Carib Scope

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  • Former monarchs, fresh talent advance to calypso semis

    Former monarchs, fresh talent advance to calypso semis

    One of Saint Lucia’s most cherished cultural competitions is gearing up for a thrilling next stage this weekend, with calypso enthusiasts across the island already counting down to a tense, talent-packed semifinal showdown. The 2025 National Calypso Monarch competition has drawn a remarkably varied field of competitors, blending rising young stars, past titleholders, and fan-favorite artists making their return to the national stage, all vying for a shot at the coveted crown.

    Last weekend, the quarterfinal rounds brought the preliminary competition to a close, culling the initial field down to 18 standout calypsonians who have earned their spot in the Sunday, June 28 eliminator. All semifinal performances will take place at the island’s iconic National Cultural Centre, where judges will narrow the group one step further ahead of the grand final.

    Hundreds of attendees from across Saint Lucia traveled to attend the quarterfinal events, which organizers say highlighted the incredible depth and diversity of calypso talent growing on the island. Throughout the preliminary rounds, performers won over crowds with sharp, thoughtful tracks covering a wide range of topics: from breaking current events and stirring odes to national pride, to incisive commentary on pressing social issues and quick-witted satire that showcased the genre’s signature creative wordplay and lyrical skill.

    This year’s competition draws participants from four of the island’s active calypso tents: South Calypso Tent, KPT, Fire One, and Soca Village/Take Of Tent (TOT). The 18 qualified semifinalists split across these groups are: three from South Calypso – Lushane, Menelle, and Gumption; four from KPT – Anwar, Blaze, Devine, and TC Brown; seven from Soca Village/TOT – Ashe, Carlton Roberts, Herb Black, John Gotti, Mica, Narcheal, and Ti Caro; and four from Fire One – Walleigh, Snow, Ready, and Educator.

    When the semifinal judging concludes this Sunday, nine of these 18 competitors will move forward to the national final. There, they will face off against the reigning National Calypso Monarch, defending champion Dezral, who automatically advances to the final round to protect his title. Industry observers and long-time fans alike are already predicting one of the tightest, most competitive finals in recent years, thanks to the wide range of experience and fresh perspective brought by this year’s qualified field.

  • Rotary Club of Dominica installs water fountains at two primary schools to support healthy living initiative

    Rotary Club of Dominica installs water fountains at two primary schools to support healthy living initiative

    A community-led public health initiative aimed at curbing rising childhood obesity rates has reached a major milestone in Dominica, with the Rotary Club of Dominica officially rolling out new drinking water infrastructure at two primary schools across the country.

    On June 15, 2026, the organization formally handed over custom-built water fountains to the administrations of Roseau Primary School and Trafalgar Primary School during two dedicated campus ceremonies. This installation is the latest addition to the Rotary Club of Dominica’s flagship Childhood Obesity Programme, a long-running project designed to embed healthy habits in children from an early age.

    The core goal of the new water fountain project is simple but impactful: to make clean, free drinking water easily accessible to students, encouraging them to reach for water instead of the sugary soft drinks and sweetened beverages that contribute to weight gain, metabolic issues, and long-term health risks. By expanding access to water on school grounds, the initiative aligns with national public health strategies that prioritize reducing childhood obesity prevalence and improving overall youth well-being across the island.

    During the handover events, Kerissa Shillingford, a nutritionist from Dominica’s Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, addressed assembled students to talk through the critical benefits of consistent hydration and intentional, healthy food choices. Shillingford stressed that consistent water intake and balanced nutrition are foundational to lowering a child’s risk of developing obesity and other preventable non-communicable diseases later in life, urging students to prioritize water over sugary alternatives starting today.

    To amplify the impact of the new fountains, the Rotary Club also distributed reusable water bottles to every student at the two participating schools. The durable bottles are designed to let children refill their water throughout the school day, whether moving between classes, attending recess, or participating in after-school activities, making consistent hydration far more convenient for young learners on busy campuses.

    Dr. Jermaine Jewel Jean-Pierre, president of the Rotary Club of Dominica, opened the ceremonies by extending sincere gratitude to all partners that made the project possible. He specifically recognized the collaborative support from school administrators, teaching staff, participating students, and the Ministry of Health, which has aligned its public health outreach with the club’s Childhood Obesity Programme from its launch.

    Dr. Jean-Pierre also highlighted that the entire project was funded through proceeds from the Rotary Club’s Annual Carnival Sunday Souse and Punch Fundraiser, one of the organization’s most prominent annual community fundraising events. He further expressed the club’s appreciation for the sponsors, event patrons, and local community supporters whose generous donations turned the infrastructure project from a plan into a tangible, usable resource for local students.

    The Childhood Obesity Programme remains the Rotary Club of Dominica’s top community health priority. Beyond the installation of physical infrastructure, the program combines educational outreach, public awareness campaigns, and practical on-the-ground interventions to help children adopt better nutritional habits, increase daily physical activity, and maintain healthy lifestyles into adulthood.

    Moving forward, the Rotary Club of Dominica reaffirmed its long-term commitment to developing and implementing community-focused projects that deliver lasting, meaningful benefits to young people across every region of the island, while continuing to partner with national public health bodies to advance shared goals for population health and well-being.

  • Protected Fish Found Skinned Near Trap in San Pedro Waters

    Protected Fish Found Skinned Near Trap in San Pedro Waters

    In a development that has raised alarms among marine conservation groups and fishing industry stakeholders in Belize, the remains of a skinned permit fish (Trachinotus falcatus) — a legally protected species in the country — were discovered earlier this week in the waters off San Pedro Town. The Belize Flats Fishery Association (BFFA) confirmed that one of the organization’s experienced fishing guides found the carcass on Monday, located within a quarter-mile of an unregulated fish trap placed in the area.

    Permit fish hold dual importance for Belize: ecologically, they play a key role in maintaining the balance of coastal marine ecosystems, and economically, they are a cornerstone of the nation’s lucrative catch-and-release flats fishing sector. This industry supports thousands of livelihoods across the country, from local fishing guides to small tourism business owners and entire coastal communities that rely on recreational fishing visitors.

    Following the discovery, the BFFA has officially notified the Belize Fisheries Department of the incident, and is calling on regulatory authorities to launch a full, thorough investigation to identify those responsible and hold them accountable under Belize’s marine protection laws. The association has also issued a public appeal, urging all residents and visitors to report any suspicious activity that involves the catching, killing, trading, or unauthorized possession of protected marine species.

    In a statement following the discovery, the BFFA emphasized that protected species are granted legal protection for clear, pressing reasons. The group reiterated that ongoing conservation of these vulnerable marine populations is not just an environmental priority, but a critical requirement to preserve Belize’s marine ecosystems and secure the long-term viability of the recreational flats fishing industry that supports so many local livelihoods.

  • Barbados backs new push for affordable climate finance

    Barbados backs new push for affordable climate finance

    A groundbreaking new global partnership launched jointly by Barbados and the OPEC Fund for International Development is set to transform how climate-vulnerable nations access critical, low-cost financing for development and climate adaptation projects. The new multi-stakeholder framework, named the Vulnerability to Viability (V2V) Compact, was officially announced during an event in Vienna, assembling an unprecedented coalition that includes 78 climate-vulnerable economies and more than 15 leading global development finance institutions.

    Unlike traditional financing models that often leave the most climate-exposed nations struggling with crippling short repayment windows and high interest rates, the V2V Compact is structured to address the unique barriers these countries face. Core reforms under the initiative include extending loan repayment terms to match the long lifecycle of climate resilience projects, aligning all financing packages with the individual national development priorities of participating countries, and rolling out customized financing mechanisms that directly support infrastructure upgrades, climate adaptation work, and the preservation of essential public services from healthcare to clean energy.

    Speaking on the initiative, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley emphasized that the compact marks a critical shift in global climate finance. For decades, Mottley noted, small and climate-vulnerable nations have been forced to focus solely on surviving climate disasters rather than building long-term prosperity. By unlocking affordable, accessible capital, the V2V Compact is designed to help these countries move beyond a constant state of crisis response, enabling them to build durable resilience and work toward sustainable economic viability and shared prosperity for their populations.

    The launch comes as growing global consensus recognizes that the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, which have contributed the least to greenhouse gas emissions, face the steepest costs of climate change and often lack access to the financing needed to adapt. The coalition built through the compact aims to fill a critical gap in the existing global climate finance architecture, creating a coordinated pathway for institutional investment to reach the communities that need it most.

  • Kenyatta Benjamin to Be Arraigned June 30 in Fatal Andre Simon Crash Case

    Kenyatta Benjamin to Be Arraigned June 30 in Fatal Andre Simon Crash Case

    Nearly two years after a devastating Mother’s Day road collision claimed the life of elite national cyclist Andre Simon, the man charged in connection with the fatal crash is set to make his next court appearance for formal arraignment next month. Kenyatta Benjamin, a resident of Hatton, appeared before High Court Justice Ann Marie Smith this Monday, where the judicial schedule for the next procedural step was officially set. On June 30, Benjamin will formally answer the charge of dangerous driving brought against him, which stems from the 2022 incident that left Simon critically injured and ultimately dead. If Benjamin enters a plea of not guilty during the upcoming arraignment, court officials will move forward with setting a date for a full public trial.

    The tragic incident unfolded in May 2022 along the Sir George Walter Highway, during a scheduled training ride for a group of four competitive cyclists. Prosecutors’ case rests on the allegation that Benjamin’s vehicle collided with all four cyclists who were on the road that day. The cyclists involved were Andre Simon, Sean Weathered, Ghere Coates, and Tiziano Rosignoli, all of whom were rushed to a local medical facility immediately after the crash for emergency care.

    Three of the four riders — Weathered, Coates, and Rosignoli — eventually made full recoveries from their injuries and were released from care within a short period. Simon, however, was not as fortunate. The 36-year-old competitor, who left behind one child, suffered catastrophic, life-altering damage in the impact, including severe traumatic brain injury and life-threatening internal bleeding. He spent multiple weeks in the Intensive Care Unit at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre as medical teams worked to stabilize his condition. Due to the severity of his injuries, Simon was airlifted to the TIRR Memorial Hermann specialized trauma care facility in Houston, Texas on July 2, 2022, to access advanced treatment that was not available locally.

    Despite months of intensive medical intervention in the United States, Simon succumbed to his injuries roughly 13 months after the initial collision, becoming the fatal fatality of the crash. Now, after nearly two years of procedural progress, Benjamin is scheduled to return to the High Court for his long-awaited arraignment on the charge connected to Simon’s death.

  • Ministry of Equity, Cacoa Sainte Lucie honour 20 Canaries fathers

    Ministry of Equity, Cacoa Sainte Lucie honour 20 Canaries fathers

    In a heartfelt Father’s Day celebration centered on unsung community contributions, a Saint Lucian government department has highlighted the critical role fathers play in family and societal development by recognizing 20 committed men from the Canaries region.

    The special recognition event was a collaborative effort between the Community Services Unit under the Department of Equity, Social Justice, Gender and Older Persons, and Cacoa Sainte Lucie, a prominent local chocolate producer based in Belvedere Canaries. Unlike generic Father’s Day observances, this initiative intentionally spotlighted working-class fathers from diverse everyday professions, including fishermen, small-scale farmers, bus drivers, and other laborers who form the backbone of local communities.

    Each of the 20 honored fathers left the celebration with a curated gift box of handcrafted local chocolate, and all attendees were treated to a complimentary three-course Father’s Day lunch, fully sponsored by partnering company Cacoa Sainte Lucie.

    Lyncia Antoine, social transformation officer covering the Anse La Raye and Canaries districts, explained that the event was designed to draw attention to contributions that frequently go unacknowledged. Too often, the consistent, tireless work of fathers and male community role models flies under the radar, she noted, making targeted recognition a necessary priority.

    “This initiative is about showing appreciation to the men who work tirelessly to support their families and contribute to the development of their communities,” Antoine stated in remarks during the event. “Fathers play a vital role in building strong families and vibrant communities, and it is important that we take the time to celebrate their efforts.”

    Department officials emphasized that the gathering reflects the Ministry of Equity’s core commitment to fostering connected, resilient communities, strengthening family structures, and centering inclusive recognition for all groups within Saint Lucian society. Beyond a single day of celebration, the event also reinforces the widespread, foundational impact fathers have on shaping the fabric of the island nation’s social development.

    The Ministry of Equity extended formal gratitude to Cacoa Sainte Lucie for its partnership and sponsorship, noting that the company’s support turned the initiative into a meaningful, memorable experience for the fathers who were nominated for the honor.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Among Nations Confronting Slow Progress on Sustainable Development Goals

    Antigua and Barbuda Among Nations Confronting Slow Progress on Sustainable Development Goals

    Five and a half years out from the 2030 deadline for the United Nations’ transformative Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a landmark annual assessment has delivered a sobering verdict: none of the 17 global goals are currently on track to be fully achieved by the target date, with systemic barriers blocking progress across climate action, environmental stewardship, and global governance. The findings are outlined in the 2026 edition of the Sustainable Development Report, published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, which tracks performance across all 193 UN member states each year.

    The report’s comprehensive analysis finds that less than one-fifth of the hundreds of specific targets tied to the SDGs are progressing at a pace that will meet 2030 milestones. Among the 17 goals, four stand out as facing the most severe headwinds: Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Life Below Water (SDG 14), Life on Land (SDG 15), and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16). The assessment also notes that despite broad global rhetorical and policy support for the 2030 Agenda since the SDGs were adopted in 2015, progress has stagnated across multiple core priority areas.

    Climate change remains an especially urgent flashpoint for vulnerable nations, particularly Small Island Developing States. These low-lying nations continue to see growing vulnerability to the impacts of rising global temperatures, including more frequent and intense extreme weather events, accelerating coastal erosion, and widespread environmental degradation that threatens both livelihoods and national sovereignty.

    While nearly all nations have formally committed to the SDG framework, turning commitments into tangible action has proven to be a persistent, widespread challenge. Survey data included in the report identifies four key bottlenecks that continue to slow progress: insufficient development financing, weak governance frameworks, limited institutional capacity to design and execute programs, and inadequate integration of scientific evidence and data into policymaking.

    In a bright spot amid the overall gloomy assessment, Antigua and Barbuda earned international recognition for its leadership in global cooperation. The Caribbean nation was ranked second globally in the report’s separate Index of Countries’ Support for UN-Based Multilateralism, a reflection of its consistent and robust engagement with global collective action efforts.

    The report closes with a clear call to action for the global community: accelerating progress toward the SDGs in the remaining five years will require urgent investment in strengthened national implementation mechanisms, as well as coordinated action to unlock the adequate, accessible financing that developing nations need to deliver on their sustainable development commitments.

  • Blackheart celebrations continue for VF South ahead of SPFL challenge

    Blackheart celebrations continue for VF South ahead of SPFL challenge

    Against a backdrop of torrential downpour that drenched Soufrière Stadium, Vieux Fort South’s young squad defied both adverse weather and in-game adversity to secure a landmark 4-2 victory over La Clery in the 2025 Blackheart/Saint Lucia Football Association Knockout Tournament final. The win not only delivered the first-ever under-20 title in the competition’s history to the side, but also earned the team a $30,000 cash prize, while head coach Alwyn Harris took home the honor of tournament’s outstanding coach.

    In a post-match interview with St Lucia Times during the team’s jubilant celebrations, Harris emphasized that unshakable team confidence had been the foundation of their championship run from the opening whistle. “I just want to say thank you — to my players, to the entire Vieux Fort community that showed up for us every step of the way,” he said. “We walked into this tournament certain we would take the top prize, and I never stopped reinforcing that belief with the boys. I told them there is no team in this competition that could stop them if they stuck to our game plan and played like the unit we trained to be. There is no ‘I’ in team, and tonight they proved they are true champions.”

    The road to the trophy was far from smooth for the green and white-clad side. Late in the second half, the squad faced two major setbacks: their starting goalkeeper was forced out of the match with an injury, and a defender was issued a red card, leaving Vieux Fort South down to 10 men for the closing stretch. Reflecting on the disciplinary incident, Harris noted that while the sending-off was a disappointing turn, the team’s ability to adapt under pressure ultimately secured the win. “We pulled that player aside, talked to him and told him to stay calm, but it still happened,” he said. “We got through it and got the win, but moving forward, we absolutely have to work on improving defensive discipline to avoid these situations in future matches.”

    The first half of the final was a tightly contested back-and-forth battle. Vieux Fort South twice grabbed the lead, but La Clery responded with an equalizer each time, leaving the score tied going into the halftime break. Harris shared that his halftime pep talk focused on refocusing the squad and reinforcing the need for full 90-minute commitment, rather than letting up after scoring. “I told the boys at halftime that we hadn’t won the game yet — football is 90 minutes, not 45, and nothing is settled until the final whistle blows,” he recalled. “Every time we put one in the back of the net, we relaxed, we assumed the other team couldn’t come back. But La Clery wanted this win just as badly as we did. I reminded them that we have to stay locked in from the first minute to the last, and I hope this lesson sticks with us going forward.”

    Fresh off claiming the 2024 Tier 2 title in the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League (SPFL), Vieux Fort South’s upset win over Tier 1 defending champions La Clery sends a clear warning to the top flight ahead of the 2026 SPFL season, which kicks off in the near future. Harris made it clear that his young side is already preparing to compete for the top Tier 1 position when they make their debut in the top division. “Coach Jamil Joseph and the SPFL have everything locked in for the new season, and we’ve got a group of players in Vieux Fort that are hungry to prove they belong at the top level,” Harris said. “I have no doubt in them — they’re going to go out, give it their all, and show what they can do.”

    Individual honors were spread across multiple standout players from the tournament. Vieux Fort South’s Obafami Poyotte earned MVP of the final honors, while teammates Kahlil Henry (best centre-back) and Kai Alexander (best goalkeeper) also took home individual trophies. Soufrière’s Eymani Butcher claimed two awards: best midfielder and Player of the Tournament. Gros Islet’s Rickelme Lionel won the Daren Sammy Trophy for finishing the tournament as top goal scorer.

  • Darializa Ávila Chevalier defeats Adriano Espaillat in New York’s Democratic primary

    Darializa Ávila Chevalier defeats Adriano Espaillat in New York’s Democratic primary

    In a stunning upset that has sent ripples through U.S. Democratic politics, first-time candidate Darializa Ávila Chevalier has claimed victory in the Democratic primary for New York’s 13th Congressional District, edging out long-serving incumbent Congressman Adriano Espaillat by a narrow margin. Latest certified election results show Ávila Chevalier secured 49.4% of the total vote, compared to Espaillat’s 46% — a result that upends expectations for a seat long held by one of the Democratic Party’s established Dominican-American leaders.

    The 13th District, which includes majority-Latino neighborhoods like Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan, is one of the nation’s most high-profile constituencies with a majority Dominican-American population. Espaillat, who has represented the district in Congress since 2017, built a reputation as a respected bridge between local Dominican community interests and national Democratic policy, making his defeat one of the most significant incumbent upsets of the 2024 primary cycle.

    At 32 years old, Ávila Chevalier brings a new profile to the race: a Columbia-educated sociologist, Dominican-American born in Miami to immigrant parents and raised in the heart of Washington Heights. She centered her entire campaign around three core pillars: grassroots community-centered representation, sweeping progressive policy reform, and pushing the Democratic Party to elevate younger, less entrenched political voices. Throughout her campaign, she repeatedly emphasized her dual rootedness in both the Dominican community and the New York district she now will represent, framing her connection to the area as a more authentic match for voters than the incumbent’s long tenure in Washington.

    Ávila Chevalier’s win cements her status as one of the fastest-rising stars within the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, and counts as a high-profile victory for the Democratic Socialists of America movement, which backed her campaign. Beyond the local result, the primary contest encapsulates the growing generational and ideological divides roiling the national Democratic Party: it pitted a decades-long incumbent with deep establishment ties against a young, outsider progressive candidate pushing for systemic change, a dynamic that has played out in dozens of primaries across the country in recent election cycles.

    Notably, even with the competitive race between two candidates with very different political profiles, Dominican representation remained the throughline of the entire contest. Both candidates built their campaigns around their deep ties to the Dominican diaspora in New York, meaning the outcome will not break the long tradition of Dominican-American leadership for the district. Instead, it brings a fresh, progressive voice from the community to the national congressional stage, signaling a shift in the priorities of voters in one of New York’s most politically active districts.

  • Dominican Republic to have more seniors than children by 2050, ONE projects

    Dominican Republic to have more seniors than children by 2050, ONE projects

    New long-term demographic projections released by the Dominican Republic’s National Statistics Office (ONE) paint a clear picture of sweeping population transformation underway in the Caribbean nation, driven by rising life expectancy, plummeting birth rates, and rapid population aging over the coming decades.

    Developed in partnership with the Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre (CELADE), which provided specialized technical support for the analysis, the projections outline dramatic shifts in key demographic indicators through the end of the 21st century. According to the study, average life expectancy at birth is on track to jump from 75.7 years in 2026 to 91.5 years by 2100, a gain of more than 15 years that reflects improvements in public health, medical care, and quality of life across the country.

    At the same time, fertility rates will remain well below the 2.1 replacement level required to sustain a stable population without immigration. The report projects that the average number of children per woman will fall from 1.97 in 2026 to roughly 1.7 in the coming decades, a decline that will reshape the country’s age structure dramatically. The national average age is expected to climb from 32.9 years in 2026 to 51.6 years by 2100, making the Dominican Republic’s population one of the oldest in the Latin American and Caribbean region by the end of the century.

    One of the most notable milestones highlighted in the analysis is set to arrive mid-century: by 2050, the Dominican Republic will record more residents aged 65 and older than people under 15, marking the first time this demographic shift has occurred in the nation’s history. The share of seniors in the total population is projected to triple over the next 77 years, rising from 9% today to 17% in 2050 and hitting 36% by 2100. Meanwhile, the proportion of children and young adolescents will continue a steady decline that has been underway for the past two decades.

    Total population size will follow a different trajectory: growth is expected to continue through the 2070s, when the national population will hit a peak before entering a gradual decline that brings it down to roughly 11.9 million inhabitants by 2100. Beyond the core trends of aging and falling fertility, the projections also point to other positive demographic shifts, including a continued drop in adolescent fertility rates and slowing overall population growth.

    Notably, the analysis identifies an ongoing “demographic window of opportunity” that will remain open through roughly 2065, driven by a relatively low dependency ratio – the proportion of non-working age residents that working-age populations must support. ONE officials emphasized that the new projections are far more than an academic exercise: the data will serve as a critical foundation for shaping long-term public policy across sectors, from healthcare and pension systems to housing and education, as the country prepares to address the far-reaching economic and social impacts of its rapidly aging population.