Caribbean RoundUp

Antigua and Barbuda

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is advancing an initiative to include wealthy citizens in the country’s hospitality industry through a targeted land allocation program.

The government said it offers ocean-view Crown land exclusively to Antiguan and Barbudan citizens to develop high-end rental properties.

The government plans to construct sample luxury homes at each location to showcase the potential of these properties.

Cabinet spokesperson Lionel Hurst said, “The sample homes will be funded by either the National Housing Authority or the Central Government itself, and acted upon and carried out by the National Housing Authority.

“There’s no doubt that when one can see what is likely to be the product, that one is more inclined to part with one’s money to build one than if one is just called upon to imagine what it would be like,” he said.

The initiative aims to redirect citizen investments from low-yield savings accounts to the more profitable tourism sector.

Several citizens have reportedly expressed interest in the program, with the government currently assessing their capacity to undertake such developments.

Barbados

Barbados will host the 69th annual health research conference of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (Carpha) from May 7 to 9.

The conference, which will be held under the theme “Mental Health: The Hidden Pandemic,” will bring together researchers, policymakers, and health professionals from the region and internationally.

Barbados chief medical officer Dr. Kenneth George said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials have seen a 100% increase in people seeking mental health services, particularly younger people.

George said there has been an increase in Alzheimer’s and neuro-cognitive disease in older people.

“These affect over half of elderly persons by age 80, and up to 70% by age 85.”

He said the rise in mental health conditions was not unique to Barbados, but the trend could be seen throughout the region.

Carpha’s executive director, Dr. Lisa Indar, said the regional health agency is expected to partner with youth organizations for the conference to ensure the youth have a seat at the table.

“We are committed, not just to Barbados but with PAHO, to look at how we can develop a targeted program that allows us to address what is happening with youth mental health,” she said.

Caribbean

The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is collaborating with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) on a new initiative to modernize tourism education and workforce development across the Caribbean.

The region’s premier financial institution said the project aims to strengthen the Caribbean’s competitiveness in an industry vital to its economic stability.

The Tourism Human Capital Development Project, funded through CDB’s Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services (CTCS) Network, will allocate approximately US$400,000 to update training materials, develop workforce management tools, and deliver professional development programs. The project aims to bolster the sustainability of the tourism industry, particularly for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

The CDB said that by modernizing educational resources, the initiative would enhance tourism curricula, improve workplace management, and expand training opportunities for employers, workers, and entrepreneurs in CTO member countries.

“These efforts will equip industry professionals with the skills needed to adapt to evolving market demands and ensure the sector’s long-term resilience,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, the CTO’s secretary general and CEO.

The CDB said that given global economic uncertainties, increased competition, and a growing emphasis on sustainable tourism, attracting and retaining skilled workers will be crucial to the region’s financial future.

Grenada

Grenada’s Opposition Leader Emmalin Pierre recently described the 2025 national budget presented to parliament earlier this month as “troubling,” saying the fiscal package is not one for all the country’s people but for a few.

“Our people deserve better, and I will continue to stand with them, advocating for their interests, ensuring that their voices are heard while pushing for real change,” Pierre said in her speech as Opposition Leader to a budget presentation.

Minister of Finance Dennis Cornwall presented an EC$1.91 billion (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) budget, which he said had been shaped against a complex macroeconomic backdrop, shaped by domestic and external factors.

Despite the devastating impact of a major hurricane, he told legislators that robust economic performance in 2024 emphasized Grenada’s growing resilience and claimed the near-term outlook was also favorable.

But Pierre told legislators she could not “in good conscience, support this budget. It does nothing to address the urgent crises facing our people, the need for safeguards against potential economic shocks, and the broken healthcare system in crisis.

“It fails to create meaningful opportunities for the business communities for our citizens, nor will it create new jobs. It fails to inspire hope in our youth.It will not stimulate the economy nor reduce the cost of living,” said Pierre.

Haiti

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is expressing its “deep concern” at the alarming deterioration of the security situation in Haiti; it said it is characterized by a new escalation of extreme violence in the country.

It said that the violence executed by armed groups continues to claim the lives of victims and cause massive population displacement.

It said the violence in the country seriously threatens the lives and security of the population and reflects the lack of state control over these armed groups.

This circumstance leads to the forced displacement of thousands of people due to the violence. In less than a month, more than 6,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, according to a UN report which was published last month.

“Haiti is experiencing a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions, as relentless attacks by armed groups continue to flourish amid institutional weakness. The IACHR reiterates its urgent call to the international community and the Haitian authorities to adopt immediate and effective measures to protect the civilian population, strengthen the rule of law, and guarantee the security and fundamental rights of the Haitian people.”

The IACHR said it is reaffirming its commitment to monitoring the situation in Haiti and deploying all its mechanisms to collaborate in restoring human rights guarantees in the country.

Jamaica

Jamaica’s National Security Minister, Dr. Horace Chang, said the country has recorded a 30% decrease in murders since the start of this year,

Addressing the Sandals Corporate University Leadership Training Initiative, Chang said that he remains optimistic that the downward trend would continue and that Jamaica could record fewer than 1,000 murders by the end of the year.

“I look at those statistics regularly, and I can say today, nationally, we are 30.7 % behind. It’s the first time we are going to hit 30%. If we maintain that, we’ll go below the target of 1,000,” he told the ceremony.

Figures released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) show that for the period Jan. 1 to March 8 this year, the country had recorded a total of 145 murders compared to 196 for the same period last year.

The JCF said that shootings had also declined from 188 last year to 147 and that other serious crimes, such as rape, had also registered a decline.

In his address to the conference, the National Security Minister lauded the Area One Police Division for achieving the most significant percentage decline in the number of murders recorded so far since the start of this year.

Compiled by Devika Ragoonanan