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  • 3 Vincies among 10 people replacing late Queen on EC notes

    3 Vincies among 10 people replacing late Queen on EC notes

    In a landmark step that redefines the regional identity of Eastern Caribbean currency, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has revealed redesigned banknotes that replace the late Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait with portraits of influential leaders and national heroes drawn from across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCB)’s eight member states. The announcement, made Thursday, marks the culmination of a years-long process of public engagement and institutional planning that will see the EC dollar enter a new era when the new notes enter circulation.

    Among the 10 prominent regional figures selected for the redesign, three have deep ties to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. These include Robert Milton Cato, the founding first prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; John Compton, the late former prime minister of St. Lucia who was born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and Sir K. Dwight Venner, who served as the long-serving governor of the ECCB from 1989 to 2015.

    The redesigned series covers four commonly used denominations: the $5, $20, $50, and $100 EC notes, each pairing two influential figures that represent the region’s diverse history, contributions and collective progress. The highest $100 denomination features Sir William Arthur Lewis, a Nobel Prize-winning economic scientist, alongside the St. Vincent-born John Compton. The $50 note pairs St. Vincent’s Sir K. Dwight Venner with Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, a beloved leader from Saint Kitts and Nevis. On the $20 note, Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr, Antigua and Barbuda’s first prime minister, shares space with Dame Mary Eugenia Charles, Dominica’s former prime minister and the only woman honored in the new series. A $10 note, which was referenced in planning documents, features Montserrat trade union and political leader William Henry Bramble and Anguilla’s founding politician James Ronald Webster. The lowest $5 denomination pairs St. Vincent’s Robert Milton Cato with Kirani James, Grenada’s trailblazing Olympic gold medalist — the only living person included in the new banknote series.

    The path to this historic redesign began in July 2023, when the ECCB’s Monetary Council voted during its 105th meeting to approve the removal of Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait and directed the central bank to gather public input on the new direction. Between July and December 2023, the ECCB carried out extensive public consultations across the eight member states, and the results were clear: residents strongly backed the plan to feature homegrown national heroes and foundational nation builders on the region’s currency.

    ECCB Governor Timothy N.J. Antoine officially unveiled the new designs, framing the moment as a defining milestone in the decades-long history of Eastern Caribbean currency. In an official press statement, the central bank emphasized that the redesign is far more than an aesthetic update. It is a deliberate choice to honor the unique cultural heritage, collective achievements and enduring legacy of the women and men who shaped the modern Eastern Caribbean. At the same time, the ECCB confirmed that the new banknote series will retain the rigorous security features that have preserved the integrity and public trust long associated with the EC dollar.

    The redesigned notes are scheduled to enter general circulation in late 2027, when for the first time since the creation of the EC dollar, the late British monarch’s likeness will no longer appear on the region’s currency. The new series, the bank noted, centers the region’s own shared identity, independent history and trailblazing achievements, cementing the EC dollar’s role as a symbol of Eastern Caribbean self-determination for generations to come.

  • Families seek court declaration of death

    Families seek court declaration of death

    Eight months after a controversial United States military kinetic strike in Caribbean waters left two Trinidadian nationals missing, their family members are preparing to petition Trinidad and Tobago’s High Court to formally declare the men legally dead. Next week, Lenore Burnley — mother of missing man Chad Joseph — and Sallycar Korasingh, sister of Rishi Samaroo, will appear before the court to request the death declaration, a step that comes one day after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissesssar publicly stated there is no confirmed evidence that any Trinidadian citizens were killed in the strike.

  • Franse noodkreet om grensverdrag met Suriname

    Franse noodkreet om grensverdrag met Suriname

    On the eve of France’s national Bastille Day celebrations, outgoing French Ambassador to Suriname Nicolas de Lacoste issued an urgent public call for Suriname’s parliament to finally ratify a border agreement signed by both nations five years ago, warning that continued inaction is blocking broader bilateral cooperation between Suriname and French Guiana, an overseas department of France.

    Speaking at a press conference in Paramaribo on Thursday, de Lacoste outlined that parliamentary approval of the border protocol would clear the path for negotiations on a sweeping expanded partnership agreement covering multiple sectors of mutual interest. The ambassador, who will end his four-year posting to Suriname in just one month, noted that the draft ratification bill was first added to parliament’s agenda in 2023, and was revisited in November 2025, but has remained stuck in legislative gridlock ever since.

    The agreement in question is the product of more than four years of renewed negotiations that began in 2017, under de Lacoste’s predecessor Ambassador Antoine Joly. It serves as a formal update to the 1915 Treaty of Paris, establishing a clear, digitally mapped border along the Marowijne River between Suriname and French Guiana. The new border is marked by 2,300 precise GPS points, running from the mouth of the Marowijne to the confluence of the Lawa, Litani, and Marowini rivers. Under the agreed terms, any river island closer to the Surinamese bank falls under Surinamese sovereignty, and vice versa, with one notable exception: the island of Jamaica, previously held by France, will be transferred to Suriname under the new framework. The agreement also makes the full GPS border data publicly accessible, allowing any citizen to view the exact boundary on consumer mapping tools such as Google Maps.

    De Lacoste stressed that years of diplomatic work have already produced a fair, negotiated deal that resolves longstanding territorial ambiguities in the region. The push to finalize negotiations gained urgency after three high-profile incidents in the border region in the 2010s, in which French gendarmerie destroyed property belonging primarily to Surinamese gold miners operating in disputed territory. Five years after the protocol was formally signed by both countries’ foreign ministers, however, Suriname’s legislative branch has yet to complete the ratification process.

    “Over my four years here, I have worked steadily to convince members of parliament of the benefits of this agreement, but so far those efforts have not yielded results,” de Lacoste said. He added that the border agreement is a foundational prerequisite to launch deeper collaboration across economic, security, and infrastructure sectors. The ambassador pointed to the successful cross-border partnership between French Guiana and Brazil as a model for what Suriname and France could achieve, highlighting the well-managed border crossing at Oiapoque, where a new bridge enables seamless travel, cross-border school attendance, and close security cooperation between the two sides.

    De Lacoste expressed frustration that the bill has remained stuck after its initial parliamentary hearing, saying it has been nearly impossible to get the legislation re-scheduled for a final vote. When asked why Suriname’s parliament has delayed ratification, he replied, “You will have to ask them that question.” He also noted that currently, Suriname does not formally recognize the border with France, a gap that creates uncertainty even for planned infrastructure projects: “We hear about plans to build a bridge across the Marowijne, but this is a river whose border we do not even have formal agreement on,” he said.

    As a direct result of the ongoing ratification delay, the planned December 2025 meeting of the bilateral Marowijne River Council in Saint-Laurent has been suspended, with talks on new cooperation formats put on hold until the border issue is resolved. De Lacoste emphasized that dialogue between the two neighbors will continue regardless, but warned that without a rapid resolution, his successor Benoît Denis will inherit the same cooperation gridlock that has marked his own tenure.

    French officials have repeatedly pushed for ratification since 2023, when Michèle Ramis, Director for the Americas and the Caribbean at France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, publicly called for Suriname’s approval during an official visit to the country. De Lacoste reiterated that France remains fully open to continued political dialogue, pointing to recent talks between Surinamese Foreign Minister Melvin Bouva and his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot held in Fort-de-France, Martinique, but emphasized that no expanded cooperation can move forward until the border protocol is formally ratified.

  • Zapping Haiti of July 10, 2026

    Zapping Haiti of July 10, 2026

    On July 10, 2026, multiple unfolding developments across Haiti paint a dynamic picture of the Caribbean nation’s ongoing efforts to build stability, prepare for upcoming elections, restore critical services, and engage in cultural and international cooperation.

    First, in a major step to bolster international security efforts against rampant gang violence, 300 Sri Lankan military personnel arrived at Port-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport on the night of July 8, 2026, to join the UN-mandated Gang Suppression Force (GSF). Local sources indicate additional contingent members from Côte d’Ivoire and other partner nations are scheduled to deploy to the Haitian capital in the coming weeks, expanding the multi-national coalition focused on countering gang activity.

    As Haiti prepares for upcoming electoral processes, roughly 4,000 trainee Electoral Security Agents (ESA) are currently undergoing a three-day national training program running from July 9 to 11, 2026. The initiative is organized by Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) in coordination with the Haitian National Police (PNH), with logistical backing from the Ministry of National Education, aimed at securing the integrity of future voting processes across the country.

    In sports, Haiti’s national men’s 5×5 basketball team is currently competing in the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 pre-qualifying tournament hosted in Georgetown, Guyana, which concludes on July 12, 2026. Haiti’s Ministry of Youth and Sports (MJSAC) has issued an official statement of encouragement to the team, extending well wishes ahead of their remaining matches. Drawn into Group B alongside Barbados, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Cayman Islands, Haiti’s team – nicknamed the Grenadiers – dropped their opening match to Barbados by a score of 68-91. They are set to face Grenada in their second group stage match this Friday.

    In infrastructure news, Caribbean telecommunications provider Digicel has announced the full completion of repairs to its fiber optic network, which suffered major damage along National Road 2 that disrupted services for customers across southern Haiti. In a public statement, the company confirmed that tireless work from its technical teams, paired with cooperation from local Haitian authorities, has allowed full service restoration, and customers in the affected region can now access network services normally. Digicel also noted that affected subscribers will receive compensation for the service outage inconvenience.

    During a working visit to Port-au-Prince, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz toured the Vertières military base to assess the GSF’s ongoing operations. Speaking on-site, Waltz noted that personnel from 10 different countries are already deployed in Haiti, and the multinational force has completed its first offensive operation to clear gang-controlled neighborhoods, detain criminal actors, and counter organized gang violence. He emphasized that the deployment represents a collective effort by the entire international community to reclaim Haitian territory from gang control and restore stability for the Haitian population. In a post on his social media account, Waltz added a clear warning to Haitian criminal groups: the UN-authorized GSF is committed to restoring stability, curbing the large-scale irregular migration flow to the United States, and eliminating the widespread lawlessness that has destabilized the entire Caribbean region.

    Finally, in cultural news, acclaimed author Dany Laferrière is scheduled to arrive in Haiti on Saturday, July 11, 2026, for a two-week visit to the country.

  • Cocoa and breadfruit, two promising sectors in Haiti

    Cocoa and breadfruit, two promising sectors in Haiti

    In early July 2026, a senior delegation of diplomatic and institutional stakeholders traveled to Haiti’s Grand’Anse department to review on-the-ground progress of two landmark international agricultural development initiatives: the Agricultural Value Chain Promotion for Employment and Resilience (PROFIT) project and the Smallholder Agriculture Market Support (SAMS) program. Jointly implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), these programs are designed to empower small-scale Haitian producers by focusing on two high-potential domestic sectors—cocoa and breadfruit—with the dual goals of revitalizing the country’s rural economy and generating formal, dignified employment opportunities for local communities.

    Nicole Boni Kouassi, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Haiti and the country’s UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, emphasized that the PROFIT project has already delivered tangible proof that strategic investment in agricultural value chain development can deliver transformative results for Haiti. Early outcomes in the cocoa and breadfruit sectors confirm that significant untapped economic potential exists, and that Haitians—particularly the country’s large youth population—are eager to participate in sustainable economic activity when clear, actionable opportunities are made available to them.

    Haitian cocoa has long been celebrated globally for its distinct, high-quality aromatic profiles and flavors, positioning it well to access premium, profitable niche markets, especially through international fair trade networks. Breadfruit, meanwhile, delivers multiple layers of value: it strengthens national food security, creates opportunities for local value-added processing, and allows smallholder producers to diversify their income streams to reduce vulnerability to market shocks. As an early indicator of the sector’s growing international traction, PROFIT-supported Haitian producers showcased their cocoa products and byproducts at the 2025 Paris Chocolate Salon in November, where the offerings drew substantial interest from international buyers and consumers alike.

    The success of these interventions depends on robust cross-sector coordination between Haitian public institutions, international technical and financial partners, local private sector businesses, and grassroots producer organizations. This collaborative approach ensures that all program activities are adapted to local context and needs, while also expanding and improving the support services available directly to cocoa and breadfruit producers across the country.

    Since the launch of the two projects, they have delivered a wide range of measurable impacts across Grand’Anse. Key achievements include the construction of a 250-ton annual capacity cocoa fermentation facility and four breadfruit processing centers with a combined monthly processing capacity of 100 tons, as well as the full reconstruction of the Chambellan public market. The initiatives have created 2,000 direct and indirect jobs for local workers, completed a technical and economic feasibility study focused on processing breadfruit into flour and other value-added products, and registered and georeferenced more than 10,000 producers on a centralized logistics intelligence platform to improve market access.

    Additional outcomes include the establishment of 70 fully functional solidarity producer cooperatives, capacity building for six local agricultural service providers to improve the quality of support they offer smallholders, and a threefold increase in cocoa exports from Grand’Anse over just two years. The projects have also facilitated the sale of more than 30 tons of locally produced breadfruit flour to WFP for use in its national school feeding programs, enabling 6,789 local producers to secure stable income through WFP’s local procurement initiative, which represents a total investment of more than $2 million in local agricultural communities.

    More than 1,900 lead producers have completed training in agroecological farming practices, post-harvest handling, aflatoxin prevention, and financial and commercial management. Over 2,000 smallholder farmers have received critical agricultural inputs, including 5 tons of seeds, 99,500 seedlings, and 352 goats to support production. Five new beekeeping enterprises have been launched to help rural households diversify their income streams, and 2.5 kilometers of critical agricultural access roads have been rehabilitated, with a truck and four tricycles provided to reduce barriers to transporting products to market.

    The projects have also supported the creation of eight community mutual aid societies and selected eight local micro-enterprises to receive targeted financial support. Major structural investments have been completed, including the construction of a grain mill, two product aggregation centers, two storage facilities, and a dedicated cocoa drying area. Almost 2,900 small-scale producers have been trained in the Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA) approach, and receive customized climate information via SMS and radio to help them adapt to changing weather patterns. After Hurricane Melissa hit the region, the programs disbursed more than $81,280 in compensation payments to 1,726 insured farming households, supporting their post-disaster recovery and strengthening long-term resilience to climate shocks.

  • Caribbean Comes Together for Venezuela Earthquake Relief

    Caribbean Comes Together for Venezuela Earthquake Relief

    In the wake of destructive powerful earthquakes that have left widespread devastation across Venezuelan communities, Caribbean nations have unified under the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) banner to launch a coordinated humanitarian relief operation, with Belize committing critical emergency supplies to the effort.

    On Wednesday, three 40-foot containers carrying Belize’s donated aid departed from the Port of Georgetown in Guyana, marking a key milestone in the regional mission. The Belizean contribution is integrated into a much larger convoy: a single cargo vessel carrying a total of 88 containers of emergency provisions collected from donor nations across the Caribbean is now en route to the quake-stricken regions of Venezuela.

    Senior diplomatic and government officials attended the departure ceremony to mark the solidarity of the Caribbean bloc. In attendance were Her Excellency Gale Miller Garnett, Belize’s High Commissioner to Guyana, and Mark Phillips, Prime Minister of Guyana, whose country has served as a coordination hub for the regional relief effort.

    In remarks following the ceremony, Ambassador Miller Garnett emphasized the deep reciprocal solidarity driving Belize’s contribution. She noted that the moment carried profound emotional weight, as the country was finally able to return the decades of support Venezuela extended to Belize through the PetroCaribe initiative and other assistance programs.

    “It was a wonderful feeling because it was a symbol of Belize standing with the Venezuelan people during this incredibly difficult time,” Miller Garnett said. “Just yesterday, I signed the book of condolences at the Venezuelan Embassy in Georgetown, and the Venezuelan ambassador shared firsthand reports of just how devastating the damage is back home. It was an emotional moment. Venezuela was there for us for so many years through PetroCaribe, through so many different forms of assistance. So it was a proud moment for us to step up to help them now, with the logistical support of Guyana.”

    Details of Belize’s donation confirm the containers are stocked with supplies prioritized by Venezuelan emergency response teams: a range of pharmaceutical products for treating injuries and preventing post-quake disease outbreaks, non-perishable food items to feed displaced communities, and bulk cleaning supplies to support sanitation efforts in damaged residential areas.

    Historically, Venezuela held status as one of Belize’s most critical trading partners throughout the duration of the PetroCaribe energy cooperation agreement, which provided affordable petroleum access to Caribbean nations for decades and supported economic stability across the region. Today, that historical partnership has translated to tangible solidarity as the Caribbean comes together to support Venezuela through its current crisis.

  • Belize Steps Up for Venezuela While Death Toll Rises to Over 3,800

    Belize Steps Up for Venezuela While Death Toll Rises to Over 3,800

    In the wake of a devastating series of earthquakes that have left more than 3,800 people dead and widespread destruction across Venezuela, the small Central American nation of Belize has stepped forward to contribute critical humanitarian supplies as part of a broader regional relief effort coordinated through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

    Belize’s donation, which fills three shipping containers, includes essential pharmaceutical products, non-perishable food staples for displaced families, and cleaning supplies to help communities restore basic sanitary conditions after the disaster. The combined aid shipment departed Georgetown Port in Guyana on Wednesday, carried aboard a dedicated CARICOM relief vessel that holds a total of 88 containers of assistance bound for earthquake-ravaged Venezuelan towns and neighborhoods.

    Gale Miller Garnett, Belize’s High Commissioner to Guyana, joined Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips at the port to oversee the shipment’s departure. She framed the contribution as an act of reciprocal solidarity, noting that Venezuela has supported Belize for decades through initiatives like the Petrocaribe energy cooperation agreement, which has delivered critical energy assistance to Caribbean nations through multiple iterations of regional partnership. “It was a wonderful feeling because of the fact that it was a symbol of Belize as a country supporting the Venezuelan people,” Garnett said of the occasion. “Venezuela was there for us through Petrocaribe and all of so many different iterations of assistance. So it was a proud moment for us.”

    As regional partners deliver life-saving aid on the ground, Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez has renewed urgent calls for international sanctions relief and the release of billions of dollars in Venezuelan assets frozen in overseas financial institutions. Rodriguez has emphasized that these assets would be more than sufficient to fund full-scale reconstruction of infrastructure damaged and destroyed by the earthquakes if they are unblocked.

    At the center of Rodriguez’s campaign is a request addressed to King Charles III for the release of approximately 31 tonnes of Venezuelan gold reserves held at the Bank of England. The gold has been tied up in a protracted international legal dispute for years, with no resolution reached to date. Rodriguez has also raised the issue of frozen assets with the International Monetary Fund, pushing for global institutional support to unblock funds critical to Venezuela’s recovery.

  • Taiwan Braces for Powerful Typhoon After Deadly China Floods

    Taiwan Braces for Powerful Typhoon After Deadly China Floods

    As communities across southern China continue the painstaking work of recovering from catastrophic flooding triggered by Tropical Storm Maysak, a far more powerful weather system — Typhoon Bavi — is barreling toward Taiwan and eastern China, with forecasters warning it could rank among the strongest storms to strike the region in more than 30 years.

    The aftermath of Maysak has already left a devastating trail: Chinese authorities confirm at least 39 people have died in the southern region of Guangxi, 26 of whom were killed when a dam collapsed near the regional capital Nanning. Nine more residents remain unaccounted for, and days of record-breaking rainfall that overwhelmed local infrastructure have forced more than 130,000 people to evacuate their damaged homes.

    Current projections show Bavi tracking just north of Taiwan before making landfall in China’s coastal Fujian Province on Saturday. The massive storm currently sustains maximum sustained winds of nearly 200 kilometers per hour and extends roughly 1,000 kilometers across the Western Pacific, making it the largest storm to threaten Taiwan since 1987.

    In response, Taiwanese authorities have activated full emergency response protocols: nearly 29,000 military personnel have been placed on standby to assist with rescue and recovery operations, residents across the island have been urged to stockpile at least three days of emergency food, water, and medical supplies, and forecasters have issued extreme rainfall warnings for remote mountainous regions that could see up to one meter of precipitation over the weekend. Hundreds of commercial and artisanal fishing vessels have already returned to sheltered ports to avoid destructive storm surges, and all commercial flight departures from Taiwan’s main Taoyuan International Airport on Saturday have been canceled to protect passenger safety.

    Meteorological experts caution that while Bavi may weaken marginally as it moves across cooler coastal waters, it will retain its status as an extreme, life-threatening storm through the weekend, bringing the risk of catastrophic wind damage, flash flooding, and deadly landslides across both Taiwan and eastern China’s coastal provinces.

    The overlapping weather disasters — ongoing recovery from Maysak paired with the impending threat of Bavi — comes as climate researchers point to long-term shifts in regional weather patterns that are increasing storm risk. Warmer ocean surface temperatures, paired with the approaching El Niño climate pattern, are expected to fuel more intense and frequent tropical cyclones across the Western Pacific in coming years.

    Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño issued a public message of solidarity via the social platform X, writing, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Taiwan as they prepare for the approaching typhoon. Wishing everyone strength, safety, and a swift recovery from any impacts.”

  • UWI forum examines Cuba crisis, calls for stronger Caribbean cooperation

    UWI forum examines Cuba crisis, calls for stronger Caribbean cooperation

    Against a backdrop of mounting global geopolitical tension and economic pressure on Cuba, The University of the West Indies (UWI) recently brought together leading diplomats, academics and policy specialists for a high-level virtual forum focused on unpacking the multifaceted crisis facing the island nation and its implications for the entire Caribbean region. Held on June 25 under the banner of the university’s Vice-Chancellor’s Forum series, the event titled “Perspectives on the Current Cuban Crisis: Issues, Impact, and Imperatives” aimed to bridge academic analysis, diplomatic insight and on-the-ground perspective to frame a collective regional response.

    Chaired by Ambassador Gillian Bristol, director of UWI’s Latin American-Caribbean Centre (LACC) who served as programme chair for the gathering, the discussion was co-moderated by Pro Vice-Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies Professor Canute S. Thompson and Professor Don D. Marshall. In opening remarks delivered on behalf of UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Thompson emphasized that the regional public university does not position itself as a detached bystander to pressing global and regional challenges. “We are not passive observers; we are activists,” he stated, reaffirming the institution’s longstanding commitment to confronting issues that shape the future of Caribbean nations.

    Cuba’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency Tania López Larroque, framed the root of the country’s current struggles in the context of 60-plus years of punitive U.S. sanctions. She noted that restrictions on economic, commercial and financial activity have been sharply ramped up since the start of this year, directly undermining access to basic necessities including food, fuel and life-saving medicine, while blocking critical foreign investment. Larroque rejected claims that sanctions serve the interests of the Cuban people, and called for renewed global commitment to multilateral cooperation and unwavering respect for sovereign national self-determination.

    International relations scholar Professor Andy Knight of the University of Alberta characterized the current global order as an “interregnum,” a period of transition where long-accepted international norms are facing growing erosion. He warned that the erosion of sovereignty and non-intervention principles in the case of Cuba sets a dangerous precedent that threatens all small developing states. “If the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention are compromised… no small state can presume it will remain protected,” Knight argued, urging regional leaders to take a clear, principled stand in defense of Cuba.

    Dr. Miriam Nicado, rector of the University of Havana, offered a firsthand account of the crisis, describing the country’s economic and diplomatic isolation as “a strangling.” She detailed the crippling impact of persistent electricity shortages on Cuba’s higher education sector, particularly disrupting online learning initiatives. Even amid these challenges, Nicado highlighted the ongoing UWI-Havana Centre for Sustainable Development as a powerful example of productive regional collaboration that continues to deliver shared benefits.
    Professor Emerita Jessica Byron-Reid reflected on more than half a century of partnership between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba, recalling the island nation’s enduring contributions to regional education and public healthcare systems across the Caribbean. She emphasized that the region can never fully repay the debt of solidarity it owes to Cuba, arguing that the current crisis presents a critical opportunity for CARICOM to reciprocate that longstanding support.

    UWI St. Augustine’s Dr. Indira Rampersad offered analysis of Cuba’s ongoing reform agenda, which includes 176 targeted economic adjustments. Rampersad noted that the reforms represent a deliberate effort to expand market-oriented policy flexibility while retaining the country’s core socialist political framework, drawing comparisons to the successful development models pursued by China and Vietnam.
    Professor Bert Hoffmann of the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) confirmed that the current reform package is the most ambitious and far-reaching Cuba has undertaken in its modern history. However, he stressed that meaningful economic recovery will remain out of reach unless the country regains access to global banking systems and sees meaningful relief from sanctions, which continue to deter all major foreign investment flows.

    Throughout the discussion, participants united around a call for intentional regional engagement rather than the risk of turning away and ignoring the crisis. Byron-Reid outlined a clear path forward for CARICOM, urging the bloc to prioritize preserving the Caribbean as a neutral zone of peace, protecting Caribbean citizens residing in Cuba, delivering targeted humanitarian relief, and backing Cuba’s efforts to rebuild its economy. Echoing this call, Knight noted that the Caribbean’s collective response to Cuba’s crisis will ultimately shape the region’s own standing and future in the global order.

    To translate the forum’s call for action into tangible support, UWI used the closing of the event to announce the launch of its One-UWI Humanitarian Effort, led by the university’s School of Graduate Studies and Research. The initiative is calling on staff, students, alumni and institutional partners across all five of UWI’s campuses to make financial contributions to fund essential supplies for the Cuban people, with donations open through an online fundraising platform until September 30.

  • Martinique and Barbados strengthen Caribbean partnership through new cooperation agreement

    Martinique and Barbados strengthen Caribbean partnership through new cooperation agreement

    Against the backdrop of growing demand for coordinated regional action in the Caribbean, Martinique and Barbados have cemented a groundbreaking new partnership that paves the way for deeper cross-territory collaboration across multiple critical sectors. The formal signing of the agreement took place July 7 on the margins of the annual CARICOM Summit, marking Martinique’s first high-level participation in the gathering since it gained associate membership in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) this past February.

    The historic document was signed by Serge Letchimy, President of Martinique’s Executive Council, and Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, in a ceremony witnessed by regional stakeholders from across the Caribbean bloc.

    In an official press statement published by the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique (CTM), local authorities framed the new agreement as a key milestone in Martinique’s bid to embed itself more deeply in regional Caribbean affairs, turning its new associate membership status into tangible, people-centered progress.

    For Letchimy, the partnership sends a clear message that Martinique is committed to more than just symbolic participation in CARICOM. “Martinique is not simply taking its seat at the CARICOM table. It is here to build, propose, cooperate, and act. With Barbados, we are opening a new chapter: one of useful, operational, organised and results-driven Caribbean cooperation. We share a common responsibility: to turn our geographical, historical and human proximity into concrete projects for our peoples,” he said in remarks following the signing.

    The sweeping cooperation framework covers a broad range of priority areas identified as foundational to the long-term prosperity and stability of Caribbean communities. These include cultural and creative industries, sports exchanges, formal education, vocational skills training, climate and disaster risk management, public health collaboration, sustainable tourism development, fisheries management, and streamlined trade procedures between the two territories.

    Officials project that the partnership will unlock new opportunities for youth workforce development, expand cross-border economic ties, boost regional capacity to adapt to climate change, strengthen core productive sectors, and leverage shared cultural heritage as a unifying driver of cooperation and growth.

    Unlike many broad regional cooperation pacts that stall after signing, the new agreement includes formal institutional structures designed to ensure accountability and deliver measurable, on-the-ground results. A joint bilateral Cooperation Committee, co-led by senior representatives from both Barbados and CTM, will be tasked with setting annual cooperation priorities, approving work programs, tracking activity progress, evaluating outcomes, and recommending adjustments for future initiatives.

    A dedicated Technical Secretariat will also handle day-to-day project tracking and provide logistical support for implementation. To maintain full transparency, the two partners will publish a joint annual report that details completed activities, allocated resource usage, performance metrics, unmet challenges, and planned work for the coming year.

    The agreement will remain in force for an initial five-year term, with provisions for renewal through mutual consent, creating a stable, long-term framework for sustained collaboration. For Martinique, the partnership also reaffirms its long-term strategic goal of acting as a collaborative bridge connecting the Caribbean region to Europe, the Americas and Africa, while contributing directly to inclusive regional development and integration.