Caribbean RoundUp

Barbados

The Legal Professions Act is being re-examined for the first time in half a century in Barbados. Chief Justice Leslie Haynes has notified lawyers that the amended legislation will hold them more accountable.

While addressing 53 new attorneys admitted to the bar in Barbados, he said considerations of a new Legal Professions Act were “well advanced.”

“The time is ripe for us to consider the requirements for admission to the local bar as well as, and in some instances more importantly, the process by which those who have gone astray are removed. The present provisions for the profession to maintain its accountability and defend its processes are cumbersome and outdated,“ Haynes said.

“We, as the judiciary of Barbados, urge you who are being admitted to the bar today to stay within acceptable lines of conduct.

“With the expected changes to the Act, you will be held accountable when you fall below the accepted standard,“ he added.

Caribbean

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued an epidemiological update on Oropouche virus disease (OROV), emphasizing the importance of strengthening diagnosis, clinical management, prevention, and vector control measures in the Americas, including the Caribbean.

PAHO said that from January to early October this year, 10,275 confirmed cases of Oropouche were reported in nine countries in the region, the majority of which was in Brazil. Other affected countries include Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guyana, and Peru.

Since the last epidemiological alert was issued on Sept. 6, PAHO said 423 additional cases of Oropouche were reported, including from two countries that had not previously reported cases – Ecuador and Guyana.

Oropouche fever is a viral disease characterized by high fever, severe headache, photophobia, and muscle and joint pain. It generally resolves within two to three weeks.

In some cases, it can cause more serious complications, such as meningitis or encephalitis. “Currently, there are no specific vaccines or antiviral treatments available, and management focuses on symptomatic relief,“ the statement said.

In 2024, PAHO said the virus had been detected in areas where transmission was not previously reported.

PAHO has urged member-states to report any unusual events related to the disease, including deaths associated with OROV and cases of possible vertical transmission, as this information is crucial for improving epidemiological surveillance.

Grenada

The Grenada government says it will not present the 2025 national budget this year but will do so early next year, either in January or February.

Speaking at a news conference, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell also announced a pension plan for public sector workers. He said the decision to postpone the fiscal package was a result of the significant disruptions caused by Hurricane Beryl and recent fiscal developments.

The hurricane left widespread damage, overwhelming local infrastructure and demanding a substantial portion of the government’s resources for recovery efforts.

Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund said Grenada had suffered substantial losses and damage due to the hurricane’s passage.

“First of all, we’ve had a significant disruption caused by Hurricane Beryl.

“We only recently passed the supplemental budget, which also includes addressing the damage caused by Beryl. We’ve had to take several actions, including suspending some parts of the Fiscal Management and Resilience Act,“ Mitchell told reporters.

He acknowledged that the hurricane’s impact has forced the Government to adopt several extraordinary fiscal measures, allowing the country to redirect funds toward rebuilding and recovery.

Mitchell said the government would use the additional time to consult with stakeholders and citizens to ensure that the final budget reflected the nation’s most pressing needs and long-term goals.

“We believe it will give us more opportunity to have deeper, more meaningful, and more extensive engagement with our citizens and stakeholders as we prepare the budget,“ Mitchell said.

Haiti

Numerous gangs attacked several communities in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince recently, setting fire to homes and a church as bullets rattled through the area.

Gangs opened fire in Solino, St. Michel, Tabarre 27, and other neighborhoods, with panicked residents calling radio stations pleading for help.

A police union also called for help on X, saying it had information that multiple gunmen were preparing to invade Solino.

“Immediate action is required!“ it wrote.

Radio Télé Métronome reported that the swearing-in of Haiti’s provisional electoral council in downtown Port-au-Prince was moved to a safer area.

It was not clear what caused the latest attack, which comes just days after Haitian and Kenyan police leading a UN-backed mission to crack down on gang violence killed at least 20 suspected gang members in an area controlled by the 400 Mawozo gang that operates mainly in Tabarre.

Gangs control approximately 80 % of Port-au-Prince, even though communities like Solino have been fighting attempts by gunmen to prevent it.

Jamaica

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently confirmed that a new international airport will be established in the tourist resort town of Negril in the island’s western end.

Holness, who spoke to travel advisors at the Sandals Jamaica Love sales event, also announced a new passenger terminal at the Sangster International Airport in the western city of Montego Bay.

He also added that the ongoing US$320-million South Coast highway that will link Harbour View in East Kingston to Port Antonio, in the eastern parish of Portland; the US$225-million perimeter road being built out of Montego Bay; the Lucea bypass road in the western parish of Hanover that would “cost a massive investment“ and “spending, in five years, more money than had been spent in the previous 30 years“ to make the country more secure.

He continued by saying that the airport projects would ensure that visitors could move seamlessly throughout the island while developing tourism in the eastern parishes of Portland and St. Mary.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Twenty-two companies across various sectors will participate in a trade mission to St. Vincent and the Grenadines from Oct. 21 to 25, led by the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA). 

Some sectors participating in the trade mission are food and beverage, construction, chemicals, household products, shipping and logistics, printing and packaging, HVAC services, automotive, safety, and professional and IT services.

The TTMA said some companies include SMEs and micro enterprises, such as Mac’s Seasoning & Sauces, Punchy Punch Drink Ltd, Gem Printery Ltd, and Styrofoams Ltd. 

Susan Singh-Seerattan, the director of Trade Facilitation at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, will represent the Minister of Trade and Industry on the mission. 

The TTMA says the mission aims to expand the export footprint of T&T’s manufacturing sector into Eastern Caribbean territories. 

Also, TTMA is seeking to help participating companies secure new contacts and business deals through face-to-face meetings, networking events, and site visits, thereby enhancing their export potential and market presence in St Vincent and the Grenadines. 

To provide more context regarding the trade relation value, the TTMA said T&T continues to enjoy a favorable trade balance with St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Flavored water, baked goods, and petroleum gas were the top exports, while cassava, spices, and bananas were the top imports.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines remains an essential partner for T&T’s supply of root crops such as dasheen, cassava, tannia, yam, and ginger. 

The association added that in 2017, the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and St. Vincent & the Grenadines signed an EC$20,000 trade arrangement to export products from St. Vincent to Trinidad, in an attempt to increase the island’s exports to traditional markets in the CARICOM region. 

— Compiled by Devika Ragoonanan