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The Caribbean tourism community is in mourning this week after the passing of Daniel Cadet, a pioneering veteran whose decades-long dedication helped transform the hospitality sector of Antigua and Barbuda and leave an indelible mark across the entire region. In an official statement released Sunday, the Antigua and Barbuda Hotel and Tourism Association (ABHTA) led tributes to the iconic industry figure, celebrating a multi-faceted career that extended far beyond hotel operations to shape education, workforce development, and labor standards across the local sector.

Over the course of his professional journey, Cadet occupied senior leadership roles at multiple prominent hospitality properties across Antigua and Barbuda, each time bringing a strategic, forward-thinking approach that drove growth and raised industry-wide benchmarks. What truly set Cadet apart, ABHTA emphasized, was his longstanding commitment to nurturing emerging talent through his work with the Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute. As a mentor, he invested deeply in the professional growth of thousands of new professionals entering the tourism trade, equipping them with the skills and values to succeed in the competitive global hospitality landscape.

Beyond his professional contributions, Cadet earned widespread respect for his collaborative approach to industry challenges and his consistent push for excellence across all areas of tourism operations. His strategic vision and steady leadership strengthened core industry institutions, creating a foundation that continues to support the sector’s growth today. “Mr. Cadet will be remembered as a respected leader, mentor, colleague, and friend whose legacy will continue to inspire future generations,” the ABHTA statement noted.

The association has extended its deepest sympathies to Cadet’s family, including his wife, children, and grandchildren, as well as his extended network of friends, former colleagues, and collaborators across the global tourism industry. As tributes continue to pour in from across the Caribbean, Cadet is being remembered as a foundational figure in Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism evolution, leaving behind a enduring legacy of service, integrity, and professional excellence that will shape the sector for decades to come.

On May 28, a meaningful community initiative led by CARICOM Youth Ambassador Chrysean Jarvis brought critical hygiene resources to new recruits of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, tying directly to global observances of Menstrual Hygiene Day. Jarvis and his volunteer team delivered a large shipment of essential supplies to Course #50 of the police training academy, where dozens of new recruits are currently completing their preparation for service.

The donation package covered a wide range of necessary items, from general personal care products including toiletries and hand sanitizers to surface disinfectants, with a targeted focus on providing high-quality feminine hygiene products to support the health and dignity of female trainees in the cohort. Beyond the material contribution, the core mission of the project was to elevate public conversation around menstrual hygiene management, create safe spaces for open dialogue, and chip away at the persistent social stigma that still surrounds discussions of menstruation in many communities.

During their visit to the police training facility, Jarvis and his team did not limit their engagement to the hygiene donation. They also held extended interactive discussions with the recruits about pressing topics that impact young people across Antigua and Barbuda, from expanding youth participation in public life to building cross-sector partnerships that address the most pressing challenges facing younger generations.

The initiative drew broad support from local stakeholders, ranging from grassroots youth leaders to established community and private sector partners. Key backers included the National Youth Ambassador Corps, which operates under the country’s Department of Youth Affairs, and local private enterprise Ibrahim Construction Ltd.

Leadership of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda issued a formal statement following the donation, expressing gratitude to Jarvis, his team, and all supporting organizations for their generous contribution and ongoing commitment to advancing youth empowerment and public health awareness across the nation.

A new era of student governance officially launched this week at The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, as incoming members of the Guild Council were sworn into their positions. In a ceremonial opening address, 2026–2027 Guild President Jake Taylor extended heartfelt congratulations to all new council members, framing the transition as a landmark moment for student leadership on campus.

Taylor emphasized that the mandate granted to the council by the wider student body carries equal parts honor and weighty responsibility. Contrary to common misconceptions of student leadership roles as markers of status or personal prestige, the president stressed that every position on the council exists solely as a tool to advance the needs of the broader student population. Rather than holding titles for personal recognition, council members carry a core obligation to advocate for their peers, deliver accessible public service, and build tangible, long-lasting change that improves campus life for all students.

At the core of his address, Taylor charged every incoming council member to center their work on the foundational philosophy of servant leadership. He redefined what effective student leadership looks like, arguing that success in these roles does not come from public attention or personal gain. Instead, true leadership means centering the needs of others before one’s own, prioritizing consistent action over empty titles, holding oneself accountable for outcomes, and being willing to make personal sacrifices for the collective good.

The president acknowledged that the coming term will not be without its challenges. There will be moments when council members must go above and beyond their expected commitments, when hard, unpopular decisions demand action, and when unglamorous work goes unrecognized by the wider campus community. In these difficult moments, Taylor urged members to return to their core motivation for seeking office: every policy, every decision, and every action should be judged by one simple question: Does this improve the lives of the students we are elected to represent?

To unify the council around a shared mission, Taylor called for a collective commitment to four core values: unwavering integrity, radical transparency in all decision-making, consistent professionalism in interactions with university administration and peers, and unified alignment around a common purpose of serving students. He urged council members to remain accessible to their constituents, respond quickly to student concerns, and never relent in the push for tangible, meaningful results. Most importantly, Taylor noted that the council’s success will not be measured by the number of promises it makes at the start of the term, but by how many of those promises it delivers on by the end of its tenure.

Closing his address, Taylor expressed enthusiasm for the work ahead, noting that he is eager to collaborate with all new council members to write the next successful chapter in the campus Guild of Students’ history. He ended by extending a warm welcome to all incoming members, offering a blessing for a tenure defined by clear purpose, dedicated service, and lasting positive impact for the UWI Five Islands Campus community.

The National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) has formally published its complete inventory of emergency hurricane shelters scheduled to operate during the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, a move aimed at boosting community preparedness ahead of what forecasters warn could be another active period of tropical weather.

The release of the shelter list months in advance of the typical June-to-November hurricane season marks a shift toward earlier public outreach, allowing local governments, non-profit organizations and at-risk communities to plan evacuation routes, coordinate support for vulnerable populations and address facility maintenance needs long before a storm forms in the Atlantic basin.

Each entry on NODS’ published roster includes key details for residents: the exact physical address of the shelter, maximum occupancy capacity, accessibility accommodations for people with mobility impairments and chronic medical conditions, and whether the facility will offer pet-friendly housing for households that cannot leave their animals behind during an evacuation.

Officials from NODS noted that the 2026 list includes several updates from previous years, including the addition of 12 new facilities in coastal counties that have seen rapid population growth over the past five years, and the removal of eight older locations that failed recent structural safety inspections or were repurposed for other community uses.

In a statement accompanying the release, NODS leadership emphasized that pre-season publication of the shelter network is designed to reduce last-minute confusion during emergency events. “Hurricanes do not announce their arrival weeks in advance for most communities, so having this information available now gives families the time they need to build their own emergency plans and know where they can go if ordered to evacuate,” the statement read.

Local emergency management coordinators have welcomed the early release, noting that it allows them to conduct pre-season outreach to low-income neighborhoods, elderly residents, and non-English speaking communities that often face disproportionate barriers to accessing emergency information. Many coordinators plan to host community preparedness workshops over the coming months to walk residents through shelter locations and requirements for entry, including what personal items evacuees should bring when seeking refuge.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) already projects that the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season will see a near- to above-average number of named storms, making advance preparation critical for coastal and inland communities alike that can face storm surge, extreme wind, and widespread flooding even hundreds of miles from the coast.