April 29th, 2024

While you’re packing your sunscreen and snorkel gear, don’t forget to check your luggage and clothing to remove all guns and ammunition. Many countries in the Caribbean do not allow possession of firearms or ammunition unless you have a local permit and, if arrested while traveling, the United States Embassy will not be able to secure your release.

What to Know Before You Go: 

• Declaring a weapon in your checked luggage with an airline carrier does not grant you permission to bring the weapon into other countries. It is the responsibility of the traveler to research local laws and complete all necessary forms prior to travel.
• Research the laws of the country you will be traveling to. Check the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs and contact the foreign embassy in the United States prior to travel to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.

IF YOU’RE TRAVELING TO THE CARIBBEAN, KNOW THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO IMPORT OR EXPORT FIREARMS OR AMMUNITION TO OR FROM ANY CARICOM (CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY) MEMBER(LINK IS EXTERNAL) STATES UNLESS YOU HAVE A FIREARM IMPORT LICENSE OR A FIREARM EXPORT LICENSE GRANTED BY THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY (SUCH AS THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE).

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important safety information regarding your travel and to help the local U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency.
• If you are arrested for gun trafficking abroad, you could be imprisoned, fined or both, and the State Department will not be able to secure your release.
• Any person who wishes to export a firearm subject to the National Firearms Act must submit ATF Form 9 (5320.9), Application and Permit for Permanent Exportation of Firearms and obtain approval from ATF prior to export. (ATF)

Where Are You Traveling To?

Full Member States

Antigua and Barbuda 

Do not enter Antigua and Barbuda with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the Antigua and Barbuda government. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs or firearms are severe. Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Contact the Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda(link is external) with questions regarding travel with firearms.

The Bahamas

Firearms, ammunition, and other weapons are not permitted in The Bahamas. According to The Bahamas Firearms Act, individuals found to have a firearm or ammunition in their possession without a legally issued Bahamian gun license face a penalty of up to 10 years’ incarceration and $10,000 fine. Declaring the weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into The Bahamas.
If you have a firearm or ammunition onboard a boat entering Bahamian waters, you must declare it with Bahamian Customs at the first point of entry. Only declared shotguns and handguns are allowed in Bahamian waters. You must provide the serial number, name of the manufacturer, and an exact count of ammunition. Declared firearms cannot be removed from your boat and must be kept locked at all times.
If a U.S. citizen illegally brings a firearm or ammunition into The Bahamas, the U.S. Embassy will not be able to secure their release. All foreign nationals are subject to Bahamian law and must follow local law enforcement procedures.

Barbados

Do not enter Barbados with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the Barbados government. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs or firearms are severe. Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Contact the Embassy of Barbados(link is external) with questions regarding travel with firearms.

Belize

Do not enter Belize with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the government of Belize. Contact the Embassy of Belize(link is external) with questions regarding travel with firearms.

Dominica

Do not enter Dominica with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the Dominican government. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs or firearms are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Contact the Embassy of Domenica(link is external) with questions regarding travel with firearms.

Grenada

Do not enter Grenada with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the government of Grenada. Contact the Embassy of Grenada(link is external) with questions regarding travel with firearms.

Guyana

Do not enter Guyana with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the Guyana Police Force. Visit the Guyana Police Force(link is external) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection websites for more information.

Haiti

Possession of firearms, ammunition, and dangerous weaponry is strictly prohibited to any person, unless the individual has a Haitian license or has been specifically authorized by Haitian authorities. In order to bring a firearm into Haiti, an owner must obtain written permission in advance from the Director-General of the Haitian National Police (HNP). Contact the “Centre de Renseignement de la police”/Information Center (CRO) at cropnh@yahoo.fr(link is external) or by telephone at (+509) 3838-1111 / 3837-1111/3839-1111 for additional information. Travelers caught entering Haiti with any type of weapon, including firearms or ammunitions, will likely face severe penalties, including prison time. U.S.-issued permits allowing an individual to carry weapons are not valid in Haiti.

Jamaica

Jamaica strictly forbids importing or possessing firearms in Jamaica without prior authorization of the Firearms Licensing Authority of Jamaica. A U.S. concealed carry permit does not allow you to bring a firearm or ammunition into Jamaica. On Nov. 1, 2022, the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act 2022(link is external) went into effect. This new law includes mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years for possession of even a single cartridge.

If you bring an unauthorized firearm, firearm components, firearm parts or ammunition to Jamaica, you will be arrested and prosecuted. This will result in a large fine and/or incarceration for an unspecified amount of time. Bringing mace, pepper spray or knives into Jamaica without authorization will also lead to arrest.

Montserrat

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal firearms are severe. Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Do not enter Montserrat with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the British government. Contact the British Embassy(link is external) before you travel with questions regarding travel with firearms.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Do not enter Saint Kitts and Nevis with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the government of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs or firearms are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Contact the Embassy of Saint Kitts and Nevis(link is external) before you travel.

Saint Lucia

Do not enter Saint Lucia with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the Saint Lucia government. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs or firearms are severe. Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Contact the Embassy of Saint Lucia(link is external) with questions regarding travel with firearms.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Do not enter Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines government. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs or firearms are severe. Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Contact the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines(link is external) before you travel with questions regarding travel with firearms.

Suriname

Trinidad and Tobago

It is illegal to carry ammunition when arriving, departing or transiting through Trinidad and Tobago. Individuals found with as little as one bullet, a previously discharged bullet casing, or spent ammunition used in items such as jewelry or keyrings on their person or in their luggage at the airport have been detained, charged, and fined.

Associate States

Anguilla

Do not enter Anguilla with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the British government. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs or firearms are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Contact the British Embassy(link is external) before you travel with questions regarding travel with firearms.

Bermuda

The Department of State warns United States citizens against taking any type of firearm, ammunition or component of a firearm into Bermuda. The Bermuda government strictly enforces its laws restricting the entry of weapons and ammunition. Entering Bermuda with a firearm, bladed instruments, an ammunition magazine, or even a single round of ammunition is illegal, even if the weapon or ammunition is taken into the country unintentionally. Permission to import or own a gun in Bermuda must be sought in advance from the Bermuda Police Service(link is external). Any privately owned firearms must be secured at Bermuda Police Headquarters. Violations may result in arrest, convictions, and potentially long prison sentences. Pepper sprays and stun guns are considered dangerous weapons in Bermuda and are illegal.

British Virgin Islands

Firearms entry restrictions may exist for visitors to and foreign residents of the British Virgin Islands. Contact the BVI Immigration Department(link is external) before you travel. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs or firearms are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Cayman Islands

You are strictly forbidden to import or possess firearms or ammunition in the Cayman Islands. Even a single bullet inadvertently loose in a carry-on bag can lead to arrest. A conceal carry permit, employment by a police agency, or service in U.S. Armed Forces does not allow you to bring a firearm or ammunition into the Cayman Islands. If you travel with firearms, firearm components or parts and/or ammunition to the Cayman Islands, you will be arrested and referred to the local courts for prosecution, which will result in a substantial fine and/or incarceration for an unspecified amount of time.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Firearms, ammunition, and other weapons are not permitted in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). TCI authorities strictly enforce all firearm-related laws; penalties include a minimum custodial sentence of 12 years according to the TCI Firearms Ordinance(link is external). Declaring the weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Observer States

Aruba

Colombia 

Colombian law prohibits tourists and business travelers from bringing firearms and ammunition into Colombia.

Curaçao

Dominican Republic

Mexico

Weapons laws in Mexico vary by state, but it is generally illegal for travelers to carry weapons of any kind including firearms, knives, daggers, brass knuckles and ammunition (even used shells). Illegal firearms trafficking from the United States to Mexico is a major concern, and the Department of State warns all U.S. citizens against taking any firearm or ammunition into Mexico. If you are caught entering Mexico with any type of weapon, including firearms or ammunitions, you likely will face severe penalties, including prison time. U.S.-issued permits allowing an individual to carry weapons are not valid in Mexico. Vessels entering Mexican waters with firearms or ammunition on board must have a permit previously issued by a Mexican embassy or consulate.

Puerto Rico

Under the “Puerto Rico Weapons Act,” individuals are required to have a license to possess and a permit to carry firearms in Puerto Rico.

Sint Maarten

Venezuela

More Resources:

• Travelers with Firearms (U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs)
• Temporarily taking a firearm or ammunition outside the United States for personal reasons. i.e., hunting, or other personal recreational activities (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
• Guidance for U.S. Persons Traveling Outside the U.S. with Firearms and/or Ammunition (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
• How do I export defense articles, including firearms and ammunition? (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives)

Original warning from the ATF can be found here:  

New York, 22 April 2024

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

I thank ECOSOC for convening this forum on a topic that is essential to development and the better world we all seek — financing.

Financing is the fuel of development.

Yet many developing countries are running on empty.

This is creating a sustainable development crisis.

A crisis of lingering poverty and rising inequality.

A crisis of hunger, lack of education and shattered infrastructure.

A crisis of climate catastrophe and shocks that are becoming more frequent and acute.

And a crisis that, if left unchecked, will undermine stability, prosperity and peace for decades to come.

Crisis after crisis, challenge after challenge, all tied together by a common thread.

Lack of financing.

Many developing countries are simply unable to make the investments they need in sustainable development, and the systems and services their people require.

And when they turn to the global financial system for help, they find that it is unable to provide a global safety net to shield them from shocks.

They find a system incapable of helping them forge stability or sustainability.

They find a system that they had no hand in creating, no voice in shaping — and that remains unresponsive to their needs.

My friends, they find a system that is broken.

The result is plain to see.

The Sustainable Development Goals are hanging by a thread — and with them, the hopes and dreams of billions of people around the world.

The world faces an annual financing gap of around $4 trillion to reach the SDGs — a sharp rise from the $2.5-trillion gap one year before the COVID-19 pandemic.

This growing financing gap is matched by a growing financing divide — between those countries that can access financing at affordable rates, and those that cannot.

This is no longer a question of “haves” and “have nots.”

This is a question of who has access to finance when they need it — and who does not.

This is a question of justice.

Look at the global financial system’s handling of debt.

Many developing countries are being crushed under a steamroller of debt.

Four out of every 10 people worldwide live in countries where governments spend more on interest payments than on education or health.

Annual debt service payments in the world’s poorest countries are 50 per cent higher than they were just three years ago.

In sub-Saharan Africa, debt-servicing consumed nearly half of all government revenue in 2023.

In country after country, development gains are quickly erased by relentless crises, with debt service payments impeding critical social spending and investments in the SDGs.

Money is flowing in the wrong direction — from the countries who need it to the countries who don’t.

When it comes to debt, developing countries are climbing a ladder planted in quicksand.

Excellencies,

A growing economy is the best way to reduce debt burdens and raise domestic revenue for key investments.

We need a surge of investment to bridge the financing gap and give developing countries a fighting chance to build better lives for their people.

We must continue pushing for an SDG Stimulus of $500 billion annually in affordable long-term finance for developing countries.

The Stimulus was welcomed by world leaders at the SDG Summit and in the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.

Now it’s time to move from words to action and deliver affordable, long-term financing at scale.

First — developed countries need to step-up, led by the G20.

Discussions on general capital increases for Multilateral Development Banks should start now.

Meanwhile, donors must meet their official development assistance commitments.

In 2022, only four countries met or exceeded the agreed target of 0.7% of Gross National Income.

Official development assistance has risen on paper, but it is increasingly spent within donor countries, leaving developing countries without the resources they need.

I call on all donor countries to meet their targets, and get this financing flowing.

Second — we need Multilateral Development Banks to make better use of the resources they can already access, at no additional cost to shareholders.

This includes finding ways for MDBs, central banks and credit rating agencies to greenlight ways to stretch Banks’ balance sheets, leveraging the vast sums of callable capital that the shareholder countries of MDBs have at the ready, sitting in central banks.

It means deploying innovative financing systems — for example, hybrid capital bonds that increase lending capacity and attract private capital.

And MDBs must readjust their business models to better leverage private finance at a reasonable cost for developing countries.

Third — we need bold action to ease the debt distress.

Any new financing should be used for productive investments and sustainable development — not to service unsustainable and unaffordable debt.

And the debt-restructuring systems and mechanisms in place need to be strengthened.

The Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatments have not delivered on their promise.

The Debt Service Suspension Initiative was too limited in scope and duration, expiring just as interest rates skyrocketed.

Debt repayment pauses must be considered for countries facing liquidity crises.

And for those countries bearing the weight of unsustainable debt, it’s time to revamp the debt resolution architecture to provide deep relief that avoids repeat crises.

Regardless of intent and efforts, the Common Framework has failed to provide this.

Nor has it served many of the countries that face the greatest unresolved debt problems.

It’s time for change.

And fourth — we need to increase developing countries’ representation across the system and every decision that is made.

This July is the 80th anniversary of the Bretton Woods Conference, which ushered in today’s international financial architecture.

But the countries who need these systems and institutions most were not present at their creation — a lack of representation that continues to this day.

In the name of justice, they need and deserve a seat at the table.

The Summit of the Future in September and next year’s Financing for Development Conference will be key opportunities to gather the world together to reform the global financial architecture so it serves all countries who need it.

Excellencies,

Let’s make the most of these opportunities.

Now is the time for ambition.

Now is the time for reform.

Now is the time to shape a global economic and financial system that delivers for people and planet.

I look forward to standing with you in this great effort, as we shape a more inclusive, just, peaceful, resilient, and sustainable world for present and future generations.

Thank you.

Garfield Ekon
Staff Writer

The recent attack on the Sate of Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran, has delivered growing uncertainty across the Caribbean region, and the rest of the global economy.

Chief among the many concerns, is the free flow of oil from the Middle East, which stands at 31% of daily production for the global economy. At minimum, shipping costs are likely to increase based on the increased risk of military action in the Persian Gulf.

Pressure is also building on US and European insurance clubs to avoid any transaction, including those with China, that involve Iranian crude and additional rerouting of oil and gas shipments in response to Houthi threats, or Allied responses.

According to the Caribbean Community Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), “these developments not only exacerbate the already tense situation but also pose significant threats to regional stability and international peace,” the group warned in a media statement.

It added that the continued cycle of retaliation, including the recent attack on Israel by Hamas, Israel’s “disproportionate response” in Gaza, and the “alarming new dimension of direct confrontations between Israel and Iran, leads to an untenable situation fraught with potential for greater regional conflict and global instability.

“The human toll of this conflict, highlighted by tragic incidents such as deaths and injuries to children, demand an immediate and empathetic response from the global community. It is imperative that there be no further escalation that can lead to more suffering and instability,” it said.

While calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, the regional body underscored that it strongly urges both nations to halt any further military actions that could worsen the situation, endangering not only their own populations but also the broader international community.

“We implore all parties to consider the severe consequences of further conflict and to commit to diplomatic solutions that ensure the safety, sovereignty, and dignity of all people involved,” the CARICOM statement said.

On October 6, 2023, the day before Hamas attacked Israel, the international benchmark Brent crude was trading at $85 per barrel and has been fluctuating at up to $96.

On Thursday, it traded at $91 per barrel. With the exception of gas-rich Trinidad and Tobago, the 14 other countries of CARICOM, are energy importers.

Approximately 93 percent of the region’s energy needs are met by oil imports, which average 13% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).