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  • Recipients invited to pay for state lands as review nears completion

    Recipients invited to pay for state lands as review nears completion

    As an internal audit of pre-election state land allocations wraps up, a Caribbean government minister is calling on all individuals who received plots ahead of the 2025 general election to contact the national housing authority and formalize their land payments, clarifying that the review process is not designed to seize land from eligible, low-income claimants.

    Andrew John, who serves as the region’s Minister of Land Management as well as Minister of Housing, Urban Development and Informal Settlement Upgrading, told NBC Radio that the review was launched after his New Democratic Party administration won the election to scrutinize roughly 250 parcels of land distributed by the previous Unity Labour Party government just one to two months before polls opened. John emphasized that the audit is focused on rooting out irregularities to ensure fair access to state land, not taking property from people who were rightfully allocated land.

    During the initial review phase, investigators uncovered multiple significant inconsistencies in the last-minute allocation round. The most prominent issue was multiple allocations to a single individual, with some people holding as many as four plots – a direct violation of the government’s longstanding policy that allocates one housing plot per eligible person, prioritizing individuals experiencing housing insecurity. Additional problems include repeat beneficiaries who already hold government land, have not completed payments for their original plots, and still secured new allocations in the pre-election round. The review also found that many allocations went to individuals who already had stable adequate housing, while low-income households with critical housing needs remained on waitlists without land.

    John drew a clear line between legitimate recipients and those who benefited from irregular allocations, rejecting partisan claims that the review is an effort to take land from low-income and vulnerable communities. “This is not a witch hunt,” he stated. The core goal of the process, he explained, is to correct the excesses of the rushed pre-election distribution and put state land into the hands of people who actually need it, ending scenarios where a small number of people accumulate multiple plots while other eligible applicants – including the children of current landowners – cannot secure a single parcel for their own housing.

    With the review nearly complete, the government is moving into an individual case-by-case assessment phase, and John urged all pre-election allocation recipients to engage directly with the Housing and Land Development Corporation (HLDC) instead of relying on unsubstantiated rumors or partisan political commentary. Recipients are invited to meet one-on-one with HLDC officials to confirm their eligibility, and those who meet the requirements are encouraged to begin or resume payments on their allocated plots. For cases confirmed to involve multiple or irregular allocations, the government will make targeted adjustments or reallocations to restore equity.

    Addressing early threats of legal action from lawyers representing some allocation recipients, John noted that every land allocation is formalized by a written contract that clearly outlines payment terms. He added that successive governments have long applied lenient payment policies to support low-income and unemployed beneficiaries, routinely extending payment timelines far beyond the standard 12-month full payment requirement outlined in most contracts, which reflects the government’s commitment to balancing compassion with enforcement.

    John framed the current regularization process as a balanced reset that addresses the rushed, irregular distribution carried out by the previous administration. The broader objective of the effort is to open up fairer access to state land across all income groups and political affiliations, supporting the government’s expanding national housing program that positions the HLDC as a key player in delivering both public and private housing across the country.

  • COMMENTARY: The Citizenship Crossroads

    COMMENTARY: The Citizenship Crossroads

    In late June 2026, a formal request from the European Commission landed on the desks of five Eastern Caribbean governments: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenica, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia. The demand was clear: phase out their long-running Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs by June 1, 2028. Backed by the EU’s revised visa-suspension framework, continued operation of these schemes now qualifies as grounds for reviewing the island nations’ visa-free access to the Schengen Area, making the 2028 deadline non-negotiable. For these small, trade-reliant open economies, the stakes could not be higher.

    While initial framing has painted this as a David-and-Goliath standoff between a powerful European bloc and vulnerable small island states, this narrative overlooks a far more nuanced reality. Both sides hold legitimate, mutually aligned interests in resolving the impasse, and a collaborative negotiated transition remains the most promising path forward.

    ### Why CBI is a Cornerstone of Eastern Caribbean Development
    For the Eastern Caribbean, CBI is far more than a marginal policy or the simple passport-selling scheme it is often caricatured as. It is a foundational pillar of public finance for nations that lack large domestic tax bases, extensive natural resources, and face repeated, intensifying climate shocks.

    St Kitts and Nevis hosts the world’s longest-running CBI program, launched in 1984. Across the five states, CBI contributes between 15% of government revenue (St Lucia) and more than 50% (Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis). In the 2022–2023 fiscal year alone, Dominica drew 37% of its total GDP from CBI revenue, equal to roughly $232 million. These funds have delivered tangible, transformative development across the region: new hospitals and clinics, upgraded road and bridge infrastructure, climate-resilient housing post-hurricane, expanded tourism infrastructure, and Dominica’s new international airport. For St Kitts and Nevis, consistent CBI revenue delivered years of budget surpluses that cut public debt below regional targets. For these small states, CBI has been an engine of both development and climate resilience, a reality any productive negotiation must acknowledge upfront.

    Even so, overreliance on a single externally driven revenue stream carries growing, already visible risks. When global scrutiny tightened and investor demand softened in 2024, St Kitts and Nevis saw CBI revenue plummet, pushing its fiscal deficit to 11% of GDP. Prudent long-term planning has long required these states to diversify away from CBI, a reality regional leaders have increasingly acknowledged.

    ### The EU’s Legitimate Security Concerns
    The European Union’s position is not arbitrary or unfair; it stems from concrete regulatory and security concerns that deserve a fair hearing. Visa-free Schengen access is a valuable shared asset that underpins much of the value of Eastern Caribbean CBI passports, and the EU bears a responsibility to protect the integrity of its visa system.

    Brussels’ concerns are specific: across the five programs, roughly 107,000 passports have been issued to date, with high application volumes and low rejection rates that raise questions about the rigor of due diligence checks. The Financial Action Task Force has repeatedly warned that poorly regulated CBI schemes can be exploited for identity fraud and money laundering. A 2025 ruling by the European Court of Justice further cemented the EU’s legal position, finding that Malta’s similar CBI program violated EU law. While the 2028 timeline remains open to negotiation, the underlying concerns held by EU regulators are reasonable and made in good faith.

    ### Shared Interests That Outweigh Public Rhetoric
    The simplistic Brussels-versus-Caribbean framing obscures a critical truth: on core governance issues, the two sides are far more aligned than headlines suggest. Rigorous due diligence is not merely a European demand—it is directly in the Eastern Caribbean’s own self-interest. Weak vetting and opaque ownership structures that trouble Brussels also erode confidence among international correspondent banks, and lost correspondent banking access is an existential threat the region has already faced. A CBI program held to the highest global standards is not a concession to Europe; it is a defense of the Caribbean’s own financial stability.

    The real disagreement is narrow: it is not whether CBI programs should be well-run—both sides agree they should. It is about the pace of phase-out and how to replace the lost revenue. These are issues for negotiation, not confrontation.

    ### The Region Has Already Taken Unilateral Action to Strengthen Regulation
    The Eastern Caribbean has already made significant progress toward addressing EU concerns, a fact often overlooked in public discourse. In September 2025, after two years of negotiations with the EU, United States, and United Kingdom, the five states signed a 92-article agreement establishing the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority (ECCIRA). Headquartered in Grenada (selected for its strong compliance track record) with national offices in each member state, ECCIRA will become fully operational in 2026.

    ECCIRA is no symbolic gesture: it enforces binding, uniform standards across all five programs, including mandatory due diligence, applicant interviews, biometric data collection, genuine residency requirements, shorter passport validity terms, uniform investment minimums, and a centralized shared registry of rejected applicants, agents, and developers. It also has the power to compel audits, impose sanctions, and revoke operating licenses. In short, the Eastern Caribbean has already proactively built most of the regulatory architecture Brussels has demanded. This progress demonstrates that the region is a willing partner that deserves to be met halfway.

    Even so, ECCIRA is a starting point, not a final solution. The authority was designed solely to make existing CBI programs compliant with European and North American standards—but the EU’s June 2026 letter makes clear that even perfectly run programs must be phased out. The EU’s objection is now one of principle, not just regulation. ECCIRA’s greatest achievement is not saving CBI, but proving that the five Eastern Caribbean states can collaborate effectively on critical regional issues, ceding limited sovereignty to a shared regulator for the collective good. This capacity for collective action is the region’s most durable asset, far more valuable than any single revenue stream.

    ### What a Constructive Path Forward Looks Like
    A successful outcome requires two core priorities: first, a managed transition, not an abrupt fiscal cliff. A firm 2028 deadline does not require an immediate hard stop. A phased, negotiated redesign that shifts toward longer-term residency-based investment models aligned with EU security demands, while maintaining an orderly flow of investment during the transition, benefits both sides. The EU protects its visa regime integrity, while the region gains time to adjust its fiscal and economic models.

    Second, and most critically, the region needs support to replace lost CBI revenue. The Caribbean has already laid out an ambitious growth agenda for the next decade: the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s (ECCB) “Big Push” strategy targets doubling the regional currency union’s economy by 2031, requiring 7% annual growth, while the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) labels the 2020s a “decade of decision” requiring $65 billion in financing by 2033 to avoid economic stagnation. Abruptly losing CBI revenue—which contributes 5% of the currency union’s total GDP, and 37% of Dominica’s GDP—would derail these plans, eliminating the core capital source for critical infrastructure that underpins long-term growth.

    Regional leaders have already outlined the core of a path forward: CBI revenue generated during the transition can be reinvested to seed economic diversification across priority sectors, including renewable energy, food security, medical tourism, the creative economy, and special economic zones. The existing framework for diversification already includes clear, actionable priorities:
    – Publish annual Diversification Indexes alongside national budgets, tracking shifts in GDP, employment, and revenue across core sectors with five-year targets
    – Establish a regional Regional Medical Excellence Fund, funded by a share of CBI revenue, to build one accredited specialty medical center per state to grow high-margin, climate-resilient medical tourism
    – Require states with high CBI dependence to publish formal fiscal transition plans outlining how revenue losses will be absorbed without unsustainable new debt
    – Negotiate a regional energy partnership with Guyana to replace costly imported fuel oil, the largest structural cost for most Eastern Caribbean economies
    – Launch a regional agricultural credit guarantee facility in partnership with the ECCB and CDB to lower borrowing costs for smallholder farmers
    – Extend the ECCIRA collaborative regulatory model to other sectors including healthcare accreditation, agricultural standards, and digital asset regulation

    ### A Unified Regional Negotiating Strategy Is Key
    To advance these goals, Eastern Caribbean governments should convene a permanent standing panel under the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), drawing representatives from ECCIRA, the ECCB, the CDB, and regional trade negotiators. This panel will carry a unified regional position into direct diplomatic talks with the EU and United States, with a mandate to secure a binding, mutually beneficial agreement.

    Negotiations should proceed on two tracks. First, test at the highest level whether a CBI regime rebuilt to ECCIRA’s strict standards can address the EU’s security concerns. Second, and more importantly, plan for a phase-out by framing the transition as a reciprocal negotiation, not a request for charity. If the EU gains its goal of eliminating CBI to protect Schengen integrity, the region should gain expanded, guaranteed market access for its exports under existing frameworks including the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement and U.S. Caribbean Basin trade preferences.

    Agriculture is the logical starting point for this agreement: Europe can provide long-term guaranteed access for Caribbean agricultural and value-added produce, while the region commits to building the infrastructure—packing facilities, cold chains, port capacity, phytosanitary certification—needed to meet export demand. This shifts revenue from passport fees to earnings from goods and services, creating a more sustainable, dignified foundation for long-term growth that benefits both sides.

    ### A Moment for Regional Unity
    This challenge also offers an unexpected opportunity. For decades, Eastern Caribbean states have competed against one another for CBI investment, fragmenting their negotiating power. ECCIRA has already proven that collective action delivers stronger results. The 2028 deadline is the strongest argument for regional integration the Caribbean has seen in a generation. No single small island can negotiate favorable terms with Brussels or Washington, but a unified Eastern Caribbean has leverage, shared interests, and a legitimate claim to reciprocal partnership.

    This is not a contest between a powerful Europe and a vulnerable Caribbean. It is a shared governance challenge between partners who both want a clean, secure CBI regime and a prosperous Eastern Caribbean. The EU’s commitment to regulatory integrity is legitimate, and the region’s need for time to replace lost revenue is equally legitimate. The 2028 deadline is real, but so is the opportunity to build a more diversified, sustainable regional economy. The Caribbean has navigated far greater challenges, and it will succeed if it negotiates as one, in good faith with its partners, to build a transition that works for everyone.

  • 3 Vincies among 10 people replacing late Queen on EC notes

    3 Vincies among 10 people replacing late Queen on EC notes

    In a landmark step that redefines the regional identity of Eastern Caribbean currency, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has revealed redesigned banknotes that replace the late Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait with portraits of influential leaders and national heroes drawn from across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCB)’s eight member states. The announcement, made Thursday, marks the culmination of a years-long process of public engagement and institutional planning that will see the EC dollar enter a new era when the new notes enter circulation.

    Among the 10 prominent regional figures selected for the redesign, three have deep ties to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. These include Robert Milton Cato, the founding first prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; John Compton, the late former prime minister of St. Lucia who was born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and Sir K. Dwight Venner, who served as the long-serving governor of the ECCB from 1989 to 2015.

    The redesigned series covers four commonly used denominations: the $5, $20, $50, and $100 EC notes, each pairing two influential figures that represent the region’s diverse history, contributions and collective progress. The highest $100 denomination features Sir William Arthur Lewis, a Nobel Prize-winning economic scientist, alongside the St. Vincent-born John Compton. The $50 note pairs St. Vincent’s Sir K. Dwight Venner with Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, a beloved leader from Saint Kitts and Nevis. On the $20 note, Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr, Antigua and Barbuda’s first prime minister, shares space with Dame Mary Eugenia Charles, Dominica’s former prime minister and the only woman honored in the new series. A $10 note, which was referenced in planning documents, features Montserrat trade union and political leader William Henry Bramble and Anguilla’s founding politician James Ronald Webster. The lowest $5 denomination pairs St. Vincent’s Robert Milton Cato with Kirani James, Grenada’s trailblazing Olympic gold medalist — the only living person included in the new banknote series.

    The path to this historic redesign began in July 2023, when the ECCB’s Monetary Council voted during its 105th meeting to approve the removal of Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait and directed the central bank to gather public input on the new direction. Between July and December 2023, the ECCB carried out extensive public consultations across the eight member states, and the results were clear: residents strongly backed the plan to feature homegrown national heroes and foundational nation builders on the region’s currency.

    ECCB Governor Timothy N.J. Antoine officially unveiled the new designs, framing the moment as a defining milestone in the decades-long history of Eastern Caribbean currency. In an official press statement, the central bank emphasized that the redesign is far more than an aesthetic update. It is a deliberate choice to honor the unique cultural heritage, collective achievements and enduring legacy of the women and men who shaped the modern Eastern Caribbean. At the same time, the ECCB confirmed that the new banknote series will retain the rigorous security features that have preserved the integrity and public trust long associated with the EC dollar.

    The redesigned notes are scheduled to enter general circulation in late 2027, when for the first time since the creation of the EC dollar, the late British monarch’s likeness will no longer appear on the region’s currency. The new series, the bank noted, centers the region’s own shared identity, independent history and trailblazing achievements, cementing the EC dollar’s role as a symbol of Eastern Caribbean self-determination for generations to come.

  • Sir VC Bird and Dame Eugenia Charles Among Icons Replacing Queen on New EC Banknotes

    Sir VC Bird and Dame Eugenia Charles Among Icons Replacing Queen on New EC Banknotes

    In a landmark moment for the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has launched a fully redesigned series of Eastern Caribbean (EC) banknotes that reframes regional currency around the people, native heritage, and collective achievements of the ECCU’s eight member states.

    ECCB Governor Timothy N.J. Antoine presented the new designs to the public during a special ceremony held at the InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort in the Commonwealth of Dominica, coinciding with the event to mark the change in chairmanship of the ECCB Monetary Council. The launch stands as a historic milestone in the decades-long evolution of EC currency, marking the first time the region’s banknotes will not carry the portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

    In place of the former British monarch’s image, the new banknote series highlights celebrated national heroes and pioneering leaders from across the ECCU’s member nations, a choice designed to reflect the region’s unified shared identity, unique independent history, and transformative collective accomplishments. Each denomination features two influential figures that have shaped Eastern Caribbean life:
    – The $100 banknote honors Sir William Arthur Lewis, the Caribbean-born Nobel laureate in economic sciences, alongside The Right Honourable Sir John George Melvin Compton
    – The $50 denomination showcases The Honourable Sir K. Dwight Venner, who served as ECCB Governor from 1989 to 2015, paired with The Right Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw
    – The $20 banknote features The Right Honourable Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Snr and The Honourable Dame Mary Eugenia Charles
    – The $10 banknote spotlights The Most Excellent William Henry Bramble and The Honourable James Ronald Webster
    – The $5 banknote pairs founding leader The Right Honourable Robert Milton Cato with Olympic champion Sir Kirani James, LLD (Hons)

    The shift to a locally focused banknote design followed formal approval from the ECCB Monetary Council at its 105th meeting held on July 21, 2023, when council members voted to replace Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait and directed the ECCB to lead a period of public outreach and consultation on the new concept. Those public consultations, carried out across all member states between July and December 2023, revealed overwhelming public support for the plan to feature national heroes and nation builders on the redesigned currency.

    ECCB officials frame the new banknote series as a meaningful step forward for the EC dollar that balances cultural reorientation with long-term stability. The redesign celebrates the rich cultural diversity of the eight ECCU members and enshrines the enduring legacy of the individuals who built modern Eastern Caribbean society. At the same time, the new series retains all of the advanced security features that have preserved the integrity and public trust that has long defined the EC dollar.

  • Vitel Lawes: Fuelled by Industry, Inspired by Greatness

    Vitel Lawes: Fuelled by Industry, Inspired by Greatness

    GEORGETOWN, Guyana – July 10, 2026 – At just 19 years old, Jamaican left-arm wrist spinner Vitel Lawes is hours away from turning a lifelong dream into reality: earning his first cap for the West Indies senior men’s cricket team at the upcoming one-day international series against New Zealand. Raised in the small rural community of Wakefield Savannah in St Catherine, Jamaica, Lawes has quickly climbed the ranks to become one of Caribbean cricket’s most exciting young prospects, following a breakout performance at the 2026 ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup earlier this year.

    At that tournament, Lawes turned heads across the global cricketing community, finishing with 10 wickets and bowling more dot balls than any other competitor – a stat that highlights both his elite wicket-taking ability and unmatched control over line and length. His consistent, high-impact displays earned him a spot in the prestigious ICC Team of the Tournament, cementing his reputation as a future star for the regional side.

    When the five-match ODI series kicks off in Guyana on July 11, Lawes is set to become the 230th player to represent the West Indies in 50-over international cricket, donning the iconic maroon uniform that is the pride of Caribbean cricket lovers across the world.

    Lawes recounted the emotional moment he received his selection call from West Indies head coach Daren Sammy, just after finishing a Senior Cup final match in Jamaica. “When I got the news, I had just concluded the Senior Cup final in Jamaica and was heading back to my home club to celebrate,” he said. “I saw a couple of missed calls on my phone, returned them, and got the good news. I was overjoyed, and on top of winning the senior cup, it was just an incredible happy day for me.”

    After hanging up, the young spinner’s first move was to share the life-changing news with his closest loved ones and supporters. “I actually called my mother first, and then I called my mentor after, and we had a long talk about it,” he explained, ahead of joining the team’s high-performance white-ball training camp in Antigua.

    Reflecting on his journey to the senior squad, Lawes described the path as challenging but deeply rewarding, crediting mental resilience for keeping him grounded through setbacks. “It has been a long and tedious process, a lot of hard work, and I’m just happy to see it pay off,” he said. “During the journey there will be doubt, but that’s where the positive mindset comes into play – you just have to believe in yourself.”

    Lawes pointed to two key experiences that shaped his development ahead of his first international call-up: his time at the Under-19 World Cup, and the ongoing mentorship of former West Indies all-format spinner Nikita Miller, who has worked with him as a specialist coach since October 2025. “The under-19 experience has shaped me a lot to be honest, pairing that with working with somebody as great as Nikita Miller has given me key insights and helped my mindset going into this present stage of my career,” Lawes said. “I bring deception and energy to the team. As Nikita Miller told me, it is about controlling your emotions. When you experience something as exciting as this, it is important to enjoy it, but always remember that every day is a new day, and there will be a new challenge waiting.”

    Miller, who earned 94 international caps across formats for the West Indies, has praised Lawes’ rare combination of natural talent and mature professionalism. “One of the first things which stood out to me is his professionalism – he is always on time, he is eager to learn, and brings a strong work ethic to every session,” Miller said. “Vitel has a unique skill set that not many international teams have at their disposal. But what impresses me the most is his willingness to keep improving while remaining disciplined, and he is also very open to feedback. I think that these qualities along with his natural talent give him a solid foundation to become a very good player.”

    Small in stature but confident and charismatic, Lawes counts current West Indies stars Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, and limited-overs captain Shai Hope among his biggest role models. Now, as he prepares to step onto the international field, he says he hopes his journey can inspire the next generation of young Caribbean cricketers. “This call up I hope is the beginning of something great; the start of my story,” Lawes said.

    For countless young cricketers across the Caribbean who grow up dreaming of wearing the maroon cap, Lawes’ rise to the senior team serves as a powerful reminder that raw talent, when paired with relentless hard work and resilience, can turn childhood dreams into reality. At 19, his international journey is only just beginning – but all signs point to a bright future for the young spinner from rural Jamaica.

  • The Making of Realeanna Grimmond Character & Growth

    The Making of Realeanna Grimmond Character & Growth

    For emerging women’s cricket talent Realeanna Grimmond, cricket was never a chosen passion—it was a legacy woven into her childhood from the very start. Born into a family where both parents were active cricket players, Grimmond grew up traveling the circuit with her folks before she could even put words to how deeply the sport resonated with her. “I used to travel a lot with them so I kind of just fell into cricket as well,” she reflected on those formative early years. What began as a casual family inheritance quickly bloomed into a focused, fierce ambition. After earning a spot on Guyana’s Under-19 side, the rising star got her first taste of international youth competition, representing the West Indies at the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup. Even years later, she can vividly recall the rush of emotion that hit her when she heard the regional anthem ring out around the ground for the first time. “I just felt goosebumps, just being there with your teammates and also hearing *Rally Round the West Indies*, I still get goosebumps from that,” she said. As one of the most talked-about young prospects poised to shape the next era of West Indies women’s cricket, Grimmond makes no secret of how much she owes to the legends who paved the path before her. She counts senior team stars Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor as her biggest role models, crediting their consistent professionalism and on-field wisdom as a constant learning tool for her own burgeoning career. “Their experience shows up constantly in how they approach their game, and I just feel like I can learn a lot from them just to build my career as well,” she explained. One of the most formative experiences of Grimmond’s early senior career came during her first international series against Australia, where she opened up about the crippling nerves and self-doubt that plagued her when she first stepped out to bat against one of the world’s top-ranked teams. It was veteran teammate Chinelle Henry who pulled her back from that anxiety, offering a simple but transformative piece of advice: just be unapologetically yourself. “I was thinking, how can I be as good as them? I felt as though they were really experienced, and it was my first time playing against them. I can remember when I went out to bat, I was really nervous, and I was batting with Henry at the time, and she spoke to me, she told me to be myself, just express myself, and from there that just boosted my confidence and I just kept playing my game,” Grimmond recalled. That lesson became a cornerstone of her mental approach to the game, building the self-belief she would carry into her next series against Ireland this July. Heading into the three-match ODI tour, Grimmond said she was holding onto that hard-won lesson: “I think what I can take into this series against Ireland from what I’ve learned playing against Australia is that I have to always be ready for anything, because at any point, anytime, anything can happen. It might not always go my way, but I just have to work on myself and have that mental toughness, and you know, not just thinking that because they are really good that I can’t be as good as them.” On July 10, those words proved to be far more than pre-series hype. In the opening ODI of the series held in Dublin, Grimmond stepped onto the international stage in a way no one could have expected, turning in a masterclass innings of 91 runs as the West Indies chased down Ireland’s target of 270 to secure a dominant nine-wicket win. Opening the batting alongside captain Hayley Matthews—who finished the innings unbeaten on 150 runs—the young pairing put on a commanding 258-run opening stand that broke the game open early, leaving Ireland with no path back into the contest. Grimmond fell just nine runs short of a historic maiden international century, but her knock served as a definitive announcement of her arrival at the senior international level. If her own reflections on her career so far are any indication, the rising star has already learned the most critical lesson in elite sport: no matter the quality of the opposition, belief in her own ability is the one thing she will never compromise on.

  • Families seek court declaration of death

    Families seek court declaration of death

    Eight months after a controversial United States military kinetic strike in Caribbean waters left two Trinidadian nationals missing, their family members are preparing to petition Trinidad and Tobago’s High Court to formally declare the men legally dead. Next week, Lenore Burnley — mother of missing man Chad Joseph — and Sallycar Korasingh, sister of Rishi Samaroo, will appear before the court to request the death declaration, a step that comes one day after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissesssar publicly stated there is no confirmed evidence that any Trinidadian citizens were killed in the strike.

  • Nunez-Tesheira recovering after medical emergency on live TV

    Nunez-Tesheira recovering after medical emergency on live TV

    A sudden medical incident has drawn national attention in Trinidad and Tobago, after former finance minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira was rushed to the hospital Wednesday morning when she fell ill mid-way through a live televised interview. The unexpected event unfolded approximately 14 minutes into the taping of *Conversations with Zelisa*, a talk show broadcast on Real TV, which operates under the San Juan-based media firm ZM Network Ltd. Hosted by veteran journalist Zelisa Boodoosingh Rupani, the interview was proceeding as normal when Boodoosingh Rupani posed a question to her guest. As Nunez-Tesheira began to formulate her response, she abruptly fell silent and slumped forward in her studio chair, shocking the production team on set. In an official public statement released the same day, ZM Network Ltd confirmed that the former cabinet minister had suffered an unanticipated medical emergency during the program’s recording. Quick-thinking members of the show’s production team immediately intervened, transporting Nunez-Tesheira to a nearby hospital for urgent care. The media company added that as of Wednesday evening, Nunez-Tesheira was in stable condition, resting and recovering with her close family members at her side. Boodoosingh Rupani later released a personal statement emphasizing that the entire production team’s top and only priority from the moment of the incident had been Nunez-Tesheira’s health and safety. “Mrs Nunez-Tesheira is a national icon whose service to Trinidad and Tobago spans decades,” the host said. “Over her decades-long public career, she has served this country as an attorney, a law lecturer, a member of parliament, and our nation’s former minister of finance. Our entire team is holding her in our prayers for a full and speedy recovery. At this time, we ask the public to join us in respecting the privacy of Mrs Nunez-Tesheira and her family as she recovers.” A well-known figure in Trinidad and Tobago’s political landscape, Nunez-Tesheira first won election to the country’s House of Representatives on November 5, 2007, standing for the newly created D’Abadie/O’Meara constituency. A trained attorney by profession, she was appointed to the post of finance minister just weeks after her historic election victory, marking one of the highest points of her decades of public service.

  • T&T secures US$800m bond issue

    T&T secures US$800m bond issue

    Trinidad and Tobago has closed a landmark $800 million sovereign bond issuance on the United States capital market, marking one of the most successful debt offerings in the country’s recent history, the Ministry of Finance announced in an official statement this week. The offering saw a roughly 400% oversubscription – the highest level of investor demand the Caribbean nation has recorded since it launched its first benchmark-sized sovereign bond back in 2013.

    The new 10-year notes were priced at a 6.20% coupon, and achieved a rare negative new issue concession, an outcome the ministry described as exceptional. A negative new issue concession means investors did not demand any extra cost incentive to commit capital to the transaction, a result that directly reflects the overwhelming strength of investor appetite and widespread market confidence in Trinidad and Tobago’s sovereign credit standing.

    According to the ministry’s statement, the successful offering repriced the country’s entire sovereign yield curve, a shift that grew out of a two-day investor roadshow hosted by a high-level Trinidadian government delegation. The roadshow was led by Finance Minister Davnedranath Tancoo, Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, and Central Bank Governor Larry Howai, who walked international investors through the country’s current economic trajectory and policy agenda.

    The transaction drew participation from more than 150 high-quality institutional investors across the globe, with allocations spread across the United States, United Kingdom, continental Europe, the Caribbean, and significant participation from local institutional investors based in Trinidad and Tobago. This broad uptake has not only deepened the country’s existing international investor base but also boosted secondary market liquidity and reinforced broader confidence in Trinidad and Tobago’s credit profile, the ministry added.

    The strong outcome of the offering did not come about by chance: it was underpinned by a year-long, sustained investor engagement strategy executed by the Trinidadian government. In a push to maintain consistent, transparent dialogue with the global investment community, the Ministry of Finance hosted the country’s first ever non-deal roadshow in Washington, DC, back in April 2026. That event gave policymakers the chance to update international investors on the country’s recent fiscal performance, progress in both the energy and non-energy economic sectors, and the government’s ongoing policy reform initiatives.

    Speaking on the milestone, Tancoo emphasized that the overwhelming investor demand is a clear signal that the international community has restored its confidence in Trinidad and Tobago, a shift he attributes directly to the current government’s policy direction. He noted that the administration has prioritized two core economic goals: expanding the non-energy sector to diversify the national economy, while also modernizing and growing the country’s traditional energy sector. This dual strategy has built a more credible, balanced economic outlook that has resonated with global investors, he explained.

    To put the result in perspective, Tancoo compared the 2026 offering to the country’s last similar issuance, a $800 million 10-year bond brought to market by the previous administration in 2024. That earlier offering carried a 6.4% coupon, 20 basis points higher than the current issuance, despite taking place in a less volatile global financial environment. “Today, Trinidad and Tobago has attracted stronger investor interest at a lower coupon interest rate, on more favourable terms, for a longer period and in a more volatile economic and financial environment,” Tancoo said. “This is a clear indication of global confidence in the policy direction and future prospects of Trinidad and Tobago.”

  • Blue Waters land deal sent to police

    Blue Waters land deal sent to police

    A high-stakes political and legal controversy is unfolding in Trinidad and Tobago after the national Cabinet revoked controversial land lease approvals for private company Blue Waters Products Ltd, with Attorney General John Jeremie, SC, referring the entire matter to national police for criminal investigation. A senior government official confirmed the developments to local outlet the Express this week, shedding light on years of questionable political maneuvering surrounding the 450-acre prime property at Orange Grove Estate.

    Blue Waters Products Ltd, a local water company, is owned by businessman Dominic Hadeed and his wife Genevieve. The couple was arrested at their Westmoorings residence on June 24, 2026, during an ongoing police probe into allegations of a conspiracy to assassinate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Jeremie, and other senior government officials, alongside alleged breaches of the country’s Emergency Powers Regulations.

    The land dispute traces back to 1995, when the property was first leased to global French spirits conglomerate Pernod Ricard. Blue Waters acquired Pernod Ricard’s local assets in 2007, and has held ongoing negotiations with every consecutive national government over formal renewal of the expiring leases ever since. Questions about irregularities in the approval process were first raised publicly by current Minister of Lands and Legal Affairs Saddam Hosein during the 2025 national budget debate in October 2025.

    Hosein told Parliament that the previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration rushed through approval of the Blue Waters leases during its final Cabinet meeting on April 17, 2025, just 11 days before the April 28 general election. He detailed that on April 27, 2025—the night before election day—a former PNM general election candidate who worked in the then Office of the Attorney General sent a WhatsApp voice note instructing civil servants to move forward with processing the lease, even before official paperwork could be routed through the proper approval channels. Hosein noted the instruction came directly from then-Attorney General Camille Robinson-Regis.

    According to Hosein’s parliamentary testimony, internal irregularities plagued the lease approval process for years before the rushed final approval. Two separate commercial parcels, labeled C1 and C2, were up for lease: in 2019, the PNM Cabinet cut the lease price for C1 in half, while for C2, the approved premium of $50 million was reduced to an offered price of just $22.1 million. Public servants raised red flags over these discrepancies, and no formal lease documents were drafted between 2019 and 2022. Most notably, Hosein said the 2025 final approval relied on a property valuation conducted back in 2010, a decade and a half prior, which drastically undervalued the prime land in 2025 market conditions.

    “Why rush the approval the night before a general election?” Hosein asked Parliament. “They knew they were likely to lose power, and they pushed this through before leaving office.” At the time, Hosein publicly called on Attorney General Jeremie to launch a formal review, warning that irregular dealings over public land could not be hidden from public scrutiny.

    In June 2026, during a parliamentary debate on extending the national state of emergency, Jeremie confirmed the matter had been escalated to the Commissioner of Police, framing the irregular approvals as part of a broader pattern of unchecked corrupt activity under the previous administration. “This is not simply white-collar crime,” Jeremie told Parliament. “The previous government turned a blind eye to blue-collar crime and the expanding grip of special interest groups on our public institutions.”

    In a sworn affidavit filed on July 3, 2026, Hadeed has pushed back against the government’s actions, arguing the land lease dispute is politically motivated retaliation. Hadeed claims that after acquiring the property in 2007, Blue Waters remained in occupation and invested millions of dollars in developing the land based on repeated assurances from successive governments that formal leases would be granted. He notes that three separate previous Cabinets—including prior administrations led by the current ruling party—already approved offers and amendments to the leases between 2019 and 2022. Hadeed maintains that binding legal agreements already exist between Blue Waters and the State, supported by written offer letters from the Commissioner of State Lands, formal acceptance of the terms, and full payment of all required premiums and processing fees.

    Most notably, Hadeed argues the government’s decision to revoke the leases came just weeks after he publicly criticized the administration over tax policy and delayed VAT refunds at a public Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association event on March 25, 2026. Hadeed told attendees that the government takes a large share of business earnings without contributing proportional investment, and called on ministers to improve engagement with the private sector—comments that received widespread media coverage across the country. Less than two months later, on May 5, 2026, Minister Hosein formally notified Hadeed that Cabinet had voted to rescind all previous lease approvals for Blue Waters and its associated holding companies, OG C1 Property Ltd and OG C2 Property Ltd. That same day, Attorney General Jeremie notified Hadeed that all matters related to the lease approvals had been referred to police for criminal investigation.

    Hadeed moved quickly to mount a legal defense, retaining four senior Trinidadian attorneys including Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj to challenge the government’s actions. His legal team sent a formal pre-action protocol letter to the Attorney General on June 22, 2026—just two days before Hadeed and his wife were arrested in connection with the alleged assassination conspiracy. The letter asserts that Blue Waters and its owners acted in good faith at all times, in full compliance with national law, and hold binding, enforceable lease agreements with the State.