By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News.
Barbados – Expanding Regional Air Links
Barbados has welcomed the arrival of a new aircraft by Turks and Caicos–based InterCaribbean Airways, with Prime Minister Mia Mottley urging deeper transportation ties with Latin America. She said stronger links, particularly with northeastern Brazil, would enhance trade, tourism, and the island’s regional influence.
Mottley noted that Barbados, once a hub for the wrong reasons, must now reposition itself as a genuine gateway for the wider Caribbean. The airline’s founder, Lyndon Gardiner, said the new aircraft represents a deep and meaningful partnership that has flourished between InterCaribbean Airways and Barbados over years of shared vision and mutual support.
Haiti – CARICOM’s Critical Role
Meanwhile, Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary-General Albert Ramdin said on Wednesday that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping will play a critical role in restoring stability and security in Haiti.
Addressing the OAS Permanent Council on a roadmap for Haiti, Ramdin stressed the need for effective and transparent coordination, with all member states kept informed so they can pinpoint where they can do more. The roadmap is described as a flexible framework linking immediate stabilization with long-term reforms, guided by Haitian leadership and supported by regional and international partners. Ramdin praised CARICOM for its ongoing facilitation efforts with Haitian stakeholders.
International – Afghanistan Tragedy
Turning to international news, tragedy struck in Afghanistan where at least 78 Afghan nationals, including 17 children, were killed in a fiery bus crash near the Iranian border late Tuesday.
Officials said the bus, carrying refugees returning from Iran, collided with another vehicle and a motorbike in the western province of Herat. The collision sparked a fire after one of the vehicles, carrying fuel, exploded. Most of the victims were Afghans who had spent years in Iran and were attempting to return home.
