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  • Annalisa Brown joins elite company with 800m Silver

    Annalisa Brown joins elite company with 800m Silver

    At the 2026 CARIFTA Games, young Grenadian middle-distance runner Annalisa Brown delivered a career-defining performance that etched her name into her country’s regional athletics record books, claiming silver in the Under-17 Girls 800 metres to secure a historic milestone. With this result, Brown became the first Under-17 female athlete from Grenada to earn medals in both the 800m and 1,500m events at a single edition of the Caribbean’s premier youth track and field competition, a feat not achieved by a Grenadian competitor of the same age group since Daniella Abraham’s 1999 performance in Fort-de-France, Martinique.

    Brown crossed the finish line at the 800m event with a time of 2:14.40, marking a new personal best for the rising star. This clocking also stands as the second-fastest 800m time recorded by any female Grenadian athlete in the 2026 competitive season, demonstrating the significant progress Brown has made since her last appearance at the games. Her silver medal marks an upgrade from the bronze medal she claimed in the same division at the 2024 CARIFTA Games, which were hosted on her home track in Grenada. Gold in the 2026 Under-17 800m went to Guyana’s Olivia Solomon.

    With this latest podium finish, Brown’s total CARIFTA medal count over her Under-17 career has risen to three, a tally that underscores her consistent competitiveness across multiple distances and multiple years of regional youth competition. A student at Boca Secondary School, Brown trains with the local Finishline Sports Club under the guidance of head coach Ronald Charles. In a post-race reflection, Charles opened up about the grueling multi-event schedule his young athlete navigated throughout the 2026 championships.

    “I’m very pleased with Anna,” Charles said. “It’s not the time we were hoping to get, but she participated in the 4×100m, the 1500m, and the rounds of the 800m. When we assessed her, she did mention slight discomfort, so the legs were a bit tired.” Even with the accumulated fatigue and physical strain of a packed competition schedule, Charles emphasized that Brown’s ability to hit a new personal best and secure an individual silver medal was a remarkable outcome.

    “Against that backdrop, achieving a new personal best and winning an individual medal on the track is a good look for us,” he added. Looking ahead, Brown is already scheduled to make her next competitive appearance at the 2026 Classic Lighting Communal Invitational, which will run from 25 to 26 April at Grenada’s Kirani James Athletic Stadium, where she will look to build on her historic CARIFTA Games success.

  • Condolences on the passing of H E Chandrikapersad Santokhi

    Condolences on the passing of H E Chandrikapersad Santokhi

    The Office of the Prime Minister of Grenada has issued an official statement of deep condolence to the government and people of the Republic of Suriname following the passing of former Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi.

    Widely remembered across the region as a committed public servant and a principled leader, Santokhi built his decades-long public career around a core belief in collaborative progress and collective action across the Caribbean. Throughout his tenure in public office, his work was defined by unwavering integrity, a dedication to public service, and a persistent commitment to strengthening democratic governance and expanding cross-regional partnerships.

    Santokhi served as Chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) from July through December 2022, a period marked by widespread global volatility and uncertainty. During his time in this leadership role, he delivered steady, goal-oriented direction for the bloc, consistently advocating for Caribbean unity, prioritizing investments in regional resilience, and pushing for coordinated collective responses to shared transnational challenges. These challenges included the accelerating impacts of climate change, growing gaps in food and nutrition security, advancing sustainable development goals, and driving inclusive economic recovery in the wake of global shocks. His leadership centered on the enduring vision that the Caribbean region gains its greatest strength when all member states advance forward together.

    A core tenet of Santokhi’s approach to regional governance was the repeated emphasis that progress cannot be achieved in isolation. Instead, he argued that lasting advancement grows from intentional cross-border partnership and shared responsibility. This collaborative approach deepened constructive dialogue between Caricom member states and strengthened the foundational frameworks that support ongoing regional integration efforts.

    On behalf of the government and people of Grenada, the Prime Minister extended sincere sympathies to Santokhi’s immediate family, close friends, professional colleagues, and all communities in Suriname and across the broader Caribbean who are mourning his passing. The statement closed with a note of hope that Santokhi’s legacy of principled leadership, selfless public service, and unwavering commitment to Caribbean unity will continue to inspire current and future generations of regional leaders.

    The statement ends with a prayer for the eternal rest of Santokhi’s soul.

    *Editor’s note: NOW Grenada notes it is not responsible for the opinions, statements or third-party media content shared by contributors to its platform. Users may click to report any content that violates platform community guidelines.*

  • Possessory Titles (Amendment) Bill, 2026 to strengthen land ownership processes and transparency

    Possessory Titles (Amendment) Bill, 2026 to strengthen land ownership processes and transparency

    The Ministry of Legal Affairs, Labour and Consumer Affairs of Grenada has tabled a landmark piece of legislation, the Possessory Titles (Amendment) Bill 2026, designed to overhaul the nation’s existing framework for granting legal land titles through adverse possession. The proposed changes target longstanding gaps in the 2016 Possessory Titles Act, prioritizing three core goals: boosting procedural transparency, upholding fairness for all stakeholders, and speeding up the resolution of legitimate land claims.

    At the heart of the reform package are a series of targeted adjustments to eligibility and procedural rules that reshape how adverse possession claims are processed. First, the bill introduces stricter qualifying thresholds for claimants, including hard caps on the size of land that can be claimed via this process unless a compelling, documented justification for a larger claim is provided. It also raises the bar for required supporting documentation, making formal reports from licensed land surveyors a mandatory requirement for all applications, replacing the looser documentation standards of the original 2016 legislation.

    To address a longstanding criticism of the existing system—that affected parties are often left unaware of pending claims against their property—the amendments outline enhanced notification protocols. These rules require all relevant stakeholders, including former registered landowners and owners or occupiers of adjacent parcels, to receive formal, timely notice of any active claim, giving them a clear opportunity to contest the application if they wish.

    Additional oversight measures have also been built into the revised framework: the Attorney-General is now required to participate in every possessory title proceeding, creating an extra layer of government accountability to prevent improper rulings. The bill also modernizes procedural practices by expanding the use of digital communication tools, including allowing required public notices to be published electronically alongside traditional print publication, improving accessibility and reducing processing delays. Notably, the legislation grants courts new flexibility to review and adjust prior rulings in exceptional, unforeseen circumstances, correcting a major inflexibility in the current law.

    To crack down on fraud and routine misuse of the system, the bill includes targeted anti-abuse provisions. These include restrictions on filing repeated unsuccessful claims within a set time frame, as well as a requirement for claimants to submit a financial deposit to cover the full cost of administrative processing for their application. This deposit structure discourages frivolous claims that clog up the court system and create unnecessary costs for the public.

    According to the ministry, the overarching objective of these changes is to strike a careful, balanced compromise between two competing priorities: on one hand, ensuring that legitimate claimants who have occupied and maintained land for the required period can still access formal legal title, and on the other, protecting the established property rights of registered landowners. The reforms are also intended to rebuild public trust in the land titling legal process by making its rules and outcomes more predictable and fair.

    The amendments will also align Grenada’s possessory title system with contemporary regional legal standards, specifically bringing the local rules into compliance with the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Civil Procedure Rules. This alignment is a key step toward building a more transparent, accountable national land administration system, which the government says will support broader national goals. As part of the administration’s wider agenda for sustainable development, attracting foreign and domestic investment, and maintaining social stability, strengthening land governance remains a top policy priority for the government.

    This report is based on an official release from the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Labour and Consumer Affairs of Grenada. NOW Grenada disclaims responsibility for content from external contributors, and provides a channel for reporting misuse of its publication platform.

  • Kazim Telesford claims double Silver for Grenada at CARIFTA

    Kazim Telesford claims double Silver for Grenada at CARIFTA

    The 2026 CARIFTA Games have delivered another standout performance from a rising Grenadian throwing talent, as 17-year-old prospect Kazim Telesford claimed two silver medals in the men’s Under-17 shot put and discus throw events, cementing Grenada’s decades-long legacy of excellence in throwing competitions.\n\nTelesford, a student at St David Catholic Secondary School, carries impressive local credentials into the regional championships: he is the reigning InterCol Junior champion in both throwing disciplines, and already holds the InterCol Junior discus record, setting a 53.77-meter mark earlier this 2026 season. Ahead of CARIFTA, he proved his elite form by winning gold in the 5kg shot put at the 2026 InterCol Games with a 15.72-meter throw, then took the national Under-17 shot put title at the ARIZA National Championships with an even stronger 15.80-meter effort. He trains under the guidance of head throws coach Paul Phillip at the St David Track Blazers Track Club — the same program that produced two-time world champion Anderson Peters, giving Telesford access to world-class coaching and development.\n\nIn the Under-17 shot put competition, Telesford got off to a blistering start, opening with a 14.76-meter throw that put him atop the leaderboard after the first two rounds. However, strong third-round throws from Trinidad and Tobago’s Jafari Shaw and Barbados’ Kamal Armstrong pushed him down to third place entering the final round of throws, which only the top eight competitors advanced to. Telesford responded to the pressure with a clutch 15.67-meter throw on his first final-round attempt, catapulting him into second place. He could not improve on that mark across his remaining attempts, and ultimately held on to win silver, with Armstrong taking gold after a final-attempt 15.96-meter throw.\n\nThis result carried historic meaning for Grenada: Telesford is the seventh Grenadian athlete ever to earn a medal in CARIFTA shot put, and the first Under-17 athlete from the country to medal in the 5kg shot put event in 12 years.\n\nTelesford didn’t stop there, adding a second silver medal in the Under-17 discus throw. This finish ended a 10-year medal drought for Grenada in the Under-17 discus event at CARIFTA, and makes Telesford just the eighth Grenadian athlete to claim a medal in the discipline at the regional games. Following his double medal performance, Grenada’s all-time CARIFTA medal count across Under-17 shot put and discus now stands at two gold, four silver, and three bronze.\n\nTelesford is one of only two Grenadian athletes to win multiple individual medals at the 2026 CARIFTA Games, joining compatriot Annalisa Brown in the rare achievement. His double silver finish confirms his standing as one of the Caribbean’s most promising young throwing talents, and signals that Grenada’s storied tradition of producing elite throwers remains on strong footing for the next generation.

  • No Arrest Made Yet in Police Seizure of Over 1,000 Pounds of Marijuana

    No Arrest Made Yet in Police Seizure of Over 1,000 Pounds of Marijuana

    On a Wednesday operation coordinated across multiple specialized law enforcement units in Belize District, authorities uncovered a major narcotics cache alongside a loaded semi-automatic weapon, marking one of the larger drug seizures reported in the area in recent months. As investigations remain in their early active phase, no suspects have been taken into custody as of the April 8, 2026 official briefing.

    The joint enforcement action was carried out by teams from the Gang Intelligence Investigation and Interaction Unit (GI3), the national Anti-Narcotics Unit, and the K-9 detection division, which targeted an apartment complex located in Lords Bank Village. According to Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith, the lead official on the case, law enforcement found 29 large sealed bags containing marijuana stashed inside an unoccupied room on the property. In addition to the drugs weighing more than 1,000 pounds total, officers recovered a loaded 9mm handgun with 12 live rounds of ammunition stored at the same location.

    When tactical teams arrived to execute the raid, the property was empty, leaving no immediate suspects to detain at the scene. Smith confirmed investigators have identified a person of interest connected to the property and the cache, noting that the individual already has a documented history with local law enforcement and has faced prior drug trafficking charges. Despite the absence of an immediate arrest, the lead investigator expressed confidence that the case will move forward to prosecution.

    “We are optimistic that we will secure an arrest in the near term,” Smith stated in the official briefing. “While the current circumstances of the investigation are not ideal, our team is working diligently to compile all necessary evidence to build a complete case file, bring the responsible party before the court, and ultimately secure a conviction.”

    Smith attributed the successful seizure to shifting operational priorities within the Belize police force, which has recently expanded investments in advanced surveillance technology and adopted an intelligence-driven policing model that targets high-risk narcotics operations proactively. When asked to share an estimate of the street value of the seized marijuana, Smith declined to provide a figure, explaining that officers were still in the process of verifying the total weight of the full consignment at the time of the briefing, and any accurate value assessment would require testing to confirm the drug’s purity and quality. She also declined to release the identity of the property owner, citing the ongoing active investigation and the need to protect the integrity of ongoing investigative steps.

  • Belize’s First World Aquatics Competitor Visits Belize During School Break

    Belize’s First World Aquatics Competitor Visits Belize During School Break

    Seventeen-year-old swimming trailblazer Davia Richardson, who made history as the first athlete from Belize to compete at the World Aquatics Championships held in Singapore, has returned to her home country for a short visit during her school break. The young athlete is using her time back in Belize to mentor up-and-coming local swimmers through community programming, while also making space to honor a deeply personal connection to her late father.

    Currently based in New York for training and schooling, Richardson touched down in Belize on April 8, 2026, alongside her mother, long-time swimming coach and sports psychologist. She shared that she has been looking forward to reconnecting with Belize’s tight-knit swimming community during her brief break from her busy training and competition schedule.

    Her first stop after arriving was the YWCA swimming pool in Belize City, where a group of young swimmers from the HUB Resource Centre gathered to meet their country’s pioneering aquatic athlete. Speaking to local outlet News Five, Richardson expressed her joy at being back in her home country: “It is good to be back. It is really cold in New York, so I love the weather here. I love seeing all the swimmers here, and it makes me want to get in right now.”

    Richardson’s journey in competitive swimming stretches back 12 years, a path that has taken her across continents to compete at the highest international level. Reflecting on her historic achievement, she shared advice for young Belizean athletes hoping to follow in her footsteps: “You can get really far with a lot of hard work and determination and a really good support system.”

    Her homecoming visit is a collaborative effort between her team and the Belize Aquatics Federation, which is led by president Giovanni Alamilla. Alamilla confirmed that the trip was Richardson’s own idea: she specifically asked to spend her school break in Belize in order to give back to the swimming community that launched her career. Over the two days of her visit, she will lead a free youth swimming camp, passing on her experience and expertise to the next generation of Belizean swimmers.

    Beyond her community work, Richardson has one personal priority for her trip: visiting the grave of her father at Lord Ridge Cemetery. Her father passed away when she was 12 years old, and he remains a core source of motivation for the young athlete. “Knowing I am representing him and his country to the best of my ability helps me get through hardship and challenges,” she shared.

  • President Simons: Onderwijs moet direct bijdragen aan productie en economische groei

    President Simons: Onderwijs moet direct bijdragen aan productie en economische groei

    PARAMARIBO, Suriname – April 8, 2026 – Suriname is set to realign its entire education system around national production and inclusive economic growth, President Jennifer Simons announced Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the two-day 2026 Education Congress, hosted at the Royal Ballroom of Hotel Torarica. The event, carried out in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank under the theme “Investing Today, Transforming Tomorrow”, brings together cross-sector stakeholders to map a new long-term direction for education tied to the country’s broader development goals.

    Simons anchored her reform proposal in the administration’s 2025 governing agreement, which prioritizes strengthening Suriname’s productive economic sectors. She emphasized that accelerated expansion of primary, secondary, and tertiary vocational education is critical to building a more resilient national economy, noting that production-focused training will extend far beyond the country’s booming oil and gas sector to support growth across all major industries.

    “National production is the foundation of food and economic self-sufficiency, and it is the bedrock of rising living standards, broad-based prosperity, and growing export volumes,” Simons told attendees. While framing education as a core driver of human well-being and economic progress, she also highlighted the indispensable role of advanced scientific education in tackling the country’s most pressing social and economic challenges. The president did not shy away from acknowledging the serious systemic challenges that currently hinder Suriname’s education sector, opening the door for candid discussion at the congress.

    This 2026 kickoff event marks the first step toward a larger national education congress scheduled for later this year. The immediate goal of the opening gathering is to collect expert insights from across sectors, which will then be used to co-develop detailed policy frameworks alongside key stakeholders.

    Looking ahead to the 2026-2027 academic year, Simons laid out two urgent priorities: resolving persistent bottlenecks that have disrupted learning across the country, and creating new pathways for young people who have dropped out of the formal education system to re-engage and build skills. Beyond immediate fixes, the government will also develop a comprehensive 5 to 15-year long-term vision to guide sustained reform.

    The president laid out clear expectations for tangible outcomes from the congress process. Final deliverables will include an actionable action plan for addressing urgent systemic issues, a broadly supported national education vision, a clarified definition of the professional role and responsibilities of teachers, a formal framework for updated education legislation, and a sustainable long-term funding model for the sector.

    A key focal point of the president’s address was the need to elevate the status of the teaching profession. Simons called for long-term reforms to ensure teachers receive compensation and professional recognition on par with other highly educated professionals. “The younger a child is, the more critical the quality and dedication of their educator is to their long-term success,” she noted.

    Education Minister Dirk Currie echoed the president’s remarks, noting that the reform process draws on global best practices to build an education system tailored specifically to Suriname’s unique national development needs.

  • Government advances Intellectual Property Framework

    Government advances Intellectual Property Framework

    Grenada’s Ministry of Legal Affairs, Labour and Consumer Affairs has tabled the landmark Trademarks (Amendment) Bill 2026, a pivotal legislative move designed to modernize the country’s intellectual property regulatory framework and boost its standing in the global competitive landscape.

    This legislative update comes directly in response to Grenada’s formal accession to the Madrid Protocol on December 15, 2025. Administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Madrid Protocol is a key international agreement that simplifies global trademark protection by allowing applicants to secure intellectual property rights across dozens of member jurisdictions through a single, unified application process.

    Prior to this amendment, Grenada’s domestic trademark laws did not include the formal legal structures required to fully implement the terms of the protocol. The new bill fills this regulatory gap, creating a clear domestic legal foundation to bring the country’s IP regime into compliance with its international commitments under the treaty.

    For trademark holders based in Grenada, the reform delivers tangible, practical benefits. Moving forward, local brand owners will be able to secure trademark protection in multiple international markets far more efficiently and at a substantially lower cost than the previous fragmented process of applying for protection in each jurisdiction individually.

    The amendment outlines a series of core advantages that are expected to drive economic activity: First, it establishes a centralized streamlined system for international trademark registration, cutting through layers of complex cross-border bureaucracy. Second, it directly reduces both financial costs and administrative workload for domestic businesses looking to protect their brands in overseas markets. Third, it delivers targeted support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), independent creatives, and national exporters that are working to expand their footprint in global markets, groups that previously faced disproportionate barriers to international IP protection. Fourth, it aligns Grenada’s intellectual property governance standards with widely accepted international best practices, bringing the country’s regulatory system in line with global norms.

    Additionally, the bill enshrines equal legal treatment for international and domestic trademark registrations: any international trademark registration that designates Grenada as a target jurisdiction will receive the same level of legal protection as trademarks registered directly through domestic channels, while still adhering to existing domestic legal safeguards including formal opposition and invalidation procedures to protect against improper registration.

    Senator the Honourable Claudette Joseph, Minister for Legal Affairs, Labour and Consumer Affairs, emphasized that this trademark reform is a core component of the government’s broader economic strategy. The update is intended to foster a culture of innovation, draw greater foreign direct investment to Grenada, and support sustainable growth of the country’s private sector. It also aligns fully with Grenada’s National Strategic Development Plan and the country’s long-term vision for broad-based economic diversification away from overreliance on any single sector.

    In closing, the ministry reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to building a modern, efficient, and globally competitive legal ecosystem that empowers local businesses to compete internationally and strengthens Grenada’s position in the global trading system.

  • PHOTO: Alfred Rolle Wins Flow’s Final Riddim and Rewards Grand Prize, Takes Home $1,000 Cash

    PHOTO: Alfred Rolle Wins Flow’s Final Riddim and Rewards Grand Prize, Takes Home $1,000 Cash

    The final installment of Flow’s popular Riddim and Rewards talent competition has wrapped up, and the spotlight now shines on Alfred Rolle, the standout competitor who walked away with the grand prize. After weeks of intense performances that showcased a diverse range of musical and rhythmic talent from across the region, Rolle outshone all other participants to claim the $1,000 cash top award.

    The Riddim and Rewards series, launched by telecommunications provider Flow, was designed to celebrate and uplift local emerging creative talent, particularly those rooted in Caribbean rhythmic and musical traditions. The competition drew dozens of entries across preliminary rounds, with fans and a panel of industry judges narrowing the field down to a handful of finalists for the concluding event. From skillful lyrical delivery to innovative rhythm composition, each finalist brought their unique artistic flair to the stage, but Rolle’s standout performance resonated most strongly with both the judging panel and the audience in attendance.

    Industry observers note that competitions like Riddim and Rewards play a key role in nurturing the next generation of Caribbean creatives, providing not just financial support but also much-needed exposure for artists who may otherwise lack access to mainstream opportunities. Flow has long positioned its community-focused entertainment initiatives as a way to invest in the cultural fabric of the regions it serves, and the conclusion of this year’s series marks another milestone in that ongoing commitment. For Rolle, the $1,000 cash prize is more than just a reward—it is a validation of his artistic work and a stepping stone for future projects in his creative career.

  • Soca Meeting Postponed To Support “Manifesting Greatness” Event With Masicka And Dawson Lewis

    Soca Meeting Postponed To Support “Manifesting Greatness” Event With Masicka And Dawson Lewis

    In a show of commitment to nurturing the next generation of creative talent in the soca industry, the National Soca Fraternity (NSF) has formally announced the postponement of its general meeting originally planned for the current date. The decision was made to clear the way for full participation and backing of the high-profile “Manifesting Greatness” youth and artiste engagement initiative.

    The organization has issued a public call urging all young creatives and working artistes across the region to seize the professional and personal growth opportunities presented by the “Manifesting Greatness” event. NSF leadership emphasized that targeted engagement programs like this play an irreplaceable role in advancing both individual careers and the collective evolution of the wider soca and creative entertainment industry. By stepping back to accommodate the youth-focused gathering, the fraternity underlines its priority of investing in long-term industry health over routine organizational business.

    Following the postponement, the NSF has confirmed a new rescheduled date and venue for its general meeting: attendees will now gather at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 11 at Dele’s Restaurant and Bar. The organization extends an open invitation to all soca artistes, industry stakeholders, and interested community members to join the rescheduled session for discussions on ongoing initiatives, future planning, and collaborative projects.

    In closing, the NSF Executive Board offered sincere apologies to all members and guests who had adjusted their schedules to attend the original meeting, acknowledging that the last-minute change may have created unplanned inconveniences. The board reaffirmed its enduring institutional commitment to centering programs and policies that lift up working artistes, foster connectedness across the creative community, and build a more sustainable and inclusive soca industry for all participants.