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Check Out Our New Blog Posts!
Dear Friends of the Canada-Caribbean Institute:
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The holiday is finally here. We wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We hope that as you relax at home, on a beach or on a ski hill that you will find some quiet time to stay up to date on developments that can impact our Member Institutions or the Canada-Caribbean relationship.
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The big CCI news is that we are well along in our planning our 2026 Research Symposium, to be held at the St. Augustine Campus of the The UWI in February 2026. We have released the detailed program. See it below.
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Other big news...the Harmonies of Hope Benefit Concert for Jamaica was a resounding success. We share the results below.
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If you enjoy receiving this newsletter, please consider forwarding it to those in your networks who might also find it interesting... and tell them to subscribe.
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If you have a story, or ideas for relevant content, that you think we should look at, please do not hesitate to get in touch,
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End of Year Message | CARICOM Secretary‑General: Building a Resilient and United Caribbean
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December 22, 2025 Fellow CARICOM citizens, As we approach this festive season, we reflect on the challenges the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has faced during the year that have thrown our vulnerabilities into sharp relief, and more than ever, underscored the purpose and value of a united Region. On the heels of the devastation caused in several Member States by Hurricane …
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Researching the History of the Roman Catholic Cathedrals in Georgetown, Guyana
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Bicentenary and Centenary of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1825-2025 By Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves PhD, FRHistS IIt is profoundly significant that in 2025, the Roman Catholic Church in Guyana (South America), and especially the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, witnessed three momentous milestones, notably, 65th Anniversary of the Consecration of the Cathedral (1960-2025) marking 200 years of enduring faith, …
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A port, a standoff: How a seaport dispute is testing Europe's ties to Haiti
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December 20, 2025 by Jacqueline Charles Now, that relationship is under strain. As European nations seek to deepen their engagement with Haiti amid its worsening political, security and humanitarian crisis, a dispute over foreign investment obstacles in Haiti, particularly its port operations, has escalated into a diplomatic standoff. A major European investor says administrative delays by Haitian authorities are jeopardizing …
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OECS defends CBI programmes in Eastern Caribbean
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December 22, 2025 CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) – The St Lucia-based Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission says member countries with a Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme have been conducting “frank, technical, and solutions-oriented” discussions with the United States on their programmes. Under the CBI, OECS countries, namely Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Kitts and …
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In the Caribbean, a dispute over sovereignty and Washington’s influence
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By Jacqueline Charles Updated December 21, 2025 Former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley is accusing his nation's current leader of "betraying" regional sovereignty on behalf of the United States, warning that she risks reducing the oil-rich twin-island nation to "a vassal state." Rowley, who stepped down as leader of both his country and the People's National Movement in March, is among …
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100 additional line workers, including from Canada arrive in Jamaica to help with JPS restoration
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December 17, 2025 The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) on Wednesday announced that 100 additional international line workers have arrived in the island to assist in the restoration exercise following Hurricane Melissa. The workers arrived over the past two days from Canada and the United States. In a media release, the JPS said the linesmen were brought in as part …
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Exploring Technology's Role in the 21st Century Diaspora
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Exciting news! The University of Guyana’s 3rd Diaspora Conference is set for March 30 – April 1, 2026, at the Turkeyen Campus. This dynamic gathering will explore the theme “Matters Diaspora: Technology and Diaspora in the 21st Century.” Registration and the Call for Papers open in December 2025. Please see the attached flyer for details. We look forward to your …
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US Policy exposes deep division within CARICOM
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On December 19th the U.S. Administration imposed partial entry restrictions on a number of countries, including Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica. See Trump expands US travel ban to include two Caribbean countries. The U.S. action sparked a flurry of diplomatic activity on the part of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, which resulted in some adjustments to the U.S. approach. Following …
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Air Transat launches Guyana-Canada flights
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December 18, 2025 The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) yesterday marked a milestone with the arrival of Air Transat’s inaugural direct flight between Canada and Guyana. A release from the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation said that the service will operate twice weekly until May 29, 2026, using the Airbus A321LR, a next-generation aircraft recognized for its efficiency and …
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Join the 2026 UWI Summer Institute in Barbados
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The 2026 Summer Institute will take place at the University of West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados and will be hosted by the Department of Cultural Studies on 25–30 May 2026. The International Summer Institute is a week-long intensive programme for PhD candidates and early career researchers from the Caribbean, the UK and Canada. PhDs and ECRs from other countries are …
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Trump expands US travel ban to include two Caribbean countries
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by Jacqueline Charles, December 17, 2025 In adding the two eastern Caribbean nations to the list, Trump cited concerns about their Citizenship by Investment, or CBI, program, which allows foreign nationals to obtain a passport in exchange for financial investments. The Trump administration said both nations have offered CBI "without residency" - a claim Antigua and Barbuda's ambassador disputes - …
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Professor Randolph (Randy) Persaud is now Pro Chancellor of the Council of the University of Guyana
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Thursday, December 11, 2025 The University of Guyana is pleased to announce the elected appointment of Prof. Randolph Persaud as Pro Chancellor to the University of Guyana following the procedures laid out by the statutes and the 12th Council of the University on Monday, December 8, 2025. The new Pro Chancellor will also perform the duties of Acting Chancellor of …
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Sucro ships old sugar plant to Guyana as larger Hamilton factory starts up
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December 16, 2025 RAJIV RAO The transplanted facility will help make the Caribbean region selfsufficient in sugar Sugar processing company Sucro, which has been operating out of the Hamilton Harbour lands since 2019, will reuse its redundant equipment to open up a whole new market for its product. The company says it will dismantle and ship its older sugar plant …
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Weakness of Sovereignty Exposed: Why CARICOM Should Stand Together
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An interesting article, as well as a longer lecture, from Sir Ronald Sanders. December 12, 2025 By Sir Ronald Sanders The Caribbean is living through a moment of rising geopolitical tension. As the United States intensifies pressure on the Maduro government in Venezuela, the ripples reach CARICOM shores fast. None of these countries chose this confrontation, yet each of them …
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Canada renews support for Energy Modelling Hub
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Edited by Sandra McLean December 15, 2025 Natural Resources Canada has renewed its support for the Energy Modelling Hub (EMH) activities for a further four years beginning, providing $5 million to strengthen Canada’s capacity for transparent, evidence-based energy, climate and energy transition policy development and planning. The new mandate, Reinforcing Canadian Energy Modelling Capacities: Enhancing Tools and Expertise for Canada’s …
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Harmonies of Hope raises $2.3 million and counting for Hurricane Melissa relief in Jamaica
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December 11, 2025 Within hours, a devastating hurricane tore through Jamaica, leaving the island reeling and in urgent need of assistance. In just 10 days, however, the Harmonies of Hope fundraiser inspired an extraordinary outpouring of support. Led by Canadian university chancellors Wes Hall and Donette Chin-Loy Chang, and fueled by the generosity of their networks, the initiative has already …
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The Radar Request: Sovereignty and Vulnerability in the Caribbean
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Prof. Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith recently delivered the 21st Sir Archibald Nedd Memorial Lecture to the Grenada Bar Association. The video of this event is now available. Well worth a viewing. https://youtu.be/qawH-j6nET8
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Annual CCI Research Symposium 2026 Details Released
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The Institute is holding its 4th Annual Research Symposium February 19-20, 2026 on the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies, in Trinidad and Tobago. The Speakers, Program, Accommodation and Logistics document for the Symposium is now available. You can find it at the following link... 2026 Research Symposium documentation
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Global actors renew support for Haiti’s security, but fall short on funding details
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Nations pledge support for Haiti’s anti-gang force, but funding unclear Overview: Nations supporting Haiti’s Gang Suppression Force (GSF) met on Tuesday, Dec. 9, in New York to coordinate international assistance against rising gang violence. Participating countries, including Kenya, Chad, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Guatemala and Argentina, pledged troops or specialized units, while Canada and Germany promised some funding. The meeting highlighted …
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Haiti secures major troop offers for new anti-gang fighting force
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By Jacqueline Charles Updated December 10, 2025 Haiti’s new Gang Suppression Force appears poised to meet its ambitious target of 5,500 troops, after a number of nations, including Chad and Bangladesh, offered to deploy soldiers, engineers and police offices to help the country’s beleaguered security forces combat armed gangs. The strongest commitments during a conference Tuesday in New York came from …
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About the the Canada-Caribbean Institute (CCI)
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The CCI is a collaboration between Caribbean and Canadian universities and colleges. The mission of the Institute is to provide a forum:
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to connect academic institutions, scholars, the business and public sectors, civil society, the cultural and diaspora communities
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to inform and encourage collaboration across Canada and the Caribbean to advance important social, environmental, and economic issues that are vital to the shared prosperity and advancement of both regions; and
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to identify impediments and opportunities related to such progress.
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For more information please visit our website
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