Carib Scope

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  • The Phone Call That Opened Doors for Rachel Sedacy

    The Phone Call That Opened Doors for Rachel Sedacy

    In a heartfelt reunion that underscores the transformative power of one small act of courage and generosity, Belizean entrepreneur Rachel Sedacy has reconnected with the British businessman and philanthropist Lord Michael Ashcroft, the man who helped turn her dream of education and success into reality 18 years ago.

    At 40, Sedacy now leads The Fifth Element, a niche boutique consultancy that blends strategic business innovation with insights from consumer psychology and cognitive behavioral practice. Her path to success, however, began with a longshot gamble that most young professionals would never dare to take.

    Raised in a insular religious community that left her with a narrow perspective of the world, 22-year-old Sedacy was working as an administrative assistant at Belize Bank International in 2008 when she obtained Lord Ashcroft’s personal phone number. Against all conventional wisdom, she decided to reach out cold to pitch her dream: funding for a university education abroad that would let her build a better future and eventually return home to lift up other Belizeans.

    The first call ended abruptly with a joke that caught Sedacy off guard: when Ashcroft realized he was speaking to a young Belizean, he joked, “you are speaking to the devil himself,” prompting a flustered Sedacy to hang up. But she gathered her courage to call back, explain her goal clearly, and within minutes, Ashcroft invited her to meet him for lunch during her break at Le Petite Café.

    Her raw determination struck a chord with the philanthropist. Ashcroft agreed to fully fund her studies at Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, but he set two non-negotiable conditions: first, that she would return to Belize after graduating to contribute to her home country’s development, and second, that she would pay the generosity forward by supporting another aspiring person when she found success.

    Sedacy threw herself into her studies, earning advanced degrees in marketing, business analytics and consumer psychology, and adding certification as a cognitive behavior practitioner to bring a uniquely human-centered perspective to her business work. Her firm’s data-driven, people-first approach quickly earned recognition across the region, culminating in a regional award for her work in sustainable energy, cementing her status as one of Belize’s rising entrepreneurial stars.

    When word reached Sedacy that Lord Ashcroft was returning to Belize in June 2026 to celebrate his 80th birthday, she made it her mission to reconnect with the man who changed her life, to show him that she had kept both of her promises. After multiple attempts to coordinate the meeting, the pair reunited at the same Le Petite Café where their first discussion took place 18 years prior.

    “It is very nice to see you, after all this time, its absolutely fantastic,” Ashcroft told Sedacy as the pair caught up, reflecting on the long journey from that first casual meeting to Sedacy’s current success. “Even now I am feeling a little emotional as we both are at what that one meeting eighteen years ago has led to. From this day forward, this friendship we have, we will build on it, and I hope I can help you further and that we become great friends.”

    Ashcroft joked about his reputation as a tough, no-nonsense businessman, saying with a laugh, “Unfortunately, we really should not be telling people that, otherwise it is going to ruin my reputation. You got to bear in mind, I am regarded as the devil, so nice stories like this don’t do me any good at all. They will suddenly realize I am a big softy.”

    For Sedacy, the reunion marked the end of a full circle that began with one bold phone call. She has not only returned to Belize to build her career and contribute to the local economy, but has already worked to support other young Belizeans chasing their own ambitions, fulfilling the second condition Ashcroft set 18 years prior. The story stands as a reminder that a single chance encounter, rooted in courage on one side and generosity on the other, can reshape a life and create ripples of impact that extend across decades.

    This report was compiled from original on-the-ground reporting by Paul Lopez for Belize’s News Five.

  • Police mull uniform change to beat Crop Over heat

    Police mull uniform change to beat Crop Over heat

    As Barbados prepares for the annual Crop Over festival and braces for a predicted extreme heatwave, the nation’s police force has thrown its full support behind a groundbreaking proposal to swap traditional heavy uniforms for lighter, more climate-appropriate alternatives during the event. In an exclusive confirmation with Barbados TODAY, Police Association of Barbados President Inspector Wendly Carter outlined the details of the initiative, which has been under active review by government and law enforcement leadership for months.

  • BYD Launches SUV Promising Relief at Pump

    BYD Launches SUV Promising Relief at Pump

    As Belizean consumers grapple with steeply rising fuel prices and growing uncertainty over long-term fuel supply, Chinese automotive giant BYD has officially launched its latest plug-in hybrid midsize SUV in the Central American nation, positioning the new model as a accessible, cost-cutting solution for everyday drivers.

    The launch, held on June 12, 2026, comes at a critical juncture for Belize, where sudden fuel price hikes have put unprecedented financial strain on household transportation budgets. BYD Belize, the official authorized distributor for the BYD brand in the country, introduced the BYD Song Plus—a plug-in hybrid electric SUV designed to combine the emissions and cost benefits of electric driving with the flexibility of a traditional gasoline engine for longer trips.

    In an interview following the launch, BYD Belize Managing Director Ryan Marin, a 14-year veteran of the new vehicle industry, emphasized that the timing of the brand’s market expansion could not be better matched to Belize’s current energy challenges. “Not only is fuel prices an issue, but the availability of fuel down the road,” Marin noted. “BYD is actually inventing a product that solves a serious problem. And the solution is to have electrified mobility that customers can have a charger installed at their home or use the public network and basically be free of having to go the gas station or depend on the high gas prices plaguing us right now.”

    Marin highlighted a key gap the brand aims to fill in Belize’s auto market: for years, affordable, reliable new vehicles with strong after-sales support have remained out of reach for many consumers. BYD’s core goal, he explained, is to expand accessible options for local buyers, delivering safer vehicles backed by a dedicated local support team. Unlike fully electric vehicles that may cause range anxiety in smaller markets with uneven charging infrastructure, the BYD Song Plus is engineered as an electric-first vehicle with a backup gasoline engine, allowing drivers to travel across any region of Belize—from coastal Placencia to northern Corozal and southern Punta Gorda—without worrying about charging access or range. The gasoline engine only activates when needed, delivering exceptional fuel efficiency for daily and long-distance use.

    As the official authorized distributor, BYD Belize customers are eligible for a manufacturer-backed 8-year or 150,000-kilometer warranty, providing long-term peace of mind for buyers making the switch to electrified mobility. Industry observers note that the launch marks a growing shift toward alternative energy vehicles in small Caribbean and Central American markets, where volatile global fuel prices have made electrified transportation an increasingly attractive option for cost-conscious consumers.

  • Guyana draagt voormalig minister voor als kandidaat voor VN-secretaris-generaal

    Guyana draagt voormalig minister voor als kandidaat voor VN-secretaris-generaal

    On June 12, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali made a landmark announcement confirming that his government has officially put forward Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, the nation’s current permanent representative to the United Nations, as its candidate to succeed outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose second and final term concludes at the end of 2026.

    In his official statement, President Ali emphasized that Rodrigues-Birkett’s nomination marks a pivotal moment that reflects both Guyana’s expanding global footprint and the small Caribbean nation’s growing ambition to contribute more meaningfully to the multilateral global system. The head of state pointed to Guyana’s recent assumption of a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2024–2025 term as evidence of the country’s rising international standing, highlighting its active engagement in critical global debates spanning peace and security, climate action, food security, sustainable development, and global energy security in recent years.

    Against the backdrop of this growing influence, Ali noted that the time has come for Guyana to put forward a candidate for the UN’s most senior diplomatic post. “Guyana has steadily emerged as an increasingly prominent and influential voice within the international community,” Ali stated, framing the nomination as a natural next step for the nation’s evolving global role.

    Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett is widely recognized as one of Guyana’s most seasoned and accomplished diplomats. She has served as the country’s permanent representative to the UN Headquarters in New York since 2020, a tenure that saw her play a central leadership role during Guyana’s ongoing Security Council term. Before taking up her current UN posting, Rodrigues-Birkett held multiple senior roles across global and national governance, including serving as Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office in Geneva. She has also held several cabinet positions in the Guyanese government, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, giving her decades of high-level experience in both domestic governance and international diplomacy.

    President Ali underscored that Rodrigues-Birkett brings the deep diplomatic expertise, extensive global network, and proven leadership skills needed to guide the United Nations through an era defined by overlapping global crises: ongoing armed conflicts, accelerating climate change, widespread food insecurity, and rising geopolitical polarization. “These challenging times demand a leader with the credentials and vision to unite the international community around shared solutions,” Ali noted.

    The nomination also marks a defining step in Guyana’s efforts to cement its presence on the global stage. If Rodrigues-Birkett is successfully elected, she will make history as the first person from Guyana to hold the post of UN Secretary-General, and only one of a small number of leaders from the Caribbean region to ever lead the world body.

    Over the coming months, the selection process for the new Secretary-General will unfold through intensive behind-the-scenes diplomatic consultations among the UN’s 193 member states. The final appointment follows an established procedure, requiring endorsement by the UN Security Council before formal approval by the UN General Assembly.

  • Universal free pre-primary education ‘to begin in September’

    Universal free pre-primary education ‘to begin in September’

    Barbados is set to roll out a landmark universal free pre-primary education programme for all qualifying three and four-year-olds starting this September, marking a major expansion of the island nation’s early childhood learning ecosystem, with education leaders emphasizing the critical role of parental partnership in preparing young learners for this new phase.

    The launch of the initiative was the central focus of a recent Pre-Primary Expansion Parent Engagement Session hosted at George Lamming Primary School, where senior education officials outlined the programme’s goals, structure, and next steps for families ahead of its official rollout. Deputy Chief Education Officer Julia Beckles highlighted that the scheme is far more than a childcare service, centered instead on delivering intentional, curriculum-aligned learning experiences tailored to young children’s natural development.

    “We are excited about the possibilities this expansion unlocks, and we have made steady progress to open up additional spots for three and four-year-olds across the country,” Beckles told attendees. “This is not daycare. This is structured learning rooted in a formal early childhood curriculum. Even as children engage in play and age-appropriate activities, they will make meaningful developmental gains that set them up for long-term success.”

    Beckles added that education authorities welcome open feedback from parents ahead of the September 2026 launch, encouraging caregivers to share questions, concerns, and suggestions to refine the rollout process. The programme forms a core pillar of the Government of Barbados’ Every Child Barbados national education transformation agenda, which aims to reduce opportunity gaps and advance equitable access to high-quality learning from early childhood onward.

    “Every child in Barbados deserves a strong start to their educational journey,” noted Jenise Clarke, an Education Officer within the Ministry of Education Transformation. “No matter what community a child comes from, what their family’s income level is, or what their personal background may be, they are entitled to free, quality early childhood education that prepares them for primary school and beyond.”

    Beyond outlining the policy itself, the engagement session offered evidence-based, practical guidance to parents on how to prepare their children for the transition to structured pre-primary learning. Shioma Francis-Porte, another Education Officer in the transformation ministry, urged families to establish consistent daily routines early, including fixed bedtimes and dedicated quiet time for shared reading and open conversation.

    “Consistent routines help young children build independence, self-regulation, and the foundational skills they need to be ready to learn,” Francis-Porte explained, reminding attendees that “you are your child’s first teacher – not us.” She encouraged parents to nurture children’s communication skills through casual conversation during daily tasks, shared storytime, singing traditional nursery rhymes and local Barbadian cultural songs, and to help children build social-emotional skills by teaching them to share, name their emotions, use kind language, and practice empathy.

    Francis-Porte also emphasized that play is the most effective vehicle for early learning, urging parents to support unstructured imaginative play, creative activities like drawing, outdoor exploration, and to limit excessive recreational screen time. Education Officer Dwane Goddard focused on supporting children’s overall physical and emotional well-being ahead of enrollment, advising parents to prioritize healthy habits including balanced meals, consistent water intake, regular physical activity, and keeping children’s preventive health check-ups and vaccinations up to date.

    “Good nutrition, regular movement, and consistent healthcare all lay the foundation for children’s overall well-being and ability to learn,” Goddard said. He also encouraged caregivers to practice positive discipline, maintain open lines of communication with their children, and monitor children’s online activity to keep them safe. “Children thrive and learn best when they feel safe, loved, and supported at home,” he added.

    Goddard stressed that ongoing parental engagement with schools is a key driver of children’s long-term success, noting: “Your involvement makes a significant difference in your child’s outcome. Learning begins at home, and it continues in the classroom.” He also encouraged families to center Barbadian culture and identity in daily activities with their children, while teaching young learners to respect diversity in all its forms.

    “Parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. Together, we can nurture confident, caring, creative, and capable learners who will build the future of Barbados,” Goddard said.

    Two additional education officers, Tanya Byone and Natasha Reeves, walked attendees through building foundational self-help and academic readiness skills. They recommended that parents help children practice independent daily skills including handwashing, communicating when they need to use the bathroom, and managing clothing fasteners like buttons and zippers on their own. To strengthen cognitive, communication, and social skills ahead of enrollment, they encouraged families to incorporate simple counting activities, colour recognition games, puzzles, shared story reading, and group play opportunities into daily routines.

    To qualify for the programme, children must turn three or four years old by September 1 of this year. The Ministry of Education has advised parents to prepare required documentation ahead of enrollment, including official birth certificates, proof of residential address, up-to-date immunization records, passport-sized photographs, and any required immigration documentation, and to monitor official ministry channels for further announcements and updates.

  • Grassalco heeft voor het eerst meerkoppige directie

    Grassalco heeft voor het eerst meerkoppige directie

    State-owned mining company Staatsmijnbouwbedrijf N.V. Grassalco of Suriname has marked a major milestone in its corporate restructuring, establishing its first multi-member executive board following key leadership appointments approved at an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders held Friday. The expansion of the executive team is a government-backed initiative designed to strengthen the firm’s operational governance and secure long-term operational continuity, according to official announcements.

    Johan Seymor has been named President-Director of the firm, succeeding Natascha Kalo, who stepped into the interim role after former President-Director Wesley Rozenhout was placed on inactive leave. Two additional executive roles were filled in the new leadership structure: Berto Sampi, who previously served as President Commissioner, will take up the post of Operational Director, while Jerney Noordzee joins as Financial Director. These appointments formalize the first distributed leadership structure in Grassalco’s history.

    The company’s Supervisory Board has also undergone a comprehensive refresh. Marlon Cotino was appointed President Commissioner, filling the vacancy left by Sampi’s move to the executive team, with Lindsey Sanné joining the board as an additional commissioner. All appointments were confirmed during the meeting hosted at the Ministry of Natural Resources, chaired by Minister David Abiamofo, who represented the Suriname government — the majority shareholder of the state-owned enterprise.

    Minister Abiamofo expressed full confidence in the new leadership team, local outlet NH reports. The minister noted that the revised governance structure is better aligned with Grassalco’s long-term growth ambitions and planned future development in Suriname’s resources sector.

    Each new executive brings deep, sector-relevant experience to their roles: Seymor boasts more than 17 years of professional experience in the mining industry; Sampi has been a dedicated member of the Grassalco organization since 2006, giving him intimate institutional knowledge of the firm’s operations; and Noordzee, a trained business economist, brings over two decades of financial leadership experience gained at SURPOST.

    This round of leadership appointments represents the next critical phase of Grassalco’s ongoing corporate restructuring, at a time when the firm remains a cornerstone of Suriname’s domestic mining and natural resources industry. The restructuring effort aims to position the state-owned enterprise to better support the country’s economic growth and resource development goals in coming years.

  • Defending champs West Terrace Primary advance to quarter finals

    Defending champs West Terrace Primary advance to quarter finals

    The knockout round of the National Sports Council/BICO Primary School Football Competition has wrapped up its Round of 16 matches, with eight elite teams punching their tickets to the upcoming quarter-finals, and a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s championship final already building buzz among young football fans across the country.

    Defending tournament title holders West Terrace Primary secured their spot in the final eight with a hard-fought 1-0 shutout victory over Reynold Weekes Primary, with Neymar Forde netting the decisive lone goal of the match to seal the win. Last year’s tournament runners-up Arthur Smith Primary also advanced to the next round, but they were pushed to the limit by a determined St Paul’s Primary side, needing a penalty shootout to secure a 4-3 edge on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw in full regulation time. St Paul’s forward Zeshawn Shorey delivered a standout individual performance in regulation, notching a hat-trick to put his side in position to pull off an upset, while Arthur Smith found the back of the net from Jakkori Best and Tristan Carew-Stephens, plus a late own goal that forced the match to penalties.

    Two other Round of 16 matches on Friday at St George’s Greens Playing Field also delivered clear results. Host representative St George Primary dominated Bernard’s Primary 2-0 to advance, with Tyree Cumberbatch and Cameron Hope each finding the score sheet. Deacons Primary also secured a 2-0 victory over Roland Edwards Primary, with Adrian Allen and Jaylen Fenty combining for the winning goals to book Deacons’ quarter-final spot.

    The first four quarter-final berths were claimed a day earlier, on Thursday, in a series of tightly contested matches. Milton Lynch Primary picked up a 3-0 win over All Saints Primary, with Amari Callender, Jovanni Bascombe and Shakir Perch all splitting the goals for the winning side. Wesley Hall Primary advanced with a 2-0 shutout of Hitz 106.7 FM Bay Primary, with Shaquri Burgess and Tazarie Marshall notching one goal apiece. St Stephen’s Primary edged past Blackman and Gollop Primary 1-0 thanks to a single first-half strike from Sirr Dash, while St Cyprians Primary claimed a 1-0 victory over Providence Primary, with Tashim Welch’s second-half goal proving to be the game-winner.

    All quarter-final matches are scheduled to take place on June 15 at the Greens Playing Field, setting up four compelling matchups for football fans to enjoy. St Stephen’s will square off against Milton Lynch, St Cyprians will take on Wesley Hall, and Deacons will go head-to-head against St George. But the undoubted highlight of the quarter-final draw is the marquee matchup between defending champion West Terrace Primary and last year’s runner-up Arthur Smith Primary, a rematch of the 2023 tournament final.

    Both sides have entered the quarter-final round undefeated through the 2024 competition, and both have made clear their goal of reaching the semi-finals, which are scheduled to be held at the Barbados Football Association’s Technical Centre on June 18. The 2024 tournament final will also take place at the Technical Centre, with the championship match set for June 27.

  • New DNA Testing May Help Identify Decades-Old Human Remains in Belize

    New DNA Testing May Help Identify Decades-Old Human Remains in Belize

    For nearly three decades, four sets of unclaimed human skeletons have laid in storage across Belize, their identities unknown, and their families left without closure. Now, a new effort by the country’s National Forensic Science Service (NFSS) is leveraging advanced genetic testing to finally put names to these remains and bring answers to waiting loved ones. The oldest of the remains dates all the way back to 1998, and decades of exposure and degradation have long rendered standard identification techniques, such as fingerprint analysis, useless. Traditional DNA testing used by the agency, which can crack recent cases in just 48 hours, also fails to extract usable genetic material from these aged bones. To overcome this barrier, forensic investigators are turning to mitochondrial DNA testing, a specialized method proven to recover viable genetic information even from severely degraded biological samples. NFSS Executive Director Gian Cho explained that once genetic profiles are generated from the remains, the team will cross-reference the data against the country’s missing persons database, which has been systematically standardized since 2013. Investigators will narrow potential matches by cross-checking key details: biological sex, estimated age at death, ancestry, height, and documented skeletal trauma that matches reports from missing person cases. Cho noted that the 2013 standardization push created consistent, complete case files that preserve critical contextual information, even for remains recovered years before the database overhaul. For many Belizean families, the new initiative comes as a long-awaited beacon of hope, even as new missing persons cases continue to add to the country’s growing roster of cold cases. Just last year, 38-year-old Mason Patnett vanished from his home in Vista Del Mar, leaving his relatives trapped in a cycle of uncertainty. Just under three months ago, Deborah “Bree” Arthurs, a call center employee, disappeared while traveling to her home in Belmopan. Relatives of both missing people fear their cases will also become cold, joining the ranks of the unidentified remains the NFSS is now working to solve. Speaking to local outlet News 5 this past January, a member of Patnett’s family described the constant emotional toll of not knowing their loved one’s fate. “Every time we hear of a potential body or anything like that, we’re going to go through the same emotions every single time,” they said. “We just want to find him at this point.” The NFSS’s new genetic testing project marks one of the most comprehensive efforts to address Belize’s backlog of unidentified remains, offering the possibility of closure for dozens of families who have waited years — even decades — for answers.

  • COMMENTARY: Why the IRC says the distributed renewable energy framework is far from final

    COMMENTARY: Why the IRC says the distributed renewable energy framework is far from final

    In recent days, widespread conversation has erupted across social media and public platforms in Dominica regarding the proposed Distributed Renewable Energy Generation Framework, which is currently undergoing review by the country’s Independent Regulatory Commission (IRC). After observing the discourse for some time, the head of the commission has stepped forward to correct widespread misinformation that has caused unnecessary anxiety among residents and stakeholders.

    The core misunderstanding that has spread through public conversation is the false claim that the framework has already been finalized, approved, and is ready to be imposed on the country’s electricity sector. The commission stresses that this could not be further from the truth. What is currently being discussed is nothing more than an initial working draft compiled by an external consultant, who pulled together regulatory models and approaches successfully used in other jurisdictions to create a starting point for public conversation. At this early stage, the document was never intended to serve as a final, binding policy.

    The entire purpose of the current process is to assess this draft, separate elements that fit Dominica’s unique energy landscape, electricity grid, and customer needs from those that do not, and ultimately craft a customized framework aligned with the country’s specific goals. Even more importantly, the commission emphasizes that the review process is still in its absolute earliest phases, far from any final decision.

    To address concerns that policy would be developed behind closed doors without public input, the IRC proactively established a diverse stakeholder committee before work on the framework even began. The committee includes owners of existing distributed renewable energy systems, industry vendors, residential energy customers, representatives from Dominica’s key hospitality sector, and other relevant sector stakeholders. This broad membership was intentionally selected to ensure all voices can be heard, and all perspectives can shape the framework before any final votes are taken. To date, the committee has held only one introductory meeting, where members shared initial feedback, raised concerns, flagged elements that may not work for Dominica, and identified areas in need of adjustment. That is the full extent of progress made so far.

    One of the most heated sources of public confusion surrounds the proposed “buy all, sell all” energy model referenced in the consultant’s draft. Many residents with existing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have raised alarms that this model would be forced on them, but the commission clarifies that the model is only one of many options under review. During the first committee meeting, concerns about the model’s impact on existing renewable system owners were raised immediately, and committee members acknowledged that key aspects of the approach may not fit Dominica’s context. That said, early discussion is already trending toward making participation in any grid connection or buy-sell arrangement voluntary, letting customers themselves decide whether they want to opt in. No final decisions on this point have been made.

    A second major source of misinformation involves rumors of finalised buy and sell pricing for distributed renewable energy, which the IRC says are completely unfounded. Pricing structures have not been settled, and will not be discussed and finalized until core framework elements including capacity thresholds, participation categories, technical safety requirements, and grid integration protocols are fully developed. Any pricing decisions will require detailed negotiation and analysis between the IRC and DOMLEC, the island’s main electricity provider, to ensure the model is fair, technically feasible, and financially sustainable for all parties.

    Contrary to claims that the framework is intended to restrict distributed renewable energy growth, the IRC stresses that the opposite is true. The entire project is designed to create a clear, fair regulatory environment that incentivizes expanded renewable energy adoption across the island. The commission recognizes that many Dominicans install solar and other distributed systems to gain energy independence, improve resilience after tropical storms, and lock in long-term energy cost savings, and these priorities are central to the drafting process. At the same time, the commission has a legal and ethical responsibility to ensure any new framework is technically safe for the national grid, fair to all customers, and sustainable over the long term for the country as a whole.

    For the past two months, the IRC’s work was prioritized to a comprehensive tariff review for DOMLEC, which delayed progress on the renewable framework. Now that the tariff review is largely complete, the commission will schedule additional committee meetings to advance discussions. After the stakeholder committee concludes its work, the revised draft will be released for a full, island-wide public consultation period, to capture additional feedback and concerns that may have been missed during early discussions.

    The IRC says it welcomes all constructive public engagement, including questions, comments, and fair criticism of the draft framework. However, it urges residents and stakeholders to distinguish between an early discussion draft and a final, binding regulatory decision – two very different stages of the policy process. The commission appreciates the widespread public enthusiasm for expanding renewable energy in Dominica, which it calls a positive sign for the country’s clean energy future, but it wants to reassure residents that no final decisions have been made, and official updates will be released regularly as the process moves forward. The public is encouraged to follow official IRC channels for accurate updates, and to continue participating in the process by submitting feedback to ensure the final framework reflects the needs and interests of all Dominicans.

  • Geotechnical engineer drills out GY$17 million from Jagdeo for defamation

    Geotechnical engineer drills out GY$17 million from Jagdeo for defamation

    On Friday, 12 June 2026, Guyana High Court Judge Fidela Lincoln-Corbin delivered a landmark defamation ruling holding current Guyanese Second Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo financially liable for defamatory comments he made against prominent senior engineer Charles Ceres back in 2019.

    The case stems from a press conference held on 27 June 2019, when Jagdeo was serving as Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). At that event, Jagdeo made damaging public statements about Ceres’ 2019 land acquisition deal with his then-wife.

    In her written ruling, Judge Lincoln-Corbin confirmed that Ceres had presented unchallenged evidence proving Jagdeo either personally published or authorized the publication of the defamatory claims against the engineer. The judge ultimately dismissed all three of Jagdeo’s core legal defenses: justification, fair comment, and qualified privilege. She emphasized that Jagdeo failed to introduce any credible evidence to support any of his defensive claims, despite cross-examining Ceres over the course of the trial in an apparent attempt to validate his arguments.

    Alongside the GY$15 million in defamation damages owed directly to Ceres, Jagdeo was also ordered to pay an additional GY$2,150,000 to cover Ceres’ court costs. The ruling also addressed co-defendants Tusika Martin, Editor-in-Chief of the *Guyana Times*, and the newspaper outlet itself. After reviewing the full audio recording of the 2019 press conference that was entered into evidence, Judge Lincoln-Corbin found that while the outlet’s news headline did not clarify the piece was a report on the press conference, the body of the article constituted a fair and accurate summary of Jagdeo’s original remarks. As a result, the judge awarded discretionary costs of GY$1 million to Martin and the *Guyana Times*.

    Ceres, a globally recognized geotechnical engineer and groundwater hydrologist with more than four decades of professional experience, was represented in court by attorney Darren Wade. Jagdeo’s legal team was led by barristers C.V. Satram and Ron Motilall.

    Shortly after the ruling was issued, Wade announced on his Facebook page that Ceres plans to appeal the court’s decision as it relates to *Guyana Times*, and will also push for a higher damages award against Jagdeo. Even so, Wade publicly urged the vice president to resolve the matter immediately by paying the ordered damages rather than pursuing an appeal. “Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, please pay up as soon as possible. Do not let anyone convince you that there is any real prospect of success on appeal,” Wade stated.