinformation being propagated about the fiscal measure passed within the Finance Bill, 2025.

    The Minister clarified that while the former People’s National Movement (PNM) government’s property tax targeted private homeowners based on assumed rental income that often didn’t exist, the current Landlord Tax specifically targets actual revenue generation. “The property tax was based on residential income which did not exist,” Tancoo stated. “Home owners were being asked to pay a tax on income that they were not generating. That, in itself, was manifestly unethical and unfair.”

    Tancoo emphasized that the new tax regime focuses exclusively on landlords engaged in commercial activity who have remained unregistered and non-compliant with tax obligations. “We are not taxing fake income, we are taxing real income which should have been taxed in the first place,” he explained, characterizing rental income as a legitimate revenue stream that warrants taxation.

    The Finance Minister revealed that according to former administration estimates, there are approximately 100,000 landlords operating in Trinidad and Tobago who would fall under the purview of this tax. He notably pointed out that some government ministers themselves, described as “substantial landowners” receiving rent from the government, had not been contributing fairly to public coffers.

    Tancoo defended the current policy as “much more equitable, just and legal” than its predecessor, noting that the administration had consistently opposed taxing private residences while in opposition. The Landlord Tax specifically exempts homeowners who do not generate revenue from their properties, distinguishing it fundamentally from the previous approach that assessed taxes based on potential rental value rather than actual income.

  • JLP Central Executive to discuss intensifying Hurricane recovery efforts

    JLP Central Executive to discuss intensifying Hurricane recovery efforts

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) convened its Central Executive meeting Sunday morning at the party’s Belmont Road headquarters in St Andrew, marking the first gathering of the party’s highest decision-making body since the September 3 general elections.

    The emergency session, chaired by Party Chairman Robert Montague, Member of Parliament for St Mary West, focused primarily on developing enhanced strategies to support citizens devastated by Hurricane Melissa. JLP Communication Taskforce Chairman Senator Abka Fitz-Henley addressed media representatives prior to the closed-door meeting, emphasizing the urgency of the recovery efforts.

    Despite progress in restoring basic services—with approximately 70% of the population regaining access to running water and 80% having electricity reconnected—Senator Fitz-Henley acknowledged that statistical improvements provide little comfort to those still without essential utilities. The destruction of numerous small businesses has compounded the crisis, requiring immediate and comprehensive intervention.

    The governing party recognizes the particular significance of accelerating recovery efforts with Christmas and New Year celebrations approaching. Fitz-Henley stated the JLP’s commitment to ‘bringing as much convenience to the lives of our people as is possible’ during this challenging period.

    Prime Minister and JLP Leader Dr. Andrew Holness delivered the keynote address at the meeting, outlining the government’s roadmap for helping Jamaicans ‘build back stronger’ from the natural disaster. The party leadership emphasized that conventional political operations must yield to prioritized disaster response, recognizing their institutional responsibility to stand in solidarity with citizens facing adversity.

  • Analysts: SLP’s ‘personal touch’ won the election

    Analysts: SLP’s ‘personal touch’ won the election

    Political analysts have characterized Saint Lucia’s 2025 general election as a historic turning point in Caribbean politics, marked by a rare second-term government actually gaining popular support. Regional consultant Peter Wickham, Director of Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), highlighted the exceptional nature of this outcome, noting a five percentage point swing favoring the incumbent government—a phenomenon contrary to typical Caribbean political patterns where first-term incumbents usually lose ground.

    Wickham attributed this unprecedented result to fundamentally contrasting leadership approaches. He described former Prime Minister Allen Chastanet’s United Workers Party (UWP) as focusing primarily on large-scale infrastructure projects, while Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s Saint Lucia Labour Party successfully connected with voters through direct attention to social needs. According to Wickham, Pierre’s emphasis on education, pension reforms, and personal welfare created stronger voter allegiance, making citizens feel their leader was genuinely concerned with individual wellbeing rather than institutional development alone.

    Complementing this analysis, political professional Ajani Lebourne identified three critical factors determining the election outcome: leadership perception, voter connection, and organizational strength. Lebourne noted the UWP’s struggle to mobilize its base due to internal divisions and a diminished grassroots identity, observing that the party had transitioned from its historical roots as Sir John Compton’s people-centered institution to a personality-driven organization that failed to inspire loyalty.

    Lebourne highlighted how Labour’s tangible policies—including pension increases, small business support, and public sector commitments—resonated across diverse demographic segments, from youth to seniors and independent voters. The party’s effective messaging focused on practical, visible improvements in citizens’ daily lives, creating broad-based appeal.

    Both analysts expressed concerns about voter turnout issues, attributing declining participation to outdated voter rolls containing deceased or overseas individuals. They warned that persistent low engagement could eventually spur new political movements if existing parties fail to address structural challenges including crime, employment, economic diversification, and sustainable development.

    Regarding political futures, Wickham suggested Chastanet should initiate leadership transition while fulfilling his parliamentary duties as opposition watchdog, though he expressed skepticism about Chastanet’s long-term political viability. Meanwhile, Pierre’s successful formula of party unity and personal connection positions him potentially for continued leadership, though analysts caution against overextending his tenure.

    The election has also revived conversations about constitutional reform and campaign financing legislation, with experts emphasizing the need for greater accountability, integrity, and policy-focused discourse in Saint Lucia’s evolving democracy.

  • Antigua Government to Publish Citizen’s Guide to the 2026 Budget

    Antigua Government to Publish Citizen’s Guide to the 2026 Budget

    In a significant move toward governmental transparency, the administration announced Friday the forthcoming publication of a simplified Citizen’s Guide to the 2026 Budget. This initiative aims to demystify complex fiscal matters for ordinary citizens, providing an accessible overview of national financial performance and key policy directions.

    Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications, revealed during the post-Cabinet media briefing that the guide has been specifically designed to help residents comprehend budgetary implications for their daily lives. The document will present critical financial data and reform initiatives through user-friendly formats accessible via smartphones or computers.

    The comprehensive guide will accompany the full 2026 budget documentation and Cabinet’s detailed synopsis, serving as an educational tool for public engagement. It will elucidate the government’s fiscal achievements, including a substantial $154.9 million primary surplus for 2025 and projected surpluses for 2026. Additionally, it will detail ongoing debt reduction efforts, with the debt-to-GDP ratio currently standing at 61.4 percent.

    Healthcare investments feature prominently in the guide, outlining scheduled openings of specialized medical facilities including a renal care center, reopened cancer treatment facility, and a new chest and cardiac center established through collaboration with China. The implementation timeline for National Health Insurance will also be clearly outlined.

    The publication further emphasizes youth-oriented initiatives, highlighting the government’s commitment to covering all CXC examination fees and continuing technological upgrades within public education systems. Digital transformation projects receive significant attention, particularly revenue-system digitization efforts and the launch of a new transparency portal.

    Merchant emphasized that this initiative aligns with the administration’s broader commitment to openness and public engagement as officials prepare what they describe as a “people-centered” budget. The guide is scheduled for public release concurrent with the commencement of budget debates next week.

  • Browne Says Johnson Can Unseat Bowen, Citing “Large Swing” in St. Philip South

    Browne Says Johnson Can Unseat Bowen, Citing “Large Swing” in St. Philip South

    Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has declared newly appointed Senator Kiz Johnson the frontrunner to unseat sitting MP Sherfield Bowen in the St. Philip South constituency, citing compelling internal polling data indicating a substantial reversal in voter preferences.

    Johnson secured a decisive victory in Thursday’s Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) primary, amassing 167 votes against her closest competitor’s mere 12 votes. Within 24 hours of this electoral triumph, she was officially sworn into office as a government senator.

    In an exclusive interview with ABS Television, Prime Minister Browne characterized Johnson’s primary success as “an astonishing victory,” particularly noteworthy given her late entry into the political contest. “She entered the race literally two weeks before the primary and managed to defeat both a former minister and another candidate who had been building presence for three years,” Browne remarked.

    Browne emphasized the significance of Johnson’s strong support base in critical areas, specifically noting her substantial backing from Freetown residents. This demographic support, combined with recent polling data, suggests formidable electoral viability against the incumbent United Progressive Party representative.

    According to the Prime Minister’s disclosure, empirical evidence from constituency polls demonstrates a substantial erosion of support for MP Bowen, who initially captured the seat during the 2023 general elections. Browne attributed Bowen’s previous electoral success to transient national circumstances rather than enduring political support.

    “The previous election cycle occurred during period of significant economic pressures, including heightened living costs that created headwinds for our administration,” Browne explained. “Current indicators suggest these temporary factors have substantially diminished, creating favorable conditions for Johnson’s candidacy.”

    The Prime Minister concluded with a definitive prediction: based on comprehensive polling data and demonstrated voter enthusiasm, “Kiz will definitely beat him” in the upcoming electoral contest.