AGP Executive Report

Corito Landfill Fire Update: Anguilla’s Fire and Rescue Service says the huge blaze that began July 25 is now contained, with spread slowed, but crews are still working to cool and extinguish burning tyre piles; smoke and emergency traffic mean motorists should avoid the area while operations continue. Virtual Island Summit (VIS): The free online VIS returns Sept. 15–17 for its 8th edition, with a three-day focus on adapting to climate and coastal erosion, shifting tourism and waste toward circular systems, and mobilising action—aimed at zero-carbon knowledge sharing across island communities. Regional Air Connectivity: BermudAir’s founder calls its first year in Anguilla a “runaway success,” and the airline has ordered 10 Airbus A220-300s to expand routes across the Caribbean and North America, with deliveries expected to start in Q4 2027. Ocean & Reef Protection Concern: A regional piece warns that chemical fishing—using substances like bleach, cyanide and fertilisers—can be hard to detect and can cause lasting damage to marine life and coral reefs, with spiny lobster highlighted as a high-value target. OECS–Cuba Solidarity: OECS leaders praised Cuba for continued support despite the long-running US embargo, pointing to shared work in sustainable development, disaster resilience, agriculture and ocean governance.

Corito Landfill Fire Update (Anguilla): A huge fire that began at the Corito Landfill site on July 25 is still burning but has been contained, with crews continuing to cool and extinguish hot spots in tyre piles that may smoulder for several days; residents are being urged to stay clear of the area as smoke continues and only essential vehicles and approved waste contractors are allowed to deposit waste. Virtual Island Summit (Environment & Climate): The free Virtual Island Summit returns Sept. 15–17, 2026 in a new three-day format, focusing on adapting to coastal erosion and decarbonising marine transport, shifting tourism and waste into circular systems, and mobilising funding and political will for island action. Chemical Fishing Warning (Reefs & Wildlife): A regional look at chemical fishing highlights how hard-to-detect use of substances like bleach, cyanide and fertilisers can devastate marine life and coral reefs, with lobster fisheries used to explain the incentives behind illegal practices. OECS Regional Support (Sustainability & Resilience): OECS leadership praised Cuba’s long-running solidarity with the region, pointing to shared work in disaster resilience, ocean governance and sustainable development. Regional Air Travel Push (Travel Disruptions): Antigua’s PM renewed calls for an OECS-owned regional airline, arguing flight delays and cancellations are disrupting travel across the Eastern Caribbean, including Anguilla.

Marine Protection & Illegal Fishing: A new Caribbean-focused report warns that chemical fishing—using bleach, cyanide, fertilizers and other substances—often slips past enforcement and can cause long-lasting harm to lobsters and coral reefs, with the spiny lobster flagged as a high-value target across multiple islands including Anguilla. Island Climate Knowledge: The Virtual Island Summit returns Sept. 15–17, 2026 as a free, zero-carbon online event, with three days of programming on adapting to coastal erosion and decarbonising marine transport, transforming tourism and waste into circular local economies, and mobilising funding and political will. Tourism Leadership Watch: Grenada’s tourism authority is reportedly seeing a board-management split, with CEO Stacey Liburd said to be departing after about a year—an internal shake-up that could ripple into regional visitor strategies. Air Connectivity for Anguilla: BermudAir ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 aircraft to expand routes, including additional service to Anguilla, with deliveries expected from Q4 2027. Maritime Safety Questions: Investigative analysis revisits the 1970 Christena disaster and the recent MV Barima capsizing, raising concerns about loading, accountability, stability and crew conduct.

Tourism Leadership Shake-Up: Grenada’s Tourism Authority is reportedly moving to part ways with CEO Stacey Liburd after just one year, with insiders citing concerns over management “behaviour,” in a dispute that echoes earlier criticism of excessive travel by former CEO Petra Roach. Regional Tax Talks: CARICOM tax administrators and revenue experts meet in Georgetown, Guyana (27–31 July) for the 27th COTA General Assembly and Technical Conference on “Future-Ready” tax systems, with a focus on smart, data-driven and AI-enabled revenue collection. Air Connectivity for Anguilla: BermudAir says it has ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 aircraft to expand routes across the Caribbean and North America, including adding service to Anguilla, with deliveries expected to start in Q4 2027. Aviation Climate Tech Watch: The UK Civil Aviation Authority released findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a new hydrogen roadmap, outlining steps toward safely scaling hydrogen operations for small aircraft by 2035. Off-the-Grid Travel Spotlight: A travel feature highlights Anguilla as a “safest” beach destination with nonstop options from the U.S., praising its low-rise, crowd-controlled tourism model.

Tourism Leadership Shake-up: Grenada’s Tourism Authority is reportedly moving to part ways with CEO Stacey Liburd after just one year, with concerns raised about her conduct at the top job. Regional Tax Talks: CARICOM tax administrators and revenue experts meet in Georgetown, Guyana (27–31 July) for the 27th COTA General Assembly and Technical Conference, focused on “Future-Ready” smart, data-driven and AI-enabled tax administration for sustainable revenue. Air Connectivity for Anguilla: BermudAir says it has ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 aircraft to expand routes across the Caribbean and North America, including new service to Anguilla, with deliveries expected to start in Q4 2027. Maritime Safety Questions: A Caribbean investigative analysis revisits two capsizings—1970’s MV Christena and 2026’s MV Barima—raising renewed questions about loading, accountability, stability and crew conduct. Clean Aviation Research: The UK Civil Aviation Authority publishes findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a hydrogen roadmap, including real-world trials using hydrogen for airport turnaround vehicles, drone fuel cells and a hydrogen-modified engine.

Transport & Connectivity: BermudAir says it has ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 jets to expand direct routes across Bermuda, the Caribbean and North America, with deliveries expected to start in Q4 2027 and service growth aimed at adding new links including Anguilla. Aviation Decarbonisation Watch: The UK Civil Aviation Authority released findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a new hydrogen roadmap, describing real-world trials using hydrogen-powered ground vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells for drones, and an engine modified to run on 100% hydrogen. Maritime Safety Lessons: A Times Caribbean investigative piece revisits two major ferry capsizings—Christena (1970) and Guyana’s Barima (recent)—raising questions about loading, accountability and crew conduct, and whether Caribbean authorities learned the lessons. Regional Policy & Governance: CARICOM tax administrators meet in Guyana this week for the 27th COTA General Assembly under a theme of “smart, data-driven and AI-enabled” tax administration, with sessions focused on compliance and sustainable revenue. Tourism Leadership Shake-up: Grenada’s tourism authority is reportedly parting ways with CEO Stacey Liburd after about a year, amid board-management tensions.

Regional Tax & Sustainability Policy: CARICOM tax administrators and revenue experts will meet in Georgetown, Guyana (27–31 July) for the 27th COTA General Assembly and Technical Conference, themed “Future-Ready CARICOM Tax Administration” with a focus on smart, data-driven and AI-enabled systems to support sustainable revenue. Aviation & Emissions Watch: BermudAir says it has ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 aircraft to expand routes across the Caribbean and North America, with deliveries expected from Q4 2027—an air-travel shift that could affect regional connectivity and fuel use. Marine Safety for Anguilla: A Small Craft Advisory issued for Antigua and Barbuda also covers Anguilla, warning of strong winds, hazardous seas and swells up to around 10 feet, with guidance for mariners to avoid affected waters and monitor updates. Hydrogen in Aviation (UK): The UK Civil Aviation Authority published findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a hydrogen roadmap, including real-world trials using hydrogen-powered ground vehicles, fuel-cell drones, and a modified engine for simulated flight cycles. Maritime Safety Lessons: A Caribbean investigative report revisits the capsizing of Guyana’s MV Barima alongside the 1970 Christena disaster, raising questions about vessel stability, loading and accountability.

Aviation & Connectivity: BermudAir says it has ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 aircraft to expand its Caribbean and North America network, with deliveries expected to start in Q4 2027 and plans to add new routes including service to Anguilla. Regional Policy & Sustainability: Tax administrators across CARICOM will meet in Georgetown, Guyana (27–31 July) for the 27th COTA General Assembly on “smart, data-driven and AI-enabled” tax administration aimed at sustainable revenue. Marine Safety: A small craft advisory remains in effect for Antigua and Barbuda and also covers Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, warning of hazardous seas and strong easterly winds that could disrupt fishing and marine transport. Hydrogen in Aviation: The UK Civil Aviation Authority published findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a new hydrogen roadmap, outlining a pathway for scaling hydrogen operations for small aircraft by 2035. Disaster Lessons (Regional): A Caribbean investigative analysis revisits two capsizings—St. Kitts and Nevis’ MV Christena (1970) and Guyana’s MV Barima—raising questions about vessel stability, loading and accountability. Health (US Training): New Anglia University shared guidance for medical students preparing for the US residency match process.

Marine Weather: A small craft advisory is in effect for Antigua and Barbuda, and it also covers Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, with easterly winds of 22–35 km/h (gusts up to 54 km/h) and seas around 1.5–2.4m, locally near 3.1m—warning mariners of injury risk, vessel damage, and disruption to fishing and marine transport. Aviation & Connectivity: BermudAir says it has ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 aircraft to expand its Caribbean and North America network, with deliveries expected to start in Q4 2027; the airline also points to added service to Anguilla in its winter 2026–27 schedule. Regional Policy (Environment-adjacent): CARICOM tax administrators are set to meet in Georgetown, Guyana (27–31 July) under a “smart, data-driven and AI-enabled” theme aimed at strengthening compliance and sustainable revenue—an indirect lever for funding public services and resilience. Health (Not Environment): New Anglia University published guidance on how medical students should prepare for the U.S. residency match process.

Regional Policy & Finance: Tax administrators from across CARICOM are set to meet in Georgetown, Guyana (27–31 July) for the 27th COTA General Assembly and Technical Conference, focused on “smart, data-driven and AI-enabled” tax administration to boost compliance and sustainable revenue, with a related high-level tax-and-development session with the OECD. Aviation & Connectivity: BermudAir says it has ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with deliveries expected from Q4 2027, aiming to expand routes across the Caribbean and North America and add/expand service to Anguilla. Marine Safety: A small craft advisory is in effect for Antigua and Barbuda and also covers Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, citing strong easterly winds, rough seas, and risks to mariners and marine transport. Aviation Decarbonisation Watch: The UK Civil Aviation Authority published findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a hydrogen roadmap, outlining how hydrogen tech could be scaled for small aircraft by 2035. Maritime Safety Lessons: A Caribbean investigative analysis revisits the 1970 MV Christena capsizing and the recent MV Barima incident, raising questions about vessel stability, loading and accountability.

Air Connectivity for Anguilla: BermudAir says it will order 10 Airbus A220-300 jets, with deliveries starting in Q4 2027, to expand routes across the Caribbean and North America—explicitly including more service to Anguilla. Regional Finance Focus: The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s Monetary Council met in Dominica to reaffirm EC dollar stability while pushing policies aimed at resilience and shared prosperity across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union. Marine Safety Watch: A small craft advisory remains in effect for Antigua and Barbuda and covers nearby islands including Anguilla, warning of strong winds, rough seas, and risks to small vessels and marine operations. Hydrogen in Aviation (UK): The UK Civil Aviation Authority published results from its Hydrogen Challenge and a hydrogen roadmap, including real-world trials using hydrogen-powered ground vehicles, fuel-cell drones, and a modified Rolls-Royce engine. Maritime Safety Questions: A regional investigative piece revisits the capsizing of the MV Christena (1970) alongside a more recent capsizing of the MV Barima, raising concerns about loading, accountability, stability, and crew conduct.

Air Connectivity for Anguilla: BermudAir says it will expand its Caribbean and North America network with an order for 10 Airbus A220-300 jets, with deliveries expected to start in Q4 2027; the airline says the aircraft’s range and performance at constrained airports will help it add new routes, including further service to Anguilla. Regional Governance & Finance: The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s Monetary Council met on 10 July, reaffirming its push to safeguard the EC dollar while strengthening resilience and shared prosperity across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union. Marine Safety: A small craft advisory remains in effect for Antigua and Barbuda and covers Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, warning of strong winds, hazardous seas, and risks to small vessels and marine operations. Hydrogen Aviation Watch: The UK Civil Aviation Authority published findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a hydrogen roadmap, outlining how hydrogen could be introduced safely into aviation, including trials using hydrogen-powered ground vehicles, drones, and a modified engine. Caribbean Legal Drafting: Two Caribbean legislative drafters were elected to senior roles in the Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel, highlighting the region’s growing influence in law reform. Regional Policy Meeting: Tax administrators from across CARICOM are set to gather in Georgetown, Guyana (27–31 July) to discuss “future-ready” tax administration using smart, data-driven and AI-enabled approaches for sustainable revenue.

Aviation & Connectivity: BermudAir has ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 aircraft to expand its Caribbean and North America network, including new non-stop services that could add routes to destinations such as Anguilla, Belize and the Turks and Caicos. The airline says it plans to grow from 11 routes to more than 22 by year-end, with deliveries starting Q4 2027 and a longer-term plan to operate up to 20 A220s by 2030. Marine Safety: A small craft advisory remains in effect for Antigua and Barbuda and covers Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands at different times, warning of hazardous seas, strong easterly winds and risks to mariners and marine equipment. Hydrogen & Climate Tech: The UK Civil Aviation Authority published findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a new hydrogen roadmap, including real-world trials using hydrogen-powered ground vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells for drones, and a modified Rolls-Royce engine for simulated flight cycles. Maritime Risk Watch: A Caribbean investigative analysis revisits the capsizing of the MV Christena (1970) alongside the recent MV Barima incident, raising questions about vessel stability, loading and accountability.

Commonwealth Legal Leadership: The Caribbean strengthened its influence in legislative drafting after Michelle Daley (Jamaica) was elected President of the Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel (CALC) and Shaquille Newton (Barbados) became the Americas Representative on the CALC Council, marking a milestone for regional law reform. Marine Safety: A Small Craft Advisory is in effect for Antigua and Barbuda, with impacts also flagged for Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands as strong winds and hazardous seas push swell and wind waves toward the Atlantic sides. Maritime Risk Review: A Caribbean investigative analysis revisits the MV Christena capsizing tragedy and compares it with the recent MV Barima incident, raising renewed questions about vessel stability, loading, and accountability. Clean Aviation Push: The UK Civil Aviation Authority released findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a hydrogen roadmap, outlining how hydrogen could be scaled for small aircraft by 2035 while addressing safety gaps. CARICOM Tax Planning: Tax administrators from across CARICOM will meet in Georgetown, Guyana, later this month to discuss “smart, data-driven and AI-enabled” approaches to sustainable revenue. Reparations & Decolonisation: A CARICOM-backed delegation in London renewed calls for Britain to expand reparations, including relinquishing overseas territories such as Anguilla.

Maritime Safety Shock: A new investigative look at the MV Christena capsizing in 1970 and the recent MV Barima disaster off Guyana is reopening hard questions about ferry loading, passenger accountability, vessel stability and crew conduct. Marine Weather Watch: A small craft advisory is in effect for Antigua and Barbuda, with impacts also flagged for Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands—winds, rough seas and swell could disrupt fishing and marine transport. Clean Aviation Push: The UK Civil Aviation Authority released findings from its Hydrogen Challenge and a hydrogen roadmap, including trials using hydrogen-powered ground vehicles, fuel-cell drones and a modified Rolls-Royce engine—aimed at safer, lower-carbon aviation. Regional Connectivity: Antigua and Barbuda PM Gaston Browne renewed calls for an OECS airline, blaming unreliable regional flights for long delays that strand travellers across the islands. Local Finance & Resilience: Anguilla’s Premier Cora Richardson Hodge attended the ECCB Monetary Council meeting and the unveiling of a new EC$10 note, with a focus on stability and durable, modern regional currency. Caribbean Tourism (Context): Travel coverage continues to market Anguilla as a top “safe” island for visitors, while broader lists highlight the region’s appeal and conservation-minded tourism.

Maritime Safety Shock: A Caribbean ferry capsizing off Guyana has reignited hard questions about vessel stability, loading, and accountability—especially after the MV Christena disaster in 1970, with investigators urging careful scrutiny rather than rushed assumptions. Regional Weather Watch: A small craft advisory is in effect for Antigua and Barbuda, with impacts also flagged for Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands as strong winds and rough seas raise risks for mariners and marine operations. Anguilla in the Spotlight: Anguilla is being promoted as a top “safe” beach getaway in travel roundups, while local leaders continue pushing for better regional connectivity. OECS Airline Push: Antigua and Barbuda PM Gaston Browne renewed calls for an OECS airline, citing repeated flight delays and cancellations that strand travellers across the islands. Caribbean Climate/Green Angle (Indirect): The week also included broader “green” aviation and sustainability updates, including UK hydrogen aviation progress—relevant as the region weighs cleaner transport options.