The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is supplying a US$100 million Receivables Discounting Facility to the Bahamas Striping Group of Companies Ltd (BSGC) to support the financing of the rehabilitation and construction of over 200 miles of critical road infrastructure across The Bahamas.

“We are grateful to Afreximbank for standing with us through every stage of the process, and we are proud that this transaction strengthens our ability to execute major projects, support our subcontractors and vendors, and scale opportunities,” said BSGC’s Executive Cchairman, Dominic Sturrup.

The Pan-African multilateral financial institution said the funds will be given under a framework agreement signed with The Bahamas government.

Afreximbank said it acted as the lender, providing a facility arising from government contracts and enabling BSGC to accelerate project execution and receive advance funding for completed and certified works, such as asphalt paving, road striping, safety enhancements, and maintenance across the island.

Afreximbank’s acting chief executive officer, Okechukwu Ihejirika, said that the funding showed the bank’s “steadfast commitment to supporting Global Africa partners in developing trade-enabling infrastructure.”

“This facility represents an innovative approach to structured finance in cross-regional partnerships and aligns with our mandate to foster a connected Global Africa that encompasses CARICOM. By enabling these extensive road rehabilitation works, we are driving sustainable development and enhanced economic opportunities,” he added.

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is reminding its member states of the importance of the Integrated Vector Management approach in addressing the resurgence of Chikungunya Virus and other arboviral diseases, such as Dengue and Zika.

In a recent media release, the agency noted that the Chikungunya Virus spreads through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. It described source reduction as the key to preventing and controlling these mosquitoes, but said an Integrated Vector Management approach remains necessary.

CARPHA said a core principle of Integrated Vector Management is Insecticide Resistance Testing studies. Following the acquisition and commissioning of CARPHA’s new Mobile Insectary Facility in October 2025, the agency reports that it can now provide Insecticide Resistance Testing, including molecular testing, offering many benefits to Member States.

CARPHA Executive Director Dr. Lisa Indar said, “CARPHA has conducted a series of training workshops to build regional capacity to respond to the threat of vector-borne diseases (VBD). The latest of these were held in August, September, and December in 2025 and focused on IVM, IRT, GIS (geographic information system(s), VBD Early Warning Systems, and new methods and technologies in vector control.”

“CARPHA is working with CMS to develop a Regional Integrated Early Warning System as well as to improve surveillance capacity by implementing innovative tools,” she added.

The agency said it continues to join with regional and international partners to strengthen preparedness and response to vector-borne and other communicable diseases.

The United Nations reported that there has been an “alarming increase” in the number of children being recruited into gangs in Haiti, with “devastating consequences” for children, families, and society.

It said that the country is in a deepening security, humanitarian, and governance crisis and that armed gangs control large areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and beyond, displacing families and restricting access to schools, healthcare, and basic services.

Poverty is worsening for the most vulnerable families, and children are at an increased risk of gang recruitment in order to earn money.

The UN said services to protect children are overstretched or absent, leaving minors at risk in neighborhoods where gangs are in control.

At least 26 gangs operate in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas. They control territory, violently extort communities, and fight the Haitian security forces for dominance, so they rely on a steady stream of recruits, including children, to maintain control.

With around 45% of Haiti’s population being under 18 years old, the UN said children are viewed as easier to manipulate and less likely to draw suspicion.

Many children are pushed by hunger, lack of schooling, and economic desperation to join gangs. Others are forcibly recruited or threatened. Displacement and family separation also increase the likelihood of children joining gangs.

While some act as lookouts, messengers, and informants, many are also involved directly in armed confrontations, checkpoints, and kidnappings for ransom.

Girls face increased risks, including sexual exploitation, rape, and forced relationships with gang members.

The UN said recruited children face violence, trauma, and abuse. Disrupted education and the long-term psychological harm can be serious. Stigma and the fear of retaliation complicate their reintegration into normal life.

For girls, especially, sexual violence deepens their trauma and exclusion from society.

In the latest report, the UN calls for stronger child protection systems, restored access to education, and initiatives that prevent recruitment in gang-affected communities.

The Office of the Prime Minister in Jamaica recently announced that the Prime Minister, Dr. Andrew Holness, will accept the full salary and emoluments attached to the office, retroactive Sept. 10 last year.

That means, instead of the current salary of just over JCA$9 million, Holness will now receive JCA$28.5 million.

The Office of the Prime Minister said following “careful review and internal consultations,” it was agreed that the prime minister should accept the compensation structure previously set for the post.

Holness declined to accept the adjusted compensation package in May 2023, following intense public backlash against the salary increases granted to the political administration.

At that time, the prime minister noted that “another prime minister in the future or a new mandate may give an opportunity to reconsider the prime minister’s salary.”

The recent release from the Office of the Prime Minister indicated that the decision to accept the full salary was taken last year after the new administration was in place. However, its implementation was delayed by Hurricane Melissa.

Parliament has since been advised to effect the change retroactive to September 2025.

The Office of the Prime Minister also added that adjustments to the pensions of former prime ministers and their surviving spouses will follow. Former prime ministers currently receive a pension equal to that of the sitting head of government.

This change will benefit former prime ministers PJ Patterson, Bruce Golding, and Portia Simpson-Miller.

The St. Lucia government says, despite two official warnings sent to the American multinational transportation company Uber to cease its illegal operations on the island, the company continues to operate there.

“We want to be very clear that any player that comes into that space fulfills all the requirements set out by legislation,” Minister of Tourism, Dr. Ernest Hilaire said.

“At this point, we are waiting on a follow-up meeting and for us to have some clear indications as to what exactly Uber would want to do and so far as I have heard they continue to offer their services in St Lucía and up to yesterday I sent them a second letter reminding them that they are operating illegally in St. Lucia,” Hilaire said.

Earlier this month, the government said it had not in “any way approved, sanctioned or encouraged Uber to operate any service in St. Lucia.”

Hilaire said Uber first contacted the government last December, indicating that it was interested in setting up a service on the island.

“We indicated to them then that we would be reviewing their intention and that we would have discussions with them,” said Hilaire.

“They sent in a second note indicating that there has been substantial interest in St. Lucia from taxi associations and individual taxi drivers. So they were going to move ahead, and again we told them that we would want to discuss the matter with the stakeholders and with Uber itself.”

Hilaire said that the government had earlier received a notice from Uber saying “they were  launching their service” in St. Lucia.

But as discussions were held with various stakeholders in the transportation sector on the issue, it was noted that, for Uber to operate here, it must meet certain requirements.

“I indicated to them that our position, as expressed in a letter which I sent to Uber, was that they were not fulfilling our regulatory requirements for them to operate in St. Lucía and that we pointed out to them the regulatory requirements were.”

First, a trade licence is required to operate in St. Lucia. They also needed to register with the Inland Revenue Department to pay taxes owed to the government for operating a business in St Lucia, and they had to be certified under the Tourism Development Act.

“We met with Uber and expressed those sentiments, and we indicated to them that, in our view, they were operating illegally in St. Lucía. They had not met the requirements to operate in St. Lucía, and we indicated to them that we believe that they needed to reset and that they could not continue to operate as they are operating”. He said Uber has promised to have a follow-up meeting to “discuss our concerns in greater detail.”

“We asked them to suspend their operations in St. Lucia until they had cleared the way forward. We are awaiting a date from them for our follow-up meeting and for us to decide how we move forward,” Hilaire said.