Category: BusinessDayTest

The California-based Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) has ‘strongly condemned’ the Donald Trump administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday posted a notice on the Federal Register terminating TPS for Haiti, effective February 3, 2026.

‘This decision is deeply troubling because, despite the termination, numerous credible assessments continue to confirm that Haiti remains dangerously unstable,’ HBA Executive Director Guerline Jozef told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

‘For instance, ongoing reports from human rights organizations and US-based observers highlight pervasive gang violence, widespread displacement, political turmoil, and the collapse of essential state institutions.

‘Additionally, Haiti’s longstanding vulnerabilities, exacerbated by the 2010 earthquake, which killed more than two thousand people and subsequent crises, continue to threaten the lives and safety of ordinary Haitians,’ Jozef added.

She said more than 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, is controlled by gangs ‘and to tackle the severe insecurity crisis, the United States, through the United Nations, has funded that Multinational Security Support (MSS), led by Kenya, and most recently transformed it to the Gang Suppression Force (GSF)’.

Jozef said that the United Nations Office of Migration announced more than 1.4 million people in Haiti have been displaced due to insecurity and gang violence.

She said terminating TPS now places more than 500,000 Haitian nationals, many of whom have lived in the United States for over a decade, in immediate jeopardy of losing lawful status, ‘despite their critical contributions to local economies across healthcare, construction, caregiving, and service industries.

‘Let us be clear: ending TPS for Haiti is not a policy decision, it is an act of violence against immigrant families and their children who have called the US home for over a decade,’ Jozef said.

‘When the US government knowingly chooses to send people back to a nation that they themselves have put on a category 4 do not travel due to the continued political crisis, that is state-sponsored cruelty on the eve of Thanksgiving,’ she added.

Jozef said the Trump administration’s decision will also impact millions of Haitians back in Haiti who depend on remittances sent by relatives.

‘We reject the idea that our communities must constantly justify their right to live, to work, to be safe. TPS is the bare minimum of protection, and even that is being stripped away. This is why we organize, resist, and demand a world where migration is not weaponized against the most vulnerable.’

Jozef is urging President Trump to reverse the decision to terminate TPS for Haiti, calling also on the United States Congress to create a ‘permanent, humane pathway for Haitian TPS holders.

‘We further urge federal officials to ensure that all assessments of country conditions remain transparent, accurate, and grounded in human rights principles rather than political expedience.

‘Ultimately, Haitian TPS holders are essential members of our communities-workers, parents, caregivers, and neighbors-and deporting them would destabilize families, disrupt local economies, and betray America’s longstanding commitments to protecting those fleeing harm,’ Jozef added.

She said that the Haitian Bridge Alliance stands firm in demanding ‘compassion, justice, and dignity for all Haitian immigrants during this critical moment’.

The DHS said that, after consulting with interagency partners, its Secretary Kristi Noem ‘concluded that Haiti no longer meets the statutory requirements for TPS.

‘This decision was based on a review conducted by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, input from relevant US government agencies, and an analysis indicating that allowing Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is inconsistent with US national interests,’ said DHS in a statement.

‘If you are an alien who is currently a beneficiary of TPS for Haiti, you should prepare to depart if you have no other lawful basis for remaining in the United States,’ it added.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has welcomed the passage of the stand your ground legislation even as opposition legislators last night voted against the legislation.

Parliament on Wednesday night approved the Home Invasion (Self-Defence and Defence of Property) Bill 2025, commonly known as ‘strand your ground legislation’, with 23 government legislators supporting the measure and 10 opposition members voting against. There were no abstentions. It now goes before the Senate.

In a statement posted on X, Prime Minister Persad -Bissessar said that she was ‘pleased’ with the passage of the bill, noting ‘regrettably – though unsurprisingly – the Opposition voted against this critical legislation, once again failing to put the safety of our people first’.

She said the under the legislation, home invasion now carries a TT$500,000(One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) fine and 20 years’ imprisonment.

Persad-Bissessar said harsher penalties will be a TT$750,000 fine and 25 years’ imprisonment, which will ‘apply to gang members, organised criminals, or offenders acting in the presence of a child, senior, person with a disability, or other vulnerable individual’.

She said home occupants ‘have no duty to retreat and may use or threaten force to defend themselves or others’ and that ‘deadly force may be justified where there is an honest belief that it is necessary to prevent imminent death, grievous bodily harm, or grievous sexual assault.

‘This law puts the rights of law-abiding citizens first and sends a clear message: attacks on our homes will not be tolerated.’

Minister of Defence and Minister in the Ministry of Homeland Security, Wayne Sturge, told Parliament that it is now firmly embedded in statute ‘that you have no duty to retreat , that you can stand your ground and that the law will not expect you to.wait your exact measure of response and that you are entitled to respond if you honestly believe that you are under attack and that you are entitled to use whatever force that you deem necessary in that situation.

‘Because, obviously, the court is not going to hold you to their own standard, because the court was not in the situation. The court was not there 2.00 am in the morning and would say well he should have done something differently’.

The criminal attorney said that the court will take into account, as this bill recommends, ‘the level of anxiety, the stress that you are under, knowing that your children could be raped, robbed and possibly killed’.

Sturge said ‘this bill seeks to strike fear into the minds and hearts of the bandit. The bandits must know when they come in your house and very soon .the bandits must know that when they come into your house, there will be a chance, a real chance they might not be going out.

‘The bandits must know that it is better and the homeowner mist know, that it is better to be judged by 12 if it comes to that and carried by six. The bandit must know when he comes in with fire power, your fire power will be matched. The bandit must know that the citizen is protected by this law, so that when he goes in he may not come out,’ Sturge said.

Former prime minister Stuart Young, warned about the legislation, recalling an incident where a man reported that a bandit had robbed him of his licenced firearm and cash at home, and although he was traumtised he was unhurt.

‘And to come here.to tell the population that these nine clauses will assist in a home invasion, the hypocrisy and the irony does not escape me and nor will it escape the population.

‘Because the same proposition you are making that if you have a licensed firearm you will be able to handle a home invasion, he failed. We are concerned on this side that in the continued smoke and mirrors that takes place with the other side, this bill must not be looked at in isolation because the promise of firearms to persons who legitimately should and may hold firearms does not fall within the province of the government,’ Young added.

Earlier, Attorney General, John Jeremie had in tabling the legislation, said it is based on a long established maxim that a man’s home is his castle and that the ‘doctrine is that a lawful occupant of a dwelling house has the right to use necessary force, including deadly force against an attack and invader .without retreating from that individual if the occupier reasonably believes that the invader would commit an offence against him or others in the dwelling house.’

But former junior national security minister, Keith Scotland, said that any innocent life ‘taken on a mistaken belief that a person is a criminal or has criminal intent that is a travesty of justice.

‘In this life, it is not a dress rehearsal ..and for that deceased there is no return, there is no jury, there is no opportunity to present his or her defence and what about the person who actually does the act.

Fast bowler Johann Layne bowled impressively to snare three wickets as the West Indies’ two-day warmup match against a New Zealand XI petered out into a tame, predictable draw here at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval on Thursday.

After declaring on their overnight total of 346 for five, the West Indies returned to bowl out their opponents for 264 in 73.4 overs on the last day.

Johann Layne snared three wickets on the final day of their two-day warmup match against a New Zealand XI.

Kemar Roach and Anderson Phillip made early inroads by dismissing Scott Janett and Jesse Frew, respectively, to leave the home side in trouble at four for two.

Layne then got in on the action by having Sam Cassidy caught for 28, as New Zealand XI slipped to 45 for three.

However, a 126-run partnership between Cam Paul, who topscored with 91 and Muhammad Abbas, who made 61, carried them to relative safety.

Layne broke the partnership when he had Abbas caught behind and four balls later, he sent Marco Alpe packing in the same fashion for a duck, as New Zealand XI slipped to 171 for five.

Spinners Kavem Hodge and Jomel Warrican then polished off the tail by snaring two wickets apiece.

Layne finished with 3-33 from his nine overs, while Hodge took 2-32 and Warrican 2-45.

Premier David Burt says his administration remains ‘firmly focused’ on protecting Bermuda from financial crime and related nefarious activities, as the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee (NAMLC), announced the publication of the 2024 National Risk Assessment (NRA) on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.

The NAMLC said that the publication is the fourth assessment in Bermuda’s ongoing series, underscoring the jurisdiction’s deepening expertise in identifying, assessing, and understanding Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ML/TF) risks.

‘The 2024 NRA reflects our collective vigilance and longstanding commitment across both public and private sectors to ensure Bermuda continues combating money laundering and terrorist financing effectively,’ Burt said.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Kim Wilkerson, in thanking ‘everyone who invested time and rigour this assessment demanded,’ said the ‘work done exemplifies Bermuda’s high standards and affirms our commitment to confront emerging risks precisely while keeping our jurisdiction anchored in resilience and the rule of law’.

The NAMLC said that the document builds upon Bermuda’s extensive experience in risk-based regulation and reflects the jurisdiction’s commitment to continually evaluating potential risks arising from new financial products, business practices, delivery mechanisms, and evolving technologies.

It said the findings will inform national AML/ATF policy and action plans, while also providing the private sector with crucial insights to strengthen operational resilience in a dynamic global environment.

‘The report reinforces Bermuda’s dedication to maintaining robust AML/ATF systems, supporting both business confidence and jurisdictional resilience.’

The report notes that the misuse of citizenship to carry out financial crime, particularly money laundering, is a serious risk to the island and that ‘Bermuda’s risk for money laundering remains high’.

It said that this reflects the fact that foreign predicate offences, such as fraud, corruption and bribery, market manipulation/insider trading and tax crimes, continue to pose a high or medium-high threat to Bermuda.

It said that drug trafficking also posed a high threat for Bermuda, as did proceeds from foreign and domestic crimes.

The threat in the trust and legal sectors was rated high for money-laundering risk, driven by the size and complexity of the sector, while the deposit-taking sector, securities and corporate service providers were rated as medium-high risk.

But it noted that the regulated insurance (long-term and life) and accounting arenas fared slightly better, with medium threat ratings.

‘Bermuda recognises the potential impact of money laundering on its financial sector. It is committed to continually updating its understanding of ML risks to enhance the country’s robust AML controls,’ saod the report, noting that the risk of the British Overseas Territory being involved in terrorst funding is low and that there was no evidence to show that the island had been used in this way.

Bermuda also maintained a low domestic terrorist threat.

The leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Dr. Godwin Friday, Thursday ended 25 years of being in the political wilderness after voters in St. Vincent and the Grenadines gave his party an overwhelming victory in the general election and in the process prevented the longest serving government leader of extending his hold on power.

Preliminary results show that the NDP won at least 11 of the 15 seats in the general election putting a halt to outgoing Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves’ desire of leading the Unity Labour Party (ULP) to a sixth consecutive victory.

Gonsalves was among the ULP candidates to have retained their seats, but among the casualties were his son and Finance Minister, Camillo Gonsalves, who lost to to the NDP’s Laverine Gibson-Velox.

‘I believe the voter is always right and the voice of the people is the voice of God and even inmy disappointment today, I hold fast to those beliefs as the foundation of our democracy,’ the outgoing Finance Minister said, congratulating Gibson-Velox on her victory

‘They said sometimes you win and sometimes you lose and I am definitely learning a lot tonight,’ he added.

Barbados has signed a partnership agreement with Nigeria to advance local pharmaceutical production, strengthen regulatory cooperation, and expand regional market access across the Caribbean, Latin America, as well as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Barbados Pharmaceuticals Inc. (BPI) and Nigeria’s Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), establishing a comprehensive framework for collaboration in four areas, namely industrial capacity and human capital development, market access and market shaping, clinical trials cooperation and regulatory, financing, and policy alignment

Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate (left) and Barbados’ Minister of Health, Dr. . Jerome Walcott, sign the Memorandum of Understanding in Abuja, Nigeria.

A government statement said that the agreement signed in Nigeria, follows months of high-level engagements, including ministerial discussions held between Barbados’ Minister of Health, Dr. Jerome Walcott, and Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate..

It said that the accord builds on ongoing work with AMA Medical Manufacturing, a leading Nigerian biopharmaceutical company exploring the establishment of a manufacturing facility in Barbados.

Walcott welcomed the partnership, noting that it aligns with the vision articulated by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who has repeatedly called for a transatlantic pharmaceutical bridge across Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

‘This MOU represents a decisive step in strengthening health sovereignty for both regions. Barbados sees Nigeria as a strategic partner in advancing industrial capability, technology transfer, and shared health security across the Global South,’ Walcott said.

Pate emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to expanding local production under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Executive Order aimed at achieving 70 per cent domestic production of essential medicines and medical devices by 2030.

‘This partnership opens new pathways for investment, innovation, and regional integration. Nigeria is pleased to join hands with Barbados to shape a future where our nations produce the medicines our populations depend on,’ said Professor Pate.

Under the MOU, there will be the development of a Barbados-Nigeria pharmaceutical skills pathway, including sterile manufacturing, and regulatory training as well as reciprocal market entry into CARICOM/LATAM for Nigerian producers and ECOWAS for Barbados-based manufacturers.

The partnership also advances ongoing discussions with AMA Medical Manufacturing, which is assessing the establishment of a biomedical and IV fluid manufacturing facility in Barbados, creating the first Africa-Caribbean pharmaceutical production corridor.

The Court of Appeal has upheld a seven-year jail sentence imposed on a woman who blinded and disfigured a woman she had suspected of having an affair with her husband.

Magistrate Simone Brown, had imposed the maximum sentence on Pandora McKenzie, 68, who had been charged for causing dangerous harm

In dismissing the appeal, Justices Bernard Turner, Gregory Smith and Deborah Fraser, noted that the attack was premeditated.

In the ruling read out by Justice Turner, they said that the evidence indicates that the appellant lured the woman to the location under the false pretense of wanting to have a conversation with her, ‘while instead waiting with the corrosive substance concealed in a cup.’

The Appeal Court said that McKenzie threw the substance directly in the woman’s face and then armed herself with a cutlass.

‘In these circumstances, the learned magistrate was entitled to justify the offense as among ‘the most serious incidents’ of its kind, as she would have taken judicial notice of the extent of [the victim’s] injuries.’

During the trial, the court heard that on November 8, 2020, McKenzie’s husband invited the victim to his home in Grand Bahama with the intention of convincing his wife that they were not romantically involved.

McKenzie had agreed to meet her alleged romantic rival and the husband and the woman denied that they were having an affair.

However, as they spoke, McKenzie threw contents of a metal cup in the woman’s face and then stood over her with a cutlass. The husband was able to disarmed hios wife, preventing further injury to the woman.

McKenzie appealed the sentence on the ground that it was unduly severe, with her attorney, Bjorn Ferguson, arguing that the magistrate erred when she described the case as the ‘worst of the worst’.

By contrast, the prosecutor Ashely Carroll said the sentence fit the crime.

The Bermuda government says it remains committed to collaborative planning, continued dialogue, and strategic action to ensure that Bermudians are equipped, supported, and positioned to take full advantage of the emerging opportunities across the economy.

Economy and Labour Minister, Jason Hayward, said he is aware of the concerns raised by the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce ,welcoming their continued partnership as British Overseas Territory prepares for the significant opportunities ahead.

Labour and Economy Minister, Jason Hayward

‘While we are encouraged by the progress of the Fairmont Southampton project and look forward to its reopening in 2026, we are mindful of the implications of the labour force demands,’ the government said.

Hayward said the government has long recognised the pressures on Bermuda’s labour supply, ‘which is why we have been actively developing policies and training pathways to prepare Bermudians for emerging opportunities.

‘The progress at Fairmont Southampton is encouraging, and the 700 jobs expected will provide meaningful prospects for our people,’ he added.

Ina lengthy statement earlier this week, the Chamber president, Marico Thomas, said the upcoming reopening of the Southampton Princess Hotel is expected to require approximately 500 employees, followed by another approximately 200 soon after.

‘At a glance, this looks like a hospitality issue. But it’s not. This is a national labour issue and a window into a much larger challenge across Bermuda’s entire economy,’ he said, noting that the roles required won’t just be waiters, chefs, or front desk agents.

Thomas said that nearly every major employment sector will be impacted, and this demand is coming at a time when unemployment is only approximately 1.5 per cent and that an estimated 2.5 per cent of workforce is already non-Bermudian.

‘Our population is shrinking and ageing. Graduating class sizes are too small to fill the pipeline. Bermudians abroad aren’t returning in meaningful numbers. Recruiting from overseas is getting slower and far more difficult ‘.

Thomas question what happens when 700 plus new jobs open up and there are insufficient people?

‘Businesses will start picking each other’s pockets to survive. This creates a predictable chain reaction,’ he said, noting it would create a disruption of service, rising payroll costs, overburdened employees as well as safety and health issues.

He is also predicting a high employee turnover and a brain drain in essential services.

‘This isn’t hypothetical. It’s already happening: Restaurants closing during the week from lack of staff, nurses and police officers working back-to-back overtime shifts, small retailers losing staff to bigger employers and tourists and residents experiencing longer waits and thin service

‘Bermuda has warning signs and they should not be ignored,’ Thomas said, adding that the Employment Brief recently released by government reinforces the concern that the total job growth was 1.8 per cent in 2024, with 94 per cent of those jobs going to non-Bermudians

He said the average wages for Bermudians trailing 21 per cent compared to other non-Bermudians.

He said that the Chamber is calling for ‘serious, open, and constructive dialogue,’ adding ‘this is about immigration, this is about education, this is about housing, productivity, and national planning.

‘This issue may look like hospitality, but it is more, and it is not just Chamber business, it’s everybody’s business,’ Thomas added.

In his statement, Hayward said that from the start, the government has worked closely with the Fairmont team to ensure Bermudians can access opportunities during construction and when the hotel reopens.

‘Through the National Workforce Advisory Board and its Hospitality Sub-Committee, we are taking a coordinated approach to strengthen our talent pipeline. This is a national workforce matter, and we remain committed to ensuring Bermudians are equipped and positioned to thrive.’

The Ministry of Economy and Labour, through the National Workforce Advisory Board, said in anticipation of the hotel re-opening, it established a Hospitality Sub-Committee in August this year to ensure that Bermudians are well-prepared for the broad range of roles that will emerge.

‘The Sub-Committee is actively focused on both immediate and long-term workforce strategies to strengthen the talent pipeline,’ the government said, adding that the current work includes designing and expanding training programmes offered through the Department of Workforce Development to meet industry demand as well as identifying opportunities to enhance and better support the hospitality programme at the Bermuda College.

‘We echo the Chamber’s view that this is more than a hospitality matter; this is a national workforce matter.

‘The Ministry of Economy and Labour remains committed to collaborative planning, continued dialogue, and strategic action to ensure that Bermudians are equipped, supported, and positioned to take full advantage of the emerging opportunities across the economy.’

West Indies Women’s explosive all-rounder Chinelle Henry was bought by the Delhi Capitals for US$150 000 during the first round of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) mega auction here on Thursday.

The 30-year-old Jamaican along with India’s Shree Charani, tied for the fifth most expensive players to be purchased in the first round at a price tag of 1.3 crore.

She was released by UP Warriorz ahead of the mega auction,

Chinelle Henry (right) is headed back to the WPL, this time for the Delhi Capitals.

An elated Henry could not contain her excitement after learning of the news.

‘I have to be honest, I was really, really nervous and excited, but I guess I can breathe now.

‘I just want to say that I’m really happy to be headed back to India and to be a part of the DC family. I’m literally lost for words,’ Henry said in a subsequent video.

‘.I have to say that I’m honestly a bit surprised but at the same time really happy. So again, it feels good to be going back to India for my second season in the WPL so see you guys soon.’

Henry joins Hayley Matthews – who will turn out for the Mumbai Indians – as the second West Indian to be picked for next year’s tournament, which starts on January 4.

Henry, who is currently in Australia playing for Brisbane Heat in the Women’s Big Bash League, captained the Barbados Royals to their third consecutive Women’s Caribbean Premier League title back in September after filling in for the injured Matthews.

She made her debut in the Women’s IPL last season after being brought in as an injury replacement for Alyssa Healy.

In seven matches she scored 163 runs and picked up six wickets. Though she registered just one half-century in the 2025 season, she scored at a staggering strike rate of 196.39 through the competition.

President Irfaan Ali says Guyana will soon commence one of the world’s fastest gas-to-shore projects and is also aiming to have a second major gas pipeline ready by 2030 to support the country’s industrial growth.

Speaking at a reception hosted for visiting UK Parliamentarian Paulette Hamilton and the UK Trade Mission, President Ali said the second pipeline is central to Guyana’s long-term energy and manufacturing ambitions.

President Irfaan Ali addressing the reception hosted for visiting UK Parliamentarian Paulette Hamilton and the UK Trade Mission

‘We will have to break every single record in the world,’ he said underscoring the scale and urgency of the project.

He said Guyana is poised to actualise the project more swiftly than any similar gas pipeline development, from conceptualisation to delivery.

‘Before the end of 2030, the second gas line must be brought to shore, and that will be linked to the deep water port and the whole infrastructure being built out in Berbice. For that to happen, we will have to break every single record in the world.’ President Ali

The government said that the second pipeline is expected to fuel expanded industrial development in Berbice, support petrochemicals, fertilisers, LNG, agro-processing and light manufacturing as well as deliver cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy, while strengthening Guyana’s position as the region’s manufacturing hub

The project, a collaboration with ExxonMobil, will complement the 300MW Gas-to-Energy development at Wales, the countrywide expansion of solar and hydro power, and the rebuilding of the nation’s transmission networks.

President Ali told the visiting trade mission that implementing the pipeline quickly needs strong international cooperation, noting the United Kingdom’s valuable partnership with Guyana.

Guyana’s gas to energy project aims to lower electricity costs by using offshore natural gas to generate power, with the project expected to double the country’s electricity-generating capacity.

The project includes a 120-mile pipeline, a 300-megawatt power plant, and a natural gas liquids (NGL) plant. The target for first gas is in the fourth quarter of this year, and the project’s total cost is estimated at around US$1.9 billion.