Carib Scope

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  • Local and Caribbean Bishops Conclude Rome Pilgrimage and Annual Plenary Meeting

    Local and Caribbean Bishops Conclude Rome Pilgrimage and Annual Plenary Meeting

    Bishops from across the Caribbean region, members of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC), have wrapped up a pivotal 14-day pilgrimage to Rome that merged a mandatory Vatican visit with the organization’s annual governing gathering. Held between April 27 and May 8, the multi-faceted trip brought regional church leaders together for three core objectives: formal meetings with top Holy See officials, collective spiritual renewal, and collaborative conversations about the future trajectory of the Catholic Church across the Caribbean.

    The first five days of the visit, the official Ad Limina Apostolorum, were dedicated to structured engagements with Vatican leadership. During this period, the AEC delegation held an audience with the Holy Father, alongside working sessions with leaders of more than a dozen key Vatican departments and administrative bodies. These discussions covered a wide range of critical church priorities, from clergy formation and educational policy to doctrinal guidance, family ministry, liturgical practice, global human development initiatives, and ecumenical efforts to advance Christian unity. The bishops also met with leadership of two high-priority Vatican bodies: the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, in addition to holding talks with the Vatican Secretariat of State.

    In an official statement released following the pilgrimage, the AEC highlighted the papal audience as the centerpiece of the entire trip. The conference described the encounter as “profoundly enriching, encouraging, and deeply pastoral,” noting that the meeting strengthened the hierarchical communion between the Caribbean bishops and the Successor of St. Peter. It also reaffirmed the bishops’ shared commitment to expanding evangelization work across every island and community in the Caribbean region.

    Beyond formal diplomatic and administrative meetings, the pilgrimage included extensive spiritual elements. The bishops celebrated Mass at each of Rome’s four historic Major Papal Basilicas, among them the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome and the official seat of the papacy, and the Basilica of St. Mary Major. At St. Mary Major, the group gathered in prayer at the tomb of the late Pope Francis, while at the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul they participated in a formal ritual to renew their individual and collective vows to apostolic ministry.

    The second week of the pilgrimage shifted focus from Vatican engagements to internal formation and AEC business. Ahead of the Annual Plenary Meeting, bishops joined a specialized workshop on synodal leadership facilitated by Fr. David McCallum, SJ, a guided spiritual retreat directed by Sr. Julie Peters, SSM, and an additional group pilgrimage to the Italian town of Assisi, closely associated with St. Francis of Assisi. Following these formative activities, the bishops convened the official business sessions of the AEC’s annual plenary to conclude the trip.

  • Lu City urges more cultural funding after Jazz Festival performance

    Lu City urges more cultural funding after Jazz Festival performance

    Fresh off an electrifying headline set that captivated crowds on the main stage of World Beats at the 2025 Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival, held at Pigeon Island National Landmark on May 9, one of the Caribbean nation’s most acclaimed musical acts, Lu City, is turning the spotlight from performance to advocacy. The duo, composed of members Ryie and Luja, is using their newly amplified platform to push for systemic changes that support the next generation of Saint Lucian creative talent, drawing from their own years of struggle to break into the global music industry.

    In a media interview immediately following their high-energy performance, the pair stressed that they are determined to ensure emerging local artists do not have to navigate the same barriers that blocked their path early in their careers. Ryie and Luja argued that island leaders and industry influencers must adopt intentional, proactive strategies to build an ecosystem where creative entrepreneurs can grow sustainably, rather than leaving young talent to fend for themselves.

    Outlining their key priorities for reform, Ryie pointed to three critical gaps in the current support system: expanded access to professional recording space, targeted public funding for creative projects, and comprehensive music education programs in local schools. He emphasized that meaningful, sustained music education, rather than superficial offerings, is foundational to nurturing young talent from an early age.

    Luja expanded on this vision, noting that Saint Lucia already has all the raw ingredients for a thriving local music scene: skilled young artists, talented audio engineers, and innovative producers who are already pushing creative boundaries and producing world-class work. “The youth today are making incredible beats and getting better by the day,” he explained. “What we lack is a dedicated space where they can gather, collaborate, create, and learn from one another. We need a purpose-built music hub for young creators, and we need organized training camps to help them hone their craft. It’s time to get serious about investing in our creative future.”

    Notably, Lu City is not merely calling on public and private stakeholders to act—they are ready to contribute their own time, expertise, and influence to turn this vision into reality. Luja made clear the duo is open to partnership with any willing party: “We’re ready to move this work to the next level. Any organization or leader that wants to help build this ecosystem, we’re ready to sit down and make it happen together.”

  • Health minister announces expansion in nurse training, specialisations

    Health minister announces expansion in nurse training, specialisations

    On the annual observation of International Nurses Day, the Government of Barbados has delivered a heartfelt public tribute to the nation’s nursing workforce, framing them as the very “heartbeat” of the country’s public health system while making a formal reaffirmation of its long-term commitment to growing and supporting the profession for future generations.

    This year’s global observance carries the theme *Our Nurses. Our Future: Empowered Nurses Save Lives*, a framing that Barbados’ Minister of Health, Senator Lisa Cummins, centered in her official message celebrating the work of nurses across the country. In her remarks, Cummins highlighted four core traits that define the nation’s nurses: extraordinary compassion, remarkable resilience, unwavering professionalism, and consistent dedication to serving communities at their most vulnerable moments.

    Beyond recognizing the clinical skill that nurses bring to patient care, Cummins emphasized the often-overlooked human impact of nursing work, noting that providers bring critical hope and connection to both patients and their families during some of life’s hardest moments. “Your service is not simply a profession; it is a calling rooted in care, sacrifice and deep compassion for others,” she said in her address.

    In the full statement released to the public, Cummins opened by urging all Barbadians to pause and reflect on the outsized impact of the country’s nursing community. “On International Nurses Day, we pause with immense pride and gratitude to honour the extraordinary nurses of Barbados, whose compassion, resilience, and unwavering dedication continue to strengthen our healthcare system and uplift the lives of countless individuals and families across our nation,” the statement reads.

    Aligning with the global theme, the minister stressed that celebration extends far beyond clinical skill, to the comfort and humanity nurses deliver to patients every day. “Nurses are often present during life’s most vulnerable moments, offering healing hands, reassuring words, and steadfast support when it is needed most,” she added.

    Cummins also used the address to extend special recognition to a cohort of nurses who have traveled from Ghana to support Barbados’ healthcare sector at a time of significant strain. She noted that their willingness to collaborate and serve alongside local nursing staff is a powerful example of international solidarity and the shared commitment that unites the global nursing community. “We honour you for your service and your commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of our people,” she said of the Ghanaian nursing team.

    As Barbados confronts a growing array of complex public health challenges—including rising rates of non-communicable diseases, growing demand for mental health services, the re-emergence of treatable communicable diseases, and shifting care needs driven by an aging national population—nurses remain the core of the country’s public health response, Cummins confirmed. The government, she added, has fully acknowledged the irreplaceable role nurses play, and has committed to investing in and supporting the profession at every career stage.

    To deliver on that commitment, the government will continue rolling out a comprehensive workforce development policy designed to expand the number of trained nursing professionals across the country, with a specific focus on growing the ranks of nurse practitioners, a fast-expanding specialty that fills critical gaps in care access. “We firmly believe that empowering nurses through advanced education, specialist training, and leadership opportunities is essential to building a stronger, more responsive healthcare system,” the statement explains.

    This year marks a notable milestone for nursing training in Barbados, with the launch of all-new specialized nursing education tracks focused on two high-need areas: forensic mental health and developmental disorders. These new programs, Cummins noted, are a tangible demonstration of the government’s commitment to adapting national healthcare to meet the evolving and diverse needs of Barbadian communities, while also creating new pathways for upward professional growth for current and aspiring nurses.

    Additionally, the government is actively building new international partnerships to expand and strengthen nursing education programming at the Barbados Community College. Through these partnerships, experienced nursing educators from around the world will be brought in to support and enhance local training programs.

    These coordinated efforts do more than address immediate local healthcare needs, Cummins argued: they position Barbados to become a regional center of excellence for nursing education and professional training across the Caribbean. Beyond improving regional healthcare capacity, the expanded programs will create new, meaningful career pathways for young Barbadians, with internationally recognized qualifications that open doors for professional mobility and advancement across the entire region.

    Nurses and midwives, the minister emphasized, remain at the center of the government’s vision for universal health coverage that guarantees equitable access to high-quality care for all Barbadians. True nurse empowerment, she argued, cannot be limited to a single day of annual observance. Instead, it must be embedded in every level of government action, investment, and policy. That means ensuring nurses receive the respect, fair compensation, workplace protections, and advancement opportunities they need to thrive both personally and professionally.

    “The Government of Barbados stands firmly beside our nurses and remains committed to strengthening nursing as a pillar of care, dignity, resilience, and national development,” the statement concludes. “Barbados takes immense pride in its nurses, whose service exemplifies courage, professionalism, leadership, and an enduring legacy of care. On this International Nurses Day, we celebrate you, we honour you, and we reaffirm our commitment to walking this journey with you as partners in building a healthier and more compassionate future for all Barbadians. Happy International Nurses Day.”

  • Minister Visits Scene of Fatal Road Accident Involving NSWMA Worker

    Minister Visits Scene of Fatal Road Accident Involving NSWMA Worker

    A routine day of roadside maintenance turned into tragedy earlier this week, when a contracted beautification worker with Jamaica’s National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) was struck and killed by a vehicle while completing work duties along All Saints Road. In the wake of the fatal incident, Health Minister Michael Joseph – who oversees the NSWMA as part of his cabinet portfolio – traveled to the crash site on Tuesday morning to meet with those affected by the loss.

    During his visit, the minister sat down with grieving family members, close friends, and colleagues of the deceased worker, offering formal condolences and acknowledging the profound gap left by the worker’s sudden passing. The crash, which unfolded as the employee carried out regular roadside beautification tasks early Tuesday, has sparked renewed calls for safer driving practices around on-foot public work crews.

    Speaking from the site, Minister Joseph used the tragic moment to issue a urgent appeal to all motorists across the country: to slow down, stay alert, and exercise extreme caution when navigating past roadside work teams and public employees performing essential duties. He emphasized that this preventable death underscores how critical constant vigilance, patient driving, and basic respect for roadside workers are to protecting the lives of people who keep public infrastructure clean and functional. Investigations into the exact details and causes of the collision remain ongoing, with law enforcement authorities working to piece together the full circumstances of the incident.

  • June 1st is Coming, Are You Prepared?

    June 1st is Coming, Are You Prepared?

    With less than three weeks remaining before the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season officially kicks off on June 1, Belize is accelerating national readiness efforts to ensure the country can withstand and respond to potential storm threats. Government disaster management officials have moved to verify that all critical infrastructure, emergency stockpiles, and response systems are fully operational and positioned to protect communities across the nation.

    On Monday, Minister of Disaster Risk Management Henry Charles Usher held a high-stakes coordination meeting with the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) at the organization’s headquarters in Belmopan. During the working session, National Emergency Coordinator Daniel Mendez and NEMO’s team of technical specialists walked Minister Usher through every phase of ongoing preparedness work, from developing granular response strategies to outlining top operational priorities for the coming months.

    Three key actionable initiatives emerged from the meeting to strengthen national readiness. First, officials will conduct a full review and update of the official national hurricane shelter roster to ensure all locations are accounted for and accessible. Second, the Shelter Repair Committee will be convened imminently to carry out structural and functional assessments of all officially designated storm shelters. Third, district-level teams will deploy across the country to audit emergency equipment and stockpiles of critical supplies, filling any gaps identified before the season begins.

    As national-level preparations accelerate, disaster authorities are issuing a public call to action for all Belizean households: review your family emergency plans now and begin personal preparedness steps without delay. Early personal preparation can drastically reduce risk of injury, property loss, and disruption during a storm event.

    Meteorological officials have offered a mixed outlook for the 2026 season: the National Meteorological Service projects this year’s storm activity will likely land slightly below the historical average, driven by the anticipated formation of El Niño, a climate pattern triggered by abnormally warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. El Niño typically boosts wind shear across the Caribbean basin, a atmospheric condition that inhibits hurricane development and weakens existing storms.

    Even with this favorable projection, forecasters are stressing that complacency is a dangerous risk for the public. One powerful storm making landfall in Belize is enough to cause catastrophic damage to coastal communities, infrastructure, and livelihoods, they warn. Compounding this uncertainty, climate scientists are closely monitoring the possibility that a strong “Super El Niño” could develop this year. Such an event would increase the likelihood of extreme weather events across the globe and push global average temperatures to new record highs.

    In addition to hurricane preparedness, Belize is already grappling with a separate ongoing climate-driven coastal crisis: a massive, record-breaking influx of sargassum seaweed along its shorelines. The latest regional data shows the massive sargassum belt stretching across the Atlantic has hit an unprecedented all-time high of 40 million metric tons this season, placing ongoing strain on Belize’s coastal management resources.

  • ABWU Educates ABCAS Students on Workplace Rights Ahead of Internships

    ABWU Educates ABCAS Students on Workplace Rights Ahead of Internships

    As Antigua and Barbuda’s main labor organization continues to bridge the knowledge gap for young people entering the job market, graduating seniors at the Antigua & Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) gained hands-on, practical insight into employee protections and workplace entitlements this week.

    The interactive workshop, headed by Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) President Kem Riley, centered its discussion on Section C of the country’s official Labour Code. Over the session, attendees walked through a range of high-stakes, commonly misunderstood topics, from required employment paperwork and standard working hour regulations to overtime compensation, premium pay guarantees, paid sick leave entitlements, and the fundamental legal right to organize through a union.

    Tailored specifically for students who are gearing up to complete mandatory internships as a key requirement of their degree programs, the session was structured to encourage open dialogue around employer expectations and the legal safeguards that protect entry-level workers. Many young people transition into full or part-time employment and internships without a clear grasp of the rights guaranteed to them under local labor law, Riley explained, making this proactive education a core priority for the union’s youth outreach strategy.

    “This workshop series has been a staple of our work for several years running, and we view it as a central part of ABWU’s core mandate to educate the next generation of workers,” Riley shared in remarks during the event. “This kind of grassroots education is the foundation of our work to defend and expand the rights and benefits that all working people are entitled to.”

    Student feedback on the training was overwhelmingly positive, with many attendees highlighting that the session filled a critical gap in their academic preparation for the workforce. One final-year Public Administration student noted that the group had absorbed an enormous amount of actionable information in just a single session. Another student added that the presentation demystified the role of unions and workplace advocacy for early-career workers, a topic that rarely gets covered in standard college coursework.

    “ I now have a much clearer understanding of what it means to be part of a union, and how I can advocate for myself and stand up for my rights in the workplace,” the student said.

    As the cohort prepares to enter their internships and cross the graduation stage in the coming months, the ABWU closed the session by extending well wishes to all participating students, emphasizing that the union remains a resource for them as they begin their professional journeys.

  • Jamaica revving up helmet safety through stakeholder training

    Jamaica revving up helmet safety through stakeholder training

    Motorcycle safety across Jamaica has taken a major step forward, with a targeted stakeholder training session focused on blocking low-quality uncertified helmets from entering the country and equipping both industry workers and riders with the knowledge to identify safe protective gear.

    Hosted by the National Helmet Wearing Coalition (NHWC) at Kingston’s Police Officers’ Club, the session brought together 41 key actors across the helmet supply chain and regulatory ecosystem, including government regulators, law enforcement personnel, border control officials at ports, and helmet suppliers and distributors. All attendees hold critical roles in turning Jamaica’s new national helmet safety standards from written policy into tangible public protection.

    Sydoney Preddie, lead for youth and education at the JN Foundation – a core partner of the coalition – explained that capacity building across every level of the market is non-negotiable for successful implementation. Preddie emphasized that Jamaica’s ports of entry serve as the very first line of defense against substandard helmets, making training for port officials particularly urgent. “Our core goal is simple: guarantee that only quality, certified helmets pass through Jamaican ports and reach consumers,” she said.

    Per an official release from the JN Foundation, the training was structured to build hands-on technical capacity, walking attendees through what regulatory compliance looks like in real-world practice. The curriculum covered every key detail required for accurate safety assessments, from helmet construction and recognized certification markings to mandatory labelling standards and retention system design. These skills enable stakeholders to reject unsafe helmets before they are cleared for domestic sale or distribution.

    Leading expert presentations were delivered by three seasoned specialists: Dr. Terry Smith, lead scientist at safety firm Galeatus and a helmet expert consultant to the FIA Foundation; Dr. Wendell Richards, a member of the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA) Helmet Technical Committee; and Victor Anderson, Programmes Coordinator at the National Road Safety Council (NRSC).

    Dr. Smith, who supported the development of Jamaica’s new national helmet standard, used his session to underline the life-saving impact of certified helmets and the severe risks posed by untested, low-quality alternatives. “A certified helmet is not just an extra piece of gear for riders – it is a rigorously scientifically tested safety device engineered to absorb crash impact and shield the brain from catastrophic injury,” he noted. He added that peer-reviewed data consistently confirms that riders who wear helmets meeting international safety standards see a dramatic drop in their risk of death and severe head injury if involved in a collision. Dr. Smith’s participation in the initiative is supported by the global NHWC project, which assists countries around the world in strengthening their domestic helmet standards and increasing safe helmet use.

    Dr. Richards next outlined the NCRA’s enforcement strategy that will take effect once the national standard is fully implemented, with a sharp focus on monitoring imported helmets at border entry points. “Our port enforcement model is both risk-based and standards-driven,” Dr. Richards explained. “We will conduct mandatory pre-shipment inspections to ensure all imported helmets meet national standard requirements, including assessments of certification paperwork, product labeling and third-party test results. This system ensures non-compliant, unsafe helmets are stopped before they ever enter the domestic market.” Post-clearance surveillance of retail markets will complement these pre-shipment checks to catch any unsafe products that slip through, he added. Dr. Richards also noted that close ongoing coordination with the Jamaica Customs Agency and other border control agencies will be critical, particularly during the initial rollout phase of the new rules.

    Helmet suppliers and distributors were active participants in the training, using the forum to ask questions and seek clarification on inspection protocols, documentation requirements, certification criteria and compliance timelines. Multiple suppliers raised concerns about the potential financial impact of the new standard, specifically noting they face potential losses on inventory of uncertified helmets already held in stock once the regulation goes into full effect.

    Training organizers confirmed they have heard these concerns, noting that including suppliers in early stakeholder engagement was a deliberate choice. The process allows suppliers to clearly understand their regulatory responsibilities, while also creating transparency around enforcement plans and transition arrangements to minimize unnecessary disruption.

    For Preddie, regulating imported products is only half of the work: educating retailers and riders is equally important to driving long-term safety improvements. “We want every motorcyclist and their passenger to walk into a retail shop confident that they can tell the difference between a certified safe helmet and a substandard unsafe one,” she said. “Most importantly, we want them to understand that choosing a certified helmet drastically increases their chance of surviving a crash and walking away without life-altering head trauma.”

    To support consistent, long-term implementation of the new standard, the NHWC and its partner organizations have announced plans to roll out a broader structured training program. Additional sessions will be held in coming months to reach more stakeholders across every segment of the import, distribution, retail and enforcement chains, ensuring nationwide alignment on the new safety rules.

  • Health ministry launches citizens’ chapter and wait experience programme

    Health ministry launches citizens’ chapter and wait experience programme

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a landmark move to upgrade the island nation’s public healthcare infrastructure and rebuild public confidence, Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness has formally introduced two coordinated initiatives: the Citizens’ Charter and the Wait Experience Programme. Designed to embed consistent, people-first service standards across Jamaica’s entire public health network, the effort covers more than 300 community health centres and 24 state-run hospitals, representing a formal institutional commitment to raising care quality nationwide.

    The launch event, held May 13 at the Courtyard by Marriott in New Kingston, brought together health sector leaders to outline the initiative’s core structure. Speaking at the ceremony, Health Minister Christopher Tufton announced that the program includes the creation of a dedicated new internal unit focused exclusively on elevating the experience of patients and visitors accessing public health services.

    While customer service and patient-centered care principles have long been formalized in Jamaica’s public health system — including through existing patient charters outlining rights and responsibilities — Tufton explained that inconsistent implementation across facilities created gaps in care that eroded public trust over time. The new specialized unit is intended to standardize and enforce these standards uniformly at every level of the system.

    A central pillar of the Citizens’ Charter is clarifying the dual expectations for both patients and care providers. Tufton emphasized that patients must have a clear understanding of not only the rights they are entitled to when accessing care, but also their responsibility to treat healthcare workers with respect, noting that abuse of frontline personnel cannot be tolerated. At the same time, he stressed that compassionate care must begin from the moment a patient enters a facility, long before they reach a clinician for treatment: “therapy really should start at the gate, not right on the prescription pad,” he said.

    Currently, multiple channels exist for patients and their families to submit complaints and raise concerns, including on-site customer service representatives, facility supervisors, regional health authorities, and escalation pathways to the ministry’s corporate headquarters. However, Tufton acknowledged that these existing mechanisms have often failed to deliver timely, effective resolutions, creating a gap that the new department will fill by strengthening accountability and improving institutional responsiveness to public feedback.

    Tufton also contextualized the reform against a backdrop of growing demand for public health services. Data from the last full year shows the Jamaican public health system recorded nearly 3 million total patient visits, with more than 1.5 million visits at community health centres and roughly 1.3 million at public hospitals. Tufton framed these numbers as a win for the country’s long-standing focus on primary and preventive care: more Jamaicans are now seeking routine care at the community level, rather than delaying treatment until conditions become life-threatening emergencies.

    Even with the majority of patient interactions proceeding successfully, Tufton noted that a single negative experience can significantly damage widespread public confidence in the system. Dissatisfied patients often turn to traditional media or social platforms to share their grievances when they believe no adequate internal resolution process exists, he added. One of the new unit’s first priorities will be to educate the public on formal internal complaint channels, encouraging patients to pursue resolution through the system before escalating issues publicly to reverse negative public perception.

    Addressing the pervasive issue of wait times, a common pain point for patients globally, Tufton noted that some delays are inevitable in any large healthcare system. Instead of focusing solely on eliminating all waits, the new Wait Experience Programme targets improving how patients experience waiting periods through proactive communication, empathetic staff engagement, and timely status updates. He explained that patients waiting for care often face intense anxiety and fear, particularly when accompanying sick family members, noting “Every client that comes in is of the view that either them or the relative that they carry is on the verge of death.” This emotional context, he stressed, requires healthcare personnel to respond with consistent sensitivity and professionalism.

    The reform also recognizes that quality patient care depends on investing in the well-being of the workforce. Tufton argued that frontline healthcare workers can only deliver compassionate, high-quality service if they work in supportive environments. As part of the program, the ministry will prioritize upgrading workplace amenities this year, including improving staff lounges, rest areas, and other facilities across hospitals and health centres to reduce worker burnout and support well-being.

    Accountability will be a core guiding principle of the entire initiative, Tufton confirmed. The program will include unannounced facility inspections, regular structured performance assessments, and stronger enforcement actions for underperforming institutions and personnel. Ultimately, the reform’s overarching goal is to ensure that every Jamaican accessing public healthcare receives not just clinically effective treatment, but also psychological support and dignified care across every stage of their interaction with the system.

  • Gov’t to undertake $800 m greenhouse expansion

    Gov’t to undertake $800 m greenhouse expansion

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s national government has unveiled an $800 million initiative to build 95 climate-resilient greenhouses across four of the island’s parishes, with completion targeted for the end of 2026. The plan was announced by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green on Wednesday, May 13, during his 2026/2027 Sectoral Debate address to the country’s House of Representatives.

    Minister Green emphasized that protected agricultural infrastructure is a critical component of strengthening resilience for Jamaica’s farming sector, which is disproportionately exposed to the impacts of climate change. He framed the project as the largest single investment in protected agriculture structures in the nation’s history. The greenhouses will be distributed across strategic growing regions: 40 units will be constructed in Mocho, Clarendon; 20 in Water Valley, St Ann; 15 in Black Stone Edge, also in St Ann; 10 in Lancaster, Manchester; and the remaining 10 in Damhead, St Catherine.

    Beyond the new construction, the government also plans to redevelop the existing greenhouse cluster in Content, Manchester into a fully functional dedicated protected agricultural zone. The upgraded site will include new on-site storage facilities and an improved access farm road to support local producers.

    The project forms part of the broader $50-million US ADAPT Jamaica initiative, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). A key innovation of this program is that all new greenhouses will be engineered to withstand the force of Category Five hurricanes, a design tailored to Jamaica’s frequent exposure to extreme tropical weather events.

    “This is one of the defining features of the project,” Green told lawmakers. “We are designing greenhouses that fit our specific climate reality, and we will invest more than $1.5 billion over the next five years to roll out this resilient infrastructure across the island.”

    Over the five-year timeline of the GCF ADAPT Jamaica project, the overarching goal is to boost climate resilience for roughly 700,000 smallholder and vulnerable farmers across Jamaica’s central parishes, helping to protect food supplies and support livelihoods amid growing climate uncertainty.

  • JUTC loses $100 b in 10 years, says Phillips

    JUTC loses $100 b in 10 years, says Phillips

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a scathing critique delivered during Wednesday’s Sectoral Debate in Jamaica’s House of Representatives, opposition transport spokesperson Mikael Phillips has launched a blistering attack on the current administration’s stewardship of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), claiming that the state-owned public bus service is facing its gravest crisis since the agency’s launch nearly 30 years ago.

    Drawing on a stark medical metaphor to illustrate the severity of the transit agency’s troubles, Phillips compared the JUTC to a critical patient abandoned in a hospital’s emergency waiting area. “For a decade now, the JUTC has been languishing in the hospital’s accident and emergency department, left on a bench without even a bed,” he told lawmakers. He went on to criticize the government’s misaligned response to the crisis, adding, “They have called on a carpenter to examine the patient, when what is truly required is oxygen and a skilled physician to diagnose the ailment and prescribe a cure.”

    Founded in 1998 to provide affordable, reliable public transit across Jamaica’s main urban centers, the JUTC has steadily deteriorated under the current government’s watch, Phillips argued, reaching a nadir unseen in its 26-year operational history. The core of the crisis, he emphasized, is a crushing decade-long financial decline that has left the agency on the brink of collapse.

    According to figures presented by Phillips to the House, the state-run transit provider has accumulated cumulative losses exceeding 100 billion Jamaican dollars over the past ten years, a shortfall he attributes directly to government indifference. “This is a direct consequence of this Administration’s apathy that has left the company in this pathetic state,” he stated. Compounding the bleak financial picture, Phillips added that projections show the JUTC is on track to rack up an additional 14.8 billion Jamaican dollars in losses during the current fiscal year, deepening the agency’s ongoing financial crisis.