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  • Achievement Learning Center begins new school term with focus on individual student needs

    Achievement Learning Center begins new school term with focus on individual student needs

    After weeks of targeted pre-term preparation designed to meet the needs of both continuing and first-time enrollees, the Achievement Learning Center (ALC) has officially launched its new academic year.

    ALC principal Rhonda Celaire shared that organizational and instructional planning got underway as early as the end of August, with teaching staff focusing heavily on tailoring learning experiences to align with the unique educational goals each student brings to the center. “Every child enters with a different set of aspirations, so we structured our preparations around those individual needs to make the start of the term as seamless as possible,” Celaire explained, emphasizing that personalized planning is a core pillar of the center’s approach to a successful academic kickoff.

    Many education stakeholders had raised concerns that students would face significant challenges readjusting to structured classroom life following the lengthy summer break, but early data from the term has defied those expectations. “We prepared for widespread disruption to routine after months of unstructured summer time, but that simply did not materialize,” Celaire said. Returning students slipped back into their daily academic schedules with little difficulty, and new enrollees rapidly acclimated by following the established routines modeled by their more experienced peers.

    That is not to say the term began without minor adjustments, Celaire acknowledged. The center’s higher academic classrooms serve a multi-grade cohort of lower secondary and upper primary students, requiring targeted timetable modifications to guarantee every learner gets the one-on-one attention they need, while avoiding any perception of unequal treatment across grade groups.

    In addition to core classroom preparations, the center’s programs department has seen a notable surge in activity this term, as parents and guardians flood the office with inquiries about late registration and available after-school extracurricular activities. According to Celaire, the center’s programs officer has worked tirelessly to manage the high volume of requests that typically accompany the start of a new academic semester.

    Even with the added administrative strain of processing these requests and implementing last-minute timetable changes, Celaire confirmed that the center’s core academic programming is progressing on track. “We are juggling a few moving parts as any new term brings, but academically we are moving forward steadily,” the principal stated, adding that she remains confident in the entire institution’s ability to deliver high-quality, personalized support to every student throughout the year.

    The ALC is a specialized educational institution that offers a broad range of services, including specialized special education support, general academic tutoring, vocational skills training, professional development training, and adult education programming.

  • Blackman: Broad compliance with grooming rules

    Blackman: Broad compliance with grooming rules

    As the 2025 academic year kicks off across Barbados, most students have already fallen in line with the country’s controversial National Grooming Policy, top education officials have confirmed. With ongoing public debate over the policy’s guidelines, particularly around its treatment of Black hairstyles, officials are moving to release clear instructional videos in the coming days to eliminate ambiguity for both families and school administrators.

    First introduced in January 2023, the National Grooming Policy establishes formal binding standards for student appearance, dress code, and in-school conduct. A key progressive provision of the original policy explicitly permits traditional natural Black hairstyles including locs and cornrows, a change that addressed longstanding complaints of racial bias in previous school grooming rules. However, the policy reemerged as a flashpoint for public discussion in 2025, with critics and community members calling for more explicit guidelines to resolve inconsistent interpretations of the rules around Black hairstyles across different campuses.

    Earlier this year, Minister of Education Transformation Chad Blackman ordered stronger enforcement of the policy, granting campus principals expanded authority to ensure students meet the established standards. During a press visit to Wesley Hall Junior School this Monday, Blackman shared that opening week of the new school year has proceeded without major compliance issues. “Principals conduct routine random spot checks across school grounds as part of standard procedure,” Blackman told reporters. “We’ve had a small number of cases where administrators have had to speak to individual students about adjustments, but that is entirely normal for any school year. There have been no widespread incidents or major problems reported over the past week.”

    Blackman added that the early compliance data suggests parents are now more proactive than ever about preparing their children to meet policy requirements before the first day of class. While he acknowledged that a small share of student cases may not fit neatly into the policy’s existing frameworks, he stressed that consistent, equitable enforcement across all public schools is a top priority this year. “The goal is to keep the enforcement process open, transparent, and fair. We cannot have one principal applying one standard at School A and a completely different standard at School B—consistency across the system is non-negotiable,” he explained.

    Contrary to common public focus on hair rules, Blackman emphasized that the grooming policy covers all aspects of student appearance and uniform adherence. “This policy is far more than just hair rules. First, all students are required to keep their hair neat and well-groomed. For male students, hair must be properly maintained; unkempt, overly bulky styles are not permitted. For female students, hair must be plaited or neatly arranged. The policy prohibits hair extensions and unnatural dyed colors including purple, pink, and blue,” he outlined. Beyond hair, the policy sets requirements for proper uniform wear: students must wear socks of the correct length, matching the right colored polished shoes, and keep fingernails clean and well-maintained. All these elements, Blackman noted, are core to reinforcing the policy’s standards.

    In a move to resolve ongoing confusion, Blackman confirmed that illustrative how-to videos will be released to parents and students “in a matter of days.” These videos will provide concrete, real-world examples of what compliant grooming and uniform wear looks like, eliminating guesswork for families and administrators alike. The minister also added that principals have been instructed to exercise firm but balanced authority in enforcing the policy, noting that overreach is as problematic as lax enforcement. Top education leadership met with all principals during pre-school planning week to underscore the priority of consistent enforcement this year, as part of the ministry’s broader push to strengthen student discipline across the system, a central pillar of the government’s education transformation agenda.

    Chief Education Officer Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw echoed Blackman’s update, confirming that principals across the country have reported widespread student compliance. She also reminded students that academic campuses are intended for learning, not public fashion displays. “When students come to school, there are clear baseline expectations: male students may not wear earrings, female students may not wear long hair extensions, pants and skirts must fit properly according to uniform rules,” Dr. Archer-Bradshaw said. “With clear expectations and consistent enforcement, we are confident we will see the outcomes we are working toward.”

  • Pierre echoes need for stronger regional trade as Panama Canal disruption threatens import costs

    Pierre echoes need for stronger regional trade as Panama Canal disruption threatens import costs

    Unprecedented drought conditions amplified by the El Niño weather pattern have thrown operations at the Panama Canal into disarray, sending global shipping costs soaring and triggering urgent warnings across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) over threatened import supplies. Regional leaders and private sector organizations are now pushing for localized, intra-regional strategies to buffer Caribbean economies from cascading cost increases that threaten to push higher prices onto everyday consumers.

    The crisis stems from far lower than average rainfall across the Panama Canal watershed between May and August 2026, with climate scientists projecting El Niño will further intensify dry conditions through the 2027 dry season. Low water levels have crippled the canal’s core lock operation system, which relies on sufficient water reserves to raise and lower vessels between different elevation levels. To conserve remaining water supplies, canal authorities have already cut the number of daily allowed vessel transits from 32 down from the usual 32, down from the original 34 slots.

    Water level restrictions have also forced ships to cut their maximum cargo loads to navigate shallower channels, while competition for the limited available transit slots has sent priority access prices skyrocketing. Reports confirm one shipping line recently paid a record-breaking $5.3 million to secure a priority passage slot. For carriers unable to secure a slot, the only alternative is rerouting around South America, a change that adds thousands of miles to voyages and drives up fuel, labor, and overall operating costs dramatically.

    Patrick Antoine, CEO and Technical Director of the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), explained that none of these added costs will be absorbed by shipping companies. “Auction premiums and low-water surcharges do not stay on the carriers’ books,” Antoine noted. “They are passed down the chain to importers, to distributors, and ultimately to the Caribbean consumer.”

    The CPSO first sounded the alarm over this growing crisis at the CARICOM Heads of Government Breakfast Meeting held in Saint Lucia back in July 2026, where it unveiled a comprehensive strategic plan titled Derisking CSME Imports. The plan outlines a clear framework for expanding intra-regional production and developing alternative regional supply corridors that can replace the long-haul imports that currently rely on the Panama Canal and are now facing major vulnerabilities.

    As the current Chair of CARICOM, Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has responded to the crisis by calling on all Caribbean nations to prioritize homegrown, regional solutions rather than relying on global supply chains that are increasingly exposed to climate-related disruptions. Speaking at a pre-Cabinet press briefing on Monday, in response to questions from the St. Lucia Times, Pierre emphasized that while Caribbean nations have no control over drought conditions or operations at the Panama Canal, they can take immediate action to strengthen regional trade ties that will reduce reliance on vulnerable external supply lines.

    “We need to get a ferry to move our food from one island to another; that’s the first step,” Pierre said, outlining his top priority for regional action. The prime minister laid out additional targeted steps for small island nations like Saint Lucia, which already struggles with low domestic agricultural output and persistent food security challenges. He added, “We have to increase our production and we have to strengthen the linkages between agriculture and tourism; that’s where the private sector must get together with the government in terms of creating these linkages, in terms of buying local, and in terms of getting our manufacturers to produce things so that they can sell.”

    Despite the significant risks posed by the ongoing Panama Canal crisis, Pierre expressed measured confidence that the Caribbean region has enough existing productive capacity to replace a sizable share of food imports through expanded intra-regional trade. “The first stage is seeing whether we can get this inter-island ferry going so that we can trade between ourselves because the region has some capacity to trade within itself,” he explained.

    Alongside long-term calls for expanded regional production and connectivity, the CPSO is urging Caribbean importers to take immediate short-term action to prepare for coming disruptions. The organization is advising importers to proactively engage with carriers and logistics providers now to plan for alternative routes, potential surcharges, and inventory adjustments for the remainder of 2026 and the 2027 dry season, when conditions are projected to worsen.

  • Judiciary reform plans ‘approved in principle’

    Judiciary reform plans ‘approved in principle’

    At the official opening of the 2026–2027 Barbados legal year, Chief Justice Leslie Haynes made a landmark announcement: island nation’s cabinet ministers have signed off in principle on a sweeping restructuring of the country’s judicial administration system, a reform widely labeled as the most transformative change to the justice sector since Barbados gained independence. The overhaul centers on the creation of two new governing bodies: the Department of the Judiciary and the Court Services Council, designed to consolidate and centralize the management of all court operations across the country.

    For decades, the island’s judicial branch has relied on the Supreme Court Registry, an administrative unit historically housed within the Attorney General’s Office and overseen by the Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice. This structure has long meant that the judiciary itself held no direct control over the core administrative body that powers court operations, leaving effective governance dependent entirely on a constructive working relationship between the Chief Justice and the appointed Registrar, according to Haynes.

    Global common law systems around the world have already recognized the flaws in this outdated governance model, leading many nations to restructure their court administrative frameworks. A key shift widely adopted has been the introduction of a court executive administrator role, which takes over the bulk of general court management responsibilities. This separation of duties frees the Registrar to focus on the growing list of quasi-judicial functions they already handle, eliminating the conflicting administrative workload that has stretched the role thin for years.

    Under the new approved model, the Supreme Court Registry will be removed entirely from the executive branch’s oversight. Instead, all supreme court administration will report directly to the newly created Court Services Council, which will be chaired by the Chief Justice himself, placing administrative control firmly in the hands of the judicial branch.

    Haynes shared that the reform process has already moved past the initial planning stage, with broad stakeholder consultations completed that yielded dozens of valuable insights and recommendations from across the legal sector. Work is currently underway on a full organizational human resources assessment, designed to map staffing needs across all administrative units, after which a comprehensive financial assessment will be conducted. The full findings of both assessments will be compiled into a formal report to be submitted to Cabinet for final approval in the coming months.

    Beyond structural governance changes, the overhaul is explicitly designed to modernize Barbados’ court system, supporting the long-planned transition from outdated analogue administrative procedures to fully digital operations. By redesigning workflows and updating job descriptions to align with 21st-century digital practices, judicial leaders aim to boost overall operational efficiency, increase public accountability for court services, improve the visibility of judicial processes, and make the system more responsive to the needs of Barbados residents and legal professionals.

    Haynes emphasized that the assessment phase is critical to ensuring every department within the new administrative structure has adequate staffing to meet its new mandates. He committed to full transparency throughout the rest of the reform process, pledging that all stakeholders and interested parties will receive regular updates as the agenda moves forward, following the completion of the human resources and financial assessments.

  • International Day of Democracy 2026

    International Day of Democracy 2026

    September 15 marks the annual International Day of Democracy — a global observance created to honor democratic governance and reaffirm the core values that form the foundation of free, inclusive and equitable societies around the world. For the Caribbean nation of Grenada, democratic practice is not an imported framework, but a system deeply rooted in local principles: widespread public participation, intentional inclusion, equal rights, equitable justice, fundamental human freedoms, the rule of law, and inclusive sustainable development. At its core, the nation’s democratic vision holds that every Grenadian deserves to live in a community that guarantees personal safety, equal access to opportunity, and all the conditions required for individuals and communities to thrive. shaped by its unique history of overcoming slavery and colonial rule, Grenada’s democracy remains a constantly evolving project. It is guided directly by the lived experiences, cultural identity, collective aspirations, and sovereign will of the Grenadian people, who continue to actively shape and refine the version of democracy that best serves their national needs. The country’s Constitution, its governing and parliamentary institutions, and the shared values that anchor these structures provide a stable legal and social framework for this ongoing democratic development. Grenadian authorities remain unwavering in their commitment to advancing broad social equality, consistent and just application of the law, and universal access to basic needs including food, quality education, personal safety, and economic opportunity for all residents. This 2026 observance of the International Day of Democracy carries a clear, unifying message for the nation: every Grenadian matters. The responsibility to protect and strengthen the country’s democratic system does not fall only to leaders — it rests in the hands of every citizen. Each person, the statement emphasizes, acts both as a builder of democracy and a beneficiary of its gains. Grenada’s Parliament plays an indispensable role in nurturing the nation’s democratic life, through core functions including crafting inclusive legislation, deliberate review and oversight of the national budget, and holding the executive branch accountable through parliamentary checks and balances. On this International Day of Democracy, the two Houses of Grenada’s Parliament extend warm greetings to democratic societies, governments, institutions and people across the globe. The body also offered special recognition to like-minded international parliamentary partners, including the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The sustained partnership and engagement of these organizations, the statement notes, have contributed significantly to the ongoing growth and maturation of Grenada’s national democracy. The statement closes with a formal celebration of the global observance: Happy International Day of Democracy 2026! This release was issued by the Houses of Parliament of Grenada. NOW Grenada, the platform carrying the statement, notes that it is not responsible for the opinions, statements or third-party content shared by contributors, and provides a channel for users to report content that violates platform policies in cases of abuse.

  • The UWI Success Story: Responding to Nicolette Lewis and all UPP Operatives

    The UWI Success Story: Responding to Nicolette Lewis and all UPP Operatives

    In recent weeks, public discourse surrounding the University of the West Indies (UWI) has intensified, driven by critical comments from Nicolette Lewis and other operatives affiliated with the United Progressive Party (UPP). This public pushback has prompted a closer examination of UWI’s decades-long legacy of institutional achievement and its ongoing contributions to regional development across the Caribbean.

    Nicolette Lewis, a prominent UPP figure, has raised a series of claims targeting UWI’s governance, resource allocation, and institutional relevance to contemporary Caribbean needs. Joined by other party operatives, she has argued that the regional university has strayed from its founding mandate, failing to address pressing economic and social gaps across member states. These allegations have circulated widely in local media and political circles, framing UWI as a stagnant institution disconnected from the priorities of ordinary Caribbean citizens.

    However, a review of UWI’s recent and historical performance tells a far different story. Since its establishment in 1948, the university has grown from a small medical college into a leading global regional institution, enrolling more than 50,000 students across four campuses and multiple distance learning centers. It has produced generations of regional leaders, from heads of state to public health practitioners, engineers, and educators who have underpinned the development of every Caribbean nation. In recent years, UWI has expanded its research focus to address urgent regional challenges, including climate adaptation, public health resilience post-COVID-19, and youth unemployment, launching targeted programs that partner with local governments and international development organizations to deliver tangible results.

    Critics from the UPP have particularly focused on questions of funding, arguing that Caribbean governments’ annual subventions to UWI represent a poor return on investment for public resources. But institutional data shows that every dollar invested in UWI generates more than four dollars in long-term economic impact across the region, through skilled workforce development, research-driven policy innovation, and the university’s role as a magnet for international academic collaboration and tourism. UWI has also diversified its funding base dramatically over the past two decades, reducing reliance on government contributions by expanding private philanthropy, international research grants, and tuition revenue from non-regional students, easing the financial burden on member states.

    What underpins this criticism is widely understood by regional political analysts to be part of a broader opposition strategy to erode confidence in public institutions that have historically been seen as non-partisan public goods. For the UPP, targeting UWI offers an opportunity to frame the incumbent government as wasteful and unaccountable, ahead of upcoming electoral cycles in several Caribbean member states. Yet defenders of the university note that UWI’s institutional autonomy and commitment to regional development has remained consistent across changing political administrations, serving all citizens regardless of partisan affiliation.

    As the debate continues, supporters of UWI are calling for constructive dialogue rather than partisan grandstanding. They note that while any large, complex institution has room for improvement, UWI’s success story as a unifying regional project that has delivered unprecedented access to higher education and research for Caribbean people remains unchallenged. Rather than dismissing the institution’s achievements for political gain, critics are being urged to engage with UWI’s leadership to propose evidence-based reforms that strengthen its mandate for future generations.

  • $4,000 Reward Offered for Recovery of Stolen Honda Fit

    $4,000 Reward Offered for Recovery of Stolen Honda Fit

    Law enforcement and the vehicle’s owner have issued a public appeal for community assistance in locating a stolen car, with a substantial $4,000 cash reward promised to anyone who provides details that result in the vehicle’s safe recovery. The stolen automobile is a 2010 model of Honda Fit, recognizable by its distinct purple exterior, and carries the registration plate number A75471. According to the latest available information, the vehicle was most recently spotted in the Clear Hall district, specifically in the vicinity of Clear Hall Secondary School. Officials are urging any resident who may have seen the car in recent days, or who holds any tip that could help investigators pinpoint its current location, to reach out with their information as quickly as possible. There are two contact channels available for people to share details: interested parties can either connect directly with local law enforcement, or reach the vehicle’s owner directly at the phone number 725-1359. In a critical safety advisory, members of the public have been strongly warned against taking any independent action in relation to the stolen vehicle. Authorities emphasize that civilians should not approach or attempt to confront anyone they believe may be connected to the stolen car, to avoid the risk of violence or unnecessary harm. Instead, all members of the public are instructed to pass any information they have to trained police officers, who will handle the recovery process. The $4,000 reward will only be disbursed after the stolen Honda Fit is successfully recovered, confirming the validity of the information provided.

  • Guyana intensifies efforts to eliminate infectious diseases, strengthen health system

    Guyana intensifies efforts to eliminate infectious diseases, strengthen health system

    As Guyana charts a bold course to rid its population of multiple high-burden infectious diseases, the country is pursuing sweeping upgrades to laboratory infrastructure, healthcare workforce training, and national clinical quality standards, according to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony.

    Dr. Anthony laid out these sweeping public health initiatives during opening remarks at the two-day *Strengthening Clinical Capacity for the Management of Advanced HIV Disease in Guyana* workshop, which convened September 14–15, 2026 in the Ministry of Health’s Brickdam boardroom. The gathering brings together healthcare providers to refine care protocols for one of the country’s priority public health concerns, while serving as a platform to announce broader system-wide improvements.

    Addressing attendees, the minister outlined targeted progress toward elimination for five key pathogens: lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis, leprosy, malaria, and hepatitis C. For lymphatic filariasis, Guyana is currently undergoing the final evaluation phases required for official international elimination certification, and Dr. Anthony shared that the country is closing in on that milestone. Work to scale up interventions for leishmaniasis and leprosy continues apace, while national malaria policy is undergoing a strategic shift from long-term outbreak control to full elimination, he added.

    One of the most notable breakthroughs has come in hepatitis C response, where the historically prohibitive cost of curative treatment created a major gap in care for diagnosed patients. For years, Guyanese health authorities could only identify hepatitis C cases during routine blood transfusion screening, with no viable path to connect patients to life-saving treatment. That barrier has now been removed through a collaborative partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which has secured access to treatment for less than $100 USD per patient. The minister noted that the policy focus now turns to building care linkage programs that ensure every diagnosed patient can access affordable, curative treatment.

    Beyond targeted disease elimination programs, Dr. Anthony outlined major capital investments in national public health infrastructure, most notably a new national reference laboratory currently under construction. The facility will be outfitted with cutting-edge molecular diagnostic technology, drastically expanding Guyana’s capacity for early disease detection and routine molecular surveillance of existing and emerging pathogens. “These investments will strengthen Guyana’s capacity to respond to emerging infectious diseases,” the minister said, adding that the upgraded lab could eventually serve as a regional reference hub for specialized disease testing. He emphasized that integrating new diagnostic technologies into routine care will be a core priority to speed up detection and response for all public health threats.

    Sustained investment in healthcare human resources is equally critical to building a resilient, high-performing health system, Dr. Anthony stressed. To that end, the government has secured new training and fellowship opportunities for Guyanese clinicians through international partnerships with leading academic and medical institutions across Brazil, the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. Participating institutions include Harvard University, Mount Sinai Health System, Northwell Hospital, McMaster University, and Apollo University, among other global collaborators. Additional flexible online training opportunities are also available through United Kingdom-based university programs, and the minister urged all practicing physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals to take advantage of these opportunities to build their skills and improve patient outcomes across the country.

    To raise the standard of clinical care across all national hospitals, the Ministry of Health is launching a new formal clinical quality governance initiative. Under the program, mobile review teams will conduct regular on-site audits of patient medical records to assess whether care aligns with evidence-based national clinical guidelines published by the Ministry. Where gaps in care or deviations from protocol are identified, the teams will work directly with local care teams to address deficiencies and update clinical practice. The long-term goal is to ensure all facilities consistently meet national care standards, with targeted follow-up action for facilities that fail to sustain adherence to protocols. The Ministry is also partnering with Joint Commission International (JCI) on a structured pathway program to help national hospitals meet international quality care standards.

    Throughout all these system-wide improvements, Dr. Anthony emphasized that patient-centered care must remain the core guiding principle. “Ultimately, the people that we should have in focus are our patients,” he said, noting that all upgrades to the health system are designed to deliver the best possible health outcomes for Guyanese communities.

    Taken together, the minister explained that the full portfolio of initiatives—from expanded HIV care capacity to improved disease surveillance, upgraded laboratory infrastructure, workforce training, and clinical quality governance—are designed to build a more resilient national health system capable of addressing both long-standing infectious disease priorities and new emerging health threats. He closed by urging workshop participants to bring the new knowledge and skills they gained back to their home facilities, a step that will advance the broader national goal of delivering high-quality care to all Guyanese and building the capacity to prevent, diagnose, treat, and ultimately eliminate the country’s priority infectious diseases.

  • Guyana’s oliefonds passeert voor het eerst G$1 biljoen

    Guyana’s oliefonds passeert voor het eerst G$1 biljoen

    Fresh data released by the Bank of Guyana has revealed a dramatic surge in inflows to the country’s Natural Resource Fund (NRF) in August, driven by a three-fold jump in profit oil receipts that pushed the sovereign wealth fund’s balance to its highest level since it was established.

    Last month, the NRF received 161.86 billion Guyanese dollars in profit oil, far outpacing the 48.4 billion Guyanese dollars recorded in July. Supplementing this major inflow were 2.85 billion Guyanese dollars in investment returns generated by the fund’s assets, plus a small 20.85 million Guyanese dollar signature bonus from new oil operations. Even after the government transferred 52.125 billion Guyanese dollars from the NRF to the state’s Consolidated Fund to cover public spending commitments, the fund’s total balance still grew to a new record, the central bank confirmed.

    The skyrocketing inflows coincide with a pivotal expansion phase for Guyana’s fast-growing offshore oil sector. Four production platforms are currently operational at the Stabroek Block, the country’s core oil-producing region, delivering a combined output of roughly 900,000 barrels of crude per day. In August, the fifth floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, the Errea Wittu, arrived in Guyanese waters, and is on track to push total national production above 1 million barrels per day once fully commissioned.

    A second key factor boosting August inflows is a rising share of production profits allocated to the Guyanese government, as international oil operators have now recovered the vast majority of their upfront capital investments in the country’s offshore projects. Data from Guyana’s Ministry of Natural Resources shows the government’s share of total production rose to 39.8% in August. Separate central bank figures put total August oil-related revenue at approximately $778 million U.S. dollars, the vast bulk of which came from profit oil allocations.

    Established to manage revenues from Guyana’s nascent oil and gas sector in a transparent, rule-based framework, the NRF collects all resource-related earnings and only allows transfers to the national budget through formal statutory procedures. The Bank of Guyana publishes regular updates on the fund’s performance on a monthly and quarterly basis.

    The rapid growth of the fund underscores the transformative economic impact of offshore oil development for the small South American nation. At the end of 2025, the NRF held approximately $3.25 billion U.S. dollars in total assets. Just eight months later, despite regular transfers to cover government spending, that value has climbed to $4.89 billion U.S. dollars. The Guyanese government initially projected total 2026 profit oil revenue of $2.4 billion U.S. dollars, plus an additional $375.3 million U.S. dollars in royalties. With production expanding faster than forecast and the government’s profit share growing, ongoing tracking of NRF inflows has become a critical indicator for the country’s 2026 fiscal outlook.

  • TSTT rejects Cox misconduct claims

    TSTT rejects Cox misconduct claims

    A major telecommunications firm in Trinidad and Tobago is pushing back forcefully against a wave of misconduct allegations brought by its former interim top executive, drawing clear lines around contractual terms and corporate governance standards in a formal legal response.

    Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) has issued a comprehensive rebuttal to pre-action letters submitted by attorneys representing Keino Cox, the company’s former acting chief executive officer. In the response filed Thursday, September 10—addressed to two pre-action protocol letters dated August 26 and September 8 from Cox’s legal team—company representative Samantha Singh-Poona, TSTT’s attorney, voiced disapproval over the widespread circulation of Cox’s correspondence among employees who have no direct connection to the dispute, labeling the move “wholly improper”.

    The firm pushed back against any negative speculation stemming from its request for extra time to craft a response, noting that a full, thorough legal review of the complex claims required additional lead time. At the core of TSTT’s argument is a clear breakdown of the terms of Cox’s temporary appointment: the company emphasized that Cox’s tenure as acting CEO was set to expire on July 31, 2026, and carried no implicit or explicit contractual or legal guarantee that the role would be renewed. Per TSTT’s official position, the company’s board and chairman retain full discretionary authority to end an acting appointment at any time, for any reason or no reason at all.

    Cox’s allegations of misconduct in public office were rejected outright, with the firm clarifying its legal status: TSTT is a private sector entity governed by general company law, not a public authority exercising sovereign state power, meaning its executives and directors cannot be categorized as public officers. The company also dismissed Cox’s reliance on a prior legal precedent, the TSTT v Ravi Balgobin Maharaj case, calling the citation “misplaced”.

    Underlining core corporate governance principles, TSTT noted that company directors hold fiduciary duties to the organization as a whole, not to individual staff members. Any formal obligations to Cox, the firm added, are exclusively outlined in his standard employment contract, with no additional obligations implied.

    The company also came to the defense of its Corporate Secretary, Viveka Pargass, who has been targeted by multiple allegations from Cox. After the company’s full board reviewed all claims of misbehavior against Pargass, no evidence of wrongdoing was uncovered, TSTT confirmed. Allegations of a conflict of interest tied to Pargass’s other directorship were also refuted: the company confirmed the role was properly disclosed to Cox, who acknowledged the information upfront. On claims related to unapproved hiring, TSTT explained that Pargass only acted on formal guidance provided by the company’s human resources department, and any minor procedural gaps rest with the HR team, not the Corporate Secretary. The firm went a step further, suggesting that Cox’s allegations against Pargass are retaliatory, timed in response to her push for stricter adherence to proper governance protocols at the firm.

    TSTT also addressed the decision to place Cox on administrative leave, explaining the move was a standard procedural step to protect the integrity of an ongoing independent investigation into internal matters. The firm confirmed that Cox continues to receive full remuneration and has not lost any of his contractual entitlements during the leave period.

    The company denied claims of chairman interference and procurement irregularities, noting it will issue additional comment once it receives more detailed information about these specific allegations. It also pushed back on claims of improper conduct and insufficient documentation tied to a recent bond refinancing process, releasing a full timeline of events to clarify Pargass’s limited role: the Corporate Secretary’s only responsibility in the process was distributing documents drafted by external legal counsel, TSTT confirmed.

    On Cox’s request for pre-action disclosure, TSTT argued that the demand is legally unfounded and premature, noting that the former acting CEO has not demonstrated any provable quantifiable loss or damage stemming from the company’s actions. The firm added that it will fully uphold procedural fairness standards in any future legal proceedings tied to the dispute.

    In closing, TSTT rejected every allegation brought by Cox in its entirety. The company confirmed it is fully prepared to vigorously defend itself against any future legal action Cox may initiate, and reserved its right to submit evidence of potential criminal misconduct to relevant law enforcement authorities should the situation warrant it.