Carib Scope

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  • STATEMENT: Message for World Maritime Day 2026 ‘From policy to practice: Powering maritime excellence’

    STATEMENT: Message for World Maritime Day 2026 ‘From policy to practice: Powering maritime excellence’

    As the international maritime community prepares to mark its annual World Maritime Day, held every year on the last Thursday of September, the Regional Security System (RSS) Headquarters has released an official statement highlighting the outsized importance of maritime governance to Caribbean nations and outlining ongoing efforts to strengthen regional security cooperation.

    For Caribbean island states, the maritime domain is far more than just surrounding water. It serves as the lifeline that connects individual nations across the region, underpins the livelihoods of millions of residents, powers key economic sectors including international trade and tourism, and forms the foundation of collective regional security. In his statement, Lieutenant Commander Rolerick Sobers, RSS Regional Maritime Officer, emphasized that the RSS and its partners have long recognized the critical value of safe, secure seas and inland waterways, which function as global highways for both commercial shipping and recreational maritime activity in a region of deep cultural and historical significance. At the same time, the organization works continuously to raise public awareness of marine ecosystem health, and supports broad adoption of international maritime conventions, legal frameworks, and global industry best practices.

    Despite the many benefits the Caribbean maritime space provides, its vast expanse — encompassing the entire Caribbean Sea, adjacent river systems, and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean, tied to hundreds of coastal and indigenous communities — also creates unique, persistent security and environmental challenges. Transnational organized criminal networks exploit the region’s extensive open borders to move illicit goods and people, including drug shipments, illegal firearms, trafficked people, and poached wildlife. Beyond these criminal flows, the region also grapples with illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, other maritime criminal activities, and growing threats to marine ecosystems that require constant vigilance, adaptive strategy, long-term resilience, and consistent preparedness from regional security actors.

    This year’s World Maritime Day theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence,” aligns directly with the core mission of RSS and the work of maritime law enforcement and border security agencies across the Caribbean. Sobers stressed that human life and public safety remain the top priority for all users of the maritime domain, whether they are working in commercial industries or engaging in recreational activity. All people who work and travel on the sea deserve to feel safe, and this safety depends on consistent practical adherence to safe operational standards by both vessel operators and natural resource users.

    Effective maritime security cannot exist only as text in policy documents, conservation strategies, or sustainable resource management plans, Sobers argued. It requires tangible, consistent action on the water: ongoing targeted surveillance, timely cross-agency information and intelligence sharing, coordinated joint operations, well-trained frontline personnel, and intentional deployment of modern maritime security technology.

    To advance these goals, the RSS continues to collaborate closely with its member states, as well as regional and international partner organizations, to strengthen maritime domain awareness, boost on-the-water operational capabilities, and improve coordination and interoperability between regional maritime security forces. The shared nature of the Caribbean maritime space means that cross-border cooperation, collaborative action, and open communication are not optional add-ons to security strategy — they are non-negotiable requirements to close security gaps in the region’s porous maritime borders.

    The regional ability to detect, deter, and respond to emerging maritime threats depends entirely on how effectively stakeholders can share intelligence, combine complementary capabilities, and translate collective policy commitments into coordinated on-the-ground action. On this World Maritime Day, the RSS recognizes and commends the dedicated work of thousands of men and women serving across regional maritime administrations, maritime law enforcement units, and port authorities, who work tirelessly to safeguard Caribbean waters, secure national borders, and protect local communities.

    As Regional Maritime Officer, Sobers reaffirmed his personal commitment to supporting RSS member states in strengthening their individual maritime capabilities, and advancing a more coordinated, responsive, and resilient regional maritime security framework. “Together, we must continue moving from policy to practice—turning strategy into action and powering maritime excellence across the regional space,” Sobers concluded.

  • PM: Small nations cannot survive a world without rules

    PM: Small nations cannot survive a world without rules

    During the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) General Debate in New York on Wednesday, Bahamas Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis delivered a fiery, principle-driven address that centered on defending the sovereign equality of small and developing nations across the global stage, while calling out systemic inequities and pressing for urgent international action on two longstanding Caribbean crises.

  • Fuel prices rise by RD$2 to RD$4

    Fuel prices rise by RD$2 to RD$4

    The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MICM) has rolled out a new round of fuel price adjustments that will take effect from September 25 through October 2, bringing mixed changes to different fuel products, with most major transportation fuels seeing cost increases between 2 Dominican pesos (RD$) and RD$4 per gallon.

    Under the new pricing scheme, premium gasoline will climb to RD$353.10 per gallon, representing a RD$3 per gallon increase. Regular gasoline will be priced at RD$317.50 per gallon, after a RD$2 per gallon uptick. For diesel products, premium diesel will see a RD$4 per gallon rise, while regular diesel increases by RD$3 per gallon. While some other minor fuel categories will actually see price cuts during this period, the widely used household and industrial energy sources liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas will stay at their current price points with no adjustments.

    Government officials attribute these price increases to persistent instability in the global energy market. Two key geopolitical factors are driving up international crude and refined product prices: ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted regional production and shipping networks, and new navigation restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for global oil trade. These overlapping developments have created sustained upward pressure on oil prices worldwide, forcing local authorities to pass a portion of the increased costs onto consumers.

  • Bisonó and Lavrov hold high-level talks on Haiti and Dominican-Russian relations

    Bisonó and Lavrov hold high-level talks on Haiti and Dominican-Russian relations

    Against the backdrop of the 81st United Nations General Assembly’s annual High-Level Week in New York, a high-stakes bilateral meeting brought together Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Víctor “Ito” Bisonó and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to address a range of pressing issues spanning regional security, bilateral ties, and matters of mutual national concern.

    The destabilizing crisis in neighboring Haiti emerged as a central topic of discussion during the talks. Bisonó underscored that the international community cannot afford to shift its focus away from the escalating violence and instability plaguing the Caribbean nation, emphasizing that sustained global attention and coordinated support are critical to advancing efforts to rebuild public security and establish lasting governance in Haiti. The two ministers deliberated on ongoing international security initiatives aimed at curbing the power of armed gangs that have controlled large swathes of Haitian territory for years. They jointly agreed that the UN Security Council bears the core responsibility of securing adequate financial resources and deploying qualified personnel required for the multinational security mission to effectively counter gang violence and lay the groundwork for Haiti’s recovery.

    Beyond the regional crisis in Haiti, Bisonó brought forward a pressing concern for the Dominican Republic: recent reports of targeted job recruitment campaigns that lure Dominican citizens to travel to Russia, with alleged links to activities connected to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. In response to the diplomatic outreach, Lavrov directed Russia’s Latin America and Caribbean relations department to launch a follow-up investigation into the reports, committing to ensure that Dominican Republic’s concerns are communicated to relevant Russian authorities. Both sides reached a consensus to keep open lines of communication to resolve the issue moving forward.

    The meeting also served as an opportunity to take stock of the overall state of Dominican-Russian diplomatic and economic relations. The two leaders explored actionable pathways to revitalize bilateral economic and commercial exchanges, which have faced significant disruption amid shifting global geopolitical tensions and a volatile international economic environment. Discussions also touched on expanding cooperation in the tourism sector, a key driver of economic growth for the Dominican Republic, identifying untapped opportunities to deepen people-to-people and commercial ties between the two nations.

  • Abinader and Governor Hochul discuss stronger cooperation between the Dominican Republic and New York

    Abinader and Governor Hochul discuss stronger cooperation between the Dominican Republic and New York

    A high-stakes diplomatic meeting between Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader and New York Governor Kathy Hochul has marked a new milestone in bilateral partnership, with both leaders moving to solidify and expand collaboration on multiple priority areas that build on discussions launched during Hochul’s 2023 visit to the Caribbean nation.

    In opening remarks, President Abinader extended sincere gratitude to Governor Hochul for her consistent backing of the large Dominican diaspora in New York State, a community that numbers more than one million people including first-generation immigrants and individuals of Dominican descent. He framed New York as one of the Dominican Republic’s most critical non-national partners, pointing to the deep cultural, economic and social ties that bind the two jurisdictions together.

    One of the central pillars of the renewed cooperation agreement is emergency and disaster response. Currently, around 40 senior Dominican officials specializing in emergency management and public safety are based in New York taking part in a week-long training and collaboration summit designed to boost regional capacity for disaster preparedness, rapid response and post-event recovery. Governor Hochul confirmed that New York is opening its wealth of institutional experience and purpose-built emergency response infrastructure to the Dominican delegation, a knowledge-sharing initiative that is expected to strengthen disaster resilience for both sides. Climate-related extreme events have grown more frequent across the Caribbean in recent years, making cross-border disaster cooperation an increasingly urgent priority.

    Beyond public safety, the two leaders announced the expansion of collaborative efforts to address pressing environmental challenges. Governor Hochul highlighted new technical support that will be provided by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation to restoration and cleanup efforts for the Yaque River, a critical water source for the Dominican Republic that has grappled with widespread industrial and residential pollution for decades.

    The talks also covered a range of other issues of shared concern, including shifting economic conditions, volatile global energy costs and fluctuating fuel prices that have impacted both jurisdictions. A key social policy conversation centered on the Dominican community in New York, where many residents have raised growing anxiety over recent shifts in federal immigration policy and an uptick in enforcement actions. Governor Hochul emphasized the outsized cultural and economic contributions Dominican residents make to New York, and reiterated her administration’s commitment to ensuring all community members feel safe, supported and valued in the state.

    For his part, President Abinader drew on personal context to underscore the depth of the connection between the two regions, sharing that his own family has a history of immigration to the United States. He thanked the governor and her administration for their ongoing partnership and support for Dominican nationals and descendants living in New York.

    By the close of the meeting, both leaders issued joint statements affirming their shared commitment to continuing to deepen institutional ties, explore new collaborative opportunities and expand existing partnerships in the coming years, laying the groundwork for more productive engagement moving forward.

  • Convention center could attract larger international events to the Dominican Republic

    Convention center could attract larger international events to the Dominican Republic

    The Dominican Republic holds untapped potential to expand its footprint in the global business tourism landscape, but unlocking that growth depends on advancing a long-awaited dedicated convention center, according to a top international industry leader. Martin Boyle, executive director of the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers (IAPCO), laid out this strategic recommendation during the SDQ MICE 2026 forum, where industry stakeholders gathered to assess the country’s standing in the global meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector.

    Boyle told attendees that large international event organizers consistently rank flexible, purpose-built infrastructure among their top priorities when selecting host destinations. Major global industry associations require expansive, adaptable venues that can be reconfigured to suit everything from large plenary sessions to segmented breakout workshops, a need that existing scattered venues in the Dominican Republic are unable to fully meet. A custom-designed convention center, he emphasized, would remove the key barrier to attracting larger, higher-profile international congresses that currently bypass the country for destinations with purpose-built infrastructure.

    Outlining key specifications for the proposed facility, Boyle noted that IAPCO recommends building a center sized to accommodate between 3,000 and 4,000 attendees, a capacity that aligns with the majority of mid-to-large scale international conferences seeking Caribbean and Latin American host destinations. He added that strategic site selection is non-negotiable: the center must be located within easy reach of the country’s largest hotel clusters and major transportation arteries to accommodate traveling attendees. Furthermore, Boyle stressed that long-term planning is critical, urging Dominican officials to design the facility to meet evolving industry needs for at least the next 15 years, to avoid costly premature renovations or expansions.

    New data presented at the forum from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) illustrates both the Dominican Republic’s recent progress and remaining room for growth in the MICE sector. In 2025, the country hosted 31 international association events, marking a significant 41% increase from the 22 events it hosted in 2024. Despite this upward trajectory, the Dominican Republic still lags behind other major regional tourism destinations. For comparison, Costa Rica hosted 44 international events in 2025, Panama hosted 45, Colombia hosted 158, and regional leader Mexico hosted 191 events, highlighting the gap the new convention center could help close.

    While the need for the facility is widely acknowledged by industry and government alike, the project has yet to move past preliminary planning stages. The Dominican government has already taken initial steps to advance the proposal, acquiring a portion of the land occupied by the existing Hotel Santo Domingo in the capital for the convention center project back in 2025. Back in June of that year, Tourism Minister David Collado announced that demolition of the existing structure on the site would get underway roughly three months after the announcement. As of the time of the SDQ MICE 2026 forum, full construction work on the long-awaited facility has not yet commenced. Once completed, industry leaders widely expect the new convention center to become a cornerstone of the country’s strategy to draw larger international events and solidify its status as a top business tourism destination in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

  • PM: Africa and Caribbean must ‘choose each other’

    PM: Africa and Caribbean must ‘choose each other’

    During an address at the Diaspora and Friends of South Africa Roundtable held in New York, Bahamas Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has issued a urgent call for African and Caribbean nations to take ownership of and expand the critical infrastructure that underpins the movement of people, capital, and digital data across the two regions.

    Davis outlined a targeted investment agenda focused on closing gaps in key connectivity sectors, pushing for new developments including cross-border data centers, regional digital payment platforms, expanded air travel routes, and integrated trade corridors. These projects would not only boost intra-African connectivity but also create direct, sustainable links between African economies and Caribbean nations. In a memorable framing of the difference between reliance and self-determination, Davis argued: “Remittance is love. Investment is power. Love keeps a family alive. Power keeps a nation free.”

    The Prime Minister also positioned The Bahamas as a strategic hub connecting Africa, the Caribbean, and the broader Americas, highlighting untapped investment opportunities across high-priority sectors: food security, renewable energy development, financial technology (fintech), manufacturing, and integrated logistics networks. “Let The Bahamas be your gateway to the Caribbean and the Americas,” he urged attendees.

    Davis acknowledged that despite deep, centuries-long historical and cultural bonds between the people of Africa and the Caribbean, practical economic and connectivity ties between the two regions remain underdeveloped. He noted that for most of The Bahamas’ history as an independent state, the country has oriented its trade, tourism, finance, and investment relationships almost exclusively toward North America and Europe. “There were good reasons. But in looking north for so long, we forgot to look east, towards the land our ancestors came from,” he said. Davis also admitted that his own administration faces ongoing work to eliminate barriers to connection, pointing to the significant logistical challenges of direct travel between The Bahamas and South Africa as one prominent example.

    Rather than framing existing infrastructure gaps as insurmountable obstacles, Davis reframed them as high-potential economic opportunities for investors. He pointed out that Sub-Saharan Africa is currently the most expensive region globally for remittance transfers, and that most financial transactions between Caribbean and African businesses are currently routed through third-party financial institutions based outside both regions. He also highlighted a stark global imbalance in digital infrastructure: while Africa is home to roughly 18 percent of the world’s total population, the continent holds less than 1 percent of global data center capacity.

    Davis emphasized that control over digital infrastructure is inseparable from national sovereignty. “Digital sovereignty means deciding where our data lives, who may use it and on what terms,” he said. “It means sharing in the value it creates. It means entering the digital age as owners, not only as users.”

    Turning to The Bahamas’ own investment profile, Davis shared that the country currently imports approximately 90 percent of its food supply, creating major openings for investment in local agricultural production and food security infrastructure. The Bahamas has also set a target of generating 30 percent of its total electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030, another sector Davis marked as ripe for outside and regional investment. He added that the country’s fintech and digital sectors are rapidly expanding, and highlighted the strategic advantages of Grand Bahama’s deep-water port and free trade zone for cross-regional logistics and manufacturing.

    Davis pointed to the growing partnership between The Bahamas’ government and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as a blueprint for deepening future cooperation. He revealed that in February 2025, The Bahamas signed a $200 million framework agreement with Afreximbank to develop climate-resilient infrastructure across the country. He also noted that Afreximbank has raised its total financing ceiling for Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states from $3 billion to $5 billion, a sign of growing commitment to regional partnership. “African capital is building Caribbean resilience, and earning a return doing it,” Davis said. “Solidarity is not a speech. Solidarity is a balance sheet.”

    To ground his call in shared history, Davis invoked the 1985 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Nassau, where global leaders adopted the landmark Nassau Accord that pushed for collective international action to end apartheid in South Africa. He also recalled the historic visit of Nelson Mandela to The Bahamas shortly after his release from prison. Davis argued that the defining challenge for the current generation of leaders in both regions is to secure economic independence and digital sovereignty, building on the anti-apartheid struggle’s fight for political freedom.

    “In 1985, The Bahamas chose South Africa’s freedom,” Davis concluded. “In 2026, let Africa and the Caribbean choose each other.”

  • Dominican Republic calls for stronger measures to protect coastal communities

    Dominican Republic calls for stronger measures to protect coastal communities

    Against the backdrop of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, a pressing call for collective action on climate change has emerged from the Caribbean region. At the 4th Climate Mobility Summit, a parallel event focusing on climate-driven population movement, Max Puig, executive vice president of the Dominican Republic’s National Council for Climate Change and Carbon Market (CNCCMC), delivered a clear appeal for strengthened cross-border collaboration to counter accelerating sea level rise and the climate displacement it triggers.

    Puig opened his remarks by stressing that no single Caribbean nation can shoulder the burden of this growing crisis alone. As a small island developing state with over 1,500 kilometers of exposed coastline, the Dominican Republic offers a stark example of the region’s vulnerability. Most of the country’s population, critical infrastructure, and core economic sectors are concentrated along its shorelines, leaving these assets extremely exposed to the gradual advance of rising seas. If current warming trends continue, Puig explained, higher sea levels will exacerbate a cascade of interconnected threats: intensified coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies, more frequent and severe flooding, and amplified storm surges that overwhelm coastal defenses. These changes do not only threaten human settlements—they also degrade the natural barriers that protect communities, including mangroves, coral reefs, and sand beaches, all of which underpin the Caribbean’s two largest economic pillars: fishing and tourism.

    The human cost of this degradation is already visible, Puig emphasized. More than 9,000 Dominican fishermen and their families rely directly on healthy coral reefs for their livelihoods. As reefs decline, this endangers not just jobs and household incomes, but also local food security and the ability of generations-old coastal communities to remain on their traditional lands. For the Dominican Republic, displacement driven by climate hazards is not a distant threat: national data records show more than 79,000 people were displaced by climate and weather disasters between 2017 and 2022, most from sudden extreme weather events. Unlike these acute events, Puig noted, sea level rise acts as a slow-onset crisis that gradually erodes the habitability and economic viability of coastal areas, creating a hidden, steady flow of displacement that is often overlooked in global climate planning.

    The scale of potential displacement across the entire Greater Caribbean region is staggering. Projections from the Climate Mobility Model for the Greater Caribbean estimate that by 2050, roughly 8.2 million people could be permanently displaced by the economic impacts of climate change, with nearly 6 million of those people relocating within their own national borders. Puig was careful to clarify that these figures are not definitive predictions—instead, they serve as an urgent warning to help governments proactively plan for future pressures on communities, housing, critical infrastructure, and public services that will come with widespread displacement.

    To address this growing crisis, Puig outlined three non-negotiable priorities for regional and global action. First, he called for greatly expanded, accessible financing for climate adaptation projects, noting that small island developing states lack the capital to fund large-scale coastal protection and planning on their own. Second, he urged regional cooperation frameworks that center the protection of the rights and dignity of displaced communities, rather than treating displacement as a purely administrative problem. Third, he pushed for a just green economic transition that generates new, sustainable employment opportunities for young people in the region, creating alternatives to climate-vulnerable coastal livelihoods.

    Currently, the CNCCMC is partnering with the Global Center for Climate Mobility to develop public policies and international cooperation mechanisms designed to shield vulnerable communities and their unique cultural heritage from climate-related harm. This work aligns with the UN Declaration on Sea Level Rise, a global agreement that aims to improve risk mapping and data collection, strengthen adaptation capacity, expand climate financing, and protect at-risk communities. The declaration also prioritizes the preservation and documentation of cultural heritage threatened by sea level rise, including traditional territories, historic cemeteries, sacred indigenous sites, archaeological landmarks, and culturally significant coastal landscapes that define the identity of Caribbean communities.

  • Dominican Army intensifies border operations against smuggling and irregular migration

    Dominican Army intensifies border operations against smuggling and irregular migration

    In a week-long series of nationwide security and border enforcement operations held between September 14 and 20, 2026, the Dominican Republic Army (Ejército de República Dominicana, ERD) has carried out major crackdowns on cross-border illicit activity, detaining more than 3,600 irregular Haitian migrants and confiscating tens of thousands of prohibited smuggled goods, official military records confirm.

    Per the service’s freshly released weekly operational briefing, the seizures and detentions formed part of the ERD’s sustained ongoing missions: stepped-up border surveillance, enhanced nationwide territorial security protocols, and strict immigration control enforcement that targets unauthorized entry and contraband trafficking networks.

    Among the more than 31,000 seized contraband units were 29,400 packs of contraband cigarettes, 1,434 bottles of unregulated rum, and 115 bottles of untaxed whiskey. The vast majority of the cigarette seizures were executed by frontline troops assigned to the ERD’s 4th and 5th Infantry Brigades, which are responsible for patrolling high-traffic smuggling corridors along the country’s border.

    Beyond contraband and immigration enforcement, military authorities also took 14 individuals into custody who have since been transferred to the national judicial system to face formal charges. Twelve of these detainees face felony charges linked to human smuggling networks that facilitate the entry of undocumented migrants, while the remaining two were arrested on suspicion of illegal firearms possession.

    As part of the ERD’s targeted crackdown on illicit activity along the Dominican-Haitian border, operation teams also impounded 52 vehicles used by smuggling networks: 43 motorcycles, four passenger sedans, five sport utility vehicles, and one minivan. Troops with the ERD’s 3rd Infantry Brigade also recovered two unregistered homemade firearms during searches within the brigade’s area of responsibility.

    The weekly operational update also placed the most recent results in context of the ERD’s broader month-long enforcement push. Between August 17 and September 13, 2026, the service’s nationwide operations netted more than 536,000 contraband items, 84 portions of marijuana, and 131 vehicles, while detaining nearly 9,900 migrants with irregular immigration status.

    In a closing statement, ERD leadership reaffirmed that the military will continue ramping up its operational presence in border regions as part of long-term national commitments to dismantle transnational illicit networks, safeguard public and territorial security, and defend the Dominican Republic’s sovereign borders.

  • New leadership at Bahamas Humane Society: Lissa McComb Pinder takes over, promises enhanced animal care and community engagement

    New leadership at Bahamas Humane Society: Lissa McComb Pinder takes over, promises enhanced animal care and community engagement

    After 19 years of steady leadership from outgoing president Kim Aranha, the Bahamas Humane Society (BHS) has entered a new era, with veteran animal welfare advocate Lissa McComb Pinder stepping into the top leadership role. The leadership transition, completed on September 23, also saw long-serving vice president Charlotte Albury depart her executive post, opening the door for a fully refreshed executive team to advance the organization’s mission of reducing animal suffering across the Bahamas.

    McComb Pinder is no stranger to regional animal protection work. A key founding leader of the Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness (BAARK), she has spent years championing better outcomes for vulnerable animals in the country. For her, animal care is far more than a volunteer passion—it is a core life commitment. “Caring for animals isn’t a hobby for me, it’s a way of life, and I am choosing to take on this role because I believe we can do even more to end the suffering in this country,” she shared in her first public remarks as BHS president.

    The new president has laid out a clear, action-focused agenda for her tenure. Her top priorities span systemic and community-focused improvements: upgrading outdated shelter facilities to better meet animal needs, expanding the scope of available veterinary services, launching evening clinics to better serve community members who cannot attend during standard daytime hours, restoring in-house spay and neuter services that were previously paused, and boosting community outreach to increase pet adoption rates and public engagement. McComb Pinder emphasized that BHS carries an outsize public responsibility, caring for hundreds of vulnerable animals daily across New Providence while also driving animal welfare initiatives beyond the shelter’s walls. Delivering the improvements animals and residents deserve, she noted, will require collective effort across the organization and the broader community.

    To strengthen internal operations, McComb Pinder has already moved to formalize new leadership roles and support frontline staff, who regularly confront emotionally draining, heartbreaking situations working with at-risk animals. She plans to prioritize staff support, open lines of communication, and implement clearer organizational structure to streamline daily work. Recent leadership appointments align with this goal: Dr. Dan Katz has taken on the dual role of managing director and medical director, unifying the organization’s veterinary and animal welfare operations under a single coordinated leadership structure, while Alicia Curry has been named animal care supervisor. McComb Pinder noted that she has collaborated closely with both Katz and Curry on animal welfare initiatives for the past three years, creating a cohesive core leadership team from day one.

    McComb Pinder’s new executive team includes a range of experienced leaders from across the Bahamas’ animal welfare space. Annabeth Maura will serve as first vice president, while Dr. Valentino Grant of Caves Village Animal Hospital takes on the role of second vice president. Amanda Meyers will act as the organization’s treasurer, and Joanne Symonette will fill the secretary post.

    Aranha, who led the organization for nearly two decades, framed the transition as a natural “changing of the guard.” “Frankly, nobody should be president of anything for 19 years,” she said with a smile. Aranha explained that the outgoing leadership took time to find a candidate who was both willing and able to take on the heavy responsibility of leading BHS, and expressed full confidence in her successor. “We are extremely fortunate to have found that person in Lissa,” she said. Albury, who served alongside Aranha as vice president for more than 15 years, formed a renowned “power team” that steered BHS through decades of growth. Aranha praised the incoming executive’s collective qualifications, noting “They bring a wealth of experience, energy and commitment to animal welfare.” Though they have stepped back from executive roles, both Aranha and Albury will remain connected to BHS as members of a new advisory board, allowing the new leadership to draw on their decades of institutional knowledge and on-the-ground experience as they advance the organization’s mission.