Pulse of the Caribbean

#130 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 2 Week of October 20

• Pulse of the Caribbean

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This episode tracks a fast-moving week from a U.S. radar request in Grenada and CARICOM’s firm stance on sovereignty to Haiti’s coordinated security push and BVI customs crackdowns. Here are some of the stories making Caribbean headlines.

  • OECS supports Grenada amid U.S. radar request
  • CARICOM commitment to a zone of peace and sovereignty
  • Joint security operations in Haiti to reopen routes and protect infrastructure
  • BVI customs intercepts gun parts and cash; scanners deployed
  • Dominican Republic Society of Infectious Diseases urges cross-border health surveillance with resurgence of cholera in Haiti
  • P&O Cruises now offers Barbados beach wedding packages
  • Grenada’s tourism profile rises with top awards

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Send news releases to news@pulseofthecaribbean.com. For Pulse of the Caribbean marketplace feature opportunities email biz@pulseofthecaribbean.com. Like and follow us on Facebook.

SPEAKER_00:

This podcast is brought to you by Diamond Key Marina, Yosmondike, British Virgin Islands, home of Foxy's taboo and gateway to the bubbly pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. To reserve morings at Diamond Key, visit Botiball.com. Welcome to the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, Episode 2 for the week of October 20th. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We start a report today in Grenada. Dr. Didicus Jules, Director General of St. Lucia Bay's Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Commission, has said that the group fully supports the government and people of Grenada as they navigate in ponderable currents. The Donald Trump administration has asked the Grenada government to temporarily install a radar at the Maurice Bishop International Airport and allow U.S. military assets to be deployed on Grenada or nearby. The Grenada government must now respond. The Coalition for a Zone of Peace, which includes lawyers, teachers, union members, and religious leaders, has asked the government to say no to the request. Now on to CARICOM. A number of issues on the regional agenda include the increased security buildup in the Caribbean and its impact on member states were discussed by leaders of the Caribbean community. They emphasized that the Caribbean region should remain a zone of peace and that peaceful resolutions of disputes and conflicts requires communication and cooperation. CARICOM is still prepared to assist in achieving that objective. The heads agreed on following, with Trinidad and Tobago maintaining their position. CARICOM heads of government reaffirmed their commitment to combating drug trafficking and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, both of which have a detrimental effect on the region. They stated that ongoing international cooperation and legal compliance are the best ways to address these issues. They reaffirmed their steadfast support for the safety of the people living in the region, as well as the territorial integrity and sovereignty of its member states. Our next stop is Haiti. The United Nations approved gang extermination force has begun its field operations in Haiti. The mission stated on Monday that they face fierce resistance from armed gangs in the Arbonite district, which is more than 100 kilometers north of Port-au-Prince. There were no deaths or injuries. The goal of the operation was to clear the Petite Revere Linicort Pont Sonde Highway. The Haitian National Police and the Haitian Armed Forces worked together on this. One operation on Friday lasted 15 hours. During that time, gangs tried to strengthen their position. The gang extermination force and Haitian National Police units stopped these efforts, making sure that armored vehicles could safely get into Pont Sonde, Petite Revere, and Lanecourt to help the local police. Joint patrols continued in Port-au-Prince in important areas like Kenskoff, the city center, the airport zone, and the National Police Academy. The goal was to isolate criminal groups, protect important infrastructure, and improve the National Police and Armed Forces' abilities to do their job. The Haitian government supports the gang extermination force, which takes the position of the multinational security support mission. They will have a 12-month first mandate. The United States and Panama co-sponsored a deployment, which the United Nations Security Council approved on September 30th. Our next stop is the British Virgin Islands. Recent report of a gun part being transported to the British Virgin Islands raised concerns about illicit firearms entry. A routine shipment inspection by British Virgin Islands custom agents at Roadtown Ferryport last week revealed the item. Officials found a semi-automatic weapon slide in a box intended for delivery. Questions revealed that the box was sent from the U.S. mainland to the U.S. Virgin Islands by the USPS and then delivered by a courier to the British Virgin Islands. The local courier company told BVI officials the sender wasn't a regular customer. Royal Virgin Islands police handled the material. This comes amid concerns over BVI gun trafficking. Crime rose 13% from 2024 between January and July. Gun crimes are still the deadliest. In related news, British Virgin Islands Acting Commissioner of Customs, Clinton Rumney, expressed concerns about drugs, guns, and substantial amounts of cash being smuggled into the British Virgin Island through ports of entry and courier services. Rumney told local ZBVI radio that customs agents recently stopped parcels coming through courier businesses at the Terence B. Letzum International Airport and the Rowtown Customs Station. He said that the Department of Customs is working closely with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, the National Security Council, and other groups to increase detection. They are putting scanners at different entry points. Romney also talked about an incident at the West End port where officers uncovered more than$80,000 hidden in a package from a man coming from the U.S. Virgin Islands. The police help arrest the person, and the money is now the subject of judicial proceedings. The Acting Commissioner made it clear that the agency is dedicated to protecting the British Virgin Islands borders and stopping the use of courier services for unlawful operations. In other news from the Dominican Republic, the Dominican Republic Society of Infectious Diseases has asked the Ministry of Public Health to act quickly after cholera outbreak has emerged in Haiti. The group asks for stronger epidemiological and environmental monitoring at border crossings and other places where the disease is likely to spread to the Dominican Republic. The Society said that the risk of cholera returning to the Dominican Republic has gone up because people are moving around more in border areas. And with heavy rains and lower water levels, this makes it easier for cholera to spread. They said that they are ready to help national efforts by providing technical training, updating protocols, and raising public awareness, all in line with the World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization guidelines. Recent data shows that Haiti recorded 112 suspected cases of cholera in early October. Of these, 10 were confirmed, further three were hospitalized, and two died, largely in the Quest Department, where Port au Prince is located. So far in 2025, there have been 2,797 suspected cases, 114 confirmed infections, 2,023 hospitalizations, and 47 deaths in the country. This shows that the disease is still spreading and resurging in densely populated areas. Next up, beach weddings in Barbados, now offered by PO cruises after this. For Pulse of the Caribbean podcast advertising or marketplace feature opportunities, email bizbiz at pulsofthecaribbean.com. Get your ads in front of our ever-expanding Caribbean and diaspora community. Contact us at BizBiz at pulsofthecaribbean.com. Engage in networking and advertising with Pulse of the Caribbean. This is the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode two for the week of October 20th. PO Cruises now offers Caribbean Beach Weddings in Barbados. A package from PO enables couples aboard to plan beach nuptials in Barbados. Barbados was named the region's best wedding venue again. Barbados Bats Rock, Needham Point, and Little Good Shepherd Beaches are PO Cruise Line wedding options. Visitors can also use the Fairmont Royal Pavilion's Beach or Garden. On October 4th, the World Travel Awards Caribbean and North American Gala Ceremony at Sandals Grand in St. Lucia confirmed Barbados as the Caribbean's top wedding location. And here's our final note. Several of the island's best resorts have won accolades from Conde Nas Traveler and Michelin Guide. The UK Readers Choice Awards 2025 rated Silver Sands Beach House the finest hotel in the Caribbean. Grenada also won votes for Grenada was also voted one of the ten best islands in the Caribbean and the Atlantic. Grenada is on the list of best places to visit in the 2025 Michelin Guide, and three of its hotels were praised for their great service. This podcast has been 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. To reserve moorings at Diamond Key, visit Botiball.com. Have news or information you'd like to share with us, send news releases to news at pulse of the Caribbean.com. This has been your Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode two for the week of October 20th. Here's a special greeting going out to our listeners in Turks and Caicos Islands, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and the UK. Thanks for listening and do spread the word and share a podcast with others across the region and the diaspora. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook. I'm Keisha Blyden. See you next time.

SPEAKER_01:

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 centered news.