CDB Trade Boost and Princes Town Ambush: Regional and Global Highlights
By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — In tonight’s regional update, a multi-million-euro investment from the European Union is showing tangible results for Caribbean trade readiness, while a violent ambush in Trinidad and a high-stakes assassination in Beirut have raised security concerns across the hemisphere and the globe.
CDB & EU: €8.7 Million Programme Strengthens Caribbean Trade
A major regional initiative managed by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has successfully concluded, delivering measurable improvements in trade systems and institutional capacity across 15 Caribbean countries.
- The Investment: The €8.7 million EU-funded programme integrated the European Development Fund’s EPA Programme and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Standby Facility.
- Tangible Impact: Since its inception, the initiative has delivered 27 interventions, engaged over 100 institutions, and provided upwards of 11,000 hours of technical assistance.
- Sustainability: Lisa Harding, Division Chief of the CDB’s Private Sector Division, noted that the programme’s success proves that “transformation comes from implementation and capable institutions,” not just signed agreements.
- Small Economy Focus: Barbados’ Director of Trade, Paula Byer, emphasized that the programme was vital for MSMEs, helping them bypass trade barriers and align with national strategies for regional integration.
Trinidad: Woman Killed, Man Hospitalized in Princes Town Ambush
Violence erupted in the early hours of Wednesday in Princes Town, Trinidad, leaving one woman dead and her companion fighting for his life.
- The Attack: Shortly after midnight, Monifer Carrie, 27, and Isaiah Cruickshank, 31, were traveling in a Nissan Sentra along Malgretoute Road when they were blocked by a white Nissan AD wagon.
- The Outcome: Two masked gunmen emerged and opened fire. Carrie, a resident of Beetham Gardens, was found on the roadway and later pronounced dead at the Princes Town District Health Facility.
- Survivor: Cruickshank, known as ‘Touchy’, sustained several injuries but managed to seek assistance. He remains in stable condition at the San Fernando General Hospital.
- Investigation: Officers from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region Three are currently scouring the scene for evidence as the search for the masked suspects continues.
International: Israel Kills Hezbollah’s Elite Unit Commander in Beirut
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Thursday that a surgical strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut successfully neutralized a top Hezbollah commander.
- The Target: Ahmed Ali Balout, the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, was killed in the Haret Hreik neighborhood.
- The Strike: In the first such attack near the Lebanese capital since the April 17 ceasefire took effect, an Israeli warship fired three missiles at a residential building targeted by military intelligence.
- Ceasefire at Risk: While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the move was necessary to “bring security to the North,” the strike has placed immense pressure on the shaky U.S.-brokered truce.
- Diplomatic Stagnation: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had previously indicated that negotiations cannot proceed until the ceasefire is fully implemented; this latest escalation likely pushes any face-to-face talks further into the future.
