Carib Scope

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  • YWCA to expand youth, community empowerment programmes

    YWCA to expand youth, community empowerment programmes

    After years of disrupted operations stemming from the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Barbados is launching an ambitious organizational revitalization effort centered on expanded, holistic programming for youth and community empowerment. Newly installed president Onika Crawford has laid out a clear, forward-looking strategic vision that will see the rollout of a suite of new and updated initiatives within the next 60 days.

    Crawford’s new leadership framework reorganizes YWCA’s work across three interconnected core pillars, each tailored to address distinct community needs. The first pillar, Y Youth, builds on the organization’s longstanding legacy of youth engagement by expanding beyond popular existing programs, including summer camps and a community reading initiative, to add targeted training for skills development and growth mindset building. This pillar aims to support young people from childhood through adolescence to build foundational tools for long-term success.

    The second pillar, Y Cares, anchors the organization’s commitment to local community outreach and direct service. Core programs under this framework include the existing children’s breakfast initiative, which addresses food insecurity for young residents, alongside new efforts like care package distribution for vulnerable community members and targeted neighborhood development projects that meet locally identified needs.

    The third pillar, Y Grows, focuses on hands-on personal and professional skill building that creates tangible economic and personal value for participants. Programming here will include training in practical trades and creative arts, spanning small-scale agriculture, sewing, handcrafted basket weaving, and floral arranging, giving community members opportunities to develop new hobbies, supplement income, or launch small local businesses.

    At its core, the revitalization effort is designed to foster holistic personal growth across all age groups, from children to adult community members, a priority the new board of directors has centered since taking office. Like many community-focused nonprofits around the world, the Barbados YWCA saw a significant decline in in-person programming and engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting a period of organizational rebuilding to meet current community needs. To bring this expanded vision to life, Crawford is calling on members of the public to contribute as new volunteers or provide corporate and community sponsorship to support the rollout of new programs. She noted that any contribution, no matter the size, that can add value to the organization’s community mission is welcome.

    While final logistics for several initiatives are still being finalized, Crawford confirmed that most of the planned programs are on track to launch within one to two months of the announcement. Founded in 1950, the Barbados YWCA is an affiliate of World YWCA, a global movement that advances the empowerment of women and girls across more than 100 countries worldwide.

  • Saint Lucia’s Miss Universe delegate ready to defy the odds

    Saint Lucia’s Miss Universe delegate ready to defy the odds

    For decades, the Miss Universe pageant enforced strict eligibility criteria that locked countless women out of the opportunity to compete on the global stage, shutting the door on lifelong dreams for those who did not fit narrow, outdated molds. For Bernella Velinor, a native of the coastal Saint Lucian community of Dennery, that dream appeared to have slipped away forever — until sweeping rule reforms opened it back up.

    Velinor will now take her place as Saint Lucia’s official representative at the 75th Miss Universe competition, scheduled for November 24 in Puerto Rico, and she has approached this once-in-a-lifetime chance with unwavering determination to challenge long-held stereotypes.

    Speaking in an interview with St Lucia Times, Velinor recalled how the global COVID-19 pandemic derailed her plans at the moment she felt ready to compete. When pandemic restrictions lifted, she discovered she was no longer eligible under the pageant’s old rules, having crossed the previous upper age limit of 28. Before 2023, contestants were required to be between 18 and 28 years old, unmarried, and without children — barriers that excluded large groups of adult women from participating. In a historic shift toward inclusivity, pageant organizers first relaxed these restrictions in 2023, opening competition to married, divorced, pregnant women and mothers. Then, in 2024, organizers scrapped the upper age limit entirely, making any adult woman aged 18 or older eligible to compete.

    Velinor celebrated the elimination of these restrictive criteria, noting that the changes align with a global shift toward women’s empowerment that challenges outdated social norms. “Age does not limit one’s ability, and I am happy that these restrictions were lifted, as it speaks to empowering women and the shift the world is witnessing as to the capabilities of individuals which now defies some of the norms we were accustomed to. So hey, I am ready to defy the odds,” she said.

    Velinor earned her spot at the global competition on June 27, after outperforming 11 other contestants across multiple stages of Saint Lucia’s national selection process. This win marks the realization of a decades-long ambition: she has competed in local and regional pageants for years, taking home the title of Miss Easterval in Union Island, St Vincent and the Grenadines back in 2017. A seasoned hospitality professional, Velinor currently works as a concierge supervisor at Secrets Resorts, and identifies deeply with her Caribbean island roots. She says she is incredibly proud of her Saint Lucian heritage and eager to showcase her home country to a global audience.

    Beyond the glamour of the competition, Velinor says the Miss Universe platform allows her to combine all her greatest passions: modeling, fashion, professional networking, and advocacy work for vulnerable communities. Her core advocacy initiative centers on raising public awareness of domestic violence and sexual abuse, issues that she emphasizes impact people of all genders. “Grooming young men to live in harmony with women is what we want,” she explained.

    As she makes final preparations to travel to Puerto Rico in early November, Velinor remains firmly focused on her mission, aware that she will be carrying the hopes and identity of her entire island nation, not just her own personal ambition.

    Joycie Mederick, a representative of Cinnamon Productions — the local franchise holder that organizes Saint Lucia’s Miss Universe selection process — noted that 2024 marks the company’s 10th year overseeing the national competition. “I think it is fair to say that we have been one of the more consistent franchise holders for the Miss Universe pageant in the region, and every year we make it our duty despite the challenges and limited resources to give these ladies what can be a life changing opportunity,” Mederick told St Lucia Times.

    Mederick explained that the national selection process kicks off every January, when the organization puts out a public call for candidates interested in representing Saint Lucia at the global competition. “It is from there that we begin to groom and coach the young women who apply or show interest and we culminate with the final selection which was in June this year,” she said. For Cinnamon Productions, the pageant is more than a beauty competition: it is a chance to share Saint Lucia’s unique cultural and social identity with the world. The organization has recently expanded its leadership team, and with greater community and private sector support, it believes a Saint Lucian contestant can earn a top spot on the Miss Universe global stage.

  • Students urged to remain steadfast as new school year begins

    Students urged to remain steadfast as new school year begins

    The 2026-2027 academic year has officially launched across Barbadian primary and secondary schools, with campus leaders rolling out targeted upgrades, new programs, and motivational messages designed to support student growth and success. Two neighboring schools, Springer Memorial Secondary School and Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School, are leading the way with changes that address curriculum structure, student well-being, and community engagement.

    At Springer Memorial School, returning students were greeted by principal Sonja Goodridge on Monday, who urged the student body to embrace the school’s continuing mantra of “steadfast and motivated” for the coming year. First adopted in 2025-2026, the theme was retained after both teaching staff and students asked to keep it, citing its positive impact on campus culture. Goodridge explained that the mantra is intended to empower students to believe in their ability to overcome any challenge they may face academically or personally. “We want them to remain unwavering in whatever they’re doing and just continue to be steadfast but to be motivated as well to excel, not just motivated to come to school, but come to school and add value as well,” Goodridge told the assembled student body.

    Beyond reinforcing a positive campus mindset, Goodridge encouraged students to fully participate in the school community by taking advantage of extracurricular opportunities and making the most of their secondary school years. “I keep telling them these are the best days they will ever have, and we want to ensure that when you pass through the Springer Memorial gates that you have had a good experience,” she said. Despite scattered early morning showers on the first day of term, Goodridge reported that the return to campus went smoothly, with most students showing up in the school’s well-known regulation uniform and displaying visible excitement to be back. “The children seemed eager, they seemed excited to be here and I’m pleased basically with what I’ve seen. I think it augurs well for our future,” she noted.

    A key focus of this year’s changes at Springer Memorial is improving overall student outcomes through targeted curriculum and structural reforms. Following a comprehensive curriculum review, the school has introduced two key adjustments: business and tourism coursework for third-form students, and a new tourism stream for senior students. Administrators have also reintroduced a room-based system that converts each classroom into a subject-specific resource hub, making learning materials more accessible and tailored to each course. The school has also shifted from its previous scheduling model to a 40-period week, a change designed to create space for the new Community Service Learning (CSL) requirement without reducing instructional time for core academic subjects.

    Next door at Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School, principal Paula Toppin opened the term by highlighting the benefits of the government’s newly introduced National School Breakfast Programme, which will provide nutritious morning meals to students who arrive at school hungry, particularly those who leave home early for their commute. Toppin expressed gratitude to the government for the initiative, saying it addresses a critical need for supporting student well-being and academic readiness. “I am particularly pleased to have the national nutritional policy extended to the breakfast programme and I’m really happy that the students at my school who may come to school a little hungry, because some of them leave home early, will get that nutritional start to the day,” she said.

    Toppin also shared her excitement for the new term, noting that school staff spent weeks over the planning period preparing a range of engaging new programs for students. She emphasized her commitment to building on Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary’s existing reputation for academic excellence, working in partnership with staff, parents, and the wider school community to maintain high standards of teaching and learning. “I am truly happy to be back at the plant working with my staff, the parents, and all the students to ensure our level of success continues. We have lots of exciting programmes planned this school year and we’ve been working really hard during the planning week to bring all of these plans to fruition,” Toppin said.

  • Late Guyana President Burnham’s daughter among lawyers petitioning King Charles for slavery reparations

    Late Guyana President Burnham’s daughter among lawyers petitioning King Charles for slavery reparations

    On Tuesday, 8 September 2026, a landmark legal action targeting historical transatlantic chattel slavery entered a new phase when a team of three high-profile lawyers led in part by Ulele Burnham submitted an unprecedented reparations petition on behalf of the Jamaican government to King Charles III.

    Ulele Burnham carries deep regional political heritage: she is the daughter of Guyana’s iconic founding leader Forbes Burnham, who established the People’s National Congress, led the South American nation to independence from Britain in 1966, and served as its first executive president from 1980 until his death in 1985. Based at the UK’s renowned Doughty Street Chambers, Ulele Burnham is a widely respected legal expert, ranked as a Band 1 Court of Protection practitioner by Chambers and Partners 2026, with extensive experience in equality and anti-discrimination law. She joins co-counsel Edward Fitzgerald KC and Harj Narulla on the legal team, instructed by Lawrence Cartier of Keystone Law.

    Doughty Street Chambers has framed the filing as a defining, never-before-seen milestone in the decades-long global movement for reparatory justice for victims of slavery and their descendants. A high-level Jamaican government delegation traveled to London to formally submit the petition, which invokes a little-used special jurisdiction granted to the British monarch under the 1833 Judicial Committee Act. This statute allows the King to refer questions of significant legal and constitutional importance to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the body that serves as the final appellate court for several Commonwealth nations including Jamaica.

    Buckingham Palace confirmed receipt of the filing in an official statement, noting that the Jamaican government is seeking to have the petition considered by the Judicial Committee. “We understand the Jamaican government is seeking a petition to be heard before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council,” a palace spokesperson stated. “The process for seeking a petition is to lodge it with the Judicial Committee so that referral under section four of the 1833 Act can be considered. We also understand the Jamaican representatives will be received by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for bilateral discussions.”

    The petition asks King Charles, in his capacity as Jamaica’s formal Head of State, to refer three core legal questions to the Judicial Committee for advisory determination: First, whether the mass abduction of African peoples, their forced transatlantic transport, and their enslavement as property in Jamaica was ever legal under English common law. Second, whether these same acts constituted, and remain, a violation of international law. Third, whether the United Kingdom holds a binding legal obligation to deliver reparations to the people of Jamaica for the ongoing harms of slavery.

    This historic legal move has already garnered broad global and regional endorsement. Every head of government across the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has publicly backed the petition. Last month, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama also expressed his public support during an address to the Jamaican parliament, and reaffirmed that backing in subsequent official correspondence with the Jamaican government.

    The filing comes amid a growing global momentum for slavery reparations, marked by two major recent international actions. In March 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted landmark Resolution RES/80/250, which formally designated transatlantic chattel slavery as “the gravest crime against humanity” in international law. Just over a month prior to the petition filing, on 31 August 2026, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) released General Recommendation No. 40, a landmark guidance document that outlines reparatory justice frameworks for addressing the persistent harms of colonialism, the transatlantic slave trade, and racialized chattel slavery.

    King Charles will now review the petition and determine whether to refer the three legal questions to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for formal consideration. Legal observers note that whatever the monarch’s decision, the filing itself marks a watershed moment for the global reparations movement, bringing the legal question of accountability for historical slavery into one of the world’s most established legal forums.

  • Derelict vehicle removal continues

    Derelict vehicle removal continues

    Municipal code enforcement teams are pressing forward with a coordinated, months-long initiative to remove abandoned and derelict vehicles from city streets, residential neighborhoods, and public right-of-ways across the region. The campaign, launched earlier this year in response to growing complaints from local residents, targets vehicles that have been left immobile for extended periods, often creating navigational hazards for pedestrians and drivers, attracting illegal dumping, and dragging down neighborhood property values.

    Local code enforcement officials confirmed this week that teams have already removed more than 320 unclaimed vehicles since the initiative began, with work scheduled to continue through the end of the calendar year to clear remaining flagged vehicles. Under the city’s current regulations, vehicle owners are given a 14-day public notice period to move or register their immobile vehicles before removal teams are dispatched. Impounded vehicles are held for an additional 30 days to allow owners to reclaim them, after which unclaimed units are sold at auction or sent to licensed junkyards for environmentally responsible recycling.

    Community leaders have voiced widespread support for the effort, noting that derelict vehicles have long been a top quality-of-life concern for residents in many working-class neighborhoods. Many residents have reported that abandoned cars often become gathering spots for unauthorized activity, collect standing water that can breed mosquitoes, and block access to curb ramps for people with mobility disabilities. City officials added that the ongoing removal work also creates additional space for legal on-street parking, a critical benefit in dense urban neighborhoods where parking is already at a premium.

    Moving forward, the city plans to implement a new weekly reporting system that allows residents to easily report suspected derelict vehicles through a dedicated mobile app and city website, with a 48-hour response window for code officers to inspect flagged vehicles. Officials noted that the ongoing removal campaign is not just a one-time cleanup effort, but part of a broader long-term strategy to maintain clean, safe public spaces across all city neighborhoods.

  • Burning Flames Highway Repairs Targeted for Completion Before CHOGM

    Burning Flames Highway Repairs Targeted for Completion Before CHOGM

    As Antigua and Barbuda prepares to welcome global leaders for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the country’s top official has outlined an aggressive timeline to finish critical infrastructure upgrades on one of its busiest thoroughfares. Prime Minister Gaston Browne recently confirmed that major repairs to the heavily used Burning Flames Highway are on track to be wrapped up before the high-profile diplomatic gathering kicks off, marking a key milestone in the government’s island-wide road rehabilitation initiative.\n\nSpeaking during an appearance on the local Browne and Browne Show, Browne revealed that a regional construction enterprise has tabled an 8 million Eastern Caribbean dollar bid for the repair contract, a figure that aligns closely with cost projections compiled by the nation’s Public Works Department. According to the prime minister, the selected unnamed firm could mobilize and break ground on the project within just a few weeks, putting the timeline for pre-CHOGM completion within reach.\n\n“ We have a regional firm that should be starting on the Burning Flames Highway very shortly, ” Browne told listeners. “ I think they have put in a bid for about $8 million to repair that road. ” While Browne confirmed that completion “ possibly ” will be achieved in advance of the international summit, he stopped short of releasing a binding, detailed construction schedule. He also did not disclose whether the 8 million Eastern Caribbean dollar bid has secured final government approval, nor did he release the identity of the regional contractor selected for the job.\n\nThe Burning Flames Highway upgrade is just one component of a far broader government-led effort to overhaul Antigua and Barbuda’s road network, which includes both major arterial routes and smaller local community roads. Browne added that two additional key corridors – Anchorage Road and Factory Road – have also been flagged for necessary repair work, while active construction is already ongoing on community roads across the southern region of Antigua.\n\nGovernment officials have indicated that additional details, including a formal groundbreaking date and final contract confirmation, will be released to the public once all contractual arrangements have been finalized. The infrastructure push comes as Antigua and Barbuda gears up to host international delegates for CHOGM, a major diplomatic event that will put the small Caribbean nation in the global spotlight, making timely completion of critical transport upgrades a top policy priority for the Browne administration.

  • Sterke Surinaamse damdelegatie naar Tobago Open 2026

    Sterke Surinaamse damdelegatie naar Tobago Open 2026

    The highly anticipated 2026 Tobago Open international draughts tournament, set to kick off on September 9 and run through September 18 in Trinidad and Tobago, will feature one of its largest regional delegations in recent years from Suriname. The South American nation is sending a 14-player squad packed with title-holding talent, headlined by current Suriname national champion and Federation Master (MF) Gerson Bendt. Joining Bendt in the competitive lineup are national runner-up MF Arwien Bhagwandas and former national champion Grand Master International (GMI) Guno Burleson, alongside a roster of experienced and rising players that includes MF Niaaz Salarbaks, Phavan Basdewsing, MF Arief Salarbaks, MF Santosh Bhagwandas, candidate Federation Master (cMF) Debipersad Sharvan, MF Stanley Moetoer, MF Rinaldo Kemnaad, MF Marcel Oostburg, Cliff Karijdrono, and Ramanand Gangaram Panday. In total, Suriname’s delegation boasts eight Federation Masters, one International Grand Master, one candidate Federation Master, and four untitled emerging competitors.

    With a total prize pool of $45,000 USD up for grabs, the 2026 Tobago Open has drawn a stacked global field of elite draughts talent from around the world. Leading the pack of international contenders is current world champion Jan Groenendijk of the Netherlands, who will be joined by his compatriots Jitse Slump and Grand Master Martijn van IJzendoorn — a top player who shares Surinamese heritage. The tournament also welcomes women’s world champion Viktoriia Motrichko, as well as decorated former world champions Alexander Shvartsman and Guntis Valneris, alongside a host of strong contenders from across the Pan-American region.

    Tournament organizers project a final participant count of roughly 70 players hailing from 18 different countries, with approximately 40 of those competitors holding official international draughts titles. For Suriname’s squad, the Tobago Open represents far more than a shot at a top tournament finish. It offers a rare, valuable opportunity for the nation’s players — both seasoned champions and up-and-coming talent — to gain high-stakes international match experience competing against some of the strongest draughts athletes on the planet, helping to grow the sport’s profile and competitive standing in Suriname for years to come.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Rooftops Mapped for Solar Energy Potential Under IRENA Simulator

    Antigua and Barbuda Rooftops Mapped for Solar Energy Potential Under IRENA Simulator

    Across the small island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, a new specialized tool is empowering local stakeholders to unlock the untapped renewable energy potential sitting right above their heads: rooftops. Developed by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the customized Antigua and Barbuda SolarCity Simulator gives homeowners, commercial operators, and public planning teams unprecedented granular data to evaluate the feasibility of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) solar installations, merging high-precision geographic mapping with detailed financial analysis.

    Unlike broad regional solar potential assessments, this platform is built to deliver actionable insights at three distinct scales, catering to the needs of different users. For individual property owners, the tool allows users to zoom into a specific parcel of land and select their building, then generates a 1-square-meter resolution analysis of the roof’s solar generating capacity. Beyond raw potential, the simulator outputs key practical details: the total area of rooftop suitable for panel installation, a full year’s projected electricity output, and a typical hourly generation profile aligned with local sunlight patterns.

    One of the most significant barriers to rooftop solar adoption is the uncertainty around return on investment, a gap the SolarCity Simulator is explicitly designed to fill. After generating generation estimates, the tool pulls in local cost data to produce a full financial breakdown, including expected upfront capital expenditure, projected payback timelines, and ongoing cash flow projections. To accommodate different user needs, it also allows for full customization of assumptions: users can adjust panel capacity, efficiency ratings, financing terms, and other technical and fiscal parameters to test multiple installation scenarios and find the right fit for their budget and energy needs.

    For public sector planners and clean energy developers, the platform offers expanded analysis capabilities for multi-property zones and large geographic areas. At this scale, the simulator automatically maps out zones with the highest aggregate rooftop solar potential, helping policymakers and developers target infrastructure projects and set achievable national renewable energy targets. Users can also model how different policy interventions—such as generation-based subsidies, capital cost grants, or tax incentives—would impact adoption and overall generation across the region, giving planners a robust tool to design effective policy.

    Beyond energy and financial metrics, the platform also quantifies the environmental benefits of rooftop solar deployment. It calculates the volume of greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution that would be avoided by shifting to solar generation, and translates these impacts into relatable equivalents, such as the number of passenger cars removed from roads or the number of mature trees planted to sequester carbon.

    IRENA notes that the broader global SolarCity platform is designed to serve dual purposes: it helps individual households and businesses estimate long-term energy cost savings from rooftop solar, while giving government regulators and energy departments a way to test the effectiveness of existing and proposed clean energy incentives. The exact launch date of the Antigua and Barbuda customized version has not been disclosed in the published implementation guidelines, but the tool is now available for use by all local stakeholders.

  • Bandits clinch national dominoes three-hand title

    Bandits clinch national dominoes three-hand title

    The 2026 edition of the Barbados National Dominoes Association Village Three Hand Championship has crowned a new titleholder, with Eastbourne Bandits emerging triumphant after a tense, hard-fought final round held on September 3 at JD’s Domino Club.

    Unlike many lopsided competitions, this year’s final went down to the final play, with only a handful of points separating the top three contenders. When all scores were tallied, Eastbourne Bandits secured the top spot with a total of 77 points, edging out their closest competitor by just four points. Second place went to Newbury, who finished with 73 points, while De Blurr rounded out the top three with 70 points in a tight contest that kept spectators engaged from the first round to the last.

    It was a standout performance from the Bandits’ key players that pushed the team over the finish line. Veteran player Clairemonte “Rastaman” Weekes delivered a star turn for the championship side, putting up an impressive 17 points to lead all team scorers. He received solid support from teammate Neil Rowe, who chipped in with 15 critical points to cement the team’s winning margin.

    Though Newbury fell short of the top spot, the team also had reason to celebrate standout individual play: Michael “Hard Dog” Parris turned in the highest individual score of the entire final, notching 18 points for his side. For third-place De Blurr, Kevin “Kegan” Edwards led the team’s effort with a solid 14-point contribution, helping the club secure a spot on the tournament’s podium.

  • LETTER: Can Social Security reimburse me my monies spent on the lands at Paynters?

    LETTER: Can Social Security reimburse me my monies spent on the lands at Paynters?

    In an open letter to the editor, a young local buyer has aired his deep frustration over the ongoing failure of the Social Security authority to deliver usable residential land at Paynters, nearly 24 months after the initial property sale. The buyer, who identifies only as Alex, explains that he purchased the plot with the explicit goal of building a family home, a plan that has been completely derailed by the authority’s inaction on critical basic infrastructure. Having spent years paying rising rental costs that he can no longer sustain, Alex invested his life savings into the plot in good faith, counting on the land being ready for construction within a reasonable timeline. Today, instead of a prepared residential development, the entire area remains overgrown and undeveloped, with no completed roads, running water connections, or electrical access — basic utilities that were implied to be delivered when the land was put up for sale. Alex calls the handling of the project “grossly unfair, distasteful, and unprofessional,” arguing that hard-working buyers who made significant financial sacrifices to secure their own property deserve far better treatment from a public institution. After two years of waiting, his patience has run out. If the authority cannot move forward to complete the infrastructure and make the land usable in the near term, Alex is demanding a full refund of the thousands of dollars he spent on the purchase, so he can redirect his hard-earned funds to another housing investment that meets his family’s pressing needs.