Pulse of the Caribbean

#142 Caribbean News Round Up Episode 4 Week of November 10

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Rising grocery bills, stubborn fuel prices, and a wave of new investments are reshaping daily life across the Caribbean. 

  • Regional Financing Commitments Secured for agriculture at United Nations FAO forum 
  • New United Nations FAO regional leadership focus on investment
  • Antigua–Guyana Import Deal to Cut Food Prices
  • BVI Regulated Essentials Basket Begin in December
  • BVI Increase Funding in 2026 Budget for Agriculture and Fisheries
  • USVI Subpoenas Retailers for Fuel Price Data: DOJ Now Involved
  • Europe's Oldest Luxury Hotel Chain Kempinski Expands to the Turks & Caicos Islands 
  • Jamaica's 100-meter World Champion Oblique Seville Join Private Partners to Help Farmers 

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SPEAKER_01:

This podcast is brought to you by The Tuck Shop, located in downtown St. Thomas, featuring the best local island cuisine like no other, and Diamond Key Marina, Yosmendike, British Virgin Island, home of Foxy's taboo and gateway to the bubbly pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. To reserve more into Diamond Key, visit Bowteball.com. Welcome to the pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, Episode 4 for the week of November 10th. Here's a look at what's making Caribbean headlines. We saw a report at the Food and Agricultural Organization. Caribbean ministers and high-level delegates at the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum 2025 in Rome, Italy from October 14th to 16th, called for more food and farm investment. Floyd Green, Jamaica's Minister of Agriculture, Michael James, Barbados's Chief Agricultural Officer, and Sean Baugh, Program Manager, Agriculture and Agroindustries CARICOM Secretariat, held high-level talks with four of the world's foremost development banks. The Caribbean team secured finance commitments with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Caribbean Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank. The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, which has financed over 200 billion US dollars in Caribbean projects, called it a strategic priority. It provided technical assistance and pre-feasibility funding of up to 1 million US dollars to help countries establish bankable projects. Jamaica remains the Caribbean Development Bank's greatest shareholder and benefactor, and the bank is willing to offer highly concessional loans with long payback terms and low interest rates. Irrigation projects will help beneficiaries cope with climate change by using digitalized irrigation systems to promote sustainable agriculture, improve agricultural productivity through year-round access to sustainable irrigation water, improve water maintenance practices, and strengthen capabilities for irrigation and crop cultivation, resulting in significant water savings and redundancy. CARICOM's target to cut food imports by 25% by 2030 will be supported by growing local agricultural production in each member state. In other news from the Food and Agricultural Organization, after a global competitive process, the Food and Agricultural Organization Director General Q Dong Yu appointed Bolivian Renee Orillana Halker as Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. Halcare has a PhD in law from Amsterdam University, specializing in interlegality and legal fields. He has a master's degree in law and economics of climate change from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences Argentina, Energy and Environmental Policy and Management from the Latin American Faculty and Social Sciences Mexico, and sociology from San Simon University in Bolivia. Halcare said Latin America and the Caribbean could lead the way to sustainable agri-food systems after taking office. He said the region's conditions foster development, innovation, and social well-being. We will continue working closely with all countries in the region, the private sector, development banks, and our international partners to advance food security and a prosperous and sustainable future. On November 1st, 2025, Orillana Halkir formally began his duties. Now we take a look at a new agreement between Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana. The governments of Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana have agreed to work together on a new food import initiative to lower local food prices in Antigua and Barbuda by securing cheaper fruit, vegetables, and other produce. Antigua and Barbuda's Director General of Communications, Maurice Merchant, said the cabinet instructed Agriculture Minister Anthony Smith, Jr. to coordinate with his Guyanese counterpart to facilitate the arrangement after Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Gaston Brown and Guyana's president Iphram Ali discussed it at COP30 conference in Brazil. The agreement is part of the government's attempt to cut food prices and improve food security, merchant said. Nearly 90% of Antigua and Barbuda's imported food comes from North America, making local prices vulnerable to global market shifts. Officials added that Guyana's deal is meant to make CARICOM supply sources more diverse and make sure that consumers benefit directly from lower import costs. Our next stop is the British Virgin Islands. British Virgin Islands Premier Dr. Natalia Whitley said that the government's regulated basket of goods program will begin on December 1st to help citizens afford critical food products amid growing living costs. Dr. Whitley said during the government press conference that the effort will keep basic food supplies accessible to the most disadvantaged. He said Customs was asked to make precise measures to regulate the selected commodities importation. Capturing the volume of goods entering the region was crucial. Customs had to adjust brokerage clearance regulations. He said the process was finalized last week. Dr. Whitley said import brokers and suppliers were also being consulted to guarantee smooth adoption. Food prices rising due to global inflation and import expenses have raised public concerns. He said the new basket of goods system was part of a larger goal to bolster the social safety net and protect people who are most affected by inflation. In other news from the British Virgin Islands in a press event last week, Premier Dr. Natalia Whitley said that the 2026 budget will invest millions in agriculture and fisheries. The money will boost food production, local livelihood, and national development, he said. Farmers and fisher grants, infrastructure and land acquisition are included. The reservoir was funded in the 2026 budget to assure a reliable and continuous supply of water at Parakeita Bay, a farming necessity, Dr. Whitley said. Also built will be an agricultural complex to house the services necessary to support farmers. Both initiatives received about$2 million together. The government contributed$1 million to buy more farmland. Dr. Whitley also announced that the administration will soon pass an agricultural grant policy to help local producers grow. He stated that$300,000 for fishing and farmers will be distributed by year's end. Bargas Bay New Fishing Complex received$400,000 in funding. These programs were part of the Premier's effort to boost the British Virgin Islands economy through agriculture and food security. Recently, the Minister of Natural Resources and Labor has prioritized agriculture and fisheries development to boost local production and reduce imports. Now we head to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Only two of 29 St. Thomas Gas stations have complied with the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, DLCA's request for fuel price and operating information, forcing the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Justice to enforce the order. At a Monday meeting of the U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature's Committee on Economic Development and Averculture, the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner, Natalie Hodge, informed lawmakers of the Department's price transparency efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hodge reiterated the agency's commitment to data-driven oversight and consumer transparency, saying DLCA had formally requested that all gas retailers in the territory produce verified records of their operational and pricing costs. Gas station operators were subpoenaed to present bills of Laden and contracts for the importation, retail, and transportation of regular premium and diesel fuel from May 1st, 2022. Ms. Hodd said the data is crucial to DLCA's gasoline price investigation. The commissioner first announced that the majority of gas retailers submitted required documentation, but DLCA legal counsel Geraldine Vaval stated all St. Croix gas stations responded to subpoena. Ms. Vaval stated that this was not true for the other districts on St. Thomas and St. John. That is why the Department of Justice is now involved. St. Thomas Senator Marvin Blyden slammed the noncompliance. It's unacceptable what's going on in this territory, the senator said, of the island's stagnant fuel pricing. The prices don't change in this district, he remarked. Next up, Europe's oldest luxury hotel chain expands to the Turks and Caicos Islands after this. Campinsey Grace Bay, a collection of luxury homes and beachfront villas on Grace Bay Beach in Providentials, will begin construction in mid-November 2025, bringing Europe's oldest and most respected luxury hotel brand to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The November 2025 groundbreaking will start construction, which should finish in early 2028. On 11 acres of unspoiled beachfront before Leeward Palms, Kempinski Grace Bay will provide 119 individual residences and four oceanfront villas. Kempinski Grace Bay will have a signature fine dining restaurant and beach club restaurant, a 3,000 square foot wine cellar, a European-style spa and ocean view fitness center, boutique retail sports facilities like paddle and pickleball courts, and a dedicated children's club, and a full service concierge. Kampinsky Hotel CEO, Barbara Muckerman, said our arrival at the Turk and Caicos Island is a milestone and an opportunity to leave a legacy in a beautiful, peaceful place. Grace Bay is a sustainable continuation of our timeless elegance and personalized hospitality. Kampinski Hotel is Europe's oldest luxury hotel chain, founded in 1897. The group runs 75 hotels and apartments in 33 countries and has more than 25 projects in construction. It has a 128-year tradition of providing customized service and world-class hospitality. Kempinski co-founded the Global Hotel Alliance, the largest independent hotel brand alliance. And here's our final note. Seville gave$500,000 to the Restoration and Rehabilitation Fund, which helps farmers. Farmers receive cash aid, equipment, and materials to restore their fields, homes, and livelihoods. The Track Star is one of the partners who contributed to the fund, which was launched at the private sector organization of Jamaica in St. Andrew on November 11th with$1.5 million. This podcast has been brought to you by The Tuck Shop, located in downtown St. Thomas, featuring the best of local island cuisine like no other, and Diamond Key Marina, Yosvendike, British Virgin Island, home of Foxy's taboo and gateway to the bubbly pool, a natural jacuzzi and hidden gem. To reserve moorings at Diamond Key, visit Bodyball.com. This has been your pulse of the Caribbean News Roundup, episode four for the week of November 10th. Here's a special greeting going out to our listeners in California, Florida, Washington, D.C., Canada, and Ethiopia. Thanks for listening, and do spread the word and share our podcast with others across the region and the diaspora. I'm Keisha Blyden. See you next time.

SPEAKER_00:

For more Caribbean news stories and information, visit us online at pulsofthecaribbean.com. If you found value in this podcast, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. And thank you in advance for choosing Pulse of the Caribbean, Caribbean News Roundup, as your source for Caribbean Centered News.