Bahamas
The authorities of The Bahamas says a brand new research has discovered that one in 5 Bahamian college students between the ages of 13 and 18 has tried suicide.
Prime Minister Phillip Davis described the 2025 International Faculty Well being Survey as “staggering and heartbreaking.
“There isn’t a single trigger, however we all know the pressures are actual: the expectations, the silence, the bullying, the financial pressure at house, and the ever-growing affect of social media,” Davis stated, including that the pictures, the comparisons, the stress to be good, it is an excessive amount of.
“Our kids are carrying burdens many people cannot see, and in some circumstances, cannot even start to grasp. This isn’t only a well being concern. It is a ethical concern. It is a nationwide concern. It’s a name to motion for authorities, for fogeys, for academics, for church buildings, for communities.”
The survey, which concerned greater than 2,000 Bahamian youngsters throughout 35 faculties on eight islands, discovered that one in 4 adolescents stated they’ve contemplated suicide, whereas one in 5 stated they’ve tried it. The report additionally discovered that a big proportion of teenagers who’re having intercourse are doing so unprotected.
The information exhibits that 34 % of teenagers surveyed had been lively drinkers, 21.8% reported utilizing unlawful medicine, with greater than half saying they’d their first publicity by the age of 13.
Additionally, weapon carrying is a “rising apply” with almost one-fifth of the youngsters surveyed reporting that they carry weapons, and seven.7 % of teenagers admitted to being gang members.
PM Davis stated that the authorities took a big step ahead in 2022 by passing the brand new Psychological Well being Act, “the primary significant reform to our psychological well being laws in almost 60 years.’
“We did not simply cross a regulation; we laid the muse for a brand new period in how we help these struggling. We have begun coaching extra professionals, docs, nurses, and group well being employees, and we’re coaching our steering counselors and academic officers to acknowledge the indicators and to intervene early and supply help that works.”
However Davis acknowledged that laws alone is just not sufficient.
“Coaching alone is just not sufficient. We even have to alter how we present up within the lives of our youngsters. A pill cannot take the place of a dialog. An iPad cannot substitute for high quality time. And the stress our youngsters face from the fixed pull of social media, the comparisons, the web cruelty, the have to be favored, adopted, validated, it is harming them. And we’ve got to do extra to protect them.”
Bermuda
Efficient July 17, the Authorities of Bermuda now requires T&T passport holders to have a sound Canadian, UK, or US visa to enter the nation. On July 16, Bermuda’s Ministry of Financial system and Labour revoked the Bermuda Immigration and Safety (Prohibition of Entry) Order 2025. It changed it with the Bermuda Immigration and Safety (Prohibition of Entry) (No 2) Order 2025.
Beneath the brand new rules, T&T nationals can enter Bermuda in two methods:
• Possess legitimate journey authorisation to enter and re-enter Canada, the UK, or the US, with such authorisation legitimate for not less than 45 days from their supposed departure from Bermuda; OR
• Produce a present letter from the Authorities confirming that they’re a partner of a Bermudian or that they belong to Bermuda underneath part 11(5) of the Bermuda Structure Order 1968.
The ministry stated the order “displays ongoing immigration coverage critiques and changes”.
It got here into impact on July 17.
Bermuda is a British Abroad Territory with a self-governing parliamentary democracy and a bicameral parliament within the capital, Hamilton. The premier is the pinnacle of authorities and is formally appointed by the governor, who the British authorities nominates because the consultant of the King.
On March 12, the UK introduced adjustments to its visa coverage, requiring, with quick impact, that every one T&T nationals receive a visa earlier than touring. Eire applied an analogous coverage on Might 9. On the time, Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy said the choice was made to “deliver Eire into nearer alignment with the UK.”
Dominica
The authorities of Dominica not too long ago introduced plans for a restricted gun amnesty, the institution of a particular unit to cope with firearm offences, and the fee of individuals offering info ensuing within the seizure or discovery of unlawful firearms.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit introduced that after a number of folks had been killed and a few had been injured.
“Let me be clear: this authorities won’t tolerate lawlessness. We won’t permit people with unlawful firearms to destabilise our communities, endanger lives and undermine our nationwide safety,” stated Skerrit.
“Immediately, I am saying a sequence of decisive and quick measures to deal with this concern head-on. We’re establishing a devoted Firearms Activity Power throughout the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Power. This Activity Power will focus solely on figuring out, apprehending, and prosecuting these concerned within the possession, trafficking, and use of unlawful firearms.”
Skerrit stated that “any particular person who gives info that results in the retrieval of an unlawful firearm or ammunition will obtain a reward of EC$1,000 (One EC greenback equals US$0.37) per firearm” and the individual’s id will probably be protected.
“We’re additionally declaring a restricted amnesty interval for anybody in possession of unlawful firearms or ammunition to give up them to regulation enforcement with out worry of prosecution. This is an opportunity for residents to do the precise factor and keep away from the complete power of the regulation.”
He stated the police would announce the small print of this amnesty, together with the timeframe and drop-off procedures.
Guyana
The European Fee’s (EU) Vice President, Kaja Kallas, introduced that the EU will deploy an election statement mission (EOM) to watch the Sept. 1 normal and regional elections.
Kallas stated that the EOM is in response to a proper invitation by the Guyana authorities and that Robert Biedron, a member of the European Parliament, will head the mission.
“I am very honoured to guide the European Union Election Remark Mission to Guyana. These normal and regional elections in September will probably be an essential second for Guyana to show its continued dedication to credible and peaceable democratic processes. At this pivotal time of financial transformation, holding undemocratic rules and human rights is particularly essential, and Guyana has the chance to proceed setting a robust instance,” Biedron stated.
The EU stated the EOM will present a “complete, impartial, and neutral evaluation” of the electoral course of based mostly on worldwide and regional requirements for democratic elections.
It stated that the core workforce will encompass 9 election consultants, scheduled to reach in Guyana on Aug. 23, and that 14 long-term observers will be part of the mission firstly of that month and be deployed throughout the nation.
Additionally, 20 short-term and domestically recruited observers from the accredited diplomatic group will be part of the mission nearer to election day.
Responding to a request from the GPF, the US ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, stated Washington can be supporting the Guyana Police Power (GPF) in strengthening its capability for the elections.
Voters should select between the ruling Folks’s Progressive Get together/Civic, the primary opposition, A Partnership for Nationwide Unity, the Alliance for Change, and the newly shaped coalition of the We Spend money on Nationhood get together and A New and United Guyana, amongst others.
Jamaica
Jamaica has accommodated roughly 2.3 million guests for the reason that begin of 2025, producing US$2.4 billion in earnings.
“After Hurricane Beryl and all of the disruptions, journey advisories, political and geopolitical points, we’re again on the expansion path, and that is going to proceed, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett stated, highlighting the sector’s resilience and renewed momentum.
The minister anticipates a big enhance in tourism earnings for the present quarter in comparison with final 12 months’s corresponding interval.
“I am nervous about how massive the expansion goes to search for this quarter as a result of… you are evaluating a Beryl interval to now, a traditional interval. However that is how development goes, since you’re measuring in opposition to one other interval. The excellent news is that you just’re again to the place you had been in 2023,” he stated.
Talking on the Christmas in July commerce present at The Jamaica Pegasus resort in New Kingston, Bartlett inspired the 180 exhibitors showcasing a variety of Jamaican-made merchandise to capitalise on the sector’s development.
The minister famous that Jamaica’s almost three million stopover arrivals have created a sturdy market demand that native entrepreneurs are urged to faucet into.
“A brand new demand has been created for items and companies that have to be equipped by you; and if it’s not equipped by you, it will must be imported,” he advised the exhibitors.
“Whether it is imported, then we’re going to have what we name leakage. That’s to say, the earnings that come from tourism will depart by the identical airplane that brings the guests or the identical ship that brings the cruise passengers. We wish the cash to remain right here.”
— Compiled by Devika Ragoonanan
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