A long-awaited update on Antigua and Barbuda’s diplomatic reshuffling has confirmed that former Senator Clement Antonio will officially take up his role as the country’s resident ambassador to China in mid-June, according to senior government official Maurice Merchant. Merchant, who serves as Director General of Communications, shared the timeline during a post-Cabinet press briefing held Thursday, when he addressed public questions over the delayed departure of Antonio, whose initial appointment was announced months earlier. Merchant clarified that the appointment of a resident ambassador is far from a straightforward administrative procedure, as it requires cross-institutional coordination spanning multiple sovereign governments and diplomatic offices. The process, he explained, extends well beyond Antigua and Barbuda’s domestic governance structures. It must go through reviews and approvals from Antigua and Barbuda’s Government House, the UK Palace, China’s central government, multiple diplomatic missions, and Antigua and Barbuda’s London-based diplomatic office, leading to inevitable waiting periods. When addressing the timing gap that coincided with the country’s recent general election, Merchant noted that the electoral cycle did not derail the process, but only extended the procedural timeline. “The elections came and the elections went,” Merchant told reporters, “Senator Antonio is due to arrive in China to take up his posting next month, June.” As of this week, all required formalities for Antonio’s appointment have been fully completed. “All has been concluded where His Excellency Clement Antonio is concerned, and he will take up his posting in China during the month of June, I think around the middle of June,” Merchant confirmed. Antonio’s appointment marks the first key personnel change in a broader overhaul of Antigua and Barbuda’s diplomatic service, launched after the country’s general election concluded on April 30. The Cabinet has revealed that ongoing reviews of the diplomatic sector will lead to more new appointments and reassignment announcements in the coming weeks, as the new administration works to align the country’s diplomatic corps with its policy priorities. This appointment also comes as Antigua and Barbuda continues to deepen its bilateral engagement with China, highlighting the country’s commitment to advancing diplomatic ties between the two nations.
作者： admin
-
Antigua and Barbuda Officials Complete Regional Training on Hazardous Pesticide Management
In a targeted move to boost regional capacity for controlling dangerous agricultural chemicals, three technical staff from Antigua and Barbuda’s Department of Analytical Services have graduated from a specialized regional training program focused on improved management of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) across the Caribbean. The department confirmed that participants Laël Bertide-Josiah, Alexandra Hughes and J’herdine Browne took part in the two-day hybrid workshop, branded “Development of an Effect-Cause-Action (ECA-G) Tool for Highly Hazardous Pesticide Management in the Caribbean”, which was held May 26–27 at The Verandah Resort & Spa in Antigua.
The capacity-building event was organized by the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean (BCRC-Caribbean), and forms a core activity under the Global Environment Facility’s ISLANDS 10279 Project, a regional initiative focused on addressing environmental challenges in small island developing states.
Per official statements from the Department of Analytical Services, the training was designed to strengthen consistent implementation of multiple multilateral environmental agreements linked to chemical control and waste management across the Caribbean region. Over the course of the workshop, the three local participants joined dozens of regional subject matter experts and industry stakeholders in collaborative discussions centered on improving systems to identify and regulate HHPs, while systematically evaluating the far-reaching harms these chemicals pose to human health, regional ecosystems, and national economic performance.
The program curriculum balanced theoretical learning with hands-on practical application, covering technical modules ranging from HHP identification and routine environmental monitoring, to quantitative analysis of economic impacts, environmental risk mapping, and evidence-based mitigation strategies to cut the public health and ecological dangers tied to unregulated hazardous pesticide use.
Department officials emphasized that this training initiative aligns with broader national and regional goals to elevate environmental governance, strengthen chemical safety standards, and advance sustainable development across Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean region. The department also formally extended its gratitude to supporting partners, including BCRC-Caribbean, the technical team from the University of the West Indies, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), whose collaboration made the capacity-building event possible.
-
PM wants port projects fast-tracked amid development push
At the official commissioning ceremony for Bridgetown Port’s newly completed Berth 6, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley has delivered a clear directive to port authorities: break through bottlenecks and accelerate long-delayed key expansion projects, warning that further hold-ups to critical cruise and national security infrastructure are incompatible with the island nation’s goal of becoming the Caribbean’s top cruise destination. The multi-component expansion package includes three high-priority initiatives: a new finger-style cruise pier, a purpose-built central container examination facility, and a waterfront hotel development tied to an upcoming Caribbean cricket legends franchise. Mottley emphasized that even with ongoing legal proceedings surrounding parts of the project, Barbados cannot afford to put its cruise sector growth on indefinite hold. “Earlier this year, I convened meetings with the port’s chairman, executive leadership and the responsible minister to make sure that construction of the new finger cruise pier is moved to the top of the immediate priority list,” Mottley stated during her address. She noted that while outstanding litigation related to the development still requires resolution, the nation’s rising standing as one of the most important cruise ports in the Americas leaves no room for slow, incremental progress that holds back economic growth. Beyond positioning the country as a premier cruise stop, Mottley outlined that the new cruise pier and accompanying aggregate facility will generate consistent new revenue streams for the port, including through passenger head taxes and a range of additional commercial income opportunities. Of equal importance, the prime minister stressed, is the planned central container examination facility, a core asset for strengthening the nation’s border and national security frameworks. “This government has not held back on investment in cutting-edge scanners and expanded scanning capacity at Bridgetown Port, and we will continue to prioritize these security investments,” she said, adding that rapid completion of the dedicated examination facility is central to the government’s ongoing work to upgrade port security protocols. In a major milestone for project financing, Mottley revealed that the Ministry of Finance has already formally approved a $70 million loan to support the port expansion initiative, and she expressed confidence that remaining financing arrangements will be finalized quickly to clear the way for construction to move forward. She also offered public praise for the port’s board and management team for pursuing cost-effective development strategies, noting that this focus on fiscal responsibility aligns with the government’s expectations for all state-linked infrastructure projects. “This level of cost efficiency is exactly what I expect to remain a core part of how Bridgetown Port operates moving forward,” she added. Turning to one of the most ambitious mixed-use elements of the redevelopment plan, Mottley laid out details for a new waterfront hotel located adjacent to Kensington Oval, a project she framed as the starting point for a region-wide Caribbean cricket legends tourism brand. Currently, the targeted waterfront parcel is occupied by government procurement offices and other state operational facilities, but Mottley confirmed that relocation discussions are already at an advanced stage to clear the site for redevelopment. Comparing the proposed development to successful upscale waterfront projects in St. Lucia and multiple European destinations, Mottley described the land around Kensington Oval — which she called the third most iconic cricket ground globally — as a once-in-a-generation opportunity not just for Barbados, but for the entire Caribbean region. The overarching concept centers on a “Legends of the Caribbean” brand, with a network of hotels across the region honoring the historic legacy of legendary West Indies cricketers. “I have no doubt that the former West Indies players who brought so much glory to our region, but earned so little during their era of dominance, would be thrilled to know that their legacy, image and excellence can finally be rewarded through this project,” Mottley said. She confirmed the proposed Legends Hotel will occupy a prominent, iconic plot directly adjacent to Kensington Oval, laying the groundwork for the regional brand expansion.
-
Former ace athlete Sweet-I dies 16 years after paralysing gunshot injury
In a heartbreaking loss for communities across St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sweet-I Robertson, a woman who turned a life-altering act of senseless gun violence into a story of relentless resilience and academic triumph, passed away Monday night following a sudden short illness. She was 33 years old.
Robertson’s journey of struggle and success began in October 2010, when the 15-year-old star athlete and fifth-form student at Petit Bordel Secondary School was struck by a stray bullet outside her school’s campus in Petit Bordel. The bullet hit her neck, leaving her permanently paralyzed from the waist down. The tragedy did not end with her injury: in 2013, Shelton Hooper, the man convicted of wounding her, was sentenced to five years in prison. Hooper and his two co-accused relatives also received 12-year sentences for a separate attempted murder, and Hooper faced additional prison time on firearms charges. In a remarkable show of grace just days after her 21st birthday in 2014, Robertson told local outlet iWitness News that she had fully forgiven the men responsible for her injury, noting that holding onto resentment had no place in her new life. “You can’t hold a grudge forever,” she said at the time.
Against all odds, Robertson refused to let her paralysis define her future. Just a year after the shooting, in 2011, she sat for the CXC O’Level examinations and passed four out of five subjects, earning the highest possible Grade 1 in mathematics. She went on to pursue higher education, graduating from St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College in 2017 — crossing the graduation stage in her wheelchair, pushed by her older sister Racquel, an educator, to accept her certificate.
With support from Island Scholars Inc., a United States-based educational charity, Robertson continued her studies at the University of the West Indies. In July 2023, she reached a historic milestone, completing her degree program and graduating with a first-class honours Bachelor of Science in psychology. She had been preparing to launch an online counselling service to support others facing adversity when her health declined unexpectedly, leading to her death.
Local leaders and institutions stepped in to support Robertson in the years after her injury. Then-Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves took a personal interest in her case after reading news reports of her assailants’ sentencing. Gonsalves, who used Robertson’s story to draw attention to the unregulated arms trade plaguing Caribbean communities, told a 2013 regional workshop for the UN Arms Trade Treaty that her experience was a “symbol of the creeping scourge of arms and ammunition into the most remote corners of our Caribbean civilisation”. In 2013, Gonsalves’ government arranged for Robertson to receive three months of rehabilitative treatment in Cuba, where she regained full control of her upper body, which had been left with only limited mobility in one hand before therapy. While doctors confirmed the lower half of her body was irreparably damaged, the treatment vastly improved her quality of life and restored her self-confidence. In 2014, the administration donated a custom-built, mortgage-free home to Robertson in Fitz Hughes, a gesture she said lifted a huge financial and emotional burden from her family.
Robertson’s death marks the second time in recent months that a promising young Caribbean athlete has died from complications of violence committed near their school. In March, 17-year-old top athlete Alia Mc Dowall died at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, more than a year after she was stabbed in the throat outside Central Leeward Secondary School, where she was a student. The alleged attacker, 17-year-old Bethel High School student Doriel Duncan, has been charged with wounding with intent, granted EC$15,000 bail, and the case remains ongoing in the courts.
-
iWN founder presents credentials as SVG’s envoy in Taiwan
On Thursday, a landmark diplomatic moment unfolded in Taipei, as Kenton X. Chance, founder and former executive editor of Caribbean outlet iWitness News, formally presented his letter of credence to President Lai Ching-te at the Taiwan Presidential Office, officially taking up his post as St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ (SVG) new ambassador to Taiwan. The credential ceremony came two days after Chance presented a copy of his credentials to Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung, marking the final step in his transition from a decades-long career in journalism to leading SVG’s diplomatic mission in Taipei.
Chance’s appointment to the ambassadorial role, which took effect on March 1, closes a nearly 20-year full-circle journey for the Taiwan-educated diplomat. He first arrived in Taiwan as a graduate student in 2006 on a five-year full scholarship from the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, just six months shy of 20 years to the day of his return as ambassador-designate on March 2 this year. Over his six years of study, Chance earned both a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a master’s degree in International Affairs from Taiwanese institutions. Before stepping into his diplomatic role, Chance built a 20-plus-year career in journalism, including 18 years as a correspondent for the Barbados-based Caribbean Media Corporation, and filed reports for many of the world’s leading international news outlets. In recognition of his professional achievements and ties to Taiwan, the Taiwan Ministry of Education named Chance a Distinguished Taiwan Alumnus in 2022, an honor he says reflects the lasting value of the education he received on the island, which served him through assignments across the globe.
A particularly meaningful layer to Chance’s appointment is the timing: this coming August, SVG and Taiwan will mark 45 years of uninterrupted formal diplomatic relations, and Chance shares the exact same age as the bilateral partnership. “Therefore, I consider it a special honour to be representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Taiwan at this time,” Chance said in his remarks during Thursday’s ceremony, where he conveyed warm greetings from King Charles III, SVG’s Governor General Sir Stanley John, Prime Minister Godwin Friday, Foreign Minister Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, and the entire government and people of SVG to President Lai and the people of Taiwan.
Chance also paid tribute to Andrea Bowman, SVG’s first envoy to Taipei, who also served as his high school teacher early in his life. “She laid a solid foundation during her tour of duty. I intend to build on that foundation, erecting pillars in support of a broader, expanded relationship,” he said, reaffirming SVG’s longstanding commitment to the bilateral partnership. “St. Vincent and the Grenadines values its relationship with the Republic of China (Taiwan); our government stands ready to deepen and expand that relationship for the continued benefit of both our peoples and our countries.”
President Lai welcomed Chance’s appointment, noting that the new ambassador’s deep personal and professional ties to Taiwan position him to drive new progress in bilateral cooperation at this significant milestone for the relationship. Lai expressed hope that Chance’s tenure would see expanded collaboration between the two nations in key sectors including agriculture, infrastructure, and information and communications technology, building on existing partnerships in smart agriculture and smart medicine to diversify cooperation and deliver shared prosperity. “Chance’s appointment at such a significant moment will allow us to witness new milestones in our relations,” Lai said. “We continue to cherish this longstanding partnership as we embrace the future together … Going forward, I believe we will build on existing cooperation … helping us realise our goal of mutual benefit and prosperity.”
Lai also extended deep gratitude to SVG for its consistent, longstanding public support for Taiwan’s participation in international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly, World Health Assembly, International Civil Aviation Organization, and Interpol. “Such actions embody the priceless spirit of true friendship and mutual support,” Lai said. “Moving ahead, we look forward to St. Vincent and the Grenadines continuing to support Taiwan’s international participation. This will allow Taiwan to use its expertise to make contributions to the international community and work with like-minded nations to enhance global well-being.”
As part of the formal diplomatic ceremonies, Chance presented two custom-commissioned artworks by Vincentian artists to Taiwanese officials. During his initial meeting with Foreign Minister Lin on Tuesday, he gifted the piece *All Ah Dat Is Mas* (“That, Too, Is Mas”) by Sharleen Branch, a Vincentian artist set to graduate from a master’s program at National Dong Hwa University this June. For Thursday’s ceremony with President Lai, he presented a painting of three horses by Donnie Collins, a Vincentian artist and radio personality. The horse holds special symbolic meaning in 2026, the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac, where the animal represents speed, success, vitality, and determined resilience.
Chance’s appointment was first announced by SVG’s Foreign Minister Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble in Kingstown on January 22, as part of a broader wave of new senior diplomatic appointments from the Caribbean nation. Earlier this month, Bramble also announced the appointment of Laverne Phillips, another Taiwan-educated Vincentian who earned an international business degree in Taiwan between 2006 and 2011, as SVG’s new deputy consul general in Toronto, Canada.
-
Bolans Spectator Stand Nearing Completion, MP says
After months of planning and construction work, the long-planned spectator stand project in Bolans is edging closer to being finished, according to Dwayne George, the Member of Parliament for St. Mary’s South. In a recent statement highlighting the milestone, George framed the infrastructure development as a transformative initiative that local residents have waited years to see come to fruition.
George extended formal gratitude to key stakeholders that helped turn the community project into a tangible reality, specifically naming Antigua’s Ministry of Works, Minister of Works Maria Browne, and the national government for their coordination, funding, and on-the-ground support throughout the construction process. He shared that even ahead of its official opening, the new facility has already drawn enthusiastic feedback from Bolans residents, who have expressed excitement over the new public space.
Once fully completed, the spectator stand will offer a vastly more comfortable, accessible gathering area for multiple generations of community members, including local families, young people, and long-term Bolans residents. Beyond hosting spectators for local sporting matches, the space is also designed to accommodate a wide range of other community activities, from public gatherings to local events.
For George, the near-completion of the stand is more than just a new infrastructure addition: it stands as clear proof of ongoing progress, intentional development, and sustained public investment in both Bolans village and the entire St. Mary’s South constituency, marking a key win for the local area.
-
St. Kitts and Nevis welcomes 14,000 cruise passengers in off-season surge – WIC News
The Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis notched a notable win for its tourism sector on May 28, when two major modern cruise vessels docked at Basseterre’s Port Zante, delivering an unexpected off-season influx of more than 14,000 total passengers and crew members. The arrival marks a key milestone in the country’s ongoing push to establish itself as a leading, year-round cruise destination in the region.
Prior to dropping anchor in St. Kitts and Nevis, both ships completed their previous port call in St. Thomas, part of the United States Virgin Islands, wrapping up a segment of their scheduled Caribbean itineraries before heading to their stop in the twin-island nation. The first vessel, Star of the Seas, is operated by Royal Caribbean International, a subsidiary of the Royal Caribbean Group. This visit marked the ship’s second docking at Port Zante, carrying roughly 7,161 passengers and 2,500 crew members on board. As a member of Royal Caribbean’s innovative Icon Class fleet, Star of the Seas joins the ranks of some of the most advanced cruise vessels operating globally, including the industry-leading Icon of the Seas and Legend of the Seas.
The second ship, Celebrity Beyond, is managed by Celebrity Cruises and brought approximately 3,400 passengers and 1,417 crew members to the islands. An Edge Class vessel, Celebrity Beyond stands out for its forward-thinking, outward-focused design that prioritizes panoramic ocean views, and it is home to the cruise industry’s one-of-a-kind “Magic Carpet” — an innovative movable platform that travels vertically between multiple decks. The versatile space can transform to serve as an open-air restaurant, a scenic bar, or a tender boarding area for small excursion boats.
St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew emphasized the significance of the unprecedented off-season arrival in an official statement posted to his Facebook page, calling the large-scale port call a “tremendous achievement” for the country’s tourism industry. “This level of cruise activity brings continued growth to our economy and provides many job opportunities for our people,” Drew noted, adding that the surge during what has historically been a slow tourism period demonstrates the success of the nation’s tourism strategy. He also publicly commended Minister of Tourism Marsha T. Henderson and the entire Ministry of Tourism for their persistent work to elevate St. Kitts and Nevis as a premier cruise stop in the Caribbean.
Industry observers note that the unexpected off-season surge signals growing demand for less crowded Caribbean cruise destinations, and reinforces the trajectory of St. Kitts and Nevis as an increasingly popular choice for major global cruise lines looking to diversify their itineraries beyond traditional peak-season hotspots.
-
Barbudan land defenders’ case to protect island from billionaire developers in court next week
Nine years after first launching their fight against a controversial third airstrip and airport project on the Caribbean island of Barbuda, local activists John Mussington and Jackie Frank will finally get a full domestic court hearing on Monday, June 1, at the High Court of Antigua and Barbuda’s Courtroom 3. The hearing is scheduled to kick off at 9 a.m. local time, or 2 p.m. British Summer Time, with press access available via formal application to the court.
-
Antigua and Barbuda Delegation Attends Caribbean Climate Finance Workshop in Barbados
As Small Island Developing States across the Caribbean continue to grapple with worsening climate-driven disasters, a four-person official delegation from Antigua and Barbuda has traveled to Bridgetown, Barbados to take part in a high-stakes regional climate finance workshop. Running from May 28 to 29, 2026 at the Hilton Barbados Resort, the event titled “Prosperity on Our Terms: A Caribbean Agenda for Climate Finance Access and Addressing Loss and Damage” brings together dozens of representatives from climate-vulnerable nations across the Caribbean and the broader Global South.
Organized by the Climate Vulnerable Forum and the Vulnerable Twenty Group (CVF-V20), the workshop is hosted during Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s current tenure as CVF-V20 president. The Antigua and Barbuda delegation draws expertise from two key government branches: it includes Gita Nicholas and Arry Simon from the Department of Environment under the Ministry of Health and the Environment, alongside Carlon Knight and Sheneé Cornelius from the Ministry of Finance, Corporate Governance and Public-Private Partnerships.
For low-lying island nations like Antigua and Barbuda, the topics on the workshop’s agenda are not abstract policy discussions — they are urgent, existential priorities. Already, the country faces accelerating risks from tropical cyclones, coastal flooding, and chronic sea-level rise, all of which drain public resources and undermine long-term development. Improved, streamlined access to climate and disaster risk finance is therefore a core policy goal for the Antigua and Barbuda government, making this gathering a critical opportunity for engagement.
Over the two-day event, delegation members have taken part in targeted technical sessions covering a range of key financing mechanisms designed for vulnerable states. These include deep dives into the CVF-V20 Lifeline Fund, which delivers fast-acting liquidity support to nations immediately after major climate disasters strike. Attendees also explored the Vulnerability to Viability (V2V) Compact, a long-term framework created to tackle the structural financing barriers that hold back climate-vulnerable economies. Additional sessions covered the B20 Development Finance Institution Compact, a new collaboration with the OPEC Fund for International Development, as well as existing global Loss and Damage financing tools: the UN-established Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage and the Global Shield against Climate Risks.
On the second day of the workshop, May 29, the delegation will join a scheduled field visit to local climate adaptation and recovery project sites across Barbados. Stops include the Barbados Fisheries Division, coastal resilience sites at Paines Bay, and Six Men’s Bay. The on-site visit will give Antigua and Barbuda’s representatives first-hand insight into practical resilience interventions that can be adapted and applied to the country’s own climate planning and development frameworks.
-
Neverson feeling the ‘Sandals Effect’
For over 15 years, Kendal Neverson has built his career as a taxi driver, greeting countless tourists as their first point of contact when they arrive in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. What began as consistent but modest work shifted dramatically in 2024, when a major new hospitality development opened on the island chain, opening unexpected new doors for local workers like Neverson.
A trusted member of the local Taxi Association, Neverson has long anchored his work in three core values: professional service, warm hospitality, and a deep sense of national pride that he brings to every trip he guides. When news first broke that international resort brand Sandals planned to open a new luxury property at Buccament Bay, Neverson admitted he felt uncertain about what the development would mean for independent local drivers. It did not take long, however, for that uncertainty to give way to tangible new opportunity.
To manage airport transfers and on-demand guest transportation, Sandals launched a rigorous competitive selection process to partner with qualified local drivers. In an official press release announcing the initiative, the resort confirmed Neverson was among the local transportation professionals selected to join the resort’s service network.
For Neverson, the impact of the resort’s launch on St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ tourism ecosystem has been nothing short of transformative. “From the moment Sandals began operations here, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ tourism sector has moved forward incredibly quickly,” he explained in the release. “Our industry has grown drastically, and it has been a huge step up for taxi drivers, especially those of us working on transfers between the airport and the resort.”
Unlike the inconsistent demand many local drivers faced prior to the resort’s opening, the steady stream of international guests visiting the new property has translated into reliable, consistent work for Neverson, while also giving him the chance to welcome travelers from every corner of the globe. As one of the first local residents visitors interact with when they step off the plane, Neverson takes this responsibility deeply seriously, and says the resort’s commitment to high service standards has shaped his own approach to work.
“When it comes to Sandals, everything centers on upholding strict standards,” he said. “That’s a lesson I’ve absorbed and continue to put into practice every single day on the job.”
Beyond the direct benefits for transportation workers like himself, Neverson emphasized that the resort’s presence has rippled through nearly every corner of the local economy. From agriculture and fishing to small retail and other local businesses that support the tourism sector, multiple industries have seen growing demand as visitor numbers climb.
“It has truly been a pleasure having Sandals here on our island,” he said. “It has brought new opportunities across so many different sectors, and helped lift up our entire tourism industry. For me, Sandals represents progress and higher standards across the board. If we want to keep benefiting from the growth of tourism, we have to keep improving our own service and professionalism. When visitors come here, they experience our whole country through the people they meet, like me.”
In highlighting Neverson’s story, Sandals noted that his experience is far from unique. It serves as a powerful reminder that the economic and social impact of tourism development stretches far beyond the walls of the resort itself, creating tangible, long-term benefits for entire local communities.