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The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has launched its e-services landing permits allowing aircraft requesting permission to land in Guyana to do so now, digitally.

From its establishment in 2003, aircraft operators were required to make requests on paper, before trannsitioning to email in 2007.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, said that Guyana is now on par with standard international operating procedures and that drone operators will be afforded the opportunity to file their requests online soon.

He acknowledged that while there were some challenges in launching the new feature, it isnonethless a step in the right direction, emphasising that the permit is also critical to medical evacuation.

GCAA’s Director General, retired Lt Col Egbert Field, said this achievement is an indication of the institution’s commitment to enhancing aviation safety, efficiency and accessibility of Guyana’s airspace.

He said the initiative embodies the government’s plans to ensure the public service is both accessible and efficient for all stakeholders.

Operators seeking permission to land in Guyana can visit https://permits.civilaviation.gy, after which they will be directed to log in. Those without an account are required to sign up for one.

The following five documents are required for approval: a valid medical for flight crew, a valid license for flight crew, a valid certificate of registration, a valid certificate of airworthiness and a valid aircraft insurance.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, has formally launched the US$30 million Symbol of Love Museum and Monuments at Fort Thomas, saying it marks the beginning of a transformative new chapter for the historic 8.7-acre property located at Fortlands, on the outskirts of the capital.

‘Twenty-six years ago, in 1999, the government of St. Kitts and Nevis acquired this property. For too long, it stood idle. Today, that silence ends,’ Drew said of the project, which the government says represents a significant foreign direct investment partnership with ABL Inc., a Caribbean developer known for innovative tourism experiences such as the Dominica Cable Car.

An artist impression of the Symbol of Love Museum and Monuments at Fort Thomas.

Prime Minister Drew said that this initiative is not tied to the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme (CBI) through which the twin island Federation grants citizenship to foreign investors in returning for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of the country.

The government said that the Symbol of Love Museum and Monuments will feature a range of attractions designed to position Fort Thomas as a world-class cultural and tourism epicenter.

These include a Caribbean history museum and an international museum, a botanical garden with water features; restaurants, bars, and coffee shops overlooking the Caribbean Sea as well as convenience stores and souvenir shoppes and a jetty to expand sea access.

It will also feature replicas of internationally renowned world heritage sites and monuments, celebrating figures who shaped global history.

Prime Minister Drew said that the project is ‘about preservation and transformation’ and that the design ensures Fort Thomas’ story will be ‘celebrated within the museum,’ serving as a living classroom for students and a place for visitors to learn about Caribbean and world history.

‘Our students will be able to walk these grounds and learn about Caribbean and world history in a living classroom, while our visitors will gain a deeper appreciation of who we are as a people,’ the Prime Minister said, adding that the project aligns with St. Kitts’ tourism brand ‘Venture Deeper,’ which encourages visitors to explore the nation’s culture, heritage, and spirit.

‘Today, as we turn this soil, we breathe life back into Fort Thomas. We are restoring its purpose to serve our people, to educate our students, to welcome our visitors, and to inspire generations yet to come.’

The government said that the Fort Thomas redevelopment stands as part of the government’s continued commitment to sustainable tourism, heritage preservation, and economic revitalization, aligning with the Sustainable Island State Agenda (SISA).

Foreign affairs ministers from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States will hold a special virtual meeting before November this year to accelerate work on joint mission restructuring and to consolidate progress on other commitments.

A statement issued by the St. Lucia-based OECS Commission on Tuesday, said that the foreign ministers met on the margins of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) against the backdrop of global geopolitical volatility, economic uncertainty, and climate crises.

OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules, said that the eighth meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (COM:FA) was an opportunity to deal with the challenges facing the region, and to demand swift, coordinated, and sustained action.

He said that the Council’s deliberations were not just procedural, but vital to shaping policies and programmes that directly impact the resilience, sustainability, and prosperity of OECS member states.

‘In the face of turbulence, our mandate is clear: to safeguard resilience, defend sovereignty, and chart a sustainable future for our people. The complexity of today’s environment reinforces one central truth: our strength lies in solidarity and strategy.

‘We cannot influence global outcomes alone, but together we can ensure our voices are heard and our interests are defended,’ Jules said.

COMF FA chair, Frederick Stephenson, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, said that the sub-region, though modest in size, are indispensable voices in the global community, and must continue to advocate for the relevance of small states.

‘The seas are rising, but so too is our steadfastness. The challenges gather, but so too does our unity,’ he said, urging ‘a roadmap worthy of our peoples’ hopes and history’s demands’.

The statement said that the meeting reaffirmed the region’s commitment to safeguarding and transforming Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes and strengthening the financial sustainability of the OECS.

Under the CBI, some OECS member states provide citizenship to foreign investors in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of these states.

In addition, agreement was reached to enhance coordination and advocacy ahead of the United Nations Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP30) in Brazil in November, with a focus on climate finance, adaptation, and loss and damage.

‘Progress on the Free Movement of Persons regime, with calls for harmonisation, retraining of border officials, and actuarial studies to manage social impacts, Haiti’s crisis, emphasising humanitarian assistance, diplomacy, and Haitian-led solutions,’ were also among the matters discussed.

The statement said that the meeting ended ‘with a renewed sense of purpose, emphasizing that the decisions taken were not just administrative outcomes but concrete steps to protect livelihoods, strengthen regional unity, and amplify the Caribbean voice on the global stage.

‘Ministers agreed that the coming months will be critical for advancing key priorities, including climate advocacy ahead of COP30, safeguarding the region’s economic interests, and strengthening the OECS’ joint diplomatic presence worldwide.

‘ To this end, a special virtual meeting will be convened before November 2025 to accelerate work on joint mission restructuring and to consolidate progress on the Council’s commitments,’ the statement added.

The OECS groups the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla.

Jamaica has reaffirmed its commitment to ratifying the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol of the Cartagena Convention, saying it requires one final step, which is the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act.

‘I would have seen what I hope to be the last version before it goes to Parliament within the coming weeks as a parliamentary schedule takes shape now that Jamaica would have gone through its most recent elections,’ Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda, told the opening ceremony for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Eighteenth Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP18) for the Cartagena Convention.

Jamaica’s Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda

Samuda told the meeting that ends on Thursday that Jamaica is not ratifying the SPAW Protocol from a perspective of symbolism, but because the country acknowledges the principles and the benefits of the Cartagena Convention.

‘We acknowledge that the SPAW Protocol brings to life greater protection for our oceans,’ he said, noting that as they deliberate in the coming days, it is easy to feel frustrated with the pace at which things are happening.

‘We’ve all seen the impact of ocean acidification; we’ve all seen dying corals; we’ve all seen deteriorating water quality; we’ve all seen the impact of warming seas and in some cases rising sea levels as we’re experiencing,’ he said.

However, Samuda said there is hope, as he has seen the impact of the multilateral process on dealing with the issue of fishing subsidies at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the third United Nations Ocean Conference as well as the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on the plastics treaty.

‘There can be creeping frustration, there can be a sense that this is an academic exercise, but I ask you in your deliberations and in your discussions and your bilaterals and your individual meetings, that we redouble our efforts to strengthen the efforts of the Convention Secretariat, to ensure that we strengthen the intention to protect our seas,’ he said.

Samuda said that the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC) goal of protecting 30 per cent of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030 in 1983 was very far-fetched.

‘It means the multilateral process, though slow, does achieve what you want over time,’ he said.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Eighteenth Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP18) for the Cartagena Convention brings together governments and partners from the wider Caribbean region to discuss and implement solutions for protecting marine biodiversity, reducing pollution, and strengthening regional cooperation.

Discussions will include new recommendations on Sargassum management, waste water, and pollution control under the LBS Protocol, as well as advancing work on the SPAW Protocol concerning marine mammals and wetlands.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, says his country has absolutely no interest in hosting any form of military assets, and that the situation regarding Grenada is ‘really a sovereign issue’ for the government of that island.

‘If they decide to accommodate the United States, there is nothing we can do. We would have to respect the decision,’ Browne told reporters on a conference call from St. John’s.

Last week, the Grenada government confirmed that the United States had written seeking permission to install radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA).

‘The Ministries of National Security, Legal Affairs and Foreign Affairs are carefully assessing the request and reviewing the request in technical consultations, in coordination with the Grenada airports Authority and other relevant agencies,’ the Dickon Mitchell government said, adding that it is carefully reviewing the request in accordance with established national procedures.

‘Any decisions will be made only after all technical and legal assessments are completed. We wish to assure our citizens that any decision taken will be guided by Grenada’s sovereignty, public safety, and national interest, including the protection of our tourism industry, the traveling public, and the country’s economic well-being,’ the government said, adding it continue to keep the public informed as developments unfold.

But former Senate president and trade unionist, Chester Humphrey and former foreign affairs minister, Peter David, have publicly come out against such a request, with Humphrey saying he is prepaed to lead a peaceful protest march.

Humphrey said that the move by Washington is a precursor to launching a military strike against the Nicolás Maduro government in the Venezuela.

David, an independent legislator, said in a statement that while Grenada values its longstanding partnerships with both the United States and Venezuela, any actions taken must be rooted in diplomacy, mutual respect, and regional cooperation.

Last month, President Donald Trump ramped up US military presence in the Caribbean Sea ordering an amphibious squadron to the southern Caribbean as part of his effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.

A nuclear-powered attack submarine, additional P8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, several destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser have also being allocated to US Southern Command as part of the mission.

The United States military has carried out four deadly air strikes in Caribbean waters over the past few weeks against what Washington alleges are Caracas-backed drug traffickers. The Venezuelan government denies the charge, accusing the administration of being a threat to the peace and security of the whole region.

During the United Nations Security Council meeting last Friday, Venezuela with support from China and Russia condemned the actions of the United States.

Prime Minister Browne said that the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the wider Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ‘will have locus to speak and to state their opposition if they are being pressured’.

He said he isn’t aware of any request before the OECS or CARICOM, adding ‘maybe there could be an intent but no such formal request.

‘Antigua and Barbuda has absolutely no interest in hosting any military assets of any country. We are friends of all and enemies of none. We are quite happy we don’t have any military bases or assets of any foreign power,’ Prime Minister Browne added.

On Monday, the US Embassy in Barbados announced that the Commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, is to visit Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada from Tuesday, where he will meet with leaders in both countries, the US Embassy here has announced.

It said that Holsey will hold talks with Prime Minister Browne and his Grenadian counterpart, Mitchell and that his visit is his first to both countries since assuming command of SOUTHCOM last November ‘and is an opportunity to further strengthen security cooperation with key partners in the Caribbean’.

Prime Minister Phillip Davis is leading the country in bidding farewell to one of the Bahamas’ finest sons of the cloth, after His Grace, The Most Reverend Drexel Wellington Gomez died on Tuesday. He was 88 years-old.

‘We give thanks for his life, a life that began in the quiet corners of the Berry Islands and stretched across the world, anchored always in faith,’ Prime Minister Davis said in a statement.

Archbishop Gomez served as Archbishop of the West Indies from 1996 to 2009 and his influence extended beyond The Bahamas, shaping theological discussions throughout the Caribbean and the global Anglican Communion.

Archbishop Drexel Wellington Gomez

In March this year, there had been calls for prayers for him after he was hospitalised suffering with stomach cancer.

In a statement, the Anglican Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands said the Diocese shares ‘with immense sorrow that His Grace, the Most Reverend Drexel Wellington Gomez, Archbishop Emeritus of the Province of the West Indies and former Bishop of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands, passed away this morning.

‘We give thanks for Archbishop Gomez’s life of devoted service to God, the Church, and the people of this Diocese and beyond. His ministry, as Bishop of Barbados, then as Diocesan Bishop here in The Bahamas, and as Archbishop and Primate, bore witness to a faithful shepherd, a principled teacher, and a stalwart voice for the Gospel.’

The Anglican Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands said during this time of mourning, it was inviting all clergy, congregations, and faithful friends to join in prayers of thanksgiving.

‘May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.,’ it added.

Prime Minster Davis recalled that the late Archbishop was not born into privilege, but into purpose, adding that it carried him from the classrooms of Western Senior to the hallowed halls of Codrington College in Barbados, and later to St. Chad’s College at Durham University. There, a young Bahamian priest in training absorbed the traditions of the Anglican Church, preparing for a life of service that would span nearly six decades.

‘He carried himself with quiet authority, never loud, never seeking the spotlight, yet his presence commanded attention. When he spoke, you listened. Not because he demanded it, but because truth and conviction lived in his words,’ Davis said.

‘For me, and for many Bahamians, Archbishop Gomez was a steady hand and a moral compass. He reminded us that leadership is service, that faith must be lived, and that a man’s greatness is measured by his humility.’

‘To the Anglican family, and to his loved ones, I offer the sympathy of my wife Ann, my family, and the people of The Bahamas. We give thanks for his life, a life that began in the quiet corners of the Berry Islands and stretched across the world, anchored always in faith.’

The leader of the Free National Movement (FNM), Michael Pintard, had said when the Archbishop was first hospitalised throughout his life, Archbishop Gomez had been a unifying voice within the Anglican Community,’ and a devoted servant of God whose impact reaches far beyond the Church.’

Long Island parliamentary representative, Adrian Gibson, in a post on social media on Tuesday, described Archbishop Gomez ‘a guiding light across the Caribbean, a voice of conviction and unity, and a shepherd to many.

‘From his consecration as Bishop of Barbados, to his leadership as Bishop of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, and later as Archbishop and Primate of the Church in the Province of the West Indies, he guided the Anglican Church through defining moments in its history.’