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  • Grenada Festival of the Arts 2026 to be launched next week

    Grenada Festival of the Arts 2026 to be launched next week

    The Culture Division under Grenada’s Ministry of Tourism, the Creative Economy and Culture has made an official announcement confirming the launch of the highly anticipated 2026 Grenada Festival of the Arts, a landmark national event designed to highlight the creative potential and artistic skill of young students across the country’s three main islands: Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique.

    The formal launch event is set to take place on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, starting at 10 a.m. in the VIP Conference Room of Section B at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium. This kickoff gathering will serve as a key opportunity for organizers to share critical logistical and program details with attendees, including the festival’s overall structure, competitive and non-competitive categories, and full timeline of upcoming events. It will also facilitate dialogue between organizers and core stakeholders from both the education and cultural sectors, who are instrumental to the festival’s success.

    Expected attendees include delegations from participating primary and secondary schools across the tri-island nation, representatives from relevant government agencies, and leading members of Grenada’s local creative community. Unlike many niche artistic events, the Grenada Festival of the Arts has been built as an inclusive, accessible platform that gives all schools the chance to showcase student work across a diverse spectrum of artistic disciplines. These range from performance-focused fields such as music, dance, drama, and theatrical production, to spoken word and literary arts, ensuring students with varied creative interests can participate.

    For years, this annual national festival has held deep cultural significance for Grenada, playing an indispensable role in nurturing emerging young artistic talent, creating space for authentic cultural expression among youth, and reinforcing shared national identity through the universal language of art. Organizers from the Culture Division have extended an open invitation to all members of the general public to attend the launch event and show their support for this landmark national initiative that invests directly in Grenada’s next generation of creators.

    This announcement was released via the Ministry of Tourism, the Creative Economy and Culture. NOW Grenada, the platform publishing the announcement, notes that it is not liable for opinions, statements, or third-party contributed content featured on its site, and provides a channel for users to report any abusive content.

  • Illegale vuilstort bij Ston Oso aangepakt, maar probleem blijft bestaan

    Illegale vuilstort bij Ston Oso aangepakt, maar probleem blijft bestaan

    For over a week, Suriname’s Directorate of Public Green Space and Waste Management (OGA) has been working to clear tons of illegally dumped waste from the grounds surrounding the iconic historic Ston Oso building in central Paramaribo. The landmark site has emerged as a persistent hotspot for unregulated waste dumping, with offenders repeatedly leaving discarded materials and trash on the property despite repeated cleanup efforts.

    OGA director Anwar Moenne told reporters via Suriname’s Communication Service that investigators have not yet identified the specific individuals responsible for the ongoing dumping, though authorities hold preliminary suspicions that unhoused people staying in the area are connected to the waste accumulation. “This is one of the locations that sees an extraordinary volume of illegal dumping on a repeated basis,” Moenne stated in his remarks, adding that the directorate will enforce strict penalties against anyone caught dumping waste at the site moving forward.

    The current large-scale cleanup operation is being carried out in partnership with several local stakeholders, including a cohort of incarcerated individuals participating in community work programming. Alongside the cleanup efforts, OGA has issued a public call for broader community engagement, urging all Surinamese residents to take responsibility for maintaining clean, healthy shared living environments across the country.

    Local business owner Patrick Liesdek, who operates a shop adjacent to the Ston Oso property, told reporters that the illegal dumping problem has plagued the neighborhood for years. Even after multiple previous cleanup initiatives organized by authorities, the area quickly becomes cluttered with waste again once crews finish their work. Liesdek added that the accumulated waste and presence of unhoused people in the area have also brought secondary nuisance issues, including frequent infestations of rodents and other pests that have spilled over to neighboring properties including his store.

    Liesdek is calling on local authorities to adopt a long-term, structural solution to the crisis rather than relying solely on periodic cleanup projects that only address the symptom of the problem, not its root causes. At the same time, he expressed hope that the historic Ston Oso building, a landmark of Paramaribo’s cultural heritage, will be preserved and eventually receive full restoration work to protect it for future generations.

  • Calvin Ayre Foundation Helps Facilitate Urgent Medical Transfer for Antiguan Woman Requiring Specialized Spinal Surgery

    Calvin Ayre Foundation Helps Facilitate Urgent Medical Transfer for Antiguan Woman Requiring Specialized Spinal Surgery

    ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – April 23, 2026 – A coordinated partnership between the non-profit Calvin Ayre Foundation (CAF) and Antigua and Barbuda’s public Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS) has delivered a successful outcome for a local resident facing a critical medical need that could not be addressed within the country’s borders. Ms. Mary Jean Samantha Baptiste, who had struggled with complex health complications for months, received timely access to specialized treatment in Trinidad & Tobago through the cross-sector collaboration, and has now returned home to Antigua to continue her recovery.

    After clinicians determined Baptiste required urgent specialized intervention unavailable at local medical facilities, stakeholders moved quickly to coordinate her travel. MBS, Antigua and Barbuda’s public health coverage body, covered the full cost of the specialized medical procedure, while CalvinAir Helicopters – an affiliate of the Calvin Ayre Foundation – managed and executed the inter-island patient transfer. Dr. Brian Byers, the consulting physician who accompanied Baptiste during the journey, lauded the speed and care of the coordinated response.

    “The professionalism, compassion, and efficiency demonstrated by the Calvin Ayre Foundation were truly remarkable,” Byers said. “Their willingness to move quickly and work seamlessly alongside relevant public agencies removed barriers that could have delayed care, making it possible for this patient to receive the urgent treatment she needed when it mattered most.”

    For Baptiste, the rapid response made all the difference in a frightening, uncertain situation. In an expression of gratitude following her return home, she thanked every stakeholder involved in the effort. “My family and I cannot thank the entire team enough for such a quick response,” Baptiste said. “Your expertise during my medical emergency was vital. We are all grateful for your compassion and for getting me safely to my destination when it mattered most.”

    Patrice Jacobs, Media and Production Associate at the Calvin Ayre Foundation, emphasized that the successful transfer reflects the organization’s longstanding core mission to address gaps in critical care for residents of Antigua and Barbuda. “We understand how overwhelming medical emergencies can be for families, especially when the care a loved one needs is not available close to home,” Jacobs explained. “We were honoured to play a role in helping Ms. Baptiste access the care she required and are enormously pleased to know she is recovering comfortably at home now.”

    The case has underscored the outsized impact of intentional public-private partnership in strengthening healthcare access for small island nations, where specialized care is often out of reach for local populations. Unlike larger countries, many Caribbean island states rely on cross-border medical transfers for advanced treatments, and pre-existing collaborative frameworks can mean the difference between life and death in urgent cases.

    The Calvin Ayre Foundation, which has a long track record of supporting urgent medical cases across Antigua and Barbuda, reaffirmed its commitment to continuing this work. The organization remains dedicated to working alongside local healthcare professionals and public institutions to bridge gaps in critical care services, ensuring that no resident is denied life-saving treatment simply because it is not available locally.

  • You Need A Prescription to Buy Viagra

    You Need A Prescription to Buy Viagra

    A long-standing pharmaceutical regulation in Belize that classifies sildenafil citrate, commonly marketed as Viagra, as a prescription-only medication is set to receive stricter national enforcement, the country’s Ministry of Health and Wellness has officially confirmed. The announcement comes amid widespread reports that the erectile dysfunction medication has been widely available through unregulated over-the-counter sales at multiple private pharmacy locations across the nation.

    Health authorities explain that the classification of Viagra as a prescription-only drug is rooted in well-documented clinical safety concerns. The medication can trigger dangerous, potentially life-threatening interactions when used alongside specific other common prescription drugs, particularly nitrates often prescribed for cardiovascular conditions, making medical supervision before use a critical public health requirement.

    To smooth the transition to full compliance, the ministry has implemented a 12-month transition period that prioritizes public education and systematic policy review over immediate punitive action. During this window, regulators will also conduct a comprehensive audit and update of Belize’s national drug classification list, which clearly separates prescription-only medications from products approved for over-the-counter purchase.

    Officials openly acknowledged that inconsistent enforcement of existing pharmaceutical regulations over the years created a regulatory gap that allowed unprescribed sales of Viagra and other controlled medications to become common in private retail pharmacies. The push for tighter enforcement has sparked broader national discussion, with public and industry stakeholders raising legitimate concerns about how stricter rules will impact public access to necessary medications and overall healthcare costs for Belizean residents.

    Ministry officials emphasized that the phased rollout of full enforcement is a deliberate policy choice designed to give pharmacists, licensed healthcare providers, and the general public adequate time to adjust to new compliance requirements before strict penalties for unregulated sales take effect.

  • LIVE from 10:30 am Friday 22nd: Part 3 Interview with Pat Aaron

    LIVE from 10:30 am Friday 22nd: Part 3 Interview with Pat Aaron

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  • Blackheart shifts to U20 format, with $60,000 up for grabs

    Blackheart shifts to U20 format, with $60,000 up for grabs

    For nearly three decades, the Blackheart Football Tournament has stood as a cornerstone of senior-level competitive football across Saint Lucia. But in a landmark break from its 29-year history, the 2026 edition of the tournament will welcome only under-20 players, marking a transformative pivot designed to grow the next generation of football stars on the Caribbean island.

    Organized by tournament sponsor Blackheart, the format change responds to a critical unmet need in Saint Lucia’s local football ecosystem. Since the tournament launched as a senior competition back in 1997, grassroots youth football has long lacked the structured support and high-profile showcase opportunities available to established senior players. For Blackheart Chief Executive Officer David “Shakes” Christopher, the decision to restructure the tournament was not just a change of rules—it was a necessary investment in the future of the island’s sport.

    “Youth athletes have far more foundational needs than senior players who have already built their careers,” Christopher explained in comments ahead of the tournament kickoff. “Young players need dedicated support systems to grow, and that’s exactly what this new format is designed to deliver.”

    This year’s restructured tournament has also raised the bar for incentive, offering a total prize pool of $60,000 to competing teams. The breakdown of rewards allocates $30,000 to the first-place squad, $15,000 to runners-up, $10,000 to the third-place team, and $5,000 to the fourth-place finisher. All prize winnings are earmarked to further ongoing youth football development initiatives across the island, extending the event’s impact far beyond the final whistle.

    Yet for Christopher, the value of the new under-20 format extends well beyond the financial rewards on offer. Organizers have already held preliminary discussions to create clear development pathways for standout participating teams and players, including opportunities to compete in higher-profile regional tournaments—most notably competitive events hosted in Guyana.

    “This isn’t just about taking home a cash prize,” Christopher noted. “Young players get the chance to go up against top regional talent in Guyana, test their skills against some of the best young players in the area. That opportunity to take a small first step and turn it into a big leap in their career is the real reward here. It gives them a foothold to grow that they wouldn’t get anywhere else.”

    For local football fans eager to see the new format in action, the event will officially get underway with a pre-tournament warm-up festival on May 1 at the popular Marchand Grounds venue. Following the opening celebration, round-robin and knockout fixtures are scheduled to run from May 16 through to the final championship match on June 20, giving weeks of high-stakes youth football action for supporters across the country.

  • NOTICE: Works at FADI Building Supplies and Eazy Supermarket

    NOTICE: Works at FADI Building Supplies and Eazy Supermarket

    The Ministry of Works of Antigua and Barbuda has issued an official public advisory announcing the resumption of major infrastructure rehabilitation works on a key section of All Saints Road, stretching from FADI Building Supplies to Fresh and Eazy Supermarket. The overnight construction and associated traffic detour will go into effect starting at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, and will conclude by 7:00 a.m. the following morning.

    To accommodate the construction activities, traffic management measures have been put in place for both outbound and inbound commuters. For motorists traveling out of town, drivers are required to make a left turn at the Hazelroy’s intersection on All Saints Road before following the marked detour route outlined on official project maps. For those heading into town, the detour requires a right turn at the Fresh and Eazy Supermarket junction, then continuing along the pre-approved marked path.

    On-site traffic controllers, also referred to as flag persons, will be stationed throughout the detour zone to help direct vehicle flow and reduce congestion. Commuters are advised that specific segments of the alternate route are designated as one-way traffic zones, consistent with markings on the official project map. Clear directional signage has been installed along the entire detour to guide drivers traveling in both directions.

    In light of heavy-duty construction equipment operating in close proximity to the work zone, transportation authorities strongly urge all motorists to comply fully with on-site instructions and posted signage to maintain safe passage for all road users. Crucially, the advisory confirms that all local businesses along the affected stretch of road will remain open for regular operations throughout the construction period.

    This infrastructure upgrade forms part of the broader All Saints Road Project, a government-led initiative aimed at improving the island’s transportation network. Project coordinators are asking all local residents, commuters and business stakeholders to proactively adjust their travel schedules ahead of time to account for potential minor delays during the overnight work window.

    Any members of the public with questions about the road works or detour arrangements can contact the Project Implementation Management Unit directly via telephone at 562-9173 for further information.

  • Caribisch gebied moet zich klaarstomen voor drogere, warmere jaren

    Caribisch gebied moet zich klaarstomen voor drogere, warmere jaren

    As a powerful El Niño weather pattern develops across the Pacific basin, regional climate scientists are sounding an urgent alarm: the entire Caribbean must accelerate preparations for an extended stretch of hotter, drier conditions spanning 2026 and 2027. The joint warning comes from two leading regional climate research bodies, the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) and the Climate Studies Group Mona at the University of the West Indies (UWI CSGM), which outline that the shifting climate conditions triggered by El Niño will carry far-reaching, serious risks for water access, agricultural production, public health, and the regional economy.

    Cedric Van Meerbeeck, a senior climatologist at CIMH, explained that El Niño will almost certainly drive extended periods of below-average rainfall paired with increasingly oppressive, humid heat across the Caribbean. This combination amplifies the likelihood of multiple overlapping extreme events: severe droughts, long-lasting heatwaves, increased wildfire risk, and marine heatwaves that can trigger widespread coral bleaching across the region’s fragile reef ecosystems. Historical precedent underscores the severity of these risks: past major El Niño events, including the 2009-2010 and 2014-2016 cycles, brought crippling drought and record-breaking extreme heat that caused widespread damage to local ecosystems and disrupted daily life for communities across the region.

    The potential impacts of the coming El Niño are broad and interconnected, cutting across every core sector of Caribbean societies. The agricultural industry, which relies on consistent rainfall and stable temperatures to maintain output, faces a high risk of significant production losses that threaten regional food security. Water and energy infrastructure will also come under intense strain: demand for electricity for cooling will surge, while many Caribbean nations rely heavily on hydropower or freshwater for energy generation, creating a supply-demand gap that could lead to widespread outages. Public health risks are also projected to rise, with deteriorating water quality, increased transmission of vector-borne diseases, and a spike in heat-related illnesses putting additional pressure on local healthcare systems.

    Professor Michael Taylor, leading researcher at UWI CSGM, emphasized that the Caribbean is now facing what he calls a “multi-hazard regime”, where heat, drought, and marine stressors interact and amplify one another, creating risks greater than the sum of their individual parts. Addressing these interconnected threats requires an integrated, cross-sector coordinated response and strengthened collaborative action across all national and regional stakeholders, he added.

    From an economic perspective, the coming El Niño is also expected to disrupt three core pillars of the Caribbean economy: tourism, commercial fishing, and maritime shipping. Global climate-driven disruptions could throw regional trade and supply chains off balance, driving up costs for consumers across the Caribbean. A recent example of this vulnerability already played out on the global stage: severe drought disrupted operations at the Panama Canal, a critical transport artery for goods moving through the Caribbean and along the U.S. East Coast, highlighting the far-reaching ripple effects of water scarcity in the region.

    To address these growing risks, climate experts are calling on national governments, private sector businesses, agricultural producers, and local households to take the projected threats seriously and begin proactive preparation measures immediately. Forecasters note that El Niño projections typically gain significant accuracy starting in May 2026, giving stakeholders a narrow window to act before conditions begin to worsen. Later that month, CIMH will host the annual Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) during the week of May 24, where regional climate scientists will share updated projections and guidance with national and international stakeholders, ahead of the coming wet and Atlantic hurricane seasons.

    David Farrell, Director of CIMH, stressed that timely, actionable climate data is the foundation of effective decision-making to reduce disaster risk. He highlighted the strategic expansion of CIMH’s services focused on water resource management, marine ecosystem monitoring, and Earth observation, all of which are helping to strengthen regional early warning systems for extreme weather. “Proactive measures are absolutely essential to reduce the impact of extreme weather events on vulnerable sectors and communities across the Caribbean,” Farrell said.

    Farrell added that strengthening early warning infrastructure and expanding public access to clear, timely climate information are critical to boosting the region’s overall resilience to a changing climate and increasingly frequent extreme weather events. CIMH currently works in close partnership with national governments across the Caribbean and international development partners to advance these resilience-building efforts.

  • Manhood Series Seminar 2026 launches “RISE UP” initiative in Dominica

    Manhood Series Seminar 2026 launches “RISE UP” initiative in Dominica

    A targeted new community development program is set to roll out in Roseau next month, as the 2026 Manhood Series prepares to launch its ‘RISE UP’ initiative – a pair of complementary events designed to foster purpose-driven masculinity, strengthen family structures, and build stronger local communities.

    The first of the two events, which shares the initiative’s name ‘Manhood Series Seminar 2026 – RISE UP’, is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, running from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the UWI Open Campus Roseau location. Tailored specifically for young male participants, the day-long seminar will center on three critical core themes: nurturing mental wellness and personal clarity, building effective leadership skills both within family units and broader society, and cultivating the ability to deliver intentional performance even when facing high-stakes pressure.

    Program organizers note that the seminar is crafted to push attendees to confront common societal challenges that hold many young men back, encouraging them to reject limiting narratives and adopt a framework of disciplined, purpose-centered manhood that serves both themselves and their communities.

    A week and a half later, on Saturday, May 2, the series will host its second complementary event: the Parent Support Seminar – Manhood Series 2026 (Vol. 3), also held at the UWI Open Campus Roseau site during the same 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM time window. Helmed by Dr. Kevin Laurent, this session is focused on the adults who shape young men’s development: it is open to all parents, legal guardians, and caregivers of any gender, and will deliver actionable, practical strategies to help adults raise disciplined, self-assured young men, strengthen parental leadership within the home, and navigate the unique complex challenges that define modern parenting in the 2020s.

    Taken together, the two seminars form a core part of a larger community movement to strengthen local families and collective community well-being by investing in two interconnected pillars: the development of young men themselves, and the support systems that guide their growth. Organizers have stressed that independent media coverage will be a critical component of the initiative’s success, helping to spread its core message and open up inclusive national conversation around three underdiscussed topics: effective community leadership, healthy modern masculinity, and intentional parenting.

  • Environmental Groups Reject Port Expansion

    Environmental Groups Reject Port Expansion

    In a high-stakes clash over coastal development and conservation, a coalition of environmental organizations has pushed back against the conditional greenlighting of a major expansion project at the Port of Belize, raising urgent alarms about unaddressed ecological and regulatory threats.

    Earlier this April 2026, the National Environmental Appraisal Committee (NEAC) voted to approve Port of Belize Limited’s dual Cargo Expansion and Cruise Port Development initiative, attaching a strict set of performance requirements to the green light. Just 24 hours ahead of NEAC’s decision, the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage — an alliance of multiple leading environmental groups — submitted a formal letter to NEAC Chair Milagro Matus demanding the cruise port portion of the project be scrapped entirely.

    The coalition emphasizes that even the updated 2026 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted by the developer fails to resolve major environmental and policy vulnerabilities that put Belize’s coastal ecosystems at risk. Regulators have centered their approval conditions on rigorous oversight of core high-risk activities: strict limits on dredging operations, mandatory protocols for sediment handling, enforceable pollution reduction measures, and ongoing long-term monitoring of the artificial mangrove island planned to hold dredge disposal material. Following NEAC’s announcement, the Belize Department of the Environment clarified that the developer will be required to submit a formal Environmental Compliance Plan before work can begin, and a joint inter-agency enforcement team will be deployed to conduct continuous on-site checks throughout construction.

    At the top of the coalition’s list of objections is the proposal to build an artificial mangrove island in the Sibun Bight using material excavated during dredging. Activists point out that critical geotechnical and structural stability surveys for the island have not yet been completed. Without this core data, there is no verifiable evidence that the artificial island can withstand extreme weather events, accelerating sea-level rise driven by climate change, and constant coastal wave action. The coalition argues that all developer claims about the project’s long-term resilience remain unproven and purely speculative without this foundational research.

    The group’s letter also flags additional cumulative pollution risks that have been underaddressed in the project’s assessment. These include existing and new pollution loads from discharge produced by Belize Water Services’ settling ponds, as well as ongoing air and noise pollution generated by frequent cruise ship dockings in Belize City. The combined impact of these multiple pollution sources, activists warn, could cause lasting harm to local marine habitats and coastal communities that depend on a healthy ecosystem for tourism and fishing.

    Full additional details on the coalition’s opposition and the project’s path forward are set to be shared during News 5 Live’s 6 p.m. broadcast.