Caribbean RoundUp

Caribbean

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and the immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York (MRNY), are calling on the New York City Public Schools (NY- CPS) Chancellor to take “immediate, decisive steps to better protect Caribbean and other immigrant students against potential United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement actions.”

They have sent a letter to the NYCPS Chancellor, Melissa Aviles-Ramos, urging her to protect school facilities and records from ICE.

NYCLU is a non-profit organization that defends civil liberties and civil rights in New York State. The NYCLU said the action follows President-elect Donald J. Trump’s announced plans to end restrictions on ICE arrests at sensitive locations, such as schools, places of worship, and hospitals.

MRNY said recommendations include strengthening protocols against non-local law enforcement’s access to school facilities and student records, codifying the updated protocol as regulation, and swiftly training school administrators, student safety agents, and other school staff to enforce the protocol properly.

“All young people in New York have the right to attend school, no matter their immigration status or their families,” said Johanna Miller, the NYCLU’s Education Policy Center director.

“Immigrant students and families are facing increasingly dangerous threats, both nationally and statewide, making children afraid of going to school.

“As the nation’s largest and most diverse public school system, it’s imperative that New York City take immediate steps to boldly and unapologetically protect all students’ rights to an education,” she added.

NYC Public School student and an MRNY member, Dali Alban, said every student, regardless of immigration status, deserves to feel safe in school.

Dominica

The Dominica Air and Sea Ports Authority (DASPA) said rescue efforts were “in progress” for a missing plane that left the Douglas Charles Airport on Sunday afternoon en route to the neighboring French island of Martinique.

DASPA said that the four-seater Cessna 172 aircraft had lost communications after its departure at around 3.46 p.m. (local time) “and all relevant local and French emergency response teams are currently working to locate it.

“Rescue efforts are in progress, and we confirm that the safety of the passenger and crew is paramount at this time. Further updates on the situation will be provided once they become available,” DASPA said.

No details were given as to how many people were on board the aircraft, and DASPA did not provide the pilot’s nationalities.

But eyewitnesses said that the plane is believed to have crashed between Riviere Cyrique and La Plaine on the island’s southeast coast.

Guyana

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni K. Singh, says since presenting the GUY$1.38 trillion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents) national budget to Parliament last recently, he has received “several requests” seeking further explanation regarding the personal income tax measures.

In a statement, Singh said that prior to the Irfaan Ali government coming to office in 2020, there have been two rates of income tax, namely, 28 and 40% with the threshold being set at GUY$60,000 monthly, or one-third of the salary whichever is greater.

Singh said as a result, at that time, the first GUY$60,000 or greater of the monthly salary would be taxed at zero per cent with the next GUY$120,000 of the monthly salary, twice the amount of the threshold, would be taxed at 28 per cent with the remainder of the monthly salary above that would be taxed at 40 per cent”.

But in his statement, he said the government’s intention is now to make adjustments in 2025 to the threshold and rates of personal income tax payable.

He said it will increase the threshold to GUY$130,000 monthly and lower the tax rates of 28% to 25% and 40% to 35%.

He said that the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 2025 that were tabled already incorporate the above adjustments, even though this full elaboration was not provided in the budget speech.

Haiti

Kenya says it will send an all-female Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team to reinforce security efforts in Haiti where criminal gangs are seeking to overthrow the government of the French-speaking CARICOM country.

In a brief statement, the Ministry of the Interior said that “as part of the unwavering commitment to the people of Haiti, Kenya will continue to deploy additional officers from various specialized units.”

It said this would include members of the General Service Unit (GSU), the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) “and an all-female Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team to reinforce security efforts and ensure sustained progress in restoring order.”

The female SWAT team comprises women who have undergone rigorous training and are designed to handle high-risk situations that require specialised skills. Additionally, the SWAT team is also trained to handle counter-terrorism operations, hostage rescues, and armed confrontations.

Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said the arrival of 218 Kenyan police and military personnel recently illustrates the determination of his government and the international community to eradicate armed gangs and restore peace and security.

“The arrival of these reinforcements marks a crucial step in freeing our country from the grip of criminal networks and restoring peace there,” he said.

The arrival of the Kenyans over the last weekend, brings the total strength of the United Nations Security Council sanctioned Multi-national Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti to 807 military and police officers, including 617

Kenyans, 150 Guatemalans, eight Salvadorans, six Bahamians, 24 Jamaicans and two Belizeans.

Jamaica

The Jamaican government will be introducing a new housing initiative to expand support and improve living conditions for Jamaicans in need.

Under the existing New Social Housing Program (NSHP), more than 300 families across the island have already received new homes.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says there is to be another layer of housing assistance that will help a wider cross-section of Jamaicans.

“We know that the benefit (of the NSHP) is in a way limited to the family, and there have been persons who have been saying to us when they see the program, that we need to have another layer… that there are persons who will need assistance to complete a roof, to complete their bath- rooms, windows, that is almost like giving them a brand new house,” he said.

“So, we have contemplated this and very shortly, I will be launching… the Building Grant Program where we do, from time to time, give a grant to qualified persons. We are looking at a new program now that will seek to address the conditions of housing generally across the country, that once we have assessed the home as being in need, we will try to ensure that the house has at least one secure room.”

Holness said the idea for the program stemmed from lessons learned during the passage of Hurricane Beryl in July last year.

— Compiled by Devika Ragoonanan