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  • Mayor’s pothole plea

    Mayor’s pothole plea

    A bold social media appeal from Diego Martin’s top local official has ignited a fiery public exchange over long-deferred road repairs, pushing long-simmering infrastructure grievances into the national spotlight. On Wednesday, Akeliah Glasgow-Warner, mayor of the Diego Martin Borough, took to Facebook to share a viral video pleading for urgent intervention from Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Works Jearlean John, opening her clip with a playful nod to the leopard-print skirt she wore specifically to cut through social media noise and draw attention to the crisis plaguing local motorists.

    Walking alongside cracked, pothole-ridden streets and pointing out dangerous damage to road surfaces, Glasgow-Warner pushed back against widespread public blame that had fallen on the Diego Martin Borough Corporation (DMBC) for the unresolved issues. She clarified that major highway and arterial road infrastructure, including stretches of the Diego Martin Highway at the center of complaints, falls under the jurisdiction of the national Ministry of Works, not the local borough government. Compounding the challenge, she explained, drastic cuts to local government funding have left the DMBC without the resources to step in even if leaders wanted to address the gaps: each of the borough’s councillors receives just TT$50,000 annually for all district maintenance projects, an amount Glasgow-Warner called insufficient to cover even minor repairs, let alone the years of systemic neglect she says the national ministry has allowed.

    “This is not about political points for me. This is about the drivers, the residents who navigate these roads every single day,” Glasgow-Warner emphasized in her video, closing with a direct appeal to John to end the neglect of the Diego Martin area and deploy ministry crews to complete the required repairs.

    The minister’s office fired back quickly, rejecting Glasgow-Warner’s accusations as unfounded and shifting blame to the previous national administration, which was led by former Prime Minister Keith Rowley, who also served as the Member of Parliament for Diego Martin for nearly a decade. In a formal statement released through the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure’s (MOWI) communications team, John called the mayor’s claims baseless, noting that the crumbling road surfaces and persistent underground leaks damaging the Diego Martin and St Lucien Roads stem from decades of neglected aging infrastructure that predates her leadership of the ministry.

    John countered that unlike the previous administration, which she claims left the area’s basic infrastructure to rot, her current government has prioritized resolving long-backlogged repair projects. She said MOWI has been working in continuous coordination with the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to map and address leak-related road damage across the country, and confirmed that targeted repair work on Diego Martin’s damaged roads was scheduled to get underway on Thursday, just one day after the mayor’s viral video was posted. “This neglect did not start under my watch, but unlike those who sat back and did nothing for years, this Government is not just talking…we are working!” John’s statement read.

    The exchange comes as local governments across Trinidad and Tobago grapple with strained budgets, leaving many unable to address infrastructure projects that technically fall under national jurisdiction, while national agencies often point to limited resources and years of backlog to explain delayed repairs. The viral video has resonated with motorists across the country, many of whom have shared their own stories of dangerous pothole-ridden roads in their own communities.

  • Hilton gives Govt deadline

    Hilton gives Govt deadline

    The future of one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most prominent hospitality venues, the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre in Port of Spain, hangs in the balance as operator Hilton International Trinidad Ltd warns it will cease operations and lay off all 250+ employees on September 18, 2026, if a new long-term lease is not finalized with the state-owned landlord, Evolving Technologies and Enterprise Development Company Ltd (eTecK).

    In an August 4 letter addressed to staff and copied to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, top government ministers, and eTecK leadership, the hotel outlined the current status of months-long negotiations to extend its expiring operating agreement. While the company confirmed that productive discussions have advanced key terms, no binding final deal has been signed to date.

    “For several months, we have collaborated with eTecK and the national government to lock in a long-term operating plan for the hotel, and we have made meaningful progress,” the letter read. “At this stage, however, a final agreement remains out of reach. Without that deal, Hilton cannot continue operating the property beyond September 18, and will be unable to retain our workforce after that date.”

    Under the terms of the existing lease, eTecK is contractually obligated to take over all employment responsibilities and related obligations once the agreement expires. Hilton’s leadership noted that it operates under the assumption the state agency will fulfill this requirement, but cannot guarantee eTecK’s next steps. If eTecK declines or is unable to keep the hotel running after the lease ends, the property could shut its doors permanently, the letter warned. Alongside the update, Hilton enclosed preliminary severance payment estimates for all employees in the event of full layoffs, while confirming that staff will remain on the job receiving regular pay up to the lease expiration date unless formally notified otherwise. The company added that both Hilton and eTecK will issue a formal update on the new agreement before September 18, and eTecK will directly coordinate with staff and the union on transition planning if no deal is reached.

    The warning has triggered immediate concern from the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU), the recognized bargaining body for Hilton Trinidad staff, which is pushing for urgent clarity on the property’s future and workers’ job security. CWU Secretary General Joanne Ogeer told local outlet the Express that the union suspects broader changes are underway, following an initial briefing with hotel management. She claimed the union received information from a government source confirming the hotel is up for sale, and warned that potential layoffs would add more than 250 workers to Trinidad’s already growing unemployment rolls, which have already topped 6,000 jobless workers.

    The CWU has raised formal legal questions about the notice Hilton issued to staff, arguing it fails to meet statutory requirements under Trinidad’s Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act. Ogeer pointed out that the notice does not confirm whether layoffs will actually occur, fails to confirm that eTecK has formally agreed to take over employment obligations, and lacks evidence of required pre-notice consultations with the union or any outlined plans to avoid or minimize retrenchment. The union is also seeking clarity on whether workers would retain their accrued service time, paid leave, gratuities, existing wages, benefits, and collective bargaining rights if eTecK takes over operations.

    Ogeer emphasized that prolonged uncertainty has fueled widespread anxiety among the workforce, with diverse personal circumstances shaping workers’ outlooks: many younger staff with mortgages and children in school rely on steady employment, while some longer-tenured workers are open to accepting a severance package. She added that the union has repeatedly called for full transparency from both hotel management and the national government, but has not received a formal response to its inquiries. The CWU stands ready to negotiate on behalf of all workers, whether they wish to retain their jobs or pursue exit terms, Ogeer said, urging the government to open formal discussions with the union and eTecK to confirm whether the property is indeed being listed for sale.

    In a formal public statement released the same day, eTecK pushed back against fears of imminent permanent closure, confirming that lease negotiations with Hilton are in their final stages and reaffirming the government’s commitment to securing a sustainable long-term operating arrangement for the hotel. The agency noted that the current ongoing transaction was inherited by its new board and management after the original operating lease expired in 2023, and stressed that talks remain active and constructive. eTecK also reaffirmed that no decision to permanently close the hotel has been made by either the agency or the government, and noted that all Hilton Trinidad employees remain on Hilton’s payroll, with the company fully responsible for all current employment obligations.

    The Express reached out to Land and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein for comment on the dispute, but did not receive an immediate response by press time.

  • CLEAN-UP CONVICTS

    CLEAN-UP CONVICTS

    Trinidad and Tobago’s government is moving forward with a plan to bring back court-ordered hard labour for convicted offenders, deploying incarcerated people to public space maintenance and clean-up initiatives across the country, Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander announced last week.

    Alexander shared the details during a press interaction at a meeting for the National Programme for the Upkeep of Public Spaces, held at the St John’s Community Centre in Tunapuna. Standing alongside active participants in the national public upkeep programme, he confirmed that the policy would eventually place sentenced inmates into similar community-focused projects as a core component of their court-mandated sentences.

    “We are going to reintroduce (a programme) where persons who have been charged, convicted by a court, and sentenced to hard labour, we are going to reintroduce those persons to come back out into the streets and help with the clean-up process,” Alexander told reporters. He argued that the current implementation of hard labour sentences within the national prison system fails to live up to the core intent of the sentencing.

    He pointed out that today, offenders sentenced to hard labour often spend most of their time confined to cells, with access to personal devices and internet connectivity – conditions that do not align with the purpose of a tough, rehabilitative work sentence. “If you are convicted, 12 months or two years’ hard labour, whatever…what does hard labour in the jail do? A man just sitting in a cell. A man is smoking, on his phone, on the Internet and all these things. That is not hard labour. That is not hard work,” he said.

    Beyond correcting how sentences are carried out, Alexander framed the new policy as a tool for early inmate rehabilitation and reintegration. Offenders who demonstrate strong work ethic can start rebuilding public trust before their release, he explained, allowing community members to see their commitment to change. “If someone is smart on the inside, he can use this process to start to reintegrate himself into the public. Let the public see (him and say), ‘listen, that fella is hard-working,’” he added.

    The minister also noted that the policy model has already been tested and proven successful in other jurisdictions, and that the national prison system represents one of the country’s largest underutilized labor pools that the government is prepared to tap for public benefit. “We have one of the biggest labour forces at the nation’s prisons, and we are ready to utilise them,” he said.

    While the Prison Officers’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago (POATT) has called the proposal a positive step in principle, association head Gerard Gordon emphasized that a number of critical safety and operational concerns must be addressed before the programme can be expanded to public projects outside prison walls.

    Gordon noted that meaningful work has long been accepted as a core element of effective offender rehabilitation, helping incarcerated people build job skills, develop personal discipline, and prepare for a successful return to society after release. “The Minister of Homeland Security’s proposal to expand inmate participation in public maintenance is, in principle, a laudable one,” Gordon said. “Meaningful work has long been recognised as an important component of rehabilitation, helping incarcerated individuals develop skills, instil discipline, and prepare for successful reintegration into society.”

    Currently, the Prison Service already runs a range of work programmes for eligible inmates, who must meet strict screening and qualification requirements before being assigned to duties. Before any inmate can be approved for work placement, they must undergo a full medical evaluation to confirm fitness, complete an initial portion of their sentence, and pass a comprehensive risk assessment that evaluates escape risk, gang affiliations, criminal connections, past behavioural records, and overall public threat level.

    Approved inmates currently work in on-site prison roles including food service, facility construction and maintenance, vehicle repair at the prison garage, garment production at the in-house tailor shop, agricultural crop production, and care for the prison service’s livestock. “These programmes already provide valuable vocational training while supporting the daily operations of our correctional facilities,” Gordon explained.

    Gordon stressed that supervising inmate work crews outside of secured correctional facilities requires a specialized force of trained correctional officers, with the specific skills, experience and resources needed to maintain security, manage inmate behaviour, and respond rapidly to any potential emergency. Public safety, he added, must be the non-negotiable top priority, and cannot be compromised for program expansion.

    Reaffirming the Prison Service’s long-standing commitment to rehabilitation and constructive engagement for incarcerated people, Gordon noted that any expansion of inmate work programmes must be rooted in rigorous risk assessment and evidence-based correctional practices. “Every decision regarding inmate employment, whether inside or outside correctional facilities, must be guided first and foremost by comprehensive risk assessment, sound correctional practice, and the overriding responsibility to protect the public,” he said.

  • Communities welcome plan

    Communities welcome plan

    Across several residential and commercial communities in Trinidad, local residents and business owners are reacting to a new national crime-fighting plan: the government’s rollout of 30 joint army-police outposts spread across the country. During on-the-ground interviews with the Express in communities including Acono Road in Maracas Valley-St Joseph, zones adjacent to the Grand Bazaar Interchange, and Kelly Village in Caroni, most stakeholders expressed broad support for the initiative, even as many raised pointed questions about its implementation and potential unintended consequences.

    On Acono Road, a taxi driver who goes by Malcolm questioned why existing local police officers could not already carry out the increased patrol duties that the new posts are designed to deliver. “I am not saying current officers are doing nothing,” he explained. “If they are already based at the nearby station, they could carry out these same daytime patrols right now.” Malcolm also raised a key concern that the visible security presence could unfairly stigmatize his community, which relies heavily on tourism. The area is a popular starting point for hikes to Maracas Bay and local waterfalls, and hosts private events like wedding receptions for visitors. “An army and police post might make visitors think this is a dangerous place, and that could hurt the local economy that depends on tourism,” he added.

    Despite Malcolm’s concerns, many other residents in the area welcomed the new security measure. A woman at Acono Junction called the plan a positive step, saying it could deter criminal groups from roaming freely and ultimately bring down local crime rates. A man who was gathered with a group of nearby residents also backed the initiative, noting that while he still lacks details on how the posts will operate, the idea makes sense. He argued that consistent, active patrols would push loitering individuals with criminal intent out of the area and crack down on open drug dealing. Other locals said they reserve final judgment until they see how the initiative is carried out, with many emphasizing that officers need to leave the posts to conduct active patrols rather than staying stationary on-site. Steve Villaroel, a local resident, framed the plan as a net positive, noting that most criminal activity in the area is carried out by outsiders, and the posts would help residents feel safer.

    In Kelly Village, at a roundabout off the Southern Main Road, poultry vendor John Ramlal also threw his support behind increased permanent security presence, while adding a key recommendation that all officers deployed to the posts should wear body cameras. “Body cameras would help hold everyone accountable,” Ramlal explained. “Good citizens will feel safer, and criminals will be deterred from operating here. We already see how visible police presence improves the area – whenever officers park near the Beetham, traffic flows far more smoothly.” Ramlal added that Kelly Village has struggled with violent crime for years, including shootings in public areas, and has long needed a permanent police footprint. “The area has gotten a bad reputation because of crime, but beyond that it is a nice, convenient place to live,” he said. “A permanent post will help us feel protected again.”

    Ornamental plant vendor Felix Hernandez, who operates along Caroni South Bank Road, echoed Ramlal’s support, saying the area has long dealt with persistent crime issues and the new posts are a much-needed intervention. Business owners in the nearby Bamboo community shared similar positive views. A local food vendor, who keeps his stall open until 2 a.m., said already frequent police patrols have had a clear positive impact for late-shift businesses. “I have operated here for 15 years, and thank God I have never been robbed, which I credit to the consistent patrols we already get,” he said. “A permanent post will only drive crime down further.” An employee at a local pizza outlet also supported the plan, noting that response times for emergency police calls are often unacceptably slow in the area, and a local post would cut down on wait times for help when incidents occur.

    Overall, while community members raised legitimate questions about operational details and potential negative impacts, the overwhelming reaction from the communities visited was approval of the government’s new crime-fighting push.

  • Grote internationale operatie tegen milieumisdrijven in Amazoneregio

    Grote internationale operatie tegen milieumisdrijven in Amazoneregio

    In one of the largest coordinated law enforcement operations targeting environmental crime in the world’s largest tropical rainforest, police forces from five Amazon basin nations — Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru — have arrested hundreds of people and seized massive volumes of illegal timber, minerals, and rescued thousands of trafficked animals.

    Called Operation Green Shield 2026, the initiative ran from July 15 to 31, deploying more than 3,600 officers to crack down on a range of illicit activities including illegal mining, unregulated logging, wildlife trafficking, fuel smuggling and land grabbing. Across 1,045 separate field operations carried out across remote border and riverine regions of the Amazon, authorities recorded 839 arrests, according to official operation data.

    Among the major seizures, law enforcement agents confiscated over 280,000 cubic meters of illegally harvested timber — a volume large enough to fill roughly 110 Olympic-sized swimming pools. They also seized more than 195 tons of illegally extracted minerals, including gold, coal, iron and copper, along with heavy equipment used for unlicensed mining. In addition to targeting timber and mineral poaching, the operation rescued more than 3,000 live trafficked wild animals, and recovered the remains of at least 430 dead animals destined for the illegal wildlife trade. The rescued animals span a wide range of species, from snakes and birds to lizards and freshwater fish. The attached photo, taken near Paimado, Colombia, shows clear deforestation along the Quito River caused by unregulated illegal mining activity in the region.

    Environmental crime has emerged as one of the most profitable illegal industries in the Amazon basin, driven by relentless global demand for gold, tropical hardwood, and exotic wildlife. Criminal networks often combine illegal mining, logging and wildlife trafficking, sharing cross-border smuggling routes and transnational financial networks to evade authorities. These groups frequently move people and contraband between national jurisdictions to avoid detection and prosecution, making coordinated international cooperation an absolute necessity to combat the threat, law enforcement leaders emphasize.

    Operation Green Shield 2026 was coordinated from Bogotá, Colombia, by the International Initiative of Law Enforcement for Climate (I2LEC), an initiative launched in 2023 by the United Arab Emirates in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The organization’s core mission is to strengthen cross-border collaboration to disrupt and dismantle environmental crime networks.

    This year’s operation builds on a similar successful coordinated campaign held in 2025, when four Amazon nations joined forces to share intelligence and launch simultaneous cross-border action against environmental crime. For 2026, Bolivia joined the partnership, expanding the operation’s reach into new areas of the basin.

    Colonel Dana Humaid, director of international affairs at the UAE Ministry of Interior, noted that the operation’s outcomes demonstrate that joint collective action is far more effective at countering transnational crime than unilateral national enforcement. The total estimated value of all seized contraband from the operation exceeds $280 million, according to official estimates.

    General William Oswaldo Rincón Zambrano, head of the Colombian National Police, underlined that the operation proves that shared intelligence can be translated into coordinated, impactful enforcement action across multiple jurisdictions. His Peruvian counterpart, General J. Manuel Cruz Chamba, reiterated that environmental crime does not respect international borders, so sustained cross-border collaboration is an indispensable tool to protect the Amazon ecosystem.

  • Suriname Ambassador urges stronger regional action against human trafficking

    Suriname Ambassador urges stronger regional action against human trafficking

    On the occasion of the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, marked during a formal meeting of the Organization of American States Permanent Council at its Washington D.C. headquarters, Suriname’s top envoy to the hemispheric body has issued an urgent call for stepped-up collective action to dismantle transnational human trafficking networks operating across the Caribbean and Americas.

    Ambassador Marlon Faisal Mohamed-Hoesien, Suriname’s Permanent Representative to the OAS and current Chair of the CARICOM Caucus, used the high-profile platform to highlight the unique structural vulnerabilities that make Caribbean nations particularly attractive to criminal trafficking groups. While he praised existing regional and hemispheric efforts to curb the crime, he stressed that the evolving nature of human trafficking demands far more coordinated, cross-border collaboration to address gaps in protection and regulation.

    In his address to the council, the ambassador framed all forms of human trafficking—including sexual exploitation, forced labor, and every other iteration of modern slavery—as an egregious violation of fundamental human rights that cannot be overlooked, accepted, or downplayed by member states. He explained that for Caribbean nations, weak maritime border controls and widespread economic fragility have turned the region into both a key transit corridor and an end destination for criminal trafficking operations.

    Beyond long-standing challenges, Mohamed-Hoesien drew attention to the emerging threat of digital exploitation, noting that the rapid expansion of digital economic activity across small island and low-lying coastal Caribbean states has far outpaced the development of regulatory frameworks. This regulatory gap has created an opening that transnational criminal networks are actively exploiting to expand their operations, he said. Unlike traditional trafficking models that rely on physical border crossings, criminal syndicates now use digital platforms to recruit vulnerable people, move victims across borders undetected, and turn the internet into an unregulated marketplace where vulnerable people are sold to the highest bidder.

    The ambassador added that pre-existing socioeconomic stressors—including widespread poverty, systemic inequality, irregular migration, high rates of gender-based violence, and displacement driven by climate change and natural disasters—have further increased the vulnerability of communities across the region. He specifically noted that women and children bear the disproportionate brunt of modern trafficking, facing elevated risks of online recruitment, grooming, and digital exploitation at the hands of criminal networks.

    Despite these growing challenges, Mohamed-Hoesien acknowledged the proactive steps already being taken by regional authorities to raise public awareness and strengthen survivor protection measures. He highlighted the critical work of multistakeholder bodies such as the Caribbean Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons, which brings together national governments, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organizations to align anti-trafficking strategies and disrupt network operations. He also emphasized that robust cybersecurity infrastructure is an indispensable component of any effective modern anti-trafficking framework, given the growing role of digital platforms in criminal activity.

    Closing his address, the ambassador issued a formal call to both regional bodies and international partners to deepen collaboration and deliver concrete, actionable commitments to counter human trafficking in all its traditional and evolving forms, ensuring better protection for vulnerable communities and stronger accountability for criminal actors.

  • CPL to honour Sir Garfield Sobers with minute’s applause across tournament

    CPL to honour Sir Garfield Sobers with minute’s applause across tournament

    The 2026 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is set to honor the legacy of iconic cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers, universally celebrated as the greatest all-rounder in the history of the sport, with a coordinated one-minute applause ahead of the opening match at every host venue across the tournament this season.

    This commemorative gesture will take place once in each Caribbean territory that hosts CPL matches, ensuring that cricket supporters in every nation on the tournament’s circuit get an opportunity to pay their respects to Sir Garfield’s life and indelible impact on the sport. For countless fans across the region, this gathering will mark the first public chance to collectively acknowledge how deeply Sir Garfield’s contributions to Caribbean cricket shaped their love of the game, uniting crowds in celebration of the man who redefined what Caribbean cricket could achieve on the global stage.

    Sir Garfield Sobers passed away on July 17, 2026, at his home in Saint Michael, Barbados, at the age of 89. Over his storied 20-year international career spanning 1954 to 1974, he represented the West Indies in 93 Test matches, amassing 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78 including 26 centuries, and claiming 235 wickets. His record-breaking unbeaten 365 runs against Pakistan in 1958 held the title of the highest individual Test score for 36 years, and he made history as the first batsman ever to hit six sixes in a single over in first-class cricket, a legendary feat he accomplished playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan in 1968. He also served as captain of the West Indies national team from 1965 to 1972.

    “Sir Garfield Sobers did not just play cricket, he defined what was possible in the sport,” said Pete Russell, Chief Executive Officer of Republic Bank CPL, in a statement announcing the tribute. “He gave West Indies cricket its identity on the world stage and inspired generations of players across the region to believe in their own greatness. It is only fitting that every ground we play on this season pauses to honour him.”

    Beyond the pre-match applause, the CPL has confirmed it will roll out additional tributes to Sir Garfield’s decades of contributions to West Indies and global cricket throughout the 2026 season, including special recognition at the tournament final, which will be held this year at Kensington Oval in Barbados, Sir Garfield’s beloved home ground.

  • Government extends temporary relief measures to cushion rising fuel and shipping costs

    Government extends temporary relief measures to cushion rising fuel and shipping costs

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — In a proactive move to shield local households and businesses from persistent global economic headwinds, the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis has greenlit an extension of its temporary cost-of-living relief program through September 30, 2026. The announcement was made official by Cabinet Secretary Dr Marcus L Natta during the July 28 Post-Cabinet Briefing.

    The relief initiative was first rolled out earlier this year as an emergency policy response to skyrocketing international fuel and shipping rates. The original price surge stemmed from prolonged geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have disrupted global supply chains and sent ripple effects through every corner of the global economy, driving up the cost of living for households and raising operating expenses for domestic businesses. For the period between April 30 and July 31 2026, the cabinet rolled out a package of targeted temporary fiscal adjustments designed to lower the cost of imported goods and cool inflationary pressure on fuel prices across the federation.

    After reviewing economic conditions on the advice of the Ministry of Finance, the cabinet has approved extending the full set of existing relief measures from August 1 through the end of September, with all original terms and conditions remaining unchanged. The extended package retains three core provisions: a 50 percent cut to the excise tax for qualifying gasoline, a 50 percent reduction in customs service charges for gasoline imports, and the exclusion of shipper-imposed surcharges from the base calculation for customs taxes and import duties.

    The original program was scheduled to expire on July 31, 2026. However, ongoing geopolitical shifts have kept international fuel markets volatile and shipping costs unpredictable, prolonging the inflationary pressures that weigh on consumers and business operators across Saint Kitts and Nevis. Faced with this sustained uncertainty, government officials characterized the extension as a prudent policy choice to ensure residents and enterprises continue to receive tangible, meaningful support.

    Authorities note the extended relief will deliver targeted support to both domestic consumers and business owners, sustain ongoing local economic activity, and help soften the blow of elevated global energy and logistics costs on the federation’s domestic economy. The government of Saint Kitts and Nevis reaffirmed its commitment to continuing close monitoring of global economic trends, and pledged to take timely, responsible policy action whenever necessary to protect the economic well-being of its population.

  • WMO Warns Intensifying El Niño to Drive Hotter Temperatures, Drought Through October

    WMO Warns Intensifying El Niño to Drive Hotter Temperatures, Drought Through October

    As communities across North America, Europe and the Caribbean grapple with ongoing record-breaking heatwaves and growing climate disruption, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued a stark warning: intensifying El Niño conditions are set to shape global weather patterns through at least the end of October 2026, raising the probability of widespread above-average temperatures and severe disruptions to global rainfall cycles.

    The updated advisory arrives at a moment when extreme heat is already battering multiple regions, with parts of the U.S., Canada, France, Germany and Italy hitting all-time or near-record high temperatures. This relentless heat has in turn sparked extensive wildfires that have claimed lives and destroyed vast swathes of land across several continents.

    In its latest official El Niño outlook published in August 2026, the WMO confirmed that the climate pattern will continue gaining strength through the August–October 2026 window. “El Niño is expected to dominate global climate patterns in the August-October 2026 season, increasing the likelihood of above-normal temperatures across much of the world and driving significant shifts in rainfall patterns,” the agency stated.

    WMO experts added that the strengthening El Niño, when combined with already abnormally warm global ocean temperatures and the forecast formation of a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, will amplify weather disruptions across the globe in the coming months. The resulting rainfall pattern aligns with the traditional El Niño signature: some regions will face far wetter conditions than average, while many others will see a sharp jump in drought risk.

    Top climate forecasting centers from around the world project that seasonal average sea surface temperature anomalies in key El Niño monitoring zones will surpass 2.9°C. Alongside this, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole—where western Indian Ocean waters warm beyond average while eastern Indian Ocean waters cool— is also on track to develop. Combined, these interconnected climate drivers will drastically increase the likelihood of drought, flooding and wildfires, especially across the Indian Ocean Basin. Meanwhile, tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures are also predicted to stay well above long-term averages.

    For Caribbean nations, the forecast has prompted urgent calls for preparation, as many territories have already recorded months of below-average rainfall. Governments and residents are being urged to enact early water conservation measures to avoid a full-blown water security crisis.

    In the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, officials have already activated a national drought watch, implementing restrictions on non-essential water use including garden watering and vehicle washing with hoses to protect shrinking reservoir supplies. Senior Meteorological Officer Elmer Burke told reporters in a June press briefing that rainfall across the country has fallen drastically short of long-term averages.

    “As we know, St. Kitts and Nevis, similar to other Caribbean countries, have been facing impacts of drought for the past few months to varying degrees,” Burke explained. “Based on rainfall totals observed at the RLB International Airport up to the end of May, we have recorded 8.66 inches of rainfall compared with our long-term average of 15.5 inches for the same period. That represents a deficit of 6.84 inches, meaning the Federation has received only about 56 per cent of its normal rainfall through the end of May, based on climatological data from 1990 to 2020.”

    The dry trend worsened through June, when just 0.05 inches (1.3 millimetres) of rain was recorded at RLB International Airport—far below the typical June average of 3.41 inches. Burke warned that even though the Atlantic hurricane season can bring heavy rain events, these isolated downpours are unlikely to reverse the overall dry pattern gripping the region.

    “We are not saying that there won’t be any heavy rainfall events during the hurricane season, but based on the major climatic drivers, the overall trend is for below-normal rainfall across the region during this period,” he said. If dry conditions persist, the country could be forced to implement formal water rationing to protect critical supplies.

    El Niño is a naturally occurring climate cycle that emerges every two to seven years, typically lasting between nine and 12 months. It generally begins forming between March and June, peaks between November and February, and exerts its strongest influence on global temperatures in the year after it first develops.

    The severity and impacts of each El Niño event vary based on a range of factors, including its strength, duration, timing, and how it interacts with other climate systems such as the Indian Ocean Dipole. While some regions gain extra rainfall, others face extended dry spells and elevated wildfire risk. It is important to note that extreme weather events can also occur during neutral ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) conditions. The WMO classifies El Niño events as weak, moderate, strong or very strong; while the term “super El Niño” is widely used in public discourse, it is not part of the organization’s official classification framework.

  • PAHO calls for stronger safeguards against digital marketing that undermines breastfeeding

    PAHO calls for stronger safeguards against digital marketing that undermines breastfeeding

    Ahead of 2026 World Breastfeeding Week, held from 1 to 7 August, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued an urgent call to countries across the Americas to ramp up protections for new and expecting families against the booming, increasingly sophisticated digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes that threatens to undermine global breastfeeding progress. The call comes as public health data reveals that the digital transformation of consumer marketing has created new, underregulated barriers to evidence-based infant feeding decision-making, at a time when regional breastfeeding rates still fall far short of global public health targets.

    Breastfeeding is universally recognized by global health authorities as one of the most impactful public health interventions available. It delivers optimal nutrition to infants, boosts their developing immune systems, cuts long-term risk of chronic and acute illness, and supports healthy physical and cognitive growth. For birthing parents, it also carries significant long and short-term health benefits, from reduced postpartum complication risk to lower rates of certain chronic diseases. Despite these well-documented advantages, current regional data shows that only 43 percent of infants in Latin America and the Caribbean are exclusively breastfed for their first six months of life – a figure that sits well below the World Health Organization’s 2030 global target of 60 percent exclusive breastfeeding.

    PAHO officials warn that the unregulated digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes has emerged as a major, underaddressed driver of this gap. Unlike traditional print or broadcast advertising, modern digital marketing tactics operate largely outside public and regulatory scrutiny. Brands leverage personalized algorithms, artificial intelligence, social media platforms, and influencer partnerships to target vulnerable groups: pregnant people, new mothers, and primary caregivers with hyper-specific, tailored messaging that often contradicts evidence-based public health guidance. According to regional researchers, more than 80 percent of all marketing for breast-milk substitutes now takes place across digital channels, making this the primary space where families encounter commercial messaging around infant feeding.

    New data presented at a recent PAHO regional seminar on breastfeeding protection underscores the scale of the regulatory gap. Just 45 percent of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have implemented national measures aligned with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, the global framework first adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981 to restrict inappropriate marketing of infant formula and other substitutes. Only two nations, Brazil and Argentina, have achieved full substantial alignment with the Code, while many small Caribbean nations still lack any specific national legislation governing breast-milk substitute marketing. Even in countries with existing regulations, regional monitoring found widespread potential violations across social media platforms, brand websites, and other digital channels, where the vast majority of modern marketing activity now occurs.

    Research from the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) confirms the tangible public health harm of this unregulated activity. Studies conducted across Central America found that caregiver exposure to digital marketing for breast-milk substitutes is directly linked to higher rates of early formula use, and cuts the likelihood that a child will be breastfed beyond 12 months by nearly 50 percent. “Marketing and promotion of commercial milk formula products have evolved, and the digital environment remains a regulatory gap that has yet to be adequately addressed,” noted Mónica Mazariegos, an INCAP researcher. “Digital strategies allow companies to reach mothers, fathers, and caregivers frequently and with highly personalized advertising.”

    In response to the evolving threat, the World Health Assembly recently updated its guidance, expanding the scope of the International Code to explicitly cover modern digital marketing practices, including social media campaigns, content creator partnerships, influencer endorsements, and online platform advertising. Experts at the PAHO regional seminar outlined a multi-pronged approach to address the crisis: updating national legislation to explicitly extend marketing restrictions to digital channels, building more robust monitoring and enforcement systems, leveraging new digital tools to proactively detect regulatory violations, and strengthening cross-border regional cooperation to tackle marketing that easily moves between national jurisdictions. Participants also highlighted the critical need for stronger personal data protections and greater transparency around how digital targeted advertising operates, to prevent brands from exploiting personal health data to target vulnerable families.

    PAHO emphasizes that regulatory action to restrict harmful marketing must be paired with direct public health support for breastfeeding families. This includes expanded access to evidence-based breastfeeding counselling, workplace and social policies that enable women to breastfeed for the WHO-recommended six months of exclusive breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding up to two years and beyond, and community support services that help families navigate challenges. “Breastfeeding is far more than an individual choice. It is one of the most effective ways to give children the best possible start in life,” explained Vanessa Garcia Larsen, Chief of PAHO’s Risk Factors Unit. “In the digital age, protecting breastfeeding also means protecting families from commercial practices that may influence their decisions.”

    The ultimate goal of these reforms, Garcia Larsen added, is to ensure that all families have access to objective, evidence-based infant feeding information, free from inappropriate commercial influence. As part of 2026 World Breastfeeding Week, which carries the theme “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” PAHO will host a virtual regional seminar on August 7 to bring together policymakers, researchers, and public health practitioners to share successful strategies for strengthening breastfeeding policies and support programs across the Americas.