Carib Scope

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  • Crime an emotional burden on Jamaicans, says cop once held hostage by prisoners

    Crime an emotional burden on Jamaicans, says cop once held hostage by prisoners

    QUEENS, N.Y. — At the 17th annual Fundraising and Awards Banquet hosted by the Ex-Correctional Officers Association of Jamaica, a 35-year veteran of the Jamaica Constabulary Force delivered an impassioned call to action, urging the hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans living in the diaspora to join the fight against violent crime and weapons trafficking back home.

    Superintendent Errol Adams, a former correctional officer who survived being held hostage by death row inmates during a 1998 prison uprising at the St Catherine District Prison in Spanish Town, framed crime not as a localized Jamaican issue, but as a collective emotional weight carried by Jamaican communities spanning every corner of the globe. Even for families who have built new lives in New York, Toronto, London, Miami, or Fort Lauderdale, the fear of harm hitting elderly relatives, children, or loved ones who remain on the island weighs heavily, he said.

    “Crime therefore has become more than a local issue, it has become an emotional burden carried by Jamaicans everywhere,” Adams told the gathered crowd of attendees, who included community leaders, diaspora organizers, and former Jamaican law enforcement officers.

    Central to Adams’ address was the revelation that criminal networks have systematically exploited one of the diaspora’s most beloved traditions: the decades-long practice of sending barrels packed with household goods, food, and school supplies to support family members back home. What began as an act of love and mutual aid, he explained, has been manipulated by transnational criminal groups to smuggle illegal firearms into the country.

    Adams outlined how traffickers hide weapons in seemingly ordinary shipments, stashing guns inside refrigerators, generators, industrial equipment, and shipped furniture. Contraband moves through a variety of channels, including commercial shipping containers, official cargo ports, private courier services, national postal systems, and unmonitored informal coastal landing spots scattered along Jamaica’s extensive shoreline. These operations are not opportunistic, Adams stressed; they are planned, strategic, and directly tied to global transnational criminal networks.

    Adams called for the diaspora to take intentional, concrete steps to disrupt these networks. “The Diaspora must never allow love for family to be manipulated into support for criminality,” he said. Key steps for community members include rejecting unregulated proxy or informal shipping arrangements, verifying both the contents and intended recipient of every shipment they arrange, only using official, legal trade and shipping channels, and refusing any requests to participate in even seemingly minor illegal activities. He added that diaspora members also hold a unique role in sharing critical intelligence with law enforcement to help track and break up trafficking rings.

    The veteran law enforcement officer acknowledged the ongoing challenges Jamaican security forces face in stemming the flow of weapons. Traffickers are highly adaptable, he noted: every time authorities upgrade security protocols at ports or entry points, criminals quickly pivot to exploit new vulnerabilities. Jamaica’s more than 1,000 kilometers of jagged coastline also creates nearly insurmountable logistical hurdles, as monitoring every remote beach, small fishing dock, and informal entry point is logistically impossible for even the most well-resourced security teams.

    “When criminal creativity combines with organised trafficking networks, the consequences usually become deadly,” Adams emphasized.

    He also laid out the far-reaching economic and social damage that persistent crime inflicts on Jamaica’s long-term development. Each year, the Jamaican government spends billions of dollars on policing, security operations, judicial processing, incarceration, and emergency medical response to violent crime — resources that could otherwise be invested in public education, critical infrastructure, universal healthcare, technological innovation, and youth development programs that lift communities across the country.

    Adams did highlight recent progress in Jamaica’s crime reduction efforts, sharing official data showing significant gains between 2024 and 2025. In 2024, Jamaican security forces seized 833 illegal firearms, while recording roughly 1,141 murders and more than 1,000 non-fatal shooting incidents. By comparison, 2025 saw 1,201 illegal firearms seized, and the national murder count dropped to 673 — the lowest recorded total in 30 years. To continue this downward trend, Adams argued, Jamaica’s crime-fighting strategy must remain holistic, coordinated, and centered on partnership between security forces and communities at home and abroad.

    Beyond the keynote address, the 2026 banquet served as a celebration of diaspora giving and community support. Three students from Copiague High School on Long Island were awarded the association’s annual 2026 scholarships, and the organization distributed monetary donations to three causes: the youth soccer team of the North Bronx Seventh-day Adventist Church, Team Jamaica Bickle, and the Tulloch Legacy Foundation’s Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts.

    The night’s top honor, the 2026 Community Service Award, was presented to Caribbean Food Delights, the food conglomerate founded by iconic Jamaican entrepreneur and philanthropist Vincent HoSang. The organization was recognized for decades of sustained investment in community development projects across both the Jamaican diaspora and Jamaica itself. Janice Julian accepted the award on behalf of Caribbean Food Delights from association president Ronnie Hammick.

  • From Jamaica to New York: Netania Mundell’s journey into global marketing

    From Jamaica to New York: Netania Mundell’s journey into global marketing

    Career paths are rarely the straight, pre-planned trajectories many young professionals are taught to pursue. For 29-year-old Jamaican marketing leader Netania Mundell, the journey from a university accounting major to a leading digital activation role at global beverage giant Diageo is a masterclass in following natural talent rather than rigid expectations, and turning personal roots into professional superpower.

    Today, Mundell serves as an associate of digital activation at Diageo, where she shapes marketing strategies for two of the company’s most iconic North American brands: Guinness and Smirnoff Ice. What makes her approach unique is a perspective rooted in her Jamaican upbringing: she rejects the idea that brands only exist in corporate boardrooms and polished campaign documents, instead arguing that brands live in the everyday moments, casual conversations, shared memories and cultural rituals of consumers. This people-first perspective blends perfectly with her own multi-faceted identity as a strategist, storyteller, cultural observer and creative.

    Mundell’s personality is as dynamic as the brands she elevates: quick-witted, unapologetically authentic, and infectiously upbeat, she brings humor and transparency to every project she touches. “I am very unserious in the best way,” she joked in an interview. But beneath that approachable, lighthearted energy lies a sharp, empathetic professional with an innate ability to read people, culture and untold brand stories — a skill that has become her greatest competitive advantage.

    That instinct was cultivated long before she entered the global marketing industry, in the close-knit, family-focused community of Portmore, St Catherine, where she grew up. Her father emerged as one of the most foundational influences in her life, offering unwavering support that helped her build the confidence to take calculated risks even when the future was unclear. That confidence would prove critical during her years at the University of the West Indies, where she enrolled to study accounting, only to slowly realize that the career she had mapped out on paper did not align with the creative, people-focused person she was growing into.

    Rather than sticking to the pre-planned path, Mundell began leaning into her growing curiosity for marketing: she got involved in campus activities, joined the UWI Marketing Association, and opened herself up to new opportunities. That proactive choice paid off in 2018, when she landed a coveted internship at telecommunications leader Digicel, her first formal step into the marketing industry.

    Around the same time, a second side of her professional identity began to grow organically on social media. On Twitter, audiences connected deeply with Mundell’s sharp humor, unique insights and unfiltered personality. As she navigated the uncertainty of post-graduation life, she turned that online following into the Netschat podcast, honing her skills as a creator and conversationalist. In an era where modern brands are expected to be culturally attuned, digitally native and emotionally intelligent, that hands-on creator experience gave her a rare edge that traditional marketing training could not provide.

    One of Mundell’s most celebrated early career wins came during her time at agency Mystique, where she managed the KFC Jamaica account. For 2022 Valentine’s Day, she pitched a simple but clever concept for an Instagram Reel: a romantic video shot in the style of a love letter addressed to a partner, with a playful twist that revealed the deep affection was actually for KFC’s popular Big Deal meal. The campaign went viral organically, becoming one of the highest-performing organic Instagram posts in the brand’s history — a testament to Mundell’s ability to blend humor, relatability and smart brand storytelling.

    For Mundell, what draws her to marketing above all else is the space the industry creates for unconventional, creative ideas. In 2022, she made another bold life and career choice: she left Jamaica to pursue a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing at New York University, rooting herself in one of the world’s most dynamic marketing hubs while still carrying her Jamaican identity with pride.

    Now at Diageo, she brings that unique perspective to a global business environment that demands equal parts creative innovation and disciplined execution. Focused on Diageo’s North American beer and flavored malt beverage segment, she manages brand strategy for Guinness and Smirnoff Ice across the region, but sees her role as far more than just a regional position: it is an opportunity to infuse global marketing with the cultural awareness and human-centered perspective she gained growing up in Jamaica.

    Looking ahead, Mundell expects her career to continue evolving at the intersection of creative storytelling, data-driven strategy and human behavior. Her advice for young professionals navigating uncertain career paths echoes her own journey: “Passion really has to drive you to be prepared. When opportunity comes knocking, you never want to be caught unprepared.” For Mundell, that willingness to follow her passion and prepare for new opportunities has turned an unconventional accounting detour into a thriving global marketing career.

  • Woman endures emotional abuse, threats and financial exploitation

    Woman endures emotional abuse, threats and financial exploitation

    A Jamaican adult child has reached out to prominent women’s rights legal advocate Margarette May Macaulay for urgent help, detailing years of escalating abuse and exploitation their mother has endured at the hands of her husband. In a distressing plea shared with Macaulay’s public advice column, the child explains that their mother has been trapped in a toxic marriage for over a decade, and the ongoing abuse has now reached a point where the mother’s life is at imminent risk.

  • Woning Robijnstraat in vlammen opgegaan: bedlegerige man naar SEH afgevoerd

    Woning Robijnstraat in vlammen opgegaan: bedlegerige man naar SEH afgevoerd

    A residential property located on Robijnstraat was completely engulfed in flames in the early hours of this morning, leaving the entire structure reduced to ruin after the intense blaze caused catastrophic damage to the building.

    Thankfully, emergency responders managed to safely evacuate a bedridden resident from the burning property before the fire spread further, according to initial information obtained from local authorities.

    The evacuated resident suffered breathing complications after inhaling thick toxic smoke produced during the fire. After receiving on-site first aid from emergency medical teams, the individual was transported via ambulance to the local emergency department for urgent and ongoing medical assessment and treatment.

    Local fire crews arrived at the scene within minutes of the emergency call being placed. Their rapid, coordinated response successfully contained the blaze, stopping it from jumping to adjacent nearby homes and preventing a far larger disaster that would have impacted more local residents. Despite the swift and determined efforts of emergency services, the original residential property was too severely damaged to be saved.

    As of the latest update, investigators have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the fire. Local police have launched a formal investigation to map out the sequence of events that led to the incident and determine what sparked the blaze.

  • COMMENTARY: Eddie Toulon and the Frontline Cooperative Bookstore – The architecture of Dominican nation building via education, cooperative economics and cultural rendition

    COMMENTARY: Eddie Toulon and the Frontline Cooperative Bookstore – The architecture of Dominican nation building via education, cooperative economics and cultural rendition

    In the decades following Dominica’s independence, few institutions have shaped the country’s national identity and collective consciousness as profoundly as the Frontline Cooperative Bookstore. More than just a retail space for books, it emerged as a movement for mental liberation, cultural pride, cooperative development, and Pan-African solidarity—led by a visionary Dominican activist named Edmund A. “Eddie” “Izzar” Toulon, whose legacy continues to resonate across the island long after his passing and the bookstore’s closure.

    Born in Roseau in 1960 to a family rooted in public service and discipline, Toulon cut his teeth politically during his years studying and working in London from the 1970s to early 1980s. Immersed in West London’s vibrant world of Black British activism, Caribbean migrant organizing, Pan-Africanist thought, and working-class resistance, he developed a core belief: education and cultural identity are the most powerful tools for marginalized communities to claim empowerment. Working as a social worker in North Paddington connected him directly to the struggles of working-class Caribbean and African families, while his time as lead vocalist for the band Samaritans reinforced his understanding that music and liberation are inseparable.

    When Toulon returned to his native Dominica in 1981, he gathered with fellow activists Sonny Felix, Alvin Bertnard, and Gabriel Christian to turn his vision into action. The group drew inspiration from Cadre Number One (also known as the Sisserou Youth Movement), the Roseau branch of the Popular Independence Committee led by Rosie Douglas, which was rooted in the broad currents of Dominican nationalism, anti-colonial thought, Black consciousness, and socialist development that swept the Caribbean in the decades before and after independence. For the founding generation, political independence alone was not enough: without mental liberation, Dominica would remain trapped in neocolonial dependency, racial insecurity, and foreign economic control. A people disconnected from their own history, they argued, could never shape their own future. So they built Frontline as a people’s university, a school without walls, and a hub for national awakening, opening its doors in Roseau in 1982 with the motto “Knowledge Conquers All.”

    From its humble beginnings—starting with just two tea chests of donated books in a small rented basement space—Frontline grew into one of Dominica’s most influential cultural institutions. Located on Queen Mary Street in Roseau, it intentionally stocked Afro-Caribbean, African, Indigenous, Third World, and local Dominican literature that was largely unavailable from mainstream booksellers. It centered stories of African and Kalinago heritage, maroon resistance to enslavement, and anti-colonial struggle, rejecting the colonial narratives that had long taught Dominicans to devalue their own culture and prioritize foreign approval. Operating on cooperative principles rather than pure profit motive, it expanded far beyond a bookstore, evolving into a cultural center, music outlet, photographic studio, printing shop, and publishing house that created local jobs, trained young workers, and promoted local Dominican writers.

    One of Frontline’s most enduring contributions was *Rampart* magazine, a radical cultural platform named for its mission to defend resistance and break colonial barriers. Through three editions, *Rampart* gave a voice to Dominican poets, essayists, artists, and thinkers, publishing work that challenged colonial myths (including critical essays debunking the celebration of Christopher Columbus), centering women’s roles in national development, and affirming solidarity with anti-apartheid movements in southern Africa. Every poem and essay was a deliberate act of consciousness-raising, designed to free Dominicans from the inferiority complexes imposed by colonial rule and prove that the island had its own unique history, heroes, and creative genius worth celebrating.

    Under Toulon’s leadership, Frontline also embraced popular culture as a core part of its nation-building project. It promoted major concerts featuring top regional and international Caribbean artists, from Gregory Isaacs and Burning Spear to Chalkdust, turning the events into cultural gatherings that connected Dominica to the wider African diaspora. It launched the “Caribbean Heroes” silk-screen project to celebrate regional icons, documented national history and community life through its photography service, and organized the 1988 “Vwa Dominik” tour to London, bringing Dominican performers to West Indian migrant communities for a powerful act of diaspora connection to mark the country’s tenth independence anniversary. Frontline also proved the power of cooperative economics: it grew from its small rented space to own its own facility, housing a bookstore, darkroom, printshop, and research library, contributed to national scholarship funds and school charities, and showed that collective, community-led effort could build lasting institutions that served the public good.

    After decades leading Frontline, Toulon carried his commitment to community and culture into wider public service. In 1992, he was elected the first Mayor of the Canefield Urban Council, serving two consecutive terms and also leading the national local government authority, all while chairing the National Education Trust Fund. In 1997, he became the first Executive Director of the newly created Dominica Festivals Commission, where he realized his long-held vision of culture as national infrastructure: he organized and built the World Creole Music Festival, which grew into Dominica’s flagship cultural event and major tourist attraction, putting the island’s Creole identity, music, and heritage on the global map.

    Tragically, Toulon died suddenly from a fatal asthma attack in 2001 at just 41 years old, shocking the entire nation. Thousands of Dominicans lined the streets of Roseau to pay their respects, and his friend Gabriel J. Christian famously eulogized him as a fallen giant Gommier tree: a large, shade-giving native tree that had sheltered generations of young writers, artists, activists, and citizens, nourishing a movement of cultural pride and national service.

    After Toulon’s death, Frontline struggled on for another nine years, held together by the valiant efforts of supporters including Harold Sealey and Zenith Jean-Jacques, before closing its doors in 2010 after 29 years of operation. But its legacy, and Toulon’s, did not die with the bookstore. Toulon left behind enduring institutions: Rampart magazine, the World Creole Music Festival, the model of cooperative community development, and a blueprint for cultural leadership that proves small nations can stand tall through embracing their own identity.

    Decades later, the core lesson of Frontline and Eddie Toulon remains clear: a nation is not built only by roads, buildings, budgets, and elections. It is built first in the minds of its people, in their imagination, their shared history, their books, their songs, their cooperative efforts, and their pride in the heritage of their ancestors. It is a lesson summed up in the bookstore’s enduring motto, which still resonates with undiminished power across Dominica today: Knowledge Conquers All.

  • OPINION: The rights of a displaced worker

    OPINION: The rights of a displaced worker

    Across the globe, a sweeping pattern of workforce reduction has emerged in recent years, as both public sector agencies and private companies restructure their operations under the banner of boosting operational efficiency, cutting overhead costs, and preserving long-term business viability and productivity. For countless workers, this trend has meant sudden unemployment through layoffs, retrenchment, or redundancy — leaving them out of work and struggling to make ends meet, even as companies frame these cuts as legitimate business decisions.

    While mass layoffs have become commonplace, terminated workers hold clear legal protections when employers fail to follow established fair procedures before cutting staff. Industry best practices and legal frameworks universally require that employees facing job loss are entitled to a transparent, fair review process, adequate advance notification of termination, and eligible severance compensation where the terms of employment or local regulation mandate it.

    If an employer skips required procedural steps or fails to provide the mandated notice period, workers retain the right to file a wrongful dismissal claim in civil court for breach of employment contract. Under labor and contract law, any termination without required advance notice is formally classified as a breach of contract, and the standard legal remedy for this violation is pay in lieu of notice — compensation equal to the wages an employee would have earned during the required notice period.

    There are, however, limited exceptions to this rule. Employees terminated for gross misconduct, such as theft, workplace violence, or other serious violations of company policy, are not eligible for pay in lieu of notice, and immediate termination is legally justified in these cases. Similarly, workers who resign without providing the required notice, or employees still in a probationary period, forfeit their right to this compensation. Eligibility for all forms of termination pay is also bound by the specific terms outlined in an individual’s employment contract, so workers are advised to review their agreements closely after receiving termination notice.

    For workers facing layoff or redundancy, additional benefits may be available depending on local labor regulations. Many jurisdictions require employers to provide severance pay for large-scale redundancies, and displaced workers are typically eligible for state unemployment benefits to bridge the gap between jobs. In cases of planned workforce reductions, some regional rules also mandate that employers offer retraining programs to help displaced workers build new skills for future roles. A small number of employers also extend existing health insurance coverage for a limited period after termination, a significant benefit for laid-off workers navigating the job market.

    Above all, displaced workers are reminded to verify that all outstanding financial obligations are settled before their employment ends. This includes any unpaid accrued wages, compensation for earned but unused vacation time, and all other contractual monetary benefits tied to the role. This guidance comes from Dennis DePeiza, a Labour Relations & Employment Relations Consultant with Regional Management Services Inc.

  • Leon Hess Comprehensive wins inaugural schools panorama competition

    Leon Hess Comprehensive wins inaugural schools panorama competition

    On June 6, 2026, Saint Lucia wrote a new chapter in its cultural music history, as Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School claimed the title of the first-ever National Schools Panorama Competition. Held at Castries’ iconic Mindoo Phillip Park, the competition was a centerpiece event of the island’s annual Junior Lucian Carnival, bringing together the most promising young steel pan players from across the nation for a celebration of local cultural heritage.

    Seven competing bands, drawn from a collective of 10 different schools across Saint Lucia, gathered to compete for the historic inaugural title. Conceived as a long-term investment in the island’s beloved steel pan tradition, the competition was created to nurture new generational interest in the art form, ensuring this core pillar of Saint Lucian culture continues to thrive for decades to come.

    For the winning team from Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary, the path to victory was not without its hurdles. Jonathan Howell, a key core member of the school’s competing band, opened up about the group’s months-long journey to the top spot.

    “It felt absolutely amazing; I had utmost faith in my teammates from the very start,” Howell shared in remarks after the win. “I always knew we had what it took to pull this off.”
    Howell explained that the group faced unique challenges throughout their preparation process, most notably the fact that a number of band members were participating in a large-scale steel pan competition for the first time. “It was difficult, because some players were new; it was their first time actually preparing for something like this,” he said.

    Rather than letting these setbacks slow them down, the team leaned on collective commitment and mutual support to work through every obstacle. “Although it was difficult, we pulled through, and we got the win,” Howell stated. Already looking ahead to future competitions, the young musician made clear the team’s ambition has not waned: “For the road ahead, [the aim] is to get first place again.”

    Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School claimed second place, delivering a standout performance that earned widespread acclaim from judges and audience members alike. Corinth Secondary School took home third place, while the fourth spot went to a collaborative combined band representing Canaries Primary School and Soufrière Secondary School.

    Rounding out the field of competitors were bands from Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School, Laborie Boys and Girls Primary School, and a combined group from Dennery Primary and Secondary Schools. Every participating band brought energy, creativity, and disciplined musicianship to the stage, turning the event into a vibrant showcase of the incredible depth of young musical talent spread across Saint Lucia. The inaugural competition’s success has laid a strong foundation for what organizers hope will become a beloved annual tradition, cementing the role of youth in carrying forward the island’s iconic steel pan culture.

  • Kinderen leren over de gevolgen van illegale visserij

    Kinderen leren over de gevolgen van illegale visserij

    On the occasion of the International Day Against Illegal Fishing, Suriname’s fisheries authorities have launched a unique outreach initiative that targets young learners, aiming to build early awareness of the threats of unregulated fishing and the critical need for sustainable practices to protect local marine resources. The core message of the activity is that introducing children to the harms of illegal fishing from an early age creates a foundation for long-term stewardship of Suriname’s aquatic ecosystems and the future of the national fishing sector.

    Illegal fishing, which includes fishing without valid permits, operating in restricted protected waters, and using banned gear that damages marine habitats, is a leading driver of overfishing and severe declines in wild fish populations. To keep fish stocks viable for decades to come, sustainable, rule-compliant fishing is non-negotiable. When fishermen adhere to established regulations and permit requirements, fish populations have adequate time and space to reproduce and replenish, ensuring that future generations can continue to benefit from the rich marine resources found in Suriname’s waters.

    This public education message was delivered to students from Sharroyschool by Ranjit Soekhradj, a representative from the Fisheries Directorate of Suriname’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV). On Friday, the group of schoolchildren visited the Central Fishermen’s Harbors of Suriname (Cevihas) as part of the International Day commemoration. Staff from both LVV and Cevihas collaborated closely to host the students, leading guided tours of the facility and walking young attendees through the far-reaching consequences of unregulated fishing.

    During the educational excursion, students gained hands-on insight into multiple facets of Suriname’s fishing industry. They received detailed explanations of daily operations at the fishing harbor, vessel maintenance protocols, post-catch fish processing procedures, and the significant role the sector plays in driving Suriname’s national economy. Beyond classroom-style explanations, the students got an up-close look at large commercial fishing vessels, learned how fresh catches are unloaded and stored, had the opportunity to ask industry experts pressing questions about fisheries management, and toured the local Small Scale Fisheries Center to learn about small-scale artisanal fishing operations.

    For Larissa Kodjama, a teacher at Sharroyschool, the off-site excursion was an invaluable complement to standard geography lessons taught in the classroom. After the tour, students were assigned to compile their observations and takeaways into formal written reports and class presentations. Kodjama emphasized that hands-on, practical learning helps students absorb and retain information far more effectively than learning exclusively from textbooks.

    Through this youth-focused activity, LVV and Cevihas have marked the International Day Against Illegal Fishing in a meaningful, long-term oriented way. By investing in youth awareness and education, the organizations have drawn national attention to the urgency of sustainable fishing practices and the ongoing work needed to protect and preserve Suriname’s valuable wild fish stocks for current and future communities.

  • Area folk rejoice over heritage sites for cricket legends Sobers, Worrell homes

    Area folk rejoice over heritage sites for cricket legends Sobers, Worrell homes

    For decades, the quiet residential neighborhoods of Bay Land and Bank Hall in St Michael, Barbados, have held a special place in the island nation’s sporting and cultural history: they are the childhood stomping grounds of two of cricket’s most iconic figures, national heroes Sir Garfield “Gary” Sobers and Sir Frank Worrell. On Friday, longtime local residents reacted with overwhelming joy and pride to a formal government announcement that will turn these unassuming historic properties into permanent, state-protected heritage landmarks, honoring two men who put Barbadian cricket on the global map.

    The groundbreaking initiative was first unveiled last Saturday by Minister of Pan-African Affairs and Heritage Trevor Prescod, during the official launch of Heritage Month at the Cricket Legends Museum. Prescod used the occasion to outline the government’s new approach to preserving national history, emphasizing that this project moves far beyond fleeting, temporary tributes to safeguard irreplaceable pieces of Barbadian cultural identity. The state-led preservation effort will kick off first in Bay Land, centered on the childhood home of Sobers – a living national hero universally hailed as the greatest all-rounder in the history of international cricket.

    In his remarks, Prescod stressed that the state has a responsibility to act proactively to honor national heroes while they are still alive to experience the nation’s gratitude. “We can’t have a national hero like Gary Sobers still very much alive… and the state not contributing to having that home that he grew up in symbolically as a representation of his greatness,” Prescod told attendees. “We want to change that… trust me, we’re gonna make sure we do that.”

    From Bay Land, the project will expand to the eastern edge of the Empire Cricket Club ground, where the former family home of Sir Frank Worrell stands. Worrell made history as the first Black man to serve as full-time captain of the West Indies cricket team, cementing his legacy as a trailblazer both in sport and in breaking racial barriers in international athletics. To deliver a restoration that honors both properties’ history and structural integrity, the Ministry will partner closely with the Barbados National Trust, ensuring the landmarks are protected for future generations of Barbadians and cricket fans worldwide.

    For locals who have grown up alongside these historic sites and shared neighborhoods with the legends before they rose to global fame, the government’s plan is a long-overdue recognition of the community’s deep connection to Sobers and Worrell. Eudine Miller, who lived next door to Sobers as a child, said she could not be happier with the designation, arguing the honor should have been granted decades ago. “They should have done this ever since,” Miller said, reflecting on her childhood memories of the young cricket prodigy. “Fun, loving, loving family, yeah, kind. That’s how I remember him: playing cricket, a lot of cricket. He was a friendly guy.” Miller added that she hopes the heritage designation will pave the way for local authorities to rename the street where Sobers grew up in his honor, a change many local residents have long supported.

    Michael Welch, a lifelong resident of Walcott Avenue, framed the initiative as more than just a preservation project – he called it a critical investment in inspiring Barbados’ next generation. By making Sobers’ childhood home a public landmark, Welch argued, young people will have a tangible, accessible example of how talent and hard work from a small Barbadian neighborhood can change global sport. “I feel that’s a good movement, that’s a good movement because he is a big builder for a lot of people to follow him in cricket and stuff,” Welch explained. “Not only cricket, but sports. It gives the youngsters something to do instead of just being on the block and stuff like that. It was using him with encouragement. A lot of people love him; he was a well-loved person.”

    The plan to preserve Worrell’s former home has also earned strong support from the property’s current caretaker, even as formal planning details remain in early stages. For years, the home – which once had an official commemorative plaque that has since fallen off – has been an unassuming draw for cricket tourism from across the globe. Even locals who do not follow cricket closely acknowledge the undeniable impact of Worrell’s legacy. “I ain’t really a cricket fan, but the contribution—he deserves it. So that’s as far as I could go with that,” local resident Gregory said of the late legend.

    Rodney Bushell, a member of the Belle family who currently maintains the property and has historical ties to the Worrell estate, moved into the home after it sat vacant for years following renovations ahead of the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Bushell noted that formal discussions with the Barbados Cricket Association and housing authorities have moved slowly, but he welcomes the prospect of protecting the site for future generations. While he clarified that all formal decisions about the property’s future must be approved by his cousin, who manages the Worrell estate, Bushell said he is fully open to opening the home to cricket fans to experience its unique history.

  • Een verdiende herwaardering van Ramsewak Shankar

    Een verdiende herwaardering van Ramsewak Shankar

    A recently published biography of Ramsewak Shankar, Suriname’s former president, has emerged as a landmark contribution to the documentation of Suriname’s modern national history, written by historian Eric Jagdew. Titled *Ramsewak Shankar: een technocraat als minister, manager en president in Suriname* (Ramsewak Shankar: A Technocrat as Minister, Manager and President in Suriname) and carrying the International Standard Book Number 978-99914-2-032-5, the work does far more than chronicle the public and private life of one of Suriname’s most underrecognized leaders. It also contextualizes Shankar’s policy decisions and leadership within the tangled political and social upheaval that defined 1980s and early 1990s Suriname.

    Reviewer Asha Remesan notes that Jagdew has crafted a nuanced, balanced portrait of a leader widely remembered for his unwavering integrity, humble demeanor, and deep sense of public duty. What makes this biography particularly vital, Remesan argues, is its focus on a historical period and a head of state that have long received insufficient acknowledgment in official and popular Surinamese national history. Shankar assumed office at an exceptionally fragile moment for Suriname’s young democracy, stepping in to steer a nation still recovering from years of crippling political instability. Unlike many leaders motivated by personal ambition or the pursuit of public fame, Shankar’s tenure was rooted in a profound sense of accountability to the Surinamese people and the future of his country.

    Jagdew avoids the common biographical pitfall of framing his subject as an infallible icon. Instead, he presents Shankar as a fallible, ordinary person forced to make high-stakes choices under extraordinarily difficult circumstances – a choice that only adds to the book’s credibility, according to the review. Drawing on years of extensive original research, the text offers readers rare, valuable insight into the root causes and context of many defining events in modern Surinamese history.

    Perhaps the biography’s greatest strength, Remesan observes, is its depiction of Shankar’s enduring humility despite holding the nation’s highest office. In an era where political leaders are often judged on their public image and self-promotion, Shankar’s life story serves as a timely reminder that solid governance, integrity, and selfless public service remain irreplaceable leadership qualities.

    This publication deserves a wide readership, Remesan concludes. It stands both as a fitting tribute to Ramsewak Shankar’s legacy and a testament to Eric Jagdew’s meticulous work to preserve a critical, long-overlooked chapter of Suriname’s national history. Ultimately, it is a valuable and much-needed volume that advances a more balanced, fair assessment of both Shankar the man and his enduring impact on Suriname.