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  • Marcus Gilpin Charged Over EC$103,000 Break-In and Damage at Sunny Limited

    Marcus Gilpin Charged Over EC$103,000 Break-In and Damage at Sunny Limited

    A major criminal investigation into a high-value commercial break-in in Antigua and Barbuda has concluded with an arrest and formal charges, according to an official media statement released Sunday, September 13, 2026 by the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda’s Office of Strategic Communications (STRATCOM).

    Thirty-year-old Marcus Gilpin, a resident of Old Parham Road in St. John’s, stands accused of breaking and entering into the local retail outlet Sunny Limited on Long Street, an incident that unfolded between the evening of August 10 and the morning of August 11 this year. Investigators allege that during the break-in, Gilpin stole an extensive haul of merchandise and business property, totaling tens of thousands of Eastern Caribbean dollars in value.

    The full list of stolen goods includes 25 pairs of sneakers, 50 assorted clothing items, 5 hard-shell suitcases, 40 portable speakers, 50 school bags, 36 pairs of socks, 25 pairs of denim shorts, 50 pairs of full-length jeans, 30 pairs of adult slippers, 15 pairs of children’s slippers, 10 travel bags, 20 solar-powered lights, plus a range of additional goods including men’s underwear, portable radios, a fully sized washing machine, a household refrigerator, a point-of-sale card processing machine, children’s hygiene products, and two digital video recorder (DVR) surveillance systems. Beyond the stolen property, authorities say the suspect intentionally damaged the business’s main external camera network, a system that carried an estimated value of EC$50,000.

    When combining the total worth of stolen goods and damaged infrastructure, the overall loss suffered by Sunny Limited amounts to roughly EC$103,201 — equivalent to approximately 38,000 U.S. dollars.

    Following the completion of investigative work, Gilpin has been taken into formal police custody and charged with two criminal offenses: breaking and entering with intent to steal, and malicious damage to property. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance before a local magistrate on Monday, September 14, where he will formally answer to the charges against him.

    In the wake of the arrest, the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has renewed its call for ongoing public partnership in combating local crime. Authorities are urging both business owners and private citizens across the country to remain vigilant, report any unusual or suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately, and share any information that could support active criminal investigations.

    The police administration also issued a public note of gratitude, acknowledging the consistent cooperation and support Antigua and Barbuda residents have provided to police efforts to reduce crime and keep local communities safe.

  • CARICOM IMPACS to conduct Advanced Human Trafficking Training in Antigua and Barbuda

    CARICOM IMPACS to conduct Advanced Human Trafficking Training in Antigua and Barbuda

    A landmark advanced specialized training focused on human trafficking response will take place in Antigua and Barbuda in September 2026, organized by the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The five-day capacity-building program, scheduled to run from September 14 to 18 at the island nation’s Customs and Excise Department headquarters, aims to reinforce cross-sector criminal justice systems to tackle complex human trafficking cases across the region.

    Human trafficking stands as one of the most heinous transnational crimes of the modern era, generating billions in illicit annual revenue while inflicting irreversible harm on millions of vulnerable people globally. Perpetrators rely on fragmented law enforcement cooperation to operate, exploiting gaps in national frameworks to force victims into coerced labor, sexual exploitation, and other abusive practices. For countries across the Caribbean, where porous borders and growing transnational criminal activity have elevated trafficking risks, building coordinated professional capacity has become a top policy priority.

    This upcoming multi-disciplinary workshop will be led by a team of seasoned trainers from CARICOM IMPACS alongside leading regional subject matter experts. It will bring together key stakeholders across the entire criminal justice spectrum: frontline investigators from the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, senior judicial officers from the Antigua and Barbuda High Court of Justice, public prosecution representatives from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, customs and border control officials, anti-money laundering specialists from the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy, immigration enforcement staff, and forensic science experts. The core goal of the gathering is to break down long-standing inter-agency silos, streamline information sharing protocols, and strengthen the full pipeline of anti-trafficking work – from initial victim identification through to evidence gathering, network dismantling, prosecution, and final adjudication.

    Experiences across global anti-trafficking efforts have repeatedly demonstrated that a unified, multi-sector approach is non-negotiable for securing successful convictions. Human trafficking networks often operate across jurisdictions and exploit overlapping regulatory gaps, requiring close coordination between law enforcement, border agencies, forensic teams, and the judiciary to build strong, court-admissible cases. Centering responses around the needs of trafficking survivors also ensures that vulnerable victims receive appropriate support while holding perpetrators fully accountable.

    The training initiative was coordinated in partnership with Antigua and Barbuda’s national Trafficking in Persons Prevention Unit, and aligns with a formal recommendation put forward in the United States Department of State’s annual global Trafficking in Persons Report. It represents a deliberate investment in the country’s long-term commitment to upholding the three core pillars of global anti-trafficking action: prevention of exploitation, protection of survivors, and prosecution of offenders.

    The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has reaffirmed its ongoing dedication to deepening inter-agency collaboration and advancing robust policy measures to eliminate human trafficking and all other forms of modern exploitation across its territory. Beyond strengthening national capacity, organizers expect the training to create a regional network of trained anti-trafficking professionals that will benefit the entire Caribbean community as it works to combat this transnational threat.

  • Antiguan Stuti Kashyap captures Gold, Silver and Bronze at WTT Youth Contender Cuenca

    Antiguan Stuti Kashyap captures Gold, Silver and Bronze at WTT Youth Contender Cuenca

    Seventeen-year-old table tennis talent Stuti Kashyap of Antigua and Barbuda has delivered a historic standout performance at the 2026 WTT Youth Contender in Cuenca, Ecuador, walking away with a medal in every single one of the three events she entered. The rising young star claimed gold in the Under-19 Mixed Doubles discipline, silver in the Under-17 Girls’ Singles, and bronze in the Under-19 Girls’ Singles, capping off an exceptionally consistent run of play against elite international youth opposition.

    Kashyap’s career-defining gold medal run came alongside her mixed doubles partner Eshaan Nayak of India. The unseeded pairing saved their most dominant form for the tournament’s final match, upsetting the top-seeded duo of Mandy Yu (United States) and Ivan Santino Pastore Acosta (Paraguay) in a straight-games victory. The pair closed out the win with set scores of 11–7, 12–10, and 13–11, securing the tournament’s top spot on the mixed doubles podium.

    In the Under-17 Girls’ Singles draw, Kashyap put together a series of impressive wins to reach the final. She swept host nation competitor Karolayn Maldonado 3–0 in the quarterfinals, then defeated America’s Abigail Yu 3–1 in a tightly contested semifinal to set up a title match against Mandy Yu. Kashyap claimed the first game 11–8, before Mandy Yu fought back to take the second 13–11 and the match 3–1, earning Kashyap a well-deserved silver medal.

    Stepping up to compete against older opponents in the Under-19 Girls’ Singles event, Kashyap continued her strong form. She won both of her opening group stage matches 3–0 to advance to the semifinal round, where she once again met Mandy Yu. Though she fell 0–3 to her opponent, the result was enough to secure Kashyap a bronze medal, completing her clean sweep of podium finishes across all three entered events.

    This outstanding result comes just weeks after a challenging outing for Kashyap at the Central American and Caribbean Games hosted in the Dominican Republic. At that tournament, extreme heat and unideal playing conditions severely disrupted her singles competition, leaving the young athlete with a disappointing early exit. Rather than letting that setback derail her training and momentum, Kashyap refocused and rebounded to turn in one of the most complete performances of her young career in Cuenca.

    Charles Bellot, president of the Antigua and Barbuda Table Tennis Association (ABTTA), praised Kashyap’s achievement and mental resilience in the face of recent adversity. “Three events and three medals at this elite international level is an exceptional achievement,” Bellot shared in a statement after the tournament. “We are particularly pleased with the way Stuti responded after what was a very difficult experience at the CAC Games. Young athletes will always encounter difficult moments in sport; what matters most is how they bounce back. Stuti went back to training, put in the work, returned to international competition, and answered with a gold, a silver and a bronze.”

    Bellot added that the significance of Kashyap’s performance extends far beyond the three medals she earned. “What impresses us most is the consistency she showed. Stuti didn’t just pull off one standout result in a single event—she reached the podium in two different singles draws, then took home the mixed doubles title. She competed successfully against top-quality international opponents, and proved she can deliver strong results across multiple events and even against older competitors in higher age groups.”

    For her part, Kashyap highlighted the mixed doubles gold as the highlight of her tournament run, saying she feels immense pride at leaving Cuenca with medals in every event she entered. She also extended public thanks to the Antigua and Barbuda National Olympic Committee (ABNOC) for their ongoing support of her career, a backing that the ABTTA echoed as critical to the young athlete’s ongoing access to the international competition experience she needs to develop as a player.

    For Kashyap, the three-medal haul in Cuenca marks another key milestone in a long-term journey toward competing at the highest levels of international table tennis. Her current career goals include earning a spot at the upcoming Youth Olympic Games, and ultimately securing qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

    For Antigua and Barbuda’s table tennis community, the message from Cuenca is already clear: Stuti Kashyap has emerged as a legitimate rising talent on the global youth stage, with a performance that cements the country’s growing presence in international table tennis. Three events, three podiums, one gold, one silver, one bronze—one career-defining performance for one of the Caribbean’s most exciting young sports prospects.

  • Man held, DNA test to determine if body is missing woman

    Man held, DNA test to determine if body is missing woman

    Authorities in Saint Lucia are relying on forensic DNA analysis to formally confirm whether an unidentified decomposed female body recovered near the Millennium Highway belongs to missing local resident Merrisa Auguste, with one individual already taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation. The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) outlined key next steps in an official public statement released Sunday, noting that a post-mortem examination has been scheduled for Monday to pinpoint the exact cause of death of the deceased. While preliminary investigative work has led authorities to strongly suspect the remains are those of Auguste, who disappeared in early September, police emphasized that formal legal identification has not been completed. “Law enforcement cannot conclusively confirm that the body discovered is that of Merrisa Auguste until science dictates it,” the RSLPF’s statement read. The discovery of the body unfolded on Friday afternoon, after a local citizen filed a report with police at approximately 4:40 p.m. alerting officers to the remains located in a bushy, undeveloped stretch of land adjacent to the Millennium Highway. Responding officers reached the scene quickly and verified the discovery, and a licensed medical practitioner officially pronounced the individual dead around two hours later, at 6 p.m. Due to the advanced state of decomposition of the remains, on-site formal identification was not possible for investigators. Just one day after the body was found, on Saturday, police took one person into custody in connection with the case. That individual remains detained at a police facility as the inquiry progresses, per official updates. Auguste, a resident of Boguis, Babonneau, was first reported missing to authorities on the afternoon of Thursday, September 10. Her disappearance was noted to have started around 5 p.m. the previous day, September 9. Shortly after her missing person report was filed, Auguste’s pink Honda Fit, bearing the license registration number PU1689, was found abandoned and locked along the Ti Colon road in Castries. The vehicle bore handwritten text “TOP GIRL RIRI” on its front windshield, according to reports. The RSLPF’s Major Crimes Unit is heading up the investigation, and department leadership has made clear that no resources will be spared to pursue the case. “We will spare no effort, resource or avenue in this investigation – even if we have to bring in international experts to assist our teams,” the force said. Investigators are now issuing a public appeal for information from anyone who may have relevant details to help move the case forward. Specifically, police are asking for insight from any motorists or pedestrians who traveled along the Millennium Highway before Friday afternoon, and who may have noticed suspicious behavior, out-of-the-ordinary vehicle parking, or other unusual activity in the area where the body was found. Authorities are also requesting reports from anyone who witnessed odd activity or movements near Auguste’s abandoned vehicle while it was parked along the Ti Colon road. Members of the public with any information, no matter how small it may seem, have multiple channels to submit tips: they can contact the Major Crimes Unit directly at 456-3754, call the RSLPF’s dedicated Crime Hotline at 555, or file an anonymous report through the official RSLPF Crime Hotline mobile application.

  • UWI researchers win world’s largest education prize for transforming early childhood development

    UWI researchers win world’s largest education prize for transforming early childhood development

    Three pioneering researchers, two affiliated with the University of the West Indies (UWI), have been honored as 2026 Yidan Prize laureates for Education Development, one of the most prestigious recognitions in global education. The award celebrates more than 30 years of groundbreaking work that has fundamentally reshaped global approaches to understanding and advancing early childhood development across the world.

    Professor Susan P. Walker, an Emeritus Professor of Nutrition at UWI’s Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR), and Dr. Susan M. Chang-Lopez, Senior Lecturer at CAIHR, share this year’s award with their long-time collaborator Sally Grantham-McGregor, Emeritus Professor at University College London. Grantham-McGregor has deep institutional ties to UWI: she began working at the University Hospital of the West Indies in 1967, later joined UWI’s Tropical Metabolism Research Unit, and departed as a full professor in 1995.

    The three researchers earned the award for developing Reach Up, an evidence-based, scalable early childhood intervention program that originated from a 1986 research study in Jamaica and has since expanded to reach hundreds of thousands of children from low-income, vulnerable households across 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The program is currently scaling up its operations in Brazil, where it will eventually serve 1.5 million children.

    Dorothy K. Gordon, head of the Yidan Prize Judging Panel for Education Development, made the official announcement of the 2026 laureates, noting that their decades of work have reshaped global education by producing some of the most robust empirical evidence to date linking early cognitive stimulation, pre-primary learning, and long-term life outcomes. Gordon pointed out that a primary barrier to healthy child development for children growing up in poverty is the lack of access to early learning opportunities at home and limited enrollment in pre-primary education. She commended the laureates for their open willingness to share their research findings and intervention techniques with the global community.

    According to Gordon, the practical innovation embedded in the Reach Up program, paired with the strong international network of partner institutions that supports its implementation, demonstrates how lasting, equitable change can be achieved through the combination of rigorous empirical evidence, cross-border collaboration, and local leadership.

    Reach Up delivers low-cost, practical, culturally adaptable solutions that build caregivers’ capacity to provide developmentally appropriate stimulation for children between the ages of 0 and 4. Its learning activities are integrated into everyday household routines, empowering caregivers to foster the knowledge, social skills, and confidence children need to communicate, play, and interact in ways that support healthy cognitive development. Delivered through existing local networks of health, social protection, education, and humanitarian systems, all of Reach Up’s curricula and resources are available for free, and the program undergoes continuous evaluation and adaptation to maintain its effectiveness across diverse regional contexts.

  • Local Entrepreneurs Invited to Pitch Business Ideas to Commonwealth Investors

    Local Entrepreneurs Invited to Pitch Business Ideas to Commonwealth Investors

    A new initiative is connecting emerging local business founders with a network of seasoned investment professionals spanning the Commonwealth bloc, creating a rare pathway for early-stage ventures to secure critical funding and strategic partnerships. The program, organized jointly by local business development agencies and Commonwealth trade bodies, calls on innovators across all sectors—from sustainable agriculture to fintech and digital services—to submit their business concepts for a chance to present directly to a panel of active Commonwealth investors.

    Organizers note that the initiative addresses a long-standing gap for many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often struggle to access early-stage capital beyond local banking networks. Unlike traditional funding rounds, the pitch event is designed to foster long-term collaboration, with investors offering not just capital but also industry connections, mentorship, and access to expanded regional markets across the Commonwealth’s 56 member nations.

    Eligible entrepreneurs must complete their applications by a specified upcoming deadline, with shortlisted candidates invited to deliver in-person or virtual pitches later this quarter. Selection criteria prioritize scalable business models, positive community impact, and innovative solutions to shared regional challenges, ranging from climate adaptation to digital inclusion. For many emerging local founders, this opportunity represents more than just funding—it is a chance to turn local ideas into globally competitive businesses while strengthening economic ties across the Commonwealth network.

  • Saudi-Arabië sluit East-West pijpleiding na aanval; Houthi’s versterken controle over Rode Zee

    Saudi-Arabië sluit East-West pijpleiding na aanval; Houthi’s versterken controle over Rode Zee

    A dramatic escalation of regional unrest in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, after Saudi Arabia ordered an emergency temporary shutdown of its critical East-West crude oil pipeline on Saturday, triggered by a damaging drone attack.\n\nSpanning 1,200 kilometers across the Arabian Peninsula, the East-West pipeline serves as a linchpin of global oil exports from the Middle East, a role that has grown increasingly vital in recent months as the Strait of Hormuz, another key energy chokepoint, has been largely rendered unusable by ongoing regional conflict. Satellite imagery captured by Planet Labs PBC on September 11, 2026, shows visible damage to infrastructure along the pipeline’s route, located southeast of Medina. The assault left multiple casualties and destroyed multiple structures, including a local mosque in the Jazan region.\n\nBoth Baghdad and Riyadh have pinned responsibility for the attack on Iran-backed militias operating within Iraqi territory. In response to the security breach, Iraqi military officials have dismissed a senior regional military commander amid the fallout.\n\nThe pipeline shutdown has immediately disrupted global oil flows. The route carries 4 to 5 million barrels of crude daily, accounting for roughly 4% to 5% of total global oil supply. Saudi Arabia’s ability to maintain consistent export volumes is now under threat, piling unprecedented pressure on already tight energy markets worldwide.\n\nCompounding the crisis, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have expanded their military control over key Red Sea shipping lanes by seizing the strategic island of Perim, which sits at the heart of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—commonly known as the “Gate of Tears,” another of the world’s most critical chokepoints for global oil trade. The capture significantly strengthens the Houthi’s ability to disrupt maritime traffic in the region.\n\nGrowing insecurity around major energy transit routes has already triggered sharp volatility in energy pricing. Global crude benchmarks have risen steeply over the past week, while diesel prices in the United States have surged to an all-time record, topping $6 per gallon.\n\nIn response to the expanding threat, Saudi Arabia has formally requested direct military support from the United States to counter Houthi advances. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed he has held discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but clarified that Washington will not deploy direct military intervention at this stage. Instead, the U.S. will provide intelligence sharing support to Riyadh. Separately, Houthi representatives confirmed they have reached out to the U.S. government to request that Washington avoid direct involvement in the conflict.

  • COMMENTARY: The Global Higher Education Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities

    COMMENTARY: The Global Higher Education Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities

    Higher education systems across the globe are grappling with mounting structural and financial pressures that have reshaped the landscape of post-secondary learning in the 21st century, with starkly different outcomes across regions, according to a new analysis by leading Caribbean higher education scholar Professor Canute S. Thompson, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies at The University of the West Indies.

    The most acute stress is visible in Western nations. In the United Kingdom, an estimated 50 higher education institutions face imminent closure within the next several years, with half of those already teetering on the edge of insolvency. The situation is even more severe in the United States: between the 2008 global financial crisis and the immediate post-pandemic period ending in 2024, between 300 and 500 accredited degree-granting colleges and universities have permanently shuttered, data from University World News and industry analyst The Change Leader, Inc. confirms.

    Across East Asia, China – home to the largest higher education sector in Asia – has not recorded any widespread university closures, but has carried out a sweeping national overhaul of academic programming. Between 2021 and 2024, Chinese regulators cut more than 12,000 underenrolled or obsolete academic programs to align higher education with evolving labor market needs. In Canada, while large-scale closures seen in the U.S. and UK have not materialized, public funding for post-secondary institutions has plummeted: government contributions now cover just 48% of public university operating costs, down from 67% in 2008. For North American and European institutions, a additional headwind has come from restrictive new visa policies that have sharply cut international student enrollment, a key source of tuition revenue that many universities depend on to balance their budgets.

    The trend diverges significantly in Africa and Latin America. While a small number of institutions have closed in these regions, hundreds of new state-accredited universities have launched to meet growing demand for post-secondary access. For the Caribbean, the landscape carries its own unique dynamics: roughly 100 local universities and dozens of offshore offshore higher education institutions operate across the region’s small island nations. A small number of small private colleges have closed in recent years, but most large public and state-funded institutions have remained open, even as all contend with severe, long-running financial strain.

    A defining challenge for Caribbean higher education is low enrollment penetration: only 15% to 27% of all recent high school graduates in the region enroll in domestic universities, with a large share of qualifying students opting to study abroad instead. Counterintuitively, Thompson argues, this creates a unique growth opportunity for Caribbean institutions. With current enrollment penetration far below global averages, there is substantial room to expand the higher education sector if institutions can adjust their offerings to match student and employer needs, aligning with regional economic development goals.

    Low public confidence in the value of university degrees lies at the heart of the global enrollment crisis. A July 2026 Gallup poll referenced in the analysis found that U.S. public confidence in higher education has fallen sharply from 57% in 2015 to just 38% in 2026. In the Caribbean, conversations with business leaders and students reveal widespread skepticism: employers question whether graduates are gaining the skills needed to thrive in modern workplaces, while students question whether the time and cost of a degree delivers meaningful long-term value. Global UNESCO data underscores the scale of the enrollment decline: 15 years ago, 21 million undergraduate students were enrolled in higher education globally; that figure has now fallen 14% to 15.5 million.

    Addressing this dual crisis of declining demand and unequal access requires collective action from three core groups, Thompson argues. While the core mission of higher education remains fostering critical thinking, empowering independent thought and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs, falling affordability and eroding public trust mean institutions cannot solve these challenges alone. Stimulating demand falls primarily to universities, which must adapt their offerings, while expanding access requires shared investment from national governments – a particularly critical priority for developing regions like the Caribbean.

    The Caribbean holds a unique asset in The University of the West Indies (UWI), one of only two regional university systems in the world. Positioned as a core driver of cross-regional development, the UWI’s existing resources can be leveraged to lift education outcomes across all Caribbean nations. Crucially, the private sector must also play an active role beyond just hiring graduates: industry leaders should help shape academic program priorities, fund targeted research initiatives, and provide consistent feedback on the skills and quality of graduates needed to boost innovation and productivity across regional sectors. This closed feedback loop is essential to ensure higher education stays aligned with labor market needs, Thompson notes.

    Despite the widespread challenges facing global higher education, Thompson argues the current moment also opens new opportunities for innovative reform. To capture these gains, he outlines six core strategic priorities for Caribbean institutions in particular: developing and securing international accreditation for programs tailored to students displaced by shifting global visa and tax policies for international learners; building flexible, responsive micro-credential systems designed around market demand, competitive pricing and real-world utility; adopting the Chinese model of systematic program review to cut outdated offerings and refocus on programming aligned with labor market needs; expanding work-integrated learning to ensure all graduates complete their degrees with relevant practical work experience; using modern communication tools including social media to make research outputs accessible to broader segments of Caribbean society, while retaining engagement with traditional academic publishing; creating structured pathways to involve undergraduate students – who make up the bulk of global university enrollment – in industry-aligned research alongside faculty; and embedding entrepreneurship education and leadership development as core components of all undergraduate degree programs.

    All views expressed in this analysis are those of the author alone and have not been independently verified.

  • PM Says Some Lawyers Visit Judges’ Homes to Drink Rum

    PM Says Some Lawyers Visit Judges’ Homes to Drink Rum

    In a controversial public appearance over the weekend, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has brought explosive unsubstantiated allegations against segments of the country’s legal and judicial community, claiming improper personal ties between some lawyers and sitting judges have opened the door to inappropriate influence over judicial outcomes.

    Speaking during his regular broadcast program, the *Browne and Browne Show*, this past Saturday, Browne laid out specific claims about off-the-clock interactions between legal practitioners and members of the judiciary. He asserted that some lawyers regularly make private visits to judges’ personal residences, where they share alcoholic beverages — including rum and whiskey — building social connections that he argues allow these attorneys to sway judicial decisions to some degree.

    Notably, the prime minister stopped short of naming any of the lawyers or judges he referenced in his remarks, and he offered no concrete documentary or testimonial evidence to back up the serious allegations during the on-air address.

    Browne’s accusations are the latest development in an ongoing public campaign he has waged against the sentencing practices the Antigua and Barbuda judicial system currently uses for violent and sexual offenses. For weeks, the prime minister has publicly argued that a subset of judicial officers hand down excessively lenient sentences that fail to match the gravity of serious crimes, sparking heated debate over the separation of powers between the government and the country’s independent judiciary.

    To address what he frames as a systemic failing, Browne confirmed Saturday that the governing administration intends to table legislation introducing mandatory minimum sentences for a slate of specified offences when the national parliament convenes for its next session in October.

    The prime minister has repeatedly pushed back against critics who argue his public criticism of judicial sentencing amounts to inappropriate interference in active individual cases. He maintains that his goal is not to meddle in specific ongoing matters before the courts, but rather to apply broad public pressure on the justice system to adopt tougher, more proportionate sentencing practices that align with public concern over serious crime.

  • Parent Education Programme celebrates first cohort

    Parent Education Programme celebrates first cohort

    On a recent Saturday at Bridgetown’s iconic Queen’s Park Rotunda, a diverse group of 40+ parents and caregivers crossed a meaningful milestone, crossing the stage to mark their completion of Barbados’ first ever Parent Education Programme (PEP). The gathering included representatives from the national autism association and multiple local faith-based church groups, all united by a shared commitment to becoming stronger, more intentional caregivers for children across the island.

    The graduation ceremony centered a critical, often underdiscussed pillar of national education: the foundational role that stable, informed home environments play in driving healthy child development and long-term educational success. Chief Education Officer Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw led official remarks, commending participating caregivers for their dedication to completing the rigorous six-session curriculum.

    Dr. Archer-Bradshaw explained that the PEP initiative, which is funded through a partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank, grew out of on-the-ground observations from school attendance officers. Those frontline education workers identified a widespread, unaddressed gap in accessible, evidence-based parental guidance across Barbados, and pushed for the creation of a structured programme to fill that need.

    In her address to graduates, Dr. Archer-Bradshaw emphasized that participation in the programme should not be seen as a final achievement, but rather the start of an ongoing, high-impact investment in their families. “Even before our children can read a book, they learn to read the faces of their parents and their guardians,” she said. “You are your child’s most important teacher. Every hug matters, every kiss matters, every boundary matters, and every bedtime story matters.”

    The PEP curriculum was intentionally designed to tackle the unique, modern everyday challenges that Barbadian families navigate. Programme content specialist Fabian Sargeant praised participants for their willingness to be open and vulnerable about their parenting struggles, a step that runs counter to long-held cultural norms of traditional Barbadian pride, which often discourage public discussion of domestic challenges.

    Sargeant noted that the curriculum was not a one-size-fits-all imported framework, but a meticulously researched, needs-aligned programme developed after extensive consultations with local teachers, students, and child psychologists. “Our young people struggle tremendously, and we parents, we are their anchors,” Sargeant told the crowd. “An anchor must be strong; it must be sturdy, and that is what PEP is about. It is about building that strength to help guide and navigate your children through their developmental stages in a rapidly changing world.”

    Programme co-ordinator Dr. Terrie Blackman echoed that perspective, pointing out a widespread societal gap: while modern communities invest heavily in preparing people for formal education and professional careers, there is almost no structured, formal preparation for the work of raising children. She added that PEP has already successfully filled that gap, equipping participating parents with evidence-based knowledge and hands-on practical skills that change how they approach daily parenting. Rather than simply reacting to challenging child behavior, graduates now have the tools to act with intentional, proactive strategy that supports long-term development.

    Beyond the formal curriculum content, Dr. Blackman highlighted the community power of the programme, noting that peer connection often drives the most meaningful change for caregivers. “Sometimes the most powerful learning does not come from a presentation or a workbook,” she explained. “It comes from hearing another parent say, ‘I understand. I went through that too.’”