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Guadeloupe.
Two-year suspended prison sentence for regional president
The President of the Guadeloupe region, Ary Chalus, was sentenced on Tuesday May 20 by the Court of Appeal in Basse-Terre to two years' suspended imprisonment and two years' ineligibility, for breach of trust and exceeding the electoral expenditure limit during the campaign for the French regional elections.inéligibilité pour abus de confiance et dépassement du plafond de dépenses électorales lors de la campagne pour les Régionales en 2015. In an article published yesterday (Wednesday, May 21), the Outremers 360 website states that Ary Chalus, 53, has also been fined 25,000 euros and banned from managing an association for three years. The sentences are harsher than those handed down in the first instance, when Ary Chalus was sentenced to 15-month suspended prison sentence, points out Outremers 360, which reports that on leaving court, Ary Chalus announced his intention to appeal to the Supreme Court. According to Agence France Presse, the public prosecutor, Éric Maurel, had criticized the appellate court for "facts that undermine the republican pact" and called for the initial judgment to be upheld. This was despite the reclassification of certain facts due to "the weakness of the investigation". During the hearing, the president of the Guadeloupe region repeated that he was unaware of the facts, while blaming the other four defendants. They received suspended prison sentences ranging from three to six months.
Trinidad and Tobago.
Defense Minister limits Vybz Kartel appearances
Trinidad and Tobago's new Minister of Defense, Wayne Sturge, quickly imposed restrictions on the public itinerary of Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel, expected in the country on May 26 to perform at the One Caribbean Music Festival, rescheduled for May 31.
According to the Trinidad Guardian and a legal source within the Ministry, an immigration order signed by Wayne Sturge prohibits the artist from participating in numerous media and community events originally scheduled. These included a morning radio show, a mid-day TV program and a meeting with the local press, all scheduled for May 27. Other activities on May 28, such as a book signing, a visit to a youth center, a cultural lunch and an official welcome, have also been cancelled.
He also expressed concern about Vybz Kartel's influence on young people, citing the artist's judicial past. Although his acquittal in 2024 overturned a 2014 murder conviction due to a procedural error, the minister says this is not based on the merits of the case.
Despite this court decision and the abandonment of a retrial by the Jamaican Court of Appeal, Vybz Kartel's arrival remains controversial in Trinidad and Tobago.
Dominican Republic.
Tougher penalties for migrant smuggling
According to the Caribbean National Weekly (CNW), the Senate of the Dominican Republic has passed the second reading of a bill that significantly increases penalties for migrant smuggling, with sentences of up to 25 years' imprisonment. The text was presented by Senator Omar Fernandez of the Fuerza del pueblo party.
One of the key points of the bill is the increased punishment of public officials involved in this type of crime. In addition to prison sentences, they could be banned from holding any public office for 20 years. Omar Fernandez stressed that the aim was not only to punish the perpetrators, but also to protect the integrity of national institutions and borders.
This version of the text marks a clear break with that of the executive, which proposed a more lenient suspension: 5 years for a first offence, 10 years in the case of a repeat offence.
The bill must now be debated in the Chamber of Deputies. If passed, it will become one of the country's toughest tools against migrant smuggling networks. CNW points out that the Dominican Republic is a country of origin, transit and destination for human trafficking, particularly affecting women, children, undocumented Haitian migrants and stateless people.
Grenada.
General Hospital affiliated with New York's Mount Sinai International
The government of Grenada has formalized a collaboration and licensing agreement with Mount Sinai International, reports Caribbean National Weekly. Through this agreement, St. George's General Hospital is now affiliated with the Mount Sinai Health System. Based in New York, this includes hospitals, the Icahn School of Medicine and an international arm, Mount Sinai International, which collaborates with other countries to improve healthcare, education and research. The partnership is part of the government's ambitious "Polaris Project" initiative, which includes the construction of a new research and teaching hospital in the Hopevale area. Health Minister Phillip Telesford and Dr. Szabi Dorotovics, President of Mount Sinai International, signed the agreement at a press conference on Wednesday, May 14. As part of the agreement, Grenada will donate $2.5 million to Mount Sinai. Andrea Saint-Bernard, Senior Government Representative for the Polaris Project, explained that the agreement will enable Grenada to benefit from Mount Sinai's extensive network and expertise. The new hospital, the centerpiece of the Polaris project, is being built on a 34-hectare site already acquired in Hopevale, in the state of Saint-Georges. The medical complex will include not only a hospital, but also a hotel and other ancillary facilities. This initiative is in line with the recommendations of Grenada's National Development Plan 2035, and aims to modernize the country's health and welfare sectors.
Haiti.
More than 1,600 schools closed
A report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) published earlier this week indicates that rising insecurity and armed violence continue to disrupt Haiti's education system. In particular, it reports serious disruptions in several departments, including Centre, Ouest, Artibonite and Nord. "At the end of April, more than 1,600 schools were forced to close, disrupting access to learning for more than 243.000 children, according to our partners working for education in Haiti", said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres. According to the report, this represents a 60% increase in school closures in just four months, compared with 960 closures recorded at the start of the year. Most of the schools affected are in the West and Centre departments, where violence, mass displacement and the use of schools as safe havens by gangs and internally displaced persons have exploded. More than 80 schools are being used as collective shelters for internally displaced people, while 166 schools have been relocated, often in precarious conditions," said Farhan Haq. Learning spaces often lack basic infrastructure, water, sanitation and essential supplies. "Despite the deployment of a multinational security force led by Kenya, armed groups still control large parts of Port-au-Prince and several surrounding areas. The United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti provides more than $61 million in funding for education by 2025. However, Farhan Haq reported that less than $6 million had been received to date.
Saint-Martin.
A woman killed by her ex-partner
On Saturday May 17, a resident of the Orléans district was discovered lifeless in her home by the gendarmerie. Aged 51 and of Jamaican origin, the victim's name was Claire Pryce, and she was raising a 15-year-old son. During their intervention, the gendarmes arrested a man, the victim's ex-partner, who was then placed in police custody before being hospitalized "under duress", a doctor deeming his condition incompatible with police custody. The Pointe-à-Pitre criminal investigation unit is handling the case, while a flagrante delicto investigation has been opened by the Saint-Martin research unit. According to Pointe-à-Pitre public prosecutor Caroline Calbo, an autopsy of the victim's body was due to be carried out in Guadeloupe yesterday (Wednesday, May 21). According to various sources quoted in the Saint-Martin press, the woman was beaten to death. The President of the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Martin, Louis Mussington, reacted via an online publication: "This feminicide upsets us. And revolts us. Violence against women has no place on Saint-Martin, or anywhere else. It must stop. It's not about reacting to every tragedy. It's a question of acting so that it doesn't happen again. "
Anguilla.
Three new dialysis machines and work progresses on airport terminal
The Anguilla government announced online that it had received three new Bluestar 2008T dialysis machines on May 19. The purchase of these upgraded units was "entirely financed" by the government, it states. These machines, which replace the older models, "bring enhanced functionalities that help provide safer, more effective and more comfortable dialysis treatments for our patients," says the press release. With enhanced monitoring capabilities and greater accuracy, to help our team continue to deliver high-quality care. "The three new units are scheduled to be installed at Princess Alexandra Hospital.
Meanwhile, another press release details progress on the construction of Anguilla's new airport terminal. The roof is almost complete, and the exterior windows have been fixed. Around 50% of the exterior sliding doors have been installed, and a quarter of the parking lot has been completed. Handover is scheduled for October 3, and the terminal should be operational by mid-November, just before the start of the tourist season.
Saint Kitts and Nevis.
A bill to improve border controls
The bill was the subject of articles in the Times, Observer and Caribbean National Weekly. On May 15, the National Assembly of St. Kitts and Nevis passed a bill to modernize border control systems by amending the existing Advance Passenger Information Act. Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Terrance Drew described the legislation as "a fundamental element in the transformation of the Federation's border management into a secure, efficient and technology-driven system". The new amendments strengthen the legal and operational framework needed to launch the country's Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, scheduled to go live in June 2025. Passenger data will now be transmitted simultaneously to the competent authorities of Saint Kitts and Nevis and to CARICOM IMPACS, thus bringing the Federation into line with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Customs Organization (WCO). The bill also strengthens the operational readiness of the national eTA platform, a digital system that screens travellers prior to arrival. These changes will improve "the accuracy, speed and reliability of travel data, enabling predictive analytics, faster processing of immigration applications and increased legal liability for commercial carriers," says the Prime Minister. The Observer article explains that the eTA system will allow travelers from visa-exempt countries to apply online before arriving in St. Kitts and Nevis. It will incorporate biometric and AI-based risk assessments and provide travelers with a secure digital travel document (DTC). On arrival, visitors will pass through biometric lanes, eliminating the need for paper forms and long immigration queues.
