Carib Scope

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  • Industry Week : Guided tour of several companies

    Industry Week : Guided tour of several companies

    Against a backdrop of ongoing efforts to stabilize and grow Haiti’s struggling economy, the nation’s 2026 Industry Week kicked off with a high-profile site visit on Friday, October 2, where top government and industry leaders toured leading local manufacturing firms operating in the National Industrial Parks Company (SONAPI) zone and along Port-au-Prince’s Airport Road corridor. The delegation, led by Commerce and Industry Minister James Monazard, included Economy and Finance Minister Serge Gabriel Colin, SONAPI Director General Pétricks Justin, and Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) Board Chair David Coles, who walked through the facilities of five standout companies spanning multiple key sectors of Haiti’s industrial economy: pharmaceutical producer Farmatrix, uniform manufacturer Cintas, diversified plastic goods maker DMS S.A., beverage producer Brana, and confectionery manufacturer Caribbean Baking Company.

    The guided tour was designed to give senior officials first-hand exposure to the daily operations, production scale, unmet needs, and long-term expansion plans of Haiti’s existing industrial base. Unlike remote policy discussions, the on-site visits allowed leaders to directly engage with company management and frontline workers, gaining a nuanced understanding of the infrastructure, policy adjustments, and support required to strengthen the country’s domestic industrial activity.

    During stops at the facilities, Minister Monazard centered his remarks on the critical role of private investment in driving Haiti’s economic recovery and expanding access to formal employment. He specifically highlighted one firm that had injected more than $16 million into local operations, framing this large-scale commitment as a powerful marker of resilience amid national economic uncertainty and a vote of confidence in Haiti’s untapped economic potential. Monazard went on to reaffirm the Haitian government’s steadfast commitment to partnering with the private sector, pledging to continue working to build a regulatory and economic environment that attracts new investment, scales up domestic production, and creates much-needed formal jobs for Haitian workers.

    The tour also showcased the remarkable diversity of Haiti’s modern industrial sector, debunking narrow assumptions about the scope of local production capabilities. Each company profiled during the visit demonstrates how domestic industrial firms meet both local demand and create opportunities for export growth:
    – Farmatrix, a domestic pharmaceutical manufacturer, supports local healthcare access by producing essential medications. The firm currently supports more than 187 direct formal jobs and operates fully equipped storage facilities, research laboratories, and in-house microbiology testing units to ensure product quality and safety.
    – Cintas fills a critical business-to-business need across Haiti’s formal economy, producing professional uniforms for workers across sectors ranging from hospitality to healthcare and manufacturing.
    – DMS S.A. has built a diversified portfolio of plastic products that serve core domestic infrastructure and daily consumer needs, including insulated electrical wires, large-capacity water storage towers, and public waste bins. Its broad production line underscores how domestic manufacturing can cut reliance on costly imports and meet the varied needs of the national market.
    – Brana, one of the larger employers on the tour, specializes in producing alcoholic beverages and carbonated soft drinks. With roughly 800 employees, multiple production units, in-house microbiology labs, and modern storage facilities, the company boasts a daily production capacity of more than 42,000 bottles, supplying consumers across the country.
    – Caribbean Baking Company S.A., a member of the local HM Group, focuses on confectionery product manufacturing and employs between 600 and 700 full-time workers, making it another major source of formal employment in the region.

    All five firms highlighted during the tour play a dual role in Haiti’s economy: they keep the domestic market supplied with affordable, high-quality goods and are actively building production capacity to enter regional and international export markets. Organized as a centerpiece event of Industry Week, the tour aligns with the Haitian government’s broader strategic goals: to elevate the profile of the country’s industrial sector, celebrate the contributions of existing domestic producers to job creation and economic activity, and identify actionable steps to remove barriers to further growth. At a moment when economic stagnation and high unemployment top the list of national priorities, Haitian officials are positioning the industrial sector as a cornerstone of the country’s national recovery strategy, with the potential to drive sustained long-term growth in domestic output, expand formal employment opportunities, and build a more resilient, self-sufficient national economy.

  • Police search for escaped suspect

    Police search for escaped suspect

    Authorities with the Barbados Police Service have issued a public appeal for assistance as they hunt for an 18-year-old suspect who broke free from official custody over the weekend. The fugitive, identified as Trishtan Antone Barker-Savoury, escaped from holding at the Black Rock Police Station on Saturday. He is a resident of 1st Avenue, Birds River, Deacons Road, St Michael.

    Law enforcement has released a detailed physical description to help members of the public identify Barker-Savoury. He stands approximately five feet nine inches tall, has a slim frame and dark complexion, with distinctive facial features including a long face, full nose and thick lips. His hair is typically described as unkempt in style. When he was last observed, the escapee was wearing a black graphic T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “Pay Me My Money” across the chest, paired with black full-length trousers and black slip-on slippers.

    Police are urging any resident who may have seen Barker-Savoury or has information about his current location to contact authorities immediately. Tips can be submitted directly to the Black Rock Police Station via phone at either 417-7500 or 417-7501. Members of the public can also reach the 24/7 police emergency line at 211, contact the anonymous Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-TIPS (8477), or share information with any on-duty officer at the nearest local police station.

    In a public advisory, authorities have reiterated that intentionally hiding or providing aid to a person who has escaped legal custody is considered a serious criminal offense under Barbadian law. Any individual found to have harbored or assisted the fugitive will face prosecution, police confirmed.

  • DOMLEC celebrates Dominica’s centenarians with credit for life

    DOMLEC celebrates Dominica’s centenarians with credit for life

    On October 1, 2026, the International Day of Older Persons, Dominica Electricity Services Limited (DOMLEC) made a heartfelt gesture to honor three of the island nation’s centenarians through its innovative community-focused “Credit for Life” program. The three celebrated long-term residents honored in this year’s initiative are Christine White, Matthew St. Rose and James Riley, each of whom has lived more than a century on the Caribbean island of Dominica.

    Under the terms of the Credit for Life program, the utility provider will credit a one-time sum of $600 to the electricity accounts of each participating centenarian, delivering tangible financial relief to these elderly community members who often face fixed or limited incomes. This program is part of DOMLEC’s ongoing corporate social responsibility work centered on valuing and supporting older residents, who have contributed decades of labor, culture and community building to Dominica’s development.

    The International Day of Older Persons, established by the United Nations to raise global awareness of the challenges and contributions of aging populations, provided DOMLEC with a meaningful occasion to roll out this year’s recognition. Company representatives noted that the initiative is designed not only to provide immediate financial support but also to shift public narrative around aging, emphasizing that centenarians and older adults deserve ongoing respect and investment from both private sector institutions and the broader community.

    Local community leaders have welcomed the program, noting that it sets an example for other private sector organizations operating in Dominica to develop targeted support initiatives for vulnerable and underrecognized population groups. For the centenarians participating in this year’s program, the credit will reduce monthly utility burdens, allowing them to allocate limited resources to other critical needs such as medication, healthy food and home maintenance.

  • Politic : Towards the restoration of security and State authority

    Politic : Towards the restoration of security and State authority

    Haiti’s Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities is advancing a sweeping regulatory overhaul aimed at reversing widespread insecurity and reasserting the Haitian state’s administrative control across critical domestic sectors, the ministry’s Directorate of Political Affairs and Human Rights (DAPDH) has confirmed. Headed by director Berthony Noël, the DAPDH developed three draft decrees following multi-stakeholder workshops held at Port-au-Prince’s Karibe Hotel in February 2026, wrapping months of coordination to address systemic gaps that have enabled illegal activity across the country.

    The first of the three proposals targets the private security industry, one of the sectors most vulnerable to infiltration by armed criminal networks. Under the new decree, licensing requirements for agencies will be tightened for both initial approval and annual license renewals, creating stricter eligibility thresholds to block unauthorized actors from operating. The text also redefines core operational rules, setting clear standards for the types of weaponry security personnel can carry, mandating stricter background checks for new recruits, and requiring standardized, ongoing training for all active agents. Most notably, the decree formalizes a requirement that all private security activities align directly with public safety orders issued by the Ministry of the Interior, bringing the once loosely regulated sector under explicit state oversight.

    The second draft decree focuses on Haiti’s travel agency industry, as part of a broader push to curtail illegal financial and migratory flows that fuel transnational organized crime. The framework updates existing commercial regulations by strengthening audit protocols, streamlining mandatory national registration, and creating more rigorous authorization processes for all travel-related operations conducted within Haiti. By increasing transparency around travel document issuance, authorities aim to disrupt smuggling rings and end systemic administrative corruption that has allowed fraudulent documents to proliferate.

    The third draft updates governance rules for foundations and non-profit organizations operating in Haiti, addressing longstanding concerns that unregulated non-profits have been exploited for money laundering and the diversion of funds to illegal armed groups. Under the new rules, all foundations will be required to publish detailed, standardized financial reports to ensure full transparency, guaranteeing that donor and public funds are used exclusively for their stated non-profit missions. The DAPDH will also roll out enhanced on-the-ground monitoring tools to verify that all organizations operating under foundation status meet strict ethical, tax, and social legitimacy requirements.

    Across all three decrees, the DAPDH has aligned its work around four core shared objectives: preventing infiltration of legitimate sectors by illegal criminal networks, replacing decades of legal ambiguity with clear, enforceable authorization standards, rebuilding the Haitian state’s lost supervisory and administrative authority, and embedding full respect for fundamental human rights into all sector governance.

    Beyond the new regulatory proposals, the DAPDH also highlighted its ongoing work supporting Haitians repatriated or deported from other countries over the past fiscal year. The agency has maintained consistent on-the-ground interventions to ensure all returnees receive dignified reception and that their fundamental human rights are upheld throughout the resettlement process.

    Speaking on the initiative, Noël emphasized that the DAPDH’s work integrates four core priorities – security sector reform, regulatory oversight, strengthened governance, and human rights promotion – all toward the shared goal of addressing systemic security abuses through legal reform and strengthening the rule of law across Haiti. He also noted that the DAPDH carries a broader proactive mandate: the agency analyzes ongoing political and social trends, identifies emerging risks to national stability and social cohesion, and provides evidence-based analytical data to help the Ministry of the Interior shape targeted, effective policy responses to Haiti’s ongoing challenges.

  • Scouts train for inclusion

    Scouts train for inclusion

    The Barbados Boy Scouts’ Association is breaking down long-standing barriers to participation by rolling out a groundbreaking training initiative designed to make scouting accessible to boys living with disabilities. At the heart of this effort is the Learning Inclusiveness, Entrepreneurship, and Environmental Protection (LIEEP) project, which puts scout leaders through immersive, hands-on experiences that force them to confront the daily challenges disabled people navigate, equipping them with the skills and empathy needed to welcome disabled members.

    Marsha-Ann Clarke, lead consultant for the LIEEP project, explained that the immersive training exercises are crafted to help leaders move beyond abstract ideas of inclusivity and understand what equitable participation looks like in practice. The ultimate outcome of this preparation is that when a young person with a disability — whether they acquired a disability later in life or were born with it — expresses interest in joining scouting, leaders are ready to welcome them without hesitation. “If a boy becomes blind, or even if there is a boy who was born blind and he wants to join Scouts, these leaders are being prepared so that they can truly say, ‘Yes, you can come. You can be a part, and we are prepared for you,’” Clarke said.

    The most recent training session, held Saturday at the association’s Hazelwood Upper Collymore Rock headquarters, was the third workshop held as part of the initiative. During this session, participating leaders were blindfolded, given canes, and asked to navigate the entire headquarters complex unassisted. Clarke noted that this exercise gave leaders a new, profound understanding of the level of trust required to navigate everyday environments without sight, as well as the persistent challenges that come with visual impairment.

    Clarke referenced commentary from former Senator Kerry-Ann Ifill, who describes this experience as the “walk of trust” — a process where visually impaired people must place complete trust in others while relying on their mobility aids to assess physical surroundings, from the width of doorways to changes in elevation like two-inch steps, ramps, declines, and staircases. After completing the exercise, many leaders told Clarke they had a new appreciation for just how much planning and effort goes into moving through spaces most people take for granted.

    In addition to the mobility simulation, the training also introduced leaders to basic Braille and sign language, and guided them through exercises to adapt existing scouting activities and badge requirements to accommodate different accessibility needs. Clarke emphasized that the single session can only give leaders a small glimpse into the lived reality of disabled people, but the overarching goal of the initiative is to foster a culture of inclusivity that will shape the next generation of scouts, growing up with a deeper understanding of what it means to welcome all people.

    Dr. David Bynoe, national coordinator for the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program, which is implemented by the United Nations Development Program, noted that the initiative is focused on building the internal capacity of the Boy Scouts Association to welcome people from all backgrounds and ability levels. Bynoe confirmed that the program has provided approximately $100,000 in funding and specialized equipment to support the inclusivity training program.

    Now in its second year, the initiative stands as an example of what cross-organizational collaboration can accomplish when groups work together to remove systemic barriers to participation. “It’s amazing what we can do if we bring everyone to the table,” Bynoe said. He added that support from global organizations like the UNDP is critical because the funding and resources they provide speed up progress that would otherwise take far longer to achieve, helping the Boy Scouts build a more inclusive movement for all young Barbadians.

  • Tristan Armstrong Gets 21 Years for Armed Falmouth Supermarket Robbery

    Tristan Armstrong Gets 21 Years for Armed Falmouth Supermarket Robbery

    A 34-year-old man from Cornwall has received a 21-year custodial sentence for a violent 2021 armed robbery targeting a local Falmouth supermarket, concluding a months-long legal process that unfolded in England’s High Court. Tristan Armstrong was handed down the penalty on Friday, weeks after a judge-only trial found him guilty on two serious criminal charges: aggravated robbery and illegal possession of a firearm and matching ammunition.

    Court documents and witness testimony laid out the timeline of the botched October 2021 heist. The incident began when Armstrong intercepted the owner of Bailey’s Supermarket as the owner arrived at the store to open for the day’s business. In a threatening move, Armstrong drew a loaded firearm and aimed it directly at the shop owner, demanding access to the store’s cash reserves.

    In a moment that dramatically reversed the course of the attack, the supermarket owner was able to retrieve his own legally held firearm and fire at Armstrong, striking the robber multiple times. Wounded and unable to escape the area immediately, Armstrong fled the scene and hid inside an unoccupied abandoned property in the nearby Piccadilly district, where law enforcement officers later located him still suffering from his gunshot injuries.

    Unlike most criminal trials in the UK, Armstrong’s case was heard and decided by a judge sitting without a jury, a procedure permitted under specific legal provisions in England and Wales. The bench delivered its guilty verdict in July this year, setting the stage for Friday’s sentencing hearing. Legal guidelines note that the combined offences Armstrong was convicted of carry a maximum possible sentence of 35 years behind bars, meaning the 21-year term handed down represents a substantial penalty that reflects the severity of the violent crime.

  • LIVE: Novena in honour of Our Lady of Fatima 2026

    LIVE: Novena in honour of Our Lady of Fatima 2026

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  • Fish and Seafood Prices Drop 13.8% in Antigua and Barbuda in One Month

    Fish and Seafood Prices Drop 13.8% in Antigua and Barbuda in One Month

    New official consumer price data from Antigua and Barbuda has revealed a dramatic monthly decline in local fish and seafood prices for September 2026, offering isolated cost-of-living relief for households even as the nation’s overall inflation rate continues its upward climb. Per the latest report from the country’s National Bureau of Statistics, the aggregate Fish and Seafood Price Index plummeted 13.8% between August and September 2026, with price cuts recorded across every measured subcategory of the product group. The steepest decline was seen in the fresh, chilled and frozen fish and seafood segment, which dropped a substantial 18.2% month-over-month. Meanwhile, prices for preserved and processed fish and seafood products also fell, posting an 11.7% reduction over the same period. This sharp monthly pullback has pushed aggregate fish and seafood prices 0.5% below their level from September 2025, according to the bureau’s detailed inflation breakdown. Seafood was not the only food category to see falling costs in September. Local vegetable prices also dropped 4.5% during the month, with fresh and chilled vegetables leading the decline at 5.7%, and frozen, preserved or processed vegetable prices falling by 4.4%. The Statistics Division noted that fish and vegetables hold relatively large weighting in the standard consumer food basket, meaning their price drops made a significant contribution to the overall downward movement in domestic food inflation. On aggregate, the national Food Index fell 1.6% between August and September 2026, while the broader Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index recorded a 1.1% monthly decline. This pullback in food costs unfolded against a backdrop of continuing growth in Antigua and Barbuda’s overall cost of living. The nation’s headline Consumer Price Index rose 1.1% in September 2026, and stands 7% higher than it did at the same time last year. The bureau confirmed that annual inflation is being driven almost entirely by rising non-food expenses, with housing, transport and communication leading the upward trend. Year-over-year, the cost of housing, water, electricity, gas and other household fuels has jumped 12.6%, transport costs have risen 12%, and communication services have seen a 23.1% price increase. This divergent trend between falling food costs and rising non-food expenses means Antigua and Barbuda consumers are seeing notable financial relief in grocery aisles this September, even as steep price growth across essential non-food categories continues to push the nation’s overall inflation rate higher.

  • ‘Betrouwbare elektriciteit vraagt om meer dan nieuwe centrales’

    ‘Betrouwbare elektriciteit vraagt om meer dan nieuwe centrales’

    For months, energy sector analysts in Suriname have pushed for expanding electricity generation capacity across the country’s national EPAR grid, backing proposals including a new thermal power station in Bruynzeel and large-scale solar energy paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS). While these capital investments are widely recognized as critical to meeting growing domestic power demand, one veteran industry expert argues that new generation alone will not solve the country’s persistent blackout crisis.

    Samuel Mehairjan, a master’s-qualified electrical power engineer with 38 years of experience across generation, transmission, distribution and system management in the power sector, warns that even with new power plants and solar parks connected to the grid, EPAR will remain vulnerable to rotational loadshedding without three core upgrades: centralized grid management, adequate operating reserves, and a skilled, supported workforce. As more distributed generation sources come online, the need for coordinated real-time grid control becomes ever more urgent, Mehairjan explains.

    Power demand fluctuates continuously throughout the day, solar output varies with weather conditions, and generators can fail unexpectedly at any time. For this reason, state utility NV EBS needs constant, real-time visibility into three key metrics: current grid load, available generation capacity, and the volume of fast-acting reserves that can be deployed within milliseconds to offset unexpected shifts. To address this gap, Mehairjan is calling on NV EBS to urgently launch a feasibility study for a modern central Load Dispatch and Coordination Center.

    Existing SCADA systems and generator control infrastructure already in place across EPAR provide a solid foundation for this upgrade, Mehairjan notes. Adding a dedicated energy management system would leverage real-time data and demand forecasts to support grid operators in deploying generation resources more effectively. Commercial platforms such as Wärtsilä’s GEMS and ETAP’s Power Plant Controllers (EPPC) serve as proven examples of this technology, with individual plant and substation controllers designed to communicate seamlessly with the central grid management system.

    This project is far more than just a software purchase, Mehairjan emphasizes. NV EBS also needs to formalize clear operational protocols: defining authority for controlling individual power plants, mandating minimum reserve requirements that must be maintained at all times, and outlining contingency plans for communication or equipment outages. While accurate demand forecasts help plan for hours and days ahead, real-time grid data is the only reliable guide for moment-to-moment operations. When implemented correctly, this coordinated system also allows for more cost-efficient deployment of generation capacity without compromising supply reliability.

    Critics often blame rising consumer demand for frequent blackouts, but Mehairjan argues that it is NV EBS’s core responsibility to forecast demand, plan for adequate generation and reserves, and clearly communicate to the public when loadshedding cannot be avoided. With improved data measurement, forecasting and planning, the utility can pinpoint root causes of outages and address them systematically. The end goal, Mehairjan says, should be to fully eliminate loadshedding from Suriname’s energy system, rather than accepting it as an unavoidable condition dependent on individual decision-making.

    Battery energy storage systems (BESS) have a major role to play in supporting this transition, Mehairjan confirms. When sudden shifts in demand or generation occur, purpose-built batteries can quickly inject or absorb power to stabilize the grid, supporting frequency and voltage regulation while buying time to bring additional generation resources online. However, he cautions that batteries are not a silver bullet: they cannot prevent every outage and do not solve structural gaps in overall generation capacity.

    As an example, a 50 MW/100 MWh BESS can deliver full power for roughly two hours, and whether this sizing is appropriate for EPAR can only be determined through a full technical and economic grid study. Preliminary cost estimates of $8 million for grid control infrastructure and $75–80 million for a 50 MW/100 MWh BESS should only be treated as rough benchmarks, Mehairjan says. A reliable cost projection requires a full detailed project plan that accounts for grid connection, safety systems, construction, maintenance, staff training and all other related costs. Districts such as Nickerie will also require separate assessments to determine their unique control and storage needs.

    Above all other infrastructure investments, the most critical investment Suriname can make is in its energy workforce, Mehairjan argues. Grid operators, technicians and engineers require comprehensive ongoing training, regular practice with emergency outage scenarios, and access to clear protocols, high-quality tools and spare parts. Policymakers and utility leadership must listen to the technical insights frontline workers provide, ensure safe working conditions, adequate staffing, fair compensation and clear pathways for professional growth. Even the most advanced power plant cannot deliver the reliable power Suriname needs without skilled workers who feel valued in their roles, Mehairjan stresses, adding that political actors should not drive competent, trusted workers out of the energy system.

    NV EBS leadership also carries clear responsibility for this transformation. As a public utility providing an essential 24/7 service, the company requires leaders who understand the technical implications of their decisions, plan proactively for long-term needs, and give technical professionals the autonomy they need to do their work effectively. Regular consultation with generation providers including Staatsolie, frontline workers and their representative bodies is essential to align plans for new capacity, scheduled maintenance and projected demand well in advance.

    Mehairjan’s closing call to action is clear: Suriname must expand generation capacity while simultaneously modernizing EPAR’s grid control and operational management. He urges NV EBS to take centralized leadership of the project, starting immediately with a comprehensive grid study and a concrete implementation plan. Only through this integrated approach can new capital investments deliver the predictable, reliable electricity supply that Suriname’s population and economy need.

  • Bolans Man Jailed Four Years for Scalding Sister With Boiling Water

    Bolans Man Jailed Four Years for Scalding Sister With Boiling Water

    A violent domestic assault in Bolans has concluded with a lengthy prison sentence for the perpetrator, who left his own sibling with life-altering injuries in a random, unprovoked attack last year. Clayton Jeffery was ordered to serve four years behind bars on Friday, closing the legal process that followed the shocking October 29, 2023, assault on his sister.

    The brutal attack unfolded near the pair’s mother’s residential property in Bolans. On the morning of the incident, Jeffery’s sister was walking toward the home when she spotted her brother approaching, yelling threats while carrying a kettle filled with boiling scalding water. She attempted to flee the approaching danger, but Jeffery quickly caught up to her and poured the entire container of hot liquid across her back.

    Even after the scalding left her screaming and collapsed on the ground, Jeffery did not stop his assault. He continued to kick and punch his already injured sister until bystanders intervened and pulled him away from the attack. Court documents confirm there was no immediate argument or altercation between the two siblings in the minutes leading up to the violence.

    Jeffery later told law enforcement that his rage was sparked by a community rumor. He claimed he had heard neighbors repeating gossip that his sister had been talking about him to people around town, which sent him into a furious outburst. When he crossed paths with his sister on the local road, he armed himself with the boiling kettle and carried out the attack.

    The extent of the victim’s injuries is severe: she suffered full-thickness third-degree burns across her back, in addition to multiple fractures to her left leg and right hand. She required three weeks of intensive inpatient care at a local hospital, and court evidence shows she remained bedridden for roughly eight months after being discharged to continue her recovery.

    Jeffery formally accepted responsibility for his actions on June 22, when he entered a guilty plea to a charge of wounding with intent. Court observers noted he became visibly emotional during that hearing, wiping tears from his face as he admitted his guilt. With Friday’s sentencing, the legal case against him has been brought to a formal end.