Pulse of the Caribbean

#65 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 2 Week of June 23

• Pulse of the Caribbean

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The Caribbean faces significant challenges and opportunities as EU visa policies target citizenship by investment programs, while regional organizations embrace technological solutions and economic diversification strategies to strengthen connections across the islands and beyond.

  • OECS Commission launches AI-powered assistant with InovaChat Solutions 
  • Dominican Republic partners with Spain and Hispasat on satellite-based project to improve digital access 
  • Bahamas Trade Commission pursuing economic relationships with Brazil, Panama, Dominican Republic, African nations, Europe and UK to diversify trade opportunities
  • British Virgin Islands announces inaugural 284 Excellence Film Festival for October 2025, focusing on adapting Caribbean literature into film
  • DirecTV Puerto Rico completed $13,500 in renovations to Ronald McDonald House in Puerto Rico

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Speaker 1:

This is the Pulse of the Caribbean Caribbean News Roundup. Now today's Caribbean News Headlines.

Speaker 2:

This podcast is brought to you by Victory Run Walk, sponsored by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Register now for the 5K, 10k and Half Marathon. Labor Day weekend St Thomas, us Virgin Islands and Diamond Key, marina, yosemite, british Virgin Islands. Home of Foxy's Taboo 10k and half marathon. Labor day weekend st thomas, us virgin islands and diamond key marina, yosemite, british virgin islands. Home of foxy's taboo and gateway to the bubbulse of the Caribbean.

Speaker 2:

News Roundup, episode 2 for the week of June 23rd. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We start our report at the Council of the European Union. A preliminary agreement between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union allows the EU to suspend visa-free travel for third country individuals who are exempt from European visas. According to reports, the new legislation might take effect on October 2025 and have a major impact on citizenship by investment programs. The EU says the operation of an investor citizenship scheme, whereby citizenship is granted to people who have no genuine link to the third country concern in exchange for predetermined payments or investments might trigger the visa suspension mechanism. This would impact Dominica, st Lucia, antigua and Barbuda, and Sinkitz and Nevis, which grant citizenship without residency. The EU stated that the new law will lead to more clarity about when the suspension of visa freedoms should kick in and make the mechanisms more effective. It proposes to extend visa exemptions temporary suspensions from nine months to 12 months.

Speaker 2:

Our next stop is the OECS. In a significant step towards digital public engagement, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, commission and InovaChat Solutions have launched an AI-powered assistant to make OECS information more available to the public. Innova Chat Solutions created the chat box to answer real-time questions about regional projects, initiatives and opportunities for educators, tourism experts, healthcare professionals, immigration officers, diplomats and airline agents. The chat box can also answer common OECS free movement of person regulations, mobility and right inquiries. This launch is one of numerous events celebrating the OECS's 44th anniversary, themed Adapting Innovating Sustaining a Unified OECS for a Changing World innovating sustaining a unified OECS for a changing world. Innova Chat Solutions CEO Joshua Andal said I look forward to helping citizens across the OECS region confidently navigate their rights. I want the chat box to assist more OECS projects, notably Ute, mobility, entrepreneurship and regional integration. Andal, a Grenada national, brings a long history of OECS Commission participation to this project. He has been involved in several OECS high-level forums.

Speaker 2:

Now on to the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic aimed to deal with the government of Spain and Spanish satellite operator, hispasat, to look at the country's involvement in a shared telecom space infrastructure project. This is part of an effort to improve digital access and reduce inequality. The project will bring satellite-based internet to distant and underserved areas of the country, which will help people become more digitally connected. The study is part of a larger effort in the region. Seven Latin American countries, including Colombia and Brazil, are taking part in early development studies. A technical roundtable with members from both countries will be set up to figure out what connectivity needs are, make public policies that include everyone and find ways to train local tech workers. The project, which is backed by Spain's Ministry of Economy and the technical know-how of Hispasat, promises long-lasting infrastructure which will improve areas like education, telemedicine and e-governance, while also helping the country to grow in the long term.

Speaker 2:

Our next stop is the Bahamas. As a part of the Bahamas government's effort to diversify commerce and export Bahamian goods, bahamas Senator Barry Griffin stated yesterday that the Bahamas Trade Commission Chairman Griffin said he wants a global Bahamas and that the commission is pursuing economic relationships with Brazil, panama and the Dominican Republic. Griffin said we are opening the doors to the African Continental Free Trade Area and unleashing the benefits of our European partnership agreements with Europe and the UK. Griffin said we are building trade bridges to Ghana and Nigeria. Griffin said the Bahamas Trade Commission's geographic and jurisdictional committees for Africa, latin America, asia and other regions will negotiate trade agreements Bahamians can use to grow exports. The commission is also assisting Bahamians import more, especially from within the Caribbean region. Griffin said Canada, jamaica, trinidad, colombia and Brazil have sent trade missions to offer Bahamian businesses options.

Speaker 2:

Next up, the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board and Film Commission launches Inaugural 284 Excellence in Film Festival. After this, get ready for Victory Run Walk 2025. Registration is open for the Virgin Islands 5K, 10k and half marathon. Register at VictoryRunWalkVIcom.

Speaker 2:

Whether you're a Caribbean national or just want to learn more about the Caribbean, you've got the right podcast. In our newest feature, the Pulse of the Caribbean podcast interview segment, episode number 50, meet Israel Peterson, culture bearer and teacher, as he shares the rich tradition of Mukajumbi stilt dancing and its deep cultural significance in the US Virgin Islands. His passion for preserving this African heritage shines through as he recounts his personal journey from childhood fascination to becoming a master practitioner. Pulse of the Caribbean podcast Listen online on our website, pulseofthegribeancom, or your favorite streaming platform. This is the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode two for the week of June 23rd.

Speaker 2:

The 284-284 Excellence Film Festival, a new Caribbean literature film festival presented by the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board and Film Commission, will take place from October 30th to November 2nd 2025. The BVI Tourist Board and Film Commission will host the first global cinema festival with an emphasis on Caribbean stories and perspectives as a cultural movement. The 284 Excellence Film Festival will feature Caribbean literature in motion, caribbean stories reimagined. The BVI Festival brings filmmakers, authors, students and cinephiles together to develop and celebrate cinematic storytelling. For the 284 Excellence Film Festival, filmmakers must adapt Caribbean literature into intriguing visual short stories. Film Commissioner Natalie Hod says uniting creative voices celebrating Caribbean stories is our goal, from student directors to worldwide filmmakers. Participants will attend screenings, networking activities and panel discussions on films, art and influence. The BVI film commissioner said the Bronze Lens Film Festival, miami Film Festival and Mayshow Film Festival provided invaluable support and collaboration. On the inaugural 284 Excellence Film Festival, hodge said we want to develop these connections and build bridges that unite and elevate creative ideas as we celebrate film brilliance worldwide.

Speaker 2:

Now here's our final note. Here's our final note as a part of a social impact effort, directv Puerto Rico unveiled major repairs to the Ronald McDonald House earlier this month in Puerto Rico during its annual DirecTV Day event. The campaign was spearheaded by DirecTV Cares, the company's corporate social responsibility platform. The company's corporate social responsibility platform, directv, spent $13,500 renovating and repairing the facilities which help families of young children undergoing medical care away from home. The restoration entailed cleaning, repairing and repainting the building's front, repairing a bathroom in one of the rooms and addressing structural fractures in the communal living area. Ronald McDonald House Charities welcomed the refurbishment as an important step towards their aim of providing a home away from home for families with children in care. In addition, 15 DirecTV employees volunteered 55 hours and prepared meals for the guests.

Speaker 2:

This podcast is brought to you by Victory Run Walk, sponsored by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Register. Now for the 5K, 10k and Half Marathon. Labor Day Weekend, st Thomas, us Virgin Islands, and Diamond Key. Marina, yosvendike, british Virgin Islands. Home of Foxy's Taboo and Gateway to the Bubbly Pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. Have news and information you'd like to share with us? Send news releases to news at pulseofthecaribbeancom. This has been your Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode 2, for the week of June 23rd. Here's a shout out to our listeners in New York and in Puerto Rico. Thank you for listening and do spread the word and share our podcast with others across the region and the diaspora. I'm Keisha Blyden. See you next time.

Speaker 1:

For more Caribbean news stories and information, visit us online at pulseofthecaribbeancom. If you found value in this podcast, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and thank you in advance for choosing Pulse of the Caribbean Caribbean News Roundup as your source for Caribbean-centered news.