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  • Catholic Diocese of St. John’s–Basseterre Mourns Death of Barbadian Priest Fr. Leonard Alfonso

    Catholic Diocese of St. John’s–Basseterre Mourns Death of Barbadian Priest Fr. Leonard Alfonso

    The Catholic community across the Eastern Caribbean is united in grief this week, after the passing of veteran Barbadian priest Fr. Leonard Alfonso, who died Monday morning at Barbados’ main public healthcare facility, Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Fr. Alfonso had been managing an ongoing illness prior to his death, bringing to a close a life dedicated to pastoral service that spanned four decades.

    Following the announcement of his death from the Diocese of Bridgetown, the neighboring Roman Catholic Diocese of St. John’s–Basseterre has issued an official statement of condolence, joining in national mourning for the beloved cleric. In the message, Bishop Robert Llanos, alongside all clergy, religious orders, and lay faithful of the St. John’s–Basseterre Diocese, extended heartfelt sympathies to the Diocese of Bridgetown and its leader, the Most Reverend Neil Scantlebury.
    The statement also directed words of comfort to Fr. Alfonso’s extended family, close friends, and all those who held him dear, as they navigate the loss of a spiritual leader and beloved community figure. Closing with a traditional Catholic prayer for the dead, the diocese wrote: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen. Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, pray for him.”

    Records from the Diocese of Bridgetown confirm Fr. Alfonso was 88 years old at the time of his passing. His four decades of priesthood represented a longstanding commitment to growing and sustaining the Catholic Church’s mission across Barbados, leaving a lasting legacy of service to local faith communities. In its message, the Diocese of St. John’s–Basseterre reaffirmed its full solidarity with the Catholic Church in Barbados throughout this period of mourning.

  • “You Are NEMO”: Orange Walk Rural Gets 23 New CERT First Responders

    “You Are NEMO”: Orange Walk Rural Gets 23 New CERT First Responders

    On a Thursday in late July 2026, 23 residents from two rural villages in Orange Walk, Belize – San Antonio and Santa Cruz – marked a major milestone for local disaster preparedness by graduating as the nation’s second cohort of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members. Unlike professional emergency personnel who often require travel time to reach rural communities, these newly trained first responders are based directly in the villages they serve, ready to step into action immediately after an emergency strikes, before external professional support can arrive.

    Over the course of their training, participants mastered a broad suite of critical emergency skills ranging from foundational disaster preparedness and life-saving first aid to fire safety protocols, light search and rescue operations, emergency radio communications, and post-disaster damage assessment. Program organizers intentionally designed the cohort to include diverse representation across the community: members from local education institutions, public health services, village councils, youth groups, and independent community residents all participated, reflecting a core belief that meaningful community resilience can only be built when every segment of a community contributes.

    Andrea Grosvenor, Business Development Manager at the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), which provided technical support for the initiative, emphasized the inclusive vision behind the project. “This project intentionally brought together representatives from the education and health sectors, village councils, youth, and other community members, recognising that resilience requires the participation of the entire community,” Grosvenor explained.

    Daniel Mendez, National Emergency Coordinator for Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), which led the implementation of the CERT program, framed the expansion of community first responder teams as a cornerstone of national efforts to build safer, more self-reliant communities. Speaking directly to the graduating class, Mendez noted that the training was far from easy, requiring commitment, collaborative teamwork, and courage from all participants. “Community resilience starts here at the community where you are going to be able to help each other first before help arrives,” he told graduates, reminding them “Remember that you are NEMO” – a nod to their role as the first line of emergency response for their home communities.

    Abdiel Teyul, Chairman of San Antonio Village, spoke on behalf of all 23 graduates, highlighting the transformative impact the team will have for the two neighboring villages. Located in a region vulnerable to seasonal hurricanes and flooding, Teyul explained that the trained cohort leaves San Antonio and Santa Cruz far better equipped to handle emergency events before outside help arrives. He urged his fellow graduates to keep their core mission front of mind: “Remember to always serve with empathy, with the safety of lives as a priority.”

    To support the new responders in their work, each graduate received a personalized emergency response kit for on-the-ground use. The village councils of both San Antonio and Santa Cruz also received dedicated coordination equipment to strengthen their ability to organize local response efforts during large-scale disasters.

    The CERT training program is funded by the European Union under the Building Resilience to Climate and Hazard Impacts in the Caribbean (BRICS) programme, marking a key investment in regional climate adaptation and community safety. This 2026 graduating cohort from Orange Walk follows the first ever CERT graduation, which took place in Toledo district last year, as NEMO continues to roll out community-focused emergency response capacity across the country.

  • Robinhood deny La Clery a CFU quarterfinal berth

    Robinhood deny La Clery a CFU quarterfinal berth

    La Clery’s run in the 2024 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield came to an early close on Saturday evening, as the Saint Lucian side suffered a 2-0 defeat to former tournament winners SV Robinhood at Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago’s iconic Hasely Crawford Stadium. The two-time champions of the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional League were knocked out in the tournament’s Round of 16, bringing their regional competition journey to an end.

    The match carried special contextual significance, as it was held just 24 hours after the 50th anniversary of Hasely Crawford’s historic 100m gold medal win at the 1974 Olympic Games — the first Olympic gold medal ever secured by a Trinidad and Tobago athlete. The venue, renamed to honor Crawford’s legacy, provided a fitting backdrop for top-tier regional club football on this milestone weekend.

    La Clery earned their spot in the Round of 16 after a qualifying victory over Anguilla’s Roaring Lions, but they could not overcome a fast-starting Robinhood side. The Surinamese champions, who dominated regional football in 2023 by claiming both the CFU Club Shield title and the inaugural Concacaf Caribbean Cup, got off to a blistering start against the Saint Lucians. Robinhood broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in just the 11th minute of play, before forward Gilberto Cronie doubled the side’s advantage only seven minutes later. The two early goals proved enough to see the former champions through, with La Clery unable to claw back into the match.

    This knockout result marks the second time in two years that a Saint Lucian club has fallen to Robinhood in CFU competition. In 2023, the Suriname side secured a lopsided 5-0 victory over Saint Lucia’s B1 FC on their way to lifting that year’s trophy.

    Robinhood is not the only side to secure a spot in the quarterfinals from this round of play. Guyana’s top club Slingerz FC and Barbados champions Weymouth Wales also claimed wins in their respective Round of 16 matches to book their places in the final eight of the competition.

  • Dominica among first Caribbean countries to benefit from new resilient Infrastructure initiative

    Dominica among first Caribbean countries to benefit from new resilient Infrastructure initiative

    Against a backdrop of growing climate risk and stalled development projects, a groundbreaking regional partnership has launched to empower Caribbean nations to deliver critical climate-resilient infrastructure. The Caribbean Resilient Infrastructure Implementation and Skills Exchange (RIISE) Facility, a collaborative effort between Global Affairs Canada and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), has already welcomed its first cohort of participating countries: Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

    Funded entirely by the Government of Canada and hosted by UNOPS, RIISE was designed to address a persistent gap facing small island developing states across the Caribbean. While regional governments have prioritized climate-resilient infrastructure and earmarked major investments for these projects, systemic implementation barriers often delay or derail delivery, leaving communities vulnerable to the increasing frequency and intensity of climate disasters like hurricanes and coastal flooding.

    To solve this challenge, RIISE will operate out of a regional secretariat based in Bridgetown, Barbados. The hub combines local Caribbean leadership with UNOPS’ decades of global operational expertise and project management experience. Its core mandate is to work directly with participating national governments to map unique implementation bottlenecks, coordinate cross-border support requests, and connect local project teams with specialized technical assistance that many small administrations cannot access independently.

    Unlike one-size-fits-all development programs, RIISE tailors its support to each country’s specific needs. Available assistance ranges from short-term targeted technical advice to temporary placements of seasoned infrastructure specialists, as well as structured platforms for Caribbean nations to share on-the-ground knowledge and lessons learned with one another. This peer learning component is designed to build long-term local capacity, rather than relying on permanent external support.

    Brenda Wills, Canada’s High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, emphasized the initiative’s alignment with Canada’s longstanding commitment to Caribbean climate action. “Canada is proud to support RIISE as part of our longstanding commitment to strengthening climate resilience across the Caribbean,” Wills said. “By helping governments deliver resilient infrastructure more effectively, build local capacity and promote specialized expertise across the region, RIISE will generate lasting benefits for Caribbean communities while deepening the strong ties between Canada and the region.”

    Giuseppe Mancinelli, UNOPS Director for Barbados and Caribbean Coordinator, noted that Caribbean nations have already laid out clear, ambitious priorities for sustainable, climate-resilient development, but often lack the specialized support to turn plans into tangible community impact. “RIISE will provide timely access to the specialized expertise they need to overcome implementation challenges and turn those priorities into tangible results for communities,” Mancinelli explained. “At the same time, it will strengthen national capacities and foster greater regional collaboration.”

    For the four initial participating countries, RIISE opens immediate access to additional resources and expertise to streamline project delivery, improve the quality of infrastructure outcomes, and advance long-term climate adaptation goals. The launch marks a new chapter in collaborative climate action, uniting a global multilateral body, a donor nation, and regional governments around a shared goal of building safer, more resilient communities across the Caribbean.

  • Rights Group Raises Questions Over Reports of Belarusian Deportations to Belize

    Rights Group Raises Questions Over Reports of Belarusian Deportations to Belize

    In a development that shines a new light on shifting U.S. immigration enforcement practices, a Belarusian human rights organization is pushing for full transparency following emerging reports that American immigration courts have issued deportation orders sending Belarusian citizens to Belize – a move that has raised significant procedural and geopolitical questions, even as no concrete confirmation exists that the removals have been carried out.

    ByAction, a grassroots human rights initiative focused on Belarusian displaced communities, confirmed it has documented two specific cases where a California immigration judge signed off on orders to remove two Belarusian nationals to the Central American nation of Belize. In a subsequent clarification, however, the group acknowledged that it currently lacks verifiable evidence proving the two individuals were actually transported to Belize following the court rulings.

    Yauhen Zhdanovich, founder of ByAction, shared that the organization’s current information is limited to the basic fact of the court orders, which were issued by a judge sitting at the West Los Angeles Immigration Court. Critical details remain shrouded in uncertainty: the full identities of the Belarusian citizens involved, information about their legal representation, and even whether the pair have filed appeals against the deportation rulings have not been made publicly available.

    Beyond the lack of clarity around the cases themselves, ByAction has raised pointed questions about the practical feasibility and logistics of deporting Belarusian nationals to Belize, a small Caribbean nation that has no formal established travel or deportation reciprocity agreement with either the United States or Belarus. The group is specifically questioning whether Belize has the infrastructure, policy frameworks, and willingness to accept third-country nationals from a European nation located thousands of miles outside of its traditional regional migration sphere.

    These unconfirmed reports emerge against a backdrop of growing scrutiny of U.S. immigration enforcement actions targeting citizens from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet bloc. ByAction previously documented that at least seven Belarusian citizens were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the first months of 2026, and that multiple other Belarusian nationals have been deported from the United States since the start of 2024. The organization is now calling on U.S. immigration authorities and the Belizean government to release full details about the deportation orders to address growing concerns among the Belarusian diaspora in the United States.

  • Zoekactie naar slachtoffers MV Barima loopt vast; 30 mensen nog vermist

    Zoekactie naar slachtoffers MV Barima loopt vast; 30 mensen nog vermist

    Nearly two weeks after the deadly MV Barima shipwreck off the coast of Guyana, large-scale search and recovery operations have failed to locate any additional victims over the past 48 hours, leaving 30 passengers and crew unaccounted for amid growing safety warnings from elite French military divers assisting in the effort.

    French diving teams, deployed to support the recovery mission, have warned that entering the sunken vessel’s wreckage is an extreme life-threatening risk. According to a member of the French unit, zero visibility inside the hull, caused by thick suspended mud, powerful shifting currents and changing tides, forces divers to explore the wreck almost entirely by touch. Over 15 dives have already been completed, but tangled ropes, loose debris, unstable structural framing and shifting hammock netting further block access and raise the risk of catastrophic collapse for anyone entering the vessel. Raising the entire sunken wreck from the seabed is also classified as exceptionally challenging, experts add, due to the severely deteriorated condition of the hull.

    Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips confirmed Sunday that the search operation will continue despite the dangerous conditions, noting that no changes to the official casualty count have been recorded over the past two days. Opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed, who is participating in coordination of the search effort, echoed that update, confirming no new victims have been recovered in the most recent phase of operations. The current official toll stands at 73 fatalities recovered, 76 survivors rescued, and 30 people still listed as missing.

    The MV Barima was en route from the Guyanese capital of Georgetown to Port Kaituma when the disaster occurred. Official passenger logs initially listed 116 passengers and 17 crew members on board, but a review of security camera footage and additional on-the-ground investigations has led the Guyanese government to estimate the total number of people on the vessel was actually around 179, as dozens of passengers boarded without being added to the official manifest.

    In a parallel development, the Guyanese government has established an independent international commission of inquiry to probe the root causes of the disaster, which is already the deadliest maritime tragedy in Guyana’s modern history. The probe is led by Phillip Godfrey Smith, former attorney general of Belize, and includes maritime safety and legal experts from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

    Investigators will examine multiple key lines of inquiry, including whether the vessel was severely overloaded, whether cargo was improperly stowed, whether critical passenger safety protocols were ignored, and whether crew members or regulatory authorities bear responsibility for negligence. Multiple survivors have already given statements confirming water began leaking into the vessel before it sank, and that multiple warnings about the leak were dismissed by crew. Three people, including the vessel’s captain, have already been taken into custody; the captain tested positive for marijuana following the disaster.

    Guyanese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the search and recovery mission until all 30 missing people are located and recovered.

  • Officials warn of growing cyber threats

    Officials warn of growing cyber threats

    Nearly 100 local, regional and international stakeholders convened in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia, for a one-day Cybersecurity Forum focused on addressing the rapidly evolving landscape of digital threats and strengthening collective regional digital resilience. Hosted at the Harbour Club, the gathering brought together government leaders, policymakers, information technology specialists and global partners to frame cybersecurity as a cornerstone of modern national infrastructure, rather than a niche technical concern.

    Organized by Saint Lucia’s Division of Public Sector Modernisation in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Lucia, the forum centered on the escalating risks posed by a growing range of digital hazards: from common cyberattacks, ransomware and phishing scams to large-scale data breaches and emerging hybrid threats that target both government and civilian systems.

    Speaking on behalf of Senior Minister Stephenson King, Marlon Narcisse, Director of the Division of Public Sector Modernisation, emphasized that protecting national digital assets has climbed to the top of Saint Lucia’s policy agenda. “Cybersecurity is no longer a specialised technical issue confined to information technology professionals. It is a matter of national security, economic resilience, institutional integrity, and public confidence,” Narcisse stated. He added that ongoing digital transformation across all sectors of Saint Lucian society makes stronger cybersecurity defenses non-negotiable, noting that widespread digital adoption is not an optional trend but a national requirement to keep pace with global development.

    Nicole Su, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, warned that public sector entities across the globe are confronting cyber threats that grow more complex and unpredictable by the year. Beyond traditional cybercrime, Su pointed out that governments now face a multifaceted risk landscape that includes disinformation campaigns, unauthorized digital surveillance, and transboundary hybrid attacks that can disrupt critical services. These threats do not stay confined to government networks, she noted: bad actors regularly target private citizens’ sensitive personal data, including financial records, credit card information and protected health data.

    Su stressed that transboundary nature of cyber threats demands coordinated global action, noting that no single nation can build a fully effective defense in isolation. She also outlined the long-standing digital development partnership between Taiwan and Saint Lucia, which has already delivered shared gains including the establishment of ICT centers in three Saint Lucian districts, with a fourth facility planned for Babonneau. Additional collaborative initiatives include AI coding competitions, hands-on cybersecurity skills training, and professional exchange programs designed to build local cybersecurity capacity from within.

    Ray Wen, ICT Project Manager for the Taiwan Technical Mission, explained that the bilateral partnership has expanded significantly over time. What began as an effort to expand digital access and upgrade basic ICT skills for public sector employees has grown to encompass support for e-government service delivery, smart education programming, community-centered ICT infrastructure, and specialized cybersecurity training.

    Ricky Quinlan, Permanent Secretary in Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, echoed the call for collective action, noting that the forum highlights the critical link between cybersecurity and public trust as more government services move online. “Every government service we digitise, every school we connect, every business that operates online, and every citizen who accesses digital services depends on one thing: trust,” Quinlan said. “Without trust that our systems are secure, resilient, and reliable, the promise of digital transformation cannot be fully realised.”

    Quinlan added that small island developing states like Saint Lucia face unique vulnerabilities to transboundary cyber threats, given their limited resources and heavy reliance on digital infrastructure for core services. Like other speakers, he emphasized that cross-institutional and cross-border collaboration is essential to mitigating these shared risks. The forum concluded with a series of panel discussions covering cyber governance frameworks, cross-sector partnership models, cyber incident response protocols, and national preparedness planning, with insights from cybersecurity experts from both Saint Lucia and Taiwan.

  • Taiwan Expands Trade Office to Include Belize and Five Other Regional Allies

    Taiwan Expands Trade Office to Include Belize and Five Other Regional Allies

    On July 27, 2026, Taiwan announced a major expansion of its regional trade initiative, rolling out a broader platform to deepen economic engagement with Belize and five additional diplomatic allies across the Latin American and Caribbean region. The newly inaugurated Latin American and Caribbean Trade Office (LACTO), which opened its headquarters in Taipei on Friday, replaces the decades-old Central America Trade Office (CATO), an initiative that previously only focused on advancing commercial ties with Belize and Guatemala.

    Unlike its narrow-focused predecessor, the expanded LACTO extends its official remit to cover four more regional allies: Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The restructured office is designed to build a cohesive regional network that unlocks new growth opportunities across four key areas: cross-border trade, foreign direct investment, tourism cooperation, and private sector business partnerships.

    Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung framed the institutional expansion as a landmark milestone for bilateral and multilateral economic collaboration between Taiwan and its regional partners. Speaking at the office’s opening ceremony, Lin emphasized that LACTO will serve as a centralized bridge connecting private enterprises across participating economies, streamline investment promotion processes, and strengthen long-standing commercial relationships rooted in diplomatic cooperation.

    Augusto Chou-Fu Chan, the newly appointed executive director of LACTO, noted that the rebranding and expansion represent far more than a superficial institutional change. He explained that the overhaul comes with an expanded mission: to deliver hands-on support to small and medium-sized enterprises, foster cross-border industrial collaboration, and open new mutually beneficial economic channels between Taiwan and the Latin American and Caribbean region.

    Moving forward, LACTO has outlined a clear agenda to advance its goals. The office will prioritize promoting high-quality goods and key industries from all six participating nations, ranging from agricultural commodities, fisheries products, and processed food to tourism experiences and greenfield investment opportunities. Planned activities to deliver on these goals include large-scale regional trade exhibitions, one-on-one business matchmaking events, cross-border procurement roundtables, and high-level official exchange delegations to strengthen personal and institutional connections.

    As one of the two original partner economies served by the former CATO, Belize is positioned to continue reaping the benefits of the unified trade platform. The expanded office’s broader mandate will amplify global visibility for Belizean and other regional products, while actively targeting increased foreign investment flows from Taiwan to the region, supporting inclusive economic growth across all participating allies.

  • A Kids’ Summer Camp to Revive a “Dying” Agriculture Industry

    A Kids’ Summer Camp to Revive a “Dying” Agriculture Industry

    Across Belize, a quiet crisis has been unfolding in the agriculture sector: fewer and fewer young people are stepping forward to take up farming as a lifelong career, leaving the industry at risk of gradual decline as the current farming population ages. But one grassroots initiative at Central Farm is working to turn this tide, engaging children early through an immersive summer camp designed to spark lasting interest in agricultural careers.

    The Cayo Central Youth in Agriculture Summer Camp concluded its 2026 session last Friday with a celebratory certificate distribution ceremony, closing out a week of hands-on learning that gave 116 young participants direct exposure to a wide range of agricultural disciplines. Over the seven days, the campers traded traditional classroom desks for interactive lessons at fish ponds, working vegetable gardens, and livestock pens, donning custom green camp t-shirts as they moved through the Central Farm compound to learn practical skills in crop cultivation, livestock management, aquaculture, agro-processing, and beekeeping.

    Alex Balona, the Area Representative for Cayo Central and Minister of State in Belize’s Ministry of Agriculture, shared that this year’s participation numbers exceeded all organizing expectations. “Last year we had 103 campers, and this year we welcomed 116 participants by the end of the week. So I am very happy,” Balona noted. The steady uptick in turnout is particularly encouraging for the camp’s core mission, he explained, at a time when Belize is facing a growing shortage of new farmers to replace retiring producers.

    “Interest in agriculture is dying, and there are many factors contributing to that trend,” Balona explained. “Without farmers, our tables will not be set for us. That is why I am pushing to sensitize our children early, so that by the time they enter adolescence and move on to high school, they will consider choosing agriculture as a viable career path.”

    For many of the young campers, the hands-on approach opened their eyes to opportunities in agriculture they had never considered before. Twelve-year-old Gabriella Hall counted tilapia farming as the highlight of her week, noting that the experience left her open to building a future in the sector. “We got to see the different types, like the red and the grey tilapia, and they were really beautiful,” she said. “I can definitely see myself pursuing agriculture down the road.”

    Another participant, Rayanne Requena, left the camp already considering new career paths in marine biology or veterinary science, sparked by the camp’s aquaculture modules. “I enjoyed the aquaculture, and I loved the agro-processing sessions,” she said. “The camp showed you how you can turn one simple thing into something much more valuable than it originally is. That adds value to a basic product, and I think that’s pretty cool.”

    Even for campers like Aquim Canto, who grew up in a farming family, the program reinforced his commitment to carrying on his family’s tradition. “Planting is important because you get to produce more fruits and vegetables so people can buy and eat,” Canto said. “That’s why I came to learn more, and now when I go home, I’m even more motivated to keep going.”

    Organizers have already announced plans to expand the camp for 2027, with Balona confirming that the team is working to bring the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) on board next year to add specialized training on livestock veterinary care. For returning and future participants, the verdict is clear: camper Nayanni Maree is already encouraging more young people to sign up for next year’s session. “It’s great, and you will enjoy it here, and you should come,” Maree said. “You’re gonna learn something new, and it will be so much fun.”

    The 2026 camp program was sponsored by RF&G Insurance Ltd., whose slogan is “It Pays to Get it Right.”

  • BREAKING: Tattoo Artist ‘Mongoose’ Released from Prison After Firearm Conviction

    BREAKING: Tattoo Artist ‘Mongoose’ Released from Prison After Firearm Conviction

    A well-known public figure in Antigua has returned to civilian life following the completion of his prison sentence for illegal firearms charges. Oszie Kelvin Russell, a 40-year-old tattoo artist who goes by the public nickname “Mongoose,” was discharged from His Majesty’s Prison on Monday, July 27, marking the end of a legal saga that gripped public attention across Antigua and Barbuda over the past several months.

    The case that led to Russell’s imprisonment traces back to a targeted police search operation executed at his private residence in the Lightfoot neighborhood on April 22, 2025. According to official law enforcement accounts, when officers entered the property to carry out the search warrant, Russell attempted to dispose of a prohibited weapon by throwing it out of a second-floor bedroom window. Despite this attempt, law enforcement teams successfully recovered the discarded weapon shortly after the search began.

    In a court proceeding held in April 2025, Russell entered a formal guilty plea to all charges brought against him. The charges included unlawful possession of an unlicensed Glock 80 9mm handgun, 10 rounds of live ammunition matching the weapon’s caliber, and an illegal firearm suppressor, all of which were found in his possession during the search.

    Since news of Russell’s release broke, the case has remained a topic of public discussion across the twin-island nation, with local residents continuing to debate issues surrounding illegal gun possession and public security regulations in Antigua and Barbuda.