Pulse of the Caribbean

#131 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 3 Week of October 20

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This episode tracks tropical storm weather, security, energy, health, and investments. Here are some of the stories making Caribbean headlines.

  • Tropical Storm Melissa forecast to become a hurricane
  • Venezuela postures air defense amid U.S. military presence
  • Grenada reviews U.S. radar request
  • Guyana’s flour mill investment and cassava plans
  • USVI  Senator calls for restructuring of the islands' Water and Power Authority
  • St. Kitts and Nevis recruits Ghanaian nurses
  • Dominican Republic positioning itself as a top destination for health, wellness, and retirement tourism 

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This podcast is brought to you by Diamond Key Marina, Yosvindike, British Virgin Islands, home of Foxy's taboo and gateway to the bubbly pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. To reserve more rings at Diamond Key, visit Bowteball.com. Welcome to Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode three for the week of October 20th. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We saw a report with a look at Tropical Storm Melissa. Tropical Storm Melissa is centered 210 nautical miles south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, moving west-northwest at 3 knots, with maximum sustained wind speeds at 45 knots with gusts to 55 knots. Scattered heavy showers and strong thunderstorms are occurring up to 95 nautical miles in the northwest quadrant from the center and farther southeast and south of the center. Peak seas are from 18 to 20 feet just north and east of the center. A slow northwest or north motion is forecast during the next couple days, followed by a westward turn over the weekend. On the forecast track, Melissa is expected to be nearer to Jamaica and to the southwestern portion of Haiti during the next couple of days. Little change in strength is expected during the next day or so, but significant strengthening is expected by late Friday and over the weekend. Melissa is forecast to become a hurricane in a couple of days. Swells generated by Melissa are expected to affect positions of Hispaniola, Jamaica, and eastern Cuba during the next several days. Always listening to local forecasts for weather updates. Now on to Venezuela. Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro announced Wednesday that Venezuela had placed 5,000 Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles in key air defense positions, amid growing U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, according to reports from CNN. Like the American Stinger, the Russian IGLA S missiles are short-range low altitude. They can shoot down cruise missiles, drones, helicopters, and low-flying planes. One soldier could carry the missiles, which Maduro said has been utilized even in the last mountain, the last town, and the last city of the territory. The U.S. has sent Marines and sailors to the Caribbean to fight drug cartels. It has struck several alleged Caribbean drug smuggling boats while strikes on narco boats have been questioned by U.S. politicians from both parties. U.S. President Trump declared he authorized CIA operations in Venezuela. He also said that the U.S. would consider military operations on land in Venezuela, which is reportedly a campaign aimed at ousting Maduro. Our next stop is Grenada. Grenada's Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell noted that nothing has changed since Grenada's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the request from the Donald Trump U.S. administration to install a temporary radar at the Maurice Bishop International Airport and military assets on or near Grenada. His anticipated statement to Parliament will be an update, he said. Instead of Friday, October 24th, the lower house of parliament will meet on October 28th. After the August 2025 requests, Grenada's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they were evaluating the requests, and nothing has changed, and it is a technical concern that requires a lot of technical people to guide on what is being requested. Although media outlets inform the public of the request, Grenada is not in a hurry to respond. The Prime Minister Mitchell is also Minister for National Security. In other news from Guyana, the national milling company of Guyana, owned and managed by Seaboard Corporation, a diversified global agribusiness and transportation company, announced a landmark ten billion Guyanese dollar investment valued at over 48 million US dollars to boost local flour milling production and capacity. This investment will build a new processing mill, wheat storage facilities, and a wharf to meet domestic and export demand. The project cements the company's long-term commitment to Guyana agri-industrial growth and regional food security. The new processing mill is expected to improve local production and provide technical operations and logistical jobs. Local knowledge and advanced milling processes will be developed through current technologies and training. In addition to this expansion, the National Milling Company is working with the Guyana government to commercialize cassava flour. This effort seeks to diversify Guyana's flour offerings, encouraging agricultural innovation and boost food self-sufficiency. The new facilities will be built in the first quarter of 2026 with commissioning anticipated in 2027. Seaboard will also investigate integrated pork production and processing and liquefied natural gas distribution options in Guinea's territory, expressing its long-term confidence in the economy. Our next stop is the U.S. Virgin Islands. U.S. Virgin Islands Senator Ray Fonseca has proposed a Chapter 9 insolvency case to restructure the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority. Huge debt or a federal government takeover of its St. Thomas operations. According to the Senator, years of financial mismanagement, institutional failures, and rising problems have exhausted the Authority and its community. Fonseca plans comes as WAPA's finances and operations slide. The Senator listed many critical important issues that have rendered the authority unable to self-correct. Fonseca estimate WAPA owes vendors$400 million and has a liability reaching$1 billion. The Senator also noted WAPA's electricity generating, transmission, and billing system issues. Fuel prices remain uncompetitive while solar capacity and energy power resources are insufficient to fulfill demand. He said WAPA's credit rating has dropped due to investor doubts about the authorities' capacity to satisfy its obligations or emerge from its crisis. Senator Farseca said without fundamental reform, WAPA would decline, hurting the Virgin Islands economy. He said that Chapter 9 restructuring and federal assistance are needed to stabilize, modernize, and restore public confidence in the utility. Next up, St. Kitts and Nevis recruits Ghanian nurses 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 pulse of the Caribbean.com. Engage in networking and advertising with Pulse of the Caribbean. This is the Pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode three for the week of October 20th. Dr. Tanz Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kits and Nevis, said a new cohort of professional nurses from Ghana will soon join the Federation's health care workforce, a tangible benefit of the Federation's growing relationship with Africa. At his October 7th media round table, the Prime Minister stressed that recruiting Ghanaian nurses is part of his administration's policy of strengthening South South Corporation and sustainable partnership with African nations. Dr. Drew explained that this initiative is part of a larger strategy to strengthen human resource capacity in health, education, and technology while advancing Sinkitz and Nevis regional and international Africa-Caribbean corporation agenda. He said the recruiting is not transactional, but based on a long-term vision of mutual growth and cultural exchange between Africa and the Caribbean, two regions linked by history, legacy, and a desire to define their own development destiny. This year, the Prime Minister co-chaired the first in-person meeting between CARICOM heads of government and the African Union in Adidas Ababa, Ethiopia. He has stressed the significance of turning historical and diplomatic relations into practical results. And here's our final note. Strategic and ethical communication has helped create trust and position the Dominican Republic as a competitive health and wellness tourism destination, according to Reyes Mora. The home's health wellness center was honored for its innovative integration of a medical complex, hotel, and convention center that meant international standards, and Dr. Henry Galardo was honored for his leadership in advancing healthcare collaborations in Latin America. The Dominican Republic's health minister, Dr. Victor Atala, launched the event promoting investment, innovation, and alliances to boost the Dominican Republic's position as a top destination for health, wellness, and retirement tourism. This podcast has been brought to you by Diamond Key Marina, Yosmendike, British Virgin Island, home of Foxy's Taboo and Gateway to the Bubbly Pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. Want to reserve more at Diamond Key Marina? Visit Botiball.com. 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 three for the week of October 20th. Here's a special greeting going out to our listeners in Bermuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Texas and Japan. Thanks for listening and do spread the word and share our 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.

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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.