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  • Note on Monetary Policy, BRH 2nd Fiscal Quarter 2025-2026

    Note on Monetary Policy, BRH 2nd Fiscal Quarter 2025-2026

    Against a backdrop of soaring global energy costs, intensifying geopolitical friction, persistent inflation, and widening fiscal gaps, the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) has released its highly anticipated second quarter monetary policy note for fiscal year 2025-2026, laying out a comprehensive snapshot of recent economic performance, key policy interventions to stabilize macroeconomic and financial conditions, and forward-looking projections for the months ahead.

    Global and regional economic projections from the International Monetary Fund, published in April 2026, frame the challenging global context in which Haiti’s economy operates. The IMF estimates global growth will hit 3.1% for the full year 2026. The United States is projected to grow by 2%, with inflation holding at 3.3%, unemployment at 4.3%, and benchmark policy rates ranging between 3.50% and 3.75%. The Eurozone faces far slower growth, penciled in at just 0.1%, with 2.6% inflation, 6.2% unemployment, and a 2% deposit facility rate. Across Latin America and the Caribbean, regional growth is projected at 2.2%, with neighboring Dominican Republic outperforming at 4% annual growth, 4.63% inflation, and a 5.25% policy rate.

    Domestically, Haiti’s economic landscape remains deeply troubled, the report confirms. Economic activity contracted by 1.1% in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, with all three major sectors posting underperformance: the primary sector shrank by 4%, the secondary sector by 2.3%, and the tertiary sector by 0.3%. The ongoing security crisis has driven widespread displacement, with nearly 1.45 million Haitians registered as displaced persons as of February 24, 2026. Between March and June 2026, an estimated 5.83 million Haitians face acute food insecurity. Annual inflation hit 20.6% in March 2026, exacerbated by a government-announced fuel price increase implemented on March 31 of that year.

    On the public finance front, BRH data shows the government collected 54.7 billion Gourdes in tax revenue over the quarter, with total available resources reaching 102.8 billion Gourdes. Net treasury bill issuance hit 40.9 billion Gourdes, while recorded budget expenditures totaled 61.3 billion Gourdes. Overall total disbursements reached 113.7 billion Gourdes, leaving a significant overall budget gap. A portion of this deficit was financed via 19.12 billion Gourdes in advances from the BRH. In the external sector, the country recorded $160.83 million in exports against $1.19 billion in imports, resulting in a trade deficit of $1.03 billion for the quarter.

    Looking ahead, BRH warns that Haiti’s economic trajectory remains vulnerable to a cascade of overlapping shocks, rooted in both the nation’s ongoing precarious security situation and the potential spillover effects from escalating geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East. Against a backdrop of global oil market disruptions, the government’s pump price adjustment—while slightly revised downward in early May 2026, after the end of the quarter under review—still risks further stoking inflationary pressures. Higher fuel costs drive up transportation expenses, which flow directly to higher prices for nearly all other consumer goods and services across the economy. Additionally, ongoing volatility in the Middle East threatens to increase Haiti’s total oil import bill, putting additional downward pressure on the country’s already strained foreign exchange market.

    In response to deepening shocks and persistent economic uncertainty, BRH has committed to rolling out targeted policy measures to preserve core economic activity, aligned with its institutional mandate. The central bank’s policy priorities will focus on restoring macroeconomic balance and safeguarding the stability of Haiti’s financial system. To support these efforts, the International Monetary Fund’s recent extension of the Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) through June 2027 will provide critical institutional backing, creating a credible policy framework and ensuring continuity of disciplined macroeconomic management.

    Beyond short-term stabilization, BRH has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to revitalizing Haiti’s domestic productive sector through targeted support mechanisms for strategic industries. Key initiatives include a restructuring of banking services to expand access to financial inclusion for residents and businesses in provincial cities, and scaled-up support for Haitian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those owned and led by women. The Booster PME III program stands as a flagship effort to deliver on this commitment.

  • DINEPA : Monitoring of the drinking water distribution project in the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Region

    DINEPA : Monitoring of the drinking water distribution project in the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Region

    On May 28, 2026, senior leadership from Haiti’s National Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) carried out an on-site inspection of a major drinking water distribution network expansion project serving the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Region (RMPP). Leading the inspection tour was DINEPA Director General Engineer Théophil Ostinvil, who was joined by a full team of technical specialists to assess on-ground construction progress and compliance with project standards.

    Funded through a grant from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) as a core component of the PAP III infrastructure program, the initiative is overseen day-to-day by the Regional Office of Drinking Water and Sanitation for Ouest department (OREPA-Ouest). The project’s primary goal is to reinforce and expand existing water access infrastructure across four key municipalities in the region: Pétion-Ville, Delmas, Tabarre, and Carrefour, addressing longstanding gaps in reliable drinking water access for local communities.

    To date, construction work carried out by contracted private firms and consortia—including the RMPP Technical Operations Center—has completed 5,759 new household connection units, out of a total 17,654 units planned across the project area. DINEPA has issued a public reminder to the affected population that the full project is on track to meet its completion deadline of no later than the end of August 2026.

    A central priority for DINEPA throughout the inspection was verifying that all implementing contractors are adhering strictly to agreed contractual terms and national technical construction standards. Of particular note is the agency’s requirement that all new piping installations must pass rigorous pressure testing following excavation and pipe laying, before any disturbed road surfaces are repaired and reopened to public use. This quality control measure is designed to prevent post-construction leaks, service disruptions, and unnecessary additional repairs that would delay project benefits for residents.

    Beyond the large-scale network expansion, DINEPA is also advancing urgent work to restore drinking water service in underserved communities across the region, including the neighborhoods of Nazon, Solino and their surrounding areas. In recent weeks, the agency has approved key decisions to advance repairs and upgrade equipment at two critical pumping facilities: the Delmas 19 Cul-de-Sac transfer station and the Nazon pumping station. Upgrades to these facilities will bring them back to full operational capacity, immediately improving water supply for thousands of local households.

    The ongoing monitoring and complementary upgrade efforts reflect DINEPA’s formal commitment to executing the instructions issued by Haiti’s Prime Minister to expand equitable access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation services across the country. Through these coordinated investments, the agency aims to address decades of underinvestment in water infrastructure and deliver tangible, life-changing improvements to public health and quality of life for residents of the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Region.

  • Electoral Chair : PM attends the closing ceremony of the International Conference

    Electoral Chair : PM attends the closing ceremony of the International Conference

    On May 30, 2026, Haiti’s capital played host to the closing ceremony of the country’s first-ever International Conference of the Electoral Chair, an event organized in partnership between the State University of Haiti (UEH) and the nation’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). Held at Port-au-Prince’s Karibe Hotel over three days from May 28 to 30, the gathering centered on the urgent and pivotal theme: “Ensuring Success in the 2026 Elections in Haiti: Expectations and Opportunities.”

    The conference drew a diverse cross-section of stakeholders invested in Haiti’s democratic future. In attendance were CEP President Jacques Desrosiers, CEP Executive Director Uder Antoine, the body’s panel of electoral advisors, key international technical and financial partners for the electoral process, senior leadership and faculty from UEH, academic researchers, university students, and leading representatives from Haiti’s broad civil society network.

    In his opening remarks to the closing ceremony, Desrosiers opened by praising the unprecedented level of engagement from Haiti’s academic community, independent research bodies, and grassroots civil society groups. He noted that the broad mobilization around discussions of Haiti’s democratic trajectory and upcoming electoral cycle signaled a widespread national desire for a renewed, legitimate political order. Desrosiers also underscored a non-negotiable priority for the process: the urgent need to establish and maintain a secure environment that allows elections to proceed safely, with full protection for all electoral infrastructure, staff, and participating voters.

    Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who headlined the closing ceremony, echoed Desrosiers’ remarks while framing the 2026 elections as a foundational milestone for the country’s long-stalled national reconstruction effort. The Prime Minister commended civil society for its proactive commitment to the electoral process, highlighting that their active participation in the conference’s deliberations reflected a shared ownership of Haiti’s democratic future.

    Fils-Aimé used the platform to reaffirm the core governing priorities of his administration, which center on three interconnected pillars: restoring widespread security across the country after years of instability, revitalizing Haiti’s struggling economy to deliver tangible improvements to daily life for citizens, and delivering an electoral process that is fully transparent, fair, and internationally credible. In a stirring call for collective national investment in the process, Fils-Aimé told attendees: “To refuse to commit is to let others decide for us.”

    The conclusion of the three-day conference marks a key milestone in Haiti’s preparations for the upcoming 2026 general elections, with stakeholders aligning around core priorities that will shape the months of preparation ahead.

  • Aardbeving van 6.0 bij Barbados ook in Suriname gevoeld

    Aardbeving van 6.0 bij Barbados ook in Suriname gevoeld

    On Saturday local time, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake was registered south of the Caribbean island nation of Barbados, with faint tremors felt by dozens of residents hundreds of kilometers away in Suriname, according to regional seismic monitoring authorities.

    The Seismic Research Centre at the University of the West Indies (UWI-SRC) confirmed the temblor struck at approximately 17:27 local time, with an epicenter positioned around 100 kilometers south of Bridgetown, Barbados’ capital. The earthquake’s hypocenter was measured at a depth of roughly 53 kilometers. Seismic officials noted that this data remains an preliminary automatic reading, and final figures may be adjusted following full post-event analysis.

    Despite the epicenter being located a substantial distance from Suriname’s territory, residents across multiple regions of the South American country reported detecting light shaking Saturday afternoon. Accounts shared on social media indicate that people positioned on upper floors of tall buildings experienced the movement more distinctly than those at ground level.

    Geographically, Barbados sits along the eastern edge of the Caribbean tectonic plate, a geologically active zone where frequent seismic activity occurs driven by shifting interactions between neighboring tectonic plates. Most earthquakes recorded in this region do not trigger major structural damage, though their tremors can often be detected across wide swathes of the Caribbean basin.

    As of the latest updates, no reports of casualties, structural damage or injuries have been confirmed in Barbados or surrounding areas. No tsunami warnings have been issued by regional ocean and emergency management agencies following the quake.

  • Derde helft WK 2026: Hoe Frankrijk het grootste talentenaanbod in het voetbal creëerde

    Derde helft WK 2026: Hoe Frankrijk het grootste talentenaanbod in het voetbal creëerde

    As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, France has cemented its status as one of the tournament’s pre-tournament favorites alongside Spain, drawing global attention to its decades-long, unprecedented run of producing elite football talent. The depth of Les Bleus’ talent pool is so extraordinary that Belgian defender Thomas Meunier recently sparked widespread debate when he claimed France could field three separate World Cup-competitive squads capable of lifting the trophy.

    While the idea that France’s second or third string would win the World Cup may be hyperbole, data backs up the sheer scale of the country’s talent depth. According to transfermarkt.com, a starting lineup composed entirely of French players who did not even make the 26-man 2026 squad has a combined market value that would rank among the top five highest in the world, outranking Portugal, Brazil, the Netherlands, and even defending champion Argentina. That unselected group includes talents such as Lucas Chevalier (€30 million), Pierre Kalulu (€32 million), Leny Yoro (€50 million), Eduardo Camavinga (€50 million) and Khephren Thuram (€40 million), boasting a total combined value of €418 million and an average player valuation of €38 million.

    France’s current success is not an accident—it is the end result of a systematic overhaul born from decades of heartbreak. From the 1930s through the 1970s, French national teams consistently underperformed on the world’s biggest football stage. In the early 1970s, then-national team manager Georges Boulogne proposed a national network of youth training hubs called Centres de Formation to address the gap. “France had not won any major trophies, so a decision was made to create an entirely new structure,” Franck Bentolila, director of the prestigious INF Clairefontaine academy, explained to Al Jazeera.

    The French government threw its full support behind the program, seeing it as a way to promote French values through sport while also building a competitive national program. Sixteen training centers were ultimately established across the country, with the first opening in Vichy in 1974. These hubs scouted young prospects from mainland France and its overseas territories, laying a foundational pipeline to prepare players for professional careers and eventual national team call-ups.

    Early results were inconsistent. In the 1980s, France claimed both the European Championship and Olympic gold in 1984 and reached two World Cup semifinals, but failed to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 World Cups entirely. The program’s success finally clicked in 1998, when the iconic multi-ethnic “Black-Blanc-Beur” squad won the World Cup on home soil. That diverse team, which reflected the changing face of French society, confirmed the development model worked. Then-manager Aimé Jacquet dedicated the win to “all the amateur clubs and academies—this trophy is yours too,” Bentolila recalled.

    Former French goalkeeper and 1990s captain Bernard Lama noted the 1998 generation had a key advantage over the talented but trophy-less 1980s group led by Michel Platini, Alain Giresse and Jean Tigana: “The difference with our generation was that everyone came through an academy, and we had the hunger to win a title. And we had one exceptional talent: Zinedine Zidane.”

    Following the 1998 breakthrough, France went on to win the 2018 World Cup and finish as runners-up in 2006 and 2022. Lama credits the nation’s continued success to a combination of the academy system and the contribution of immigrant communities: “People coming from overseas territories—Africa, French Guiana, Martinique—bring us two things: music and sport. There is now a new generation that grew up entirely in France, like Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué. They are French, not naturalized, most come from the Paris region, and they are hungry for success, above all because they have raw talent.”

    Lama does warn of the risk of over-structuring youth development that can turn players into rigid “robots,” but notes France still produces more than enough exceptional difference-makers. “We are lucky to have players who can change a game, like Mbappé, Dembélé and Doué. They hate losing, they can make an individual difference physically and technically. That is the strength of the national team and clubs like PSG: our finishing ability. We now have maybe four or five players, like Akliouche and Cherki, who represent a completely different type of talent. When you have that explosion of talent, it gives a manager far more offensive options,” he said.

    While most senior internationals came through the official academy system, talent development starts much earlier in French culture. “It is cultural,” Bentolila explained. “In America, kids have a basketball or football in their hands from a young age. In France, there is a football at your feet from birth, with free access to training facilities everywhere.”

    Veteran coach and scout Stéphane Nado says France’s secret is a simple combination of hard work, structured organization and a player-first approach: “The player is at the center of the entire project. They get a formal education and get to stay close to their family, which is so important for their psychological development. That is why France is one of the best countries in the world at developing players for top leagues across the globe.”

    Training at Clairefontaine, France’s elite national academy, blends the improvisational creativity of street football with structured team organization, with a heavy focus on small-sided 1v1 and 2v2 games. “You have to fight for every ball. If you are good at dribbling and first touch, we work on positional play in overloads like 5v2. As soon as you get the ball, you have to control it well—we drill that constantly,” Bentolila said. Today, Clairefontaine focuses primarily on younger age groups, with older prospects moving into the development systems of top professional clubs.

    Bentolila added that development extends far beyond official academies, particularly in the Paris region: “Paris and São Paulo are the best places in the world for raw talent, because of the huge network of small private academies. Kids aged eight or nine play every single day. Amateur coaches don’t give them full meals, just a snack at 4 p.m., then they do homework and train. By the time they are 12, they play like Mbappé. There are amateur clubs in Paris no one has heard of that can beat Barcelona youth teams and top professional academy sides. They are better than the youth teams of PSG and Paris FC. Kids play football everywhere, all the time, from age 8 to 10. They are like soldiers, they fight every day and get good because they play under constant pressure.”

    Back in the 1980s, Les Bleus were nicknamed the “Brazilians of Europe” for their free-flowing attacking style. After decades of development, France has lived up to that nickname on its own terms. “Brazilian coaches used to tell me: ‘In our country we are poor, but we can succeed in football or music, so we start the day with football,’” Bentolila said. “In France, we go to school first, then train after. We do it every day, and just like Brazil, we play a lot, and we play well.”

    For the 2026 World Cup, France has been drawn into Group I alongside Senegal, Norway and Iraq, a group with a wide range of strength and international experience. Senegal, one of Africa’s strongest national sides, has qualified for multiple recent major tournaments and counts numerous top talents playing in Europe’s leading leagues. Norway is making its return to the World Cup after an 18-year absence, fielding a mix of experienced veterans and exciting young prospects who play across top European competitions. Iraq qualified via the inter-confederation playoffs and is making just its second World Cup finals appearance in history; while the side lacks deep international tournament experience, it still boasts a number of talented players competing domestically and abroad.

    France’s group stage fixtures are scheduled as: June 16 vs Senegal at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, June 22 vs Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and June 26 vs Norway at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

    Didier Deschamps’ 26-man 2026 French squad includes goalkeepers Mike Maignan, Robin Risser and Brice Samba; defenders Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano; midfielders N’Golo Kanté, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Warren Zaïre-Emery; and attackers Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise and Marcus Thuram. Notable absentees from the squad include Eduardo Camavinga, Randal Kolo Muani and Lucas Chevalier, a testament to the depth of talent available to Deschamps.

    This 2026 tournament will mark Deschamps’ final World Cup as France’s manager, capping one of the most successful tenures in modern international football history.

  • RGPF: update on allegations regarding hotel workers

    RGPF: update on allegations regarding hotel workers

    Nearly three months after releasing an initial public announcement regarding widespread allegations of sexual abuse targeting hotel employees at the hands of visiting tourists, the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) has shared a critical update on the progress of the case. Back in May 2026, the law enforcement agency first notified the public that multiple claims of misconduct had been flagged, and put out a call for formal reports from potential victims to move forward with probes. As of the latest update from the Office of the Commissioner of Police, only one formal, official complaint connected to the original allegations has been submitted to investigators.

    Preliminary review of the submitted claim has ruled out the most serious charge of sexual assault, according to RGPF findings. Even though the allegation did not meet the threshold for criminal sexual assault charges, the complainant still requested police intervention to issue a formal warning to the individual named in the report. That administrative step has been carried out as part of the ongoing process.

    In its latest statement, the RGPF reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to pursuing thorough, impartial investigations into every reported claim of sexual abuse, exploitation, and all other criminal acts occurring within its jurisdiction. Law enforcement officials are continuing their outreach to encourage any person with additional information about alleged incidents of this nature, or anyone who has personally experienced harm that could qualify as a criminal offense, to reach out to authorities immediately.

    Members of the public with relevant information or claims can contact the RGPF Criminal Investigations Department directly at 440-3921, call the 24/7 police emergency line at 911, or visit the closest local police station to file a report in person. The RGPF emphasized that public cooperation is a foundational component of successfully probing and resolving allegations of sexual misconduct, ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable and potential victims receive the support and justice they deserve.

    This update was issued directly from the Office of the Commissioner of Police. NOW Grenada disclaims responsibility for any opinions, statements or third-party content shared by contributors to its platform, and provides a channel for users to report any content that violates community guidelines.

  • Dc’s dienen begrotingen voor 2027 in bij minister Huur

    Dc’s dienen begrotingen voor 2027 in bij minister Huur

    On Friday, district commissioners across Suriname formally submitted their proposed 2027 fiscal year district budgets to Miquella Huur, Minister of Regional Development, in an official ceremony held in the meeting chamber of the District Councils in Paramaribo.

    By legal mandate under the Suriname Regional Bodies Act, district commissioners are required to present their annual budgets for central review each year, and this submission adheres to that longstanding regulatory requirement. These approved budgets will serve as the core financial foundation for all local development projects and policy implementation across Suriname’s administrative districts in the 2027 fiscal cycle.

    During the ceremony, Minister Huur emphasized that visible, community-engaged local governance is critical to advancing equitable development across all Suriname’s regions. She called on district leadership to pursue creative, innovative approaches to address unique local challenges and meet pre-established development targets.

    In a key policy announcement made alongside the budget submission, Minister Huur confirmed that the Suriname Institute for Civil Servants will soon launch new specialized training programs focused on boosting the professional skills and capacity of local administrative staff. This initiative is designed to strengthen the quality of public service delivery at the district level.

    The minister also extended public appreciation for the consistent work of all district commissioners, singling out three leaders for special recognition: Ravi Bhattoe of Wanica-Midden, Marvin Vyent of Albina, and Clyde van der Kamp of Brokopondo, praising their exceptional commitment to serving their respective administrative districts.

    The 2027 budgets are directly aligned with district development plans drafted earlier this year, which themselves grew out of public hearings organized by ressort councils in every district. These public hearings create a formal channel for local residents to raise pressing concerns, share community needs, and flag unaddressed development priorities in their residential areas. District commissioners submitted the underlying development plans for review on March 31, and the now-submitted budgets translate these planned initiatives into detailed, actionable financial frameworks.

    Patrick Kensenhuis, Dean of the District Commissioners, shared that he has full confidence that all projects and activities outlined in the 2027 budgets will be implemented successfully, delivering tangible benefits to communities across the country.

  • OP-ED: Youth vaping is growing faster than Caribbean policy

    OP-ED: Youth vaping is growing faster than Caribbean policy

    Across multiple Caribbean nations, underage students face shockingly low barriers to accessing vapes: they can leave campus in their school uniforms, walk into a local convenience store, or slide into an influencer’s Instagram DMs to purchase these products with little to no pushback. Many teens are lured in by candy-inspired flavors like cherry, bubble gum, and cotton candy, while others buy into pervasive online marketing that frames vapes as stylish, harmless stress relievers designed to help young people cope with daily pressure.

    What most young consumers are never told is that not all vapes are created equal. Many popular disposable devices and pre-filled pod systems contain highly addictive nicotine, while even products labeled as “nicotine-free” or “0% nicotine” still come with child-friendly flavor profiles that normalize vaping among adolescents, framing the habit as a casual, risk-free activity. This quiet, growing public health crisis is especially relevant this year, as the World No Tobacco Day theme is “Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction.”

    For decades, public health conversations about tobacco in the Caribbean have centered almost exclusively on traditional cigarettes and smoking-related chronic diseases that develop in adulthood. Today, a new nicotine epidemic is unfolding rapidly among the region’s young people, and local policy has failed to keep pace with the speed at which vaping products have infiltrated youth social spaces, schools, and online communities.

    This conversation carries extra urgency this year, as World No Tobacco Day falls during Mental Health Awareness Month. Nicotine products are widely marketed on social media as a quick source of dopamine, a focus booster, and an accessible coping tool for daily stress. But for adolescent brains that are still developing, nicotine has the opposite effect: it worsens anxiety, amplifies mood instability, deepens cycles of chronic stress, and creates lifelong patterns of substance dependence. Young people across the Caribbean already navigate overwhelming academic pressure, economic instability, community violence, unmanageable social expectations, and widespread unaddressed mental health struggles. Many turn to vaping seeking comfort, unaware that the products they are buying are intentionally engineered to hook them on addiction.

    Regional leaders cannot afford to dismiss this crisis simply because youth vaping rates are still lower than rates of use for more widely studied traditional drugs. Data from the World Health Organization’s 2018 Global Youth Tobacco Survey shows that vaping rates among 13 to 15-year-olds across the Caribbean range from 4% in Antigua and Barbuda to 17.2% in Trinidad and Tobago – one of the highest rates in the entire region. Critically, e-cigarette use already outpaces traditional cigarette consumption in several Caribbean countries. In Jamaica, the 2018 survey found 11.7% of 13 to 15-year-olds were current e-cigarette users; by 2022, the National Council on Drug Abuse reported that number had risen to 15%, with 80% of all youth who use tobacco products reporting their first use before turning 14. These statistics are not just numbers – they represent thousands of young people exposed to addiction during the most critical stage of brain development.

    This sharp rise in youth vaping is no accident. Leading regional public health bodies including the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) have repeatedly warned that the flavor, packaging, and advertising strategies for vapes are deliberately designed to attract underage users. Across the region, vapes are sold in bright, eye-catching packaging, offered in dozens of sweet, candy-like flavors, stocked near candy and snack displays in retail stores, and promoted heavily through social media influencer campaigns that frame the habit as trendy and healthy. Even with age restrictions on the books in most countries, vendors face little to no accountability for selling to minors, leaving products easily accessible within walking distance of schools.

    Adolescents are uniquely vulnerable to nicotine harm because the human brain does not finish developing until approximately age 25. Nicotine alters core brain chemistry, interfering with the development of regions responsible for attention, memory, learning, and impulse control. For students, this can translate to difficulty focusing in class, shortened attention spans, increased anxiety, and persistent mood challenges that harm academic performance, personal relationships, and long-term well-being. Early nicotine dependence also normalizes substance use at a young age, increasing the risk of lifelong addiction patterns.

    Beyond mental and developmental harm, vaping carries serious physical health risks. E-cigarette aerosols often contain carcinogens, toxic heavy metals, and fine particulate matter that trigger chronic inflammation and respiratory illness. Young vapers frequently experience chronic cough, wheezing, asthma flare-ups, and persistent lung irritation, while emerging research links long-term vaping use to higher risks of cardiovascular disease and other life-threatening non-communicable diseases.

    Despite these well-documented risks, major policy and legislative gaps remain across every Caribbean region. Most CARICOM member states have ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), the global gold-standard tobacco control treaty, but consistent enforcement and implementation across the region remains elusive. The HCC has identified persistent weaknesses including weak restrictions on vape advertising and promotion, insufficient taxation policies, incomplete smoke-free public space protections, and glacial progress on regulating electronic nicotine delivery systems like vapes.

    For example, Jamaica’s 2013 Public Health Tobacco Control Regulations only address three of the core FCTC requirements: protection from secondhand smoke, product content disclosure, and packaging rules. Major gaps remain in implementing Article 13, which requires comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, and Article 5.3, which protects public health policy from industry interference. While public health and youth advocates have pushed for years for stronger, comprehensive legislation to regulate e-cigarettes, regulatory progress has been extremely slow even as youth vaping rates continue to climb.

    Public health advocates argue that it is past time for the regional conversation around tobacco to move beyond awareness and into decisive action. If Caribbean governments are serious about protecting children and adolescents, nicotine products can no longer be allowed to slip through regulatory loopholes while being marketed and packaged in ways that explicitly target young consumers. Regional conversations about restricting marketing of unhealthy food and drinks to children took more than a decade to earn serious policy attention, and the region cannot afford to wait that long to address vaping, when harm is already being done to thousands of young people.

    Advocates are calling for a series of immediate reforms: stronger enforcement of underage sales restrictions with meaningful penalties for violating vendors, tighter regulation of social media and influencer marketing for vapes, new restrictions on child-friendly flavors and packaging, expanded public education campaigns that clearly outline the mental and physical harms of vaping, and targeted support for schools to implement prevention and early intervention programs. Most importantly, advocates say the pervasive misinformation framing vaping as harmless simply because it looks different from traditional cigarettes must be actively and aggressively challenged. Addiction is no less dangerous when it is sold in bright packaging and fruity flavors.

    Addressing the youth vaping crisis will require coordinated action from every sector of Caribbean society. Governments, policymakers, school administrators, parents, youth advocates, civil society organizations, and public health agencies all have a role to play in limiting underage access to vapes, strengthening protections for young people, and providing accurate, honest education about vaping risks.

    The tobacco industry is evolving rapidly to capture new young consumers after decades of declining traditional cigarette use, and Caribbean policy and public awareness must evolve faster to outpace it. This World No Tobacco Day, protecting Caribbean youth means looking beyond the fight against traditional cigarettes and confronting the growing accessibility and normalization of a new form of nicotine addiction. If leaders fail to act now, an entire generation of Caribbean young people will pay the price for policy that moved too slowly while the industry moved fast.

  • Former Turks and Caicos Premier Jailed in Landmark Caribbean Corruption Case

    Former Turks and Caicos Premier Jailed in Landmark Caribbean Corruption Case

    Nearly two decades after systemic political corruption was first exposed in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), one of the Caribbean’s most high-profile and long-running public integrity scandals has reached a defining milestone: former TCI Premier Michael Misick has been handed a custodial prison sentence following his conviction on multi-count corruption charges.

    In a packed Supreme Court hearing held Friday, Justice Rajendra Narine imposed a sentence of four years and 26 days behind bars. The conviction itself was handed down on February 4, 2026, when the judge found Misick guilty on three counts of bribery tied to fraudulent government land and development agreements. Misick was not convicted alone: his co-defendants, former Cabinet minister McAllister Hanchell and attorney Thomas Chalmers Misick, were also found guilty in the same ruling.

    Misick held the highest elected office in TCI from 2006 to 2009, when the scandal first upended the territory’s government. The scheme at the heart of the case relied on complex, opaque multinational corporate structures and hidden cross-border banking transfers totaling more than $21 million U.S. dollars, all connected to large-scale luxury tourist development projects across the island chain.

    In his sentencing remarks, Justice Narine emphasized that corruption among elected public officials amounts to a severe breach of the fundamental trust that citizens place in their leaders. He noted that the public interest unequivocally demands prison time for such offenses, serving both as punishment for the wrongdoing and a deterrent to other officials who might consider similar illegal conduct. The judge categorized Misick’s offending as falling into the highest tier of severity, pointing to three key aggravating factors: the massive personal financial gain obtained through the scheme, the deliberate abuse of a senior public office, and the sophisticated, layered tactics the co-conspirators used to carry out and hide their criminal activities. In his earlier February conviction ruling, Narine went further, stating plainly that public office “is not a licence for personal enrichment” and confirming that Misick’s actions directly violated the basic standards of honesty and integrity that the public is owed by elected representatives.

    The case stretches back almost 20 years to its initial exposure. In the mid-2000s, a public Commission of Inquiry commissioned by the United Kingdom — which holds sovereign responsibility for TCI as an overseas territory — and led by retired judge Sir Robin Auld uncovered conclusive evidence of systemic corruption and widespread abuse of office among TCI’s top senior officials. The scale of the findings was so severe that the UK government took the extraordinary step of suspending key provisions of the territory’s constitution in 2009, imposing temporary direct British rule while law enforcement launched full criminal investigations into the wrongdoing.

    To pursue the complex case, authorities established a dedicated Special Investigation and Prosecution Team. Over the course of more than 15 years, the team navigated tangled international legal processes, countless legal challenges from defendants, and multi-country extradition proceedings before finally securing the historic convictions against Misick and his co-conspirators. Friday’s sentencing closes one of the final major chapters in a scandal that reshaped public accountability expectations for small island governments across the Caribbean region.

  • Belize Raises Ebola Alert as WHO Declares International Emergency

    Belize Raises Ebola Alert as WHO Declares International Emergency

    In response to the World Health Organization’s classification of the expanding Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), Belize’s Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) released an urgent public advisory on Thursday, May 30, 2026, activating enhanced national Ebola surveillance protocols. As of the advisory’s release, no suspected or confirmed Ebola cases have been detected in the Central American nation, but public health officials have moved quickly to scale up entry screening at every official port of entry across the country.

    The ongoing outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo Ebola strain, a variant for which no globally approved vaccine or targeted antiviral treatment is currently available. Congolese health officials first confirmed the outbreak’s presence on May 15, 2026. Just four days later, by May 19, official counts had already surpassed 500 suspected cases and 130 suspected deaths across affected regions. On May 17, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus formally designated the crisis a PHEIC — the highest level of global public health alarm defined by the International Health Regulations — stopping short of upgrading the classification to a full pandemic emergency. Following the cross-border spread of the virus into its territory, Uganda quickly moved to close its entire land border with the DRC to contain transmission.

    In its official advisory, Belize’s MOHW emphasized that the current population-level risk of Ebola transmission within the country remains low, but stressed that proactive pre-emptive measures are critical to preventing an imported outbreak. The ministry has launched a coordinated cross-agency response, partnering with the Belize Airport Authority, national border management services, immigration departments, customs authorities, civil aviation regulators, major cruise line operators, and commercial airline partners to reinforce screening protocols and rapid response workflows at all international airports, land border crossings, and commercial seaports.

    Travel officials are urging all incoming visitors to provide complete and accurate information about their recent travel history to border inspection agents. As a precautionary step, any traveler returning from the affected Central African regions is advised to complete a voluntary self-isolation period to monitor for potential symptoms. Any individual who has traveled to the outbreak zone and develops consistent symptoms is instructed to contact the MOHW’s dedicated 24/7 helpline at 0-800-MOH-CARE immediately, and to avoid close contact with other people while arranging for medical evaluation.

    Ebola is an uncommon but frequently fatal viral pathogen that spreads primarily through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids from an infected person, whether symptomatic or deceased. The virus’ incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days after exposure, with early stage symptoms including high fever, extreme fatigue, muscle ache, headache, and sore throat. As the disease progresses, patients often develop vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, unexplained hemorrhaging, and widespread rashes. Historically, the Bundibugyo strain has recorded a case fatality rate between 30% and 50% among confirmed infections.