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  • ILO News: Haiti and ILO sign two-year country programme to advance decent work and social dialogue

    ILO News: Haiti and ILO sign two-year country programme to advance decent work and social dialogue

    In a landmark collaborative step aimed at addressing deep-seated labor and socioeconomic challenges in Haiti, government, employer, and worker representatives formalized a two-year national decent work program with the International Labour Organization (ILO) during a signing ceremony held May 14, 2026 at the ILO Caribbean Office in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

    The agreement was signed by a cross-section of key stakeholders: Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Marc Elie Nelson represented the Haitian government; Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) president Maulik Radia stood in for national employer groups; Yvel Admettre, Secretary General of the Confederation of Public and Private Sector Workers, and Louis Fignole St Cyr, General Secretary of the Autonomous Central of Haitian Workers, signed on behalf of Haitian workers; and Joni Musabayana, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, completed the signing for the ILO. Additional Haitian stakeholders joined the working sessions that preceded the signing remotely from Port-au-Prince, where the full delegation and ILO technical teams spent a full day refining program details, aligning priorities, and building consensus on how to structure existing and new development interventions to meet national goals. The finalized framework has already secured formal approval from Haiti’s Office of the Prime Minister, creating a shared roadmap for ILO technical cooperation across 2026 and 2027. This program marks the first national initiative developed under the ILO Caribbean Office’s recently expanded mandate, which added Haiti to its portfolio in a January 2026 restructuring designed to boost regional alignment and responsive support for the country.

    The program is built around four core priorities, all identified through inclusive tripartite consultation between Haiti’s three key labor sector groups. First, the initiative will work to revitalize national social dialogue, including reactivating dormant national tripartite coordination mechanisms and strengthening protections for core fundamental principles and rights at work. Second, it will support improvements to national labor governance, through upgrades to labor administration and inspection systems, expanded access to fair labor dispute resolution, and tripartite-led reform of Haiti’s national Labor Code. Third, the program will expand access to viable employment and livelihood opportunities, with targeted support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), expanded national skills development programs, and intentional inclusion of marginalized groups including youth, women, internally displaced persons, and workers employed in the informal economy. Fourth, the framework will strengthen national social protection systems, supporting institutional reforms for key social security bodies and working toward the gradual expansion of coverage to informal sector workers who currently lack protection. Cross-cutting priorities including gender equality, youth inclusion, conflict sensitivity, and climate-responsive employment and enterprise development are integrated across all four program pillars.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Nelson confirmed the Haitian government’s full political backing for the program and announced that implementation would begin without delay. “The government, through the Prime Minister, has approved the proposal submitted, thereby marking an important milestone in this preparatory process,” Nelson said, praising the collaborative spirit that shaped the weeks of discussion leading up to the signing. He thanked Musabayana and all participating stakeholders for their commitment and high-quality input, adding that his technical team would immediately begin work on initial program documentation to keep the initiative on track for upcoming international labor governance processes.

    Musabayana emphasized that the program’s tripartite foundation is its greatest strength, noting that Haitian stakeholders led the process of defining their own priorities. “Haiti’s tripartite constituents have shown real leadership in defining what support they need and on what terms. This programme of work is built on that ownership. Our role as the Caribbean Office is to turn these commitments into results that Haitian workers and enterprises can feel – more productive dialogue, stronger institutions, and more decent jobs,” he said.

    ADIH President Radia framed the agreement as a rare show of cross-sector unity amid Haiti’s ongoing political and socioeconomic crisis. “Haiti, as everybody knows, is going through a major crisis. And in a crisis, when we come together as a unity, it is very positive. This brings all sectors of the country together and will allow us to work in a very formal but cooperative way,” he added.

    Worker representatives highlighted the historic nature of the new framework. Louis Fignole St Cyr noted, “It is extraordinary and it is historic. The social dialogue championed by the ILO has become a backbone for us, a foundation for the labour movement in Haiti and for trade union organizations to function within tripartism.” Yvel Admettre called for sustained momentum to embed collaborative dialogue as a core part of Haitian labor governance: “We must build a culture of dialogue. Without that culture, you will not always feel the need to come together to talk. With dialogue, we know we can find solutions even in the most difficult situations. I hope this will be a beginning, not an end.”

    The new program opens a fresh chapter in ILO’s cooperation with Haiti, which comes on the heels of the January 2026 decision to reassign Haiti to the Port of Spain-based ILO Caribbean Office, a shift designed to strengthen regional alignment and responsiveness to Haitian needs. As a founding member of the ILO since the organization’s creation in 1919, Haiti has ratified 25 ILO conventions, including eight of the organization’s 10 core Fundamental Conventions. This new national program builds on longstanding normative commitments to turn those standards into tangible, on-the-ground results for Haitian workers and employers over the next two years.

    In advance of the signing, the week-long working visit also included peer learning exchanges for the Haitian delegation with Trinidad and Tobago’s labor market institutions, including the Ministry of Labour, Small and Micro Enterprise Development, the National Trade Union Centre, and the Employers Consultative Association. The exchanges allowed Haitian stakeholders to study good practices and lessons learned from Trinidad and Tobago’s experience in advancing social dialogue and national labor governance.

    Implementation of the program is set to begin immediately. The ILO Caribbean Office will deploy technical expertise through its existing Decent Work Team and ongoing projects in Haiti, working in close coordination with United Nations agency partners, bilateral donor governments, and Haitian national institutions. A tripartite national steering committee will oversee ongoing progress, and annual strategic reviews will be conducted to track outcomes and adjust priorities as needed. The full program is aligned with the 2025 Punta Cana Declaration for democracy, peace, decent work and social dialogue, ILO Recommendation No. 205 on Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Haiti covering 2023 to 2028.

  • West Indies Women begin final prep ahead of T20 World Cup

    West Indies Women begin final prep ahead of T20 World Cup

    West Indies Women’s cricket team has touched down in Newport, Wales, kicking off a 10-day high-performance preparatory camp that marks a key milestone on their road to the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup hosted in England. Organized by Cricket West Indies (CWI), the camp running from May 14 to 23 will set the stage for the team ahead of a crucial tri-nation T20 series against Ireland and Pakistan, a contest designed to give the squad competitive match experience in conditions nearly identical to those they will face at the upcoming global tournament.

    Over the course of the 10-day training block, the 16-member selected squad will fine-tune every dimension of their game through a packed schedule: intensive technical skill sessions, strategic tactical planning drills, realistic match simulations, targeted fitness conditioning, and collaborative team-building activities. This preparation comes as the Maroon Warriors prepare for their return to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup main draw, a moment the squad has worked toward for months.

    Buoyed by a semi-final finish at the 2024 edition of the tournament, the team enters this preparation phase with clear ambition. Players and coaching staff alike note that the side has grown dramatically over the past two years, adding depth to their roster, sharpening their competitive edge, and boosting collective confidence after two years of high-level international play. The ultimate goal for the side is to repeat the historic triumph the team claimed 10 years ago, when they lifted the 2016 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy.

    CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe emphasized the strategic logic behind scheduling both the training camp in Wales and the subsequent tri-series in Ireland, noting that the location and timing offer unique advantages for the team. “The opportunity to train in the United Kingdom and then also get the experience of playing competitive matches in Ireland in similar conditions immediately prior to the start of the June 5th tournament is invaluable,” Bascombe explained. “This period will be utilised to help the squad gel, cement gameplans and remain connected. We are looking forward to a great showing by several key veterans and the emergence of our future stars on the back of this extended preparation.”

    This Wales camp is the latest step in a structured, long-term preparation pathway mapped out by CWI and team management, which has already included challenging white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Australia earlier in 2026. Following the conclusion of the camp, the team will travel to Ireland for the tri-nation series, kicking off their campaign against the host side on May 28 before wrapping up their group stage fixtures against Pakistan on June 3. Immediately after the tri-series, the squad will head to England for the World Cup, where they will play their opening tournament match against New Zealand on June 13.

    Final trimmed squads for both the tri-nation series and the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be announced by CWI at a later date. The 16-member group currently in Wales for the preparatory camp is: Aaliyah Alleyne, Eboni Brathwaite, Shemaine Campbelle, Jahzara Claxton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Hayley Matthews, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack and Stafanie Taylor.

  • Doorbraak in slepende grondkwesties Mariënburg

    Doorbraak in slepende grondkwesties Mariënburg

    After years of lingering uncertainty over land ownership, dozens of households in Mariënburg have finally crossed a major milestone toward resolving their long-running land disputes. Following months of intensive dossier inventory, verification and evaluation, multiple outstanding land claims have been successfully closed, bringing an end to a prolonged period of legal and financial insecurity for local residents. On May 15, Stanley Soeropawiro, the country’s Minister of Land Policy and Forest Management, formally handed over official land documents to eligible Mariënburg residents in a ceremony marking the breakthrough.

    In remarks following the handover, Minister Soeropawiro framed the resolution as a landmark development for both the local community and public trust in national governance. He emphasized that the achievement was not the work of any single individual, but the product of collective, cross-stakeholder effort. “I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the ministry’s civil servants, who put in countless long hours to process each of these dossiers with meticulous care,” the minister said. “I also owe a debt of thanks to the Mariënburg residents, who have shown extraordinary patience, faith, and trust in the government through this long process. We know people have waited years for this outcome, so it is critical that they finally see tangible results today.”

    Local residents have greeted the news with widespread relief and heartfelt emotion, after decades of unmet promises and unresolvable uncertainty. One attendee at the handover ceremony shared that the community had grown accustomed to disappointment and instability over the years. “We have heard all kinds of pledges before, but today is the first time we can actually feel that progress is being made,” the resident said. “People are starting to have hope again that their problems really can be solved.”

    Minister Soeropawiro confirmed that the ministry will continue its systematic review of the remaining unprocessed land claims in Mariënburg, with the overarching goal of establishing structural order, legal certainty and clear ownership rules across the entire area. Insiders familiar with the government’s agenda add that the targeted resolution of Mariënburg’s land issues is part of a wider national initiative to steadily address long-standing land disputes in residential communities across the country, one case at a time.

  • Project FLOW commissions 15 school water systems in Region Three

    Project FLOW commissions 15 school water systems in Region Three

    On Friday, May 15, 2026, stakeholders formally commissioned and handed over 15 new community water purification installations to secondary schools across Guyana’s Region Three, marking a major milestone for the country’s landmark National Water Purification Sustainability Initiative, known as FLOW.

    The cross-sector partnership delivering the project – Recover Guyana, the Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI), and Guyana’s Ministry of Education – confirmed that more than 9,000 students and teaching staff across the region will now gain consistent access to safe, purified drinking water on school campuses.

    As the flagship program of the Greater Guyana Initiative, FLOW is framed as a transformative national investment that ties together educational progress and long-term environmental sustainability. Beyond expanding access to clean drinking water, the initiative also prioritizes encouraging reusable water bottle use and cutting plastic waste in school communities. Launched as a four-year national program, FLOW has set an ambitious target to serve more than 58,000 students across 141 public secondary schools, 10 technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, and four specialized needs schools by 2030, directly advancing global sustainable development goals.

    All 15 new systems were transferred to participating school administrations between May 6 and 8, 2026. School leaders and students have already voiced gratitude for the intervention, reporting early improvements in student well-being, campus hygiene standards, household cost savings for families, and overall learning conditions.

    At the official handover ceremony hosted at Tuschen Secondary School, Dr. Dave Lalltoo, Project Lead and President of Recover Guyana, highlighted that Region Three now hosts 16 completed FLOW sites when including the earlier pilot program at West Demerara Secondary School. That pilot delivered striking measurable results: it eliminated the need for more than 65,000 single-use plastic bottles in just nine months, proving the model’s viability and clearing the path for national rollout.

    “Through the partnership of Recover Guyana, the Greater Guyana Initiative, the Ministry of Education, local communities, schools, technical experts, and countless hardworking individuals, Region 3 now stands as a national example of sustainable development done correctly,” Lalltoo said in remarks at the ceremony.

    Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, explained that the project receives backing through the Greater Guyana Initiative – a 10-year, $100 million development commitment to Guyana from ExxonMobil Guyana, Hess, and CNOOC. “Through this initiative, we are working to support projects that improve lives, strengthen communities, and create long-term value for Guyana,” Routledge noted. “The FLOW Water Purification Sustainability Initiative is a perfect example of what that commitment looks like in action.”

    Guyana’s Minister of Education Sonia Parag also praised the collaborative effort. “We believe in development through partnership, whether that is in education, agriculture, or healthcare. To witness the FLOW system firsthand and see how students are benefiting from it was truly amazing,” Parag said. “This partnership is not only about development and shared benefits, but also about innovation and sustainability, all of which improve the quality of education. It aligns directly with the Government of Guyana’s vision to strengthen education and infrastructure while creating cleaner, safer environments and communities.”

    In addition to guaranteeing reliable access to clean drinking water for students, analysts project the initiative will generate substantial socioeconomic and environmental benefits for both schools and the broader Region Three community. Over a three-year period, the new installations are expected to deliver a total of $87 million in cumulative cost savings for the region.

  • Career showcase opens students’ eyes to expanding job opportunities

    Career showcase opens students’ eyes to expanding job opportunities

    On a bustling Friday at the University of the West Indies’ Cave Hill campus in St. Michael, hundreds of third-form secondary students from across Barbados stepped into a world of professional possibility at the 19th Annual National Career Showcase, hosted by the Barbados Association of Guidance Counsellors (BAGC). Held under the forward-thinking theme “A Bright Future Loading… Planning Your Vision,” the three-day event brought together 70 local and regional businesses, professional organizations, and educational institutions to demystify career pathways and break down the academic requirements students need to pursue their professional goals.

    Unlike traditional career fairs that rely on static brochures and brief handshakes, this year’s showcase prioritized interactive engagement to spark long-term interest. Exhibitors set up hands-on demonstrations, immersive challenges, and guided conversations to help young students, many of whom are just beginning to map out their post-secondary plans, connect classroom learning to real-world work.

    One of the biggest crowd-pleasers of the event was the booth hosted by Robot Adventures, where students lined up to crowd around live robotics displays, test their skills at maneuvering robotic arms, and complete hands-on technical challenges. Chief Instructor Jelani Payne, who leads the organization’s youth outreach programs, told attendees that robotics and related automation fields represent one of the fastest-growing professional sectors across the globe and the Caribbean, with a vast range of untapped opportunities for local graduates.

    Payne highlighted several fast-growing subfields that are already creating high-demand jobs in the region, from drone technology and autonomous systems to 3D printing and underwater robotics. “The career paths here are incredibly broad,” Payne explained. “For example, drone technology is already being used for farm security to prevent petty larceny, and to secure private property. We also see growing demand for professionals who can program autonomous drones and robotic systems that can complete tasks without any human input.”

    He noted that underwater robotics has emerged as a particularly promising field for Barbados, given the island’s deep maritime ties. Underwater robotic systems are used for deep-sea exploration, environmental monitoring, and hull cleaning for commercial ships – work that is often too dangerous, dirty, or repetitive for human workers to complete safely and efficiently. For students interested in joining the field, Payne advised focusing on multidisciplinary STEM coursework during secondary school, noting that robotics draws from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science. Key foundational subjects include physics, chemistry, information technology, mathematics, and technical drawing, he added.

    At the BAGC’s own booth, Parkinson Memorial Secondary School guidance counsellor Kara Clarke led an effort to educate students on two fronts: the range of services guidance counsellors provide to students in schools, and the rewarding career path that counselling offers. Many students who visited the booth told Clarke they only had a limited understanding of what guidance counsellors do day-to-day, and some were surprised to learn that counsellors support students with academic planning, mental health, social conflict, and college applications, beyond just discipline referrals.

    Visitors interacted with the same worksheets, educational games, and counselling resources used in schools, and many who stopped by expressed genuine interest in pursuing counselling as a career. Clarke walked prospective students through the standard educational pathway: most entering professionals earn undergraduate degrees in psychology or social work before completing a master’s degree in school counselling or clinical psychology.

    Beyond inspiring the next generation of guidance counsellors, Clarke said the booth served another important purpose: reducing the stigma around seeking counselling support in schools. “We wanted to let students know that reaching out to your school guidance counsellor is nothing to be ashamed of,” she explained, adding that the day’s conversations with students had been “very enriching” for all participating counsellors.

    Other exhibitors highlighted opportunities in sectors that are foundational to Barbados’ economy, from tourism and logistics to cricket administration. Neil Hoyte, a representative from local firm Foster and Ince, focused on educating students about the wide range of jobs linked to the cruise industry, a core driver of the island’s tourism sector. Hoyte explained that many students have no idea how many different roles are needed to keep cruise operations running smoothly, from tour guides and vessel turnover coordinators to freight managers, transportation staff, and administrative teams. “We have roles for people with a wide range of skills and interests,” he noted.

    Natasha Yearwood, a representative from Platinum Port Agency, added that the firm’s detailed ship models on display were a huge hit with students, helping spark natural conversations about maritime and hospitality careers both on-board cruise vessels and in local on-shore roles.

    Even the island’s iconic sport of cricket was featured as a source of diverse professional opportunities beyond playing professionally. Alicia Gittens, administrative assistant at Cricket Legends of Barbados, explained that the cricket industry needs skilled workers across every professional function, from administration and finance to community outreach and management. “There are so many roles beyond stepping onto the pitch,” Gittens said. “Even working with retired cricketers to preserve the sport’s legacy and keep it active in local communities is a rewarding career, and cricket as a whole gives young people the chance to make a real impact on the next generation.”

    For organizers, the 2024 showcase once again delivered on its core mission: helping young Barbadians make informed choices about their futures, connecting local industries to emerging talent, and opening doors to opportunities many students never knew existed.

  • Beyond Boundaries Media Forum brings together Tatyana Ali, Caribbean, and diaspora leaders to grow film co-productions in Africa

    Beyond Boundaries Media Forum brings together Tatyana Ali, Caribbean, and diaspora leaders to grow film co-productions in Africa

    A groundbreaking new initiative aimed at reshaping the global screen industry is gaining momentum, as the first-ever Beyond Boundaries Media Forum (BBMF) has announced an expanded, industry-leading leadership and mentorship network to advance its mission of cementing the Caribbean and African diaspora as central players in the evolving worldwide screen economy.

    Founded and convened by Lisa Wickham, a Trinidad and Tobago-based media producer and executive with more than 20 years of experience building cross-continental creative partnerships across the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and the United Kingdom, BBMF is designed to serve as a structured connection point between Africa and its global diaspora. Built on more than two decades of Wickham’s collaborative work across continents, the forum is presented by Imagine Media International Limited in partnership with the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPAC), a body operating under South Africa’s Eastern Cape Provincial Government. The event is scheduled to bring a curated group of top international producers and industry executives together for five days of strategic dialogue and collaboration in November 2026, hosted in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

    Unlike informal industry gatherings that focus on casual networking, BBMF is structured around formal, treaty-based frameworks designed to turn creative alignment into long-term commercial and creative collaboration. Wickham emphasized that the Caribbean’s role in the global media space extends far beyond that of a cultural contributor, framing the region as a key strategic gateway for connecting African creators to global markets. “The Caribbean is not just a cultural participant; we are a strategic gateway,” Wickham said, noting that the initiative intentionally shifts cross-border collaboration from loose, informal arrangements to structured, treaty-backed production pipelines. Existing frameworks like the UK–Jamaica Co-production Treaty serve as a model for how Caribbean and African creators can formally partner with global industry players to convert shared cultural heritage into sustainable, long-term investment opportunities, she added.

    At the core of BBMF’s structure is a purpose-built diaspora leadership network, featuring globally recognized industry figures spanning multiple sectors. Internationally acclaimed actor, producer and humanitarian Tatyana Ali, who has Trinidadian and Panamanian heritage, will serve as the forum’s inaugural Global Ambassador. Ali, best known for her breakout role as Ashley Banks on *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air*, is a Harvard graduate and five-time NAACP Image Award winner. BBMF leaders note Ali perfectly embodies the forum’s target “bridge audience” — a demographic that global industry data identifies as critical to building widespread mainstream appeal for Black-led storytelling.

    Leading the forum’s Global Advisory Board is Jennifer Holness, a Jamaican-born, award-winning producer and screenwriter who serves as President of Hungry Eyes Media Group. Holness has had an outsize impact on building Canada’s screen industry infrastructure, co-founding both the Canadian Black Screen Office and the Canadian Independent Screen Fund, and serving as the inaugural board chair for both organizations for two and three years respectively.

    The broader BBMF mentorship cohort draws high-profile leaders from across the Caribbean diaspora and global screen industry, including Angi Bones, President of Production at Tyler Perry Studios; Jackie Jackson, Jamaica’s Film Commissioner; Dr. Rachel-Ann Charles of the UK’s Birmingham City University, who bridges academic research and industry practice; Los Angeles-based Jamaican producer Robert Maylor, best known for his work on *Sprinter* and *Bob Marley: One Love*; award-winning Canadian creator duo Jennifer Holness and Sudz Sutherland; and Joanna Miles, an international film marketing and festival consultant. Many of these leaders share deep Caribbean and African roots while holding major influence across global media markets.

    A forward-looking, defining focus of the 2026 forum is addressing the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on the global media sector. BBMF will feature participation from Renéé Cummings, a Trinidad and Tobago-born, US-based leading expert in AI governance and ethics who has been featured in major outlets including Forbes, Bloomberg and VentureBeat. As AI revolutionizes core parts of content production, distribution and virtual creation, BBMF aims to lead global conversations around ethical AI governance, with a core goal of ensuring African and Caribbean creators can both protect their intellectual property and scale their content effectively within major global streaming ecosystems.

    The entire initiative is rooted in recent independent industry research conducted by the Next Narrative Africa Fund and Parrot Analytics. The study confirmed a substantial unmet “supply gap” for authentic African and diasporan storytelling in global markets, while also highlighting that diaspora audiences are a core driver of commercial success for Black-led content on the global stage. To directly address this gap, BBMF will connect producers across treaty-aligned and partner nations — including Jamaica, the UK, Canada, India, Brazil and South Africa — into structured production pathways designed to strengthen and expand global distribution channels for underrepresented storytelling.

    Monde Nkasawe, CEO of the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council, welcomed the partnership, noting “The Eastern Cape is open for collaboration, and BBMF gives us the platform to demonstrate that at scale.” Nozipho Ndiweni, co-founder of Imagine Media Africa (Pty), highlighted the long-standing collaborative foundation of the forum, noting she has worked alongside Wickham in South Africa since 2011, including on a documentary exploring how a Trinidad and Tobago-inspired Carnival model was used to drive community economic development in Bella Bella, Limpopo. Ndiweni explained the forum will create a structured space for African producers to connect with Caribbean and global industry partners who already recognize the inherent commercial and cultural value of African stories.

    As of the announcement, the official call for producer applications is now open, with interested creators able to submit applications through the official BBMF portal. The full mentorship network also includes additional leaders from across North America, Europe, the Caribbean and Africa: Antoinetta Stallings, Vice President of Development & Acquisitions at Tyler Perry Studios; Emmy and Gracie Award-winning executive producer Nzinga Christine-Blake; Jacqueline Shorter Beauchamp, CEO of next-generation AI cloud firm Engenio Media Studios; BAFTA Award-winning producers Natasha Dack Ojumu and Nadine Marsh-Edwards; acquisitions executive Nicola Ofoego; Black Screen Office CEO Joan Jenkinson; acclaimed Ghanaian producer-director Shirley Frimpong-Manso; and legal experts Joshua A. Edwards of Fox Rothschild and Pierre-Emmanuel Mouthuy of Mouthuy Avocats.

  • PNCR-APNU knew of recent planned defections before – Mahipaul

    PNCR-APNU knew of recent planned defections before – Mahipaul

    On Friday, May 15 2026, senior leadership of Guyana’s main opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), led by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), publicly acknowledged that five of seven high-profile current and former party figures are preparing to cross the floor to join the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC). Speaking at a formal press briefing, PNCR executive member Ganesh Mahipaul pushed back against claims that the impending departures caught the party off guard, noting that shifting social media activity and dramatic changes in public positioning had long signaled the members’ impending exit.

    When asked why the coalition had not taken preemptive disciplinary action against the members planning to leave, Mahipaul explained that concrete evidence of disloyalty remained insufficient for formal action, adding that the PNCR has no inherent desire to expel or push away any of its members. He drew a parallel to the high-profile 2018 case of former APNU+AFC parliamentarian Charrandass Persaud, whose plans to vote in favor of a PPPC-sponsored no-confidence motion were widely rumored in political circles long before the official vote, mirroring the open speculation around this latest round of defections.

    Over the past five years, multiple senior PNCR figures including two former general secretaries and one former chairman have already left the party to join either the PPPC or the new opposition outfit We Invest in Nationhood (WIN). But Mahipaul stressed that none of the members planning the latest exit, nor the previous defectors, have access to the PNCR’s confidential internal strategy or core decision-making processes. He clarified that the seven individuals – three former members of parliament (Rickly Ramsaroop, Shurwayne Holder, and Dinesh Jaiprashad) and four sitting regional councillors (Ravoldo Birbal, Sheik Yaseen, Prince Holder, and Gangadai Lloyd) – hold no key responsibilities in the coalition’s ongoing operations, so their departure will not disrupt APNU’s forward progress. Notably, Guyana currently has no recall legislation that would force sitting regional councillors to give up their seats after switching party affiliation.

    Mahipaul also pointed to a potential driver for the defections, suggesting that many members who leave the PNCR for the ruling party are motivated by the prospect of securing lucrative multi-million-dollar government contracts. He emphasized that the party values unwavering loyalty, commitment, and dedication among its ranks, while noting that recent membership growth has offset losses from departures: despite widespread reports of PPPC-led voter intimidation and victimization of opposition supporters, the coalition has recently added 397 new registered members. Since the 2025 general and regional elections, Mahipaul added, the PNCR has launched a sustained outreach campaign to expand its grassroots presence across Guyana and retain its relevance to voters.

    The briefing also addressed growing public calls for PNCR leader Aubrey Norton to step down, following the coalition’s worst-ever electoral defeat in 2025 that saw it reduced to just 12 of 65 seats in the National Assembly, and pushed it out of the position of main opposition to the new political party WIN, which secured 16 seats. Mahipaul rejected external pressure on Norton’s leadership, stating that decisions about the party’s top leadership are exclusively for party members to make at an official congress, not for outside observers or non-members. “Our political party does not work on what Jim Jones or Tom Jones want to say on the outside. We work based on structure and order,” he said, adding that any member of the public who wants a say in party governance is welcome to join the organization.

    Mahipaul made clear that he personally hopes Norton will not resign, which would leave the party in a state of leadership chaos. He argued that even if Norton steps down from the leadership role in the future, he should remain within the party to share his decades of institutional knowledge and guide newer leaders. “You just can’t drop off the sky and come off the map and abandon your ship. What kind of a leader will you be should you just run away and leave the ship?” Mahipaul said.

  • Former cycling champion passes away

    Former cycling champion passes away

    Barbados’ cycling and heritage preservation communities are united in grief this week after the passing of legendary former national cycling champion Colin “Top Cat” Alleyne, who died peacefully last Saturday morning following a brief struggle with cancer. He was 72 years old.

    A longtime resident of Fairfield, Black Rock, Alleyne leaves behind a dual legacy that spans both competitive sport and cultural heritage preservation. During his decorated cycling career in the 1970s and 1980s, Alleyne earned widespread acclaim for putting Barbadian cycling on the global map, representing the small island nation at regional competitions across the Caribbean and as far as continental Europe. In honor of his extraordinary contributions to sports in Barbados, he was awarded the Barbados Service Medal (BSM), a distinction recognizing outstanding service to the country.

    Beyond the race track, Alleyne built a second respected career as one of Barbados’ most renowned master coral stone masons and heritage craftsmen. A man of deep faith, he continued to serve his country long after he retired from competitive cycling, sharing his craft with new generations through work with the Commonwealth Heritage Forum and the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology, where he taught traditional heritage stone masonry techniques to aspiring tradespeople.

    Among his most notable restoration projects was the 2023 rehabilitation of the historic old railway bridge connecting Bulkeley and Carmichael in the parish of St. George. Funded by the Peter Moore Barbados Trust, the restored structure now bears Alleyne’s name in permanent recognition of his work. Most recently, in 2025, he completed the full restoration of the far larger Blackman’s Egg and Molasses Bridge in St. Joseph, a landmark originally constructed in the 1680s that holds significant historical value for the island. He also completed hundreds of custom commissioned pieces for commercial clients, hotels and private villas across Barbados, including hand-polished coral stone furniture that can still be seen across the island today.

    Speaking on behalf of Alleyne’s family, his niece Sonia A. Alleyne remembered her uncle as a constant source of inspiration and encouragement for young cyclists just starting their competitive careers, many of whom he mentored over decades. “Alleyne was a loving father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and a role model to many. He will be deeply missed. At 72, the master craftsman has downed his tools, the champion will cycle no more, but Top Cat’s legacy of excellence will live on,” she said.

  • Charles to flex for Saint Lucia at Boyce Classic in Barbados

    Charles to flex for Saint Lucia at Boyce Classic in Barbados

    The Eastern Caribbean’s most high-profile annual professional bodybuilding event is just days away, and one Saint Lucian athlete is preparing to carry his nation’s hopes onto the international stage. Experienced regional competitor Kirby Charles, who represents Mango Moon Gym in local domestic competitions, has been selected as the sole competitor from the island nation for the 2026 Roger Boyce Classic and IFBB Pro World Cup, hosted this weekend at the Garfield Sobers Complex in Wildey, St. Michael, Barbados.

    Charles is no stranger to elite regional competition, boasting a decorated competitive career spanning more than two decades at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships. His medal collection first grew in 2002, when he took home a bronze medal. He added a silver medal to his haul in 2024, and repeated that silver performance when the CAC Championships were hosted on his home soil in Saint Lucia, taking second place in the Men’s Physique Senior Tall division. In 2023, he finished just outside the medal positions with a fourth-place showing.

    In an official statement announcing Charles’ participation, the Saint Lucia Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (SLABBFA) confirmed that he will be the only athlete from Saint Lucia competing across all divisions at the Barbados-hosted tournament. The association noted that the event, which gathers top-ranked physique and fitness athletes from across the Caribbean and beyond, fills a critical role in regional sports development: it gives emerging and established local talent a space to measure their skill against high-level international competitors while earning valuable global exposure for their work.

    SLABBFA president Eugene Gabriel emphasized that Charles’ invitation to compete at the prestigious tournament signals a positive shift in the standard of bodybuilding and fitness training across Saint Lucia. Gabriel framed the opportunity as more than just a single athlete’s participation in a major event, noting that it stands as proof of the relentless work ethic and commitment that Saint Lucian athletes bring to their sport. “Kirby’s presence at the Roger Boyce Classic reinforces SLABBFA’s commitment to nurturing and showcasing Saint Lucian talent on an international platform,” Gabriel added.

  • The Bennett Extradition Case Just Hit a Major Reset

    The Bennett Extradition Case Just Hit a Major Reset

    One of Belize’s most closely followed legal disputes, the long-running extradition case of attorney Andrew Bennett, has entered a new phase following a landmark ruling from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) issued on May 15, 2026. The regional appellate court has ordered the matter back to Belize’s High Court for reconsideration after identifying a critical legal error in earlier lower court decisions.

    At the heart of the legal conflict is the question of whether WhatsApp messages allegedly tying Bennett to a U.S.-linked money laundering conspiracy can be used as admissible evidence in extradition proceedings. The messages, which prosecutors claim document direct communications between Bennett and an American undercover agent, had already been ruled inadmissible by lower courts, which found that using the private digital communications violated Bennett’s constitutional rights to privacy.

    However, the CCJ’s review uncovered a fundamental flaw in those earlier rulings: lower courts had based their decision on a piece of legislation that was not legally in effect at the time the messages were collected, nor when the initial judgements were issued. The law in question, Belize’s Interception of Communications Act, only came into force in November 2023, years after the relevant digital communications were obtained as part of the investigation into the alleged money laundering scheme.

    Instead of issuing a final ruling on the underlying constitutional question of whether admitting the messages would violate Bennett’s rights, the regional court opted to remand the entire matter back to the Belize High Court. CCJ judges explained that this step will give both the prosecution and the defense a full, fair opportunity to present their arguments on whether the use of the digital evidence clashes with broader constitutional privacy protections, rather than relying on an inapplicable statute.

    The court also emphasized that the case is far from a straightforward legal dispute, noting that it raises complex, evolving questions around digital privacy, modern communication technology, and the standards courts should apply when handling digital evidence in extradition proceedings. For now, the future of the high-profile extradition battle remains unresolved as it heads back to the lower court for a fresh review, continuing a years-long legal process that has drawn sustained public attention across Belize and the Caribbean region.