Carib Scope

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  • FID and JCF ink MOU to repurpose recovered assets

    FID and JCF ink MOU to repurpose recovered assets

    In a landmark step to modernize anti-crime strategy in Jamaica, the Financial Investigations Division (FID) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) have formalized a groundbreaking partnership that repurposes lawfully seized criminal assets to boost national law enforcement operations.

    The memorandum of understanding, signed during an official ceremony on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, grants the JCF controlled access to seized assets valued at approximately 174 million Jamaican dollars, earmarked to cover operational costs and specialized training programs for officers, the two agencies confirmed in an official joint press release.

    This new arrangement is not an ad-hoc arrangement, but a core component of a deliberate national policy designed to change how Jamaica handles illicit proceeds. Instead of just removing criminally derived assets from illegal circulation, the framework actively redirects these resources to reinforce the state’s ability to deliver public security and uphold justice for all citizens.

    The initiative forms the centerpiece of a broader national asset recovery strategy led by the FID, developed in close coordination with local government bodies and international law enforcement partners. The overarching goal of this effort is to disrupt and dismantle the financial foundations that allow transnational and local organized criminal networks to operate. By systematically identifying, freezing, and repurposing illicit wealth, the Jamaican government is sending an unambiguous message: illegal activity will never deliver long-term profit for perpetrators.

    Speaking at the official signing ceremony, Dennis Chung, Chief Technical Director of the FID, framed the agreement as a model for 21st-century law enforcement collaboration. “This is what modern crime-fighting collaboration looks like: focused, coordinated, and outcome-driven,” Chung explained. “Our work does not end when we wrap up a criminal investigation. We go a step further to ensure that proceeds of crime are fully recovered and put to work for the public good. When these assets are used productively, Jamaicans can see clear, measurable benefits of our work, and it reinforces the core principle that crime does not pay.”

    JCF Commissioner Dr. Kevin Blake echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the agreement delivers tangible, visible results for the Jamaican public. “It is important that Jamaicans can recognise the tangible outcomes of supporting law enforcement,” Blake said. “This arrangement strengthens our operational capacity while demonstrating that resources once tied to criminality are now being used in service of the public. It reflects a broader commitment to building safer communities and improving the overall quality of life for our people.”

    Observers and government officials have highlighted the pact as a leading example of strengthened inter-agency cooperation, where frontline enforcement, intelligence gathering, and financial investigation work in tandem to deliver long-term, sustained improvements to public safety. The agreement also reinforces the Jamaican government’s broader strategic focus on dismantling criminal networks: rather than relying solely on traditional enforcement action, the state is now systematically stripping away the economic incentives that allow organized crime to persist and grow.

  • Candidate slammed on crown land deeds

    Candidate slammed on crown land deeds

    Weeks before Bahamas’ hotly anticipated general election, a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) candidate’s explosive claim about holding Crown Land title deeds for distribution has ignited fierce political debate and thrown a spotlight on long-simmering questions about the integrity of public land allocation processes.

    At a well-attended PLP campaign rally held in West End on April 13, Dr. Monique Pratt, the party’s candidate for East Grand Bahama, made the unorthodox announcement to assembled supporters. In remarks captured on video and later circulated publicly, Pratt pushed back against claims from rival political groups that they would deliver Crown Land to constituents, asserting that she already held the long-awaited deeds in her personal possession.

    “I’m proud to say that I have in my possession your long-awaited deeds to your crown land, and I’ve been given the instructions from our prime minister to release them to you,” Pratt told the crowd. A subsequent social media post from the candidate showed her at a party event calling out the names of East Grand Bahama residents who were purportedly marked as recipients of the allocated public land.

    Pratt’s comments immediately triggered widespread scrutiny, as observers and political opponents questioned why official government title deeds would be transferred to a sitting political candidate rather than being processed through standard, formal government administrative channels.

    When reached for comment by reporters on Monday, Pratt declined to address questions directly, referring all inquiries to PLP party leadership, noting that senior officials were aware of the controversy and would issue a formal response. Latrae Rahming, communications director for both the Office of the Prime Minister and the PLP, later confirmed to local outlet The Tribune that Prime Minister Philip Davis—who holds direct ministerial responsibility for Crown Land management—would address the matter personally during an upcoming press interaction.

    The opposition Free National Movement (FNM) has already seized on the controversy to attack the incumbent government, with FNM chairman Dr. Duane Sands launching sharp criticism over the incident, arguing it raises serious red flags about procedural fairness, governmental transparency, and adherence to the rule of law in Bahamian public land administration.

    “Crown Land is not a political reward, it is a sacred national patrimony, held in trust for all Bahamians,” Sands stated in his response. He questioned how official title deeds ended up in the custody of a political candidate rather than government agencies, and raised explicit concerns that land allocations are being weaponized for political patronage ahead of the election.

    “The issuance of title deeds is a formal governmental function, not a political favour to be dispensed from a campaign platform,” Sands added. He also called for direct answers from Prime Minister Davis, demanding clarification on whether Davis personally issued the instruction to deliver the deeds to Pratt for campaign distribution. Sands emphasized that the incident raises “significant legal and ethical questions” and pushed for full accountability and radical transparency in the ongoing administration of Crown Land.

  • Caricom reiterates support for Guyana in border dispute with Venezuela

    Caricom reiterates support for Guyana in border dispute with Venezuela

    GEORGETOWN, Guyana – As the International Court of Justice (ICJ) prepares to open oral arguments on the decades-long border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela, the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom) has issued an official statement addressing recent diplomatic controversy that has heightened tensions in the region.

    The dispute centers on Venezuela’s long-dormant claim to the 159,000-square-kilometer Essequibo region, which is currently recognized as part of Guyana’s sovereign territory under international law. The latest friction emerged earlier this month, when Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez wore a brooch displaying a map of Venezuela that incorporates the entire Essequibo region during two official diplomatic meetings with Caricom heads of government: Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada on April 9, and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados earlier this week. Rodriguez characterized her visits as an effort to strengthen bilateral ties between the South American nation and Caribbean regional states.

    Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali publicly raised “grave concern” over the incident, and followed up with an April 28 letter to Caricom Chairman Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew (who also serves as leader of St. Kitts and Nevis) outlining his government’s formal position. In the correspondence, Ali emphasized that Guyana fully upholds the right of all Caricom member states to conduct independent bilateral diplomatic relations with any external partner, including Venezuela. However, he stressed that displaying symbols advancing a territorial claim against a fellow Caricom member during official engagements within the community is deeply regrettable.

    Ali warned that using Caricom-associated diplomatic meetings to promote a territorial claim against one of its members could be misinterpreted as community acquiescence or tolerance of the claim. “No action, whether deliberate or inadvertent, should create the impression that the community’s platforms may be used to advance claims now before the International Court of Justice,” he wrote. The Guyanese president added that the incident is more than a symbolic gesture: it represents a calculated, provocative assertion of a claim that Guyana has repeatedly and lawfully rejected, and that is currently awaiting final binding adjudication from the ICJ.

    In its official response released Tuesday, Caricom reaffirmed its longstanding position that every member state retains full sovereign authority to manage its own bilateral relations with external partners, a foundational principle widely respected across the bloc. The regional grouping noted that all such diplomatic activity must align with the shared obligations and collective commitments outlined in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the binding legal framework that establishes Caricom, its core goals, and expected standards of conduct for all member states.

    Under the terms of the treaty, Caricom members are committed to upholding the integrity and cohesion of the community in all external engagements. The grouping emphasized that while exercising their sovereign rights, member states must remain accountable to their collective treaty obligations, which require adherence to international law, respect for ongoing judicial processes, and the maintenance of good neighborly relations.

    Consistent with these obligations, Caricom underscored that community diplomatic platforms and official engagements should not be used, either directly or indirectly, to advance or legitimize territorial claims that are currently the subject of active judicial proceedings before the ICJ. The bloc also reiterated that its unwavering, longstanding support for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for the peaceful resolution of the dispute through the ICJ process, remains firm and unchanged.

    Oral hearings on the merits of the dispute are scheduled to open at the ICJ on May 4, and are currently set to run through May 8, with a possible extension into the following week according to Guyana’s Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mohabir Anil Nandlall. The legal process dates back to 2018, when Guyana brought the case before the ICJ seeking formal confirmation of the legal validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the current border between the two countries. That border agreement was accepted by both parties for more than six decades, before Venezuela declared it null and void in 1962 and renewed its claim to the Essequibo territory.

    The dispute has been handled in accordance with the 1966 Geneva Agreement, which lays out formal mechanisms for a peaceful negotiated settlement. After decades of unsuccessful bilateral talks, the United Nations Secretary-General referred the dispute to the ICJ for a final ruling. The court has already issued a preliminary ruling confirming it has jurisdiction to hear the case, clearing the way for the upcoming substantive hearings where both Guyana and Venezuela will present their full legal arguments to the bench.

  • PM warns Pintard to drop ‘crazy antics’ ahead of vote

    PM warns Pintard to drop ‘crazy antics’ ahead of vote

    As the Bahamas approaches its April 30 advanced poll, political tensions between the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the opposition Free National Movement (FNM) have escalated sharply, with Prime Minister Philip Davis publicly calling on Opposition Leader Michael Pintard to abandon disruptive political tactics that threaten the integrity of the upcoming election process.

    Speaking to an energized crowd of PLP supporters at a rally hosted at Thomas A Robinson Stadium, Davis emphasized that the unrest that marred two recent by-elections must not be repeated on election day. He acknowledged that cultural expressions like traditional Junkanoo dancing have their place, but drew a clear line at actions designed to upend democratic voting procedures. “There is no need for constant commotion, physical conflict, and unruly behavior,” Davis told attendees. “We share one Bahamas, and we owe it to our country to conduct ourselves with dignity. At the end of the day, all parties should be prepared to accept the result gracefully.”

    Davis’ remarks come in direct response to the FNM’s recent moves to raise formal concerns over the accuracy of the national voter register and formally request international observers to monitor the election. The prime minister has already criticized Pintard for bypassing established domestic protocols to directly appeal to the United States for observation, labeling that move a breach of standard political procedure.

    To back up his warnings about potential opposition disruption, Davis referenced the 2023 Golden Isles advanced polling, which devolved into chaos after FNM and Coalition of Independents supporters blocked the removal of ballot boxes amid a dispute over transportation protocols for election materials. That incident, he argued, is a preview of what the opposition could bring to the upcoming national vote.

    Beyond warnings over electoral conduct, Davis launched pointed critiques of the FNM’s key campaign pledges, casting the opposition as unprepared to govern and arguing that an FNM election victory would roll back the progress the PLP has made in office and return the country to political instability and partisan conflict.

    The prime minister specifically dismissed the FNM’s promise to construct 5,000 new affordable homes, noting that the party has not delivered on large-scale housing development projects in more than 15 years. He called out an opposition candidate from the Garden Hills constituency who secured Crown land for a planned development of environmentally friendly affordable housing years ago, but has yet to break ground on a single unit.

    Davis also criticized the FNM’s proposal to provide a $200 monthly stipend to single mothers, dismissing the policy as a hollow, surface-level gesture that lacks the comprehensive support single-parent households actually need. He pointed out that the opposition has put forward no parallel plans to expand maternity leave protections, reduce the cost of essentials like diapers and groceries, or improve maternal health services in public hospitals. “It’s just a small monthly check to pretend they’re delivering for people, when they’re ignoring the root challenges these families face,” Davis said.

    The prime minister saved his final sharp rebuke for the FNM’s proposal to launch a national lottery. He argued that the plan would effectively turn the national treasury into a private gambling house, allowing connected private operators to pocket profits while offering little benefit to the general public. Davis questioned what the FNM was not disclosing about the plan, suggesting that unreported insider benefits would flow to the party’s wealthy political backers. “What they don’t tell you is which of their rich friends is actually going to walk away with the biggest jackpot,” he added.

  • Hermitage Dam to be upgraded at a cost of US$250 million, says Samuda

    Hermitage Dam to be upgraded at a cost of US$250 million, says Samuda

    Jamaica’s national government has given the green light to a landmark $250 million upgrade project for the Hermitage Dam, located in Stony Hill, St Andrew, marking one of the largest investments in the country’s water infrastructure in decades.

    Water, Environment and Climate Change Minister Matthew Samuda outlined the full scope of the initiative during his Tuesday address to the Sectoral Debate at Gordon House, confirming that the project will be led by the National Water Commission (NWC). The public utility will center its investment on two core goals: expanding the country’s total water storage capacity and boosting the overall resilience of Jamaica’s water distribution network in the face of changing climate patterns.

    At the heart of the major upgrade work is a multi-phase overhaul of the Hermitage Dam. The project will kick off with a rigorous full technical evaluation of the dam’s current structural integrity, current sediment accumulation levels, and the practical potential for expanding its overall storage capacity. To complement the dam upgrade, officials also plan to conduct a full diagnostic review of the nearby Mona Reservoir, which will assess both the feasibility of expanding its storage footprint and what critical rehabilitation work is urgently needed.

    Samuda emphasized to the legislative body that most of Jamaica’s active water storage infrastructure was designed and constructed nearly a generation ago, to serve a far smaller population. “That infrastructure has served Jamaicans well over the decades, but shifting demographics and changing climate conditions have left it outdated,” he explained. “Our population has grown significantly, weather patterns have become far less predictable, and the capacity that met our needs 30 or 40 years ago simply cannot keep up with modern demand today.”

    Beyond the major upgrades to large-scale storage infrastructure, the government is rolling out community-level resilience measures as well. A $7 million program focused on installing distributed community storage tanks will boost local water capacity and cut response times when service disruptions occur, ranging from pipe breaks to extended dry periods.

    The minister also highlighted incremental upgrades the NWC has already implemented to strengthen emergency response. The commission has added portable water treatment units to its emergency toolkit and forged new strategic partnerships with private water suppliers, creating a backup system to maintain adequate water access during droughts or unplanned network outages.

    To expand overall treatment capacity across the national network, the government is advancing two new public-private partnership projects to build brand-new water treatment plants at Roaring River and Rio Bueno. Once completed, these facilities will add 40 million gallons of clean treated water to the national network every day. Additional upgrade projects at existing treatment facilities in White River, Martha Brae, and Great River will contribute a further 30 million gallons per day of new capacity to the system, combined.

  • Former FBI director James Comey indicted again

    Former FBI director James Comey indicted again

    Less than six months after a federal judge tossed out a politically charged case against James Comey, the former FBI director and persistent critic of President Donald Trump faces a new indictment, multiple U.S. media outlets reported Tuesday. The fresh legal action renewes questions about the Trump administration’s pattern of targeting political opponents through the Department of Justice, a departure from longstanding norms of prosecutorial independence.

  • Duitse bondskanselier Merz hekelt Iran en VS in conflict

    Duitse bondskanselier Merz hekelt Iran en VS in conflict

    The long-running standoff between the United States and Iran has pulled Germany’s top leader into the fray, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz issuing scathing criticism of both Tehran and Washington on Monday, laying bare growing frictions between Washington and its NATO allies in Europe that have already been fractured by disagreements over the war in Ukraine.

    Speaking to a gathering of students in Marsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Merz accused Iran’s ruling leadership of humiliating the U.S. by inviting American negotiators to travel to Islamabad for diplomatic talks only to walk away with no tangible progress. “The Iranians have clearly mastered the art of not negotiating. They let the Americans travel to Islamabad and leave again without any result,” Merz told the audience. “An entire nation is being humiliated by Iran’s leaders, particularly the so-called Revolutionary Guards. I hope this comes to an end as soon as possible.”

    Beyond his rebuke of Iran, Merz also criticized the U.S. and Israel for failing to consult Berlin and other European capitals ahead of their February 28 military strikes against Iran, confirming he had already directly shared his skepticism with U.S. President Donald Trump. “If I had known the conflict would drag on for five or six weeks and keep worsening, I would have expressed my opposition even more forcefully,” Merz said, drawing parallels between the ongoing escalation and past protracted U.S. military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    Prospects for a peaceful diplomatic resolution have dimmed further after Trump called off a planned peace mission by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad at the start of this past weekend. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi departed for Russia after diplomatic talks held in Pakistan and Oman failed to produce any breakthrough.

    Merz also drew attention to the severe fallout from the partial mining of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical global oil chokepoint that has been effectively blocked since the conflict erupted. He confirmed that European powers, including Germany, have already offered to deploy German minesweepers to clear the waterway and reopen commercial passage.

    The ongoing blockade of the strait has already imposed heavy economic costs on Germany, Merz warned, saying “It is costing us a great deal of money, a lot of taxpayer funds and a significant hit to our economic strength.”

    Global energy markets have already been roiled by the closure of the key shipping route, pushing oil prices sharply higher. The disruption is adding new strain to the already fragile global economy and risks fueling a new wave of rising inflation around the world.

    Now in its third month, the ongoing conflict involving the U.S., Iran and Israel shows no clear path to de-escalation. Deteriorating diplomatic ties and persistent military violence have amplified global uncertainty, triggering widespread economic and geopolitical instability across the Middle East and beyond.

  • CARICOM Secretary-General pays tribute to the late Honourable Roderick Rainford

    CARICOM Secretary-General pays tribute to the late Honourable Roderick Rainford

    On April 27, 2026, a Celebration of Life service was held at the University Chapel in Kingston, Jamaica, to commemorate the late Honourable Roderick Rainford — former Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), one of the bloc’s most transformative leaders, and a decorated regional statesman. Speaking on behalf of the entire CARICOM community, current Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett delivered a moving tribute that celebrated Rainford’s decades of dedication and the permanent mark he left on Caribbean integration.

    Rainford led CARICOM for nine years starting in 1983, a tenure Dr. Barnett described as uniquely historic, shaped both by Rainford’s visionary work to strengthen regional cooperation and by the cascading crises that tested the bloc’s very existence in the 1980s. Just weeks after Rainford took office, the assassination of Grenada’s prime minister and subsequent military invasion of the island nation split CARICOM along ideological lines, pushing the integration movement to the brink of collapse. Dr. Barnett noted that this immediate crisis amounted to a “baptism by fire” for the new secretary-general — one he navigated with steady, purposeful leadership.

    Rather than allowing ideological divides to derail decades of progress, Rainford refocused the bloc on its core long-term priorities: expanding trade and driving shared economic development. This pragmatic approach kept CARICOM intact through a turbulent period defined not just by regional upheaval, but also global turmoil including heightened Cold War tensions and volatile sky-high oil prices.

    Rainford’s most enduring contribution to CARICOM came in 1989, when he guided regional heads of government to reach consensus on the landmark Grand Anse Declaration. The agreement laid out core principles for boosting regional competitiveness, eliminating internal trade barriers, and advancing functional cooperation in critical public sectors including health and education — all foundational pillars of what would become the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. The declaration also reaffirmed the bloc’s core commitments to national sovereignty, non-interference in domestic affairs, and equal standing for all member states, principles that remain central to CARICOM’s work to this day.

    Beyond economic integration, Rainford was an early and consistent advocate for regional self-reliance and environmental resilience. His forward-thinking perspective shaped CARICOM’s unified position at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, the landmark global summit that produced the foundational blueprint for international environmental policy that guides action to this day. Rainford also spearheaded other key regional initiatives, including early efforts to deepen financial cooperation between Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, and the revival of the Caribbean Festival of Arts, the region’s premier cultural celebration.

    Dr. Barnett, who first met Rainford in the mid-1990s when she served as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Belize and he held the role of Governor of the Bank of Jamaica, remembered him as a thoughtful, collegial leader defined by sharp intellect, unwavering professionalism, and deep respect for all colleagues. Across CARICOM, Rainford earned widespread admiration for his wisdom, foresight, and steadfast commitment to the regional project.

    In recognition of his decades of service, Rainford was awarded CARICOM’s highest honor, the Order of the Caribbean Community, as well as the Cacique Crown of Honour from Guyana (home to the CARICOM Secretariat headquarters) and the Order of Jamaica from his home nation. His legacy, Dr. Barnett emphasized, endures in the strong foundations of regional cooperation he helped build, and his belief in collective progress continues to inspire the work of the CARICOM Secretariat today.

    Closing her tribute, Dr. Barnett extended deepest condolences to Rainford’s wife Nesha, son Kwame, all his extended family, and the government and people of Jamaica. “May you take comfort in knowing that his life’s work was invaluable and has left an enduring mark on all who had the honour of knowing him,” she said. “May his soul rest in peace.”

  • Cabinet Office Rejects Politically Timed “Alfa Nero” Claims as Desperate and Misleading

    Cabinet Office Rejects Politically Timed “Alfa Nero” Claims as Desperate and Misleading

    The UK’s Cabinet Office has pushed back against recent accusations that its handling of the seized superyacht Alfa Nero was timed for political advantage, dismissing the claims as a desperate, misleading attack from political opponents.

    The 270-foot luxury vessel, which was seized by British authorities in 2022 as part of sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has been the subject of growing political debate in recent weeks. The vessel was sold at a Bermudan auction in June 2024 for approximately $67 million, far below its estimated $120 million market value, and critics of the current government have alleged that the sale process was rushed to coincide with a key political timeline, rather than being structured to maximize public revenue from the asset.

    In a formal statement issued this week, a spokesperson for the Cabinet Office rejected all assertions of politically motivated scheduling. “These claims are nothing more than desperate, misleading rhetoric from opposition parties looking to score cheap political points,” the spokesperson said. “Every step of the Alfa Nero disposal process was guided by independent legal and financial advisors, with full adherence to international sanctions frameworks and established regulatory protocols. The timeline was set by the legal requirements of the seizure and the auction process, not by any political calculation.”

    Opposition lawmakers have countered that the steep discount on the sale, combined with a tight timeline for accepting bids, raises questions about whether the government prioritized a quick sale over securing the best possible outcome for the public purse. They have called for a full independent inquiry into the disposal process to examine whether political considerations influenced the scheduling of the auction.

    The Alfa Nero dispute comes amid heightened political tension in the UK ahead of the upcoming general election, with opposition parties focusing heavily on the government’s handling of sanctioned Russian assets as a key campaign issue. Supporters of the government have countered that disposing of high-maintenance seized assets quickly reduces the public cost of storing and maintaining the vessels, and that the auction process was fully transparent in line with international standards.

  • PM: Recovery will take time

    PM: Recovery will take time

    When the United National Congress (UNC) took power in Trinidad and Tobago in April 2025, it inherited a national treasury drained of resources and a decade of systemic mismanagement left by the previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar laid out this challenging starting point and detailed her government’s early policy wins during a keynote address at the UNC’s 37th annual national congress, held Saturday in Couva.

    Persad-Bissessar painted a stark picture of the economic damage the new administration inherited, telling assembled supporters that meaningful national recovery will require years of targeted effort to reverse a decade of damage. During the PNM’s 10-year tenure, she said, the country’s total national debt surged from $75.4 billion in 2015 to $144.7 billion in 2025 – a near-doubling of the national obligations. At the same time, overall economic output shrank by 20%, the country’s foreign reserve holdings were cut in half, and billions in public savings were withdrawn from state accounts.

    Despite this weak starting position, Persad-Bissessar emphasized that the UNC has already delivered on core campaign promises within its first months in office. The administration quickly released a people-first national budget that cut the price of super gasoline by $1 per unit and eliminated value-added tax on all essential food items, policies designed to reduce cost-of-living burdens for working households.

    “We restored fairness to a system where, for too long, ordinary citizens carried the weight of elite mismanagement,” the prime minister said. “Your UNC Government put more money back into your pockets.”

    One of the administration’s most high-profile early achievements is a 10% wage increase for public sector workers, a policy the prime minister highlighted as a top campaign pledge fulfilled. An agreement between the Chief Personnel Officer and the Public Services Association (PSA) has already locked in the raise, delivering pay increases to more than 51,000 public workers: 17,000 PSA members, 20,000 National Union of Government and Federated Workers members, and 14,000 public school teachers. Persad-Bissessar confirmed that negotiations and planning are already underway to extend similar wage adjustments to other public sector employee groups. The government has also fulfilled its pledge to eliminate taxes on private pensions, a win for retired citizens across the country.

    Beyond domestic policy gains, the UNC has successfully restored international investor and institutional confidence in Trinidad and Tobago’s economy, the prime minister said. Within its first year in office, the administration successfully issued a US$1 billion sovereign bond that drew 2.5 times oversubscription, with participation from more than 140 institutional investors across the globe. “That is a clear signal – the world believes in Trinidad and Tobago again,” Persad-Bissessar said. The government has also secured the country’s removal from both the European Union’s tax blacklist and the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) anti-money laundering blacklist, reversing diplomatic and economic damage from the previous administration and rebuilding the country’s global credibility.

    As it works to resuscitate long-stagnant economic growth, the UNC government has placed a high priority on targeted social support for vulnerable and marginalized citizens, the prime minister added. The government has already disbursed $1 million in ex gratia compensation to families impacted by the 2022 Paria diving tragedy, a long-unresolved issue the previous administration failed to address. A wide range of ongoing social programs are delivering tangible support: more than 117,000 elderly citizens have received $3.8 billion in pension payments; 25,602 people living with disabilities have accessed $520.3 million in disability grants; 13,869 low-income vulnerable families have received $216 million in direct cash support; 12,614 people have accessed $75.7 million in targeted food assistance; and 2,808 people impacted by disasters have benefited from 1,232 individual disaster relief grants.

    ### Progress in Healthcare and Diplomatic Outreach

    Beyond economic and social policy, Persad-Bissessar highlighted meaningful improvements to the country’s public healthcare system, long plagued by underfunding and access gaps. The Couva Children’s Hospital, shuttered for years under the previous administration, has been fully reopened and has already completed more than 600 same-day surgical procedures. Regional health authorities have expanded access to care across the country, doubling the number of operational public healthcare clinics and adding hundreds of new doctors, nurses and frontline medical staff to the understaffed public system.

    On the diplomatic front, the UNC government has reengaged with global and regional partners at the highest levels to rebuild bilateral and multilateral ties, the prime minister said. She pointed to her own high-level meeting with United States President Donald Trump during the recent Summit of the Americas as a key step in repairing bilateral relations, as well as a meeting between Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers and King Charles III during an official visit to the United Kingdom. Persad-Bissessar came to Sobers’ defense amid recent controversy over Trinidad and Tobago’s objection to the reappointment of Caricom Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, dismissing unsubstantiated claims that Sobers missed a key negotiating meeting due to seasickness as baseless rumor. The prime minister also highlighted a successful official visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which deepened long-standing cultural and economic bilateral ties between the two nations.

    For the island of Tobago, Persad-Bissessar reaffirmed that equitable development remains a top priority for the UNC administration. The 2025 national budget included the largest ever allocation for Tobago, totaling $3.725 billion earmarked for local infrastructure and social programs. The long-standing airfare subsidy for the domestic inter-island airbridge remains in place, and the cabinet has not yet made a final decision on a proposal to add two new unsubsidized flights to the route. The national government is also working closely with the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) to advance a full slate of legislative and administrative reforms: addressing long-standing legal anomalies in the THA Act, exploring the creation of a dedicated Tobago Local Police Service, reforming the outdated alien landholding licensing system, maintaining the existing export licence for the Studley Park quarry, advancing planning for a new desalination plant in Charlotteville to address chronic water shortages, and resolving decades-long unresolved land tenure disputes for local residents.