Carib Scope

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  • Stronger literacy push after exam decline

    Stronger literacy push after exam decline

    When this year’s Common Entrance exam results revealed a worrying steep drop in national English test scores, education policymakers moved quickly to address growing fears that thousands of incoming secondary school students were not prepared for the academic demands of high school. The result is a targeted, intensive summer literacy intervention that is already reporting measurable early gains for the learners who need it most.

    As part of the country’s National Literacy Programme, the Ministry of Education Transformation launched the Summer Learning Pod initiative, with a pilot site hosted at Westbury Primary School. Currently, 70 students between the ages of 11 and 13, all of whom showed critical gaps in reading and writing proficiency in this year’s exams, are receiving specialized daily support designed to close literacy gaps before they begin secondary school. The 3-week programme, set to conclude this Friday, relies on two evidence-based instructional frameworks developed by Lindamood-Bell: Seeing Stars and the Visualizing and Verbalizing approach, delivered through small-group instruction tailored to each student’s skill level.

    Each structured method targets a core component of literacy proficiency. The Seeing Stars framework helps learners build word recognition and spelling skills by training them to create clear mental images of letter sequences within words, a technique that strengthens automatic decoding. The Visualizing and Verbalizing approach, by contrast, boosts reading and listening comprehension by teaching students to form mental imagery of the content they read, then rephrase that content in their own words to deepen understanding. With a strict 1:5 instructor-to-student ratio, every learner receives personalized attention that is often hard to access in crowded standard classroom settings.

    The intervention was launched in direct response to newly released national data showing that the average English score dropped from 72.5 in 2025 to 64.2 in 2026. Education officials flagged widespread weaknesses in core skills including grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and analysis of expository nonfiction texts, gaps that experts warn could create persistent barriers to success as students move to the more rigorous curriculum of secondary school. To remove common barriers to access, the programme also provides all participating students with free daily transportation and school lunches, ensuring that low-income learners are not excluded from the support they need.

    Project consultant Isabel Medellin says early progress assessments already show clear, transformative improvements for many participants, pointing to the rapid growth of one 11-year-old student named Jayden as a striking example. When Jayden first joined the programme, initial baseline testing placed his reading proficiency at roughly a first-grade level, with extremely weak foundational skills that left him struggling to decode even short, simple words. “When we first began his instruction, he was working on words with single syllables, two or three sounds. So words like ‘cat’ or ‘boat,’” Medellin explained.

    After less than three weeks of daily targeted instruction, observed in part by peripatetic teacher support officer Lee Carter, Jayden’s skills and confidence have both surged dramatically. “So now he’s working on two-syllable words. He is reading passages with more complex single-syllable and two-syllable words. He’s increasing his sight word recognition, and his confidence has increased so much,” Medellin said. She added that the shift in Jayden’s classroom engagement has been as notable as his academic progress: “He is always raising his hand to answer the questions, and it’s been really great to see that within just barely three weeks, he has gone from struggling to decode words with two or three letters to now he can take on two-syllable words and decode them back to back.”

    All participants complete a baseline assessment at the start of the programme and a follow-up assessment at the end to measure growth, allowing educators to document exactly how much progress each student makes over the three-week intervention. Education officials say the early results from the pilot will inform future expansion of targeted summer literacy support to address ongoing declines in secondary school readiness.

  • Cop dead in suspected suicide amidst sex crime allegation

    Cop dead in suspected suicide amidst sex crime allegation

    A shocking tragedy has rocked the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), after an active-duty tactical unit officer died by suicide on Wednesday morning just hours after he was accused of a serious sexual offense. Law enforcement officials have formally confirmed the death of 36-year-old Police Constable Kenrick Scott, badge number 1116, following the incident reported shortly before 11 a.m. local time.

    Scott was assigned to the force’s Special Services Unit (SSU), an elite tactical division where all officers are required to carry loaded service firearms during active duty. Multiple independent sources close to the investigation confirmed to local outlet iWitness News that the sexual assault allegation against Scott surfaced the night before his death. The alleged victim had reportedly threatened to file an official police report over the incident, though as of initial investigations, it remains unclear whether a formal complaint was ever registered with department officials.

    On the morning of his death, Scott had reported for duty at the SSU base located at the Old Montrose Police Station. The base was hosting a full rehearsal for the upcoming Saturday military funeral of PC Warith McBride, badge number 762, who died of natural causes caused by a pre-existing heart condition on May 31. Scott was also scheduled to relieve another officer mid-shift that day, which led to his being issued his standard issue service pistol for his duties.

    Witness accounts and investigation sources outline that in the middle of the funeral rehearsal, Scott slipped away to a densely vegetated, bushy area adjacent to the base. There, he placed a phone call to a close family member, during which he displayed his issued weapon and explicitly stated he intended to take his own life. Immediately after ending the distressing call, the relative contacted another on-duty police officer to raise the alarm, and the alert was quickly passed to command staff at the SSU base.

    Officers deployed to search the bushy area located Scott within minutes. He was already deceased from what investigators have described as an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Investigative sources told iWitness News that Scott leveraged his knowledge of the funeral rehearsal protocol to hide the sound of his fatal shot. During the ceremony rehearsal, the firing party was scheduled to fire blank rounds in a ceremonial salute; multiple sources confirmed Scott fired his lethal round in sync with the command to fire, masking the sound of the shot from other officers on site.

    In an official statement released Wednesday confirming Scott’s death, the RSVGPF declined to share additional details about the circumstances of the incident, noting that active investigations are still ongoing. “The circumstances surrounding Constable Scott’s death are currently under investigation. Further information will be provided once the relevant facts have been verified and the necessary investigative procedures have been completed,” the statement read.

    The department extended its formal sympathy to Scott’s loved ones in the wake of the tragedy: “The Commissioner of Police, the High Command, and the rank and file of the RSVGPF extend sincere condolences to Constable Scott’s family, friends, and colleagues during this deeply difficult time.”

    Officials also made a public appeal for restraint amid ongoing information gathering, asking the public and media to respect the privacy of Scott’s grieving family and avoid spreading unsubstantiated claims or speculation about the events leading up to his death. “The RSVGPF appeals to members of the public and the media to respect the privacy of Constable Scott’s family and to refrain from speculation or the circulation of unverified information concerning his death,” the statement added.

  • Rebate push to help poultry farmers tackle rising heat stress

    Rebate push to help poultry farmers tackle rising heat stress

    A deadly recent heatwave in Jamaica that killed hundreds of laying hens has sent a stark warning across the Caribbean, prompting agricultural authorities to urge poultry producers to implement urgent heat mitigation measures before the peak mid-year summer heat arrives. The event has laid bare the growing vulnerability of regional poultry production to rising global temperatures, bringing new urgency to preparedness efforts across neighboring island nations.

    Mark Campbell, president of the Jamaica Egg Farmers Association (JEFA), confirmed that the island’s egg sector, particularly operations along Jamaica’s southern coast, has already sustained devastating losses. Some small-scale and commercial farmers have lost as many as 700 birds to the extreme sweltering conditions recorded in the recent heat event.

    In response to the Jamaican outbreak of heat-related poultry mortality, James Paul, chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), has issued a direct public warning to Barbados’ livestock producers. Paul emphasized that proactive, pre-emptive farm management is non-negotiable to prevent heat stress from wiping out poultry yields as seasonal temperatures climb toward their annual peak. Speaking to local outlet Barbados TODAY, Paul noted that while the full details of Jamaica’s losses are still being assessed, the event is clearly linked to extreme heat conditions, and changing climatic conditions mean Caribbean producers can no longer ignore the growing risk of temperature-related production shocks. “I don’t rejoice on what’s happened in Jamaica,” Paul stated. “I think that it is probably related to the heat conditions there. Environment changes and temperature changes have an impact. While I am not fully aware as to what the issues are, that’s something we have to follow up. But again, I just want to sound the warning to our local producers.”

    As of the warning, Barbados has not yet recorded extreme temperature spikes this season, but Paul cautioned that the most high-risk period for heat stress is just around the corner. Poultry physiology makes the species particularly vulnerable to high ambient temperatures: unmanaged heat exposure triggers heat stress, which reduces birds’ feed conversion efficiency, slows growth rates, and leads to widespread mortality if producers do not intervene quickly. Historical data from the region confirms this pattern, and Paul says there is no reason to expect this summer to be an exception. “We have not really seen high temperatures as yet, but as we get closer and closer into the summer months, there will be high temperatures,” Paul explained. “The whole question of heat stress is something that has had a negative impact on birds in the past, and we don’t anticipate anything different going into the summer.”

    To reduce barriers for farmers looking to protect their flocks, the BAS is actively promoting a government-backed rebate program specifically designed to cut internal temperatures inside poultry coops. Under the initiative, individual producers can claim rebates of up to 15,000 Barbados dollars to purchase specialized heat-reflective roof paint, a low-cost intervention that drastically reduces the amount of heat absorbed into coop structures, keeping internal temperatures significantly cooler during heatwaves. Paul stressed that the program is especially critical for small-scale producers, who often lack the capital to invest in more expensive cooling infrastructure. The BAS is standing by to assist producers with every step of the application process, directing interested farmers to relevant officials at the Ministry of Agriculture to access the rebate.

    Paul urged producers to adopt a proactive “boy scout” mindset, preparing their facilities well before heat stress sets in. He noted that once losses occur, post-event complaints are futile when clear early warnings have already been issued to the sector.

    Andrew Lewis, general manager of Barbados’ major chick supplier Gale’s Agro Products Limited, corroborated the warning, confirming that while his firm’s primary hatchery has not recorded abnormal heat-related mortality so far this year, high mid-year temperatures are a persistent, recurring hazard for poultry producers across the island. “We are not experiencing anything like what you would have described in Jamaica at present,” Lewis said. “But certainly in the last few years, in the hotter summer months, the incidences of mortality and lower growth among our customers is a feature.”

    As a leading hatchery that supplies day-old chicks to farmers across the country, Gale’s Agro Products has already implemented extensive in-transit cooling precautions to ensure flock survival before delivery. However, Lewis emphasized that long-term flock resilience ultimately rests on individual farm management practices once chicks arrive at their destination. “We are primarily a hatchery, so we are sending out day-old chicks to farmers. Obviously, we send them out in as best ventilated or cool conditions as we can. However, once they arrive at the farmer, of course, then it really lies with the farmer,” he explained.

    Lewis added that the most challenging heat conditions typically arrive later in the seasonal cycle, with late August, September, and October historically bringing the most dangerous heat pressure for Caribbean poultry flocks. In line with official guidance, he is urging all poultry managers to inspect and test ventilation systems in advance, activate cooling measures ahead of temperature spikes, and ensure all heat mitigation infrastructure is secured to help flocks withstand the coming heat.

  • Health Ministry Congratulates Camacho-Thomas on Acting Environment Director Appointment

    Health Ministry Congratulates Camacho-Thomas on Acting Environment Director Appointment

    In a formal announcement this week, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs has announced a leadership transition at the nation’s Department of Environment, confirming the appointment of Ambassador Ruleta Camacho-Thomas as the agency’s new Acting Director. Alongside celebrating Camacho-Thomas’s new role, the Ministry has also paid public tribute to outgoing Director Diann Black-Layne, who is stepping down after a years-long tenure of landmark service to the country’s environmental agenda.

    Throughout her professional career, Camacho-Thomas has established a well-documented track record of strong leadership, rigorous professionalism, and unshakable dedication to advancing both environmental stewardship and balanced sustainable development across Antigua and Barbuda. Ministry officials emphasized that they hold full confidence in Camacho-Thomas’s ability to build on the Department of Environment’s existing progress, noting that her decades of accumulated expertise, forward-thinking strategic vision, and deep commitment to the agency’s core mission will only strengthen the organization as it works to protect and responsibly manage the nation’s rich natural resources.

    The Ministry extended its warm congratulations to the newly appointed Acting Director, expressing excitement for the work ahead under her guidance. Officials noted that Camacho-Thomas will inherit a robust, well-structured institution shaped by her predecessor’s efforts, and they are optimistic that the Department will continue to deliver tangible, impactful progress for Antigua and Barbuda’s environment during her tenure. The entire ministry extended well wishes for Camacho-Thomas as she settles into her new leadership role.

    Meanwhile, the Ministry shared sincere gratitude for Black-Layne’s years of dedicated service and transformative leadership as Department Director. Over the course of her distinguished career at the helm of the agency, Black-Layne played a foundational role in building the Department of Environment into the respected, effective institution it is today. Her work laid critical groundwork for advancing environmental protection, boosting national climate resilience, and embedding sustainable development practices across Antigua and Barbuda’s policy framework. Ministry officials emphasized that her vision, passion, and lifelong commitment to environmental progress have created an enduring legacy that will continue to benefit the nation for generations to come.

    All levels of Ministry leadership, alongside staff from both the Ministry and the Department of Environment, joined together to extend heartfelt thanks to Black-Layne for her decades of exceptional public service. The entire organization joined in wishing her a long, healthy, and deeply fulfilling retirement, as well as great success and joy in any new pursuits she chooses to take on in this next chapter of her life.

  • Sunrise Airways launches direct Antigua-Barbados service

    Sunrise Airways launches direct Antigua-Barbados service

    In a landmark move for Caribbean regional integration, Caribbean-based carrier Sunrise Airways has launched a brand-new direct air service linking Antigua and Barbuda with the island nation of Barbados, expanding its network and advancing ongoing efforts to knit closer ties across the region. The first flight on the route touched down at Barbados’ Grantley Adams International Airport this Wednesday, drawing a crowd of senior tourism, aviation and government representatives from both island nations for an official ceremony to mark the milestone launch.

    This new cross-Caribbean route is scheduled to operate two flights per week, eliminating the need for connecting travel between the two popular destinations and opening up more flexible, convenient travel options for a wide range of passengers: leisure tourists seeking new Caribbean experiences, business professionals conducting cross-border trade, and families visiting loved ones across regional borders.

    For Sunrise Airways, the new Barbados route represents another key milestone in the carrier’s long-term mission to strengthen transport links across the entire Caribbean archipelago. “Every new route brings our region closer together,” a company representative noted of the development.

    Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of State for Tourism, Michael Freeland, offered enthusiastic praise for the new service, emphasizing that consistent, reasonably priced air connectivity is a foundational driver of sustainable economic growth across the Caribbean. Freeland explained that expanded, reliable air access is critical to unlocking the region’s full untapped economic potential, by removing barriers to movement for both people and commercial operations across Caribbean borders.

    Per Sunrise Airways’ official announcement, the new route aligns with the carrier’s flagship “One Caribbean” initiative, a program focused on bridging gaps between Caribbean nations through improved, accessible air transport. The airline currently operates services to 20 destinations across the Caribbean, North America and Central America, with plans to continue expanding its regional network in the coming months.

    Industry and government stakeholders widely expect the new Antigua-Barbados route to deliver broad benefits beyond just easier travel: it will strengthen overall regional connectivity, support growth in the vital tourism sector, boost cross-border commercial activity, and deepen people-to-people cultural exchange between the two neighboring island nations.

  • Kim Poole Brings Soul-Fusion to Antigua

    Kim Poole Brings Soul-Fusion to Antigua

    As Antigua and Barbuda prepares to mark 192 years since the abolition of chattel slavery, international performing artivist Kim Poole has arrived on the islands to launch a deeply collaborative new musical exploration rooted in Carnival culture, set to take center stage at the annual Emancipation Watch Night gathering.

    The event, scheduled for 8 p.m. on July 31 at the nation’s Botanical Gardens, will see Poole share the stage with Sir Hilary Beckles, Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission and one of the globe’s most prominent reparations historians. This unique gathering weaves together live music, collective cultural memory, critical historical reflection, and the ongoing global call for reparative justice for African diasporic communities across the Caribbean and beyond.

    For Poole, the invitation to perform marks far more than a single appearance: it is the opening chapter of a new creative journey shaped by the landscapes, people, and sounds of the Caribbean. Long known for her genre-defying Soul-Fusion style, Poole’s work has always reflected the lived experiences and encounters of her travels, drawing from soul, African diasporic rhythms, spiritual expression, spoken word, jazz, movement, and cultural storytelling. Rejecting the idea that musical traditions exist as rigid, isolated categories, she lets the places she visits and the people she meets guide the evolution of her sound.

    Antigua and Barbuda offers an especially rich creative landscape for this evolution. The nation’s musical identity pulses with the layered traditions of calypso, soca, steelpan, communal drumming, Carnival processions, sacred gatherings, and centuries of shared African-Caribbean memory. Poole says she has arrived not just to perform her own work, but to listen closely—to local musicians, intergenerational cultural bearers, traditional storytellers, and the vibrant rhythms that move across the islands during Carnival season.

    This spirit of respectful exchange sits at the core of Poole’s identity as an “artivist” — a term that merges artistic practice with activist values. Her performances consistently connect musical expression to urgent conversations around identity, collective freedom, cultural inheritance, and shared communal possibility. For her, the stage is both a space for unapologetic joy and a platform to confront the unresolved histories that continue to shape the lives of African-descended communities around the world.

    Poole’s appearance at Emancipation Watch Night carries layered symbolic weight. While Beckles will bring historical and intellectual context to the reparations movement, Poole’s performance will center the movement’s emotional, spiritual, and creative dimensions. Together, their presence underscores that reparations cannot be reduced to policy and scholarship alone: it must also be understood through collective memory, cultural expression, lived experience, and art.

    Timing her arrival to coincide with Carnival also situates Poole’s work within one of the Caribbean’s most enduring traditions of cultural resistance and survival. Far from just a festive celebration, Carnival serves as living testimony: its music, masquerade, movement, and public gatherings carry the legacy of enslaved people who turned systemic oppression into radical creative expression, reworking ancestral memory into new forms of collective freedom.

    For Poole, these traditions are not material to be borrowed or appropriated; they are living cultural languages that demand respectful encounter, curiosity, and collaboration. The rhythms, stories, and energy she absorbs during her time in Antigua and Barbuda will likely form the foundation of future compositions, as she continues building a body of work rooted in cross-cultural exchange across Global Africa.

    As the nation gathers to commemorate 192 years of emancipation, Poole is ready to both contribute her unique voice to the commemoration and absorb new creative inspiration from the islands. What begins as a single performance may well bloom into something far larger: the birth of a new evolution of her Soul-Fusion sound, where the spirit of Antigua, the energy of Carnival, and the enduring music of freedom converge.

  • Senator Angelica O’Donoghue Launches “Your Future Is Yours” Award to Inspire Young Dreamers

    Senator Angelica O’Donoghue Launches “Your Future Is Yours” Award to Inspire Young Dreamers

    In a move aimed at unlocking the potential of the next generation of leaders and innovators, Senator Angelica O’Donoghue has formally launched the ‘Your Future Is Yours’ Award, an initiative designed to recognize and lift up young people who dare to chase their dreams across a wide range of fields. The award program, first announced during O’Donoghue’s recent address to the Senate Committee on Youth Affairs, will accept applications from individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who are residents of the senator’s home state.

    O’Donoghue emphasized in a kickoff press conference held at a downtown youth community center that the initiative fills a critical gap in support for young people who often face systemic barriers when turning their ideas into action. Unlike traditional scholarships that focus solely on academic performance or need-based grants tied to financial hardship, this award celebrates both achievement and ambition, honoring young people working in areas from community organizing and entrepreneurship to artistic creation and scientific research.

    Winners of the annual award will receive not only a $10,000 cash prize to put toward their educational or project goals, but also one year of mentorship from industry leaders and public figures hand-picked by the program’s advisory board. O’Donoghue noted that mentorship is often just as important as financial support for young dreamers, many of whom lack access to professional networks that can help them navigate early career challenges.

    The program has already drawn bipartisan support from other members of Congress, as well as endorsements from national youth advocacy organizations, which have praised the initiative for centering youth agency and encouraging civic engagement among young people. Applications are set to open next month and close in late spring, with winners scheduled to be announced at a public ceremony in the nation’s capital ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.

    O’Donoghue closed her remarks at the launch event by stressing that investing in young people’s dreams is an investment in the future of the entire country. ‘Too often, we write off young people’s ideas as too ambitious or too untested,’ she said. ‘This award sends a clear message: we believe in you, we trust in your vision, and your future truly is yours to shape.’

  • St. Joseph’s Academy Invests EC$12,500 in Junior Chef Prize Money in Commercial Ovens

    St. Joseph’s Academy Invests EC$12,500 in Junior Chef Prize Money in Commercial Ovens

    St. Joseph’s Academy, a prominent educational institution focused on nurturing culinary talent, has made a strategic decision to redirect EC$12,500 earmarked for junior chef competition prize money toward the acquisition of new commercial-grade ovens for its culinary arts training program.

    The investment marks a key shift in how the school supports its emerging culinary students, prioritizing long-term skill development over one-time competition rewards. The new commercial ovens will replace outdated equipment in the school’s teaching kitchen, giving hundreds of aspiring junior chefs access to industry-standard tools that mirror the working conditions found in professional restaurants, bakeries, and catering operations across the region.

    School administrators explained that the decision came after identifying a critical gap in training infrastructure. While the annual junior chef competition has long incentivized student excellence, many participants noted that limited access to modern cooking equipment held back their progress outside of competition events. By reallocating the prize budget, the academy is creating sustained benefits that will serve current and future cohorts of culinary students for years to come.

    Local culinary industry leaders have welcomed the move, noting that hands-on experience with commercial equipment gives student graduates a significant advantage when entering the workforce. The new ovens are expected to be installed and operational before the start of the next academic semester, when the academy will launch an expanded junior chef training track to meet growing student interest in culinary careers.

  • Should Belize City Have a Bigger Say on Who Gets a Liquor Licence?

    Should Belize City Have a Bigger Say on Who Gets a Liquor Licence?

    On July 22, 2026, Belize’s Ministry of Local Government announced a forthcoming public consultation that will give Belize City residents a direct voice in reshaping the nation’s liquor licensing framework. Scheduled to take place next Tuesday, July 28 at the city’s House of Culture, the event forms part of a national initiative to modernize regulations that have drawn growing criticism from communities and business operators across the country.

    The consultation invites a broad cross-section of stakeholders to weigh in on a series of pressing, unresolved questions that have divided local communities for years. Participants will be asked to share their perspectives on whether Belize City should have greater autonomy over approving liquor license applications, if existing operating hour restrictions should be relaxed to allow bars to stay open later, and whether the current number of issued licenses has reached unsustainable levels. The conversation will also address how authorities should penalize businesses that repeatedly violate noise ordinances and other operational rules, a top complaint from residents living near entertainment districts.

    The nationwide review of liquor licensing rules was initiated in response to years of sustained public discontent. Stakeholders on both sides—local residents and licensed business owners alike—have raised consistent concerns about the fairness of the current application and approval process. Additional grievances include unregulated operations at open-air bars, persistent excessive noise that disrupts residential neighborhoods, and widespread violation of mandated closing times that have gone insufficiently penalized in many cases.

    Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner emphasized that the public input collected during the consultation will play a central role in shaping final policy changes. “This liquor license reform is a local government-driven initiative rolling out across the entire country, and Belize City is a key stop on that process,” Wagner explained. “This event creates a formal opportunity for residents to show up, engage directly with policymakers, and act as active stakeholders in the reform of our liquor licensing system. No changes will be finalized without hearing the perspectives of the people who are affected by these rules every single day.”

    Organizers have confirmed that all interested parties—including individual residents, bar and restaurant owners, event promoters, and local community organizations—are encouraged to attend and share their feedback. The input collected in Belize City and other consultation stops across the nation will be compiled and used to draft updated legislation and regulatory procedures for liquor licensing.

  • SWM waarschuwt: strengere maatregelen bij achterstallige waterrekeningen

    SWM waarschuwt: strengere maatregelen bij achterstallige waterrekeningen

    Suriname’s national water utility, De Surinaamse Waterleiding Maatschappij (SWM), has announced stricter enforcement measures targeting customers with overdue water bills, in a move designed to reduce widespread payment arrears and secure the long-term stability of the country’s drinking water supply. Announced on July 22, the updated policy includes two key changes: an expansion of operating hours for water service shutoffs, and a new protocol to cut off supply from roadside main lines for properties where water meters are inaccessible due to locked gates or other obstructions.
    Importantly, all additional costs incurred from these roadside shutoff operations will be passed directly to the non-compliant customer. SWM officials explained that the harsher measures are rooted in a critical need: consistent, on-time bill payments are fundamental to maintaining a reliable drinking water distribution network across the country and funding much-needed upgrades to aging water infrastructure.
    Under existing SWM terms of service, customers who have two outstanding unpaid water bills are already required to cover additional collection fees. If the outstanding balance is not cleared after these fees are added, the utility retains the right to terminate water service entirely. The new policy simply strengthens enforcement of these existing rules by removing barriers that previously allowed delinquent customers to avoid shutoffs.
    To help customers avoid service interruption and extra charges, SWM is actively reminding the public of the multiple convenient payment options available beyond in-person counter transactions. Customers can settle their bills via online or mobile banking, the digital payment platforms Uni5Pay+ and Mope, or set up automatic giro transfers through their personal bank accounts.
    Utility representatives emphasized that timely bill benefits all stakeholders. Beyond helping individual customers avoid service cuts and extra fees, consistent on-time payments guarantee the continuity of high-quality water services for all users and clear the way for planned future investments that will expand and improve Suriname’s drinking water network for decades to come.