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  • Dominican Republic milestone: achieves record of more than 16,000 cruise passengers in one day

    Dominican Republic milestone: achieves record of more than 16,000 cruise passengers in one day

    On September 30, the Dominican Republic cemented a major milestone for its booming cruise tourism industry, when four large vessels carrying more than 16,000 international travelers docked at ports across the country’s northern and southern coasts, marking a key step forward in the nation’s strategy to expand and diversify its cruise sector footprint.

    Along the country’s popular North Shore, three large cruise ships made simultaneous port calls at the Amber Cove and Taíno Bay terminals in Puerto Plata. Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras topped the list, bringing 5,835 passengers and 1,764 crew members to the coastal destination. The line’s Carnival Magic followed with 3,858 passengers and 1,350 crew, while Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady rounded out the northern arrivals with 2,513 passengers and 1,182 crew. All told, the simultaneous northern port calls brought more than 12,200 visitors to the region, all eager to explore Puerto Plata’s renowned beaches, cultural sites and local amenities.

    In a reflection of the Dominican Republic’s ongoing push to diversify its cruise port network across the country, the fourth vessel, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, docked at Cabo Rojo in the southern province of Pedernales. Sailing to the destination from Willemstad, Curaçao, the ship carried 4,081 guests and 1,392 crew members. The stop reaffirmed the southern region’s untapped potential for cruise tourism growth, positioning it as an emerging hub for future cruise sector development in the country.

    According to projections from local news outlet RCN, the single-day arrival is set to deliver a significant economic boost to local communities. Based on an estimated average expenditure of $100 per visitor, the influx of travelers is expected to generate approximately $1.6 million in total direct spending, with benefits flowing through to local commerce, ground transportation providers, hospitality businesses and other community services across the country’s popular tourist regions.

    Alejandro Campos, executive director of the Dominican Port Authority (APORDOM), emphasized that the coordinated simultaneous arrivals across the country’s northern and southern coasts demonstrate the Dominican Republic’s continued progress in strengthening its port infrastructure and improving international connectivity. The milestone, he noted, further cements the Caribbean nation’s status as a leading preferred destination for the world’s top cruise line operators.

  • CCJ to hold itinerant sittings in St Lucia for first time

    CCJ to hold itinerant sittings in St Lucia for first time

    In a historic step for regional judicial accessibility, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is set to launch its 2026/2027 Judicial Year by bringing its official proceedings on-the-ground to St. Lucia next week. From October 7 to 8, the court will hold public sittings in the island nation — a first for St. Lucia since the CCJ established its itinerant hearing program more than 20 years ago.

    St. Lucia only joined the CCJ’s Appellate Jurisdiction framework in 2023, becoming the fifth CARICOM member state to accept the court’s appellate authority alongside founding participants Barbados, Belize, Guyana, and Jamaica. The upcoming visit marks a key milestone in the country’s integration into the regional judicial system.

    Unlike most high courts that concentrate all proceedings at a single central headquarters, the CCJ’s unique itinerant model enables its panel of judges to travel directly to member states to hear cases. This framework was designed to address a longstanding barrier to justice across the geographically dispersed Caribbean region: by holding hearings locally, the court cuts down on steep travel expenses for legal representatives and litigants, and brings the judicial process closer to communities that would otherwise struggle to engage with the regional court.

    CCJ President Justice Winston Anderson emphasized that the travelling sittings offer a second critical benefit: they give local residents a rare first-hand look at how the regional court operates, creating space for direct interaction between community members and the court’s judicial members. This transparency, Anderson noted, helps build public trust in the regional justice system.

    For the St. Lucia session, the full complement of seven CCJ judges will convene to hear three distinct cases originating from St. Lucia, Guyana, and Belize respectively. The court will also deliver formal rulings on two ongoing legal matters from Belize during the visit.

    Beyond the courtroom, the CCJ delegation has scheduled a series of official courtesy meetings with St. Lucia’s top government and judicial leaders. These include talks with Acting Governor-General Felix Finisterre, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, Chief Justice Margaret Price Findlay of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Attorney General Leslie Vincent Mondesir, and Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet. The meetings are expected to strengthen collaboration between the CCJ and St. Lucia’s national judicial and governance institutions.

    For those unable to attend the proceedings in person, the CCJ has opened multiple public access channels to follow the sittings remotely. All hearings will be streamed online via the court’s official website, its social media platforms, and its YouTube channel. Full case details and the complete hearing schedule are also posted publicly in the Judgments and Proceedings section of the CCJ’s official website for legal practitioners and interested members of the public.

  • DTUC urges eligible voters to complete confirmation before deadline

    DTUC urges eligible voters to complete confirmation before deadline

    As Dominica’s national voter confirmation exercise remains mired in public criticism over administrative shortcomings, the country’s largest trade union umbrella body is pushing all eligible voters to finalize their registration or confirmation before the upcoming October 14, 2026 cutoff date.

    For months, the electoral overhaul process has drawn intense public scrutiny, marked by persistent delays in application processing and widespread public pushback over confusing eligibility requirements and mismanaged administration. Earlier this year, the Dominican government itself acknowledged the risks of delayed and ineffective implementation of electoral reforms, prompting it to request targeted technical support from regional and international partners to shore up the process.

    Officials from the Dominican Electoral Office have defended the initiative, framing the voter confirmation drive as a critical step to clean up the national electoral roll. By allowing individual electors to cross-check their personal details, officials say the process will resolve longstanding issues like incorrect voter information and duplicate entries, ultimately producing a more accurate and trustworthy voter list for future elections.

    Against this tense backdrop, the Dominica Trade Union Congress (DTUC) is urging eligible citizens not to step back from participation over ongoing concerns about the process. In an official public statement released this week, the union body emphasized that the October 14 deadline is non-negotiable, and called on all residents who have not yet completed their confirmation to complete the process immediately.

    The DTUC stressed that the fundamental right to vote should never be treated as a given, noting that generations of trade union organizers and civil rights activists across the globe made enormous sacrifices to expand and protect this core democratic freedom. As a powerful example of that struggle, the organization highlighted the 27 years of wrongful imprisonment that anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela endured in South Africa in the fight for universal voting rights.

    The union also drew parallels to Dominica’s own domestic history, pointing to the decades-long local struggle to secure adult suffrage, a right that is now formally enshrined in the country’s constitution.

    In a nod to public frustration, the DTUC openly acknowledged that “many national concerns” persist about the integrity and management of the current electoral process, and admitted that these valid worries have fueled growing voter apathy and reluctance to complete the confirmation process. The organization also voiced alarm over what it described as casual dismissal or widespread disinterest that some eligible voters have shown when encouraged to complete their registration.

    “This is no joking matter!” the statement declared firmly.

    Even amid the ongoing controversy, the DTUC argued that rebuilding public trust in national governance and the electoral system can only happen if citizens remain engaged and retain their ability to exercise their voting rights. Completing the confirmation process, the union noted, puts citizens in the room to select a government that aligns with their priorities, while empowering them to play an active role in advancing national development and improving their own personal and community well-being.

    With just weeks remaining until the registration window closes, the DTUC closed its statement with a clear, urgent call to action: “Get confirmed without delay!”

  • The Great Dennery Segment Debate

    The Great Dennery Segment Debate

    When non-Saint Lucian artist Klassik took home the Dennery Segment Song of the Year honor at the 2025 Caribbean Music Awards for his hit track *Dansa*, the angry backlash from Saint Lucian music fans was swift, yet deeply misdirected. This outcry, rooted in the belief that a genre born on Saint Lucian soil should only be awarded to local creators, ignores both the structure of modern music awards and the long history of cross-cultural adoption that has shaped global music for decades.

    What makes this reaction particularly striking is how inconsistent it is across the Caribbean. Few Jamaican music fans raised objections when Trinidadian artist Prince Swanny took home the Dancehall Album of the Year award, and no widespread uproar emerged from Dominica when Guadeloupe’s 1T1 won the Bouyon Song of the Year honor. This double standard reveals a deeper disconnect: many Saint Lucians who now protest the award cannot even clearly define what Dennery Segment is, and many of the same angry voices were among the millions who streamed, shared, and celebrated *Dansa* when it went viral last year. The vitriolic attacks on Klassik across social media are entirely uncalled for: the artist did not award himself the prize, he simply put in the work to create a hit that resonated with audiences and judges alike.

    To understand this debate, it is critical to revisit the origins of Dennery Segment. The genre first began to take shape in 2009, when young working-class musicians in rural southern Saint Lucia, centered in the coastal town of Dennery, began creating music rooted in their cultural identity. Lacking access to professional recording studios, these early creators wrote lyrics in local Kwéyòl (Saint Lucian Creole) and recorded their tracks on basic home laptops, sharing the music within their local communities. For years, the genre was dismissed and shunned by mainstream institutions, but it steadily grew into a beloved “rebellious sound” for young Saint Lucians, eventually gaining broader regional acceptance. As its popularity spread, artists from across the Caribbean and North America began experimenting with the genre, including Trinidadian stars Bunji Garlin and Machel Montano, Barbadian Hypasounds, and Miami-based Klassik, a New York-born artist raised in Jamaica. These outside artists have helped expand Dennery Segment’s global reach, bringing the distinct sound to millions of new listeners who would have never encountered it otherwise. So why, many ask, should outside creators be allowed to engage with the genre, but barred from winning awards for their work?

    A 2025 Carnival lecture hosted in Saint Lucia by University of the West Indies linguistics lecturer Dr. Ronald Francis broke down the three core pillars that define Dennery Segment. First, at its core is a distinct folk rhythm rooted in Saint Lucia’s African drumming heritage, specifically the Tressilo Rhythm. Second, its lyrics are overwhelmingly written in Kwéyòl (Saint Lucian English Creole), and often center on playful, lively themes around youth and courtship. Third, the genre draws its cultural power from its deep connection to lived Saint Lucian identity and local folk traditions. Beyond these core elements, the genre is also tied to distinctive, spontaneous dances that emerge for every hit track, adding another layer of cultural nuance that can only be experienced through participation.

    Critics who label Klassik’s win as cultural appropriation miss a long-established pattern in global music history. It is not uncommon for artists outside a genre’s place of origin to find mainstream success with the sound. Harry Belafonte, a New York-born artist raised in Jamaica, released the first LP to sell one million copies, an album of calypso music featuring the iconic *Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)* – a track whose classification as traditional calypso is still debated by ethnomusicologists today. Ironically, that same year, it remains unconfirmed whether the legendary “King of Calypso”, Trinidad’s Mighty Sparrow, sold a million copies of his hit *Jean and Dinah*, though his cross-genre soul ballad *Only a Fool Breaks His Own Heart* recorded with Byron Lee became an international hit. More recently, the first reggae track to top the Billboard Hot 100 was *I Can See Clearly Now*, recorded by American singer Johnny Nash in 1972, decades after reggae emerged in Jamaica. Even Dancehall, Jamaica’s iconic homegrown genre, got its first Billboard number one from Canadian artist Snow with his 1993 hit *Informer*, and rap – a cultural form born in Black American neighborhoods in the 1970s – got its first Hot 100 number one from white American rapper Vanilla Ice in 1990.

    Instead of directing anger at an outside artist who successfully elevated the genre, Saint Lucian music fans and industry leaders should be asking deeper, more constructive questions. First, what steps are being taken to formally protect the intellectual property of Dennery Segment as a uniquely Saint Lucian cultural creation? Second, why is there far less outrage over the fact that more than 50 percent of music played on local Saint Lucian radio is foreign content, meaning most royalty royalties collected by the Eastern Caribbean Collective Organisation for Music Rights are sent overseas to foreign artists instead of supporting local creators? What can be done to ensure top local Dennery Segment artists like Umpa, Blackboy, and Mighty earn larger, fairer royalty checks from their work? Why does mainstream Saint Lucian society still hold imported genres like country music in higher esteem than homegrown Caribbean sounds like Dennery Segment? And finally, are Saint Lucians truly committed to nurturing and protecting their native genre, or is the current outrage just performative, lip service paid only when a high-profile award grabs headlines?

    Until these questions are honestly addressed, the current debate will remain nothing more than noisy, emotional social media outcry that offers no path forward for the genre. The global music industry does not factor in nationality or place of origin when judging success; it rewards strategic growth, broad appeal, and economic impact. Instead of fighting over who gets to win awards, the focus should be on building a sustainable ecosystem that empowers both local and international artists to grow the genre, while ensuring Saint Lucian creators reap the benefits of their cultural legacy. At the end of the day, music is meant to be shared. Let the music play on.

  • Wnd. PG benadrukt dat OM zich niet laat leiden door angst

    Wnd. PG benadrukt dat OM zich niet laat leiden door angst

    On October 3, 2026, Acting Prosecutor General Astrid Niamat officially opened the new 2026-2027 judicial term for Suriname’s Public Prosecution Service (OM), delivering a keynote address that balanced a firm commitment to upholding the rule of law with stark warnings about persistent operational challenges facing the institution.

    Niamat opened her remarks by outlining the core guiding principles of the OM, emphasizing that the prosecution body is not driven by fear, arbitrary decision-making, or personal interest, but strictly by the rule of law, professional expertise, and unwavering integrity. This foundational mission, she stressed, remains unchanged even as the OM grapples with two long-standing crises: critical understaffing and a persistent lack of sufficient financial resourcing. Despite these hurdles, the service will continue its unrelenting campaign against three high-priority threats: organized crime, public corruption, and youth delinquency.

    Sharing performance data from the 2025-2026 judicial term, Niamat reported that through the end of August, the OM had received 3,470 criminal case files from national police, leading to the arrest of 5,249 suspects, 2,939 of whom were remanded into custody. In total, the OM referred 16,983 criminal cases and traffic offenses to trial courts for first-instance hearings, alongside 61 chamber cases processed by cantonal judges. To increase judicial efficiency, the OM also leveraged alternative dispute resolution frameworks: 21 cases resulted in community service sentences, 20 utilized mediation, and 249 cases were resolved through out-of-court settlements under Article 100 of the Surinamese Penal Code. On the appellate side, the Court of Justice processed 476 criminal cases and 349 chamber cases in the past term.

    Beyond case processing statistics, Niamat underscored that the OM’s mandate extends far beyond moving dossiers through the judicial system. A core part of the service’s mission, she noted, is sustaining public trust in Suriname’s constitutional rule of law. “This requires more than good intentions. It demands expertise, discipline, cross-agency collaboration, adequate resources, and above all, absolute integrity,” Niamat stressed.

    She repeatedly highlighted that effective criminal enforcement is entirely dependent on sufficient public funding. “Investigations cost money. Expertise costs money. Digital transformation costs money. professional training costs money. Even supporting the entire criminal justice chain requires sustained financial investment. For this reason, OM’s funding must match the scale of the legal mandate entrusted to us,” Niamat explained.

    The OM does not operate in isolation, she added, noting that the entire criminal justice system relies on coordinated performance across all partner agencies, including police, the judiciary, the bar association, customs, and correctional facilities. “If just one link in the chain fails to function properly, it undermines the effectiveness of the entire system. That is why we must continue investing in collaboration, clear working agreements, streamlined information sharing, and shared collective responsibility,” Niamat said.

    Niamat then turned to the agency’s top ongoing priority: combating serious, organized, and cross-border crime, including drug trafficking, money laundering, illegal arms trading, human trafficking, and large-scale fraud. She noted that transnational criminal networks operate in increasingly covert ways, leveraging sophisticated global networks and substantial financial resources to evade detection. “We recognize that organized criminal groups constantly adapt their operations. They find new trafficking routes, develop new operational methods, and exploit new technologies to carry out their activities,” Niamat explained.

    The infiltration of criminal activity into legitimate legal and economic structures – a process called institutional undermining – also requires constant vigilance, Niamat warned. This infiltration occurs when criminal groups launder illegal proceeds through legitimate businesses and professional networks. In a clear rebuke to criminal actors embedded in public and private life, Niamat stated: “No social position provides immunity from the law.”

    To step up anti-corruption efforts, the OM has launched a dedicated Anti-Corruption Prevention and Enforcement Task Force in partnership with national police and the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission. “No social position may shield anyone from the application of the law. Every tip and every report of corruption will be reviewed with the full seriousness it deserves,” Niamat reaffirmed.

    Despite widespread recognition that Suriname’s police force faces its own challenges – including logistical gaps, funding shortfalls, capacity constraints, and outdated investigation methods – Niamat credited the service with delivering meaningful results against organized crime. “Even under these difficult conditions, police have managed to deliver major blows to criminal networks: mapping their structures, carrying out arrests, and enabling the OM to successfully prosecute these cases,” Niamat said, directing audiences to the full annual report for detailed case information.

    Niamat also outlined growing concerns across two key areas of public safety: traffic enforcement and youth violence. Traffic offenses have risen sharply over the past year, and police still lack critical equipment including breathalyzers for alcohol testing and speed detection devices. “Blood alcohol tests have not been possible for some time due to a lack of required resources,” Niamat confirmed. Official statistics show that summary trial case filings for traffic offenses jumped by 8,092 compared to last year, with alcohol-related cases increasing by 297 cases.

    Rising rates of youth violence have also become a major public concern. Niamat emphasized that prosecution alone cannot solve this crisis, calling for long-term investments in prevention programs, education, and youth support services. Turning to human trafficking, Niamat noted that addressing the crime requires more than investigation and prosecution: the OM supported shelter services for 34 female trafficking survivors in the past year, but many leave shelter prematurely due to systemic gaps. She added that Suriname’s limited repatriation funding, flexible visa rules, and open borders make the country an easy target for trafficking networks.

    For the 2026-2027 term, the OM has identified eight core strategic priorities. The service will maintain its focus on fighting serious organized crime and public corruption, with the new BOB Act expected to expand operational capacity for investigations. Additional priorities include addressing youth violence, cybercrime, traffic offenses, and environmental crime, as well as continuing to expand protection for vulnerable survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence.

    To deliver on these goals, the OM is investing in internal capacity building across three key areas: staff expansion, digital modernization, and cross-agency chain collaboration. Notably, 15 new prosecution officers are currently in the final stages of training, and will soon join the service to address long-standing understaffing.

  • LAC Transport Forum 2026 : Investment Opportunities in Haiti’s Transport Sector

    LAC Transport Forum 2026 : Investment Opportunities in Haiti’s Transport Sector

    The 2026 Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Transport Forum, a high-level collaborative event co-hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) in Miami, has put a spotlight on untapped infrastructure investment opportunities in Haiti, opening new doors for global and regional private stakeholders to engage with the Caribbean nation’s development goals.

    On the forum’s opening day, Haiti’s Minister of Public Works Joseph Almathe Pierre Louis took the stage to outline the country’s strategic infrastructure vision to an audience of cabinet-level transport officials, public policy leaders, and major private sector investors. His core message centered on upgrading Haiti’s aging transport infrastructure while repositioning the country as a high-potential strategic investment hub for both regional and international market players.

    Opening-day policy discussions centered on three core priorities for unlocking infrastructure investment: strengthening market confidence among private stakeholders, streamlining bureaucratic processes for early-stage project preparation, and embedding performance-driven governance standards that prioritize long-term infrastructure quality. The opening dialogue served as a critical strategic foundation, aligning national development priorities with the risk and return expectations of private investors, and set the stage for the detailed project showcase held on the forum’s second day, September 30, 2026.

    On the second day, FIDIC organized a dedicated Project Roadshow tailored exclusively for private sector participants and international investors, where Minister Pierre Louis delivered a comprehensive breakdown of the Haitian government’s planned transport modernization pipeline. He emphasized the administration’s unwavering commitment to upgrading the country’s road, maritime, and aviation networks, framing the investments as a triple win: expanding connectivity to historically isolated communities, catalyzing broad-based national economic recovery, and boosting Haiti’s capacity to withstand the frequent natural hazards that impact the region.

    The minister walked attendees through the national infrastructure portfolio, highlighting key shovel-ready projects across multiple transport sub-sectors. For road infrastructure, the Ministry of Public Works has secured World Bank funding to construct three critical bridges across Haiti’s southern peninsula, alongside a new connector road linking National Route 2 to the planned new international port at Saint-Louis-du-Sud. In aviation, the government is moving forward with two major upgrades: a new air traffic control tower at Cap-Haïtien International Airport, also supported by World Bank financing, and a full modernization of Les Cayes International Airport, funded through a partnership with the IDB.

    Closing his presentation, Minister Pierre Louis underscored the long-term economic upside of investing in Haiti’s infrastructure transformation, extending a formal invitation to regional firms and international development partners to participate in upcoming public procurement processes for the announced projects.

  • King Charles to Acknowledge ‘Darkest Days’ of Colonial Rule During Caribbean Tour

    King Charles to Acknowledge ‘Darkest Days’ of Colonial Rule During Caribbean Tour

    As King Charles III prepares for his upcoming visit to the Caribbean this month, which includes attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda, Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the British monarch will acknowledge Britain’s historical role in the transatlantic slave trade and the darkest chapters of the nation’s colonial past.

    Against a backdrop of growing pressure from Caribbean and African nations for reparations and formal recognition of the ongoing intergenerational harm caused by slavery and colonial rule, the palace has made clear that the King will not shy away from confronting this sensitive shared history between Britain and the Caribbean region. However, senior royal officials have confirmed that Charles will not issue a formal apology for Britain’s involvement in slavery, nor will he offer financial reparations on behalf of the British state. According to Buckingham Palace, decisions around an official apology and reparations are matters for elected governments, not the constitutional monarch.

    “There are important discussions taking place in various fora about colonial legacy and the intergenerational impact of the transatlantic trade in enslaved persons,” a palace spokesperson explained. The spokesperson added that the royal tour’s programming will not “shy away from ‘the darkest days of our past’” but will center its focus primarily on strengthening the current relationship and future partnership between Britain and the Caribbean nations he visits.

    King Charles’ Caribbean itinerary will kick off with a visit to The Bahamas from October 27 to 29, followed by a stop in Jamaica from October 29 to 30, and will conclude in Antigua and Barbuda from November 1 to 4 for the biennial CHOGM summit. The timing of the summit places Charles directly at the center of ongoing debates among Commonwealth leaders over accountability for the legacy of slavery, colonialism, and the global movement for reparatory justice.

    This is not the first time the King has spoken publicly about Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. During Barbados’ transition to a republican form of government in 2021, Charles described slavery as an “appalling atrocity” that “forever stains our history,” and later stated that he was committed to deepening his understanding of how slavery’s impacts persist today.

    The issue of reparatory justice has grown in political salience in advance of the Antigua and Barbuda summit. Earlier this year, Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey told Reuters that she expected member states to make meaningful progress toward opening formal discussions on reparations.

    The British government has repeatedly rejected calls for financial reparations for slavery, and Buckingham Palace has reiterated that the King acts solely on the advice of the elected British government. As such, any formal decision around an official apology or reparations falls outside the scope of the monarch’s constitutional duties. For the host nation Antigua and Barbuda, this summit will mark a defining moment, as the country welcomes Commonwealth leaders to discuss one of the most contentious issues in modern post-colonial politics – Britain’s historical role in slavery and ongoing global demands for reparatory justice.

  • Education minister commends teachers as foundational to the nation

    Education minister commends teachers as foundational to the nation

    On October 2, during Dominica’s official World Teachers’ Day commemoration, Education Minister Octavia Alfred delivered a heartfelt address centered on recognizing the indispensable role of teachers in national development while laying out a series of ongoing government initiatives to support the education workforce.

    Alfred opened her remarks by emphasizing that the Ministry of Education does not limit its appreciation for educators to a single annual observance, noting that the sector’s contributions are celebrated every calendar day. She described teaching as the single most foundational profession for nation-building, explaining that the work of educators lays the invisible but critical bedrock for every other part of the country’s social and economic progress.

    Over the past two years, the Dominican government has appointed nearly 400 new teachers to school staffs across the country, Alfred confirmed, adding that the hiring process remains active as the new academic year gets underway. Five additional educators have already received appointments for the 2025-2026 school year, she said.

    Beyond new hiring, the administration has rolled out multiple concrete support measures for working teachers. All educators have received personal protective equipment and standardized first aid kits to support their safety in school settings. The government has also maintained a monthly $250 allowance for teachers to offset work-related costs.

    Alfred highlighted ongoing structural reforms to improve working conditions across different education sub-sectors. The administration is currently conducting a comprehensive review of the early childhood education segment, with the goal of creating formal, established positions for early childhood educators that come with full benefits and job security. For the primary education sector, a wide-ranging job reclassification effort is already in its final stages, she confirmed.

    A core principle guiding the government’s education policy work, Alfred stressed, is regular and meaningful engagement with teachers themselves. No education reform or transformation agenda can succeed without centering the input of the professionals who implement policy in classrooms every day, she argued. “We cannot speak of education transformation without investing in the transformers, you, our teachers,” she told the gathered educators.

    Closing her address, Alfred extended sincere gratitude on behalf of the entire Dominican government to every teacher across the country. She acknowledged the often unrecognized extra work educators put in, from waking early for classes to staying late to support struggling students, and praised their consistent patience, passion, and commitment to young Dominicans. “Even if the foundation seems hidden, know that you are building up the nation,” she emphasized. She ended by reaffirming the government’s recognition of educators’ work and service, wishing teachers, schools, and the nation a happy World Teachers’ Day.

  • Made in Haiti is not a dream

    Made in Haiti is not a dream

    Haiti has kicked off its first ever national Industry Week, an ambitious three-day event hosted on October 1, 2026 at Port-au-Prince’s Karibe Hotel, centered on the core goal of rebooting the country’s domestic industrial base. Organized under the unifying theme “Towards the Revitalization of the Haitian Industrial Sector,” the gathering brings together government leaders, private sector stakeholders, local entrepreneurs, and international development partners to collectively map a new path for Haiti’s industrial future.

    In his opening address to attendees, James Monazard, Haiti’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, laid out a clear vision for a more resilient, diversified national industry. Monazard stressed that industrial development is not just an economic priority, but a foundational pillar of Haiti’s long-term sovereignty. “Because a country that doesn’t discuss what it produces leaves it to others to decide what it will consume,” he told the audience. He argued that the current overreliance on a narrow set of sectors and foreign imports leaves Haiti’s economy vulnerable to external shocks, making diversification of the domestic industrial base a non-negotiable strategic goal. To achieve this, Monazard called for coordinated action across all sectors: strengthening the underlying foundations of local industry, expanding support for domestic producers, and improving alignment and mobilization among all public and private stakeholders.

    Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé threw his full weight behind the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s (MCI) initiative, framing the event as a landmark collaborative effort that bridges public, private, and civil society groups around a shared national goal. “Revitalizing our industry means reducing our dependence on imports by leveraging our local resources, creating wealth and stable jobs for our youth, and strengthening our economy in an increasingly competitive world,” the Prime Minister said. He used the opening of Industry Week to encourage young Haitians to engage with the event, highlighting the wide range of professional and entrepreneurial opportunities that will open up as the domestic industrial sector grows.

    Speaking on behalf of Sandra Paulemon, Haiti’s Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, Guy Romero Latry, the ministry’s Director General, reinforced the message that domestic production is the backbone of Haiti’s national recovery. “Haiti’s recovery will depend on what we produce ourselves. Made in Haiti is not a dream. It’s a choice,” Latry stated, echoing Paulemon’s core message. Latry also outlined a vision for a forward-looking, sustainable Haitian industrial sector, pointing to untapped opportunities in fast-growing green and digital sectors. He called for strategic investment in renewable energy development, circular economy initiatives such as recycling and integrated waste management, clean production technologies, and digital industrial innovation. Beyond infrastructure and technology, he also emphasized that investing in human capital—training and upskilling local workers—is critical to building a competitive national industry.

    As the first day of Industry Week drew to a close, Panel Paulémont, Director General of the MCI, closed out proceedings by reaffirming that long-term industrial growth is central to Haiti’s economic stability and development. Paulémont framed the inaugural Industry Week not as a one-off event, but as a critical starting point for transforming Haiti into a modern, dynamic industrial economy. He repeated the call for widespread, sustained mobilization across all stakeholders, noting that collective commitment from government, business, workers, and international partners is the only way to unlock the industrial sector’s potential and drive inclusive economic growth across the country.

  • Partners unveil historic G-CREWS water infrastructure

    Partners unveil historic G-CREWS water infrastructure

    On a landmark occasion for climate adaptation in the eastern Caribbean, the G-CREWS climate-resilient water assets have officially entered operation at the Princess Royal Hospital grounds in Belair, delivering long-awaited critical infrastructure that strengthens the water security of Grenada’s sister islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique against intensifying climate change-driven threats.

    Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Hon. Tevin Andrews, Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs & Local Government, marked the launch as the start of a new era of reliable water access for the two islands. Andrews extended sincere gratitude to international funding partners and all cross-sector stakeholders whose collaborative efforts turned the multi-year comprehensive project into a reality. He drew on the hard-learned lessons of the devastating 2010 drought that brought severe disruption to local communities, explaining that the newly commissioned infrastructure includes two massive 100,000 imperial gallon water storage tanks strategically sited at Mt Royal and Belair. These assets will expand the islands’ long-term water storage capacity dramatically, equipping the region to withstand extreme weather and drought events that are growing more frequent due to climate change.

    Hon. Phillip Telesford, Grenada’s Minister for Health, reinforced the project’s far-reaching positive impact on essential public services. He emphasized that the new water infrastructure directly strengthens the islands’ public health system, alongside critical upgrades to rural healthcare delivery. As part of the G-CREWS initiative, dedicated water cisterns have been constructed at both the Windward Medical Station and the L’Esterre Medical Centre, ensuring these critical care facilities can maintain sterile, uninterrupted operations year-round regardless of water supply disruptions.

    Todd LaBarrie, Acting Manager of Grenada’s National Water and Sewerage Authority (Nawasa), provided further updates on ongoing efforts to expand the islands’ water production capacity to complement the new storage assets. LaBarrie confirmed that technical teams are currently advancing work on an additional desalination plant that will boost the islands’ overall water output, creating a more robust and diversified water system for local residents.

    Beyond public services and utilities, the initiative also integrates economic and agricultural sustainability. Project Development Specialist Natasha Joseph detailed outcomes for The Challenge Fund for Agriculture, a component of the project implemented and managed by the Grenada Development Bank (GDB). To date, 18 smallholder farmers across Carriacou and Petite Martinique have directly benefited from the program, receiving modern irrigation infrastructure, drip irrigation lines, climate-resilient shade houses, and specialized water management systems built to protect local food production from increasingly erratic weather patterns.

    Marion Geiss, Head of G-CREWS at the German Development Corporation (GIZ), praised the consistent collaborative partnership and streamlined technical coordination that enabled the project’s successful delivery. She celebrated the commissioning as a major milestone in the regional strategic plan to build a climate-ready, food and water self-sufficient Grenada.

    The entire G-CREWS initiative is a joint financing effort between the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) through its International Climate Initiative (IKI), and the Government of Grenada (GoG). Over seven years of implementation, the Government of Grenada, GDB, Nawasa, and GIZ have worked in partnership to deliver the project’s five interconnected components, all aimed at transforming Grenada’s water sector to enhance climate resilience across multiple levels of the economy and public services. The project is designed to drive a long-term shift toward holistic national climate resilience that protects vulnerable communities and critical infrastructure.

    Following the official ceremony, attending officials and project partners toured the newly completed facilities, observing first-hand the operational infrastructure now in place to safeguard the islands’ most critical natural resource for future generations.