The Guyana Daily Brief surveys the wider Caribbean. The region never sleeps.
JAMAICA: ENTERING WORLD CUP PLAYOFF AS FAVOURITES
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz enter the inter-confederation World Cup playoff as favourites following the appointment of a new head coach. The Boyz will face New Caledonia for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup — their first appearance since 1998. With Haiti already qualified outright, the Caribbean Football Union is having an historic qualification cycle. Jamaica’s football public is cautiously optimistic, which for Jamaican football fans is essentially unbridled euphoria.
— Caribbean Life
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: PM TO ADDRESS CARIBBEAN ENERGY WEEK
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is set to address Caribbean Energy Week 2026 amid what organisers are calling a multi-billion-dollar energy investment surge across the region. T&T’s energy sector — long the backbone of the twin-island economy — is navigating a delicate moment as global oil prices fluctuate due to the Iran conflict and regional LNG demand shifts. The PM’s address is expected to outline T&T’s positioning as the region’s primary energy hub and push for greater Caribbean energy cooperation.
— African Press Organization / NewsNow
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: US REMOVES MILITARY RADAR FROM TOBAGO
The United States has removed a military radar installation from Tobago, drawing sharp criticism from opposition figures who say the move weakens regional security at a particularly sensitive moment. The removal comes weeks after Venezuela’s Diosdado Cabello threatened T&T over its perceived alignment with US military interests. The T&T government has not yet issued a full statement on the circumstances surrounding the removal or whether a replacement arrangement is being negotiated.
— Caribbean Life
HAITI: GANG OPERATIONS CONTINUE — 43 KILLED IN Q1 2026
The Haitian National Police reported at least 43 gang members killed across 32 security operations between January and March 2026. The multinational security force — led by Kenya — continues to press operations in and around Port-au-Prince. Despite the security gains, Doctors Without Borders issued a statement this week noting that a US judicial ruling on Temporary Protected Status reflects Haiti’s deepening crisis, with thousands of Haitians in the US facing uncertain immigration futures. Haiti’s government has separately reaffirmed its commitment to holding elections, though no firm date has been set.
— Caribbean National Weekly / Doctors Without Borders
ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES: TAIWAN DONATES US$3 MILLION
Taiwan has announced a US$3 million donation to St. Vincent and the Grenadines for social relief programmes. The donation continues Taiwan’s pattern of targeted support to smaller Caribbean states, seen by analysts as part of its broader diplomatic competition with China for regional influence. St. Vincent is among the dwindling number of Caribbean nations that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei rather than Beijing.
— Focus Taiwan / NewsNow
CARIFTA GAMES: GRENADA READY TO HOST THE REGION’S BEST
The 2026 CARIFTA Games open Saturday in St. George’s, Grenada with teams arriving from across the Caribbean including Guyana’s 24-member squad, which departed today. Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados are perennial medal table leaders, but several smaller territories — including Grenada itself on home soil — have been producing exceptional junior talent. The Games run April 4–6. For Caribbean athletics fans, this is the most exciting weekend of the year.
— Guyana Times / Regional Athletics
CARIBBEAN CARICOM: AID MOBILISATION FOR CUBA
CARICOM governments are preparing to mobilise aid for Cuba as the island nation continues to face severe economic strain, fuel shortages, and rolling blackouts. Cuba’s deepening crisis has been exacerbated by disruptions to global oil supplies following the Iran conflict. The regional aid push reflects CARICOM’s longstanding solidarity with Havana, though it also puts member states in a delicate position given US pressure on Cuba policy.
— The Caribbean Camera
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: TOURISM WAR WITH MEXICO
The Dominican Republic has launched what travel industry observers are calling a “tourism war” with Mexico, deploying aggressive marketing, diplomatic outreach, and beach-beats-diplomacy to capture travellers who might otherwise choose Cancún or the Riviera Maya. With Mexico’s security situation continuing to deter some tourists, the DR is positioning itself as the safe, vibrant, culturally rich alternative. JetBlue this week revealed a special livery celebrating the Dominican Republic, a sign of just how seriously the airline industry is backing the island’s tourism push.
— eTurboNews / Business Wire
The Caribbean Brief publishes Tuesdays and Thursdays. The region contains multitudes.