Carib Scope

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  • Cuba shares the grief over the loss of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Father Emir of the State of Qatar

    Cuba shares the grief over the loss of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Father Emir of the State of Qatar

    On Sunday, July 13, 2026, Cuba’s top leader Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who serves as both First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic of Cuba, issued a public message of condolence via the social platform X following the passing of Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Father Emir of the State of Qatar.

    Opening his statement with a note of deep sorrow, Díaz-Canel honored the late Qatari statesman, describing him as a distinguished leader whose decisive work laid the foundation for Qatar’s growth into a modern, prosperous nation. Beyond his transformative contributions to Qatar’s domestic development, the Cuban president emphasized the late Emir’s outsized role in nurturing the longstanding, friendship-driven ties that bind Cuba and Qatar together.

    Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani was not only a committed partner in advancing bilateral relations but also a close friend to the Cuban people and to Cuba’s iconic Commander-in-Chief, Díaz-Canel added.

    In closing, the Cuban head of state reaffirmed that Cuba stands in solidarity with Qatar during this period of mourning. He extended the island nation’s sincere sympathies directly to current Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, the entire Al-Thani family, the Qatari government, and the broader Qatari population, noting the deep fraternal connection between the two countries.

  • End of the capacity building program for the Study and Programming Units

    End of the capacity building program for the Study and Programming Units

    Three weeks of targeted skills training for public sector planning professionals drew to a formal close on July 10, 2026, after Haiti’s Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE) partnered with the Center for Planning Techniques and Applied Economics (CTPEA) to deliver the specialized program for staff of the Study and Programming Units (UEP) across all sectoral ministries. Designed to upgrade institutional capabilities and strengthen the delivery of national public policies, the training split participants into three sequential weekly cohorts to maximize engagement and hands-on learning.

    In her official closing address at the ceremony, Planning Minister Sandra Paulemon voiced clear satisfaction with the program’s successful completion, highlighting the intentional, integrated framework that structured the curriculum. Unlike disconnected siloed training modules, the five core course units were designed to map to the full value chain of public sector action, from initial policy planning through programming, budget allocation, ongoing monitoring, and final impact evaluation. This interconnected structure, Paulemon emphasized, equips UEP leaders to work within a results-focused, performance-driven culture that aligns all stages of policy implementation with national development goals.

    Minister Paulemon stressed that sustained investment in upskilling public administration leadership is a foundational strategic lever to improve the overall quality of national public policy and advance inclusive, effective national development planning. She used the closing event to urge all participating professionals to translate their newly acquired knowledge and skills into tangible changes in their day-to-day roles, pushing forward the broader goal of building a public administration that is more efficient, more responsive, and consistently focused on delivering measurable results for Haitian citizens.

    Looking ahead, Paulemon confirmed that a formal certificate awarding ceremony will be held on July 24, 2026. The scheduled date was chosen to ensure that all trainees from the three cohorts, alongside the program’s trainers and institutional partners, can attend the official recognition event. Adding his perspective at the closing ceremony, Guy Roméo Latry, Director General of MPCE, echoed the minister’s positive assessment of the program. Latry noted that the initiative went far beyond traditional one-way skills training: it served as a collaborative forum for cross-agency dialogue, experience sharing, and collective consultation among public administration officials from across different sectors, creating new connections that will support inter-agency coordination moving forward.

  • Haiti : Review of the first 100 days of the new Director General of the ONA

    Haiti : Review of the first 100 days of the new Director General of the ONA

    July 13, 2026 — Haiti’s National Old-Age Insurance Office (ONA) is marking a major milestone this week, as Director General Lovely François presents the outcomes of her first 100 days leading the state social security institution, a period defined by sweeping institutional reforms, renewed financial discipline, and expanded social programming for Haitian communities.

    As a core pillar of ONA’s ongoing institutional modernization push, leadership launched two national open tender processes last week for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bids cover procurement of information technology infrastructure, office hardware, and general operating supplies — one of multiple upgrades rolling out across the agency. Additional modernization initiatives already underway include the creation of ONA’s first unified manuals covering administrative, financial, technical, and operational protocols, upgrades to the institution’s digital information system, the rollout of encrypted secure employee identification badges, and sustained overhauls to customer services for insured people and pension recipients across the country.

    Last week also saw a high-profile official ceremony, presided over by Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, to relaunch two of ONA’s flagship social initiatives: the ONA-Polis and ONA-Education programs. ONA-Polis, which receives direct government backing under Prime Minister Fils-Aimé’s administration, operates as a targeted support framework for officers of the Haitian National Police (PNH). The program recognizes the critical, high-stakes role that police play in upholding national security, protecting civilian communities, and maintaining stability across Haiti amid ongoing security challenges. The ONA-Education program, by contrast, is designed to reduce the financial strain on families at the start of each school year, easing barriers to access for children’s schooling in line with the government’s framing of education as a foundational driver of long-term national development.

    François’ 100-day report is far more than a routine public accountability exercise: it lays out a clear new vision for public sector governance centered on core principles of transparency, fiscal accountability, administrative discipline, measurable performance outcomes, and consistent public reporting. The framework reflects ONA’s explicit commitment to building a modern, trusted public institution that prioritizes service delivery for all insured people, pensioners, contributors, and the broader Haitian public.

    In her first three months in office, François’ leadership has delivered measurable early results. The general directorate has strengthened institutional governance and internal control frameworks, restored consistent administrative discipline rooted in transparency and accountability, and recovered more than 439 million Haitian gourdes in overdue delinquent loans. The institution has also placed over 6 billion gourdes in strategic investments in bonds issued by the Bank of the Republic of Haiti, begun rehabilitation work on underfunded regional ONA offices, opened multiple new tender processes to upgrade outdated infrastructure and equipment, expanded ongoing professional training for ONA employees, relaunched the institutional ONA conference as a permanent space for cross-stakeholder dialogue, and advanced development of new social support programs for insured beneficiaries.

    Speaking at the official ceremony, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé praised the rapid progress ONA has achieved in François’ first 100 days, and reaffirmed that the Haitian government will provide full backing for the ongoing reform agenda. He repeated that investments in education, expanded social security coverage, and targeted support for police officers are top priorities for his administration, stressing that ONA now holds a key strategic role in turning this policy vision into tangible action for Haitian people.

  • Prime Minister Gaston Browne to Open Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium

    Prime Minister Gaston Browne to Open Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium

    Next Monday, July 13, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne will open the Second Annual Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium, a three-day international gathering taking place at the St. James’s Club that brings together maritime leaders, senior government officials, and industry specialists to ramp up global collaboration against transnational illegal maritime activity and strengthen cross-border sanctions enforcement.

    The event is co-organized by Antigua and Barbuda’s Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) and the U.S. Department of State, with technical backing from Sandia National Laboratories. Around 100 delegates from every region of the globe are expected to attend, including senior representatives from ship registries, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC), the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring (GCMSM), the Maritime UN Sanctions Enforcement (MUSE) initiative, and dozens of other international maritime bodies and law enforcement agencies.

    As the cabinet minister with oversight for merchant shipping and ports, Prime Minister Browne will use his opening address to reaffirm Antigua and Barbuda’s long-standing commitment to upholding one of the world’s most trusted, regulation-compliant ship registries, while advancing collective global action to protect the integrity of the international maritime sector.

    Browne will emphasize that rigorous flag State compliance, systematic due diligence, and transparent regulatory frameworks are non-negotiable to shield global commerce from sanctions evasion, fraudulent vessel registration, and a growing range of other transnational illegal maritime activities. He will also recognize ADOMS for its work to build out a comprehensive national compliance system that has drastically reinforced the credibility of Antigua and Barbuda’s ship registry and cut the nation’s exposure to regulatory risk.

    In a note of emphasis for small island developing states, Browne will tell delegates that geographic size and population do not limit a nation’s ability to lead on pressing global challenges. Antigua and Barbuda, a SIDS, has emerged as a proactive actor in global maritime governance, he will argue, pointing to the nation’s expanding role in shaping international maritime policy through strategic partnerships with the United States and other key global stakeholders. He will also highlight the country’s consistent participation in multilateral initiatives designed to strengthen sanctions enforcement and crack down on fraudulent maritime practices.

    The Prime Minister will also welcome the IMO’s recently finalized guidelines targeting fraudulent ship registration and rogue registries, framing the new rules as a critical step toward closing long-standing regulatory gaps and lifting industry-wide global standards.

    Outlining the urgent need for this year’s symposium, Browne will highlight that the global maritime sector now faces increasingly complex, evolving threats: these include widespread sanctions evasion, the rapid growth of unregulated “shadow fleets”, fraudulent vessel registration, and deceptive shipping practices that erode global security and undercut fair market competition. He will urge attending delegates to leverage the symposium’s collaborative format to deepen cross-border coordination, share actionable intelligence, and co-develop practical solutions that embed greater transparency and accountability across every segment of the maritime supply chain.

    Browne will restate Antigua and Barbuda’s unwavering commitment to multilateral cooperation, pointing to the country’s status as a founding member of the GCMSM and its long-standing support for RISC – two initiatives that prioritize rapid, targeted information sharing to identify and preempt illegal maritime activity before it causes harm. He will stress that cross-border collaboration and open information exchange remain the most powerful tools available to counter bad actors operating within the global shipping system.

    Over the course of the three-day event, attendees will take part in technical briefings and interactive collaborative workshops focused on the most pressing emerging threats to maritime security. Key topics include Automatic Identification System (AIS) spoofing, updated due diligence protocols for vessel registration, cross-border sanctions compliance, structured intelligence sharing, and evidence-based best practices for strengthening flag State regulatory oversight.

    The government of Antigua and Barbuda has extended a formal welcome to all visiting delegates from the international maritime community, and reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to working alongside global partners to advance maritime safety, strengthen global sanctions enforcement, promote industry transparency, and uphold the highest standards of regulatory compliance across the international shipping sector.

  • Prime Minister Browne’s Call for United Response to European Union Position on Citizenship by Investment Programmes Gains OECS Backing

    Prime Minister Browne’s Call for United Response to European Union Position on Citizenship by Investment Programmes Gains OECS Backing

    Leaders from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have rallied behind Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne to form a coordinated regional pushback against the European Union’s demand to eliminate regional Citizenship by Investment (CIP) programmes by June 2028. This unified stance emerged just 24 hours after Browne first called for collective action during the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Monetary Council Meeting hosted in Dominica, where regional heads of government formally adopted a shared position and committed to a joint diplomatic strategy toward the EU.

    In his opening address to the Monetary Council, Browne emphasized that CIP initiatives are irreplaceable cornerstones of economic growth and long-term fiscal stability for multiple small island nations across the Eastern Caribbean. He reminded attendees that regional governments have already implemented sweeping, rigorous reforms to reinforce the integrity, transparency and global standing of these programmes, most notably the creation of the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority. This body has established a harmonized regional regulatory framework that strengthens oversight and aligns the programmes with international standards.

    Despite these meaningful reforms, Browne highlighted that the European Commission’s updated Visa Suspension Mechanism now singles out the existence of any CIP programme as a potential justification for revoking visa-free travel access to the EU for member states of the OECS. He also confirmed that the European Commission has formally delivered a demand that OECS nations with active CIP programmes phase them out completely by June 1, 2028, paired with a proposed 24-month transition period and a set of incremental interim requirements.

    Browne stressed that the EU’s proposal fails to account for the harsh economic realities that shape small island developing states (SIDS). “Our Citizenship by Investment Programmes are critical pillars of our non-tax revenue base. They cannot simply be abandoned without viable, credible and sustainable replacement sources of revenue,” he said. He also warned that an abrupt shutdown of the programmes would trigger severe, far-reaching consequences for public budgets, major infrastructure projects, climate adaptation efforts, healthcare access, affordable housing, education systems and other core public services across every OECS member state.

    In response to Browne’s call for regional solidarity, the assembled heads of government gathered in Roseau, Dominica to formalize their unified response. The leaders reaffirmed that CIP programmes have grown into a foundational source of development financing across the region, funding everything from climate resilience projects and post-disaster reconstruction to infrastructure expansion, public healthcare, affordable housing, education systems and overall fiscal stability.

    The OECS leaders also agreed that any future adjustments to CIP rules must fully center the unique development vulnerabilities of small island developing states. Any changes, they stated, must be paired with concrete measures to protect existing economic development gains, preserve regional economic stability, and establish fully functional alternative sustainable financing mechanisms before CIP programmes can be altered or phased out.

    A key outcome of the meeting was the formal endorsement of Browne’s plan for coordinated diplomatic action. Leaders agreed to launch a joint diplomatic engagement campaign with the European Union, which will include a high-level official mission to Brussels to meet directly with senior EU leadership and institutional representatives. They have also instructed their foreign affairs ministers, CIP programme leads, ambassadors and senior civil servants to maintain close coordination and present a consistent, unified regional position in all upcoming talks with European officials.

    Following the meeting, Browne praised the outcome, noting that it sends a clear message of the region’s collective resolve to defend its legitimate economic interests while preserving constructive ties with longstanding European partners. “Our Governments will continue to engage the European Commission in a principled and constructive manner consistent with the spirit of our longstanding partnership,” he said.

    Browne reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s unwavering commitment to upholding the highest global standards for due diligence, transparency and regulatory oversight for its CIP programme, while also defending the fundamental sovereign right of independent nations to set the economic policies that best serve their development needs. He expressed confidence that through ongoing dialogue, mutual respect and collaborative partnership, the Eastern Caribbean and the European Union can reach a balanced resolution that addresses the EU’s legitimate policy concerns while also honoring the unique vulnerabilities and development priorities of small island developing states. Closing out the meeting, Browne celebrated the powerful demonstration of regional solidarity from his fellow OECS leaders, underscoring that a unified Caribbean voice will be critical in the coming months as negotiations with the EU progress.

  • Strait of Hormuz Closed Again as US Strikes Iran

    Strait of Hormuz Closed Again as US Strikes Iran

    July 12, 2026 — Tensions between the United States and Iran have surged to alarming new levels this week, shattering a fragile month-old ceasefire and raising urgent global fears of a full-scale regional conflict. The latest cycle of escalation began after U.S. military forces launched targeted strikes against Iranian missile installations, air defense systems, and fast attack craft operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in waters and areas surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, multiple international outlets have confirmed, citing reporting from Axos and a senior anonymous U.S. administration official.

    The U.S. action capped off four days of growing air and naval bombardment across Iran, with strikes documented in no fewer than 10 of the country’s provinces. According to reporting from Al Jazeera, U.S. fighter jets and naval warships have hit hundreds of designated military sites across the country, alongside multiple civilian locations. Iranian government officials have confirmed that the attacks have left both military service members and civilian bystanders dead, while inflicting heavy damage on key public and industrial infrastructure.

    In a direct retaliatory response, Tehran has announced the full closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical strategic chokepoints for global oil and maritime trade. Iranian officials have explicitly accused the U.S. of violating the terms of the ceasefire memorandum both sides agreed to just one month prior. The IRGC confirmed it had targeted two commercial transiting vessels operating along a Western-supported alternate shipping route, and Tehran also claimed responsibility for coordinated strikes against U.S. diplomatic and military interests across five regional partners: Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, and Oman.

    The escalation has hit critical energy infrastructure particularly hard: attacks on Iran’s national power grid have taken a large share of the country’s total electricity generation capacity offline, leaving communities across multiple regions facing widespread blackouts. The unrest has also unfolded against a charged domestic backdrop: the U.S. strikes disrupted the funeral procession of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has publicly called for widespread revenge against the U.S. for the disruption and the ongoing military campaign.

    For ordinary residents living in Iran’s capital Tehran, the rapidly unfolding events have stoked growing anxiety. Multiple residents interviewed by Al Jazeera expressed rising fear that the region is now on the cusp of a new, prolonged full-scale conflict that would have devastating consequences for civilians across the country and the broader Middle East.

  • Trump ally and longtime US Senator Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after sudden illness

    Trump ally and longtime US Senator Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after sudden illness

    Veteran Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the most high-profile figures shaping United States foreign policy and a late-in-career close ally of President Donald Trump, has passed away at age 71 after what his Senate office termed a “brief and sudden illness.”

    Graham’s death was announced shortly after he died at his Washington, D.C., home on Saturday evening. The senior lawmaker had only returned one day prior from an official trip to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. While Graham’s office has not released an official cause of death, multiple major US media outlets have confirmed that first responders were dispatched to his residence following reports of a cardiac arrest incident.

    President Trump was among the first to issue a public tribute to Graham, remembering the long-serving senator as a “true American Patriot” whose absence will be deeply felt across the country. Speaking exclusively to NBC News, Trump revealed he had spoken with Graham just hours before the senator’s passing. “He sounded great, but a little tired,” Trump said, adding that “[Graham] was a tough cookie in many ways and a good person.”

    First elected to the US House of Representatives before winning a Senate seat in 2002, Graham built a decades-long reputation as one of Washington’s most unapologetic foreign policy hawks. Over his career, he consistently pushed for robust US military intervention across the globe: he backed the 2003 invasion of Iraq in the wake of the September 11 attacks, publicly opposed the 2021 withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, and emerged as one of the most vocal congressional supporters of sweeping military and financial aid packages for Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing invasion. Just one month before his death, Graham made headlines for a televised interview warning that the US would “obliterate” Iran if it attempted to seize control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a statement that aligned with his lifelong hard-line stance on national security issues.

    Graham’s passing came as a sudden shock to political circles in Washington. The senator had shown no visible signs of poor health ahead of his Ukraine trip, and was scheduled to appear as a lead guest on NBC’s flagship Sunday morning public affairs program *Meet the Press* the day after he died.

    A defining throughline of Graham’s later political career was his dramatically shifting relationship with Donald Trump. During the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Graham stood as one of Trump’s most fierce critics, famously labeling the then-candidate a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” and warning Republican colleagues that nominating Trump would guarantee a general election defeat. In the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, Graham publicly split with Trump, telling the Senate: “Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a journey. I hate it to end this way. All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough.”

    Yet the two political figures gradually repaired their rift. Graham voted to acquit Trump during his second impeachment trial, evolved into one of Trump’s most reliable allies in the Senate, and threw his full weight behind Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign. In a 2023 interview with the BBC, Graham acknowledged Trump’s well-documented flaws but defended his presidency, pointing to his record on border security, conservative judicial appointments, and the 2020 drone strike that killed top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.

    Tributes have poured in from world leaders in the days following Graham’s death. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Graham one of the State of Israel’s greatest friends in US politics, noting that the senator “understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable.” Zelensky also honored Graham’s unwavering support for Ukraine, releasing a statement thanking him for his consistent backing since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

    Born in the small town of Central, South Carolina, Graham faced devastating personal hardship at a young age: he lost both of his parents while still attending university, and stepped forward to raise his younger sister, whom he later legally adopted. After earning a law degree from the University of South Carolina, Graham launched his professional career as a military lawyer in the US Air Force, later serving in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve before retiring with the rank of colonel.

    Graham never married and had no children. Earlier this year, he secured the Republican nomination to run for a fifth Senate term in the 2026 midterm elections.

    His death creates an unexpected vacancy in the US Senate at a politically pivotal moment for the country. Per South Carolina state law, Republican Governor Henry McMaster will appoint an interim senator to fill the seat through the end of Graham’s current term, with a permanent successor set to be elected by voters in November’s midterms. Prior to Graham’s passing, Republicans held a narrow 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning the upcoming special election to fill his seat will carry outsize importance in the ongoing battle for partisan control of the upper chamber.

  • APNU-backed election commissioners “not morally entitled” to remain in office- Ramkarran

    APNU-backed election commissioners “not morally entitled” to remain in office- Ramkarran

    A brewing constitutional dispute over three Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) seats aligned with the former APNU+AFC coalition has intensified, with former National Assembly Speaker Ralph Ramkarran calling for the commissioners’ immediate resignation following the 2025 general and regional elections. In his weekly Conversation Tree column published Saturday, Ramkarran argued that the three commissioners – Desmond Trotman, Vincent Alexander, and Charles Corbin – appointed on the recommendation of a previous opposition leader no longer hold any moral or legitimate claim to their posts after the 2025 vote reshaped Guyana’s political opposition landscape.

    The 2025 general election installed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), a new 16-seat opposition party founded by Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, as the official main opposition, replacing the 12-seat APNU bloc that originally backed the three sitting commissioners. Ramkarran, a senior counsel and former executive member of the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC), noted that while the principle that an opposition leader should be able to recommend their own representatives to the election commission is widely undisputed, Guyana’s constitution contains no clear framework for removing sitting commissioners outside of cases of death, incapacity, misconduct findings by a tribunal, or voluntary resignation. The three incumbents have so far refused to step down, creating an immediate deadlock.

    The standoff has been further complicated by long-running political tensions between the PPPC administration and WIN. The Mohameds, once close allies of President Irfaan Ali and prominent PPPC supporters, broke ranks to form WIN in 2024 after the United States imposed sanctions on them over alleged financial crimes tied to their gold trading operations. Shortly after the sanctions were announced, the Guyanese government revoked the pair’s foreign exchange dealer licenses and gold sector operating permits, and forced all domestic commercial banks to close their company accounts. Relations deteriorated further when WIN contested the 2025 general elections to become the largest opposition bloc.

    Ramkarran warned that the PPPC’s deep-seated hostility toward WIN will likely block any path to constitutional amendment to resolve the vacancy issue. “The government’s hostility to WIN is so deep-seated that it might prefer to have the three Commissioners retain their positions rather than amend the Constitution to have the three Commissioners unseated,” he wrote. Well-placed government sources confirmed that Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed’s formal request to President Ali to appoint three new nominees – Roysdale Forde, Damien Da Silva, and Siand Dhurjon – to replace the sitting commissioners has been rejected on the grounds that no official vacancies exist on the commission.

    According to Ramkarran, the only remaining path for WIN to resolve the deadlock is to bring the dispute before Guyana’s judiciary. The former speaker, who specializes in constitutional and electoral law, expressed cautious optimism that courts would rule in WIN’s favor. He argued that under Article 161(3) of Guyana’s constitution, GECOM commissioners nominated by the opposition leader are required to hold the confidence of the sitting opposition leader. Since Mohamed has formally submitted new nominations, the court could find that the incumbents no longer hold that confidence and could even rule their continued occupation of the seats unlawful. At the same time, Ramkarran cautioned that the absence of explicit constitutional language for removal may lead courts to stop short of formally declaring the seats vacant, prolonging the impasse.

    The ongoing stalemate already threatens to derail planned 2026 local government elections, sources familiar with GECOM operations confirmed. Retired Justice Claudette Singh, GECOM’s chair, has not convened a full commission meeting for months. While technical staff have drafted and updated a detailed workplan for the upcoming local polls, the inability of the commission to convene and make formal decisions puts the timeline for the elections at serious risk.

    The sitting APNU-aligned commissioners have echoed the government’s position, stating that no vacancy exists and the deadlock can only be resolved either by a court ruling or a formal constitutional amendment. Ramkarran noted that prior to the 1992 democratic transition, Guyana’s electoral laws explicitly required the entire election commission to resign within three months of a general and regional election, a provision that was not carried forward into the current constitutional framework.

  • President Abinader celebrates 59th birthday with private Mass at National Palace

    President Abinader celebrates 59th birthday with private Mass at National Palace

    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader celebrated his 59th birthday on Sunday in a quiet, faith-centered gathering, hosting a private Mass at the San Rafael Chapel located within the National Palace. The intimate ceremony brought together a small group of the president’s closest family members, top-ranking government leaders, and long-time personal associates, marking the occasion with reflection rather than extravagant celebration.

    Throughout the service, Abinader opened with gratitude toward God for granting him continued good health, before turning to reaffirm his core promise to the Dominican people: that he will remain dedicated to advancing the nation’s development, strengthening widespread social peace, and fostering a culture of tolerance across all sectors of Dominican society. He explained his choice to host the religious ceremony at the National Palace specifically, noting that the location allowed him to gather the public servants who stand alongside him to address the nation’s pressing challenges, unifying their purpose through shared faith.

    In personal reflections shared during the event, the president recalled the humble birthday traditions of his family upbringing, emphasizing that large, extravagant celebrations have never been a core part of his family’s culture. He also opened up about his daily spiritual routine, explaining that dedicated morning and evening prayer is a long-held personal practice that helps ground his decision-making as head of state and keeps him focused on the weighty responsibilities of governing the Dominican Republic.

    A roster of high-profile Dominican political figures joined the president for the celebration, including Vice President Raquel Peña, former President Hipólito Mejía, former Vice President Milagros Ortiz Bosch, Senate President Ricardo de los Santos, and First Lady Raquel Arbaje, alongside other extended family members and senior administration officials.

    The Mass itself was led by Monsignor Tomás Morel, who led the congregation in special prayers for Abinader’s continued good health and effective leadership. Monsignor Morel also offered words of encouragement to the president, urging him to remain steadfast in his service to the Dominican people even as the nation confronts ongoing difficulties in the years ahead.

  • Government to break ground on LNG terminal today

    Government to break ground on LNG terminal today

    The Bahamian government is set to launch a transformative step for the nation’s energy sector on Thursday, holding the long-awaited groundbreaking ceremony for the new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on New Providence. This kickoff comes just days after a crippling island-wide power outage last Sunday exposed the critical vulnerabilities of the country’s aging electricity infrastructure, making the modernization project far more urgent than before.

    Energy, Utilities and Aviation Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis officially announced the ceremony this Thursday, framing the LNG terminal as a cornerstone of the government’s sweeping energy reform agenda. The overarching goals of this initiative are threefold: boost power supply reliability, cut national fuel expenditures, and bring down household electricity bills for Bahamian consumers.

    The recent full island blackout served as a stark reminder of the risks inherent in upgrading a decades-old power network while still relying on it to serve the entire population. In her address, Coleby-Davis broke down the role LNG will play in the country’s future energy system, explaining that LNG – natural gas cooled to liquid form for safe transport to The Bahamas – will be regasified on-site and used to generate power. Unlike the heavy fuel oil and diesel currently relied upon by the nation’s generators, natural gas burns far cleaner, producing significantly lower greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions, and requires far less ongoing maintenance of generation equipment.

    Economic benefits are a core draw of the transition. Ministry projections estimate that shifting to LNG will generate up to $100 million in annual fuel cost savings for the system, savings that will be passed directly to consumers through reductions in the fuel portion of their electricity bills. The transition will also allow Bahamas Power and Light, the national utility, to cut its dependence on expensive temporary rental power generation, freeing up capital to invest in permanent, long-lasting grid infrastructure upgrades.

    The LNG terminal is not a standalone solution: it forms the backbone of a fully diversified national energy portfolio that will pair 172 megawatts of LNG-powered generation with utility-scale solar farms, utility-scale battery energy storage systems, fully upgraded substations, and modernized transmission infrastructure. “This balanced energy portfolio gives us greater reliability, greater resilience, lower emissions and stronger energy security,” Coleby-Davis noted.

    Development of complementary renewable energy projects is already well underway, the minister confirmed. Utility-scale solar developments on New Providence have secured required land parcels, construction is progressing on schedule, and the first utility solar power is expected to connect to the grid and start delivering electricity in March 2027. Parallel upgrades to the island’s transmission and distribution network are also moving forward, with new substations, intelligent switching systems, and digital control technologies being installed across the grid. Final system testing for these distribution upgrades is on track to wrap up by the end of July this year.

    Coleby-Davis acknowledged the complexity of the undertaking, comparing the ongoing grid upgrade process to renovating a home while still living in it. “We are rebuilding our electricity system while continuing to provide electricity to an entire nation,” she said. “It is complex and challenging, but it is necessary.”

    Bahamian consumers can expect to begin seeing tangible benefits from the full suite of energy reforms by 2025, with lower fuel costs, cleaner power generation, and a far more resilient and reliable power network. The Clifton Pier LNG terminal is just one component of the government’s national energy reform plan, which also extends to the Family Islands, where new renewable energy and hybrid power projects are being developed to improve reliability and cut electricity costs across the entire archipelago.