Category: CANA News

Justice Minister Kim Wilkerson, says the government expects to receive ‘shortly’ the findings of an external review into Bermuda’s correctional facilities.

The statement follows last weekend incident at the Westgate Correctional Facility that left at least one Corrections Officer requiring medical attention following an assault by two high risk inmates.

‘An external review is already underway, which includes assessing any vulnerabilities within the Department of Corrections’ security protocols as part of the wider International Detention Standards Review recently carried out by an independent peer-review team comprising senior corrections leaders from the United Kingdom, Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos.

‘I expect to shortly receive their findings and recommendations for implementing the appropriate actions arising from this international assessment,’ Wilkerson said in a statement.

The Acting Commissioner of Corrections, James Howard, said the incident is being treated with the ‘utmost seriousness and is currently under active review’ and that the Bermuda Police Service has been notified and is ‘conducting the appropriate inquiries.’

But the chairman of the Prison Officers Association, (POA), Timothy Seon, told the Royal Gazette newspaper that the attack on the prison officer by two men facing murder charges, was bound to happen owing to government cost cutting measures.

He said that while the officer is understood to have violated policy by allowing both of the men out of their cells at the same time, compliance with procedure was hindered by ongoing systemic challenges – including a lack of staff and shortcuts in training.

‘There are a lot of mitigating factors that created the perfect storm for this incident to happen on Sunday,’ Seon said.

In a statement, the Ministry of Justice that appropriate operational steps were taken immediately following the incident to ensure the continued safety and security of the facility.

It said that the review will measure Bermuda’s correctional facilities against recognised global benchmarks, including the United Nations’ Nelson Mandela Rules and that international recruitment is underway to strengthen staffing capacity.

Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, says the tourism sector is recovering following the battering the island took when Hurricane Melissa slammed into the country on October 28, killing at least 45 people and causing damage estimated at more than nine billion US dollars.

Bartlett said that the island has since registered 300,000 visitor arrival marking a significant milestone that includes both stopover and cruise visitors with major resort areas fully operational and welcoming visitors for the crucial winter season.

Following the Category 5 hurricane, key tourism resort areas including Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril, and Kingston are now open for business and ready to provide world-class experiences to visitors from around the globe.

‘Our recovery has exceeded expectations. Jamaica is not just back-we are stronger, more resilient, and more committed than ever to delivering the authentic Jamaican experience our visitors know and love. The dedication of our tourism workers, many of whom were personally affected by the hurricane, exemplifies the true spirit of Jamaica,’ Bartlett said.

He said all major airports, including Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, and Ian Fleming International Airport in Ocho Rios, have resumed normal operations.

Major airlines have also resumed and maintain regular flight schedules. By the end of the month approximately 71 per cent of hotels will be reopened, with projections indicating that number will rise significantly through early 2026.

‘This has truly been a collaborative effort. Hotels, attractions, transportation providers, and government agencies have worked around the clock to ensure that Jamaica is ready to welcome our guests. Every visitor who chooses Jamaica during this time directly supports the rebuilding of communities and the restoration of livelihoods,’ said Bartlett.

He said popular attractions throughout the island are also fully operational, visitors can once again experience Jamaica’s rich culture, vibrant music scene, authentic cuisine, and renowned hospitality in a safe and welcoming environment.

Director of Tourism, Donavan White, said the best way to support Jamaica is to visit Jamaica.

‘We are ready to deliver unforgettable experiences while showcasing the incredible strength and hospitality of the Jamaican people.’

Tourism accounts for over 30 per cent of Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP) and supports approximately a third of jobs across the island. The swift recovery of the sector is critical not only for economic stability but also for the thousands of Jamaican families whose livelihoods depend on the tourism industry.

Jamaica received 4.3 million visitors in 2024, and tourism officials remain confident in a full recovery by December 2026.

-Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew has presented an EC$1.07 billion (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) national budget to Parliament telling legislators that the fiscal package is being guided by a robust framework which sets out the government’s fiscal strategy for the next three years.

Drew, who is also the Finance Minister, said that the budget was being presented under the theme ‘Investing in People and Progress’ while acknowledging that the twin island Federation continues to operate within a ‘complex’ and often ‘volatile global environment’.

He said despite these challenges the government has remained resilient and focused, meeting the demands of 2025, with determination, while laying a strong foundation for 2026.

Debate on the budget is due to begin on Wednesday and Prime Minister Drew said that ‘the robust framework’ will place emphasis on strengthening public financial management across the public sector.

‘We have to be responsible, increasing transparency and accountability, institutional strengthening and improving delivery of service to our people. The framework prioritises accurate costing of government services and advances tax policy reforms designed to deliver a more equitable and modernised tax system, supported by stronger compliance measures.’

He said guided by this framework, the government is positioned to generate revenue in line with the projected gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

Prime Minister Drew said that total revenue and grants are estimated at EC$894.8 million for 2026, with recurrent revenue projected to yield US$855.7 million for 2026 and US$899.1 million for the medium term.

Drew said that the amount for recurrent expenditure is expected at EC$879.8 million for 2026 and an average of EC$892.4 million for 2027 and 2028 and that government is projecting EC$167.2 million for capital expenditure and net lending in 2026, while an average of EC$115.8 million is forecasted to be expended for the medium term’.

‘We are not daunted, however. We remain laser-focused on mitigating the identified risks and, more importantly, finding the opportunities that come with these changes. As we chart the course for investing in people and progress, we will endeavour to remain good stewards of the country’s finances.

‘Madam Speaker, in assessing the anticipated fiscal outturn for 2025 and based on data available as of November 2025, we estimate by year-end the government expenditure would be $1.04 billion, or 35.6 per cent of GDP. Total revenue, Madam Speaker, is projected at $732.7 billion.’

Prime Minister Drew said that this revenue performance relative to 2025 approval estimate is projected to be affected attributable to the shortfall in receipts from the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CBI), through which foreign investors are granted citizenship of the island in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of the Federation.

‘Again, a lot of our economy was dependent on the CBI programme. However, in this budget, we have made sure to start to wean ourselves off from depending so heavily on the CBI programme. So what comes in after a while will just be gravy for us, Madam Speaker, because the receipts are difficult to predict.’

Prime Minister Drew said that one international crisis can certainly affect the country.

On the issue of the public debt, Prime Minister Drew said that the debt increased by 15.8 per cent from the previous year.

‘.equally important, we are keeping a watchful eye on the management of the public sector debt. In terms of the outlook, as at end December 2025, the total public sector debt is projected to be EC$1.7 billion, which represents an increase of EC$58.7 million.

‘That is the investment that we made in our people, or 3.6 per cent as compared to 2024. The rise in the debt stock was mainly attributed to an increase in central government debt, which rose by EC$97.4 million, or 15.8 per cent’

Prime Minister Drew said that the medium-term outlook shows a slight increase initially in the debt-to-GDP ratio at the end of 2025.

He said that it is forecasted to be 58.7 per cent, still below 60 per cent, a 1.1 percentage points increase, compared to 57.6 per cent for December 2024.

However, Prime Minister Drew said that over the forecasted period, 2026 to 2028, the debt ratio is expected to remain below the 60 per cent benchmark set for the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) member countries to achieve by 2035.

‘We have already achieved what they say we should achieve in 2035. We have already achieved it, Madam Speaker. So even with the challenges, we are still maintaining that significant achievement. The debt-to-GDP ratio is forecasted to decline in 2026 to 57 per cent and continue its downward trajectory to 54.9 per cent in 2027 and 51.9 per cent in 2028.’

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) says it will maintain a heightened and zero-tolerance approach towards irresponsible firearm use and illegal use of fireworks during the holiday season.

‘We commonly call it gun salute at Christmas time. When it comes on to New Year’s, people have a way, especially both persons with licensed firearms, as well as persons with illegal weapons, they tend to do that. We have stepped up our vigilance,’ said the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dr. Gary McKenzie.

McKenzie, who is assigned to the Strategic Operations Portfolio and the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch, told a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank, that the police have intensified their focus on curbing the practice.

‘In fact, we are happy to say that last year, there was some improvement based on all the reports that we got. But this year will be no different in terms of our vigilance around the issue,’ he said.

McKenzie said that firearm use must always be responsible and warned that gun salutes can have deadly consequences.

‘It is very important that persons realise and recognise that the use of firearms must be responsible, so gun salute is a no-no. So once that happens, we expect people to report it,’ he said, citing a tragic example of the dangers involved in gun salutes.

‘We have had instances where people are making gun salutes and persons have been shot, as the clock struck 12. took out a firearm, fired it, a tree was over his head, and a man fell from the tree. These kinds of things do happen, and we have to guard against it,’ ACP McKenzie said.

He also issued a strong warning regarding fireworks and firecrackers, noting that their unauthorised use will not be tolerated.

‘Also, firecrackers are illegal, persons should not be selling them. Persons should not be buying them, and persons should not be using them. Where any of these things are seen by the police, they will act on it and persons will be prosecuted and taken to court.’

The Assistant Commissioner of Police also outlined the process for obtaining permission to use fireworks legally.

‘In terms of permit, the finality of it rests with the Minister of National Security, but that is applied through the Commissioner of Police. When that is done, there is an investigation as to why, how, where it will be used and whether or not it is necessary. If all things are satisfied, it may be approved.’

He spoke also of the impact loud explosions are having on vulnerable members of society.

‘We need to recognise that when we do this in communities, whilst we are trying to satisfy ourselves in terms of pleasure, there are young babies within the communities, there are elderly persons, persons who are ill, and some of the firecrackers, when they burst, it actually sounds like gunshot and it causes persons to feel fearful,’ he said.

Parliament has given the green light to a motion tabled by the new St. Lucia government of Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre to amend the Value added tax (VAT) legislation providing for the island’s first VAT-free shopping day.

Parliament met for the first sitting since the December 1 general election that saw the return of the St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) with an increased majority.

A government statement said that as a result of the passage of the legislation ‘consumers and businesses can look forward to a major boost in holiday shopping activity’ On December 22 this year.

It said participating businesses will offer eligible goods at least 12.5 per cent cheaper on that day, and that ‘for businesses, the VAT-Free Day is designed to encourage higher foot traffic, stronger sales, and increased commercial activity, supporting wider economic momentum at a time when many businesses see peak seasonal demand’.

The statement said that participation in the VAT-free day is voluntary and that those businesses wishing to participate in the initiative ‘must register with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD)’ and that those ‘that choose not to participate will continue to charge VAT and remit VAT revenue to the State as required by law.

‘The government thanks the private sector for cooperating and participating in this initiative, aimed at delivering immediate consumer relief while supporting stronger business activity across the country,’ the statement added.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says he believes that ‘a case of mis-communication’ could have led to the decision by the United States government to impose travel restrictions on Dominicans entering the North American country.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday included the island and two other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries whose nationals would either be ‘fully’ restricted or have limited entry into the United States. The measure goes into effect from January 1, next year.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit

Trump said that in the case of Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, the two CARICOM countries have historically had Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes without residency, which poses challenges for screening and vetting purposes.

Under the CBI programme, several Caribbean countries including Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica offer citizenship to foreign investors in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of these countries.

Trump said both Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica have ‘historically had CBI without residency’ and that the entry into the United States of nationals of these two countries as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, is hereby suspended.

He said consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica ‘to the extent permitted by law.

Speaking on the state-owned DBS Radio, Prime Minister Skerrit said Dominica has had fruitful discissions with the United States on the CBI programme implementing measures agreed to during their discussions.

‘It could very well be a situation of mis-communication between the White House and other arms of the government, the State Department and the US Treasury ,’ Skerrit said with reference to the latest move by Washington.

‘I must say that the US itself was the most engaging and most supportive in respect to the review of the .(CBI) legislation. So we will continue to work on this and we will s end formal notes to the United States government today seeking clarification on this matter and urging a review .of the decision.

‘I think if the reason given by the White House is that there is no residency requirement, then that has already been addressed with the support of the United States government. So it could very well be a situation of mis-communication.but I don’t want to speculate’.

Skerrit said he will be awaiting ‘accurate information’ from Washington and that ‘will be the first order of business.

‘Once that is done we will respond to it formally and of course as always we will keep the Dominican public fully informed and apprised of the developments as they come,’ he said, urging citizens to remain ‘calm’ as the government focuses on what is to be done in the circumstances.

Skerrit said he had met with US officials last week ‘and they were very pleased with what we have done, not only on this matter, but matters we have been working with the United States government on over the last eight months or so.

‘So this was really a surprise to us coming from the White House yesterday. But I am confident if that is the reason then we should be able to address it and if there are any other reasons that they may have.I am sure we can negotiate ourselves out of a challenge.

‘At this stage I ask all of us to be calm and not allow our consternation to take over us and from a government standpoint we will work through the issue with the United States government’

Skerrit spoke of the importance of the CBI programme to Dominica, saying that it has played a significant role in the socio-economic development of the island, particularly after natural disasters.

‘The CBI has been going through its own challenges for a number of years and this is not anything new and everybody knows of the importance of the CBI programme to the well being of all of the countries that are part of the CBI programme.

‘Developed countries have engaged in their programme.whether it is residence programmes or .whatever. When you look at Dominica and its vulnerability to natural disasters and external shocks, had it not been for the CBI programme, we would not have been able to build so many homes.and able to respond to the devastating impact of Tropical Storm Erica and Hurricane Maria and Covid-19’.

He said that the CBI has also provided funding for a number of infrastructural programmes including hotels and the international airport now under construction.

Skerrit said that this is why Dominica has been working with the United States to iron out differences over the CBI programme including legislation passed in October this year.

Skerrit said he does not believe that the latest Washington move will affect the ongoing relationship between the two countries, noting that his administration has enjoyed closer working relationship with the Trump administration than that of his predecessor, Joe Biden as well as an increase in spending by Washington on Dominica’s national security concerns.

‘So the relationship in my mind between Dominica and the Trump administration has been very very good.at all levels and so I don’t see it as affecting the relationship,’ Skerrit said, noting that both countries are sovereign states and are seeking after their own interests.

‘In that case we believe they got it wrong and we are hoping that they recognise that they got it wrong and that they will reverse the decision in respect to the imposition on Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda,’ Skerrit said, confirming that he is in contact with his Antigua and Barbudan counterpart, Gaston Browne on the issue.

Caribbean and other immigrant day labourers have participated in a ‘buy-in’ and rally at the Home Depot in lower Manhattan, demanding that the company take immediate action to stop the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in and around its stores nationwide.

The workers were joined by advocates with the National Day Labourer Organizing Network (NDLON), the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC).

NYIC’s president and chief executive officer, Murad Awawdeh, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that community members bought and returned ice scrapers in an act of protest, followed by a rally, picket line, chorus and speakers.

‘Across the country, Home Depot locations have become flashpoints in a growing human rights crisis,’ he said.

‘Immigration raids at and around stores have led to chaotic, violent, and frightening encounters-not only for immigrant workers and day laborers, but also for customers and surrounding communities.

‘Home Depot has failed to confront these escalating dangers, forcing communities to act. In New York City, there have been multiple instances of ICE abductions at Home Depots across the city in recent months.

Awawdeh said for decades, Home Depots across the country have been essential places for day labourers to find work, and working people to purchase supplies, but, under the Trump administration, Home Depots have become flashpoints for federal immigration enforcement-sites of raids that terrorise and sweep up hardworking people simply trying to earn a living and support their families.

‘Ordinary mornings and afternoons spent waiting for work or buying materials needed for jobs have instead become filled with fear and anxiety. ICE’s violent attacks on our immigrant neighbors at and around Home Depots make our neighbourhoods less safe for everyone,’ he said.

Awawdeh said Home Depot must not allow its stores to be a staging ground for ICE operations and must speak out against these abductions, adding that the company has ‘a responsibility to ensure their stores remain safe spaces, where anyone can go shopping, and workers can seek employment without fear of being detained or deported’.

NDLON’s co-executive director, Pablo Alvarado, said ICE has turned Home Depot into ‘a hunting ground for our people, and Home Depot let it happen.

‘So, we took our message inside: we won’t let any store become a trap.Immigrants deserve to work and live without fear.’

The executive director of the People’s Forum, Manolo De Los Santos, said that ‘across the country, communities are rising up against the brutality of ICE and today, New Yorkers have shown that we won’t stand for Home Depot’s complicity in this brutality.

‘People everywhere are taking the streets in huge numbers to demand an end to the attacks on immigrant communities by the Trump administration and their billionaire agenda, and we will only get stronger,’ he added.

Several Caribbean countries are benefitting from a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) initiative aimed at strengthening their vaccine cold chain systems, ensuring vaccine potency and reinforcing routine immunization.

PAHO said that Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and St. Maarten were among 18 countries benefitting from the project funded by the government of Canada.

It said through PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds, Canada’s support provided approximately 1,000 units of cold chain equipment that includes temperature-monitoring devices; long-term, passive cold boxes and vaccine carriers designed for complex logistics and environments; and ice-lined refrigerators with freeze-protection technology.

‘This new cold chain equipment strengthens the capacity of countries to protect every vaccine dose from the moment it arrives in country to the moment it reaches families and communities,’ said Santiago Cornejo, the executive manager of PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds.

‘These tools help ensure safety, reduce wastage, and expand equitable access to immunization. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for its continued partnership to help us introduce the latest technologies and innovations in the region.’

The donation forms part of the PAHO-implemented project that is supported by Canada, ‘Improving Equitable Access and Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean.’

The initiative aims to reinforce public health systems and infrastructure across the region.

PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds are technical cooperation mechanisms that enable countries of the Americas to procure quality vaccines, essential medicines, and public health supplies at affordable prices through pooled purchasing and coordinated planning.

PAHO said that by working collectively, countries have saved an estimated 50 per cent on vaccines and other health supplies, benefiting around 180 million people in the last biennium. ‘Over the years, the funds have helped countries secure timely access to essential health supplies, supporting progress against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, while also improving immunization coverage and reducing maternal and child mortality,’ PAHO added.

Public sector unions have given a guarded response to plans by the Barbados government to provide permanent appointments to more than 2 000 public officers.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley told Parliament that said the absence of a fully functioning human resources management information system (MIS) has constrained plans to confirm the appointment of a significantly larger number of civil servants than the 2 095 who will shortly receive permanent appointments.

She told legislators that a comprehensive regrading exercise across the civil service is expected to be completed next year, announcing also a range of initiatives, including expanded additional compensation and improved conditions of service for key frontline workers such as teachers, police officers, and nurses.

Mottley, tabling the Public Service (Appointments) Bill on Tuesday said that the legislation will facilitate the permanent appointment of 1,170 temporary public officers who have served for more than three years, while 925 officers will be promoted to the positions in which they have been acting.

Government remains the island’s largest employer, with an estimated 20 000 people working in the public service and state-owned enterprises and Mottley described the legislation as part of early Christmas cheer for civil servants.

‘We [are doing] it again, but the numbers that we are dealing with are significantly less, and that is because the Services Commission and the Ministry of Public Service have tried to be able to move with dispatch on a number of issues, but the volume of issues without a functioning HR management information system will always be difficult.’

‘We are well on our way to having that functioning HR MIS. . . . Obviously during the period of COVID, everything was put on pause, both for reasons of persons not being able to move, but also because of funding,’ Mottley said, reiterating her administration’s commitment to improving the positions of public servants, police officers, teachers, and nurses.

‘There is no doubt that the police service, the teachers and the nurses have been those who have been at the front line calling for repositioning and I think the case has been well made . . . because without security we have nothing, we have potentially anarchy.

‘Without health being able to be served and delivered to each person we have nothing and without the capacity to train up minds and to educate our children equally, we have a society that can be literally torn apart by division.

‘So that the government is fully committed to the regrading process and I look forward in 2026 to being able to bring this to conclusion.,’ she said, recalling that her government granted public officers their first salary increase in nine years; upgraded just under 300 long-serving police constables to the rank of Senior Constable; increased detectives’ allowances by between BDS$1 961 and BDS$2 269 (One BDS$=US$0.50 cents) per month.

Public sector unions have given a guarded response to Mottley’s statement with the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) and the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) noting that integrity would be critical to its success.

‘The National Union of Public Workers always welcomes the news of public officers being appointed, we always welcome the news in this process,’ said acting General Secretary, Wayne Walrond.

He noted that confirmation in post had practical implications for workers’ financial security, particularly when seeking long-term loans.

‘One of the things the banks are looking at is confirmation in a position, and any long-term lending like mortgages, if an officer is still temporary, that can impact on their eligibility to get what we will call a substantive loan,’ he said.

BUT President Rudy Lovell the union has ‘repeatedly called for this process to become regularised, where teachers who are in temporary positions for three or more years without an adverse temporary teacher report are eligible for appointment to the teaching service’.

Lovell said extended periods of acting and temporary appointments had never been an administrative anomaly, but rather a ‘systemic failure that affected livelihoods, morale and professional dignity’.

‘The confirmation and promotion of public officers, including teachers, acknowledges the legitimacy of long-standing grievances raised repeatedly by trade unions, including the Barbados Union of Teachers,’ he added.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) Wednesday announced that the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) has elected Dr. Riyad Insanally as Commissioner.

The IACHR said that Insanally has over 31 years of experience in multilateral diplomacy and that from 2016 to 2021, he served as Guyana’s eighth ambassador to the United States and fourth permanent representative to the OAS, as well as ambassador-designate, nonresident, to Mexico.

It said that he held several senior positions within the OAS and the inter-American system, including serving as chair of the Permanent Council, the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, and the CARICOM Group of Ambassadors.

Most recently, he served as head of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission for the general elections in St. Lucia, held on December 1, this year.

Insally received Guyana’s third highest award, the Cacique’s Crown of Honour (CCH), in the 2019 National Honours, for ‘long and distinguished service in the field of diplomacy and international relations’.

The IACHR said that Insanally’s term will run through December 31, 2027 and that his candidacy was presented by Guyana following the resignation of Dr. Arif Bulkan, who stepped down during his first term as commissioner after being appointed judge with the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area.