Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • Belize Bus Association Threatens Shutdown

    Belize Bus Association Threatens Shutdown

    A major crisis is unfolding in Belize’s public transportation sector, as the nation’s leading bus industry body has threatened a full nationwide shutdown starting next week if the government fails to address crippling rising fuel costs that have pushed operators to the edge of financial collapse.

    The Belize Bus Association (BBA), which represents the bulk of the country’s public bus service providers, issued an urgent warning this week that continuous skyrocketing fuel prices have made daily operations financially unsustainable, and that targeted government intervention is the only way to avoid a total halt to services that thousands of Belizeans rely on for daily commutes, work, school and essential travel.

    Back on March 30, the BBA formally submitted a policy proposal to Belize’s Minister of Transport Dr. Louis Zabaneh, outlining three potential solutions to ease the industry’s financial strain: a full goods and services tax (GST) exemption for bus fuel and vehicle replacement parts, direct targeted government subsidies for operating costs, or permission for operators to implement regulated passenger fare adjustments to offset increased fuel expenses. To date, none of these proposals have been accepted by the administration.

    In an interview held this Tuesday, Dr. Zabaneh reaffirmed the Briceño government’s current stance that none of the BBA’s requested measures will be implemented at this time. The minister argued that decisions on tax exemptions and subsidies fall outside the jurisdiction of his ministry, and pushed back against the BBA’s demands by noting that the association previously chose to remain independent from government-led frameworks.

    Dr. Zabaneh explained that as part of the National Bus Company initiative, the government offered BBA members a complimentary operational audit to help identify cost-saving opportunities, but association leaders declined the offer. “This is not a forced nationalization, and if you say you can stand on your own, then we respect that very position that they said they will be standing on their own,” he stated Tuesday.

    For its part, the BBA says the crisis has already reached a breaking point. Unless urgent action is taken to address the fuel cost burden before next Monday, April 20, 2026, BBA members will have no alternative but to suspend all bus services indefinitely. The association is now calling for direct high-level negotiations with Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño to break the current deadlock and avoid a disruptive shutdown that would impact communities across the country.

  • Govt pushes for collateral registry to unlock small biz lending

    Govt pushes for collateral registry to unlock small biz lending

    Barbados’ small business sector is facing a deep-rooted financial barrier that is stifling growth, according to the island nation’s Business Development Minister Kerrie Symmonds. Speaking at the State of the Sector Conference hosted Wednesday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Symmonds unveiled a landmark new national MSME survey – the first comprehensive assessment of the sector in a decade – that lays bare the scale of the challenge. The study confirms a stark reality for Barbados’ business landscape: 98% of all domestic enterprises qualify as micro, small or medium enterprises (MSMEs), yet more than half of these businesses generate annual revenues of no more than $100,000. Symmonds traced this stagnation directly to a systemic flaw in the country’s lending framework: commercial banks uniformly require land as a condition for approving loans, and the vast majority of small business owners do not hold this traditional form of collateral. Without access to affordable capital, MSMEs cannot expand their operations, hire additional staff, or invest in new infrastructure, trapping most small enterprises in a cycle of low revenue. “The problem isn’t that small business owners lack valuable assets entirely – the system is built to only recognize one type of security, that most of these entrepreneurs simply do not have,” Symmonds explained. He pointed to small-scale local farmers as a key example: many cultivate productive, profitable plots on government-leased land, and own heavy farming equipment and growing crops that hold clear tangible value. But because they do not own the land they work, they are automatically disqualified from accessing bank loans, under current rules. Symmonds noted that this gap between available assets and lending eligibility is not unique to agriculture: emerging tech entrepreneurs, retail operators, and service providers often invest heavily in specialized equipment, intellectual property, and inventory that could serve as security – if the regulatory framework allowed for alternative collateral. The government, which campaigned on addressing MSME access to finance during the last general election, has already begun moving to fix the issue, Symmonds confirmed. In the most recent national budget, the administration introduced factoring services as an interim solution, and the government now plans to move forward urgently with the establishment of a national collateral registry. This system would allow entrepreneurs to pledge non-traditional assets – from farm equipment and harvested crops to business machinery and intellectual property – as security for loans, unlocking capital that is currently inaccessible to small operators. Symmonds emphasized that the collateral registry model is already proven to drive inclusive MSME growth across the developing world. Similar systems are already operational across Latin America, including Colombia, and have been rolled out in multiple regions across Africa, from North Africa to Central, East and West Africa. “Developing economies around the globe have recognized that unlocking access to capital for ordinary people with good business ideas is how broad-based economic development happens,” he said. Beyond giving entrepreneurs a path to growth, Symmonds noted that the reform would also benefit lending institutions by reducing their risk exposure. A properly regulated collateral registry would create a clear secondary market for pledged assets, allowing banks and other lenders to recoup their investment if a borrower defaults on a loan. “This is not a handout to small businesses – it is a rethinking of our lending framework that works for both entrepreneurs and financial institutions,” he added. “We are fully prepared to put in place the necessary regulatory and legislative framework to make this reform a reality for Barbados.”

  • Paus Leo roept Kameroen op tot strijd tegen corruptie en vrede in conflictgebieden

    Paus Leo roept Kameroen op tot strijd tegen corruptie en vrede in conflictgebieden

    On a 10-day apostolic tour across four African nations, Pope Leo XIV landed in Cameroon on Wednesday, delivering a forceful, unflinching address to the country’s long-ruling leadership that put urgent global and national issues front and center. Speaking directly to President Paul Biya – who has held presidential power since 1982 – Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, and other top government officials shortly after arriving from Algeria, the Pope demanded urgent action to root out systemic corruption and resolve the decade-long separatist conflict plaguing Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.

  • Police probe quarry death

    Police probe quarry death

    A deadly industrial accident has rocked a quarry operation in the Lears district of St Michael, Barbados, leaving one worker dead and three other people hurt after a piece of heavy machinery collapsed on the crew Wednesday morning. Law enforcement authorities have launched a full probe into the circumstances of the tragedy, which unfolded shortly before 10 a.m. local time.

    As first responders arrived on the scene, initial details of the incident began to emerge: the four workers were in the process of preparing and positioning the equipment for use when the structure suddenly gave way, falling directly onto the group. PC Damien Farmer, a spokesperson for the Communications and Public Affairs Department of the Barbados Police Service, confirmed the preliminary findings of the investigation in an on-site media briefing.

    Farmer outlined the immediate aftermath of the collapse: one male worker could not be saved and died of his injuries at the quarry location. A second injured worker was rushed by emergency personnel to the island’s main public care facility, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, for urgent treatment. The two remaining injured people chose to pursue care from private medical providers instead.

    Following standard protocol for unexpected fatalities, a medical examiner traveled to the accident site to conduct an on-scene examination and officially pronounce the man’s death. To date, authorities have not released the name of the deceased, as they are still working to next-of-kin notification. District ‘A’ police officers are leading the ongoing investigation, which is currently classified as an inquiry into an unnatural death, with the exact root cause of the equipment failure still under active review.

  • BYM Unveils Community Mural

    BYM Unveils Community Mural

    In a landmark community initiative led by young people, the Belize Youth Movement (BYM) has celebrated the completion of a large public mural installed at the entry to Trial Farm Village along Otro Benque Road, a high-traffic corridor that serves as the main gateway to the area. The project, which wrapped up on April 15, 2026, is far more than a decorative addition to the neighborhood—organizers frame it as a lasting statement of community identity and intergenerational connection.

    “Today we did not just finish a mural, we left a mark on our community,” BYM representative Glenn Tillett shared in an interview with local outlet News Five. The choice of location was deliberate, Tillett explained, to ensure the artwork becomes a constant, accessible reminder for all village residents and visitors. “We chose a space people pass every day. We placed it there intentionally so it can serve as a daily reminder of who we are and where we’re going if we come together as a community.”

    At its core, the mural carries layered, intentional meaning centered on intergenerational legacy. It is designed to symbolize a bridge between Belize’s past community leaders and the rising generation of young people that now carries the mantle of service and leadership. The artwork honors the contributions of earlier generations that built the community, while making clear that the responsibility to guide growth and collective progress now rests with today’s youth. In addition to its core thematic design, the phrase “Always do your best” is painted directly onto the mural, serving as an enduring motivational message to local young people to pursue positive action.

    Unlike top-down public art projects, this mural was developed through fully collaborative design work, with substantial input from the young people who make up BYM’s membership. Tillett emphasized that the project centered youth voices at every stage: “The design came through our group’s collaboration, especially with the young people involved. We came together and listened to their voice and welcomed their input.”

    In the first days since the mural’s unveiling, local feedback has been overwhelmingly encouraging. Residents have embraced the initiative, connecting with the work because they can see the genuine positive intent and collective effort the Belize Youth Movement invested into the project. Already, community members have offered constructive suggestions to improve the artwork’s accessibility and visibility, with a popular proposal to add colored accent lighting that will make the mural visible and impactful after dark. Organizers note that this is a suggestion they will actively consider for future upgrades to the installation.

    As the project enters its next phase, BYM is calling on the entire Trial Farm Village community to take ownership of the mural, committing to long-term care and protection of the public artwork. “It represents our identity and our direction,” Tillett noted of the importance of community stewardship.

    For the Belize Youth Movement, this completed mural is not the end of their work in the area—it is only the first step in a broader agenda of youth-led community action. Tillett framed the project as a proof of concept for what young people can achieve when they move beyond discussion to tangible, heartfelt action. “This is what happens when we stop talking and actually do something positive. This is what happens when you do things from the heart. This is what happens when the youths lead and get things done. This is only the beginning,” he said.

  • Hurricane Hunter Plane Set to Land in Belize

    Hurricane Hunter Plane Set to Land in Belize

    A highly specialized U.S. Air Force weather reconnaissance aircraft, operated by the renowned 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron better known as the Hurricane Hunters, is scheduled to touch down on Belizean soil this week for a rare public-facing exhibition. While the Hurricane Hunters’ work is usually only in the spotlight during active Atlantic hurricane seasons, this visit offers a unique opportunity for local educational and community groups to engage with the technology that saves countless lives each year.

    The event is being coordinated by the Belize Meteorological Service, which has arranged guided tours for pre-registered schools and organized community groups. In a public statement, Ronald Gordon, Belize’s Chief Meteorologist, clarified that the exhibition is not an open, drop-in event for the general public. Unlike typical public airport open houses, access is restricted exclusively to groups that have secured pre-booked slots, which were advertised and promoted through the meteorological service’s official social media channels. Gordon confirmed that multiple schools and a small number of independent community organizations have successfully reserved time slots to tour the aircraft. The on-site exhibition will run from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday at Belize’s Phillip Goldson International Airport.

    During the tour, attendees will get an up-close look at the cutting-edge instrumentation aboard the Hurricane Hunter plane, and learn how the crew collects life-saving atmospheric and oceanic data to improve hurricane track and intensity forecasts during extreme weather events. For many Belizeans, who live on the frontline of Atlantic hurricane risk each season, the event offers an unprecedented chance to understand the behind-the-scenes work that goes into protecting coastal communities from tropical storm hazards.

  • CWI RELEASE: Terrance Hinds – From the struggles of Port of Spain to regional and international recognition

    CWI RELEASE: Terrance Hinds – From the struggles of Port of Spain to regional and international recognition

    At 34 years old, after five seasons competing in first-class cricket, allrounder Terrance Hinds has finally turned a childhood dream into reality, earning a call-up to represent the West Indies on the international cricket stage. But his road to the crease at Kensington Oval was far from smooth, forged in the persistent violence and systemic neglect of Port of Spain’s toughest neighborhoods.

    Growing up in a Trinidadian ghetto where cricket was a rare career path and young boys from the community were often written off as lost causes, every part of Hinds’ early life was shaped by hardship. Violence was not an isolated incident—it was the daily rhythm of his world, forcing him to calculate every step and approach every decision with cautious care. Yet even amid that uncertainty, Hinds held tight to a quiet ambition: modeled after legendary West Indian allrounder Andre Russell, he believed the streets that once overlooked him would one day be forced to celebrate his success.

    That resolve was on full display earlier this season at Antigua’s Coolidge Cricket Ground, where Hinds and Red Force teammate Amir Jangoo stitched together an unbroken 253-run sixth-wicket stand against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes. The partnership, a masterclass in patience and resilience, crystallized the lesson Hinds learned from his upbringing: growing up in survival mode instilled a strength more powerful than fear—It taught him to endure.

    For Hinds, cricket has always been more than a sport—it was an escape. “Playing cricket took me out of a lot of bad situations, so that is very important to me,” he shared. “I was born and raised in Port of Spain, a place where you don’t find many cricketers originating from. Down there it is more like a ghetto, so for me to come out from a place like that to play professional cricket and represent the West Indies is a big accomplishment.”

    Refusing to be defined by the poverty of his childhood, Hinds carved out his own place in regional cricket through unwavering grit. “Coming from poverty, I will say I didn’t grow up with everything that I wanted but cricket has given me a new lease on life and everything that I have now so I’m thankful,” he said. “Playing professional cricket for your country or a franchise around the world is something big and I always dreamt of that at a young age.”

    Every milestone on the pitch carries deep personal meaning for Hinds, who lost his mother, sister, grandmother and uncle to the COVID-19 pandemic in a devastating sequence of loss just weeks apart. When he hit his maiden first-class century, he lifted his bat and open palms to the sky—a tribute to the loved ones he lost. “I lost my mom and couple family members through Covid-19, so every chance I get I use it to represent them,” he explained. “That was really heart breaking for me.”

    Now, fresh off his T20I debut against England in November 2024, a moment Hinds calls one of the most surreal of his career, the allrounder has his sights set on a new goal: leading his Trinidad and Tobago Red Force side back to the top of regional cricket. “We just need to take it step by step, cricket is a funny thing, and you don’t want to rush anything,” he said. “Even though we are thankful for the strong start to the series, the team is aware that there is a bigger objective at stake for us.”

    For Terrance Hinds, every run scored, every wicket taken, and every match played means more than just a line on a scorecard. It is a testament to survival against the odds, a living tribute to the family he lost, and a reminder that his extraordinary journey is still being written.

  • RDU/SAEP stakeholder engagement on Thursday, 16 April

    RDU/SAEP stakeholder engagement on Thursday, 16 April

    Grenada’s push for climate-resilient rural development has received a major boost, after the island’s Rural Development Unit (RDU) secured fresh financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to launch the second phase of the Climate Smart Agriculture and Rural Enterprise Programme (SAEP). The initiative, which will focus on upgrading critical irrigation and rural infrastructure across Grenada, its dependency Carriacou, and the smaller island of Petite Martinique, is being delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the regional Soil Care Project.

    The first major infrastructure upgrades under the new phase are scheduled to break ground in 2026, centered on the Chambord region. Two core projects will move forward: the full rehabilitation of the Chambord Irrigation Pond, and the reconstruction and upgrade of the Chambord Farm Access Road. Once completed, these upgrades are projected to improve reliable market access for local agricultural producers and strengthen the region’s overall capacity to withstand extreme climate events, directly benefiting at least 29 small and medium-scale farmers operating in the area.

    To ensure transparency and alignment with local needs ahead of construction, RDU has planned a public Stakeholder Engagement Meeting set to take place on Thursday, 16 April 2026, at 5:00 pm at the Rose Hill Community Centre. The gathering is designed to share key project details with participating farmers and other local stakeholders, including confirmed timelines for construction, the full scope of planned work, and potential impacts on local operations. Organizers also plan to collect feedback and input from attending farmers, with the goal of addressing concerns and adjusting project plans to enable seamless, uninterrupted implementation once work gets underway.

    Disclaimer: NOW Grenada does not take responsibility for opinions, statements, or third-party content shared by contributors to this publication. To report inappropriate or abusive content, please use the official reporting channel provided on the NOW Grenada platform.

  • Peace and Love edge Vauxhall to remain unbeaten

    Peace and Love edge Vauxhall to remain unbeaten

    The National Domino Association Four-Hand League continues to deliver dramatic, closely contested matches, with front-runners Peace and Love maintaining their perfect undefeated streak courtesy of a hard-fought 73-68 comeback victory over A&B Pest Control Vauxhall. The underdogs held the lead for most of the encounter, only to falter in the closing stages as Peace and Love pulled off a late surge to secure the win. For the unbeaten side, Sherry Ann Dawson and Alicia Harewood led the scoring with 17 points apiece. Consistent veteran duo Suzette Hinds and Charles ‘Jack’ Proverbs, along with Cheryl ‘Sweet P’ Worrell and Anthony Codagon, each contributed 15 points to the final tally, while Rachel Burton and Jeremy ‘Angry Bird’ Jordan added 11 points to round out the team’s performance.

    In another league matchup, Buzo Osteria Welchman Hall pulled off a convincing 80-59 win against the notoriously unpredictable Hillside side, a team known for pulling off upsets against higher-ranked opponents. The deciding moment of the match came from husband-and-wife pair Shurland and Vondel Bovell, who notched 15 total points, including a win in the final set that locked in a valuable bonus point to cement their team’s victory.

    Carlton & A1 Braves recorded the most lopsided win of the week, crushing BNECL by a dominant 102-36 margin. Star performers Ian ‘Cappy’ Grimes and Jefferson ‘Smallhead’ Proverbs led the charge with 25 points, including two rare six-point plays, while Delisle Parris and Henry Tank Forde chipped in with an additional 17 points to seal the rout early.

    The most anticipated matchup of the week, billed as a clash between two title-contending sides Powerade Locked and Loaded and RM Cleaners, lived up to every bit of the hype, with Locked and Loaded scraping out a narrow 68-66 win to edge past their rivals. In the final league result, French Village Piranhas defeated 37 Family KC Joint 77-57, leaving 37 Family KC Joint still searching for their first win of the division campaign.

    Outside the regular four-hand league, the knockout stage of 37 Family KC Joint’s annual Out Of Season Three Hand tournament concluded on Monday night at Zimmers Sports Bar, with Ivy Sports Bar De Clique 2.0 emerging as the overall champions. The winning side took home the top prize of $7,000, while the Lucians finished as runners-up to claim $4,000, and third-place finishers Landsharks secured $1,500 in prize money.

    Looking ahead, the R M Cleaners out-of-season tournament is scheduled to kick off on April 15 across multiple venues across the island, while the VOB Carib Wave community domino tournament will resume its schedule this Friday night at the North Stars cricket ground, drawing amateur and elite domino players from across the region.

  • Grenada commemorates 47th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Cuba

    Grenada commemorates 47th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Cuba

    Forty-seven years after formalizing diplomatic relations, Grenada has offered warm fraternal greetings and sincere congratulations to Cuba’s government and people, marking the milestone anniversary through a statement released by Grenada’s embassy in Havana.

    Diplomatic ties between the two Caribbean nations were first established in 1979, and over the nearly five decades that followed, their partnership has evolved into a durable bond rooted in shared values of friendship, collective solidarity, and reciprocal benefit. The relationship has long been anchored in unwavering mutual respect for each nation’s sovereignty and inherent right to self-determination — principles that remain the guiding framework for all bilateral collaboration to this day.

    This year’s anniversary observance arrives against a uniquely challenging backdrop: as global geopolitical rifts deepen, Cuba continues to navigate severe economic strain caused by a decades-long, increasingly tight international blockade. In this context, Grenada has re-stated its unshakable solidarity with the Cuban people, and extended deep gratitude for Cuba’s consistent humanitarian ethos, selfless commitment to global cooperation, and long-standing tradition of internationalism.

    Grenada has itself reaped tangible, lasting benefits from the bilateral partnership over the past 47 years, with high-impact Cuban development assistance shaping key sectors of the Grenadian economy and public services. Most notably, Cuba supported the construction of Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport, a critical infrastructure hub that remains central to the country’s tourism-driven economy, and also led construction of a new national hospital that expanded access to care for thousands of Grenadians. Beyond infrastructure, Cuba has trained roughly 500 Grenadian professionals across critical fields including medicine, engineering, economics, and agricultural sciences, while Cuban medical specialists have made vital, sustained contributions to strengthening Grenada’s domestic healthcare system.

    In return, Grenada has maintained consistent, unwavering support for Cuba across multilateral global institutions. Most prominently, Grenada has repeatedly joined calls for the full lifting of economic sanctions imposed on Cuba and for a permanent end to the decades-long blockade that has weighed on the Cuban people.

    As both countries commemorate this 47-year milestone, Grenada says it is eager to continue deepening collaborative ties and building on the historic friendship that connects the two nations’ populations for decades to come.

    Disclaimer: This article is based on an official statement from the Embassy of Grenada in Cuba. NOW Grenada does not take responsibility for opinions or content shared by contributing parties. To report potential abuse of content policies, follow the platform’s official reporting channel.