Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • St. Vincent loses only nonstop U.S. Connection as Delta cancels Atlanta Service permanently – WIC News

    St. Vincent loses only nonstop U.S. Connection as Delta cancels Atlanta Service permanently – WIC News

    After less than a year of operation, Delta Air Lines has permanently ended its nonstop route connecting Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Argyle International Airport in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, stripping the Caribbean nation of its only direct air link to the United States.

    Delta’s final scheduled flight on the route departed on September 5, 2026, bringing an early close to a service that was only launched nine months prior, on December 20, 2025. At its launch, the carrier framed the route as a strategic investment that would open new, convenient access to St. Vincent and the Grenadines for U.S. travelers, making Delta the only U.S. airline to operate direct flights between the two markets.

    Originally, the airline had only planned a seasonal pause for the route after September 2026, with service scheduled to resume on December 19 ahead of the peak winter travel season. However, Delta confirmed in an official statement that the route would not return as planned, confirming a permanent discontinuation. Internal records show the decision to end the route was logged in Delta’s operational systems on May 23, 2026, roughly four months before the public confirmation.

    Airlines routinely evaluate route networks based on a mix of shifting variables, including customer demand, seasonal travel patterns, aircraft availability, broader operational needs, and operating costs. Delta specifically cited two core drivers for the cancellation: soaring fuel costs and consistently weak profit margins on the route. Local tourism insiders point to a second critical factor: insufficient outreach by St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Tourism Authority to build awareness of the new nonstop service among U.S. travelers. Low visibility of the route among potential visitors translated to lackluster booking volumes, setting the stage for the service’s early cancellation.

    For passengers who held bookings for travel on the route after September 5, Delta says it will directly contact all affected customers to offer alternative rebooking options. The carrier notes it will continue operating service to a wide range of other popular Caribbean destinations, including Nassau in the Bahamas, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and Nevis, Curaçao, and Grenada, among others.

    The loss of the only nonstop U.S. connection marks a significant blow to St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ critical tourism sector, which relies heavily on U.S. visitor spending. Without direct air access, travelers from the U.S. now face longer, more complicated itineraries connecting through third countries, a barrier that is expected to reduce incoming visitor volumes and economic activity tied to tourism.

  • ABTA Marketing Chief Charmaine Spencer to Speak at SOTIC 2026

    ABTA Marketing Chief Charmaine Spencer to Speak at SOTIC 2026

    The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has announced that its chief marketing officer, Charmaine Spencer, will take the stage as a featured speaker at the 2026 Symposium on Travel Industry Challenges (SOTIC), one of the travel sector’s most anticipated annual professional gatherings.

    Industry observers note that Spencer’s appearance at the event comes at a pivotal moment for global travel, as brands navigate shifting consumer expectations, post-pandemic market restructuring, and the growing integration of digital marketing tools into customer engagement strategies. Throughout her tenure at ABTA, Spencer has led high-impact marketing campaigns that have strengthened the association’s profile and supported independent travel providers across the United Kingdom in adapting to a rapidly evolving competitive landscape.

    SOTIC organizers have highlighted that Spencer’s discussion will focus on emerging marketing trends reshaping the travel ecosystem, including personalized customer experiences, sustainable travel branding, and leveraging social media to connect with younger traveler demographics. The 2026 edition of SOTIC is expected to draw hundreds of travel industry stakeholders, including tourism board representatives, travel agency owners, marketing professionals, and technology solution providers from across Europe and beyond.

    Industry insiders say Spencer’s insights will offer valuable perspective for both established travel brands and new entrants looking to build resilient, customer-centric marketing strategies in an increasingly volatile global market. SOTIC has built a reputation over the years as a key networking and knowledge-sharing platform, designed to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the travel sector worldwide.

  • Message By The Prime Minister On The Occasion Of Africa-Caricom Day 2026

    Message By The Prime Minister On The Occasion Of Africa-Caricom Day 2026

    On September 7, 2026, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne delivered an official message marking the annual celebration of Africa-CARICOM Day, calling for renewed collective action to build a transformative, people-centered strategic partnership between the two transatlantic regions.

    Africa-CARICOM Day was established to honor the 2021 inaugural CARICOM-Africa Summit, where regional leaders gathered to open a new chapter in cross-Atlantic cooperation. As one of the key advocates for formalizing the September 7 observance, Browne emphasized that the commemoration is far more than a ceremonial gesture—it is a public declaration of shared ancestral roots, common global interests, and intergenerational responsibility to advance collective progress.

    Separated by geography but bound together by centuries of shared history, both regions have carried the enduring harms of chattel slavery, colonial extraction, and systemic exclusion from the global institutions that shape international economic and political order. Out of this painful legacy, Browne noted, has emerged a shared legacy of extraordinary resilience, cultural creativity, and unyielding determination to claim a more equitable place in the world. Today, he argued, regional leaders have both a unique opportunity and a moral obligation to convert this shared historical experience into tangible shared prosperity for all citizens.

    Browne reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s unwavering commitment to deepening institutional and practical cooperation between CARICOM and African nations, stressing that solidarity must move beyond symbolic declarations to deliver concrete progress across seven key pillars: trade, investment, technology exchange, education cooperation, tourism development, transport connectivity, cultural exchange, and people-to-people ties.

    He highlighted the growing partnership between Nigeria’s Air Peace and regional Caribbean carrier LIAT as a successful model of actionable cooperation, noting that improved air connectivity breaks down the geographic barrier that has long limited engagement between the two regions. Expanded air links will make it far easier for citizens to travel, conduct cross-border business, exchange ideas, and invest in each other’s economies, Browne explained. He also pointed to Antigua and Barbuda’s deep ongoing engagement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as further proof of the country’s commitment to building tangible economic partnerships.

    Beyond economic and infrastructure cooperation, Browne emphasized that the Africa-CARICOM relationship is rooted in family, not just market access. “Africa is not simply a market for the Caribbean, and the Caribbean is not simply a market for Africa. We are family,” he said. The partnership is also about reconnecting communities torn apart by the transatlantic slave trade, helping younger generations trace their ancestral roots, celebrating shared cultural traditions across art, music, food, language, and spirituality, and restoring pride in a shared African-Caribbean identity that survived centuries of systemic erasure.

    To institutionalize this cooperation, Browne noted Antigua and Barbuda has prioritized deepening diplomatic engagement with African nations and the African Union for more than a decade, including formal diplomatic ties with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia established in 2014. He called for the planned CARICOM-Africa Joint Commission to be activated as a permanent institutional framework to advance shared priorities, and for expanded cooperation in media collaboration, information sharing, and public diplomacy to help citizens on both sides of the Atlantic build greater familiarity and mutual understanding.

    Looking ahead to 2026 as a year of accelerated action, Browne outlined four core priorities for the partnership. First, he called for intensified collective collaboration in the global movement for Reparatory Justice, clarifying that the movement does not seek to reverse history but to address the enduring systemic inequalities created by slavery and colonialism. He noted that the upcoming Third CARICOM Regional Conference on Reparations, scheduled for September 17-19 in Bridgetown, Barbados, will build on progress from the 2013 conference in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the 2014 conference hosted by Antigua and Barbuda, advancing the work of the CARICOM Reparations Commission and its revised Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice, framed as “A Manifesto for the Coming of Enlightenment.” Browne stressed that reparatory justice must remain tightly linked to equitable development, economic empowerment, expanded educational access, technology sharing, public health advancement, cultural restoration, and the fundamental right of self-determination for all peoples.

    Second, Browne called for aggressive expansion of two-way trade and investment between African and CARICOM economies. Third, he prioritized expanding all forms of connectivity—including air, maritime, digital, and people mobility—as a central pillar of the modern partnership, arguing that geographic distance should no longer limit the strength of the relationship. Fourth, he urged leaders to place cultural and educational exchange at the center of cooperation, calling on schools, universities, cultural institutions, media outlets, and community organizations to serve as active bridges between the two regions.

    Browne emphasized that Africa-CARICOM Day should not be reduced to a single day of speeches and ceremonies, but should serve as a yearly reminder of the work ahead to ensure young people inherit both an accurate memory of the past and the confidence to shape a shared future together.

    Against a backdrop of rapid global change, the emergence of new economic power centers, and shifting global alliances, Browne noted that developing nations are increasingly demanding a greater voice in international decision-making. “Africa and the Caribbean cannot afford to remain on the margins of these transformations,” he said. Together, the two regions hold enormous human potential, abundant natural resources, dynamic creative industries, global cultural influence, and critical strategic importance. The core barrier to deeper cooperation is not a lack of capacity, Browne argued, but a need for sustained political will to act collectively—and he expressed confidence that this political will exists.

    He reaffirmed that Antigua and Barbuda will continue to provide leadership to turn this shared vision into actionable progress, calling on all stakeholders to use 2026 Africa-CARICOM Day to renew their commitment to unity over division, partnership over isolation, development over dependency, and justice over historical harm. “Let us build bridges across the Atlantic. Let us strengthen the bonds between our peoples. Let us turn our shared history into shared opportunity,” Browne said. He closed by calling for a renewed commitment to building a partnership for the next generation that is stronger, more prosperous, more connected, and more influential on the global stage, extending his wishes for a meaningful Africa-CARICOM Day 2026 and long-lasting solidarity between the peoples of Africa and the Caribbean.

  • Sustainable Use, Not Empty Slogans: Defending Antigua and Barbuda’s Right to Our Ocean

    Sustainable Use, Not Empty Slogans: Defending Antigua and Barbuda’s Right to Our Ocean

    As the annual gathering of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) gets underway each year, the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda finds itself in the crosshairs of a heavily financed international campaign aimed at shifting its policy position on whaling and ocean resource management. This repeated campaign pushes a narrow, binary narrative: conservation of whale populations is inherently good, while sustainable, regulated use of marine resources is inherently harmful. Tucked into this messaging is a persistent, damaging insinuation: the small island developing state (SIDS) only holds its pro-sustainable-use position because it has been bribed by foreign aid.

    In a direct, formal response from Ambassador Daven Joseph, Commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda, the nation pushes back firmly against these claims, making clear that its stance on ocean resource management is rooted in principle, science, and sovereign law – not external funding.

    Antigua and Barbuda’s core position centers on science-backed, regulated management of global ocean resources, a policy that holds regardless of any development assistance received from any country. Notably, Japan – the country most frequently targeted by campaigners in this discourse – withdrew from the IWC years ago, yet Antigua and Barbuda’s position has not shifted. “Whether Japan provides us development assistance or not, our position will not change,” Joseph emphasizes. “Because our position is based on law, on science, and on the right of Small Island Developing States to develop and benefit from our marine resources.”

    This legal foundation is not an invention of Antigua and Barbuda’s policy; it is written into the foundational governing texts of international ocean governance. The original International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was explicitly established to advance both the conservation of whale stocks and the orderly development of the whaling industry, embedding the principle of sustainable use into the IWC’s own founding document. Beyond that, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) explicitly affirms the sovereign right of coastal nations to responsibly manage living marine resources within their exclusive economic zones (EEZs).

    Crucially, Antigua and Barbuda stresses it does not support unregulated, unconstrained whaling. Instead, it backs a balanced framework: controlled, science-based sustainable use that meets both conservation goals and human development needs. The nation argues that one-sided conservation frameworks that ignore the livelihoods and development needs of coastal and island communities only lead to entrenched poverty. In contrast, sustainable resource management rooted in scientific evidence delivers tangible progress on food security and supports stable livelihoods for local populations.

    Turning to the debate over foreign development assistance, Antigua and Barbuda makes no apologies for accepting development grants from global partners including Japan, China, the United States, and the European Union. As a small island developing state, the nation bears a disproportionate share of the costs of the global climate crisis and an unfair international economic system that it played no role in creating. International development finance for SIDS is not a charitable gift, the nation argues, much less a bribe – it is a binding obligation owed by wealthy developed nations to the world’s most vulnerable states.

    To claim that the nation’s sovereign vote at the IWC (or any other international forum) has been “bought” by development assistance is not just inaccurate – it is deeply insulting. The claim implicitly assumes that the people of Antigua and Barbuda lack the independent judgment to shape their own national policy, an offensive assumption that the nation rejects outright. As experts in the management of their own waters and marine ecosystems, Antiguans and Barbudans are fully capable of determining what resource management policies serve their national interest, Joseph argues. It is particularly offensive when large international non-governmental organizations and their local partners question the nation’s intellectual capacity to govern its own natural resources.

    For Antigua and Barbuda, the stakes of this debate extend far beyond the IWC’s annual agenda. More than 70 percent of the nation’s entire economy depends on ocean-related sectors, including tourism, commercial fisheries, marine transport, cruise shipping, and the potential future development of offshore oil and gas reserves. All of these sectors must deliver benefits to the people of Antigua and Barbuda first.

    The nation cannot build an inclusive, homegrown Blue Economy when foreign-funded campaigns seek to delegitimize its sovereign claims every time it asserts its rights over its own waters. The unspoken message behind these campaigns, Joseph argues, is that Caribbean nations cannot be trusted to manage their own ocean resources – a claim that Antigua and Barbuda calls entirely unacceptable. “The ocean must deliver tangible benefits, jobs, and prosperity for our people. Not just for NGOs based thousands of miles away,” Joseph states.

    Antigua and Barbuda’s position is clear and unwavering: the nation stands for a healthy, productive ocean, and it also stands for prosperous, empowered Caribbean communities. It supports both evidence-based conservation and equitable, people-centered development. Its stance at the IWC will always be shaped by science, international law, and the inherent right to development – never by which country provided a grant in the previous year.

    Moving forward, the nation will continue to advocate for sustainable ocean resource use within the IWC’s governing framework, and will continue building a people-centered Blue Economy that serves the needs of Antiguans and Barbudans. Joseph concludes with a firm rejection of the false choice pushed by campaigners: no amount of funding will convince the nation that it must choose between protecting its marine environment and growing its economy. Rooted in science, strong legal frameworks, and Caribbean ownership of national resources, the nation proves it is possible to achieve both goals.

  • Unsafe for students

    Unsafe for students

    As the new school term kicks off across Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, one regional secondary school finds itself at the center of a growing parent-led standoff over unresolved structural and safety hazards that have been festering for nearly a decade. Fyzabad Anglican Secondary School, a campus serving roughly 600 students and 50 staff members, is set to welcome pupils per the Ministry of Education’s official schedule – but how many families will actually send their children through its doors remains an open question, driven by widespread safety concerns shared by the school’s parent community.

    Allan Phirangee, president of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), laid out the scope of the dangerous conditions plaguing the campus in interviews over the weekend. Two prefabricated classroom buildings and the school’s library have already been officially condemned due to structural failure, yet the school’s current plan calls for holding regular classes in adjacent spaces just meters away from the unsafe structures. That arrangement creates immediate danger for students, Phirangee argued, and shifting all classes out of the condemned zones would only create another hazard: extreme overcrowding in the remaining usable campus space that would also fail to meet basic safety standards.

    The PTA’s frustration runs far deeper than a last-minute scheduling issue. Phirangee confirmed that formal requests for major repairs to the condemned structures and other failing infrastructure date all the way back to 2014, with repeated letters sent to the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Utilities, the local Member of Parliament, and the Occupational Safety and Health Authority and Agency (OSHA) over the intervening years. While school officials and PTA leaders have pushed for action, the scale of the required reconstruction puts the project firmly under government oversight, leaving parent leaders with no ability to complete the work independently.

    Beyond the condemned buildings, the campus faces a litany of additional hazards that put students and staff at risk. Outdated and failing wiring threatens electrical hazards, change rooms are in a state of disrepair, and a wooden ramp used by a wheelchair-using student has loose, unstable boards that create an immediate accessibility risk. Sewer lines and the campus roof are also in urgent need of replacement. One parent, Seeta Bridgelal, went further to outline ongoing pest issues, reporting that bats, rats, snakes, and feral cats and dogs roam the campus, creating health risks. She also noted that widespread rusted furniture has forced her to repeatedly replace her son’s uniforms after they are torn or damaged on the corroded surfaces.

    Out of frustration with the slow pace of progress, Phirangee confirmed that many parents are considering keeping their children home on opening day to draw public attention to the government’s failure to follow through on promised repairs. Parents have even called for a temporary full relocation of the student body, and have raised questions about a proposed shift system that has been discussed as a temporary solution, with no clear timeline for implementation.

    Phirangee added that approval for the full reconstruction project was granted back in June, with an expectation that all work would be completed during the July-August school vacation to avoid disrupting the new term. That schedule was not met, leaving the school in limbo as term begins.

    Officials with the National Maintenance Training Security Company Ltd (MTS), the firm contracted to complete the repairs, acknowledged the issues during a site visit Sunday. Nicholas Kanhai, interim CEO of MTS, confirmed that Fyzabad Anglican Secondary has been added to both the regular vacation repair roster and the emergency repair program. He outlined that three major projects are now in the pipeline: demolition and full reconstruction of the two prefabricated buildings and the library, emergency repairs to the campus sewer system (which is dealing with a failed pump), and renovations to the dilapidated change rooms. Kanhai explained that the company is still finalizing the procurement process for the large reconstruction project, with contractor awards expected by the end of the month, allowing work to begin shortly after.

    Emergency repairs to the roof and change rooms were scheduled to begin Sunday, Kanhai said, and roof work is expected to continue through the weekend. He stressed that the ongoing repairs will not prevent the school from opening, and that MTS and contracted firms will put all necessary safety precautions in place to protect students while work proceeds during the school week.

    This is not the first school infrastructure controversy to emerge ahead of the new term. Last week, the PTA at Marabella North Secondary School raised similar concerns over unaddressed structural and maintenance failures at their campus. Responding to reporter questions during a tour of another regional school Friday, Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath reaffirmed that all schools across the country would open on schedule for the new term, noting that while ongoing repairs will continue at multiple campuses, the work will not disrupt the start of classes. Dowlath added that MTS is fully aware of the issues at Fyzabad Anglican Secondary and is actively working to resolve them.

  • Why pick on me?

    Why pick on me?

    Trincadian Member of Parliament for San Fernando East Brian Manning has publicly pushed back against growing speculation that his local support base is eroding, questioning why he has been targeted amid internal party tensions within the People’s National Movement (PNM).

    Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a community-focused back-to-school haircut initiative in Tarodale, Manning pushed back against claims that the 2020 general election results should serve as a reliable measure of his current standing within the constituency. He pointed out that other senior figures within the PNM national executive held their positions despite losing previously competitive or safe seats by margins of nearly 4,000 votes, arguing the double standard in criticism directed at him is unwarranted. As the only PNM-held parliamentary seat located outside of Trinidad’s heavily populated East-West Corridor, Manning emphasized that San Fernando East remains unshakably loyal to the PNM, rejecting all claims of waning support.

    Manning’s remarks come at a period of intense internal upheaval within the San Fernando East PNM constituency executive, triggered by corruption allegations he leveled against the body earlier this month. Following his public accusations, the entire constituency executive resigned en masse. PNM leader and Opposition Leader Penelope Beckles has publicly directed Manning to submit any evidence of corrupt activity to local law enforcement for formal investigation. Last week, ahead of a scheduled general constituency membership meeting, Manning told reporters he had not yet filed an official police report, noting that ample information around the allegations is already in the public domain, and promising “all will be revealed in time.”

    Despite the escalating internal conflict, Manning rejected suggestions that he fears retaliation or victimization within the party. “I don’t feel like a victim. I feel like a person who stood up for his constituents, someone who the constituents have placed their trust in, and that’s part of the job,” he explained. “Whether I have to stand up against my own party or someone else to support the constituents of San Fernando East, that’s what I signed up to do and that’s what I will continue to do.”

    Manning, the son of former Trinidadian Prime Minister Patrick Manning who held the San Fernando East seat for 44 consecutive years, also ruled out any possibility of crossing the floor to join the ruling United National Congress (UNC), noting that such a move would make his late father “turn in his grave.”

    During the constituency’s recent general membership meeting, Manning updated attendees on the ongoing leadership dispute, sharing details of the unfolding conflict, party decisions, and the planned path forward. He reported that local constituents delivered “overwhelming support” for his initial actions against the former executive, and are now awaiting the appointment of a new constituency leadership body. Even so, he made clear he remains dissatisfied with the process that has unfolded to date.

    When asked to elaborate on a recent social media post in which he accused an unnamed party figure — who won their own seat by a narrow 200-vote margin — of undermining the current PNM leadership, failing to deliver substantive work, and leaking one-sided, biased documents to the press, Manning declined to expand on his claims. “I have no further comment and I think it speaks for itself,” he said.

    Beyond internal party matters, Manning also addressed ongoing concerns around school preparedness ahead of the new academic year in his constituency, revealing that several local schools have not completed pre-opening preparations. He attributed this gap in work particularly to the recent cancellation of two government work programs: the Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) and the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP), which previously handled routine maintenance tasks including grass cutting and campus painting for schools across the constituency.

    Manning confirmed that the national Minister of Education has already assured local Members of Parliament that the desperately needed assistance for school preparations will be rolled out shortly. He also responded to recent concerns raised by the Parent Teacher Association of San Fernando East Secondary School, which flagged unresolved structural and maintenance issues including an overgrown uncut playfield. He clarified that the delayed maintenance is not linked to claims of underground gas lines on school grounds, but rather stems from the loss of CEPEP support that the school previously relied on for this work.

    He added that the Mayor of San Fernando has already stepped in to manage the increased maintenance workload left by the cancellation of the two programs, despite operating with a significantly reduced municipal budget. “It’s been difficult to keep up but we are aware of the issue and we are going to work to see what can be done in due course,” he said.

  • Trini admits to kidnapping six women in US

    Trini admits to kidnapping six women in US

    A Trinidad and Tobago native who holds lawful permanent resident status in the United States has entered a guilty plea to sex trafficking charges, and has formally confessed to the kidnapping of six additional women across a 12-month period spanning 2022 and 2023, federal law enforcement officials from the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed this week.

    During the official plea hearing held in federal court, 33-year-old Chad Barclay acknowledged that on September 13, 2022, he lured a woman to his personal residence under false pretenses with the goal of forcing her into commercial sex. Once at the property, Barclay robbed the victim and carried out a sexual assault against her, according to his own testimony under the plea agreement.

    As a core term of the negotiated plea deal, Barclay has also taken responsibility for the abduction of six other women between 2022 and 2023, expanding the scope of his confirmed criminal activity beyond the initial allegations outlined in earlier indictments.

    Barclay first faced official prosecution in August 2023, when a 20-count superseding indictment was filed that named five separate victims. The initial charges covered a range of federal offenses, including interstate prostitution, Hobbs Act robbery, kidnapping, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, witness tampering, and obstruction of an official government proceeding. In May 2024 (corrected from original 2026 typo per procedural context), a second updated superseding indictment was filed that added a sex trafficking charge related to one of the original five victims, alongside new charges of interstate prostitution, Hobbs Act robbery, and kidnapping connected to two additional previously unnamed victims.

    “Chad Barclay has now admitted that he kidnapped, violently raped, and robbed multiple female victims,” stated Assistant Attorney General A Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution sends a clear message that we will always pursue justice for survivors of trafficking and abuse, to stop more of these horrific crimes from being committed. This kind of exploitation and brutal violence has no place in our civilized society.”

    US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr, serving the Eastern District of New York, echoed that commitment to accountability, noting: “This defendant is a dangerous predator who used force and intimidation to carry out a sexual assault against one victim, and has now admitted to additional criminal conduct including kidnapping six other women. Today’s guilty plea holds him accountable for the devastating, irreversible harm he inflicted on his victims, and sends an unambiguous warning that our office will aggressively prosecute anyone who uses violence, deceptive enticement, and coercion to enable sex trafficking. We remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting victims of this terrible scourge, pursuing justice on their behalf, and making sure that perpetrators like Barclay are held fully responsible for their crimes.”

    James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, emphasized the collaborative work that led to the conviction: “Chad Barclay’s brutal and predatory actions inflicted profound, life-altering harm on his victims and demonstrated a complete disregard for their safety and basic humanity. The joint investigation carried out by the FBI and the NYPD uncovered his pattern of abuse and ensured he was brought into the justice system to answer for his crimes. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect vulnerable people and guarantee that offenders are held fully accountable for every harm they cause.”

    Barclay now faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years behind bars. A federal district court judge will issue a final sentence after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant statutory factors that shape federal sentencing decisions.

    The case against Barclay was developed through a joint investigation by the FBI New York Field Office and the New York Police Department, operating as part of the regional Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Prosecution of the case is being led by Trial Attorney Olimpia E Michel of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, alongside Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andy Palacio and Lorena Michelen for the Eastern District of New York.

  • ‘Diplomacy at its most human’

    ‘Diplomacy at its most human’

    A warm and moving farewell tribute was held yesterday at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Cultural Cooperation (MGICC) in Mt Hope to honor Dr Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit, India’s outgoing High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, who is set to depart the country this week for a new diplomatic posting. Over his nearly three-year tenure in the twin-island nation, Dr Rajpurohit built far more than formal diplomatic milestones: he leaves behind deep cross-community relationships, impactful humanitarian projects, and a lasting reputation as a diplomat dedicated to accessible, people-first public service.

    The core tribute was delivered on behalf of Sieunarine Coosal, executive chairman of the Coosal’s Group of Companies, by Coosal’s wife Sintra, as Coosal was unable to attend the event in person. The ceremony was also attended by senior Trinidad and Tobago government officials, including Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath, who delivered formal remarks, and Land and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein. Attendees were also treated to a performance of the traditional Indian classical dance Bharatanatyam by MGICC dancers under the direction of dance instructor Deepa Bhatt, as part of the cultural celebration of the High Commissioner’s work.

    Having arrived in Trinidad and Tobago in October 2021, Dr Rajpurohit will next take up the post of Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Bahrain. In his tribute, Coosal captured the mixed mood of the occasion: “Tonight is one of those occasions when we are happy for a friend, proud of his achievements but, at the same time, genuinely sad to see him leave.”

    Coosal emphasized that Dr Rajpurohit’s tenure redefined what effective diplomacy can achieve, moving far beyond the bounds of formal government meetings, treaty negotiations, and official state engagements. “The finest diplomacy is ultimately about people. It is about building bridges. It is about understanding. It is about friendship,” Coosal stated.

    Unlike many diplomats who remain within the confines of their official mission, Coosal noted that Dr Rajpurohit made a deliberate choice to engage directly with communities across every corner of Trinidad and Tobago. He turned out for events of all sizes, met with stakeholders ranging from community leaders, business owners, academics, cultural workers and religious figures to young people and ordinary citizens, and consistently made himself available to anyone seeking support. This open, approachable presence allowed locals to see him not as a distant foreign representative, but as a fully integrated member of the national community. “He did not remain confined to the walls of the High Commission. He went out into the community. He met people. He attended functions large and small. He listened. He engaged. He encouraged,” Coosal said, adding that Dr Rajpurohit’s calm, thoughtful demeanor left a lasting impression on all who interacted with him.

    A central pillar of Dr Rajpurohit’s work focused on deepening ties between India and Trinidad and Tobago’s large Indian diaspora. Coosal highlighted the High Commissioner’s hands-on support for community members applying for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards, noting that for descendants of Indian migrants, these documents hold far more than bureaucratic value: “For many people, the OCI card is not simply a document. It represents a connection. It represents a link with the land of their ancestors.” Dr Rajpurohit’s commitment to guiding applicants through the process reflected his people-centered approach to diplomacy, which prioritized the human needs behind official paperwork.

    One of the most significant lasting legacies of Dr Rajpurohit’s tenure highlighted by attendees is the expansion of the Jaipur Foot prosthetic limb programme, which delivers life-changing humanitarian assistance to Trinidad and Tobago residents in need of prosthetic support. Coosal described the initiative as “diplomacy at its most human,” noting that it has given recipients the chance to regain mobility, personal independence, and lost confidence. “It was about giving people the opportunity to walk again, to regain independence and, in many cases, to regain confidence and hope,” he said. Unlike short-term diplomatic wins, the programme’s impact endures in the improved daily lives of hundreds of individuals, Coosal added.

    Dr Rajpurohit’s time in Trinidad and Tobago also overlapped with a series of high-level bilateral engagements that have lifted the India-Trinidad and Tobago relationship to new heights. The most prominent of these was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to the country in July 2025, an event that Coosal said filled the local Indian diaspora with tremendous pride and put the growing bilateral partnership on the global map. As High Commissioner, Dr Rajpurohit played a critical behind-the-scenes role in facilitating and supporting the visit. Coosal also cited a visit by Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and other high-level exchanges as key milestones in deepening bilateral ties, noting that these visits send a clear signal of India’s commitment to its relationship with Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean region.

    Cultural exchange was another defining priority of Dr Rajpurohit’s work as High Commissioner. He worked consistently to bring cultural delegations and performers from across India to Trinidad and Tobago, including a noted group of traditional artists from Rajasthan, that allowed local audiences to experience the full richness and diversity of Indian cultural heritage. Coosal noted that Dr Rajpurohit embraced the power of cultural diplomacy to build connections where formal state engagement cannot: “A song can build a bridge. A dance can tell a story. Food can bring people together.” These cultural initiatives have drawn the people of India and Trinidad and Tobago closer, while reinforcing the deep historical cultural bonds shared between the two nations.

    As Dr Rajpurohit prepares for his new posting in Bahrain, Coosal expressed full confidence that the same relationship-building skills and accessible leadership that defined his work in Trinidad and Tobago will serve him well in his new role. Bahrain is home to a large, vibrant Indian community that will greatly benefit from his experience and people-first approach to diplomacy, he noted. While Dr Rajpurohit’s departure closes out his tenure in Trinidad and Tobago, Coosal emphasized that the connections he built will outlast his posting. “The friendship you have helped build between our two countries does not leave with you,” he said. “That friendship will continue. The bridges you have strengthened will remain. The relationships you have established will endure.”

  • Send misbehaving students home

    Send misbehaving students home

    As Trinidad and Tobago prepared to welcome students back for the start of a new academic year on Monday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar delivered a sweeping back-to-school address that laid out strict new guidelines for addressing classroom disruption, placing clear accountability on both unruly students and disengaged parents. In her annual pre-term message released a day before classes kicked off, the Prime Minister laid out a clear mandate for school leaders and teaching staff: adopt a zero-tolerance stance toward disrespectful, disruptive behavior from students and confrontational interactions from parents, and remove uncooperative individuals from campus immediately rather than allowing them to derail learning for well-behaved peers.

    Persad-Bissessar opened her remarks by acknowledging the heavy weight of responsibility carried by educators across the country, noting that effective teaching requires a rare combination of patience, authoritative leadership, and critical decision-making. She thanked teachers and principals for upholding academic standards while nurturing the next generation of Trinidad and Tobago citizens, but made clear that their well-being and ability to teach must take priority over accommodating those who refuse to engage constructively. “You are not there to be abused, intimidated, and harassed by any student or parent,” she emphasized. “If students refuse to behave properly and parents are ignoring your concerns, send them straight home and let them and their parents battle it out in their house.”

    For cases involving threats or violent abuse against school staff, Persad-Bissessar instructed educators to contact the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) immediately, handing off disciplinary action to law enforcement for serious incidents. The Prime Minister stressed that teachers should be able to direct their full energy toward supporting and teaching students who come to school ready to learn, rather than expending emotional and professional capital on uncooperative parties.

    Shifting focus to parental responsibilities, Persad-Bissessar pushed back against the common trend of caregivers shifting disciplinary and preparatory duties onto school staff, reminding parents that guiding a child’s behavior is a fundamental family obligation. “Do not dump your parental responsibilities onto teachers. That is your job. You made your children; it is not the teachers’ or anyone else’s responsibility to mind them,” she said. She urged parents to prioritize teaching core values of discipline, respect, and personal responsibility at home, maintain open lines of communication with educators, and actively monitor their children’s academic progress and social behavior. She also issued a stark warning about the long-term consequences of failing to guide children, noting that unaddressed bad behavior in school often leads to legal trouble later in life, leaving aging parents to navigate the justice system to secure bail for incarcerated adult children.

    Addressing students directly, the Prime Minister urged the vast majority of young people to approach the new academic year with intention and focus, emphasizing that a strong education forms the foundation of long-term personal and professional success. She encouraged students to attend class consistently, respect school staff, take ownership of their learning, and embrace the opportunities of school to build friendships and skills that will last a lifetime. But she also called out the small minority of students who come to school to bully peers, disrupt classes, and disengage from learning, warning that these choices set students up for long-term hardship.

    Persad-Bissessara pushed back against popular narratives that frame school failure as a minor setback with no long-term consequences, arguing that claims like “failing at school doesn’t end your life” are disingenuous. She noted that the people who share this glib reassurance with struggling students almost universally stress the importance of education to their own children and grandchildren. “These same persons, while publicly giving you that advice, are privately giving their own children and grandchildren the same warnings about a difficult future without an education as I am giving you today,” she said. She added that these same advocates will not step in to support students who leave school unqualified and struggle to secure stable, well-paying work, warning that life without an education often devolves into daily survival rather than a fulfilling, prosperous life. “There will always be difficult days in life, but a good education gives you many options to navigate difficulty and overcome challenges, to have a wonderful life,” she added.

    In closing, Persad-Bissessar called on all three groups — students, parents, and educators — to make intentional choices that support their own long-term success and contribute to the future prosperity of Trinidad and Tobago. She ended her address with a message of spiritual guidance, saying, “May God guide and protect each of you and may you make the best decisions for a great future for yourself and the nation.”

  • Cuban Foreign Minister presents report on Cuba denouncing the damages of the blockade

    Cuban Foreign Minister presents report on Cuba denouncing the damages of the blockade

    Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla has publicly condemned the long-running U.S. economic blockade against Cuba, revealing stark new figures that document the escalating human and economic toll of the policy in his latest annual assessment. In a post shared to his X (formerly Twitter) account ahead of his official press briefing, Rodríguez told the diplomatic corps based in Havana that the decades-long blockade amounts to a genocidal policy that has inflicted devastating, widespread harm across the island nation.

    The latest official Cuban assessment, covering the 12-month period from March 1, 2025 to February 28, 2026, calculates total damages from the U.S. economic strangulation policy at $8.083 billion. This marks a new record for annual damages, representing a 7% increase compared to the figures reported in the previous year’s assessment. When accounting for cumulative damages across the entire duration of the blockade, adjusted to current market prices, the total harm climbs to $178.75 billion — a 4.7% rise over the prior accumulated estimate.

    On September 7, 2026, Rodríguez presented this fully updated damage assessment to both national and international journalists during a public press briefing. The event was broadcast live across Cuba’s national radio and television networks starting at 11:00 a.m. local time, allowing Cuban citizens and global observers to follow the presentation directly.

    The report will now be taken up for debate once again at the United Nations General Assembly, where the international community has repeatedly voted overwhelmingly in favor of resolutions demanding an end to the U.S. blockade in recent decades. Cuba has regularly presented its formal accounting of blockade damages to the UN body as part of its ongoing global campaign to roll back the restrictive U.S. policy that has shaped economic and diplomatic relations between the two nations for more than 60 years.