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Trinidad and Tobago. Concern from the Medical Council
In a recent appearance on a local radio station, relayed by several Caribbean titles, the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Medical Council, Neil Singh, said that a number of Venezuelan migrants were practicing in the country as doctors without the necessary authorization from the Medical Council.clarified that a number of Venezuelan migrants are practicing in the country as doctors without the necessary authorization from the council. "Many Venezuelans have come to practice dentistry, and one of the doctors against whom we have lodged a complaint with the police brigade is a Venezuelan. the fraud squad was a Venezuelan who was writing false prescriptions," insisted the President. We don't know if they are real practitioners, we don't know what their level of training is, and whether their level of training meets our basic standards. "In an article published on August 5, the Caribbean National Weekly points out that many Venezuelan nationals have fled to Trinidad and Tobago to escape their country's political and socio-economic conditions.conomic conditions in their country, also caused by the economic embargo imposed on the country by the United States in protest against the election of President Nicolas Maduro, which they claim was fraudulent.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Dengue epidemic confirmed
The health authorities in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have confirmed that an epidemic of dengue fever is currently underway. The last outbreak dates back to 2021. At least seven people died, mainly children. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Environment reported last Friday that its epidemiology unit had recorded 119 cases of dengue fever in 2024, with 23 cases reported in June and 82 in July. "Based on epidemiological data, the number of laboratory-confirmed dengue cases has exceeded the predengue epidemic in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines", said the Ministry. August's weather conditions - hot and humid - are conducive to the development of breeding sites. A private company has been hired to support the Vector Control Unit for spraying and source reduction in the Southern Grenadines.
Curaçao. Caricom welcomes a new member
At the end of July, Curaçao officially became the sixth associate member state of the Caribbean Community (Caricom). Caricom Secretary General Carla Barnett expressed her enthusiasm at Curaçao's accession. As for Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas, he affirmed that Curaçao's membership would not interfere with its commitments to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, or its relations with the United Kingdom. By joining Caricom, we are affirming our commitment to working together in the interests of the collective values and aspirations that unite us as small island developing states in the Caribbean region," said Gilmar Pisas. We bring to the community a unique blend of cultural traditions, economic strengths and social perspectives that we hope will enrich the community as a whole. "To demonstrate its commitment to regional trade, Curaçao has entered into negotiations with the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago. Curaçao is also committed to supporting Caricom initiatives in areas such as renewable energy, new forms of agriculture, digital technologies and telecommunications, human capital development, climate resilience and sustainable development. The announcement was made at the 47th Ordinary Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in Grenada.
Puerto Rico. A complaint against the governor
An Associated Press article reports on a complaint filed against the governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Perluisi, by a federal control board that oversees the country's finances. The aim is to take legal action against recent amendments to the net metering law. The latter allows households equipped with solar energy collectors to be rewarded for their contributions to the grid. The Council has made it clear that it is not seeking to end net metering or impose changes to the program. Should it win its case in court, the council assured that there would be no changes to the island's current rooftop solar program. In April, the board ordered Pierluisi and the Puerto Rico legislature to amend or repeal the law. The law currently prohibits the energy office from modifying the net metering program until at least 2031. It also requires that current conditions be met for an additional 20 years, meaning that many customers will continue to benefit from these conditions until at least 2051. Unlike most U.S. net metering programs, which offer reduced credits, Puerto Rico credits excess energy on an individual basis. This, according to the complaint, could affect demand for the utility's service. Higher net metering rates could encourage more customers to switch to distributed generation, AP explains. The installation of rooftop solar systems has increased since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017, from 8,000 installations to more than 117,000, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Currently, fossil fuels generate 94% of Puerto Rico's electricity. But new laws require the utility to obtain 40% of its power from renewable sources by 2025, and 100% by 2050.
British Virgin Islands. Eleven years in prison for former prime minister
Andrew Alturo Fahie, former Prime Minister of the British Virgin Islands, was convicted of cocaine trafficking and money laundering. He was sentenced to 135 months (11 years and two months) in federal prison by District Judge Kathleen Williams, after being found guilty ofagreeing to facilitate the safe passage of tons of Colombian cocaine through the ports of the British Virgin Islands to Miami. The court was told that, in exchange for his help, Andrew Fahie could have earned millions of dollars, which would be routed through various companies or smuggled back to the BVI, to hide the source of the money. According to evidence presented at the trial, 53-year-old Andrew Fahie, who served as Prime Minister from 2019 to 2022 as well as Chief Executive Officer of the BVI Port Authority, Olean, was the only person to have been convicted.British Virgin Islands, Oleanvine Pickering Maynard and his son, Kadeem Stephan Maynard, participated in a series of meetings with the alleged Sinaloa Cartel drug trafficker to negotiate the deal in March and April 2022. In April 2022, Fahie and Maynard were arrested in Miami as they prepared to collect a US$700,000 cash advance on their transaction, while Maynard's son was arrested in St. Thomas. Mother and son pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine and were sentenced by Judge Williams to 9 and 4.5 years respectively.
Sint-Maarten. Five people injured by lightning
According to a police statement, relayed by Le Pélican, five people were injured by lightning on Wednesday July 31 at around 1:15pm on the Philipsburg seafront. Lightning was the cause of several injuries. "Upon arrival, first responders discovered that five people, including tourists, had been injured by lightning during the inclement weather, police say. Three of the victims were seriously injured and were quickly transferred to the medical center, adds Le Pélican. The other two suffered minor injuries that did not require hospitalization.
