By Antonio Dey | HGP nightly News
Jamaica:
Two of Jamaica’s leading business figures are praising the continuity seen in Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness’s newly unveiled 19-member Cabinet. They are urging that this stability be used as a springboard for economic growth.
The major developments include the return of Dr. Andrew Wheatley and Robert Montague to executive office after absences of seven years and three and a half years, respectively.
Meanwhile, Marlene Malahoo Forte was removed as Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, with her responsibilities reassigned to Delroy Chuck under the newly renamed Ministry of Justice, Legal and Constitutional Affairs.
Wheatley, who resigned in 2018 amid the Petrojam scandal, has rejoined as Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, overseeing science, technology, and special projects. Montague, who resigned in 2022 following an Integrity Commission probe into gun license approvals during his tenure as Minister of National Security, also returns to executive office.
Haiti:
Haitian national police confirmed the killing of former rebel leader Wilfrid Ferdinand, also known as Ti Wil, earlier this week. Authorities accused Ferdinand of opening fire on officers at a checkpoint in the coastal town of Gonaïves.
Police spokesman Michel-Ange Louis-Jeune told the Associated Press that officers had no intention of killing anyone, but fired back in self-defense. Ferdinand, a suspected gang leader, had played a key role in the 2004 uprising that led to the ouster of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
United States:
U.S. President Donald Trump announced new measures against left-wing groups following the assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk. Trump said he was formally designating the anti-fascist movement Antifa as a terrorist organization.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump also vowed to recommend thorough investigations into those allegedly funding Antifa.
Experts noted, however, that Antifa is a loosely organized ideological movement without centralized leadership, raising questions about the legal weight and enforcement of the proclamation.
