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National Security Minister, Michael Weeks, warned that he could not ‘overstate the seriousness’ of the threat posed by Hurricane Imelda as it moves closer towards Bermuda on Wednesday with maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour (mph).

The hurricane is one of two storms being monitored by the authourities on this British Overseas Territory, with Hurricane Humberto, which is likely to merge with a frontal boundary on Wednesday night, is about 280 miles north, north west of the island with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.

Weeks said that while Hurricane Imelda is ‘the storm of greatest concern to us.I cannot overstate the seriousness of this threat’.

He said that Imelda was expected to bring sustained hurricane-force winds for four to six hours overnight on Wednesday into Thursday, saying ‘this, and I must stress, is not a passing squall.

‘This is a dangerous storm system that could bring destructive winds, heavy rainfall and significant coastal impacts. Now is the time to act. Preparations for Humberto should well be under way and ideally already be complete,’ he added.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Hurricane Imelda is expected to bring hurricane force winds, damaging waves and flash flooding to Bermuda on Wednesday.

It is now 395 miles west south west of Bermuda and that a hurricane warning is in effect for the island.

‘Imelda is moving toward the east-northeast near 21 mph. A much faster east-northeast to northeast motion is expected over the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the core of the hurricane will be near Bermuda this afternoon or evening and move away from the island by Thursday afternoon,’ the NHC said.

It said Imelda should strengthen and become a near category 2 storm when it passes close to Bermuda late Wednesday.

‘Imelda is then expected to become an extratropical low in a couple of days, with gradual weakening thereafter,’ it added.

With regards to Hurricane Humberto, the NHC said that it is moving toward the northeast near 14 mph and that a faster motion toward the east-northeast is expected today until the system merges with a developing frontal boundary tonight.

‘Maximum sustained winds are near 80 mph with higher gusts. Slight weakening is possible today, but Humberto is expected to remain a powerful cyclone until it merges with a frontal boundary tonight,’ the NHC added.

It said that swells from Humberto are likely to cause dangerous surf and life-threatening rip current conditions, affecting beaches of the northern Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, and much of the east coast of the United States over the next several days.

The Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO) says it has put in place a series of steps to reduce risk in the face of the hurricanes with the National Security Minister saying that all preparations for Hurricane Imelda must be finished by noon today.

The EMO said that among the measures is that the Causeway will close at 6.00 pm (local time) until further notice, that schools will be closed for the next two days with the government shelters operating from mid-afternoon.

‘Imelda has the potential to damage and disrupt our island significantly. By preparing properly, we can limit the damage, protect lives and recover more quickly after the storm passes.

‘So I say again, take this storm seriously,’ Weeks added.

Former prime minister Stuart Young Wednesday described as an ‘irony’ the announcement by the United States government that it would support the Trinidad and Tobago government’s Dragon gas proposal with Venezuela as Washington acknowledge the importance of energy security to the twin island republic.

A statement issued following talks between Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar and United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, on Tuesday said that Washington had ‘outlined US support for the government’s Dragon gas proposal and steps to ensure it will not provide significant benefit to the Maduro regime’.

But speaking at a news conference here, Young, who had also served as minister of energy in two previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administrations, recalled the announcement by Prime Minister Persad Bissessar, soon after being sworn into office that the Dragon gas deal was dead.

He said ‘she announced to the world at large that Dragon was dead with glee and that they would pursue gas in Grenada, Guyana, Suriname and .we fid ourselves right back here today’.

He said it was the PNM administration that did the hard work and the leg work from 2016.with resect to the pursuit of the Dragon gas.and it is obvious that the government will mislead you and the government will be akin to snake oil salesmen.

‘The Dragon gas field is completely within the maritime borders of Venezuela. The Dragon gas field is completely owned by the people of Venezuela and it is the PNM government that negotiated through very difficult and trying times and managed in December 2023 .to obtain a 30 years exploration, production and export of gas from the Dragon field to Trinidad and Tobago waters’.

Young told reporters that the licence, which was published by the Venezuelan government, outlined the terms for the 30 year licence.

‘the first point is that the Dragon gas is owned by Venezuela and the field is completely situated in Venezuela and they have the rights to the gas,’ Young said adding that the development between Rubio and Persad Bissessar ‘is absolutely no different to the conversations that he had with me and the PNM administration when I was prime minister’.

Young said that during their talks in Jamaica earlier this year, ‘we had good conversations’ and after that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) did cancel the licences that existed for Dragon gas .

In April, the United States government revoked the OFAC license granted to Trinidad and Tobago to allow Shell, the National Gas Company (NGC), and contractors to explore, produce, and export natural gas from the Venezuelan Dragon Gas Field.

The license was valid until October 31, 2025, and enabled Trinidad and Tobago to pay for gas in various currencies and through humanitarian measures. On December 21, 2023, Trinidad and Tobago also secured a 30-year exploration and production license from the government of Venezuela for the Dragon gas field.

Washington had also revoked the Cocuina-Manakin license granted to Port of Spain on May 31, 2024.

Port of Spain had been planning to request an extension from Washington for a license granted to Shell and the NGC to develop the Dragon gas project in Venezuela.

The license, issued in early 2023, allows the companies to plan the project. The project aims to supply gas to Trinidad by 2027. The Dragon Field is located in Venezuelan waters near the maritime border with Trinidad.

Young said following the revocation of the licence, Rubio held talks with him and in a statement made it clear ‘he will work with us on our energy security and our energy deals and in the world of diplomacy and diplomatic language that is what we were talking about’.

Young said that the present government has been making pre-mature statements ‘that they have obtained something is completely false.

‘We had obtained an initial OFAC licence in January 2023 where they spelt out the terms of that they would allow and in that licence they had said you could not pay Venezuela and the people of Venezuela in fiat currency, it had to be in kind.’

He said it would be interesting to see what the government does now because while the FAC licence had been given to the previous administration, he had to make several trips to Caracas to meet with the Venezuelan authorities and their technocrats ‘to negotiate the terms upon which they will be prepared for the Dragon gas to be sold to Trinidad and Tobago and they would not do it for in kind.

‘Look at the language very carefully from Secretary Rubio’s office that talks about what they are prepared to look at. Secondly, you now have to go through applying to OFAC an waiting on the terms of the licence and it is only then you will know the landscape and playing field that you can now go to Venezuela and attempt to negotiate’.

Young said that it is no hidden secret of the ‘position and stance of this government and in particular the voice of the prime minister towards our closest neighbour and the government of Venezuela and .the vice president of Venezuela is also the minister of Energy and the person in charge of these resources.’

Last month, Prime Minister Persad Bissessar told her junior minister, Phillip Alexander, that he was ‘totally out of line’ after he became embroiled in a war of words with the Venezuelan Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez.

Alexander, the Minister in the Ministry of Housing, had earlier suggested that India might ‘nuke’ Venezuela to protect the Caribbean island after Port of Spain publicly endorsed the move by President Donald Trump to send military warships into the Caribbean Sea with the intent of preventing drug dealers from illegally carrying out their trade. .

But in a Facebook post, Rodríguez mocked Alexander’s remarks, saying, ‘the only nuclear bomb dropped was into the brain of this official’s newly-taken government.’ urging Trinidad and Tobago to focus on its own people and to distance itself from the Washington’s alleged plans to exploit Venezuela’s resources..

Young said that the current minister of Energy here, Dr. Roodal Moonil, had when in opposition written to the United States urging Washington to impose sanctions on then prime minister Dr. Keith Rowley and himself for meeting with the Venezuelan vice president to negotiate the oil deal.

Young said that while the PNM would always welcome any initiative that would benefit Trinidad and Tobago ‘we will not stand by quietly whilst this government continues in its attempts to mislead the population of Trinidad and Tobago.

‘They have a long road ahead of them and on this occasion.it is three hands that have to clap not two and it is the same Delcy Rodriquez that every week I went to Parliament I had to be hearing from them.about our interactions with the Vice President of Venezuela’.

Young urged Trinidad and Tobago not to be duped by ‘snake oil salesmen .and challenge the prime minister, challenge minister Moonilal and show us the OFAC licence that you receive, because it is literally a licence you receive with the terms and conditions that set out the parameters upon which you can negotiate and that is the starting document.

‘So please Trinidad and Tobago do not allow them to fool you and ask yourself of the irony of coming back straight to Dragon which we had been saying all along.’

Health authorities from across the Americas, including the Caribbean, Wednesday approved a new 2025-2030 Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) marking a critical step toward addressing the leading cause of death and disability in the region.

The initiative, approved at the ongoing 62nd Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), aims to accelerate the implementation of measures to reduce the burden of NCDs and improve the quality of life for millions of people affected by cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases-through the strengthening of primary health care systems.

‘The adoption of this plan is a key step toward transforming how we tackle NCDs in the Americas,’ said Dr. Anselm Hennis, Director of PAHO’s Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health.

‘Its implementation will enable us to move toward more resilient health systems that are centered on people and their communities.’

The plan proposes three strategic lines of action, namely reducing NCD risk factors, integrating NCD management into primary health care and strengthening surveillance systems.

PAHO said that these lines of action are designed to reverse a concerning trend where NCDs account for an estimated six million deaths annually in the region, with nearly 40 per cent of those deaths occurring prematurely, before the age of 70.

The UN health agency said that NCDs affect approximately 240 million people in the Americas and that while the last decade has seen progress in reducing the number of tobacco users, tobacco use remains a major risk factor, alongside harmful alcohol consumption, poor diet, physical inactivity, and obesity.

‘For example, over 35 per cent of adults are physically inactive, and one in three adults lives with obesity. Access to diagnosis and treatment also remains limited: only 36 per cent of people with hypertension have their blood pressure under control, and more than 40 million people with diabetes lack access to adequate treatment.’

PAHO said that the action plan emphasises the need for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, and highlights key measures such as fiscal policies to reduce the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages, front-of-package warning labels on ultra-processed foods and restrictions on marketing as well as integration of NCD prevention and treatment into primary care to improve diagnosis, treatment, and control rates.

In addition the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening for early detection of cervical cancer and the use of digital solutions and innovative tools to strengthen data surveillance, improve monitoring, and support evidence-based policymaking are among the key highlights.

‘Progress under the action plan will be monitored through biennial review mechanisms, with a midterm review in 2028 and a final report in 2031. PAHO will also support countries in mobilizing resources to implement priority actions.

‘Through this plan, countries of the Americas reaffirm their commitment to public health and sustainable development, at a critical time to reduce the burden of NCDs in the region,’ PAHO added.

Both the West Indies men’s and women’s senior teams will be busy at home in 2026 as Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Wednesday revealed packed home series for both teams.

Speaking during CWI’s quarterly press conference, Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe announced that the men will be hosting Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan.

‘We start the home series for the men with Sri Lanka and a full tour of all three formats: three ODIs, three T20s, and two Test matches.

West Indies Women will play a historic Test match against Australia at home in 2026

‘Then we move on to New Zealand which is a white-ball series of three ODIs and three T20 internationals, and then Pakistan, which is a Test series consisting of two Test matches,’ Bascombe revealed.

He said among the West Indies Women’s matches at home was a historic Test match against Australia Women.

‘The women will have Sri Lanka for six white ball matches: three ODIs and three T20Is.

‘They will also have Australia for a full format series including one Test match and we finish the year with Pakistan, which is a white ball series with three ODIs and three T20Is,’ Bascombe said.

Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre has acknowledged the progress made between St. Lucia and the French countries even as he said challenges remain in certain areas.

Pierre, addressing the two-day ninth Franco-St. Lucia Joint Security Commission meeting that ends here later on Wednesday, said that since the last meeting, while there had been progress in various areas of cooperation, there are persistent obstacles.

‘Since our last meeting, Franco-Saint Lucia cooperation has advanced in several areas of practical cooperation, training and border control. However, challenges remain in communications, deportations and disaster response.’

Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre (second from left) attending the ninth Franco-Saint Lucia Joint Security Commission meeting in St. Lucia.

Pierre made reference to the death of K-9 Tyson, the police dog that had been instrumental in anti-narcotics missions across the island.

In July, police said they had launched a criminal investigation into the suspicious death of the highly trained police dog whose work in narcotics and weapons recovery played a critical role in national security operations.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mashama Sealy, said then that a post-mortem examination had been conducted, and investigators are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, including examination of operational environments, forensic testing, interviews and a comprehensive review of recent K-9 deployments.

Media reports said that the dog, which had been donated by the French government had ingested a poisonous substance.

French Ambassador to St. Lucia, Francis Etienne, said his government had given St. Lucia law enforcement authorities a dog 10 years ago and that it had met a similar fate as Tyson.

He said he was now calling for increased protection for the only other canine within the police service and that this incident should be taken as a warning signal.

‘The demise of Tyson has weakened St. Lucia’s interdiction capacity despite the fact that another K-9, Voyou, donated earlier this year, is providing some valuable support,’ Pierre told the meeting.

‘We are heartened by the possibility of our French friends donating another K-9 or two to us and we await its arrival while the police continue to investigate fully the cause of Tyson’s death,’ he said, as he appealed for stronger resolve against organised criminal networks. ‘Let us strengthen our resolve to use all legal methods to rid our countries of the criminal elements that threaten our security and peace.’

The meeting here has brought together senior officials from St. Lucia and France’s overseas territories for discussions on border control and security cooperation.

Martinique Prefect, Etienne Desplanques, Attorney General of the Court of Appeal of Martinique, Patrice Camberou are among those attending the meeting that has so far focused on security and trafficking, as well as operational cooperation including technical equipment, and mutual support initiatives.

Discussions involved the review of radar surveillance systems, border protection measures, and challenges in deportation and immigration procedures. The authorities are also expected to discuss improving coordination between the borders, particularly in preventing ‘undesirable St. Lucians’ re-entry to Martinique and facilitating the handover of deportees wanted by St. Lucian police.

Attorney General Leslie Mondesir said the meeting builds on the last Commission meeting held in Martinique in December 2022.

‘At that meeting a strategic action plan was developed, including training, joint operational actions, provision of technical equipment, judicial cooperation, immigration and the formation of a restricted monitoring committee. This meeting here today further expands that prior discussion,’ he said.

Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel Wednesday set sentencing for Friday in a case in which a police officer was found found him guilty of discharging a firearm in a public place, stemming from a December 3, 2022 incident

Police Officer, Karim Warner, broke down in tears after the magistrate found him guilty of discharging a firearm in a public place.

The prosecution had said that Warner fired 12 rounds at a vehicle with with two occupants after a confrontation during an attempt to reclaim a leased vehicle.

The court was told that a male occupant of the vehicle had refused to hand over the car before shots were fired.

Warner had initially faced charges for discharging a firearm in a public place and assaulting both vehicle occupants. He maintained his innocence, entering not guilty pleas.

In February, the prosecution dropped the assault charges entirely and the situation became more complicated when the male complainant failed to appear for trial and formally withdrew from the case, stating he no longer wished to participate in the proceedings.

Despite these setbacks, Magistrate Emanuel continued with the remaining charge of discharging a firearm in a public place with testimony from four witnesses, including the female complainant, a taxi driver, police officers, and additional witnesses.

Following the prosecution’s presentation, defense attorney Andrew O’Kola mounted a no-case submission, contending that prosecutors had failed to meet the evidentiary threshold required to sustain the charges. O’Kola requested the case be dismissed outright.

But after considering the arguments from the state and the defence, Magistrate Emanuel rejected the no-case submission.

The Barbados government has hinted at the possibility of changes being made to the Economic Substance Act changing the number of the ways in which the island moves from being a nominal tax jurisdiction to being a preferential tax jurisdiction

Energy and Business Minister, Lisa Cummins, addressing the media launch of the Global Business Week 2025, said there is underway now a process of regulatory reform.

Minister of Energy and Business, Lisa Cummins; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Business, Kevin Hunte; and General Manager of Pan American Insurance, Michael Lucas, in discussion at the media launch of Global Business Week 2025 (C. Pitt/BGIS)

‘You’ve seen much of this happening since last year January, when we had the corporation tax reform. And I’m happy to share with you, if it has not already hit your desk, that the (new) Economic Substance Bill is going to be coming up for consultation on some changes that are going to come down the pipe.

‘Together with the International Business Unit and the Barbados Revenue Authority, we are going to be making some changes to the Economic Substance Act, and that will change a number of the ways in which we move from being a nominal tax jurisdiction to being a preferential tax jurisdiction, and that will have significant implications, in a positive way, for the global business sector,’ Cummings said.

Global Business Week will be observed from October 19 to 25, under the theme ‘Resilience: Adapting Transforming, Thriving’.

Cummins said business facilitation was now moving into a digitised space, noting that Business Barbados had partnered with Microsoft, and over the next eight months, expected to transition to a new digital platform.

She noted the importance of the creation of Business Barbados while acknowledging that it was not yet perfect and that the chairman of Business Barbados, Connie Smith and her team are steering this ship in the right direction, but it will take time.

‘ In rearing a child, you don’t change behaviour overnight. It takes some time, . training, and . reorientation, and that training and re-orientation have firmly begun in Business Barbados,’ she said, noting that the global environment is changing, and it is challenging because a slower and more fragmented world economy is being seen.

‘It’s reducing trade, closing borders and dampening investment. For Barbados, what this means is that there’s fiercer competition for mandates. We have, . under the treaty negotiating team for Barbados, this year, completed negotiations with Hong Kong in just one round of negotiations.

‘So, we have a new double taxation agreement with Hong Kong that is now going through the system., and.we have also completed, in another single round, negotiations with Curaçao. We have new double taxation agreements that I’m hoping that, together with the business community, we can merge into a bilateral investment treaty and create opportunities for global business to grow,’ she said.

Cummings urged all stakeholders to turn the challenges into new opportunities, and commit to unlocking growth, even in these most challenging economic times.

Barbados International Business Association (BIBA) president, Marlon Yarde, described Global Business Week as an opportunity to engage, connect, and reaffirm the value of global business to Barbados. He said Barbados remains a trusted business environment for international investors.

‘Our location, infrastructure, and skilled workforce make us competitive. Our stability and access to international markets make us attractive. This week is about reaffirming why investors continue to choose Barbados – and how we must continue to adapt and transform to thrive,’ Yarde said.

The chief executive officer of Invest Barbados, Kaye-Anne Greenidge, underscored the importance of the global business sector.

‘Beyond the critical role it plays in positioning Barbados regionally and internationally as a jurisdiction of choice, the sector is equally important to us here at home. It creates jobs for Barbadians, facilitates the transfer of skills, strengthens our professional services and contributes directly to sustainable economic growth for our country. These are real and measurable benefits that impact families, communities and the wider nation,’ Greenidge said.

She noted that Barbados is a preferred choice for the captive insurance business and ranks among the top 10 captive insurance domiciles globally.

President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons says the health care sector in Suriname has ‘deteriorated significantly’ in recent years outlining new initiatives to help reverse the situation.

‘Without a healthy population, a country cannot develop. Our goal is a healthcare system that not only responds to illness but actively protects and promotes health,’ President Geerlings-Simons said in her first annual address to Parliament.

President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons addressing Parliament

‘Health is not a privilege, but a right,’ she said, indicating that the health agenda for 2026 and 2027 would focus on prevention and primary care, digital care and data collection, healthcare financing and the State Health Insurance Fund among other areas.

‘Our Suriname, with its small population, carries a heavy disease burden, largely caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases. But also communicable diseases, including HIV. Diseases that have long been under control elsewhere in the world,’ President Geerlings-Simons said.

She told legislators that these diseases claim the most lives in the country, putting a heavy burden on the economy, reiterating that prevention will be central to the implementation of government policy, ‘especially because prevention and the quality of care have deteriorated significantly during the past term’.

The head of state spoke of the high rates of suicide, domestic violence, and femicide in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, announcing national programmes to break down stigmas and expand mental health care.

In addition, additional investments are being made in prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal care to reduce the high maternal and infant mortality rates.

She said Suriname is accelerating the implementation of electronic patient records, telehealth, and e-prescriptions and that space is also being created for traditional and alternative medicine, provided it is properly regulated and securely integrated into the system.

The president also acknowledged the significant outflow of doctors and nurses, promising improved working conditions, career development, and collaboration with friendly countries to temporarily deploy foreign medical personnel.

During her address, President Geerlings-Simons said that the government will activate a national housing fund in 2026.

‘Housing, as previously stated, is not only an economic sector, but also of great social importance. Especially during the period when oil revenues start coming in, land and housing will become more expensive.

‘Therefore, a special program will be needed to provide Surinamese people with access to housing during that period as well,’ Geerlings-Simons told legislators.

The United States has announced support for the Trinidad and Tobago government’s Dragon gas proposal with Venezuela saying it will take ‘steps to ensure it will not provide significant benefit to the Maduro regime’.

The announcement comes less than five months after the Kamla Persad Bissessar government, which came to office in Port of Spain on April 28, indicating that the gas deal was ‘dead’ after it had campaigned heavily against the proposal that had been initiated by the former People’s National Movement (PNM) administration.

US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, greetings Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar and her delegation in Washington on Tuesday.

‘.we will be foolish to not look elsewhere, and we should have started that search long ago; we should not have put everything into the Dragon gas,’ Persad Bissessar said then, adding ‘that is dead. The(PNM) kept it alive for 10 years, and if you couldn’t do that in 10 years, you cannot do it now,’ she said, adding that there could also possibly be oil and gas in Tobago’s territorial waters.

In a statement issued following talks between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Prime Minister Persad Bissessar on Tuesday, the State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Tommy Pigott, said that Rubio had ‘acknowledged the importance of energy security to Trinidad and Tobago’s economic prosperity and regional stability.

‘He outlined US support for the government’s Dragon gas proposal and steps to ensure it will not provide significant benefit to the Maduro regime’ emphasising the deepening relations between Port of Spain and Washington.

In a brief statement here following the meeting with Rubio, the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister said ‘we had some very important discussions for bilateral interests, and more will be discussed later.

‘We have some good news that we will share with you later. We head back now to New York City, and we look forward to meeting you at home,’ she added.

In April, the United States government revoked the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) license granted to Trinidad and Tobago to allow Shell, the National Gas Company (NGC), and contractors to explore, produce, and export natural gas from the Venezuelan Dragon Gas Field.

The license was valid until October 31, 2025, and enabled Trinidad and Tobago to pay for gas in various currencies and through humanitarian measures. On December 21, 2023, Trinidad and Tobago also secured a 30-year exploration and production license from the government of Venezuela for the Dragon gas field.

Washington had also revoked the Cocuina-Manakin license granted to Port of Spain on May 31, 2024.

Port of Spain had been planning to request an extension from Washington for a license granted to Shell and the NGC to develop the Dragon gas project in Venezuela.

The license, issued in early 2023, allows the companies to plan the project. The project aims to supply gas to Trinidad by 2027. The Dragon Field is located in Venezuelan waters near the maritime border with Trinidad.

Former prime minister, Stuart Young, who was also the minister of energy and energy industries in the previous two PNM administrations, said in a statement posted on his Facebook page that the announcement from Rubio with respect to Trinidad and Tobago is ‘consistent with what he told me when I was Prime Minister.

‘Amazingly, one of the first announcements of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar after she was sworn in was that Dragon was dead and that her government would be pursuing gas in Grenada, Guyana and Suriname. Now, in a not surprising complete about turn, the (ruling) UNC (United National Congress) is pursuing Venezuelan Dragon gas.’

Young said that the ‘success of cross border gas depends on many factors including, very critically, multilateral respect and diplomacy as the gas is owned by another state,’ adding ‘time is longer than twine’.

Pigott in his statement said that the meeting had also discussed the strong US-Trinidad and Tobago partnership, particularly on regional security and counternarcotics cooperation and Rubio commended Trinidad and Tobago’s steps to counter transnational criminal organizations and curb illicit narcotics and firearms trafficking.

‘The leaders also discussed efforts to restore stability in Haiti, including through support for the UN security council resolution authorizing a UN Support Office for Haiti and Gang Suppression Force.’

Free movement among nationals of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), Barbados, Dominica and Belize came into effect on Wednesday, two days after a law facilitating such movement was passed in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Parliament.

Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) that since 2009, already allow for free movement among the nine-member sub-regional grouping.

The four Caribbean Community (CARICCOM) countries decided to forge ahead with full-fledged free movement under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) that allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services, while other members of the 15-member integration movement work through their reservations.

The free movement means that, effective October 1, except where prohibited on the grounds prescribed by law, such as national security concerns, citizens of the four countries can travel to and work in each other’s countries for an unlimited period of time and can work on arrival, without needing a work permit.

They would also not need a CARICOM Skills Certificate, which previously defined the categories of workers who could move among the bloc and live and work indefinitely.

In Kingstown, the free movement was effected by amendments to the Immigration Restriction Act, which received bipartisan support.

The amendments also allow nationals of the OECS associated member states, namely the French Caribbean departments of Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Martin, to visit and remain here up to six months.

‘. persons born in those countries or born of individuals who are born in . any of those French overseas territories would be entitled to a six-month entry into St. Vincent and the Grenadines to enhance freedom of movement,’ Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, said while tabling the legislation in Parliament.

However, unlike under the CARICOM arrangement, employment is not permitted.

Gonsalves said that while the agreement among the four CARICOM countries included Belize, in practical terms, Barbados, located 100 miles east of SVG, would be the one of greatest practical importance to SVG.

‘Clearly, Belize is of historic significance because there’s a significant group of Garifuna, persons of Garifuna descent, who came out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,’ he said, in reference to the descendants of indigenous Vincentians who were exiled to Belize in the 1790s after their chief, Joseph Chatoyear, was killed by British colonisers.

‘But clearly, the one where we have most people moving would be between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados,’ Prime Minister Gonsalves said, adding that this would be of great help to Vincentians.

‘And many of us have constituents, people who currently, from St. Vincent, go to Barbados and they’re not supposed to work in the six months but sometimes they do work under the radar, but they are not very well protected, because they are not supposed to be working,’ he said.

Gonsalves said the converse is also true for Barbadians residing here, saying, ’employers often take advantage of them because they do not have the legal status.

‘Now, after October the first, they’d be able to go to Barbados and work – come out the plane and work there – in the way in which Grenadians can come here under the OECS arrangement or St. Lucians or Vincentians go there, Antigua, or St. Kitts.’

Also on Monday, Parliament passed a law ascribing contingent rights, such as the right to own property and access healthcare and other social services, to the CARICOM or OECS national to whom the free movement rights have been extended.

Gonsalves, however, emphasised that the free movement does not extend to people who obtain citizenship through economic citizenship programmes.

Dominica is the only country among the four CARICOM nations that have agreed to full free movement that has a CBI programme.

‘Well, you will notice how the common legislation here is formulated,’ Gonsalves said, noting that in CARICOM, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia have Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes.

Under the CBI, foreign investors are granted citizenship of the islands involved in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of these islands.

‘The other nine do not have. That’s why the formulation is as it is here,’ Gonsalves said, adding ‘this section applies to a person who holds a passport or a document establishing identity and nationally prescribed by law issued by a qualifying OECS state, evidencing that the person was born in the state, or is a descendant of a person born in the state or in another qualifying OECS state.

‘So that takes care of that particular problem,’ he said, referring to the CBI-designated citizens.