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  • Abinader joins France’s Bastille Day celebration, reaffirming strong bilateral ties

    Abinader joins France’s Bastille Day celebration, reaffirming strong bilateral ties

    On Monday, a high-profile diplomatic gathering in Santo Domingo brought together top Dominican leadership and French diplomatic representatives to mark France’s National Day, spotlighting the deep, enduring partnership between the Dominican Republic and France. Dominican President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje were the guests of honor at the event, hosted by Sonia Barbry, France’s ambassador to the Dominican Republic. The occasion served as a platform to both celebrate the longstanding friendship between the two nations and lay out plans for expanded collaboration across a wide range of priority sectors.

    Opening her remarks at the celebration, Ambassador Barbry centered her address on the foundational values that have anchored the bilateral relationship for decades. She noted that the bond between France and the Dominican Republic is built on mutually held principles: freedom, equality, democratic governance, respect for international law, recognition of state sovereignty, and a commitment to resolving differences through peaceful dialogue. These shared values, she emphasized, have created a strong framework for consistent, productive engagement between the two governments.

    Barbry specifically highlighted the impact of President Abinader’s recent official visit to Paris, crediting the trip with deepening mutual trust between the two administrations and strengthening collective commitment to advancing bilateral ties. She also added a human dimension to the relationship, noting that more than 6,000 Dominican citizens currently make their homes in France, contributing to people-to-people connections that complement official diplomatic cooperation.

    One of the key pillars of the existing partnership outlined by the ambassador is development cooperation, delivered through the French Development Agency (AFD). Over the past 20 years, AFD has mobilized over $1.5 billion in funding to support high-priority infrastructure and development projects across the Dominican Republic. These investments span critical sectors: urban transportation infrastructure, improved water access and sanitation systems, renewable and conventional energy development, and regional territorial growth projects. Looking ahead, Barbry confirmed that both countries are in the final stages of preparing to sign a new bilateral cooperation roadmap that will guide joint initiatives for the coming years.

    Security cooperation was another key focus of Barbry’s remarks. She praised the ongoing close collaboration between French and Dominican authorities in the fight against drug trafficking, highlighting the productive joint work carried out with the Dominican Republic’s National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD). To further expand this critical work, she officially announced plans to establish a new Regional Training Academy against Drug Trafficking, which will build capacity for anti-narcotics efforts across the broader region.

    Finally, Barbry underscored the steady progress of cooperation in soft sectors including education, science, and culture. Current collaborative initiatives include programs for teacher training, joint academic research projects, and targeted support for Dominican arts and cultural expression. She confirmed that both governments are putting the final touches on a new intergovernmental agreement that will formalize and expand cooperation in educational and cultural areas, opening new opportunities for exchange and collaboration between the two peoples.

  • Vice President Raquel Peña meets Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to expand cooperation on public health

    Vice President Raquel Peña meets Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to expand cooperation on public health

    A high-level bilateral public health meeting convened in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, bringing together top health and government officials from the United States and the Dominican Republic to deepen collaborative ties across multiple critical health sectors.

    The Dominican delegation, led by Vice President Raquel Peña and Public Health Minister Víctor Atallah, held talks with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The gathering was coordinated by U.S. Ambassador Leah Campos, and centered on advancing the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the two nations, which lays out a framework for joint work across core public health areas. These priority areas include strengthening epidemiological surveillance systems, boosting national laboratory capacity, advancing digital transformation in healthcare, improving cross-border emergency response readiness, expanding population-level disease prevention programs, and securing stable access to affordable essential medicines.

    During discussions, both sides aligned on their shared top public health priorities, with a focused review of the United States’ Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. The strategy, which the U.S. side outlined, centers on reducing the population burden of chronic diseases through targeted interventions that improve public nutrition, increase access to physical activity opportunities, advance metabolic health research, and integrate cutting-edge emerging technologies into prevention and care frameworks.

    Officials also delved into opportunities to reinforce regional pharmaceutical supply chains, a key component of overall regional health security. Participants highlighted the Dominican Republic’s untapped potential to expand domestic manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and high-quality strategic generic medicines, a shift that would reduce regional dependence on distant supply chains and improve access to affordable medications across the Caribbean and broader Latin American region.

    The talks covered a wide range of additional pressing health topics, including growing global and regional challenges around mental health service access, the rising prevalence of obesity, the growing burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases, cross-border public health emergency preparedness, the ethical integration of artificial intelligence into clinical and public health practices, the advancement of precision medicine, expanding joint scientific research partnerships, and establishing protocols for secure cross-border exchange of health data.

    Closing the meeting, Vice President Peña reaffirmed the commitment of Dominican President Luis Abinader’s administration to growing and deepening the bilateral health partnership with the United States. Public Health Minister Atallah emphasized in his closing remarks that proactive disease prevention, continuous healthcare innovation, and sustained investment in scientific research are non-negotiable foundations for building more resilient, accessible health systems that can protect populations from current and future health threats.

  • Saudi Arabian national killed in Marigot

    Saudi Arabian national killed in Marigot

    A deadly shooting has shaken the Chinatown district of Marigot, prompting an ongoing active investigation from local law enforcement following the Monday evening incident.

    Emergency dispatch received reports of gunfire in the area at approximately 9:10 p.m., and officers from the Marigot Police Department were immediately deployed to the scene to secure the site and launch initial inquiries.

    Upon arriving at the location, responding officers discovered an unresponsive adult male inside a parked vehicle. First responders quickly assessed the man’s condition and identified a penetrating gunshot wound to his chest. A physician who arrived at the scene shortly after formally pronounced the victim dead.

    Local authorities have since released the identity of the deceased: 33-year-old Abdallah Ragab Abozorik, a citizen of Saudi Arabia. No additional details about potential motives, suspects, or prior connections to the victim have been released to the public as the investigation remains in its early active phase.

    The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force is now issuing a public appeal for community assistance to move the case forward. Any individual who holds information—even seemingly minor details—that could support investigators in solving the shooting is urged to contact the service’s Major Crimes Unit directly at 456-3754. For community members who prefer to share information without revealing their identity, multiple anonymous channels are also available: tips can be called in to the dedicated Crime Hotline at 555, or submitted digitally via the official Crime Hotline mobile application.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Accepted Five Deported Nationals From US Since March 2025, AG Reveals

    Antigua and Barbuda Accepted Five Deported Nationals From US Since March 2025, AG Reveals

    During a Tuesday parliamentary debate centered on drafting guiding principles for a potential future agreement with the United States over third-country national transfers, Antigua and Barbuda’s Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin made a key disclosure regarding recent deportations from the U.S. Between March 2025 and June 2026, the Caribbean nation accepted five of its own citizens who were deported back to their home country by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Benjamin confirmed to assembled lawmakers.

    The Attorney General emphasized that taking in these deported citizens is an unwavering legal and moral responsibility of the Antigua and Barbuda government. He drew a clear line between accepting returning citizens and the ongoing negotiations with Washington around the possible transfer of non-citizens who have been removed from U.S. territory.

    Benjamin stressed that unlike the obligation to take in its own nationals, Antigua and Barbuda holds no legal requirement to accept third-country nationals deported from the United States. He pushed back against any misinterpretation of the parliamentary resolution on the floor, clarifying that lawmakers are not being asked to sign off on a finalized binding agreement – because no such deal has been finalized yet.

    “The White Paper laid before this House is not a finished, executable agreement, and we are not seeking approval for a conclusive operating deal. No such document exists,” Benjamin told parliament. “What we are asking this body to endorse today are the core principles that will frame all future negotiations with the U.S. This approach leaves the executive branch the necessary flexibility to secure improved terms that benefit our nation.”

    Outlining the parliamentary role in the process, Benjamin added that the legislature’s responsibility is to set the overarching governing principles and binding limits that the executive branch must respect as talks move forward. He also reaffirmed a key safeguard: Antigua and Barbuda will retain full discretionary authority over every proposed third-country national transfer, and no future arrangement will include a policy of automatic admission.

    Benjamin laid out strict non-negotiable terms that any final agreement must meet. The deal must explicitly exclude any transfers of individuals with criminal records, those with pending unresolved protection claims, or people with incomplete official documentation. Additionally, all financial costs tied to any third-country national transfers must be fully guaranteed in writing by the U.S. before any individual is relocated to Antigua and Barbuda. These guardrails, the Attorney General explained, are designed to protect the nation’s sovereignty, domestic security, and existing legal obligations, while still allowing the government to continue constructive discussions with the United States under a clear mandate from parliament.

  • Demand grows for boys’ reading clinic amid literacy concerns

    Demand grows for boys’ reading clinic amid literacy concerns

    Against a backdrop of mounting concern over widespread literacy gaps disproportionately affecting young male students across Barbados, more than 130 boys have started a five-week intensive summer reading initiative hosted by Barbados Community College, with organizers urging participants to leverage the opportunity to build foundational reading and comprehension skills.

    Founded nine years ago to directly address the systemic literacy challenges facing boys in Barbados, the Babb’s Reading Clinic has seen consistent year-over-year growth in demand that now far outstrips the program’s capacity. Originally capped at 100 participants, organizers continued to receive registration requests from anxious parents long after the limit was reached, a trend that Dr. Astra Babb, founder of the clinic, calls a clear warning sign of a growing national crisis.

    Opening the summer programme at the college’s auditorium Monday, Dr. Babb opened up about the acute desperation driving many parents to seek out the clinic’s services. She shared heartbreaking stories of families facing the prospect of their sons repeating first form for a second consecutive year, and of older students preparing to graduate secondary school after 12 years of public education who still cannot read at a functional level. Questioning how Barbados — once held up as a regional education leader across the Caribbean — arrived at this point, Dr. Babb has called for a nationwide, inclusive conversation to examine the root causes of the literacy gap, particularly the overrepresentation of boys among struggling readers. “I believe all taxpayers, all parents and all government educational institutions need to engage in serious introspection. What is it that some of us are not doing correctly?” she asked. “Barbados was placed on a pedestal by all other Caribbean nations, an icon for all to emulate. Why are so many of our children unable to read? And why are most of them boys?”

    Dr. Babb explained that the majority of enrolled boys struggle with two core, addressable issues: basic reading comprehension and connecting the relationship between graphemes (the smallest written units of language) and phonemes (the corresponding sound units). Despite the scale of the challenge, she expressed confidence that most participants would leave the five-week programme with demonstrable improvement in their skills, framing the clinic’s work as unlocking a barrier that has held students back academically. “I know that some children registered here simply need some assistance with comprehending text; they just want that lock unlocked,” she said. “I promise you, parents, that we will change that by the end of the programme.” Dr. Babb also acknowledged ongoing efforts by the Barbados Ministry of Education to improve national literacy outcomes, and noted additional support for the programme: members of the Barbados Defence Force will volunteer to mentor boys without positive male role models at home, and all participants will receive free daily meals for the duration of the initiative.

    Featured speaker Ryan Straughn, Barbados’ Minister of Finance, praised the clinic’s critical work, framing literacy as both an educational priority and an economic issue that will shape the country’s long-term future. He highlighted recent declining national English assessment scores — which fell from an average of 72.5 percent last year to 64 percent this year — as evidence of how urgent initiatives like this clinic have become. “It is important that we understand how critical it is for all of our citizens, but especially our boys, to not fall further behind with respect to literacy,” Straughn said. “Because a boy who struggles to read today may struggle to seize opportunities tomorrow. The boy who cannot confidently read a job offer, a lease, or a business arrangement is not simply lacking ambition. He might grow into a man lacking access, and access is something that we all can change.”

    Straughn encouraged participating boys to set aside any shame around seeking extra help, emphasizing that reading is a learned skill, not an inborn talent. “Reading is not a talent you’re born with. It is a skill. A skill that you build, one page, one chapter, one book at a time,” he told the group. He also urged parents to continue supporting their children’s reading practice after the programme ends, sharing a personal anecdote: his grandmother required him to read the daily newspaper each morning before school and summarize stories for her, a routine that built his comprehension skills and expanded his understanding of current events. He encouraged parents to adopt similar daily reading habits with their children to sustain long-term progress.

    The finance minister also warned of the far-reaching social and economic consequences of unaddressed low literacy, noting that research has established a clear link between low literacy rates in youth and involvement with the criminal justice system later in life. “Reading is not just a single subject sitting all by itself. It allows you to connect the dots, as we would say in economics. Connecting the dots is important. It is a subject that others are built on. You can’t solve a mathematics problem if you can’t read the problem. You can’t hold up your end of the bargain if you don’t know what you’re agreeing to,” he said. Closing his remarks, Straughn reminded participants that while literacy opens new life doors, consistent discipline is what allows people to hold onto those opportunities: “Reading will open doors, but it is discipline that will keep those doors open.”

  • Three cows perish “excellent” forecast for majority of others

    Three cows perish “excellent” forecast for majority of others

    On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, a senior official from Guyana’s Ministry of Agriculture pushed back on opposition misinformation surrounding the transport of 1,000 pregnant Brazilian heifers imported to boost the South American nation’s domestic beef and milk production, confirming only three animals died en route to the Ebini research station in East Bank Berbice.

    Dwight Walrond, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), told local outlet Demerara Waves Online News that the latest on-the-ground report from his team recorded just three mortalities, contradicting a claim from main opposition party We Invest in Nation (WIN) that as many as 15 heifers had died. Walrond added that while four other animals were experiencing significant cramping, and one remained severely distressed as of Tuesday morning, most of the remaining imported cattle are in stable condition. The mortality count, he emphasized, falls well below the 5% acceptable benchmark for long-distance cattle transport – a journey that covered more than 1,000 kilometers from Brazil’s Roraima State to the Ebini facility.

    Walrond expressed cautious optimism that the four animals experiencing cramps will recover, noting that a humane decision will be made to euthanize the severely distressed heifer if its condition does not improve. Per the procurement agreement, any animals lost during the journey will be replaced at no additional cost to Guyana by the Brazilian supplier, with each heifer originally valued at GY$245,000. As for the surviving herd, Walrond reported that most have already acclimated to their new location: “Those animals are already running around in the pastures. They are feeding and they’re resting. They were drinking water last Monday night.”

    The GLDA CEO openly acknowledged one planning misstep that delayed the journey: the team failed to account for Berbice River tidal flows, which slowed the crossing of the herd even with three pontoons available. “I would say that we dropped the ball with respect to the tide. That was something that no consideration was given to,” Walrond admitted.

    The imported heifers are part of a long-term government initiative to grow Guyana’s national cattle herd and expand livestock output. Officials project each mature heifer will produce one calf per year, with low-performing animals culled and high-yielding individuals retained to grow the national herd. The tropical Brazilian breed was specifically selected for its proven resilience to Guyana’s wet and dry seasonal cycles, as well as its natural resistance to ticks and tick-borne diseases that commonly impact local cattle.

    Walrond also addressed public concern over social media claims that some of the 14- to 26-week-old heifers appeared underweight. He explained that reduced forage rations during transport were an intentional, precautionary veterinary measure, not a sign of neglect or poor care. As long-distance transport experts and an experienced veterinarian himself, Walrond noted that overfeeding ruminant animals during multi-day journeys leads to life-threatening complications including bowel impaction, rumen dysfunction, excess bloating, and severe diarrhea. Restricted forage intake keeps animals hydrated and nutrient-stable without putting their digestive systems at risk. “When you have animals being transported on these long distances for so long, this is not something that is outside of the norm but within the next few days when you see those animals, you won’t even recognise them,” he said.

    Finally, Walrond refuted opposition speculation that the herd was originally meant for a private farm along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, and only diverted to Ebini after opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed publicly posted about the cattle’s arrival from Brazil. He confirmed that the official inter-regional transport permit clearly routed the herd through Lethem, Linden, and the bauxite mines directly to Ebini, with no plan to stop or rehome the cattle along the highway. “There was no need for them to come to Linden whatsoever,” he added.

  • Walker says Antigua and Barbuda ‘Has No Cards’ in US Negotiations

    Walker says Antigua and Barbuda ‘Has No Cards’ in US Negotiations

    During a Tuesday parliamentary debate centered on a resolution outlining negotiating principles for talks with Washington, Member of Parliament for Barbuda Trevor Walker has delivered sharp criticism of the Antigua and Barbuda government’s approach to potential negotiations with the United States over the transfer of third-country nationals. Walker argued that the Browne administration is entering discussions from a fundamentally disadvantaged position, stripped of meaningful bargaining leverage due to long-standing stringent U.S. visa restrictions that already impact the Caribbean nation.

    In stark, plain-spoken remarks to the chamber, Walker emphasized, “I want Antiguans and Barbudans to hear me. Antigua and Barbuda don’t have no cards. You have no cards.” While he stopped short of rejecting negotiation outright, he pressed the government to outline exactly what reciprocal concessions it intends to secure in exchange for cooperating with U.S. demands, arguing that this call for clarity is a completely reasonable request.

    Walker stressed that this high-stakes issue should not be weaponized for partisan political gain, noting that any final agreement reached with the United States will shape the lives of all citizens across Antigua and Barbuda, regardless of political affiliation. “This matter ought not to be partisan and political because it will affect all of us,” he said.

    The MP pointed to the already strict U.S. travel constraints placed on Antiguans and Barbudans as evidence of the government’s weak hand, noting that citizens are currently limited to maximum 30-day stays in the United States. He shared his own recent personal experience clearing U.S. immigration, where an officer explicitly reminded him of the 30-day rule despite Walker’s plan to stay just four days for his trip.

    Walker further demanded that Prime Minister Gaston Browne publicly explain how Antigua and Barbuda arrived at what he called one of the most strained periods in bilateral relations with the U.S. “The Prime Minister of this country has an obligation … to let Antiguans and Barbudans understand why Antigua and Barbuda at this time is placed in a position where things are almost at the highest element of hardship when it comes to United States travel restrictions,” he said.

    To contextualize the current strain, Walker drew a contrast to relations in the mid-2000s, when then-U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice publicly commended Antigua and Barbuda for passing national legislation focused on boosting government accountability and transparency. He raised pointed questions about whether the recent deterioration of ties is connected to international scrutiny of the country’s popular Citizenship by Investment Programme, arguing that the public is owed a full public accounting if that is the case.

    Beyond criticizing the national government’s approach, Walker also took aim at regional leadership through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), faulting bloc leaders for failing to agree on a unified regional stance on the third-country national transfer issue. He argued that small island developing states across the Caribbean would hold far more bargaining power if they negotiated as a collective bloc rather than individually. “These guys cannot sit down and come up with a common position so that this issue can be dealt with,” Walker said, urging both the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the broader CARICOM community to align on a coordinated approach moving forward.

    Walker also called on the government to conduct widespread public consultations before finalizing any agreement with Washington. He argued that key national stakeholders including the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association, the national Chamber of Commerce, and wider civil society groups should be engaged early to build a broad national consensus on the terms of any deal. Greater transparency around the negotiations, he added, would help the general public fully understand the far-reaching implications of any arrangement struck with the U.S.

    Closing his remarks to parliament, Walker laid out non-negotiable priorities that any final decision must uphold: the government must protect Antigua and Barbuda’s core economic interests, most notably the critical tourism sector, while also preserving the ability of ordinary citizens to travel, study, and conduct business in the United States. “Our access to the United States, to do business, to go to school … and also the whole question of our economic survival, which is tourism, all those things must be taken into consideration,” he emphasized.

  • For Women in Science 2026, call for applications opens

    For Women in Science 2026, call for applications opens

    A new opportunity has opened for early-career women scientists across the Caribbean, as L’Oréal Caribe and the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean have officially launched the 2026 application round for the regional L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme. This long-running initiative is designed to elevate and support outstanding female researchers in the region, offering two individual grants worth $15,000 each to fuel the advancement of cutting-edge scientific work.

    The application window for the 2026 cohort runs from May 19 to August 14, 2026. Eligible candidates include women scientists based in the Caribbean who are currently enrolled in doctoral research programs, completing postdoctoral work, or in the early stages of their professional scientific careers, across all STEM fields approved under the programme’s framework. On the regional level, the initiative is implemented in partnership with two key regional scientific bodies: the Caribbean Academy of Sciences and the Caribbean Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

    This regional programme forms a core part of the global L’Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science movement, a decades-old effort founded with the core mission of expanding women’s participation in scientific research and narrowing the persistent gender gap that remains entrenched in STEM sectors worldwide.

    Liana Camacho, Market Vice President of L’Oréal Caribe, emphasized the fundamental value of women’s contribution to global scientific progress. “At L’Oréal Caribe, we firmly believe that science needs the talent, creativity, and leadership of women to address the challenges of today and the future,” Camacho stated. “Through For Women in Science, we seek to increase the visibility of and support women researchers who are generating knowledge and innovation with an impact on our region and the world.”

    To qualify, applicants must be conducting research in one of the programme’s approved fields, which include formal sciences, life and environmental sciences, materials science, engineering, and technological sciences. Beyond providing direct financial support, the awards recognize women researchers working to advance scientific knowledge across disciplines, whose work directly targets solutions to some of the most pressing social and environmental challenges facing the Caribbean region.

    Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, reaffirmed the UN body’s commitment to breaking down systemic barriers for women in STEM. “UNESCO works to recognise and promote the talent of women in science, foster diverse perspectives, and break down the barriers that limit their professional development,” Azoulay said.

    The 2025 edition of the programme offered a clear illustration of the transformative impact of this support, honoring two Jamaican researchers: Dr Lori-Ann Fisher and Dr Arianne Brown Jordan, whose work addresses critical regional health and environmental challenges. Dr Fisher’s research explores the genetic underpinnings of liver diseases, while Dr Brown Jordan investigates the prevalence of waterborne bacterial diseases in distribution systems that serve low-income, vulnerable communities. The work of both 2025 awardees highlights the outsized contribution that Caribbean women scientists make to developing context-specific solutions for the region’s most pressing needs.

    Despite incremental progress in recent decades, gender disparity remains a persistent challenge across the global scientific landscape. UNESCO data shows that women make up only roughly one-third of all researchers worldwide. While Latin America and the Caribbean boast a higher share of women in scientific careers than the global average, major gaps remain in access to research funding, professional visibility, and leadership opportunities for women in the sector.

    Interested eligible candidates can access full eligibility guidelines and submit their applications via the official For Women in Science application portal at https://www.forwomeninscience.com/challenge/show/167. All applications must be submitted no later than the August 14, 2026 deadline.

  • Antigua wants about US$75,000 Per Migrant in US Talks, Citing Higher Cost of Living

    Antigua wants about US$75,000 Per Migrant in US Talks, Citing Higher Cost of Living

    Antigua and Barbuda is pushing for a rate of up to US$75,000 in financial support for every third-country national it accepts under a proposed migrant resettlement arrangement with the United States, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed. Speaking in the country’s Parliament this Tuesday ahead of tabling a negotiation framework resolution, Browne made clear that the Caribbean nation’s unique economic context – marked by among the highest living and housing costs in the region – demands greater compensation than other partner states have secured for similar agreements.

    Browne told assembled lawmakers that existing resettlement deals between the US and other participating nations have offered between US$25,000 and US$50,000 per individual resettled. But he has already communicated to US negotiators that this range does not align with Antigua and Barbuda’s on-the-ground costs. “I said to them Antigua and Barbuda is an expensive country, so we may want to consider about US$75,000 each,” Browne stated.

    The prime minister emphasized that the requested rate is not arbitrary, but directly tied to the actual cost of housing and supporting resettled people in the country. Even low-quality, dilapidated rental properties carry a monthly price tag of roughly US$500, Browne explained, while housing that meets the minimum acceptable standards comparable to accommodations in the United States costs a minimum of US$2,000 per month. These stark cost differences, he argued, must be centered as talks move forward.

    Tuesday’s resolution before Parliament does not seek approval for finalized financial terms, but rather a guiding framework that empowers the national Cabinet to continue negotiations while upholding Antigua and Barbuda’s core interests. “The Cabinet must have the leverage to negotiate a sensible agreement,” Browne said, noting that negotiators will formalize their position on fair financial compensation before presenting it to US counterparts.

    In a key guardrail for the small island nation, Browne stressed that no final agreement will be signed until funding terms are settled and documented in writing. This precondition ensures that the financial burden of resettling third-country nationals will never fall on Antigua and Barbuda’s public finances. The prime minister reaffirmed the government’s openness to collaboration with the United States, but made clear that any final arrangement must prioritize the country’s economic realities and protect national interests above all else.

  • OP-ED: Guyana’s candidate for top UN post receives backing of Caribbean leaders

    OP-ED: Guyana’s candidate for top UN post receives backing of Caribbean leaders

    Leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have closed ranks behind Guyana’s nominee Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for the 10th United Nations Secretary-General position, but internal divisions within the regional bloc have cast uncertainty over a unified regional front for the high-profile global role, as small Caribbean nations brace for outsized geopolitical impacts from the race’s outcome.

    The endorsement came at CARICOM’s 51st regular heads of government summit, where regional leaders formally backed Rodrigues-Birkett’s candidacy in an official communiqué. Nominated by Guyana on June 15, 2026, her selection as the bloc’s consensus candidate marks a major diplomatic win for the South American Caribbean nation.

    Rodrigues-Birkett’s three-part policy vision, which she laid out to attending leaders at the summit, won widespread support across the bloc. Her agenda is anchored in upholding the core principles laid out in the UN Charter, reforming the body’s institutional structures to boost agility, accountability and effectiveness amid a rapidly shifting global order, and uniting member states around renewed multilateral collaboration to deliver more consistent progress across the UN’s three core pillars: peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development.

    Despite the formal bloc-wide endorsement, the path to a unified CARICOM position is not fully resolved. Another CARICOM member state, Antigua and Barbuda, has already nominated its own candidate for the role: H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, an Ecuadorian former diplomat who entered the race on May 11, 2026.

    Shortly after the summit concluded, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne reaffirmed his government’s continued support for Espinosa Garcés, noting that CARICOM now has two highly qualified candidates in the running for the top UN job. This stance directly contradicts the formal summit communiqué’s call for unified regional backing, exposing lingering splits within the 14-member bloc over the selection process. The divide comes even though CARICOM’s founding Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas requires member states to coordinate their foreign policy positions on global issues.

    As the race for the UN’s top role enters its final phase with multiple candidates competing, the stakes could not be higher for CARICOM’s small island and coastal states. The current Secretary-General António Guterres’ second and final five-year term will expire in December 2026, with his successor set to take office in January 2027. The incoming leader will inherit a UN mid-way through comprehensive reform, operating amid unprecedented geopolitical tension that has strained the post-WWII international order.

    Guterres has recently warned that the existing 80-year-old rules-based global system is being displaced by a ‘law of the jungle’, a shift that small states like CARICOM’s members are uniquely vulnerable to. Caribbean nations are disproportionately exposed to risks stemming from the erosion of multilateralism and international law, leaving their sovereign influence and future stability uncertain in the current geopolitical climate.

    Against this backdrop, CARICOM member states universally recognize that the outcome of the Secretary-General race will shape nearly every core priority of their foreign policy, as the next UN chief will play a defining role in efforts to reset and strengthen the global body. This analysis, written by Nand C. Bardouille, Ph.D., manager of The Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean at The University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago, reflects solely the author’s own views.