A concerning security breach has hit the National Youth Council of Dominica (NYCD), after the organization confirmed its secretariat office was robbed and ransacked over the recent holiday weekend. The incident has sparked fresh worries about persistent security gaps at the shared facility, just days ahead of the council’s critical Annual General Assembly.
When NYCD staff returned to work at the office on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, they discovered the space had been thoroughly disturbed and looted by unknown intruders, according to an official statement released by outgoing NYCD President Phael Lander. Lander confirmed that local law enforcement has already been notified of the incident, and active investigations are now ongoing to trace the perpetrators and map out exactly how the break-in occurred.
Preliminary findings point to weakened building security as a key contributing factor, Lander noted. Back on May 6, 2026, a fire broke out at the facility that damaged sections of the building and undermined its structural security measures, leaving it vulnerable to unauthorized access. At present, teams are conducting full assessments to calculate the total damage from the break-in and catalog any property or items that were stolen during the incident.
What makes this incident particularly worrying for the NYCD is that it is far from an isolated case. Lander emphasized that this is not the first recorded unlawful entry at the building, and that a similar break-in and robbery targeting the building’s upstairs tenant, the Dominica Youth Business Trust, occurred just last Thursday. The string of repeated security incidents has amplified long-held concerns about the safety of all organizations and tenants operating from the shared facility.
Calling the break-in an unfortunate and deeply disheartening turn of events, Lander acknowledged the major disruption the incident has created for the NYCD, which is in the final stretch of preparations for its upcoming Annual General Assembly — one of the youth council’s most important annual governance gatherings. The assembly is scheduled to open this Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Dominica Hospitals Authority Amphitheatre.
Despite the unexpected setback, Lander reaffirmed the NYCD’s unwavering commitment to continuing its core work, and confirmed that preparations for the General Assembly remain on track. The organization has moved to assure its members, partner institutions, and the general public that all necessary steps are being taken to host a successful, well-run event, with no delays or cancellations planned.
In closing, the NYCD extended its gratitude to all individuals and government agencies that have already stepped forward to offer support in the wake of the break-in. The organization also issued a public appeal, asking any member of the public with information that could assist police in their investigation to reach out to local law enforcement authorities immediately.