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Trinidad and Tobago.
Kamla Persad Bissessar regains power
On Monday April 28, Kamla Persad Bissessar officially declared victory in the Trinidad and Tobago general elections. His party, the United National Congress (UNC), defeated the People's National Movement (PNM), which had been in power for a decade, announced most of the Caribbean press titles. Caribbean National Weekly points out that outgoing Prime Minister Stuart Young, who took office just 43 days earlier on March 17 following the retirement of Keith Rowley, becomes the shortest-serving leader in Trinidad and Tobago's history. The previous record holder, ANR Robinson, served for four years and 363 days. "The people have spoken, and despite what happened tonight, I will fight for Trinidad and Tobago," said Stuart Young, 50, on Monday evening. While the full results of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission are still pending, Caribbean National Weekly reports that the outgoing Prime Minister said the PNM is expected to win only 10 to 12 of the 41 parliamentary seats, down from 22 before the election.
For Kamla Persad Bissessar, 73, the victory marks a political renewal more than a decade after her first term as prime minister, from 2010 to 2015. "She will become the eighth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the second, after Patrick Manning, to return to power after losing the general election, CNW explains. Patrick Manning lost to Basdeo Panday in 1995, but returned to power in 2001. "Addressing his jubilant supporters, Kamla Persad Bissessar promised a responsive, citizen-centric government. "No one will be left behind, because if the UNC wins, everyone wins," she asserted. She will also make history by becoming the oldest person to accede to the country's highest office. "If she completes her five-year term, CNW reports, she will leave office at 78, breaking the previous age record held by Keith Rowley, who retired at 76. "Prior to Rowley, all previous prime ministers were between 50 and 65 during their tenure. The PNM, in power since 2015, was seeking a third consecutive term and hoped to extend its legacy of more than 50 years in power since Trinidad and Tobago's independence.
Jamaica.
Caribbean Maritime University ranked among the best in the world
Based in Jamaica, the Caribbean Maritime University has joined the ranks of the world's top maritime education institutions following its admission to the prestigious International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU). The university's president, Professor Andrew Spencer, made the announcement in an interview with JIS News. He pointed out that there are over 500 maritime institutions worldwide, and that only 75 of them, or around 15%, are members of IAMU. The rigorous selection process evaluated criteria such as research results, research capabilities, learning infrastructure and technology, student satisfaction, quality of teaching and research, and the quality of teaching and research.The rigorous selection process evaluated criteria such as research output, research capabilities, learning infrastructure and technology, student satisfaction, diversity of program offerings and compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). "IAMU is an elite group of maritime universities, colleges and academies that form a network of excellence," said Professor Spencer. This means, among other things, that students will now benefit from new opportunities through access to scholarships and academic research collaborations. Particularly in areas such as the marine environment, decarbonization, green energy and blue energy.
Dominique.
A 24 million credit to stabilize the budget
According to an article in the Caribbean National Weekly, the World Bank has just approved a $24 million credit to help Dominica "strengthen domestic revenues, financial sector resilience and improve disaster preparedness", while protecting its rich biodiversity. This new financing, part of the Programmatic Development Policy Credit for strengthening Dominica's fiscal and climate resilience, aims to support the island's ongoing efforts to recover from several years of climate-related hardship and "build a more sustainable future". Nicknamed the "Nature Island of the Caribbean", Dominica relies heavily on its natural ecosystems to fuel its tourism economy. However, repeated disasters - from Tropical Storm Erika in 2015 to Hurricane Maria in 2017, and more recently Hurricane Beryl in 2024 - have severely affected its development and strained public finances. Public debt, which reached 118.2% of GDP in 2020, remains high, at 103% in 2024. The main reforms planned under the program include an overhaul of excise duties (levies on products such as fuel, alcohol and sweetened beverages) in order to reduce the tax burden.alcohol and sugary drinks) to increase revenues, reduce emissions and improve public health outcomes. It also strengthens oversight of key financial institutions, such as the Dominican Bank for Agriculture, Industry and Development and local credit unions, to stabilize the country's financial system. The plan goes beyond fiscal reforms. For example, Dominica has created a marine protected area dedicated to sperm whales. By 2027, revenues from "swim-with-the-whales" permits are expected to increase by 177%, supporting conservation efforts, ecotourism and local livelihoods.
Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Creation of a medicinal cannabis authority
The government of St. Kitts and Nevis officially inaugurated the Medicinal Cannabis Authority on Friday April 25, reports the Observer.cites the event as "a major step forward in public health, economic development and social justice". An important step in the Federation's drive to establish a regulated, accountable and inclusive medicinal cannabis sector, says the government. Cannabis Council President Jihan Williams-Knight outlined the Authority's core mission: "To create and oversee safe and legal access to cannabis for adult patients over the age of 21 who may benefit from its use to manage their health conditions. "She stressed the importance of striking a balance between widening access and protecting vulnerable populations. "We find ourselves at a truly exciting time: we are entering the global medicinal cannabis industry with the advantage of our insight, experience and preparation," said Agriculture Minister Samal Duggins. He emphasized that the St. Kitts and Nevis approach was developed "with care, learning from international experiences while adapting the model to the unique national context." Samal Duggins also highlighted the Rastafari community's decades-long advocacy of cannabis rights. Under the Rastafari Rights Recognition Act 2023, license fees will be waived for members of the Rastafari community, giving them free access to licenses.
Guadeloupe.
The return of the Sargasso invasion
"This Monday, April 28, the Darse, in Pointe-à-Pitre, is literally overrun with brown algae. "RCI, like La 1ère, devoted an article earlier this week to the return of the sargassum invasion. In Guadeloupe, it has also washed up en masse on the beaches of Bas-du-Fort, in Le Gosier. And according to forecasts from Météo France, the situation is unlikely to improve for the butterfly island. Nor for Saint-Martin and, possibly, Saint-Barthélemy, in the coming weeks. In an easterly flow, coming out of a gyre off Dominica and the entrance to the eponymous Channel, the ocean is loaded with seaweed which is being redirected towards our islands," writes Météo France in the columns of RCI. The numerous and repetitive arrivals are therefore still present on the coast exposed to the flow. "Over the next two weeks, groundings are expected to intensify on the Guadeloupe coast.
Martinique.
Health: a Caribbean scientific cooperation project
A seminar bringing together some thirty Caribbean partners was held this week in Martinique to discuss the Development of Scientific Cooperation and Clinical Research in the Caribbean (DOSCCAR 2) project. The aim is to strengthen clinical research on major regional health issues, such as cancer, chronic and infectious diseases in the Caribbean. For three days, representatives from the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), the Cancer Research Center of the University of Puerto Rico (CCCUPR), the University Hospital of Guadeloupe and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) will be taking part in the event.Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) met to discuss ways of improving their cooperation in order to structure a sustainable and effective scientific and medical network.
Virgin Islands.
Lottery resumes after cyberattack and ransom demand
The Virgin Islands Consortium reports that for several weeks, the entire lottery network was compromised, resulting in the temporary suspension of ticket sales and scheduled draws. According to information obtained by the Consortium, the cyber attack involved hackers demanding a ransom of one million dollars to restore access to the compromised systems. Raymond Williams, director of the Virgin Islands Lottery, refused to meet the ransom demands. He opted for a more secure and robust solution, launching a complete rebuild of the Virgin Islands Lottery's systems, which will now resume to the great satisfaction of players.
Antigua and Barbuda.
Prime Minister in US judge's sights
According to the Caribbean National Weekly, U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, sitting in the Southern District of New York, has ordered the disclosure, "under strict confidentiality rules", of the financial records of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, as well as those of his wife, son and several other individuals. The request comes in the context of a case brought by businesswoman Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, who is seeking evidence to support legal proceedings abroad linked to the seizure and sale of the megayacht Alfa Nero. Her legal team is targeting international wire transfers linked to nineteen individuals and entities allegedly involved in dubious transactions concerning the yacht, CNW says. The Alfa Nero, once owned by Russian fertilizer magnate Andrei Guriev, has been abandoned. Today, his daughter is claiming her rights to the yacht, complicating an already tense international dispute.
