标签： Saint Lucia

HAVANA, CUBA – Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has issued a stark condemnation of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating military threats against the island nation, describing the rhetoric as having reached a “dangerous and unprecedented threshold” that demands action from the global community.

In a landmark move to reshape the island nation’s labour governance framework, the Government of Saint Lucia has formalized its commitment to inclusive industrial relations by ratifying International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 144. The historic signing, carried out by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre on behalf of the administration on April 29, clears the path for the creation of a new National Tripartite Advisory Committee designed to strengthen collaborative dialogue between three core labour stakeholders: government bodies, organized workers, and business employers.

The newly established committee will draw representatives from three key groups: Saint Lucia’s Department of Labour, the Saint Lucia Trade Union Federation, and the Saint Lucia Employers Federation. Its core mandate is to create a structured, formal space for collaborative consultation on a full spectrum of labour issues and national workplace policy development. Key topics for discussion will range from wage setting and statutory working conditions to core labour rights, worker protection frameworks, and other pressing workplace-related matters that impact all segments of the national labour force.

For working people across Saint Lucia, the committee is projected to deliver a far more substantial, formal voice in national-level labour policy debates, ensuring that grassroots worker concerns are centered in decision-making. For employer groups, the new body provides an official platform to articulate industry challenges, share on-the-ground insights, and contribute directly to policies that support sustainable business expansion, enhanced national productivity, and expanded job creation across all sectors of the economy.

From the government’s perspective, the reform is expected to improve the quality of national labour policymaking by embedding regular, direct input from stakeholders who are most immediately affected by labour regulations and decisions.

ILO Convention No. 144 stands as a foundational international labour standard, with a core mission of advancing tripartite social dialogue between the three key stakeholder groups. The agreement calls on ratifying nations to maintain consistent, effective consultation processes on matters tied to international labour standards, broader social justice goals, and inclusive workplace development.

Senior government officials note that the signing of the convention underscores the Pierre administration’s long-stated priority of centered consultation and inclusive governance. Per an official government statement, the creation of the National Tripartite Advisory Committee marks a meaningful step forward in building a more collaborative national labour ecosystem, one that delivers balanced progress across worker protections, employer competitiveness, and national economic development objectives.

In a diplomatic meeting held Friday on the soil of the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago, top leaders of two Caribbean nations have wrapped up constructive bilateral discussions, with Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J Pierre praising the collaborative spirit that defined the high-profile engagement.

The talks come against a backdrop of growing regional attention: recent public friction has emerged between Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad‑Bissessar and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the 15-nation regional integration bloc. Meanwhile, Pierre is just weeks away from taking over the rotating chairmanship of CARICOM, set to assume the post on July 1. Ahead of the meeting, Pierre has long maintained that open dialogue is the simplest and most effective path to resolving the interconnected challenges facing the regional bloc, noting that many common hurdles “can be addressed by just talking to each other.”

Official details released by the Office of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago confirm that the discussions centered on two core priorities: boosting bilateral ties between the two island nations, and unlocking new pathways for collective advancement across CARICOM. On his official Facebook page, Pierre’s team framed the meeting as a reaffirmation of the deep, long-standing bond between the two sister countries, a relationship rooted in shared colonial history, reciprocal respect, and an aligned vision for equitable regional growth.

During the talks, the two leaders mapped out plans to expand joint work across a slate of high-impact sectors, including cross-border energy trade, tourism promotion, public health collaboration, cultural exchange, and digital development through information and communications technology. They also held a broad exchange of perspectives on advancing deeper regional integration and strengthening CARICOM’s collective ability to withstand global economic and geopolitical shocks, at a moment when the international landscape grows increasingly unpredictable.

In closing remarks after the meeting, Pierre emphasized that the entire engagement was guided by a shared commitment to progress. Both leaders left the talks united in their pledge to deepen bilateral collaboration, delivering tangible benefits to their respective populations and supporting broader prosperity across the entire Caribbean region.

In a landmark political moment for the twin-island Caribbean nation, Prime Minister Gaston Browne took the oath of office for his fourth consecutive term as head of government on Friday. The inauguration came just hours after Browne led his long-ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) to a decisive landslide victory in the April 30 general election, a contest he called nearly two years ahead of the constitutionally mandated deadline.

Browne was joined in taking the oath by Attorney General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin during the ceremony, which was officiated by Governor General Sir Rodney Williams and attended by all other ABLP candidates who won seats in the election. Official results released by the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) confirm that the ABLP secured 15 out of the 17 available seats in the country’s parliament. The remaining two seats were split between the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) and the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM). Voter turnout across the nation reached just over 62.5 percent of eligible electorate.

Addressing supporters and reporters shortly after his swearing-in, Browne emphasized the scale of his party’s mandate, noting, “That was a resounding victory. People spoke, and they spoke with clarity. They spoke resoundingly, and we’re very happy with the mandate that was given to us.” The Prime Minister acknowledged that the strong electoral victory came with heightened responsibility, which his administration is fully prepared to uphold. “But with that mandate comes increased responsibility, and it’s a responsibility that we will certainly honour. We’ll make sure that we continue to deliver for the people of Antigua and Barbuda. In fact, the fact that I was given a fourth term as Prime Minister is in itself a humbling experience, and it has strengthened my commitment to fight even harder for the people of Antigua and Barbuda and to deliver more for them.”

Looking ahead to his new term, Browne outlined an ambitious agenda focused on accelerating national progress. “So the people of Antigua and Barbuda will be seeing accelerated growth and development, accelerated infrastructural development, and the roadworks and waterworks we have started will be accelerated until we substantially resolve the water and road problems,” he added, extending gratitude to the public for its patience during ongoing infrastructure projects.

The Prime Minister announced that the full composition of his new Cabinet will be revealed this coming Tuesday, noting that most senior roles will be retained by sitting ministers to ensure policy continuity amid major ongoing initiatives. “there will be “familiar faces” because several ministers are handling significant projects and continuity is important. So, for example, I’d want to ensure that we have Minister Daryll S Matthew in Education to continue the expansion…. We certainly want to maintain Minister Chet Greene as Minister of Foreign Affairs because, as you know, a significant amount of planning has gone into the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference scheduled for November, and to put in a new minister at this time would not be advisable.”

Browne also confirmed that his wife, Maria Browne, will keep her position as Minister of Public Works, praising her proven ability to manage multiple concurrent infrastructure projects across different constituencies. To build a pipeline of future leadership and avoid unnecessary government expansion, newly elected ABLP members will first serve in junior ministerial roles to receive on-the-job training before moving into senior positions. “Again, we don’t want to have a bloated government by having all senior ministers. We will have some junior ministers as a form of training and development so that they, too, can blossom into senior ministers eventually and better serve the people of Antigua and Barbuda,” he explained.

In a call for more constructive political discourse across the nation, Browne urged a shift toward more responsible politics to build a stronger future for Antigua and Barbuda. “I’m hoping that with such a resounding victory there will be a new dispensation going forward. I’m hoping that our politics will become more civil. I’m hoping that politicians on both sides of the aisle will stand on the truth because, at the end of the day, misinformation, disinformation and falsities are literally eroding the fabric of our society and destroying our country.”

The Prime Minister stressed that he welcomes a strong, reformed opposition to maintain government accountability, rejecting calls for a weakened opposition bloc. “He also said he believes in responsible politics and that the opposition should use the moment to reform, adding that a strong opposition remains necessary for accountability. We do not necessarily want a weak opposition. We want individuals with the competence to continue to hold us accountable,” Browne said.

Internationally, the United States has extended its congratulations to Browne and his administration. In an official congratulatory message, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington looks forward to deepening ongoing collaboration with Antigua and Barbuda on a range of shared regional priorities. These priorities include strengthening collective regional security, improving coordination to counter illegal immigration, disrupt transnational criminal organizations, and crack down on illicit trafficking networks operating in the Caribbean.