分类： politics

Abinader calls for water and sanitation to become a regional priority

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic – At the opening of the Latinosan 2026 conference hosted in this major Caribbean coastal tourism hub, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has issued a urgent call to governments across Latin America and the Caribbean to elevate water and sanitation infrastructure to the top of their national development agendas. In his keynote address, the president emphasized that basic sanitation can no longer be sidelined as a low-priority secondary concern, pointing to its far-reaching direct impacts on public health outcomes, long-term environmental sustainability, inclusive economic growth, and community-level climate resilience.

Abinader underlined that equitable access to clean drinking water and well-functioning sanitation systems is a non-negotiable foundation for advancing key regional goals. From narrowing systemic social and economic inequality to preserving fragile natural ecosystems, from strengthening the competitiveness of the tourism sector that drives many regional economies to lifting overall quality of life for all populations, the president noted that these core services underpin nearly every dimension of sustainable progress. He made clear that universal, reliable access to high-quality water and sanitation is not a secondary outcome of development, but a prerequisite for achieving meaningful, long-lasting sustainable growth across the region.

Turning to his own country’s ongoing efforts, Abinader highlighted the Dominican Republic’s sustained, large-scale investments in expanding modern water and wastewater infrastructure across the nation. A flagship example he cited is the Verón-Punta Cana Water and Sewerage Project, a major initiative that is on track to deliver improved services to more than one million people once fully completed. This project is a core component of the national government’s broader Universal Sanitation Program for Coastal and Tourist Cities, a strategic framework crafted to protect vulnerable freshwater reserves, anchor the growth of sustainable tourism, and guide orderly, sustainable urban expansion in the Punta Cana region – one of the Dominican Republic’s most economically vital areas.

The president added that the Dominican Republic is currently undergoing a historic, once-in-a-generation transformation of its national water sector. This shift is being driven by record levels of public investment, targeted reforms to strengthen institutional governance of water resources, and long-term strategic planning that aligns infrastructure projects with climate and development goals. During the conference, Wellington Arnaud, the leader of the country’s water governance institute, detailed that the national government is rolling out one of the most ambitious water and sanitation investment portfolios in the entire Latin American and Caribbean region. This pipeline includes a series of major projects developed in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank, with total combined investment valued at nearly US$1 billion.

Government officials outlined the tangible outcomes these investments will deliver for the Dominican people: expanded access to safe drinking water for underserved communities, increased national wastewater treatment capacity to reduce pollution, enhanced protection for more than 200 kilometers of ecologically and economically critical coastline, and direct improved quality of life for more than one million residents across the country. Beyond national progress, the Latinosan 2026 conference also spotlighted the Dominican Republic’s growing leadership role in regional water management, sustainable sanitation, and equitable development, framing the country as an innovative regional model for advancing public health and environmental protection through targeted, large-scale infrastructure investment.

4 6 月, 2026
300 more container homes to arrive today

Nearly eight months after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa devastated coastal and southern communities across Jamaica, the Jamaican government is continuing its rolling delivery of prefabricated container housing for displaced storm survivors, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has confirmed. Speaking Thursday at a National Housing Trust (NHT) event marking the handover of 27 serviced residential lots in Malvern, St Elizabeth — one of the parishes hardest hit by the 2023 storm — Holness announced that an additional 300 modular container homes will arrive on Jamaican shores Friday. This shipment follows an earlier delivery of 1,200 units already in the country, with the remaining 1,000 of the total 2,500 pre-ordered units scheduled to arrive by July. The NHT has already allocated more than US$29 million to acquire this full fleet of semi-permanent housing solutions, which will serve as core government support for residents forced to relocate from severely damaged storm zones and those who lost all their property and cannot afford to rebuild. St Elizabeth will be a primary beneficiary of the new housing, Holness confirmed, with the hard-hit coastal community of Parottee earmarked for a full, community-wide relocation. Following a post-storm assessment, Holness noted that rebuilding homes in the erosion-prone coastal zone of Parottee would cost far more than replacing the damaged structures with the new modular container units, making full relocation the most practical and cost-effective path forward. The prime minister emphasized that the relocation process will center resident input at every stage, with commitments to protect local livelihoods, preserve the value of residents’ existing assets, and uphold the dignity of all affected community members. Multiple government agencies will partner to deliver the initiative: the NHT, Urban Development Corporation, and St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation will lead on-the-ground implementation, while the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) will coordinate cross-agency work to speed up delivery for displaced households. Displaced residents currently sheltering at Petersfield High School will also receive the new container homes, and the NHT has already identified two sites in Westmoreland parish for clustered semi-permanent housing developments. Beyond immediate disaster response, Holness said the government will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the container housing model to explore whether it can be scaled up for wider use across Jamaica, including the development of accessible long-term financing mechanisms. The study will examine not just the structural practicality of the units, but also their social impact, tracking how access to secure stable housing changes residents’ daily lives and long-term outcomes. Five deployment sites have been confirmed across the island, with scattered units assigned through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, and the NHT is currently funding construction of foundation bases for all semi-permanent units. During his remarks, Holness also addressed ongoing public criticism over the still largely unspent $1.4 billion in private hurricane relief donations. He pushed back against critics, noting that the government has already allocated almost $67 billion in public funds to cover immediate disaster relief needs for affected Jamaicans. The administration has intentionally held the donated funds to allocate them to tangible, long-lasting, traceable recovery projects rather than spending them on short-term relief that would leave no lasting public record, he explained. Holness framed this deliberate approach as a key departure from past administrations’ handling of disaster relief, arguing that donors will be able to see exactly how their contributions are used in the form of visible, permanent housing for storm survivors, rather than the unrecorded distribution of short-term food grants that leave no lasting public benefit. “That is what distinguishes my administration from administrations of the past. We make wise financial decisions,” Holness said, adding that there is no excuse for the deliberate, transparent approach the government is taking.

4 6 月, 2026
Onzekerheid over openbare DNA-vergadering: commissievoorzitter wil geen eindverslag uitbrengen

On June 4, political gridlock has thrown the planned public session of Suriname’s National Assembly (DNA) into uncertainty, just days before a legal deadline to rule on the prosecutor general’s request to bring three former senior political officials up on formal charges.

The session, scheduled to kick off at 12:00 local time, was intended to debate the prosecutor general’s motion to indict former ministers Riad Nurmohamed, Gillmore Hoefdraad, and Bronto Somohardjo. However, as of the preliminary house meeting, no final decision has been reached on whether the public session will proceed as planned.

Commission chair Rabin Parmessar told attendees of the closed-door preliminary meeting that he cannot deliver a final committee report on the indictment requests, a key document required to move forward with the legislative debate. Sources confirm that only six out of the seven members of the special parliamentary committee have signed the finalized draft report, leaving the document incomplete and creating an immediate procedural impasse.

The road to scheduling the public session has been fraught with friction from the start. Initially, parliamentary factions from the NDP and Pertjajah Luhur (PL) refused to sign the attendance register to block the session from reaching the required quorum. Only after members from ruling coalition parties VHP, NPS, ABOP, BEP and A20 signed in, securing the necessary quorum, did the NDP faction reverse course and add their signatures to the register.

Multiple sitting assembly members have emphasized that the full National Assembly, as the country’s highest legislative decision-making body, holds the ultimate authority to decide whether the public session proceeds and how the indictment debate will move forward, regardless of the committee’s deadlock on the final report. The clock is already ticking for the legislature: the legal deadline for DNA to issue a formal decision on the prosecutor general’s request expires on June 9, leaving just days for lawmakers to break the current stalemate.

As of midday June 4, it remains unclear how the impasse over the unsigned final report will be resolved, and whether the planned public session will still be held as scheduled. Political tensions are running high across the legislature, with deep divisions already evident within the ruling coalition. Earlier on the same day, coalition leaders held a closed coordination meeting with President Jennifer Simons, which failed to bridge internal divides over the proceeding.

4 6 月, 2026
Lula hekelt nieuwe Amerikaanse tarieven: ‘Wij accepteren deze behandeling niet’

In a sharp rebuke that has underscored growing frictions between Brasilia and Washington, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has publicly condemned the second Trump administration’s recent proposal to impose 25% tariffs on a range of Brazilian imports entering the United States. Lula has labeled the planned trade measure “unacceptable”, expressing deep surprise that the move would come at a time when ties between the two nations were just beginning to show signs of improvement after years of disagreement. The announcement caught many observers off guard, coming just one month after Lula met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, a meeting that left Lula expressing cautious optimism about a potential thaw in bilateral relations. For years, relations between the two countries have been strained over disputes spanning trade policy, human rights disagreements, and competing priorities in regional politics, but the high-profile Washington meeting had been widely interpreted as the start of a new détente between the two governments. The relationship between Trump and Lula has long been complicated and fraught with ideological divides. Since Trump began his second presidential term in January 2025, he has maintained consistent criticism of Lula’s left-leaning administration. Trump has repeatedly spoken out against what he claims is censorship of right-wing political voices in Brazil, and has kept close personal and political ties to former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his family, leading figures in Brazil’s conservative right-wing movement. Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence after being convicted of plotting to undermine Brazil’s democratic system following his narrow loss to Lula in the 2022 presidential election. The new U.S. tariffs were introduced following a U.S. investigation into alleged unfair Brazilian trade practices, including claims of illegal Amazon deforestation, restricted access to Brazil’s domestic ethanol market, and inconsistent enforcement of anti-corruption rules. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has argued that current trade practices between the two nations are “unreasonable” and create unfair barriers to American commerce, adding that the U.S. faces a large trade deficit with Brazil. However, publicly available official trade data directly contradicts this claim: in March 2026 alone, the U.S. recorded a $420 million trade surplus with Brazil, rather than a deficit. Independent trade analysts say the proposed tariffs are part of a strategic shift by the Trump administration, which lost its broad legal authority to impose global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act following a February 2026 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. The new levies are instead being enacted under Section 301 of U.S. trade law, a statute that grants the executive branch wide authority to impose trade sanctions when it claims trade agreement violations have occurred. Key Brazilian export sectors have been granted exemptions from the proposed 25% tariffs, including beef, coffee, rare earth elements, industrial metals, energy products, and aircraft components. The tariffs are still in a public consultation period that will conclude in early July 2026, leaving final implementation uncertain for now. The tariff announcement comes at an extraordinarily sensitive political moment for Lula, who is gearing up for a tightly contested general election in November, where his coalition will face off against a ticket led by Flavio Bolsonaro, former president Jair Bolsonaro’s eldest son. Despite his sharp criticism of the new trade measure, Lula has reaffirmed Brazil’s commitment to building stable, institutional relations with the United States. At the same time, he issued a clear warning that Brazil will actively diversify its trade partnerships and turn to other global markets if the tariffs are ultimately implemented.

4 6 月, 2026
OPINION: Paving the way forward: Minister Maria Browne’s impact on national roadworks

Across Antigua and Barbuda, a sweeping wave of road rehabilitation and construction projects is reshaping the nation’s transportation landscape, driven by the proactive leadership of Housing Minister Maria Browne. Since taking office, Browne has moved swiftly to deliver on campaign promises, placing critical infrastructure improvement at the top of her administration’s policy agenda.

The most high-profile of these ongoing projects is the reconstruction of All Saints Road, a key arterial corridor that connects residential neighborhoods and local business districts. When completed, the upgrade is projected to dramatically cut travel times, reduce vehicle wear, and create a safer, smoother driving experience for everyone who relies on the route. Beyond improved mobility, the initiative is expected to catalyze local economic activity by making it easier for businesses to move goods and for customers to access commercial hubs, unlocking new growth potential for the area.

All Saints Road is not the only project underway. Crews are also advancing substantial upgrades on two other high-traffic routes: Newgate Street and Lauchland Benjamin Drive, both of which serve as critical access points for local communities. Work has also been completed or initiated in dozens of smaller residential and suburban areas, including Collins, Herberts, New Winthropes, Halcyon Heights, and Seaview Farm, spreading the benefits of infrastructure investment across every corner of the nation.

A key part of the initiative’s success has been the transparent, proactive communication strategy rolled out by the Ministry of Public Works. The department has leveraged multiple media platforms to share regular updates on project timelines, road closures, and progress, keeping the public fully informed every step of the way. This approach represents a marked improvement in both efficiency and professionalism in public communication, demonstrating the government’s commitment to accountability and encouraging ongoing public engagement with local development projects.

What stands out most to observers is the sustained pace of road work that has been maintained through pre-election, election, and post-election periods. Critics initially voiced skepticism that the infrastructure push could be sustained long-term, arguing that the projects were merely pre-election political posturing. But those doubts have been proven wrong: the momentum of construction and repair work has only accelerated since the election, defying early expectations and underscoring the administration’s genuine commitment to delivering tangible improvements for citizens.

Browne’s ability to keep this ambitious program on track amid logistical, budgetary, and scheduling challenges is a testament to her strong leadership and the widespread respect she has earned within her ministry. Her hands-on approach and unwavering focus on delivery have turned a long-standing promise of infrastructure improvement into a visible, on-the-ground reality.

In the end, the nationwide road upgrade initiative is more than just a construction program: it is transforming the physical landscape of Antigua and Barbuda, while also rebuilding public trust in effective governance. Under Browne’s leadership, the current administration has turned infrastructure investment into a source of renewed hope and confidence for communities across the nation, laying the groundwork for long-term inclusive growth.

4 6 月, 2026
Grenadian senator appointed VP Inter-American Commission for Women

In a historic victory for Caribbean representation in hemispheric gender equity governance, Grenada’s Minister for Social and Community Development, Senator Gloria Ann Thomas, has been elected Vice President of the Steering Committee of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM). The vote took place during the 40th Assembly of Delegates, held May 28–29, 2026 in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Organisation of American States (OAS).

This win marks a landmark milestone for Grenada, which has not held a leadership position on CIM’s governing body for more than four decades. Official historical records show the last time a Grenadian representative occupied a seat on the CIM Steering Committee was between 1979 and 1983, making Thomas’s election a symbolic and strategic reentry into regional gender policy leadership.

The quadrennial? No, triennial Assembly of Delegates stands as CIM’s ultimate decision-making authority, bringing together cabinet ministers and senior government officials leading women’s affairs portfolios from across all OAS member states every three years. Over the course of the 2026 assembly, delegates debated pressing cross-regional priorities impacting women across the Americas, approved new multi-year strategic frameworks, and held elections for the body’s 9-member Steering Committee. The committee structure includes one president, three vice presidents, and five at-large elected members.

Grenada was the sole Caribbean nation to put forward a candidate for one of the three open vice president seats, joining a competitive field of four contenders that also included Canada, Honduras, and Paraguay. When final vote totals were tabulated, Grenada secured a clear leading position with 27 votes, outpacing Canada’s 23, Paraguay’s 22, and Honduras’s 19. The top three vote-earners claimed the three vice president seats, advancing Thomas to the leadership role.

Beyond the symbolic weight of returning to CIM leadership after 40 years, Thomas’s election carries significant strategic benefits for Grenada and other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) across the Americas. The position places Grenada at the center of high-level hemispheric discussions on critical issues including women’s economic empowerment, gender-inclusive digital transformation, cross-cutting gender equality, equitable labor inclusion, and community-focused social development.

The appointment also grants Grenada a high-profile platform to elevate national and regional SIDS priorities in global and inter-American policy dialogues, contribute to the design of gender-responsive policy frameworks that address the unique needs of small island nations, and deepen collaborative ties with other OAS member states and international development partners across the hemisphere.

Officials noted that the achievement reflects Grenada’s expanding leadership role in advancing global women’s rights and gender equity, and reinforces the Caribbean nation’s government commitment to ensuring that the unique perspectives and urgent priorities of Small Island Developing States are not overlooked in regional and international decision-making processes. The news of the election was released by Grenada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development.

4 6 月, 2026
Minister Randy Baltimore Elected Chair of Caribbean Fisheries Council

The Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), the regional intergovernmental body affiliated with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), kicked off its 20th Regular Meeting on Wednesday, bringing together fisheries, aquaculture and blue economy ministers from across the Caribbean region to address pressing challenges facing the marine sector via remote teleconference.

Before diving into policy deliberations, the council formally elected Hon. Randy Baltimore, Minister of State in Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy, as its new chair. Baltimore takes over the role from Hon. Kyle Hodge, Minister of Economic Development, Industry, Commerce, Lands, Planning, Water, and Natural Resources of Anguilla, who was widely recognized for delivering exceptional leadership during his one-year tenure in the position.

In his acceptance remarks, Baltimore reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s unwavering commitment to deepening regional collaboration, advancing the sustainable stewardship of marine resources, protecting the livelihoods of small-scale fisherfolk, and scaling innovative solutions to the most pressing threats facing the regional fisheries sector—from accelerating climate change to persistent illegal fishing activity and fragmented marine management.

“The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is eager to partner closely with all CRFM Member States and regional stakeholders to advance the sustainable development of Caribbean fisheries and the broader blue economy throughout our term as chair,” Baltimore stated, noting he had only recently taken on the fisheries portfolio following Antigua and Barbuda’s recent national elections.

Supported by Caribbean Fisheries Forum Chair Ian Horsford, who also serves as Antigua and Barbuda’s Chief Fisheries Officer, ministers made steady progress through the meeting’s agenda, ultimately approving 19 binding resolutions that are expected to drive meaningful progress for the regional fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

In closing remarks to the gathering, CRFM Executive Director Dr. Marc Williams framed the moment as a turning point for the region. “The Caribbean stands at a pivotal moment when sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, the Blue Economy, climate resilience, and ocean governance must be integrated to secure prosperity for present and future generations,” Dr. Williams said. “I encourage all Member States to maintain their strong engagement in implementing today’s resolutions and to continue supporting the CRFM as a premier regional institution for fisheries and ocean governance.”

Among the most significant outcomes of the meeting was the approval of a new 5-year strategic aquaculture development action plan, alongside a two-year work plan and operating budget for the CRFM covering the 2026-2027 period. Ministers also received detailed progress updates on three major ongoing regional initiatives led by the CRFM in partnership with member states and global institutional partners: the Canadian-funded Sustainable Technologies for Adaptation and Resilience in Fisheries (STAR-fish) Project, the IICA/EDF-EU Food Security Project, and the GEF/FAO/CAF/CRFM BE-CLME+ Project, which works to advance national blue economy priorities through marine spatial planning across the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem and adjacent areas.

Dr. Williams emphasized that the council’s decisions on institutional priorities, budget allocations, financial governance, and staffing structure lay a solid foundation for the CRFM to deliver on its core mission and create tangible, lasting benefits for the millions of Caribbean people whose livelihoods depend on healthy marine resources.

The council has scheduled its next plenary meeting for later this year, to be held in conjunction with the 20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture in Jamaica.

4 6 月, 2026
Turner Says New Performing Arts Centre on Track for September Completion

As construction on Antigua and Barbuda’s state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre enters its closing major phase, top government officials have confirmed the landmark venue remains scheduled to open to the public by the end of September. The confirmation came during an official on-site inspection led by Social and Urban Transformation Minister Rawdon Turner, who outlined the project’s current progress and upcoming milestones for observers.

Designed to hold 875 audience members, the facility will play a central role in Antigua and Barbuda’s hosting of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), serving as the venue for the gathering’s opening ceremony in November. After the conclusion of the international summit, the center will operate as a permanent hub for the country’s growing creative and performing arts sector.

Minister Turner reaffirmed the government’s confidence in meeting the September deadline, noting that balcony seating installation – the final major construction task – is on track to be finished within just three weeks. Once this phase wraps up, construction teams will shift focus to fitting out the building’s interior, including mounting side panels, installing finished ceilings, and completing other decorative and functional internal work. Turner added that most of these materials have already been prefabricated and are ready for deployment, streamlining the next phase of work.

E.P. Chet Greene, Foreign Affairs Minister and Chairman of the National Task Force for CHOGM 2026, joined the inspection tour and commended the high construction quality of the center. He specifically highlighted the critical contributions of local workers to the project’s development, noting their skill and dedication have kept the build on schedule.

Fully funded by taxpayer dollars, the new center embodies the Antigua and Barbuda government’s long-term commitment to growing the performing arts community while expanding the country’s range of tourism attractions, Greene explained. He also pointed to the country’s proven track record of hosting large-scale international events, including the 2024 Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States and the 2025 Organization of American States General Assembly, expressing full confidence that the 2026 CHOGM will match these successful outcomes.

While Greene acknowledged that project financing continues to be a top priority and ongoing challenge for the planning team, he noted that glowing feedback from Commonwealth officials and key stakeholders has significantly boosted confidence in the country’s preparation efforts. “I’m satisfied that we have never failed as a country,” Greene stated, reinforcing the government’s resolve to deliver a world-class event and a landmark cultural facility.

4 6 月, 2026
CXC® and the Government of the Virgin Islands Partner for Public Service Transformation

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – On June 3, 2026, senior leadership from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®) joined Deputy Governor of the Virgin Islands Mr David D. Archer, Jr. and government officials at an official launch ceremony for the groundbreaking CXC® Excellence in Customer Service programme, an initiative developed to upskill public sector workforces across the territory.

The two-year collaboration brings together CXC®, a globally respected credentialing body, the Virgin Islands Public Service Learning Institute (VIPSLI), and Trinidad and Tobago-based regional training specialist Customer 1st Caribbean Ltd. First conceptualized in 2023, the programme was built from the ground up through a phased development process: CXC®’s Research and Educational Development Division drafted the core framework, which was then refined through joint work between the CXC® Professional Learning Institute, CXC® Business Development Office, and VIPSLI leadership.

Designed to deliver multi-level upskilling that drives systemic public service transformation, the programme targets public officers at all levels, from frontline customer-facing staff to senior executive leadership teams. Unlike generic off-the-shelf training curricula, the initiative is tailored specifically to the unique operational context of the Virgin Islands Public Service, incorporating local case studies and addressing on-the-ground challenges that local officers face daily. Core training modules cover foundational professional competencies including public service values, ethical governance, professional conduct, stakeholder communication, service recovery protocols, operational efficiency, and public accountability.

Remarkably, even before the first cohort of participants completed their training, early outcomes already demonstrated the programme’s impact. VIPSLI officials confirmed that participating officers had already begun updating outdated departmental procedures and piloting new, more effective work processes across multiple public service agencies.

Speaking at the launch and certificate awards ceremony held at the VIPSLI campus, Dr Eduardo Ali, Pro-Registrar and Deputy CEO of CXC®, outlined the dual purpose of the landmark initiative. “This programme does more than just introduce new systems and metrics to boost public sector efficiency and service excellence,” Ali explained. “It invests directly in each individual officer, supporting their professional growth to help them become active agents of transformation and better engaged citizens across the public service. This project showcases the technical expertise CXC® stands ready to provide to regional governments and institutions working to advance educational and systemic public sector reform across the Caribbean.”

Dr Connie E. George, Director of VIPSLI, shared that the institute turned to CXC® after identifying a critical gap in formalized professional training needed to meet the government’s mandate of building a world-class public service for the Virgin Islands. “We selected CXC® as our partner because they are the Caribbean’s leading educational and credentialing authority,” George noted. “When CXC® lends its name to a programme, it carries the full weight of regional recognized accreditation, academic rigor, and institutional integrity that we could not develop independently locally.”

The completion of the first training cohort marks only an early milestone in the initiative’s rollout. Moving forward, graduates of the first cohort will be trained as in-house facilitators to deliver the curriculum to subsequent groups, with the long-term goal of expanding the programme to reach every public officer across the entire Virgin Islands Public Service. “Our goal is to embed excellence in customer service not just as a one-off initiative, but as a core, expected component of every public officer’s ongoing professional development journey in the territory,” George added.

The ceremony concluded with 14 participating public officers receiving their official certificates for successful completion of the inaugural programme. Widely hailed as a forward-looking investment in the territory’s public workforce, the initiative is already being highlighted as a replicable model for public sector upskilling and transformation that can be adapted by other regional governments across the Caribbean.

4 6 月, 2026
Overwhelming vote of support

In a landmark diplomatic victory for Trinidad and Tobago, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has publicly thanked the global community for the overwhelming support that earned the small island nation a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2027-2028 term.

Announced via the Prime Minister’s official X platform, the election results confirmed Trinidad and Tobago secured backing from 181 out of 190 voting UN member states — an approval rating of 95 percent that included support from all five of the UNSC’s permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Under the UN’s long-standing regional rotation framework for the 10 non-permanent UNSC seats, one 2027-2028 seat was allocated to the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), which counts Trinidad and Tobago among its Caricom member states. As the only candidate nominated by the regional bloc, the nation ran uncontested for the seat currently occupied by Panama, but still faced the requirement of earning a two-thirds majority of votes from UN General Assembly members present and voting to secure the seat. The threshold stood at approximately 129 votes, a mark the nation far surpassed in a single round of voting.

Speaking immediately after the vote count concluded in New York, Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Sean Sobers accepted the international community’s vote of confidence with humility and deep honor. “We accept this mantle of responsibility with humility and pride; we wish to express our profound gratitude for the friendship, partnership and solidarity shown to Trinidad and Tobago during our campaign,” Sobers said. He extended congratulations to all successful candidates in the 2027 UNSC elections, noting that Trinidad and Tobago is eager to collaborate with all incoming and sitting council members.

This term will mark Trinidad and Tobago’s second stint on the UNSC, following an earlier term in 1985-1986, and it will become the first English-speaking Caribbean nation to hold a seat on the council since Jamaica’s 2000-2001 tenure. Since gaining independence 64 years ago, Sobers emphasized, Trinidad and Tobago has consistently upheld the rule of law, advocated for human rights, and strengthened international norms, never remaining silent in the face of injustice. He reaffirmed the nation’s unwavering commitment to the UN Charter and international legal frameworks.

Sobers outlined that the nation’s campaign theme — “Building Consensus for the Realisation of Sustainable Peace and Security” — will guide all of Trinidad and Tobago’s work during its two-year term, which will begin on January 1, 2027. Facing a global landscape marked by increasingly complex interconnected challenges, the nation will prioritize fostering constructive dialogue and bridging divides between competing international actors. Three core strategic pillars will anchor Trinidad and Tobago’s agenda: curbing the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons, advancing the women, peace, and security agenda to protect vulnerable children, and examining the growing implications of artificial intelligence for global peace and security. In line with instructions from Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, the nation will use its platform to amplify underrepresented voices from across the globe, centering justice and equality as the foundation of lasting international security.

A formal statement from the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs credited Persad-Bissessar’s steady, visionary leadership for delivering what it calls a transformative diplomatic milestone for the nation. The ministry recalled that the Prime Minister first launched Trinidad and Tobago’s UNSC bid during her address to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, and subsequently held sustained, direct diplomatic engagement with dozens of world leaders to build support for the candidacy. “Therefore, this country’s success is a testament to the vision, dedication, and steadfast leadership of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whose commitment to advancing Trinidad and Tobago’s interests internationally has helped secure this historic victory,” the release read.

When the new council convenes in 2027, the UNSC will consist of the five permanent members alongside nine other non-permanent members: Bahrain, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, Liberia, Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, and Zimbabwe. Trinidad and Tobago will fill the seat left vacant when Panama’s current term expires on December 31, 2026, alongside four other new non-permanent members replacing outgoing Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, and Somalia.

4 6 月, 2026