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Paradise is in Trouble says UN Sec-Gen at CARICOM Meeting in Barbados

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Deandrea Hamilton

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Barbados, February 21, 2025 – There is trouble in paradise, and it has not escaped the attention of the United Nations, as Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General on Friday (February 21) commended host prime minister for her unerring words as he acknowledged what is an unequivocal truth for the Region; “wave after wave of crisis is pounding your people and your islands with no time to catch your breath before the next disaster strikes.”

Barbados is host country to the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community and Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados set and unapologetic tone for the session which was held from February 19-21.

“The only way we will make it through these difficult times, is if we are prepared to be more unified and bolder than ever,” said Mottley, chairperson of the CARICOM.

The Secretary General pointed to socio-economic fall out from a string of existentially threatening events, none of which originate within the Caribbean region.

“Geopolitical tensions fuelling uncertainty. The scarring effects of COVID-19 leaving a trail of socio-economic crisis. Soaring debt and interest rates, on top of a surge in the cost of living.  All amidst a deadly swell of climate disasters – ripping development gains to shreds and blowing holes through your national budgets.  And all as you remain locked-out of many international institutions – one of the many legacies of colonialism today.”

It was a central point when host, Mia Mottley spoke to the audience assembled at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

“You have heard everybody on this platform this evening and what is clear is that it cannot be business as usual.  We have come to Bridgetown, in this year of 2025 at a time when the world is reeling,” she said pointing to the heartfelt expressions already delivered by immediate past chairman of CARICOM, Dikon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada.

“We know what it is, each summer, to have to hold our breath and to wait and to hope that this is not going to be our turn.  We know firsthand, how the world has become an awful place since the pandemic, where all of the warts and all of the scars and all of the cuts have become very, very clear and open for all to see and where effectively, the world has said ‘might is right’ and where small states are often excluded because our orders are too miniscule to command attention.”

Guetteres sided with the plight echoing from the CARICOM pulpit at the opening ceremony, listing three area which stack up as top priorities.

“I see three key areas where, together, we must drive progress. First, unity for peace and security.  Second, unity on the climate crisis.  Because, third, we need unity for sustainable development.”

Haiti, and its years of unrest and chaos, which is now fuelling a deadly humanitarian crisis absorbed the lion’s share of the Sec-Gen’s attention in terms of security for the region.

“CARICOM, and the Eminent Persons Group, have provided invaluable support.  We must keep working for a political process – owned and led by the Haitians – that restores democratic institutions through elections.

And I will soon report to the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Haiti, including proposals on the role the UN can play to support stability and security and address the root causes of the crisis.”

While an announcement to restore this fledgling democracy through a general election in November has been made, there is doubt expressed that Haiti is progressing enough to hold a national poll.

“It is my intention to present to the Security Council a proposal that is very similar to the one that we have presented for Somalia, in which the UN assumes the responsibility of the structural and logistical expenditures that are necessary to put the force in place. And the salaries of the force are paid through the trust fund that already exists.

And if the Security Council will accept this proposal, we will have the conditions to finally have an effective force to defeat the gangs in Haiti and create the conditions for democracy to thrive.”

A multi-national force deployed to Haiti has had some impact, but those looking on had higher hopes for the Kenyans, Jamaicans, Bahamians and others are fighting against ruthless gangs on the ground.  A mission which is estimated to cost $600 million has also not been fully funded; it is said over 5,600 have been killed and more than a million people are displaced.

Many have lost hope and see peace for the Republic as elusive, even as leaders press on.

“I urge you to continue your work and advocacy to tackle the weapons and drug trafficking that is fuelling violence across the region, including through prevention.”

Crime has been spurned by gun and illicit drug trafficking in the islands; all recording harrowing murder tolls with crippling spikes in violence.  The Secretary General pointed to the push and pull factors sustaining these nefarious industries and the countries where these items, which are outlawed in the Caribbean, are coming from and to where they are going.

“Without their cooperation, we will never be able to win this battle, and the people of the Caribbean are paying a heavy price for the lack of cooperation that unfortunately, we still face,” said Guterres.

Adaptation, in the face of a changing climate is expensive and for the low-lying lands of the Caribbean region, there is an urgency for funding which must remain in the spotlight, according to the UN boss.

“This year, countries must deliver new national climate action plans, ahead of COP30, that align with that goal, with the G20 – the big polluters – leading the way. This is a chance for the world to get a grip on emissions.”

Despite the hearty pitches and persuasive presentations, the effort to fulfill financing commitments to push back against climate change continues to gain little traction.  A shift in presidency in the US is expected to further stifle progress to hit the targets agreed upon in the Paris Treaty.

The Secretary General admonished the small island developing states to “seize the benefits of clean power.  To tap your vast renewables potential and to turn your back on costly fossil fuel imports. But this requires finance.”

Guterres informed, “We need confidence that the $1.3 trillion agreed at COP29 will be mobilized.  And we need the world to get serious in responding to the disasters that we know will keep coming.”

But climate change funding is not the only area in need of resources, according to the secretary general.

“Globally, the Sustainable Development Goals are starved of adequate finance, as debt servicing soaks-up funds, and international financial institutions remain underpowered.  Caribbean countries have been at the forefront of the fight for change – pioneering bold and creative solutions.  And the Pact for the Future agreed last year, together with the Bridgetown Initiative, now 3.0, marks significant progress – and I thank you all for your support.  The Pact commits to advancing an SDG Stimulus of $500 billion a year.”

The UN also believes debt recovery is a mammoth of a mountain standing between financial stability and unending debt for the Small Island Development States.  The disparities are now legendary, and the changes are slow-going.

There was some advice and assurances offered by the secretary general, one of the specially invited guests at that 48th Regular Meeting.

“A unified Caribbean is an unstoppable force. I urge you to keep using that power to push the world to deliver on its promise.  And I can guarantee that the United Nations and myself are with you, and will remain with you, every step of the way.”

Caribbean News

Guyanese Scholar and Olympian Arrested in Iowa ICE Crackdown

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Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

 

September 27, 2025 – In a shocking breach of public trust and institutional oversight, Ian Andre Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, who is a citizen of Guyana, was arrested on September 26 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under a string of serious offenses that raise troubling questions about hiring practices, accountability, and public safety.

Roberts, born in Georgetown, Guyana, is a former Olympian and accomplished scholar.  According to online reports, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Coppin State University after transferring from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, where he played soccer.  He holds two master’s degrees—from St. John’s University and Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business—attended an Executive MBA program at MIT Sloan School of Management and earned a doctorate in education with a focus on urban educational leadership from Trident University.

Despite these accomplishments, Roberts was living and working without legal authorization.  ICE reported that he fled a traffic stop and abandoned his school-issued vehicle.  At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash.  He also has a prior weapons-related charge.

ICE officials questioned how Roberts could hold such a prominent role while subject to a final deportation order issued in May 2024.  The school district said they were unaware of his immigration status, noting that he had undergone background checks and completed an I-9 form confirming work authorization.  Roberts was placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.

This case highlights vulnerabilities in systems meant to safeguard public institutions and underscores the challenges ICE faces in identifying individuals operating outside U.S. immigration laws while in positions of authority.

For many, Roberts has become a near-literal poster child for these enforcement gaps.

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Caribbean News

Bermuda Shaken by Targeted Murder as Crime Returns After a Decade of Calm

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Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

 

Bermuda is reeling after the brazen murder of 37-year-old Janae Minors, a mother of two, who was gunned down in her own beauty supply store on Court Street, Pembroke. The attack, which police describe as “targeted,” has rattled the island, not only for its brutality but for what it says about the state of law and order in a country that less than a decade ago was celebrating a dramatic fall in violent crime.

The Attack on Court Street

According to police, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, a lone gunman pulled up on a stolen black motorcycle, walked into the Beauty Monster shop Minors owned, and shot her multiple times. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after being transported to hospital.

Detectives say the killer was thin, tall, dressed in dark clothing with a full-face helmet, and wearing bright gloves. CCTV shows him fleeing north on Court Street, down Tills Hill toward TCD, before turning onto Marsh Folly Road. Investigators are pursuing all leads, with a focus on recovering evidence from nearby cameras and eyewitness accounts.

Police Commissioner Darrin Simons confirmed the attack bore the hallmarks of gang-related violence, a chilling indicator that Bermuda’s gang rivalries — long simmering beneath the surface — may once again be spilling into broad daylight.

A Vibrant Life Cut Short

Minors, remembered as a hardworking entrepreneur with “a vibrant, beautiful personality,” leaves behind two children, ages 16 and 18. Her murder has ignited outrage across Bermuda, not just for its senselessness but for its timing: the island had once prided itself on virtually stamping out gun violence.

Then: Near-Zero Murders

Back in 2014, Bermuda made international headlines for reporting zero firearm murders — a remarkable achievement given the small island had endured a spate of gang-related shootings in the early 2010s. Police credited intelligence-led operations, tighter firearms interdictions, and aggressive prosecutions of gang leaders. Community programs and mentoring initiatives also played a role, giving at-risk youth alternatives to gang life.

By 2015 and 2016, gun crime was at historic lows. That period was hailed as proof Bermuda could beat back the tide of violence with coordinated policing, social investment, and political will.

Now: Alarming Resurgence

Fast forward nine years, and the picture looks starkly different. In 2024 and 2025, Bermuda has recorded a rise in gun-related deaths. Rival gangs such as Parkside and 42 have resurged, fueled by a new generation of recruits. Economic pressures, high youth unemployment, and the easy flow of smuggled firearms through maritime routes have undermined earlier gains.

Community trust in the police has also eroded, making investigations harder and retaliations more likely. Opposition MPs and neighborhood leaders warn that without sustained focus, Bermuda risks sliding back into the violent cycles of the early 2010s.

Public Alarm and Political Pressure

Premier David Burt condemned Minors’ killing as “an escalation of community violence that cannot be tolerated,” promising stronger enforcement and deeper engagement with residents. The Bermuda Police Service has appealed for CCTV, dashcam, and doorbell footage from the area, urging residents that even the smallest detail could break the case.

Yet among the public, frustration is growing. People remember the calm of 2014 — when zero murders were recorded — and cannot understand how the island has returned to headlines dominated by gun violence. The contrast is stark: from celebrating the elimination of gun murders to confronting the targeted execution of a businesswoman in broad daylight.

A Test for Bermuda’s Future

The murder of Janae Minors has become more than a single case; it is now a symbol of Bermuda’s struggle to hold on to the progress it once made. The question facing the island is whether the successes of a decade ago can be replicated and sustained in today’s harsher climate of economic pressure and gang rivalries.

For Minors’ family, nothing can erase the tragedy of losing a mother and daughter so violently. But for Bermuda at large, her death is a wake-up call — that the island cannot afford complacency when it comes to crime.

As one community leader put it: “Nine years ago, we had beaten this. Now, we’re back to fearing what happens when the sun goes down. That is not the Bermuda we want to live in.”

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CARICOM-Africa Summit Yields Draft Pact on Trade, Travel and Reparations

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Imagine an Atlantic Bridge connecting the Caribbean Region to the African Continent

 

Deandrea Hamilton  | Editor

 

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — When CARICOM leaders convened with African counterparts and Afreximbank officials in Ethiopia, the outcomes were savory and exactly what many Caribbean people want to see materialise as the islands become uniquely reconnected to the African continent.

At the Second CARICOM-Africa Summit, held at the African Union headquarters, leaders moved beyond symbolic language to agree on a draft communiqué that, if finalized, would anchor this partnership in practical action. While not yet officially published by the AU or CARICOM, the document points to an agenda that blends history with urgent twenty-first century priorities.

The draft outlines commitments to improve air and sea transport links, including the pursuit of a multilateral air services agreement to break down the barriers that still keep the Caribbean and Africa physically apart. It also calls for visa facilitation and simplified entry regimes, making it easier for citizens of both regions to travel, study, and work across the Atlantic.

Equally significant are pledges to advance double taxation treaties that could remove one of the most stubborn obstacles to investment. With Afreximbank’s Caribbean headquarters already established in Barbados and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) gaining momentum, leaders now want to lock in the financial and legal frameworks that will drive new business.

Reparatory justice also featured prominently, with the draft communiqué sharpening a joint call for coordinated advocacy. CARICOM’s long-standing Reparations Commission is expected to work more closely with African institutions to demand global recognition and redress for the shared traumas of slavery and colonial exploitation.

CARICOM’s incoming chair, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis, captured the spirit of the gathering when he urged that the Atlantic Slave Trade be reimagined as an “Atlantic Bridge — a bridge of hope, a bridge of advancement, a bridge that will ensure our people take their rightful place in this world.”

For Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, the meeting was a “homecoming,” but also a reminder that concrete steps like the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC) and improved transportation links are needed to transform rhetoric into results.

For citizens back home, wrestling with inflation and economic uncertainty, the Addis outcomes — transport, visas, investment, health, and reparations — are precisely the kinds of measures that can validate leaders’ journeys and rekindle faith in South-South cooperation. What was once only rhetoric now hints at the beams of an Atlantic Bridge, connecting the Caribbean and Africa in ways that could finally turn history’s tragedy into tomorrow’s advantage.

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