Pulse of the Caribbean

#118 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 1 Week of September 29

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Caribbean leaders address critical regional issues at the UN General Assembly, with Jamaica's PM Holness calling for climate finance action and Haiti support while Antigua's PM Brown warns against militarization. News from across the region highlights infrastructure development, diplomatic relations, and innovative economic initiatives aimed at inclusive growth. Here are the stories making Caribbean headlines. 

  • Jamaica's PM Holness addresses UN on climate change impacts, Haiti security mission, and transnational crime networks
  • Antigua and Barbuda's PM Brown expresses concern over increased US military presence in the Caribbean
  • Guyana expanding port infrastructure to accommodate larger vessels and reduce consumer prices
  • Dominican Republic working to restore direct flights with Russia despite international sanctions
  • Grenada launches $500 minimum retail bond program to democratize investment opportunities
  • Des Moines school superintendent detained by ICE after fleeing into woods 

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SPEAKER_02:

This podcast is brought to you by Diamond Key Marina, Yosvendike, British Virgin Islands, home of Foxy's Taboo and Gateway to the Bubbly Pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. Welcome to the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode one for the week of September 29th. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We start a report today with a look at Jamaica's address to the United Nations. Jamaica's Prime Minister, Dr. Andrew Holness, addressed the 88th United Nations General Assembly General Debate in New York on Friday, September 26th. Dr. Holness has called for global climate finance action, increased backing for the multinational security support mission in Haiti, and inclusive policies that allow Cuba full economic participation. Dr. Holness spoke about climate change's disproportionate impact on small island developing states like Jamaica and its role in strengthening storms, droughts, and unpredictable rainfall. He said climate change damages infrastructure, displaces people, and reverses decades of prosperity. Jamaica, like many small island developing governments, faces climate financing inconsistencies, Dr. Holness said. Prime Minister Holness said the global financial arrangements unfairly penalizes reform-oriented countries like Jamaica with high boring rates and ignores their vulnerabilities. Jamaica supports the multidimensional vulnerability index, which assesses development needs and concessional financing eligibility better than per capita income. The Prime Minister highlighted Haiti's political instability, gang violence, and humanitarian issues. Kenya's leadership was praised during Haiti's multinational security support mission last year. Despite progress, situations are dire. While discussing next steps, Dr. Holness urged member states, especially the UN Security Council, to implement the Secretary General's Haiti Hybrid Framework. He said it needs member states' logistics and finance. Prime Minister Holness said Haiti proves that transnational criminal networks threaten sovereign states with cybercrime, guns, and drug trafficking, murder and destabilization. Dr. Holness has requested full implementation of the United Nations program of action to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and international tracing instruments. Big arm exporters should improve export controls and use monitoring and post-delivery verification. He said the Caribbean regional security cannot manage transnational threats alone. He said, What we need is a unified front with the same urgency resources and coordination the world has applied to terrorism. Only then can we turn the Caribbean and indeed the wider region into a true zone of peace. In related news, in addition to climate change, global financing, and international law, Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Gaston Brown cautioned the UN General Assembly Friday that the Caribbean must remain a zone of peace, citing increase in U.S. military deployments. Prime Minister Brown said, while Antigua and Barbuda is willing to engage with all partners against traffickers, the development of military capabilities, including a nuclear submarine, raises concerns about military war. He said, We urge everyone to regard our hemisphere as a peaceful zone, not a battlefield. Washington has deployed at least seven surface warships and a fast attack submarine to the Southern Caribbean to combat narco-terrorist cartels, according to the Trump administration. The Caribbean has traditionally advocated for peace and collaboration over militarization in hemispheric security, as Brown has stated. Now we head to Des Moines, Iowa, where U.S. Federal immigration officers stop a well-known leader of Iowa's largest school district Friday and detained him after he ran into the woods, shocking educators and community members. Des Moines public school superintendent, Ian Roberts, is said to have been in the United States illegally and had no work authorization, according to the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement known as ICE. ICE claimed Guyana-born Roberts was a fugitive because of a 2024 final deportation order. ICE stopped Roberts in his school-issued car on Friday to arrest him. The police found his car abandoned near a wooded area after he left. Iowa State Patrol troopers found and arrested him for ICE. According to jail and ICE Records, Roberts was arrested in Northwest Iowa Woodbury County late Friday afternoon. Whether Roberts had an attorney was unknown. Now on to Guyana. Guyana's port expansion to accommodate larger vessels will lower consumer prices, says Guyana's Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Diodot Indar. On Thursday, Minister Indar stressed the maritime sector's importance to the economy and highlighted plans to modernize it at an international World Maritime Day event. The maritime industry is expected to hit 4.2 trillion by 2031. Increased trading volumes necessitates more regulations. As Guyana rapidly develops, larger vessels with higher growth tonnage are already straining the infrastructure. That is why they are widening the river, the minister said. He explained that Guyana is deepening channels to accommodate ship sizes like the Panamax, which can pass through the original smaller Panama Canal locks. These huge vessels lower unit freight costs due to their volume. By lowering import costs, we can lower grocery pricing for consumables. Everything from garments to construction materials to electronics, Minister Indar said. If these vessels come to Guyana, dry docking facilities are needed. Indar stated that dry docking larger vessels in Guyana can relieve operators of mobilization and remobilization costs. According to Endar, the government is improving the sector through legislation. Port facility regulations and laws are being updated. He said Guyana aims to establish a port authority to match other port authorities worldwide. Next up, Dominican Republic and Russia strengthening diplomatic ties. After this.com. Get your ads in front of our ever-expanding Caribbean and diaspora community. Contact us at Biz BIZ at pulse of the Caribbean.com. Engage in networking and advertising with Pulse of the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic and Russia are strengthening diplomatic ties, as evidenced by a meeting between the Dominican Republic's Foreign Minister, Roberto Alvarez, and Russia's minister Sergez Lavro at the United Nations General Assembly being held in New York. A prominent topic was the prospective return of Moscow's Santo Domingo direct flights, which were suspended due to the Ukraine war and international sanctions. Despite these challenges, however, 26,000 Russian tourists visited the Dominican Republic last year. Travel demand remains high with Russian visitors pressing their government to restore flights to the Dominican Republic, according to Alvarez. Tourism, investments, trade, and multilateral corporation were discussed with Russia recognizing the Dominican Republic's Haiti issues. Although no dates were set, Alvarez stated that negotiations are progressing and the Dominican Republic's president Louis Abinadier will shortly announce the next steps in strengthening the alliance. And here's our final note. This initiative offers a safe, tax-free investment backed by Grenada's full faith and credit, a practical step towards making wealth building accessible to all. The retail bond program targets individual investors and seeks$5 million EC, or that's Eastern Caribbean dollars. The initiative allows first-time and small-scale investors to invest in national development while building wealth with a$500 minimum commitment, much lower than the traditional$5,000 threshold. Retail bond features include the two-year investment term, tax-free returns, easy access for new and small investors, effective for financial literacy and wealth creation. The effort promotes the Grenadian government's inclusive economic growth, citizen empowerment, and financial responsibility among Grenadians. This podcast has been brought to you by Diamond Key Marina, Yosemite, 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 pulsofthecaribbean.com. This has been your Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode one for the week of September 29th. Here's a special greeting going out to our listeners in Grenada, California, and Ireland. Thanks 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_00:

For more Caribbean news stories and information, visit us online at pulsofthecaribbean.com. 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 Freddie News.