Border & Immigration: The U.S. DHS signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with CARICOM IMPACS to enable biometric data sharing for border security and immigration vetting, with SVG represented at the Washington ceremony. CBI Pressure on OECS: Eastern Caribbean CBI states agreed to send a high-level delegation to Brussels to engage the EU after demands to phase out CBI by 2028, with SVG’s PM Godwin Friday attending. Cost-of-Living Playbook: CARICOM leaders outlined measures to ease prices, including fuel import tax cuts, freight adjustments, lowering intra-regional cargo costs, more renewables, and fast-tracking a regional ferry service. ECCB Currency Update: The ECCB unveiled redesigned EC banknotes replacing Queen Elizabeth II with regional heroes; SVG’s Robert Milton Cato is set for the EC$5 note, with rollout expected from late 2027. Export Readiness for SVG Agro-Processors: IICA and FAO-backed training helped local agro-processors meet international food safety standards to access new export markets. Tourism Momentum: SVG reported 34,959 stayover visitors in Q1, up 12.8%, highlighting a tourism boom driven by variety beyond mass resorts. Regional Trade Logistics: Trinidad offered a temporary cargo vessel to reduce intra-Caricom shipping costs, aiming to cut inflationary pressure. Humanitarian Aid to Venezuela: CARICOM partners, including SVG, supported relief shipments of 88 containers following earthquakes in Venezuela. Maritime Risk: Reports say Somali piracy is rising again in the Gulf of Aden, with a recent attack on a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged vessel. Youth & Skills: PM Godwin Friday urged job creation and a “new economy” for youth at home, while 25 Vincentians graduated from Taiwan universities.