Bahamas
The government of The Bahamas says a new study has found that one in five Bahamian students between the ages of 13 and 18 has attempted suicide.
Prime Minister Phillip Davis described the 2025 Global School Health Survey as “staggering and heartbreaking.
“There is no single cause, but we know the pressures are real: the expectations, the silence, the bullying, the economic strain at home, and the ever-growing influence of social media,” Davis said, adding that the images, the comparisons, the pressure to be perfect, it’s too much.
“Our children are carrying burdens many of us can’t see, and in some cases, can’t even begin to understand. This is not just a health issue. This is a moral issue. This is a national issue. It is a call to action for government, for parents, for teachers, for churches, for communities.”
The survey, which involved more than 2,000 Bahamian teenagers across 35 schools on eight islands, found that one in four adolescents said they have contemplated suicide, while one in five said they have attempted it. The report also found that a large percentage of teens who are having sex are doing so unprotected.
The data shows that 34 % of teens surveyed were active drinkers, 21.8% reported using illegal drugs, with more than half saying they had their first exposure by the age of 13.
Also, weapon carrying is a “growing practice” with nearly one-fifth of the teenagers surveyed reporting that they carry weapons, and 7.7 % of teens admitted to being gang members.
PM Davis said that the government took a significant step forward in 2022 by passing the new Mental Health Act, “the first meaningful reform to our mental health legislation in nearly 60 years.’
“We didn’t just pass a law; we laid the foundation for a new era in how we support those struggling. We’ve begun training more professionals, doctors, nurses, and community health workers, and we are training our guidance counselors and educational officers to recognize the signs and to intervene early and provide support that works.”
But Davis acknowledged that legislation alone is not enough.
“Training alone is not enough. We also have to change how we show up in the lives of our children. A tablet can’t take the place of a conversation. An iPad can’t substitute for quality time. And the pressure our children face from the constant pull of social media, the comparisons, the online cruelty, the need to be liked, followed, validated, it’s harming them. And we have to do more to shield them.”
Bermuda
Effective July 17, the Government of Bermuda now requires T&T passport holders to have a valid Canadian, UK, or US visa to enter the country. On July 16, Bermuda’s Ministry of Economy and Labour revoked the Bermuda Immigration and Protection (Prohibition of Entry) Order 2025. It replaced it with the Bermuda Immigration and Protection (Prohibition of Entry) (No 2) Order 2025.
Under the new regulations, T&T nationals can enter Bermuda in two ways:
• Possess valid travel authorisation to enter and re-enter Canada, the United Kingdom, or the United States, with such authorisation valid for at least 45 days from their intended departure from Bermuda; OR
• Produce a current letter from the Government confirming that they are a spouse of a Bermudian or that they belong to Bermuda under section 11(5) of the Bermuda Constitution Order 1968.
The ministry said the order “reflects ongoing immigration policy reviews and adjustments”.
It came into effect on July 17.
Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory with a self-governing parliamentary democracy and a bicameral parliament in the capital, Hamilton. The premier is the head of government and is formally appointed by the governor, who the British government nominates as the representative of the King.
On March 12, the United Kingdom announced changes to its visa policy, requiring, with immediate effect, that all T&T nationals obtain a visa before traveling. Ireland implemented a similar policy on May 9. At the time, Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy stated the decision was made to “bring Ireland into closer alignment with the United Kingdom.”
Dominica
The government of Dominica recently announced plans for a limited gun amnesty, the establishment of a special unit to deal with firearm offences, and the payment of persons providing information resulting in the seizure or discovery of illegal firearms.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced that after several people were killed and some were injured.
“Let me be clear: this government will not tolerate lawlessness. We will not allow individuals with illegal firearms to destabilise our communities, endanger lives and undermine our national security,” said Skerrit.
“Today, I am announcing a series of decisive and immediate measures to address this issue head-on. We are establishing a dedicated Firearms Task Force within the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force. This Task Force will focus solely on identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting those involved in the possession, trafficking, and use of illegal firearms.”
Skerrit said that “any individual who provides information that leads to the retrieval of an illegal firearm or ammunition will receive a reward of EC$1,000 (One EC dollar equals US$0.37) per firearm” and the person’s identity will be protected.
“We are also declaring a limited amnesty period for anyone in possession of illegal firearms or ammunition to surrender them to law enforcement without fear of prosecution. This is a chance for citizens to do the right thing and avoid the full force of the law.”
He said the police would announce the details of this amnesty, including the timeframe and drop-off procedures.
Guyana
The European Commission’s (EU) Vice President, Kaja Kallas, announced that the EU will deploy an election observation mission (EOM) to observe the Sept. 1 general and regional elections.
Kallas said that the EOM is in response to a formal invitation by the Guyana government and that Robert Biedron, a member of the European Parliament, will head the mission.
“I am very honoured to lead the European Union Election Observation Mission to Guyana. These general and regional elections in September will be an important moment for Guyana to demonstrate its continued commitment to credible and peaceful democratic processes. At this pivotal time of economic transformation, holding undemocratic principles and human rights is especially important, and Guyana has the opportunity to continue setting a strong example,” Biedron said.
The EU said the EOM will provide a “comprehensive, independent, and impartial assessment” of the electoral process based on international and regional standards for democratic elections.
It said that the core team will consist of nine election experts, scheduled to arrive in Guyana on Aug. 23, and that 14 long-term observers will join the mission at the beginning of that month and be deployed across the country.
Also, 20 short-term and locally recruited observers from the accredited diplomatic community will join the mission closer to election day.
Responding to a request from the GPF, the US ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, said Washington would be supporting the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in strengthening its capacity for the elections.
Voters must choose between the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic, the main opposition, A Partnership for National Unity, the Alliance for Change, and the newly formed coalition of the We Invest in Nationhood party and A New and United Guyana, among others.
Jamaica
Jamaica has accommodated approximately 2.3 million visitors since the start of 2025, generating US$2.4 billion in earnings.
“After Hurricane Beryl and all the disruptions, travel advisories, political and geopolitical issues, we are back on the growth path, and that’s going to continue, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett said, highlighting the sector’s resilience and renewed momentum.
The minister anticipates a significant increase in tourism earnings for the current quarter compared to last year’s corresponding period.
“I’m worried about how big the growth is going to look for this quarter because… you’re comparing a Beryl period to now, a normal period. But that’s how growth goes, because you’re measuring against another period. The good news is that you’re back to where you were in 2023,” he said.
Speaking at the Christmas in July trade show at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, Bartlett encouraged the 180 exhibitors showcasing a wide range of Jamaican-made products to capitalise on the sector’s growth.
The minister noted that Jamaica’s nearly three million stopover arrivals have created a robust market demand that local entrepreneurs are urged to tap into.
“A new demand has been created for goods and services that must be supplied by you; and if it is not supplied by you, it is going to have to be imported,” he told the exhibitors.
“If it is imported, then we are going to have what we call leakage. That is to say, the earnings that come from tourism will leave by the same plane that brings the visitors or the same ship that brings the cruise passengers. We want the money to stay here.”
— Compiled by Devika Ragoonanan
