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Unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) have become pervasive for many small-scale and large-scale aerial operations around the world. Their implementation in small island states like those of the Caribbean is particularly useful because they are relatively cheap and versatile. Despite being used for more than a decade in this part of the world, however, many territories in this tropical region still do not have adequate regulatory and/or legislative frameworks to support UAS operations. UAS applications are varied in the Caribbean, ranging from recreational use and coral reef monitoring to public utilities and national security support. In this paper, we present the first collective assessment of existing UAS regulatory and legislative frameworks in the Caribbean region. Data on four factors that are critical to UAS operations was collected and analyzed for the fifteen full-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries. Across the duration of this study, some of the countries assessed had no existing frameworks in place, while one had completely banned UAS operations within its jurisdiction. Others, including Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica, had comprehensive frameworks that were continuously being updated. The outcome of a more in-depth analysis revealed that the UAS legislative framework for Guyana appeared to be the most robust amongst all CARICOM territories. Finally, some of the challenges of proper UAS regulation observed in the region are presented. Full article

The extensive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics is known to contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Unfortunately, there are no public records of antimicrobial use (frequency or dosage) administered to animals in two major CARICOM (Caribbean Community) countries: Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica. Surveillance would promote amendments and discussion on a Caribbean antimicrobial-use protocol. In this study, an online survey was conducted using cross-sectional qualitative interviews via email, targeting veterinary clinicians working in clinics and farms in Trinidad and Jamaica, to identify how antimicrobials are used in the two countries. Out of the thirty-two (32) clinicians interviewed in Trinidad, 22 (68.75%) were small animal practitioners, and 10 (45.45%) were mixed practitioners. While in Jamaica, a total of Twenty six (26) clinicians responded, of which 17 of them (65.38%) were small animal practitioners and nine (34.62%) were mixed practitioners. A total of 95.2% of clinics and farms in Jamaica and 87.1% in Trinidad did not use standard antimicrobial protocols, which could be due to the limited availability of resources. The broad-spectrum antibiotic, amoxicillin, and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid were the most commonly used drugs in small animal practices in both countries (71.9% and 53.8% in dogs), (78.1% and 65.9% in cats); amoxicillin is also used frequently in mixed animal practice in Jamaica (44.4% in goats, 33.3% in cattle and 22.2% in sheep and pigs), while procaine penicillin and streptomycin was the most frequently used in mixed practice in Trinidad (60% in cattle and goats, 50% in sheep), which could explain the potentially increased risk of antimicrobial resistance. Full article