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  • Suriname Ambassador urges stronger regional action against human trafficking

    Suriname Ambassador urges stronger regional action against human trafficking

    On the occasion of the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, marked during a formal meeting of the Organization of American States Permanent Council at its Washington D.C. headquarters, Suriname’s top envoy to the hemispheric body has issued an urgent call for stepped-up collective action to dismantle transnational human trafficking networks operating across the Caribbean and Americas.

    Ambassador Marlon Faisal Mohamed-Hoesien, Suriname’s Permanent Representative to the OAS and current Chair of the CARICOM Caucus, used the high-profile platform to highlight the unique structural vulnerabilities that make Caribbean nations particularly attractive to criminal trafficking groups. While he praised existing regional and hemispheric efforts to curb the crime, he stressed that the evolving nature of human trafficking demands far more coordinated, cross-border collaboration to address gaps in protection and regulation.

    In his address to the council, the ambassador framed all forms of human trafficking—including sexual exploitation, forced labor, and every other iteration of modern slavery—as an egregious violation of fundamental human rights that cannot be overlooked, accepted, or downplayed by member states. He explained that for Caribbean nations, weak maritime border controls and widespread economic fragility have turned the region into both a key transit corridor and an end destination for criminal trafficking operations.

    Beyond long-standing challenges, Mohamed-Hoesien drew attention to the emerging threat of digital exploitation, noting that the rapid expansion of digital economic activity across small island and low-lying coastal Caribbean states has far outpaced the development of regulatory frameworks. This regulatory gap has created an opening that transnational criminal networks are actively exploiting to expand their operations, he said. Unlike traditional trafficking models that rely on physical border crossings, criminal syndicates now use digital platforms to recruit vulnerable people, move victims across borders undetected, and turn the internet into an unregulated marketplace where vulnerable people are sold to the highest bidder.

    The ambassador added that pre-existing socioeconomic stressors—including widespread poverty, systemic inequality, irregular migration, high rates of gender-based violence, and displacement driven by climate change and natural disasters—have further increased the vulnerability of communities across the region. He specifically noted that women and children bear the disproportionate brunt of modern trafficking, facing elevated risks of online recruitment, grooming, and digital exploitation at the hands of criminal networks.

    Despite these growing challenges, Mohamed-Hoesien acknowledged the proactive steps already being taken by regional authorities to raise public awareness and strengthen survivor protection measures. He highlighted the critical work of multistakeholder bodies such as the Caribbean Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons, which brings together national governments, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organizations to align anti-trafficking strategies and disrupt network operations. He also emphasized that robust cybersecurity infrastructure is an indispensable component of any effective modern anti-trafficking framework, given the growing role of digital platforms in criminal activity.

    Closing his address, the ambassador issued a formal call to both regional bodies and international partners to deepen collaboration and deliver concrete, actionable commitments to counter human trafficking in all its traditional and evolving forms, ensuring better protection for vulnerable communities and stronger accountability for criminal actors.

  • President Mahama engages Reparation dialogue as Jamaica visit deepens Africa-Caribbean partnership

    President Mahama engages Reparation dialogue as Jamaica visit deepens Africa-Caribbean partnership

    Against a backdrop of growing global momentum for reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama centered the movement’s future during an official four-day state visit to Jamaica that ran from August 2 to 5, at the invitation of Jamaican Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness. The visit, which aligned with Jamaica’s annual Emancipation Day observances and the 64th anniversary of the country’s political independence on August 6, was framed by Ghana’s presidency as a mission to reinforce deep historical ties between the West African nation and the Caribbean island, expand cross-regional collaboration between Africa and the Caribbean, and move the international reparations campaign forward.

    The centerpiece of Mahama’s program was a Special High-Level Reparation Dialogue, hosted by The University of the West Indies (UWI) in partnership with Jamaica’s Office of the Prime Minister. The discussion brought President Mahama together with UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, one of the world’s leading academic voices for reparatory justice, to connect centuries of historical trauma to modern policy demands and the growing global push for accountability. During the conversation, the two leaders explored the shifting priorities of the reparations agenda, outlined the shared responsibilities of national governments and global academic institutions, and emphasized the critical role of cross-regional partnerships in advancing global equity and redress for historical harms.

    In a post-event statement shared on its official Instagram page, UWI expressed honor at hosting the high-profile conversation, noting that the dialogue united sitting heads of state and leading scholars to hold a timely, urgent exchange on historical memory, justice, and the path forward for the global reparations movement.

    Beyond the landmark reparations discussion, Mahama’s agenda included a full slate of bilateral and ceremonial activities aligned with building long-term ties between the two nations. He held formal bilateral talks with Prime Minister Holness, where the pair laid out plans to expand collaborative work across key sectors including trade and foreign direct investment, education, cultural exchange, tourism, and sustainable agriculture. Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening institutional and people-to-people connections between the African continent and the Caribbean region.

    One key proposal revived during the talks was the creation of a direct commercial airline route between Ghana and Jamaica. President Mahama emphasized that improved direct air connectivity would unlock new tourism opportunities for both nations and foster closer personal and cultural ties between African and Caribbean communities. “Our goal is to transform the Atlantic Ocean from a historical barrier that separated families and communities into a unifying bridge connecting West Africa and the Caribbean,” the Ghanaian presidency quoted Mahama as saying during a joint press briefing with Holness in Kingston.

    The state visit included a full schedule of ceremonial engagements: Mahama received an official welcome at King’s House, Jamaica’s official governor-general residence, where he met with Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen; toured commercial operations at Kingston Wharves and the iconic Bob Marley Museum in Kingston; and explored the Independence Village exhibition hosted at the National Arena to mark the country’s independence anniversary. On the second full day of the visit, Mahama delivered a historic address to a Joint Sitting of Jamaica’s Parliament, laid a floral tribute at the shrine of iconic Black liberation leader Marcus Mosiah Garvey, visited the reconstructed Ghanaian Village at Seville Heritage Park, and attended an official state dinner hosted at King’s House ahead of his scheduled departure on August 5.

  • Dominican Migration targets networks facilitating irregular migration

    Dominican Migration targets networks facilitating irregular migration

    SANTO DOMINGO — Dominican Republic immigration authorities have launched an intensified nationwide campaign to dismantle transnational criminal networks that profit from facilitating the flow of irregular migration across the country’s borders, the nation’s top migration official announced this week.

    Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, Director General of Migration, laid out the scope of the operation during an interview on the local radio program *Esto No Tiene Nombre*, detailing how these smuggling networks operate as a profitable illicit business that involves both Dominican and Haitian participants. Over months of intelligence gathering, authorities have mapped out the full range of tactics these criminal groups use to move and house undocumented migrants while avoiding detection by border and internal security forces.

    Common methods identified by investigators include using unmarked civilian vehicles to transport migrants across checkpoints, renting both formal residential properties and makeshift, hidden shelters to house undocumented people long-term, and guiding migrants along unregulated backroads through remote woodlands and mountainous terrain that lack permanent immigration control outposts.

    Lee Ballaster issued a specific warning to Dominican citizens who participate in the scheme by constructing informal residential units exclusively to rent to migrants living in the country without legal status, confirming that enhanced enforcement actions targeting these property owners will be a core focus of the new campaign.

    To strengthen the impact of the crackdown, the General Directorate of Migration has expanded its intelligence gathering operations and formalized a close collaborative partnership with the Dominican Public Prosecutor’s Office and multiple national security agencies. The coordinated effort aims to systematically identify, investigate, and prosecute all individuals connected to the smuggling and facilitation of illegal entry, transportation and accommodation of undocumented migrants within Dominican territory.

  • Santo Domingo celebrates 528 years as the Dominican Republic’s historic capital

    Santo Domingo celebrates 528 years as the Dominican Republic’s historic capital

    On Wednesday, the Caribbean city of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, marked a major milestone: the 528th anniversary of its founding. Globally recognized as the first permanent European settlement built in the Americas, this centuries-old city stands today as one of the region’s most significant cultural and historical landmarks, drawing visitors and scholars from across the globe.

    The story of Santo Domingo dates back to August 5, 1498, when it was established by Bartholomew Columbus, the younger brother of famed explorer Christopher Columbus, on the fertile eastern bank of the Ozama River. In the decades following its founding, the settlement quickly grew into the central administrative base for Spain’s territorial expansion across the Americas. During the earliest era of European colonial activity in the New World, it emerged as the primary political, economic, and religious hub for all Spanish holdings in the region.

    More than 500 years after its founding, Santo Domingo retains one of the most intact and extensive collections of colonial-era architecture in the entire Western Hemisphere. In recognition of its unparalleled historical importance and its high concentration of the earliest European-built structures in the Americas, the city’s iconic Colonial City district was granted the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, cementing its place as a site of global cultural significance.

    The Colonial City district is home to a host of iconic, one-of-a-kind landmarks that tell the story of early European settlement in the Americas. These include the First Cathedral of America, the oldest cathedral built on the continent; Alcázar de Colón, the former royal residence of Diego Colón, son of Christopher Columbus; and Ozama Fortress, widely documented as the oldest surviving military fortification constructed by Europeans in the Americas. With its winding cobblestone streets, tree-lined historic plazas, and well-preserved centuries-old structures, the district continues to draw millions of visitors annually, while carefully protecting and preserving the unique colonial legacy of the city.

    Beyond its unrivaled historical importance, modern Santo Domingo has grown into the beating heart of the Dominican Republic, serving as the country’s political, economic, and cultural capital. Today, the city seamlessly weaves its 500-year-old history together with cutting-edge modern urban development. It remains the nation’s largest metropolitan area, and a top global destination for international tourism, cross-regional commerce, higher education, and national government activity.

  • Dodelijke aardbevingen in Venezuela eisen meer dan 6.000 levens

    Dodelijke aardbevingen in Venezuela eisen meer dan 6.000 levens

    More than a month after two powerful back-to-back earthquakes struck coastal Venezuela, the official death toll from the disaster has climbed to 6,125, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, announced publicly Monday via a messaging post on Telegram. Alongside the rising fatalities, Rodriguez confirmed that more than 61,000 injured people have received medical treatment at hospitals across the affected regions since the quakes struck.

    The two seismic events, registering magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, hit central Venezuela on June 24, causing catastrophic damage primarily in the coastal state of La Guaira and the capital city of Caracas. As of early August, only 16.5 percent of rubble and collapsed structures from the quakes have been cleared, and widespread public anger has erupted over the slow and insufficient response from the interim government led by President Delcy Rodriguez.

    Local residents continue to dig through debris searching for missing loved ones, and many have openly voiced frustration over what they describe as failures of government and military emergency services to deliver timely aid in the disaster’s aftermath. The World Bank has estimated total physical damage from the quakes at nearly $20 billion, a staggering sum for a country already grappling with years of economic and political instability.

    While the international community has promised support for recovery efforts, the flow of desperately needed funding remains blocked by ongoing political sanctions. Since January, the United States has enforced strict economic controls on Venezuela, imposed after the military detention of sitting president Nicolás Maduro, and multiple sweeping sanctions remain in full effect. Advocacy groups and humanitarian organizations are now calling for these sanctions to be relaxed or fully lifted to clear the way for aid and reconstruction funding to enter the country.

    Despite the political and economic barriers, multiple global humanitarian organizations have moved quickly to deliver life-saving support to impacted communities. On June 30, UNICEF deployed a 47-ton shipment of emergency supplies including medical kits and water purification equipment, enough to meet the basic needs of more than 100,000 children and family members displaced by the disaster. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has scaled up emergency relief and protection services in the hardest-hit areas, while also completing a rapid needs assessment to target future aid distribution.

    Caritas Venezuela reported that it received and distributed nearly 14,700 tons of emergency supplies including medical equipment and pharmaceuticals between June 25 and July 6. The Dutch Refugee Foundation has allocated €275,000 in immediate funding for acute medical care and psychosocial support for survivors who lost family members or their homes. CARE Netherlands has deployed health kits and mental health support services, while ADRA Netherlands is delivering clean drinking water, hygiene products, and emergency food rations to displaced populations living in temporary tent camps. Additionally, member states of the Caribbean Community have also contributed shipments of humanitarian aid to the Venezuelan government to boost ongoing relief efforts.

  • Summit Duurzaam Suriname moet basis leggen voor nationale ontwikkelingsvisie

    Summit Duurzaam Suriname moet basis leggen voor nationale ontwikkelingsvisie

    As Suriname prepares to tap into projected oil and gas revenues that are set to reshape its national economy, top government leaders and cross-sector stakeholders have opened a landmark three-day summit to map a inclusive, sustainable long-term development strategy that avoids the pitfalls of overreliance on energy extraction.

    The Summit Duurzaam Suriname 3.0, which kicked off on Monday at Paramaribo’s Hotel Torarica, brings together representatives from the national government, private business sector, civil society organizations, and academic and research institutions to co-design a shared development vision for the country spanning 2040 to 2050. This gathering marks the official launch of a broader national planning process aligned with the existing Roadmap Suriname initiative.

    In her opening address to attendees, President Jennifer Simons emphasized that the oil and gas sector alone cannot deliver broad-based shared prosperity for Suriname’s population. While the energy industry will generate substantial revenue, it is inherently capital-intensive and will create far too few quality jobs to lift large segments of the population out of economic hardship. “The oil sector is defined by high revenues and very low employment,” Simons told the summit. “It is the surrounding supporting sectors that must deliver high-quality work opportunities for our people.” To ensure oil and gas gains benefit all of Suriname society rather than a narrow group, Simons argued that the government must direct a large share of energy revenues toward investments in other diverse economic sectors.

    Patrick Brunings, Suriname’s Minister of Oil, Gas and Environment, echoed that caution, warning that overconcentration on the energy sector risks eroding the country’s existing economic base. If policymakers focus solely on building local workforce capacity for oil and gas, Brunings explained, skilled labor will drain away from other critical domestic sectors, leaving those industries hollowed out and unable to contribute to long-term economic stability.

    Brunings laid out the country’s core goal: building “a green, healthy and sustainable Suriname” that leverages energy revenues rather than being dominated by the oil and gas sector. He also pushed for a stable, cross-party development agenda that will retain its direction even after changes in government leadership, noting that enshrining the national roadmap in legislation would provide the strongest guarantee of long-term policy consistency. President Simons endorsed this position, stressing that the national development vision must enjoy broad public support and transcend individual government administrations.

    The summit is structured around 10 key strategic development focus areas, called Strategic Lanes. Over three days of discussion, participants will draw on national data, sector-specific analysis, on-the-ground practical experience, and global best practices to identify the country’s top development priorities for the coming decades.

    Karl Eckhorst, chair of the National Development Platform (NOP), the organizing body behind the summit, noted that Suriname is on the cusp of profound economic transformation driven by new oil and gas production, making this a critical moment to make intentional, far-sighted policy choices. “We stand on the eve of major development,” Eckhorst said. “That is why it is important to hold these discussions now, and also take concrete action to prepare ourselves for what comes next.”

    Eckhorst clarified that the NOP will not draft a binding national development plan on its own. Instead, the platform will work to gather the building blocks needed to create a broadly supported long-term vision, with active engagement from all segments of Suriname society from the earliest stages of the process. This inclusive approach, he said, will ensure the final development agenda enjoys wide public backing and can provide consistent guidance for future governments regardless of political changes.

  • News : Zapping…

    News : Zapping…

    A collection of key recent developments spanning migration enforcement, law enforcement actions, public works initiatives, civil aviation upgrades and health sector reinforcements across Hispaniola, the Caribbean island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, sheds light on the ongoing challenges and incremental progress shaping both nations in early August 2026.

    In the Dominican Republic, the country’s migration authority has announced sweeping enforcement results from a nearly two-year operation. Vice Admiral Luis Rafael, director general of the Dominican Directorate General of Migration (DGM), shared the figures during a recent graduation ceremony for 162 newly trained immigration officers. Over the past 22 months, DGM operational teams have removed 704,142 Haitian nationals residing in the country without valid immigration status, Rafael confirmed. The agency head also outlined a significant expansion of the DGM’s operational capacity since he assumed leadership of the institution in October 2014. At that time, the DGM employed only 302 total officers, with just 235 assigned to frontline immigration control work. Today, the agency’s total staffing has grown to 1,388 officers, 1,272 of whom are actively deployed in control and enforcement operations across the country.

    Turning to Haiti, national law enforcement has secured a key arrest tied to gang activity that has long destabilized parts of the country. In a targeted surveillance operation carried out the night of Saturday, August 1 2026 in Port-au-Prince’s Delmas 75 neighborhood, agents from the Criminal Affairs Bureau under the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) took 22-year-old Laury Lacombe, who goes by the alias Tikreyòl, into custody. Lacombe is the wife of Ralph Woodmyr Louissaint—known by the alias Chalè—a high-profile gang leader whose faction has terrorized residents of the Tokyo neighborhood along Rue Saint-Martin. Investigators allege Lacombe played an active role in the gang’s criminal operations, and she remains in detention as interrogations continue.

    In a separate domestic criminal case, Haitian National Police (PNH) officers arrested a man accused of murdering his own wife in the Jacmel region. The arrest took place on the morning of Monday, August 3 2026 in the Lamontagne neighborhood of Jacmel. The suspect, 36-year-old Justin Duffault, is accused of killing his 33-year-old spouse Marie Pascale Antoine Duffault on July 27, one week prior to his capture. Initial investigative findings confirm the victim was stabbed multiple times in the attack.

    Also in Jacmel, municipal authorities launched a multi-day public space improvement initiative, wrapping up its second day of targeted sidewalk clearing operations on August 3. The effort aims to remove illegal encroachments on pedestrian right-of-way to restore unobstructed movement for walkers and improve public access to shared urban spaces. The Jacmel City Hall carried out the operation with coordinated support from the Haitian National Police, the Protected Areas Security Brigade (BSAP), and other local and national government agencies. Municipal officials have thanked residents who have already complied with the new regulations, and issued a renewed appeal to all local business owners and merchants to respect the formal rules governing public space use moving forward.

    In northern Haiti’s Cap-Haïtien, the National Civil Aviation Office (OFNAC) has launched a new passenger support service at Cap-Haïtien International Airport. On August 3, the agency officially inaugurated a dedicated complaints and assistance office for air travelers. The new facility is designed to give passengers a formal point of contact when they believe their travel rights have been violated, and to streamline the processing of complaints filed against commercial airlines. “Our goal is to act as a neutral intermediary between passengers and air carriers to resolve disputes and improve the overall relationship between the two groups,” explained Enold Joseph, OFNAC’s regional coordinator for northern Haiti.

    Finally, in Haiti’s southern Nippes department, health authorities have received a critical new shipment of pharmaceutical supplies to bolster local care access. Departmental Health Director Dr. Esther Ceus-Dumond accepted the batch of medications, which was donated by Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health to strengthen the department’s under-resourced public health system. Dr. Ceus-Dumond has publicly committed to strict, transparent management of the supply to guarantee it reaches vulnerable patients in need of care. “As long as I hold this position, every medication provided by the state will reach the population that needs it and depends on it for care,” she stated.

  • Suriname stuurt voedsel en hulpgoederen naar aardbevingsgebied Venezuela

    Suriname stuurt voedsel en hulpgoederen naar aardbevingsgebied Venezuela

    On Monday, neighboring Suriname launched its first batch of emergency humanitarian assistance to Venezuela, nearly six weeks after a severe earthquake left widespread destruction across the South American nation. The initial cargo flight departed from Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, carrying 1,000 pre-packed food kits and other critical daily necessities for communities impacted by the June 24 disaster. A second, larger shipment carrying 52 metric tons of rice and clean drinking water is scheduled to arrive later this week.

    Suriname’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation, Melvin Bouva, spoke at the send-off ceremony, emphasizing that the aid mission reflects the country’s commitment as a responsible neighbor and active regional partner. Each of the 1,000 food packages weighs approximately 10 kilograms, stocked with staple goods including rice, flour, beans, cooking oil, sugar, canned tuna, corned beef, sardines and other non-perishable food items. The shipment also includes bed linens and pillows to support displaced families who lost their homes in the quake.

    “Suriname stands with Venezuela as a good neighbor and trusted partner,” Bouva stated. “This assistance is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting a friendly nation as it launches its post-disaster reconstruction process.” He added that Suriname and Venezuela have maintained long-standing cross-sector cooperation, and during a recent diplomatic visit to Caracas, officials from both sides discussed new opportunities for collaboration in agriculture, tourism and education.

    Glennys Hernández, Consul representing the Venezuelan government, expressed sincere gratitude for Suriname’s timely support. She shared the latest official impact figures from the earthquake: the disaster has destroyed nearly 5,000 residential buildings, claimed hundreds of lives, injured approximately 5,600 people, and left roughly 23,800 displaced residents still residing in temporary emergency shelters. “Suriname’s aid is invaluable, and it brings renewed hope to families that have lost everything,” Hernández said.

    Bouva noted that the humanitarian operation demonstrates that diplomacy is not limited to diplomatic dialogue—it also translates into tangible, practical support for nations reeling from natural disasters. Both Suriname and Venezuelan officials highlighted that the joint aid effort reinforces the long-standing friendly bilateral ties between the two countries, and reaffirms their shared commitment to supporting the full recovery and reconstruction of Venezuela’s earthquake-impacted regions.

  • From Emancipation to Reparations: Caribbean push for justice continues

    From Emancipation to Reparations: Caribbean push for justice continues

    As Caribbean nations mark annual Emancipation Day celebrations between August 1 and 3 each year, the region’s decades-long campaign for reparatory justice for the harms of the transatlantic slave trade and Indigenous genocide has taken center stage in 2026, fueled by a cascade of landmark political and international developments that have strengthened its global standing.

    For communities across the Caribbean, Emancipation Day is far more than a cultural holiday: it honors the 1834 abolition of chattel slavery across British colonial holdings in the region, and centers the legacy of resistance forged by iconic freedom fighters. In Dominica, for example, the holiday is celebrated as August Monday, the first Monday of August, with tributes to legendary resistance leaders including “Neg Mawon” Chief Jacko and Balla, who fought against enslavement on the island.

    This year’s commemorations arrive at a pivotal turning point for the reparations movement, following a string of major advances across the spring and summer of 2026. The first critical milestone came in early July, when the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government convened in Saint Lucia from July 5 to 8. During the gathering, regional leaders formally approved an updated policy framework: the Revised CARICOM Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice: A Manifesto for the Coming Enlightenment.

    Drafted by the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC), the revised plan formalizes the region’s demand that European nations provide reparatory justice for two interconnected historical atrocities: the centuries-long transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, and the systematic genocide of Indigenous Caribbean peoples that accompanied colonial occupation. Speaking after the conference in Gros Islet, CARICOM Chairman and Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre emphasized that all discussions of reparations were rooted in a core commitment to lifting Caribbean communities. “The discussions were guided by a central idea: to improve the lives of the people of the Caribbean Community,” Pierre noted.

    The timing of the CARICOM summit held extra historical significance: its closing day of July 8 marked the 225th anniversary of the 1801 Constitution of Saint-Domingue, signed by legendary anti-slavery leader Toussaint Louverture. That historic document formally abolished enslavement in the colony and enshrined legal racial equality, a move that prompted Napoleon Bonaparte to deploy French military forces to crush the movement and reimpose chattel slavery. That invasion ultimately sparked the Haitian War of Independence, which led to the founding of the world’s first Black republic in 1804.

    Momentum for the movement continued to build through the rest of July. From July 13 to 16, a CRC delegation led by commission chair Professor Sir Hilary Beckles traveled to the United Kingdom to advance the region’s advocacy directly, raising the profile of the reparations demand among British political and civic leaders.

    Beyond the Caribbean, the movement has secured unprecedented global backing in 2026. In March, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution spearheaded by Ghana that formally designated the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and the system of chattel slavery as “the gravest crime against humanity” in modern history. That global recognition was followed by a high-level consultative conference on reparations held in Accra, Ghana in June, which brought together heads of government, leading scholars, and grassroots advocates to coordinate strategies for advancing the global reparations movement.

    In the wake of the Accra conference, the Ghanaian government extended an invitation to Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, former Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Senior Advisor of the global reparations campaign, to join its new Global Advisory Council on Reparatory Justice, cementing collaboration between Caribbean and African leaders on the issue.

    Looking ahead, the reparations movement is set to remain a central global话题 over the coming months. Jamaica has already announced plans to submit a formal official petition for reparations to King Charles III on September 6. The petition will reference the 1781 Zong massacre, one of the most infamous atrocities of the transatlantic slave trade, in which roughly 140 enslaved African people were thrown overboard from the British slave ship Zong on its voyage to Jamaica, so the ship’s owners could collect insurance money for the “lost cargo.” The vessel eventually arrived at Black River in Jamaica’s St. Elizabeth parish on December 21, 1781, after the massacre.

    On the same day as Emancipation Day observances across the region, the University of the West Indies (UWI) is partnering with Jamaica’s Office of the Prime Minister to host a high-level dialogue on reparatory justice, featuring headlined remarks from Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and Professor Sir Hilary Beckles. The discussion will focus on mapping the future of the global reparations movement, and exploring the critical roles that national governments and academic institutions must play in advancing meaningful justice for the descendants of enslaved Africans.

  • Fidel Castro in Grenada: The visit that renewed ties

    Fidel Castro in Grenada: The visit that renewed ties

    On August 2, 1998, at the tail end of a broader regional tour across the Caribbean, then-Cuban Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro touched down on Grenadian soil at what was then Point Salines International Airport — now renamed Maurice Bishop International Airport. Barely minutes after his arrival, before leaving the airfield tarmac, Castro carried out the first symbolic act of his visit: unveiling a memorial plaque honoring the 24 Cuban citizens who lost their lives during the United States’ 1983 invasion of Grenada.

    This long-awaited visit came at a pivotal turning point for bilateral relations between Cuba and Grenada. More than a decade and a half had passed since the 1983 invasion plunged the two countries into a period of strained estrangement. By the late 1990s, both governments had made active commitments to rebuilding mutual trust and unlocking new avenues for cross-border collaboration. Castro’s in-person presence on the island carried far more weight than a standard diplomatic trip: it served as a public declaration of both nations’ shared commitment to revitalizing their partnership after years of disconnectedness.

    The following day, addressing a gathered crowd at the Tanteen Recreation Ground, Castro delivered a wide-ranging address touching on centuries of colonial exploitation, the brutal legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, and the ongoing economic and political challenges that small developing nations across the Global South face under the growing influence of powerful transnational corporations. The revolutionary leader pushed back against dominant global narratives that measure national progress solely through GDP and economic output. Instead, he argued that a nation’s true wealth is rooted in its human capital: the ability of a state to educate, upskill, and nurture the talent of its people to protect and sustain long-term sovereignty. For small island states like those scattered across the Caribbean, he emphasized, development must be measured by the strength and readiness of their citizens, not just financial metrics.

    The 1998 visit marked a critical moment of political reaffirmation for both sides. Working alongside then-Grenadian Prime Minister Keith Mitchell — a leader widely credited with spearheading the push to restore full diplomatic ties between the two countries — Castro underscored the urgent need to relaunch bilateral cooperation that had stagnated in the 15 years following the U.S. invasion. The high-profile visit opened an entirely new chapter in Cuba-Grenada relations, one that extended far beyond formal diplomatic protocol.

    In the decades since, the impact of Castro’s trip has endured across Grenada’s political and social landscape. It proved that even after nearly 15 years of estrangement, the two nations could rebuild their connection and design new, mutually beneficial frameworks for cooperation across key sectors. The visit reestablished formal channels of dialogue and paved the way for expanded partnerships in high-priority areas including public health, primary and higher education, and technical skills training.

    Today, 28 years after that landmark diplomatic moment, Castro’s 1998 visit to Grenada remains a powerful symbol of solidarity between small Caribbean and Latin American nations. It is more than just a historical footnote: it stands as a enduring reference point for regional cooperation as Caribbean nations confront the interconnected economic, climate, and political challenges of the 21st century.