Carib Scope

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  • Autopsy: Mercedez died from blunt force trauma

    Autopsy: Mercedez died from blunt force trauma

    The brutal murder of 12-year-old primary school student Mercedez Layne has thrown a Trinidad and Tobago community into mourning, after an official autopsy this week confirmed the young girl died from severe blunt force trauma to the head. Her father, Ronald Cabrera, broke down in tears while speaking to reporters from his home in Erin, describing unfathomable pain that no legal punishment could ever ease. In the wake of his daughter’s senseless killing, Cabrera is now publicly calling for authorities to reinstate capital punishment, arguing that it is the only meaningful deterrent for violent offenders who target innocent children.

    The tragedy unfolded late last week, when Mercedez, a student at Erin RC Primary School, was reported missing Saturday afternoon after failing to return home from what should have been a short five-minute trip. Cabrera recalled that when his older daughter called to report Mercedez had not arrived, he immediately feared the worst. “From the time I heard it was more than half an hour and she didn’t reach home, especially a girl, I knew it was a cause for concern,” he said. His worst fears were confirmed Sunday morning, when Mercedez’s partially clothed body was discovered in a grassy area near an oil well along Erin’s Carapal Road. Investigators cataloged a range of strange items left near the body: a pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes, one right slipper, a black plastic bag holding four packs of Top Notch Ramen Noodles, a pair of short blue denim pants, a scrap of cloth, a round wooden disk, a broken beer bottle, and an undergarment.

    The autopsy, conducted at the Forensic Science Centre in Federation Park, backed Cabrera’s initial suspicion that his daughter had been violently beaten. He told reporters he had already connected the bleeding from Mercedez’s ears to severe head injury, even before official results were released. “I stood long enough to realise that they beat her in a very violent manner in her head. I am not a doctor, but I say that because why would she be bleeding through the ears?” he asked. As of Thursday, a 26-year-old man from nearby Palo Seco remains in police custody, with detectives continuing their probe into the killing.

    Cabrera, who shared Mercedez with her mother Annarese Layne as one of five children, remembered his daughter as a quiet, loving child who was excitedly looking forward to a school field trip to Mt St Benedict scheduled for the day after autopsy results were released. “She was shy, so shy that if she don’t know you, she recoils immediately,” he said, adding that even though he was no longer in a relationship with Mercedez’s mother, the two remained close, and he last spoke to her just a week before her death. “She tell me she was supposed to go on a field trip to Mt St Benedict with school. She was looking forward to it. She was so elated,” he recalled.

    In raw, emotional comments to local outlet Express, Cabrera questioned why taxpayers should shoulder the cost of incarcerating violent child killers, and argued that the current criminal justice system is failing to protect the nation’s children and deter repeat offenders. “Could anything bring back my daughter? You could get a million years. Could you bring back my daughter? And if I get a million years and I put my hands on him, would that bring back my daughter? Why taxpayers have to be paying for people who do certain crimes?” he asked. He has long supported reinstating hangings, a position he holds not only because of his daughter’s murder, but because of repeated failures in the system that allow violent offenders to return to the streets to reoffend. “Is years these people doing things and nothing really happening. Most of them going in jail, spending a few years and they back out on the street. How could I get justice? What justice it have for me? So how could I say I will be getting justice? They should bring back hangings. That will deter others. These guys are coming back out in society. A lot of them are repeat offenders for the same crime as they come out, so why not implement public hanging? I’ve been saying this for years, not just because it is my daughter,” he said. “The system is failing. A lot of kids are dying and nothing is coming out of it. Let we be real. Nothing is coming out of it.” He added that the nation’s older generations and leadership have failed in their core duty to keep children safe across the country.

  • Call for ‘PH’ taxi drivers to be legalised

    Call for ‘PH’ taxi drivers to be legalised

    A fresh wave of calls for the formal regulation of private hire (PH) vehicle drivers has swept through Trinidad and Tobago’s transport sector, triggered by the brutal murder of 12-year-old Mercedez Layne. Speaking to local media outlet the Express on Tuesday, leaders and drivers from both registered taxi and private hire circles across the Morvant and San Juan transport routes uniformly demanded that policymakers finally move to formalize the unregulated segment of the industry, more than a decade after discussions on the reform first began.

    Brenton Knights, president of the Route 2 Maxi-Taxi Association, said the repeated cycle of public outcry after violent tragedies linked to unregulated transport must end. He noted that the issue of PH regularization first sparked national fury following the 2021 murder of 22-year-old court clerk Andrea Bharatt, who accepted a ride from an unlicensed driver she mistook for a legitimate taxi in Arima. Bharatt’s body was discovered a week later dumped on a precipice in the Heights of Aripo, and despite nationwide calls for reform, no substantive regulatory changes were ever implemented.

    “It should have been done a long time ago,” Knights told the Express in a phone interview. “We had the Andrea Bharatt issue. There was a national outcry. We are in pain again. We should not have to revert to that discussion again. It’s heartbreaking. Every time a tragedy like this happens, we come out complaining. Then it becomes a nine-day wonder. It opens old wounds again. I don’t mind sharing my ideas. It’s no ifs, buts or maybes—PH drivers should be regularised.”

    For Kern Warner, a Morvant-based PH driver with 15 years of experience working the route, regularization would not only improve public safety but also level the playing field for all transport workers. In an on-the-record interview at Port of Spain’s Independence Square, Warner said formal licensing would address longstanding systemic flaws in the sector. “They should regularise everybody. Give the PH drivers their taxi badges. It would take care of some of the problems in the system. Give everybody a fair playing field,” he said, echoing the widespread grief over Layne’s killing. As a father of three, Warner extended his deepest condolences to Layne’s family: “It’s sad. It’s not nice to know what happened to Mercedez. My heart goes out to her family and loved ones. She did not deserve to die like that.”

    At the San Juan taxi stand, long-time registered taxi driver Samuel “Sam” Blades noted that discussions around PH regulation stretch all the way back to 2010, when Jack Warner held the post of Transport Minister – and that decades of talk have never translated into action. Blades pointed out that unregulated PH operations have become a permanent fixture of the sector, and that attempts to eliminate the segment have failed completely. “They have been talking about regularising it since 2010. Since (then-Transport Minister) Jack Warner was in charge. Nothing has happened. You can’t stop the PH drivers,” he said. Pointing to chronic congestion from unregulated PH vehicles on Port of Spain’s Charlotte Street, Blades noted that unlicensed drivers operate with no oversight, while all drivers earn roughly the same income regardless of licensing status. “Just look at what his happening there. There are clogging up the streets. They don’t care how they come out to work. How they dress. But what can you do? Everybody is making the same $6,” he added.

    Fellow San Juan registered taxi driver Garvin Boynes echoed Blades’ frustration, noting that licensed drivers bear the full cost of regulatory compliance including insurance, while unlicensed PH drivers pay no such fees, creating an uneven playing field. Both Blades and Boynes shared the broader community’s sorrow over Layne’s murder, with Blades calling the killing “not easy” to process. For his part, Charlotte Street-based PH driver Joel Peter said regulators should not only formalize the sector but also allocate dedicated pick-up stands for licensed PH operators.

    Regular commuters at the Morvant stand also weighed in on the debate, noting that PH drivers fill critical gaps in the island’s public transport network that traditional taxis do not cover. Many PH operators offer door-to-door “village” taxi services that drop commuters directly at their homes, are willing to travel to remote, underserved areas, and adjust their fares to fit low-income passengers’ budgets. Despite these benefits, drivers across all segments of the sector agree that formal regulation is long overdue to prevent further tragedies like the deaths of Bharatt and Layne.

  • Fishermen get reprieve

    Fishermen get reprieve

    For decades, the Port of Spain Wholesale Fish Market on Production Avenue has stood as a cornerstone of Trinidad and Tobago’s fishing industry. Opening its doors in 1983, the facility has grown into the island nation’s primary distribution hub, funneling fresh fish and shrimp to grocers, street vendors, restaurants and hotels across the country. But when the Sea Lots Fisherfolk Association was told by National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (Namdevco) CEO Nirmalla Debysingh at a June 2, 2026 meeting that the market would shutter permanently, with an eviction notice targeting a June 14 shutdown, panic and uncertainty spread rapidly through the community.

    The stakes could not be higher for local fishermen: association figures show 69 registered fishers would face direct, immediate disruption to their livelihoods if the facility closes. Industry data from 2022 underscores the market’s outsize economic importance, recording that an average of 125,000 pounds of seafood moves through its docks and processing bays every month. For many operators who have built their careers at the Sea Lots site, proposals to relocate all operations to Carenage ring hollow. Several fishermen, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid professional retaliation, explained that decades of work at the current location have cemented operational ties there, and the existing infrastructure in Carenage simply cannot accommodate the number of vessels and volume of seafood processed daily at Port of Spain.

    The growing controversy over the proposed shutdown soon caught the attention of local political leadership. Port of Spain Mayor Chinua Alleyne confirmed Monday that his office was contacted by the fisherfolk association immediately after members received closure notices. Following the outreach, Alleyne held talks with Councillor Jenneil Frederick and association representatives, who formally requested support from the Port of Spain City Corporation.

    Alleyne framed the potential closure as a threat far beyond the fishing community itself. “The Port of Spain Wholesale Fish Market represents a crucial element of the economic engine in Sea Lots and plays a critical role in ensuring that the burgesses of Sea Lots have a stake in the formal economy,” he said in a formal statement, emphasizing that the site is integral to local economic stability.

    Responding to public pressure and media inquiries, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Ravi Ratiram stepped in to offer the fishing community a temporary reprieve. Ratiram confirmed he immediately reached out to Namdevco for clarification after the reports of the June 14 shutdown emerged, and secured a formal assurance that no closure would take place on that date. The minister acknowledged that Namdevco currently owes outstanding rental payments to the Port Authority, which owns the land the market sits on, but stressed that any permanent decision about the facility’s future must include full consultation with all affected stakeholders.

    “Any path forward has to work for all parties involved,” Ratiram said, noting that ongoing discussions will focus on finding a solution that preserves both the profitability and long-term sustainability of the local fishing sector. Shortly after his statement, the minister visited the Port of Spain market to meet directly with Sea Lots Fisherfolk Association executives, describing the talks as “pleasant” and reaffirming the Trinidad and Tobago government’s commitment to supporting and expanding the domestic fishing industry.

    Despite the temporary reprieve, deep uncertainty remains about the long-term future of the site. If Namdevco ends its operations at the location, the property will revert to Port Authority control, leaving the fisherfolk with no guarantee they can remain. For the moment, fishermen have paused planned protest action, choosing to prioritize negotiation and political advocacy to protect their livelihoods. Still, many in the community say they will not feel secure until a binding, long-term plan for the market is finalized. Namdevco CEO Nirmalla Debysingh has not responded to multiple requests for comment on the issue.

  • Heerah: Don’t extend SoE without clear objectives

    Heerah: Don’t extend SoE without clear objectives

    As Trinidad and Tobago’s government prepares to table a three-month extension of the national state of emergency in parliament, a prominent regional security consultant is pushing back against a vague, open-ended extension, while also sounding the alarm over a growing pattern of child killings across the country. Dr. Garvin Heerah, a leading voice on regional security issues, made his remarks to local outlet Express on Wednesday, just two days after the Office of the Attorney General announced Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar would bring the extension resolution for parliamentary debate.

    Heerah emphasized that extending a state of emergency—an extraordinary constitutional measure that curtails some normal civil liberties—cannot be justified purely by procedural momentum. If the prime minister and defence minister deem additional time under the emergency framework necessary, he argued, they have a non-negotiable responsibility to lay out specific, measurable goals for the extension period. He pushed back against the common framing that cites general improvements in security as both the reason for extending the measure and the only metric for its success, noting that the public is owed far more than vague assurances.

    “The population deserves more than assurances—they deserve benchmarks,” Heerah said. He called on the government to publish concrete crime reduction targets, clear operational milestones for security forces, and explicit safeguards to protect civil liberties during the extension, as well as a clear outline of the independent body tasked with monitoring those safeguards. “If it is to retain public legitimacy, and that legitimacy is not guaranteed, it must be time-bound, goal-specific, and subject to independent accountability,” he stressed, adding that a three-month extension is a substantial period that should be deployed with intentional planning, rather than treated as a default continuation of existing policy. “Three months is a meaningful window. It should be used with the same precision and intent the State expects of its security forces on the ground,” he added.

    Beyond the state of emergency debate, Heerah also addressed the recent killing of 12-year-old Mercedez Layne, whose body was discovered in a grassy area off Carapal Road in Erin on Sunday morning. Layne’s death is far from an isolated tragedy, Heerah argued: at least eight minors have been killed in Trinidad and Tobago in the first half of 2026 alone, and more than 75 juvenile fatalities from violence have been recorded over the past decade. This steady trend reveals deep, unaddressed failures in the country’s security and law enforcement systems that demand urgent, comprehensive scrutiny from all national institutions.

    “The violent deaths of children are among the most disturbing indicators a society can confront,” Heerah said, noting that the consistent death toll reflects a systemic pattern that requires what he termed “serious institutional interrogation.” He raised pointed questions about resourcing for law enforcement agencies tasked with investigating these child homicides, asking whether every case—regardless of the victim’s age or socio-economic background—is receiving the full level of forensic and investigative rigor that a homicide investigation requires. He also voiced concern over the lack of a standardized, publicly visible profiling framework for perpetrators of child killings, arguing that authorities must clarify whether the deaths are tied to unaddressed psycho-social crises, connected to organized criminal activity, or the result of opportunistic violence.

    “That distinction matters enormously, both for prevention and prosecution,” Heerah said. “A regional security posture that cannot distinguish between these categories is one that will continue to bury children.” He concluded by noting that the rate of child violent deaths serves as a critical benchmark for the state’s core responsibility to protect its most vulnerable populations. “The deaths of minors reflect on us all. They are a measure of how well—or how poorly—the State protects its most vulnerable,” he said.

  • OPINION: Making Spanish An Official Language Is Still A Dangerous Idea

    OPINION: Making Spanish An Official Language Is Still A Dangerous Idea

    A heated public debate has emerged over the Antigua and Barbuda government’s controversial proposal to unilaterally designate Spanish as the nation’s second official language, after Ambassador Sir Ronald Sanders laid out the administration’s full rationale for the policy in a June 5, 2026 op-ed for the Daily Observer. This op-ed marked the first time government supporters had presented a detailed public justification for the policy, a transparency step the author of this critique acknowledges as a welcome development. The critic, however, argues the policy was never properly presented to voters ahead of elections, leaving the government without a clear, legitimate mandate to advance what they frame as an ill-considered measure.

    A close reading of Sanders’ argument reveals a telling rhetorical choice: Sanders described the policy as “may prove to be one of those [significant] ideas,” leaving room for doubt about its outcome. The critic notes that the qualifier “may” implicitly acknowledges the move could end up being insignificant, or worse, a dangerous and irreversible shift for the nation. Further, Sanders’ piece fails to explain how the current status quo—without official status for Spanish—blocks Antigua and Barbuda from achieving the social and economic goals Sanders outlines.

    A core point of contention is the false equivalence the critic says the government draws between encouraging Spanish language proficiency and granting Spanish official status. The critic points to Miami, Florida as a clear counterexample: the city has already captured all the economic and social benefits Sanders claims official status will bring to Antigua and Barbuda, while retaining English as its sole official language. The critic contends all the outcomes Sanders promises are already achievable, and in fact were already underway before the government proposed the policy change.

    This extends to the integration of Antigua and Barbuda’s growing Spanish-speaking community, which draws largely from the Dominican Republic. Sanders notes in his op-ed that this community has already put down deep roots in the country: members have worked, invested, built lives, contributed to the national economy, and many second- and third-generation community members are Antiguan and Barbudan citizens by birth. For the critic, this admission only underscores the unnecessary nature of the policy: integration was already progressing organically long before the government’s announcement, just as it did in Miami, without top-down government intervention.

    Critics also push back on the government’s unstated assumption that official status will immediately boost tourism from Latin American nations, creating a sudden influx of visitors that drives economic growth. The critic argues this outcome is not guaranteed, and cannot happen overnight—pointing to the 2009 renaming of Boggy Peak to Mount Obama, which drew enthusiastic international attention but delivered no lasting tangible benefits to the country. The critic adds that official status will not speed up organic societal integration or suddenly make the entire population Spanish-speaking, a process that unfolds gradually on its own without government mandate.

    While the critic emphasizes they fully support expanding opportunities for Antiguans and Barbudans to learn Spanish, they reject the policy as an unnecessary threat to the nation’s cultural identity. They argue it is misleading to frame official status as a required step to leverage the skills and contributions of the country’s existing Dominican community, and conclude that the government has yet to share the real motivation behind this controversial policy shift.

  • Minister Turner Hails Centenarians as ‘Living History’ During Centenarian Week

    Minister Turner Hails Centenarians as ‘Living History’ During Centenarian Week

    As Antigua and Barbuda marks its annual Centenarian Week across the twin-island nation, a senior cabinet minister has publicly honored the country’s centenarian population, framing their decades of sacrifice, steadfast resilience and quiet community service as the foundational backbone of the modern nation.

    In an official address to open the celebratory week, Rawdon Turner, Minister of Social and Urban Transformation, offered a moving tribute to Antigua and Barbuda’s residents who have reached 100 years of age and beyond. Rather than labeling this group as mere observers of the nation’s evolution, Turner described centenarians as “living history” — their personal journeys encapsulating every hardship, collective victory, and core value that has defined the country’s identity from its founding to the present day.

    “Our centenarians are more than witnesses to history — they are living history,” Turner reiterated in his address. “They have endured overwhelming hardship, celebrated hard-won triumphs, raised strong families, built tight-knit communities, and helped shape the nation we proudly call home.”
    Turner emphasized that the lives of centenarians offer irreplaceable wisdom to younger Antiguans and Barbudans, shaped by a century of perseverance, unshakable faith, steadfast determination, and deep love for their communities. Through waves of social, economic and political change across their lifetimes, these elders have remained a steady anchor, passing down guidance and hard-earned insight to each subsequent generation, he noted.

    Beyond centenarians, Turner took the opportunity to recognize the immeasurable contributions of all senior citizens across Antigua and Barbuda. He stressed that the social and cultural impact of older generations cannot be quantified through traditional metrics such as economic output or statistical data, as their influence extends far beyond measurable outcomes into the fabric of national life.

    The minister reaffirmed the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting older citizens, with a core policy goal of building an inclusive society that enables all seniors to age with full dignity. “A society is judged not by how it treats its strongest members, but by how it honours and cares for its elders,” Turner explained. “That is why our government remains committed to creating communities where our seniors can age with dignity, receive the support they deserve, and continue to play a meaningful role in national life.”

    Turner closed by extending gratitude to the nation’s centenarians, noting that their consistent example and lifelong endurance make them a critical source of inspiration for young people. Calling centenarians “our national treasures,” he highlighted their unique roles as storytellers, educators, and custodians of Antigua and Barbuda’s shared collective memory.

    The minister also emphasized that Centenarian Week should serve as more than a one-off celebration: it should be a yearly reminder that all elderly citizens deserve consistent care, recognition and support across every day of the year. “While we celebrate those who have reached 100 years, we must also cherish and support all of our elderly citizens every day of the year,” he said.

    In a final message to the nation’s elders, Turner extended deep gratitude and admiration, noting that their life journeys continue to light a path for all current and future generations of Antiguans and Barbudans. “Your journey continues to light the way for us all,” he said.

  • Air Quality Remains Good as Minimal Saharan Dust Affects Antigua and Barbuda

    Air Quality Remains Good as Minimal Saharan Dust Affects Antigua and Barbuda

    The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda has confirmed that its national air quality still ranks in the “good” range, even as trace amounts of Saharan dust drift into the region. In an official advisory bulletin released Sunday evening, the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service reported that the country’s current Air Quality Index (AQI) sits between 30 and 50, a range that falls firmly within good air quality standards. Meteorologists project this stable, healthy condition will persist through at least Wednesday. According to the bulletin, concentrations of harmful particulate matter, including both the smaller PM2.5 and larger PM10 particles that commonly drive air quality concerns, are currently registering at low levels. As a result, no special protective measures or public health interventions are required at this time. The advisory has been issued at Alert Level I, the lowest risk tier in the country’s standardized air quality monitoring framework. While vulnerable populations—including individuals living with chronic respiratory or heart conditions, older adults, and young children—are typically the most at risk for negative health outcomes from poor air quality, the bulletin confirms that the current low dust concentrations do not pose any detectable health risks to these groups. To keep the public informed as conditions evolve, the Meteorological Service is encouraging all residents and visitors to regularly check for updated forecasts and official announcements via its official social media channels, website, and other public communication platforms. Saharan dust plumes are a recurring seasonal phenomenon that impacts countries across the Caribbean, often leading to temporary declines in air quality during peak transport periods. This update reassures the public that the current intrusion of dust has not reached levels that would threaten community health.

  • NODS to seek funding for Purpose Built Shelter and CDEMA Meetings

    NODS to seek funding for Purpose Built Shelter and CDEMA Meetings

    Against a backdrop of growing Caribbean vulnerability to extreme weather driven by climate change, the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) of Antigua and Barbuda is moving forward with an ambitious plan to construct a purpose-built disaster shelter, pending final sign-off from the national Cabinet. The 19-million-USD facility, dubbed NODS LEAF, is designed to deliver safe, dignified refuge for hundreds of residents during major weather events, filling a critical gap in the country’s disaster preparedness infrastructure.

    At a public unveiling event held last Friday, local architect Colin John Jenkins presented the official conceptual design for the new shelter, which is engineered to withstand the strongest category five hurricanes — the most powerful classification of Atlantic tropical cyclones that have devastated Caribbean communities repeatedly in recent years. Unlike generic emergency evacuation spaces that are often repurposed from schools or community centers, NODS LEAF was planned from the ground up to meet the full range of needs of displaced populations. Its amenities will include separate private and family accommodation units, dedicated medical treatment areas and facilities for people with special needs, a commercial-grade kitchen and food processing zone, administrative offices and staff quarters, a children’s play and recreation area, an isolated quarantine space for infectious disease outbreaks, and a flexible multi-purpose hall that can be adapted for non-emergency community use when not activated for disasters.

    The development of the shelter’s conceptual plans and grant proposal was made possible through funding from the European Union’s Building Resilience of CARIFORUM States to Disaster Risk and Climate Change Impacts (BRICS) programme, an initiative that is implemented regionally by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). Key stakeholders in attendance at the design unveiling included CDEMA Executive Director Elizabeth Riley, Permanent Secretary Sarah Stuart of Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation, a senior European Union representative, and the Director of CARIFORUM.

    The shelter announcement coincided with a packed schedule of regional disaster cooperation meetings led by CDEMA leadership across Antigua and its sister island Barbuda over recent days. Prior to the design unveiling, Riley participated in a BRICS project Steering Committee meeting on Thursday, where members reviewed progress on resilience-building initiatives rolling out across the Caribbean sub-region. She also held talks with members of Antigua and Barbuda’s Cabinet to align on national disaster management priorities.

    On Friday, following the shelter design event, Hon. Kiz Johnson, Minister of State in the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation, joined Riley and NODS Deputy Director Craig Cole for a formal signing ceremony for a new five-year Country Work Programme. The framework document will guide all national disaster management activities in Antigua and Barbuda for the remainder of the decade, aligning local priorities with regional resilience goals.

    Over the weekend, the CDEMA delegation traveled to Barbuda to continue discussions with local leaders, meeting with John Mussington, Chairman of the Barbuda Council. Talks centered on the ongoing long-term recovery from 2017’s Hurricane Irma, a category five storm that caused catastrophic damage to nearly all infrastructure on Barbuda and displaced most of the island’s population. The delegation also toured Barbuda’s Disaster Management Office and inspected recently completed renovation works to upgrade the island’s emergency facilities. NODS has been partnering with the Barbuda Council for years to strengthen comprehensive disaster management protocols and infrastructure on the island, with the new national work programme set to accelerate these efforts.

  • Seven Delegates Officially Sashed for Queen of Carnival 2026 Competition

    Seven Delegates Officially Sashed for Queen of Carnival 2026 Competition

    One of the Caribbean’s most iconic cultural celebrations has moved one step closer to its 2026 showcase, with organizers officially confirming the seven competing delegates who will now vie for the coveted title of Queen of Carnival. This long-running pageant is far more than a traditional beauty contest; it stands as a cornerstone of Carnival heritage, celebrating the creativity, cultural pride, and community spirit that define one of the world’s most famous annual festival traditions. Each delegate selected this year has already gone through a rigorous multi-stage screening process, designed to test not only their public poise and performance ability but also their deep knowledge of local Carnival history and their commitment to ongoing community outreach initiatives. In the months leading up to the 2026 Carnival season, the seven sashed delegates will participate in a series of public engagement events, charity fundraisers, and cultural workshops across the region. These pre-competition activities are intended to help each contestant connect with local communities, refine their performance pieces for the final show, and build momentum ahead of the coronation night, which will draw thousands of spectators and millions of online viewers from across the globe. Festival organizers have noted that this year’s candidate pool represents one of the most diverse groups in recent competition history, with contestants coming from a range of professional backgrounds including education, healthcare, the arts, and small business ownership. All seven delegates have now received their official competition sashes in a formal launching ceremony that was attended by past Queens of Carnival, local government officials, cultural leaders, and thousands of enthusiastic festival supporters. As preparations ramp up for the 2026 Carnival season, all eyes will turn to these seven contenders as they work to claim the most prestigious title in the global Carnival community.

  • Sandals Foundation and Hands Across the Sea Deliver Targeted Literacy Support to More Than 1000 Students in Antigua

    Sandals Foundation and Hands Across the Sea Deliver Targeted Literacy Support to More Than 1000 Students in Antigua

    A well-chosen book has the power to ignite a child’s self-assurance, open the door to boundless imagination, and lay the foundation for a lifelong passion for learning. This core conviction is what drives the enduring collaboration between the Sandals Foundation and Hands Across the Sea, a prominent non-profit organization dedicated to advancing childhood literacy across the Eastern Caribbean. This partnership has entered a new phase, rolling out expanded, customized literacy support to 1,192 students across five primary and secondary schools in Antigua through the non-profit’s flagship Caribbean Literacy and School Support (CLASS) programme.

    With a total investment of EC$54,607 from the Sandals Foundation, the project has delivered custom-tailored resources to each participating campus, including carefully selected collections of new release books, specialized learning materials designed to boost reading skills, and upgraded on-campus lending libraries. These revamped library spaces now function as dynamic, welcoming hubs where students are encouraged to dive into new stories, explore new ideas, and foster personal growth through reading.

    The five beneficiary campuses—TOR Memorial School, St. Michael’s Primary, Urlings Primary, Parham Primary, and Princess Margaret Secondary School—already see students reaping the benefits of the upgraded facilities. Local school teams, classroom educators, and trained librarians are on-site to facilitate programming that encourages consistent reading engagement across all grade levels.

    Ben Engle, Executive Director of Hands Across the Sea, explained that the organization’s work goes far beyond simply stocking shelves with new books. “We help communities build or revitalize school libraries, train and mentor local literacy advocates, and collaborate closely with educators to ensure our resources stay active, relevant, and impactful for years after the initial donation,” Engle said. He added that this intentional, community-centered approach is what sets the partnership apart, rejecting generic, one-size-fits-all programming in favor of needs-based support. “Schools are selected based on demonstrated need, and every book collection is assembled to match the specific reading levels, classroom contexts, and developmental stages of the student body,” Engle noted. “The outcome is literacy support that is both practical and deeply personalized.”

    For the Sandals Foundation, this multi-year collaboration is a key pillar of its mission to build stronger, more resilient communities across the Caribbean. “Education is one of the most transformative tools we have to strengthen communities, and literacy is the very foundation of all educational progress,” said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation. “Our partnership with Hands Across the Sea is particularly meaningful because it unites our shared mission with their proven on-the-ground expertise. Their deep understanding of regional literacy challenges lets us make investments that are thoughtful, strategic, and fully responsive to the needs of both children and educators.”

    Established in 2007, Hands Across the Sea has grown into one of the Eastern Caribbean’s most respected literacy-focused organizations, working directly with local schools, classroom teachers, national Ministries of Education, and regional literacy specialists to build sustainable, inclusive reading cultures across island nations. This latest Antiguan initiative builds on five years of successful partnership with the Sandals Foundation, which has already supported the outfitting of dozens of school libraries across Antigua, Saint Lucia, and Grenada. Together, the two organizations share a core commitment to ensuring every Caribbean child gains access to the tools, safe spaces, and encouragement they need to grow into confident, lifelong readers—because every strong reader starts with access to opportunity, and a community that believes in their potential.