Carib Scope

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  • Geothermal energy cuts July electricity bills as DOMLEC reports lower fuel surcharge

    Geothermal energy cuts July electricity bills as DOMLEC reports lower fuel surcharge

    Residents and businesses across Dominica are starting to see tangible financial benefits from the Caribbean nation’s landmark geothermal energy project, with significant reductions appearing on July 2026 electricity bills thanks to a lowered fuel surcharge, national utility Dominica Electricity Services Ltd. (DOMLEC) has announced.

    In an official announcement posted to its Facebook page, DOMLEC confirmed that electricity customers in all usage categories will see lower monthly charges, as long as their overall consumption levels have not risen dramatically compared to previous billing cycles. The savings stem directly from the recent integration of geothermal energy into the country’s power generation portfolio, which has cut reliance on costly imported fossil fuels and allowed regulators to lower the fuel surcharge passed directly to consumers.

    DOMLEC has published concrete examples of the savings across different customer groups to illustrate the scale of the reduction. For residential users, a household consuming 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) will save roughly $24 on their July bill, while a larger home using 250 kWh can expect savings of approximately $61. For commercial operations, a small business using 500 kWh will see around $122 in savings, while a mid-sized enterprise consuming 2,416 kWh could cut their monthly power costs by as much as $589.

    Large-scale energy users are also reaping major benefits from the transition. A local hotel using 8,609 kWh will see their bill drop by roughly $2,098, while major industrial customers consuming 14,402 kWh are projected to save approximately $3,509. Across all usage segments, DOMLEC calculates that the total savings represent a 17 to 18 percent reduction compared to what customers would have paid before geothermal energy was added to the grid.

    Beyond immediate consumer savings, the utility frames the lower fuel surcharge as a key milestone in Dominica’s journey toward a cleaner, more reliable, and more energy-secure future. Currently, renewable energy sources account for approximately 68 percent of the country’s total electricity generation, putting the island well on track to meet its national target of 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030.

    DOMLEC credited the Government of Dominica, acting through the state-run Dominica Geothermal Development Company (DGDC), for the transformative investment that has reshaped the country’s energy sector. The 10-megawatt geothermal power plant, officially commissioned in early 2026, stands as the cornerstone of the nation’s renewable energy transition. In a June 2026 cover feature for the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) CE Industry Journal, DOMLEC CEO Dwayne Cenac and DGDC CEO Fred John noted that Dominica is now the first independent Caribbean nation to fully integrate geothermal energy into its national power grid, establishing the country as a regional leader in renewable innovation.

    The geothermal facility was developed by DGDC with backing from the Dominican government and multiple international development partners. Once fully operational, it is projected to cut the country’s reliance on imported diesel dramatically. When combined with Dominica’s existing hydroelectric generation capacity, geothermal energy will supply roughly 60 percent of the nation’s total electricity needs, strengthening energy independence while keeping consumer power costs stable.

    Under the project structure, DOMLEC manages and operates the transmission network that connects the new geothermal plant, existing hydroelectric stations, and the overall national grid. The entire integrated system is supported by a 6-megawatt/6-megawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System, which boosts grid stability, improves overall energy resilience, and creates room for additional renewable capacity to be added in coming years.

    Industry leaders emphasized that the benefits of the geothermal project extend far beyond lower monthly power bills. The transition will boost Dominica’s national energy independence, cut the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, shield consumers and businesses from volatile global fossil fuel price swings, and open new pathways for sustainable economic growth and foreign investment. Most importantly, it advances the nation’s long-term vision of full renewable energy adoption, laying the groundwork for a more resilient, sustainable future for coming generations.

  • No More Endless Scrolling? New Rules Target Kids on Social Media

    No More Endless Scrolling? New Rules Target Kids on Social Media

    In a landmark move to shield children and teenagers from the harms of excessive social media engagement, New York is poised to become one of the first U.S. states to enforce sweeping age verification rules for popular social platforms, paired with strict limits on algorithmic content targeting minors.

    Unveiled on July 29, 2026, at the Brooklyn STEAM Center by Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, the final regulations are the product of the state’s SAFE for Kids Act, a legislative effort aimed at curbing compulsive social media use among young users. Under the new framework, all major social media platforms — defined as services where at least 20 percent of user active time is spent on algorithm-curated feeds — will be required to verify all users’ ages before granting access to key features. For users under the age of majority, algorithm-driven recommendation feeds and overnight push notifications will be blocked unless explicit parental consent is obtained.

    Tech companies have been given a 180-day compliance window, with a final deadline of January 25, 2027, to update their systems to meet the new requirements. Any company that fails to adhere to the rules will face civil penalties of $5,000 for each individual violation. In a blunt address to the tech sector during the announcement, Hochul emphasized that the policy was now finalized and non-negotiable: “Social media companies, you’re now on notice. The regulations are done; you have 180 days to come into compliance.”

    Beyond age verification and content limits, the rules include a series of additional guardrails designed to protect both minors and family privacy. Platforms are prohibited from sending algorithmic feed notifications to minors between midnight and 6 a.m. without parental approval. They are also banned from using manipulative “dark pattern” interface designs to coerce parents into granting consent, and cannot retaliate against minors without parental approval by downgrading service quality or increasing access costs.

    To address widespread privacy concerns around age verification, the state requires companies to use only certified age-assurance technology that can catch at least 98 percent of fraudulent age claims. All data collected for age verification purposes must be encrypted and deleted immediately after processing. Acceptable verification methods range from facial age estimation and government-issued ID checks to email history analysis, with the state encouraging the use of “zero-knowledge proof” systems that allow users to confirm their age without sharing raw personal data directly with social media companies. James noted that this framework prioritizes both child safety and individual privacy, a key balance that sets the regulations apart from earlier proposed policies.

    The policy has not come without opposition from the technology sector. Tech:NYC, an industry advocacy group whose members include major platforms like Meta, stated that while it supports efforts to protect children online, it questions whether the new rules will deliver on their stated goals without creating unintended harms for both New York families and small tech businesses operating in the state.

    Another national industry group, NetChoice, has gone further in opposing the law, arguing that New York is overstepping its regulatory authority by focusing on platform content design rather than directing resources to combating child predators. The organization also noted that similar regulations in other states have been struck down by courts as unconstitutional restrictions on protected online speech.

    Despite the looming legal threats from industry groups, James made clear that state officials are fully confident the regulations will withstand any legal challenges, clearing the way for the policy to take effect at the start of 2027 and potentially set a precedent for other states considering similar social media child protection rules.

  • PART 2: The Business of Slavery From Africa to the New World

    PART 2: The Business of Slavery From Africa to the New World

    The transatlantic slave trade that spanned from the 16th to the 19th centuries stands as one of the most exploitative and dehumanizing commercial enterprises in human history. Built on the forced displacement of millions of African people, this brutal business connected three continents in a system of uncompensated labor and unspeakable violence. European trading powers first established coastal outposts along West Africa, where they collaborated with local intermediaries to capture and purchase enslaved people. These human captives were then packed into overcrowded, disease-ridden slave ships for the deadly crossing known as the Middle Passage, where historians estimate 15 to 20 percent of those onboard died from starvation, illness, or abuse before reaching the Americas. Once arrived in the New World, enslaved African people were sold at public auctions like livestock to plantation owners, mine operators, and domestic employers. The profits extracted from their forced labor fueled the growth of the global capitalist economy, supporting the development of European manufacturing, the expansion of colonial agriculture, and the accumulation of wealth in North and South America. Unlike any legitimate commercial activity, this entire business model was rooted in the total denial of human rights, the destruction of African communities, and the intergenerational trauma that continues to impact descendant populations today. What was framed as a lucrative commercial venture by contemporary 18th century merchants was in fact a systematic crime against humanity that left a legacy of racial inequality and economic disparity that persists across the globe to this day.

  • Resident Threatened With Pepper Spray Over Noise Complaint

    Resident Threatened With Pepper Spray Over Noise Complaint

    Amid ongoing public discussions in Belize City over planned revisions to the country’s liquor licensing regulations, a local resident has brought a shocking personal incident to the table, highlighting deep-rooted failures in regulatory enforcement rather than gaps in existing legislation. The resident told attendees at the public consultation that his encounter with unaddressed late-night noise from a nearby entertainment venue ended with police officers threatening him with pepper spray earlier this year.

    The issue began, the resident explained, when a nearby club continued blaring loud music well past the 4 a.m. curfew for licensed alcohol-serving establishments. Instead of ignoring the disturbance that disrupted the neighborhood’s sleep, he first documented the noise with a video recording and called local law enforcement to intervene. To his surprise, officers responding to the call told him they were powerless to act: the club held a valid operating permit, they claimed, so no action could be taken against the after-hours noise.

    Frustrated by this inaction, the resident chose to confront the venue directly, walking over to demand an explanation for the extended operating hours and ask to inspect the permit in person. It was at this point that he was confronted by police already at the scene, who drew their pepper spray and ordered him to leave the property immediately. When he requested to speak with a supervising officer to resolve the situation, that request was never granted. After retreating, the resident placed a second call to police to file an official formal complaint over the officers’ conduct.

    This incident has become a focal point of the current public consultation process, as dozens of Belize City residents have echoed the same core sentiment: the crisis of unregulated late-night noise, confusing licensing terms, and uneven enforcement of existing rules is far more pressing than the need to write new liquor laws. Community members across the city have repeatedly reported similar experiences, where licensed establishments flout curfew and noise rules with no consequences from authorities, leaving residents with no effective way to seek relief. The consultation is continuing as city officials weigh what adjustments to make to the current liquor licensing framework, with growing pressure from the public to prioritize consistent enforcement over regulatory overhauls. Full coverage of the consultation and next steps for liquor licensing reform will air during a primetime broadcast at 6 p.m. local time tonight.

  • Urs 8th at CAC Golf

    Urs 8th at CAC Golf

    Fresh off turning professional and earning a prestigious collegiate golf honor, 23-year-old Saint Lucian golfer Yadhu Urs has turned heads at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, securing an eighth-place finish in the men’s individual competition that marks one of the strongest results by an English-speaking Caribbean competitor at the event. Held at the scenic Corales Golf Course in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, the four-day tournament brought together top amateur and professional golf talent from 14 nations across the Central American and Caribbean region, creating a high-stakes test of skill and mental resilience for all participants. Urs ultimately carded a four-round total score of 294 (+6), ending the competition in a three-way tie for eighth alongside Costa Rica’s Elias Alejandro Mardeni and Jeronimo Esteve of Puerto Rico. Among all Caribbean-born golfers competing in the tournament, Urs ranked as the second-highest finisher from an English-speaking Caribbean nation, outperforming a stacked field of regional rivals to claim the impressive top-10 result. Tournament champion José Manuel Toledo Novales of Guatemala finished with a 17-under-par total, 13 strokes ahead of Urs, while bronze medalist Guillermo Pumarol of the Dominican Republic and shared fifth-place finisher Juan Jose Guerra, also from the Dominican Republic, finished ahead of Urs in the overall standings. A graduate of Ohio Dominican University and the reigning 2024-2025 Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Men’s Golfer of the Year, Urs showed steady improvement throughout the tournament that highlights his growing maturity as a professional competitor. After a challenging opening round that saw him card a four-over-par 76, Urs steadily lowered his scores with each subsequent round, finding his competitive rhythm in the tournament’s second half. He followed his opening round with a two-over 74 in round two, then closed out the competition with back-to-back even-par 72s in the third and fourth rounds, a consistent performance that lifted him up the leaderboard. Golf Saint Lucia Inc. has officially congratulated Urs on his standout performance at the multi-sport games, noting that the top-10 finish against elite regional competition marks a major milestone in his early professional career. Urs only turned professional earlier this year, and has already begun competing on the European professional circuit, with the Central American and Caribbean Games marking one of his first major multi-national professional events. Analysts of regional golf note that Urs’ result signals his rising potential as one of the next standout talents from the Caribbean, with his steady improvement over the four rounds demonstrating the consistency and mental toughness required to compete at the highest levels of professional golf.

  • UWP on track to unveil full slate of 21 candidates, says Dr. Thomson Fontaine

    UWP on track to unveil full slate of 21 candidates, says Dr. Thomson Fontaine

    As Dominica prepares for its next general election, the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has formally announced its plan to field a complete slate of 21 candidates to contest all available parliamentary seats, marking a deliberate, step-by-step approach to building its electoral team ahead of the vote.

    UWP Political Leader Dr. Thomson Fontaine outlined the party’s strategy during a recent public press briefing, noting that the incremental rollout of candidates is designed to give Dominican voters adequate time to get to know each aspirant seeking office. Following an initial reveal of three candidates one month prior, the party has now introduced an additional three contenders, bringing the total number of publicly announced candidates to six out of the planned 21.

    Dr. Fontaine framed the incremental rollout as a “nice steady march” toward completing the party’s full electoral lineup, emphasizing that all UWP candidates have been vetted to align with the party’s core values of integrity and public service. He described the full slate as a carefully curated mix of young talent, seasoned political experience, and proven professional competence, bringing together diverse Dominicans committed to advancing the nation’s interests.

    One of the newly introduced candidates is Jean Francois, running for the Wesley constituency. Dr. Fontaine, who has campaigned alongside Francois on the ground in the area, noted that Francois offers a fresh alternative to traditional Dominican politics, highlighting his deep sincerity and unwavering dedication to improving living standards for residents of Wesley and all Dominicans nationwide.

    Ernie Jno Finn, commonly known to constituents as “Teacher Ernie,” is the UWP’s candidate for the Castle Bruce constituency. Dr. Fontaine shared that he has toured the entire constituency with Jno Finn — covering communities from Castle Bruce, Tranto and Dipa to San Sauveur, Good Hope, and Petite Soufriere — and confirmed that she enjoys widespread grassroots support, driven by her longstanding passion for serving the constituency’s residents.

    Completing the latest round of candidate announcements is Martha Augustus, who will stand for the Roseau South seat. Dr. Fontaine commended Augustus for her decision to return to Dominica after completing her studies abroad, turning down opportunities to build her life overseas to instead dedicate her career to public service for her home community.

    The incremental rollout is set to continue in the coming weeks as the party works toward filling all 21 candidate slots ahead of the general election, with Dr. Fontaine confirming that the UWP will remain on schedule to present its full team to Dominican voters before ballots are cast.

  • BLPC internship gives young Barbadians hands-on energy industry experience

    BLPC internship gives young Barbadians hands-on energy industry experience

    For weeks this summer, 35 young Barbadians have gained unprecedented, behind-the-scenes access to the complex operations that keep their nation’s electricity grid running smoothly. This opportunity comes via the annual summer internship program launched by The Barbados Light & Power Company Ltd. (BLPC), which has given these young learners the chance to swap traditional classroom lectures for hands-on placements in operational control rooms, exchange textbook theory for real on-the-job training, and turn abstract curiosity about the energy sector into concrete, practical insights. Working side-by-side with seasoned BLPC teams that deliver power to residential homes, commercial businesses and local communities across the entire island, participants have gained unmatched exposure to the daily work of energy provision.

    For years, this internship initiative has drawn consistent, strong interest from Barbadian youth who are eager to explore accessible career pathways in the energy industry, build in-demand practical skills, and learn directly from veteran industry professionals. Reflecting on his own early career experience to motivate the current cohort, Munesh Parasram, BLPC’s Vice President of Innovation & Transformation, emphasized the transformative power of hands-on internships. “An internship helped me discover my professional path and showed me what opportunities were actually possible in this sector,” he explained. “We’re proud to provide that same life-changing opportunity for the next generation of Barbadian energy professionals.”

    Throughout the program, participants have not only toured major BLPC generating facilities but also gotten a first-hand look at how the island’s transition to renewable energy is reshaping its long-term energy future. For many, the hands-on site visits have been the most memorable part of the experience: tours of the Spring Garden and Trents Generating Stations also included deep dives into the company’s utility-scale solar farm and its high-profile Clean Energy Bridge initiative. Sebastian Paul, a mechanical maintenance intern, called the entire experience “eye-opening,” noting that it has significantly strengthened his grasp of core technical concepts that he had only studied in school. For fellow participant Zane King, the internship gave him a newfound appreciation for the integrated nature of BLPC’s energy network, showing how traditional generating stations, the utility’s solar farm and modern battery storage systems work in tandem to deliver consistent power to customers across Barbados.

    As the program wraps up its 2024 cohort, BLPC’s investment in youth talent development is laying the groundwork for Barbados’ energy future. By nurturing new skilled workers, fostering innovative ideas and building a pipeline of local expertise, the utility is not only investing in individual young people – it is investing in the long-term reliability and sustainability of the island’s power grid for decades to come.

  • Ruben Stoll Charged, Fined BZ$1,000 Over Jaguar Cub Incident

    Ruben Stoll Charged, Fined BZ$1,000 Over Jaguar Cub Incident

    In a high-profile case that drew international attention after viral social media footage emerged, Belizean-American Ruben Stoll has been convicted under Belize’s Wildlife Protection Act and ordered to pay a BZ$1,000 fine for unlawfully interacting with a wild jaguar cub in the protected Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.

    The incident that sparked the case dates back to when a video circulating across social media platforms captured Stoll petting the young jaguar, which was reported to have been separated from its mother by a passing vehicle. The footage quickly went viral, drawing widespread public condemnation from conservationists and wildlife advocates, and forcing Belize’s Forest Department to launch a formal investigation into the incident.

    Prior to Stoll’s surrender, Forest Department authorities had confirmed they believed Stoll had crossed Belize’s northern border out of the country before investigators could locate and detain him. Officials had already completed charge preparations and moved to secure an arrest warrant that would have allowed for detainment if Stoll re-entered Belize. Contrary to initial expectations, Stoll voluntarily made the decision to return to Belize and turn himself in to law enforcement authorities, leading to the immediate processing of charges and payment of the issued fine.

    Leslie Penner, a member of Stoll’s travel group who was present during the incident, publicly spoke out against the action, describing the decision to touch the wild cub as both unnecessary and reckless. Even so, Penner emphasized that Stoll and his family held no malicious intent toward the animal, noting that the Stoll brothers have a long track record of supporting formal conservation initiatives across Belize.

    Dr. Celso Poot, Managing Director of the Belize Zoo, joined widespread criticism of Stoll’s actions, issuing a public warning about the risks of human interaction with wild big cat cubs. While Poot confirmed that the jaguar mother was unlikely to reject the cub after the human contact, the encounter still caused significant avoidable stress to the young animal. He reiterated a core guideline for wildlife management: wild jaguar cubs should never be handled or disturbed by human visitors under any circumstances, even in scenarios where the animal appears to be separated from its mother.

  • Japan: Dodentol aardbeving blijft stijgen

    Japan: Dodentol aardbeving blijft stijgen

    On a Tuesday in late July, a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake rocked the Kumamoto region on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, leaving at least 18 people dead — including one foreign migrant worker — and at least 62 injured, six of whom are in critical condition. By Wednesday, Japanese soldiers and emergency rescue teams had launched urgent search operations across flattened residential buildings and damaged commercial centers, scrambling to locate any trapped survivors as authorities warn the death toll is likely to climb amid ongoing counts of missing people.

    One of the hardest-hit sites was the Aeon Mall shopping complex in the city of Kashima, which was packed with thousands of shoppers when the tremor struck. Roughly 3,000 visitors were successfully evacuated to the mall’s parking lot before a gas explosion ripped through an unused section of the building that still held working staff. Part of the mall’s second floor collapsed in the blast, and an unknown number of people remain unaccounted for at the site. Nineteen-year-old Fumika Ono, who was shopping with her older sister when the ground began to shake, described the chaotic scene: “Children started screaming and products went flying through the air.” Ono managed to escape the structure unharmed, she said.

    Rescue operations are being compounded by dangerous sweltering heat across the region, which adds strain to crews conducting manual searches through rubble. The disaster has also damaged cultural heritage sites: in the Nuyamazu district, the main entrance gates of a 16th-century Buddhist temple, which had only been fully restored five years ago, completely collapsed during the quake. Deputy head priest Yuki Kiyozumi said she was forced to crawl across the ground to escape the violent shaking, and as she cleared away broken decorative ornaments, she expressed doubt the historic gates could be rebuilt. At a nearby Nippon Paper Industries factory, the collapse of a tall chimney killed five workers, while seven others were pulled alive from the wreckage; four more remain missing at the facility.

    Among the confirmed fatalities is a Vietnamese technical intern trainee, who arrived in Japan only this past January. He was killed when a construction crane collapsed onto him during the tremor. Seven other Vietnamese trainees made it out safely, though one Vietnamese woman married to a local worker was injured when a falling wall struck her.

    As of Wednesday, nearly 35,000 households across the affected region remain without electricity, and roughly 15,000 have no access to running water. More than 8,800 displaced residents have taken shelter in over 400 emergency evacuation centers, where crews are rushing to install additional power infrastructure to run air conditioning units that counter the extreme heat. Aerial footage of the hardest-hit neighborhoods shows entire homes reduced to rubble, with some structures sliding downhill into nearby rivers.

    Japan’s Self-Defense Forces have deployed thousands of personnel to the region, joined by hundreds of emergency responders including fire crews from Taiwan, to support the ongoing search and rescue mission. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has described the operation as a “race against the clock” to reach trapped people before it is too late. She announced that the national government is arranging to ship emergency food and relief supplies to impacted communities, and extended official condolences to the families of victims. High-speed bullet train services through the region remain suspended as infrastructure inspections continue. While Aso Kumamoto Airport reopened to limited traffic on Wednesday, a number of scheduled flights were canceled as a precaution against potential aftershocks.

    This is not the first major deadly earthquake to strike Kumamoto in recent memory: a 2016 quake in the same region killed at least 50 people and destroyed thousands of structures. Japan is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, located along the Pacific Ring of Fire where a large share of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

  • Barbados bids solemn farewell to National Hero Sir Garfield Sobers

    Barbados bids solemn farewell to National Hero Sir Garfield Sobers

    The coastal district of Fontabelle fell into a hushed, reverent silence on the day of Sir Garfield Sobers’ final farewell, as top political leaders, military contingents, and grieving citizens joined a state procession carrying the legendary cricketer’s remains to Kensington Oval, widely known as cricket’s Caribbean spiritual home. The procession moved forward with an undercurrent of quiet pride and profound national gratitude for the Bayland-born icon who turned Barbadian sporting excellence into a globally recognized legacy.

    Dignitaries gathered early to claim their places in the procession line, with Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw, dressed in somber black, arriving shortly before the head of the procession. Prime Minister Mia Mottley followed, arriving in the official state vehicle MP 1 before joining the procession on foot, clad in white. Midway through the route, she paused at the Cricket Legends of Barbados club to invite members of Sir Garfield’s immediate family to fall into line with the official party.

    Widely hailed as the greatest all-rounder in the centuries-long history of international cricket, Sir Garfield Sobers drew clusters of awestruck, tearful mourners along every block of the procession route as the gun carriage carrying his casket made its slow way toward the Oval. Barbadians from every corner of society and every sector of life turned out to pay their final respects to a man who had grown to become one of the country’s most defining symbols of national pride.

    Citizens who gathered to witness the historic tribute shared moving reflections on Sir Garfield’s lasting impact, alongside personal memories of his quiet, approachable character. Local resident Raul, who had met the legend multiple times during Sir Garfield’s regular dinners at Barbados’ Champers Restaurant, spoke of the widespread respect the icon commanded across the globe. “Sir Garry was an icon, you know, world-famous cricketer, respected by everybody all over the world,” Raul said. “So it’s a great thing that Barbados has done for Sir Garry. He’s a national hero. We respect him.” Raul added that the entire local community deeply appreciated the state’s formal tribute to one of their most beloved sons.

    Sean Gittens, another member of the public, echoed that sentiment, noting that the full state funeral was more than fitting for a figure who put Barbados on the world map repeatedly throughout his career. “I would say I feel 100 per cent happy. It’s about time that, you know, Sir Garry deserve it. You deserve it for putting Barbados on the scale, you know, more than once. So today I would say it was well, well done.”

    The emotional weight of the day reached far beyond the global cricketing community, touching the lives of Barbadians of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Ralbert Ashton, president of the Barbados Blind Association, framed Sir Garfield as a grassroots icon whose journey from humble origins to global greatness remained a lasting source of inspiration for generations of Bajans. “Sometimes it comes to more than just his outstanding endeavours, you know, being that a person, a brother of the soil, and you’ve seen him from where he come from, the grassroots and stuff like that, you know, you really can connect with those type of people growing up like that and knowing that coming from that way and where he had elevated to,” Ashton explained. “You know, that in itself is motivation that a person can look up to.”

    Retired security officer Roderick Brewster, who had known Sir Garfield since their childhood growing up together in Bayland, praised the flawless, respectful organization of the state send-off, saying he could not have asked for a more fitting farewell for his childhood friend. “Everything was perfect to me. Can’t complain, right? You call, we respected. No noise, road was clear. Everything was nice,” Brewster said. Reflecting on Sir Garfield’s passing shortly before his upcoming birthday, Brewster added, “To see him go before his birthday, you know — I want to get to 102 years, you know, but God knows that. And to me, he would do his work in heaven. He’s going to heaven. And, you know, you look at us and smiling, right? So, you know, we shed tears, but he’s a good place in heaven.”