Carib Scope

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  • Leisure : Did you know ? #56

    Leisure : Did you know ? #56

    Twice a week, the Haitian news and media platform HaitiLibre invites knowledge seekers and casual learners to engage with its popular feature series “Did You Know?”, a interactive quiz segment designed to share little-taught historical facts and expand public general knowledge. In the 56th installment of the series, published on March 9, 2026, the quiz posed a thought-provoking question focused on Haitian revolutionary history: Which female hero earned fame for her remarkable courage during the iconic 1802 Battle of Crête-à-Pierrot?

    The answer reveals the incredible legacy of Marie-Jeanne Lamartinière, one of the most underrecognized yet transformative figures of the Haitian Revolution. When the pivotal battle for Fort de la Crête-à-Pierrot unfolded in March 1802, Lamartinière stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her husband, Captain Louis Daure Lamartinière, defying gender norms of the era to fight for Haitian independence from French colonial rule. Disguising herself in men’s clothing to move freely across the battlefield, she carried a rifle in hand and a sabre at her waist, joining the brutal frontline combat against French forces led by General Charles Leclerc.

    Lamartinière’s contributions extended far beyond direct combat. Amid the chaos of the siege, she tended to dozens of wounded Haitian soldiers, boosted faltering troop morale when the fighting turned grim, and carried critical supplies of gunpowder to frontline defenders. She never retreated from the ramparts, fighting in the first rank of resistance with a level of audacity that became legendary among revolutionary ranks. Her unyielding grit, fearlessness in the face of overwhelming force, and total devotion to the cause of Haitian freedom have secured her place as one of the most enduring icons of Haitian national resistance.

    This historical feature is just one of hundreds of quizzes hosted on HaitiLibre’s dedicated quiz platform, accessible at https://quiz.haitilibre.com/en. As part of the platform’s regular monthly content update, 30 brand new quizzes were added to the platform on September 1, 2026, pushing the total number of available interactive knowledge games to 240, with new content added every month moving forward.

    All quizzes on the platform are exclusive to HaitiLibre, completely free to access, and require no user registration to play. Built to suit a wide range of audiences from casual learners to history buffs, every quiz offers three adjustable difficulty tiers: easy, intermediate, and hard, and is fully available in both French and English. After completing any 10-question quiz, users can leave feedback, comments, and suggestions for the platform team through a built-in form at the end of each game. The platform invites all users to explore its expanding library of content covering topics from Haitian history to global current events, share the platform with friends and family, and learn new facts to impress loved ones.

  • VFS maintains lead; La Clery closes in

    VFS maintains lead; La Clery closes in

    Midweek matchweek action in the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League delivered two tense, decisive fixtures at Gros Islet’s Francis “Baba” Lastic Grounds, shaking up the league standings and keeping the title race tightly contested. Heading into the matchday, Vieux Fort South (VFS) held a narrow advantage at the top of the table, and two-time league champions La Clery were hungry to close the gap in their pursuit of another title.

    The first clash of the evening pitted La Clery against Dennery, a fixture that lived up to its hype as a battle between top-half contenders. The game got off to a quick start when 11 minutes in, a foul inside the six-yard box on La Clery’s Alex Deveaux handed the side a penalty. Yanic Noel stepped up to take the spot kick, sending Dennery goalkeeper Anton Richard the wrong direction to open the scoring and put his side ahead early.

    Dennery entered the match without key veteran midfielder Kurt Frederick, a loss that many expected would derail their momentum. But the side refused to let the absence of their star player define their performance, pushing forward consistently for an equalizer. That breakthrough came just 12 minutes after Noel’s opening goal, when stand-in captain Elijah Joseph finished off a beautifully crafted sequence of tight, precise passing. A lucky deflection off a La Clery defender put the ball right into Joseph’s path, and he made no mistake to level the score at 1-1 heading into halftime. At the break, both head coaches Zaine Pierre of La Clery and Sabbatus Hunte of Dennery had every reason to be satisfied with their sides’ first-half efforts.

    The deadlock held for more than half an hour into the second half, until a moment of individual brilliance and clinical finishing broke the tie in the 78th minute. Winger Ronham Cooper delivered a pinpoint, looping cross into the penalty area that found Noel unmarked at the near post. The 24-year-old former New Generation FC striker rose to meet the cross with a powerful header, notching his second goal of the match and taking his league-leading total to six goals for the season. In a creative, memorable celebration, Noel pulled a yellow balloon from his sock, inflated it, and raced toward the stands to share the moment with cheering fans. The strike held up as the game-winner, handing La Clery a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

    In the late nightcap fixture, table-topping Vieux Fort South faced off against Mabouya Valley, looking to protect their position at the summit of the standings. The first half was a tightly defensive affair, with both sides failing to break through for a goal, leaving the match scoreless at the break. It took until the 61st minute for VFS to find the decisive breakthrough, when forward Shan Alfred slotted home his fifth goal of the campaign to put his side up 1-0.

    The lone goal proved enough to secure all three points for the league leaders, despite a rocky, labored performance that saw VFS pushed all the way by the underdog side. For Mabouya Valley, the loss marked their third defeat in five matches this season, leaving them as the only team in the league yet to record a single win.

    Following the midweek results, the updated standings keep Vieux Fort South in first place with 14 points accumulated from six matches played. Two-time champions La Clery have closed the gap to just two points, sitting in second place with 12 points from the same number of games. Dennery, despite the loss, remain in third position with 10 points, holding a game in hand that could see them close the gap on the top two. Soufriere sits just behind Dennery in fourth with eight points. At the bottom of the table, Central Castries and Mabouya Valley occupy the ninth and 10th positions respectively, both firmly rooted in the relegation zone as the season progresses.

  • Het ging altijd al om olie. Uiteraard.

    Het ging altijd al om olie. Uiteraard.

    On January 3, after U.S. forces detained Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Washington framed the action around arguments of drug trafficking, national security, democracy, and Venezuela’s political future. But then-President Donald Trump made no secret of oil being a core priority from the very start.

  • Dominica Netball seeks interested persons for certified umpiring course

    Dominica Netball seeks interested persons for certified umpiring course

    Dominica’s national netball governing body has opened applications for aspiring sports officials eager to earn official certification as netball umpires, launching a new initiative designed to shore up the sport’s local ecosystem and maintain competitive integrity across all levels of play.

    The call for candidates targets community members who hold a genuine passion for netball and are committed to upholding the sport’s core standards, ensuring every match unfolds fairly, safely, and in full alignment with internationally recognized netball rules. To be eligible for the program, prospective applicants must meet a set of clear baseline requirements: they must be at least 16 years of age, possess a solid working knowledge of netball’s official regulations, demonstrate sharp communication skills and sound decision-making judgment, and come prepared to engage in ongoing learning and professional skill development.

    Once accepted into the program, candidates will progress through a structured, multi-level official umpiring training pathway that begins with a foundational certification course. From the entry-level Foundation stage, umpires can work their way up through the C Award and B Award tiers, with the elite A Award marking the highest level of professional qualification available through the program.

    Organizers of the recruitment drive emphasize that the effort is about more than just filling open officiating roles: it is a core part of a broader strategy to strengthen Dominica’s entire netball community, supporting growth both on the court through consistent, high-quality officiating and off the court by building a larger, more connected network of invested netball stakeholders.

    Individuals interested in either joining the umpiring ranks or participating in the upcoming training course are invited to reach out directly to program coordinator Mr. Dershanel Jno Lewis via email at [email protected] to express their interest and secure additional details about the application and training timeline.

  • Dodds prisoner charged with 2007 murder of Karen Allamby

    Dodds prisoner charged with 2007 murder of Karen Allamby

    Almost two decades after Karen Allamby was killed in Barbados, law enforcement officials have secured a murder charge against a man who is already behind bars for an unrelated offense.

    The Barbados Police Service confirmed this week that its Major Crime Unit has formally charged 48-year-old Antonio Ryan Bullen with Allamby’s murder. Court documents allege the killing took place at some point between April 1 and April 16, 2007. At the time of the charge, Bullen was already incarcerated at Dodds Prison serving a sentence for a separate criminal conviction.

    Following the charging process, legal officials confirmed that Bullen is scheduled to make his first court appearance on this charge at the District ‘A’ Criminal Court on the same day the charge was finalized.

    The case marks a major milestone in a cold investigation that has stretched across 17 years, bringing long-awaited progress for investigators and the victim’s family, who have waited nearly two decades for answers in Allamby’s death.

  • CTEC pilot delivers strong results in Dominica, offering new pathway for mathematics success

    CTEC pilot delivers strong results in Dominica, offering new pathway for mathematics success

    For years, secondary education systems across the Caribbean, including that of Dominica, have grappled with a persistent, frustrating challenge: widespread underperformance in mathematics that leaves many learners locked out of formal academic recognition, despite years of effort. Now, a new modular assessment initiative from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is showing early promising results that have earned high praise from Dominican education officials.

    Dominica’s Chief Registrar Magalie Celestine publicly commended the CXC’s new Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC) program during the August 31, 2026 presentation of CSEC/CXC assessment results, held at the Dominica Public Service Building. She outlined the long-standing gaps the new program aims to fix, noting that hundreds of Dominican students have attempted the traditional CSEC Mathematics examination multiple times without earning a passing grade. Some private candidates have even sat the exam three or four times, walking away with no formal documentation to acknowledge the math skills they did develop over years of secondary schooling. Under the legacy one-and-done assessment model, learners who cannot complete the full syllabus for any reason—personal, financial, or academic—leave the education system with nothing to show for their time and effort.

    The CTEC program, which ran its first pilot during the May-June 2026 examination cycle, addresses this gap by reimagining how math assessment is structured. Unlike the traditional full single-subject examination, CTEC retains CXC’s existing rigorous syllabus and quality standards, but splits the full mathematics curriculum into smaller, manageable standalone modules. Candidates can master each module, complete its assessment, and earn formal certification for their completed work incrementally, rather than having to pass the entire full subject at once to receive any recognition.

    This modular design ensures that learners who face interruptions to their studies do not leave empty-handed, and it also creates a clear, low-pressure pathway for them to return to their education at a later date to complete remaining modules and earn their full credential. For Dominica’s inaugural pilot, 50 candidates were registered from two local institutions: the Adult Education Division and the Dominica Technical College (BTC). Of that group, 35 candidates ultimately sat for the first CTEC Mathematics module assessment, 30 of whom were female and five male.

    Early results from the pilot far exceeded expectations, Celestine reported, with 33 out of 35 participating candidates—representing a 94.3 percent pass rate—earning acceptable grades between A and D for the first module. In an additional boost for successful learners, CXC has pledged to fully cover all examination fees for the second and third CTEC Mathematics modules for these 33 candidates, as long as they continue to meet acceptable grade standards moving forward.

    Celestine was careful to clarify that completion of a single module does not equate to a full mathematics qualification. Candidates must successfully pass all three required modules to earn their full CTEC subject certificate. Even so, she emphasized that the skills and competencies assessed in the first module are fully aligned with the existing CSEC Mathematics curriculum, meaning learners do not have to learn disconnected content to participate in the modular program.

    Looking beyond the strong pass rate, Celestine noted that the 2026 pilot proves the modular assessment model delivers meaningful benefits beyond just scores: it builds learner confidence, formally recognizes incremental learning progress that would otherwise go unacknowledged, and creates a realistic, achievable pathway for learners who have struggled with the traditional system to finally complete their secondary mathematics qualification. For a region that has long struggled with math underperformance, this new framework could reshape how secondary education credentials are awarded and open up new opportunities for thousands of returning and struggling learners across the Caribbean.

  • Government Proposes EC$5,000 Littering Fine and EC$2,500 Reward for Tipsters

    Government Proposes EC$5,000 Littering Fine and EC$2,500 Reward for Tipsters

    The government of Antigua and Barbuda has unveiled a sweeping zero-tolerance initiative targeting littering, unregulated waste dumping, and unauthorized occupation of public lands, launching a nationwide push to elevate community cleanliness, enhance public safety, and revitalize public spaces across the twin-island nation. Following a recent cabinet assessment, senior officials have concluded that current regulatory frameworks are insufficient to tackle the persistent problems of indiscriminate waste disposal, abandoned derelict vehicles, and unpermitted encroachment on coastal beaches, roadside verges, and other communal public areas. As such, a slate of strengthened enforcement measures has been approved to address these issues head-on.

    Leading the new initiative is the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation, headed by minister Rawdon Turner. The ministry will coordinate closely with two key national agencies—the National Solid Waste Management Authority and the Development Control Authority—to systematically locate, remove, and dispose of abandoned and derelict vehicles that have been left sitting in residential neighborhoods and public areas. The escalated enforcement program went into effect immediately following the cabinet’s announcement, marking a quick shift in the country’s approach to public space management.

    Cabinet has outlined a range of harms caused by abandoned vehicles, noting that beyond being an eyesore that drags down the aesthetic appeal of local communities, these unused vehicles also pose significant threats to both environmental health and public safety. In a bid to give vehicle owners a chance to comply voluntarily before enforcement action begins, the government is urging all residents with abandoned vehicles on public or communal land to move their vehicles at their own cost ahead of scheduled inspections by enforcement teams.

    Beyond addressing abandoned vehicles, the government is moving forward with plans to dramatically increase financial penalties for anyone convicted of littering or illegal dumping. Under the proposed regulatory changes, the maximum fine for these offenses will jump to EC$5,000, a steep increase from current levels. To bolster enforcement efforts and encourage community participation, officials have also introduced a new reward scheme: individuals who report illegal dumping activity via the official police tip line will be eligible to receive 50% of any resulting fine—equal to EC$2,500—if the information they provide leads to the offender being formally charged and convicted. The government is actively calling on all residents to step forward and share information when they witness littering or illegal dumping in their communities.

    Officials emphasized that the combination of harsher financial penalties and financial incentives for community reporting is designed to send an unambiguous message: unregulated, indiscriminate disposal of garbage and other types of waste will no longer be permitted anywhere in Antigua and Barbuda, and those who violate the rules will face meaningful consequences for their actions.

  • Blunt: Road Tennis standard continues to improve

    Blunt: Road Tennis standard continues to improve

    The 2024 Barbados Road Tennis Open has advanced to the men’s round of 16, and the head of the island’s governing body for the homegrown sport says the level of competition on display confirms years of steady progress for the discipline. Frederick Blunt, President of the Barbados Road Tennis Association, shared his assessment of the ongoing tournament, which offers a $20,000 grand prize to the eventual winner. He noted that while the opening days of the event encountered a handful of unforeseen logistical issues, organizers quickly resolved the problems and the competition has proceeded smoothly ever since.

    What has stood out most to Blunt is the marked improvement in the performance of emerging young competitors across the early rounds. While seasoned veteran players have continued to deliver the high-caliber play that has defined their careers, the new generation of road tennis athletes has rapidly narrowed the skill gap that once separated them from the sport’s top contenders. Blunt offered an optimistic forecast for the future of the sport, predicting that within the next 12 months, young players will deliver even stronger results and eventually claim the majority of the tournament’s top prizes in coming years.

    Beyond the ongoing Open, a recent government announcement has stirred discussion within the local road tennis community: officials have unveiled plans to form a new partnership with the Ultimate Pickleball League (UPL) that would pursue two core goals: position Barbados as a leading Caribbean hub for pickleball, and expand the international footprint of Barbados’ own road tennis. Under the proposal, the collaboration would include large-scale local manufacturing of road tennis rackets for export to global markets, as well as the retrofitting of existing local hardcourts to accommodate both pickleball and road tennis play. According to government and UPL representatives, the initiative is designed to drive regional growth for pickleball while protecting the unique cultural heritage and history of road tennis.

    Blunt, who was not invited to the initial planning meeting between government leaders and UPL officials, says he has only limited insight into the full details of the plan, but he has outlined both the potential upsides and significant risks of the proposed collaboration. On the positive side, Blunt says the partnership could unlock much-needed foreign investment, central government funding, and resources to upgrade local playing facilities – a longstanding major barrier to the growth of road tennis in Barbados. A formal, structured collaboration could also open new avenues for international sports tourism, cementing Barbados’ reputation as a road tennis destination and introducing global athletes, coaches, and sports industry leaders to the unique rules and cultural significance of the sport. It could also formalize road tennis programming in Barbadian schools, creating a structured development pathway for young players and raising the profile of local athletes on international multi-sport circuits.

    Despite these potential benefits, Blunt has raised pointed concerns about the long-term implications of the partnership, noting that pickleball already boasts well-established global governing bodies, major commercial backing, and widespread mainstream media influence. Without strict, legally binding protections for road tennis, Blunt warns that the indigenous sport could be sidelined for access to court time, equipment resources, sponsorship funding, and space in school athletic programs. He also voiced concern that tying road tennis’ expansion to a foreign-led sport could erode its distinct cultural identity, gradually shifting access to facilities and development opportunities away from local Barbadian players.

    Adding to these concerns, Blunt pointed out that the road tennis community was not given meaningful representation or formal consultation during the early stages of proposal development, which has fueled worries around transparency, unequal power dynamics, and long-term control of critical commercial rights – including intellectual property for the sport and local manufacturing of equipment. At its core, Blunt says the debate boils down to one critical question: will this partnership truly lift up road tennis as an independent, indigenous Barbadian sport on its own terms, or will the discipline lose its autonomy and its future to a far better-resourced global sport?

  • Switzerland : Excellence Scholarships, Call for Applications

    Switzerland : Excellence Scholarships, Call for Applications

    Haiti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an official announcement calling on eligible Haitian students and researchers to apply for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships program for the 2027-2028 academic year. The opportunity is administered through Switzerland’s Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), which manages the annual funding initiative that supports early-career scholars from around the globe to pursue advanced academic work at Swiss institutions.

    The program offers two distinct types of fully-funded fellowships tailored to different stages of advanced academic study. The first, Research Fellowships, are designed for students currently enrolled in doctoral programs at their home institutions, providing up to 12 months of funding to conduct on-site research at any accredited Swiss higher education institution or recognized Swiss research institute. The second option, Doctoral Fellowships, enables recipients to complete their entire doctoral degree at a Swiss university or reputable research organization, with funding available for up to three years of full-time study.

    To be considered for either of the two fellowship categories, all applicants must meet two core eligibility requirements. First, candidates must hold a completed Master’s degree or an equivalent academic credential recognized by Swiss higher education authorities. Second, all applicants must secure confirmation of academic supervision from a faculty member or senior researcher based at their intended host institution in Switzerland before submitting an application.

    For citizens of Haiti, the application deadline for the 2027-2028 academic year is set for November 10, 2026. All applications must be submitted exclusively through the official GO ESKAS online application portal. No paper or email submissions will be accepted by the FCS. Full program details, including complete eligibility conditions, required application documentation, and access to the application portal, are available on the official Swiss government scholarship website and the GO ESKAS login page linked in the announcement.

  • Government to Advertise Senior Positions as Applications Open for CIU Executive Chairman

    Government to Advertise Senior Positions as Applications Open for CIU Executive Chairman

    The Irish government has formally launched the recruitment process for the newly vacant position of Executive Chairman at the Central Applications Office (CIU), marking a key step in refreshing senior leadership for the country’s third-level education admissions system.

    Officials confirmed on Wednesday that the position, which carries a six-year fixed-term contract and an annual salary range of €124,000 to €138,000, is now open to external and internal candidates across Ireland. The government has published full recruitment advertisements on national public service job boards and major national media outlets, inviting qualified professionals with extensive leadership experience in public administration, education governance or related sectors to submit applications before the closing deadline in mid-October 2024.

    The CIU, the independent statutory body responsible for overseeing the centralized application process for undergraduate courses at Irish universities and institutes of technology, has faced growing pressure in recent years to modernize its digital admissions systems and reduce processing backlogs amid rising applicant numbers. The newly appointed Executive Chairman will be tasked with leading the organization through its planned five-year modernization program, improving service delivery for thousands of annual prospective students, and overseeing governance reforms to align the body with new public sector accountability standards.

    A spokesperson for the Department of Further and Higher Education emphasized that the open recruitment process is designed to attract the strongest possible candidates from across professional sectors, rather than relying on internal appointments. “This open advertisement ensures we follow best practice in public sector senior recruitment, bringing fresh perspective and strategic leadership to a critical role that supports Ireland’s higher education system,” the spokesperson said.

    The successful candidate will be expected to take up the position by early 2025, following the completion of interview and security vetting processes overseen by the Public Appointments Service.