Carib Scope

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  • Election Funds? Government To Access US$40 Million From Taiwan Loan

    Election Funds? Government To Access US$40 Million From Taiwan Loan

    A controversial $100 million loan proposal from a Taiwan-linked financial institution has returned to Belize’s House of Representatives, reigniting debate over public spending plans just months ahead of the country’s upcoming municipal elections. Opposition lawmakers have raised sharp questions about the government’s timeline for accessing the funds, after confirmation that up to US$40 million of the total loan could be disbursed and drawn down before the end of 2026 – a timeline that overlaps with the lead-up to the municipal polls.

    According to government officials, the full $100 million in borrowed funds is earmarked to support a five-year portfolio of public projects spanning core infrastructure development, education system upgrades, and expanded public health services. Despite this top-line outline, however, critics have pushed for full transparency, demanding a detailed, line-item breakdown of how the first $40 million tranche will be allocated to avoid diversion of public funds for election-related political gain.

    Addressing the concerns raised by the opposition during Friday’s parliamentary proceedings, Prime Minister John Briceño formally presented the loan approval resolution to the chamber. In his address before the House, Briceño moved to confirm the terms of the agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China-Taiwan, urging lawmakers to approve the proposal.

    “With your permission not to repeat the recitals, now therefore be it resolve that this Honorable House being satisfied that the loan proceeds will be utilized for the purpose stated above, approves and confirms that the government of Belize may enter into a loan agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China-Taiwan for the terms and conditions set out above and further authorizes the Minister of Finance to execute and deliver the said loan agreement, the promissory note and all other documents associated there with,” Briceño said in his address to parliament.

    This article is adapted from a broadcast news transcript originally published by the outlet, with original speaker remarks preserved in their official context for accuracy. The full televised newscast is available for viewing via the original publication’s digital platform.

  • National Bus Company Promises On-Time Service

    National Bus Company Promises On-Time Service

    For countless commuters across Belize, planning daily travel around public bus service has long meant navigating uncertainty. Arrival times were unpredictable, seats were never guaranteed, and last-minute delays could derail entire itineraries. That experience is set to change starting November 1, 2026, when the National Bus Company (NBC) rolls out a sweeping system upgrade focused on boosting reliability and rider convenience across the country’s key travel corridors.

    The overhaul introduces three core changes designed to eliminate the guesswork that has defined bus travel for Belizeans for years: a restructured route schedule, real-time digital bus tracking, and pre-assigned guaranteed seating for all passengers. The updates will launch first on the country’s Western, Southern, Coastal, and Northern corridors, with plans to expand across the network in subsequent phases.

    Speaking ahead of the rollout, NBC Chief Operations Officer Noel Codd confirmed that the revamped scheduling system will go into effect across the launch corridors on the scheduled date. “November first we are going to start with our new schedule for NBC, through Coastal, western corridor and northern. We’re gonna change the new schedule,” Codd said.

    The most transformative change for riders is the new digital ticketing and tracking system, which connects passenger mobile devices directly to NBC’s operations platform through a partnership with logistics technology provider Truck Solutions. As NBC Special Projects Officer Louis Verde explained, the end-to-end digital system solves longstanding pain points from ticket purchase to arrival.

    When a passenger purchases a ticket via text message to a dedicated NBC WhatsApp line, the system instantly updates available seat counts for ticket agents, ensuring the company never oversells routes. This process eliminates the longstanding issues of overcrowding, passengers rushing to board outside terminals, and standing passengers on intercity routes. Every ticketed passenger is guaranteed a reserved seat before they arrive at the terminal.

    Passengers receive a digital ticket with a unique QR code directly to their smartphones, which includes full trip details: starting point, destination, fare, and assigned bus. Thanks to Truck Solutions’ integrated application programming interface (API), the system also sends real-time alerts to riders’ phones. If a bus is five minutes away from the pick-up point, passengers get a notification. If the bus is delayed for any reason, riders are updated immediately to adjust their plans accordingly.

    Company leadership emphasized that reliability and rider convenience are the central priorities of this upgrade, which aims to rebuild public confidence in Belize’s national bus network. For commuters who rely on public transit for work, school, and personal travel, the changes mark one of the most significant modernizations to the country’s intercity bus service in recent history. This report is adapted from a transcript of an original evening television newscast.

  • Twenty-Million-Dollar Bus Gamble Gets Legal Protection

    Twenty-Million-Dollar Bus Gamble Gets Legal Protection

    In a move designed to safeguard a $20 million public investment in Belize’s new national bus system, the country’s National Assembly has passed two landmark pieces of legislation aimed at closing legal loopholes that doomed a prior public transit consolidation effort nearly two decades ago. The approval, handed down during a Friday plenary session, comes as policymakers work to avoid a repeat of the high-profile collapse of Novelo’s Bus Empire, a failure that still looms large in Belize’s transportation sector history.

    The new legislation creates exclusive, limited concessions for the state-backed National Bus Company (NBC) on the country’s two high-traffic transit routes: the Southern Corridor and the Western Corridor. Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh, who championed the bills, emphasized that the reform directly addresses critical mistakes made during the 2002-2004 transit consolidation that led to Novelo’s collapse. Back then, after the Novelo family and James Bus Line absorbed smaller operators to create a consolidated national network, no legal framework was put in place to protect their exclusive route rights. Even former operators who had sold their businesses to the consolidated firm were able to obtain new road service permits, creating unregulated competition that gradually eroded the consolidated company’s financial stability. By 2005, the entire venture collapsed, leaving widespread disruption to public transit across Belize.

    “This is a lesson learned the hard way,” Zabaneh told reporters following the vote. He stressed that the stakes are far higher this time around, with more than $20 million in public funds allocated to new buses and infrastructure for NBC, alongside a roughly $19.2 million investment from private operators. “The Belizean people have skin in this game. We cannot allow unregulated competition to undermine this significant public and private investment months or years down the line,” Zabaneh added.

    The new legal framework is designed to lock in exclusive route access for NBC, preventing new competitors from entering the core corridors and putting the public and private investment at risk. Policymakers frame the move as a critical safeguard to keep the revitalized national public transit system on track, ensuring reliable service for commuters across the country while protecting taxpayers’ contributions to the project.

  • Belize Transforms Colonial Symbol into Cultural Space

    Belize Transforms Colonial Symbol into Cultural Space

    Nearly 212 years after its construction, one of Belize’s most iconic colonial landmarks has completed a decades-long transformation, shifting from a symbol of exclusionary colonial authority to a thriving public hub for celebrating authentic Belizean identity, art, and history.

    Completed in 1814, what was originally named Government House served for generations as the private residence and decision-making center for British colonial governors and the ruling elite. For hundreds of years, the vast majority of native Belizeans—including the descendants of the African craftspeople and laborers who actually built and maintained the property—were barred from entering its halls, only permitted to observe the stately mansion from the outside. That all began to change in 1998, when the site was officially redesignated as a public cultural institution; after years of extensive restoration work, it reopened to widespread acclaim as the House of Culture in late 2018, welcoming Belizeans and international visitors alike.

    Today, the sprawling compound, which includes the original historic mansion, a restored former carriage house, former servants’ quarters, and manicured event grounds, is dedicated to centering Belizean voices that were long sidelined during colonial rule. Giovanni Pinelo, Public History Officer at Belize’s National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), frames the transformation as a landmark act of intentional decolonization.

    “It was exclusive for generations, but starting in 1998, the building was declared a space for the voiceless,” Pinelo explained in an interview with News Five’s Britney Gordon for the outlet’s weekly *Kolcha Tuesday* segment. “People who had been marginalized for centuries can now come visit, take part in official ceremonies, and join events that center the full, unfiltered story of Belize.”

    The mansion’s main halls now house the Museum of Belizean Art, a dedicated gallery that showcases generations of work from Belizean painters, sculptors, and mixed-media creators. Unlike past displays that prioritized colonial European art, the museum gives local creators a prominent, permanent platform to share their work and the cultural stories embedded in each piece. Tour guide Leanne Baeza notes that the collection grew organically as the restoration wrapped up, with celebrated local artist Mr. Cayetano among the first to contribute work to the new space.

    “When we were undergoing renovations, we started bringing in work from all our Belizean artists, and Mr. Cayetano was one of the first to place his art on our walls,” Baeza said. “Whenever tourists or local visitors come through, our tour staff is on hand to share the full context and story behind every piece.”

    Pinelo emphasizes that the site’s reimagining does not erase its history—it expands the narrative to include the contributions of ordinary Belizeans that were erased by colonial records. While the property was once overseen by colonial governors, its creation and upkeep relied entirely on the specialized skill of local African ancestors, whose expertise in carpentry, masonry, and architectural craftsmanship brought the grand building to life.

    “What colonial architecture actually reveals is the skill, capacity, potential, and know-how of common Belizean people,” Pinelo said. “We have to ask: Who actually built this structure? It may have been directed by colonial officials, but it was our own African ancestors whose skills in carpentry, in shaping arches, in fitting the original double windows, that made it possible. Even when they worked as servants, they were the ones who maintained this structure for generations.”

    Today, that hidden history is celebrated front and center, along with Belize’s ongoing vibrant cultural life. The property’s sprawling grounds host regular major cultural events, including the annual Pan Yaad festival, where top steel bands blend Belize’s historical roots with modern creative expression. Year-round programming ranges from community art exhibits to national cultural ceremonies, drawing both local attendees and international tourists.

    For Baeza, working at the House of Culture offers a daily chance to deepen her own connection to Belize’s story while sharing it with others. “I’m in love with this place, because every day I get to learn more about the history of Belize,” she said. “When tourists and locals come through, I get to tell them about our beautiful country and the incredible art being created here by our people.”

    The site’s decades-long transformation offers a model for decolonizing historic heritage across the globe. What began as a physical symbol of foreign rule has been reclaimed by the Belizean people, rewritten to reflect their history, creativity, and national pride. As Pinelo notes, the building now belongs not to a colonial elite, but to the entire nation that it serves.

  • Two Face Kidnapping Charges After Police Interception

    Two Face Kidnapping Charges After Police Interception

    In a developing criminal case out of northern Belize’s Corozal District, law enforcement has taken two local men into custody and filed formal criminal charges stemming from an alleged abduction that was cut short by responding officers. The proceedings unfolded rapidly across a three-day period, starting with Saturday’s intervention on October 3, 2026, and concluding with official arraignment the following Monday.

    According to official statements from Belize’s top criminal investigation agency, the two accused men are Alex Marcus Lewis, a 28-year-old laborer, and Brian Dena, a 40-year-old construction worker. Each suspect faces two distinct felony charges: one count of kidnapping and one count of death threat, all connected to the forced detention of two local men.

    The incident began after police received a confidential tip indicating that two individuals had been taken against their will in the region. Acting immediately on this intelligence, officers patrolling the San Andres neighborhood spotted and intercepted a red pickup truck matching the description provided by the tipster. When they searched the vehicle, police found four people total, among them the two alleged victims: Ricardo Zetina and Walter Pineda.

    In interviews with investigators following the interception, Zetina and Pineda told authorities they had been forcibly forced into the truck and repeatedly interrogated about a cache of stolen goods that the suspects claimed had gone missing from the local area. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch, confirmed that the suspects had accused the two victims of purchasing stolen property that had been taken from local residents in Corozal District.

    Before police intervened to end the abduction, the suspects allegedly transported Zetina and Pineda to the home of one victim’s brother, where they also questioned the brother about the stolen items. As of the latest update from the investigation team, details surrounding the alleged death threat have not been released to the public, leaving many key circumstances of the incident still under wraps.

    It is important to note that under the principles of the Belizean justice system, the accusations brought against Lewis and Dena are merely allegations at this stage. No findings of guilt have been issued, and the pair are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise in a court of law. This report is based on a transcribed broadcast of local evening news, which adheres to standard transcription protocols for Kriol language segments when included in the original reporting.

  • Decades-Old Garifuna Agreement Faces Major Update

    Decades-Old Garifuna Agreement Faces Major Update

    Nearly two weeks after contentious comments from Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño ignited nationwide discussion over Indigenous rights, government representatives and leaders of the National Garifuna Council (NGC) gathered in Belmopan this Monday to restart long-stalled negotiations over a landmark decades-old agreement between the state and the Garifuna Indigenous community.

    The talks covered a broad range of priority issues for the Garifuna people, from protection of ancestral territorial lands and formal recognition of inherent Indigenous rights to investment in community-led education, cultural preservation initiatives, and cross-regional cooperation. At the heart of the negotiations is a revised memorandum of understanding (MOU) first submitted by the NGC to the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs back in August last year, crafted to address longstanding gaps in implementation and compliance that have left the original agreement largely unfulfilled, according to Garifuna leaders.

    In comments following the meeting, NGC President Alex Nolberto explained that the amended MOU is designed to embed stronger protections for Garifuna rights aligned with both United Nations declarations on Indigenous peoples and Belize’s national constitution. It explicitly formalizes the community’s claim to traditional territorial spaces, outlines dedicated state funding for the NGC’s ongoing work of Garifuna language revitalization and cultural heritage protection, and establishes support for community-led education institutions such as the Gulisi Garifuna school and other grassroots Garifuna organizations.

    While Nolberto welcomed the government’s new commitments to move the agreement forward, he emphasized that tangible, on-the-ground implementation will be the only measure of whether meaningful change for the Garifuna community is actually achieved. Under the newly agreed timeline, Prime Minister Briceño has pledged to sign the revised MOU by November 19, after it completes review by the national Cabinet. To maintain accountability going forward, the two sides also agreed to hold biannual technical working group meetings to track progress on the agreement’s terms.

    This report is adapted from a televised evening news broadcast transcript, with original Kriol-language commentary rendered into standard English spelling for clarity.

  • CCJ Sends Maya Land Fight Back to Belizean Lawmakers

    CCJ Sends Maya Land Fight Back to Belizean Lawmakers

    After more than a decade of legal wrangling over long-standing Maya customary land rights claims in Belize, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has made a landmark procedural ruling that shifts the future of the dispute from the courtroom to the national legislature.

    On Tuesday, the regional highest court dismissed a procedural application brought by Maya community leaders, ruling that the process outlined in the court’s groundbreaking 2015 consent order must run its full course through legislative negotiation and review before any further judicial intervention is considered. The ruling has cleared up key ambiguities around the dispute, while also formally placing the Belizean government on explicit notice that final legislation must center meaningful Maya community participation and align with global indigenous rights standards, according to Cristina Coc, spokesperson for the Maya Leaders Alliance (MLA).

    Coc outlined the court’s core message to both parties in an interview following the ruling: “The court essentially told all stakeholders that the draft legislation currently on the table must go through full negotiation and consultation between the government and Maya communities. Only when that legislative process is complete, and if a final law is enacted that violates the 2015 court order or fails to meet international indigenous rights standards, can parties return to the CCJ for further action.”

    She emphasized that the ruling removes any uncertainty around the government’s obligations, making clear that the state cannot unilaterally define Maya customary land tenure without direct input from the communities that have lived and stewarded these lands for centuries. “The court has confirmed that Maya land rights can only be properly understood through direct consultation with Maya people, who hold unique knowledge of their traditional land use, historical occupation, and deep cultural connection to their territories,” Coc said. “This is not something any outside group or government official can invent on their own.”

    The ruling comes 11 years after the CCJ first issued its landmark consent order recognizing Maya customary land rights, a decision that was meant to clear the way for formal legal protections that have yet to be enacted. Despite more than a decade of negotiations, the process has been slowed repeatedly by procedural delays and disagreements over stakeholder participation. Most recently, the government added private third-party landowners to the multi-stakeholder review panel that is tasked with refining the draft legislation — a change that Coc says has set the process back significantly.

    “After the July CCJ hearing, we returned to the review panel as we committed to do, but the addition of private landowners meant we essentially had to restart the entire process,” Coc explained. “Our first panel meeting after the ruling lasted just 45 minutes, and it was only to agree that Maya leaders would submit written, line-by-line edits to the current draft legislation. Even the private landowners acknowledged that they lack the expertise to speak to core components of the law, like the definition of Maya customary land tenure — a definition that only Maya communities can provide. They can only weigh in on sections that directly impact their own property interests, and the entire process is now delayed as all parties work to get new stakeholders up to speed.”

    To date, Maya leaders have submitted their full set of formal recommendations to revise the government’s draft legislation, and the MLA is currently awaiting a formal response from Belizean officials. Another full review panel meeting is scheduled for early November, where stakeholders will discuss submitted feedback and map out the next steps in the legislative process. For Maya communities that have been fighting for formal recognition of their land rights for decades, the CCJ ruling keeps the path toward legal protection open, but also underscores how far the process still has to go.

  • 29 people displaced by heavy rains, floods (+video)

    29 people displaced by heavy rains, floods (+video)

    A powerful tropical wave swept through St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday night, dumping 130.2 millimeters (5.1 inches) of rain over a 24-hour period and triggering widespread flooding and landslides that have uprooted 29 people from nine households across the island nation.

    In its official situation report released Tuesday, the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) confirmed that 17 of the displaced residents are now staying in government-operated public shelters, while the remaining 12 have found temporary refuge in private accommodations arranged with local residents. Five people from three families are being housed at the Buccament Bay Secondary School Shelter, with an additional 12 people from three other families taking shelter at the Buccament Bay-based Golden Years Centre. Other displaced households have sought help from relatives after their properties suffered total structural collapse or were placed under imminent landslide threats: six residents from Rillan Hill, three from Clare Valley, and three from Chauncey are all currently staying with nearby neighbours and family members.

    The nation’s primary healthcare hub, the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), reported that floodwaters that entered the facility have now been contained, though public health teams are still conducting ongoing assessments to check facility sanitation and tally total damage. In a social media announcement Tuesday, the Ministry of Health confirmed that outpatient services at both MCMH and the Levi Latham Health Centre will remain suspended for a second consecutive day on Wednesday. Normal visiting hours at MCMH are scheduled to resume at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

    “We thank the public for your patience, understanding and cooperation as we continue to assess and restore services following the recent heavy rainfall and flooding,” the ministry’s statement read.

    Beyond healthcare facilities, the Vermont Police Station has also reported flood damage and interior water leaks. Across the entire country, NEMO’s rapid assessment teams have documented 44 separate disaster-related incidents: 15 flooding events, 13 landslides, five instances of blocked roadways covered in debris, and three fallen tree incidents. Preliminary assessments also confirm that multiple commercial businesses along Upper and Lower Bay Street in the capital city of Kingstown have sustained damage from the disaster.

    Prime Minister Godwin Friday has already conducted on-site visits to impacted residential areas in Clare Valley and Buccament, affected commercial operations in Kingstown, and the flood-damaged Milton Cato Memorial Hospital to coordinate response efforts. Local police carried out urgent rescue operations in Buccament, successfully evacuating multiple families that had become trapped by rising floodwaters near the local playing field. The Central Roads Authority (BRAGSA) has deployed heavy machinery and work crews to clear blocked roadways, starting with critical routes on Belmont Main Road and in central Kingstown.

    Critical infrastructure has taken widespread damage beyond roads and public buildings. The nation’s municipal water supply has been severely disrupted after the disaster impacted the Majorca, Montreal, Mamoon and Perseverance water systems. According to the Central Water and Sewerage Authority, the dam at the Majorca Water Supply System is now completely filled with silt, which has blocked all water extraction operations. Manual removal of the accumulated silt is required before water delivery can resume, a project the authority estimates will take approximately two full days to complete.

    On the power front, national utility company VINLEC issued a 3:30 p.m. update Tuesday confirming that electricity service has been fully restored to all previously impacted areas on the island of Bequia. On mainland St. Vincent, power has already been restored to dozens of communities including Campden Park, Roucher Bay, Top Belair, Richland Park, Top Hopewell, Greiggs, Maroon Hill, Lauders, Lowmans Windward, Lowmans Village, Chapmans, Simon, New Adelphi, Stinking Tree Village, Doctor Smith, South Rivers, Mt. Young, Georgetown (including the local hospital), Langley Park, Dixon, O’Brien’s Valley, Mt. Bentick, Overland, Magum, Orange Hill, Tourama, Sandy Bay, Point, and a portion of Owia that includes the local Fisheries complex. As of Tuesday afternoon, power outages remain in effect for Stubbs near Bonhomme Gap, part of New Grounds, Bridgetown, North Union, South Union, another section of Owia, and Fancy.

    “Our teams remain mobilised and restoration efforts are continuing to return power to all remaining affected customers as safely and as quickly as conditions allow. We thank customers for your continued patience and understanding,” VINLEC said in its update.

    As recovery and response efforts get underway, local meteorological officials are warning residents to remain on alert for additional hazardous weather. As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, the SVG Met Services forecast that conditions through 6 a.m. Wednesday will remain cloudy and breezy, with ongoing scattered showers and a chance of isolated thunderstorms. Forecasters urged residents and drivers in areas prone to flash flooding and landslides, as well as those living near rivers and streams, to maintain constant situational awareness through the ongoing weather event.

  • Javon Cummins dares you to taste Barbados differently as Barbados Food and Rum Festival

    Javon Cummins dares you to taste Barbados differently as Barbados Food and Rum Festival

    What if one of Barbados’ most beloved traditional dishes, pudding and souse, arrived on a plate nothing like the Saturday afternoon serving generations have grown up with? Acclaimed Barbadian chef Javon Cummins is inviting diners to take that test – and discover how familiar culinary memories can feel brand new when reimagined through a creative, respectful lens.

    Cummins’ modern take on the classic starts with slow-braised pork belly paired with a steamed beetroot and sweet potato pudding. He transforms the traditional mango and Scotch bonnet pickle into a vivid, jewel-toned gel, reinterpreting the staple condiment in delicate forms including light foam and crystal-clear jelly. While the finished plate could easily pass as a work of modern art for a gallery wall, that first bite transports any native Barbadian straight back to lazy Saturday family gatherings, and the beloved relative whose souse was always said to be the best on the island.

    This gentle challenge to rethink tradition sits at the core of Cummins’ culinary philosophy. “Modernisation should never erase memory,” he explains. “If anything, it should give us another way to experience it.”

    Long before he stepped into a professional kitchen, Cummins trained as a visual artist, sketching, painting, and creating handcrafted works. That visual sensibility has become a natural part of his cooking approach, where the plate functions as just another canvas. Ingredients become his colors and shapes, sauces add dynamic movement, and textures bring layered dimension. Even the smallest garnish earns its place in the overall composition. “I want you to look at the plate and be intrigued before you taste it,” he says. “Then, when you finally do, I want the flavour to complete the picture.”

    While aesthetically striking dishes are easy to admire in the moment, they are often just as quickly forgotten. Cummins pursues a far deeper goal: every one of his plates is crafted to carry a distinct sense of place, with robust, layered flavor to give the visual beauty lasting meaning. With 14 years of kitchen experience behind him, he has learned that technical skill does not equal culinary maturity. Any chef can learn to transform almost any ingredient, but true wisdom lies in knowing which core elements of a tradition should remain untouched.

    This balanced judgement has grown sharper with time. Early in his career, Cummins often wondered whether diners would grasp his instinct to take a familiar flavor and reimagine its form. Years of experience have left him more confident, and more restrained: not every interesting idea belongs on a plate, and tradition does not need to stay frozen in time to deserve respect.

    More often than not, the proof of his approach shows on a diner’s face before they ever voice a reaction. At an overseas food festival, Cummins served his reimagined version of cou cou and fish to a Barbadian woman who had not returned to her home country in decades. His dish paired creamy traditional cou cou with fire-roasted fish and a deep, smoky Creole sauce enriched with smoked herring. One bite was enough to change her entire expression, and she spent the rest of the festival returning again and again to sample more of his creations. She talked for hours of her home, her grandmother’s kitchen, and the flavors she had carried with her for years. “For those few minutes, she wasn’t just standing at a food festival overseas anymore,” Cummins recalls. “She was back in her grandmother’s kitchen.”

    That kind of reaction means more than any generic compliment. It proves Caribbean cuisine can travel, evolve, and take unexpected new forms while still holding the essence of home at its core. Cummins wants diners to first feel that spark of recognition, then let curiosity lead them to explore something new. This year, that exploration will come with a spoon, as he turns his creative eye to dessert.

    At the 2026 Barbados Food and Rum Festival’s flagship Liquid Gold Feast, Cummins – best known for his innovative savory dishes – will reveal a lesser-seen side of his culinary skill, drawing on his long-standing background in pastry work. He has chosen soursop and cinnamon as his core mystery ingredients, two staples that open distinct pathways to shared Bajan collective memory.

    Soursop first evokes the creamy, comforting texture of the traditional drink countless Barbadians grew up with. Cummins plans to take that familiar foundation and reimagine it in a lighter, more playful form, playing with contrasting textures, bright citrus notes, and subtle echoes of beloved Bajan sweet bread. Rich creaminess will meet sharp flashes of acidity, soft smooth textures will pair with unexpected crunchy elements. The exact final preparation remains a closely guarded secret – and that secrecy is part of the experience.

    Cinnamon offers a warmer, more fragrant path, filled with endless possibility. Nutmeg and ginger may make an appearance, while a hint of black pepper promises a small, delightful surprise. Pastry work gives Cummins precise control over temperature, shape, texture, and even the order that flavors unfold on the tongue. He aims to create a dessert that stops guests in their tracks when they first see it, greets them with a familiar comforting aroma, then unfolds into a flavor profile nothing like they have experienced before.

    “That tension between ‘I know this flavour’ and ‘I’ve never had it quite like this’ is where I love to create,” he says.

    The Liquid Gold Feast will be held on Sunday, November 8, 2026 at CARIFESTA House in Waterford, as part of the wider Barbados Food and Rum Festival running from November 5 to 8. The event coincides with Barbados’ 60th Independence anniversary, and under the theme “These Fields and Hills”, it centers native Barbadian ingredients and the chefs who transform them as the heart of the experience. Tickets for the Liquid Gold Feast are priced at BBD $350, while a combined ticket for the Rise and Rum event and Liquid Gold Feast costs BBD $500.

    Cummins’ new dessert creations fit perfectly into the festival’s narrative. For him, soursop, cinnamon, citrus and spice are far more than just cooking ingredients – they are clues to the identity of an island that takes its food seriously, where friendly debates over who makes the best fish cakes or pudding and souse are common, and where a shared Sunday lunch carries generations of family history.

    His ambition for the feast is not simply to hear guests praise his desserts as delicious. He would far rather a guest look up from their plate and say, “I understand what you were trying to tell me.” That core message is simple: Barbadian cuisine has roots deep and strong enough to support endless creative invention. Nostalgia and progression can share the same plate. A familiar flavor can be painted in entirely new colors and still speak in an unmistakably Bajan voice.

    So the challenge stands: come to the Liquid Gold Feast, find Javon Cummins, and pause before that first bite. Take in the shape, the fragrance, the small visual clues woven into the plate. Then taste the soursop, or follow the warm notes of cinnamon into its unexpected corners. Does it remind you of a drink you loved as a child, a bake your relative made years ago? Does it introduce you to a Barbados you have never tasted before?

    Cummins wants to hear whether you understood the story he is telling. Just do not ask him to give away the ending before you have finished your dessert.

    ### Full Barbados Food and Rum Festival Schedule & Ticketing
    In addition to the November 8 Liquid Gold Feast, the 2026 festival line-up includes two free public events: Oistins Under the Stars on Thursday, November 5, and International Chef Demos on Friday, November 6. The Rum Route experience will be held November 6 for BBD $200, and the Rise & Rum event will take place Saturday, November 7 for BBD $250. Tickets are available for purchase in person at multiple locations across Barbados, including CS Pharmacy (Bridgetown), Nu Look Company (Roebuck Street), Mpowered (Sky Mall), Très Classe Boutique (Sheraton Mall), A&B Music Supplies (Wildey), Visual Oasis (Six Roads), the Lotto Booth (Speightstown, opposite the Bus Terminal), and the National Cultural Foundation (West Terrace). Tickets can also be purchased online via TicketNation.bb. For the latest updates, follow the official festival account @foodandrumbarbados on Instagram.

  • Cubana at 50: Barbados pledges continued opposition to Cuba embargo

    Cubana at 50: Barbados pledges continued opposition to Cuba embargo

    Fifty years after one of the darkest acts of international terrorism to touch the Caribbean, Barbados has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to principle, using an anniversary commemoration to condemn long-standing geopolitical double standards and call for an immediate end to the decades-long U.S. economic embargo against Cuba.

    The solemn ceremony, held on October 6 at the Paynes Bay monument honoring the 73 victims of the 1976 Cubana Flight 455 bombing, drew regional dignitaries, young students, and diplomatic representatives, including Cuban Ambassador Yanet Stables Cardenas and Guyanese Consul General Harry Hill. Senior Minister Kerrie Symmonds, who also serves as Member of Parliament for St James Central and Minister of Energy, Business Development and Consumer Affairs, led the event, extending the collective condolences and solidarity of the government and people of Barbados to Cuba and the victims’ families.
    Recalling the attack that downed the civilian airliner just three miles off Barbados’ west coast just years after the island nation gained its independence, Symmonds framed the tragedy as the country’s first direct introduction to the harsh realities of transnational geopolitical conflict. All 73 passengers and crew on board were killed in the bombing, which remains a defining stain on Caribbean history.

    “On that day, when the ill-fated Cuban aircraft was downed some three miles off this west coast of Barbados, we took a stand as the people of Barbados, and we have never deviated or departed from that stand,” Symmonds told attendees. “It was a stand which signalled to the world that small island though we were, and still are, we were prepared to stand with principle against injustice.”

    The senior minister used his address to push back against what he called the selective morality and hypocrisy that continues to shape global responses to terrorism and economic policy. He pointed to a long-standing historical double standard: key figures linked to the 1976 bombing have never been held fully accountable for their roles, evading justice in foreign nations despite clear identification of their involvement. Symmonds emphasized that the global fight against terrorism cannot be a flexible tool shaped by political convenience, arguing that opposition to terror must be an unwavering principle regardless of ideology or economic interests.

    “We do not believe that you can be against terrorism today, but because of issues of ideology, philosophy, or economic policy preference, that you are against terrorism tomorrow. It is either that you stand for it or you stand against it,” he said. “If the fight against terrorism is a principle when twin towers are brought to the ground wrongfully, illegitimately, wickedly, then the fight against terrorism must be a principle when evil men seek to place a bomb on board an aircraft and destroy the lives of innocent people.”

    Beyond honoring the victims of the 1976 attack, Symmonds used the commemoration to reaffirm Barbados’ long-standing solidarity with Cuba, pledging that the island government would continue to leverage every international diplomatic forum to push for an end to the U.S.-imposed economic embargo that has been in place for more than six decades. He described the embargo’s ongoing impact on Cuba’s 10 million people as a deliberate, slow-moving humanitarian tragedy, pointing to widespread shortages of essential goods, crippling power outages, and strained public health systems that have pushed ordinary Cuban civilians into desperation.

    “I use the word inhumanity because when people are starving, it is inhumanity,” he said. “I use the word inhumanity because when mothers cannot have running water in order to cook for their children, it is inhumanity. To watch a country be brought to its knees and a 10 million population be left in desperation conflicts with what we understand to be human development. It is a tragedy which is being rolled out in slow motion, and it is a tragedy which we can avoid, should avoid, and must at all costs continue to urge to be avoided.”

    Symmonds also noted that Barbados and the broader Caribbean region owe Cuba a profound debt of gratitude for its decades of solidarity and support across critical sectors. He highlighted the work of Cuban medical brigades that saved countless lives across small Caribbean nations during periods of crisis when larger international partners offered little to no assistance, filling critical gaps in specialized care from cardiac surgery to ophthalmology. He also celebrated the lasting contributions of Cuban athletics coaches and the thousands of educational scholarships Cuba has provided to young Caribbean people, including constituents from his own St James Central constituency who have gained life-changing skills through the program.

    Reaffirming that Barbados remains one of Cuba’s most steadfast allies in the Caribbean, Symmonds assured Ambassador Cardenas that the government would continue to advocate for mutual respect between nations, international justice, and the elimination of unilateral measures that disproportionately harm civilian populations. He closed the ceremony by expressing hope for a more equitable global order, renewed regional cooperation, and confidence in the enduring resilience of the Cuban people as they navigate ongoing economic and social hardship.