Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • Leonel Fernández rejects proposed tax measures

    Leonel Fernández rejects proposed tax measures

    MADRID — Speaking to a crowd of gathered supporters at Madrid’s Eventize Space, former Dominican president and current leader of the opposition People’s Force party Leonel Fernández has issued a sharp rejection of the tax policy agenda put forward by the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), warning that new fiscal burdens would be untenable for Dominican households already grappling with soaring living costs and persistent inflation.

    Fernández’s public criticism came during an event that also marked the swearing-in of new People’s Force members from multiple political backgrounds. The new recruits include defectors from the ruling PRM, the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), and the Democratic Hope Party (PED), alongside Dominican professionals, entrepreneurs, healthcare workers and community leaders based across Spain and other European nations.

    At the gathering, the opposition leader argued that the current PRM administration is pursuing policies that function as a full tax reform, only rebranded under an alternative name to avoid public backlash. He stressed that the strained economic environment facing ordinary Dominicans makes any new tax-based policy completely inappropriate, noting that the government has yet to deliver solutions for the country’s most pressing public challenges despite its pursuit of additional public revenue.

    Fernández made clear that the People’s Force will stand firm against any legislative or executive initiative that raises taxes or pushes greater financial strain onto working families. He emphasized that widespread public anxiety over rising inflation and the escalating cost of essential goods has not eased, and reaffirmed his party’s commitment to advocating for the interests of workers, students, women, youth and all marginalized social sectors across the Dominican Republic.

    Looking ahead to the 2028 national elections, Fernández framed the strong turnout and growing cross-border support from the Dominican diaspora in Europe as a major vote of confidence in the opposition bloc. He noted that the influx of new members from across the political spectrum and the expanding base among Dominicans living abroad reflects the party’s successful, ongoing push to build its presence within the country’s global diaspora community.

  • Rollins demands PLP disclose if Gardiner donated to campaign

    Rollins demands PLP disclose if Gardiner donated to campaign

    A fiery confrontation has erupted in Bahamian parliamentary budget debates, as Long Island Member of Parliament Dr Andre Rollins has launched intensified scrutiny over multi-million dollar government contracts awarded to a construction firm tied to a convicted US narcotics trafficker, calling for full disclosure of any campaign donations the trafficker may have made to the governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) over the past decade.

    At the center of the controversy is Top Notch Builders, a company that was granted a $35 million public-private partnership (PPP) contract to build the Eight Mile Rock administrative complex just 24 hours before the May 2017 general election. Public corporate registry documents from The Bahamas directly link Eric Gardiner, a man previously convicted of drug trafficking charges in the United States, to the firm, where he is listed as president and a director. Corporate filings further show that Top Notch Builders owns Complete Construction, the developer behind the current administration’s flagship Carmichael Village affordable housing initiative, which launched during the previous legislative term.

    In a surprising reveal, current Finance Minister Michael Halkitis has confirmed he previously held a director position at Top Notch Builders, though he maintains he stepped down from the role in 2021, citing disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Dr Rollins dedicated the bulk of his budget debate address to pressing for clear answers about the awarding process for the Eight Mile Rock contract. He is demanding confirmation of which government official approved the deal, whether the contract was put out for mandatory competitive bidding, and whether Gardiner has ever contributed to PLP campaign coffers. “Who in the government knew what, and when did they know it?” Rollins asked lawmakers. “Was the project open to a competitive bidding process, and if not, why not? Which minister of government was responsible for signing off on the terms of the agreement?”

    Additional context around the case dates back to a plane crash on a previous Election Day, when U.S. rescue teams recovered Gardiner alongside ten other survivors. Authorities reported Gardiner was carrying $30,000 in cash at the time of the crash, and multiple survivors were observed wearing clothing and accessories branded with PLP branding. Dr Rollins argues Bahamian voters have a right to know whether Gardiner made any campaign donations to the PLP after the 2017 awarding of the Grand Bahama contract.

    “This is important because it would help to explain why a company he is alleged to be a beneficial owner of would receive unusually favourable contractual terms by public contract,” he explained. “It would also help us to investigate which government ministers had direct involvement in the issuance of that eight mile rock government complex contract to Top Notch.”

    Dr Rollins also alleged that a controversial “poison pill provision” was written into the PPP contract, designed to make the agreement impossible for a new administration to cancel. He claimed that when the Minnis administration took office in 2017, officials would have been required to pay the full value of the contract, including all accrued principal and interest, if they chose to terminate the deal.

    “It’s unbelievable that any government would not have done its due diligence on the principal of Top Notch Builders,” he said. “And with a principal who has been already convicted of narcotics trafficking by the United States of America to get $50.6m in government money means… if one was so minded or had that amount of money to wash or clean, it would be a very convenient way to do so.”

    Broadening his critique to public-private partnership arrangements as a whole, Dr Rollins warned that without mandatory public disclosure and robust oversight, PPPs can easily be exploited as vehicles for money laundering. He added that full, nationwide implementation of the Freedom of Information Act would significantly improve government transparency and accountability by creating a verifiable public paper trail for all state contracts.

    The debate quickly devolved into a heated parliamentary exchange after Dr Rollins opened his remarks with sharp criticism of the role of big money in Bahamian politics and alleged procedural exploitation in the House of Assembly. Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell repeatedly raised points of order arguing Rollins’ comments were not relevant to the budget debate, a position that was later upheld by House Speaker Patricia Deveaux.

    The back-and-forth escalated into a public clash between Dr Rollins and Speaker Deveaux, with both accusing the other of undermining The Bahamas’ democratic institutions. At one tense point, Dr Rollins warned the Speaker to be cautious, saying he did not want to see her suffer a negative health incident. “You could never,” Speaker Deveaux shouted in response. “Ten of you. Ten just like you could not bring my health event. Be careful. Boy look here. Don’t do that.”

  • Wells announces plan to regulate funeral sector

    Wells announces plan to regulate funeral sector

    During Thursday’s 2026/2027 Budget Debate in the Bahamas House of Assembly, State Minister for Health and Wellness Owen Wells outlined a far-reaching legislative and administrative reform package aimed at modernizing the country’s healthcare sector, with new regulation of the funeral services industry highlighted as a key priority for protecting vulnerable grieving families.

    Wells emphasized that families place unparalleled trust in funeral service providers during periods of profound loss, creating a critical need for formal oversight to guarantee ethical, professional care. The upcoming Funeral Services Industry Bill will enshrine binding requirements for operator licensing, uniform professional standards, robust consumer protections, and formal accountability mechanisms, all designed to ensure services uphold the dignity that end-of-life care demands. While the core framework of the legislation has been confirmed, Minister Wells did not release further details on timelines for tabling the bill, proposed penalties for non-compliance, or the specific agency that will be tasked with enforcing the new rules.

    The funeral industry regulation is just one component of a broader push to expand and update healthcare sector governance. Minister Wells confirmed that the ministry is also advancing three other key legislative initiatives: a Patients’ Rights Bill, an updated Elderly Abandonment Bill, and ongoing work to embed other existing health legislation into force.

    The Patients’ Rights Bill will establish a formal, clear framework to guide interactions between patients and healthcare providers, codifying core protections including informed consent for medical procedures, patient confidentiality, guaranteed access to personal health information, mandatory professional conduct standards, and requirements for respectful treatment of all care recipients. For vulnerable older Bahamians, the revised Elderly Abandonment Bill will strengthen existing legal protections, set clearer care standards, and reinforce commitments to upholding the dignity and overall wellbeing of the country’s aging population.

    Beyond legislative changes, the ministry is pursuing structural administrative reforms to keep pace with its growing scope of work. For years, the ministry has relied on external legal support from the Public Hospitals Authority, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Department of Legal Affairs to handle regulatory and legal matters. As the sector expands and modernizes, Wells announced that a dedicated in-house Legal Unit will be established during the 2026/2027 fiscal period.

    This internal legal team will cut response times for pressing regulatory and legal issues, reduce costly delays in contract negotiations, strengthen public procurement processes, and ensure all ministry policies and programs are legally sound from their design stage. The new unit will also reduce the administrative burden on the Office of the Attorney General by handling routine and specialized health sector legal work internally, including licensing reviews, administrative actions, contract drafting, regulatory rollout, and clinical governance matters.

    To address longstanding coordination gaps across the public healthcare system, Wells also announced the creation of a Public Health Operations Task Force. The inter-agency body will conduct a comprehensive review of how core public health entities – including the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Department of Public Health, Princess Margaret Hospital, Rand Memorial Hospital, the Supplies Management Agency, and other relevant stakeholders – interact and operate. It will map existing workflows, identify systemic bottlenecks and service duplication, and propose evidence-based practical solutions to streamline cross-agency coordination and improve service delivery for patients.

    Digital modernization of health records will also remain a key priority during the upcoming budget cycle. The ministry will continue rolling out universal Electronic Medical Records across all Department of Public Health facilities, while working to integrate these systems with other major public healthcare institutions. Plans are also in place to strengthen the national Health Information Exchange, allowing authorized care providers to securely access critical patient data when needed for treatment.

    Wells pushed back against any perception that these reforms are merely bureaucratic adjustments, noting that every proposed change is centered on people. “These topics may appear administrative in nature, but their purpose is people-centred and intended to protect patients, support families, assist healthcare workers and strengthen public confidence in our healthcare system,” he said. The government’s overall legislative agenda for the health sector is focused on four core goals: strengthening patient protections, updating outdated professional regulations, improving national public health preparedness, and supporting innovation in how care is delivered to Bahamian communities.

  • 800 Volunteers Express Interest in Supporting CHOGM 2026

    800 Volunteers Express Interest in Supporting CHOGM 2026

    As Antigua and Barbuda ramps up planning for what will stand as one of the largest international diplomatic gatherings in the nation’s history, more than 800 local residents have already stepped forward to register their interest in volunteering for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

    The latest progress on the island nation’s summit readiness was outlined to the country’s Cabinet during a detailed briefing from Karen-Mae Hill, Antigua and Barbuda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and Ann-Marie Layne, Director General of Foreign Affairs. The high-profile summit is currently scheduled to take place in November 2026.

    Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications for the preparation effort, shared that work is progressing steadily across every critical pillar of event planning, including logistics, security protocols, inter-region transportation, attendee accommodation, diplomatic protocol, and overall event coordination. Pre-event engagement has already revealed robust global interest in the gathering: multiple participating delegations have already locked in their accommodation bookings, while other attending teams are finalizing their travel itineraries.

    The summit is set to welcome a large contingent of heads of government and senior diplomatic officials from all 56 Commonwealth member states, a turnout that will shift global diplomatic focus squarely onto Antigua and Barbuda for the duration of the event. Invitations sent out to major global institutions and development partners have already drawn widespread positive responses, according to official updates.

    Beyond delegation planning, public participation has outperformed early expectations: of the hundreds of residents who have expressed interest in volunteer roles, more than 130 delegation liaison officers have already been selected to offer dedicated direct support to visiting official delegations. Structured training programs for all volunteers and support staff will roll out incrementally in the months leading up to November 2026 to ensure all personnel are fully prepared.

    Planning for CHOGM carries extra weight for Antigua and Barbuda, as the summit will overlap with a widely anticipated state visit from King Charles III, the Head of the Commonwealth. Merchant confirmed during the Cabinet briefing that the King will travel to both Antigua and the smaller sister island of Barbuda during his visit. With two high-profile, globally focused events overlapping, all involved government agencies have entered an accelerated phase of joint planning and inter-agency coordination to deliver seamless outcomes.

    For Antigua and Barbuda, the summit represents more than a diplomatic gathering: it is a rare opportunity to welcome the entire Commonwealth leadership to the nation’s shores, showcase the country’s unique strengths and hospitality to a global audience, and cement the nation’s standing as an engaged, influential actor within the international community.

  • New Work Permit Rules to Require Wider Advertising of Vacancies

    New Work Permit Rules to Require Wider Advertising of Vacancies

    The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has approved a sweeping set of reforms to the country’s work permit system, designed to expand access to job advertising for local workers and tighten approval protocols for foreign labor applicants. The policy changes were announced Thursday by Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant during a post-Cabinet press briefing, following a detailed presentation from the Labour Commissioner and senior staff at the One Stop Employment Centre (OSEC) on the current state of work permit application administration.

    Merchant told reporters that Cabinet members raised consistent concerns that open job vacancies across multiple sectors are not currently being advertised to the broadest possible pool of local job seekers. To address this gap, the body agreed that targeted, stricter measures are required to boost both transparency around open roles and public access to information about available employment opportunities. The reform push comes in direct response to growing internal concern over repeated requests to bring in foreign workers for positions that Cabinet leaders are confident can be filled by qualified residents of Antigua and Barbuda.

    “Cabinet feels that there is something drastically wrong with that process because they believe that locals can assume those positions,” Merchant told reporters at the briefing. He specifically called out the prevalence of import requests for low- to mid-skill roles that are commonly held by local workers, including nannies, cooks, and other general labor positions, questioning why these applications are being submitted at all when a local workforce is available.

    Beyond expanded job advertising requirements, the new rules will also tighten the origin requirements for work permit applications. Merchant noted that under the current system, a significant share of applications are submitted by foreign individuals who are already physically present in Antigua and Barbuda. Going forward, new policy will mandate that all foreign applicants must submit their work permit applications from their country of legal permanent residence before traveling to Antigua and Barbuda to take up employment. Only after it has been confirmed that no qualified local candidate can be found to fill the open role will a work permit be approved, according to Merchant.

    Cabinet also confirmed that additional layers of scrutiny will be applied to high-risk work permit categories, most notably applications for domestic workers. Under the new protocols, employers seeking to hire a foreign domestic worker will be required to formally justify their need for an imported employee and provide verifiable proof that they have the financial capacity to meet their contractual wage and benefit obligations to the worker.

    Senior government officials emphasized that the full package of reforms is rooted in a core goal: strengthening protections for the local Antigua and Barbuda labor market while guaranteeing that qualified native and resident workers get the first chance to apply for and accept every open position available in the country.

  • Cabinet Issues Warning Over Illegal Development and Land Sales in Barbuda

    Cabinet Issues Warning Over Illegal Development and Land Sales in Barbuda

    In a recent post-Cabinet media briefing, Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant has publicly issued a stern official warning from the Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet: any unapproved land sales, leases, and development projects across the island of Barbuda will not receive government recognition, and violators could face strict enforcement action, including the full demolition of illegally constructed structures.

    The announcement followed in-depth Cabinet discussions centered on two key land governance topics: the ongoing development of the long-awaited Barbuda Land Registry, and the national government’s preparations for the formal sale of Crown land on the island. During the meeting, Attorney General and Minister for Legal Affairs Sir Steadroy Benjamin presented a progress update on bringing the new land registry into full operation, a initiative the government has framed as a foundational step to establish a clear, binding legal framework for all land registration processes and property transactions across Barbuda.

    Cabinet members confirmed they were satisfied with the progress achieved so far, and publicly reaffirmed the government’s long-held position on institutional land authority on the island. The Cabinet made clear that under national law, the Barbuda Council does not hold the legal power to sell, lease, or otherwise transfer ownership of any land on the island. Any attempt by the Council to carry out these types of land transactions will be deemed legally void, and will never be recognized or upheld by the national government, the statement stressed.

    This position is consistent with the government’s longstanding stance on Barbuda’s land administration, as it works to roll out a formal, centralized land registration system for the island. Merchant confirmed that work is still ongoing to put in place all the required legal and administrative infrastructure to support consistent land registration and regulated transactions. Government officials anticipate that once fully operational, the registry will deliver much greater legal certainty for existing landowners, prospective investors, and developers by creating an official, verifiable system for recording and confirming all legal land interests.

    Beyond addressing unauthorized transactions, the Cabinet used the briefing to flag growing concerns over unapproved development activity. Ministers reiterated that every land transaction and construction project must comply fully with the national laws of Antigua and Barbuda, and any structures built without securing all necessary legal approvals will be subject to formal enforcement. Merchant noted that the discussion included specific references to ongoing development projects that have proceeded without the required permits, and emphasized that the government is fully prepared to take punitive action where violations are confirmed. Available enforcement actions include the demolition and complete removal of any unauthorized structures built in violation of national planning and development regulations.

    The official warning comes as the national government moves to strengthen oversight of land management across Barbuda, through both the creation of the centralized land registry and the rollout of what officials describe as a far more transparent and secure system for overseeing all land transactions. The Cabinet regards the new registry as a critical pillar of broader efforts to boost transparency in land governance, protect formal property rights, and ensure that all land-related activities are conducted strictly within the bounds of national law.

    Merchant added that the national government remains fully committed to fostering orderly, sustainable development across Barbuda, while ensuring that all land ownership transfers, transactions, and large-scale development projects adhere to established legal procedures. Thursday’s discussions form part of the Cabinet’s ongoing regular review of land management challenges in Barbuda, and the broader government initiative to build institutional systems that will deliver greater legal certainty for residents, developers, and investors alike.

  • Spain to Assist Antigua and Barbuda’s Push to Make Spanish Second Language

    Spain to Assist Antigua and Barbuda’s Push to Make Spanish Second Language

    A new collaborative partnership in language education and cultural exchange is taking shape between the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda and the European Kingdom of Spain, as the Caribbean government advances its ambitious plan to position Spanish as the country’s official second language.

    During a post-Cabinet press briefing held this Thursday, Maurice Merchant, Antigua and Barbuda’s Director General of Communications, shared key updates with reporters on the progress of the initiative. He confirmed that the national Cabinet has received a formal briefing on recent high-level talks between Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Spain’s ambassador accredited to Jamaica, which centered on expanding bilateral cooperation in language teaching and cross-cultural engagement.

    Per Merchant’s statement, Spanish authorities have already conveyed their clear readiness to support Antigua and Barbuda’s ambitious project through a comprehensive package of support. This support includes the deployment of specialized Spanish lecturers, development and provision of custom teaching materials, implementation of ongoing professional teacher-training programs, and access to cutting-edge educational software and other digital learning tools. All resources are targeted at raising the overall quality and accessibility of Spanish instruction across all levels of education in the country.

    Merchant added that the discussions also addressed targeted, sector-specific language training designed for frontline workers across key industries that drive Antigua and Barbuda’s economy. This includes training for employees in tourism, hospitality, airport and seaport operations, national security, and customs services — sectors that interact regularly with Spanish-speaking visitors and trading partners.

    Another key proposal put forward during the talks that received Cabinet attention is the plan to establish a permanent Spanish Language and Cultural Institute on the islands. This dedicated facility will function as a regional hub for immersive language learning, cross-cultural events, and sustained educational collaboration between the two governments.

    In a notable aside, Merchant highlighted that a number of Antigua and Barbuda’s senior government leaders already hold advanced fluency in Spanish. This group includes Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene, Cabinet Secretary Maria Browne, and Sports Minister Dwayne George, demonstrating the existing foundation of Spanish language capacity within the national administration.

    The Antigua and Barbuda government frames the push for broader Spanish proficiency as a strategic investment that will deliver long-term economic and diplomatic benefits. Officials argue that wider Spanish competency will boost the country’s competitive edge in the key tourism sector, expand cross-border commercial opportunities, strengthen its diplomatic engagement across Latin America and the Caribbean, and advance regional integration efforts across the Caribbean bloc.

    Cabinet has formally welcomed the progress of the talks with Spain and expressed unanimous support for continuing diplomatic and practical engagement with Spain and other interested international partners as the language initiative moves from planning to implementation.

  • Saint Lucia showcases labour reforms at ILO meeting

    Saint Lucia showcases labour reforms at ILO meeting

    Against the backdrop of this month’s International Labour Conference (ILC) hosted in Geneva, the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia has taken the global stage to outline its sweeping advancements across three core labour-focused priorities: workers’ rights protections, expanded social safety nets, and meaningful gender parity in the workforce, according to an official statement released by the country’s government.

    Leading the presentation for Saint Lucia, Minister for Labour and Social Justice Emma Hippolyte addressed a cross-sectional gathering of delegates from 187 member states of the International Labour Organization (ILO), bringing together representatives from national governments, employer associations, and labour unions. In her address, she detailed the sustained policy push Saint Lucia has pursued in recent years to cultivate a more equitable and inclusive national labour market that leaves no demographic group behind.

    A central pillar of Hippolyte’s address centered on the urgent need to embed gender equality into every layer of working life, with a particular focus on elevating the undervalued care economy. She emphasized that unpaid and underpaid care work forms an invisible backbone of national economic and social development, yet this critical sector has been systematically sidelined for decades, with women bearing the overwhelming majority of this unrecognized burden.

    “Addressing this longstanding oversight is a fundamental act of social justice,” Hippolyte told delegates, as she issued a call for more robust, coordinated international policy frameworks that can back national efforts to advance gender equality and inclusive participation across all sectors of the global workforce.

    Beyond its commitments to gender parity, the minister also outlined a series of tangible policy wins that Saint Lucia has delivered to improve working conditions and social welfare for all residents. Key achievements include the implementation of a binding national minimum wage, the conversion of nearly 1,900 precarious public sector contract positions into permanent, fully benefited roles, the expansion of public assistance programs to reach more low-income households, and ongoing progress toward rolling out universal healthcare coverage. She added that Saint Lucia has now completed ratification of all core ILO conventions, cementing its alignment with global labour standards.

    Most recently, Hippolyte noted, the country ratified ILO Convention 144, which governs tripartite consultation among governments, employers, and workers, and established its first-ever National Tripartite Advisory Committee to formalize this collaborative governance structure. She framed inclusive social dialogue as a foundational tool for building economic stability, boosting national resilience to external shocks, and driving long-term sustainable development that benefits all segments of society.

    Hippolyte also highlighted targeted policy reforms designed to break down systemic barriers that have historically excluded women and other vulnerable groups from full participation in public life and the economy. Among these measures is the elimination of Value Added Tax on sanitary napkins, paired with government support for schools to distribute free menstrual hygiene products to female students, a policy that ensures no young woman has to miss class due to lack of access to essential supplies, protecting their right to uninterrupted education.

  • NIS under pressure, but ‘financially stable for a while’

    NIS under pressure, but ‘financially stable for a while’

    The chair of the National Insurance Services (NIS) board of directors in St. Vincent, Stephen Joachim, has publicly addressed the state of the country’s state-run social security system amid mounting demographic and economic headwinds, confirming that while the agency faces significant pressure, it remains financially secure for the foreseeable future.

    Joachim made the comments during an interview with local outlet Boom FM, coinciding with the upcoming leadership transition: incoming executive director Ronette Lewis will officially take over the role on July 1, stepping into the role at a moment when both the NIS and the wider government are grappling with fiscal strain, with the country carrying a heavy national debt.

    The most recent independent actuarial assessment of NIS’s long-term solvency, completed three years ago, projected that the system would remain fully funded through 2060 based on demographic and economic assumptions in place at the time. A new updated actuarial review is currently in its final stages of completion, Joachim confirmed. That 2021 projection was built around detailed calculations of future contribution inflows, scheduled benefit outflows and other core operational factors to reach the 2060 solvency estimate.

    However, Joachim issued a stark warning that unforeseen shifts in national fertility rates, combined with potential inaccuracies in earlier demographic data, could drastically alter that long-term outlook. When the previous assessment was conducted, modelers estimated St. Vincent’s fertility rate stood at roughly two children per woman. A few months back, officials revised that estimate down to 1.8, but the latest official government data puts the actual fertility rate much closer to 1.5. That downward shift carries massive implications for the long-term funding of the social security system, Joachim explained, as a smaller working-age population will be called on to support pension benefits for a growing cohort of retirees going forward.

    At its core, Joachim’s message emphasized that the NIS does not have an infinite pool of funds to draw from, and every policy decision regarding benefit levels and retirement age represents a delicate intergenerational balancing act between meeting the needs of current beneficiaries and preserving solvency for future generations. “Everybody wants lots of benefits,” he noted. “We could double your pension next week… but what happens to your grandchild? There’ll be no money there for your grandchild. You really want us to do that?”

    Joachim explained that policy trade-offs for the NIS are not simple questions of factual right or wrong, but require deliberate judgment to strike an acceptable balance between how much the system can pay out to current contributors and retirees, and how much reserves must be set aside to meet future obligations.

    Joachim also pushed back against public criticism of Lewis’s appointment, with many observers arguing that the role should be filled by a trained actuary, following the departure of former executive director Stewart Haynes, an actuary who led the NIS for nine years before resigning earlier this year to accept a new position in St. Kitts. Joachim rejected the idea that an actuarial background is a prerequisite for the top role, noting that what the NIS needs most is an experienced manager, not a technical specialist. “Why do you need an actuary? People just say it because Stuart was an actuary,” he said. “If anybody doubts me, speak to Stuart Haynes. He will tell you: ‘Steve, I do not use my actuarial skills to manage the NIS. This is about managing.’”

    In a pointed rebuke to critics of both the appointment and the board’s overall approach to the NIS, Joachim urged opponents to set aside empty sloganeering and engage with the actual mechanics of how the social security system operates. “At least be logical and sensible,” he said. “Tell me why you need to have an actuary. Tell me, do you understand the NIS and how it works? Do you understand what really happens in the NIS? I don’t think most people have a clue, so they automatically assume, because Stuart is an actuary, we have to have an actuary too.”

    While Joachim acknowledged that members of the public are fully entitled to hold differing opinions on NIS governance, he made clear that under his leadership, the board will stand by all decisions it has made after a thorough selection and review process, on the grounds that these choices serve the long-term best interests of all NIS contributors. “We had people who disagreed with us. I don’t have a problem with people disagreeing,” he said. “But you can’t say we didn’t do a thorough process.”

  • Gonsalves willing to join legal team to challenge dismissals

    Gonsalves willing to join legal team to challenge dismissals

    A brewing political and legal conflict has emerged in the country after opposition leader Ralph Gonsalves publicly accused the ruling New Democratic Party (NDP) government of illegally terminating 28 workers employed through the national Youth Employment Service (YES Programme). Gonsalves, a trained lawyer who has led the opposition, made the allegations during his regular weekly segment on Star Radio this Wednesday, outlining multiple violations of national law and constitutional protections in the mass dismissal.

    At the core of Gonsalves’ argument is a direct breach of Section 13 of the national Constitution, which explicitly prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, gender, place of origin, religious creed, and political opinion. According to Gonsalves, every single one of the 28 terminated workers was replaced by a known public supporter of the ruling NDP, a pattern that leaves no question of politically motivated discrimination. “You cannot discriminate against somebody on political grounds with respect to their job. You can’t do that,” Gonsalves emphasized during the broadcast.

    The opposition leader detailed that the 28 dismissed employees, most of whom served as community mobilizers and program coordinators, held formal letters of appointment confirming their roles. Despite this valid employment status, no performance assessments were conducted before their positions were eliminated. Worse still, Gonsalves reported that workers received no formal written termination notice as required by national labor regulation: some were informed of their firing via casual phone calls, while others were told in person by mid-level public administration staff.

    Gonsalves clarified that he does not hold the low-level staff who delivered the termination notices personally responsible for the decision, but says these messengers will be required to testify in court about who issued their instructions. He says the evidence already points directly to senior political leadership, most likely a sitting government minister or other high-ranking member of the ruling political directorate – the source of the discriminatory decision that underpins the unlawful firing.

    As of the broadcast, the dismissals took place back in April, and many of the affected workers have yet to receive the pay and severance they are legally owed. Under national labor regulations, Gonsalves explained, terminated workers are owed all outstanding pay for their final month of employment, a minimum of one month’s salary in lieu of formal notice, any earned compassionate gratuity, and compensation for unused accrued holiday time. Gonsalves also noted that the national Protection of Employment Act allows for wrongfully terminated workers to petition for reinstatement to their former roles, though he acknowledged the current government is unlikely to agree to such a resolution voluntarily.

    To date, neither the Public Service Union – the primary trade union representing the country’s public sector workers – nor the national Christian Council have released any public statement addressing the mass termination. In response to this lack of institutional action, Gonsalves announced that a full legal team has already been assembled to provide pro bono representation for all 28 affected workers. He confirmed he will personally lead the legal team if the group moves forward with a formal constitutional challenge to the dismissals.

    “The evidence is clear and a case will be made,” Gonsalves said, adding of the judicial process: “I know the wheels of justice grind slowly, but it grinds finely.” He called on the government to immediately remedy the unlawful action by providing all owed compensation to the fired workers, and has publicly pressed for accountability for the politically motivated discrimination he says violates the nation’s founding constitutional principles.