On Monday, May 25, 2026, Jamaica’s Labour Day Trophy lived up to its reputation as a thrilling highlight of the local horseracing calendar, delivering a dominant performance that left spectators talking long after the finish line. Six-year-old dark bay racehorse Nautical Star, bred from sire Dixie Chatter and dam Kiss Me Chocolate (an Evansville Slew mare), secured a convincing 3-and-a-half-length win in the seven-furlong (1,400-meter) Overnight Allowance event, crossing the finish line in a solid time of 1:25.1, with split timings of 23.1 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.2 seconds for the half-mile, and 1:11.3 for six furlongs. What made the win even more notable, however, is that the team behind Nautical Street – jockey Raddesh “Sneaky Fox” Roman and trainer Anthony “Baba” Nunes – is far from satisfied with the result, insisting the talented runner has not yet reached his full racing peak.\n\nThe race unfolded in a textbook come-from-behind pattern for Nautical Star. The horse was not the quickest out of the starting gates, falling back to the middle of the 10-horse field as jockey Roman bided his time in the backstretch. American Aviator, ridden by Tevin Foster, set a blistering early pace, with Unruly Mo (Emelio McLean) and Supremasi (Omar Walker) holding second and third positions through the first half-mile. It was not until the turn into the final homestretch that Roman made his move, guiding Nautical Star up alongside Unruly Mo and Supremasi to close the gap on the leading American Aviator. Within seconds of straightening out for the final push, Nautical Star drew even with the pace-setter, then accelerated away from the entire field with apparent ease to claim the top spot.\n\nDespite the unchallenged margin of victory, Roman made it clear immediately after the race that he and Nunes see plenty of room for improvement. “Neither the trainer nor I were blown away by today’s performance,” Roman told reporters in the winners’ enclosure. “We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board with training and fine-tune his preparation to help him reach the peak we know he’s capable of.”\n\nRoman, who has partnered with Nautical Star for all three of his starts on Jamaican soil, has full confidence in the horse’s underlying talent. “My whole plan going in was to get him a clean break, settle him into a good position, and ask him to unleash his speed over the final three furlongs,” the jockey explained. “This is an incredibly gifted horse, and I truly believe he is one of the top Thoroughbreds currently racing in Jamaica. If he reaches his full potential, he won’t just beat fields like this – he’ll dominate them even more easily than he did today.”\n\nMonday’s win marked Nautical Star’s second victory from three outings since joining the local racing circuit, proving the horse is already a consistent top contender even when not running at 100 percent. In the final standings, American Aviator held on to take second place, while Mark My Identity, ridden by Dane Dawkins, rounded out the top three. The win cements Nautical Star’s status as one to watch in upcoming top-tier Jamaican racing events, as Roman and Nunes work to unlock the horse’s full power in future races.
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Public urination can lead to two months’ jail, City Corporation warns
Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago’s capital are ramping up enforcement of long-standing public nuisance laws, with the Port of Spain City Corporation issuing a stark public warning that public urination carries serious criminal consequences — including up to two months of prison time for convicted offenders.
In an official announcement shared via the city corporation’s Facebook page, leadership emphasized that the capital city deserves public respect, and that public urination is explicitly categorized as a criminal act under local legislation. The offense falls under Section 46(h) of the country’s Summary Offences Act, which labels the act as willful obscene exposure.
Beyond the basic criminal classification, the corporation clarified that individuals caught violating the law can even be formally charged as a “rogue and vagabond” under the statute. For those found guilty, mandatory fines start at 500 Trinidad and Tobago dollars, and convictions can lead to a custodial sentence of up to two months. The statement also added that offenders who fail to pay court-ordered fines may face extended prison time that includes hard labor.
Municipal police have already increased their presence across high-traffic public areas, with regular patrols rolled out across all downtown public squares and busy city districts. The corporation also pushed back on a common excuse for the offense, noting that claims of no nearby accessible restroom do not qualify as a legal defense under the law. All residents and visitors are required to use approved commercial or municipal public restroom facilities when needed.
To complement the new enforcement push, the city’s Street Washing Sanitation Unit already conducts daily deep-cleaning operations across Port of Spain every morning, focused on preserving public health and hygiene across the capital. In closing, the city corporation called on the public to join in keeping the capital clean, noting that collective civic pride starts with individual responsibility and respect for shared public spaces.
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HAPI Pledges Support to Help Bendals Family Rebuild After House Fire
A devastating residential fire has left a Bendals family displaced and without any personal possessions, prompting community organization HAPI to step forward with a formal pledge to help the household rebuild their lives and their home. The blaze destroyed the family’s wooden property, leaving four members homeless after the blaze consumed all of their belongings. Visual evidence shared across social media platforms highlights the extent of the destruction: large sections of the roof and exterior walls have been burned away, leaving charred debris scattered across the entire site.
In an official statement confirming their commitment, HAPI reaffirmed, “Hapi will help you rebuild.” The organization also extended gratitude to individual community members who have already offered donations, resources, and support to the affected household. HAPI’s relief effort was launched in direct response to a public call for action from Senate President and St. George Senator Dr. Philmore Benjamin, who highlighted the family’s urgent need for community assistance following the disaster.
As the organization kicks off coordinated recovery efforts, it is calling on additional members of the public to contribute any support they can to help the family get back on their feet after the tragedy. As of the latest update, authorities have not released any details regarding the cause of the fire, nor have they confirmed whether any injuries were sustained during the incident.
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THE KWAK: Manicous against discrimination disgusted over electricity price confusion and power outages
Dominica’s ongoing public debate over pending electricity price cuts following the rollout of new geothermal energy infrastructure has become the backdrop for a sharp, satirical take on systemic political missteps and long-simmering social grievances, penned by satirical outlet THE Kwak. The piece centers on a fictional feud between two competing advocacy groups claiming to represent the so-called “Manicou people”, sparked by the recent death of Peele Manicou, a figure depicted in a viral photo moments before his passing.
Residents across Dominica have grown increasingly impatient for answers about when the long-promised reduction in electricity costs will actually take effect after the introduction of geothermal power. Even at a recent official press conference where government representatives confirmed the future price cut, they failed to provide a clear timeline for the change. Compounding public frustration, unplanned outages continue to plague the island’s power grid despite repeated public claims that the outages are caused by manicous — wild opossums that are often blamed for tampering with power infrastructure.
Into this public confusion steps Key Manicou, the brother of the deceased Peele Manicou and founder of the newly formed group *Manicous Against Discrimination (MAD)*. In a public statement, Key voiced outrage over both the ongoing stigma against Manicou people and the government’s mishandling of the country’s power crisis. “It has already been more than a year since my brother’s sudden death, and we still have not seen justice,” Key said. “What has been even more hurtful is the endless insensitive, cruel jokes made about Peele in the days immediately after his passing. Now, the same old pattern of unaddressed power outages and government incompetence has pushed me to speak up again for the dignity of all Manicou people. We are not the scapegoat for Dominica’s power failures, and it is long past time that this truth was acknowledged publicly.”
Key also called attention to a deeper, systemic injustice: Manicou people are still not recognized as full citizens under Dominica’s constitution, barring them from even basic rights like voting. “That is the real power issue that no one in government is talking about,” he added. “Once the government ends discrimination against our community and delivers justice for my brother, I can return to full-time advocacy for our rights. Until then, this fight will not end.”
Not all voices within the fictional Manicou community back Key’s stance, however. Chelsea Manicou, Peele Manicou’s widow and founder of a rival group *Manicous Advocating DOMLEC Emphatically (MADE)*, has publicly pushed back against Key’s claims. “Whatever Key says, I stand against it,” she explained in her response. “I am Peele’s widow, left to raise three young children alone on my own, and you don’t see me out here stirring up controversy. I loved my husband, but he and his brother have always been overly confrontational. How else do you explain my husband sacrificing himself inside a power plant in the name of environmental protest, leaving our family behind? Now I have had to take a job with the national power utility DOMLEC to make ends meet, and they have been nothing but supportive to me.”
The piece closes with a clear disclaimer from its creator, THE Kwak, emphasizing that the entire story is an intentional work of satire. The outlet notes that it uses absurd, silly humor to gently mock public affairs and social discourse, and that the content should not be interpreted as factual. “THE KWAK is not meant to be taken seriously,” the disclaimer reads. “If you do take it seriously, I have some recently electrocuted manicou meat I can sell you. Sorry, ‘manicou people’ meat.”
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Antigua and Barbuda Environment Minister Advocates for SIDS Ahead of Bonn Climate Talks
As world leaders prepare to gather for the 64th Session of the UN Subsidiary Body for Climate Change in Bonn, a bloc of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations is amplifying a urgent, unified call for global climate justice, equitable support, and bolder international action to protect their futures from escalating climate disaster.
Leading the charge ahead of the high-stakes negotiations, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) hosted the “New Tools to Save 1.5°C” forum on May 27, bringing together negotiators and national leaders from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to lay out their core priorities for the upcoming talks. The forum’s keynote address came from Michael Joseph, cabinet minister responsible for health, wellness, environment and civil service affairs for Antigua and Barbuda, who laid out a clear set of demands for wealthy, high-emitting nations: ramp up ambition for greenhouse gas emissions cuts, and tear down economic and structural barriers that block SIDS from accessing life-saving climate finance.
Joseph emphasized that this push for reform is not a political request—it is an existential necessity for SIDS, which bear a wildly disproportionate share of climate harm despite contributing almost nothing to global greenhouse gas emissions. Repeated climate shocks, from intensifying hurricanes to sea level rise, have derailed development progress across small island nations, creating a persistent drag on long-term growth that the international community has yet to address adequately.
“We contribute the least to emissions, but our exposure is one of the highest,” Joseph told the international audience gathered at the forum. “A hurricane throws our economies back for decades. Our countries deserve the right to same level of sustainability as everyone else.”
The Antigua and Barbuda minister also highlighted a crippling structural flaw in the current global climate finance system that penalizes vulnerable small nations. While Antigua and Barbuda is formally categorized as a high-income economy, it remains extremely vulnerable to climate disasters, and its income classification disqualifies it from accessing most low-interest official development assistance. This creates a brutal cycle: when a climate disaster hits, the country must take on high-cost debt to fund recovery, leaving it trapped in a loop of debt and repeated reconstruction that never builds long-term resilience.
Antigua and Barbuda has already made progress in navigating the complex global climate finance system, recently expanding its accreditation to unlock access to up to $250 million in combined grants and concessional loans through the Green Climate Fund. This milestone has positioned the country as a model for other Caribbean SIDS looking to access global climate funding. Even so, Joseph explained, a critical bottleneck remains: limited local institutional and technical capacity to design, approve, and roll out climate resilience projects once funding is secured.
“Antigua and Barbuda has proven that SIDS can access certain climate finance, but actually receiving and rolling out the funds remains a challenge due to our capacity limitations,” Joseph said. “It’s a lot easier for larger countries. For SIDS, we need long term investment in capacity building. We must also look at the unique circumstances of each country and tailor solutions to our specific needs as smaller or larger islands. We all need to build resilience, and the only way we can do this is through financial mechanisms which evolve to effectively support the most vulnerable.”
AOSIS Chair Ambassador Ilana Seid echoed Joseph’s calls for urgent action, pointing to the growing and dangerous gap between what nations have promised in their national climate commitments (known as Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs) and the real-world action delivered on core priorities for SIDS: climate finance, capacity building, and technology transfer. Seid made clear that AOSIS’s top goal at the Bonn negotiations is to secure formal international recognition of SIDS’ unique vulnerability and the specific implementation barriers that stand in the way of their resilience building efforts.
As negotiations get underway in Bonn, the unified voice of SIDS puts renewed pressure on large, high-emitting economies to deliver on decades-old climate finance promises and address the structural inequities that threaten the very existence of small island nations.
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Two charged in Easter Monday Bay Garden killing
A fatal public shooting that unfolded over the Easter holiday weekend in Barbados has led to formal criminal charges against two local men, authorities have confirmed. The incident, which took place on Easter Monday at the popular Oistins Bay Garden entertainment and dining hub, claimed the life of 34-year-old Raul Clarke, leaving local communities shocked just days after the holiday celebration.
Law enforcement officials have identified the two accused as 18-year-old Jaheim Canute Collins, a resident of Inch Marlow, Silver Sands, and 29-year-old Shane Anthony Burke, who also previously went by the name Shane Anthony Greene and resides in Ashby Land along Lodge Road. In addition to the primary charge of murder, the pair face a string of other serious criminal offences linked to the shooting. These include multiple violations of national firearms legislation, charges of violent disorder, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and endangering the lives of other bystanders who were present at the busy bay venue during the attack.
Barbados Police Service confirmed that all charges have been formally filed against the two men, and the accused are scheduled to make their first public court appearance on Wednesday at the Oistins Magistrates’ Court. Investigations into the motive and full circumstances of the shooting remain ongoing as authorities work to build their case for the preliminary hearing. Local residents have called for increased safety patrols at the popular tourist and local spot in the wake of the killing, which has been marked as one of the island’s violent incidents recorded so far this year.
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Second Shipment of Construction Materials Arrives for Distribution to Vulnerable Families
Antigua and Barbuda has taken another key step forward in its government-backed housing support initiative, with a second batch of critical construction materials successfully arriving at its shores, according to government spokesperson Maurice Merchant. Merchant, the nation’s Director General of Communications, made the announcement during an official post-Cabinet media briefing held Thursday, addressing lingering public uncertainty over whether the post-general election supplementary shipment had reached the country.
Public questions had been circulating for days about the status of the additional materials, which were promised ahead of the recent general election. In clear, direct response to those queries, Merchant confirmed that the shipment is now on-island and ready for deployment.
Cabinet members were updated this week that a formal distribution timeline is currently being finalized by government officials, with the explicit goal of ensuring the building supplies reach the communities and individuals that need them most. “The honourable minister reported to Cabinet yesterday that he is putting the final touches on a delivery schedule that will get these materials directly to vulnerable and low-income households across both islands,” Merchant told reporters.
This distribution effort is a core component of a national housing assistance program launched by the current Gaston Browne-led administration, designed to directly support households that lack the resources to access necessary construction and home repair materials on their own. Merchant also emphasized that senior government leadership is actively engaged in the on-the-ground execution of the initiative, singling out Rawdon Turner, Minister of Urban and Social Transformation, for his hands-on involvement.
Merchant told the briefing that Turner has personally joined distribution teams to deliver materials to qualifying residents on weekends, demonstrating the administration’s commitment to moving the program forward at pace. “Even on Saturdays and Sundays, Minister Turner is out in communities personally overseeing the delivery of materials to families that need them, to keep this administration’s promise alive,” Merchant said.
To date, government officials have not released details on the total volume of construction materials included in this second shipment, nor have they publicly identified which priority communities will receive supplies first once the distribution schedule is announced.
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Government Developing Major Agricultural Dam in Bethesda, The Table Hill dam nearing completion
The government of Antigua and Barbuda has advanced a national agricultural infrastructure overhaul with the approval of a major new dam project in Bethesda, a development crafted to address longstanding water access gaps for local farmers and strengthen the country’s food sovereignty. The approval was formally announced at a post-Cabinet press briefing on Thursday by Maurice Merchant, the nation’s Director General of Communications, who confirmed that the body signed off on the broad agricultural and water infrastructure initiative after a detailed presentation from Agriculture Minister Anthony Smith.
Per Merchant’s briefing, the Bethesda Dam has been selected as a flagship pilot project for the Ministry of Agriculture for strategic geographic reasons: the site sits at the heart of a 50+ acre agricultural zone with untapped high production potential, making it an ideal test case for scaling similar projects across the country in the future. In addition to the new Bethesda development, Merchant shared that construction of a second dam at Table Hill in the Gordon district is already in its final stages, and once operational, it will dramatically expand water access for farming operations in that surrounding area.
Both projects are core components of the government’s broader national strategy to modernize the country’s aging agricultural backbone, enhance the sector’s ability to withstand climate volatility, and ease the persistent challenges farmers face during periods of drought and unpredictable rainfall patterns. Key projected outcomes of the initiative include expanded national water storage and irrigation capacity, higher overall agricultural productivity, and the conversion of currently unused arable land into active productive farming plots.
Beyond infrastructure upgrades, the initiative is designed to cut Antigua and Barbuda’s reliance on imported food by ramping up domestic output of staple and high-demand crops. Merchant confirmed the projects will create the water infrastructure needed to expand cultivation of a range of profitable, high-consumption crops including pineapples, fresh vegetables, and fruit trees. The Bethesda Dam will also integrate closely with the Ministry of Agriculture’s growing tissue culture programme, offering dedicated space for crop demonstration trials, propagation of high-quality planting material, hands-on farmer training, and the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices across the sector.
According to government officials, the entire multi-project initiative is structured to deliver long-term, sustained support to Antigua and Barbuda’s farming community, while advancing the dual national priorities of improved food security and long-term agricultural sustainability.
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Antigua and Barbuda to Begin Corneal Replacement Surgeries Locally
The twin-island Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda is moving forward with a landmark government-backed plan to introduce locally performed corneal replacement surgeries, a major step forward in expanding access to specialized advanced eye care for its population.
Details of the new initiative were shared publicly this week during a post-Cabinet press briefing by Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications. Merchant confirmed that the nation’s Cabinet has formally signed off on the program after a detailed proposal was presented by Health Minister Michael Joseph.
Per Merchant’s briefing, the Ministry of Health is currently in the final stages of negotiating a binding memorandum of understanding with World I Mission, a United States-based non-profit medical organization. This partnership will lay the groundwork to launch the specialized surgeries within the next several months.
In the first phase of the rollout, five corneal replacement procedures are scheduled to be performed by the partnership’s medical team. Beyond the initial surgeries, the collaboration is also structured to introduce and scale up a broader range of complex ophthalmic procedures and specialized eye care services across the country’s public health system.
For Antigua and Barbuda’s residents living with severe corneal conditions, this program eliminates the need to travel abroad to access the life-changing treatment, which previously came with prohibitively high costs that put it out of reach for many patients. Officials emphasized that the effort aligns with the government’s broader goal of expanding access to modern, specialized healthcare services within the country’s borders, rather than requiring citizens to seek critical treatment overseas.
Beyond directly treating patients, the initiative is also designed to strengthen the capacity of Antigua and Barbuda’s local ophthalmology sector, building long-term capacity to deliver high-quality eye care and improve health outcomes for people living with a range of serious eye conditions. The nation’s Cabinet has voiced unanimous full support for the program, as part of ongoing administration efforts to grow the range of specialized medical care available locally. As of the latest briefing, officials have not yet released a specific official launch date for the first surgeries, nor have they publicly named the initial cohort of patients who will receive the procedures.
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Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet Announces Official Funeral for Sir Aziz Hadeed, Pays Tribute
The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is preparing to honor one of its most influential citizens with a full state official funeral, following the unexpected death of celebrated businessman, public servant and philanthropist Sir Aziz Hadeed. The country’s Cabinet has memorialized Sir Aziz as a towering national leader whose decades of contributions left an indelible mark on the trajectory of Antigua and Barbuda’s social and economic development.
The official announcement of the funeral honor was delivered this Thursday by Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications, during a press briefing held after the weekly Cabinet meeting. Alongside confirming the formal tribute, Merchant shared that the full Cabinet has extended its deepest condolences to Sir Aziz’s entire family, including his wife Lady Maasen Hadeed, brothers Radwan and Joseph, sister Leila, nephews Francis and Andrew, as well as extended relatives, friends, and communities across Antigua and Barbuda and the broader Caribbean region, all of whom are grieving the loss of a beloved public figure.
In remarks to reporters, Merchant emphasized that Sir Aziz’s departure represents a profound, irreplaceable loss for the entire nation. Merchant characterized Sir Aziz as a transformative presence in Antigua and Barbuda’s business ecosystem, noting that his legacy was built not only on remarkable entrepreneurial success, but also on a lifelong, unshakable commitment to public service, charitable giving, and the advancement of the nation he called home.
Beyond his work in the private sector, Sir Aziz built a distinguished career in public service, serving both as an independent senator and a Cabinet minister. He was most widely recognized as the head of the Hadeed Group of Companies, a regional business conglomerate that grew from its Antiguan roots to expand operations across seven markets, including Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, and the United States.
Merchant shared that Cabinet highlighted the unique value Sir Aziz brought to national governance, bringing a rare combination of wisdom, uncompromising integrity, long-term strategic vision, and hands-on business expertise to every role he held. His contributions to national progress spanned multiple political administrations, earning him respect across party lines.
One of Sir Aziz’s most impactful contributions to public life came in the education sector, where he served as chairman of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus Council. Merchant noted that his steady stewardship guided the young institution through its critical formative years, laying the groundwork for the campus’s sustained growth and expansion. Beyond his institutional leadership, Sir Aziz personally funded dozens of scholarships and made direct financial contributions to opening access to higher education, creating opportunities for hundreds of talented students who would have otherwise been unable to pursue tertiary study.
Sir Aziz’s commitment to supporting the most vulnerable members of Antiguan society extended to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the country faced unprecedented economic disruption. Cabinet’s statement highlighted his critical voluntary support during the crisis: Sir Aziz spearheaded and funded food distribution programs and utility bill assistance initiatives that provided life-saving support to thousands of struggling households when public support systems were strained.
His giving also extended across multiple other sectors, including public healthcare, youth empowerment initiatives, sports development, and the promotion of local arts and culture. Merchant emphasized that much of Sir Aziz’s philanthropic work was done privately, with no desire for public fanfare or recognition.
Earlier this year, Sir Aziz received one of the Commonwealth’s highest honors when he was conferred with the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George during a ceremony at Windsor Castle. Cabinet noted that the award was a formal international recognition of his decades of contributions to national development, philanthropy, and community service.
“In recognition of his exceptional service and enduring contributions to Antigua and Barbuda, Cabinet has agreed to accord Sir Aziz Hadeed an official funeral,” Merchant confirmed.
In closing, the government released a statement calling on all citizens of Antigua and Barbuda to unite in mourning and tribute, describing Sir Aziz as a remarkable patriot whose entire life embodied the values of generosity, humility, entrepreneurial drive, and selfless service to humanity.