Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • Could Grenada be ready for a different kind of social experience?

    Could Grenada be ready for a different kind of social experience?

    For many adults, forging new meaningful social connections has become an unexpected challenge. It is far too common to attend a public gathering, stick closely to the group you arrived with, and depart hours later without ever exchanging a single genuine conversation with someone new. Now, a fresh community-focused concept called Conversations at Sunset aims to test whether Grenada’s adult population is craving a different approach to socializing.

    Tailored specifically for single and unattached adults ranging from 30 to 99 years old, the initiative centers on bringing people together through engaging dialogue, shared recreational experiences, and curated social outings aligned with participants’ interests. Unlike rushed speed dating events or noisy, overwhelming parties that often leave adults feeling unfulfilled, Conversations at Sunset is carving out a new space for low-pressure, intentional connection. Event possibilities span a wide range of activities: from relaxed sunset meetups and intimate dinner discussions to game nights, weekend brunches, guided hikes, cultural exploration tours, group excursions, and collaborative learning opportunities where participants can pick up a new skill together.

    The core premise of the project is straightforward: adults can attend alone if they choose, enjoy thoughtful conversation, and gradually expand their social circles with like-minded people in the area. Before launching full events, however, the team behind Conversations at Sunset is first conducting a community needs assessment to gather direct input from local adults who may be interested in participating.

    The initiative is currently inviting all eligible adults to share their input: applicants must be 30 years of age or older, currently reside in Grenada, Carriacou, or Petite Martinique, and be either gainfully employed, self-employed, or happily retired. Interested parties only need to complete a short expression-of-interest form, where they can outline what types of social experiences they would be most excited to join. There is no fee to fill out the form, and no requirement to commit to attending any future events at this stage. Organizers emphasize that this initial step is solely to gather community feedback to shape the project around what local adults actually want.

    Those interested in sharing their input can scan the QR code featured on the official Conversations at Sunset promotional flyer or follow the linked prompt on the original announcement to access the form. This initiative is led by Icon Leadership, and NOW Grenada notes that it does not take responsibility for contributor opinions, statements, or shared media content, with a dedicated link available for users to report any abusive content.

  • World Duchenne Awareness Day: ‘Access changes lives’

    World Duchenne Awareness Day: ‘Access changes lives’

    Around the world, an estimated 300,000 people currently live with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a devastating rare genetic disorder that impacts one in every 5,000 newborn boys globally. For generations, a diagnosis of DMD carried a grim prognosis: most patients did not survive past their late teens or early 20s. Today, advances in clinical care have transformed that outlook, pushing average life expectancy well into the late 20s and early 30s, with many patients now living into their 40s thanks to improved care standards.

    DMD is a progressive muscle-wasting condition caused by a genetic mutation on the X chromosome that disrupts production of dystrophin, a critical protein that protects and maintains muscle tissue. Because the mutation is carried on the X chromosome, it overwhelmingly affects males, who only inherit one copy of the chromosome. The first signs of DMD typically emerge in early childhood, when parents notice developmental delays related to muscle strength. As the condition progresses, muscle weakness spreads throughout the body: patients first lose the ability to walk independently, then experience declining control of other motor functions, and eventually face impaired heart and respiratory function, since both organs are made of muscle tissue. The lack of dystrophin also impacts brain function, leading to common secondary challenges including learning differences and behavioral disorders. As one of the most prevalent rare genetic disorders affecting children, DMD now has an official global platform for awareness: in 2024, the United Nations General Assembly voted to designate September 7 as World Duchenne Awareness Day.

    The 2026 observance of World Duchenne Awareness Day centers on the transformative theme “Access Changes Lives”, a rallying cry that is both a call to collective action and a shared commitment across global stakeholders. The theme challenges policymakers, healthcare providers, researchers, pharmaceutical and biotech industry leaders, patient advocacy groups, educators, and local communities to collaborate in identifying and dismantling systemic barriers that prevent DMD patients from thriving. It frames progress in the DMD space not only by scientific breakthroughs, but by whether every person living with the condition can actually access the care, support, and opportunities needed to build a full, meaningful life.

    Equitable access to healthcare is one of the most pressing unmet needs for DMD communities, particularly for people in marginalized populations and low-resource regions. Access is the single greatest determinant of positive health outcomes for people living with DMD, encompassing equal access to accurate diagnostic information, early and timely testing, multidisciplinary evidence-based care, specialized clinical services, participation in clinical trials, and cutting-edge innovative therapies. As scientific understanding of DMD deepens and new treatment options continue to reach the global market, leaders have emphasized that these advances must deliver tangible benefits to every affected individual and family, regardless of their geographic location, socioeconomic status, or the limitations of their national healthcare system.

    Beyond clinical care, access also means empowering patients and their families with the knowledge, resources, and support networks required to make informed decisions at every stage of their DMD journey. From the moment of diagnosis through adulthood, consistent access to reliable health information, coordinated care plans, assistive technologies, and peer community support delivers profound improvements to long-term health outcomes, overall well-being, and quality of life.

    Access also extends far beyond the healthcare system to full social inclusion and participation. People living with DMD deserve equal opportunity to engage fully in every dimension of society, including formal education, gainful employment, recreational sports and activities, cultural events, travel, and social connection. Achieving this requires intentional investment in accessible built environments, improved mobility and transportation infrastructure, the removal of both physical and attitudinal social barriers, and a widespread commitment to upholding equal rights for all disabled people.

    While the past several decades have brought remarkable progress in DMD research, clinical care, and treatment options, stark disparities in access persist across countries and communities worldwide. Today, millions of affected individuals and families still face unnecessary barriers that shorten life expectancy, limit opportunities, and exclude them from full participation in community life.

    First systematically documented in detail in the 1860s by Dr. Duchenne de Boulogne, the condition now bears his name in recognition of his early pioneering work. Through its official designation of World Duchenne Awareness Day, the United Nations has encouraged all global stakeholders to proactively raise public awareness of the unique challenges and needs of DMD patients and families as part of the broader rare disease community. This work includes national awareness campaigns, public educational programs, and widespread dissemination of accurate information, all with the dual goals of building greater public understanding and empathy for people affected by DMD and advancing global solidarity for rare disease equity.

    For 2026, World Duchenne Awareness Day is framed as more than just an annual moment of awareness. It is a global call to action for access, fairness, and tangible change for the 300,000 people living with DMD across the globe.

  • Why Was Barry Johnston Targeted?

    Why Was Barry Johnston Targeted?

    Authorities in Belize are working around the clock to unpack the circumstances surrounding a deadly Monday night shooting that claimed the life of 33-year-old Barry Johnston in the Kings Park neighborhood of Belize City.

    The violent incident unfolded at the intersection of F and Seventh Street, where first responders were dispatched immediately after multiple 911 calls reported the sound of gunfire ringing out through the area. Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement officers confirmed Johnston had suffered fatal gunshot wounds and died before emergency medical teams could intervene.

    Unnamed law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the ongoing investigation have revealed preliminary findings that suggest Johnston was followed to the shooting site before the assailant opened fire. The attacker is believed to have used an automatic-style weapon to carry out the attack. Review of nearby security camera footage captured a suspect vehicle speeding away from the scene onto 6th Street, which investigators are now using to trace potential connections to the gunman.

    A second individual caught in the line of fire during the attack sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was rushed to Belize’s largest medical facility, Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. As of the latest update, the unnamed second victim remains in stable condition as he recovers from his wounds.

    Court and police records show that Johnston was no stranger to law enforcement involvement: he faced criminal charges back in 2015 tied to a separate firearms incident that left a 16-year-old teenager injured. The 2015 event unfolded on the grounds of Queen Square Primary School, where Johnston and two co-accused individuals—Lloyd Leslie Jr and Dwayne Evelyn—were waiting for a third person to settle an old dispute. According to original police accounts from that incident, a weapon the group was handling misfired, striking the teenage bystander. Johnston was ultimately charged with aggravated assault involving a firearm in that case. Investigators have not yet confirmed whether the 2015 dispute or any prior criminal connections are linked to Monday’s fatal shooting, and the motive for the attack remains unconfirmed as the investigation continues.

  • OPINION: Has Antigua and Barbuda Quietly Accepted Third Country Nationals?

    OPINION: Has Antigua and Barbuda Quietly Accepted Third Country Nationals?

    A sharp, unprecedented spike in violent firearm-related crime across Antigua and Barbuda has ignited fierce public criticism of law enforcement and government transparency, with a local commentator raising unsettling questions about potential unreported entry of third-country nationals (TCNs) into the twin-island nation.

    In just one recent week, the country recorded at least one daily gun-enabled crime – a rate that local commentator Yves Ephraim says marks a worrying break from historical patterns. The question now hangs over communities: is this surge an unexpected anomaly, or the dangerous new reality residents must adapt to?

    Graphic videos of criminal acts circulating widely on social media have amplified public fear, with many describing the current climate as one of pervasive terror. While public closed-circuit camera installation was previously framed as a key solution to rising crime, an abundance of private surveillance footage capturing recent violent incidents has failed to yield any investigative breakthroughs. Data on unresolved offences across the country paints a damning picture: the national police service has performed abysmally in solving cases, leaving residents stunned that clear camera footage has not led to the arrest of identifiable perpetrators.

    Criminals are increasingly carrying out attacks in broad daylight, openly defying police authority. Even when offenders conceal their faces, Ephraim argues that distinctive physical characteristics must be recognizable to members of the public, making it inexplicable that suspects are able to disappear back into local communities without detection.

    Ephraim is calling for immediate accountability from the Attorney General and top police leadership, accusing senior officials of negligence in overseeing public safety. Routine stop-and-search operations, he says, are a superficial, inadequate response to the deepening crisis. Outlining alternative tactics he would implement as police commissioner, Ephraim proposes targeted, continuous patrols of known crime hotspots, timed to align with historical data on high-incidence hours. He also suggests overlapping patrol routes to guarantee a police response within 10 minutes of any emergency call.

    A key gap in the government’s response to the crime wave, Ephraim argues, is the complete absence of any mention of police training. While officials repeatedly announce purchases of new equipment and technology to combat crime, there has been no push to improve the human capital of the police force. Ephraim draws a sharp comparison: giving untrained officers modern crime-fighting tools is equivalent to handing a Corvette sports car to a toddler – a dangerous mismatch that will inevitably end in damage.

    Visible signs of under-resourcing and poor maintenance, such as the damaged, poorly kept state of police vehicles on public roads, further back up his critique of systemic mismanagement. Recently, a high-profile gun-related case was thrown out of court due to insufficient evidence, highlighting a core failure of policing: even if officers catch suspects, they lack the skills to compile evidence that meets court standards. Increasing penalties and extending prison sentences, Ephraim argues, is a hollow gesture when law enforcement consistently fails to apprehend offenders and build prosecutable cases.

    This culture of systemic failure has not gone unnoticed by criminals, Ephraim claims. Offenders are fully aware that police have a abysmal track record of solving even minor thefts, leading many to treat Antigua and Barbuda as a lawless “wild west” where they can operate with impunity.

    Ephraim cites his own 2006 experience with police incompetence as a early warning sign of deeper issues. After his company’s van was stolen, he reported the theft to police and checked in on the investigation for six months before abandoning hope of recovery. Months later, a friend contacted him to say his stolen van was listed for auction in an official government gazette. Police had recovered the vehicle, stripped for parts in a remote bush location, and held it at their American Road headquarters – but the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) leading the theft investigation never learned of the recovery. It took a private citizen and a public notice to solve the case, and no one was ever arrested for the theft.

    Shifting to the broader context of the current crime surge, Ephraim notes that many recent gun crimes bear the hallmarks of organized gang activity, with groups deliberately marking territory in a deliberate show of force. The rapid influx of hardened criminal elements, he suggests, may have been driven by rumors that Antigua and Barbuda is a welcoming destination for foreign offenders, raising the alarming possibility that the country has quietly admitted third-country nationals without public knowledge or oversight.

    While Ephraim acknowledges the theory could be a product of overactive imagination, he notes that the timing of the sudden surge in violent gun crime is suspicious, at the very least not a coincidence. The process of considering TCN admissions has been shrouded in secrecy from the start, with the public given no updates on negotiations since parliament voted to move forward with the issue. Across the Caribbean, multiple governments have quietly begun accepting TCNs one after another, leading Ephraim to question whether Antigua and Barbuda has already allowed entry – particularly for dangerous, undesirable individuals.

    Ephraim concludes that the potential link between unreported TCN admissions and the rising gun crime wave cannot be ruled out, reminding the public that government has misled residents on key issues in the past.

  • Trump’s Map Puts Belize Under U.S. Flag

    Trump’s Map Puts Belize Under U.S. Flag

    In a provocative and unexplained social media post that has stirred diplomatic tension across the Western Hemisphere, former president and current U.S. President Donald Trump has shared an uncaptioned map on his Truth Social platform that reimagines nearly the entire region from North America down through Central America and the Caribbean as territory under the banner of the United States flag.

    The map, shared September 8, 2026, labels the entire expanded territorial bloc as the ‘United States of America’. The U.S. flag graphic stretches across the continental U.S., Canada, Mexico, Greenland, Iceland, every Central American nation including Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, and multiple island nations across the Caribbean. Notably, Belize — the small Central American nation bordered by Mexico and Guatemala — is explicitly included in the territory claimed by the map, alongside its immediate Central American neighbors.

    The post comes at a time of fresh diplomatic personnel change between Washington and Belize City. Just four days before Trump’s map was shared, newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Belize André Bauer arrived in the country on September 4. Bauer completed the formal diplomatic accreditation process just one day before the map was posted, presenting his credentials to Belize’s Governor General Froyla Tzalam on September 7.

    While Trump offered no context or explanation for the map, the display of territorial expansionism has already drawn a firm rebuke from regional leaders. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum issued a public statement reaffirming her nation’s sovereignty, opting not to name Trump directly in her response. Posting on the social platform X, Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico ‘is not and will not be a colony or protectorate of any foreign country,’ underscoring that Mexico remains a free, independent, and fully sovereign nation.

    As of this reporting, no other leaders from the nations included on Trump’s map have issued public statements, and the White House has not offered additional clarification on the intent or meaning behind the president’s post.

  • Saint Lucia links with English rugby club ahead of increased BA airlift

    Saint Lucia links with English rugby club ahead of increased BA airlift

    The Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia is continuing its aggressive push into sports-driven tourism, adding a new high-profile partnership to its growing portfolio of international collaborations. Just weeks after locking in a sponsorship agreement with English Premier League titleholders Arsenal FC earlier this summer, the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) has finalized a new destination sponsorship deal with Saracens Rugby Club, one of the most decorated elite rugby organizations in the world.

    Headquartered in North London and competing in the top-tier Gallagher Premiership, Saracens boasts a massive global fanbase, with particularly deep engagement across the United Kingdom and mainland Europe—regions where rugby commands a massive mainstream audience and generates billions in annual viewership. The new partnership comes at a timely moment, ahead of the 2026-27 Gallagher Premiership season kicking off on September 25. Under the terms of the deal, Brand Saint Lucia will receive prominent branding placement across Saracens’ home ground, StoneX Stadium, putting the Caribbean destination in front of tens of thousands of match attendees and millions of broadcast viewers throughout the season.

    Complementing the new sponsorship, British Airways is expanding its service to the island with the launch of daily direct flights from London Gatwick to Saint Lucia starting October 25. The new route will add an extra 51,000 seats annually, making it far easier for UK and European travelers to visit the island and tapping directly into the audience reach generated by the Saracens partnership.

    This collaboration marks the first time Saint Lucia has partnered with a professional rugby organization, representing a key milestone in the country’s long-term sports tourism diversification strategy. Beyond just branding and visitor promotion, the agreement is designed to deliver mutual benefits, including targeted support for grassroots rugby development in Saint Lucia. The partnership will launch joint programming with the Saint Lucia Rugby Academy, providing local players and coaches with access to world-class resources including professional mentorship, advanced training camps, specialist coaching workshops, academic and athletic scholarships, and ongoing development opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach for many emerging local talents.

    Speaking on the new partnership, Saint Lucia’s Tourism Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire emphasized the far-reaching value of the agreement beyond traditional tourism marketing. “Partnerships like this allow us to take Brand Saint Lucia beyond the traditional tourism experience and create greater awareness of our products, services, culture and creative talent,” Hilaire said. He added that the collaboration opens new pathways for Saint Lucian businesses to build cross-border commercial relationships and unlock new export opportunities, framing the deal as a critical step toward building a more resilient, diversified tourism economy that centers local communities and ensures Saint Lucians are the primary beneficiaries of growth.”

  • More Sargassum, More Costs. No Plan?

    More Sargassum, More Costs. No Plan?

    By 2026, the persistent influx of sargassum along Belize’s coastlines has evolved from an occasional environmental nuisance to a crippling, recurring financial burden for the country’s coastal tourism sector. For hotels, tour operators, and small coastal businesses, routine seaweed removal is no longer an unexpected cost—it has become a permanent line item on every annual operating budget.

    Reynaldo A. Malik Jr., president of the Belize Hotel Association (BHA), explains that certain coastal geographies have exacerbated the crisis, with the Placencia Peninsula hit particularly hard. The peninsula’s natural coastal formation creates natural traps that allow massive volumes of sargassum to accumulate along its shorelines, far beyond what private properties alone can manage consistently.

    Malik emphasizes that the responsibility for clearing national coastlines cannot rest exclusively on private industry. While BHA members acknowledge their obligation to maintain the beach segments directly fronting their properties, he argues that public and undeveloped coastal areas—including government-owned crown land—must be managed by state and local authorities. What is needed, he stresses, is a formal public-private partnership built around a actionable, long-term strategy to address the crisis. It is this lack of a functional, coordinated plan that has frustrated industry leaders the most, Malik says.

    “You can allocate any amount of public funding to this problem, but without a clear implementation plan, that money is simply wasted,” Malik noted, comparing unplanned spending to throwing cash into the wind. His critique extends to some parts of the tourism industry as well: he acknowledged that not all hotel operators are holding up their end of mitigation efforts, with some properties allowing massive piles of sargassum to build up on their stretches of beach without intervention, worsening the problem for neighboring businesses and the wider coast.

    The conversation around sargassum mitigation has become tied to recent tourism policy changes: Minister of Tourism Anthony Mahler has framed the recent increase in hotel occupancy tax, from 9% to 12%, as a mechanism to generate dedicated funding for sargassum response efforts. Malik confirmed that BHA has been holding ongoing exploratory talks with the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Finance, and the Office of the Prime Minister, with a formal negotiating meeting still scheduled for a future date.

    Given tourism’s outsize role in Belize’s national economy, any disruption to the coastal tourism sector ripples through the entire country’s financial health. “Impacts to our industry, whether positive or negative, create direct ripple effects for Belize’s overall economy,” Malik said. Despite the current frustration over the lack of a clear plan, he remains optimistic that stakeholders will reach a collaborative solution that works for all parties involved.

  • KQ-Empire’s Michelle Devonish Announces 2027 Comeback After Serious Antigua Crash

    KQ-Empire’s Michelle Devonish Announces 2027 Comeback After Serious Antigua Crash

    Michelle Devonish, an award-winning British creative entrepreneur of Antiguan descent and founder of the acclaimed luxury lifestyle brand KQ-Empire, has officially confirmed that the brand’s highly anticipated 13th magazine issue and its accompanying star-studded red-carpet soirée will be rescheduled for 2027. The decision comes after Devonish sustained life-altering injuries in a severe road traffic collision on the island earlier this year.

    Devonish first traveled to Antigua in April 2026, carrying an ambitious strategic plan to expand KQ-Empire into new creative markets across Antigua and the wider Caribbean region. Her core objectives for the visit included growing the brand’s regional footprint, forging deeper ties with Antigua’s local fashion and lifestyle ecosystem, and elevating emerging designers and creative talent from across the Caribbean community. At the center of this expansion push were the 13th magazine issue and the curated soirée, titled *Haute Cuisine: The Intersection Between Art, High Fashion and Culture*, which was designed to serve as a groundbreaking cross-industry gathering connecting local and international chefs, fashion innovators, leading creatives, and senior representatives from global luxury fashion houses.

    Tragedy struck on April 29, 2026, while Devonish was conducting site visits for the upcoming event. She was involved in the serious car crash that left her with significant physical injuries, including damage to her cervical spine, alongside lasting psychological trauma from the collision. Faced with her extended recovery timeline, Devonish and her KQ-Empire team had no other option but to announce a full postponement of both the 13th issue and the 2026 soirée, and all international guests already planning travel to Antigua were promptly notified of the change.

    Beyond the disruption to her business plans, the accident and subsequent recovery process has given Devonish firsthand insight into gaps in post-accident rehabilitation care in Antigua that she described as previously unseen and deeply concerning. As she continues to work through treatment, physical recovery, and the numerous practical barriers that have complicated her rehabilitation journey, Devonish says she hopes her experience will ultimately spark a broader public conversation about improving post-accident care and support systems across the island.

    The delay hits KQ-Empire at a pivotal moment of growth for the independent luxury publisher. Commonly known to its global readership as KQ, the brand has built a reputation as a distinctive voice in luxury media, and has expanded far beyond its original print roots to add successful podcasting and a line of luxury soft home furnishings to its portfolio. Over its years of operation, KQ has secured high-profile collaborations with globally recognized luxury brands including Tiffany & Co. and Mercedes-Benz, while cultivating a unique creative identity that spans fashion, fine art, design, travel and global culture.

    Antigua has always been a core part of KQ’s brand identity. Through iconic editorial features ranging from profiles of trailblazing local women to explorations of dual-country fashion culture for expats, Devonish and her team have consistently centered Antigua, its people, and its vibrant creative energy in the magazine’s signature visual storytelling.

    Today, while Devonish notes that her full physical and psychological recovery remains her top immediate priority, the outpouring of support from collaborators, readers, and brand sponsors has only strengthened her commitment to bringing the postponed project to life in 2027. “Every single day, we receive messages from people who were preparing to take part in Issue 13 and the 2026 soirée,” Devonish shared in a statement. “We fully recognize how disappointing this setback has been for everyone who was looking forward to this event, and we are deeply grateful for every message of support we have received from communities across Antigua and around the world.”

    She added: “We can promise that when we make our comeback in 2027, we will deliver the same level of brilliance, creativity, and innovation that KQ has always stood for.”

    Devonish also extended a personal, heartfelt thank you to several local individuals and businesses that stood by her during her recovery: the owners of CocoRose Guest House, Rose Brooks, Joshua’s Taxi service, and a group of special community members in South Antigua, who she described as an unwavering pillar of support through the most challenging days after her accident.

  • Sipaliwini krijgt 26 lokaal opgeleide keukenassistenten voor toerismesector

    Sipaliwini krijgt 26 lokaal opgeleide keukenassistenten voor toerismesector

    Suriname’s inland tourism sector in Sipaliwini has taken a major step forward in workforce development, with 26 local residents graduating from a fully subsidized Level 1 Kitchen Assistant training program. The new graduates received their official certification during a ceremony held on September 4 at the LBO practical training center in Atjoni, marking the completion of a skills-building initiative designed to strengthen local human capital and raise professional standards for tourism-focused hospitality services across the country’s interior.

    The multi-week training curriculum covered core competencies critical to commercial kitchen work, including foundational food preparation techniques, professional food handling protocols, rigorous kitchen hygiene standards, comprehensive food safety practices, and occupational safety protocols for kitchen work environments. Upon certification, the new kitchen assistants are now qualified to fill open roles at local hospitality and tourism operations, including wilderness lodges, coastal and inland resorts, catering companies, and other tourist-focused service providers. Beyond formal employment, the skills gained through the program also open pathways for entrepreneurship: graduates can launch their own small catering businesses, local casual dining spots, or home meal delivery services to serve both local communities and visiting tourists.

    The entire training program was funded through a grant from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Labour Alignment with New Industries project, implemented by the Directorate of Welfare and Labour under Suriname’s Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Labour (VWA). The Suriname Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre Foundation (SHTTC) led on-the-ground delivery of the program, which fell under the “Leri Fu Feni Wroko” sub-project aligned with the Training for Employment (TFE) framework developed by VWA’s Deputy Directorate of the Labour Market. As part of the project’s public workforce development goals, no tuition or training fees were charged to participating students, removing financial barriers to skills access for local residents.

    Speaking at the certification ceremony, VWA Deputy Minister Raj Jadnanansing emphasized that culinary experiences are a core driver of growth for inland tourism. He encouraged the new graduates to prioritize the professional, hygienic preparation and presentation of local dishes and native ingredients alongside standard international menu items.

    Jadnanansing noted that tourists who travel to Suriname’s interior seek authentic, one-of-a-kind experiences they cannot find anywhere else in the world. Local cuisine, he explained, acts as a unique introduction to the culture and traditions of inland communities. When prepared and presented to professional standards, these culinary offerings do more than just create new jobs for local workers: they also help raise global appreciation for and preserve the unique cultural identity of Suriname’s inland populations.

    Beyond cultural benefits, increased consumer demand for local Surinamese dishes creates new economic opportunities for small-scale local agricultural and food producers, according to the deputy minister. This ripple effect allows tourism growth to support the development of a broader, more interconnected local economic ecosystem across the country’s interior.

    Other key stakeholders echoed the deputy minister’s remarks, including Oyeleye Adeniyi, Program Manager of the IDB Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Nazara Kranenburg, acting director of SHTTC, and Don Elliot, chair of the SHTTC Board of Directors. All three reaffirmed the critical role that targeted vocational training plays in advancing the tourism sector, noting that sustained investment in local human capital is essential to meeting the fast-growing demand for qualified skilled workers across Suriname’s expanding hospitality and tourism industries.

  • Falcons Face Guyana Amazon Warriors in CPL Clash Tonight

    Falcons Face Guyana Amazon Warriors in CPL Clash Tonight

    As the 2026 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) enters its playoff push, a highly anticipated rematch is set to unfold on Thursday night, with the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons heading to Providence to face the Guyana Amazon Warriors at the iconic Guyana National Stadium. Scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m. local time, the 30th fixture of this year’s tournament carries extra weight for the Falcons, who enter the contest hungry to reverse a lopsided loss to the Warriors from earlier in the season.

    The two sides last met on August 23 at Antigua’s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, where the Falcons crumbled under pressure from the Guyana bowling attack, being dismissed for a meager total of 116 runs. The Amazon Warriors wasted no time in chasing down the target, reaching the required 121 runs for the loss of just three wickets in under 10 overs – specifically 9.5 overs – securing a dominant seven-wicket win with a staggering 61 balls left to spare. That one-sided result has left the Falcons eager to turn the tables and prove that their performance on that day was not a true reflection of their form ahead of the upcoming playoff round.

    On the opposite side, the Guyana Amazon Warriors carry significant momentum into tonight’s home fixture, which marks another stop on their current home leg of the tournament. The side has notched back-to-back convincing wins on their home turf in recent days, kickstarting their good run with an eight-wicket triumph over the Jamaica Kingsmen on September 4. They followed that up with another polished performance on Sunday, when they once again secured a seven-wicket victory, this time against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. With the crowd behind them and their winning streak intact, the Warriors will be looking to extend their positive run and solidify their position ahead of the playoffs.