Carib Scope

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  • Hetmyer to join West Indies for World Cup

    Hetmyer to join West Indies for World Cup

    West Indies cricketer Shimron Hetmyer is scheduled to reunite with his national squad in India on Thursday, February 5th, following the resolution of significant visa complications that threatened his participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The 29-year-old Guyanese batsman’s arrival comes just two days before the team’s opening match against Scotland.

    The travel disruption originated from Hetmyer’s use of a newly issued Guyanese passport during the recent South African T20I series. According to renowned international commentator Dr. Joseph Reds Perreira, who spoke exclusively with St. Lucia Times, the batsman traveled to South Africa without carrying his previous passport containing the essential Indian visa. Since Guyanese citizens enjoy visa-free entry to South Africa, the omission went unnoticed until his scheduled departure to India.

    Perreira revealed that high-ranking West Indies Cricket Board officials expected the matter to be resolved imminently, with Hetmyer projected to depart South Africa within hours and reach India by Thursday afternoon Eastern Caribbean time.

    This incident echoes previous travel challenges for the talented left-hander, who ranks fourth in run accumulation (1,345 runs) among current squad members. In 2022, Hetmyer faced exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad after missing two rescheduled flights to Australia due to personal reasons.

    His potential absence would have represented a substantial setback for the Men in Maroon, given his impressive recent form. Hetmyer has compiled 233 runs this year at an average of 46.60, including a remarkable 171 runs across just three innings against South Africa.

    While acknowledging Hetmyer’s personal responsibility, Perreira suggested broader accountability within team management. He questioned whether team manager Rawl Lewis had adequately communicated the specific documentation requirements before players departed their Caribbean homes.

    The visa issue caused Hetmyer to miss Wednesday’s warmup encounter against Afghanistan as well as the official ICC tournament photoshoot, though his anticipated timely arrival preserves West Indies’ batting strength for their crucial opening fixture.

  • More details on immigration amnesty could be discussed at Cabinet next week

    More details on immigration amnesty could be discussed at Cabinet next week

    The Trinidad and Tobago government is poised to review a comprehensive immigration amnesty plan, marking a significant advancement in a long-awaited initiative. Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant confirmed during Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing that a formal operational proposal will be presented to ministers next week.

    The development follows extensive collaboration between the Attorney General’s office and immigration authorities, who have been spearheading the program’s formulation. Merchant indicated the proposal has reached an advanced stage, though specific details regarding eligibility parameters, program duration, and implementation scope remain undisclosed until after Cabinet deliberation.

    ‘Substantial progress has been achieved through the coordinated efforts of the Honourable Attorney General’s team and immigration officials,’ Merchant stated. ‘We anticipate presenting a structured operational framework for Cabinet consideration next week, with subsequent public disclosure following approval.’

    The announcement signals the administration’s movement toward resolving complex immigration status matters, though the government maintains that final specifics will only be released upon official endorsement. This procedural approach suggests careful consideration of the policy’s legal and administrative implications before public rollout.

  • Footballer Caull makes Mo Bay move

    Footballer Caull makes Mo Bay move

    Montego Bay United, the current frontrunners in Jamaica’s top-tier football competition, have secured the signing of promising Saint Lucian winger Kegan Caull for the remainder of the 2025-2026 Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League season. The 21-year-old talent makes his Caribbean return after several years in European football, transferring permanently from England’s Isthmian League Premier Division side Hashtag United.

    The move marks a significant homecoming for Caull, who last played in the Caribbean region in 2021 before embarking on his European career that included spells with Gibraltar’s Europa Point FC and Slovenian club NK Tolmin. The young attacker brings an impressive pedigree having previously spearheaded Saint Lucia’s national youth teams to victory in prestigious tournaments including the 2018 Caribbean Football Union Boys’ Under-14 Challenge Series and the 2019 Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship.

    Caull’s arrival comes at a crucial juncture for Montego Bay United as they push for their first league title since the 2015-2016 season. The club currently dominates the JPL standings with 45 points from 21 matches, boasting a league-best offensive record of 40 goals scored despite defensive vulnerabilities that place them sixth in goals conceded.

    The signing potentially signals broader recruitment strategy focused on Saint Lucian talent. Jamaican media reports indicate Montego Bay United may be pursuing additional experienced internationals from Saint Lucia, including defender Melvin Doxilly and goalkeeper Vino Barclett, both currently training with the squad while under contract elsewhere. This approach follows the club’s previous engagement with Saint Lucian midfielder Gregson President in 2024.

    For Caull, who turns 22 in March, this transfer represents an opportunity to revitalize his professional career and potentially earn recall to Saint Lucia’s senior national team setup after his European journey yielded limited first-team opportunities at his most recent club.

  • Second suspect charged in 2024 murder of teenager

    Second suspect charged in 2024 murder of teenager

    In a significant breakthrough for Saint Lucian law enforcement, authorities have successfully captured and charged a second individual in connection with the 2024 fatal shooting of 13-year-old Melchizedek Gilbert Tixcy. The development concludes an intensive nearly two-year international pursuit that spanned multiple Caribbean jurisdictions.

    Merkyle Cooper, a 20-year-old resident of Desruisseaux, Micoud, now faces capital murder charges for his alleged involvement in the juvenile’s death. The teenage victim was tragically shot and killed at his Blanchard residence on July 31, 2024, sparking widespread community outrage and an extensive investigation.

    According to Superintendent Stephen Victorin, overseeing the Southern Division, the initial phase of the investigation led to the prompt arrest of Makalay Simon, another Blanchard resident, on August 8, 2024. Simon was formally charged with murder and has remained in custody at the Bordelais Correctional Facility since his apprehension.

    Cooper, however, managed to evade capture by fleeing Saint Lucia immediately following the incident. His prolonged escape ended recently when Dominican authorities arrested him on narcotics violations. Through coordinated inter-agency collaboration between Saint Lucian and Dominican law enforcement, Cooper was extradited and returned to Saint Lucia on January 22, 2026.

    Following thorough interrogation and evidence review, prosecutors formally charged Cooper with murder on January 25, 2026. The suspect made his initial court appearance before the Second District Court on January 26, where he was ordered to remain in custody at the Bordelais Correctional Facility pending further judicial proceedings.

    The case has drawn significant public attention, highlighting both the challenges of cross-border law enforcement cooperation and the persistent issue of youth violence in the region. Authorities have expressed confidence that the judicial process will deliver appropriate justice for the victim and his family.

  • Factory setbacks, market woes could delay sugar crop

    Factory setbacks, market woes could delay sugar crop

    Barbados’ historic sugar industry confronts mounting uncertainty as the 2026 harvesting season faces significant operational delays. Multiple industry sources confirm that Portvale Factory, the nation’s sole sugar processing facility, remains unprepared to receive sugarcane, casting doubt on previously anticipated February start dates.

    Technical assessments reveal substantial maintenance requirements still underway at the manufacturing plant. Dwight Millar, President of the Sugar Industry Staff Association (SISA), indicated that extensive equipment repairs and system upgrades must be completed before operations can commence. “Based on current progress indicators,” Millar stated, “a mid-February initiation appears highly improbable, with more realistic projections pointing toward early March.”

    The factory’s operational timeline faces additional complications awaiting critical agricultural data. Industry professionals await the annual brix report, which measures sucrose concentration in standing cane, to determine optimal harvesting conditions. Simultaneously, purchasing numbers for the season require finalization before processing can begin.

    Market dynamics further complicate the situation. Significant sugar inventories from the 2025 harvest remain unsold, reportedly due to competition from imported Jamaican sugar within CARICOM markets. This surplus storage issue creates logistical challenges for the upcoming season’s production cycle.

    Industry representatives have expressed grave concerns about external market pressures. Mark Sealy, Chairman of Barbados Sugar Industry Limited, highlighted how non-CARICOM brown sugar imports “directly compete with local production, essentially undermining domestic agricultural sustainability.” Producers argue these imports threaten the entire industry’s viability, potentially causing collapse within months without regulatory intervention.

    Management transitions have introduced additional complexity. Since January 2024, Co-op Energy has overseen sugar operations through subsidiaries BESCO Ltd (factory management) and Agricultural Business Company Ltd (farmland oversight), following government divestment of the Barbados Agricultural Management Company.

    Despite these challenges, private farmers maintain readiness to deliver cane once the factory announces operational dates. However, with general elections approaching next Wednesday and former agriculture minister Indar Weir pledging to address the situation, the industry’s future remains entangled in both operational and political dimensions.

  • Phillips pledges sweeping upgrades, reforms for St Peter

    Phillips pledges sweeping upgrades, reforms for St Peter

    Jason Phillips, the Democratic Labour Party candidate for St Peter, has presented a transformative development agenda targeting comprehensive infrastructure and social reforms for the northern Barbados constituency. During a recent campaign meeting, Phillips articulated a multi-faceted strategy addressing long-standing community concerns through systematic governmental intervention.

    The candidate identified road rehabilitation as an immediate priority, advocating for a structured program focusing on critical corridors including Boscobel to Speightstown and Indian Ground to Speightstown. Phillips emphasized the necessity of proper paving, drainage, and lighting systems, explicitly rejecting temporary patchwork solutions. His infrastructure proposal extends to enhanced street lighting to improve road safety and reliable waste management systems featuring fixed collection schedules and community clean-up initiatives.

    Water infrastructure emerged as another cornerstone of Phillips’ platform, with commitments to demand greater investment and accountability to ensure residents receive clean, reliable water. The candidate specifically addressed housing reform in Six Men’s Village, promising transparent, time-bound land regularization processes to provide legal ownership for current occupants. Additional community development initiatives for the area include establishing youth resource centers and recreational hard courts.

    Healthcare transformation features prominently in the candidate’s vision, with ambitious proposals to upgrade the Maurice Byer Polyclinic to a 24/7 mini-hospital facility equipped with ambulance services, emergency departments, and multiple wards to serve northern Barbados residents. Phillips also outlined economic measures including skills training programs, apprenticeships, and private sector partnerships to boost youth employment, alongside policies aimed at reducing living costs through agricultural development and protection for low-income households.

    Following his policy presentation, Phillips characterized his campaign approach as authentically engaged, stating his visibility reflects genuine connection with constituents rather than political strategy. The candidate highlighted his 26-year teaching career and legal practice as qualifications for implementing transformative representation.

  • Election workers, special forces cast early ballots

    Election workers, special forces cast early ballots

    A notably subdued atmosphere characterized Barbados’s special pre-election polling on Tuesday, with election officials and protective service members turning out in low numbers. This specialized electoral exercise, designed for those rostered for duty on the upcoming general election day, may signal broader voter apathy ahead of the nation’s snap poll scheduled for next Wednesday.

    At 7 a.m., thirty polling stations opened nationwide, yet presiding officers across multiple constituencies reported consistently light foot traffic. Michael Fields, the returning officer for Christ Church East Central at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, indicated that merely twelve out of ninety registered special voters had cast ballots by the mid-morning period. While acknowledging initial logistical shortcomings such as absent directional signage, Fields confirmed these issues would be resolved before the main electoral event, noting the voting process itself was efficiently concluded within two minutes once voters located the correct venue.

    Parallel reports emerged from other districts, including St Michael South and Christ Church West, where officials Egerton Thompson and Michael Sealey similarly described voter activity as minimal. Despite the low participation, some voters expressed strong commitment to their civic duties. Election official Chad Larrier highlighted the fundamental importance of representation, though he cited inadequate signage as a complicating factor in accessing his polling station. Postal worker Dwayne Moore, a consistent voter since the age of 18, praised the seamless and swift nature of the process, emphasizing the critical role of citizen participation in shaping national governance.

  • Van Trikt onder politiebegeleiding naar specialist; detentie volgt na weigering uitstel door OM

    Van Trikt onder politiebegeleiding naar specialist; detentie volgt na weigering uitstel door OM

    Robert van Trikt, the convicted former governor of Suriname’s Central Bank, was taken into police custody this morning to begin serving his prison sentence. Despite having a scheduled medical specialist appointment today, Van Trikt was escorted by law enforcement to complete the visit before commencing his term. The former bank official informed Starnieuws that he had intended to surrender voluntarily tomorrow but acknowledged the authorities’ decision to enforce the sentence immediately.

    The Public Prosecution Service had previously granted Van Trikt a one-week window to report to the Santo Boma penitentiary after rejecting his request for a three-month postponement of sentence execution. The prosecution emphasized that after this deadline expired, the verdict would be implemented without further delay.

    Through his attorney Chandra Algoe, Van Trikt had sought postponement citing personal circumstances and his intention to challenge the conviction through international legal channels. The prosecution dismissed these appeals, insisting on immediate enforcement following the expiration of the granted period.

    On January 19, the Court of Justice upheld Van Trikt’s conviction in the appellate hearing concerning the Central Bank of Suriname case, reducing his sentence from eight to six years imprisonment. Having already spent approximately three and a half years in pre-trial detention, he had been temporarily released on humanitarian grounds prior to this final ruling.

    Van Trikt’s defense team maintains that his actions resulted from policy decisions made with full knowledge and explicit approval of the government, particularly former Finance Minister Gilmore Hoefdraad. The international appeal will reference a Kroll advisory report that the defense claims received insufficient consideration during domestic proceedings, along with the court’s acknowledgment that his nearly two-year pre-trial detention was unlawful.

    Separately, Van Trikt faces additional investigations stemming from a 2020 complaint filed by Finabank and fourteen citizens regarding the use of cash reserve funds during his tenure as central bank governor, demonstrating the ongoing legal challenges confronting the former financial official.

  • Police hoping autopsy provides answers about construction worker’s death

    Police hoping autopsy provides answers about construction worker’s death

    Authorities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are investigating another tragic construction site fatality after Lemone Baptiste, a Georgetown construction worker, fell to his death from a four-story building framework on Wednesday afternoon. The incident has reignited concerns about workplace safety standards in the nation’s construction industry.

    Baptiste was working on the steel structure of the building near the Community College gap when the accident occurred around 2:30 p.m. Witness accounts and preliminary reports suggest the worker might have been electrocuted by high-voltage overhead power lines before falling from the elevated position. Emergency services transported him to Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 3 p.m.

    Critical observations from the scene indicate Baptiste was not wearing any safety harness or personal protective equipment at the time of the incident. Multiple witnesses confirmed to local media that they had observed the worker standing on steel beams without proper safety gear, raising serious questions about compliance with basic safety protocols.

    This tragedy marks the second construction-related fatality in just over two years. In November 2023, Kerwin Franklyn, a 39-year-old from Chateaubelair, died after falling approximately 30 feet through an elevator shaft at a construction site in Campden Park. That incident, involving an employee of Sea Operations (SVG) Limited, occurred when Franklyn reportedly removed his harness to dislodge stuck timber, leading to his fatal fall.

    The recurring pattern of fatal falls has prompted public outcry and growing concerns about the consistent lack of safety measures at construction sites across St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Community members are calling for stricter enforcement of safety regulations and mandatory use of protective equipment when working at heights.

    Police are awaiting autopsy results, expected Thursday, to determine the exact cause of Baptiste’s death as their investigation continues. The findings will likely contribute to the ongoing discussion about improving workplace safety standards in the construction sector.

  • Rotary Club of Dominica fosters project at Psychiatric Unit, completes handover

    Rotary Club of Dominica fosters project at Psychiatric Unit, completes handover

    In a landmark achievement for Caribbean mental healthcare infrastructure, the Rotary Club of Dominica has unveiled a comprehensively renovated Acute Psychiatric Unit following a significant modernization initiative. The completed project was officially inaugurated during a ceremonial event on January 30, 2026, attended by government officials, healthcare specialists, and Rotary representatives.

    The renovation project focused on four primary objectives: comprehensive physical infrastructure modernization, creation of a safer and more dignified patient-centered environment, enhancement of working conditions for medical staff, and substantial strengthening of Dominica’s mental health treatment capabilities.

    Substantial facility improvements included complete electrical system upgrades, modernized plumbing infrastructure, comprehensive refurbishment of both patient wards and staff offices, acquisition of new beds and mattresses, and a complete repainting of the facility. These enhancements collectively create a more therapeutic and welcoming environment conducive to patient recovery and healing.

    Notably, the project funding totaling XCD$44,218.92 was primarily generated through the Rotary Club’s annual Carnival Souse and Punch fundraising event, demonstrating how community-supported initiatives directly contribute to critical infrastructure development.

    During the inauguration ceremony, Health Minister Cassanni Laville expressed profound gratitude for the Rotary Club’s partnership, emphasizing that “well-maintained and dignified facilities are fundamental to effective mental healthcare and successful patient recovery.” He highlighted the critical importance of collaborative efforts between service organizations and government entities in advancing national healthcare infrastructure.

    Rotary District 7030 Governor Soraya A.J. Warner-Gustave commended the project as embodying Rotary’s core principles of compassion, community service, and sustainable impact. She noted that such partnerships between service organizations and government agencies yield profound and lasting benefits for society.

    Dr. Jermaine Jewel Jean-Pierre, President of the Rotary Club of Dominica, reaffirmed the organization’s ongoing commitment to supporting national healthcare systems. He emphasized the project’s alignment with Rotary International’s strategic focus on “Disease Prevention and Treatment,” particularly through infrastructure improvements that directly enhance patient wellbeing.

    The renovated APU facility holds particular historical significance, having been originally established in 1982 through Rotary Club vision and resources. The recent modernization project reinforces the organization’s enduring legacy of sustainable community development and service excellence.

    The Rotary Club extended special recognition to Harris Paint Dominica for material donations, along with numerous volunteers, supporters, and the dedicated staff of the Ministry of Health and APU for their cooperation and commitment to serving some of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.