Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • Xi verlaat Washington na gesprekken met Trump: handelsstilstand verlengd, grote doorbraak blijft uit

    Xi verlaat Washington na gesprekken met Trump: handelsstilstand verlengd, grote doorbraak blijft uit

    On September 26, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up his three-day state visit to the United States, the first such high-level official trip to Washington by a Chinese head of state in more than a decade, marking a significant reset in high-level communication between the world’s two largest economies.

    The visit opened with a notably warm ceremonial welcome: U.S. President Donald Trump personally greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews on September 23, before overseeing a full program of official events that culminated in a formal state dinner at the White House East Room on September 24, attended by leading figures from U.S. technology and business sectors including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. The dinner gathering underscored the deep interconnected economic and technological ties between the two nations, even as the sector remains a core arena of strategic competition.

    Behind the ceremonial pageantry, negotiators from both sides tackled a sprawling agenda of longstanding frictions across trade, artificial intelligence, cross-Strait relations, and the Iran conflict. The most concrete, tangible outcome of the talks is a two-month extension of the existing bilateral trade truce, pushing the original expiration date of November 10 to January 10, 2027. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed that the two sides also reached preliminary agreement on components of goods trade, including agricultural products and medical equipment, with additional details to be released at a later date. The extension buys both sides extra time to negotiate a broader, long-term trade framework, and has averted an immediate escalation of the trade conflict for the foreseeable future, though major sticking points including U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, Chinese purchase commitments for U.S. products, Chinese rare earth export policies, and U.S. restrictions on advanced technology exports to China remain unresolved.

    In remarks delivered during the state dinner, Trump emphasized the long-standing personal relationship he has built with Xi since his first presidential term in 2016, noting that “President Xi and I both understand we represent different systems, but the people-to-people ties between our nations endure, and we have never gotten along better than we do right now.” He added that the two nations can continue to collaborate to advance shared economic prosperity and global security, striking a far warmer tone than the sharp rhetoric that has defined U.S.-China exchanges in recent years.

    For his part, Xi struck a similarly conciliatory note, framing the dual goals of the U.S. “Make America Great Again” agenda and China’s national renewal as mutually compatible goals that can reinforce one another. He called on both powers to build a new model of coexistence, stressing that healthy competition between the U.S. and China is acceptable, so long as it stays within clear bounds and does not escalate into open conflict.

    Artificial intelligence, a critical sector where both nations are global leaders locked in strategic competition for technological dominance, also featured prominently on the agenda. The two governments held discussions on frameworks to mitigate shared AI safety risks, but no major new agreements were reached on advanced chip access or AI technology export rules, leaving the sector as both a potential area for future collaboration and a core pillar of ongoing bilateral strategic competition.

    No fundamental breakthrough was achieved on the Taiwan issue, one of the most sensitive core disputes in bilateral ties. China reaffirmed its long-standing position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory and that foreign powers should not interfere in the issue, while Trump made no announcements of major changes to long-standing U.S. policy on the question, leaving it intact as one of the greatest potential sources of bilateral tension. The ongoing conflict around Iran also emerged as another key point of divergence, reflecting differing core national interests for both powers in the region. While the issue was raised during discussions, no major joint diplomatic initiatives were announced, with the meeting primarily focused on preventing disagreements over regional conflicts from further derailing broader bilateral relations.

    On the final day of the visit, Trump planned to accompany Xi to the U.S. National Archives in Washington, where the two leaders were set to review historical documents detailing the long history of U.S.-China relations before the official closing of the state visit.

    Overall, the Xi visit has reopened sustained high-level dialogue between the two powers, revived personal ties between the two leaders, extended the trade truce, and established a framework for continuing talks on economic and technological issues. However, it failed to resolve the core structural conflicts that have defined bilateral tensions in recent years: disagreements over Taiwan, advanced technology competition, rare earth trade, and the Iran conflict all remain outstanding, and the broader struggle for economic and technological influence between the two nations is unchanged. For now, the primary significance of the summit lies in its role in preventing further escalation of tensions and keeping channels of communication open. Whether the extended trade truce can be turned into a lasting broader agreement will become clear in the coming months, as both sides turn to the harder work of negotiating solutions to the long-standing disputes left unresolved during the historic visit.

  • Team Mohamed’s Facebook page reactivated

    Team Mohamed’s Facebook page reactivated

    In a development that has reshaped the political communications landscape in Guyana, the primary Facebook page that serves as the central digital hub for the country’s main opposition bloc We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) has been restored and is once again accessible to its more than 500,000 followers. The page, officially branded as Team Mohameds, belongs to opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed, who has been locked in a high-profile dispute over the page’s disappearance earlier this month.

    The controversy dates back to September 3, 2026, when Mohamed was detained at Guyana’s Leonora Police Station, and law enforcement officials seized multiple mobile devices and a personal laptop from him. Shortly after this police interaction, the key opposition Facebook page went offline. Mohamed quickly placed blame on the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC), claiming the governing party orchestrated the page’s removal to silence his political voice ahead of ongoing political mobilization efforts. As of Friday, neither the Guyana Police Force nor the PPPC-led government has issued any formal confirmation or denial of Mohamed’s allegations.

    According to earlier statements from the opposition leader to Demerara Waves Online News, he spent weeks in direct communication with Meta, the parent company of Facebook, working to regain access to the platform that has functioned as a critical organizing and outreach tool for WIN since last year’s general and regional elections. The page has been particularly instrumental for Mohamed, who has used it repeatedly to publish a series of serious corruption allegations against sitting President Irfaan Ali and several top PPPC government ministers. All named officials have publicly and uniformly denied every claim leveled against them via the page.

    In an update shared earlier this month, Mohamed confirmed that law enforcement had ultimately returned all of the seized electronic devices that were taken as part of a separate criminal probe. That investigation centers on claims that Mohamed and a second man operated an unauthorized drone over President Ali’s private residential property in Leonora, located on Guyana’s West Coast Demerara. The second individual involved in the case, a contract videographer, has already been formally charged with multiple violations of Guyana’s Civil Aviation Act, and law enforcement has retained two drones seized from him as evidence in the ongoing case.

  • CARICOM Urges Caribbean Countries to Prepare for Next Pandemic

    CARICOM Urges Caribbean Countries to Prepare for Next Pandemic

    At a high-level United Nations General Assembly meeting focused on global pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response held on September 25, 2026, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has issued a urgent call for Caribbean nations to prioritize strengthening their systems to confront the next inevitable pandemic.

    Delivering the bloc’s official address on behalf of all CARICOM members, Haiti outlined the unique structural vulnerabilities that put the Caribbean region at disproportionate risk during global health emergencies. The region’s geography creates inherently porous borders that are difficult to fully monitor, while its economy is heavily reliant on tourism and international travel — two sectors that accelerate the cross-border spread of contagious pathogens. Compounding these challenges, Caribbean nations operate with constrained public health budgets and limited specialized infrastructure, factors that can amplify the death and economic toll of future outbreaks when compared to more resourced regions.

    Central to CARICOM’s appeal is the demand for expanded early capacity across the bloc. The statement emphasized that regional health systems need targeted investment to boost prevention protocols and early detection capabilities, critical steps to stop emerging health threats from escalating into full-scale pandemics. “We need to beef up our capacity for prevention and for early detection of health threats,” Haiti stated in the official address.

    The call from CARICOM aligns with broader warnings from global health leaders gathered at the UN meeting, where delegates gathered to review hard-won lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and coordinate global action to close gaps in preparedness.

    Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, a veteran global health policy leader, told the gathering that the world currently falls drastically short of the annual $15 billion in international financing that experts identify as necessary to close the global pandemic preparedness gap. Clark stressed that predictable, pre-allocated funding is non-negotiable to enable rapid deployment of resources when an outbreak first emerges. “Emergencies should trigger reliable pre-announced funding, not scramble for dollars,” she told attendees, framing consistent financing as a core component of effective global response.

    World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus echoed the urgency of the moment, referencing the COVID-19 pandemic as a clear warning of the world’s systemic underpreparedness for major transboundary health crises. He reiterated that the emergence of another pandemic is not a question of if, but when, and pressed all member nations to speed up and finalize negotiations on the global WHO Pandemic Agreement, a landmark framework designed to coordinate international action and strengthen collective defenses against future outbreaks.

    The meeting comes as global public health communities work to turn lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic into actionable policy, with vulnerable regions like the Caribbean pushing for greater recognition of their unique needs in global preparedness frameworks.

  • Saint Lucia coach, captain relishing Barbados Nations League clash

    Saint Lucia coach, captain relishing Barbados Nations League clash

    As kickoff approaches for Saint Lucia’s opening Concacaf Nations League fixture against Barbados at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground on Friday night, newly appointed men’s national team head coach Rajesh Latchoo has expressed excitement for the matchup and praise for his squad, particularly the leadership shown by the team’s veteran core.

    Speaking with St Lucia Times on Thursday, Latchoo noted that despite only holding three official training sessions with the squad ahead of the game, the intense collaboration between players and coaching staff has made the transition feel far smoother than the short timeline suggests. “It feels like I’ve already been here for a month, not just a few days of training,” he explained. “That connection comes from all the open conversations we’ve had, the questions players have asked, the feedback they’ve shared, and the ideas they’ve brought forward. At the end of the day, players are the ones who own the game on the pitch.”

    Under Latchoo’s new framework, senior players are empowered to make in-match decisions, with the coaching staff focusing on aligning the entire squad around a shared strategy rather than dictating every move. The coach emphasized that the veteran experience of long-tenured squad members is the team’s greatest asset, one that should never be underestimated.

    Latchoo rejected the idea of forcing a rigid pre-determined playing style, instead stating that his game plan will always center on leveraging the existing strengths of his roster. He argued that the current squad is well-balanced across every position, with special depth in attacking play.

    “I’ve been incredibly impressed by the squad’s finishing ability — we have legitimate goalscorers across the front line, and that’s a strength we’re going to play to,” Latchoo said. He added that the defensive line and goalkeeper unit boast strong veteran leadership, the wide positions are filled with athletic, dynamic players, and the midfield and attacking slots mix seasoned experience with promising young talent. “Even our newer young players know exactly what to do when they get a chance in front of goal,” he noted.

    The current squad includes the top two marksmen from the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League: Yanic Noel and Garvin Reggie, with Reggie earning his first ever call-up to the senior national side. The roster also features attacking standout Caniggia Elva, who notched a brace against Barbados in the teams’ previous encounter.

    Leading the squad out on Friday will be returning captain Terell Thomas, a 30-year-old central defender who most recently plied his trade with England’s Carlisle United. Thomas has given a positive assessment of the new coaching staff’s early work, saying he has been impressed by Latchoo’s approach in his short tenure.

    “What stands out immediately is how observant he is, and how clearly he communicates what he sees and how we can improve in different game situations,” Thomas explained. “He’s kept everything very simple, which is exactly what you need when you have such a short window to prepare. If you try to overload players with too much new information and complex philosophies right away, it just doesn’t work.”

    Thomas added that Latchoo’s trust in the squad has had a unifying effect: “He told us straight out, ‘Every single one of you here is a good player — you know how to play this game.’ He’s given us the confidence to make the right calls on the pitch, and that simplicity has really helped the group gel quickly.”

    A key rule change from FIFA has also reshaped this international match window, expanding it from one week to two weeks to allow four Concacaf Nations League fixtures to be completed within a single break. Thomas welcomed the adjustment, noting that the extra time allows for far more tactical continuity, even if it brings new physical demands.

    “Having more time together on the training pitch means we can work through kinks and get our game plan locked in far better than we could in a shorter window,” he said. “That said, four games in 14 days puts a lot of strain on players’ bodies, so recovery is going to be absolutely critical this window. There are both upsides and challenges to the new format.”

    Thomas also pointed out that the extended break is particularly beneficial for the new coaching regime, giving Latchoo more time to implement his vision and build rapport with the squad. After Friday’s opener against Barbados and a second home fixture on Monday, the side will travel to Barbados to face Guadeloupe in two further matches next week.

    For his part, Latchoo says he is just glad to have the chance to compete at this level in the Caribbean. “This is what football is all about,” he said. “I’m so happy that we get to compete against other teams in the region, push each other, and all get better as a result.”

  • Venezuela declares Persad-Bissessar persona grata as leaders agree to deepen ties

    Venezuela declares Persad-Bissessar persona grata as leaders agree to deepen ties

    A landmark diplomatic shift has reopened positive engagement between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago, after Venezuela reversed its classification of Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, formally declaring her a welcome persona grata on the heels of a high-level meeting with acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez this week in New York.

    The talks unfolded at Venezuela’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, held on the margins of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, marking the most significant step forward in warming frosty bilateral ties in recent years. In a joint communique released immediately after the discussion, the two leaders framed the encounter as the opening chapter of a completely renewed relationship between their nations.

    Both sides moved quickly to build on this breakthrough, reaffirming the deep, centuries-long shared historical bonds that link the Caribbean and South American neighbors. They also signed off on an ambitious agenda to expand collaborative work across a wide range of mutually beneficial sectors, including cross-border trade, energy development, national security coordination, disaster risk reduction, climate and environmental protection, agricultural development, tourism promotion, expanded air travel links, and cultural exchange.

    In a gesture of gratitude, Rodríguez extended formal thanks to the government and people of Trinidad and Tobago for the rapid solidarity they extended to Venezuela following the devastating 24 June earthquake series that struck the country earlier this year. To ensure ongoing high-level dialogue keeps the reconciliation process on track, the two leaders have committed to reciprocal official visits in the coming months, with Persad-Bissessar set to travel to Caracas and Rodríguez to Port-of-Spain.

    The official joint statement explicitly confirmed that Venezuela has formally reversed its prior status designation, making clear that Persad-Bissessar is fully welcome within Venezuelan territory. Regional political analysts have broadly welcomed the development as a major step forward for bilateral cooperation. Dr. Winford James, a leading Caribbean political analyst, characterized the joint communique as a constructive, goodwill-driven document that signals clear enthusiasm from both governments to reset their previously strained relationship.

    Fellow analyst Shane Mohammed echoed that assessment, noting that the high-profile New York meeting builds on steady momentum toward full diplomatic repair. He emphasized that the sit-down highlights Persad-Bissessar’s deliberate focus on advancing policy priorities that deliver shared benefits to both nations. Mohammed added that the formal reclassification of Persad-Bissessar as persona grata is far more than a symbolic gesture: it underscores the substantive breakthrough achieved in the meeting, and has lifted expectations for concrete, tangible progress on cooperative initiatives in the months ahead.

  • Nine years later, DPP drops obstruction charge against UWP Leader Thomson Fontaine

    Nine years later, DPP drops obstruction charge against UWP Leader Thomson Fontaine

    After more than eight years of legal wrangling, a high-profile criminal case stemming from a 2017 opposition rally in Dominica’s capital Roseau has officially drawn to a close, with the country’s top public prosecutor discontinuing an obstruction charge against United Workers’ Party (UWP) leader Dr. Thomson Fontaine.

    The case traces back to a February 7, 2017 opposition-organized “Day of the People” gathering held on Upper Kennedy Avenue. Following the conclusion of the meeting, authorities brought charges against Fontaine connected to a truck registered as TB 859 parked near the Roseau Financial Centre. Prosecutors alleged that Fontaine repeatedly ignored police orders to allow the vehicle to move west, claiming he intentionally blocked law enforcement officers from carrying out their official duties.

    In a public statement released this week, Fontaine confirmed that Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Sherma Dalrymple has moved to end all proceedings against him, exercising authority granted under Section 72(c) of the Commonwealth of Dominica Constitution. Fontaine has never wavered in his assertion of innocence throughout the entire legal process, and he has long argued that the charges against him were nothing more than a politically motivated effort to target the opposition, rather than a legitimate pursuit of justice. Had he been convicted on the obstruction charge, he faced the possibility of a prison sentence.

    In recounting his years-long legal ordeal, Fontaine detailed repeated disruptions to his life and career. For much of the duration of the case, he held a senior leadership role as head of strategy at the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission in Juba, South Sudan, a body tasked with overseeing the implementation of the country’s fragile peace agreement. Despite living and working thousands of miles from Dominica, Fontaine was required to make 22 separate trips back to the island for mandatory court appearances. He noted that many of these appearances were scheduled on extremely short notice, forcing him to purchase last-minute plane tickets that cost between $5,000 and $7,000 per one-way trip — the equivalent of 13,500 to 18,900 Eastern Caribbean dollars. On many occasions, after traveling thousands of miles, his hearing would simply be adjourned for a later date, he added. Fontaine also claimed he was arrested three times by authorities, spent a total of three days in police custody, and was pursued by officers in military-style gear “like a common criminal.”

    Beyond the personal financial toll, Fontaine has raised questions about the unnecessary public cost of the prosecution. He claims officials brought three senior legal lawyers from Trinidad and Tobago to handle the low-level obstruction case, despite the matter being fully capable of being managed by local legal professionals. No official total of the public funds spent on the prosecution has been released to date.

    To date, the DPP’s discontinuance notice does not provide any official explanation for the decision to drop the charges, nor does it address Fontaine’s allegations of political motivation or excessive public spending. The conclusion of the case brings an end to one of the longest-running legal disputes between Dominica’s opposition and ruling administration in recent years, though the claims of political targeting remain unaddressed by official bodies.

  • Pete Russell steps down as CPL CEO

    Pete Russell steps down as CPL CEO

    After steering the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) through more than a decade of unprecedented growth and transformation, Chief Executive Officer Pete Russell has announced he will step down from his post following the conclusion of the 2026 tournament.

    Russell has been a core member of the CPL organization since the league was first founded, contributing to every stage of its evolution from a nascent regional competition to a globally recognized cricket franchise. In a transitional arrangement, he will continue to fulfill his CEO duties until a permanent successor is named, and will remain engaged to support the CPL board and executive leadership team through the leadership handover.

    Looking back on his tenure, Russell expressed deep pride in how far the league has come, and its far-reaching impact across the Caribbean region. “I am incredibly proud of CPL’s growth and international standing,” he said. “I believe its greatest achievement is in bringing fans back to cricket across the Caribbean and providing a platform for generations of young West Indian players to showcase their talent, express themselves on a global stage and pursue their cricketing dreams.”

    Russell emphasized that the CPL has succeeded in rekindling widespread passion for cricket across the region, turning match days into sold-out, high-energy celebrations that have created lasting memories for fans at home and around the globe. He extended gratitude to the full ecosystem of stakeholders that have supported the league, including supporters, players, franchise owners, corporate sponsors, broadcast partners, Caribbean regional governments and the in-house CPL team. “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to be part of this journey,” he added.

    Russell’s journey with the CPL began long before his promotion to the top executive role. For the first eight years of the league’s existence, he served as Chief Operating Officer, where he oversaw all day-to-day tournament operations and laid the operational groundwork for sustainable expansion. He stepped into the CEO role in June 2021, and under his leadership, the league has expanded its footprint across key global markets, secured landmark broadcast distribution deals, forged high-value commercial partnerships, and built collaborative, productive relationships with governments across every Caribbean territory.

    In recent years, Russell oversaw an ambitious period of diversification for the CPL Group, moving the organization beyond core cricket tournament operations. Under his direction, the league expanded from six to seven franchise teams, launched an in-house entertainment production arm named Live and Louder Productions, rolled out a dedicated standalone streaming platform for global fans, and built out a scaled, diversified events business that extends the group’s impact beyond annual CPL match weeks.

  • Category 5 Hurricane Polo Barrels Toward Mexico’s Baja Peninsula

    Category 5 Hurricane Polo Barrels Toward Mexico’s Baja Peninsula

    A powerful Category 5 hurricane is posing imminent danger to northwestern Mexico and potentially the southwestern United States, as forecasters confirm Hurricane Polo has regained its maximum strength off Mexico’s Pacific coastline and is on a direct path toward Baja California Sur.

    As of the latest update from the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) on September 25, 2026, the massive storm is positioned approximately 280 miles southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. Right now, Polo is carrying maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour, a threshold that puts it firmly in the highest tier of hurricane intensity on the Saffir-Simpson scale. At present, the system is moving west at roughly 12 miles per hour, pulling it temporarily away from Mexico’s mainland southwestern coast—but this trajectory is not expected to hold long, according to forecasters.

    Meteorologists have mapped out a clear shifting track for the storm over the coming days. They project that Polo will curve northwest by Saturday, shift to a northerly direction by Sunday, and finally make a turn toward the northeast on Monday. This path will bring the storm directly into contact with Baja California Sur, before it pushes further inland onto mainland Mexico.

    Hazardous impacts from the storm have already begun to reach coastal areas. Dangerous swells generated by Polo are currently battering southwestern Mexico’s shoreline, and these rough conditions are expected to spread northward along west-central Mexico’s coast and toward Baja California Sur through the end of the weekend. The NHC has issued urgent warnings that these building swells bring life-threatening risks including powerful rip currents, destructive high surf, and widespread coastal flooding that can put lives and property in danger.

    While some weakening is forecast in the near term, the threat will not dissipate entirely when the storm loses intensity. Meteorologists project that Polo will begin to gradually lose strength starting Saturday, after potential small fluctuations in intensity over the next 48 hours. Even as the storm system weakens, however, its vast plume of tropical moisture is expected to trigger extreme weather hundreds of miles from Polo’s core track. The NHC notes that remnant moisture from the hurricane may indirectly generate heavy downpours and dangerous flash flooding that extends all the way into the southwestern United States, putting communities across that region on high alert.

  • Former New Zealand international helps HPC spinners

    Former New Zealand international helps HPC spinners

    On a bright Friday in Saint Lucia, a week-long specialized spin bowling camp led by former New Zealand international cricketer Paul “Wiz” Wiseman drew to a close, bringing valuable elite-level expertise to emerging spin talents from two key local programs: the Saint Lucia Cricket High Performance Centre (SLCHPC) and the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association’s youth development pipeline.

    Wiseman brings a wealth of top-tier experience to this developmental initiative, having built a distinguished 17-year professional playing career. Across 73 international appearances for New Zealand’s Black Caps, including 25 Test matches, he claimed 73 international wickets with his sharp right-arm off-break deliveries. His consistent success at the domestic first-class level further cements his credentials, with 466 wickets taken from 186 first-class outings.

    This camp marks the latest targeted investment by SLCHPC and Saint Lucia’s national cricket federation to elevate the skill sets of the island’s next generation of cricketers, with the long-term goal of preparing young athletes to compete at regional-level tournaments. The high performance centre already has a strong foundation for bowling development, employing former Windward Islands specialist spinner Larry Edward in the full-time role of assistant bowling coach.

    During his time working with the young bowlers, Wiseman highlighted unique advantages Saint Lucia possesses for nurturing spin talent, pointing to the nature of local playing surfaces that naturally favor spin bowling. “If you look at modern Test cricket, we are seeing increasingly extreme pitch variations, and that includes a growing number of spin-friendly wickets,” Wiseman explained. “That means developing new spin talent here is critical to taking advantage of these local conditions, which makes this work a huge priority. Beyond Test cricket, spin bowling has been a consistently successful weapon in the Caribbean Premier League’s T20 competitions for years, so it is already a hugely important component of competitive cricket across the West Indies.”

    This is not Wiseman’s first foray into developmental coaching: he has previously helped cultivate emerging spin bowlers for both New Zealand’s men’s Black Caps and women’s White Ferns national programs. In Saint Lucia, he said he was immediately struck by the depth of raw and refined talent across the group of camp participants. He emphasized that he jumped at the chance to share decades of on-field insight and pass along actionable tips to help these young bowlers sharpen their craft.

    “We got the chance to evaluate talent from both inside the High Performance Centre and the broader local cricket community, and the depth of skill here is really impressive,” Wiseman noted. “There is incredible raw talent alongside more developed, refined players, and I thoroughly enjoyed working with every single one of them. My hope is that the insights we shared this week will add real long-term value to their development as players.”

    Working in lockstep with assistant coach Edward and SLCHPC head coach John Eugene, Wiseman structured the week around personalized one-on-one coaching sessions, most of which took place in the practice nets at Saint Lucia’s iconic Mindoo Phillip Park. He also worked closely with the local coaching staff to align training with the centre’s long-term development frameworks. To cap off the week, the most senior bowlers who participated in the camp got the chance to test their new skills in a practical exhibition, squaring off against batters from the professional Windward Islands Volcanoes side on Friday.

  • Umpa wins inaugural Dennery Segment Artiste of the Year

    Umpa wins inaugural Dennery Segment Artiste of the Year

    A new milestone has been reached for Saint Lucian music and the growing Dennery Segment genre, as homegrown talent Brendon “Umpa” Charlery has taken home the inaugural Dennery Segment Artiste of the Year award at the 2025 Caribbean Music Awards.

    Umpa beat out five other high-profile regional nominees to claim the historic prize — fellow contenders included Blackboy, DJ ASAP, Mighty, Nerdy, and the duo Dezral & Jardel. Beyond his winning category, the artist also earned double additional nominations for the evening, scoring nods in the hotly contested Dennery Segment Song of the Year and Fuzion Artiste of the Year categories.

    The awards ceremony was hosted last Saturday in Port of Spain, Trinidad, but the winners of the dedicated Dennery Segment categories were not revealed until several days after the main event. In a surprising twist, Umpa had already returned to his home country of Saint Lucia when the announcement went public, and he received the life-changing news in an unexpectedly casual setting.

    “I was actually at a river lime enjoying a one-pot, when Elmo the producer called me to give me the news,” Umpa shared in an exclusive interview with the St. Lucia Times this week. The artist said he was overcome with joy at the announcement, emphasizing that the award carries meaning far beyond his personal career.

    “ It really means a lot seeing that this is the highest award for Caribbean music and it shows how far Dennery Segment has come and the world is taking notice,” he explained. “This win was not just for myself, it is for the entire genre and for all of Saint Lucia.”

    The win comes on the heels of another major career milestone for Umpa earlier this year, when Billboard named him one of the top 10 Caribbean artistes to watch in 2025. A prolific and widely traveled performer within the Dennery Segment scene, Umpa has built a loyal global fanbase thanks to a string of breakout hits including fan favorites *Pain Killer*, *One Drop*, and *Plat*. The self-titled “Lucian Shakespeare” credits consistent hard work and relentless dedication to craft as the driving forces behind his rapid rise.

    “If you put in the hard work and keep trying to be better at what you do, you will reap the rewards,” he said. His historic win marks a turning point for Dennery Segment, bringing the unique Caribbean genre to increased global attention and opening new doors for emerging talent from Saint Lucia moving forward.