Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • Politic : Haiti moves towards elections while Women’s participation remains limited

    Politic : Haiti moves towards elections while Women’s participation remains limited

    Haiti’s political transition, initiated in July 2021, is advancing toward scheduled 2026 elections under a newly established electoral calendar. While this marks procedural progress, the nation continues to grapple with significant gender disparities in political representation.

    Current data reveals substantial underrepresentation of women across Haiti’s governance structures. Female participation remains notably below the constitutional mandate of 30%, with women occupying merely 22.22% of government positions and a minimal 11.11% within the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), where they hold observer status without voting rights. At departmental and municipal electoral levels (BED/BEC), representation marginally improves to 27%, still falling short of constitutional requirements.

    Despite the suspension of constitutional review processes by transitional authorities, advocacy efforts led by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and UN Women have yielded significant provisions in the draft electoral decree. Article 138 mandates rejection of any electoral list containing fewer than 30% women candidates, while Article 138.1 establishes additional funding incentives for political parties that exceed 50% female representation.

    In response to these developments, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) and UN Women jointly launched a comprehensive national campaign based in Port-au-Prince. The initiative gathered approximately 150 participants from all ten Haitian departments, including 63 women from regions outside the capital. This campaign aims to mobilize female political participation while raising awareness among political parties and the general public about women’s transformative potential in governance.

    Supplementing these efforts, government-supported departmental consultations and the National Conference on Women’s Political Participation have facilitated strategic dialogue. A pivotal outcome emerged through the adoption of the Declaration of Haitian Women for Active and Effective Participation, which embodies women’s commitment to shaping Haiti’s democratic future and asserts their right to decisive political involvement.

  • 222nd anniversary of Independence : Vibrant speech by the Ambassador of Haiti to the Dominican Rep.

    222nd anniversary of Independence : Vibrant speech by the Ambassador of Haiti to the Dominican Rep.

    In a profound address marking Haiti’s 222nd independence anniversary, Ambassador Emmanuel Fritz Longchamp delivered a stirring critique of the nation’s historical trajectory while calling for radical political transformation. The Haitian envoy to the Dominican Republic spoke on January 1st, 2026, commemorating the 1804 revolution that established the world’s first black republic.

    Longchamp characterized Haiti’s independence as both a glorious legacy and an ongoing political challenge, noting that the revolution represented not merely military victory but an anthropological and philosophical breakthrough that challenged fundamental concepts of human dignity. He quoted founding father Jean-Jacques Dessalines’ historic proclamation: ‘Let’s swear to renounce France forever and to die rather than live under its domination.’

    The ambassador presented a stark assessment of Haiti’s contemporary reality, describing the current institutional collapse as the product of ‘chronic misgovernance, systematic social exclusion, and a profound rupture between the state and society.’ He framed mass migration to the Dominican Republic not as cultural preference but as a survival strategy for people deprived of prospects in their homeland.

    Longchamp proposed a biopolitical approach to rebuilding the Haitian state—one prioritizing security, dignity, health, education, and the value of human life as central to public action. He emphasized that true independence requires moving beyond ‘sterile divisions and narrow calculations’ toward collective awakening and national solidarity.

    The ambassador concluded with tributes to Haitian officials and diplomatic staff while praising the resilience of the Haitian people, expressing hope that 2026 would bring ‘peace, stability, and renewal’ to the nation founded on revolutionary ideals of freedom and human dignity.

  • Nieuwe Caricom-voorzitter: Regionale eenheid is geen keuze, maar noodzaak

    Nieuwe Caricom-voorzitter: Regionale eenheid is geen keuze, maar noodzaak

    In his inaugural New Year’s message as the new Chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Drew delivered a compelling appeal for regional unity, solidarity, and self-sufficiency. Assuming the rotating Caricom leadership until June 30, 2026, Drew addressed Caribbean citizens both within the region and throughout the diaspora.

    Drew expressed profound gratitude for the developmental progress achieved across member states while emphasizing the critical importance of hope and collective determination amid growing global uncertainties. He specifically acknowledged the exemplary leadership of his predecessor, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who successfully navigated Caricom through turbulent times. Drew also extended appreciation to fellow government leaders, the Caricom Secretariat, and citizens of member nations for their sustained collaborative efforts toward regional advancement.

    Reflecting on Caricom’s foundational principles established through the 1973 Treaty of Chaguaramas, Drew reiterated that the organization emerged from the recognition that small, vulnerable states must collectively respond to global challenges. He identified four essential pillars for continued success: economic integration, coordinated foreign policy, functional cooperation, and maintaining a strong unified international voice.

    The Caricom chair highlighted tangible benefits of regional collaboration, including expanded markets, free movement of labor and skills, enhanced healthcare systems, improved disaster response capabilities, educational advancements, security cooperation, and climate diplomacy. Drew asserted that regional integration has transitioned from optional strategy to absolute necessity.

    Special attention was directed toward Haiti’s ongoing crisis, with Drew underscoring the imperative of sustained regional engagement to support stability and reconstruction efforts. This commitment aligns with preparations for planned 2026 elections and implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2793.

    Drew celebrated the Caribbean’s extraordinary historical and cultural contributions to global literature, sports, music, political thought, and cultural heritage—achievements he attributed to regional resilience, discipline, and deeply ingrained self-belief.

    However, the chairman issued a sobering warning regarding recent geopolitical tensions and external policies affecting Caribbean citizens, emphasizing that the region must primarily rely on itself. “Nobody will come to save us; we must save ourselves,” he declared.

    While acknowledging that differences of opinion among member states may occasionally surface, Drew advocated for careful dialogue, mutual respect, and strengthened regional responsibility. He emphasized that Caricom serves precisely as the platform for internally and constructively addressing disagreements.

    Concluding his address, Drew announced that St. Kitts and Nevis will host the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government from February 24-27, 2026, inviting fellow leaders to actively participate in discussions concerning priority issues and regional welfare.

  • Lovell Cites Roads, Closed Clinic as Key Concerns in All Saints West New Year’s Message

    Lovell Cites Roads, Closed Clinic as Key Concerns in All Saints West New Year’s Message

    Harold Lovell, caretaker representative for All Saints West from the United Progressive Party (UPP), has launched a scathing critique against the current administration for its failure to address critical infrastructure and healthcare deficiencies in his constituency. Speaking in a New Year’s address commemorating his fourth month in the caretaker role, Lovell highlighted the alarming state of road conditions and the prolonged shutdown of the area’s sole public health clinic.

    Lovell emphasized that despite repeated governmental assurances, All Saints Road and Buckley Line continue to rank among the island’s most deteriorated thoroughfares. These transportation routes, essential for daily commutes and local commerce, have suffered from neglect, causing significant disruption to residents’ lives.

    The healthcare crisis in All Saints West has further deepened with the ongoing closure of the public health clinic since April 2023. This absence of medical facilities has compelled residents to seek basic healthcare services elsewhere, creating unnecessary hardships and limiting access to urgent medical attention.

    Lovell revealed that even when the UPP organized a temporary free health clinic to address immediate community needs, the initiative faced criticism from government supporters. Meanwhile, the promised government polyclinic remains non-operational with no visible progress toward completion.

    Characterizing these issues as fundamental matters of fairness and dignity, Lovell asserted that reliable infrastructure and accessible healthcare directly impact every household’s quality of life. He contrasted the UPP’s approach of practical solutions and people-focused governance against what he described as the current administration’s pattern of unfulfilled commitments.

    The opposition leader pledged to maintain pressure on the government for accountability while advocating vigorously for constituent needs. As 2026 commences, Lovell encouraged residents to remain hopeful and united, emphasizing that collective advocacy and vocal demands for improved conditions are essential for driving meaningful change.

  • Labour ministry to push minimum pay standards for construction sector

    Labour ministry to push minimum pay standards for construction sector

    The Barbadian government is initiating a comprehensive review of compensation standards within the construction industry, marking a significant potential expansion of wage regulation policies. Labour Minister Colin Jordan announced his intention to direct the Minimum Wage Board to examine pay structures and working conditions across construction sector roles, responding to growing concerns about equitable practices in this vital industry.

    This development emerges against a backdrop of heated discussion regarding the administration’s implementation of predetermined minimum wage increases for 2025 and 2026. The Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC) has advocated for any adjustments to be exclusively guided by the Minimum Wage Board’s comprehensive economic analysis and stakeholder consultations rather than predetermined percentages.

    Minister Jordan defended the government’s incremental approach, emphasizing the urgent necessity to protect low-income workers from escalating living costs. “Government, through the Ministry of Labour, is conscious of the need of workers in this country to be able to live while they contribute to the organisations they work for and to national development,” Jordan stated in his January 1 address. He underscored that those at the lowest earning tiers face particular vulnerability to inflationary pressures affecting all societal segments.

    The Minister challenged suggestions that the government had marginalized the Minimum Wage Board’s role, noting that no increases occurred during the four-year period following the April 2021 establishment of national and security guard sectoral minimum wages. Jordan characterized the relationship between worker protection and business sustainability as “two sides of the same coin,” asserting that predictable, gradual adjustments ultimately benefit employers by allowing smoother operational adaptation.

    While the Minimum Wage Board continues its work developing longer-term wage indexation mechanisms, the Cabinet will review these recommendations upon completion. Meanwhile, the administration maintains its commitment to implementing modest, timely adjustments to ensure workers’ basic needs are met without awaiting the conclusion of broader regulatory processes.

  • Velox, John end 24-year dearth of women being elected to Parliament

    Velox, John end 24-year dearth of women being elected to Parliament

    In a landmark political shift, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has witnessed the election of its first female parliamentarians in two decades. Laverne Gibson-Velox and Shevern John of the New Democratic Party (NDP) secured decisive victories in the November 27, 2025 general election, representing East St. George and North Windward constituencies respectively.

    Their triumph ended a prolonged drought for women in parliamentary representation that persisted since 2001, when Unity Labour Party’s Rene Baptiste last held office. Baptiste herself noted on election night that she had been the last woman elected to Parliament prior to these breakthroughs.

    The path to victory was particularly significant for Gibson-Velox, who unseated Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves—a prominent ULP figure considered heir apparent to party leadership. In an exclusive interview, Gibson-Velox revealed her strategic approach: ‘I studied what he didn’t do and implemented exactly what the people wanted. He maintained no relationship with constituents—I made myself accessible, sat on their steps, played dominoes, and demonstrated genuine connection.’

    Meanwhile, John’s victory came after significant personal sacrifice, having left a teaching career that would have provided substantially higher compensation than her previous senatorial role. ‘Service to humanity is the best work of life, not salary,’ she affirmed outside Parliament.

    The electoral landscape had been particularly challenging for female candidates since 2001, with twenty-one women failing in their parliamentary bids across multiple parties over this period. The NDP’s overwhelming victory, securing 14 of 15 parliamentary seats, created the conditions for this historic gender representation breakthrough.

    Both women have assumed their legislative responsibilities with distinct perspectives. Gibson-Velox was appointed Minister of the Family and Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabilities, and Labour—a portfolio aligning with her breakthrough achievement. John emphasized the solemn responsibility of representation, urging colleagues: ‘Remember the people who saw hope in you. Don’t become too busy for those who entrusted us with this mandate.’

    Their elections mark a potential turning point in Vincentian politics, challenging longstanding barriers and establishing new paradigms for women’s political participation in the Caribbean nation.

  • Massiah Raises Concerns Over U.S. Immigration Policy Impact on Antigua and Barbuda

    Massiah Raises Concerns Over U.S. Immigration Policy Impact on Antigua and Barbuda

    Democratic National Alliance leader Joanne Massiah has issued a stark warning regarding recent U.S. immigration policy changes, indicating they may produce substantial ripple effects across Antigua and Barbuda’s economy and society. In her New Year’s address, Massiah revealed that the policy announcement has generated significant concern among citizens both domestically and within the diaspora community.

    The political leader emphasized that limitations affecting Antiguan and Barbudan passport holders could potentially disrupt travel patterns, commercial exchanges, family connections, and economic stability—particularly for those maintaining strong ties to the United States. Massiah noted that apprehensions have emerged across political and social spectrums, with many questioning whether the situation could have been prevented through more careful diplomatic handling.

    While expressing confidence that ongoing discussions with Washington would ultimately yield a resolution, Massiah acknowledged public anxiety about potential concessions the nation might need to make to secure policy adjustments. She stressed that small island states must exercise particular caution in international relations, emphasizing that diplomatic engagements require sober judgment and strategic wisdom, especially when dealing with more powerful global partners.

    Massiah highlighted that communication missteps on the international stage could have severe consequences for vulnerable economies like Antigua and Barbuda’s. Despite current uncertainties, she urged national unity and calm, advocating for continued focus on long-term national interests. The DNA leader reiterated her party’s support for diplomatic solutions while emphasizing that governmental decisions must prioritize accountability, foresight, and citizen welfare—both at home and abroad.

    Concluding her message, Massiah called for collective determination, asserting that national strength resides in unity and shared commitment to protecting Antigua and Barbuda’s future within an increasingly complex global landscape.

  • New PSC chair promises ‘equity, … justice and fairness’

    New PSC chair promises ‘equity, … justice and fairness’

    In a significant administrative development for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, retired public servant Laura Anthony-Browne has expressed both honor and surprise at her appointment as chair of the dual Public Service Commission and Police Service Commission. The swearing-in ceremony, held at Government House in Old Montrose on December 31, 2025, marked a pivotal moment for the nation’s governance framework.

    Anthony-Browne, formerly director of planning, was inaugurated alongside commissioners Ingrid Fitzpatrick, Adrian Fraser, Allanson Cruickshank, Shirlan M. ‘Zita’ Barnwell, and Ronald Christopher. In her first public remarks to NBC Radio, she acknowledged the unexpected nature of her appointment while emphasizing the profound responsibility it entails. ‘The public service serves as a crucial instrument in national governance,’ she stated, pledging to instill principles of ‘equity, justice, and fairness’ throughout both commissions’ operations.

    Governor General Dame Susan Dougan, celebrating her 50th year in public service, underscored the constitutional significance of these commissions. She highlighted their role in upholding integrity and professionalism within the public sector, particularly through their advisory capacity to the Governor General on senior appointments—including legal officers, department heads, and permanent secretaries. Dame Susan stressed the necessity of impartiality in exercising powers of appointment, promotion, discipline, and dismissal of public officers.

    Deputy Prime Minister St. Clair Leacock, overseeing public service matters, reflected on the historical importance of a nonpartisan civil service. He noted ongoing challenges in defining the boundaries between civil and public service, while expressing confidence that the new commission would restore authoritative governance practices. Leacock referenced discussions with Chief Personnel Officer Arlene Regisford-Sam, who emphasized that effective public administration remains fundamental to national prosperity and meritocracy.

    The newly formed commissions now face the dual challenge of implementing ethical reforms while maintaining continuity in governance. Anthony-Browne’s commitment to ensuring public servants feel valued and appropriately rewarded signals a renewed focus on workforce morale alongside structural accountability.

  • GG Dame Susan to demit office Monday, ending 50 years of public service

    GG Dame Susan to demit office Monday, ending 50 years of public service

    Dame Susan Dougan, the pioneering Governor General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has officially declared her intention to conclude her distinguished public service career on January 5, 2026. The announcement came during a ceremonial event at Government House in Old Montrose on Old Year’s Day, where she presided over the swearing-in of members to both the Public Service Commission and Police Service Commission.

    Addressing attendees, Dame Susan revealed her planned departure: “I am also pleased to say that I demit office on the 5th of January, so it is indeed a pleasure to swear you in before I leave.” The 70-year-old public servant, who will turn 71 on March 3, initially contemplated retirement in September 2025 to mark her golden anniversary in public service. However, she opted to extend her tenure until year’s end considering the November 27 general elections.

    Her remarkable journey began in 1975 when she first entered public service. Dame Susan made history on August 1, 2019, when she was sworn in as the nation’s first female Governor General, following her previous role as deputy governor general since December 2014.

    In a post-ceremony interview with NBC Radio, Dame Susan reflected on her career philosophy: “I enjoy what I did over the years. I love children, and I will continue to work with them under the foundation under my name. Whatever you have to do, you have to do it with passion, with love, and that caring for people.” This ethos, she noted, guided her throughout her public life and influenced those she mentored.

    Deputy Prime Minister St. Clair Leacock acknowledged Dame Susan’s “tremendous and valuable service to our peoples” during the ceremony. He emphasized the administration’s commitment to maintaining clear distinctions between state and government functions moving forward.

    Looking toward her post-retirement plans, Dame Susan expressed her commitment to continue working with youth through her foundation. She issued a call to action for greater civic engagement: “I would like to see people join organizations, get involved in community work, try as far as possible to educate the young ones by being mentors for them and help them to become who they really are.”

    Her departure in 2026 will mark the conclusion of an extraordinary half-century of dedicated public service that broke gender barriers and established new standards of leadership in Vincentian governance.

  • COMMENTARY – Antigua and Barbuda Constitutional Reform

    COMMENTARY – Antigua and Barbuda Constitutional Reform

    Antigua and Barbuda has embarked on a significant constitutional modernization effort targeting its 44-year-old foundational document. Legal expert Yves Ephraim has initiated a comprehensive proposal series addressing what he describes as critical gaps in the current constitution’s protection mechanisms against state overreach.

    The reform initiative centers on establishing robust safeguards against potential government abuse, emphasizing that constitutional frameworks must account for human fallibility within leadership structures. Ephraim argues that blind trust in government officials is fundamentally misguided, noting that positions of power don’t transform individuals into infallible entities. This perspective shapes his proposed reforms targeting two primary areas of governance.

    The first major proposal concerns parliamentary leadership selection. Ephraim recommends fundamentally restructuring the appointment process for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, suggesting the opposition leader should nominate candidates requiring two-thirds majority approval. This approach aims to ensure broader consensus and prevent majority party domination. Additionally, he proposes transforming the Senate into a non-political body with members selected by civil society organizations including chambers of commerce, labor unions, and professional associations to serve as an effective check on parliamentary decisions.

    The second proposal addresses ministerial composition, recommending strict limitations on elected representatives serving in Cabinet positions. Ephraim highlights the inherent conflict of interest when parliamentarians simultaneously hold executive roles, citing the Bendals quarry case where constituents lost representation due to their representative’s cabinet allegiance. He suggests permitting no more than two elected MPs beyond the prime minister in Cabinet, arguing that ministerial positions should be allocated based on capability rather than as electoral rewards.

    These constitutional amendments aim to rebalance power dynamics, enhance representation safeguards, and create institutional mechanisms that prioritize national interest over partisan politics. The proposed reforms represent one of the most substantial reconsiderations of governance structures in the nation’s recent history.