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Sandals National Learn to Swim Week. We Ready!

Grenada is gearing up to host its annual Sandals National Learn to Swim Week between July 6 and 10, capping off a foundational instructor upskilling program that aims to raise the bar for swimming education across the island nation, including its smaller sister islands Carriacou and Petite Martinique. This year’s event brings a major upgrade to local swim instruction: for the first time, Grenadian instructors have completed the internationally accredited Discover Water Swim Instructor Course developed by global governing body World Aquatics.

The rollout of the program traces back to earlier this year, when the Grenada Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) sponsored Tara Baksh, Grenada’s newly appointed national Discover Water lead, to attend a specialized training conference in Aruba. Baksh returned with full certification to deliver the World Aquatics-endorsed curriculum to local instructors, marking the first time the standardized program has been brought to the country.

Unlike traditional training that focuses heavily on stroke technique, the Discover Water program takes a holistic approach to building capable, confident swimmers. Beyond core swimming skills, the curriculum trains instructors to embed water safety, survival protocols, critical decision-making in aquatic environments, and confidence-building into every lesson. All participating instructors also completed full CPR certification as part of the training. The program emphasizes modern, child-centered teaching methods designed to make lessons more engaging, fun, and effective for young learners.

Reflecting on the recent training sessions for local instructors, Baksh highlighted the high level of engagement among participants. “The instructors were engaged, eager to learn, and willing to participate both verbally and practically. I felt I was able to demonstrate how to incorporate fun into every lesson while still teaching children the core swimming skills they need,” Baksh said. She noted that while local instructors already had foundational teaching experience, the program added critical new tools to their practice: “This course has provided them with valuable tools for communicating more effectively with younger swimmers, so they understand what they are doing, why they are doing it, and how to think critically and solve problems in the water.”

Looking forward, Baksh and local swimming advocates have ambitious plans to embed this global training standard into Grenada’s national swimming ecosystem. She aims to make the Discover Water certification a permanent core requirement for all new swim instructors in the country, through ongoing collaboration with GASA and local non-profit Get Grenada Swimming. Longer-term goals include expanding the child-centered teaching methods to primary schools and after-school programs across all three islands.

This year’s Sandals National Learn to Swim Week will run from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. daily across 15 different locations spanning Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. The event is coordinated by Get Grenada Swimming in partnership with Sandals Grenada, aligned with the organization’s long-running mission to ensure every child in Grenada has access to free swimming training, an essential life-saving skill. For families unable to join during the official event week, additional follow-up lessons will be offered between July 13 and 24 at six participating locations: Grand Anse, Grand Mal, Gouyave, St Mark, Sauteurs, and Grenada Marine in Corinth. These extended sessions are run in partnership with the Ministry of Sports’ Holiday Recreation Programme.

With a cohort of newly certified instructors, evidence-based global teaching methods, and expanded access across the country, 2025’s Learn to Swim Week is positioned to be the most impactful iteration of the event to date. All lessons offered during the initiative are completely free for participants. Families interested in registering their children can sign up through the official Get Grenada Swimming website at www.getgrenadaswimming.com, or direct questions to the event hotline at 404-5237.

30 6 月, 2026
Senator Malaka Parker Calls for Comprehensive Reform of Search Warrant Laws to Strengthen Justice, Accountability and Public Confidence

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua — During Monday’s senate debate over the 2026 Magistrate’s Code of Procedure Amendment Bill, opposition Senator Malaka Parker has delivered a forceful call for sweeping, systemic reform of Antigua and Barbuda’s fragmented search and seizure legislation, arguing that balanced, clear statutory frameworks protect both public safety and constitutional rights for all citizens and law enforcement officers alike. Parker stressed that the current regulatory landscape for search warrants is scattered across multiple overlapping statutes, including the national constitution, which already enshrines strict protections against arbitrary searches and unlawful invasions of privacy. While the opposition openly backs efforts to equip law enforcement with robust tools to tackle rising crime, Parker warned that expanding police authority without matching upgrades to procedural safeguards poses a direct threat to the fair administration of justice.

30 6 月, 2026
International Day of Co-operatives, 4 July 2026

The 2026 International Day of Cooperatives will be marked across the globe on Saturday, July 4, with this year’s campaign centered on the powerful theme “Cooperatives for a Peaceful World.”

This annual global observance has a deep-rooted history stretching back more than 100 years, earning official United Nations recognition in 1995. It was established to shine a spotlight on the unique and far-reaching contributions cooperative enterprises make to global peacebuilding, social cohesion, and inclusive sustainable development. Beyond celebration, the day functions as a critical global platform to boost public understanding of how cooperative models strengthen local communities and drive equitable economic growth that benefits all members of society, rather than just a select few.

The 2026 theme is intentionally aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16, which calls for Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. The framework underscores a core truth: lasting peace can only take root where fairness, equal access to opportunity, and widespread social trust are prioritized. Cooperatives are uniquely positioned to cultivate these foundational conditions, through their structure that ensures broad sharing of economic gains, builds community resilience in the face of crisis, and encourages cross-group collaboration that bridges divides along ethnic, economic, and social lines.

Across sectors, cooperative models have delivered tangible, life-changing impact around the world. Agricultural cooperatives have boosted food security by connecting smallholder farmers to resources and markets, lifting rural livelihoods out of poverty. Community-focused credit unions have expanded affordable access to financial services for groups historically excluded from traditional banking systems. Worker-owned cooperative enterprises have created stable, dignified employment that gives working people direct agency over their labor and working conditions.

In Grenada, local organizers are preparing a full slate of community-focused events to mark the occasion. The Grenada Co-operative League Ltd (GCLL) has partnered with the country’s Department of the Co-operatives to roll out a series of public engagement activities. The centerpiece of the local calendar is Co-operative Fair 2.0, set to take place on Friday, July 3 – one day ahead of the official global observance – at the Esplanade Mall Courtyard in St George’s, running from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. At the fair, dozens of local cooperatives will set up displays to demonstrate how core cooperative values – including voluntary open membership, democratic member control, and a prioritization of community well-being – translate into tangible, positive impact for Grenada’s residents.

This report was published by NOW Grenada, which notes that it is not responsible for the opinions, statements, or third-party media content shared by contributors to the outlet. Readers are invited to flag any abusive content via the outlet’s official reporting channel.

30 6 月, 2026
Onderzoek wijst op chemische lozing als mogelijke oorzaak vissterfte Saramaccarivier

Suriname’s National Environmental Authority (NMA) has identified a one-time, unauthorized discharge of toxic chemicals as the leading hypothesis for the unexplained mass fish die-off first reported in the Saramacca River last week, according to preliminary investigation results shared with the country’s National Assembly on 30 June.

Oil, Gas and Environment Minister Patrick Brunings updated lawmakers on the ongoing investigation, confirming the NMA would issue an official press statement on the initial findings — which were first published early to the NMA’s Facebook page, which counts just 3,500 followers, before being distributed to general media outlets.

Water samples collected on 25 June and analyzed by Suriname’s FILAB laboratory detected trace amounts of cyanide and mercury, but both toxic substances were measured at concentrations below the country’s official regulatory safety limits. NMA officials note that these results do not rule out an earlier cyanide exposure event, because the compound breaks down and dilutes rapidly in natural freshwater environments, meaning concentrations could have dropped to safe levels by the time samples were collected.

Testing did find significantly elevated levels of iron, aluminum, manganese, total suspended solids (TSS), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) — a key metric that measures the overall level of organic and chemical pollution in a water source. These anomalies support the NMA’s working theory that a single uncontrolled chemical spill triggered the mass fish mortality. All preliminary findings have already been shared with the National Coordination Center for Disaster Management (NCCR) to coordinate response efforts.

Investigators are still awaiting results from analysis of fish tissue samples being processed by the national Fish Inspection Institute (VKI), which will confirm whether dead fish were exposed to harmful concentrations of contaminants. To pinpoint the exact cause, the NMA has launched an expanded, intensified round of testing: a second set of water samples was collected on 29 June, and results from that round are still pending. A more comprehensive sampling effort is scheduled for 2 July, which will include capture and testing of living native fish species from the river to either confirm or rule out ongoing contamination. A definitive final conclusion will only be published once all test results are compiled, the authority says.

Despite the partial results, NMA has stressed that the urgent precautionary advisory issued earlier for communities along the Saramacca River remains fully in effect. Local residents are still strongly urged to avoid consuming any fish caught in the affected stretch of the river, refrain from using river water for drinking, cooking, bathing or washing clothes, and avoid swimming in the water.

The NMA says it will continue to closely monitor water quality and the overall situation alongside the NCCR, national regulatory authorities and local traditional governance bodies. The public will receive immediate updates as new test results become available.

30 6 月, 2026
Police searching for missing 13-year-old Kemera Murray

Law enforcement authorities in Barbados are turning to the community for help in tracing a missing teenager who has not been seen for nearly a week. Kemera Murray, a 13-year-old resident of Blackman Field in The Pine, St Michael, was last reported seen on Monday, June 29, and has not made contact with family or friends since that date.

Authorities have released a detailed description of the missing teen to help members of the public identify her. Standing approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall with a slim build and dark complexion, Kemera was last spotted wearing a distinctive blue crew-neck T-shirt printed with a bear graphic on the front, paired with dark blue cargo shorts and brown-and-gold slide sandals. Police also confirmed that the teenager is known to regularly visit two areas in the neighboring parish of Christ Church: the coastal district of Oistins and the residential neighborhood of Sayers Court.

In their official public appeal, law enforcement officials are urging any resident or visitor who may have seen Kemera since June 29, or who holds any information that could lead to her safe location, to contact authorities immediately. Multiple tip lines have been opened to accept information: the main District ‘A’ Police Station can be reached at 430-7242 or 430-7246, the 24/7 national police emergency line is available at 211, anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477, and information can also be provided in person at any local police station across the island.

30 6 月, 2026
GTA and IMA Grenada integrate tourism and investment strategy

In a significant move to boost Grenada’s long-term economic growth and global visibility, the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Investment Migration Agency Grenada (IMA) have formalized a groundbreaking strategic partnership designed to align the Caribbean nation’s tourism promotion and investment migration initiatives.

The binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the collaboration was signed on June 17, 2026, creating a structured operational framework that addresses key overlapping areas between the two sectors. These core collaborative domains include unified destination branding, attraction of foreign direct investment, coordinated international reputation management, and shared commitment to inclusive sustainable development.

Under the terms of the new agreement, the two agencies will synchronize their global outreach efforts to deliver a cohesive message about Grenada’s value as a multi-faceted destination: one that welcomes both leisure and business travelers, offers high-value residence options, and delivers strong returns for long-term international investment. Key aligned activities include joint participation in global trade and investment missions, harmonized public messaging across all markets, and strategic sharing of actionable market intelligence to strengthen evidence-based decision making for both organizations.

Stacey Liburd, Chief Executive Officer of the Grenada Tourism Authority, emphasized that the partnership marks a pivotal shift toward a more integrated approach to positioning Grenada on the global stage. “This Memorandum of Understanding represents a deliberate move towards a more unified national positioning strategy. Tourism and investment migration both influence how Grenada is experienced and understood globally,” Liburd explained. “By aligning our efforts, we strengthen our ability to present a clear, credible and competitive value proposition that supports sustainable growth and long-term national development.”

Thomas Anthony, CEO of the Investment Migration Agency Grenada, echoed this sentiment, noting that the MOU brings much-needed structure and clarity to areas where the two agencies’ mandates naturally intersect. “This collaboration provides a defined framework for coordination while maintaining the integrity of each agency’s mandate,” Anthony said. “As Grenada continues to attract growing interest from both visitors and investors across the globe, this level of alignment ensures that all engagement is strategic, consistent, and directly beneficial to the country’s broader economic objectives.”

Beyond global outreach and branding, the partnership also includes commitments to joint stakeholder engagement and targeted capacity-building programs. These initiatives will focus on high-priority areas including integrated international marketing, investor relations best practices, enhanced compliance awareness, and proactive reputational risk management.

Industry observers note that by formalizing this cross-sector partnership, Grenada has pioneered a more coordinated model of national destination development. In this new framework, tourism promotion and investment migration operate as complementary, mutually reinforcing drivers that build international confidence, increase global visibility, and strengthen the nation’s long-term economic resilience.

This report is based on a contributor submission to NOW Grenada, which holds no liability for contributor-provided content or opinions.

30 6 月, 2026
Police, stakeholders form working group to tackle crime in Soufriere

A collective, cross-sector security initiative is underway in the coastal town of Soufriere, spearheaded by the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) to counter rising crime and violence through coordinated partnership between public agencies, tourism stakeholders, and local community groups. The collaborative effort grew out of a high-level strategic gathering held June 11, where top RSLPF leadership sat down with Emma Hippolyte, Soufriere’s parliamentary representative, alongside leaders from the local accommodation sector, the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation, and regional civil society organizations. During the June 11 summit, participants centered talks on evaluating existing public safety initiatives active in the town, as well as outlining expanded support that the police service can deploy to strengthen local security outcomes. A landmark agreement emerged from that initial meeting: stakeholders voted to form a dedicated cross-sector working group tasked with designing actionable, coordinated, and long-term sustainable interventions to address Soufriere’s crime and violence challenges. The newly assembled working group wasted little time moving forward, holding its first official plenary session on June 24. Attendees included representatives from RSLPF, the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation, the national Ministries of Equity and Crime Prevention, local civil society groups, and the Saint Lucia National Youth Council. Before diving into formal strategy discussions, working group members completed on-the-ground community walkthroughs of three high-priority neighborhoods: Palmiste, Market Road, and Baron’s Drive. During these visits, participants held direct conversations with local residents, creating space for community members to share their firsthand security concerns, outline daily safety challenges they face, and articulate what specific changes would improve quality of life in their neighborhoods. The community feedback collected during these walkthroughs formed the foundation of the working group’s subsequent strategy session, where members worked to turn resident input into concrete, actionable plans to cut crime rates, boost public safety, and raise overall living standards across Soufriere. Per RSLPF updates, the working group is currently finalizing a comprehensive, community-centered action plan. Once the draft is completed, it will be submitted to the Commissioner of Police and Representative Emma Hippolyte for formal review and approval to move forward with implementation. The full working group has scheduled its next meeting for July 14, as partner organizations continue building out collaborative, resident-driven solutions through sustained public engagement. RSLPF leadership has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to partnering with local stakeholders and residents to build a safer living and visiting environment not just for Soufriere’s permanent population, but for communities across the entire island of Saint Lucia. The initiative marks a shift toward collaborative, community-informed public safety, rather than top-down policy making, prioritizing the input of the people most affected by local crime and insecurity.

30 6 月, 2026
Paraguay Knocks Out Four-Time World Cup Champions Germany

In one of the most shocking upsets in modern World Cup history, unfancied Paraguay has pulled off a legendary victory, knocking out four-time tournament winner Germany in a tense penalty shootout to book a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals on June 30, 2026.

The two sides battled through 120 minutes of full-tilt football, ending regular time and extra time locked in a 1-1 draw, forcing the clash to be decided from the penalty spot. When the final kick landed, Paraguay held a 4-3 advantage on penalties, capping off one of the most memorable David-and-Goliath results in recent World Cup memory.

Going into the high-stakes group stage finale, Paraguay entered as massive underdogs on paper. Ranked 41st in the FIFA global rankings, the side sat 31 spots below the football powerhouse Germany. The South American nation had struggled for offensive consistency during World Cup qualifying, averaging fewer than one goal per match, and had not qualified for a World Cup finals since 2010. None of these pre-match statistics would end up mattering when the final whistle blew.

The decisive moment came when striker Jose Canale stepped up to take Paraguay’s final penalty, hammering the ball into the back of the net to seal the win. What followed was unbridled, emotional celebration from the Paraguayan squad and their supporters, many of whom struggled to process the upset they had just witnessed.

After the final whistle, Paraguayan defender Gustavo Gómez highlighted the team’s resolve and collective character in an post-match interview. “We showed what we are made of, we never gave up, and we dedicate this incredible result to every single person in Paraguay,” Gómez said.

Within hours of the historic winning goal, Paraguay’s president announced that the country would observe a national holiday to celebrate the team’s groundbreaking achievement. Football fans across the globe have already hailed the match as an instant World Cup classic, a reminder that rank and reputation count for nothing once a match kicks off on the world’s biggest football stage.

30 6 月, 2026
GBB onderzoekt gronduitgiften in natuurgebieden; intrekking niet uitgesloten

During a 2026 budget debate held in Suriname’s National Assembly on June 30, Minister of Land and Forest Management (GBB) Stanley Soeropawiro announced that his ministry is currently conducting comprehensive investigations into past land grants issued inside two key protected natural areas: the Peruvia Nature Reserve and the North Coronie Multi-Use Management Area (MoMA). The minister confirmed that he does not rule out revoking any grants that are found to violate existing laws or the protected status of these ecologically significant zones.

Soeropawiro confirmed that historical records already show multiple land parcels within the boundaries of these protected areas have been allocated to third parties, largely for agricultural use. Both reserves hold formal protected status under Suriname’s national environmental regulations, making unapproved commercial or private development inside their borders legally questionable. The ongoing probe is focused on verifying whether all required legal procedures were followed during the granting process, and whether each allocation aligns with the conservation mandates of the sites.

Preliminary reviews of the grant dossiers have already uncovered a notable red flag: no advisory opinions were found from the government agencies that are legally required to weigh in on such applications. These mandatory stakeholders include the National Forest Service, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, and the National Environmental Authority. Soeropawiro emphasized that these input are non-negotiable for any land development project, especially within protected zones, so their absence raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the existing grants.

The minister stressed that the investigative process is being carried out with deliberate care to ensure all findings are accurate and procedurally sound. Should investigators conclude that any grants were issued unlawfully or in conflict with the protected status of the areas, the ministry will follow all formal legal pathways to revoke those allocations. He also framed the protection of Suriname’s natural protected areas as both a domestic responsibility and a binding commitment under international environmental agreements that Suriname has signed onto.

During the plenary debate, multiple members of the National Assembly raised additional priorities for land and environmental policy, calling for stronger management of protected natural areas, more robust conservation measures for Suriname’s ecologically critical mangrove forests, and greater transparency across all land governance processes. Lawmakers also pushed for a full, system-wide evaluation of all historical land grants and the country’s existing land conversion policy to address broader gaps in regulation.

30 6 月, 2026
National Spice Replanting Day mobilises every parish

On Sunday, June 28, every single parish across the Caribbean island nation of Grenada came together for the first National Spice Replanting Day, a nationwide collective effort that brought hundreds of volunteers together to nurture and reinforce the country’s world-famous spice agricultural legacy.

Organized as a flagship community initiative under the banner of Grenada Diaspora Homecoming 2026, the event drew participation from a diverse cross-section of the population: local residents, Grenadian nationals returning from overseas, grassroots community groups, and independent volunteers all joined forces for a shared mission rooted in national pride, agricultural renewal, and collective environmental stewardship. Framed around the theme “From Roots to Legacy”, the initiative was designed to strengthen Grenada’s centuries-old agricultural heritage while cementing the country’s beloved global nickname as the “Spice Isle” for future generations.

Across all participating communities, volunteers spent the day working side-by-side to plant native spice saplings, contributing to a national strategy to boost domestic agriculture, restore declining spice crop populations, and honor the centuries-deep connection between Grenada’s land, its people, and its cultural identity.

Senator Roderick St Clair, speaking on behalf of event organizers, highlighted that the unprecedented full-parish turnout underscored both the power of collective community action and the critical importance of protecting Grenada’s distinct agricultural identity. “National Spice Replanting Day was far more than just a routine tree-planting exercise,” St Clair explained. “It was a public declaration of shared national responsibility. Every volunteer who showed up across every parish, who put their hands into Grenada’s soil, did more than just plant trees. They helped secure a legacy that is woven into the very fabric of Grenadian life: our rural communities, our centuries-long agricultural history, and our core national identity.”

Beyond its agricultural and environmental goals, the event also served as a key test of the core mission of the Grenada Diaspora Homecoming 2026, an initiative designed to re-connect Grenadians living overseas with their home country and create meaningful opportunities for them to contribute to national development. Organizers emphasized that the full islandwide participation perfectly embodied the spirit of the Homecoming project, which centers on five core pillars: reconnection, collective contribution, cultural celebration, community building, and shared national purpose.

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30 6 月, 2026