Category: CANA News

A senior Barbados government minister is urging Caribbean countries to establish their own monitoring and evaluation systems reflecting the the realities of small island states.

Economic Affairs and Planning Minister, Marsha Caddle, told the inaugural launch of the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Caribbean Evaluation Space (CEvalSpace 2026) that the region needed to recognise the particular vulnerabilities of small island states when adopting evaluation frameworks designed for larger, wealthier countries.

The CDB has described CEvalSpace 2026 as the region’s first dedicated platform for strengthening evaluation and evidence-based policymaking across the Caribbean. The conference continues Wednesday with delegates discussing ‘AI, Data, and Power: Shaping the Future of Evaluation in the Caribbean and ‘From Data to Action: Unlocking Evidence Use in the Caribbean.’

Addressing the conference which provides the estimated 150 regional and international participants an opportunity to strengthen evaluation systems and practice across the Caribbean, Caddle said that a results framework copied wholesale from a G20 finance ministry is going to ask the wrong questions of the region’s public service, size, and history, serving populations that are as small, as interconnected, and exposed.

‘We are entitled, and I would say that we are obligated, to build monitoring and evaluation systems that are honestly ours and not borrowed ones that we are quietly hoping will fit,’ she said, noting that the monitoring and evaluation systems needed to belong to the Caribbean.

She said that gross domestic product (GDP) per capita alone does not adequately capture the vulnerability of small island states, especially those exposed to natural disasters.

‘A GDP per capita test on its own tells the world almost nothing about how exposed a country like ours is to a single hurricane wiping out a quarter of GDP in an afternoon,’ Caddle said, reiterating that international measures do not adequately account for small states’ ability to adapt to technological change.

The Economic Affairs and Planning Minister said Caribbean countries have spent years fighting to have their vulnerabilities recognised, including their exposure to natural disasters and other risks.

‘Small island states cannot allow our progress toward these goals to be measured entirely by indicators built for economies many times our size, with none of our exposure. We’ve had to fight for years,’ she said, adding that the CDB has been one of those institutions fighting for years for recognition of ‘our particular vulnerability to a single storm, to a narrow economic base, to a debt structure shaped by decades of borrowing to rebuild the same damaged infrastructure again.’

Caddle said that Caribbean countries could continue to be measured and financed according to standards developed elsewhere if they do not establish and defend their own resilience measures.

‘If we don’t build and defend our own resilience metrics and demonstrate our own capacity to build resilience ourselves and to show the world how to do so, we are going to keep being measured and financed by somebody else’s definition of what counts as vulnerable or what counts as resilience, and reporting our own SDG progress against a yardstick that was never really meant to see us clearly,’ she said.

During her address, she called for an honest evaluation of progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), a collection of 17 global targets adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity.

She said such evaluation must be undertaken alongside better metrics designed for small, exposed economies.

‘As we approach 2030, I would ask this space to treat two tasks as equally urgent. First, the honest, rigorous evaluation of where we actually stand against these goals, wherever that evidence is uncomfortable, and second, the harder, longer work of making sure the instruments we use to measure ourselves were actually built with small, exposed, interconnected economies like ours in mind.’

Caddle said Caribbean states also need to build greater regional cooperation, warning against each country developing separate evaluation systems, data infrastructure and resilience indexes.

‘It is distinctly unhelpful to have a dozen or more small Caribbean states each trying to replicate the same institutional endeavour separately, when a shared one would serve us all better. I think that this also applies to evaluation and monitoring capacity, as much as it applies to any other function in a small state government.

‘We don’t each need to build from nothing our own fully independent school of evaluators. Even though we do all need to build into our work the practice of evaluation, but we don’t need to build our own fully separate data infrastructure, our own fully isolated resilience index,’ Caddle said, urging the development of a regional evaluation community.

‘We need a regional evaluation community that shares your methods, your people, and hard-won lessons the way this space is trying to do this week,’ Caddle said, adding that the regional approach could allow successful monitoring frameworks and expertise to be adapted across countries rather than being recreated from scratch.

‘Where a monitoring framework that works in one jurisdiction gets adapted and not reinvented in the next, where an evaluator that has been trained in one island, one small state, can be useful, can work, can bring their knowledge and expertise to be in another, where the region itself becomes a unit of learning, and becomes a space where we demonstrate to the world what works well, not just the sum of a few countries’ separate national efforts.’

She said that this evaluation should not only focus on whether individual projects achieve their intended results, but whether the systems behind them can deliver consistently.

‘Are the frameworks, the mechanisms, the systems that produce these projects and these results year after year actually built to work reliably? This goes back to one of your three core pillars of your strategy, which has to do with the strength of institutions and systems.

‘So, do these systems actually work reliably? Were they built to work reliably, or did this project succeed in spite of a process that could just as easily fail on the next occasion?’

‘A results framework that only ever evaluates individual projects will keep telling you the same reassuring story about the ones that happen to go well, while the mechanism underneath them stays exactly as fragile as it was before.’

Caddle said that data collection must lead to action, arguing that it’s pointless to measure a problem if there is no intention to respond to the findings.

‘Every indicator in a national evaluation framework should be able to answer the question: If this number comes back bad, what am I going to do about it? And if nobody can answer that, the indicator is decoration. It’s not evidence.’

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Wednesday September 2, 2026.

GEORGETOWN – The Commission of Inquiry, appointed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the July 18 capsizing of the M/V ‘BARIMA’ that resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, says it is committed to conducting its work ‘independently, impartially, thoroughly and expeditiously, without fear or favour’ and in accordance with its terms of mandate.

BRIDGETOWN – A senior Barbados government minister is urging Caribbean countries to establish their own monitoring and evaluation systems reflecting the the realities of small island states.

ROSEAU – Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says Dominica will soon sign a US$75 million agreement with a foreign investor for the construction of a new cruise village in the country.

CHARLESTOWN – The Nevis Electricity Company Limited (NEVLEC) says the island’s geothermal drilling project is moving closer to drilling with a NEVLEC delegation travelling to Iceland as the 272-metric-tonne Drillmec HH-300 ‘Týr’ rig prepares to undergo its final independent acceptance inspection.

NASSAU – A High Court judge has ordered teachers back to schoolrooms after granting an interim injunction to the Bahamas government against the Bahamas Educators Managerial Union (BEMU).

SPORTS:

BASSETERRE – Johnson Charles took full advantage of a controversial decision by the third umpire to power the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots to an impressive six-wicket victory over the Barbados Tridents in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League here on Tuesday.

Barbados will host the third Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Regional Conference on Reparations later this month, the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat announced on Wednesday.

The September 17-19 conference will be held under the theme ‘Reparatory Justice as the Coming Enlightenment’ and will be hosted by the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC), the Barbados government of Barbados and the CARICOM Secretariat.

‘This major CARICOM forum on reparations follows the adoption of the landmark United Nations Resolution A/RES/80/250 on 25 March 2026, which declared the trafficking and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as ‘the gravest crime against humanity,’ the Secretariat said.

It said that the conference will provide practical guidance on implementing the revised CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice: A Manifesto for the Coming Enlightenment, while highlighting new perspectives in reparatory justice emerging from African and Caribbean political discourse.

‘It will assess global progress in the reparations movement, particularly in the context of the 25th Anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Second International Decade for People of African Descent, and the African Union Decade for Reparatory Justice.’

In addition, the organisers said that the conference will strengthen collaboration among CARICOM, the African Union, civil society, and the global African diaspora. It aims to invigorate political, diplomatic, and community participation in the regional and international movement for reparatory justice, ensuring that the momentum for change is sustained and broadened.

The organisers said that the overarching objective of the conference is to re-energise CARICOM’s advocacy through the CRC and deepen solidarity between Africa and its diaspora.

‘A key outcome will be the adoption of a 2027-2031 Action Plan for Reparatory Justice, which will set measurable targets for joint action with partner organisations across the global African community.’

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley; CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett; and CRC Chair, Sir Hilary Beckles, will address the opening ceremony with the organisers saying that among the highlights will be a high-level session featuring CARICOM leaders, members of the CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Reparations, and representatives of the African Union.

The conference will also bring together CARICOM ministers responsible for reparatory justice, National Reparations Commissions and Committees, Associate Members and the United Nations. Global reparations activists from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union, and Latin America will also participate, alongside scholars, civil-society leaders, cultural figures, and youth delegates.

The first two CARICOM Regional Conference on Reparations were held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua d Barbados in 2013 an 2014 respectively.

The Commission of Inquiry, appointed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the July 18 capsizing of the M/V ‘BARIMA’ that resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, says it is committed to conducting its work ‘independently, impartially, thoroughly and expeditiously, without fear or favour’ and in accordance with its terms of mandate.

The MV Barima, an 87-year-old state-owned passenger ferry capsized and sank off the coast of Guyana as it made its way from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, a small village within the Barima-Waini administrative region, resulting in Guyana’s deadliest maritime disaster with 73 confirmed deaths and 30 others missing and presumed dead.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips had despite the official manifest indicating that 116 passengers and a crew of 17 had been on board the vessel, the authorities believe that 179 people including the crew members were on the vessel when it capsized after being hit by a large wave.

The Commission said it is ‘working assiduously to commence the Inquiry later this month’.

President Irfaan Ali had on July 30, sworn into office, the five-member Commission, chaired by retired Justice from Belize, Godfrey Philip Smith, to ‘conduct a thorough, independent, impartial and comprehensive public inquiry into all circumstances surrounding the capsizing and sinking of the M/V ‘BARIMA’, the tragic loss of life, the response thereto, and all matters reasonably connected therewith’.

In a statement providing an update on its work to date, the Commission said it has since arranged for acquisition of important data and information from a number of public institutions likely to have information touching and concerning the capsizing of the Barima.

It said the acquisition is in accordance with the requirements of international maritime conventions, the regulations made under same and the Guyana Shipping Act and that these institutions include: MARAD, Transport and Harbours Division, the Guyana Coast Guard and Air Guard.

In addition, it said it has made preliminary analysis of the documentation received to date regarding various aspects of the seaworthiness of the M/V ‘BARIMA’, such as the conditions under which it sailed, and the crew operation during the the ill-fated voyage.

The Commission said that it has also compiled a list of potential witnesses and is preparing a preliminary schedule for interviewing them and that it has also drafted the Rules of Procedure governing how it will approach its work.

‘These rules will ensure that the inquiry is open to all, transparent, orderly, fair and effective and will be published shortly,’ the Commission said, adding that it is in the process of developing a dedicated website to serve as its single authoritative public record which is critical to promoting transparency and accessibility.

‘The Commission fully recognizes and understands the immense public interest in the circumstances surrounding the capsizing of the M/V ‘BARIMA’ and the resulting tragic loss of life. The Commission is committed to conducting its work independently, impartially, thoroughly and expeditiously, without fear or favour, in accordance with Rules of Procedure and the terms of its mandate. The Rules of Procedure are in the final phase of completion.’

The Commission said it also ‘considers it essential that the relevant technical, documentary and witness evidence be properly identified and assessed before the public hearings commence to ensure that the proceedings are efficiently and effectively conducted.

‘It is also very important that all persons with relevant information have a fair opportunity to contribute to the Inquiry. In this regard, the Commission is working assiduously to commence the Inquiry later this month,’ it added.

The Commission said it continues to prepare the necessary groundwork to ‘ensure that efficient and effective public hearings are facilitated and will provide further information concerning the commencement, conduct and schedule of public hearings once these matters are finalized’ thanking the Guyanese ‘for their patience and cooperation as this important process continues’.

Meanwhie, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, says while the Commission is getting ready to do its work, the government is setting up the legal framework to offer long and short-term financial assistance for persons affected.

‘The government has gone great lengths to ensuring that there is a fair and transparent legal mechanisms in place to offer financial and other assistance. The government has appointed a team of lawyers to demonstrate its insulation from the events and the government has also given those lawyers the authority to devise the requite legal framework through which this assistance will be offered,’ Nandlall said on his weekly ‘Issues in the News’ programme on Tuesday night.

He told viewers that the interim financial assistance being offered is not compensation, nor is it government admitting guilt, but its is a way to assistance those involved and the families affected.

‘This is not compensation, it is not intended to be compensation, and first of all government is not admitting liability here, the government is offering assistance. Naturally, every person who will be engaged will have the right to retain or instruct lawyers of their choice if they wish. This initiate of the government includes long term and short-term support, for the affected persons’ Nandlall said.

He said that while those who will be engaged are free to have legal representation, he is disappointed by utterances of some lawyers who are lobbying persons not to engage the government regarding financial assistance.

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) says it is concerned at the practice of stakeholders selling or purporting to sell mining lands granted by the Commission.

‘Mining lands and related tenures are granted to individuals and entities for the specific purpose of undertaking mining activities as represented in the application process, and in accordance with the applicable laws, regulations, terms and conditions governing the grant of such tenure. ‘Tenure holders are therefore advised against the sale, assignment, or purported transfer of mining lands in circumstances where such transactions are not authorized under the applicable legal and regulatory framework,’ the GGMC said in a statement.

The GGMC said it is also discouraging the use of Irrevocable Powers of Attorney (IPOAs) as a means of effecting or facilitating the purported sale, transfer, or acquisition of mining lands, noting that an IPOA in itself, is not acceptable proof of ownership or lawful tenure of mining property.

‘Persons are therefore urged to exercise caution when entering into arrangements involving mining lands on the basis of such instruments,’ the GGMC said, noting that it recognises, however, that there are legitimate opportunities for investors, miners, and other stakeholders to collaborate in the development of mining properties.

‘In this regard, persons who wish to develop or participate in the development of mining properties are encouraged to explore legitimate Joint Venture arrangements and other lawful mechanisms through which parties can collaborate in mining operations and achieve beneficial occupation and productive use of the property.’

The GGMC said that such arrangements should be properly structured, documented, and submitted to the Commission for consideration and approval, while urging all persons contemplating transactions involving mining lands to seek clarification from the Commission before entering into any agreement or making financial commitments.

‘Persons should not rely solely on private agreements, powers of attorney, receipts, or other instruments as evidence that an individual has the legal right to sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of a mining property.

‘The Commission remains committed to ensuring that mining lands are utilized in accordance with their intended purpose, that the integrity of the mining tenure system is maintained, and that Guyana’s mineral resources are developed in a transparent, responsible, and sustainable manner.’

The GGMC said it will continue to monitor this matter and will take ‘such regulatory and other appropriate action as may be necessary to safeguard the integrity of the mining sector and protect persons from entering into unauthorized or irregular transactions involving mining lands.

‘The GGMC therefore reiterates its advisory to all tenure holders: mining lands granted for mining purposes should not be sold or purportedly sold, and Irrevocable Powers of Attorney should not be treated as proof of ownership or lawful tenure.’

The Nevis Electricity Company Limited (NEVLEC) says the island’s geothermal drilling project is moving closer to drilling with a NEVLEC delegation travelling to Iceland as the 272-metric-tonne Drillmec HH-300 ‘Týr’ rig prepares to undergo its final independent acceptance inspection.

The delegation, led by NEVLEC general manager Nelson Stapleton and project coordinator Naftalie Errar, late last month oversaw the inspection at the Iceland Drilling Company (IDC) facility.

NEVLEC said that the inspection represents the ‘final major quality assurance and safety verification before the rig is mobilised to Nevis’ adding that the delegation held discussions with drilling, engineering and geothermal specialists in Iceland.

‘The rig is expected to drill five geothermal wells at the Hamilton geothermal site. Successful completion of the inspection and certification process will clear the way for its ocean transport to Nevis,’ NEVLEC said in a statement.

‘As we move closer to drilling, it is important that NEVLEC has direct oversight of the rig’s readiness and a clear understanding of what will be required once the equipment is mobilised to Nevis,’ said Stapleton.

‘Equally important is building the capacity of our team so that the knowledge and experience gained during this stage remain within NEVLEC and can support the project throughout drilling and the subsequent development of the geothermal resource,’ he added.

The inspection was conducted by Scotia Drilling Consultants, a UK-based specialist in drilling-rig inspections and technical assessments. Its review covers the rig’s structural, mechanical, operational and safety systems.

The project is being led by the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), with NEVLEC serving as the executing agency, and with support from the St. Kitts and Nevis government. The project is also supported by key development financing partners, including the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and Green Climate Fund (GCF).

‘This partnership reflects a shared commitment to developing Nevis’ indigenous geothermal resource in a manner that strengthens energy security, reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels, and supports a more resilient and sustainable energy future for Nevis and the wider Federation,’ NEVLEC said.

The statement said that during the visit to Iceland, the two NEVLEC officials visited ON Power’s Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant, which has an installed electrical capacity of approximately 303 MW and is recognised as the largest geothermal power plant in Europe. ‘The visit provided an opportunity to examine the operation of a large-scale geothermal facility and gain insight into geothermal wells, steam-field infrastructure, power generation, reinjection and long-term resource management.’

It said that the delegation also visited an active geothermal drilling site in the Hellisheiði area, where IDC is undertaking drilling to a planned depth of approximately 2,400 metres.

‘A further capacity-building engagement was held with the GRÓ Geothermal Training Programme (GRÓ GTP), where discussions focused on opportunities to strengthen geothermal knowledge and technical capacity in Nevis. Among the initiatives discussed was the development of a free two-day ‘Geothermal 101’ introductory course for NEVLEC staff, government officials and other relevant stakeholders.

‘The delegation also discussed the identification and nomination of a suitable candidate to participate in the six-month GRÓ GTP fellowship programme in Iceland, providing an opportunity for more specialized training and long-term institutional capacity development,’ the statement said.

The Bermuda government is urging parents with students to have them registered with the Bermuda Student Asthma Registry after a survey last year showed that 29 students were admitted to the hospital for asthma-related concerns.

In addition, 22 per cent or one in five reported experiencing an asthma attack during the year.

Asthma is a common long-term lung disease that causes inflammation, excess mucus and tightening of the muscles around the airways making it hard to breath. The Ministries of Health and Education said the online registry supports local asthma healthcare providers by helping them track students with asthma and ensure appropriate support is in place throughout the school year.

‘Each September, we ask parents to take a few minutes to update their child’s information so we can give every student with asthma the very best support. A child’s health needs can change, and registering each year ensures our asthma specialists have the most accurate, up to date details,’ said Health Minister, Kim Wilson, in emphasising the importance of annual registration .

‘When we work together, we can help our students enjoy a healthy, confident, and active school year.’

The registry is a collaborative initiative of the Department of Education, the Department of Health, the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) Asthma Education Centre, and Open Airways, a Bermuda-registered charity. All information submitted is held in strict confidence.

‘We want every student to feel confident and supported throughout the school year, and that includes making sure children with asthma have what they need to stay healthy and fully engaged in learning,’ said Education Minister, Diallo Rabain.

‘By registering, parents help us create safer, more responsive school environments where every child can thrive,’ he added.

According to the findings of the 2025/26 Student Asthma Registry, 57 per cent of students with asthma missed school days and that 43 per cent of students were either using their spacer incorrectly or did not have one. Spacers help medication work more effectively and with fewer side effects.

The survey found that while 67 per cent of students believed their asthma was ‘well-controlled,’ more than half of those students still missed school, a clear sign their asthma was not well-controlled.

Only 39 per cent of all students surveyed actually had well-controlled asthma.

‘Our collaborative team of health providers is working with the primary aim of ensuring every child with asthma receives the proper guidance and assistance they need to have a healthy and successful school year,’ said Asthma and COPD Educator, Nicola MacDougall, from Open Airways.

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin was among guests attending the unveiling of a community mural in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala.

The mural was created created by young people from the Zone to promote a culture of peace and the environmental protection of the Mopan River. The ceremony was also attended by Belize Foreign Affairs MInister, Francis Fonseca, and his Guatemalan counterpart, Carlos Ramiro Martínez Alvarado. The Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala is a territorial strip 213 kilometers long and two kilometers wide and was established in 2000 as a key confidence-building measure to preserve stability, dialogue, and peace during the process to resolve the territorial dispute between the two countries.

Through the Office of the General Secretariat in the Adjacency Zone, the OAS maintains a continuous presence dedicated to preventive diplomacy, security, and social development.

The OAS said that the mural is the result of the artistic project developed within the framework of the binational youth communication programme ‘La Zona / The Zone’ and its innovation laboratory, ‘La Zona Lab,’ implemented by the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone.

It said that the initiative brought together 17 young participants and encompassed the assessment of local problems, the collaborative design, and the painting of the mural, integrating cultural and natural elements representative of the communities of Benque Viejo and Arenal.

During his address to the ceremony, Ramdin highlighted how art, youth, and the presence of the OAS on the ground transform coexistence and build a lasting culture of peace between the two countries.

‘Community development is fundamental. If it is only about negotiations and dialogue, it is not enough; people want to see this result in an improvement in their lives. Involving young people in a peace process is critical. Ownership is needed at that level,’ h

‘This is the best way to guarantee peace and collaboration between both sides. The value lies in the sustainability of this process for the consolidation of peace,’ he added.

Belize and Guatemala have a long-standing territorial dispute with Guatemala claiming more than 11,000 square kilometers of Belizean land, islands and maritime areas.

In March 2000, Belize and Guatemala resumed discussions on their territorial dispute with the assistance of the OAS and on November 8, 2000, they signed the first Agreement on Confidence Building Measures, establishing an ‘Adjacency Line’ and a one-kilometer ‘Adjacency Zone’ on either side.

Jamaica is among countries from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) whose mayor is attending the 2026 Mayors Forum, one of the region’s leading platforms for discussing the future of cities and urban transformation initiatives to improve citizens’ quality of life.

The three day event, which began Wednesday, is being organised by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through its IDB Cities Network and has brought together representatives from Kingston, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Guadalajara, San José, Cali, Panama City, Curitiba, Villavicencio Montevideo, among others.

The IDB said that the forum seeks to foster cooperation and peer learning among cities to help strengthen management capacity, attract investment, and implement solutions that deliver tangible results.

The manager of the IDB’s Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector,

Juan Pablo Bonilla, said, ‘at the IDB, we are committed to strengthening cooperation among local governments and expanding access to knowledge, financing, and innovation to support cities in their efforts to jointly address territorial development challenges.’

Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán thanked the IDB for creating the space for exchange, ‘where cities can share experiences and build solutions that respond to urban challenges and improve the lives of millions of people across Latin America and the Caribbean.’

For the first time, the forum is being held in two host cities. Following the opening in Bogotá, participants will travel on Thursday to Barranquilla to continue exchanging experiences on topics related to fiscal sustainability, mobilization of financing, and investment to strengthen resilience and productivity.

‘Barranquilla welcomes you with open arms and with the conviction that the best solutions to the world’s challenges are born in local territories. Nearly 20 years of our governance model, working hand in hand with our people, have transformed the way our country and the world see us today,’ said Alejandro Char, mayor of Barranquilla. ‘Enjoy Barranquilla and feel the energy of a city that never stopped believing in itself,’ he added.

Through this initiative, the IDB said it will continue to strengthen a network of local leaders committed to sharing experiences and implementing solutions that improve lives across the region.

The Belize government has described as ‘false’ statements circulating on social media purporting to come from a government agency offering tax relief for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) through a tax amnesty.

‘We herby inform the General Public that this information is false. The MSME Tax Amnesty Programme 2025 concluded on December 31, 2025 with all applicants during that period being processed officially by the Ministry of Investment through the Investment Policy and Compliance Unit and the Belize Tax Service,’ the government said in a statement. The Ministry of Investment said that it has received complaints about a Facebook page ‘BTS Msme Relief hub’ and warned that ‘there is no person or organization authorized to represent, promote or implement an MSME Tax Amnesty Programme’.

‘All members of the public are asked to take heed of communication by any entity claiming to process personal or business information or accepting applications for tax relief under the MSME Tax Amnesty programme 2025’.

The ministry said that the Investment Policy and Compliance Unit has posted on its official Facebook age ‘the names of applicants that have been approved under the MSME Tax Amnesty programme 2025.

‘The public is reminded to protect their personal information, confirm all digital requests and report any suspicious activity immediately, ‘ the ministry added.