By|Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
Barbados: PM Mottley Accelerates Renewable Energy Push Amid Oil Crisis
BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS — In a direct response to the volatile global energy market, Prime Minister Mia Mottley has vowed to “fast-forward” Barbados’ transition to renewable energy. Speaking in Parliament late Thursday night, the Prime Minister emphasized that the nation can no longer afford to be a hostage to international oil shocks.
- National Energy Colloquium: An urgent national meeting on energy security has been scheduled for next month to streamline the transition.
- The “Battery” Solution: PM Mottley identified the lack of battery storage capacity as the primary cause of recent grid instability. The new plan focuses heavily on boosting storage to ensure that solar and wind energy can reliably power the island 24/7.
- Global Context: She cited the ongoing conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran as the “starkest possible warning” for why energy independence is a national security priority.
Jamaica: PM Holness Launches “FAST” Framework to End Project Delays
KINGSTOWN, JAMAICA — Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has declared war on bureaucracy. Delivering his opening statement for the 2026/2027 Budget Debate, the Prime Minister introduced a sweeping reform package designed to accelerate national investment and infrastructure projects.
- NaRRA & FAST: The Prime Minister unveiled the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) and the Facilitated Acceleration of Strategic Transformation (FAST) framework. These initiatives are designed to bypass traditional “red tape” and speed up development approvals
- Expert Oversight: To ensure transparency, the government is establishing JAMRROC (Jamaica Reconstruction and Resilience Oversight Committee).
- Leadership: The committee will be chaired by renowned Jamaican academic Professor Peter Blair Henry, a senior fellow at Stanford University.
- Project Pipeline: The PM highlighted several “rolling stock” projects ready for delivery, including new multi-family housing solutions in Belrock and the opening of the Olympic Gardens Performing Arts Center
International: Conflict Escalates with Strikes on Kuwait and Targeted Assassinations
WASHINGTON/THE MIDDLE EAST — The regional war in the Middle East showed no signs of de-escalation on Friday, as retaliatory strikes began affecting global energy exports and involving new international actors.
- Refinery Attack: Iran launched a successful attack on a major oil refinery in Kuwait on Friday morning, further straining global fuel supplies.
- High-Level Assassination: In a significant blow to Tehran, Israeli forces confirmed the killing of a senior spokesman for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
- South Pars “Truce”: Following a devastating strike on Qatar’s gas fields that has left the world facing a multi-year natural gas shortage, Israel has promised to avoid further attacks on Iran’s South Pars gas field to prevent a total global energy collapse.
- Ukrainian Intervention: In a surprise geopolitical shift, Ukraine has deployed military units to safeguard critical energy infrastructure in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan. Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov confirmed plans for long-term security cooperation with these Gulf nations to stabilize the market.
