Victoria Mendizabal contributed research and drafting assistance to today’s newsletter.
The UK-based Privy Council ruled that two Barbuda citizens have the right to challenge the construction of a runway on the island. This decision overturns the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal's previous ruling that dismissed John Mussington and Jacklyn Frank’s challenge due to a lack of standing. (Garden Court, The UBJ)
In the filing, they raised concerns about habitat destruction, damage to archaeological sites, and potential impacts on water quality. Construction had commenced in September 2017, without a development permit and with an inadequate environmental impact assessment. (Antigua NewsRoom)
The question before the JCPC was whether the Supreme Court erred in concluding that the appellants did not have standing. The JCPC concluded that the Supreme Court erroneously disregarded a UK case about standing to sue over road construction and found that the appellants had “sufficient interest” to bring the case. The court reasoned that because the Physical Planning Act was not followed and because the appellants’ area could face environmental damage, the appellants are “substantially affected” by the airstrip. (Jurist)
The JCPC’s decision noted that Antigua and Barbuda is a signatory to the “Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean,” which aims to ensure public participation in environmental decisions.
Leslie Thomas, one of the U.K. attorneys representing the Barbudans, said the plaintiffs now plan to ask the government to tear down what has been built. “This is a real David and Goliath battle,” Thomas said. “We’re up for another big fight”. (Associated Press)
“The ruling also is expected to set a precedent for other Caribbean nations fighting to protect land that wealthy foreign developers seek to develop, especially after investors seize upon economic opportunities following a catastrophe or national disaster”, reports Associated Press.
“The fact that this ruling comes almost seven years after John first discovered the bulldozing of the forest is no coincidence,” said Sarah O’Malley, an attorney with the U.K.-based nonprofit Global Legal Action Network, which helped attorneys representing the Barbudians. “Environmental activists around the globe are often bogged down with procedural impediments making litigation costly and time-consuming, a subterfuge employed by those destroying the environment for their own profit”. (Fox)
Haiti discussed at CARICOM summit
The issue of Haiti dominated last week’s CARICOM leaders’ summit in Guyana. Some leaders said that Henry’s presence in government has become a stumbling block to progress. The issue of Haiti is dominating an ongoing Caribbean summit in Guyana this week. Leaders met with Haiti’s embattled interim leader Ariel Henry on Sunday, to discuss the gang violence that has submerged the country in crisis. (See Tuesday’s Latin America Daily Briefing)
On Wednesday, CARICOM announced that Henry agreed to hold general elections by August 2025, reports the Miami Herald.
Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis said in order to achieve the goal, CARICOM will lead an assessment team supported by the United Nations, the United States, Canada and the Organization of American States to help with election planning in Haiti. (Miami Herald)
In a Miami Herald opinion piece Haitian human rights lawyers Mario Joseph and Brian Concannon say “Haiti’s gang violence is a symptom of the government’s inability to provide basic government services,” and that, instead of troops, many Haitians “want the United States to simply stop propping up the corrupt, repressive Haitian government that is fueling the violence.”
At the CARICOM summit, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne called on Henry to “step aside” and allow for efforts to continue unimpeded in finding a solution to the socio-economic and political situation in Haiti, reports the Caribbean Media Corporation.
“Haiti’s relegation to the sidelines of international discourse is a stark reminder of the need for a renewed, committed global effort to address its crises. It is time for those nations most implicated in its historical exploitation, to fulfil their moral and ethical obligations to Haiti”, states for CNG Media Sir Ronald Sanders is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organisation of American States.
On Friday Kenya’s government said it had signed an agreement with Haiti to deploy a multinational force to aid the Caribbean nation’s police force face rampant gang violence. Henry traveled to Kenya last week to finalize plans, despite a Kenyan court order delaying deployment, reports the New York Times.
Finance and Economics
Barbados has been officially removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list, a significant milestone marking the country's efforts to address strategic deficiencies in its regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. (Nation News)
Decolonisation and Reparations
The latest episode from Nèg Mawon Podcast, a initiative focused on the Haitian history, titled The Struggle for Soil: Haitian Peasantry and the Seeds of Rebellion" Host Patrick Jean Baptist welcomes Dr. Mimi Sheller, Dean of the Global School at WPI to talk about the Haitian people—the moun endeyo — and what remains of their legacy.
"Colonialism is not simply about the past. It is about the present. It is about structures and systems that continue to shape our world today”, states Dr. Jemima Pierre in reference to the Haiti ongoing crisis. “Decolonization is not just a metaphorical process; it requires tangible action to dismantle oppressive systems and center marginalized voices”, she concludes. (Break Through News)
Democratic Governance
Stephanie Marley, the daughter of reggae legends Bob and Rita Marley is spearheading Wake Up Jamaica, a public education campaign focused on Jamaica's constitutional reform. (News Western University)
Climate and Environmental Justice
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and The Nature Conservancy had partnered in an initiative to combat climate crisis through the professional equipment to Caribbean communities. The project has designed a climate-smart fisher facility in Grenada with sustainable features. Lessons from the project will help scale up climate resilience efforts in small island developing states across the Caribbean. (IFRC)
The Trinidad and Tobago oil spill incident brings attention to the broader Caribbean region, especially Guyana, where recent oil and gas discoveries by ExxonMobil could pose similar risks. Environmental Impact Assessments suggest a spill there could harm ecosystems across the Caribbean, writes Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, director of Jamaica Environment Trust, in Global Voices.
There is a clear necessity for continued effort and collaboration among states, civil society, and international organizations to fully realize the transformative potential of the Escazú Agreement for environmental democracy and protection in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a new report by World Resource Institute.
Communities from the region under imminent threat from rising sea level, floods and other extreme weather testified before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, “a first-of-its-kind hearing on how climate catastrophe is driving forced migration across the Americas,” reports the Guardian.
The Coalition of Caribbean Civil Society Organisations, supported by the Global Strategic Litigation Council, submitted an amicus brief to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in response to the Request for an Advisory Opinion from Chile and Colombia on Climate Change (Global Strategic Litigation Council)
Guyana’s indigenous communities are facing critical challenges due to climate change, including severe impacts on their traditional food sources, access to safe drinking water, and increased health risks. These challenges are disrupting their traditional way of life and necessitate urgent action to ensure their survival and well-being. (CIJN)
In the Chiquibul Forest, illegal cattle ranching by Guatemalan villagers, potentially financed by individuals with substantial resources and links to narco-illicit activities, poses a significant and escalating threat to Belize's protected forests. Despite ongoing efforts by Belizean authorities and conservationists to address the issue, the challenges of remote terrain, limited resources, and the complexity of the problem have made it difficult to effectively combat the incursions and deforestation. (CIJN)
The increasing heat due to climate change in Antigua and Barbuda is severely impacting students' learning environments, potentially affecting their academic performance and health. (CIJN)
Human Rights
The UN has urged Trinidad and Tobago to promptly repatriate its nationals, including children, who are being detained in northeast Syria for alleged ISIS ties. A UN expert highlighted the urgency due to their prolonged, indefinite detention in harsh conditions without due process. Human Rights Watch has also called for immediate action, emphasizing that the detained individuals, many of whom are children taken to Syria by their parents, have not been charged with any crimes. (Human Rights Watch)
A landmark conviction under the Trafficking in Persons Act in Trinidad and Tobago marked progress in human rights enforcement. One man was found guilty in absentia on five charges, including human trafficking, stemming from a 2015 raid. Separately, a significant judicial decision awarded compensation to Venezuelans detained in 2020, marking a milestone for refugee and migrant rights. Conversely, three Venezuelan women with children born in Trinidad and Tobago lost appeals to deportation orders. (R4V Caribbean Situation Report)
The Saamaka people of Suriname, an afrodecendant community, have launched a petition to highlight and address the ongoing violations of their human rights and the destruction of their ancestral lands, which encompass nearly 1.4 million hectares of the Amazon rainforest. (Change)
Despite facing significant challenges, including legal and social barriers, Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Trinidad and Tobago are finding ways to integrate and contribute positively to their host communities. Through entrepreneurship, education, and community support, individuals are building new lives and adding value to the local economy. (CIJN)
Energy
Analysts have uncovered discrepancies in the royalties paid into the Guyana Natural Resource Fund by Exxon and its affiliates, Hess and CNOOC, for the years 2020 and 2022, revealing a shortfall of approximately US$27M. (Americas Black Inmigrant Daily News)
Culture
Cuban jazz singer Daymé Arocena has embraced a new pop direction with her album "Alkemi," inspired by Beyoncé's "Black Is King" and a partnership with Visitante from Calle 13. The album, which includes songs celebrating Afro-Latina pride, marks a shift from her previous jazz-focused work, incorporating more mainstream pop elements. (The New York Times)
America Ferrera is set to play Cuban artist Ana Mendieta in a new series, also taking on the role of executive producer. The series is an adaptation of the 1990 book Naked by the Window: The Fatal Marriage of Carl Andre and Ana Mendieta. (Repetaing Islands)
Breadfruit plays significant role in Jamaica as a sustainable and resilient food source amid increasing extreme weather events.Introduced to Jamaica in 1794, breadfruit has become a staple. Its ability to withstand extreme weather makes it particularly valuable for communities facing the impacts of climate change. (Repeating Islands)
Technology
The latest episode of the ICT PLUSE Podcast AI: Caribbean Innovation and Using AI for the Good of Our Communities is featuring Eldon Marks of Trueselph Inc. With host Michele Marius they discuss the evolution of AI since 2019 and its transformative potential for the workplace and broader society and the lack of Caribbean countries in the global AI conversation and how the region can become more involved. Listen.
Opportunities
RMI is seeking an experienced and motivated Associate to help drive our on-the-ground activities across the Caribbean. The role will focus on conducting technical, financial, project development, and regulatory analysis, as well as stakeholder engagement to implement tangible renewable energy projects. Apply.
The Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN) is looking for the Advisor Terms of Reference. CFAN advisors work in the host institution for one (1) year with a targeted mandate to access international and domestic sources of public and private finance, to structure finance for investment in the host institution’s priority mitigation and adaptation projects and advise on the institution’s overall project pipeline strategy. Learn more.
Abt Global is seeking for a Grants Analyst to work in the Caribbean Resilient Economies and Sectors Activity (RESET). As the Grants Analyst, you will support the Grants Manger in administering the project’s grants and ensuring compliance with USAID regulations, as well as local standards, laws, regulations, and administrative policies. Learn More
Abt Global is looking for a Director of Finance and Operations to work in the Caribbean Resilient Economies and Sectors Activity (RESET) full time who is based in Barbados. The Director of Finance and Operations will be responsible for managing financial and administrative services for the RESET activity, as well as for supervising the administrative team responsible for administrative and operational tasks, ensuring compliance with USAID rules and regulations, and Abt policies and procedures. Learn more.
The Caribbean Investigative Journalism Network is holding a new survey on safety and security. Answer.
Events
4th to 5th March, SID´s Future Forum 2024: Shaping the Future of Small Islands Developing States will take place in New York City, United States as well with the possibility of joining via Zoom. Policymakers and researchers are brought together to discuss and develop pathways for delivering the SIDS agenda for the next decade. Register.
5th of March, the first session of the Climate Change, Migration and Health in Latin America and The Caribbean webinar series. Register.