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  • Laroda denies receiving money from Gardiner amid House row

    Laroda denies receiving money from Gardiner amid House row

    A fiery exchange erupted in the Bahamas’ House of Assembly this week, pitting two sitting Members of Parliament against each other over allegations of ties between a convicted drug trafficker, political donations, and lucrative government construction contracts.

    The confrontation unfolded during legislative deliberation over proposed amendments to the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act, when Long Island MP Andre Rollins brought forward explosive claims. Rollins publicly questioned whether convicted and incarcerated drug trafficker Eric Gardiner had made financial contributions to the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), noting that multiple construction companies tied to Gardiner have secured multi-million dollar public works contracts from the current administration. Beyond the donation allegations, Rollins called for full public disclosure of all entities awarded government contracts through the Beaches and Parks Authority, and issued a direct call to private contractors: any time a sitting MP or government minister demands an under-the-table cash kickback in exchange for contract approval, workers should document the interaction and report it immediately to authorities. Rollins emphasized that contract earnings belong to the business, not elected officials, stressing that corrupt kickback demands have no place in Bahamian public contracting.

    Myles Laroda, the Bahamian Minister of National Security and MP for Pinewood, pushed back aggressively against the claims. Laroda flatly denied ever receiving financial contributions from Gardiner, and stated he has no memory of ever meeting the trafficker at all. He pushed back against the implication that political patronage in contracting is a practice unique to the current PLP administration, pointing to long-standing patterns of preferential contracting that date back through previous terms led by the opposition Free National Movement (FNM).

    Laroda noted that the FNM held four consecutive terms in national government over recent decades, and during that time never moved forward to implement campaign finance reform that could have curbed patronage practices. When the PLP retook power in the 2021 general election, Laroda argued, the current administration has operated within the same rule framework inherited from the FNM. He also implied that FNM leaders have a history of downplaying connections to convicted drug traffickers, stating, “I have lived long enough in this Bahamas to hear a former prime minister sanitise a former drug dealer of being reformed, campaigned with them, and was very influential. Everybody have receipts.”

    Beyond defending his own record, Laroda warned against the repeated public naming of individuals tied to active criminal proceedings, noting that politicians from every major party have family members and associates whose actions they do not endorse. In a candid admission that upended the typical political back-and-forth, Laroda acknowledged that political patronage in contracting is a cross-party tradition, going so far as to admit he personally benefited from government contracts awarded under previous FNM administrations. He argued that the long-standing political norm of “to the victor goes the spoils” has remained consistent across both PLP and FNM governments, and even claimed that FNM-affiliated contractors are more likely to win work under the current PLP than reverse. “I was the anomaly,” he said of his own FNM-era contract award.

    The allegations center on Eric Gardiner, a career drug trafficker who is currently facing new federal drug trafficking charges in U.S. federal court in New York. Gardiner first came to public attention in the Bahamas after a May 12 plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean that occurred while he was traveling between the Bahamian islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama. When U.S. authorities rescued him after the crash, they reported he was carrying $30,000 in Bahamian currency. Gardiner’s legal team later produced a bank slip showing $20,000 withdrawn from Top Notch Builders, his construction firm that has been linked to major Bahamian government projects including the Eight Mile Rock administrative complex and the Carmichael Village housing development. This is not Gardiner’s first criminal conviction: he previously served a decades-long sentence in U.S. federal prison on charges related to cocaine importation.

  • BPL blames faulty equipment for Eleuthera outages

    BPL blames faulty equipment for Eleuthera outages

    Residents and businesses across Eleuthera have endured a string of crippling power disruptions between October 5 and 12, and Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) has finally pinpointed the root causes of the outages while issuing a formal apology and laying out a long-term roadmap to stabilize the island’s power grid by 2027.

    In an official statement released this week, BPL confirmed that a series of overlapping mechanical and electrical failures at the island’s Hatchet Bay Power Station triggered the widespread blackouts. Inspectors first found damaged core components in one of the facility’s primary generating engines. As crews worked to repair that issue, they uncovered an additional fault: a frayed, damaged wire that caused the engine to shut down without warning. What made this malfunction particularly hard to diagnose was its intermittent nature – the engine would often restart and run normally for periods before failing again, extending troubleshooting time.

    Compounding these existing challenges, the utility added, were unforeseen issues with several rental generators that were supposed to pick up slack during maintenance work. The rental units failed to operate consistently, further straining electricity production across the island.

    To address the immediate crisis, BPL mobilized cross-island technical teams from Eleuthera, New Providence, and Abaco to collaborate on diagnostics and repairs. In the weeks following the onset of outages, crews have successfully repaired or replaced all damaged engine components and faulty wiring, while making critical adjustments to the underperforming rental generators to restore functionality. Throughout the repair process, the company says it worked to redistribute available power across affected communities as much as possible to minimize ongoing disruption for residents and local businesses.

    While the immediate faults have been resolved, BPL openly acknowledged that the repeated outages highlight deeper systemic issues: Eleuthera’s power sector relies heavily on aging infrastructure, requiring long-term, large-scale upgrades to prevent future blackouts. To that end, the utility has announced two major infrastructure projects set to come online by 2027.

    First, independent power producer EA Energy will install 20 megawatts of new natural gas-fired generation capacity on the island, with completion scheduled for before the summer of 2027. The new gas turbines are designed to replace a large share of the output from the island’s aging existing generating units, reducing dependence on both old equipment and temporary rental generators that have proven unreliable.

    Second, a new utility-scale solar power plant is currently under development at the Hatchet Bay Power Station site, targeted for completion in early 2027. The project will add 8.7 megawatts of solar generating capacity, paired with on-site battery energy storage systems to smooth out fluctuations in solar output and keep the grid stable.

    BPL says the combination of these three resources – continuous base load power from natural gas, low-carbon daytime generation from solar that cuts fuel costs, and grid stability support from battery storage – will create a far more resilient and reliable power system for Eleuthera than the current outdated setup.

    Anthony Christie, BPL’s chief operating officer, recognized that repeated outages have left the island’s residents deeply frustrated, and emphasized that the company is committed to delivering tangible, lasting improvement. “We know the people of Eleuthera are tired of repeated power outages, and we understand their frustration. Our teams have worked hard to fix the recent problems, but our responsibility doesn’t end there,” Christie said. “We are bringing new power generation to Eleuthera because our customers deserve reliable electricity. Our focus is on fewer outages, faster repairs and better service for every community on the island.”

    The company closed its statement by thanking Eleuthera residents for their patience throughout the recent disruptions and ongoing upgrade work, noting that technical teams will continue round-the-clock monitoring of the island’s power system as the long-term improvement projects move forward.

  • Abinader and Cardinal Parolin discuss Haiti crisis and regional stability

    Abinader and Cardinal Parolin discuss Haiti crisis and regional stability

    In a high-level diplomatic gathering held Thursday in Vatican City, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader sat down for formal discussions with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State. The meeting covered a wide range of topics, from global geopolitical shifts to pressing regional challenges across Latin America and the Caribbean, with a sharp focus on the ongoing crises in Haiti and Cuba.

    Following the closed-door talks, President Abinader spoke to reporters on the meeting’s key takeaways, noting that representatives from the Holy See’s Foreign Affairs Commission also joined the discussions. Participants centered talks on issues of mutual concern for the Dominican Republic and the broader international community, including far-reaching economic consequences of the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Abinader highlighted that the conflict has amplified volatility in hydrocarbon prices, driving up costs for essential goods and services worldwide at a time when global markets already face widespread uncertainty.

    One of the most prominent topics on the meeting’s agenda was the deepening political and humanitarian crisis in Haiti. Vatican officials shared their grave concerns over the instability plaguing the Caribbean nation, and raised questions about whether planned elections in Haiti can realistically proceed under current conditions. Abinader confirmed that the Dominican delegation used the meeting to outline the country’s official position and share evidence-based policy recommendations for addressing the Haiti crisis.

    President Abinader characterized his discussion with Cardinal Parolin as constructive and positive, noting that the pair also turned their attention to domestic matters related to the Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic. Among these internal topics was the ongoing process of appointing a new Archbishop of Santo Domingo. Talks also touched on the Dominican Republic’s widely recognized progress in combating food insecurity, work that has previously earned praise from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

    In a major announcement following the meeting, President Abinader confirmed that he formally extended an invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit the Dominican Republic in 2027. Abinader clarified that the invitation remains open, but stressed that the final decision on whether the visit will go forward will depend on the pontiff’s ongoing health recovery. The Dominican president also conveyed his sincere wishes for a swift and full recovery for the Pope.

    Abinader added that he has also invited Cardinal Parolin to visit the Dominican Republic in the near future, and emphasized the longstanding close diplomatic and people-to-people ties between the Dominican Republic and the Holy See, framing the meeting as another step forward in strengthening that bilateral relationship.

  • Abinader asks Dominicans to pray for Pope Leo XIV’s health

    Abinader asks Dominicans to pray for Pope Leo XIV’s health

    During a solemn reflective gathering held in the Vatican Gardens in Rome on Thursday, Dominican President Luis Abinader issued a public call for all Dominican people across the globe to join in prayer for the health and full recovery of Pope Leo XIV. Accompanying the president at the event was First Lady Raquel Arbaje, and the symbolic image of Our Lady of Altagracia, the revered patron saint of the Dominican nation, was also present for the occasion.

    After opening the moment of reflection, Abinader invited all attendees gathered in the gardens to recite the Our Father together, centering the prayer on the pontiff’s well-being. He formally asked God to grant strength and support to Pope Leo XIV as he works toward recovery, and took the opportunity to reaffirm a long-held hope: that the Pope will accept his previous invitation and undertake an official visit to the Dominican Republic in 2027.

    Beyond prayers for the head of the Catholic Church, Abinader extended his spiritual intercession to Dominican families both residing in his home country and living abroad. He asked God to grant lasting peace and deep unity to every Dominican household, and publicly entrusted his own role and duties as head of the Dominican government to divine guidance. In his remarks, the president specifically sought divine wisdom for the policy decisions he faces, moral and physical fortitude to navigate periods of national hardship, and a spirit of compassion that guides his treatment of the most vulnerable members of Dominican society.

    Abinader closed the gathering by offering additional prayers for the global Catholic Church, asking for divine support for the institution’s core mission of spreading its message of faith and salvation to communities around the world.

  • Indotel and Sweden sign RD$44 million agreement to strengthen telecommunications

    Indotel and Sweden sign RD$44 million agreement to strengthen telecommunications

    A new partnership between the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel) and Swedfund, Sweden’s state-owned development finance institution, is set to strengthen the Caribbean nation’s telecommunications regulatory infrastructure, thanks to a recently signed grant agreement worth roughly 44 million Dominican pesos.

    The funding will be directed toward two key priority projects within the Dominican telecom sector. First, it will cover the costs of developing Indotel’s 2027–2031 Master Plan for the Use and Administration of the Radio Spectrum, a foundational strategic document that will shape the country’s spectrum management for the next five years. Second, the grant will support the drafting of updated regulatory frameworks governing satellite-based communication services.

    Guido Gómez Mazara, president of Indotel’s board of directors, explained that the upcoming master plan will deliver clear, long-term value for both the public and private telecom sectors. By outlining official priorities for the 2027–2031 period, mapping out existing and future frequency demand across all user groups, and establishing consistent, evidence-based guidelines for spectrum allocation and use, the plan will cut through technical uncertainty for industry stakeholders. This improved clarity, in turn, will create a more stable and attractive environment for private investment in the country’s telecom ecosystem.

    Gómez Mazara also emphasized the growing strategic importance of satellite technology in closing the Dominican Republic’s digital divide. For remote, rural, or geographically challenging communities where building terrestrial communication infrastructure such as fiber-optic cables or cell towers is prohibitively expensive or logistically unfeasible, satellite services offer a viable pathway to connect unconnected populations. Beyond closing connectivity gaps, satellite networks also serve as a critical resilience backup during natural disasters and emergencies, when ground-based infrastructure is often damaged or disabled.

    The new regulatory framework for satellite services being developed under the grant will address core operational priorities. It will establish clear rules to prevent harmful radio frequency interference between different users of the spectrum, ensure that satellite services can operate smoothly alongside existing terrestrial and other communication networks, and lay the groundwork for a market that encourages sustained private investment, healthy competition between providers, and robust protections for end consumers.

    For additional coverage of local Dominican current events and industry developments, visit DominicanScope.

  • Aerodom projects 1.9 million seats at Dominican airports for winter season

    Aerodom projects 1.9 million seats at Dominican airports for winter season

    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom), a member of the global Vinci Airports network, has unveiled a robust growth projection for its 2026–2027 winter operating season, forecasting a 4.9% rise in international seat capacity across all its Dominican airports compared to the prior winter season. The expansion plan will bring roughly 1.9 million total international seats to the country, paired with more than 10,500 scheduled departing flights and eight brand-new international destinations. This move is designed to reinforce the Dominican Republic’s air links to critical global tourism and commercial markets, supporting the country’s ongoing economic and travel industry growth.

    The bulk of the expanded capacity will be centered at Las Américas International Airport (SDQ), the Dominican Republic’s primary gateway in Santo Domingo, which will offer more than 1.5 million international seats – a 3.4% year-over-year increase. Among the most notable new routes is a direct service between Santo Domingo and Rome operated by ITA Airways, marking the first nonstop connection between the Dominican capital and Italy. Additional new routes from SDQ include Montreal via Air Canada, Houston via United Airlines, and Paramaribo, Suriname via local carrier Fly Always. Existing route networks will also see expansion, with added frequencies to Caracas, Venezuela, and Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, strengthening regional connectivity for passengers traveling out of Santo Domingo.

    Multiple major international carriers are ramping up their existing capacity at SDQ to meet growing travel demand. U.S.-based JetBlue will boost seat capacity on its Fort Lauderdale route by 128%, while American Airlines is expanding its Philadelphia service from just 24 annual flights to 153 during the winter season. Colombia’s Avianca will add a 41% capacity increase to its Bogotá route, Spain’s Iberia is lifting capacity to Madrid by 19%, and Panama’s Copa Airlines will add 15% more seats for travel to Panama City. Regional carrier Aerojet is also increasing its Boston service capacity by 67% to accommodate rising passenger numbers.

    At Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP), located in the popular coastal tourist destination of Puerto Plata, overall capacity is projected to grow by 8.8%, with Canadian travelers driving much of this expansion: seat capacity from the Canadian market will jump 28% year-over-year. Canadian low-cost carrier Flair Airlines will add new services from Toronto and Montreal, while WestJet will launch its first nonstop route from Winnipeg. Air Transat will also introduce a new connection from London, Ontario. Beyond Canadian links, POP will gain a new direct route to Bogotá operated by low-cost carrier Wingo, and Copa Airlines will expand capacity to Panama, further extending regional connectivity options from the northern Dominican coast.

    The fastest growth by percentage across Aerodom’s entire network will take place at President Juan Bosch International Airport (AZS) in Samaná, a scenic resort region on the country’s northeastern coast. Scheduled seat capacity at AZS will rise 29% year-over-year, with Canadian capacity growing nearly 40% thanks to expanded service from both WestJet and Air Canada out of Montreal.

    Across all Aerodom-managed airports, Canada stands out as the single largest driver of winter season capacity growth, with a total of more than 230,000 scheduled seats – a 33% increase from the 2025–2026 winter season, adding around 58,000 additional seats for travelers coming to the Dominican Republic from Canada.

    This major expansion of air connectivity aligns with Aerodom’s large-scale infrastructure investment program currently underway at Las Américas International Airport. The project carries a total investment of 24 billion Dominican pesos and includes construction of a brand-new passenger terminal, full rehabilitation of the airport’s main runway, and installation of a cutting-edge automated baggage handling system. Once completed, these upgrades are expected to boost the airport’s overall operational capacity while elevating standards for passenger safety, operational efficiency, and overall service quality for travelers visiting the Dominican Republic.

  • MIREX restores judicial notification services for Venezuela

    MIREX restores judicial notification services for Venezuela

    In a significant step toward rebuilding bilateral diplomatic and consular cooperation, the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX) has confirmed the full restoration of judicial notification services and related procedural acts for Venezuelan parties, a policy change that reverses a temporary suspension implemented earlier this year.

    This regulatory adjustment applies exclusively to processes involving Venezuela, rolling back the pause on services that MIREX first announced in March 2025. The decision to bring these services back online comes directly after the Dominican Republic reopened its Consulate General in Caracas, with all required operational infrastructure now in place to handle incoming procedural requests smoothly.

    Under the restored framework, MIREX confirmed that all applications for judicial notifications involving individual residents or legally registered entities based in Venezuela can once again be filed through official, pre-established channels. All processes will continue to adhere strictly to existing domestic legal requirements set out by Dominican authorities.

    The renewal of these judicial services forms part of a broader push by the Dominican government to deepen consular engagement with Venezuela. The path to this policy shift was cleared after President Luis Abinader held a high-level meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez, following which Abinader formally announced the plan to reopen the Dominican consulate in Caracas. This latest move marks another key milestone in the gradual normalization of diplomatic and procedural ties between the two Caribbean and Latin American nations.

  • Dominican Tourism Campaign and Zel Punta Cana win gold at 2026 Magellan Awards

    Dominican Tourism Campaign and Zel Punta Cana win gold at 2026 Magellan Awards

    Two major Dominican Republic tourism assets have earned the industry’s highest recognition, taking home gold awards from the 2026 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards for outstanding work in travel marketing and hospitality.

    The country’s Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) walked away with two gold honors for its groundbreaking “Subway to Paradise” outreach initiative, winning in both the Live Marketing Program and Tourist Destinations – Marketing – Live Events categories. The award-winning campaign, rolled out across New York City’s sprawling subway network between December 2025 and January 2026, was designed to do double duty: position the Dominican Republic as a top global travel getaway while building stronger ties with the large Dominican diaspora based in the United States. Roughly one-third of all Dominicans residing outside their home country live in New York, a demographic that made the city an unmissable strategic hub for the targeted campaign. As a centerpiece of the project, entire subway cars were covered in vibrant, panoramic imagery of the Dominican Republic’s most stunning natural landscapes, paired with the warm, inviting tagline “Dominicana smiles at you.”

    Joining MITUR in the gold winner’s circle is Zel Punta Cana, the all-inclusive Caribbean resort operated by global hospitality giant Meliá Hotels International. The property took top gold in the competitive Hospitality – Resort/All-inclusive Hotel category. Developed in collaboration with legendary tennis champion Rafael Nadal, Zel Punta Cana marks the first outpost of the co-created Zel brand in the Caribbean. The resort blends luxury with nature-focused design, offering 190 guest accommodations rooted in the surrounding tropical environment, including premium suites that grant visitors direct private access to on-site swimming pools.

    Now in its multi-year run celebrating travel industry excellence, the Travel Weekly Magellan Awards honors standout achievement across every corner of the global travel sector, from destination marketing and property design to hospitality and guest service. All submissions are reviewed and scored by a panel of seasoned tourism industry professionals, judged against strict quality standards set by leading travel publication Travel Weekly.

  • Culture in the South Festival set for November 12–15 in Azua

    Culture in the South Festival set for November 12–15 in Azua

    The Dominican Republic is gearing up to host its first-ever Culture in the South Festival, a four-day celebration of regional art and creativity kicking off next month in the southern province of Azua. Running from November 12 to 15, the event will showcase 51 curated activities crafted by hundreds of artists, cultural organizers, and community representatives from six of the country’s southern provinces.

    Minister of Culture Roberto Ángel Salcedo made the official announcement during a press briefing held at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) Azua campus, which will act as the central hub for all festival activities. In a heartfelt nod to Dominican artistic legacy, this year’s festival will honor celebrated visual artist Dionisio Blanco, recognizing his decades-long impact on the nation’s art scene and his enduring contributions to cultivating local creative talent.

    The festival’s programming intentionally centers the unique cultural identities of the participating provinces: Azua, San Juan, Elías Piña, San José de Ocoa, Peravia, and San Cristóbal. Attendees can expect a dynamic lineup of events that highlight the distinct artistic traditions and rich cultural diversity of the southern region, from folk performances to contemporary art exhibitions that bridge generations of creators.

    The official opening ceremony is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, November 12, at the UASD Azua Center, with full public activities getting underway on Friday and running through Sunday, November 15. While the university campus will host the majority of events, organizers have spread programming across multiple on-site locations to accommodate the large volume of attendees and diverse range of activities.

    According to the Ministry of Culture, the festival fills a critical gap in the nation’s cultural landscape by expanding creative opportunities outside of the capital city of Santo Domingo. Beyond simply showcasing art, the initiative aims to foster meaningful collaboration between independent creators and local communities, while creating new pathways for regional talent and cultural works to reach broader audiences across the country.

  • Abinader to meet Vatican Secretary of State after Pope Leo XIV audience canceled

    Abinader to meet Vatican Secretary of State after Pope Leo XIV audience canceled

    ROME — A scheduled official audience between Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader and Pope Leo XIV during Abinader’s state visit to Vatican City has been called off, following the pontiff’s unexpected lung surgery earlier this week. The presidential diplomatic visit will still move forward, however, with a confirmed meeting between Abinader and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, set to take place Thursday.

    The papal audience was originally locked in for October 15, the centerpiece of Abinader’s planned itinerary during his official trip to the Vatican. Just two days before the scheduled meeting, on October 13, Pope Leo XIV was admitted to Rome’s Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic for surgery, forcing the Vatican to pause all of the pontiff’s scheduled public and official engagements.

    Vatican officials confirmed that the procedure was performed to remove the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung, after medical imaging detected a lesion that was subsequently diagnosed as pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Per updates from the Vatican, the surgery went according to plan and no complications arose during the operation.

    An official medical update issued Wednesday confirmed that the Pope’s post-operative recovery is progressing as expected. Diagnostic tests including blood work and chest X-rays have returned results consistent with a normal recovery process. The pontiff has already begun short walks around his hospital room, started respiratory physiotherapy to support healing, and has returned to his regular diet. Current medical projections expect Pope Leo XIV will remain in the hospital for approximately one week to complete his initial post-operative recovery period.

    Even with the cancellation of the high-profile papal audience, Abinader has opted to retain his pre-scheduled meeting with Cardinal Parolin, one of the most senior and influential figures in the Holy See’s leadership and a central player in Vatican diplomatic affairs. The closed-door private meeting will remain on the official itinerary, with only designated photographers from both the Dominican government and the Holy See permitted to attend to capture official images for record-keeping.

    Abinader’s visit to the Vatican was designed to advance diplomatic and bilateral ties between the Dominican Republic, the Holy See, and Italy, while opening space for dialogue on a range of issues that are of shared interest to all parties. The decision to keep the meeting with Parolin on the agenda allows the Dominican Republic’s key diplomatic objectives for the trip to move forward, even after the sudden change in plans prompted by the Pope’s unexpected medical procedure.