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  • OAS aan VN: Haïti-macht moet doorgaan

    OAS aan VN: Haïti-macht moet doorgaan

    Thirty-two active member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) have collectively called on the United Nations Security Council to extend the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) deployed in Haiti, and to allocate the necessary personnel, funding, equipment, and logistical support to enable the force’s full operational deployment.

    The joint statement, released publicly on September 25, reaffirms OAS member states’ support for the Haitian people, as well as their commitment to upholding Haiti’s sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity. It also underscores that long-term solutions to Haiti’s ongoing security and political crises must be led by Haitian stakeholders themselves.

    The statement follows an official visit to Haiti led by OAS Secretary-General Albert R. Ramdin from August 16 to 19. Following the trip, Ramdin framed security improvements and the upcoming national elections as interconnected urgent priorities for the country. He emphasized that simply extending the GSF’s mandate would not be enough to address the crisis. “A mandate on its own does not deliver results,” Ramdin noted, arguing that the international intervention force must be given tangible resources to deliver the security outcomes that the Haitian public desperately needs.

    Currently, the GSF faces a major deployment gap. During a UN Security Council meeting in July, it was reported that the GSF has an authorized troop strength of 5,500 personnel, but only roughly 1,000 troops had been deployed to Haiti as of that meeting. The Dominican Republic’s foreign minister warned at that July meeting that “logistical obstacles cannot be allowed to stand between the international community and the protection of an entire people.” The most recent September data from the UN Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH) puts the current deployed strength of the support mission at just under 1,600 personnel, with projections that this number will triple by the end of 2025.

    The OAS joint statement outlines a clear set of core priorities for the GSF, including restoring legitimate state authority in territories currently controlled by armed gangs, securing uninterrupted access to Haiti’s airports and seaports, reopening critical transportation corridors, protecting civilian populations, and supporting the long-term reestablishment of the Haitian National Police in recaptured areas. The statement also calls for tangible progress in the process of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) of former gang members, and stresses that all GSF operations must comply fully with international humanitarian law and global human rights standards.

    Haiti’s upcoming electoral timeline is already under significant strain. The first round of presidential and parliamentary elections is scheduled for December 13 this year, marking the first national elections held in the country since 2016. However, during his post-visit remarks in August, Ramdin expressed deep concern that with only three months remaining before voting, voter registration is severely behind schedule. After nearly one month of registration operations, only roughly 260,000 Haitians had successfully registered to vote, and many gang-controlled municipalities lack any functional registration centers entirely. Compounding these challenges, an estimated 1.47 million Haitians have been displaced by ongoing gang violence, creating major barriers to running an inclusive, accessible electoral process.

    The UN Security Council is expected to hold discussions on extending the mandate of both the GSF and UNSOH by the end of September. In his remarks, Ramdin urged OAS member states and international partners to follow through on their existing commitments to Haiti. “Now is the time to scale up international support for Haiti, not draw it down,” he said.

  • Junior Achievement Saint Lucia celebrated at Americas summit

    Junior Achievement Saint Lucia celebrated at Americas summit

    Junior Achievement (JA) Saint Lucia has been honored with a top regional accolade at the recent JA Americas Leadership Summit held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The award recognizes the island nation’s successful efforts to rebuild its youth entrepreneurship and financial literacy program after years of pandemic-related disruption, highlighting the critical role of cross-sector private sector collaboration in driving youth development forward.

    This award marks a defining milestone not just for JA Saint Lucia, but also for the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, which has stewarded the program locally for nearly 30 years. JA Saint Lucia was first integrated into the Chamber’s portfolio of youth-focused initiatives back in 1996, and for decades it has delivered hands-on learning opportunities that equip young people with practical skills in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, leadership development, business operations, and workplace readiness.

    When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe in 2020, it brought unprecedented disruption to community programs across Saint Lucia, including JA. Pandemic-related lockdowns, safety restrictions, and economic uncertainty forced JA activities to pause for multiple years, putting the long-term future of the program at risk. However, Chamber leadership never wavered in their commitment to reviving the program that has shaped thousands of young Saint Lucians over generations.

    “While the pandemic created an unprecedented interruption, we were determined that it would not bring an end to Junior Achievement in Saint Lucia,” explained Brian Louisy, Executive Director of the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture. “The Chamber remained committed to finding a way to revive the programme and worked closely with our members to mobilise the support and resources needed to make its return possible.”

    At the center of this resurgence story is Cheryl Renwick, who serves dual roles as Director of JA Saint Lucia and Director of the Chamber of Commerce. Renwick’s persistent leadership and strategic outreach to the local business community created a clear pathway for private sector investment in the program’s revival. Her work laid the groundwork for early Chamber members to step forward with the seed funding required to restart JA activities across the island.

    Today, alongside the revived JA Saint Lucia program, the Chamber continues to operate the local Youth Business Trust, which supports young entrepreneurs to launch and scale their own ventures. Chamber leadership has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to strengthening youth-focused programming across Saint Lucia, with plans to expand access to JA’s hands-on learning model for more young people across the island in the coming years. The regional recognition awarded at the JA Americas Leadership Summit serves as a testament to what collaborative private sector action can achieve to empower the next generation of leaders and innovators.

  • Potatoes Cost $90 More in Belize Than Mexico. Why?

    Potatoes Cost $90 More in Belize Than Mexico. Why?

    Across Belize, vendors and wholesale distributors are sounding the alarm over cripplingly high produce prices, which they attribute to the exclusive import monopoly held by the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation (BMDC) over key vegetable products.

    At Belize City’s bustling Michael Finnegan Market, local vendors have raised dual complaints about both exorbitant costs and subpar quality of the produce they are forced to source through the state-controlled entity. Just miles away, at BMDC’s Orange Walk distribution hub, local outlet News Five observed convoys of trucks loading up on imported staples—including potatoes, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce and celery—bound for grocery stores and market stalls across the nation.

    While some bulk buyers acknowledge that the quality of BMDC’s imported goods is acceptable for retail sale, nearly all agree that pricing remains the intractable core issue. Lester Lemus, a wholesaler operating in western Belize, explained that he currently pays more than $1.20 per pound for potatoes sourced through BMDC. Just across the border in Chetumal, Mexico, an identical sack of potatoes costs nearly $90 less—a gap that has squeezed margins and forced retailers to pass steep costs onto consumers.

    When asked why he continues to source from BMDC despite the price difference, Lemus made clear that local vendors have no other option. “This is the only place we can buy. We don’t get import licenses for anything from the government. This is the only legal importer, and if we want to sell produce legally, we have to buy from them,” he said.

    Lemus went on to note that the current system effectively functions as a monopoly, posing risks to both small businesses and ordinary consumers across the country. “As a business owner, I can absorb the extra costs to an extent, but as a Belizean, this should trouble all of us. Monopolies never benefit the general public in any way,” he added.

    BMDC administrators have pushed back on claims of an abusive monopoly, noting that the agency does not oppose competition—including from informal cross-border traders. Administrator Valentin Carillo clarified that the restriction on multiple importers does not stem from BMDC policy, but rather from import permit regulations overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture, which controls permits for key vegetable products.

    Senior Project Officer Sergio Tillett defended the current single-importer structure, arguing that opening up the market to multiple independent importers would make supply management far more difficult when domestic potato and vegetable production increases. “If you leave imports open to ten different importers, how can regulators control what volume of product enters the country? That would create a glut when local farmers harvest their crops, undercutting domestic producers,” Tillett argued.

    BMDC leadership also cited external market factors driving up prices, including unfavorable exchange rate fluctuations and rising shipping and logistics costs across the northern border with Mexico. Carillo acknowledged that the agency has room to adjust, saying BMDC could trim its own profit margins to ease cost pressure on retailers and consumers. However, he added that the agency is required by regulation to remain financially self-sufficient, limiting how much it can cut prices.

    As consumers across Belize continue to bear the burden of inflated produce costs, News Five has planned a primetime special investigation into the system that keeps BMDC as the sole legal importer, asking how much extra ordinary Belizeans are paying to keep the state-owned agency profitable. The broadcast is scheduled to air tonight at 6 p.m., and residents are encouraged to tune in for the full investigation.

  • Nexa Credit Union supports education and law enforcement

    Nexa Credit Union supports education and law enforcement

    Grenada-based financial cooperative Nexa Credit Union has doubled down on its longstanding pledge to advance local community development by delivering two targeted donations that will uplift education and public safety institutions across both Grenada and the neighboring island of Carriacou.

    The first gift, which includes an electric kettle and microwave, was formally handed over to the Department of Teacher Education at T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC). These new appliances come as the department prepares to accommodate a growing cohort of 144 teacher trainees enrolled for the 2026–2028 academic cycle, addressing a critical need for upgraded basic facilities on campus. Trainees and department staff often spend extended working and study hours on site, and the donation will directly improve their daily comfort and practical needs while on campus.

    The second contribution went to the Northern Division of the Royal Grenada Police Force, specifically the Carriacou Police Station, in the form of a new Samsung television. This new equipment is designed to serve both the station’s operational duties and the overall wellness of its officers. On the professional side, it will enable officers to stay current with breaking news broadcasts, access real-time public safety updates, and host community safety awareness sessions. During off-hours between long shifts, it will also provide officers with a welcome option for recreational downtime.

    Randy Frank, Deputy General Manager of Nexa Credit Union, emphasized the organization’s deep-rooted commitment to supporting the key institutions and frontline people that serve Grenada’s communities daily. “Whether equipping future educators during long study hours or supporting the wellbeing and operational efficiency of our police officers in Carriacou, we remain dedicated to uplifting our communities,” Frank explained in a statement confirming the gifts.

    These two targeted donations are not isolated acts of charity; they form part of Nexa Credit Union’s broader formal corporate social responsibility agenda, which intentionally prioritizes investment in education, public service personnel wellness, and institutional development across the country. By focusing on high-impact, essential everyday amenities that directly improve daily working and learning conditions for students, educators, and public service staff, Nexa once again upholds its core brand promise: “With you, wherever your road leads.”

    Members of the public seeking more information about Nexa Credit Union’s community initiatives and services can visit the official website at nexacreditunion.com, or follow the organization’s official pages on Facebook and Instagram.

  • Over 200 OECS trade in services practitioners receive specialised training

    Over 200 OECS trade in services practitioners receive specialised training

    Against a backdrop of growing global economic integration and the rising importance of services as a core growth engine for small island economies, the Trade Policy Development Unit of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission has rolled out an ambitious cross-sector capacity-building programme designed to strengthen trade policy development, regulatory reform, and trade negotiation capacity across OECS Protocol Member States. The initiative engages key services trade stakeholders from three critical spheres: the public sector, private industry, and civil society.

    Officially named *Technical Support to OECS Independent Protocol Member for Specialised Training to Strengthen and Enhance Knowledge Capacity, Policymaking, and Negotiating Skills of Public and Private Sector Stakeholders in the Services Sector*, the 12-month project receives full financial backing from the European Union through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Integration through Growth, Harmonisation, and Technology (RIGHT) Programme.

    The initiative kicked off with a well-received Inception Meeting in February 2026, which laid out programme priorities and aligned stakeholder expectations across participating member states. Between June and August 2026, the OECS commission delivered in-person national training sessions in six member states: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. A final virtual training session for Montserrat is scheduled for September 2026, bringing the national-level training phase to a close.

    For small island developing states across the Eastern Caribbean, the services sector has long been recognized as the most critical driver of sustainable economic growth and economic diversification, moving regional economies away from overreliance on a small number of traditional commodity sectors. Beyond boosting near-term economic activity, this capacity-building initiative directly advances implementation of the commitments laid out in the Revised Treaty of Basseterre, which sets the framework for the creation of a fully integrated OECS Economic Union – a single, unified financial and economic space across the bloc.

    Speaking at the launch of the Regional Specialised Services Sector Training and Capacity Building Workshop in Antigua and Barbuda, Delores Francis, Senior Technical Specialist for Trade at the OECS Commission, emphasized the long-term value of the programme. “This series of specialised workshops forms part of the OECS Commission’s continuing investment in supporting OECS Protocol Member States to enhance and strengthen the technical skills and knowledge needed to confidently navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of international services trade,” Francis explained. “Our goal is to help stakeholders translate the commitments of trade agreements and the Revised Treaty of Basseterre into tangible commercial opportunities for local businesses and everyday citizens across the region.”

    The comprehensive training curriculum is structured across nine targeted modules that build participants’ technical expertise and core competencies in three core areas: services trade policy formulation, regional integration, and international trade negotiation. Key modules cover high-priority topics tailored to the region’s needs: exploration of complementarities and regulatory convergence between the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the Protocol on the OECS Economic Union (ECEU); guidance on identifying non-conforming measures (NCMs) under Articles 26 and 27 of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre and adoption of best-practice frameworks for intergovernmental regulatory cooperation; hands-on training with leading digital trade tools, including the interactive Trade in Services for Development (TS4D) Competitiveness Diagnostic Dashboard and the WTO Statistical Portal; and strategic capacity-building for shaping negotiating positions in emerging areas such as e-commerce, digital trade, and the WTO Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on E-Commerce.

    The curriculum also addresses modern global trends, including the growing servicification of manufacturing, highlighting how expanded business services can boost national employment, increase overall economic output, and strengthen regional participation in global value chains. The initiative prioritizes 10 high-growth priority sectors with strong potential for the region: information and communications technology (ICT), higher education, architecture, engineering, cultural industries, the blue economy, digital health, business process outsourcing (BPO), construction, and medical tourism.

    By addressing long-standing regulatory bottlenecks, reducing unnecessary trade barriers, and equipping public, private and civil society stakeholders with modern policy-making and negotiating skills, this project lays the foundation for a sustainable pathway toward stronger regional economic competitiveness and deeper, more effective integration across the OECS bloc.

  • Strengthening animal health care and management at Limlair Livestock Facility

    Strengthening animal health care and management at Limlair Livestock Facility

    A three-day official working visit focused on boosting animal health infrastructure and advancing agricultural development has recently wrapped up on Carriacou, Grenada’s sister isle, carried out by the Veterinary and Livestock Division under the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry. The trip was centered on strengthening operational capacity at the Limlair Livestock Facility, a state-of-the-art production hub that opened its doors earlier in 2024 as a core pillar of Grenada’s national food security strategy. The facility was launched with the explicit goal of expanding domestic livestock output to boost the country’s homegrown protein supply and cut long-term dependence on imported agricultural goods.

    During the three-day visit, the visiting veterinary team completed a full set of core activities designed to shore up the facility’s operations. These included comprehensive whole-herd health screenings to identify potential underlying conditions, on-site medical treatment for animals requiring care, and interactive hands-on training sessions for local farm assistants to build their long-term capacity for animal care and facility management. As a critical part of the visit, the division also handed over a full shipment of high-priority veterinary medications, specialized agricultural equipment, and core operational supplies, all targeted at supporting the ongoing care and breeding management of the facility’s purebred livestock herd.
    The handover ceremony saw Dr. Donelle Bleasdille-Smith, lead representative of the Veterinary and Livestock Division, officially transfer the critical resources to Benson Patrice, Senior Agricultural Officer for the Carriacou Division of Agriculture. This targeted intervention forms part of the ministry’s ongoing national initiative to ensure the facility’s purebred herd remains healthy and that local on-site staff have all the tools and resources required to manage the facility to global standards.
    In comments following the handover, Dr. Bleasdille-Smith reaffirmed the national division’s long-term commitment to sustained technical support for the Limlair facility. “The Veterinary and Livestock Division will maintain a consistent presence here, sending a specialized monitoring and care team once every month to conduct routine herd health checks, detect emerging illnesses at early stages, and prevent outbreaks that could threaten the entire herd,” she explained.
    Patrice welcomed the ongoing national support, emphasizing that the delivered medications, equipment and supplies fill critical gaps in the facility’s current operational capacity. “I am extremely pleased to accept these critical resources from the Ministry of Agriculture of Grenada,” Patrice said. “These items were urgently needed to support the care of the animals here at Limlair, and they will directly help us maintain high standards of animal health and overall wellbeing. We also benefited from Dr. Bleasdille-Smith’s on-site expertise, as she administered medications directly to animals in need and led training for our farm assistants, who will now be able to support routine care work on an ongoing basis.” Patrice added his sincere gratitude for the consistent support from the national ministry, noting that the resources will directly contribute to the facility’s long-term development and support the ongoing health of the herd.
    Lisa Walker, Farm Manager of the Limlair Livestock Facility, highlighted the value of the collaborative partnership between the national Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry and the local Carriacou Division of Agriculture. “Dr. Bleasdille-Smith has done exceptional work during this visit, and our collaborative relationship is going from strength to strength,” Walker noted. “This visit has also given us a valuable opportunity to upskill our local workers, which is a core priority as we work to build Limlair into a regional center of excellence for livestock production. The data from this round of herd health assessments will be critical to help us determine the optimal timeline to launch our planned breeding program.”
    Walker also shared a key positive update on the facility’s early progress: no livestock fatalities have been recorded since the initial herd was transferred to the facility, a result she called a clear positive indicator of the facility’s early success and strong care protocols.
    Looking ahead, the Limlair facility has already begun developing plans to cut operational costs and boost long-term sustainability by shifting away from reliance on imported animal feed, with a new initiative to produce all required feed on-site at the facility. This shift is projected to lower overall production costs, make the facility’s operations more economically and environmentally sustainable, and further strengthen Grenada’s domestic livestock sector as a whole.
    The Limlair facility is one of three specialized livestock production stations currently in preparation across Grenada, all working toward the shared national goal of moving the country closer to full food sovereignty through expanded local agricultural production.

  • Late archbishop lauded for humility, spiritual leadership

    Late archbishop lauded for humility, spiritual leadership

    The Caribbean faith community and political leaders are mourning the passing of Robert Rivas, the retired Archbishop Emeritus of Castries, who died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 80 on Sunday.

    Prime Minister Philip Pierre of Saint Lucia delivered an official statement leading public tributes to the late archbishop, highlighting Rivas’s decades of committed service to the people of Saint Lucia and the broader Caribbean region. Pierre emphasized that Rivas’s tenure as a spiritual leader was defined by consistent humility, unwavering dedication, and deep compassion for the communities he served. His decades-long spiritual guidance touched the lives of thousands of people across the region, leaving a lasting legacy that will be remembered by both the Catholic Church and the nation of Saint Lucia for generations to come. On behalf of the government and people of Saint Lucia, Pierre extended sincere condolences to the clergy and parishioners of the Archdiocese of Castries, as well as to Rivas’s family, friends, and all those grieving his passing.

    The Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC), the regional body representing Catholic bishops across the Caribbean, released its own statement confirming the details of Rivas’s death and celebrating his life of service. Born in Trinidad and Tobago in June 1946, Rivas entered the Dominican Order of Preachers and was ordained as a priest in 1971. He began his ecclesiastical career serving parishes and faith communities across his home country of Trinidad and Tobago, before making history in 1990 when he was appointed the first Bishop of Kingstown in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

    Following his time in Saint Vincent, Rivas took on the role of Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Bridgetown in Barbados, before being named Coadjutor Archbishop of Castries, Saint Lucia in 2007. A year later, in 2008, he ascended to the position of Metropolitan Archbishop of Castries, a role he held until his retirement from active ministry in 2022.

    The AEC statement highlighted that throughout his more than 50 years of priestly and episcopal ministry, Rivas prioritized service to Caribbean people across multiple core areas, including pastoral outreach, evangelism, church communications, youth ministry, and clergy formation. “The Antilles Episcopal Conference gives thanks for the gift of his life and ministry,” the statement read.

    Fellow senior church leader Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon of Trinidad and Tobago shared a heartfelt reflection on his final meeting with Rivas, just days before his death. “On the Sunday before his death, I met Archbishop Rivas at Medical Associates where he was receiving treatment. We shared a beautiful human moment. He was serene, seemingly at peace with the possibility of death, yet looking forward to time with the family who had loved and supported him so faithfully. I treasure that final encounter as a grace,” Gordon said.

    Plans for Rivas’s funeral have been finalized, with a public Funeral Mass scheduled to take place at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 5, at St Finbar’s Church in Diego Martin, Trinidad. Archbishop Gabriel Malzaire of the Archdiocese of Castries will preside over the memorial service.

  • Taiwan’s Foreign Minister to Arrive in Belize, What’s on the Itinerary?

    Taiwan’s Foreign Minister to Arrive in Belize, What’s on the Itinerary?

    Scheduled for September 28, 2026, a high-stakes diplomatic and trade visit led by Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is set to kick off in Belize, one of Taiwan’s few remaining diplomatic allies, bringing with it a broad delegation of more than 30 industry representatives and key stakeholders.

    During his time in Belize, Lin is slated to hold official bilateral meetings with the country’s top leadership, including Prime Minister John Briceño, Governor-General Froyla Tzalam, and Belizean Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca. A core deliverable of the diplomatic leg of the trip is the expected signing of two documents: a joint communique reaffirming bilateral ties, and a formal agreement focused on expanding training and personnel exchanges between the two countries’ diplomatic corps.

    Beyond diplomatic negotiations, Lin will conduct on-site inspections of three ongoing development projects funded by Taiwan in Belize. These include the under-construction San Pedro Hospital, a completed social housing initiative that will deliver 50 new affordable residential units to local communities, and the planned location for the upcoming Taiwan-Caribbean Prosperity Academy, a proposed educational institution focused on boosting regional economic capacity.

    The cross-sector business delegation accompanying Lin brings together stakeholders from a wide range of high-growth and key economic sectors, spanning renewable green energy, intelligent transportation systems, artificial intelligence, space technology, biotechnology, healthcare services, tourism, and cross-border finance and trade. Notably, the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, a leading private sector group promoting economic ties between the United States and Taiwan, is also participating in the delegation.

    Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has framed the visit around the so-called “flying geese” model of regional economic development. The stated strategic goal of the framework is to leverage Belize’s strategic geographic location at the intersection of the Caribbean, Central America, and North America to build new economic connections linking Taiwan with consumer and industrial markets across North America, Latin America, the broader Caribbean basin, and the Pacific region.

    Following the conclusion of his engagements in Belize, Lin will continue his regional diplomatic trip with a stop in neighboring Guatemala, another of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in Central America. During his time there, he is scheduled to hold a formal meeting with Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, preside over an event marking the completion of renovation works at Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, and officially inaugurate a new monitoring and emergency response facility at La Aurora International Airport, Guatemala’s primary air hub.

    This trip marks one of a series of similar diplomatic and economic outreach missions Lin has led since taking office as Taiwan’s Foreign Minister in May 2024. All these missions fall under the umbrella of the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, an initiative focused on deepening both political and economic ties between Taiwan and its diplomatic partners around the globe.

  • Caricom Member States pledge to continue to tackle region’s food import bill

    Caricom Member States pledge to continue to tackle region’s food import bill

    The 2026 Caribbean Week of Agriculture, a landmark annual regional gathering focused on the agricultural sector, kicked off on Sunday, September 27 in Jamaica, bringing together hundreds of key stakeholders from across the Caribbean to advance coordinated action on four critical priorities: bolstering food security, growing agri-business, scaling climate-smart agricultural technologies, and expanding regional agricultural exports. Over four days of targeted deliberations running through October 2, attendees including regional agriculture ministers, representatives from international and regional development funding agencies, smallholder and commercial farmers, and private sector agri-business partners will collaborate to align strategies with the Caribbean Community (Caricom)’s long-term development vision for the sector.

    In his keynote address to Sunday’s official opening ceremony, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged participating delegates to remain committed to advancing Caricom’s shared goals, even in the face of persistent systemic challenges facing the region’s agricultural industry. “We are not starting from scratch; we are building on years of strategic planning, and our key question today is how can we produce more value from the resources that we are blessed with,” Holness told the gathered audience.

    This year’s conference, themed “The New FACE of Caribbean Food Systems” — an acronym that encapsulates its four core focus areas of Food security, Agri-business development, Climate-smart technologies and Export expansion — is structured to build on the momentum of Caricom’s existing 2025+ 5 Initiative. That flagship program was launched to cut the Caribbean’s crippling food import bill, which recent regional data puts at a staggering $13.7 billion. Beyond reducing import dependence, the forum will center longstanding unaddressed priorities for the sector, including unlocking new private and public investment for small-scale and commercial agricultural operations, expanding market access for Caribbean agricultural goods abroad, strengthening the sector’s resilience to the growing impacts of climate change, and accelerating progress toward binding regional food security targets.

    Working sessions are set to begin Monday, September 28, and will continue through Friday, October 2. The full week’s agenda features a robust lineup of 70 technical sessions and skills-building workshops, alongside high-level engagement including closed-door ministerial retreats, regional policy negotiations led by Caricom and its development partners, a special convening of the Council for Trade and Economic Development, and a large-scale industry exhibition and trade show designed to connect regional producers with buyers and investors.

    Among the delegations in attendance is Grenada, which is sending a cross-ministerial team to participate in deliberations. An eight-member delegation from Grenada’s Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry, led by Permanent Secretary Javan Williams, will be joined by a two-member delegation from the country’s Ministry of the Blue Economy and Marine Affairs, headed by Permanent Secretary Isaac Bhagwan, highlighting the growing recognition of ocean-linked agricultural sectors as a key component of Caribbean food security.

  • OAS Scholarships 2026

    OAS Scholarships 2026

    A new partnership between the Department of Human Development, Education and Employment of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI-DHDEE) of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of Grenada has launched a call for applications for 2027 undergraduate and graduate academic scholarship programs, opening up transformative study opportunities for eligible Grenadian citizens. This funding initiative, designed to support higher education advancement for Grenadian residents, outlines clear eligibility, documentation and timeline requirements for prospective candidates, with key benefits covering a range of study-related costs.

    ### Key Program Eligibility Rules
    All applicants must meet core eligibility criteria to be considered. Candidates must be citizens currently residing in Grenada, hold strong physical and mental health to complete their chosen program, demonstrate sufficient language proficiency to study in their host country, and be enrolled full-time in the program for which they are seeking funding. A mandatory post-study requirement applies to all awardees: regardless of study modality, recipients must return to and reside in Grenada for a minimum of 24 consecutive months after completing their funded program.

    Eligibility differs slightly for the two scholarship tiers:
    For undergraduate awards, funding is only available for the final two academic years of a bachelor’s degree program. Transfer students applying for undergraduate funding must hold an admission letter for a program starting between August and December 2027.
    For graduate awards, funding is available for full-time master’s or doctoral degree programs. Unlike undergraduate awards, graduate scholarships cannot be used for study at institutions in Grenada (applicants must study at an accredited university in another OAS member state). Online or hybrid graduate study applications receive priority consideration during selection, and awards cover one to two academic years. Medical sciences programs and language learning courses are excluded from graduate funding eligibility. Additionally, former OAS staff, consultants, and permanent mission staff may apply only after six months have passed since the end of their employment or contract with the organization.

    ### Award Benefits
    Selected scholars receive comprehensive financial support to cover core study costs. Each recipient can access up to $10,000 USD per academic year for tuition and mandatory fees, for a maximum of two academic years. Additional benefits include health insurance coverage, a monthly subsistence allowance, one round-trip air ticket to the host country for on-site study, and funding for required books and study materials.

    ### Pre-Application Requirements
    All candidates must secure admission independently before applying: applicants are required to apply directly to their chosen university for admission to their desired program, and must either be already enrolled in the program or hold an unconditional admission letter for studies starting between January 1 and December 31, 2027. While scholarships can be used at any accredited academic institution in a participating OAS member state, officials strongly encourage applicants to prioritize institutions part of the OAS Consortium of Universities.

    ### Required Application Documentation
    Specific documentation is required for each scholarship tier:
    For undergraduate applicants, required materials include: certified copies of academic credentials (associate degree diplomas and transcripts for transfer students, or high school diplomas and current progress reports for students already enrolled in a bachelor’s program); two signed recommendation letters (from former/current professors or employers, with no references from relatives accepted; unemployed applicants may submit a recommendation from a non-relative academic reference using the official OAS form); a copy of a government-issued ID or passport; and a CV that does not exceed two pages. Transfer students must also include their program admission letter.
    For graduate applicants, required materials include: a completed online application form; certified copies of all academic certificates and diplomas for the highest degree earned; certified transcripts for completed or in-progress programs; proof of enrollment or an unconditional admission letter; two signed, non-relative recommendation letters from academic or professional references; a two-page maximum CV; a copy of government-issued ID and passport biodata page; and current undergraduate transcripts for candidates with overlapping study.

    ### Application Timeline and Next Steps
    All applications must be submitted electronically according to a two-step timeline. First, completed application packets must be sent to Grenada’s Human Resource Development Division, Ministry of Education by December 4, 2026, to either [email protected] or [email protected]. Final applications must be submitted to the OAS by January 31, 2027. Pre-selection results can be obtained by contacting the national OAS office directly, and the final list of selected awardees will be published on the OAS scholarship website (oas.org/en/scholarships) in September 2027.

    Prospective candidates can access the official online application forms for both undergraduate and graduate scholarships, as well as frequently asked questions, through the OAS scholarship portal. For questions about eligibility, documentation, or the application process, candidates can contact OAS directly at [email protected], or reach out to Grenada’s Ministry of Education Human Resource Development Division by phone at (473) 417-9762 or via email at [email protected].