Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • VHP herdenkt geboortedag van grondlegger en eerste voorzitter

    VHP herdenkt geboortedag van grondlegger en eerste voorzitter

    On September 21 each year, the Progressive Reform Party (VHP) of Suriname pauses to honor the birth anniversary of its late founder and first chair, mr. Jagernath Lachmon — a towering figure whose legacy is deeply woven into the country’s modern political history. Lachmon’s name has become inseparable from Suriname’s long-standing political mission of reconciliation, tolerance, and national unity, values that guided every step of his decades-long public service career.

    Throughout his time in public life, Lachmon worked tirelessly to build a Suriname where people from diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds could coexist peacefully, and collaborate to build a stronger, more prosperous future for the entire nation. His vision of a unified multi-ethnic society gained formal national recognition in 2020, when the date of his birth was enshrined into Suriname’s law. Following a formal request from VHP’s national executive board, a resolution adopted on September 17, 2020 designated September 21 — Lachmon’s birth date — as the National Day of Reconciliation and Unity. The resolution explicitly emphasizes that reconciliation and national connection are core, foundational pillars for Suriname’s future as a multi-ethnic, multicultural democracy.

    A striking and meaningful coincidence adds extra weight to this annual commemoration: September 21 also marks the International Day of Peace. The global call for peace on this date aligns perfectly with the core conviction that Lachmon championed throughout his entire life: that differences between communities do not need to be a source of division, but can instead strengthen national connection, foster mutual respect, and build collective national strength.

    For the VHP and the people of Suriname, this annual commemoration is not merely a tribute to Lachmon the person, but a celebration of his enduring ideological legacy and his permanent call for reconciliation, unity, and mutual respect across all communities. Today, his life’s work and vision remain a timeless source of inspiration for current Surinamese society and for generations of Surinamese yet to come.

  • Seven Children to Receive Warri Academy Sponsorship After Sold-Out London Games Night

    Seven Children to Receive Warri Academy Sponsorship After Sold-Out London Games Night

    On September 11, 2026, a landmark cultural event celebrating Antigua and Barbuda’s most cherished traditional pastime drew a full house in London, hosted jointly by the Antigua and Barbuda National Association UK (ABNA UK) and Her Excellency Karen-Mae Hill, the island nation’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. The sold-out Warri Games Night united cross-generational members of the Antigua and Barbuda diaspora based in the UK, with a core mission to safeguard and amplify one of the country’s most enduring cultural legacies.

    The entire evening centered on the art and history of Warri, a beloved national board game with deep ancestral roots. For many young attendees, it marked their first opportunity to learn the rules and strategies of the game, while elder community members reconnected with the tradition they grew up with, passing down hard-won insights and personal stories to the emerging generation.

    Three prominent global figures in the Warri and mancala community led instruction for the event, fresh off their appearance at the VI World Nomad Games held in Kyrgyzstan, where Antigua and Barbuda competed in official Warri tournament play. Headlining the guest faculty was Trevor Simon, Antigua and Barbuda’s own International Warri Grandmaster, who offered personalized one-on-one coaching to new and experienced players alike. He was joined by Seth Bonti Asamoah, President of the World Oware Federation from Ghana, and Augusto Basheer, Manager of Nigeria’s national Warri Team, both of whom provided hands-on guidance to participants throughout the night.

    The presence of the three West Indian and West African gaming leaders underscored Warri’s shared African heritage, a core part of the game’s history. Warri belongs to the broader global family of mancala games, which originated centuries ago in West Africa. Enslaved Africans carried the tradition across the Atlantic during the transatlantic slave trade, and the game became deeply woven into the cultural fabric of Caribbean nations, including Antigua and Barbuda.

    Distinguished guests in attendance also included the Honourable Chet Greene, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, and legendary cricketer Sir Vivian Richards, alongside leadership and members from ABNA UK and the Antigua and Barbuda High Commission.

    A key announcement that capped off the evening was ABNA UK’s formal pledge to sponsor seven young players to join the Warri Academy based in Antigua and Barbuda, backing ongoing efforts to teach and preserve the game for future generations in the island nation. The selection framework will allocate one spot to a child from each of Antigua’s six parishes, with an additional spot reserved for a young player from Barbuda.

    Lyndia Bowers, President of ABNA UK, emphasized the far deeper meaning of the event and sponsorship commitment beyond a simple night of gaming. “Warri is more than a game. It is part of the story, heritage and identity that connects generations of Antiguans and Barbudans,” Bowers explained. “Seeing children in the UK learning to play for the first time, while our elders reconnected with the game and shared their knowledge, showed exactly why traditions like this must be kept alive. Our commitment to sponsor seven children through the Warri Academy is about extending that work back home and helping to ensure that another generation grows up knowing, playing and valuing Warri.”

    High Commissioner Karen-Mae Hill echoed Bowers’ sentiments, noting that the event brought the diaspora community together around a shared cultural touchstone on British soil. “Warri is a living expression of our history and identity, and it is especially encouraging to see it bringing generations together here in the United Kingdom,” Hill said. “The High Commission is proud to support ABNA UK in creating space for the diaspora to learn, celebrate and pass on this important part of Antigua and Barbuda’s cultural heritage. I warmly commend ABNA UK’s commitment to sponsor seven children through the Warri Academy.”

    Minister Greene framed the preservation of Warri as integral to preserving the national identity of Antigua and Barbuda, highlighting the critical role the diaspora plays in sustaining cultural traditions. “The preservation of Warri is part of the preservation of who we are as a people,” Greene noted. “This event demonstrates the important role our diaspora plays in keeping our traditions strong and sharing them with future generations. I applaud ABNA UK, the High Commission and all those who contributed to the success of the evening, and I welcome the sponsorship of seven young people through the Warri Academy as a meaningful investment in our cultural future.”

    Grandmaster Simon shared his own enthusiasm for the event’s outcomes, noting the warm community spirit that defined the night. “I was happy to be part of the successful Warri Games Night hosted by ABNA UK and Her Excellency, Karen-Mae Hill, continuing our quest to teach, preserve and pass on our heritage game from generation to generation,” Simon said. “It was refreshing to observe the camaraderie that was on show.”

    Founded in 1967, ABNA UK has long worked to unite and support the Antigua and Barbuda diaspora across the United Kingdom. Its 2026 calendar of programming includes a full slate of events focused on celebrating the nation’s heritage, honoring its iconic figures, and strengthening the diaspora community for years to come, with the Warri Games Night serving as a key installment in this broader series of cultural and community engagement initiatives. The event embodied the organization’s ongoing core mission: forging intergenerational connections among diaspora members in the UK while upholding strong cultural ties to the home islands.

  • LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Ward Aaides who refuse to care for patients should find another job

    LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Ward Aaides who refuse to care for patients should find another job

    A public letter submitted by an anonymous concerned citizen has sparked scrutiny of patient care standards at Dominica China Friendship Hospital, after detailing an alleged incident of neglect and mistreatment targeting an 80-year-old vulnerable patient. The author was careful to acknowledge that many ward aides at the facility fulfill their duties diligently, working with compassion under challenging working conditions that deserve formal recognition. However, they argue that reported unprofessional and cruel behavior from a subset of staff toward elderly and dependent patients cannot be brushed under the rug.

    According to the account shared in the letter, the 80-year-old patient, who had soiled herself and required assistance to clean up, was turned away by a ward aide who reportedly told her “Wipe yourself; that’s not my job” before asking why the woman’s family was not present to help. The author pushes back against this response, noting that family members may have stepped away briefly for personal needs, had other urgent responsibilities, or may not be available at all. Regardless of the situation, no admitted patient should be forced to endure humiliation or abandonment simply because a staff member refuses to complete a task they find unpleasant, the letter emphasizes.

    No elderly patient should be forced to remain lying in unsanitary conditions while staff dispute which role is responsible for basic care, the author argues. This kind of treatment is degrading to the patient, creates avoidable health risks, and directly violates the basic standard of dignity that every person accessing healthcare is entitled to. The letter goes on to outline the core expectations of the ward aide role: the position is inherently demanding work that requires patience, humility and a commitment to compassionate care, not a low-effort role that only requires completing convenient tasks.

    Key responsibilities of a ward aide, per the letter, include supporting nursing staff, assisting with patients’ basic personal comfort and hygiene, maintaining clean patient environments, changing linens, supporting patient mobility, and completing other assigned duties aligned with their training and hospital policy. This includes assisting patients with hygiene needs after incontinence accidents or changing adult diapers. While these tasks are not glamorous, they are foundational to quality care, the author notes: a patient does not forfeit their right to dignity simply because they are elderly, ill, incontinent, or unable to care for themselves independently.

    The author acknowledges that legitimate systemic concerns may exist around hospital staffing levels, staff training, excessive workloads, and unclear divisions of responsibility between nursing staff and ward aides, and notes that hospital administration has a responsibility to address these structural issues. Even so, they stress that no debate over role boundaries can justify cruel treatment or neglect that leaves a patient in unsanitary, undignified conditions.

    For any ward aide who resents being asked to support basic care for helpless patients, the author argues: if you believe this work is beneath you, you have chosen the wrong profession. You should seek employment that does not require you to care for vulnerable people. Ward aides are core members of the healthcare team, and their approach to care directly shapes whether patients feel safe and respected, or ashamed and abandoned. “Today it is someone else’s mother, father or grandparent. Tomorrow it could be yours, or even you,” the letter reads.

    The author closes with a formal call to action for Dominica China Friendship Hospital administration: launch a full investigation into this reported incident, as well as broader recurring complaints about the treatment of elderly and dependent patients at the facility. The letter recommends that administrators hold private conversations with patients and their family members to collect unfiltered feedback, review current duty assignments and staff supervision protocols, reinforce mandatory standards of professional conduct, and ensure all ward aides have a clear, shared understanding of their role responsibilities.

    Where gaps in training are found, the author says additional training should be provided, and where wards are understaffed, administration should take action to resolve staffing shortfalls. For any staff member found to have deliberately neglected or humiliated a patient, however, there must be clear accountability. The letter ends with a core reminder for all healthcare providers: compassion is not an optional add-on in patient care, it is the very foundation of the profession.

  • Omwonenden vragen NMA Halliburton-projecten opnieuw te beoordelen

    Omwonenden vragen NMA Halliburton-projecten opnieuw te beoordelen

    A group of stakeholders with interests tied to Suriname’s coastal area has launched a formal legal challenge to two planned Halliburton projects near Paramaribo, calling on the country’s National Environmental Authority (NMA) to revisit and reverse earlier environmental approvals that greenlit the developments. Through legal representation, the group has submitted an official request that pauses all pre-construction work on Halliburton’s proposed new operational base at Sir Winston Churchillweg 426, as well as halts ongoing permitting for an on-site radioactive materials storage facility linked to the energy firm’s regional operations. The challenge targets two separate environmental assessment dossiers: MEA 0049/2025, which covers the operational base, and MEA 0054/2025, the regulatory file for the radioactive storage facility. Stakeholders say they have raised fundamental concerns about how the projects were screened, classified, and evaluated for potential harms to local ecosystems and communities, arguing that earlier assessments failed to account for key risks. At the core of the dispute is the classification of the radioactive storage facility. The NMA previously categorized the project as an activity with low environmental impact but high site sensitivity, a designation that allowed the project to move forward with only a limited environmental review in the form of a standard Environment Management and Monitoring Plan (MMMP), rather than a full, comprehensive environmental impact assessment. Stakeholders argue this classification is incorrect and inconsistent with the risks of storing radioactive materials in a populated area near critical environmental resources, and are pushing the NMA to re-evaluate the designation in light of new evidence and research they have presented. The group is asking the NMA to investigate whether the original classification remains justified, and whether the decision to accept a limited MMMP review instead of a full assessment should be withdrawn or revised. Pending the outcome of this reassessment, stakeholders are calling for all further permitting work on the storage facility dossier to be suspended immediately. In their formal request, they also emphasize that any new environmental review must go beyond traditional ecological harm assessments, and include full analysis of the projects’ potential social and economic impacts on nearby communities and local industries. The NMA has been given a deadline of October 1, 2026, to issue a substantive response to the stakeholders’ claims and requests. It is important to note that the submission of the formal challenge does not automatically invalidate earlier environmental approvals or halt work on the projects at this stage. The NMA will first review the request to determine whether there is sufficient merit to reopen the assessment processes, revise earlier decisions, or implement the requested temporary suspensions. Halliburton, a major global energy services firm, has been expanding its operational footprint in Suriname amid growing offshore oil and gas exploration activity in the country’s waters, making the planned base and storage facility a key part of its regional strategy. The challenge comes amid growing public debate in Suriname over environmental regulation of the energy sector, and whether existing rules provide sufficient protection for local communities and fragile ecosystems. The outcome of the NMA’s review is expected to set a precedent for future large-scale energy infrastructure projects in the country.

  • FLASH : Joseph Félix Badio and 17 Colombians imprisoned in Haiti extradited to the USA

    FLASH : Joseph Félix Badio and 17 Colombians imprisoned in Haiti extradited to the USA

    Five years after the 2021 assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, a landmark development in the long-stalled legal process has unfolded: 18 key suspects, including one of the alleged plot’s top masterminds and 17 former Colombian mercenaries, have been extradited from Haiti to the United States to face prosecution.

    Moïse was killed in a commando-style raid on his private Port-au-Prince residence in the early hours of July 7, 2021, an attack that sent shockwaves through Haiti and left the country facing a years-long political and security crisis. While U.S. law enforcement has made consistent progress in investigating the plot, securing arrests, and securing convictions against co-conspirators, Haitian judicial proceedings have faced crippling delays and institutional hurdles. Half a decade after the assassination, not a single suspect had gone to trial in Haitian courts, leaving demands for accountability unmet.

    To break this impasse and advance the pursuit of justice, the Haitian government authorized the extradition of the 18 suspects at the formal request of U.S. judicial authorities, acting under bilateral judicial cooperation agreements between the two nations. Among those transferred is Joseph Félix Badio, a former high-ranking official with Haiti’s Anti-Corruption Unit, who investigators have long identified as one of the central operational architects of the assassination plot on Haitian soil. The other 17 individuals are former Colombian soldiers who allegedly made up the on-the-ground commando team that carried out the assault on Moïse’s residence.

    All 18 suspects had been held in Haitian custody since shortly after the 2021 attack. On the morning of Sunday, September 20, 2026, they were loaded onto a U.S. military plane at Port-au-Prince International Airport – all clad in blue jumpsuits, per U.S. official accounts – and flown to the United States. The plane landed shortly before 11 a.m. local time, marking the completion of the long-planned transfer.

    Jason A. Reding Quiñones, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, confirmed the extradition in an official post on his social media account. The 18 suspects will be tried at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, where investigators have already established that much of the plot was planned and funded. To date, 30 people have been formally charged in connection with the assassination in U.S. courts, and several co-conspirators have already been convicted.

    “Today marks the beginning of a crucial new phase in our pursuit of justice for the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse,” Reding Quiñones said in a statement. “Our work does not end with the men who planned and executed this assassination. We will follow the evidence wherever it leads us, to those who financed, facilitated, supported, or committed crimes to make it possible. Five years later, we continue to bring defendants to trial in U.S. courts, and we are not finished.”

    The extradition comes just one week before the scheduled September 28, 2026, trial of Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Florida-based suspect accused of being one of the assassination’s chief financial backers and a figure who sought to replace Moïse as president following the attack. In line with the legal principle of double jeopardy, which bars retrial for the same offense, Haitian judicial authorities have officially terminated all local legal proceedings against the 18 extradited suspects, who are now fully under U.S. judicial jurisdiction.

    The full list of extradited suspects is as follows: Joseph Félix Badio; Carlos Giovanni Guerrero Torres; Victor Alberio Pineda Cardona; Juan Carlos Yepes Clavijo; Naiser Franco Castaneda; Angel Mario Yarce Sierra; Jheyner Alberto Carmona Flores; Edwin Enrique Blanquicet Rodriguez; Manuel Antonio Grosso Guarin; Jhon Jairo Ramirez Gomez; Francisco Eladio Uribe Ochoa; Alejandro Giraldo Zapata; Neil Caceres Duran; Jhon Jader Andela; Enalber Vargas Gomez; Jhon Jairo Suarez Alegria; Gersain Mendivelso Jaimes; and Alex Miyer Pena.

    Haitian officials emphasized that the extradition agreement preserves the country’s legal prerogatives and interests. Under the terms of the bilateral mutual legal assistance pact, any new evidence uncovered during the U.S. proceedings will be shared with Haitian investigators to support ongoing local investigations into other unindicted co-conspirators. In a statement, the Haitian government said the decision reflects its enduring commitment to leveraging every available avenue of international cooperation to ensure accountability, delivering justice for Moïse, his family, and the Haitian people who have waited five years for closure.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Falcons Capture First CPL Title With Eight-Wicket Win

    Antigua and Barbuda Falcons Capture First CPL Title With Eight-Wicket Win

    BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Cricket history was made at Kensington Oval on Wednesday, as expansion franchise Antigua and Barbuda Falcons capped a fairytale 2026 campaign by lifting their first-ever Caribbean Premier League (CPL) trophy, securing a commanding eight-wicket victory over the Jamaica Kingsmen in the tournament decider.

    Having entered the league just two years prior in 2024, the Falcons turned their underdog status into a championship win, chasing down Jamaica’s total of 170 for nine with more than three overs left to close out the match at 173 for two in 16.4 overs. The historic win marks the first major title for the fledgling franchise, adding a new name to the CPL’s roll of honor that has grown since the league’s launch in 2013.

    The match delivered a dramatic back-and-forth contest, starting when Falcons skipper won the coin toss and elected to bowl first. The decision looked set to backfire after Jamaica batsman Maaz Sadaqat delivered a record-breaking innings, smashing the first ever century in a CPL final off just 49 deliveries. Sadaqat finished with 114 runs from 58 balls, peppered with eight fours and nine towering sixes, but received almost no support from the rest of Jamaica’s batting line-up.

    Falcons spinner Sufyan Moqim delivered a match-defining four-over spell, ripping through the Kingsmen’s order to claim four wickets for a mere 14 runs. Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph chipped in with two wickets for 27 runs, while Jayden Seales, Shadab Khan and Shamar Springer each picked up one dismissal to cap a dominant bowling performance. A catastrophic middle-order collapse saw Jamaica lose four wickets for just three runs, leaving Sadaqat to drag the side to a below-par final total of 170 for nine at the end of 20 overs.

    Opening their chase aggressively, the Falcons got off to a flying start that never let up. Rahkeem Cornwall smashed 20 runs from just six deliveries in the opening over before falling, and Evin Lewis kept the momentum going with 38 runs from 26 balls, pushing the Falcons to 76 for one by the end of the mandatory six-over powerplay. When Lewis fell with the score at 84, the Falcons did not let Jamaica claw their way back into the match.

    Opener Amir Jangoo and batsman Hasan Nawaz put together an unbroken 89-run partnership to seal the championship. Jangoo finished unbeaten on 57 from 34 deliveries, while Nawaz hit an unbeaten 47 from 35, closing out the win with a boundary six that sent the Falcons’ dugout into celebration.

    Moqim’s devastating bowling spell earned him Player of the Match honors, while Falcons all-rounder Shadab Khan was named Player of the Series for his standout all-tournament performance, finishing with 132 runs with the bat and 11 wickets with the ball.

    Off the field of the final, the 2026 CPL tournament also closed out its individual statistical races. South African wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock ended the competition as the leading run-scorer, notching 392 runs from 11 innings. Shimron Hetmyer finished second with 367 runs, while Sadaqat’s final-century push lifted him to third place with 363 runs from seven innings. The bowling leaderboard was far closer, with Imran Tahir, Hunain Shah, Alzarri Joseph and Matthew Forde all ending the tournament with 16 wickets apiece, with Tahir claiming the top spot on the standings via net run rate.

    With their 2026 win, the Falcons become the newest addition to the CPL’s list of title holders. The league’s first championship in 2013 went to Jamaica Tallawahs, and previous winners also include Barbados Tridents, Trinbago Knight Riders, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Saint Lucia Kings. Trinbago Knight Riders took home the 2025 title, making Antigua and Barbuda the 2026 defending champions moving into the next season.

  • Worry over restrictions

    Worry over restrictions

    When Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives approved the controversial Special Operations Bill late Friday night, the legislation immediately sparked sharp public division across Port of Spain, with everyday residents, business leaders and workers clashing over whether the new powers will curb the country’s growing crime wave or punish vulnerable, law-abiding communities. In on-the-street interviews with the Express, locals laid out competing visions of the law’s potential impact, revealing deep anxiety over one of its most transformative provisions: the authority to designate specific neighborhoods as “closed areas”, where broad movement restrictions can be imposed.

    Under the terms laid out by Defence Minister Wayne Sturge, residents who face movement limitations will be able to apply for police-issued permits to exit their homes and communities. But for many Port of Spain locals, the prospect of geographic restrictions has triggered significant unease, particularly as many communities already grapple with severe economic strain that could be worsened by sudden limits on daily activity.

    One small business-affiliated resident emphasized that the restrictions would disproportionately harm micro-entrepreneurs who rely on flexible late-day hours for their core income. “If they put up restrictions, this will affect the businesses, especially that of the small man. As far as I am concerned, Trinidad and Tobago is already under the worst economic guava season,” she said, adding that economic conditions were more stable under the previous administration. Other critics echoed the concern that the new rules would penalize honest, working citizens far more than the criminal elements the bill targets. “Locking down the place might have an effect on the bandits, but at what cost?” one local asked.

    Nigel Meltz, a Port of Spain vegetable vendor, argued that the country’s existing legal framework already provides law enforcement with all the tools needed to fight crime, and that the gap in public safety stems from insufficient enforcement rather than inadequate legislation. “To be honest, them things are not called for. Once the police come out and do the work without advantaging people, just that alone I think will have a positive impact,” he said. “The whole country have crime, but it already have the laws in place and I think it’s a case of police just don’t want to do the hard work.”

    Workers who rely on daily cross-community travel for their livelihoods have also raised urgent questions about how the restrictions will be implemented. One local trader noted that mandatory curfews would directly interfere with his ability to do business in Port of Spain daily, while a San Juan-based taxi driver said he is still uncertain how area lockdowns will impact his ability to work and earn a living. “I am still trying to understand because I am not saying it will not have an effect on crime, eh, but I don’t know,” he explained.

    Not all residents oppose the new legislation, however. One Port of Spain local said he supports the measures, arguing that unregulated criminal activity in some neighborhoods has been enabled by public complacency. “Drive up in some areas and you will see them at the side of the road, smoking weed and gambling and then robbing old people their pensions. So when we are getting these lockdowns, don’t cry because we looked for it,” he said.

    Business leaders have also reacted with guarded optimism, paired with lingering concern over potential overreach. Gregory Aboud, president of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA), said he hopes the new law will deliver meaningful improvements to public safety without enabling abuse of government power. “We are watching like everybody else and hoping for a positive outcome,” Aboud told the Express in a phone interview.

    Aboud outlined the severe impact of rising crime on downtown Port of Spain businesses, noting that in just the past six to eight weeks, criminal scrap metal thieves targeting copper have caused more than $1 million in damage to commercial building air conditioning units across the capital. He also warned that a rapidly spreading “pandemic” of purse and jewelry snatching, which originated in Port of Spain, has now expanded nationwide, with attacks occurring in shopping malls, public taxis and other public spaces far beyond the original hotspots. “There have been countless occasions in which arrests have been made, and, as fast as they are arrested, the organisers in this industry would send new young men to fill their places,” he explained.

    For Aboud, any progress on curbing this pervasive street crime via the new legislation would represent a major win for the tens of thousands of working people who commute to downtown Port of Spain daily. “If there is some way to bring an end to this activity, tens of thousands of people will benefit and it will be for the protection of thousands of hard-working, innocent people coming to work. If we could find a way using this legislation to deal with this one issue, I would consider that to be a victory,” he said. Even so, Aboud stressed that he shares critics’ concerns about the potential for abuse of the expanded powers granted to law enforcement under the new law.

  • Audit flags $200m loan

    Audit flags $200m loan

    A recent independent audit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has uncovered severe financial strain caused by a $200 million government-guaranteed loan arranged in 2021, marking one of the most significant examples of institutional mismanagement to surface in the Caribbean nation in recent years.

    The seven-year loan facility, underwritten by NCB Global Finance Ltd at a fixed 4.5% annual interest rate, was structured to settle more than $500 million in outstanding supplier liabilities accumulated by the TTPS for goods, services and minor equipment during the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years. Capped at $200 million—less than half of the total overdue debt at the time—the agreement was formalized on April 23, 2021, and is set to mature on the same date in 2028.

    Unlike traditional amortizing loans that require gradual principal repayment, this arrangement requires no monthly principal installments. Instead, the TTPS only makes semi-annual interest payments of approximately $4.5 million, totaling roughly $9 million in annual interest costs. Over the full seven-year term, this structure will generate an estimated $63 million in total interest payments, pushing the combined principal and interest obligation to nearly $263 million, not including minor annual administrative fees and potential default penalties. The full $200 million principal is due as a single lump-sum “bullet” repayment in 2028, a looming obligation that the audit warns has not been properly planned for.

    The National Insurance Property Development Company (Nipdec) was appointed as the paying agent for the facility, tasked with facilitating disbursements to approved suppliers up to the $200 million cap. As of the latest audit reporting, just over $4.27 million of the original loan amount remains undisbursed, meaning roughly $195.7 million has already been distributed to settle overdue supplier invoices. The audit has called for a full reconciliation of remaining funds across Nipdec, the TTPS, RBC Royal Bank (where the facility’s designated commercial account is held) and lending parties to confirm the balance and clarify the status of any unpaid supplier claims. For its administrative role, Nipdec was permitted to charge a 0.25% fee on all disbursed funds.

    The audit’s most critical findings center on the severe operational harm the debt servicing has imposed on core policing activities. The annual $9 million interest burden now consumes a disproportionate share of the TTPS’s annual budget, resulting in three key negative outcomes: reduced operational flexibility across all divisions, delays to urgent equipment and service procurement, and forced operation of many units with severely limited resource allocations.

    In stark language, the audit concludes that the TTPS is currently paying the price for past mismanagement at the direct cost of modern policing capacity. The loan was granted during a period the audit labels as “reckless spending” by the institution, coinciding with persistent shortfalls in government budgetary allocations to the police service. Government officials have confirmed that the unusual structure of the loan agreement has already raised major regulatory and governance questions in official circles.

    To address the looming 2028 bullet repayment, the audit’s authors have explicitly recommended that advance arrangements be put in place immediately to ensure the Trinidad and Tobago government is financially positioned to meet the $200 million obligation when it comes due. Without proactive planning, the audit warns the lump-sum payment could trigger even deeper budgetary crises for the TTPS and strain national public finances.

  • BIG NIGHT FOR LAVA

    BIG NIGHT FOR LAVA

    The fourth edition of the Caribbean Music Awards (CMA) made history last weekend, leaving the event’s traditional New York base for the very first time to touch down in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA). The glamorous awards ceremony served as the headline attraction of the inaugural Caribbean Elite Weekend Experience, which launched last Friday and wrapped up Sunday with the closing Stars & Steel Concert & Awards, drawing a crowd of Caribbean music lovers and industry icons from across the region.

    For rising and established performer Lady Lava — born Keisha Harris — the 2025 CMA ceremony became a career-defining night. Nominated for an impressive nine awards across multiple genres, the artist walked away with three top honors: Zess Artist of the Year, 2026 Female Soca Artist of the Year, and Chutney Soca Song of the Year for her collaborative hit *Cyar Pick* recorded with veteran artist Ravi B.

    Minutes after accepting her final award, Lady Lava told reporters from the *Trinidad Express* that the moment left her feeling accomplished, describing the wins as the long-awaited payoff for years of unseen hard work. Even she expressed genuine surprise at taking home the Chutney Soca award, telling the assembled audience: “I really didn’t expect to win. I haven’t been around in this Chutney Soca thing long, but I am liking it.” She invited Rishi Mahatoo, the producer behind the track from Maha Production, to the stage to share the spotlight.

    Beyond competitive awards, the night centered on celebrating legendary figures who have shaped Caribbean music over decades. Cultural icon and trailblazing calypso artist Calypso Rose, born McArthur Lewis, was honored with the 2026 Elite Calypso Award, presented by reigning Calypso Monarch Terri Lyons, who called the moment deeply personal — as Rose was the first woman to ever claim the Calypso Monarch title. Though Rose, who uses a wheelchair, spoke briefly, she delighted the crowd by singing a few lines of her classic work to cap off her acceptance.

    Jamaican reggae and dancehall legend Patra, born Dorothy Smith, received a standing ovation as she accepted the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award. Visibly emotional, Patra paid tribute to her late mentor Bunny Wailer, alongside fellow industry icons Shabba Ranks and Ninja Man, thanking fans for their decades of unwavering support and a private loved one she identified only as “her honey” for believing in her craft. She also shared exciting updates for her followers: she is currently pursuing a master’s degree and is set to release new music in the coming months through Sony’s Orchard label.

    Belizean rapper-turned-politician Shyne, born Moses Michael Levi Barrow, took home the Elite Global Ambassador Award. He dedicated the honor to his mother Frances Imeon Myvette, who attended the ceremony alongside him, his daughter Naiomi, and the entire people of Belize. Sharing his thoughts on the state of regional music, Shyne praised the unmatched quality of Caribbean sound, noting: “The biggest songs come from the Caribbean. I feel so sad because I have sold 50 million records and I know some Caribbean music that sounds better than pop.” Haitian-American singer Alan Cavé was also recognized with the Elite Kompa Honour for his contributions to the genre.

    Hosted by comedian Majah Hype and artist Nailah Blackman, the star-studded ceremony featured electrifying live performances from a lineup of top regional talent, including Aeytian, Vaughn, the Jab music collective Muddy and Mayhem, Alan Cavé, Theomaa and 1T1, 450, Jah Mason, Freetown Collective with Mela Caribe and Christo. The night closed with a career-spanning set of Patra’s most beloved hit songs, leaving the crowd cheering.

    While attendees were not able to walk a formal red carpet, their high-fashion, glamorous outfits easily matched the style of the awardees and presenters in attendance. Retired Trinidadian cricketer and former West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo, who appeared as a presenter, skipped his prepared teleprompter remarks to deliver an impassioned call to action for the Caribbean creative industry. He urged regional artists to set aside competition and prioritize unity, and called on Caribbean political leaders to invest more in the region’s cultural sector and its creators, noting: “Putting on a show like this is expensive.”

    Other notable award winners from the night included Freetown Collective, which took home the title of Caribbean Fusion Artist of the Year; Full Blown claimed the Soca Impact Award; Mr Ridge won Bouyon Artist of the Year; Klassik Frecobar took home Dennery Segment Song of the Year; Moily won Dancehall Song of the Year; and Theomaa and 1T1 claimed French Caribbean Song of the Year. Fan-voted honors went to Alkaline for the 2026 People’s Choice Award, while Vaughn won 2026 Jab Song of the Year, and Kes claimed the title of Male Soca Artist of the Year.

  • Bewolkte maar nog steeds zeer warme dag

    Bewolkte maar nog steeds zeer warme dag

    Released on 21 September at 04:45, this daily weather forecast covers major regions across Suriname, outlining conditions through the daytime and evening hours.

    For Suriname’s capital Paramaribo, Monday will be dominated by extensive cloud cover, with unusually high temperatures for this time of year. Daytime temperatures are expected to range from a low of 24°C to a peak high of 37°C, paired with light wind coming from the eastern direction. The cloudy conditions will hold through the evening: around 18:00 local time, temperatures will still sit at roughly 31°C before cooling down to approximately 28°C as the evening progresses. Like the daytime, evening wind will remain light from the east, with no precipitation expected at any point.

    In Stoelmanseiland, the day will bring partly cloudy to fully overcast conditions. Daytime temperatures will range from 23°C to 36°C, with light eastern wind, mirroring the conditions in the capital. Evening will retain the overcast cover, with temperatures dropping from 30°C at the start of the evening to 26°C by later hours.

    In the inland region of Sipaliwini, overcast conditions are forecast for the day. Temperatures will span from a low of 22°C to a maximum high of 36°C. Wind will remain light, coming from either the east or northeast.

    Coastal Nickerie will see slightly cooler conditions compared to inland areas. The day will start with sunny skies before transitioning to cloudy conditions, with temperatures fluctuating between 26°C and 32°C. Light, variable wind from the northeast will prevail. In the evening, partly cloudy conditions will stay, with temperatures falling from an initial 29°C to around 27°C later in the night.