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Martinique.
Towards associate membership of Caricom
The Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs has presented a bill authorizing approval of the agreement between the Government of the French Republic and the Caribbean Community (Caricom) on accession to the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the Caribbean Community.aise et la Communauté des Caraïbes (Caricom) relatif à l'adhésion au protocole sur les privilèges et immunités de la Communauté des Caraïbes du 14 janvier 1985. Signed in Bridgetown (Barbados) on February 20, 2025, this agreement will enable Caricom to benefit from privileges and immunities in accordance with international standards applicable to international organizations. It will also enable approval of the agreement signed on the same day between the Government of the French Republic and Caricom, defining the conditions for granting Martinique the status of associate member of the community. Ultimately, these two agreements mark the first time that a French territory, the Collectivité territoriale de Martinique, has become an associate member of the Caribbean's most dynamic regional organization, Caricom. They will strengthen cooperation with the 15 member states of the Caribbean Community and implement concrete projects in a wide range of fields, including health, education, transport, the fight against organized crime and natural disaster management.
Jamaica.
Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff dies
A monument to Jamaican music has passed away. On November 24, Jimmy Cliff died aged 81, following an epileptic seizure and pneumonia. Before Bob Marley, he had popularized reggae outside Jamaica with his first hits, Many Rivers to Cross, in 1969, and The Harder They Come, in 1972, the title of a song and a film by Perry Henzell, in which he played the main character, making him the genre's first international star. A national tribute will be paid at his funeral in Jamaica.
Anguilla.
In search of reef sharks
The Anguilla National Trust, in partnership with Dr. Matt Witt of the University of Exeter and the Department of Natural Resources, are advancing local shark conservation research thanks to a local Darwin grant of £50,000. This project continues the work undertaken as part of the previous Darwin initiative over four years ago, strengthening efforts to understand the movement and behavior of Caribbean reef sharks in Anguilla's waters.
Through this project, acoustic listening stations were deployed to detect signals from tags placed on the animals. To date, ten Caribbean reef sharks have been successfully tagged. This allows researchers to monitor their presence as they move within range of the stations. A second phase of tagging is planned for May 2026, which will expand the data set and deepen scientific knowledge of this important species.
Saint-Martin.
A payment plan for businesses
The editors of 97150 report that the amendment put forward by Senator Annick Pétrus to support businesses on Saint-Martin and overseas was adopted by the Senate on November 20, as part of the Social Security Financing Bill for 2026. "Many Saint-Martin businesses are still facing social debts accumulated after the health crisis, aggravated by inflation and rising interest rates," the article states. Under the rules of ordinary law, many simply couldn't afford to get by," says the senator. According to 97150, this amendment makes it possible to set up repayment plans (for up to 60 months), along the lines of the Irma and Covid plans, to freeze surcharges and penalties from the moment of entry into the plan.and penalties as soon as the plan is implemented, and to permanently cancel surcharges if the plan is respected. For construction and public works companies, which are dependent on public orders, they will be given the opportunity to start the plan only when payments from the Collectivité are actually made.
Sint Maarten.
High tourist season measures
As the high tourist season approaches, the government of Sint Maarten intends to take "preliminary measures" that will soon come into effect via a ministerial order issued by the Minister of Justice, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Rural Affairs and the Interior (VROMI). "These measures aim to improve safety, traffic flow and the overall visitor experience during one of the busiest times of the year," says a government statement. Alleys will be closed to improve pedestrian safety and reduce traffic congestion. Prolonged parking will be prohibited in the vicinity of the A.C. Wathey cruise port entrance, Captain Hodge Wharf and Wastewater Treatment Plant Square, all of which are frequented by many visitors. Police will also be stepping up security measures in the Simpson Bay and Maho neighborhoods.
Antigua and Barbuda.
Alert on the rise in HIV cases among young people
Delcora Williams, head of Antigua and Barbuda's National Aids Program, has noted a worrying increase in HIV infections among young people, reports Caribbean National Weekly. According to the health professional, this trend is linked to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking on television, Delcora Williams declared that the region was "on its way to zero cases" before COVID-19 restrictions, clinic closures and reduced access to care wiped out years of progress. She pointed out that the increase is particularly marked among adolescents aged 15 to 19 and young adults aged 24 to 48.
