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Guadeloupe/Martinique.
Chlordecone: the State held responsible
On Tuesday March 11, the Paris Administrative Court of Appeal recognized the responsibility of the French government in the chlordecone scandal in the French West Indies. The decision was reported in the French press, both in France and overseas. The case was brought by 1.286 plaintiffs from Martinique and Guadeloupe, the court ruled that "the State committed faults by authorizing the sale of chlordecone-based insecticidescone insecticides, by allowing their prolonged use, and by failing to take due care to assess the pollution linked to this use, to put an end to it, to measure its consequences and to inform the affected population". However, only nine West Indian banana plantation workers with a high risk of prostate cancer or a fear of recurrence of the disease will be compensated. They will be compensated on the basis of evidence (blood tests and environmental studies) establishing "actual exposure to pollution of the soil, water or food chain" and a high risk of developing a serious pathology. As a reminder, chlordecone was authorized in France until 1990, and had been granted a derogation untilin the French West Indies until 1993, despite warnings from the World Health Organization, which classified it as a "possible carcinogen" as early as 1979. More than 90% of the adult population in Guadeloupe and Martinique is contaminated by chlordecone, according to the Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire, quoted by France 24, which concluded in July 2021 that there was a probable causal relationship between chlordecone and the risk of prostate cancer. In 2022, the Paris Administrative Court had pointed to "culpable negligence" on the part of the State, but rejected the claims for compensation for anxiety damage, finding that there was no evidence to justify this. While the plaintiffs' lawyers and associations for the defense of chlordecone victims welcomed this decision by the administrative court of appeal, they regretted that the "prejudice of anxiety" had only been recognized for a small number of victims. "In a press release, Jean-Marie Flower and Patricia Chatenay-Rivauday of VIVRE Guadeloupe, one of the three associations that brought the case before the court, said: "The case is moving forward and the battles continue.
Virgin Islands (US).
Soaring egg prices
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the spectacular rise in egg prices throughout the United States, explains an article in the Virgin Islands Consortium. This development has caught the attention of consumers and policymakers alike, against the backdrop of a persistent avian flu epidemic and growing concerns about the cost of living. The investigation, reported by the Wall Street Journal and Forbes on March 7, aims to determine whether major egg producers have engaged in anti-competitive practices, such as collusion to inflate prices or restrict supply, or whether price rises are solely attributable to external factors such as the bird flu crisis. Egg prices have reached unprecedented levels, writes VIC. The average rate for a dozen large eggs reached $4.95 in January 2025 in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, surpassing the previous record of $4.82 set in January 2023. The price of a dozen eggs in the Virgin Islands is even higher, reaching $12.99 for some categories. In other parts of the U.S. mainland, prices have exceeded the current average of $4.95, with a dozen eggs reaching $10.99 in San Francisco and $8.41 in the Midwest. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicts a potential 20.3% rise in egg prices by 2025, citing the disastrous impact of avian flu.vast impact of avian flu, which has led to the slaughter of over 166 million birds since 2022, including 27 million since President Donald Trump took office in January. "The investigation is in its early stages and it is not yet known whether it will result in civil or criminal prosecution," says VIC.
Grenada.
Strong economic growth, despite Hurricane Beryl
At a press conference reported by Caribbean National Weekly, Finance Minister Dennis Cornwall presented Grenada's national budget. This amounts to almost 650 million euros, forecasting real GDP (gross domestic product) growth of 4.1% in 2025, driven by tourism demand and post-hurricane reconstruction efforts, following 3.7% growth in 2024. The Minister noted that consumer prices fell in 2024, thanks to government measures such as the abolition of VAT on basic foodstuffs and necessities, as well as subsidies on electricity and oil prices. Food inflation remains high, however, he stressed. Unemployment remains at 12% of the working population. Despite exceptional expenses linked to the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl, the government generated a surplus of 146.9 million euros. To finance the construction of a new hospital, a budget of 8 million euros will be opened, to which will be added 25 million dollars obtained within the framework of a project christened "Polaris".
Saint Lucia.
Towards a national migration policy
In a press release, the government of Saint Lucia announced a partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to develop a national migration policy aimed at strengthening migration management and aligning policies with international best practice. This initiative, reported by the Caribbean National Weekly and the St. Lucia Times, is led by the Ministry of Migration.Lucia Times, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs, is part of a larger project launched earlier this year to ensure that migration policies support national development strategies. "Recognizing the crucial role of migration in Saint Lucia's socio-economic landscape, the government has emphasized that a well-structured policy will help address key areas," writes CNW. These include the labor market and skills availability, economic growth, diaspora engagement, border management and social integration.
British Virgin Islands.
Metal detectors installed at high school
In a sign of the times, and especially of growing delinquency, BVI Minister of Education Sharie de Castro has announced plans to install metal detectors at Elmore High School.metal detectors at Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) as part of a wider initiative to enhance the school's security. At a press conference attended by the Daily News, the Minister said the detectors should be operational before the end of the year. She stressed, however, that the need for increased security at the school goes beyond metal detectors. Plans are underway to reinforce the school's perimeter by completing the construction of a perimeter wall. This project aims to prevent unauthorized access to the campus, including weapons and drugs. Sharie de Castro also plans to extend surveillance by installing more security cameras around the school's perimeter. These measures come in the wake of incidents involving students carrying weapons and using drugs. The Minister noted that a new policy of immediate suspension for students found in possession of contraband on campus has been implemented.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Government acquires Balliceaux Island
The government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines announced last Thursday that Balliceaux Island was officially part of the national heritage, reports Carribean National Weekly. Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves announced the decision, underlining the island's cultural and historical importance. The acquisition, finalized on Wednesday March 5, was made under the Land Acquisition Act, which authorizes the Governor General to declare lands to be in the public interest, explains CNW. In this case, the Balliceaux lands will be preserved as a cultural and historical commemorative site. The lands will be vested in full in the Crown, and this declaration guarantees that Balliceaux is part of our national heritage," said Ralph Gonsalves. This acquisition will preserve Balliceaux for future generations as a symbol of our history. "The island is of profound historical importance to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, not least because of its role in the tragic history of the Garifuna and Kalinago peoples, CNW recalls. In 1795, more than 2,000 Garifuna and Kalinago were exiled to the island by the British, where many of them perished in harsh conditions. This event, known as the Balliceaux Massacre, is a key part of the region's colonial history and has long been a place of cultural remembrance for the Garifuna people. The island lies some eight kilometers off the south coast of St. Vincent and is now virtually uninhabited.
Jamaica.
An increase in the income tax threshold
An article in the Observer focuses on a measure announced on Tuesday March 11 by Finance Minister Fayval Williams during the government's budget debate. From April 1, Jamaicans will benefit from an increase in the income tax threshold over a three-year period. This will enable them to receive a larger share of their income. The adjustment will be carried out in three phases of raising the threshold. It will rise to $11,454 on April 1, to $12,091 in 2026 and to $12,727 in 2027. "By proceeding in this way, our hard-working taxpayers will no longer have to wonder, year after year, whether the threshold will increase," said the Minister. People whose earnings are less than or equal to the threshold will not be subject to income tax. The increase continues a trend that began in 2017, the Observer explains, when the tax threshold was raised to $9,645, in line with a 2016 Jamaica Labour Party election promise. More recently, the threshold was raised to $10,818 at the start of the current fiscal year in April, at a cost of $57 million. Although Fayval Williams did not specify the total cost of this latest increase, former Finance Minister Nigel Clarke had previously estimated that raising the threshold to $13,363 would cost the government around $150 million.
Saint-Martin.
The Collectivité joins the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
On March 19 and 20, the accession ceremony of the Collectivité de Saint-Martin to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) will take place at the Secret Hotel in Anse Marcel, explains the Soualiga Post. The announcement was made at a press conference held on Monday March 10 in the presence of Louis Mussington, President of the Collectivité and Cyrielle Cuirassier, External Action Advisor. "With the OECO, the Collectivité goes beyond regional cooperation. It is part of external action, regional integration, a process that will enable the harmonization of certain policies and the activation of levers for growth and economic, social, cultural and environmental development", explained Cyrielle Cuirassier in the Soualiga columns. The eleven heads of the OECS member states will be present in Saint-Martin for the accession ceremony. The organization has had seven member states and territories since 1981: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It also has four associate member territories: the British Virgin Islands since 1984, Anguilla since 1995, Martinique since 2015 and Guadeloupe since 2019.
