Carib Scope

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  • Cultural fraternity pays tribute to ‘Birdie’

    Cultural fraternity pays tribute to ‘Birdie’

    The global Caribbean cultural community is in mourning this week following the passing of legendary calypso trailblazer Slinger Francisco, universally known as The Mighty Sparrow, who died at the age of 91. Affectionately nicknamed “Birdie” by fans and peers alike, the icon leaves behind an unparalleled artistic legacy that transformed calypso from a local Trinidadian tradition into a globally recognized art form, drawing tributes from across the cultural, political and entertainment sectors.

    Veteran calypsonian Weston “Cro Cro” Rawlins described the loss as surreal, saying he remains numb to the news of Sparrow’s passing. “As a small boy, my parents would pay to see him at Sparrow’s Hideaway. I ended up clashing with him on the Big Stage,” Rawlins recalled, noting that Sparrow paved the professional path for his own career, and he never disappointed the mentor’s faith in him. “It’s a sad day for Trinidad and Tobago and the entire cultural fraternity,” he added.

    Kenny De Silva, former chairman of Trinidad and Tobago’s National Carnival Commission (NCC) and a local Port of Spain businessman, recalled that no amount of praise could adequately capture the magnitude of Sparrow’s decades-long contribution to Caribbean culture. “He was a wonderful calypsonian and a talented singer. There are not enough superlatives to describe his illustrious contribution,” De Silva said, sharing a memory of a sold-out 1960s show he produced called *Kings Go Forth*, which paired Sparrow with the iconic Desperadoes Steel Orchestra at the Trinidad Hilton. De Silva also recounted an anecdote where he added 300 long-stemmed yellow roses to the event for attending women, which Sparrow helped distribute to the crowd.

    Veteran calypsonian and parang soca pioneer Edwin “Uncle Crazy” Ayoung said he learned of Sparrow’s passing moments after discussing the legend with a fellow musician, calling Sparrow’s work one of the most powerful influences on his own career. Ayoung often performed Sparrow’s iconic track *Education* at schools across the country, quoting its enduring message: “Children, go to school and learn well. Otherwise later on in life, you will catch real hell.” Echoing Sparrow’s own long-held belief echoed by former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Ayoung noted that education acts as a “passport out of poverty” and a core driver of social mobility. He recalled performing the track alongside another of Sparrow’s classics, *Tito Lara*, at the launch of journalist and author Donna Benny’s book *Sparrow Take Over: Essays on the Bard’s Art*, saying “Now Sparrow has gone to meet a great parandero Tito Lara. May they rest in peace.”

    Benny, who documented Sparrow’s decades-long career in her writing, said documenting Sparrow’s work was one of the greatest honors of her professional life. “Sparrow has blessed the world with his music. There will never be another Sparrow,” she said, thanking Sparrow’s daughter Karen Francisco and celebrated pannist Dane Gulston for their support throughout her research. “He was a phenomenal artiste and wordsmith. Fellow iconic calypsonian David Rudder sang, ‘When Slinger done with dey tail, dey bawling Sparrow don’t go.’ He immortalized Sparrow in Calypso. I can’t believe we will be singing Memories and remembering Sparrow. He will be sorely missed.”

    William Munro, a pioneering Soca Monarch promoter and fellow Grenada native, noted that Sparrow’s musical genius and magnetic stage presence captivated audiences far beyond the Caribbean. “He excited the world with his songs, dance moves and musical genius. Not only Trinidad and Tobago, but the globe. I heard former culture minister Dr Lincoln Douglas remark he heard people singing Sparrow’s songs in China,” Munro said, adding that Sparrow also created widespread employment for hundreds of performers, technicians and support staff through his iconic performance venue Sparrow’s Hideaway and his performance collective the Young Brigade. In his later years, Munro noted, Sparrow devoted his life to his faith, and “he lived a full 91 years,” he said, extending condolences to Sparrow’s wife Margaret and their three children Michelle, Karen and Sancho.

    Reigning 2026 Calypso Monarch Terri Lyons extended her condolences to the Francisco family, saying the Caribbean community has as much to celebrate in Sparrow’s legacy as it has to mourn in his passing. “He will be remembered. We must continue to acknowledge the contribution he has made to the Caribbean. Even though it’s sad, there’s a lot to celebrate,” Lyons said, naming the lighthearted, humorous classic *Bang Bang Lulu* as one of her personal favorite Sparrow tracks.

    Acclaimed Trinbagonian songstress Mavis John called the loss “overwhelming,” saying “We have lost a big one… He has given us a wealth of music. He was an unmatched talent.” Burt Marcellin, artistic director of Brass 2’ D World and celebrated saxophonist, said he and his wife Diane were devastated by the news, and the ensemble will honor Sparrow’s legacy with a full tribute performance as part of its 2027 production. “He was an icon. He gave us wonderful music. He was a social commentator and critical thinker,” Marcellin said, naming *Education*, *Both Ah Dem* and *Marajhin* as among his favorite works.

    Junia Regrello, manager of San Fernando’s iconic Skiffle Bunch steelband, noted that Sparrow’s melodic style shaped the childhood of everyone who grew up in 1970s Trinidad and Tobago, and his writing was uniquely tailored to work with steelpan arrangements. “For those of us who grew up in the 1970s, we would have gotten used to his Sparrow’s melodies… The way he and Kitchener structured their music allowed us to interpret it in a particular manner. His voice would have shaped our lives. He was our storyteller,” Regrello said, calling for a renewed effort to introduce younger generations to Sparrow’s work amid the rising popularity of fusion calypso styles.

    Veteran bass guitarist Vincent Rivers, who toured and performed alongside Sparrow for decades, called working with the icon a lifelong honor. “I have worked with him and I have toured with him. I enjoyed shows with him at Guadeloupe and Martinique. He spoke fluent French. He delivered all genres of music with superb showmanship,” Rivers said, naming *Lying Excuses* as his personal favorite Sparrow track.

    Steve “Ras Kommanda” Pascall, vice president of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO), called Sparrow one of the greatest Trinbagonian heroes of all time, noting that even though he was born in Grenada, he tirelessly promoted Trinidad and Tobago’s national identity across every continent he visited. “He was the consummate entertainer. He was one of the world’s greatest artists. There was a time in our history if ‘Sparrow say so, is so,’” Pascall recalled, sharing a personal memory of Sparrow’s kindness early in his own career, when the legend invited the emerging artist to join his car ahead of a 1995 calypso semi-final.

    Kevan Gibbs, deputy chairman of the NCC, grew up hearing stories of Sparrow’s legend from his parents, who called him “the Calypso King of the World” and said he had stepped away from competition voluntarily to give younger artists a chance after winning seven national crowns – including a historic three-peat between 1972 and 1974. Gibbs got to see that legend in person in 1992, when a 56-year-old Sparrow returned to competition after 18 years away and reclaimed the Calypso Monarch crown in an iconic performance at Queen’s Park Savannah. “I was 19, sitting in the North Stand, seeing him perform live for the first time… He sang *Both of Them* and *Survival* and simply took command of the Savannah. He worked both sides of that enormous stage as though it belonged to him. And, in truth, that night it did,” Gibbs recalled. “Today, as Deputy Chairman of the National Carnival Commission, I mourn him with an even deeper appreciation for what he gave to Carnival, calypso, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean. The man has left us. The voice has not. Rest well, Birdie. The Calypso King of the World.”

    Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, a historian at the University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus and founder of International Men’s Day, noted that Sparrow was more than a musician – he was a sharp social commentator who addressed pressing colonial, political and economic inequalities with unparalleled grace and wit. “Sparrow was a quintessential Caribbean man. He made an immense contribution to our culture. He’s one of our cultural icons who transcended the 20th and 21st centuries,” Teelucksingh said, pointing to classics like *Capitalism Gone Mad* and *Slave* that tackled systemic injustice with clever lyricism. “He’s one of our country’s greatest ambassadors. He made Trinidad and Tobago and calypso a household name across the globe,” he added, noting that Sparrow was the last of a generation of iconic calypso greats that included the legendary Aldwyn “Lord Kitchener” Roberts, and he died in October – recognized annually as Calypso History Month. Teelucksingh called on younger generations raised on fast-paced ragga and soca to take the time to appreciate the profound artistic and political legacy of Sparrow and the calypso tradition.

  • Thank you, Sparrow

    Thank you, Sparrow

    The global Caribbean community is mourning the passing of one of its most influential cultural figures, Slinger Francisco, known universally by his stage name The Mighty Sparrow. The legendary calypso artist died at the age of 91 in New York, triggering an outpouring of tributes from political leaders, cultural institutions, entertainment personalities, and sports figures across Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean region this week.

    Born in 1935, Sparrow built an unparalleled seven-decade career in calypso music, transforming the genre from a regional folk tradition into a globally recognized art form. More than just a musician, he earned a reputation as a sharp social commentator, using his witty, lyrical compositions to document Caribbean life, challenge institutional power, address pressing social and political issues, and celebrate the joy of regional culture. His work not only defined the sound of calypso for generations but also became a core thread in the cultural identity of Trinidad and Tobago and the entire Caribbean diaspora.

    Leading tributes from the political sphere, Opposition Leader of Trinidad and Tobago Pennelope Beckles framed Sparrow’s death as the end of a transformative era for Caribbean music and culture. “A giant voice has fallen silent,” she said in an official statement. She emphasized that Sparrow’s work did more than entertain: it chronicled the shared history of the Caribbean people, brought the unique spirit of Trinidad and Tobago to international audiences, and inspired both creative rhythmic expression and critical thinking across generations. His cross-genre influence and lifelong dedication to preserving and promoting calypso, she noted, will remain a central part of his enduring legacy, one that will continue to shape cultural education across the region for years to come.

    Former prime minister Stuart Young echoed Beckles’ remarks, calling Sparrow “a true legend” and the undisputed “Calypso King of the World.” Young shared that Sparrow’s music was a constant in his life from early childhood, played regularly in his family home, and remains a staple of celebrations across the country to this day. “Even now no party is complete without a Mighty Sparrow rendition,” he said, extending his condolences to the artist’s family, friends, and millions of fans worldwide.

    Former tourism minister Randall Mitchell, who once oversaw the culture portfolio for Trinidad and Tobago, described himself as a lifelong fan who grew up listening to Sparrow’s recordings. He remembered the icon as a “master storyteller” whose contributions extended far beyond music to shape the national cultural identity. “Sparrow had been more than a calypsonian,” Mitchell explained. “His wit, brilliance and command of the art form helped shape that identity and carried calypso to audiences around the world.” He extended condolences to the artist’s family, the global calypso community, and Sparrow’s countless admirers, noting, “We have lost an icon, but the music and legacy of the Birdie will live forever.”

    Even beyond cultural and political circles, tributes came from prominent public figures across the Caribbean. West Indies cricket legend Brian Lara called Sparrow “an absolute maestro,” saying that labeling him the Calypso King of the World was an understatement. Lara drew a parallel between Sparrow’s unmatched mastery of calypso and the pursuit of excellence in elite sport, noting that the artist created the soundtrack for generations of Caribbean life. “His lyrical ability, wit and showmanship had defined an era of Caribbean civilisation,” Lara said, offering his deepest condolences to Sparrow’s family and loved ones.

    Fellow acclaimed calypsonian Dr Hollis Liverpool, better known by his stage name Chalkdust, who counted Sparrow as both a compatriot and close friend, said he was deeply saddened by the passing. He praised Sparrow’s unparalleled natural talent, noting that the artist fundamentally transformed the cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago. “Out of all the gifts that God has given us, God has given the most to Sparrow. All the performance and all the entertainment gifts, God has given the most to Sparrow. Undoubtedly. He changed Trinidad and Tobago. And he changed all the performers in this country,” Liverpool said.

    As the Caribbean community grieves the loss of a once-in-a-generation artist, widespread consensus holds that Sparrow’s music, commentary, and legacy will continue to shape Caribbean culture and inspire creators around the world for decades to come.

  • Calypso King of Kings passes on

    Calypso King of Kings passes on

    The global Caribbean music community is mourning the loss of one of its most iconic and transformative figures: Slinger Francisco, universally known by his stage name The Mighty Sparrow, who passed away at the age of 91. The beloved calypso pioneer died peacefully on Monday at a New York medical facility following a short illness, with his entire immediate family gathered at his bedside, according to an official statement released by his daughter Karen Francisco.

    “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Trinidad and Tobago’s calypso icon, Slinger Francisco, known to the world as The Mighty Sparrow,” Karen Francisco shared in the statement. Beyond his towering status as an entertainment institution, the family remembered him first as a devoted husband, loving father, doting grandfather, proud great-grandfather, loyal life partner and cherished friend.

    The family added that the community’s outpouring of love had brought them small comfort in their grief, noting that before his passing, Francisco had reaffirmed his faith and been baptized into the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. As the family makes arrangements for a public memorial service to celebrate his extraordinary life and legacy, they have invited his millions of friends and fans across the globe to share tributes on social media, tagging the official @therealmightysparrow account. They also requested privacy as they grieve in this difficult period, thanking the public for its understanding and well wishes.

    Born in 1935 in the rural community of Grand Roy, Grenada, Francisco moved to Trinidad and Tobago as a child and grew up immersed in the island nation’s rich calypso tradition. He would go on to redefine the genre, becoming one of its most influential and outspoken voices, with songwriting that tackled hard-hitting political topics, sharp social commentary, intimate relationship narratives, and relatable stories of everyday life.

    His breakthrough first came in 1956, when he won the coveted Calypso King title with his smash hit *Jean and Dinah*, a recording that remains one of the most recognizable calypso tracks of all time. Over a seven-decade career that shaped the global face of Caribbean music, The Mighty Sparrow produced an unparalleled body of work: more than 500 original calypso compositions, over 70 studio albums, and a trophy case that includes eight Calypso Monarch titles, eight Road March wins, and two back-to-back Calypso King of Kings crowns. By the end of his career, he had become a household name across the Caribbean and beyond, bringing calypso from regional carnivals to international audiences.

    Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Culture and Community Development has led tributes from official bodies, with Minister Michelle Benjamin calling Francisco’s passing an “incomparable loss” for both the island nation and the broader Caribbean region. In an official statement of condolence, Benjamin extended her sympathies to Francisco’s family, friends, the wider music community, and the Trinidadian public. “May his soul soar in heaven, singing with the angels. T&T mourns this incomparable loss,” the release read.

    Benjamin noted that Francisco gave his entire life, his one-of-a-kind voice and his sharp wit to the nation he called home. She added that she was grateful that her ministry had the opportunity to honor Francisco earlier this year at the annual Dimanche Gras celebration, when he was still able to experience the love of the nation he served so faithfully. The Minister confirmed she had spoken with the Francisco family Tuesday to offer the full solidarity of the government and people of Trinidad and Tobago, saying “Their loss is our loss, and we pray that the Lord grants them comfort and strength. Sparrow has sung his last verse among us, but his music will live forever. Rest in peace, Birdie. We Love You.”

    The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO) also released a statement of condolence, acknowledging the trailblazing role Francisco played in cementing calypso as a global art form. “Sparrow was more than a legendary calypsonian. He was a defining voice of our culture, a master storyteller and a towering figure whose music helped carry calypso from Trinidad and Tobago to the world,” the organization wrote. TUCO emphasized that Francisco’s signature wit, incisive social commentary, and expansive body of work influenced generations of calypso and Caribbean artists, and fundamentally shaped the identity of the calypso genre. The organization joined the national and regional community in mourning the loss of the man known to all as the Calypso King of the World, noting that his life and contribution to Caribbean history will be preserved and celebrated forever.

  • Police identify group-associated markings near Green Hill shooting scene

    Police identify group-associated markings near Green Hill shooting scene

    A mass shooting that left four people dead and four others wounded has shaken the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, prompting law enforcement to launch a full investigation, ramp up public security patrols and call for community cooperation to curb rising gun violence.

    According to acting Commissioner of Police Trevor “Buju” Bailey, the gunfire broke out in the Green Hill neighborhood shortly before 10:30 p.m. local time on Friday. First responding officers discovered four fatal victims at the scene: two bodies lying on a public road, a woman’s body found inside a parked vehicle along the road, and a fourth body on adjacent undeveloped land. All four deaths showed clear signs of gunshot trauma, Bailey confirmed during an official press briefing held in Kingstown on Saturday.

    Four additional people were transported to local medical facilities with gunshot injuries. Of those, two have already been treated and released, while the two remaining patients continue to receive care under police supervision, Bailey added. Unofficial sources with direct knowledge of the incident shared the identities of the deceased with iWitness News: all three Green Hill residents Steve King, 22, Antonio Samuel, 30, and Shaqueil Peters, 26, and 23-year-old Shevon Chandler from Paul’s Avenue. The injured victims include a 20-year-old Green Hill woman with a hand wound, a 17-year-old male student hit in the arm, leg and hand, a 28-year-old man with an arm injury, and a 16-year-old mechanic wounded in the thigh, forearm and hand.

    At the briefing, Bailey confirmed investigators discovered graffiti-style markings on walls and buildings within the immediate vicinity of the shooting scene that have known ties to an organized criminal group. He declined to share specifics about the content of the markings or confirm a direct link to the Friday night killings, however, and instead used the platform to issue a public appeal to the nation’s youth.

    “I call upon the young people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to be model citizens, to desist from the path of crime and violence,” Bailey said. “Violence has no place in Vincentian society. It brings unending pain and disruption to families, it shatters community cohesion, and leaves ordinary people afraid to leave their homes after dark. This is not the St. Vincent and the Grenadines that we know. This is not the St. Vincent and the Grenadines that we love, and it is not the future any of us want for our country.”

    Bailey offered a public assurance that the national police force is deploying all available resources to protect communities and restore lasting peace across the country. As of Saturday’s press conference, acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Brenton Smith, who leads the force’s crime-fighting division, confirmed no arrests have been made in connection with the Green Hill shooting. Investigators are still working to map out the sequence of events and identify all persons responsible for the attack.

    Smith cautioned the public against rampant speculation linking the Green Hill shooting to a second shooting reported in Ottley Hall around 1 a.m. Saturday, noting that any connection between the two incidents would only be confirmed through concrete forensic and investigative evidence. When asked if organized criminal groups were behind the attack, he said official details would be released only once the investigation is complete.

    Addressing widespread public concern about rising retaliatory gang violence, Bailey acknowledged that law enforcement has documented a pattern of tit-for-tat attacks between rival groups in recent months. He condemned all acts of gun violence and urged any member of the public with information about illegal weapons or planned criminal activity to contact police immediately.

    In response to growing public anxiety about repeated shootings in public spaces and whether police have the security situation under control, Smith outlined a series of enhanced security measures already being implemented across Kingstown and its surrounding areas. These include expanded foot and mobile patrols, strengthened intelligence sharing between different police units, and ongoing random search operations to seize illegal firearms.

    Smith said initial public feedback on the increased visible police presence has been positive, with many local residents reaching out to senior officers to report they feel safer going about their daily lives. The enhanced patrols will remain in place indefinitely, he added, while acknowledging that there is still room to improve trust and collaboration between law enforcement and local communities.

    Bailey pointed to recent large-scale firearms recoveries as proof of the force’s ongoing progress in combating illegal gun possession. Just one week before the Green Hill shooting, officers seized an AR-15 rifle and more than 40 rounds of ammunition during an operation in Kingstown. In a separate earlier patrol, officers found an illegal firearm on a suspect who was subsequently arrested and charged with weapons offenses.

    While not every search turns up illegal weapons, Smith noted that the visible presence of patrols and search operations acts as a powerful deterrent, discouraging criminals from carrying firearms in public. Law enforcement operations targeting violent criminals and recovering illegal weapons will continue, and will be intensified if necessary to bring down violence rates, he confirmed.

    Bailey acknowledged that the root of the nation’s gun crisis lies in porous borders that allow traffickers to smuggle firearms into the country by both air and sea. He said the country’s Coast Guard maintains continuous patrols of territorial waters, and police are partnering closely with regional security bodies including the Regional Security System to crack down on cross-border weapons trafficking. He declined to share specific operational details about port and airport surveillance, but confirmed police have made multiple arrests at these entry points in illegal drug smuggling cases.

    Police regularly arrest suspected gang members, Bailey said, but fully dismantling organized criminal groups will require new legislative support. St. Vincent and the Grenadines currently does not have specific anti-gang legislation on the books, though the issue is currently under active discussion by policymakers.

    Smith called on parents, teachers and community leaders to play a more active role in monitoring young people’s online activity, noting that many youth are exposed to gang-related radicalizing content on social media that pushes them toward violence. For residents directly impacted by the Green Hill shooting, Smith confirmed police officers will conduct follow-up outreach to assess the psychological trauma experienced by community members and connect them with support services.

    Law enforcement has not yet released details about the type of firearms used in the Green Hill attack, noting that this information will be shared once forensic processing of the scene is complete. As of the Saturday briefing, the national homicide count for 2026 stands at 37. Both senior officers urged the public to remain calm, avoid spreading unconfirmed speculation on social media, and share any information that could help investigators solve the case. Smith specifically warned against circulating unsubstantiated allegations, graphic photos or unconfirmed voice notes, noting that such content inflicts additional unnecessary harm on grieving families and can undermine the ongoing investigation.

  • SVG joins Climate Vulnerable Forum, demands fair finance, defends 1.5°C

    SVG joins Climate Vulnerable Forum, demands fair finance, defends 1.5°C

    Against a backdrop of growing urgency around global climate action, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has formally joined the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), bringing a sharpened call for systemic reform to international climate finance and greater recognition of the existential threats facing small island developing states.

    Speaking at the CVF’s high-level meeting in New York, SVG Prime Minister Godwin Friday framed the nation’s accession to the coalition not as an appeal for handouts, but as a demand for climate justice from a country on the front lines of accelerating climate impacts. His remarks followed addresses by leaders from Sierra Leone and Rwanda, who both emphasized that climate change is undoing decades of development progress and forcing vulnerable nations to take on crippling borrowing costs to recover from disasters.

    Friday opened his address by thanking CVF Chair Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados and Abdulhamid Alkhalifa for their steady leadership in advancing the forum’s mission. He clarified that SVG is not just seeking to leverage the CVF’s platform for its own benefit, but aims to contribute firsthand, on-the-ground experience to the global collective struggle for human survival and economic equity in the face of climate change.

    That experience, Friday reminded the assembled leaders, is marked by repeated climate-driven disasters that have strained the small island nation’s finances and recovery capacity. As of September 2024, SVG is still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Beryl, which made landfall on July 1 and left a full section of the country with total destruction. That disaster comes on top of ongoing recovery from the April 2021 explosive eruption of the La Soufriere volcano, which hit at a time when SVG was already facing significant debt distress.

    Friday argued that these overlapping, back-to-back disasters perfectly illustrate the core dilemma facing all climate-vulnerable nations: when disasters strike that they did almost nothing to cause, they are forced to take on expensive commercial loans to rebuild their economies and infrastructure. Using his country’s accession to the CVF as a platform, he amplified the forum’s central criticism: the existing global financial framework is structurally rigged against economies most exposed to climate harm.

    In particular, he called out outdated middle-income country classification metrics that block small island states from accessing low-interest concessional financing, even when they face catastrophic climate disaster risk. Left without access to affordable funding, vulnerable governments are forced to borrow at exorbitant, often punitive interest rates just to repair damage caused by the carbon emissions of wealthy major economies.

    SVG fully aligns with the CVF’s call for fundamental reform of how climate-vulnerable states access funding, Friday said. He argued that critical long-term investments in water security, education infrastructure, climate-resilient healthcare systems and other foundational sustainable development priorities cannot be funded through short-term, high-cost debt that traps nations in repayment cycles. Instead, he backed a shift to 40-year long-term financing instruments with interest rates set below a country’s economic growth rate, allowing nations to build climate resilience without falling into unsustainable debt.

    SVG’s decision to join the CVF comes as the coalition advances a package of concrete policy initiatives to turn its critique of the existing system into actionable reform. At the New York meeting, leaders worked to finalize agreement on the CVF Leaders’ Declaration and push for United Nations observer status, a move that would give the coalition greater influence in multilateral climate and finance negotiations.

    Within this framework, Friday announced that SVG fully endorses two of the CVF’s flagship initiatives: the Vulnerability to Viability (V2V) Compact and the Lifeline Fund. The V2V Compact, already backed by Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, prioritizes national ownership of climate investment plans by putting vulnerable countries in the lead, and calls on international financial institutions to align their support with nationally defined investment platforms. The Lifeline Fund, which SVG has fully endorsed, is designed to deliver fast, predictable climate finance without the onerous bureaucratic conditions that often delay or block access to critical climate resources.

    For Friday, these policy tools are not abstract proposals — they are lifelines for countries like SVG that are repeatedly forced to rebuild after climate disasters. He described the CVF-led push for reform as a “development reset” that replaces the current cycle of fiscal depletion with durable, long-term prosperity. SVG’s membership in the forum, he added, is part of a broader movement to ensure that climate-vulnerable nations are not trapped in an endless cycle of reconstruction and debt repayment, but instead can build the resilience they need for long-term economic and social stability.

    Throughout his address, Friday reinforced the CVF’s core message that the 1.5°C global warming threshold is an absolute red line for small island developing states. “We must reject complacency about temperature overshoots,” he warned, emphasizing that 1.5°C is a non-negotiable boundary for island nations whose very existence and habitability depend on keeping warming below this limit. By joining the CVF, SVG has aligned itself with a bloc that is holding major emitters and global financial institutions accountable for closing the gap between climate ambition and actual delivery.

    Friday also highlighted a regional dimension to SVG’s membership, pledging to take up Mottley’s challenge to encourage fellow CARICOM member states to join the CVF. This signals that SVG intends not just to participate in the forum’s work, but to help expand its influence across the Caribbean. In total, SVG’s accession to the CVF aligns the small island nation with a growing global coalition working to rewrite the rules of global climate finance — moving away from short-term, high-cost borrowing and toward long-term, equitable financing terms that match the scale of the climate crisis facing vulnerable nations.

  • OECS foreign affairs ministers meet in NY amid global complexities

    OECS foreign affairs ministers meet in NY amid global complexities

    Against a backdrop of profound global geopolitical shifts and growing systemic pressures on small island nations, the 10th Meeting of the Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs (COM:FA) of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) convened in New York on September 20, held concurrently with the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The gathering centered on three core priorities: forging more robust collective diplomatic action, deepening cross-regional coordination, and aligning the bloc’s strategic responses to the rapidly evolving global landscape.

    Opening the high-level meeting, which drew participation from foreign ministers, senior government representatives and diplomatic envoys from all OECS member states, Director General Didacus Jules underscored that sustained alignment among member nations is critical to ensuring the bloc’s diplomatic institutions remain agile and responsive to global change. “Our region’s strength has always been our capacity to act together, and this meeting reaffirms that our diplomatic architecture must keep pace with a world that is changing quickly around us,” Jules stated in his opening address.

    Hosted by the Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, the meeting marked a formal handover of the Council’s Chairmanship. Outgoing chair Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, Foreign Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, passed the role to E.P. Chet Greene, Antigua and Barbuda’s representative to the body. In his farewell remarks, Bramble emphasized that the transition comes at a defining moment for the small island bloc, as long-held international norms and systemic certainties face unprecedented testing. “The minister’s assumption of the chairmanship comes at a moment when the established certainties of the international system are increasingly being tested, reinforcing the need for a more cohesive and strategically aligned OECS,” Bramble noted.

    Accepting the chairmanship, Greene centered his agenda on addressing the unique structural vulnerabilities facing Eastern Caribbean small states, laying out a bold roadmap for intensified collective action across the sub-region. He highlighted that connectivity gaps remain a core barrier to inclusive economic growth, calling for cross-stakeholder collaboration to expand regional infrastructure. “We need stronger air links among our islands, regular sea transport for people and cargo, and new connections to nearby markets in Central and South America. Governments can create the policy framework, but carriers, ports, exporters, importers, financial institutions and investors must help design, finance and manage viable services,” Greene said.

    Greene also argued that OECS foreign policy must be intentionally leveraged as a tool to advance the economic and development priorities of member states, proposing six targeted core objectives for the bloc to pursue during his tenure: safeguarding the integrity of the OECS Economic Union; securing fair, equitable treatment for the region’s Citizenship by Investment and financial services sectors; expanding equitable access to climate finance for vulnerable small island states; building more resilient and reliable air and maritime connectivity across the bloc; and upholding international law and multilateral governance frameworks.

    Ministers across the bloc unanimously backed the new chair’s proposal to strengthen the diplomatic implementation capacity of the OECS Commission, agreeing that tighter coordination and more robust operational capacity would allow the bloc to project greater collective influence on the global stage. Following the handover, delegates held extensive, wide-ranging deliberations on pressing strategic issues impacting the sub-region, including diversification of the OECS’s external international partnerships, advancing trade and maritime connectivity integration, addressing regional developments with cross-cutting humanitarian and diplomatic implications, and further strengthening the bloc’s shared diplomatic and institutional infrastructure.

    Delegates also reviewed progress on existing ongoing regional cooperation programs and reaffirmed their shared commitment to sustained, close consultation in the coming months. As part of efforts to refine the bloc’s collective strategic approach to a shifting global order, ministers agreed to host a dedicated foreign ministers’ retreat before the close of 2025. The closed-door retreat will create space for in-depth discussion of the OECS’s long-term strategic positioning and core priorities amid ongoing global change.

    In a closing press statement following the meeting, OECS leadership reaffirmed the bloc’s unwavering commitment to a unified, forward-looking foreign policy agenda, and to strengthening the region’s collective capacity to advance and protect the shared interests of all member states in an increasingly complex and unpredictable international environment.

  • 87 coconut sector stakeholders equipped to advance production, resilience

    87 coconut sector stakeholders equipped to advance production, resilience

    The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has partnered with St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Ministry of Agriculture to wrap up a seven-day technical initiative focused on strengthening the Caribbean nation’s coconut value chain, anchored by hands-on training in coconut cultivation science and production practices. This mission forms a core component of the FAO’s regional project titled *Building Effective Public-Private Partnerships for Production and Marketing of Sustainable Agricultural Products*, and is part of the organization’s broader Coconut Value Chain Pilot Programme targeting small island developing states.

    Prior market assessments identified coconut as a high-priority agricultural commodity for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with massive untapped potential for value addition and expansion into new regional and global markets. The technical training was led by FAO senior fruit tree crop specialist Abel Rebouças Sao Jose, who leveraged proven, successful strategies from well-established coconut industries in major producing countries including Brazil and the Dominican Republic. The curriculum covered critical industry areas ranging from commercial production systems and nursery management to orchard rehabilitation and integrated pest and disease control.

    During the mission, Rebouças outlined persistent bottlenecks holding back the country’s coconut output. To reverse current trends, he noted that two core actions are required: expanding total cultivation area by offering targeted incentives that make coconut farming a profitable and attractive enterprise for smallholders, and boosting crop yields on existing agricultural land. “This means rolling out high-yielding improved varieties, developing certified nurseries that produce seedlings with strong genetics and full phytosanitary certification, and scaling adoption of evidence-based good cultivation practices,” Rebouças explained. “Even incremental gains in average yields can translate to a meaningful increase in total national coconut production.”

    Training sessions were rolled out across two major farming clusters in the country, starting with the windward cluster centered in Orange Hill. There, 43 local farmers and agricultural technicians covered topics including coconut soil and climate requirements, improved varieties and hybrid cultivars, propagation techniques, nursery establishment, orchard layout, plant physiology, nutrient management, and pest and disease control, paired with in-field practical demonstrations to reinforce learning. The program then moved to the leeward cluster in Barrouallie, where 30 Ministry of Agriculture staff and smallholder farmers completed the same core curriculum, plus additional modules on commercial farm management.

    The training also integrated on-the-ground insights from local industry stakeholders. Sophia Searles, a leading local coconut product manufacturer, emphasized that economic opportunities for coconut producers extend far beyond the sale of raw unprocessed nuts. “As domestic manufacturers expand into high-value added coconut products, from copra to coconut oil and consumer packaged goods, we need a consistent, reliable supply of quality raw material,” Searles explained. “This creates a tangible opportunity for farmers to integrate themselves further up the value chain and capture greater profits. Capturing these gains will require expanded support for new planting and orchard rehabilitation, improved access to suitable land and agricultural inputs, and stronger, more transparent linkages between smallholder producers, manufacturers, and retail markets.”

    Building on FAO’s recent successful work strengthening soursop value chains in neighboring Belize and Grenada, Rebouças also added an abbreviated technical training module on soursop botany and good agricultural practices during the mission. The session introduced participants to evidence-based best practices for orchard establishment, crop maintenance, pruning, and hand pollination, all designed to boost soursop productivity and improve fruit quality for market sales.

    To ensure the initiative reached beyond commercial farming clusters and formal agricultural staff, the mission team organized a community outreach day on August 29, which brought together 14 representatives from grassroots organizations including Helen’s Daughters, Eco-home Garden Limited, and Rejoin Fruit and Farm. This activity extended the technical training on coconut cultivation to grassroots groups and small-scale independent growers, giving small producers access to the same knowledge and resources available to industry technicians and large commercial producers. The outreach effort aligns with the shared commitment of FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture to a broad, community-centered approach to agricultural sector development.

    Looking ahead, Jefferson Jaikissoon, Agricultural Value Chain Specialist and project coordinator for the initiative, emphasized that the week-long mission is more than just a one-off training event. “This work is about laying the foundational groundwork for a stronger, more globally competitive coconut value chain in St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” Jaikissoon said. “All recommendations generated from this mission will directly inform the national Coconut Value Chain Upgrading Strategy, including our farmer-led national coconut replanting initiative.”

    As the next phase of the Coconut Value Chain Pilot Programme, a national coconut replanting exercise will be implemented in partnership with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) through November 2026. Building directly on the technical training delivered during this recent mission, the initiative will support farmers across the country to re-establish productive, high-yield coconut orchards, adopting the improved varieties and sustainable cultivation practices outlined by Rebouças to boost the long-term productivity and profitability of the nation’s coconut sector.

  • Nieuwe BEP-voorziter Edwin Noordzee: partij versterken met training en beter financieel beleid

    Nieuwe BEP-voorziter Edwin Noordzee: partij versterken met training en beter financieel beleid

    In a party leadership vote held on September 26 at the Broederschap en Eenheid in de Politiek (BEP) headquarters on Ephraimszegenweg, Edwin Noordzee has been selected as the political party’s new chairperson, succeeding outgoing leader Ronny Asabina who chose not to run for re-election. The vote took place during the BEP’s general members’ assembly, marking a formal transition of leadership for the party that currently holds one seat in Suriname’s National Assembly and serves as part of the country’s ruling governing coalition.

    In a post-election interview with local media outlet Starnieuws, Noordzee laid out his core policy and organizational priorities for the party’s new leadership term, highlighting three key areas of focus: strengthening the BEP’s internal party infrastructure, expanding specialized training for party officials, and overhauling the party’s internal financial and economic governance framework. The new chairperson also emphasized that a top immediate task will be restarting a slate of stalled party projects that have been put on hold in previous months.

    Under Noordzee’s plan, the newly formed party executive board will first draft a comprehensive strategic roadmap to guide the BEP’s work over the coming term. Capacity building for party cadre through structured training and professional development will occupy a central role in this strategy, he noted, alongside targeted reforms to the BEP’s internal financial management. Among the adjustments being considered is a revamped structure for member contributions, with the goal of building a more stable financial foundation that allows the party to consistently deliver on its commitments, programs, and public initiatives.

    “We will first develop a clear, actionable plan,” Noordzee stated. “From that framework, the board will roll out targeted training programs, streamline the collection and management of member contributions, and reactivate stalled projects to move them toward completion.”

    Notably, outgoing chairperson Ronny Asabina will not step away from BEP leadership entirely. He will retain his position as the BEP’s parliamentary group leader in the National Assembly, a role that is formally confirmed on the Suriname parliament’s official website. Per Noordzee’s explanation, Asabina will continue to participate in all meetings of the BEP’s executive board in his capacity as parliamentary group leader, maintaining a critical direct line of coordination between the party’s overall political leadership and its legislative faction in the national parliament.

    Alongside his organizational and financial reform priorities, Noordzee has placed significant emphasis on increasing transparency and collaborative decision-making within the BEP. Speaking during the general members’ assembly after his election victory, he stressed that rank-and-file party members will gain an expanded voice in shaping the party’s strategic direction and key policy decisions going forward.

  • Antigua and Barbuda wants OECS to Pool Electric Vehicle Orders to Cut Costs

    Antigua and Barbuda wants OECS to Pool Electric Vehicle Orders to Cut Costs

    Against a backdrop of volatile global fossil fuel prices and growing regional momentum to transition to clean energy, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda has put forward a bold collaborative proposal: that all member states of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) pool their demand for electric vehicles to negotiate bulk pricing that would be out of reach for individual nations. The idea was first shared by Browne during an appearance Saturday on the Pointe FM current affairs program *Browne and Browne*, where he detailed outcomes from a recent trip to the United States focused on securing international backing for regional renewable energy projects. During his travels, Browne held discussions with representatives from Octopus, a United Kingdom-based energy firm with growing interests in Caribbean clean energy development, covering electric vehicle deployment across the region. Browne emphasized that small island nations like those in the OECS hold very little individual bargaining power when negotiating large vehicle purchases. A collective bulk order, he argued, would flip the dynamic, giving the bloc far more leverage to lock in reduced per-unit costs. To illustrate the scale of collective impact the initiative could deliver, Browne pointed to a target of roughly 100,000 electric vehicles purchased jointly across the region. Though the prime minister’s remarks were cut off mid-broadcast before he could share additional details, he did not share projected per-vehicle prices or estimates of how much the bloc could save through the collaboration. The 100,000 vehicle figure was framed by Browne as an illustrative example of potential scale, not a formal finalized order for the bloc. As of his public remarks, no participating OECS governments have been confirmed, no framework for financing or procurement has been outlined, no allocation plan for distributed vehicles has been shared, and no timeline for negotiating a regional cooperative agreement has been set. Browne also stopped short of announcing any binding purchase contract with Octopus for the initiative, noting only that the UK firm has provided a small fleet of electric vehicles for an upcoming gathering of regional leaders. No details were shared on the size of that temporary fleet or any long-term supply arrangements between Octopus and OECS states. Browne’s joint EV proposal is just one component of a broader regional push to address longstanding challenges around energy cost and reliability across the Caribbean. He noted that OECS nations are currently actively pursuing international grants and low-interest financing to expand utility-scale solar energy generation and develop untapped geothermal energy reserves across the volcanically active region. The recent steep upward trend in global diesel prices, he added, has created new urgency to accelerate the transition away from imported fossil fuels. For Antigua and Barbuda specifically, Browne confirmed that the government currently maintains consumer subsidies for diesel to offset rising global costs, and has separately explored expanding national fuel reserves to mitigate potential supply chain disruptions. If advanced and implemented, a regional electric vehicle transition would help address the long-term structural challenge of fossil fuel import dependence across the bloc, though Browne offered no clear timeline for when the proposal would be drafted into a formal document for OECS member states to consider. Many regional policy analysts note that collective procurement initiatives have a track record of delivering cost savings for small island developing states, which often face higher import costs than larger economies due to their small market size, making the joint EV plan a promising potential step forward for Caribbean clean energy transition.

  • (Minister Michael Joseph joins AOSIS discussions on COP31 priorities)

    (Minister Michael Joseph joins AOSIS discussions on COP31 priorities)

    In high-stakes ministerial talks held by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) earlier this week, Michael Joseph, the Minister of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs, has emerged as a leading voice demanding that the global 1.5°C warming limit and the unique vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) sit at the core of all preparatory work for the upcoming 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31).

    The closed-door discussions covered a wide range of critical climate policy priorities that directly impact low-lying island nations. Participants delved into the design and implementation of the Just Transition Mechanism, a global framework designed to support shifting to low-carbon economies while protecting vulnerable workers and communities. They also debated progress on developing standardized adaptation indicators to track and verify climate resilience efforts, reviewed ongoing work under the Mitigation Work Programme, and explored actionable reforms to expand SIDS access to affordable climate finance — including non-repayable grants and low-interest concessional loans that many small nations have long struggled to access.

    A central theme of the talks was the escalating existential threat that accelerating sea-level rise and unmitigated climate change pose to the basic foundations of island life. Ministers collectively highlighted how shifting weather patterns and rising oceans are already eroding water security, destabilizing local food systems, and destroying artisanal and commercial fisheries that are the primary source of livelihood and food security for millions of people across small island states.

    Minister Joseph threw his full weight behind a coordinated AOSIS strategy calling on all member states to develop concrete, actionable proposals on three core pillars: greenhouse gas mitigation, climate finance reform, and a just transition ahead of the next round of regional pre-COP talks scheduled to take place in Sydney and Fiji. The alliance’s unified push comes as small island nations continue to advocate for greater ambition from major global emitters ahead of COP31, seeking to lock in commitments that prevent catastrophic warming that would render many low-lying island nations uninhabitable.