Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • Descarte to lead strong Saint Lucia team at Windwards tournament

    Descarte to lead strong Saint Lucia team at Windwards tournament

    As the highly anticipated 2025 Windward Islands Senior Men’s Cricket Tournament approaches, Saint Lucia has announced its 14-player competitive squad, bringing a mix of experienced leadership, returning star power, and exciting youth prospects to the table. The tournament, hosted entirely in Grenada, will run from July 26 through to the final match on August 3, drawing regional teams from across the Windward Islands archipelago to compete for the regional title.

    At the helm of the Saint Lucian squad is new captain Shadrack Descarte, an accomplished allrounder who earned the leadership appointment off the back of consistent, high-impact performances for both the Windward Islands Volcanoes and the Saint Lucia Kings franchise in recent regional competitions. Serving alongside Descarte as vice-captain is fellow allrounder Tarrique Edward, a young player who climbed the ranks through Saint Lucia’s youth development system and earned his first senior international cap just last year in 2024.

    One of the most notable inclusions in the squad is the return of opening batsman Stephen Naitram, one of the island’s most destructive top-order hitters, who missed out on selection for the 2024 iteration of the tournament. The 31-year-old Forestierre native has been in devastating form across domestic limited-overs competitions in the past year: he turned in dominant displays in both the Dream11 T10 Blast and the Saint Lucia Premier League, and played a key role in leading the Banana Warriors to a title win at the 2024 Nature Isle T10. Naitram’s comeback fills the gaps left by the absences of current West Indies international Ackeem Auguste and former Windward Islands youth captain Johnnel Eugene.

    Joining Descarte and Naitram in the group of returning key players are former West Indies Under-19 captain Kimani Melius, Windward Islands wicketkeeper Noelle Leo, veteran left-arm spinner Jaden Elibox, and fast-bowling allrounder Tyrel Chicot. The squad also showcases four first-time senior call-ups ready to make their mark at the regional level: Dominic Auguste, Joshua Cepal, Royce Paul, and Tyler Venner.

    Each of the four rookies brings unique strengths to the Saint Lucian side. Cepal and Paul, two promising young fast bowlers, have been tapped to fill the bowling vacancies created by the departures of Keon Gaston and McKenny Clarke. Allrounder Venner enters the squad off a red-hot run of form at the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars 50-Over Championship, where he notched back-to-back half-centuries to cement his reputation as a rising talent. Dominic Auguste, a powerful top-order batter, also adds depth to the squad as a backup wicketkeeper.

    Rounding out the 14-man roster are Windward Islands Under-19 captain and opening batsman Theo Edward, who turned in an impressive performance at the recent regional youth championship, right-arm offspinner Lee John, and left-arm medium pacer Shawnil Edward.

    Leading the team’s coaching staff for the tournament is former West Indies offspinner Garey Mathurin, who takes on the head coach role. A certified Level 3 cricket coach, Mathurin brings extensive regional coaching experience, having previously worked with the Windward Islands Volcanoes senior side. Nerville Florence returns to his post as team manager, a position he has held successfully for the past two editions of the tournament.

    For Saint Lucia, the road to the title kicks off early with a one-off three-day warm-up fixture against the Commonwealth of Dominica, scheduled to start this Sunday at Grenada’s Tanteen Cricket Ground. The official Super-50 Championship group stage gets underway next Thursday, where defending champions Saint Lucia will open their title defense against St Vincent & the Grenadines at Tanteen. Following the opening group match, Saint Lucia will face Dominica and hosts Grenada at La Sagesse Cricket Ground, with the tournament final set to take place on Monday, August 3 at the same La Sagesse venue.

  • Community Vibes summer camp immerses children in culture and creativity

    Community Vibes summer camp immerses children in culture and creativity

    Against the backdrop of warm Barbadian summer, Community Vibes Summer Camp is filling the halls of Westbury Primary School with the sounds of drumming, the rustle of crochet yarn, and the laughter of young learners, as participants dive into a six-week immersive cultural experience running from July 13 to August 21. More than just a seasonal recreational program, the camp is designed to engage local youth with authentic Barbadian heritage while equipping them with practical, income-generating skills – culminating in public performances at the island’s annual Emancipation Day celebrations.

    Curated by veteran youth program leader Glenn Harvey, who has dedicated more than 30 years to summer camp programming and five years leading Community Vibes specifically, the camp offers a diverse lineup of activities tailored to connect young people to their cultural roots. Beyond hands-on workshops in traditional crafts and performance – including crochet, African drumming, folk dance, and handcrafted jewelry making – the camp has organized four educational exploratory tours, inter-camp sporting events, and a cross-community mini carnival open to all cultural youth camps across the parish of St. Michael.

    Harvey, who founded the program after years of youth work, says the camp has built a formidable legacy in competitive cultural crafts over its history, particularly in crochet. “Two years ago, we took home every top honor at the national crochet competition, including the Prime Minister’s Award. Last year, we only missed out on one trophy, claiming all the rest. This year, we’re aiming to sweep the board again,” he shared in an interview Wednesday.

    The planned educational outings, dubbed “tour and picnic” by organizers, take campers to sites of historical and educational importance across the island, ending with group leisure time at popular local picnic spots to build camaraderie among participants. For the upcoming mini carnival, Harvey has partnered with the senior youth commissioner for St. Michael to invite youth from other local cultural camps to join the community event, turning it into a collaborative celebration of Barbadian youth culture. When Emancipation Day arrives, camp participants will take center stage, showcasing the dancing, drumming, and craft skills they’ve honed all summer in public street performances that mark the island’s celebration of freedom.

    A majority of the camp’s attendees hail from nearby inner-city communities, including New Orleans, Baxter’s Road, Westbury Road, and Passage Road, providing structured, positive activity for young people during summer break. Harvey emphasized the value of the program for these youth, noting, “It’s wonderful to see kids keep their minds occupied with meaningful, varied activities, and the government has done excellent work to keep these community camp programs running.” He also praised newly appointed Youth and Culture Minister Senator Shane Archer for recent policy improvements that increased capital funding and adjusted salaries for camp directors and support staff, changes that have strengthened the program’s ability to serve youth.

    For many participants, the highlight of the camp’s curriculum is the crochet workshop led by veteran instructor Sybil Fiedler, who frames the craft as both a cultural art form and an entrepreneurial pathway for young people. “Crochet is a fiber art where you turn simple string into something tangible and beautiful,” Fiedler explained to a group of new learners earlier this week, as captured in a photo by Lauryn Escamilla. “It’s an art you have to love to master.”

    Walking beginners through the foundational steps of the craft, Fiedler emphasized that every complex project starts with a single chain stitch, encouraging new learners not to grow discouraged by early missteps. “Don’t let this craft master you – you master it,” she told participants. Beyond being a relaxing hobby, Fiedler notes that crochet can open up unexpected income streams for young people, especially teens. “If a friend sees a teen wearing a crocheted piece they made, they’ll often ask for a custom piece, and that’s quick extra cash they can earn on their own,” she explained. By the end of the six-week session on August 21, participants will have crafted granny square bags and a range of other handmade projects that will be displayed at the camp’s final end-of-session exhibition.

  • Cricketing Legends Among Antigua and Barbuda’s Official Delegation for Sir Garfield Sobers’ State Funeral

    Cricketing Legends Among Antigua and Barbuda’s Official Delegation for Sir Garfield Sobers’ State Funeral

    The Caribbean cricket community is preparing to bid a final farewell to one of its most iconic figures, as the government of Antigua and Barbuda has given formal approval for a high-powered delegation of the nation’s most celebrated cricket legends to travel to Barbados for the state funeral of West Indian cricket giant Sir Garfield Sobers.

    Leading the delegation are some of the biggest names in Antigua and Barbuda’s cricketing history: national hero Sir Vivian Richards, alongside fellow cricketing knights Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Curtly Ambrose, and Sir Richie Richardson. They will be joined by Dwayne George, Antigua and Barbuda’s Sports Minister and a former national cricketer, who will officially represent the dual-island nation at the ceremonial event.

    Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications for Antigua and Barbuda, announced the Cabinet’s decision at the official post-Cabinet press briefing held on Thursday. In remarks to reporters, Merchant emphasized the unique standing Sobers holds in global sport and Caribbean heritage, noting that the delegation will carry the full respect and mourning of the entire Antigua and Barbuda nation to the service. “Together, they will pay the nation’s final respects to one of the greatest cricketers the world has ever known and a towering figure in Caribbean history,” Merchant told the assembled press.

    In an official statement, the Cabinet highlighted that the composition of the cross-sector delegation of cricketing stars and government officials underscores the profound admiration that Antigua and Barbuda retains for Sobers. Beyond his record-breaking achievements on the cricket pitch, Cabinet noted that Sobers’ influence transcended sport, becoming a source of collective pride and inspiration that empowered generations of young people across the entire Caribbean region.

    The state funeral is scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday, July 29, held at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados — a ground that has played host to countless historic moments in West Indian cricket. Prior to this formal approval of the delegation, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne had already delivered a public tribute honoring Sobers’ life and legacy. The Cabinet has also issued a directive requiring all flags on public government buildings across Antigua and Barbuda to be flown at half-staff as a mark of national respect for the late cricketing icon.

  • Free green skills training by BTC to prepare 85 Dominicans for climate-resilient jobs

    Free green skills training by BTC to prepare 85 Dominicans for climate-resilient jobs

    As Dominica advances its ambitious goal of becoming the world’s first climate-resilient nation, the Business Training Centre (BTC) has unveiled a groundbreaking eight-month training project designed to build a skilled local workforce capable of supporting the country’s fast-growing green economy. Titled Green Skills Training for Dominica’s Climate-Resilient Workforce, this initiative is made possible through full funding from the Government of Canada, delivered under the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) 2026-2027 programme.

    Addressing a critical gap in skilled labor for green sectors, the free programme will provide Continuing Professional Development (CPD)-accredited training across six high-demand technical fields. These areas cover core green economy segments: Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), solar and thermal energy system installation, land surveying and construction cost estimation, construction project administration, green vehicle technology for motorbike mechanics, and digital green skills including cybersecurity and data entry management.

    In an official statement released by BTC, Managing Director Lucia Stedman emphasized that Dominica’s national climate resilience targets cannot be achieved without a workforce equipped with the right specialized technical capabilities. This programme, she noted, delivers more than just skills training: it will open new employment pathways for 85 young Dominicans while directly building the skilled talent pool the country needs to deliver on its long-term sustainable development vision. Stedman also extended formal gratitude to the Government of Canada for its financial partnership and commitment to Dominica’s climate goals.

    The initiative is open to all eligible candidates between the ages of 18 and 45 residing across any part of Dominica. To advance gender equity in green technology sectors, BTC has mandated that at least 60 percent of participants in the Digital Green Skills track will be women, creating more inclusive access to high-growth career opportunities for underrepresented groups.

    All six training modules will run for three months each, led by experienced local instructors who hold recognized industry and teaching credentials. After successfully completing their programme, participants will earn an internationally recognized CPD certification, which is widely accepted by employers across the Caribbean and globally. BTC will also provide dedicated job placement support to graduates, leveraging its existing network of industry partnerships with local employers across green sectors.

    The full training schedule will run from July 2026 through February 2027, concluding with a formal Green Economy Graduation Ceremony scheduled for February 19, 2027. All 85 graduates will be recognized for their achievement at the ceremony. Applications for the programme are open now, and interested candidates can access and download application forms directly through the official BTC website.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Advances Plans for Spanish as Second Language

    Antigua and Barbuda Advances Plans for Spanish as Second Language

    The Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda is advancing a bold proposal to expand Spanish language education across all its primary and secondary schools, a plan that will require the recruitment of up to 20 additional qualified Spanish teachers over the coming years. The staffing requirement is a core component of the Education Sector Implementation Plan covering 2026 to 2030, a comprehensive policy document that Education Minister Daryll Matthew officially presented to the national Cabinet for review this Wednesday.

    Speaking at a post-Cabinet media briefing the following day, Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant shared that preliminary demographic and program planning estimates point to a need for between 18 and 20 new teaching staff to fully launch and sustain the expanded initiative. To formalize this demand, the plan explicitly recommends the development of a targeted national staffing strategy that will outline recruitment pathways, qualification requirements, and employment terms for the incoming educators.

    Unlike a new introduction of Spanish to national schools, the initiative aims to build on an existing foundation: Spanish is already included as part of Antigua and Barbuda’s standard K-12 curriculum. The policy overhaul seeks to strengthen inconsistent existing instruction, standardize learning outcomes across all institutions, and build what government officials describe as a cohesive, equitable, and sustainable national Spanish education framework. A key priority of the plan is aligning local Spanish learning benchmarks with globally recognized language proficiency standards, ensuring that students graduate with skills that are validated and recognized internationally.

    The proposal addresses concerns about the status of other foreign language offerings, clarifying that French will retain its place as a core component of the country’s National Modern Language Programme. The plan’s explicit language reaffirms a commitment to expanding Spanish education while simultaneously preserving and protecting French language instruction for students who choose to study it.

    To support successful implementation, the Ministry of Education is also planning to pursue targeted technical assistance from international partners including Spain, the Dominican Republic, and other global language education stakeholders. This planned collaboration will focus on three key areas: ongoing professional development for current and new Spanish teachers, refinement of the national curriculum to meet updated standards, and logistical support for rolling out the programme across all schools over the multi-year timeline.

    The expansion is set to roll out gradually over a three-year period, with the speed of rollout adjusted to match individual schools’ readiness to adopt the new framework and the progression of student cohorts through the education system. As of Thursday, Cabinet has initiated its review of the policy brief but has not yet announced a final decision on approval.

  • Slow over-rate costs Windies after thrilling ODI win

    Slow over-rate costs Windies after thrilling ODI win

    A stunning, last-gasp two-wicket win for the West Indies over New Zealand in the decisive fifth One Day International has been overshadowed by an official penalty: the side has received a five percent match fee deduction for falling foul of international cricket’s over-rate regulations. The issue of slow over rates has dogged the West Indies men’s team in recent months, marking a persistent problem that has now resulted in formal disciplinary action despite the side’s positive result on the field.

    Played as a day-night fixture at Bridgetown’s iconic Kensington Oval on Tuesday, the final match of the five-game series delivered a dramatic climax, with the West Indies pulling off a late comeback to secure the win. However, the victory was not enough to overturn the series deficit, with New Zealand holding on to claim an overall 3-2 series win after taking four of the first five matches.

    Fresh off the ODI clash, the West Indies side is now making a swift transition to red-ball cricket, shifting all preparation to their upcoming two-match Test series against Pakistan. The first Test of the series is scheduled to get underway this Saturday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, with the regional side looking to put the over-rate controversy behind them and focus on claiming a series win in the longer format.

    The penalty was handed down by Javagal Srinath, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, the body responsible for overseeing on-field disciplinary matters in international cricket. Match officials ruled after the game that Shai Hope’s side finished the match one full over short of the required minimum over rate after accounting for standard time allowances built into match regulations.

    Under Article 2.22 of the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which outlines penalties for minimum over-rate violations, players face a five percent fine to their match fee for every over their side falls short of the required target in the allotted playing time. Team captain Shai Hope entered an immediate guilty plea to the offence and agreed to accept the proposed sanction, eliminating the need for a formal disciplinary hearing following the conclusion of the match.

  • Airport-to-River Dock Road in Barbuda to Be Completed Within Eight Weeks

    Airport-to-River Dock Road in Barbuda to Be Completed Within Eight Weeks

    The government of Antigua and Barbuda has unveiled a timeline for a key infrastructure upgrade on the island of Barbuda, announcing that construction on a critical two-mile roadway linking Barbuda’s international airport to River Dock will get underway in the near future, with a projected completion window of just eight weeks from the start of work.

    The announcement came Thursday via Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications, who shared details following a Wednesday Cabinet meeting that included a progress briefing from Financial Secretary Rasona Davis-Crump and senior leadership from the Ministry of Works. The briefing focused heavily on the government’s island-wide national road improvement initiative, with particular focus placed on upgrade projects across Barbuda.

    “Cabinet was officially informed that the high-priority road connecting the airport to River Dock will commence shortly, and is scheduled to be finished within two months of breaking ground,” Merchant stated during the official post-Cabinet press briefing.

    While Merchant declined to name the selected construction firm or share an exact groundbreaking date, he confirmed that the chosen contractor already has a well-established footprint and proven operational track record across both Antigua and Barbuda. This local presence, he explained, is designed to streamline the mobilization of heavy construction equipment and skilled labor, eliminating unnecessary holdups that often delay infrastructure projects delivered by out-of-region firms.

    To further ensure project integrity, the government has appointed an independent third-party monitor to oversee every stage of construction. This monitor will be responsible for upholding accountability, maintaining full transparency throughout the process, and verifying that all work meets international and local engineering standards.

    The airport-to-River Dock upgrade is just one component of a broader infrastructure rehabilitation initiative covering multiple roadways across Barbuda. Collectively, these projects are targeted at boosting transportation connectivity for local residents and business operations, laying the physical groundwork for long-term economic and social growth across the smaller island of Antigua and Barbuda.

    The full national road programme across the country is backed by EC$100 million in bonds issued to a consortium of domestic financial institutions, paired with a US$33 million development loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Merchant confirmed that all financing arrangements are moving forward according to schedule, a development that is expected to speed up road rehabilitation work across both Antigua and Barbuda.

    According to updates from the Financial Secretary shared with Cabinet, all funding mechanisms are on track, with disbursement of the CDB loan expected to be finalized within a matter of days once the final outstanding contractual requirements are fulfilled. Senior leadership at the Ministry of Works also told Cabinet that pre-construction preparatory work is already ongoing to ensure all projects funded through both the bond and loan can be executed on schedule.

    To wrap up the meeting, Cabinet issued a formal directive to relevant public officials to accelerate the implementation timeline for all projects, so that local communities can begin benefiting from safer, more reliable road infrastructure as quickly as possible.

  • Postal Service set for major five-year overhaul

    Postal Service set for major five-year overhaul

    After 175 years of operation under its modern framework, the Barbados Postal Service is set to undergo one of the most sweeping structural transformations in its institutional history. Government officials have laid out an ambitious five-year blueprint to reimagine the century-old agency, expanding its mandate far beyond traditional letter and parcel delivery to become a core driver of national connectivity.

    Home Affairs and Information Minister Gregory Nicholls first announced the transformative initiative this Wednesday, during the opening ceremony of a new customer service training program developed exclusively for postal employees in partnership with the local National Transformation Initiative (NTI). While Nicholls did not release specific granular details of the planned reforms during his public remarks, he framed the ongoing staff training as a critical first step to prepare the postal workforce for the coming changes.

    “The government has chosen to lead, and that is why we are going to pursue a bold vision for the Barbados Postal Service, one that I have described from mail delivery to national connectivity,” Nicholls stated during the event. “I have submitted to the postmaster general a blueprint of how that transformation programme will look over the next five years.”

    In a push to ensure the final reform plan reflects input from across the organization, Nicholls confirmed that all levels of staff will have an opportunity to contribute feedback before the blueprint is finalized. “I’ve asked her [the postmaster general] and management to comment on it, to critique it. Even let your staff have a say in how that is to be constructed so that we can build a transformation model that works for all of us. I hope that we can get into discussing it soon. From mail delivery to national connectivity, those are six words, and they capture a profound shift in how we think about the postal service.”

    Under the new vision, the Barbados Postal Service will no longer operate solely as a mail delivery agency. Nicholls outlined that the reimagined service will act as a connective hub linking local communities to critical government services, connecting individual people to new economic opportunities, helping small and medium entrepreneurs access regional and global markets, and integrating isolated communities into the national economy. This shift will be achieved through expanded reliable logistics networks, targeted digital innovation, and continued commitment to trusted public service, he explained, noting that “the Barbados Postal Service must become far more than a postal operator.”

    Realizing this ambitious vision will require substantial cross-cutting investment, Nicholls emphasized. Upgrades will cover core infrastructure, cutting-edge digital technology, strengthened end-to-end logistics systems, modernized physical facilities, and the development of new public-private and cross-sector partnerships. However, he stressed that investment in the postal workforce is the most critical component of the entire transformation. “But above all else, it requires people because no matter how sophisticated our technology becomes, no matter how modern our abilities become, no matter how many services we introduce, none of these investments will achieve their full value unless the people who represent this organisation every day are equipped, motivated, and inspired to deliver excellence.”

    Nicholls encouraged postal employees to embrace the upcoming changes, noting that the overhaul will bring new technologies, expanded professional responsibilities, and unique career growth opportunities for staff. He urged workers to position themselves as active partners in the transformation process, rather than passive observers of institutional change.

    NTI Director Dr. Allyson Leacock expanded on the purpose of the ongoing staff training program, officially named “The Art and Heart of Service”. She explained that the curriculum goes far beyond basic customer service training, aiming to shift organizational culture from transactional service delivery to heartfelt, community-focused public service.

    “We are going to add to the arsenal of skills that we know you already have because, as the Barbados Postal Service, you are our very best friends…you are custodians of all that matters for us. Mail is more than an item; it is a promise that you execute with great skill and distinction,” Dr. Leacock told attendees.

    She noted that participating postal workers are joining a growing global movement of postal sector reform that centers new values for the evolving digital ecosystem, emphasizing that worker mindset is just as critical to successful transformation as technical skill development. “In demonstrating the values of a new generation, a new digital ecosystem that requires all of us to shift how we work, and that is what this training really will capture: the importance of the mindset alongside the skill set.”

    The training curriculum covers a broad range of competencies tailored to the transformed service, including digital literacy, inclusive service through disability etiquette, professional deportment, personal branding and communication skills, and core training in organizational ethics and integrity. Dr. Leacock added that the program also aims to help staff understand how organizational culture and systemic transformation work together to achieve long-term success.

    Barbados’ postal tradition stretches back to 1663, when the British Post Office established a packet agency on the island. However, the modern formal postal system was not established until August 1, 1851, when the country passed its first Post Office Act to structure the service. The agency issued its first official stamps and launched formal inland mail delivery just eight months later, in April 1852.

  • Court Rejects Law Firm’s Bid to Strike Out PM Browne’s Defamation Claim

    Court Rejects Law Firm’s Bid to Strike Out PM Browne’s Defamation Claim

    A high-stakes defamation lawsuit launched by Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, will move forward to full judicial consideration after the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court turned away a preliminary bid to dismiss the claim from the defendants: private individual Martin DeLuca and international law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP.

    Details of the ruling emerged this week via Maurice Merchant, the nation’s Director General of Communications, who confirmed that Browne updated his Cabinet on the outcome of the preliminary application during the executive body’s regular weekly meeting held Wednesday.

    According to Merchant, court Master Carlos Cameron-Michel issued the ruling dismissing the law firm’s application on July 21. Boies Schiller Flexner is listed as the second named defendant in the original defamation filing. In its dismissal application, the firm argued that Browne’s claim failed to meet specific procedural requirements laid out in the local Civil Procedure Rules, and furthermore that the filing did not present any legally valid grounds to support a defamation claim before the court.

    “After hearing oral submissions from legal teams representing both sides, and reviewing all written arguments and supporting legal precedents, the court refused the application for dismissal,” Merchant explained during an official press briefing held after the weekly Cabinet meeting.

    Beyond rejecting the dismissal bid, the court handed down two key procedural orders: Boies Schiller Flexner is required to pay 1,500 Eastern Caribbean dollars in court costs by August 12, and must submit its formal defense to the defamation claim by September 4. Once the defense is filed, Browne will be granted a court-allocated window to submit a formal reply to the defense. Following that step, the case will move into scheduled case management proceedings in line with the requirements of the Civil Procedure Rules.

    Addressing his Cabinet after the ruling, Browne framed the outcome as a critical procedural milestone, one that clears the way for the court to examine the core substantive allegations at the heart of his claim on their individual legal and factual merits.

    “I welcome the court’s ruling, which has reaffirmed the importance of truth, fairness and accountability in public discourse,” Browne stated in comments shared by Merchant.

    “While robust opposition and debate is an essential feature of any democracy, defamatory statements that unjustly damage an individual’s reputation have no place in our society,” he added.

    Browne emphasized that the proceeding is more than a personal effort to clear his name. “This is not simply a personal vindication, but also a reminder that freedom of expression carries corresponding responsibilities,” he said.

    It is important to note that the latest ruling only addresses the procedural question of whether the claim can proceed to full consideration. The court has not yet made any determination on the ultimate merits of Browne’s defamation allegations against the defendants.

  • Saint Lucia set for Caribbean Golf Championships

    Saint Lucia set for Caribbean Golf Championships

    Next week will mark a historic milestone for golf in Saint Lucia, as a seven-person national delegation departs for Nassau, Bahamas to compete in the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship (CAGC) — the Caribbean Golf Association’s flagship annual competition that brings together the region’s top amateur talent in both team and individual divisions.

    The squad features four male golfers, two female athletes, and one team manager, who will test their skills against elite competitors from across the Caribbean at Nassau’s scenic Royal Blue Golf Course. This tournament comes just months after Saint Lucia formally gained membership in the regional golf association back in May, making this one of the country’s first major appearances at the CAGC’s top level. Notably, Saint Lucia will be missing its top-ranked player, Yadhu Urs, who has committed to competing at the concurrent Central American and Caribbean Games and will not join the squad in The Bahamas.

    Leading the men’s roster are two of Saint Lucia’s most promising young emerging talents: Nicolas Beaubrun and Harith Khan. Beaubrun boasts a decades-long legacy with the Saint Lucian national team, making his first national splash back in 2006 when he claimed the Boys Under-13 title at the Trinidad Open. Today, he holds the 2025 Saint Lucia Open net champion title, and has notched international experience competing at the 2022 Latin America Amateur Championship and the 2023 Eastern Caribbean Golf Association (ECGA) Championship, where he helped Saint Lucia secure the team victory.

    Khan, meanwhile, has built a reputation for consistent, steady play that has lifted his standing in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) over recent years. He also represented Saint Lucia at the 2023 ECGA Championship, and earned his spot in the 2025 Latin America Amateur Championship after finishing runner-up at the 2024 Saint Lucia National Invitational.

    Rounding out the men’s team are veteran competitor Eugene Edwin and player-coach Tim Mangal. Edwin, who has been competing in regional golf for 40 years, is a decorated senior champion and multiple-time regional tournament winner. He added two more major accolades to his resume in 2024: the Senior Gross Champion title at the ECGA Championship, and first place in the senior men’s division at the Saint Lucia Open. Mangal, who serves as both a player and the head of the national golf program, has represented Saint Lucia at dozens of regional competitions and mentored many of the country’s top amateur golfers. Most recently, he led Team Saint Lucia to win the 2025 ECGA Amateur Gross Championship.

    On the women’s side, the team features Catherine Spooner and Marisa Groenewald, two of Saint Lucia’s top performing golfers this season. Spooner climbed to third place in the women’s division at the 2025 ECGA Championship, and earned her biggest career win earlier this year by taking the women’s title at the Saint Lucia Open — a follow-up to her top-three finish at the same tournament in 2024. Groenewald, a member of Saint Lucia’s 2023 ECGA champion squad, claimed two individual titles at the 2025 Saint Lucia Golf Open and has solidified her status as one of the country’s leading domestic players.

    Heading up the delegation as team manager is Dwayne King, who also serves as public relations officer for Golf Saint Lucia Inc. An amateur golfer himself and a longtime sports administrator, King has played a central role in expanding access to golf and growing the sport’s popularity across Saint Lucia.

    For the 2026 CAGC tournament, male competitors will tackle a 6,827-yard (6,242-meter) course, while female athletes will compete on a 6,152-yard (5,625-meter) layout. Following the tournament format established in recent years, the competition will consist of three days of 18-hole stroke play, for a total of 54 holes for all competitors. National teams from across the region will compete for two major trophies: the Hoerman Cup for men’s team play and the George Teale Trophy for women’s team play. The 2025 iteration of the championship was hosted at the Barbados Golf Club last year.