Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • Christmas The Double Salary will be tax-free without a salary cap, according to Law 30-26

    Christmas The Double Salary will be tax-free without a salary cap, according to Law 30-26

    In a landmark legislative move that will deliver direct financial relief to working people across the country, the National Congress has formally passed Law 30-26, legislation that codifies permanent full tax exemption for the 13th-month salary, more commonly known as the annual Christmas bonus.

    Unlike prior regulatory frameworks that imposed partial taxation on bonuses exceeding five times the national minimum wage, the new law makes clear that every worker will receive their full bonus amount with zero tax deductions, no matter how large the bonus payment is. To embed this protection in existing labor regulation, Law 30-26 adds a clarifying paragraph to Article 222 of the national Labor Code, explicitly reaffirming that the Christmas bonus tax exemption applies regardless of any salary cap.

    Rogelio Hernández, a prominent labor law attorney, broke down the regulatory history that contextualizes this new legislation. He explained that before the passage of Law 204-97 in 1997, any portion of a Christmas bonus that surpassed five times the minimum wage was classified as a taxable supplementary benefit, requiring workers to pay income tax on that excess amount. While Law 204-97 first established full exemption for Christmas bonuses, the new Law 30-26 removes lingering regulatory ambiguity by formally reaffirming and entrenching this policy in binding statute.

    “Now, under Law 30-26, the entire Christmas bonus is exempt, regardless of the amount. Whether a worker earns RD$500,000 or RD$1,000,000, they will receive the full amount as a Christmas bonus,” Hernández confirmed.

    Beyond the Christmas bonus tax exemption, Law 30-26 includes a broad package of fiscal reforms designed to strengthen national fiscal discipline and buffer the domestic economy against ongoing global economic instability. Key additional provisions include flexible payment plans for taxpayers, generous discounts for early tax payments, a nationwide tax amnesty program running through December 2026, and updated adjusted tax brackets for both individual earners and legal business entities. Critics had previously warned that outdated indexing of income tax brackets would push more workers into higher tax brackets and force increased tax payments, a concern that the new legislation addresses through its updated rate structure.

    The elimination of any partial taxation on Christmas bonuses puts an end to the long-standing issue of double taxation on worker compensation, a reform that labor advocates have championed for years to ensure working people retain the full benefit of their annual holiday pay.

  • The use of public force was necessary to remove the former president of the Cibao Oncology Center.

    The use of public force was necessary to remove the former president of the Cibao Oncology Center.

    What began as a legitimate 2018 appointment to lead the Cibao Regional Cancer Institute (IORC) ended in a forced expulsion seven years later, after the former leader refused to step down following the end of his two-year term and now faces criminal charges for diverting public funds meant for vulnerable low-income cancer patients.

    Héctor Antonio Lora Cruceta was formally named president of both IORC’s Board of Directors and its governing Board of Trustees on October 9, 2018, with a statutory term limit of just two years. When his tenure expired in 2020, Lora Cruceta refused to cede power, clinging to his position for an additional five years beyond his legal mandate. By October 2025, governing body officials had exhausted all administrative avenues to remove him, prompting the Board of Trustees to call an Extraordinary General Assembly on October 6 that year. During the meeting, members voted unanimously to install a new, legitimate Board of Directors led by Dr. Iván Alexis Mercader Mateo.

    Rather than comply with the democratic decision of the board, Lora Cruceta — who stands accused of heading a criminal network that siphoned off millions of pesos in funding for low-income cancer care — launched a barrage of legal appeals to block the transfer of power. His obstruction dragged on for weeks, until authorities launched Operation Oncol4, arresting Lora Cruceta and his remaining allied board members and initiating criminal proceedings against the group.

    Even after the unanimous vote to replace his leadership, Lora Cruceta and four other former board members — including his ex-wife Dilcia Vargas Sánchez, Thelma Sadi Rodríguez Báez, and Yanet Rodríguez — continued their efforts to reverse the outcome of the Extraordinary General Assembly. On October 23, 2025, the group filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the October 6 assembly, falsely claiming they still held legal authority to represent the institute. One week later, they filed a second civil suit to suspend the assembly’s results and request court-ordered asset sequestration of the board.

    In the most damaging act of obstruction, on November 7, the ousted former leaders used an official bailiff’s order to block the transfer of the Cibaeño Cancer Foundation’s financial securities to major local banking institutions including BHD Bank, Banco de Reservas, and the La Altagracia Cooperative, as well as to other authorized entities. This action severely disrupted the day-to-day operations of the non-profit cancer institute, which relies on consistent access to its funds to deliver care to vulnerable patients.

    It was not until October 15, 2025, that the legitimate new leadership was able to access the institute’s facilities. After repeated attempts to negotiate a voluntary transfer failed and Lora Cruceta and his allies refused to vacate the Board of Trustees’ premises, officials were forced to request intervention from state security forces to physically remove the illegal incumbents. Court documents supporting the use of coercive measures note that this intervention was unavoidable: up to that point, the ousted former leadership had actively blocked the legitimately elected October 6 board — comprising Mercader Mateo, Dr. Naly Antonia Cruz Ventura, Nicolás Edmundo de Jesús Guillén Guzmán, Edilma Inés Rodríguez Vargas, and Radhamés José Rosado Sánchez — from taking up their official posts and beginning their work.

  • 115 Apply to Represent PUP in 2027 Municipal Elections

    115 Apply to Represent PUP in 2027 Municipal Elections

    Belize’s main political organization, the People’s United Party (PUP), has wrapped up its candidate application period for the upcoming 2027 national municipal elections, closing nominations to all contenders as the party moves to the next phase of candidate selection. Scheduled to take place on March 3, 2027, the municipal elections will fill leadership and council seats across all nine of Belize’s local municipal jurisdictions, and PUP’s call for potential candidates drew widespread interest from communities across the country.

    According to official statements released by the party, a total of 115 Belizeans submitted completed applications to run under the PUP banner in next year’s local elections. The breakdown of applications shows that 15 prospective candidates put their names forward for the highly contested mayoral positions, while the remaining 100 applications came from individuals aiming to secure seats on local town and city councils spread across the nation’s nine municipalities.

    With the application window now formally closed, the process of selecting the party’s official slate will shift to PUP’s internal governing bodies. First up, the party’s National Campaign Committee will launch a comprehensive vetting process to screen all 115 applicants, reviewing their qualifications, community standing, alignment with party platforms, and eligibility to run for public office. Once the vetting period concludes and the committee produces its shortlist of recommended candidates, PUP’s National Executive will convene for formal deliberations before making the final decisions on which candidates will advance to appear on the PUP ticket in the March 2027 polls.

  • CARICOM Must Accelerate Digital Transformation to Safeguard Competitiveness, Resilience and Sovereignty

    CARICOM Must Accelerate Digital Transformation to Safeguard Competitiveness, Resilience and Sovereignty

    Against a backdrop of shifting global digital dynamics and rising economic uncertainty, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has issued a clarion call for accelerated, deeper regional collaboration to drive forward digital transformation across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). As the Lead Head of Government responsible for Science and Technology within CARICOM’s Quasi Cabinet, Mitchell made his case at the opening session of a gathering of the bloc’s ICT ministers, an event convened around the core theme ‘Accelerating Digital Development to 2030’.

    In his opening remarks, Mitchell emphasized that modern digital technologies have transitioned from optional innovations to foundational pillars of lasting economic resilience, robust national security, and inclusive sustainable development across the region. He pointed to the tangible progress CARICOM has already unlocked through collective action, including the advancement of the CARICOM Single ICT Space, formal adoption of the 2025–2030 Strategic Framework for Digital Resilience, and enhanced cross-regional coordination on critical cybersecurity initiatives.

    “If CARICOM is to retain its global competitiveness and remain relevant in the 21st century, we must act collectively and strategically to guarantee our region is not sidelined on the margins of the fast-growing global digital economy,” Mitchell told assembled delegates. The prime minister stressed that small island states are particularly vulnerable to the ripple effects of global uncertainty, economic volatility, and shifting geopolitical tensions, making coordinated action non-negotiable as the world updates rules for key digital domains including artificial intelligence, digital trade, and data and internet governance. No individual CARICOM member state can successfully navigate the complex digital transition in isolation, Mitchell argued, noting that coordinated regional action is the only path to collective strength.

    “It is time we move decisively from policy discussions to measurable implementation and tangible outcomes to build a unified CARICOM digital economy,” he added.

    A key focus of Mitchell’s remarks centered on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, a technology increasingly recognized as a defining force reshaping the global economic landscape. He noted that AI can streamline public service delivery, boost cross-sector productivity, and catalyze the creation of entirely new industries across the Caribbean. For CARICOM’s small developing economies, AI opens an unprecedented opportunity to leapfrog traditional, slower development pathways. Still, Mitchell cautioned that widespread adoption of the technology must be rooted in core principles of inclusion, public trust, and ethical governance to ensure benefits are shared broadly.

    Mitchell also highlighted two under-prioritized priorities for the bloc: expanding investments in foundational digital infrastructure, strengthening cybersecurity systems, advancing digital skills training, and updating regulatory frameworks that can keep pace with rapid technological change, as well as equipping the region’s large youth population with the tools they need to participate and thrive in the growing digital economy. With 60% of CARICOM’s 16 million citizens under the age of 30, investing in youth digital inclusion is critical to unlocking the bloc’s long-term digital potential.

    During the three-day meeting, ministers reviewed and formally approved new frameworks covering cross-regional digital cooperation, AI governance, cybersecurity standards, and digital skills development.

    Established in 1973 via the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, CARICOM revised its founding agreement in 2001 to enable the creation of a single market and single economy. Today, the bloc counts 15 full member states and six associate members, serving a combined population of roughly 16 million people. Its work is organized around four core pillars: economic integration, coordinated foreign policy, human and social development, and security cooperation. Widely regarded as one of the most successful integration projects in the developing world, CARICOM’s overarching mission is to build an integrated, inclusive, and resilient community driven by knowledge, innovation, excellence, and productivity, where every citizen has equal opportunity to pursue their potential amid guaranteed human rights and social justice, and shares in the bloc’s collective prosperity. The CARICOM Secretariat, the bloc’s central administrative body, is headquartered in Georgetown, Guyana.

  • Wijnerman erkent inconsistenties in begrotings- en schuldcijfers

    Wijnerman erkent inconsistenties in begrotings- en schuldcijfers

    Suriname’s Minister of Finance and Planning Adelien Wijnerman has publicly acknowledged conflicting numerical discrepancies across three key government fiscal documents: the 2026 national budget, annual financial plan, and national debt schedule. The admission came during Friday’s parliamentary budget debate, after multiple members of the National Assembly raised questions about mismatched spending and revenue figures across the policy papers.

    Wijnerman explained that the inconsistencies stemmed from the documents being drafted at separate time points, rather than intentional misreporting. She has committed to updating all conflicting figures and submitting revised versions of the documents to the National Assembly before the second round of budget deliberations gets underway. Government ministers will continue responding to parliamentary questions on Monday, with seven cabinet members having already spoken to lawmakers as of Friday’s session.

    The minister laid out the core 2026 fiscal projections to the assembly, confirming that total state revenues are forecast at roughly 65 billion Surinamese dollars (SRD), while total annual expenditures are projected at approximately SRD 77 billion. This produces a projected budget deficit of SRD 12.8 billion, equal to 5.1% of the country’s gross domestic product.

    Wijnerman also noted that Suriname’s current debt-to-GDP ratio remains above the legal cap of 60% set by national law. Under recent legislative changes, the country has until the end of 2029 to bring the national debt back down to the 60% threshold. The government plans to meet this target through a combination of scheduled debt repayments, constrained fiscal deficits, sustained economic growth, and prioritizing financing from multilateral and bilateral institutional sources.

    For the second half of 2026, the minister projected total debt service obligations will reach roughly SRD 9.8 billion. Around SRD 6 billion of that total will go toward foreign interest payments and principal repayments, while SRD 4 billion will cover domestic debt obligations. Wijnerman added that approximately 19% of the government’s total projected 2026 revenue will be allocated to debt interest and repayment costs.

    She clarified that all funds reflected in the current debt plan are tied to previously finalized loan agreements, not new borrowing. The funds are earmarked for program-related spending in the 2026 fiscal year. The updated national debt plan will be submitted to parliament alongside the revised budget documents ahead of the next debate round.

  • Penny: Govt mum on $3.4b HDC ‘fiasco’

    Penny: Govt mum on $3.4b HDC ‘fiasco’

    A major political firestorm has erupted in Trinidad and Tobago over a canceled $3.4 billion public housing procurement process, with opposition leader Pennelope Beckles demanding Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar immediately dismiss three senior housing ministers and the entire board of the state-run Housing Development Corporation (HDC).

    The controversy centers on HDC’s June 17 announcement that it was terminating award proceedings for the massive housing construction contracts, a move that came months after the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) ordered a suspension of the process to launch a formal review. The contracts had been provisionally allocated to a group of vendors that included recently incorporated firms with no proven track record delivering large-scale public housing projects, a detail that first raised red flags among opposition critics in mid-April.

    In a scathing rebuke of the ruling People’s Partnership (UNC) administration, Beckles condemned the opaque manner in which HDC framed the cancellation, which was listed only under the vague tender identifier RFP No. 050126 – DBF – Portfolio 1. She argued that the vague labeling was intentional, designed to prevent ordinary taxpayers from grasping the full scope and significance of the decision to scrap the award process.

    For Beckles, the cancellation itself amounts to an unspoken admission that the original contract awards were improper, awarded under deeply suspicious, corrupt circumstances that reflect poorly on the entire UNC government. With thousands of Trinidadian households struggling with housing insecurity and many on the brink of economic hardship, Beckles said the opposition is committed to holding what she calls a “self-serving, corrupt administration” accountable, and rooting out graft before it becomes entrenched in national governance.

    Beckles also slammed the government for failing to address the fiasco during more than 50 hours of parliamentary debate over the previous week, noting that not one government official acknowledged the scandal or addressed widespread public frustration over ongoing failures in the national housing sector. She claimed that the three targeted ministers—David Lee, Phillip Alexander, and Anil Roberts—have delivered no meaningful progress for the housing sector, arguing that Roberts and Alexander have instead focused on launching divisive, vitriolic attacks on the public while turning a blind eye to mismanagement at the HDC, allowing what is now one of the largest public procurement scandals in recent national history to unfold unchecked.

    “The UNC can run, but they will have no place to hide. The war Barry Padarath seeks is just starting, and it is against a corrupt Government caught red-handed in the act in less than one year in office,” Beckles said, reaffirming her demand for the immediate dismissal of the ministers and HDC board.

    The timeline of the scandal traces back to April, when the OPR ordered HDC to suspend the contract award pending a full review of procurement procedures. HDC has stated that its final decision to cancel the process was made in accordance with Section 33 of the 2015 Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act, following completion of bid evaluations and the end of the mandatory statutory standstill period. As of press time, OPR chair Beverly Khan has not responded to repeated requests for comment on the review, and Housing Minister David Lee told local outlet the Express he would issue a formal statement soon, but had not released any comment as of Wednesday evening.

    Speaking in defense of the government, Minister in the Ministry of Housing Phillip Alexander pushed back against corruption claims, insisting that the government’s core target of delivering thousands of new affordable homes to Trinidadian families remains firmly on track, despite the cancellation of the original procurement process. Alexander stressed that the first phase of the planned 3,700-unit national housing program has only been paused, not scrapped entirely, and the government remains fully committed to expanding access to homeownership across the country.

    Alexander argued that progress on the housing initiative cannot be delayed indefinitely, noting that pre-vetted developers lined up for the project already have private financing in place to deliver units at no direct cost to the state, and that financing cannot be held in limbo indefinitely. He rejected opposition claims that the program was designed to reward political allies and financial backers of the UNC, contrasting the current process with what he claimed was widespread crony contracting during the previous 10-year PNM administration.

    “This is not a friends and financier plan as the PNM did for the entirety of their ten years. All other developers who qualify and have the capacity to deliver within set timeframes and budgets are welcome to tender,” Alexander said.

    He reaffirmed that all of the Prime Minister’s housing delivery promises remain in place, and the government’s goal of placing as many families as possible into homeownership during this parliamentary term has not changed. Going forward, Alexander pledged that all future procurement processes for the housing program would meet and exceed the transparency requirements set by national oversight bodies, with the overarching goals of lowering housing costs, improving construction quality, and making homeownership accessible even to low-income households earning minimum wage.

    Additional details on the restructured procurement process, including new calls for proposals and tender invitations, will be released to the public in the coming weeks, Alexander confirmed.

    The controversy first erupted in mid-April, when former prime minister Stuart Young first raised alarms about the composition of the selected vendors, urging the public to closely monitor how taxpayer dollars are being allocated for the project. Young pointed out that multiple firms selected for the contracts had little to no experience delivering large-scale public housing projects for the HDC, with only a small handful of the awardees holding the necessary industry experience and financial capacity to complete the massive construction work. The proposed allocations ranged from a $1 billion award to Mootilal Ramhit and Sons Contracting Ltd down to a $201 million contract for Adam’s Construction Ltd, across 11 selected vendors.

  • Annisette ‘shaken’

    Annisette ‘shaken’

    On a yearly Labour Day march held through the streets of Fyzabad, a prominent Trinidadian justice advocate who has drawn public attention to a fatal police-involved shooting was taken into custody by riot-clad officers mid-proceeding, sparking sharp condemnation from labor leaders and opposition political figures.

    Alyssa Phillip, who has organized more than a dozen public demonstrations and vigils calling for accountability and transparency over the January 2025 shooting that left Joshua Samaroo dead and her friend Kaia Sealy injured, was detained around noon on Monday. The encounter unfolded just hours after Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro was photographed publicly greeting Phillip at the Avocat Junction starting point of the march.

    Officials from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) did not immediately release details surrounding the basis for Phillip’s arrest. Eyewitness accounts confirm that at least two dozen officers surrounded both Phillip and her mother, Camille Caresquero, before escorting the pair to a police vehicle. As Phillip was placed into the vehicle, onlookers shouted cries of protest, labeling the arrest “shameful” and a display of institutional overreach.

    This arrest marks the second time Phillip has been taken into custody in connection with her advocacy work. Last month, Phillip and Caresquero were arrested during a demonstration outside the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Port of Spain, where activists gathered to oppose the decision to charge Sealy with manslaughter and firearms offenses linked to Samaroo’s death. Sealy, who had received medical treatment overseas for her gunshot wounds, returned to Trinidad to face the charges. Both women pleaded not guilty to charges of disorderly conduct and violating Section 11(A) of the Emergency Powers Regulations during a Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court hearing earlier this month, and were granted reduced bail.

    As of Monday evening, no new charges had been filed against Phillip following the Fyzabad arrest. Local media outlet the Express reports that Phillip told officers she felt unwell after being taken to Fyzabad Police Station, and was subsequently transferred to the Siparia District Health Facility for medical evaluation.

    Michael Annisette, general secretary of the National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) and president of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union, delivered a blistering rebuke of the arrest to the gathered crowd at Charlie King Junction. Annisette, who was present during the detainment, said “The only crime that she has committed is not a crime, is that she stood up in defence of something she believed in. And if you cannot stand up for what you believe in in this society, then crapaud smoke your pipe.”

    He further noted the striking irony of the arrest: “What was ironic to me was that in 2026 someone who stood up for her right, is deemed to be a target of the police. There was no reason; she was doing nothing wrong, she was celebrating, like all workers, Labour Day.” Annisette added that when he approached officers to ask for an explanation of the arrest, he was turned away and told the matter was not his business.

    “Today is a sad day for me, as a father, and citizen of T&T to realise that in 2026, we have a police force, who believes that we are still living in the colonial past and therefore they can disrespect a young lady,” Annisette said. “I say to those police officers, ‘time longer than twine’.”

    Annisette also claimed that his own daughter was physically pushed aside by TTPS officers to clear the way for Phillip’s arrest, saying “almost 35 police, about two or three of them pushed her aside, then surrounded the young lady who was marching with me. That young lady fearlessly protested the shooting of the young man.”

    He called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and government officials, who were in attendance at the Labour Day march, to intervene immediately to secure Phillip’s release. “When we voted, we voted for change. The change must be substantial, material, worker-centred and people-centred. We cannot, honourable Prime Minister, live in a society where the police can do whatever they feel,” he said.

    David Abdulah, political leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), echoed Annisette’s calls for clarity, questioning the legal foundation for Phillip’s arrest. “We need to know why she was arrested,” Abdulah stated. “If this were a peaceful march, then there must be a clear explanation for her detention.”

    Abdulah emphasized that Phillip and her group remained fully peaceful throughout the march, framing the arrest as a deliberate act of institutional retaliation. “This is a straight case of attempting to intimidate and harass Phillip because she is fearless. The police are scared of her for standing up for justice and speaking out for what she perceives to be wrong in this country,” he said.

    Despite the incident, official Labour Day observances continued through the rest of the day as scheduled.

  • VS kondigt nieuwe ronde Israël-Libanon gesprekken aan in Washington

    VS kondigt nieuwe ronde Israël-Libanon gesprekken aan in Washington

    Six weeks after a landmark ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah and a breakthrough memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran aimed at de-escalating regional tensions, a new round of official negotiations between Israel and Lebanon is scheduled to kick off next week in Washington D.C., U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed.

    The upcoming talks, set for June 23 and 25, mark the third round of direct negotiations between the two nations since the start of 2025, a historic milestone as the first formal direct discussions between the governments since 1993. In a phone conversation with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Rubio underscored that these bilateral negotiations remain the only viable path forward to lasting stability, enabling post-conflict reconstruction, long-term economic recovery, and an end to the recurring cycles of violence that have plagued the Israel-Lebanon border region for decades.

    This new round of dialogue builds on incremental progress made during two earlier negotiation sessions held in April and June this year, which paved the way for the recent renewed ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah that halted the worst outbreak of border fighting in years. While Hezbollah, the armed political movement based in southern Lebanon, is not participating directly in the official government-to-government talks, low-level skirmishes and persistent tensions between the group and Israeli forces continue to test the fragile truce. The most recent outbreak of clashes left at least 47 people dead in southern Lebanon before the latest ceasefire took effect.

    Under a U.S.-backed peace roadmap, Lebanon’s national government has committed to advancing efforts to disarm Hezbollah, a core demand of Israeli negotiators, while Lebanon also pushes for the full withdrawal of Israeli military forces from contested territories in southern Lebanon that have been under Israeli occupation since the 2006 Lebanon War. The recent U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding reaffirms the international commitment to upholding Lebanon’s full territorial integrity and national sovereignty, even as ongoing security challenges threaten to derail the fragile peace process. The photo accompanying this announcement shows Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors during earlier negotiations held in June at the U.S. State Department headquarters in Washington D.C.

  • Regering werkt aan energieagenda met routekaart tot 2035

    Regering werkt aan energieagenda met routekaart tot 2035

    On June 20, Suriname’s government took a foundational step toward building a resilient, future-ready national energy system, convening a high-profile Strategic Energy Roundtable at the President’s Cabinet alongside public and private sector stakeholders. The meeting marks the first milestone in a process that will culminate in the release of a binding National Energy Roadmap spanning 2026 to 2035, a comprehensive policy document that will outline investment trajectories, regulatory frameworks and implementation roadmaps for energy projects across the decade.

    Chaired under the overarching theme of “Energy Security, Investment, and Strategic Partnership for Suriname’s Future”, the roundtable serves as a precursor to a full national energy conference scheduled for later this year. Attendees included senior representatives from key national entities: Suriname Energy Company NV (EBS), Staatsolie, the Suriname Bankers Association (SBV), the Suriname Energy Chamber, the Suriname Business Association (VSB), the Suriname Investment and Trade Agency (SITA), the Energy Authority Suriname (EAS), alongside top government officials. Over the course of discussions, participants mapped out core challenges and untapped opportunities for advancing the sustainable growth of Suriname’s energy sector.

    In her opening address, President Jennifer Simons emphasized that energy security is a non-negotiable prerequisite for Suriname’s long-term economic and social development. She noted that affordable, consistent energy pricing is critical to expanding housing development, supporting local entrepreneurship, and maintaining national social stability. “No one wants to see an increase in energy tariffs,” the President stated. She acknowledged that government subsidies have helped ease cost burdens for households in recent years, but stressed that structural, systemic solutions are required to build a truly sustainable, accessible energy supply for all Surinamese.

    Vice President Gregory Rusland echoed this sentiment, underlining that reliable, affordable energy is a foundational utility for households, commercial operations, agriculture, education and public healthcare. He pointed out that Suriname holds enormous untapped potential in hydropower and solar energy, but that these abundant natural resources remain underutilized and require more strategic development. He added that future revenue streams from the country’s oil and gas reserves should be directed toward advancing sustainable development and lowering overall energy costs for the general population.

    Minister of Natural Resources David Abiamofo noted that investment can only deliver meaningful impact if paired with sufficient implementation capacity. He identified securing financing for the expansion of electricity infrastructure as one of the sector’s most persistent challenges, with a specific focus on extending access to rural and remote communities that are currently not connected to the EBS national grid. In addressing this gap, Abiamofo emphasized that international partnerships and robust public-private collaboration are indispensable to delivering infrastructure expansion.

    Chief of Staff Sergio Akiemboto added that the roundtable was intentionally focused on actionable solutions rather than abstract discussion, with clear near-term commitments already agreed. In the short term, EBS will prepare a public tender for expanded electricity generation capacity. Working groups will also conduct a review of existing national regulations to identify necessary legislative updates that will streamline and accelerate future investment approvals.

    For the medium and long term, the government’s priorities include finalizing a list of high-priority energy projects, securing committed financing for infrastructure development, and making preparations for planned commercial gas production set to launch in 2030, which is expected to drive down costs for domestic electricity generation. Following the roundtable, a results-focused action document will be drafted to formally assign responsibilities, rank priorities, and outline clear next steps. A follow-up meeting with international investors, financial institutions and technology suppliers is also being organized to formalize partnerships for project execution.

    The outcomes of the Strategic Energy Roundtable will form the foundational framework for the 2026–2035 National Energy Roadmap, a new Energy Action Memo, and the launch of a dedicated cross-sector Energy Task Force. Through these initiatives, the Surinamese government aims to lay the groundwork for an energy system that will be progressively more affordable, more reliable, and capable of meeting growing national energy demand for decades to come.

  • BDF Finances Under Scrutiny as PM Acts on Corruption Claims

    BDF Finances Under Scrutiny as PM Acts on Corruption Claims

    Nearly five and a half years after first vowing to crack down on systemic public sector corruption, Belize Prime Minister John Briceño has taken formal action to open a full audit of the Belize Defense Force’s (BDF) financial records, responding to long-standing misconduct allegations tied to the previous administration.

    The announcement, made public on Thursday, marks a key milestone in the People’s United Party government’s commitment to root out graft — a promise Briceño first laid out in the House of Representatives just weeks after his party took power from the United Democratic Party (UDP) in January 2021. During that initial address, when introducing the landmark Good Governance Motion, the prime minister committed to full investigations and legal consequences for any public official found to have engaged in corrupt practice.

    Speaking in the legislature, Briceño reiterated that promise to the Belizean public in Kriol, saying: “We promised the Belizean people that we are going investigate and who wrong gwen dah jail fi we find them guilty.”

    He emphasized that 13 years of UDP rule left a pattern of systemic embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds, and holding corrupt actors accountable through the judicial system is the only way to end this pattern. “The only way this type of corruption and stealing that happened under thirteen years of the UDP administration is going to stop is that when you hold the people that plunder the treasury and rob from the Belizean people, that we hold them accountable and they have to go to a court of law,” Briceño said.

    The prime minister also framed the crackdown as a warning to current sitting officials, noting that it sends a clear message that any public servant who deviates from ethical governance will face the same consequences. “And it is important to that because I can tell my colleagues also, see what happened to them. If you don’t walk a straight line, you are going to end up like that,” he told opposition leader in the house.

    Briceño stressed that the investigation is not a politically motivated personal attack, but a necessary step to restore public trust in government institutions. “It is not personal. But this is the only way we are going to stop the stealing and the plundering of the Belizean people money,” he said.

    The BDF audit, Briceño confirmed, is only the first phase of uncovering the full facts surrounding what are known as the “Mira corruption allegations.” This report is a transcribed excerpt of an evening television newscast, with Kriol language remarks reproduced using a standardized spelling system for public accessibility.