Carib Scope

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  • Allure of the Seas brings 6,700+ cruise passengers to St. Kitts – WIC News

    Allure of the Seas brings 6,700+ cruise passengers to St. Kitts – WIC News

    One of the world’s biggest cruise vessels, the Allure of the Seas, made a landmark stop at St. Kitts’ Port Zante on Tuesday, bringing more than 6,700 passengers to the Caribbean island nation as part of an eight-day Eastern Caribbean voyage.

    The giant cruise ship, which set sail from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on July 25, marked its first port of call at the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, drawing a warm official welcome from local port authorities and senior government leaders. The St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) confirmed the arrival carried 6,702 passengers, alongside an unspecified number of crew members.

    In an official statement posted to its Facebook page, SCASPA emphasized that the high-profile visit reinforces St. Kitts’ standing as a top-tier cruise destination across the Caribbean region. “SCASPA extends a warm welcome to all passengers and crew and wishes them an enjoyable visit as they experience St. Kitts’ unrivaled hospitality, vibrant local culture, and one-of-a-kind attractions,” the authority wrote.

    Officials project the massive influx of visitors will deliver tangible, widespread economic benefits to St. Kitts, supporting local tourism-dependent businesses from tour operators and restaurants to craft vendors and transportation services. “This arrival reinforces St. Kitts’ position as a leading Caribbean cruise destination and contributes significantly to the island’s tourism and economic activity,” SCASPA’s post added.

    Dr. Denzil Douglas, St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, also issued a public welcome for the Allure of the Seas, noting that the call reflects steadily rising global demand for travel to the island. Douglas highlighted that the thousands of passengers on board will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in local culture and explore the island’s most popular attractions during their stop.

    “Its visit underscores St. Kitts’ growing reputation as a premier Caribbean cruise destination, generating valuable economic activity while giving thousands of visitors the opportunity to experience the island’s renowned hospitality, rich culture, and unique attractions,” Douglas shared in his social media post.

    After departing St. Kitts, the Allure of the Seas will continue its scheduled round-trip voyage, with upcoming stops planned in St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and CocoCay in The Bahamas, before returning to its home port in Florida on August 2.

  • Leisure : Did you know ? #45

    Leisure : Did you know ? #45

    Haiti-based digital publication HaitiLibre has been running a popular twice-weekly general knowledge trivia segment called “Did You Know?”, and its 45th installment, published on July 29, 2026, shares a little-known fact about one of the world’s most iconic historical landmarks. The edition’s core quiz question asks: What is the only European monument counted among the modern Seven Wonders of the World?

    The correct answer, confirmed by the platform’s official quiz answer bank, is Rome’s Colosseum. Selected following a 2007 global public vote that drew millions of participants from across the globe, the 2,000-year-old amphitheater stands as the sole entry on the new 7 Wonders list located on the European continent. This designation honors the far-reaching and enduring cultural legacy the Roman Empire left on modern global civilization, a legacy embodied by the Colosseum’s millennia-long history.

    Beyond its current status as a UNESCO-endorsed landmark and global tourist draw, the Colosseum has a turbulent post-Roman Empire history that is less widely discussed. After the fall of Rome, the massive stone structure was repurposed as nothing more than a public stone quarry. For hundreds of years, local residents and even successive popes stripped the monument of its valuable marble and travertine blocks, hauling the materials away to construct Vatican City buildings and luxurious private palaces across Rome. The visible pockmarks dotting the Colosseum’s surviving walls today are a physical reminder of a second wave of looting: historical scavengers extracted the iron and bronze binding pins that held the structure’s massive stone blocks together, leaving the amphitheater structurally weakened over centuries.

    This trivia entry is just one of more than 180 interactive quiz games hosted on HaitiLibre’s dedicated Quiz.HaitiLibre platform, which launched officially to the public earlier this year. As part of the platform’s scheduled monthly content update, 31 brand new quiz games were added to the roster on July 1, 2026, pushing the total number of available knowledge challenges past the 180 mark. Platform administrators commit to adding fresh quiz content every month to keep the experience engaging for returning visitors.

    All of the platform’s exclusive quizzes are free to access, require no user registration to play, and are designed to accommodate participants of all age groups and knowledge levels. Every quiz offers three tiered difficulty settings—easy, intermediate, and hard—to match different skill levels, and the full platform is available in both French and English to serve a broad audience. Covering topics ranging from global history and geography to Haiti-focused current events and culture, the platform invites casual learners and trivia enthusiasts alike to test their knowledge, expand their understanding, and share the experience with friends and family. Visitors can leave feedback via a comment form at the end of each quiz, helping the platform refine its content for future updates.

  • Adhin stelt behandeling grensprotocol uit voor overleg met traditioneel gezag

    Adhin stelt behandeling grensprotocol uit voor overleg met traditioneel gezag

    PARAMARIBO, Suriname – July 29 – The National Assembly of Suriname (DNA) has announced a postponement of further deliberations on a draft law to ratify a landmark border protocol between Suriname and France, bowing to longstanding calls from Indigenous traditional authorities for meaningful input on an agreement that directly shapes their ancestral territories.

    National Assembly Speaker Ashwin Adhin confirmed the delay Tuesday, explaining that the decision was made to give traditional Indigenous leadership space to deliver their formal positions on the protocol during two upcoming community consultative assemblies, known locally as *krutu*. The Aukaner people’s granman (paramount chief) will host the first consultation, the Liba-Krutu, this Sunday on Stoelmanseiland, while the Paramaccaan people will hold their own community gathering this Saturday in Langa Tabiki. Legislative deliberations will not resume until after both events conclude, with a new official notice convening the debate to be issued at a later date.

    “Out of respect for traditional authority, we have made the decision to delay deliberations until after these community consultations,” Adhin told members at the opening of this week’s public sitting.

    The agreement in question formalizes the official border between Suriname and French Guiana (an overseas department of France) along the Marowijne and Lawa Rivers, updating a century-old border treaty first signed in Paris on September 30, 1915. Beyond clarifying territorial boundaries, the protocol also establishes frameworks for joint management of the two transboundary rivers and plans for cooperative economic and infrastructure development across the border region. The draft ratification law has been before Suriname’s parliament since December 2021, with public deliberations first launching in November of last year.

    Adhin pushed back against any suggestions that the legislature had stalled progress on the file, noting that extensive pre-consultation work has already been completed over recent months. All relevant stakeholder groups have already been heard by parliamentary committees, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation has conducted its own series of cross-sector consultations. Just weeks ago, a parliamentary delegation met directly with the Aukaner granman to discuss core community priorities, with a key focus on preserving the right of free movement for Indigenous residents living on both banks of the border rivers.

    Traditional leaders from the Marowijne-Lawa border region have for years demanded formal inclusion in the protocol’s ratification and implementation process, arguing that the agreement’s terms will have direct, long-term impacts on their communities’ livelihoods, land access, and cultural heritage on both sides of the waterway. Adhin emphasized that the delayed legislative timeline creates the necessary space to resolve the issue “in a peaceful manner and in harmony” with all affected communities. Once the two krutu have concluded and traditional leadership have shared their formal positions, the National Assembly will restart its deliberation process on the draft ratification law.

  • DNA sommeert Brunings tot verantwoording over vissterfte: Na 7 weken willen we antwoorden

    DNA sommeert Brunings tot verantwoording over vissterfte: Na 7 weken willen we antwoorden

    A major environmental crisis in Suriname has sparked intense political scrutiny, after the country’s National Assembly called Minister of Oil, Gas and Environment Patrick Brunings to parliament on Tuesday to answer questions about a widespread mass fish die-off in the Saramacca River.

    Nearly all parliamentary factions delivered sharp criticism of the government’s handling of the disaster, pointing to persistent lack of clarity around the root cause of the event, poor outreach to affected rural communities, and frustratingly slow progress on official investigations. By the end of the heated debate, lawmakers gave the government an ultimatum: return to the legislature later this week with comprehensive, detailed answers to outstanding questions.

    During his opening testimony, Brunings outlined the immediate actions taken after initial reports of dead fish first emerged near the village of Totikamp. He confirmed that water and fish samples were collected immediately after the first alerts, local communities were warned to avoid using river water and consuming any fish caught from the waterway, and emergency supplies of drinking water and food were distributed to affected settlements.

    However, the minister explained that critical delays have stemmed from a major gap in Suriname’s domestic scientific capacity: the country lacks sufficient in-country laboratory infrastructure to run detailed contamination testing. As a result, samples had to be routed through French Guiana to specialized testing facilities in France for analysis. Parallel to the laboratory work, the Public Prosecution Service’s Environmental Crime Unit has been tasked with conducting forensic investigations to identify the source of the contamination.

    Brunings openly acknowledged shortcomings in the government’s response, admitting that communication with impacted communities could have been far more effective. In hindsight, he said, the government should have maintained a more visible, consistent presence in the affected region. The disaster, he added, has also exposed two critical, unmet needs for Suriname: a national environmental disaster response plan, and upgraded domestic laboratories that can deliver fast, on-site analysis during emerging crises.

    Lawmakers made clear that Brunings’ explanation did little to ease their widespread concerns. Seven weeks after the first reports of fish mortality, residents still have no confirmed information about what caused the die-off — a gap that assembly members said was unacceptable. Lawmakers pressed for answers on how long residents will need to avoid using the river for water or food, whether all affected villages have received adequate emergency supplies, and why engagement with local communities has been so ineffective. They also pushed for stricter regulatory oversight of Suriname’s gold mining sector, a common source of water contamination in the region, and greater protection for river-dependent communities that rely on the waterway for their daily livelihoods.

    Multiple parliamentarians demanded full transparency around any potential parties responsible for the contamination. They called for disclosure of which concession holders are under investigation, which companies operating in the area use hazardous chemicals, what inspections have already been completed, and what enforcement actions will be taken if negligence or illegal dumping is confirmed. Lawmakers also asked whether the party found responsible will be held liable for all environmental damage and the full cost of the investigation.

    Brunings told the assembly that investigators have identified a suspected source of the contamination, but he refused to name any specific parties until all laboratory results and forensic work are finalized. He projected that the final analysis results will arrive within roughly two weeks, after which officials can formally confirm the exact cause of the disaster and assign responsibility. The minister stressed he has no intention of protecting any party, but also would not name anyone without conclusive, irrefutable evidence to back up the claim.

    Many lawmakers rejected this response, including Rabin Parmessar, leader of the opposition NDP faction, who said that all concrete questions posed to the minister remained unanswered. Parmessar emphasized that the government is legally required to provide full information to the national legislature, and that transparency during an environmental disaster is critical to maintaining public trust. “No information, I repeat with capital letters, no information may be withheld from parliament,” Parmessar told Brunings. He added that if any information is deemed sensitive, the government can always request a closed-door executive session to share it confidentially. Parmessar said he felt “enormous disappointment” with Brunings’ testimony, noting that no substantive answers were provided to specific questions about concession holders, implicated companies, or the status of aid to affected villages. He called the government’s approach to parliamentary oversight completely unacceptable.

    Following the conclusion of the debate, government coordinator Marinus Bee committed to delivering a full, detailed response to all outstanding questions by Thursday. Bee confirmed that multiple government ministers will take part in the next session to address the full range of lawmakers’ concerns.

  • Govt willing to leave MV Barima on sea floor even if there is useful evidence for probe

    Govt willing to leave MV Barima on sea floor even if there is useful evidence for probe

    As of Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips has confirmed that multiple international firms have offered to salvage the sunken ferry MV Barima, but the final call on whether to raise the wreckage will be determined entirely by the families of missing passengers. The sunken vessel is believed to hold the remains of unaccounted-for occupants and key physical evidence that will feed into the official Commission of Inquiry into the sinking, but the government has prioritized family preferences over immediate recovery, Phillips said at a recent press conference.

    When pressed on whether the government’s delay to order salvage was an attempt to suppress concrete evidence of potential engine failure that would be uncovered from a full inspection of the vessel, Phillips denied the accusation but did not provide a direct response. Both Phillips and Captain John Flores, Emergency Operations Coordinator at the Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, have argued that the inquiry can still draw conclusions from survivor and crew testimony even if the wreckage and its engine are never recovered. “Even if you don’t pull the boat and the engine out for inspection, crew and passengers can testify to whether the engine stalled or required emergency repairs at sea,” Phillips explained. “From that testimony, the commission can still draw conclusions about any underlying problems. This can work either way.”

    The government is currently circulating a questionnaire among family members of victims asking whether they support salvaging the MV Barima or prefer to leave the wreck on the seabed as a permanent memorial site. Phillips emphasized that the administration stands ready to honor whatever decision the families reach. “We already have multiple formal offers for salvage on the table, but at this stage, the wishes of the families are the only priority,” he said. “If families indicate they would prefer for the site to remain undisturbed as a memorial, we will move forward with that option.”

    In response to questions about why the government would defer to families when the wreck holds critical evidence about the state of the vessel’s engines, navigation equipment and other factors tied to the sinking’s cause, Phillips reiterated that the government is committed to uncovering the full truth while also respecting the needs of grieving relatives. He added that President Irfaan Ali has held multiple direct meetings with families of survivors and the 30 passengers still listed as missing, and the choice between a memorial and salvage has been a core topic of those discussions.

    Phillips pushed back firmly against speculation that the government is attempting to cover up details of the sinking, and denied claims that officials are quietly pressuring families to oppose salvage. “The government has nothing to hide. I can say that clearly and upfront: we have nothing to hide,” he stated. When asked if the administration was trying to persuade families to support leaving the wreck in place, he replied, “No, no, no. Government is not trying to convince anybody to say anything.” He also declined to answer a specific question about which party first floated the idea of a seabed memorial.

    Beyond questions of salvage, Phillips acknowledged that the Public Works Ministry had lost multiple all-terrain vehicles, fuel, and other supplies when the ferry sank. Unconfirmed reports also indicate an unregistered large generator was among the heavy cargo aboard the vessel. When it comes to lingering questions about whether the MV Barima was overloaded when it sank, Phillips said that determination will be left to the Commission of Inquiry. “From the very start, the government has acknowledged that there are multiple discrepancies in the existing information about this incident,” he said. “There have been public statements that the vessel was not overloaded, but the fact that we have already identified one inconsistency means there may be others that need to be fully examined.”

    In a separate announcement, the Prime Minister confirmed that once the Commission of Inquiry begins its work, the government will cover all transportation costs to bring witnesses from across the country to give testimony.

  • Expert to testify as election petitions case continues

    Expert to testify as election petitions case continues

    Three days of scheduled High Court hearings into two contested 2025 general election results in St. Vincent and the Grenadines moved into its second day on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with an expert witness slated to testify before the court after a full first day of witness testimony and cross-examination on Tuesday. The two petitions, both filed by defeated opposition Unity Labour Party (ULP) candidates, challenge the eligibility of two sitting New Democratic Party (NDP) lawmakers on the grounds of dual citizenship with Canada, a foreign power under the nation’s constitution.

    The first dispute centers on the East Kingstown constituency seat, where incumbent NDP candidate Dwight Fitzgeral Bramble — currently serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment, and Diaspora Affairs in the new NDP administration — secured a second five-year term in the November 2025 general election. Bramble earned 2,728 total votes, beating ULP challenger Luke Browne by a margin of 1,001 votes, with 19 ballots rejected. Browne, who has now lost four consecutive bids for the East Kingstown seat, argues Bramble is constitutionally ineligible to hold office because he holds voluntary Canadian citizenship alongside his birthright Vincentian citizenship, violating the nation’s eligibility requirements for parliamentary office.

    The second petition targets NDP leader Godwin Friday, who now serves as Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, holding additional portfolios for finance, legal affairs and justice, economic planning, and private sector development. Friday secured his sixth consecutive five-year term as Member of Parliament for Northern Grenadines, winning 2,185 votes to ULP challenger Carlos Williams’ 339 — a margin so wide Williams lost his electoral deposit. Like Bramble, Friday holds voluntary Canadian citizenship, which the ULP’s petition argues disqualifies him from office.

    Friday led the NDP to a historic landslide victory in the 2025 general election, winning 14 of the nation’s 15 parliamentary seats. This result marks the second most decisive election outcome in the country’s electoral history, bested only by the NDP’s 1989 clean sweep of all 15 seats.

    Both Friday and Bramble appeared in person at the Kingstown High Court on Tuesday as witnesses testified and underwent cross-examination by legal teams. Speaking to reporters after the first day of hearings, Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago and lead counsel for the government defending the election results, expressed confidence in the government’s position. Ramlogan noted that the petitions come against a backdrop of an overwhelming popular mandate for Friday and the NDP, calling the ongoing proceedings a rare intersection of democratic and judicial processes.

    Ramlogan emphasized that Friday never concealed his dual citizenship status, arguing that Vincentian voters cast their ballots for him and the NDP with full knowledge of his citizenship and long record of public service. “Justice will prevail in the end, and the honourable prime minister will be vindicated,” he told reporters, adding that the scheduled Wednesday session would hear testimony from expert witnesses, with the three-day hearing moving forward incrementally. He also acknowledged the intensity of the judicial process, praising Friday for prioritizing the hearing by clearing his official schedule to attend, noting the public’s right to a timely resolution of the dispute in the interest of democratic governance.

    For the petitioners, Senior Counsel Stuart Young, former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago serving as lead legal counsel, stated the first day of hearings proceeded exactly as the legal team expected, saying only that the outcome of the three-day process would unfold in due course. The case is being heard by Acting High Court Justice Gertel Thom, a retired justice of appeal.

    The challenge to the two NDP candidates’ eligibility began long before the petitions were filed, ahead of the November 2025 election. The ULP published public notices in local media urging voters in both constituencies not to support the NDP candidates, framing a vote for either as a “wasted vote” on an ineligible candidate. The notices cited Section 26(1) of the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which bars any person from election to parliament if they have voluntarily acknowledged allegiance to a foreign power.

    The statutory declaration required of all electoral candidates mandates a statement confirming they have no such allegiance to a foreign state. The pre-election notices argued that Friday and Bramble each voluntarily applied for and obtained Canadian citizenship and passports, and have actively used those documents, putting them in direct violation of the constitutional eligibility requirement. Nomination objections were filed against both candidates on Nomination Day, November 10, 2025, with the petitioners maintaining that an invalid nomination automatically invalidates the election result.

    The legal dispute has drawn divided commentary from domestic legal scholars even before the trial began. Linton Lewis, a former NDP senator and party chairman who has since split with the party, authored pre-election commentaries arguing the eligibility challenge against Friday and Bramble would ultimately succeed in court. Conversely, fellow legal scholar Jason Hayne argued that a correct reading of the SVG constitution explicitly allows Commonwealth citizens — of which Canada is a member — to contest national elections, meaning any dual citizenship-based challenge would fail.

    A notable political irony accompanies the petitions: ULP leader and former Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, whose party brought the challenges, has repeatedly stated in past comments that elections are won at the polls on election day, not in courtrooms. Gonsalves was also present at the High Court for the first day of hearings on Tuesday, July 28.

  • Peters Nicholls Appointed Port Authority Chairman; Commissioners Named

    Peters Nicholls Appointed Port Authority Chairman; Commissioners Named

    A new leadership lineup has been formally installed at the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority Board, bringing a seasoned public servant to the helm of the country’s critical maritime infrastructure governing body. JCI Senator Dorothy Peters Nicholls has been tapped to serve as the board’s new chair, a move that has already drawn broad approval from local governance and community groups.

    JCI Antigua, the national chapter of the global leadership development organization Junior Chamber International, issued a public statement applauding Nicholls’ selection. The organization highlighted Nicholls’ long track record of commitment to public good, proven ability to steer collective initiatives, and consistent drive to advance national progress across the country. In its official recognition, JCI Antigua noted that the appointment stands as a direct reflection of the values Nicholls has demonstrated throughout her career of public engagement.

    Alongside Nicholls’ elevation to chair, several other appointments round out the refreshed board. Rohan P. Hector has been named deputy chair and commissioner, while three additional commissioners – Dr. Troy Allen, Senator Sheella Govia, and Dijon Browne – will also join the governing body. Among the new appointees, Dr. Allen publicly extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Gaston Browne and the national Cabinet for the opportunity to serve on the port authority board.

    The official inauguration of the new board took place in a ceremonial gathering hosted at Government House on Tuesday morning, marking the formal start of the team’s tenure overseeing port operations and maritime development for Antigua and Barbuda.

  • Grey-Brooks Says Political Future Still Undecided After Stepping Down as PAM Leader

    Grey-Brooks Says Political Future Still Undecided After Stepping Down as PAM Leader

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – In a move that has shaken the country’s political landscape ahead of an upcoming general election, Natasha Grey-Brooks, the outgoing Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement (PAM), has confirmed she has not yet made a final decision about her future in public office after formally stepping down from the party’s highest leadership role.

    PAM made the announcement of Grey-Brooks’ departure earlier this week, framing the change as part of a broader internal restructuring effort as the party prepares for the imminent general election campaign. In an extended public statement shared across her social media channels, the attorney by profession revealed that her choice to resign came after months of deliberate, thoughtful contemplation.

    “After much prayer, deep reflection, and many difficult conversations, as you are aware, I have made the decision to step down as Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement,” Grey-Brooks wrote.

    Her exit comes against a backdrop of widespread public speculation over deep internal rifts within the 61-year-old political party. Unofficial reports circulating across social media have claimed that bitter internal infighting and a recent formal leadership challenge against Grey-Brooks contributed to her departure, though neither the claims of division nor the leadership challenge have been officially confirmed by party officials.

    Grey-Brooks openly acknowledged the heavy personal weight of her choice to step down, noting, “This has not been an easy decision. In fact, it has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life.”

    Looking back on her tenure leading the party, she described the role as one of the highest honors of her professional and public life. “Serving as your Political Leader has been one of the greatest honours I have ever known. It gave me the opportunity to travel throughout our beloved Federation, to sit in your homes, to listen to your stories, to share your joys and your struggles, and to better understand the hopes and dreams of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis,” she explained.

    “I entered this role because I genuinely believed, and still believe, that our country deserves the very best. Every decision I made, every meeting I attended, every sacrifice I endured was driven by one simple desire: to help build a stronger, fairer, and more prosperous St. Kitts and Nevis for every citizen,” she added.

    The outgoing leader also admitted that the position carried significant challenges from her first day in office, saying, “From the very first day I accepted this responsibility, it was a challenge. It was not easy.” She opened up about frequent moments where the weight of leadership felt unmanageable, and spoke specifically about the disproportionate pressures she faced as a woman working in Caribbean politics.

    “As a woman in politics, I quickly learned that we often have to work ten times harder to prove ourselves. We are scrutinized differently, judged more harshly, and expected to carry burdens that many never see. Yet I refused to allow those realities to define me,” Grey-Brooks said. “I pushed through every obstacle. I stood firm through criticism. I persevered through adversity. I gave everything I had. I have no regrets about giving my all.”

    Even as she leaves the leadership post, Grey-Brooks reaffirmed her unwavering commitment to the PAM party and its mission. “The People’s Action Movement is larger than any one individual. It is a proud institution that has served this nation for 61 years. It has shaped generations of leaders and contributed tremendously to the development of St. Kitts and Nevis,” she noted.

    She also extended sincere gratitude to her loyal supporters, both in her home constituency of East Basseterre and across the islands, particularly to those who stood by and defended her publicly during periods of intense criticism.

    For the immediate future, Grey-Brooks says she plans to step back from public political life, spending the coming weeks with family, close loved ones and a small circle of trusted political advisers before deliberating on what her next career and political move will be.

    With Grey-Brooks’ departure, PAM now enters what independent political observers have characterized as a critical rebuilding phase, as the party works to reorient itself ahead of the approaching general election. While no official date for the vote has been released by the government, all major political parties in St. Kitts and Nevis have already begun mobilizing grassroots supporters and laying campaign groundwork for what is widely expected to be one of the most fiercely contested general elections in the nation’s recent history.

  • Bellevue Estate Shooting Marks Second Attempt on Alvin Spencer’s Life

    Bellevue Estate Shooting Marks Second Attempt on Alvin Spencer’s Life

    A resident of Antigua and Barbuda has escaped death for the second time in a pre-planned gun attack, more than seven years after he first survived a targeted shooting. Alvin Spencer, who previously survived a 2019 assassination attempt, was struck by a bullet to the neck in Monday evening’s attack outside his Bellevue Estate home.

    Local law enforcement accounts detail that the shooting unfolded shortly after 9:30 p.m., as Spencer pulled his vehicle into his residential driveway. Moments after he arrived, a second vehicle blocked access behind his car. A masked attacker emerged from the suspect vehicle, discharged multiple rounds in Spencer’s direction, then quickly retreated to the getaway car, which fled the scene at high speed immediately after the shooting.

    Emergency responders transported Spencer to the territory’s main public hospital, Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, where he underwent urgent emergency surgery to treat his injury. As of the latest official update, hospital and police officials confirm that Spencer is in stable condition, with no immediate threat to his life.

    This most recent incident mirrors a 2019 attack that also targeted Spencer, occurring on June 17 of that year in Perry Bay. In that earlier shooting, Spencer sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and investigators at the time also categorized the incident as a deliberate, targeted attack. No motive for either attack has been publicly released by authorities to date.

    The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has launched a full criminal investigation into Monday’s attack and is actively calling on members of the public to come forward with any details that could help identify and apprehend the attackers. Investigators with the Criminal Investigations Department have asked that any witnesses who were in the Bellevue Estate area around the time of the shooting, or any person with knowledge of the attack or the suspects’ movements, contact the department directly at 462-3913 or 462-3914.

    For community members who wish to share information without revealing their identity, officials note that anonymous tips can be submitted through the regional Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-TIPS (8477). Investigators stress that even seemingly insignificant details can provide critical breaks in the case, and all information shared will be handled confidentially.

  • Nevis Premier Mark Brantley Says Gaston Browne Should Not Fight EU CBI Ultimatum Alone

    Nevis Premier Mark Brantley Says Gaston Browne Should Not Fight EU CBI Ultimatum Alone

    The European Union’s demand that five Eastern Caribbean nations end their Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs has sparked a push for collective regional action, with Nevis Premier Mark Brantley arguing that Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne should not face the bloc alone. In a wide-ranging interview with Caribbean Business Review, Brantley laid out a case for coordinated pushback through existing regional bodies, warning that the loss of CBI revenue poses an existential threat to small island economies across the Eastern Caribbean.

    Five Caribbean nations – Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia – currently run CBI initiatives that grant citizenship to qualifying foreign investors in exchange for economic contributions. According to interview host Joseph Cox, the EU delivered an official correspondence to all five countries on June 25, setting a firm June 1, 2028 deadline for the permanent discontinuation of these programs. Browne has already publicly rejected the EU’s demand, stating that Antigua and Barbuda will not shut down its program until the bloc presents viable plans to replace the billions in lost annual revenue the initiative generates for the country.

    Brantley expressed full alignment with Browne’s opposition to the EU mandate, but emphasized that individual nations carry far less negotiating weight when facing large global blocs like the EU alone. “I do not believe that Prime Minister Gaston Browne should be speaking for Antigua and Barbuda by himself,” Brantley noted. “What we should see is the OECS having a clear position in relation to this. What we should see is CARICOM stepping forward to tell the EU that this is an existential threat to some of our member states, and that we are ready to negotiate this as a collective.”

    Currently, only Browne has taken a public, forceful stance against the EU’s demand, while the other four CBI-operating countries have remained largely silent on the issue. Brantley pushed back against framing the revenue loss as a mere strategic risk, arguing that it would upend economic stability across the region. All five affected nations rely on CBI inflows to fund critical public services and infrastructure, with dependence ranging from moderate to severe across the group. “In every country there is a high degree of dependence on citizenship-by-investment inflows,” Brantley explained. “We have a crisis on our hands because the question then would be, what do we do to substitute for that loss of revenue?”

    A key point of criticism from Brantley was the omission of the CBI dispute from the agenda of the most recent CARICOM Heads of Government meeting, a gap he called a major cause for concern. He pointed to the widespread regional collective support extended to Guyana amid its ongoing territorial dispute with Venezuela as evidence that CARICOM has a precedent of rallying around members facing external threats to their stability.

    Brantley argued that small sovereign Caribbean states face inherent practical limitations when negotiating independently with larger global powers. While Caribbean nations hold sovereign status and representation at the United Nations, he noted that their small size leaves them at a structural disadvantage. Echoing a natural analogy, he argued that unity is the only path to survival: “A great white shark may swim alone, but if you have minnows that swim together, their chances of survival are enhanced when they do that. We already have the regional institutions and infrastructure to speak with one voice on this issue.”

    Moving forward, Brantley proposed a two-pronged strategy for the region: first, OECS member states should collectively request extended deadline from the EU beyond the current 2028 timeline, arguing that a longer transition is more reasonable than a earlier phase-out. Second, the region must accelerate efforts to diversify its economies away from heavy reliance on CBI revenue, shifting CBI models to prioritize value-added investment rather than just expanding the number of new program entrants.

    Brantley identified renewable energy development as a core pillar of economic diversification that can reduce Caribbean vulnerability to global energy shocks. He highlighted Nevis’ largely untapped geothermal energy potential, noting that the island could eventually export low-cost clean electricity to neighboring islands including Antigua and Barbuda. This shift would reduce regional dependence on imported fossil fuels, insulating local economies from global price volatility caused by geopolitical conflicts in major energy producing regions.

    In addition to renewable energy, Brantley called on regional governments to deepen engagement with the Caribbean diaspora, tapping into the community’s capital, expertise, and business development experience to drive new economic growth. He emphasized that Caribbean nations cannot rely on external powers to solve their economic challenges, warning that the global operating environment for small states is only growing more difficult. “Nobody’s coming to save the Caribbean,” Brantley said. “We have to save ourselves.”

    Brantley concluded by reaffirming that individual claims to sovereignty do not make up for the increased negotiating power that comes with collective action. “A collective approach is a far better approach, particularly when we’re dealing with middle and large powers,” he said. “Our leverage is much, much better when we engage together.” He closed by repeating his regret over the omission of the CBI issue from the recent CARICOM agenda, calling the gap a failure that regional leaders must correct at their next summit.