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  • Barbados, Venezuela deepen energy, trade ties

    Barbados, Venezuela deepen energy, trade ties

    In high-level diplomatic talks held in Caracas on Monday, leaders of Barbados and Venezuela have formalized a sweeping bilateral cooperation agreement that aims to deepen economic and people-to-people ties across multiple critical sectors, with energy collaboration at its core.

    The landmark joint declaration, signed by Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, builds on preliminary discussions held in Bridgetown back on April 27, outlining clear action plans for 10 priority areas from food security to tourism, education to transportation. Both nations have committed to immediate implementation of the agreement, with regular progress checks scheduled every six months by their respective foreign ministries.

    At the heart of the new partnership is expanded energy cooperation. Beyond enabling commercial trade of hydrocarbons and oil derivatives between the two countries, Venezuela will share its industry expertise by providing specialized training and capacity-building programs for Barbadian energy workers. It will also extend technical support for land-based hydrocarbon exploration and the rehabilitation of mature oil fields. Looking toward a low-carbon future, the two countries will jointly explore investment opportunities in renewable energy development and related infrastructure projects, and a dedicated technical working group will be set up to track the execution of all energy-related commitments.

    Food security, another top priority, will see the two governments develop a coordinated joint work plan that addresses climate resilience in agriculture, covering climate adaptation, sustainable resilient farming systems, improved livestock management, soil conservation, and joint agricultural research and development. They will also formalize a bilateral protocol to standardize import and export regulations for meat products, and open up new opportunities for cross-border investment in agricultural land.

    In the fisheries sector, the partnership will focus on unlocking joint investment in fish processing, value addition, distribution logistics, and the transfer of industry knowledge and technology. For education, the agreement paves the way for expanded student and teacher mobility, starting with pilot scholarship programs that will launch for the 2027/2028 academic year in both countries. Language teacher exchanges will also kick off in the same academic term, and negotiations are underway to finalize a Mutual Recognition Agreement that will validate educational qualifications for language courses and other professional training programs across both nations.

    Tourism collaboration is set to move forward quickly: the two countries expect to sign a dedicated bilateral tourism agreement within the coming weeks, designed to boost two-way visitor arrivals, improve coordination between private tour operators, and develop new multi-destination travel packages that highlight the attractions of both nations. Barbados’ Minister of Tourism will undertake an official visit to Venezuela within the next four months, and the first ever Binational Tourism Meeting is scheduled to be held in 2027.

    To support growing trade ties, the two countries have agreed to work toward launching a dedicated direct maritime cargo route, and will promote the existing Bridgetown-Porlamar-Caracas air route, with the shared goal of positioning both nations as key regional air connectivity transit hubs.

    The talks also included recognition of recent humanitarian support from Barbados to Venezuela, following the double seismic event that struck the country on June 24. President Rodríguez extended public gratitude to the government and people of Barbados for deploying search and rescue teams, delivering critical humanitarian supplies, and setting up a fully functional field hospital in Guarenas, Miranda State. To date, that field hospital has provided medical care to more than 2,600 Venezuelan residents. During her visit, Prime Minister Mottley toured the facility, met with patients and the Barbadian medical team deployed there.

    To oversee the full spectrum of cooperation projects, a permanent Binational Joint Commission will be established, which will convene for annual meetings, alternating between the two capitals Caracas and Bridgetown. In the coming weeks, Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade will pay a reciprocal official visit to Barbados to continue advancing the terms of the new agreement.

  • Dominican Republic opens first official consular office in the Bronx

    Dominican Republic opens first official consular office in the Bronx

    In a move that marks a significant step forward for the Dominican diaspora in New York, a new permanent annex consular office has officially launched in the Bronx, at 305 East Fordham Road. Operating under the umbrella of the Dominican Consulate General in New York, the facility received formal authorization to open from the U.S. Department of State, clearing the final hurdle for its launch.

    Jesús Vásquez Martínez, the current Dominican Consul General in New York, framed the opening of the new Bronx office as a transformative milestone for the nearly 700,000 Dominicans who call New York City home, a large share of which reside in the Bronx. The borough is home to one of the most concentrated and vibrant Dominican populations in the entire United States, where Dominican culture, businesses, and community organizations shape the daily life of the area.

    Prior to the opening of this permanent location, Dominican residents in the Bronx had few options for accessing in-person consular services, relying almost entirely on periodic mobile consular outreach events. As the local population grew and demand for official services climbed, the consulate general was forced to expand its operating hours at its main location to seven days a week to accommodate backlogs. Even with that adjustment, long wait times and travel burdens for Bronx residents remained pervasive, creating a clear need for a permanent, local consular presence in the borough.

    The core mission of the new annex office is to bring critical consular services directly to the Bronx community, cutting down on the travel time and financial costs that residents previously incurred when they had to journey to Manhattan or other locations to complete official government procedures. The full suite of services offered at the new Bronx location includes everything from passport issuance and renewal, powers of attorney preparation and authentication, document legalization for use in the Dominican Republic, civil documentation processing such as birth, marriage and death certificates, general community assistance for residents facing legal or administrative issues, and formal consular protection for Dominican citizens in the region.

    The establishment of the Bronx annex is the culmination of years of collaborative advocacy and bureaucratic work, led by Consul General Vásquez Martínez, with backing from former Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez and current Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, who prioritized improving consular access for Dominicans living abroad as part of the administration’s diaspora outreach agenda.

  • RIU expresses condolences after tourist dies in Saona Island incident

    RIU expresses condolences after tourist dies in Saona Island incident

    Preliminary reports released on Tuesday confirmed the death of a foreign tourist, identified as Moira Clayton Finney, in an apparent drowning incident on a beach located on Saona Island. As of the latest update, local law enforcement and investigation agencies have not released additional specific details about the conditions and events that led to the tragedy.

    According to currently confirmed information, Finney was a guest staying at the Riu Palace Hotel in the popular Dominican tourism hub of Punta Cana. Witness and initial records indicate the tourist was alone at the time of the incident.

    Shortly after news of the guest’s death became public, parent company RIU Hotels & Resorts released an official statement extending its deepest condolences to Finney’s family and loved ones. The hospitality chain confirmed it has opened full lines of communication with investigating authorities and stands ready to provide any support requested throughout the probe.

    In its statement, RIU was careful to clarify that the fatal incident took place entirely outside of the company’s owned or operated properties, services, and designated operational zones. The chain emphasized the event has no connection to its on-site hotel operations, and expressed regret over any premature efforts to link the tragedy to activities unrelated to the hotel group’s work in the region.

    RIU additionally used the statement to reaffirm its unwavering confidence in Punta Cana’s standing as a top-tier global tourism destination. The company highlighted the region’s long track record of upholding strict standards for quality service, warm hospitality, and visitor safety, noting its decades-long presence and investment in the Dominican Republic’s tourism sector.

    Looking ahead, the hotel chain reiterated its core commitment to protecting the well-being of all guests across its properties, and confirmed it will maintain full cooperation with authorities as the investigation into Finney’s death moves forward, supplying any information or aid that investigators require.

  • Magnitude 4.0 earthquake recorded near Bayahíbe early Wednesday

    Magnitude 4.0 earthquake recorded near Bayahíbe early Wednesday

    A shallow magnitude 4.0 earthquake was detected off the coast of the popular Dominican Republic tourist destination Bayahíbe in the early hours of Wednesday, August 26, according to preliminary seismic readings from monitoring agencies. The geological event unfolded at approximately 5:42 a.m. local time, with the epicenter mapped just 8 kilometers away from the coastal community that draws thousands of international visitors each year. As of the latest updates from local emergency management authorities, there have been no immediate reports of structural damage to buildings, infrastructure, or any injuries caused by the tremor. Seismologists note that the moderate quake was felt across much of the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, but its relatively shallow depth did not trigger tsunami warnings or widespread disruption to local tourism operations. Local officials have urged residents and visitors to remain calm while they continue to assess any potential secondary impacts from the seismic activity.

  • Antigua and Barbuda partners to Advance SIDS Investment as Island Investment Forum Launches in Maldives

    Antigua and Barbuda partners to Advance SIDS Investment as Island Investment Forum Launches in Maldives

    A landmark new initiative designed to unlock sustainable economic progress for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has officially launched this week in Malé, Maldives, bringing together cross-border stakeholders from around the globe.

    The Island Investment Forum (IIF), the flagship program of the newly established SIDS Centre of Excellence, was established through a collaborative partnership between the governments of Antigua and Barbuda and the Maldives, alongside the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS). The launch forms a core part of the 2026 SIDS Global Business Network Forum, a three-day gathering that draws to a close today, packed with policy discussions, investment showcases, and networking opportunities for participants from more than 30 nations.

    Operating under the guiding theme “Innovative and Inclusive Partnerships for a Sustainable and Resilient Future,” the IIF is focused on expanding trade, accelerating inclusive investment, and driving intentional economic development across SIDS, while forging stronger connections between public sector bodies, private enterprises, and global impact investors. The forum’s launch marks a critical milestone in advancing the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS), a landmark 10-year development framework collectively adopted by SIDS to guide collective action. Antigua and Barbuda has been at the forefront of building institutional support for ABAS implementation, including leading the creation of the SIDS Centre of Excellence that hosts the IIF.

    Walton Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, emphasized that the new forum fills a critical gap, turning global commitments to SIDS development into measurable, on-the-ground outcomes. “This platform creates space to connect SIDS with global investors and development partners, while nurturing the long-term collaborations needed to build truly resilient, self-sustaining island economies,” Webson stated. “We are proud to see this mechanism formalized through the SIDS Centre of Excellence, and we look forward to building on the momentum generated here in the Maldives to deliver tangible investment and development results for SIDS across the globe,” he added, noting that the launch is only the first step in an ongoing process of engagement, partnership building, and streamlined investment facilitation for small island nations.

    More than 200 stakeholders attended the inaugural forum, representing a diverse cross-section of groups including government delegations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), global investment firms, business associations, civil society organizations, and academic researchers. The event’s agenda featured high-level expert panels, a dedicated MSME marketplace to highlight small island business opportunities, and targeted investment matching sessions. Key discussion topics spanned the core pillars of building resilient island economies, spanning trade expansion, inclusive investment strategy, digital transformation and artificial intelligence adoption, sustainable tourism development, renewable energy transition, MSME growth, innovative financing mechanisms, and just sustainable economic transformation.

    Looking ahead, the SIDS Centre of Excellence will continue to collaborate with national governments, investors, private enterprises, and development partners to expand on the momentum built at the Maldives launch, positioning the IIF as a practical, action-oriented platform for investment and collaboration across all SIDS. For the global small island development community, the launch of the IIF is not an endpoint for advocacy and planning — it is the official start of a long-term collective effort to deliver durable, inclusive prosperity for vulnerable island nations around the world.

  • FLASH : New massacre in Kenskoff, at least 60 victims

    FLASH : New massacre in Kenskoff, at least 60 victims

    A horrific unprovoked attack by a violent Haitian criminal gang has left dozens of civilians dead and injured in the mountainous town of Kenscoff, deepening the Caribbean nation’s ongoing humanitarian and security crisis. The assault unfolded shortly after 9 p.m. local time on August 23, 2026, when heavily armed members of the gang Viv Ansanm stormed the town’s central district and surrounding outlying communities, Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon confirmed in the immediate aftermath.

    The gang’s primary target was a local church that had been repurposed as a shelter for people displaced by Haiti’s widespread gang violence. According to Massillon, attackers entered the camp and systematically executed or wounded dozens of unarmed civilians who had sought safety there. Beyond the killings, the gang abducted an unknown number of residents, set fire to residential homes and civilian vehicles, and slaughtered local livestock in an act of collective intimidation.

    As search and recovery operations continue across Kenscoff, the provisional casualty toll stands at more than 60 affected people: at least 40 killed and more than 20 wounded. Massillon noted that the final death toll is expected to rise, as multiple residents remain unaccounted for in the wake of the attack.

    In the hours following the massacre, Haiti’s Office of the Prime Minister issued an official statement condemning the attack and extending condolences to the families of all victims. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Fils-Aimé, the government affirmed its solidarity with Haitian citizens grappling with the violence, framing the attack as a critical test of state authority that will be met with force.

    “All security forces are on high alert, and reinforcements are already being deployed to Kenscoff,” the statement read. “Our orders are clear: protect, secure, intervene. The Government’s authority will be restored, without weakness and without delay, throughout the entire territory of Kenscoff.” The prime minister’s office added an unequivocal commitment to ending gang dominance across the country: “No armed group will prosper in Haiti. The criminals will obtain no truce, no refuge, and no impunity. Security forces have been ordered to pursue, neutralize, and render these gangs harmless. Kenscoff will not be abandoned. Haiti will not be surrendered to the bandits. The Republic will prevail!”

    Within hours of the government’s statement, the gang responsible for the massacre released a retaliatory video running less than three minutes long to signal its defiance. The footage shows roughly 20 hostages—including women, young adult men, and infants—whom the gang is using as human shields. A voiceover on the video threatens to execute all hostages if Haitian security forces launch an attack using kamikaze drones.

    Haiti’s Office of Citizen Protection (OPC) joined the government in condemning the attack, issuing a statement expressing profound shock and sorrow over the tragedy that has once again plunged the Haitian people into collective mourning. The organization reaffirmed its solidarity with victim families and called for immediate, decisive action from national security authorities.”We urge the Superior Council of the National Police and all competent bodies to take all necessary measures as quickly as possible to restore lasting security in Kenscoff, protect the civilian population, and conduct a full investigation into these crimes,” the OPC statement said. “All perpetrators and those who ordered this attack must be identified, prosecuted, and brought to justice in accordance with Haitian law.”

    The OPC also called on Haitian state institutions to deliver urgent emergency support to affected communities. Specifically, the organization requested immediate medical care for the injured, financial and emotional support for bereaved families, and resources to ensure that victims of the massacre are given dignified, respectful burials.

  • Geweld laait weer op in Haïti; minstens 30 doden te midden van verkiezingsvoorbereidingen

    Geweld laait weer op in Haïti; minstens 30 doden te midden van verkiezingsvoorbereidingen

    Haiti has been plunged into renewed chaos by a fresh, alarming surge of gang violence, which has left at least 30 people dead following a coordinated assault on an agricultural community in Kenscoff, a rural area located just south of the crisis-hit capital Port-au-Prince. The attack, carried out by a powerful alliance of armed gangs, comes at a fragile moment: the Caribbean nation is currently preparing to hold its first general election in more than a decade, a vote that many Haitians have hoped would kickstart a long-awaited transition to stability after years of political and social collapse.

    Jean Massillon, mayor of Kenscoff, confirmed that armed assailants unleashed widespread destruction during the raid, setting residential homes ablaze and gunning down residents indiscriminately. Targets of the attack extended beyond private homes to include a local church and the personal residence of Jean William Pape, a prominent Haitian public health expert. Massillon explicitly identified the coalition-leading gang Viv Ansanm as the party responsible for the violence. Notably, the United States government formally designated Viv Ansanm as a foreign terrorist organization last year, highlighting the group’s global notoriety as a violent non-state actor.

    The security landscape across Haiti remains deeply critical, with independent estimates confirming that armed gangs currently control approximately 70 percent of Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital. Kenscoff holds particular strategic value for gangs, as it overlooks key access routes to Petion-Ville, a district that hosts multiple foreign embassies, upscale hotels, and Haiti’s temporary seat of government. This geographic importance has made the area a repeated target for gang incursions and territorial takeovers as groups fight to expand their influence across the country.

    International efforts to curb gang violence have so far failed to reverse the country’s downward spiral. A UN-backed multinational anti-gang security task force, which is projected to eventually reach 5,500 personnel, has not yet reached full operational capacity, leaving security forces stretched thin across the country. United Nations data confirms that gang-related violence has already displaced more than 1.5 million Haitians nationwide since the crisis escalated. Despite ongoing diplomatic and security support from the international community, violence continues unabated: more than 3,100 people have been killed and over 1,100 injured in gang-related conflict in the first half of 2024 alone.

    In an official response to the Kenscoff attack, the office of Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille issued a strong condemnation of the violence, reassuring the public that national security forces have been placed on high alert and additional reinforcements are being deployed to the area. “Kenscoff will not be abandoned,” the prime minister’s statement read. “Government authority will be restored without weakness and without delay.”

    Meanwhile, Haitian authorities have begun processing voter registration for the general election scheduled for January 2025. But independent election and security experts have issued stark warnings that the ongoing security crisis has created conditions far too dangerous to hold a free, fair, and safe vote. The persistent wave of gang violence and systemic political instability has emerged as one of the largest barriers to the democratic process, dashing many Haitians’ hopes of breaking the country’s cycle of collapse and building long-term national stability.

  • Customs seizes guns, drugs in $8m border haul

    Customs seizes guns, drugs in $8m border haul

    Against a backdrop of shifting transnational smuggling trends, Barbados’ Customs service has announced a series of major interdictions at the island nation’s ports of entry, while publicly laying out the multiple operational, financial and reputational challenges the department currently faces. The disclosure came from Acting Comptroller Lynette Padmore during an address Sunday marking the 121st anniversary of the Barbados Customs and Excise Department, delivered at the Power in the Blood Assembly church in Tudor Bridge, St. Michael.

    Padmore detailed that customs officers posted at air ports, sea ports and the national General Post Office had seized 12 unauthorised firearms, approximately 900 rounds of ammunition, and nearly 1,000 kilograms of illicit plant material. That plant shipment alone carries an estimated street value of around $8 million. Beyond these hauls, teams also intercepted cocaine, methamphetamines, prohibited tactical equipment including camouflage gear and tasers, and unauthorised drones, expanding the scope of evolving threats the border agency must counter.

    In her remarks, Padmore warned that criminal smuggling networks are exploiting every potential entry point to move illegal cargo through Barbados’ borders, arguing that fragmented, agency-specific approaches to border security leave the nation vulnerable. “Most territories now face similar challenges, and Barbados will remain exposed to these evolving threats if every agency operates with a singular mentality,” she said. “The level of awareness relevant to some synthetic drugs and the porosity of our borders will continue to be problematic should we not collectively reinforce our intention towards the protection of our borders.”

    To address this gap, Padmore confirmed that Barbados Customs is already engaged in coordinated targeted operations alongside local, regional and international law enforcement partners to tighten border controls, disrupt smuggling rings and investigate financial fraud. She highlighted the department’s participation in two key ongoing initiatives, Operation Calypso and Operation Core 8 in 2025, noting that these collaborative efforts have already delivered measurable progress in halting narcotics trafficking, countering financial crime, disrupting human trafficking and shutting down other transnational illegal activities. “Interagency cooperation through planned operations benefit from collaboration and the employment of various measures to assist with interdictions,” she added.

    Beyond border security, Padmore also released new revenue data for the department, showing that between the 2023 financial year and July 2026, Customs collected a total of $5.47 billion in government revenue. However, she noted that total potential revenue was reduced by more than $3 billion due to a combination of statutory concessions and waivers granted to the local business community, as well as fraudulent tax evasion tactics including importer undervaluation of goods and under-invoicing. “This figure could have been higher were it not affected by the loss of over $3 billion in revenue which has been foregone through concessions and waivers to the business community or from the fraudulent tax evasion practices of undervaluation and under-invoicing which continues to threaten the financial systems and mutual trust between Customs and some of our stakeholders,” Padmore explained.

    The department is also grappling with an institutional knowledge gap following the retirement of a large cohort of veteran staff, leaving a workforce heavy with new recruits still building core job skills. “We now have quite a few relatively new staff who are now learning the fundamentals of Customs. Training is therefore essential at this juncture, and we are meeting it head on,” Padmore said. To address this, 18 officers are set to begin an intensive valuation training workshop run in partnership with the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre, while the entire department will take part in the National Transformation Initiative’s Art and Heart of Service culture shift programme. All officers have already completed expanded training covering a range of high-priority topics: small arms and light weapons identification, illicit trafficking modus operandi, detection of illicit firearms produced via 3D printing, specialised marine enforcement, synthetic drug detection, artificial intelligence for cybersecurity, and data analytics.

    Padmore added that the department is also pursuing broader digital modernisation, with its in-house information technology team working to integrate artificial intelligence and smart automation systems to boost operational efficiency and effectiveness. Even as it advances these improvements, the department is facing ongoing public criticism over its performance, and Padmore acknowledged that rebuilding public trust will require deliberate systemic change. “We are aware that recent times have caused this department to be constantly criticised and to be the subject of unfavourable responses which must now be adjusted,” she said.

    Outlining the full scope of current challenges, Padmore cited limited operational resources, persistent revenue leakage, widespread undervaluation of imported goods, and growing national security risks from narcotics, illegal firearms, and human trafficking. Despite these headwinds, she closed with a confident pledge that the department would work collectively to turn its performance around and rebuild public confidence. “We are all equal, and together we can restore our image, renew our efforts, and seek to change our current direction,” she said. “Our core values of professionalism, integrity, accountability and transparency must guide our approach to our daily tasks, and like a phoenix, we will rise again.”

  • Ruim twee ton cyanide onderschept bij Burnside

    Ruim twee ton cyanide onderschept bij Burnside

    Authorities in Suriname have intercepted more than two tons of illegally smuggled cyanide, a highly toxic chemical, that was being brought into the country across its border with Guyana. The contraband was discovered during a routine inspection at the Burnside control checkpoint located in the Coronie district, where law enforcement stopped two cargo trucks carrying the hazardous shipment. Multiple people have been taken into custody in connection with the unauthorized transport, which was reportedly en route to the nation’s capital of Paramaribo.

  • Air Services Limited plane in incident on interior runway

    Air Services Limited plane in incident on interior runway

    On a Monday morning in late August 2026, a small civilian aircraft experienced a runway incident at an airport in Guyana’s remote North West District, local aviation sources confirmed. The plane involved, a single-engine Cessna Caravan registered under the call sign 8R-GSR, was completing a scheduled passenger flight from Ogle to Baramita when it exited the paved runway surface shortly after landing.

    Piloted by experienced aviator Chris Brown, the aircraft failed to stop within the marked runway boundaries, according to initial on-site reports from well-placed industry sources. A rapid preliminary assessment conducted by local emergency responders and airport personnel found that no people on board suffered any injuries during the incident, and the aircraft itself sustained no structural or mechanical damage.

    Baramita, located in the far northwestern region of the South American country, is a small community served by a regional airstrip that primarily facilitates domestic travel between remote settlements and Guyana’s more populated coastal areas. As of the latest update from the source, aviation authorities have not yet released a formal statement on the potential cause of the incident, and no further disruptions to local air traffic have been reported.