Carib Scope

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  • Legacy Isle returns for Reggae Trophy feature at Caymanas Park

    Legacy Isle returns for Reggae Trophy feature at Caymanas Park

    When the starting gates fly open at Caymanas Park tomorrow, the roar of the crowd won’t rise up for a maiden dash or a low-stakes claiming race. All the anticipation, all the buzz, is focused on one thing: the long-awaited comeback of one of Jamaica’s top thoroughbreds.

    At 5:00 p.m. local time, six elite sprinters will step into the starting blocks for the $1.75-million Reggae Trophy, a 1,000-meter (five furlong) straight dash that has become the most anticipated race of the current season. But for fans, trainers, and punters alike, every pair of eyes will be locked on a single horse: Legacy Isle.

    The two-time runner-up of the prestigious Mouttet Mile has not stepped onto a competitive track since December 27, 2025. On that final raceday of last year, Legacy Isle turned the 1,100-meter Christopher “Chris” Armond Sprint into a dominant solo performance, crossing the finish line 10 lengths clear of the field in a blistering time of 1:04.2 before jockey Raddesh Roman eased him up in the final strides. In the 126 days that have followed, the champion has stayed out of the public eye, with only quiet rumors from the stable and impressive morning workout sessions keeping fans on edge waiting for his return.

    Now, trainer Rohan Crichton is ready to send Legacy Isle back into the spotlight, and even the 1,000-meter straight course may not have enough space to contain the seasoned racehorse’s talent. Jockey Raddesh Roman, who will re-team with Legacy Isle for this comeback race, has a clear game plan: break clean out of the gate, settle into second position behind the early speed, and make his move when the moment is right. That confidence is backed up by Legacy Isle’s most recent workout: on April 18, he galloped five furlongs in a sharp 59.0 seconds, with the first four furlongs completed in 46.0 seconds, a strong indicator of his race readiness.

    As a top-tier Mouttet Mile contender dropping down to a sprint distance, Legacy Isle has a massive class advantage over the rest of the field — a gap so wide it can only be described as a canyon. But as any racing fan knows, races are not won on paper, and each of his five competitors has their own plans to upset the favorite.

    Drawing the inside starting position is Pack Plays, an American-bred horse who is coming back to his favored sprint trip after an unsuccessful experiment at 1,700 meters earlier this month, where he finished 22 lengths behind winner Rideallday. That failed distance test is now off the table, and trainer Ricardo Mathie is returning Pack Plays to what he does best: blazing fast early speed. A time of 1:06.4 for five and a half furlongs posted last August proves he belongs at this distance. Jockey Richie Shakes will send him hard out of the starting gate from the rail, and if he can grab an early lead of a length or two, the entire dynamic of the race will shift.

    Stalking both Legacy Isle and Pack Plays will be Money Market, a consistent six-year-old bay contender trained by Gary Subratie, a conditioner who never brings a horse to a stakes race unless he believes they can win. Money Market has not finished off the podium in any five-furlong race in over a year, including a victory posted in 57.2 seconds back in February. Jockey Emelio McLean plans to let the two leading speed horses wear each other out in the early stages before making his move for home. He is widely considered the biggest threat to Legacy Isle — if the long layoff leaves the favorite tired in the final 100 yards, Money Market is perfectly positioned to step in and take the trophy.

    Long shot fans should not count out Mighty Gully, a filly who just notched a win at this exact distance in a sharp 57.4 seconds. She carries almost 20 pounds less weight than Legacy Isle, a significant advantage in sprint racing. Trained by Robert Pearson, who has her in peak race condition, and ridden by tactician Tajay Suckoo who excels at rating late-closing horses, Mighty Gully could fly down the outside in the final strides if Pack Plays and Legacy Isle battle each other to exhaustion in the first half of the race.

    Another One, another horse that excels at the five-furlong straight, rounds out the mid-field, though trainer Anthony Nunes has acknowledged that stepping up to Graded Stakes company is a big step up in class for the runner. The final entrant, seven-year-old veteran Rainsville, is largely considered to be in the race only for appearance money, with his best racing days firmly behind him.

    When all the tactics, weight advantages, and past form lines are stripped away, this race remains Legacy Isle’s to lose. A two-time second-place finisher at the Mouttet Mile, he finished both runs behind all-time greats — but this time, there is no Rideallday or Funcaandun to beat him. All that stands between him and the trophy is 1,000 meters of straight Caymanas Park turf and five competitors just trying to keep pace in his slipstream. If Legacy Isle is even 90 percent fit, he will win. If he is at 100 percent, he will leave the rest of the field far behind in his dust. For most pundits, the Reggae Trophy is already Legacy Isle’s — the rest of the field is simply racing for second place.

    Beyond the featured Reggae Trophy, reporters have highlighted top contenders to watch across the rest of the day’s nine-race card: In Race 1, keep an eye on Wilson, Havajoy, and Sneaky Joe; Race 2 features top picks Another Mission, She’s Adorable, and Sweet Victory; Race 3’s runners to watch are Bowmore, Brompton Boy, and Hi Slew Squared; Race 4’s top contenders are Hazelt Nut, Lockdown, and Four Thirty; Prince Roy, Ability, and Awesome Anthony lead the field in Race 5; Wah A Gwaan, Hooray Henry, and Juventus One are the picks for Race 6; Alaeddin, Goodness Graceous, and Modern Monarch top Race 7; the featured 8th Race’s top three are Legacy Isle, Money Market, and Pack Plays; and Digital One, California Crown, and RicoRicoRico lead the way in the 9th and final race.

  • Senator urges mandatory bodycam policy for JCF

    Senator urges mandatory bodycam policy for JCF

    During Friday’s upper house Senate debate over amendments to Jamaica’s 2026 Cybercrimes Bill, opposition Senator Allan Bernard ignited a heated debate by calling for the creation of a national digital accountability framework that would mandate a statutory body-worn camera policy for the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

    Bernard tabled his proposal against a troubling backdrop: a sharp year-over-year surge in fatal police shootings across the island that has already spurred widespread demands from civil society organizations for mandatory camera use during high-risk specialized police operations. Data released by the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) underscores the scale of the trend: 115 people have been killed by Jamaican security forces in reported confrontations since the start of 2026, a 32% jump from the 87 fatalities recorded during the same period in 2025.

    While confirming the Opposition would support the updated Cybercrimes Bill, Bernard argued that any meaningful approach to national security must be rooted in constitutional protections. “Public safety must be rights-based safety, and digital accountability must apply not only to the governed but also to those who govern,” he told the chamber, pointing to the systemic lack of transparency around police actions including searches, seizures, arrests and the repeated extrajudicial killings that have plagued Jamaica’s security landscape.

    His proposal directly pushes back against recent comments from National Security and Peace Minister Dr. Horace Chang, who dismissed civil society calls for body-worn cameras as a “crazy idea” during an April 22 post-Cabinet media briefing. Chang has claimed that equipping officers with visible cameras during high-risk confrontations with armed criminals would unnecessarily put police at greater risk of being targeted. Bernard rejected this reasoning outright, calling out a fundamental contradiction at the heart of the government’s position.

    “The government comes to Parliament asking for more digital tools, stronger investigative powers, expanded criminal offenses, harsher penalties, and clearer search and seizure procedures under the Cybercrimes Act, yet it refuses to adopt one of the most basic digital accountability tools of modern policing: body-worn cameras,” Bernard argued. “The government wants cameras, court records, search powers, and electronic evidence when it pursues citizens, but when citizens ask for cameras to protect life, liberty and truth during police operations, we are told it is a crazy idea.”

    Bernard further highlighted the inconsistency by pointing to remarks from Science, Technology and Special Projects Minister Dr. Andrew Wheatley, who shepherded the bill through the House of Representatives. Wheatley emphasized that Clause 9 of the legislation requires the JCF Commissioner to develop a formal code of standard procedures for handling digital evidence to ensure effectiveness and integrity. Yet, Bernard noted, when it comes to evidence surrounding fatal police shootings, that same principle of integrity is treated as optional. “This contradiction borders on hypocrisy,” he said. “The government cannot say Jamaica needs a trusted digital society while resisting the very technologies that would help citizens trust the state.”

    Bernard extended his argument to align the push for body cameras with the core goals of the Cybercrimes Bill itself. “If the law criminalizes the nonconsensual publication of an intimate image because dignity matters, then surely the law can require recording of state encounters where life may be taken, because life matters even more,” he said. “If the law can impose up to 20 years in prison for cybercrimes against children, then surely the state must answer when minors are among those killed in police operations.”

    Before he could conclude his remarks, Senate President Tom Tavares-Finson interrupted Bernard, ordering him to stay on topic and adhere to the debate’s focus on the Cybercrimes Bill. Tavares-Finson noted that despite Bernard’s skillful framing of the issue, the debate was not the appropriate venue to advance policy on police body cameras. Undeterred, Bernard pushed back, noting that the core question of selective accountability is inherently tied to the legislation. After Bernard reiterated his call for a formal digital accountability framework and statutory body camera policy, Tavares-Finson again intervened, criticizing the senator for straying from the bill’s text despite acknowledging the strength of his presentation.

    Opposition Senator Lambert Brown stepped in to defend Bernard, noting that government senators had ample opportunity to respond to the arguments, but Tavares-Finson dismissed Brown’s intervention, citing Senate standing orders that require all contributions to remain relevant to the matter under debate. The Cybercrimes Act amendments were originally approved by the House of Representatives on February 3, and the ongoing upper house debate has evolved into a broader discussion of state accountability beyond cybercrime policy.

  • StGC is 2026 Best School Band

    StGC is 2026 Best School Band

    On April 26, the 13th edition of the Jamaica Best School Band (JBSB) competition wrapped up in dramatic fashion at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in St Andrew, where first-time competitor St George’s College defied expectations to claim the top prize against seasoned rivals.

    Competing as one of two debutant programs in this year’s tournament, the Kingston-based North Street school’s 16-member Blu Riddim Band secured a narrow win with a final score of 38.5 points, edging out four-time competitor Wolmer’s Boys’ High School’s Kromatix Band by just half a point. Herbert Morrison Technical High School’s Royalty Band finished third with 35 points, while the other first-time entry, Cedar Grove Academy’s Ignition Band, rounded out the top four with 32 points.

    This year’s competition challenged participating ensembles to deliver 10-minute performance sets aligned with the official theme “Remix and Fusion”. Under the rules, each group was required to creatively reinterpret well-known popular or classic tracks by blending distinct musical genres into unique, forward-thinking arrangements that showcased originality and technical skill. Final rankings were determined by a panel of veteran industry judges Stephen Stewart and Kirk Bennett.

    For their first-place finish, St George’s College walked away with a substantial prize package: a JMD 400,000 cash award from the Vinyl Records Collectors Association, a full drum kit donated by Music Mart Limited, and a professional recording session at Kingston’s renowned Mixing Lab studio. The school’s lead vocalist, Tyler Salesman, also earned individual recognition as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer for his standout work throughout the competition.

    Other awards went to competing programs across the country. Wolmer’s Boys’ High School took home two honors: Most Improved Band and Best School Image. Hannah Lyon, leader of third-place Herbert Morrison Technical High School’s Royalty Band, was selected as Best Band Leader, while Cedar Grove Academy claimed the award for Best Original Song for their track *The Harder The Battle*. The award ceremony also featured a special guest performance from the Linstead Primary School Band, showcasing up-and-coming young musical talent across Jamaica.

    A total of nine secondary schools registered for the 2026 JBSB competition, which kicked off preliminary rounds on March 2 at Excelsior High School. Notably, 2025 defending champion Dinthill Technical High School chose not to return to defend their title this year.

    JBSB founder Rayven Amani shared her overall assessment of the 2026 season in an interview with the Jamaica Observer, noting that while the competition faced unforeseen challenges, the resilience of participating students was the defining highlight of the tournament. “The highlights of JBSB 2026 is the tenacity and determination shown by so many of the band members working through their various challenges, but showing up each round and performing better than the previous one,” Amani said.

    Organizers had originally projected that the 2026 tournament would draw more registered schools than the 2025 edition, which hosted 12 competing programs. However, the impact of Hurricane Melissa and its widespread aftermath forced a number of schools—particularly those located in western Jamaica—to withdraw their entries ahead of the competition’s preliminary rounds. Despite the setback, Amani emphasized that the quality of performances from remaining participants exceeded expectations, highlighting the growing impact of the competition in nurturing young musical talent across the island.

  • New system, new problems?

    New system, new problems?

    Jamaica’s premier public medical facility, the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), has rolled out a revised parking fee collection system, replacing the old model that relied on untrained security personnel after facing sharp scrutiny from the national parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC). However, the temporary fix has sparked fresh backlash from patients and visitors, who report extended wait times and added stress in an already high-pressure healthcare environment. The ongoing debate over the parking program emerged during Tuesday’s regular PAC sitting, where legislators continued reviewing damning operational gaps flagged in the Auditor General’s official audit of UHWI’s management practices.

    Acting Chief Executive Officer Eric Hosin confirmed to the committee that the prior security-led collection framework was scrapped immediately after PAC members first raised red flags during the panel’s April 14 deliberations. The controversy first ignited when committee members questioned whether UHWI maintained sufficient oversight controls to track cash parking revenue, warning that a lack of formal safeguards left the system vulnerable to unaccounted funds and potential mismanagement.

    While lawmakers welcomed the removal of security guards from frontline fee collection, PAC Chairman Julian Robinson emphasized that the personnel change alone does not resolve core accountability concerns. “It is good that the security guard is no longer collecting it, but I also want to know that you have a system in place that whoever is collecting the money, you can verify that you are collecting 100 per cent of what you should be collecting,” Robinson pressed Hosin during the sitting.

    In his response, Hosin outlined that UHWI is in the process of developing and deploying a fully automated parking management system that would enable far more accurate tracking of both vehicle access and revenue collection. Until that permanent solution is ready, the facility has implemented an interim setup that relies on UHWI’s existing trained cashier staff to process parking payments.

    Under the new temporary process, security personnel stationed at the lot entrance issue a time-stamped entry ticket to each driver. Before exiting the facility, drivers must pay the applicable parking fee at any of the hospital’s active cashier stations, where cashiers cross-reference entry time with payment time to calculate the cost, per UHWI’s published rate card: fees range from 250 Jamaican dollars for one hour of parking up to 1,000 Jamaican dollars for a full day of access. After payment, cashiers issue an official receipt, which drivers then present to exit-lane security alongside their entry ticket to leave the lot.

    Despite the transparency gains of the new model, dozens of visitors have taken to social media to complain about crippling delays and unnecessary friction. One parker, who spoke on record with the Jamaica Observer, shared that after visiting his stroke-affected grandmother at the hospital, he was forced to join a single long queue that mixed parking payers with patients waiting to settle medical bills, adding significant frustration to an already emotionally draining trip to the facility. Other echoed the complaint, noting that the merged lines create unnecessary wait times for people already navigating urgent or stressful medical situations.

  • Judge warns JPs

    Judge warns JPs

    MANDEVILLE, Jamaica — During a formal commissioning ceremony for 27 newly appointed justices of the peace (JPs) in Manchester Parish this Thursday, Senior Parish Judge John Tyme delivered an urgent, stark warning to the new public servants, grounding his caution in a high-profile 2018 sexual assault case that exposed critical gaps in reference vetting practices across the island. The incident, which unfolded at a Montego Bay resort, saw a wanted hotel employee attack two international tourists — a tragedy that directly stemmed from an unvetted character reference provided by a sitting JP, Tyme explained.

    The offender at the center of the case, Demar Scott, worked as an entertainment coordinator at the Montego Bay resort when he carried out the assault. Years before the attack, in 2015, Scott had been placed on the Manchester Parish Police’s most wanted list in connection with an earlier rape charge. Despite his outstanding warrant, Scott secured a character recommendation from a JP based in St Catherine Parish that was included in his job application for the resort position, clearing his path to employment that put him in contact with vulnerable visitors.

    Tyme walked the new JPs through the chilling details of the 2018 attack: Scott, who had stolen a firearm prior to entering the tourists’ hotel room, committed the sexual assaults before the gun slipped from his possession, and one of the victims shot him in self-defense. Scott survived the shooting and was apprehended by police in Clarendon Parish 24 hours after the incident. In March 2022, he pleaded guilty at St James Parish Court to two counts of rape, two counts of grievous sexual assault, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    Tyme emphasized that the case is far from an abstract hypothetical for new JPs. Following amendments to the Justice of the Peace Act that expanded JPs’ jurisdiction to cover the entire island of Jamaica, rather than limiting authorization to their home parish, JPs now regularly receive reference requests from individuals residing outside their local communities. This expanded authority, Tyme stressed, comes with greater responsibility to conduct full background checks before affixing a signature to any character endorsement.

    “When persons speak to you about making sure that when you affix your signature that you are, in fact, attesting to what you know, based on what you have researched, it is not abstract, it is real,” Tyme told the gathering. The case sparked widespread public scrutiny of the JP system over the failure to flag Scott’s outstanding warrant, he noted, underscoring how a single unchecked endorsement can have devastating, far-reaching consequences for public safety.

    Head of the Manchester Parish Police Superintendent Carey Duncan echoed Tyme’s warning during the event, held at Mandeville’s Garden Hotel. Duncan urged the new JPs to reject casual requests for references, framing the JP’s official seal as a public trust rather than a favor to grant to friends or acquaintances.

    “The fastest way to lose public trust is to treat the JP seal like a favour. Say ‘no’ when you must. Verify identity, read the document; if something feels off, pause, because one careless signature can damage a life. One careful refusal can protect many,” Duncan said.

    Beyond the safety warning, the ceremony also addressed ongoing efforts to expand and revitalize Manchester’s JP cohort. Custos of Manchester Garfield Green announced that the 27 new appointments will bring the parish’s total number of active JPs to roughly 500. To meet the community’s needs aligned with population size, the parish requires a total of 2,000 JPs, leaving a gap of 1,500 additional appointees. Green explained that an aging JP population has created this gap, as many long-serving JPs pass away, leaving vacant positions.

    To address the shortfall, parish officials are actively recruiting younger eligible candidates to serve, Green said. The initiative has already seen steady progress: since Green took office, 40 percent of all newly commissioned JPs are under the age of 40, a marked shift toward a younger, more representative cohort. Green issued a public call for eligible residents to apply, outlining key requirements for appointment: candidates must be at least 23 years old, Jamaican citizens, proficient in written and spoken English, and hold a record of unwavering integrity and outstanding standing in their local communities.

  • Need for NaRRA

    Need for NaRRA

    When opening debate on the proposed National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill in Jamaica’s Senate on Friday, Education Minister Senator Dr. Dana Morris Dixon centered her argument for urgent legislative action on a striking example of bureaucratic gridlock: a perimeter security fence for Naggo Head Primary School that took nearly 18 months to earn approval, putting vulnerable students at unnecessary risk.

    Morris Dixon’s push for the bill comes as critics have raised alarms that the new legislation would grant the Jamaican government unchecked authority to bypass existing regulatory bodies, particularly through the controversial “step-in” powers outlined in Clauses 21 to 24 of the draft text. Rejecting claims that these provisions amount to a blanket override of all national regulatory agencies, the minister pushed back against what she called widespread mischaracterization of the powers in public discourse.

    “Step-in orders,” she explained, are not designed to be used lightly or arbitrarily. A strict series of procedural safeguards must be exhausted before extraordinary action can be taken: independent technical assessment must first confirm a delay, the relevant regulatory body must receive formal notification, the agency must be given a full opportunity to respond to concerns, and a continued failure to act within required timelines must be documented. Only after all these steps are complete would the government exercise its step-in authority, Morris Dixon emphasized.

    To illustrate the urgent need for streamlining project approvals, the minister detailed the years-long safety crisis at Naggo Head Primary, located in Portmore. For years, school leadership and local officials have flagged risks of criminal actors accessing the unsecure campus. By November 2024, the Education Ministry had already allocated full funding for the fence project, but officials were forced to wait for approval from the local municipal corporation. That approval did not come through until April 2026, a wait of 17 months that put students and staff in danger the entire time. Local Member of Parliament Alando Terrelonge had previously raised public alarms about the safety threats stemming from the delay to the J$40 million perimeter project, echoing concerns shared by the school’s principal, who personally pleaded with Morris Dixon to resolve the impasse.

    This case, Morris Dixon argued, is exactly why the NaRRA legislation is necessary. The bill, drafted in response to widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa in October last year, aims to establish a centralized authority to speed up post-disaster reconstruction and resilience projects, while also cutting red tape for major infrastructure and investment developments across the country.

    Beyond disaster recovery, the minister framed the legislation as a transformative policy that would turn a national crisis into a catalyst for long-term change. “NaRRA is not just about creating growth and investment architecture. It is not just about repairing what Hurricane Melissa damaged,” she told senators. “NaRRA is about converting a moment of national crisis into a platform for resilience, modernisation, and economic resurgence. That, in truth, is what this is all about. Speed with structure, execution with oversight, and rebuilding with purpose.”

  • PATIENCE IS THE WORD

    PATIENCE IS THE WORD

    For three-time-time Olympic sprint legend Elaine Thompson-Herah, the wait to represent her country is finally over. The 33-year-old Jamaican, who holds the title of the fastest woman alive with a 10.54-second 100m personal best, is gearing up to make her long-awaited return to international competition for Jamaica at the 2024 World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, marking her first national team appearance since the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

    After a devastating Achilles injury that sidelined her from all competition in 2023 and limited her to just two races early in 2024, Thompson-Herah has quietly put together a solid opening to her comeback season. Last month at Kingston’s Velocity Fest held at the National Stadium, she clocked 10.92 seconds in the 100m, a time that slots her in as the third-fastest woman in the world over the distance this year. That result has given the five-time Olympic gold medalist the confidence to step back onto the global relay stage, where she will compete in the women’s 4x100m as part of Jamaica’s third heat, alongside top squads from France, Germany, and Nigeria.

    In an interview ahead of the competition, the two-time Olympic 100m and 200m champion (2016 Rio de Janeiro and 2020 Tokyo) opened up about the grueling physical and mental struggles she navigated during her time away from the track. Following her historic 10.54-second run, pushing to match that world-class pace took a significant toll on her body, leaving her Achilles severely compromised. The full year off from competition, she says, was exactly what she needed to reset both physically and mentally.

    “I’ve always called myself a tough cookie,” Thompson-Herah said. “I leaned on my faith, my support team, and my own inner strength to get through this. This season isn’t about rushing to get back to peak form—it’s a rebuilding process. I’m not putting unnecessary pressure on myself; I’m just taking it one step at a time.”

    While she has not yet returned to her signature sub-10.6-second 100m and sub-21.6-second 200m form, Thompson-Herah says she is encouraged by the steady progress she has seen in training and early races. Once the lingering pain from her injury fades completely, she believes she can once again compete at the highest level. “I still have so much more left in me,” she said. “I’m unleashing the beast day by day, one step at a time. When I’m fully healthy, this season is going to be exciting.”

    Beyond the World Relays, Thompson-Herah has her sights set on defending her sprint double title at the upcoming Commonwealth Games, framing this comeback season as both a recovery period and a stepping stone to future success. She is part of a star-studded Jamaican women’s 4x100m squad that also includes Olympic medalists Shericka Jackson and twin sprinters Tia and Tina Clayton, one of the most deep and talented relay pools in the competition. A top-two finish in their heat and advancement to Sunday’s final will secure Jamaica’s qualification for the 2025 World Athletics Championships scheduled for Beijing.

    When asked about the possibility of challenging the 40.82-second women’s 4x100m world record set by the United States in 2012, Thompson-Herah played down expectations, emphasizing that the team’s primary focus is on securing qualification and competing well. “We’re not fixated on the world record right now,” she explained. “If everything lines up—good weather, clean baton exchanges—it could happen, but our main goal is to have a solid, fun competition and get the job done. This is a young team, but we have a lot of talent and great energy, and I’m confident we’ll perform.”

    For the Jamaican men’s 4x100m squad, the team will be without star sprinters Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson for the competition, and they have been drawn in heat 2 alongside competitive squads from Canada and Spain. The World Athletics Relays kicked off its first day of competition with the mixed 4x100m at 7:05 am local time, followed by the mixed 4x400m at 7:30 am. The women’s 4x400m was scheduled to start at 8:55 am, with the men’s 4x400m closing out the day’s action at 9:30 am. Alongside the headline women’s 4x100m squad, Jamaica has fielded full competitive squads for all relay events, with emerging young talents and experienced veterans set to represent the country across men’s, women’s, and mixed competitions.

  • Toward a digital dividend: Making Grenada’s digital VAT work for everyone

    Toward a digital dividend: Making Grenada’s digital VAT work for everyone

    Grenada has marked a landmark shift toward integrating its economy into the global digital age, with the House of Representatives recently passing legislation to extend the country’s existing Value Added Tax (VAT) regime to international digital platforms and services.

    Far from a dry, technical policy adjustment, this change carries tangible implications for everyday Grenadians, touching the monthly household budgets that shape most citizens’ financial lives. Crucially, the reform is not the introduction of an entirely new tax: it is an update to the nation’s longstanding 15% VAT structure, designed to close a long-standing fairness gap in the country’s tax code. For decades, domestic brick-and-mortar and local businesses have operated under Grenada’s VAT rules, while large multinational technology companies providing cross-border digital services operated entirely outside the local tax system. As consumer spending has steadily shifted from physical retail locations to digital platforms accessed via smartphones and laptops, bringing these offshore-provided services into the existing tax framework has become an unavoidable step for leveling the playing field. Contributor Rochelle, however, notes that the policy can only deliver on its promise of fairer taxation if implementation prioritizes household affordability, clear transparency, and continued support for Grenada’s emerging digital sector.

    One of the most pressing vulnerabilities facing policymakers as the law rolls out is the threat of double taxation. Many Grenadians currently pay for popular digital services through foreign-registered accounts or international credit cards, which already levy taxes from the service provider’s home country, such as U.S. sales tax or U.K. VAT. Without careful cross-border coordination, the new 15% local VAT will be applied on top of these existing foreign levies, leaving consumers to pay two separate taxes on a single digital subscription or purchase.

    To mitigate this risk, Rochelle outlines three targeted policy solutions. First, she urges the government to adopt the international destination principle for digital taxation, which requires service providers to waive their home country’s tax for services sold to Grenadian consumers, ensuring only Grenada’s local VAT is applied. Second, she calls for the expansion of Grenada’s network of Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs) to explicitly cover cross-border digital services, preventing residents from being financially penalized for participating in the global digital economy. Third, she proposes collaboration between the government and local financial institutions to implement bank-level filtering, which ensures the 15% VAT is only applied to the pre-tax base price of a service, rather than stacked on top of already applied foreign taxes.

    Beyond addressing double taxation, Rochelle argues that targeted safeguards are needed to ensure the new tax does not become an unnecessary barrier to digital inclusion and economic growth. A 15% cost increase for essential digital tools ranging from educational software used by local students to online advertising platforms relied on by small Grenadian entrepreneurs represents a substantial additional financial burden for these groups.

    To turn this policy reform into a net benefit for all Grenadians, Rochelle proposes that all revenue collected from the new digital VAT be designated as a national “Digital Dividend.” These funds should be explicitly earmarked for reinvestment in national digital infrastructure. For example, revenue could be used to subsidize affordable high-speed internet access for underserved rural communities, or to fund free digital literacy training programs that expand access to digital opportunities across all income groups. This model would ensure that every dollar of VAT paid by households circulates back to the public in the form of improved services and expanded economic opportunity.

    The core goal of the reform, Rochelle emphasizes, is not to discourage use of essential digital services, but to grow government revenue without placing an unfair financial burden on ordinary citizens. She encourages Grenadians to be deliberate about their digital spending, auditing recurring subscriptions and prioritizing core services to manage household costs. At the same time, she calls on the Grenadian government to uphold the same standard of intentionality in managing the new revenue stream.

    If policymakers successfully address the risk of double taxation and commit to full transparency around how digital VAT funds are reinvested, the reform will do more than just update Grenada’s tax code: it will lay the foundation for a more fair, inclusive digital economy that benefits every Grenadian.

    (Disclaimer: NOW Grenada does not take responsibility for the opinions and statements shared by contributors. Readers may report inappropriate content through official channels.)

  • Premier Gaston Browne wint vierde termijn met belofte van economische groei

    Premier Gaston Browne wint vierde termijn met belofte van economische groei

    In a decisive election outcome that reshapes the political landscape of the Caribbean twin-island nation, Gaston Browne, the incumbent Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, has secured a landslide victory to earn a fourth consecutive term in office, according to preliminary official election results.

    Browne’s ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party expanded its parliamentary majority dramatically, winning 15 out of the 17 available legislative seats. The main opposition bloc, the United Progressive Party, was left with just a single seat in the new parliament, a stark drop in its political representation following the election held on Thursday.

    Shortly after the preliminary results were announced, the Labour Party released a statement via social media expressing gratitude for the public’s mandate. “We are humbled and honored by your support and trust,” the party said.

    The 59-year-old prime minister, a former banker and entrepreneur who has led the Labour Party since 2014, centered his entire re-election campaign on a platform of delivering sustained economic stability and driving growth through targeted foreign investment. Browne anchored his policy credibility on two key achievements of his previous administration: the robust post-pandemic recovery of the country’s critical tourism sector, and the large-scale expansion of national infrastructure that has unlocked new economic opportunities across the islands.

    The election campaign was significantly shaped by an international dispute that emerged earlier this year. In January, the United States announced a temporary freeze on visa processing for applicants from Antigua and Barbuda, a move that delivered a major blow to many residents who regularly travel to the U.S. for work and family visits. Washington’s decision stemmed from longstanding concerns over Antigua and Barbuda’s popular Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, which grants nationality to foreign investors in exchange for major capital contributions to the country. U.S. authorities have warned that bad actors and criminal networks could exploit the program to gain visa-free access to U.S. territory.

    Browne’s administration moved quickly to address these concerns throughout the campaign, emphasizing that the government has maintained close collaborative working relations with U.S. authorities and has already implemented sweeping reforms to make the CBI program more transparent and secure against misuse.

    In a strategic political move that surprised many regional observers, the Labour Party called the snap election two years earlier than its constitutionally required end date, arguing that the country needed a fresh mandate to navigate ongoing global economic and geopolitical crises. Prior to the snap vote, the party held a nine-seat majority in the outgoing parliament, a margin that has now more than doubled in the latest result.

    A full second recount is scheduled for Friday to formalize and confirm the final official election result. Independent international election observers are on the ground monitoring the entire post-vote process to ensure compliance with international democratic standards.

  • WATCH: Gaston Browne sworn in for fourth term as Prime Minister

    WATCH: Gaston Browne sworn in for fourth term as Prime Minister

    In a historic milestone for the twin-island Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Alfonso Browne has officially taken office for an unprecedented fourth consecutive term as the country’s prime minister. The low-key but symbolic swearing-in ceremony was held at Government House, led by the nation’s Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, who opened the event by emphasizing the unparalleled nature of Browne’s electoral achievement.

    Williams remarked that no prime minister in Antigua and Barbuda’s modern political history has ever secured four straight terms at the helm of the national government, calling the occasion a truly monumental moment in the country’s democratic journey. Reflecting on the results of the recent general election, Williams noted that the mandate from voters was clear and unambiguous, stating, “The people have spoken with a thunderous voice.”

    Following Williams’ opening remarks, Browne completed the formal requirements for assuming office: he took the required oaths of office, allegiance, and official secrecy, before formally signing the national government’s register of incoming ministers. In a move that signals policy continuity for the new administration, Browne will retain the key cabinet portfolios he held in his previous administration, including the ministries of Finance, Corporate Governance, and Public-Private Partnership. The ceremony also concluded with the swearing-in of Attorney General Sir Steadroy Cutie Benjamin, completing the first formal step of forming the new national government.