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  • Breezy shines with 100 on return from injury

    Breezy shines with 100 on return from injury

    After nine months on the sidelines recovering from a long-term injury, former West Indies women’s cricket all-rounder Nerissa “Breezy” Crafton made a dream return to competitive play last weekend, smashing an unbeaten century to lead Elizabeth William XI to a 39-run victory over Roselyn Emmanuel XI in a 40-over exhibition practice match hosted at Wenn Playing Field.

    The 28-year-old Gros Islet native, who has been sidelined from competitive cricket since January, produced a masterclass with the bat, finishing not out on 116 to guide her side to a total of 209 for six wickets in 29.1 overs. Crafton’s stellar knock was supported by useful contributions from Shaika Joseph, who added 16 runs, and Gulia McLaurent, who chipped in with 13, while the Roselyn Emmanuel XI conceded 44 extras that boosted the final total. For the losing side, bowlers Selena Krishna picked up two wickets for 37 runs, and Krishna Joseph claimed two wickets for 36 runs.

    In their chasing response, Roselyn Emmanuel XI managed to reach 170 for nine wickets in 19.5 overs, with Allyah Alfred top-scoring for the side at 33 runs and Cassie Joseph adding a valuable 28. However, tight bowling from Elizabeth William XI’s Emma Joseph, who finished with figures of four wickets for 41 runs, and Ammie Antoine, who took three wickets for 36 runs, secured the win, wrapping up the chase before the opposition could reach the target.

    For Crafton, the match-winning century was more than just a personal milestone—it was the culmination of months of dedicated rehabilitation work to rebuild her fitness and match readiness. Speaking to local outlet St Lucia Times after the match, the all-rounder expressed that returning to the pitch after nearly a year away and posting a triple-figure score was a rewarding validation of all the hard work she put in during her recovery.

    Crafton represented the West Indies regional side in six matches between 2024 and 2025, and while earning a recall to the national team remains a long-term career goal, she emphasized that prioritizing a steady, gradual return to full form is her current top priority. “I am not trying to think too far ahead,” she told reporters. “I’m basically trying to get myself back into the groove. The moment you start thinking of the bigger picture, you tend to fall back. I would love to be back on the West Indies team – that is one of my main life goals, basically. It is good to see huge improvements in my cricket, and that is good for me. Hopefully, I can put my hands up again and get a call-up.”

    Beyond her personal comeback, the match also marks a welcome turning point for domestic women’s cricket in Saint Lucia, which is returning to a full competitive calendar after years of disruption. Crafton highlighted that the recent launch of a 50-over domestic tournament, paired with ongoing T20 practice matches, has opened up new opportunities for emerging young female players, building much-needed depth and competitive experience for the local women’s cricket development program.

    “Being able to have these games, especially playing T20 cricket and 50-over cricket, shows there is still so much talent, and that’s good to see,” Crafton said. “In Saint Lucia, I saw so many young girls coming in, putting their hands up, and so many new faces as well. That is good for women’s cricket moving forward.”

  • CBI Index 2026: St. Kitts and Nevis retains top spot, Dominica 2nd as Caribbean nations dominate rankings – WIC News

    CBI Index 2026: St. Kitts and Nevis retains top spot, Dominica 2nd as Caribbean nations dominate rankings – WIC News

    The 10th annual Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Index, released in September 2026, has cemented the Caribbean’s long-standing dominance in the global investment migration industry, with five regional nations claiming all five top spots among 14 evaluated jurisdictions. Leading the pack for another year is St. Kitts and Nevis, which secured the first-place position with an overall score of 78 out of 90 possible points, followed closely by Dominica at 75 points. Rounding out the top five are Grenada with 72 points, Saint Lucia with 71 points, and Antigua and Barbuda with 65 points, completing the Caribbean clean sweep of the ranking’s upper echelons.

    While all 14 active CBI programmes retained their 2025 positional rankings, 11 saw revisions to their overall scores, a shift that index analysts note reflects evolving performance even amid stable standing. The remaining ranked jurisdictions, in order of position, include Nauru, Vanuatu, Malta, Türkiye, São Tomé and Príncipe, Egypt, Austria, Jordan and Cambodia.

    St. Kitts and Nevis’s return to the top spot was driven by strong performance across multiple key evaluation metrics, with the jurisdiction earning perfect 10-point scores in four critical categories: due diligence, mandatory travel or residency requirements, product certainty, and ease of processing. It also scored nine points for its citizenship processing timeline, which the report estimates at three to four months from application approval. The perfect due diligence score, a metric that assesses the rigor of identity verification, background checks, and capital source screening to preserve programme integrity, underscores the resilience and robustness of St. Kitts and Nevis’s regulatory framework amid growing global scrutiny of CBI transparency and security standards. The jurisdiction earned eight points for its investment routes and minimum outlay requirements, and seven points for global freedom of movement, with multiple qualifying investment pathways available to prospective applicants.

    Dominica, meanwhile, climbed two points from its 2025 score of 73 to solidify its hold on second place, narrowing the gap with the leading jurisdiction. The island nation earned perfect 10-point scores in ease of processing, mandatory travel or residency requirements, and product certainty, alongside nine-point scores for due diligence and processing timeline. Strength in freedom of movement, family inclusion provisions, and long-term programme stability were cited as core drivers of its score improvement.

    Dominica offers two distinct investment pathways for applicants seeking citizenship. The first is a non-refundable contribution to the government’s Economic Diversification Fund (EDF), which supports public and private development projects across key sectors including education, healthcare, tourism, agriculture, and national infrastructure. The minimum contribution for an individual applicant is set at $200,000 USD. The second option is a minimum $200,000 USD investment in government-approved real estate developments. Under programme rules, investors must hold the purchased property for at least three years after citizenship approval, or five years if the subsequent buyer is also applying for citizenship through the CBI programme. Additional government fees apply to the real estate pathway, with extra fees applicable to both routes depending on the number of dependents included in an application.

    Global mobility and family provisions are two core pillars of the CBI Index’s evaluation framework. Both St. Kitts and Nevis and Dominica earned seven out of 10 possible points for freedom of movement, a metric that assesses the number of destinations offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access, connectivity to major global business hubs, and residency rights in other jurisdictions. Index organizers note that mobility scores reflect relative performance in the category, not a guarantee of unrestricted travel, as visa policies are subject to change and all travelers remain bound by the entry requirements of their destination. For family provisions, prospective applicants are advised to confirm dependent eligibility rules, additional fees for including family members, and required documentation, as total investment costs can vary dramatically between single and family applications.

    The Caribbean’s continued dominance of the CBI rankings is widely attributed to strengthened regional regulatory cooperation. In September 2025, the five Eastern Caribbean CBI-providing nations — St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda — signed an agreement to establish the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority (ECCIRA). The new body is designed to improve cross-programme coordination, standardize and strengthen due diligence protocols, boost industry transparency, increase accountability among member programmes, and preserve public confidence in the Caribbean CBI sector.

    While St. Kitts and Nevis and Dominica lead the 2026 rankings, the two jurisdictions offer distinct programme structures for prospective investors: St. Kitts and Nevis provides a wider range of qualifying investment options, while Dominica offers a clear choice between a development contribution and real estate investment. Index organizers emphasize that the 2026 rankings are intended as a starting point for evaluation, not a replacement for independent legal, financial, and immigration advice. All prospective applicants are encouraged to verify current programme rules, calculate full total fees, and independently evaluate any real estate investment before committing.

    Looking forward, the 2026 results reaffirm the Caribbean’s outsized importance to the global CBI market. Maintaining this leading position in coming years will depend on continued regulatory stability, consistent rigorous applicant screening, and the ability of individual programmes to deliver sustainable value to both investor applicants and their host island nations.

  • Woman, 73, dies in St Lucy house fire

    Woman, 73, dies in St Lucy house fire

    A quiet residential community in northern Barbados is reeling from grief after a fatal overnight house fire claimed the life of a local grandmother early Thursday morning. The blaze broke out at a single-family home located at 1 Crab Hill, St Lucy, trapping 73-year-old Janice Straker inside the structure as flames and thick smoke quickly spread through the property. Three of Straker’s grandchildren were in the home when the fire ignited, but all three managed to escape the blaze without serious harm, according to early accounts from the family.

    Janice Straker’s husband of more than 50 years, Richard Straker, told reporters he arrived back at the property just before 7 a.m. and was confronted by the full scope of the inferno. Desperate to save his wife, Richard attempted to force his way into the burning home to reach her, but intense heat, thick toxic smoke and roaring flames pushed him back before he could reach the trapped woman.

    Neighbors living nearby, alerted by rising smoke and shouts for help, sprang into action within minutes of the fire being reported. Some grabbed personal garden water hoses to douse the flames from outside, while others joined Richard in repeated attempts to breach the burning structure to reach Janice. One of those good Samaritan rescuers, local resident Dwayne Griffith, was injured during the rescue attempt: he was treated at a local medical facility for smoke inhalation after entering the home to search for Straker.

    Local authorities and elected officials arrived at the scene in the hours after the fire to support the family and assess the damage. Peter Phillips, the Member of Parliament for the St Lucy constituency, visited the site Thursday to speak with family members and first responders, and described the incident as an unfathomable tragedy that has shaken both the immediate family and the entire close-knit community.

    Phillips confirmed that several extended family members have been left temporarily homeless by the fire, which destroyed the entire property. Local social services teams have already conducted on-site assessments to identify and address the family’s immediate needs for food, shelter and basic supplies. The lawmaker also used the tragedy to renew a long-standing advocacy push for dedicated emergency accommodation in northern Barbados. He argued that when families are displaced by disasters like residential fires, they should not be forced to move far from their home communities, a burden that creates additional disruption especially for school-aged children.

    As of Thursday afternoon, investigators had not yet determined the exact cause of the blaze. Fire officials are continuing their examination of the scene to pinpoint what sparked the fire, with no further updates on the investigation expected until the preliminary review is complete.

  • COMMENTARY: Abortion law, the constitution, and me

    COMMENTARY: Abortion law, the constitution, and me

    Across the Caribbean, abortion touches nearly every household. Statistics underscore this stark reality: roughly 70 percent of all Caribbean women will undergo an abortion by the time they reach 44, and a comparable share of men are directly involved in these pregnancy outcomes. Over a 30-year period, this means almost every family in the region will have a direct or indirect connection to abortion. For this reason, the ongoing constitutional challenge to Dominica’s outdated abortion law is not a niche issue reserved for lawyers, activist groups or religious institutions — it is a matter that concerns every member of society.

    That is why local reproductive rights advocacy group ASPIRE, a pro-choice organization registered in Dominica and five other Caribbean nations that works to advance equitable reproductive health policy, launched a constitutional challenge against the country’s existing abortion law, which dates back to the 1860s. Under the existing law, abortion was only permitted to save the life of the pregnant person, with all other cases strictly criminalized. For decades, this harsh regime has proven both ineffective and harmful: abortions have remained widely accessible, but only in unregulated, clandestine conditions, with many people forced to travel abroad to access care to avoid legal penalty.

    ASPIRE’s challenge compared the 160-year-old law to the standards set by Dominica’s 1978 Constitution, arguing that the restrictive statute violated five core constitutionally enshrined rights. In its final ruling, the court sided with ASPIRE on two of the five claims, marking a small but significant legal win for reproductive justice advocates.

    First, the court agreed that the law violates Section 13 of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination based on sex and other personal characteristics. Because the abortion statute exclusively regulates a medical procedure that only impacts pregnant women, the court found it ran counter to the constitution’s guarantee of legal equality and non-discrimination. Second, the court upheld ASPIRE’s claim under Section 1(a), which guarantees the right to protection under the law. The group argued that criminalizing abortion stripped pregnant people of legal protection for their healthcare decisions, and instead immunized the government from its failure to provide safe, regulated abortion care. The court concurred, finding the law violated the constitutional guarantees of personal liberty, security and equal protection of the law.

    However, the court rejected the three remaining claims put forward by ASPIRE. On the right to privacy guaranteed under Section 1(c), the group argued that restricting bodily autonomy via abortion bans constitutes an unconstitutional overreach into personal private life. The court ruled that Dominica’s constitutional right to privacy only applies to one’s home and personal property, not individual bodily autonomy, so the claim could not stand. On the ban of inhuman and degrading treatment outlined in Section 5, ASPIRE argued that forcing people to carry pregnancies to term against their will — especially in cases of rape, incest, or lethal fetal anomaly — causes severe psychological and physical suffering that meets the standard for cruel, inhuman treatment. The court rejected this finding, ruling that these circumstances do not rise to the level of a constitutional violation. Finally, on the right to freedom of conscience protected in Section 1(b), ASPIRE contended that criminalizing abortion forces people to continue pregnancies that contradict their personal moral and ethical beliefs. The court declined to intervene in what it framed as a conflict of competing moral beliefs, leaving this claim unaddressed.

    In its final ruling, the court confirmed that the overly restrictive provisions of the existing abortion law are unconstitutional, and formally called on the Dominican government to update the statute to add new legal exceptions for abortion in cases of rape, incest, and severe fetal anomaly. While the ruling is legally valid, ASPIRE emphasizes that it falls far short of addressing the country’s public health crisis around unsafe abortion. The group estimates that even with the proposed new exceptions, only 8 percent of all abortions performed in Dominica would become legal, leaving the remaining 92 percent still forced underground in unregulated, unsafe conditions.

  • PM Briceño Condemns China Sanctions on Fonseca

    PM Briceño Condemns China Sanctions on Fonseca

    In a breaking statement made from Bangkok, Thailand, where he is attending the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group, Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño has rejected China’s recent sanctions targeting Belizean Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca, vowing the punitive measure will not shift Belize’s long-standing diplomatic relationship with Taiwan. Instead, Briceño argued, the action will only harden the government’s commitment to its independent foreign policy choices.

    Briceño is participating in the global financial gatherings in his dual capacity as Belize’s finance minister and chair of the World Bank’s Small States Forum. Speaking to CNA, he labeled the sanctions imposed on Fonseca as arbitrary, unjustified, unlawful, and completely without basis. He emphasized that as a sovereign, independent nation, Belize holds the inherent right to determine its own diplomatic partnerships, saying “We strongly believe in the right to self-determination for all nations, including our own.”

    Going beyond his response to the sanctions, Briceño made the case for broader international recognition of Taiwan, pointing to the island’s substantial advances across a range of critical sectors. He highlighted Taiwan’s global leadership in economic development, digital technology, artificial intelligence innovation, accessible health care, educational advancement, and climate change research as proof that the island deserves formal inclusion in the United Nations and other major multilateral institutions.

    Briceño also outlined a vision for deepening bilateral collaboration between Belize and Taiwan across multiple fronts, including cross-border investment, technological knowledge sharing, and expanded people-to-people exchange. He pointed to shrimp farming technology as a particularly promising area for future partnership, noting that Taiwan’s expertise in this field could bring tangible economic benefits to Belize’s growing agricultural sector. Additionally, he cited Belize’s large, young population as a major strategic advantage for tech-focused cooperation, explaining that young Belizean students progressing from junior college to university adapt quickly to new skills and technologies, creating fertile ground for joint work.

    Currently, six Taiwanese exchange students are already embedded in roles across Belizean government ministries and other local sectors, a people-to-people partnership Briceño praised as a key tool for building long-term trust and connection between the two nations. He also touched on the persistent domestic challenges Belize faces as a small nation: with a total population of roughly 420,000 spread across 196 scattered small communities and a limited domestic tax base, striking a sustainable balance to deliver universal access to core public services—from clean water and electricity to education and health care—remains an ongoing priority for his government.

    The development comes as Taiwan’s foreign ministry has separately issued a warning to the European Union, framing excessive economic and strategic dependence on China as a growing risk to European autonomy and freedom.

  • Saint Lucian elected to Caribbean Export post

    Saint Lucian elected to Caribbean Export post

    The Caribbean Export Development Agency, a key regional body dedicated to bolstering cross-border trade and export growth across the Caribbean bloc, has announced a new leadership team during its 46th Board of Directors meeting. This leadership transition coincides with the agency’s 30th year of operation, bringing decades of combined regional trade and development experience to the organization’s core mission.

    Sunita Daniel, Chief Executive Officer of Saint Lucia’s national export promotion body Export Saint Lucia, has been voted into the position of chairperson, while Ishmael Quiroz, executive director of Belize’s Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE), will serve as deputy chairman. The appointment elevates Saint Lucia to a prominent leadership role within the influential regional organization, positioning the island nation to help steer trade strategy for the entire Caribbean community.

    A seasoned economist, Daniel brings eight years of specialized leadership at Export Saint Lucia, where she has spent her tenure driving growth in both the total value and volume of goods and services exported from the island. Her professional background spans multiple critical areas of regional development: prior to taking the helm at Export Saint Lucia, she served as Saint Lucia’s Chief Planning Officer for Agriculture, and worked as a programme liaison officer for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. Her wide-ranging expertise covers trade policy development, strategic planning, trade facilitation, agricultural growth, small and medium enterprise development, and resource mobilization.

    In her first public statement following the election, Daniel expressed gratitude for the trust placed in her by fellow regional trade leaders. “I am honoured by the confidence reposed in me by my regional compatriots through their selection of me to serve as the Chairperson of the Caribbean Export Development Agency,” she said.

    Emphasizing her enthusiasm to take on the new role, Daniel framed her leadership around a vision of expanding opportunity for Caribbean businesses worldwide. “I welcome the opportunity and challenge with optimism, and a vision to elevate Caribbean talent, creativity and entrepreneurship to higher levels of prosperity, at home and abroad,” she added. “Through innovation and regional collaboration, Caribbean enterprises will help shape global trade and not merely participate in it.”

    As chairperson, Daniel will lead the agency’s strategic oversight, guiding its ongoing work to deliver on its core mandate of expanding regional trade and export development across the Caribbean. Caribbean Export Executive Director Dr Damie Sinanan welcomed the results of the election, highlighting the depth of practical experience both Daniel and Quiroz bring to the agency’s work supporting small and large businesses across the region.

    For his part, deputy chairperson-elect Quiroz brings more than two decades of public service experience in Belize, with specialized expertise in private sector growth, investment attraction, and reforming national business climates to support enterprise expansion. He has reaffirmed BELTRAIDE’s full commitment to collaborating with the agency to advance export growth across the entire Caribbean region.

  • Dominica correctional and probation officers complete regional training to strengthen rehabilitation and reintegration

    Dominica correctional and probation officers complete regional training to strengthen rehabilitation and reintegration

    Correctional and probation officers from the Commonwealth of Dominica have wrapped up a targeted, multi-day training program focused on modernizing prison administration, expanding rehabilitation programming, and equipping officers to successfully support incarcerated individuals transitioning back into local communities after completing their sentences.

    This training forms a core component of a 10-country regional initiative spanning the Caribbean, designed to improve cross-agency collaboration between correctional and probation services and streamline case management across every stage of the criminal justice process. Per an official statement from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean office, Dominica is the fourth nation to complete this program phase, following earlier completions by St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.

    The cross-agency initiative is delivered through two complementary projects: the Partnership of the Caribbean and European Union on Justice (PACE Justice), which receives funding from the European Union and is implemented by UNDP, and the Judicial Strengthening for the Eastern Caribbean (JES-EC) Project, funded by the Government of Canada and executed by the Justice Education Society of British Columbia.

    Prior to launching the training in each participating country, regional organizers conducted consultations with national correctional and probation services to identify priority training needs. This needs-based approach allowed participating officers to review existing operational practices, exchange on-the-ground insights with peer professionals from across the region, and adapt program content to align with the unique legal and social contexts of their home countries.

    The curriculum is structured around four key focus areas: improving secure custodial management, strengthening person-centered rehabilitation services, streamlining coordinated case management across agencies, and building durable collaborative working relationships between correctional and probation institutions.

    Vanessa Untiedt, UNDP PACE Justice Project Specialist, emphasized that the program centers the critical role correctional and probation services play in maintaining a fully functional justice system. “It is important that we look at the justice system as a whole,” Untiedt explained. “Prison and probation are an essential part of the justice chain, and the people working in these services face very practical challenges every day. Through this regional training, we want to bring them together, share experiences, and provide practical tools that support their daily work, while strengthening rehabilitation and reintegration across the region.”

    A foundational principle of the initiative is that support for justice-involved individuals does not end when they are released from custody. The program trains officers to conduct individualized risk and needs assessments, deliver tailored rehabilitation support, and coordinate closely with probation services to create structured pathways for former inmates to reintegrate successfully into their home communities.

    Jennifer Cooper, Head of Cooperation for the Eastern Caribbean at Global Affairs Canada, underscored the connection between robust, effective justice institutions and broader regional security and sustainable development. “Regional peace and security is a priority for Canada, and we are proud to support partners working to strengthen justice institutions across the Eastern Caribbean,” Cooper noted. “Effective justice systems uphold the rule of law, protect citizens’ rights, build public confidence and contribute to safer communities. By bringing practitioners together to share expertise and practical solutions, we expect that this initiative will strengthen institutional capacity and support more responsive and effective justice services across the region.”

    Lyndel Archibald, Project Director for JES-EC, echoed these remarks, highlighting the collective benefits of cross-jurisdictional knowledge sharing and collaboration among justice professionals. “Bringing practitioners together fosters a collaborative approach to justice and rehabilitation,” Archibald said. “This collaboration enhances the capacity of practitioners to work together seamlessly to improve outcomes for individuals and communities, ultimately strengthening opportunities for rehabilitation, successful reintegration and reduced recidivism.”

    While the Dominican training session marks the completion of the fourth phase of the joint PACE Justice-JES-EC partnership, the broader regional correctional training program will continue rolling out across Caribbean nations through November 2026. The initiative launched with an initial training session in Barbados, and upcoming program sessions are scheduled for Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago.

    Regional implementing partners anticipate that these coordinated training activities will strengthen evidence-based correctional practices across the Caribbean, improve cross-service coordination between custody, rehabilitation, probation, parole, and community reintegration agencies. The overarching goal of the initiative is to build more responsive, effective justice systems and reduce rates of repeat offending across the region.

  • St. Paul’s Announces One Day Community Health Screening Event

    St. Paul’s Announces One Day Community Health Screening Event

    St. Paul’s residents are gearing up for a no-cost Community Health Screening Day, a key highlight of the area’s 2026 Health Month campaign, that will bring critical preventive care directly to the local community. Scheduled for Sunday, October 18, the event will run from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the outdoor deck of the St. Paul’s Empowerment Center, and is open to every member of the community regardless of background or insurance status.

    Organized by Honorable E.P. Chet Greene as part of the ongoing “Know Your Numbers. Own Your Health.” Health Month initiative, the one-day clinic will offer a comprehensive menu of preventive screening services. Attendees can access free testing for blood pressure and blood glucose, along with eye examinations, prostate cancer screenings, and breast health checks. All screenings will be administered by licensed healthcare professionals, who will also deliver personalized, practical health guidance to attendees based on their results.

    As an added incentive to encourage early preventive care participation, event organizers are giving away free dual blood pressure and blood glucose monitors to the first 100 people who register to receive one. The giveaway is limited to one monitor per household to ensure as many local families as possible can benefit from the offer.

    Organizers strongly encourage advance registration for all attendees, particularly those hoping to claim a free monitor or reserve a slot for a specific screening service. Registration is open now, with two convenient options available for local residents: people can sign up online through the official portal at https://epchetgreene.ag/form-h-004/, or register in person during business hours at the St. Paul’s Constituency Office located inside the St. Paul’s Empowerment Center. The registration form lets each participant select the specific screening services they wish to access and note whether they are requesting a free monitor.

    The “Know Your Numbers. Own Your Health.” campaign was designed to empower local residents to take control of their long-term wellness by prioritizing early detection of common chronic conditions and health risks. The initiative encourages small, consistent daily steps that build stronger health awareness and support sustained household wellness for families across St. Paul’s.

    For media representatives with questions about the event, enquiries can be directed to the Office of Honorable E.P. Chet Greene via the official website at https://epchetgreene.ag/.

  • Fuel Prices Up 27.7% Since Hormuz Crisis, Briceño Says

    Fuel Prices Up 27.7% Since Hormuz Crisis, Briceño Says

    In remarks delivered at a high-profile international gathering this week, Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño has outlined the severe economic strain his small Caribbean nation faces following the escalation of tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, revealing that fuel costs have jumped by 27.7% since the crisis began. Speaking at the Caribbean Ministerial Meeting, held on the sidelines of the 2026 World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Briceño emphasized that Belize’s heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels has left the country’s households, private sector, and national budget acutely vulnerable to volatile global energy markets.

  • PM in Bangkok: Belize Wants World Bank Funding to Clear Sargassum

    PM in Bangkok: Belize Wants World Bank Funding to Clear Sargassum

    As global economic and development leaders gather in Bangkok for the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group, Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño has brought the Caribbean nation’s most pressing coastal and development challenges to the international stage, launching a formal request for World Bank financing to address a devastating sargassum invasion and unlock the seaweed’s potential as an energy source.

    Briceño made the announcement via a social media statement from the Bangkok conference venue, where he is currently leading Belize’s delegation. As chair of the World Bank’s Small States Forum, Briceño will also lead an upcoming gathering of more than 50 leaders — many of them finance ministers from small developing nations — focused on delivering tangible outcomes for vulnerable small states.

    The sargassum crisis, an environmental challenge disproportionately impacting low-lying coastal nations that have contributed little to the climate shifts driving the massive algal blooms, has already placed severe strain on Belize’s key economic sectors. Briceño emphasized that the relentless flow of sargassum washing onto Belize’s pristine Caribbean coast directly threatens the country’s $2 billion tourism industry, the livelihoods of thousands of coastal workers, and the broader national economy. “Belize bears the costs of challenges we did little to create,” Briceño noted, highlighting the inequity of climate impacts that hit small developing nations hardest despite their minimal contribution to global emissions.

    The proposed financing would support two core priorities: large-scale removal of accumulated sargassum from coastal areas to protect tourism and ecosystems, and targeted research and pilot projects to explore converting the excess seaweed into usable energy. If successful, the project would turn a costly environmental crisis into an opportunity to boost Belize’s goal of greater energy independence.

    Beyond the sargassum initiative, Briceño outlined three other urgent priorities for Belize’s delegation at the meetings: supporting small and medium-sized agricultural producers, strengthening national food security, and ending persistent power outages to expand energy capacity. Smallholder farmers in Belize have faced repeated climate and economic hardships in recent years, and Briceño stressed that shoring up the agricultural sector is foundational to both protecting household livelihoods and ensuring the country can feed its population.

    On energy security, Briceño made clear that reliable, accessible electricity is a non-negotiable right for Belizean citizens. The government is working to end widespread blackouts and expand generation capacity, he explained, with support from the Millennium Challenge Corporation compact and its development partnership with the United States.

    Briceño emphasized that for small vulnerable states, strategic planning means nothing without tangible action. “Strategies must become action, and action must produce results,” he said. The ultimate goal of all Belize’s advocacy at the meetings, he added, is to deliver better employment opportunities, expand access to opportunity, and raise living standards for all Belizean people. As the delegation pushes to have the country’s unique needs heard and addressed by global financial institutions, Briceño reaffirmed Belize’s commitment to leading on issues critical to small states: “Belize is here to help lead, and we will keep pressing for results that our people can see and feel.”

    Encouraging progress has already been made on advancing the sargassum financing request, Briceño reported, with ongoing discussions moving forward with World Bank officials throughout the conference.