Carib Scope

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  • Informality in the tourism sector in the Eastern Caribbean

    Informality in the tourism sector in the Eastern Caribbean

    For small island nations across the Eastern Caribbean, tourism is far more than a seasonal attraction—it is the backbone of the regional economy. On average, the sector accounts for 39 percent of gross domestic product and supports more than 11 percent of all jobs across the five nations studied. Yet this outsized economic contribution is undermined by longstanding structural challenges: widespread informal employment and a persistent deficit of decent work opportunities that hold back inclusive, long-term growth.

    A new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) argues that addressing these gaps requires a coordinated, holistic approach that ties improvements in productivity, working conditions and formalization together, unlocking the tourism sector’s full potential to drive sustainable, broadly shared development across the region.

    Titled *Informality in the tourism sector in the Eastern Caribbean*, the study analyzes labor and economic conditions across five key Eastern Caribbean economies: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, and St Lucia. Researchers found that informality in the region’s tourism sector persists due to a web of interconnected, mutually reinforcing barriers. Many micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)—which make up a large share of the tourism industry—struggle with low productivity, limited access to capital, fragmented regulatory frameworks, and ongoing skills mismatches that leave businesses unable to compete or expand into formal operations. Gaps in social protection coverage and limited government capacity to enforce existing labor regulations further entrench informal practices. On top of these structural challenges, extreme seasonality in tourism demand and growing vulnerability to climate-related shocks leave enterprises with little capital to invest in expansion, formalization, or long-term growth.

    “The challenge is not simply to reduce informality, but to transform tourism into a genuine platform for decent work, productive development and social inclusion,” explained Ana Virginia Moreira Gomes, ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

    Instead of framing formalization as an isolated, standalone policy goal, the ILO study proposes an integrated, multi-pronged approach rooted in the ILO’s global normative framework, aligned with the *Strategy for the Promotion of Formalisation in Latin America and the Caribbean (FORLAC 2.0)*, and guided by the ILO’s own global guidelines for decent work and socially responsible tourism. The strategy outlines nine core action pathways that combine targeted interventions: boosting productive development and support for MSMEs, upgrading workforce skills to expand quality employment opportunities, extending social protection coverage to all tourism workers, and strengthening enforcement of labor rights and regulatory compliance. These measures are complemented by additional actions to reinforce social dialogue between governments, employers and worker groups, advance gender-responsive policy that addresses unique barriers faced by women in tourism, improve national data collection on informal work, and deepen cross-regional collaboration to share solutions and best practices.

    The ILO emphasizes that any successful strategy must account for the diverse realities across the tourism sector and across the five countries studied. Small subsistence-level tourism operators face vastly different barriers to formalization than growth-oriented businesses, and regulatory, economic and social conditions vary considerably between the five island nations. For this reason, the report calls for gradual, differentiated approaches that make formalization a viable outcome for both workers and enterprises, rather than a one-size-fits-all mandate, while still prioritizing gains in productivity and improvements to working conditions.

    “Advancing formalisation in Caribbean tourism is not only a labour market priority; it is a development imperative,” noted Joni Musabayana, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean. “By turning evidence into action and strengthening tripartite cooperation, we can build a tourism sector that delivers decent work, greater resilience and sustainable development.”

    Moving forward, the ILO will continue partnering with national governments, employers’ associations, and workers’ organizations to turn these policy recommendations into concrete, on-the-ground action. The end goal is to build more sustainable tourism enterprises, better protect workers from exploitation and income instability, create more resilient local communities, and ensure that long-term growth in the tourism sector translates to expanded opportunity and dignity for all workers across the region.

    The study was developed under the umbrella of the FORLAC 2.0 initiative, with financial support provided by the European Union and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). It forms a core part of the ILO’s broader 2024–2030 regional strategy to deliver an integrated, coordinated response supporting the transition to formal employment across Latin America and the Caribbean. The strategy centers on context-specific, innovative policy solutions tailored to each nation’s unique economic and social landscape, with core objectives including boosting productivity, supporting sustainable enterprise growth, expanding formalization and decent work, and fostering cross-sector and cross-regional partnerships to advance integrated formalization policies across the region.

  • Cocaine-in-fish seized, one arrested

    Cocaine-in-fish seized, one arrested

    In a major narcotics interdiction operation carried out over the weekend in Guyana, law enforcement officials have seized 36 pounds of suspected cocaine and taken a 44-year-old local miner into custody. The seizure unfolded on Sunday, September 27, 2026, in the Richmondville area of Providence, located along Guyana’s East Bank Demerara, according to official statements from the Guyana Police Force.

    During the course of routine patrol and anti-trafficking activities, officers intercepted a private motor vehicle traveling through the area. The vehicle had only one occupant, identified as the 44-year-old miner who was operating the car. Following standard operational protocol, police launched a thorough search of the vehicle’s compartments, starting with the trunk.

    In a clever smuggling attempt designed to evade detection, the suspect had hidden illegal narcotics inside frozen fish. Officers initially located two bulky bags holding frozen fish in the trunk, but a closer inspection uncovered 15 separate parcels of a white powdery substance, preliminarily identified as cocaine, tucked inside the fish flesh. The camouflage tactic failed to escape the attention of trained law enforcement ranks, who quickly documented the find.

    After recovering all concealed parcels, police weighed the seizure on-site, confirming the total volume of suspected cocaine at 36 pounds. The suspect, the seized narcotics, and the suspect’s motor vehicle were all transported to the headquarters of the Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigation Department for further processing. As of the latest official update on Monday, September 28, the accused remains in police custody, while investigators continue working to unpack details of the suspected trafficking network, including potential upstream suppliers and downstream distribution targets.

  • Agriculture Ministry urges safer pesticide practices on Pesticide Awareness Day

    Agriculture Ministry urges safer pesticide practices on Pesticide Awareness Day

    On September 28, 2026, the Pesticide Control Board operating under Dominica’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy joined nations across the globe to observe International Pesticide Awareness Day, with a core focus on cutting the public health and environmental risks posed by Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs).

    This annual observance serves a dual purpose: to amplify public understanding of safe pesticide handling and responsible use across all settings – from commercial agricultural operations and small-scale family farms to residential yards and urban businesses – and to highlight the hidden dangers that improper application can create for both people and ecosystems. Agricultural communities, which rely on pest control to protect crop yields, are a central audience for this year’s awareness campaign, given their frequent and direct interaction with chemical pesticide products.

    In line with the day’s goals, the Ministry of Agriculture is actively pushing for a widespread shift toward safer, ecologically sustainable pest control strategies across Dominica’s agricultural sector. A key alternative being promoted is Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a holistic approach that combines multiple targeted pest-control tactics – including biological pest control, crop rotation, habitat modification, and targeted mechanical removal – to slash reliance on synthetic chemical pesticides, while still keeping pest populations at manageable levels.

    Ministry officials emphasize that advancing these sustainable practices is deeply tied to Dominica’s long-term national food security goals, as well as the country’s commitment to producing safe, high-quality agricultural products for both domestic consumption and international export. To support this transition, the ministry has maintained ongoing collaborative partnerships with a full range of stakeholders, from smallholder farmers and large agricultural producers to pesticide importers, retail distributors, and local community organizations. These partnerships focus on expanding public knowledge of proper pesticide management, and delivering hands-on training for safer application practices and alternative low-hazard pest control methods.

    To protect domestic consumers and ensure compliance with international trade standards, the ministry also partners regularly with the Dominica Bureau of Standards to conduct routine testing of fresh local produce for pesticide residue. These tests verify that residue levels remain within the internationally accepted Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) defined for safe human consumption, while also helping local producers meet the strict regulatory requirements for accessing export markets across the Caribbean and beyond.

    As the 2026 observance draws to a close, the Ministry of Agriculture is issuing a clear call to action for all pesticide users, regardless of setting: take time to learn about the potential health and environmental risks of the products you use, strictly follow all approved safety protocols for application and storage, and prioritize less hazardous pest control alternatives whenever they are practical for your specific needs.

  • Security : Appeal by Haiti’s Catholic bishops

    Security : Appeal by Haiti’s Catholic bishops

    Haiti continues to grapple with one of the most crippling security and governance crises in its modern history, and the nation’s body of Catholic bishops has emerged as a leading voice calling for collective action to pull the country back from collapse. During the bishops’ recent plenary assembly, the Conference of Bishops of Haiti (CEH) released a public message sounding the alarm over rapidly worsening insecurity, chronic governance failure, and deep uncertainty hanging over the country’s upcoming scheduled elections.

    In their message, the prelates painted a grim picture of daily life across the Caribbean nation, describing Haiti’s steady descent into chaos as a source of growing alarm for the nation’s people. On one side of the crisis, armed gangs have expanded their control over residential neighborhoods, driving a sharp surge in kidnappings that have left countless families traumatized. This wave of violence has also disrupted basic public services, forcing many schools and universities to suspend operations and cut off access to education for thousands of young Haitians. On the other side, the national government has been largely ineffective, failing to restore public order or extend basic protection to vulnerable civilian populations.

    The bishops point to profound leadership vacuum at the national level, with no clear long-term strategy to address the country’s overlapping crises, leaving ordinary Haitians to fend for themselves without state support. The recent horrific massacre in the mountain town of Kenscoff, which left at least 61 people dead including 14 children, remains raw in the collective memory of the nation. “The blood of the victims cries out to heaven for justice,” the statement reads.

    Against this bleak backdrop, the bishops raise urgent questions about the planned international anti-gang security deployment that has been billed as a turning point for Haiti. They ask whether the incoming force will deliver tangible relief to suffering communities, whether Haiti’s own national police and armed forces can successfully retake gang-controlled territory, and whether the international community will finally follow through on its repeated promises of support. At the same time, the statement explicitly acknowledges and commends the relentless work of Haiti’s domestic security forces, noting that many officers have paid the ultimate price for their service, and their on-the-ground commitment has already helped avert even worse catastrophe.

    The message also highlights how growing violence has reshaped Haiti’s political landscape, creating a climate of deep uncertainty as the country approaches its long-awaited general elections. The bishops question whether the vote can be held in a context that meets basic democratic standards: they ask whether the election will be fully inclusive, impartial, and transparent, and whether ordinary citizens will receive adequate security guarantees to cast their ballots without risking their lives.

    Amid the ongoing political impasse that has paralyzed the country for years, the bishops cite papal teaching to reject anti-democratic power grabs: “The Church cannot approve the formation of narrow ruling groups which usurp the power of the State for individual interests or ideological ends.” They emphasize that a return to constitutional order through free and fair elections is an absolute necessity for Haiti’s recovery, noting that the free choice of national leaders is a core pillar of democratic governance.

    The statement argues that politics must return to its original purpose: a noble form of service focused on advancing the common good. Without a peaceful security environment, impartial state institutions, and broad national consensus, the bishops warn that the upcoming election risks generating new crises rather than delivering the stability Haitians desperately crave. They stress that holding a credible vote requires more than just scheduling a ballot date; the conditions that give elections democratic legitimacy must be put in place first. The safety of citizens, they argue, must take priority over the voting process itself – no Haitian should be forced to choose between exercising their democratic rights and protecting their own life.

    For these reasons, the CEH is issuing a formal call for all stakeholders – from state authorities and political parties to civil society organizations, business leaders, and international partners – to step up and meet their specific obligations. The shared priority must be protecting civilian populations, addressing the unfolding humanitarian emergency, restoring state authority across the country, and laying the groundwork for a free, fair, and credible electoral process.

    In closing, the bishops urge all Haitians to set aside partisan bickering, narrow self-interest, and decades of division that have held the nation back. “It is urgent to move beyond petty factional squabbles, narrow self-interest, and fruitless hatred,” the statement reads. “Let us join hands, reconcile, and save Haiti, our shared homeland. Our Nation must relearn the art of dialogue and mutual forgiveness rooted in justice and truth.”

    The message was signed by all senior leaders of the Conference of Bishops of Haiti, including Mgr Max Leroy MÉSIDOR, Metropolitan Archbishop of Port-au-Prince and CEH President, and all other sitting bishops across the country’s dioceses.

  • Dominica Teachers Association announces week of activities for Teachers Week 2026

    Dominica Teachers Association announces week of activities for Teachers Week 2026

    The Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT) has organized a full, week-long slate of community-focused, wellness-centered, and celebratory activities for 2026 Teachers Week, built around the core theme “Teachers: The Foundation of National Development – Value Us.” The event series, which kicked off earlier this month, is designed to highlight the critical work of educators across the island and invite the public to join in recognizing their contributions to national growth.

    According to Juanita Carbon, DAT’s Public Relations Officer, official activities launched on September 26 and 27 with island-wide interfaith prayer services held at houses of worship across Dominica, opening the week with a moment of collective reflection on educators’ impact. Following the opening services, the schedule moved into community engagement programming on September 28: the “DAT in the Street” initiative brought association leaders and members to Portsmouth and its surrounding neighborhoods, creating a space for local residents to share personal stories and reflections about how their teachers have shaped their lives and trajectories.

    The next day, September 29, will be dedicated to a digital social media campaign that amplifies the work and stories of individual teachers from every corner of Dominica, bringing their contributions to a wider national audience online. Mid-week, on September 30, the focus shifts entirely to educators’ own well-being, as DAT partners with the Ministry of Health to host “Wellness Wednesday” across the island. This initiative will give all teachers free access to comprehensive health screenings and routine wellness checks at public and private health facilities, complemented by targeted “Relax and Unwind” programming that supports physical activity, mental health maintenance, and emotional decompression. The day will close with casual community karaoke nights held at two popular local venues: The Launch in Picard and Cozy Corner at The Realm.

    October 1 marks the official observance of Teachers’ Appreciation Day, a day dedicated to encouraging students, parents, and all members of the public to actively recognize and thank local educators for their years of service. Teachers themselves will get the chance to connect and unwind with peers through a series of recreational creative activities, including Sip and Paint, Sip and Dip, and a group bonfire night that fosters fellowship, creativity, and much-needed rest after a busy school term.

    The formal Teachers’ Day celebration will take place on October 2, kicking off at 9:00 a.m. with a Thanksgiving and Recognition Service at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Newtown. During the service, educators will be formally honored for their lasting contributions to Dominica’s national development. Following the service, teachers will gather at Plantation House in Castle Comfort for an evening cocktail celebration titled “Sunset Bliss.”

    The entire week of events will conclude on October 5, which marks global World Teachers’ Day. To close the observance, Her Excellency Sylvanie Burton, President of the Commonwealth of Dominica, will deliver a special national radio address addressing the island’s educator community. In a statement shared ahead of the celebrations, the DAT National Executive and its Youth Arm extended warm wishes to all teachers across Dominica, and urged both educators and members of the public to take part in the full lineup of planned activities.

  • ILO Report Says Tourism Supports 91% of Employment in Antigua and Barbuda

    ILO Report Says Tourism Supports 91% of Employment in Antigua and Barbuda

    A new analysis released by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on September 25 has underscored the unprecedented dependence of Antigua and Barbuda’s national economy on the tourism sector, revealing that when accounting for direct, indirect and induced employment streams, tourism supports a staggering 91% of the country’s total workforce. This figure, drawn from 2019 baseline data included in the ILO’s *Informality in the Tourism Sector in the Eastern Caribbean* report, tops all five Eastern Caribbean nations evaluated in the study, outpacing Saint Lucia at 78%, Grenada at 41%, Dominica at 38%, and Barbados at 31%.

    It is critical to clarify that this 91% metric does not mean nearly all of Antigua and Barbuda’s workers are directly hired by hotels, tour operators, restaurants or other direct tourism-facing businesses. The total estimate integrates three interconnected layers of tourism’s economic ripple effect. Direct employment covers workers directly employed at tourism establishments; indirect employment accounts for positions at upstream suppliers that provide goods and services to tourism operations; induced employment captures additional jobs created across the broader economy when tourism workers and business owners spend their earnings locally. To contextualize this breakdown, the report notes that in Grenada, direct tourism employment makes up just 17.1% of total employment, with indirect linkages contributing an additional 25.8% to reach the 41% total.

    Beyond its outsized role in the labor market, the report confirms that Antigua and Barbuda also holds the highest share of GDP contributed by tourism among the study’s five nations. Data from the World Travel and Tourism Council projects that tourism will account for 77.3% of the country’s total GDP in 2025, well ahead of Grenada’s 60%, Saint Lucia’s 57.4%, Barbados’ 23.1% and Dominica’s 22.3%. Separate International Monetary Fund data cited in the report estimates Antigua and Barbuda’s gross tourism receipts hit roughly $1 billion in 2024, equal to 46.8% of total national GDP, with that share projected to climb to 48.5% by 2029. The ILO characterizes Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism sector as one of the earliest established and most structurally consolidated in the entire Eastern Caribbean. Unlike many regional destinations, cruise tourism makes up a substantial share of its visitor economy: Caribbean Tourism Organization data included in the study shows 70% of all visitors to the country arrive by cruise ship, with 563,699 cruise passenger arrivals recorded through October 2024, alongside roughly 330,000 overnight stayover visitors for the full year 2024.

    However, the report warns that the massive size of tourism’s contribution to Antigua and Barbuda’s economy does not inherently translate to high-quality, secure employment for workers across the sector. The core challenge identified across all five studied nations, and one of particular urgency for Antigua and Barbuda, is the widespread prevalence of informal economic activity within tourism. Informal workers typically lack the legal protections, benefits and labor rights guaranteed to formal employees, and commonly face low and unstable wages, unpredictable or excessively long working hours, limited access to social safety nets, systemic gender discrimination, and inadequate occupational health and safety standards. For small informal tourism businesses, barriers to formalization include difficulty accessing affordable financing, limited capacity to reach digital markets, challenges integrating into formal regional tourism value chains, burdensome administrative requirements, and a widespread perception that the costs of formal registration outweigh the potential benefits.

    Against the backdrop of Antigua and Barbuda’s extreme economic reliance on tourism, this informality challenge carries outsized national stakes. Supplementary data accompanying the report shows that the country’s overall informality rate rose from 12.7% in 2018 to 19.3% in 2023, even as the tourism sector continued to expand throughout that period. Rejecting a one-size-fits-all approach that relies solely on stricter enforcement of labor regulations to address informal activity, the ILO instead proposes a proactive set of policies designed to make formalization more accessible and beneficial for both workers and small businesses. Key recommendations include expanding access to affordable financing for micro, small and medium-sized tourism enterprises, strengthening targeted skills development programs for tourism workers, expanding universal social protection coverage, improving compliance with core international labor standards, and increasing targeted institutional support for small tourism businesses.

    The report’s findings highlight that tourism’s economic footprint in Antigua and Barbuda extends far beyond the frontlines of hotels and resorts, rippling through local transportation, retail, food production, entertainment, and a wide range of other local sectors that depend on visitor spending. With 91% of all national employment tied directly or indirectly to tourism performance, shifts in global travel demand or sector conditions impact the vast majority of the country’s workforce. This reality makes addressing informal employment and improving job quality as critical to national economic stability as growing overall visitor numbers.

  • Firearms and Sexual Offences Laws Among Major Bills Before Parliament Today

    Firearms and Sexual Offences Laws Among Major Bills Before Parliament Today

    On Monday, September 28, 2026, the House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda began its scheduled two-day plenary sitting at the national Parliament Building, with a packed legislative agenda focused on updating national regulatory frameworks, strengthening public institutions, and advancing critical infrastructure development. The session, which will continue through Tuesday, September 29, is set to deliberate on nine major government bills and three high-stakes motions that require formal parliamentary approval to move forward.

    The full slate of bills up for debate covers a wide range of policy areas, from financial regulation and public safety to criminal justice, consumer protection, and public health. They include the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (Amendment) Bill 2026, the Fire and Rescue Service Bill 2026, the Antigua and Barbuda Forensic Services Bill 2026, the Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2026, the Magistrates Code of Procedure (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2026, the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2026, the Limitation (Amendment) Bill 2026, the Price of Goods Bill 2026, and the Mental Health Care Bill 2026. Of these pieces of legislation, two— the Fire and Rescue Service Bill and the Antigua and Barbuda Forensic Services Bill— were carried over from the previous parliamentary session held on July 14, 2026, after initial plans for debate in that sitting did not come to fruition.

    Alongside the legislative bills, parliamentarians are set to consider three formal resolutions that carry significant institutional and economic weight. The first resolution seeks parliamentary endorsement for an updated agreement that amends the 1983 Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Agreement, the foundational treaty that established the regional central bank. The second resolution proposes the joint appointment of Stephen Samuel to the post of national Ombudsman, a role requiring approval from both houses of Antigua and Barbuda’s parliament. The third motion would authorize the Antigua and Barbuda government to act as guarantor for a new loan facility extended to the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board. The proceeds of the loan will be split between two key priorities: refinancing the board’s existing outstanding liabilities, and funding the development and rehabilitation of the country’s national road network.

  • International Safe Abortion Day: 28 September

    International Safe Abortion Day: 28 September

    On International Safe Abortion Day, reproductive health advocates from the Caribbean are issuing a clear, urgent call: Access to Safe and Legal Abortion NOW. Contrary to common misperception, this annual observance is not about promoting abortion—it is centered on advancing safe care for women and girls, a goal that cannot be achieved under the region’s century-old restrictive criminal abortion laws.

    For more than 150 years, the Caribbean has enforced severely restrictive criminal laws banning or severely limiting access to abortion. Paradoxically, this has left the region with the highest abortion rate in the world—a fact that undermines the argument put forward by many religious leaders who claim to defend the “sanctity of life” by opposing abortion access. Today, only two English-speaking Caribbean nations allow legal, safe abortion: Barbados and Guyana.

    Public health data from these two countries makes the benefits of decriminalization unambiguous. In Barbados, over the first decade of legal abortion (1983–1992), hospital admissions for unsafe abortion complications dropped by 71%. In Guyana, which has permitted legal abortion for 30 years (1995–2025), that number has fallen by 97%, with almost zero life-threatening complications from unsafe procedures reported today.

    To test whether this trend holds globally, reproductive health researchers analyzed data from 154 countries, categorizing them by abortion rate (high: >30, medium: 15–30, low: <15 per 1000 women of reproductive age) and regulatory status (criminalized vs legal). The findings were statistically significant: 62% of countries with high abortion rates criminalize abortion, while 96% of countries with low abortion rates allow legal abortion. This data directly contradicts unfounded claims that legalizing abortion encourages immoral behavior, erodes social values, weakens family planning, or leads to higher abortion rates. On the contrary, experience from Barbados and Guyana confirms that legalization correlates with fewer abortions, not more. In Barbados, the number of abortions performed at Queen Elizabeth Hospital fell by 53% over 10 years, with an even steeper 59% drop among teen patients. In Guyana, the overall abortion rate has fallen by 20% since legalization, while the rate of unintended pregnancy has dropped by 28%. The decline in unintended pregnancies is clear evidence that legalization improves family planning outcomes in the region. After abortion was legalized in Guyana, nearly all women who received abortions at Georgetown Public Hospital requested long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) or implants. This widespread shift to more effective contraception has directly driven the reduction in unplanned pregnancies. Given this overwhelming global and regional evidence, and 150 years of documented catastrophic harm caused by criminal abortion laws, it would seem logical for Caribbean policymakers to embrace decriminalization as a common-sense public health measure. Unfortunately, regional political leadership remains captive to religious dogma, which refuses to accommodate empirical evidence. Policymakers continue to ignore the obvious harm caused by restrictive laws, bury their heads in the sand, and claim to defend the sanctity of life while allowing thousands of women and girls to suffer life-threatening complications from unsafe clandestine procedures. Out of fear of sending the wrong moral signal, Caribbean governments retain criminal abortion laws that do nothing to reduce the number of abortions. Instead, these laws create an unregulated, underground industry that guarantees harm disproportionately to poor women and girls—all done in the name of defending the sanctity of life. Advocates frame this as blatant hypocrisy and unnecessary cruelty that endangers the lives of the unborn, girls, and women across the region. This op-ed is signed by Dr. Tonia Frame, PhD, President of the Grenada Planned Parenthood Association (GPPA), a Trustee of the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation (CFPA), and Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at St George’s University, and Dr. Fred Nunes, PhD, founder of ASPIRE — Advocates for Safe Parenthood: Improving Reproductive Equity, Advisor to the CFPA and GPPA, and former Head of Management Studies at The UWI, Mona. NOW Grenada expressly disclaims any responsibility for the opinions and statements shared by contributors. Readers may report any abusive content per the outlet’s community guidelines.

  • Senator O’Donoghue Urges AT&LU to Prepare Young Workers for Changing Labour Market

    Senator O’Donoghue Urges AT&LU to Prepare Young Workers for Changing Labour Market

    At the 87th Annual Delegates’ Conference of the Antigua and Barbuda Trades and Labour Union (AT&LU) held at People’s Place on Nugent Avenue, Senator Angelica O’Donoghue delivered a keynote address on behalf of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, laying out a clear vision for the future of the nation’s labor movement. Her core call centers on a balanced approach: the union must expand its focus to support young workers navigating a shifting economic landscape, while never forgetting the foundational struggles and hard-won gains of past generations of labor organizers.

    Speaking to the conference’s official theme, “Developing Stronger Workers, Stronger Future,” O’Donoghue emphasized that the global shift toward a tech-driven economy has created unprecedented new challenges for the labor sector. Breakthrough technologies including artificial intelligence, widespread workplace automation, the expanding digital economy, and rising cybersecurity demands are fundamentally reshaping what roles look like across nearly every industry, requiring new approaches to worker preparation. She argued that trade unions can no longer limit their mandate to traditional advocacy for worker rights and fair working conditions. To remain relevant and effective for current and future generations, unions must prioritize expanding access to targeted education, professional training, and upskilling opportunities that equip workers to compete in the modern labor market.

    O’Donoghue specifically encouraged young workers to pursue in-demand qualifications spanning a wide range of high-growth fields, from technical and vocational certifications to advanced digital literacy, AI skills development, business management, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Each of these skill sets, she noted, will give workers the flexibility and resilience they need to adapt to ongoing economic and technological change.

    Even as she pushed for modernization, O’Donoghue struck a firm note warning against erasing the labor movement’s history to make room for new priorities. “Modernization must never become amnesia,” she stated. She stressed that the rights and protections today’s workers take for granted were secured through decades of collective struggle by earlier generations of organizers, and that passing down this history to young workers is a non-negotiable responsibility for veteran movement leaders. Drawing a direct throughline from past organizers to current stakeholders, she told delegates, “We are because you were,” tying the modern identity of both the union and the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party to the sacrifices and work of those who came before.

    During her remarks, O’Donoghue also offered public praise to key leaders of the nation’s labor movement, including AT&LU President Bernard de Nully, Ambassador Lionel “Max” Hurst, who serves as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, and other longstanding union members for their decades of commitment to advancing worker interests.

    Closing her address, O’Donoghue underscored the intergenerational responsibility that lies at the heart of a strong, sustainable labor movement. “I am because we are. We are because they were. And those who come after us will be, because of what we choose to do today,” she said, framing the choices made by current union leaders and members as a lasting legacy for future generations of Antiguan and Barbudan workers.

  • Man to appear in court on robbery related charges

    Man to appear in court on robbery related charges

    A 28-year-old resident of St Michael is scheduled to make his first court appearance at the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, answering to two separate criminal charges linked to robberies that occurred across two different communities late last August.

    The accused, identified as Nia Kuumpa Lynch, who resides at the Morris Gap neighborhood on Westbury Road, is facing the first count of robbery in connection with an incident that unfolded on 29 August in the joint Hastings and Worthing district. Authorities confirm that the total value of stolen property taken during that event amounts to 29,500 Barbadian dollars.

    On top of the first robbery charge, Lynch has also been indicted on a second count: assault with intent to rob. This second offense is tied to a separate incident that occurred on the exact same date, August 29, in the Oistins area, a coastal community located on the southern edge of Barbados.

    Local law enforcement completed their investigative processing of the charges ahead of the scheduled court appearance, which will mark the first formal step in the legal proceedings against Lynch. No additional details about potential victims or the circumstances of either incident have been released ahead of the court hearing.