Carib Scope

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  • WIN launches broad-based emergency response initiative; calls for interim GY$800 million payout to those affected by MV Barima ferry tragedy

    WIN launches broad-based emergency response initiative; calls for interim GY$800 million payout to those affected by MV Barima ferry tragedy

    On Friday, one month after the deadly sinking of the MV Barima ferry that left dozens dead and missing off Guyana’s Essequibo Coast, the country’s main opposition party We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) launched a cross-sector emergency support initiative named the Humanitarian Emergency Relief Operation (HERO), centered on aiding survivors, bereaved families and rescued personnel affected by the disaster.

    Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has publicly called on the ruling government to disburse an immediate interim payment of GY$5 million to every survivor, next-of-kin of the deceased, and families of still-missing victims, a payout that would total approximately GY$800 million. Mohamed argued this urgent disbursement would alleviate the severe financial strain and emotional trauma the tragedy has inflicted on affected households. Citing his familiarity with what he claims are the governing administration’s procedural delays, Mohamed urged officials to immediately authorize the central bank to release the funds, stating: “You can call the governor of Bank of Guyana, Mr Gobin Ganga and let him open the safe.”

    The MV Barima, an 87-year-old ferry constructed in Scotland, sank on July 19 while carrying an estimated 179 passengers and crew members. To date, official records confirm 72 fatalities, with 76 people rescued from the incident, the deadliest maritime disaster in recent Guyanese history.

    Speaking at the launch ceremony held at opposition leader Mohamed’s residence in Houston, East Bank Demerara, WIN General Secretary Odessa Primus noted that HERO was designed as an inclusive, non-partisan platform that welcomes participation from other political parties, non-governmental organizations, and civil society groups. Primus emphasized that the initiative prioritizes the needs of Guyanese people above political, religious or sectional divides, built on the principle of collective action to support affected communities through the crisis. The initiative’s immediate interventions, funded by donations from the Guyanese public and diaspora community, include covering school-related costs for children of affected families ahead of the new school year starting in August, providing clinical psychological counselling, and distributing essential care packages and food hampers.

    In addition to humanitarian support, Mohamed confirmed that a team of prominent Guyanese lawyers has already committed to providing pro bono legal representation for tragedy victims, to hold the government accountable and prevent what the opposition claims are unfair practices that sidelined survivors of a previous deadly disaster. Recalling the 2023 Mahdia dormitory fire, where the government reached a GY$5 million per-family compensation agreement with victims’ relatives, Mohamed stated his goal is to prevent the administration from repeating what he frames as unfair treatment of affected families, and to ensure victims’ rights are not violated. The legal team already assembled includes high-profile figures Nigel Hughes, Eusi Anderson, Roysdale Forde, Christopher Ram, Damien Da Silva and Siand Dhurjon, and WIN says it is open to bringing on more volunteer legal representatives to meet demand.

    Senior attorney Christopher Ram accused the government of double standards in its handling of the tragedy, pointing out that the ferry is operated by the state-owned Transport and Harbours Department. Ram argued that if a private entity had been responsible for the disaster, the government would have already imposed severe pressure and penalties on the operator. He noted that existing Guyanese law already mandates compensation for disaster victims, rather than requiring families to beg for charitable handouts, and that public funds including those in the Amerindian fund are available to cover these payments. “We have laws on our books that talk about compensation, not charity. Nobody should be begging for money for you. The government owes a duty to pay it,” Ram said. Echoing the call for immediate interim payouts, Ram sternly warned victims against signing any legal documents that would waive their right to full future compensation: “If they give you money, take the bloody money. Sign nothing. Do not give up your right. If a paper is put before you, get someone to read that paper.” Ram also recommended that victims unify to demand a compensation framework structured to account for individual factors including life expectancy, earning capacity, and the role of the deceased as a household breadwinner or parent, arguing that such a unified, evidence-based demand would leave the government no justifiable ground to refuse. Fellow attorney Damien Da Silva echoed these remarks, confirming the legal team is ready to begin work on behalf of victims immediately.

    Mohamed also reiterated the urgent need to salvage the MV Barima, which rests 40 feet below the ocean surface roughly 10 miles off the Essequibo Coast. He called on the government to draw from the country’s daily oil revenue of GY$6.3 billion to fund the immediate interim compensation payouts, so that victims can begin rebuilding their lives. Earlier in August, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) received expressions of interest from firms for the salvage operation, with requirements to preserve forensic evidence for the upcoming official Commission of Inquiry into the disaster.

    Moving forward, WIN representatives plan to travel directly to Port Kaituma and Mabaruma, the home regions of many victims, to meet with affected families and assess their on-the-ground needs.

  • Senior Games registration off to strong start

    Senior Games registration off to strong start

    Barbados’ annual National Senior Games is gearing up for its 2024 iteration, with early registration numbers already passing the 150-athlete mark, and event leaders projecting a significant jump in sign-ups following the official launch event this Saturday.

    Ytannia Wiggins, a sports advisor leading coordination for the games, shared that the 2024 competition has expanded to include 25 distinct sporting disciplines, and she is urging more Barbadian senior athletes to complete their registration before the event kicks off. “Early registration numbers are already looking really strong, and we fully expect that count to climb steadily after our public launch this Saturday,” Wiggins stated in a press briefing.

    The official launch day will kick off with a ceremonial motorcade that starts at the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs. The procession will wind through multiple local residential communities, stop at Pelican Village, and end at Golden Square Freedom Park, where a day of public festivities will be held for attendees. At the park, visitors will be able to enjoy live entertainment, exhibition matches showcasing a range of competitive sports, and a public dance festival that includes line dancing and Latin dance open sessions.

    For the track and field discipline at the heart of the games, the final round of field events is scheduled to take place on September 19 at Harrison College’s athletic grounds. The track event finals will follow one week later on September 26, hosted at the internationally recognized Usain Bolt Sports Complex. The entire National Senior Games program will wrap up on October 3 with the Active Living Festival, which also serves as the closing event for Barbados’ annual Month of the Elderly celebration.

  • Canawaima tijdelijk uit de vaart na lange files aan beide zijden Corantijn

    Canawaima tijdelijk uit de vaart na lange files aan beide zijden Corantijn

    Cross-border travel and trade between the South American nations of Suriname and Guyana has been plunged into further disruption, as the operator of the vital inter-country ferry service has suspended operations of its flagship vessel for unscheduled planned maintenance amid already massive queues on both sides of the border.

    Long lines of passenger and commercial vehicles have been building up since Friday at crossing points in Guyana and at South Drain on the Surinamese side of the Corantijn River, the natural border that separates the two countries. The persistent congestion had already caused significant headaches for travelers and cargo transporters, before Canawaima Ferry Service Inc. announced Saturday that its M.V. Canawaima ferry will be temporarily pulled out of service starting this weekend to accommodate planned repair and maintenance work.

    The M.V. Canawaima serves as the primary infrastructure connecting the two countries for both passenger movement and cross-border goods trade, making its temporary outage a major blow to already strained travel flows. As of the operator’s announcement, no timeline has been provided for how long the maintenance work will take, or when the vessel will return to active service to clear the growing backlog of waiting vehicles.

    In its public statement, the ferry operator only confirmed that the M.V. Canawaima would halt all crossings effective immediately to carry out the pre-planned work. “As soon as regular ferry services are ready to resume, we will issue an update through all of our official communication channels,” the company said in the statement.

    The operator has urged all passengers, cargo transporters and other regular users of the cross-border link to plan their travel around the temporary suspension and continue monitoring official updates from the company for new information on service resumption.

    The outage announcement leaves thousands of waiting travelers and transporters with no clarity on when the existing massive traffic backlog will be cleared. It also remains unclear what alternative arrangements or support are being put in place for the hundreds of people already stuck in multi-day queues waiting to make the crossing.

  • Ellerton camp puts cultural talent on display

    Ellerton camp puts cultural talent on display

    On a sunlit Friday in Ellerton, St. George, the walls of the Ellerton Community Centre echoed with laughter, rhythmic footwork, and cheers as young participants of Barbados’ National Summer Camp Programme capped off weeks of learning and growth with a dynamic cultural showcase. The end-of-program event was far more than a simple closing ceremony; it was a public celebration of the new skills, confidence, and cultural connection young campers had built throughout their time at the immersive cultural camp.

    From high-energy folk dancing and graceful gymnastics routines to bold stilt walking performances and displays of handcrafted creative art, the showcase highlighted the breadth of activities the camp offered, all rooted in authentic Barbadian cultural heritage. Camp director Kahlyka Catwell shared that watching the children transform over the course of the program had been one of the most rewarding parts of her role. She noted that many older participants arrived hesitant, many saying they had only joined because their parents encouraged or required them to attend. But by the final day, every camper had embraced the experience and left with positive memories. “I was very proud of my kids, ‘cause normally, you know, the big ones that say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do nothing. I don’t want to do nothing. My parents forced me. I don’t want to be here.’ By the end of the day, they had a good time. And I’m very proud of them,” Catwell said.

    Catwell explained that the cultural immersion program was designed to introduce children to a wide range of traditional Barbadian activities and creative arts. Beyond performance disciplines like dancing, gymnastics, and stilt walking, campers got hands-on with a variety of crafts including painting, sand art, papier-mâché projects, and the traditional Bajan “shaggy bear” activity. Performances at the showcase were set to tracks from some of Barbados’ most iconic local artists, and iconic cultural figure Mother Sally was featured as a centerpiece of the event’s cultural programming. Between 25 and 40 children aged 6 to 12 took part in the core camp program, supported by a team of five dedicated counsellors and three specialized skill facilitators.

    For 9-year-old participant Kelianna Mason, who tried her hand at dancing, gymnastics, and stilt walking over the camp, the experience exceeded every expectation. Introduced to the program by her sister and grandmother, Mason said stilt walking quickly became her favorite activity, sparked by a long-held curiosity about the traditional practice. “I wanted to go to stilt walking ‘cause I seen people on stilts before. I wanted to know how to do it,” she explained. Mason encouraged other young people to join future iterations of the program, noting that it offers the chance to build new friendships and create personalized crafts to take home. “You should go to this camp because you will make new friends. You will have a bunch of activities to do of your choice and crafts to make that you can keep,” she said.

    Ten-year-old Oliya Thorne, another multi-skilled participant who also competed dancing, gymnastics, and stilt walking, returned to the camp for a second year after enjoying her first experience in 2023. Thorne, who lives in the Ellerton area, said this year’s program helped her grow significantly in confidence, especially under the guidance of stilt walking coach Michael Trotman. “Last year I didn’t have all of my courage, but now this year with Mike as my coach, I have more courage,” she said. Thorne added that the program prioritizes safety alongside skill-building, explaining that campers learned critical techniques like how to fall safely to avoid injury while practicing on stilts. “Yesterday we actually learned how to fall. We wanted to fall if we got on stilts. So, yesterday was the day we actually got to fall. We actually got to fall safely,” she shared.

    First-year stilt walker Jakari Cadogan echoed that the early stages of learning the skill came with challenges, but consistent practice helped him master the basics and perform confidently on showcase day. “When I first went on stilts it was hard and it was easy, but all you want to do is keep on marching left, right, left, right. That’s what you want to do,” he explained. Cadogan added that the experience has boosted his overall confidence, and he plans to continue practicing stilt walking after the camp ends. The celebration was expanded to include campers from the nearby Ellerton Primary School summer camp, who kicked off the showcase with an energetic cheerleading routine that got the crowd cheering.

    All cultural and skill activities throughout the program were led by a team of experienced local facilitators: gymnastics lead Michael Taitt, dance instructor Geraldine Lynch, and stilt walking coach Michael Trotman, who worked one-on-one with campers to help them build skills at their own pace.

  • Guyana Lottery Company ready for consultation on law to regulate gaming market

    Guyana Lottery Company ready for consultation on law to regulate gaming market

    GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Aug. 22, 2026 – On the eve of its 30th anniversary milestone, the Guyana Lottery Company (GLC) has publicly thrown its support behind the Guyanese government’s plan to introduce sweeping new regulation for the country’s betting and gaming sector, confirming it stands ready to participate in collaborative stakeholder consultations before the proposed legislation is enacted.

    Speaking Friday evening at GLC’s 30th anniversary dinner and annual awards ceremony, Kalima Ali, the company’s Director and General Manager, emphasized that the firm welcomes the government’s initiative to overhaul industry governance through the Guyana Gaming Authority Bill 2026. Ali noted that GLC fully backs the administration’s goal of building a contemporary, transparent, and consistently well-supervised gaming landscape that can grow alongside evolving consumer and market demands.

    Ali stressed that a updated formal regulatory framework is a necessary foundation for the sustainable evolution of Guyana’s entire gaming sector. She argued that the new legislation will not only strengthen regulatory oversight of industry operations but also boost public and investor confidence in the sector, creating a more stable environment for long-term growth across all segments of Guyana’s gaming industry.

    In her remarks, Ali reaffirmed GLC’s commitment to engaging in open, constructive consultations with policymakers and other stakeholders as the bill moves through the legislative process. She added that regulatory compliance has long been a core operational priority for GLC and its parent company, Canadian Bank Note, noting that compliance is not an afterthought but an integral requirement for all of the firm’s activities. “When you hear compliance, know that it’s an integral part of operation, and without it, there would be no operation,” Ali said.

    Looking back on three decades of operations in Guyana, Ali outlined the wide-ranging economic contributions GLC has made to the country. Beyond creating life-changing outcomes for lottery winners through prize payouts, the company’s retail agent network has supported the expansion and growth of more than 200 small, locally owned businesses across Guyana. Ali added that GLC has also made substantial, consistent contributions to Guyana’s national treasury, with those funds going toward public community programs delivered by successive government administrations over the past 30 years.

  • Mottley calls for mental emancipation, spiritual grounding

    Mottley calls for mental emancipation, spiritual grounding

    In a powerful address at Barbados’ Queen’s Park Steel Shed during the Marcus Garvey Legacy Conversation with Dr. Julius Garvey — son of iconic Jamaican Pan-African leader Marcus Garvey — Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley has delivered a urgent call to Caribbean communities to guard against the rising threat of 21st-century “enslavement of human minds” and anchor themselves in self-love, historical awareness, and collective solidarity.

    Mottley opened her remarks by grounding the event in layered history, recalling that colonial powers once barred Marcus Garvey from entering Barbados, terrified of the radical impact his pro-Black empowerment message would have on an oppressed population. “The colonial authorities refused your father the right to travel to Barbados,” she told Dr. Garvey. “Mercifully, the uprising of 1937 clearly made them understand that something had to give.” It was only after that popular rebellion that Garvey was ultimately allowed to speak at the very venue where the 2024 conversation was held, and Mottley emphasized that Garvey’s landmark address — centered on the power of knowledge over ignorance — shaped the ideological foundation of every generation of Barbadian leaders that followed.

    Turning to contemporary challenges facing the Caribbean region, Mottley warned that today’s system of control looks far different than the physical bondage of the transatlantic slave trade. Instead of chains holding bodies, modern forces seek to capture minds, putting the region’s youth at particular risk. “I fear that our young people are in danger of walking open-eyed to captivity yet again,” she said. “And this time, the captivity is not the enslavement of human bodies, but it is truly the enslavement of human minds.” She pointed to the proliferation of digital technology and mass media as key factors blurring the line between factual information and harmful misinformation, leaving young people vulnerable to external narratives that erode self-worth and collective identity.

    To counter this threat, Mottley argued that communities must root young people in three core values: self-respect, collective communal connection, and the African philosophy of Ubuntu — summed up in the phrase “I am because we are.” She highlighted the long legacy of Caribbean cultural leadership in this fight, noting that the region’s most globally celebrated artists have never centered violence or misogyny, but instead carried the message of freeing oneself from mental oppression.

    The Prime Minister also outlined the concrete steps her administration has taken to advance what she calls “national self-repair,” pointing to the expansion of universal adult suffrage, the establishment of free public education, and land redistribution through the Tenantries Freehold Purchase Act as key milestones in Barbados’ ongoing journey of empowerment. Moving forward, she added, national curriculum reform will center the values of personal, familial, communal, and national responsibility to embed these ideals in younger generations from an early age.

    Mottley also used the occasion to honor the Rastafarian movement, which has preserved Pan-African ideals and championed self-reliance for decades despite facing systemic marginalization and criminalization throughout Caribbean history. “Your persistence ensured that you were able to deal with other generations of Caribbean people who have come to see the light,” she said, stressing that the nation must formally reckon with the historical harm of treating Rastafarians as social outcasts.

    As Barbados prepares for upcoming national milestones, including the commemoration of 400 years of permanent settlement in Bridgetown and Speightstown, Mottley pushed back against claims that centering Pan-African identity and self-love is a divisive project. “To assert self-love is not to advocate hate,” she said. “I can only look in the mirror and love the rest of the world if when I look in the mirror, I love myself and I’m prepared to repair myself.” She acknowledged that confronting the legacy of colonialism will require difficult, honest conversations, but emphasized that these discussions must be rooted in self-love and collective repair, not animus.

    Closing her address, Mottley urged all Barbadians to see themselves as active participants in an ongoing struggle for collective freedom, with a shared responsibility to carry forward the gains of past movements to future generations.

  • LETTER: Should Statutory Corporation/Government Employees Be on TikTok Live During Working Hours?

    LETTER: Should Statutory Corporation/Government Employees Be on TikTok Live During Working Hours?

    A frustrated member of the public in Antigua and Barbuda has penned an open letter to a local editor, pulling back the curtain on what they describe as unprofessional and ineffective work culture plaguing some statutory government agencies and public workplaces in the country.

    The whistleblower, who identifies only as a concerned citizen, detailed their own weeks-long ordeal trying to access basic public services from the national Social Security office. Since August 11, they have made repeated attempts to contact the office via telephone to book a much-needed appointment, yet every call has gone unanswered, leaving the citizen stuck without the support they require.

    What makes this lack of public service even more infuriating, according to the letter writer, is the clear evidence that many employees at the same office have enough free time on their hands to host live streams on TikTok during regular paid working hours. This stark contrast – between an inaccessible public office that fails to answer basic customer calls and staff spending work hours creating social media content – has sparked deep disappointment among the public relying on these institutions.

    The citizen emphasized that public sector employees are compensated directly through taxpayer contributions, which means the public has an inherent right to receive timely, respectful, and competent service from the people they pay to serve them. If members of staff have surplus capacity to produce live social media content while on the clock, the letter argues, they absolutely have bandwidth to prioritize answering public inquiries and assisting residents with their official needs.

    In closing, the letter calls on senior management teams at these public institutions to immediately intervene, address this unapproved off-duty conduct during working hours, and implement stricter oversight to ensure all public employees remain focused on fulfilling their core public service duties. The writer stressed that the people of Antigua and Barbuda are owed a far higher standard of public service than they are currently receiving.

  • Guyana Lottery Company donates cash to MV Barima ferry relief initiative

    Guyana Lottery Company donates cash to MV Barima ferry relief initiative

    One month after the devastating sinking of the MV Barima ferry off Guyana’s Essequibo Coast that left dozens dead and dozens more displaced, the Canadian parent company of the Guyana Lottery Company (GLC) has stepped forward with a major charitable donation to support affected families.

    The commitment of GY$5 million was announced Friday evening during GLC’s 30th anniversary appreciation dinner and awards ceremony by Kirk Arends, President of the Lottery and Gaming Division at Canadian Bank Note (CBN), which owns the local Guyanese lottery operator. Delivering a pre-recorded video address to event attendees, Arends framed the contribution as a tangible demonstration of CBN’s long-term commitment to the people of Guyana.

    “As a demonstration of our support and commitment to the people of Guyana, Canadian Bank Note Company is pleased to announce a contribution of GY$5 million to the partners group to help provide ongoing support to survivors and bereaved families affected by this tragedy,” Arends said. He added that the firm hopes the funding will ease the recovery process for those impacted, representing a small but meaningful gesture of solidarity during what has been an extraordinarily difficult period for the coastal community.

    The MV Barima, an 87-year-old ferry constructed in Scotland, sank on July 19 while carrying roughly 179 passengers and crew en route to Port Kaituma. As of current official counts, 72 people have been confirmed dead in the disaster, while 76 survivors were rescued shortly after the vessel went down. Dozens of people remain impacted by the tragedy, which has rippled through local communities across the region.

    Kalima Ali, GLC’s Director and General Manager, noted that the disaster has touched the lottery company’s own community: multiple GLC staff members lost close family members in the sinking, and many of the company’s regular customers are also among the bereaved and displaced. When Guyanese President Irfaan Ali launched the national HEART (Hope, Empathy, Aid, Resilience and Trust) Initiative in the immediate aftermath of the incident, Ali said GLC and its parent firm immediately recognized the coordinated national program as the most effective channel to direct their donation to reach the families who need support most.

    “I’m very thankful and pleased as a company that we are able to support this,” Ali said. The HEART Initiative was established specifically to coordinate relief and recovery support for all those affected by the MV Barima disaster, creating a centralized mechanism to pool donations and deliver aid consistently to survivors and bereaved households.

    The donation was made public just under one month after the sinking, with the anniversary update of the tragedy dated August 22, 2026, by original reporter Denis Chabrol.

  • CHOGM 2026 Connects with Cricket Fans at Opening CPL Activation

    CHOGM 2026 Connects with Cricket Fans at Opening CPL Activation

    Preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) are taking a distinctly local turn in Antigua and Barbuda, with event organizers launching their first public outreach initiative at the iconic Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, a cornerstone of the nation’s beloved cricket culture, on Thursday evening.

    As part of the activation, which was hosted by CHOGM’s Media and Public Affairs Committee, event organizers posed a interactive question to cricket spectators gathered at the stadium: With more than 5,000 attendees expected to travel to Antigua and Barbuda for the 2026 summit, what is one must-see destination or unmissable local experience that every visitor should enjoy before departing? The question was designed to spark public conversation and get local residents invested in the upcoming international event.

    Chaneil Imhoff, Branding Lead for the CHOGM Media and Public Affairs Committee, explained that the stadium-based activation was crafted to demystify the summit for local communities and make the high-level international gathering feel accessible and relatable, rather than a distant diplomatic affair. “CHOGM is far more than just a series of closed-door diplomatic talks taking place this November,” Imhoff noted. “This is a defining national moment for Antigua and Barbuda, and it is our responsibility to draw the public into the process in ways that are engaging, approachable, and rooted in the authentic identity of our people.” He added that cricket is inextricably tied to the national identity of Antigua and Barbuda, making the ongoing Caribbean Premier League (CPL) the ideal venue to blend national pride, grassroots public participation, and outreach about the upcoming summit.

    Imhoff also extended gratitude to the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, the local CPL franchise, for partnering on the initiative and supporting the creation of co-branded boundary cards used during the matches to promote CHOGM awareness.

    Sharifa George, Co-Chair of the CHOGM Media and Public Affairs Committee, emphasized that the cross-sector collaboration with local cricket stakeholders aligns with the committee’s broader strategy to educate and engage local residents ahead of the summit. “As Antigua and Barbuda gets ready to welcome thousands of delegates and visitors from every corner of the Commonwealth, it is critical that our own citizens understand the significance of hosting this historic event and get to experience the unity that the Commonwealth community stands for,” George explained. “Cricket is woven deep into the national history of Antigua and Barbuda, and this first activation lays important groundwork for all the events and celebrations that will unfold when the summit kicks off in November.”

    The committee will continue its series of public engagement activations during the remaining CPL matches hosted at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on August 22, 23, and 25, giving more local residents the chance to participate in preparations for the summit.

    Antigua and Barbuda is scheduled to host the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting from November 1 to 4, 2026. The nation will welcome heads of state, official delegates, and organization representatives from across the Commonwealth bloc, with the summit centered around the official theme: “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth.”

  • New Fort James Reverse Osmosis Plant to Add 400,000 Gallons Daily Within Six Weeks

    New Fort James Reverse Osmosis Plant to Add 400,000 Gallons Daily Within Six Weeks

    Antigua and Barbuda is set to gain critical additional water capacity in the next month and a half, as a new reverse osmosis desalination unit at the Fort James facility prepares to enter full operation, government officials have confirmed. The announcement was made by Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant during a press briefing held following a recent Cabinet meeting, coming as the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) rushes to expand water production amid an ongoing prolonged drought that has crippled traditional water sources across the nation.

    “Within the coming six weeks, another reverse osmosis plant—that is the fourth reverse osmosis plant—will come online at the Fort James facility,” Merchant stated publicly during the briefing. He clarified an earlier reference that mislabeled the unit as the third at the site, confirming definitively that this will be the fourth operational reverse osmosis plant hosted at the Fort James location.

    Once fully activated, the new plant will contribute an extra 400,000 imperial gallons of treated desalinated water to the country’s national distribution network each day. This additional output comes at a critical moment for APUA, which has seen a sharp drop in available surface water due to the extended dry conditions. In recent updates, the authority reported that total daily water production across all sources has fallen from roughly 11 million imperial gallons to just 9 million, representing a 2 million gallon daily deficit that has put intense strain on the country’s ability to meet residential, commercial and public demand.

    As traditional surface water reserves continue to dwindle, Antigua and Barbuda has grown steadily more reliant on desalination via reverse osmosis technology to close the gap between supply and national need. The new unit is expected to directly help APUA address both ongoing water shortages and persistent distribution challenges that have impacted communities across the twin-island nation throughout the drought period.