Carib Scope

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  • Parliament Ratifies ILO Constitutional Changes to Maintain Compliance with International Labour Body

    Parliament Ratifies ILO Constitutional Changes to Maintain Compliance with International Labour Body

    In a routine but significant legislative sitting Tuesday, Antigua and Barbuda’s House of Representatives has formally approved resolutions to ratify amendments to the Constitution of the International Labour Organization (ILO), cementing the small island nation’s longstanding dedication to the UN body’s global mission of advancing fair labor standards and fundamental workers’ rights across the world.

    The ILO constitutional amendments are not isolated changes: they form a years-long global effort to overhaul and modernize the organization’s internal governance framework. The updates are designed to ensure the ILO’s decision-making procedures accurately reflect two key shifts in the modern global landscape: the evolving needs of a rapidly changing global workforce and the organization’s expanded roster of member states.

    Unlike most other agencies within the United Nations system, the ILO operates on a distinctive tripartite governance model that requires equal input from three stakeholder groups: national governments, employer associations, and organized worker representatives when developing international labor standards and policy frameworks. For Antigua and Barbuda, continued full participation in this structure has remained a priority as the country works to strengthen its own domestic labor protections, update workplace safety guidelines, and refine national employment policies, government representatives told lawmakers during the sitting.

    Government officials emphasized that Antigua and Barbuda’s vote in favor of the amendments sends a clear message of the nation’s unwavering commitment to upholding international labor norms, advancing global social justice, and upholding collaborative action through multilateral institutions. The ratification also ensures the country remains aligned with the governance reforms adopted by the broader ILO membership and preserves its active standing within the global labor governance system.

    The ILO amendments were just one component of a broader package of international agreements brought before parliament for ratification during the session. Lawmakers also signed off on protocols tied to the International Civil Aviation Organization, a reciprocal visa exemption agreement with the United Arab Emirates, and new international agreements centered on cross-border financial information exchange. None of the resolutions, including the ILO amendments, required extended debate before being approved.

    Officials noted that continued active engagement in multilateral bodies like the ILO delivers dual benefits for Antigua and Barbuda: it gives the nation a voice in shaping global labor policy conversations, while also opening access to valuable technical assistance, evidence-based best practices, and collaborative problem-solving on pressing labor-related challenges facing the country. Following parliamentary approval, the amendments will now move through the final stages of the domestic ratification process, consistent with Antigua and Barbuda’s obligations under international treaty law.

  • Walters blasts govt’s lack of financial disclosure, demands answers

    Walters blasts govt’s lack of financial disclosure, demands answers

    A leading opposition figure in Barbados has launched a sweeping indictment of the current administration, accusing it of deliberately withholding critical public financial information and fostering a culture of non-accountability that has left dozens of major spending initiatives shrouded in secrecy.

    Senator Ryan Walters, shadow finance minister for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), framed the growing controversy around the BiMPay instant payment platform as far more than an isolated oversight. The dispute began when Central Bank Governor Dr Kevin Greenidge initially declined to reveal the total construction cost of the national payment infrastructure, later issuing a public apology and clarifying that Phase 1 of the project had come in at approximately $6.7 million, under the original $10 million approved budget. Even with this late disclosure, Walters argued the incident is just the most recent example of a long-running pattern across government that treats legitimate public and political scrutiny as an unnecessary inconvenience.

    “This is not a single disagreement over one question from one reporter to one official,” Walters emphasized in his remarks. “This is a symptom of a deeply embedded cultural problem within this current administration. In this system, legitimate questions are brushed off as nuisances, independent oversight is dismissed as partisan opposition, and full transparency is treated as an optional extra rather than a core requirement of public office.”

    Walters stressed that all public funds ultimately belong to the people of Barbados, not the governing party or sitting ministers. “Public officials do not hold private purses – they are stewards of resources that belong to every citizen,” he said. “That means the public has an undeniable right to know how their money is spent, whether they are getting value for that investment, and what safeguards are in place to protect these critical resources from misuse or waste.”

    The shadow finance minister outlined a long list of ongoing initiatives where key financial details have not been released to taxpayers. Beyond the BiMPay project, these include: undisclosed costs for external consultants hired by the government since 2018, unanswered questions about ministerial travel expenditures, limited public data linking fuel import costs to retail pump prices, and the complete absence of published cost-benefit analysis for the government’s flagship We Gatherin’ 2025 initiative. He also pointed to the ongoing sale process for the Holetown Civic Centre, which is moving forward without any public disclosure of the project’s total costs to date.

    Turning to infrastructure and public health, Walters called out the repurposing of a large pandemic-era healthcare facility built in the northern parish of St Lucy. Constructed at a reported public cost of more than $125 million to expand COVID-19 care capacity, the facility no longer serves its original healthcare purpose and has reportedly been converted to house migrant labor. “Barbadians deserve a full explanation of what has happened to this massive public investment, which was originally meant to expand access to critical healthcare for our citizens,” he said.

    Walters also raised alarms about spending at state-controlled entities and cultural programs, specifically naming HOPE Inc. and the regional CARIFESTA cultural festival. He noted that despite hundreds of millions in public funds flowing through HOPE Inc. and critical concerns raised by the Auditor General, a sitting minister recently confirmed the organization has never released a full annual financial report for public oversight. For CARIFESTA, Walters said reported spending ballooned from an original projection of $8 million to $34 million, with hundreds of millions more allocated to associated infrastructure projects that remain incomplete, while costs continue to rise and deadlines are repeatedly pushed back. He is calling for a full independent audit of all CARIFESTA expenditures. “The public deserves hard facts, not just vague assurances and political talking points,” he said, criticizing the lack of comprehensive project evaluations across all these initiatives.

    The opposition critique extended to Barbados’ core social safety net, the National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS). While reaffirming the DLP’s longstanding support for social protection programs including the Solidarity Allowance and Cost of Living Cash Credit, Walters said compassion for vulnerable communities cannot come at the cost of regulatory compliance and financial transparency. He questioned whether all funds transferred from NISSS to finance these temporary government programs have been fully repaid.

    “National Insurance funds belong to the workers who have contributed to the system over decades, and they must be protected accordingly,” Walters said. “This is about safeguarding workers’ contributions, protecting pensioners’ earned benefits, and ensuring the long-term stability of our country’s most vital social protection institution. So far, clear answers to these questions have not been provided.”

    Walters also highlighted the continued delay of the mandatory independent actuarial review of NISSS, a routine assessment designed to identify early financial risks to the national insurance and social security system. Taken together, he said the dozens of unanswered questions add up to a deeply troubling pattern that cannot be dismissed as random coincidence.

    “Looked at one by one, the government may try to explain away each of these concerns as a simple delay or a misunderstanding,” he said. “But when you take them all together, the pattern is undeniable: questions get asked, most are ignored. Answers get promised, time passes, reports never materialize. Audits get pushed back, costs go up, deadlines get moved, and accountability vanishes. This pattern is far too consistent to write off as a coincidence.”

    Walters clarified that the DLP does not oppose necessary government spending, but objects to the complete lack of independent oversight and public reporting that has become standard across the current administration. He called on the Mia Mottley administration to immediately publish all outstanding audits, project reports, full expenditure breakdowns, and the delayed NISSS actuarial review.

    “Accountability is not a favor that the government grants to citizens – it is the fundamental requirement of holding public office,” Walters said. “Transparency is not achieved through PR stunts, speeches, press conferences or empty political rhetoric. Transparency only comes through full public disclosure. Until all the required information is placed before the people of Barbados, legitimate questions will keep being asked, and the Democratic Labour Party will keep demanding answers on behalf of every citizen.”

  • Antigua and Barbuda Parliament Ratifies Visa Waiver Agreement with United Arab Emirates

    Antigua and Barbuda Parliament Ratifies Visa Waiver Agreement with United Arab Emirates

    In a significant step toward expanding its global diplomatic and economic footprint, Antigua and Barbuda’s national parliament has formally approved a resolution ratifying a reciprocal visa exemption agreement between the Caribbean nation and the United Arab Emirates. Government officials frame the move as a cornerstone of the country’s broader strategy to deepen international collaboration and strengthen cross-border ties with Gulf states. The agreement, tabled before the House of Representatives by Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene, aligns with Antigua and Barbuda’s long-running initiative to diversify its international partnerships and advance cooperation with Middle Eastern economies.

    Under the terms of the deal, eligible passport holders from both Antigua and Barbuda and the UAE will gain the right to visa-free travel, eliminating the pre-travel visa requirement and streamlining cross-border movement for citizens, businesspeople, and tourists alike. Lawmakers signed off on the resolution during a regular parliamentary sitting held this Tuesday, where it formed one piece of a broader slate of international agreements brought forward for legislative approval.

    Over the past decade, the United Arab Emirates has grown into an increasingly vital strategic and economic partner for small island developing states across the Caribbean, with robust collaboration already underway in key sectors including foreign direct investment, renewable energy infrastructure, aviation connectivity, bilateral trade, and development project financing. Antigua and Barbuda’s government has long emphasized its goal of expanding diplomatic and economic ties beyond its traditional partner blocs in North America and Europe, repeatedly identifying the Gulf region as an area of rising strategic priority.

    This latest ratification forms part of Antigua and Barbuda’s ongoing push to cultivate stronger bilateral relationships across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through targeted bilateral agreements and enhanced high-level engagement. The visa exemption resolution was not the only international measure approved during Tuesday’s sitting; lawmakers also greenlighted amendments related to the International Labour Organization, protocols linked to the International Civil Aviation Organization, and a series of agreements focused on cross-border international financial information exchange. None of the resolutions before parliament sparked extended debate, with all measures passing smoothly.

    Collectively, the set of newly approved agreements will reinforce Antigua and Barbuda’s standing in the global community while deepening productive cooperation with key partners around the world, government officials confirmed. For the UAE visa waiver, entry into force will now await the completion of the final administrative and diplomatic procedural steps required by both national governments, with an official launch expected in the coming months.

  • Gun courts alone won’t stop illegal firearms – senator

    Gun courts alone won’t stop illegal firearms – senator

    During Wednesday’s upper house parliamentary debate on a bill to amend the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, which would establish a specialized gun court in Barbados, opposition Senator Karina Goodridge issued a pointed call to reframe the nation’s approach to rising gun-related violence. While Goodridge, leader of the Friends of Democracy party, did not oppose the creation of the new firearm court division, she argued that the measure only addresses harms after crimes have been committed, failing to tackle the root of the problem: the steady flow of illegal weapons into the country.

    Goodridge emphasized that the island’s first line of defense against gun violence should not be the courtroom, but strengthened upstream controls that stop illegal firearms from reaching Barbadian communities in the first place. “Firearm court deals with the consequences of gun crime. It does not prevent a single illegal firearm from entering Barbados, and we must make that clear,” she told legislators. “It does not disrupt a single trafficking network. So the first line of defence against illegal firearms, in my view, may not be the courtroom.”

    The senator pushed for urgent investment in enhanced border security, pressing the government to answer critical unaddressed questions about how illegal guns are infiltrating the country’s borders. She called for additional resources and funding to be allocated to frontline agencies tasked with intercepting contraband, including Customs, Immigration, the Barbados Coast Guard, and national law enforcement units. Beyond border infrastructure, Goodridge also raised proactive concerns about the risk of institutional corruption undermining gun interdiction efforts. While she stressed that she has no concrete evidence of existing police corruption tied to gun trafficking, she argued that the government must put robust safeguards in place to prevent corrupt actors from facilitating the flow of illegal weapons.

    In addition to her call for a policy shift toward root-cause interventions, Goodridge flagged structural gaps that could weaken the effectiveness of the proposed gun court even if the bill passes. She noted that adequate staffing is not enough to run a modern, efficient judicial institution; outdated technology infrastructure across the Supreme Court has long been a source of complaint from judges, bar association members, and litigants alike. Goodridge recounted multiple instances of judicial officers reporting malfunctioning recording equipment and outdated digital systems that slow case proceedings and create administrative backlogs. To ensure the new gun court can deliver timely, consistent justice, she urged the government to prioritize upgrading the court’s technological infrastructure before the division launches. Goodridge also recommended that policymakers explore adopting the online court model used successfully in other jurisdictions to improve access and efficiency for gun-related cases.

    The debate over the gun court bill comes as Barbados grapples with persistent gun crime, prompting competing visions for how to reduce violence: one focused on expediting prosecutions and sentencing through specialized courts, and the other advanced by Goodridge that prioritizes cutting off the supply of illegal weapons at the source.

  • Brede steun in De Nationale Assemblee voor verhoging AOV-uitkering

    Brede steun in De Nationale Assemblee voor verhoging AOV-uitkering

    During ongoing parliamentary deliberations over the 2026 draft national budget in Suriname, lawmakers from multiple political factions have united behind a urgent call to raise the country’s universal old-age pension, the Algemene Oudedagsvoorziening (AOV), arguing that the current benefit level leaves thousands of elderly residents unable to cover basic living costs. The debate has also brought renewed scrutiny of ongoing irregularities linked to the country’s purchasing power support grant (KKV), with parliament demanding official clarity from the government on an active investigation into mismanagement of the program.

    Harriët Ramdien, a member of parliament from the ruling VHP party, laid out the stark economic reality facing pensioners during the session. Ramdien noted that Suriname’s official poverty threshold already surpassed 7,000 Surinamese dollars (SRD) in 2025, yet elderly residents who rely solely on state support receive a combined total of just 5,000 SRD per month from the AOV and KKV grants combined. She urged the government to immediately raise the base AOV benefit to a minimum of 7,000 SRD, with additional incremental increases planned once public finances allow for further expansion of social spending.

    Jerrel Pawiroredjo, leader of the opposition NPS faction, threw his full weight behind the proposal, emphasizing that elderly Surinamese rank among the most vulnerable groups in the country. Many can no longer work to generate supplementary income due to age, he explained, leaving them completely dependent on government support. To illustrate the severity of the crisis, Pawiroredjo shared a firsthand anecdote of an elderly woman who waited hours at an ATM for her AOV deposit, only to be unable to afford bus fare home after the transaction went through.

    Raymond Sapoen, a lawmaker from the NDP party, acknowledged that no member of the National Assembly opposes raising social benefit rates, but called for responsible fiscal planning to avoid destabilizing national public finances. Sapoen stressed that the government must outline a clear, achievable timeline for increases not just for AOV, but also for the universal child benefit (AKB) and general social assistance, tying any expansion of spending to verifiable available fiscal space.

    VHP parliamentarian Hakiem Lalmohamed added another layer of concern to the debate, highlighting unannounced cuts to KKV benefits for dozens of residents in the Commewijne district that were implemented without any official explanation. He called on the administration to publicly share the reasoning behind these cuts and immediately restore support to eligible recipients who lost their benefits improperly. Lalmohamed also joined the call for an AOV increase, noting that pre-election pledges had led many elderly Surinamese to expect a monthly benefit of at least 8,000 SRD.

    By the close of the latest budget deliberation, multiple assembly members had formally called on the national government to release a transparent update on the feasibility of increasing AOV and other core social assistance programs, setting the stage for further negotiations as the draft budget moves through the legislative process.

  • Lula waarschuwt Trump: ‘Bemoei je niet met Braziliaanse verkiezingen’

    Lula waarschuwt Trump: ‘Bemoei je niet met Braziliaanse verkiezingen’

    On the sidelines of the G7 summit held in Evian, France, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued a clear public warning to the United States, demanding Washington stay out of Brazil’s upcoming presidential election scheduled for October. The rebuke came just hours after Lula held a face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the summit’s sidelines, bringing long-simmering tensions over foreign influence in Brazil’s democratic process into the global spotlight.

    Lula openly acknowledged the long-standing personal ties between Trump and the Bolsonaro political dynasty, which has emerged as the main opposition to his candidacy this cycle. Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s far-right former president, and his family have built close ties with Trump over the years, and his eldest son Flavio Bolsonaro is currently the leading opposition challenger for the presidency in the October vote.

    “He can keep supporting Bolsonaro, the father, the son and the grandson. That is his preference, and I will not interfere in that,” Lula told reporters on the summit sidelines. But the Brazilian president drew an unambiguous line when it comes to U.S. involvement in the election itself: “Do not interfere in Brazil’s elections. This is a Brazilian issue, just as American elections are an American issue.” Lula emphasized that he only asks for basic mutual respect between the two sovereign nations.

    Lula, who is running for a fourth presidential term, currently holds a steady lead in pre-election opinion polling. Flavio Bolsonaro, running on the ticket of the right-wing Liberal Party, is seeking to unseat the incumbent. Trump has already publicly thrown his support behind the Bolsonaro family, and has leveled sharp criticism at Brazil’s judicial system, even going so far as to impose sanctions on sitting justices of Brazil’s Supreme Court.

    In recent months, the Bolsonaro dynasty has faced major legal setbacks. Jair Bolsonaro was convicted last month and sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in organizing an attempted coup following the 2022 Brazilian presidential election. Another of Jair Bolsonaro’s sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, was also convicted on charges of improperly influencing the U.S. government to advance his family’s political interests, a charge Eduardo has repeatedly denied.

    During his remarks at the G7 summit, Trump dismissed Brazil as a “rough” and “politically dangerous” country, echoing his previous attacks on the nation’s democratic institutions. Lula pushed back forcefully against these claims, defending the integrity of Brazil’s electronic voting systems, which Trump has repeatedly questioned. In a surprising open challenge, Lula even offered to give Trump a personal demonstration of how the voting systems operate to prove their reliability.

    Lula’s call for non-interference and mutual respect has set the narrative for the upcoming election, which is already under intense international scrutiny due to the well-documented close alignment between Trump and the Bolsonaro clan. The standoff underscores growing global concerns about foreign interference in democratic processes ahead of a series of high-stakes national elections across the world this year.

  • Asabina vraagt regering om opheldering over aangekondigde ontruimingsactie in 21 Bergi

    Asabina vraagt regering om opheldering over aangekondigde ontruimingsactie in 21 Bergi

    A political leader in Suriname has formally called on the national government to share full details with parliament about a planned large-scale eviction operation in a high-risk gold mining region that has already seen deadly accidents in recent years. Ronny Asabina, who leads the BEP political faction, made the demand during ongoing parliamentary budget deliberations on June 18, according to local parliamentary sources. For several days, widespread rumors have circulated that the 21 Bergi mining zone in Suriname’s Matawai region will be completely cleared in a so-called “clean sweep” operation scheduled for Friday. Asabina drew lawmakers’ attention to the grim history of this same site: two years ago, a major gold mining disaster claimed the lives of 15 young Surinamese workers here. Just recently, two more miners were trapped in a landslide at the site, and Asabina confirmed the pair are still alive and currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital. The BEP leader emphasized that any large, impactful operation of this nature requires public accountability, and the public has a right to know full details through their elected parliamentary representatives. Through the speaker of the National Assembly of Suriname, Asabina formally requested the administration clarify whether the planned eviction is officially approved by the government, and confirm whether the government fully backs the operation. Asabina told lawmakers he has received information that traditional local authorities in the Matawai region support the planned police-led clearing operation. After formal consultations with the Matawai community, the concession area was officially zoned for permitted gold extraction activities. Even so, Asabina stressed the current, unregulated operating conditions at the site pose an immediate life-threatening risk to anyone working there. He also issued a stark warning that rushing a large-scale eviction without proper preparation and public consultation could escalate into violent confrontations between authorities and miners. Repeating his core demand, Asabina called on the government to provide timely, comprehensive updates to parliament before the operation moves forward. Parliamentary budget discussions, during which the request was raised, are scheduled to continue the same day. No immediate response to the demand was reported from government representatives as of the early morning of June 18.

  • “Reality demands urgent and necessary changes”

    “Reality demands urgent and necessary changes”

    HAVANA, June 18, 2026 – Standing at a defining crossroads for the Cuban nation, President Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, laid out an ambitious, urgent agenda of economic and social transformation during the closing address of the party’s Extraordinary Plenary Session. Held at Havana’s Palace of Revolution on June 17, 2026 – the year marking the centennial of revolutionary icon Fidel Castro Ruz’s birth – the speech framed the reforms as a necessary response to decades of escalating pressure from the United States, paired with long-overdue domestic adjustments to lift the Cuban people out of crisis.

    Díaz-Canel opened by anchoring the moment in Cuba’s revolutionary legacy, paying tribute to Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, Hero of the Republic of Cuba, whose lifelong emphasis on party unity and ideological steadfastness has guided the nation through decades of challenge. He painted a stark picture of Cuba’s current context, describing the intensified U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade as a relentless, genocidal campaign that has inflicted catastrophic harm on daily life across the island. Beyond traditional sanctions, he highlighted the spurious 2021 designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, sweeping new executive orders that have internationalized the blockade via secondary sanctions, and a coordinated campaign of ideological disinformation spread through social media to erode public trust in the revolution.

    Against a backdrop of shifting global geopolitics marked by rising hegemonic aggression, erosion of multilateralism and growing global tensions, Díaz-Canel emphasized that the bloc’s decades-long punishment has pushed Cuban families to the breaking point: every liter of fuel, every dose of medicine, every staple food item now carries an extreme markup from financial persecution, while widespread energy shortages disrupt every corner of daily life. “Reality demands urgent and necessary changes,” he stressed. “When life for the people becomes so difficult, the primary duty of the Communist Party and the revolutionary government is not to explain the crisis better, but to change whatever needs to be changed to overcome it.”

    The sweeping reform package, months in the making, draws on input from across Cuban society: public consultations on the 2026 Economic and Social Program, contributions from the National Association of Cuban Economists (ANEC), decades of updated policy guidance from previous party congresses, and even studies of socialist construction experiences in China and Vietnam, with artificial intelligence leveraged to evaluate proposals against existing Cuban regulatory frameworks. Díaz-Canel emphasized that the core goal of the changes is not to abandon socialism, but to strengthen it: the transformations will advance social justice, generate new national wealth and distribute that wealth equitably – rejecting abstract egalitarianism in favor of tangible, material progress for all Cubans.

    “Without wealth, there is nothing to distribute; we would be speaking of social justice in the abstract,” he argued. “Either we produce under these conditions, create wealth, and then distribute it with social justice and equity – that is the challenge.”

    To meet that challenge, Díaz-Canel outlined progress across five simultaneous core priorities: macroeconomic stabilization and recovery of foreign revenue, transformation of Cuba’s outdated economic and social model, agricultural sector revitalization, strengthened accounting and cost management, and proactive mitigation of social costs tied to reform.

    Key structural changes include a fundamental reorientation of central planning: instead of micromanaging day-to-day economic activity, the state will focus on building a clear, stable regulatory environment that empowers enterprises and workers to produce efficiently and innovate. State-owned enterprises, which remain the foundational pillar of Cuba’s economy, will gain genuine operational autonomy, with separation of state regulatory functions and business management, and a new “comply or explain” framework to eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic barriers to growth. The National Institute of Business Assets will oversee state assets, hold management accountable for results, and ensure transparency.

    Food security, Díaz-Canel declared, is a matter of national sovereignty: “No one has sovereignty with empty plates.” To end chronic food shortages, Cuba will eliminate all idle arable land, expanding land usufruct rights to individual producers, cooperatives, and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) while retaining public ownership of land. Any underutilized plot overgrown with invasive marabou will be reallocated to producers willing to put it to work. Farmers will gain direct access to foreign currency to import critical inputs like seeds and fertilizer, and will be able to earn market-aligned prices for their output, turning agricultural work into a path to prosperity rather than hardship.

    On trade and investment, Cuba will eliminate mandatory intermediation for direct imports and exports for both state and non-state enterprises, opening new avenues for productive and export-led growth. The government will pursue targeted debt restructuring, including debt-for-assets swaps that preserve Cuban ownership of strategic assets, as well as debt-for-nature and debt-for-development swaps. The list of activities prohibited to the private sector will be radically overhauled, replacing most outright bans with targeted, responsible regulation, and bureaucratic hurdles for MSME formation and public-private partnerships will be streamlined. Critically, Cuba will open the door to foreign direct investment in domestic private enterprises including MSMEs, with clear rules for ownership, profit repatriation and dispute resolution. Cuban emigrants seeking to invest, donate or launch projects in their homeland will be welcomed with a transparent, stable framework, with no suspicion cast on those who want to contribute to national development.

    Energy, a source of daily crisis for Cuban households, will be another top policy priority. Díaz-Canel framed widespread blackouts not as a technical challenge, but as a humanitarian one: “A power outage is the child who couldn’t study for a test, the food that went bad in the refrigerator, the elderly person who spends the night awake, restless, and sweltering.” To rapidly expand clean energy access, Cuba will eliminate all import tariffs and sales taxes on solar technology, energy storage and efficiency equipment, and cut out intermediaries that drive up costs for consumers. New credit mechanisms will bring solar installations within reach of households, MSMEs, clinics, schools and nursing homes, creating new domestic jobs for Cuban technicians and companies. Major incentives will be offered for electric transportation powered by renewables, with expedited licensing for electric taxis and mobility services, prioritizing investment in tourist hubs, urban centers and productive zones.

    To address the gap between stagnant incomes and rising living costs, Díaz-Canel announced an end to broad, ineffective blanket price caps, which have repeatedly led to shortages and expanded black markets. Instead, the government will shift from product subsidies to direct, targeted support for vulnerable populations, guaranteeing the basic food basket for retirees, families with chronically ill children and low-income households. The country will move progressively to a creditable value-added tax system paired with universal electronic invoicing to eliminate cascading taxation and reduce tax evasion, while the banking system will be thoroughly modernized to reduce bureaucracy, open space for regulated private and foreign financial participation, and streamline transactions ranging from pension payments to remittances to business investment.

    Digital transformation and artificial intelligence will be deployed as cross-cutting tools to boost productivity across every sector, from agriculture to healthcare to tax administration. In the tourism and real estate sectors, new flexible business models will open idle state-owned properties to leasing and development by state, private, cooperative and mixed entities. Wage barriers that push skilled talent out of strategic sectors will be eliminated, allowing variable performance-based pay in both local and foreign currency tied to measurable results.

    Díaz-Canel stressed that all reforms will be implemented gradually, with pilot testing, continuous adjustment, and clear accountability: every measure will have a designated leader, a fixed deadline, and public performance metrics. Decisions that work will be scaled up; those that fail will be corrected immediately; officials unable to meet the demands of the moment will step aside for those who can deliver results.

    Beyond economic reform, Díaz-Canel announced new initiatives to empower young Cubans, launching a national Community Youth Network that will give young people skills, resources and real opportunities to launch projects, revitalize their neighborhoods, create local jobs and build futures in Cuba rather than leaving to seek opportunity abroad.

    Addressing the Cuban people directly, he emphasized that resistance alone is no longer enough: decades of blockade have caused immense suffering, but the country must also address internal barriers including bureaucracy, sluggishness and delayed decisions. “To govern is to solve problems, remove obstacles, provide support, and ensure that decisions translate into real improvements,” he said. “What we intend to set in motion is an emergency economic and social agenda… some will not enjoy unanimous consensus, but they cannot be postponed.”

    Díaz-Canel closed by tying the reform effort to Cuba’s centuries-long struggle for sovereignty, invoking the legacy of Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro and all the revolutionary heroes who led the nation through past crises. On the centennial of Fidel Castro’s birth, he said, the greatest tribute to the revolution’s founders is to preserve its core commitment to social justice while adapting to meet the challenges of the present. “Nothing will be impossible if we embrace the challenge as an opportunity and history as inspiration,” he said. “We are all called to action, and together we will prevail.”

    The address concluded with resounding cheers for a free, sovereign Cuba, and the iconic revolutionary rallying cry: “Socialism or Death! Fatherland or Death! We will prevail!”

  • Local content rent-a-citizen virtually eliminated – natural resources minister

    Local content rent-a-citizen virtually eliminated – natural resources minister

    Guyana’s government has nearly stamped out a pervasive fraudulent scheme that allowed foreign-owned companies to improperly secure local content certification by using Guyanese citizens as front owners to meet majority ownership requirements, according to the country’s top natural resources official.

    Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat made the announcement Wednesday during a signing ceremony for annual local content plan approval letters, a key milestone in advancing the country’s local content policy. He emphasized that enforcement teams have worked aggressively to crack down on the illegal practice, commonly referred to as “rent-a-citizen”, and send a clear warning to bad actors that violations will not go unpunished.

    “For any entity that even contemplates engaging in this malpractice, they have to know penalties are already outlined in the local content legislation, and we will not hesitate to enforce those penalties,” Bharrat told attendees at the event.

    Beyond targeting the rent-a-citizen scheme, authorities have also dismantled unregulated shell companies that were set up to conceal foreign assets and improperly recruit Guyanese nationals to front for foreign-owned operations, the minister added. He credited the progress to widespread cooperation from the Guyanese public, noting that combined efforts between regulators and local communities have driven the practice to near elimination.

    Guyana first enacted its Local Content Act five years ago, with the core goal of ensuring that domestic workers and businesses capture a greater share of economic benefits from the country’s growing natural resources sector, particularly its booming offshore oil and gas industry. For years, the rent-a-citizen fraud undermined the policy’s intent, prompting repeated government threats to amend the legislation to close loopholes that allowed the malpractice to proliferate. Today’s update marks a significant turning point, showing that strengthened enforcement has delivered results far faster than legislative overhauls.

    The local content certification process requires companies operating in Guyana’s key extractive sectors to demonstrate majority domestic ownership to qualify for certain contracts and benefits. The fraudulent rent-a-citizen scheme allowed foreign firms to bypass these requirements by paying nominal Guyanese owners to put their names on corporate paperwork, leaving actual control and profits in foreign hands.

  • RvC TAS wil CLAD-onderzoek naar financieel beheer; directeur spreekt van verdraaide voorstelling van zaken

    RvC TAS wil CLAD-onderzoek naar financieel beheer; directeur spreekt van verdraaide voorstelling van zaken

    A deepening governance crisis has emerged at Suriname’s Telecommunicatie Autoriteit Suriname (TAS), the nation’s top telecommunications regulator, after its supervisory body, the Raad van Commissarissen (RvC), formally requested a full independent audit of the authority’s financial operations from 2020 to 2025 and launched formal steps to suspend or remove the agency’s sitting director, Wendy Jap-A-Joe. The demands are outlined in an official dated June 15, addressed to Suriname President Jennifer Simons and Minister of Transport, Communication and Tourism Raymond Landveld.

    The RvC justified its extraordinary request by citing persistent, severe concerns over corporate governance, financial stewardship and internal information sharing at TAS. According to the supervisory board, it has faced consistent and structural obstruction in carrying out its legally mandated oversight responsibilities. Specific grievances include prolonged delays in financial reporting, repeated failure to submit complete annual financial statements on schedule, lack of verifiable documentation for key expenditures and decisions, and repeated refusal by leadership to implement formal RvC resolutions. The board argues the situation has become severe enough to require immediate temporary suspension of Director Jap-A-Joe as a precautionary measure while the full investigation proceeds.

    A central focus of the requested probe, which will be carried out by the Centrale Landsaccountantsdienst (CLAD), Suriname’s central state audit service, is compliance with legal requirements mandating that TAS remit any surplus funds to the national government. The RvC says no surplus remittances to the state have been recorded since 2022, even though available financial data shows TAS holds large amounts of liquid capital and fixed-term deposits. To date, the board has found no formal legal authorization allowing TAS to retain or invest these surplus funds instead of transferring them to state coffers.

    Beyond the unremitted surplus, the RvC has called for scrutiny of TAS’s spending on sponsorship activities. The board notes that sponsorship falls outside TAS’s legally defined core mandate, so investigators will need to confirm whether these expenditures had a valid legal basis and were properly accounted for in official financial records.

    Another area flagged for investigation is the deployment of TAS staff to the Office of the Vice President of Suriname between 2021 and 2025. The RvC claims TAS employees carried out work for the vice president’s office for multiple years, with all associated payroll and operational costs covered by the telecom regulator – an arrangement that has no basis in Suriname’s Telecommunications Act, according to the board.

    The audit will also cover the legality and efficiency of TAS spending on international training programs, professional seminars, industry conferences and official overseas travel. Additional areas to be reviewed include all third-party contracts, active projects, bank holdings, fixed-term deposits, annual financial statements, and the completeness and accuracy of TAS’s overall financial administration. The RvC has stipulated that if the CLAD audit or a separate preliminary financial and operational review conducted by the board uncovers evidence of potential criminal activity or integrity violations, relevant law enforcement and oversight bodies must be notified immediately.

    The supervisory board further notes that it had repeatedly requested Jap-A-Joe to provide required financial and governance documentation and cooperate with the preliminary review, but these requests received insufficient response. This lack of cooperation, the board says, has severely hampered its ability to carry out its statutory oversight duties.

    In a direct response to the RvC’s allegations, Director Jap-A-Joe has pushed back against the board’s narrative, telling local outlet Starnieuws that she is deeply disappointed by the content of the formal request. She accused the RvC of misrepresenting facts in its letter, but declined to address the specific accusations in detail ahead of a scheduled meeting with President Simons on the following day. Jap-A-Joe noted that TAS has already sent multiple formal communications to the president, vice president and relevant minister, and will respond fully to the claims during the planned presidential meeting.

    As of the publication of this report, neither President Simons nor Minister Landveld have issued any public comment on the RvC’s request. Under Suriname’s Telecommunications Act, the president holds the authority to appoint, suspend or remove the TAS director, acting on a recommendation from the relevant minister and following formal approval from the Council of Ministers.