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Bahamas.
Domestic Violence Unit Created
Prime Minister Philip Davis inaugurated the launch of a new police unit that will be dedicated solely to combating domestic violence, reports the Nassau Guardian. "Today, we are taking a step forward—not a solution, not a finish line, but a real step forward—by saying to those who are suffering: we are here and we are taking action," the prime minister said at the unit's inauguration ceremony. The unit will be staffed by specially trained officers. It is designed to provide "a more empathetic and coordinated response to cases of domestic violence," the Nassau Guardian reports. The officers will work alongside social workers, shelters, and other partners to ensure that victims are not retraumatized by having to repeat their stories and navigate the system alone. "This unit was not created for statistics or press releases," the prime minister said. It was created for the woman who packed and unpacked her suitcases a dozen times, trying to find the right moment to leave. This unit was created for the child who flinches at the raised voices because he has learned what awaits him." Philip Davis emphasized that while this unit is a major step forward, it is part of a larger national strategy. This strategy includes legislative reform, more resources for shelters and safe housing, and education initiatives focused on prevention.
Jamaica.
Artificial intelligence pilot program in schools
The Observer reports in an article published on April 15 that the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information has launched a series of initiatives aimed at transforming Jamaica's education system. Among these, the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) will play a central role in this reform. Senator Dana Morris Dixon, also a minister, revealed that a pilot program is already underway in several schools where AI is being used to help teachers mark papers. “We're currently testing this program in some of our schools to see how it works, and what's interesting is that we at the Ministry can see the results in real time,” she said. So, during the correction, we can follow the performance of the schools. It's a real example of how we're already using AI." According to the Minister, technology is being integrated “as much as possible” to strengthen the education sector. The Observer says she stressed that Jamaica needs to keep pace with global advances, particularly in AI, which is transforming the world of work. "The global workforce is evolving rapidly and AI is at the forefront of this evolution. Jamaica cannot be left behind," she said. "That's why we created our National Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, which has given us a report. Our Ministry of Education is one of the first in the world to have an AI in education policy; this is a major milestone. It shows that we're not afraid of new technologies; we use them and encourage them."
Grenada.
Air agreement with Saudi Arabia
Grenada has signed “a historic agreement” on air services with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, marking “a major milestone in diplomatic and economic cooperation between the two nations”, Caribbean National Weekly reported on April 14. The agreement aims to expand international air connectivity, develop tourism and open up new trade and investment opportunities. The agreement was officially signed in Doha by Grenada's Prime Minister and Minister of Civil Aviation, Dickon Mitchell, and Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, Chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Civil Aviation Authority. “This signing follows bilateral discussions between aviation officials, including the Vice President of Air Transport and International Cooperation, the Director of the Department of Bilateral Agreements and technical teams from both countries,” CNW points out. The agreement defines the framework for the operation of international commercial air transport services between Grenada and Saudi Arabia. It outlines key provisions governing administrative and operational responsibilities, traffic rights, code-sharing, tariffs and safety standards. “This agreement reflects Grenada's commitment to diversifying its international partnerships while creating new opportunities for economic growth, cultural exchange and tourism development,” said Dickon Mitchell.
Haiti.
A war budget of $275,000
Haiti's Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) has approved an allocation of $275,000 to tackle the worsening security crisis, as the country continues to battle armed criminal gangs that threaten national stability, various international press titles report. Described by the Council as a “war budget”, the funding will support the efforts of the police and army to “combat armed groups that threaten national stability”, according to a statement issued by the CPT. Nearly 20% of the approved funds will be devoted to strengthening border security with the Dominican Republic. Additional allocations will be devoted to social programs and to improving education, healthcare and humanitarian aid. The announcement comes as thousands of Haitians have been forced to flee the escalating violence. Last week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that recent armed attacks in the communes of Saut d'Eau and Mirebalais had displaced more than 30,000 people. Most of the displaced Haitians remained in the same department, with IOM and its partners providing essential aid including food, hygiene kits, drinking water and psychosocial support. On Sunday, the governments of the member countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) unanimously condemned recent threats by Haitian criminal gangs to overthrow the transitional government by force. The leaders described the threats as “totally unacceptable” and warned that any attempt to overthrow the governance structure through violence would worsen the country's humanitarian crisis.
Trinidad and Tobago.
End of the state of emergency
The state of emergency officially ended on April 13 after 105 days of application under special security rules, explains an article in Newsday. The state of emergency, decreed on December 30, 2024 by then Prime Minister Keith Rowley, was aimed at tackling a surge in violent crime and a rapidly rising murder rate. Keith Rowley described the situation as alarming, and said the emergency measure was necessary to stem gang violence and protect public safety. The current Prime Minister, Stuart Young, echoed similar concerns when he took office, citing a deadly gang war that left six people dead as one of the triggering incidents. On the last day of the state of emergency, 39 inmates were released from Golden Grove maximum-security prison and the Eastern Correctional and Rehabilitation Center in Santa Rosa, Arima. But revocation orders for the 39 detainees were signed in the nick of time by the Minister of National Security, Marvin Gonzales, on the morning of April 13, a day after the documents ordering a new arrest were signed. During the state of emergency, police officers were given extensive powers, including the power to search homes and individuals without a warrant if there was reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.
Dominican Republic.
A complaint after the collapse of the roof of a nightclub
A week after the collapse of the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, which left 231 people dead and some 200 injured, the family of one of the victims filed a complaint on Tuesday April 15 for “manslaughter” against the nightclub's managers and for “omissions in the performance of its legal duties” against the State. This is the first lawsuit to be filed after the tragedy, according to Agence France Presse in a report picked up by Le Monde. The manager of the Jet Set said in a statement in the afternoon that he was “entirely at the disposal” of the courts. “It is justice that we ask of you and that we hope to deserve” after this “avoidable tragedy”, wrote Félix Humberto Portes Nunez, lawyer for the widow and parents of Virgilio Rafael Cruz Aponte, who died in the tragedy. The complaint, a copy of which was obtained by Agence France-Presse, states that “there is sufficient evidence” to accuse the discotheque's managers of manslaughter. The Jet Set, “which is fifty-two years old, was experiencing leaks, partial falls of pieces and dust from the ceiling”, according to the complaint filed by the widow and parents of Virgilio Rafael Cruz Aponte. Regarded as the greatest tragedy of the century in the Dominican Republic, the disaster surpasses, in terms of human toll, the 2005 fire at a prison in Higüey, in the east of the country, which claimed the lives of 136 inmates. The roof of the discotheque collapsed on April 8 at 0.44 am (6.44 am in Paris), while between 500 and 1,000 people were attending a concert by merengue star Rubby Pérez, who died in the accident. One hundred and eighty-nine people were rescued.
Guadeloupe.
Massive arrival of sargassum threatens Easter celebrations
Numerous shoals of sargassum are already present on the beaches, and forecasts for the next few days are not encouraging, writes RCI in an article dated April 16. Southern Grande-Terre, eastern Basse-Terre and the Îles du Sud are the areas most affected by these strandings. “All of the Atlantic coastlines are classically the most affected by these sargassum seaweed strandings, mainly Sud Grande-Terre, Est de la Basse-Terre, Marie-Galante, the Îles du Sud and La Désirade,” Willy Ceï, engineer in charge of the sargassum mission for the Syndicat intercommunal pour la mise en valeur des plages et des sites touristiques de Guadeloupe, explains to RCI. He adds: "So everything on the Caribbean side is rarely impacted, and this will continue to be the case, although in other years we've had grounding episodes at sites like Port-Louis and Bouillante. But it hasn't happened yet, and we hope it won't this year. A number of measures have been put in place to combat this scourge, including anti-sargassum booms in Petit-Bourg, Pompierre beach, Les Saintes and Sainte Anne. RCI points out that these measures are still in the experimental phase.
