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  • CARICOM Reparations Conference to Develop 2027–2031 Global Action Plan

    CARICOM Reparations Conference to Develop 2027–2031 Global Action Plan

    A landmark regional gathering advancing the global movement for reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade is set to convene in Barbados in September 2026. Organized jointly by the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC), the Government of Barbados, and the CARICOM Secretariat, the Third CARICOM Regional Conference on Reparations will run from 17 to 19 September 2026 at the Wyndham Grand Sam Lord’s Castle in Saint Philip, under the central theme “Reparatory Justice as the Coming Enlightenment.”

    This major forum comes on the heels of a historic milestone for the reparations movement: the United Nations’ adoption of Resolution A/RES/80/250 on 25 March 2026, which formally recognized the trafficking and racialized chattel enslavement of African people as “the gravest crime against humanity.” The resolution provides renewed global legitimacy to CARICOM’s decades-long advocacy for redress, setting the stage for critical conversations at the upcoming conference.

    The core mission of the three-day event is to deliver actionable, practical guidance for rolling out the newly revised *CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice: A Manifesto for the Coming Enlightenment*. Organizers will center emerging perspectives on reparatory justice rooted in African and Caribbean political discourse, while amplifying public engagement with the updated framework. Attendees will also conduct a comprehensive assessment of global progress across the reparations movement, timed to align with three key global milestones: the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Second International Decade for People of African Descent, and the African Union Decade for Reparatory Justice.

    Beyond policy discussion, the conference aims to deepen collaborative ties between CARICOM, the African Union, grassroots civil society organizations, and the global African diaspora. By invigorating participation across political, diplomatic, and community levels, organizers seek to preserve and expand the growing momentum for systemic change in the international reparations movement.

    The conference’s overarching goal is to re-energize CARICOM’s advocacy through the CRC and strengthen solidarity between the African continent and its global diaspora. A central anticipated outcome is the formal adoption of a 2027–2031 Action Plan for Reparatory Justice, which will establish clear, measurable targets for coordinated action among partner organizations across the global African community.

    High-profile leaders will lead the conference’s opening proceedings, including Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Dr. Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General; and Sir Hilary Beckles, Chair of the CRC. A flagship high-level plenary will bring together CARICOM Heads of Government, members of the CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Reparations, and senior representatives from the African Union.

    The gathering will draw a diverse cross-section of stakeholders from across the globe: CARICOM ministers with oversight for reparatory justice, members of national reparations commissions and committees, CARICOM associate members, United Nations officials, and leading reparations activists from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Latin America. They will be joined by academic scholars, civil society leaders, cultural figures, and youth delegates to ensure intergenerational and multi-sector input.

    This third conference builds on a 13-year legacy of regional reparations organizing by CARICOM. The inaugural conference was hosted by St. Vincent and the Grenadines in September 2013, which formally launched the CARICOM Reparations Commission, established the body’s Terms of Reference, and welcomed legendary reggae artist Bunny Wailer as the official patron of the regional movement. The second conference followed in Antigua and Barbuda in September 2014, convening expert panels to unpack key issues aligned with the original 10-point reparations plan, with former Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson delivering the keynote address.

    Since 2014, the CRC has continued to advance the discourse through targeted symposia and smaller gatherings. Key past events include an October 2019 conference on “Western Banking, Colonialism and Reparations” in Antigua and Barbuda; a 2020 virtual symposium honoring “Sir William Arthur Lewis: Founder of Reparations for Caribbean Development;” and a March 2023 10th-anniversary symposium in Jamaica, “Reparations and Royalty, Africa and Europe: Exploding Myths and Empowering Truths.”

    Full details on the conference agenda and registration are available via the official CARICOM website, with public access to the revised 10-point plan also hosted on the platform.

  • UWI Professors Among 2026 Yidan Prize change makers

    UWI Professors Among 2026 Yidan Prize change makers

    On Monday, the Yidan Prize Foundation, a leading global philanthropic organization focused on education advancement, named four trailblazing academics the 2026 Yidan Prize laureates during a Hong Kong press conference. The announcement marks a decade of the foundation elevating game-changing education innovators from across the globe, delivering targeted resources to expand their transformative work.

    Chaired by Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills, the prize’s independent judging panel selected two cohorts of winners across the Yidan Prize’s two core awards: Education Research and Education Development. University of Minnesota Regents Professor Paul W. Glewwe took home the 2026 Yidan Prize for Education Research, recognized for four decades of rigorous, field-shaping work that has reoriented education policy to break systemic barriers to learning for children in marginalized, low-income communities.

    A second cohort of three experts, Professor Susan P. Walker, Professor Sally Grantham-McGregor, and Dr Susan M. Chang-Lopez, claimed the 2026 Yidan Prize for Education Development. The trio was honored for developing the ground-breaking, evidence-based Reach Up early childhood development intervention, which has reshaped life trajectories for children growing up in low-resource, displaced, and Indigenous communities worldwide.

    Each of the two Yidan Prizes comes with a total award of HK$30 million, roughly equivalent to US$3.8 million. The funding is split evenly between a HK$15 million unrestricted cash prize and a HK$15 million project grant, giving laureates full flexibility to scale their work and reach more communities in need. Since the prize launched in 2017, the foundation has distributed a total of HK$600 million (approximately $77 million USD) to 25 laureates, supporting education initiatives across nearly 60 countries and regions.

    Reflecting on the 10-year milestone, Yidan Prize founder Dr Charles Chen Yidan framed the award as a guiding beacon for global education progress. “Over the past decade, the collective impact of our laureates has turned the Yidan Prize into a lighthouse that illuminates pathways forward for global education,” Chen said. “Every new laureate strengthens our shared commitment, brings transformative new ideas, and expands the ways we shape the future of learning worldwide.”

    Glewwe, an applied economics professor at the University of Minnesota, earned the research prize for his pioneering work unpacking how non-school factors – including socioeconomic status, health, and nutrition – shape long-term learning outcomes for children. He revolutionized global education data collection by integrating literacy, numeracy, and abstract reasoning metrics for children and parents into the World Bank’s standard household surveys, a shift that has helped policymakers worldwide better map the connections between poverty, inequality, and educational gaps. He also pioneered the widespread use of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to test the effectiveness of education programs and policies, enabling governments and global development organizations to direct limited resources to approaches proven to boost learning outcomes. Beyond these contributions, Glewwe was among the first economists to integrate social-emotional skill development into economic analyses of education and global development. His work, spanning more than 15 developing nations, has reshaped education policy and on-the-ground practice across every inhabited continent.

    Elizabeth M. King, head of the Yidan Prize for Education Research judging panel, emphasized the outsized real-world impact of Glewwe’s decades of work. “Transforming education systems and outcomes only happens when uncompromising scientific rigor is paired with a fierce commitment to improving people’s lives,” King explained. “For nearly 40 years, Paul Glewwe has delivered exactly that rigor. He has given governments the evidence they need to allocate public spending wisely, given teachers the tools they need to instruct effectively, and opened the door of opportunity for millions of vulnerable children to learn, thrive, and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.”

    For the education development prize, Walker, Grantham-McGregor, and Chang-Lopez earned the honor for their decades of work building the Reach Up early childhood intervention, a low-cost, scalable model that empowers caregivers to support healthy early development from birth to age four. Walker is an emeritus professor of nutrition at the University of the West Indies’ Caribbean Institute for Health Research, Grantham-McGregor is emeritus professor of International Child Health and Development at University College London, and Chang-Lopez is a senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies’ Caribbean Institute for Health Research. The trio began their careers researching early childhood health and nutrition, where they uncovered the outsized long-term impact of early stimulation and consistent quality caregiver-child interaction on lifelong development. Leveraging this foundational evidence, they designed a practical, adaptable intervention that builds caregivers’ capacity to nurture cognitive growth through simple, low-cost activities integrated into daily routines. Unlike costly specialized early childhood programs, Reach Up is rooted in local cultural contexts and delivered through existing public health, social protection, education, and humanitarian systems, making it easy to scale in low-resource settings. Today, the program operates in more than 21 countries across the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and all of Reach Up’s curricula and training materials are available for free globally, with continuous iterative updates based on real-world outcome data.

    Dorothy K. Gordon, head of the Yidan Prize for Education Development judging panel, praised the trio’s approachable, high-impact innovation. “Reach Up gives millions of children a far better chance at an equal start in learning, education, and life,” Gordon said. “The laureates have proven that lasting, large-scale change can be achieved through a combination of rigorous evidence, cross-sector partnership, and local leadership. The immense global impact of their work grows from the rigor of their pathbreaking interdisciplinary research, paired with a practical, well-designed toolbox of interventions that meet communities where they are.”

    To mark the 2026 awards, the new laureates will gather in Hong Kong for the annual Yidan Prize Summit, held from 3 to 5 December 2026. The three-day event will feature collaborative conversations around the theme of reimagining education for the AI age, building on 2025’s discussion of global education at a crossroads. This year’s summit will center on a paradigm shift: framing education not as a contained physical space, but as a dynamic driving force for inclusive, interconnected ecosystems rooted in human connection, creativity, and deep learning. The 2026 Yidan Prize formal awards ceremony will cap off the summit on its final day, where the laureates will receive their gold medals and official awards.

    Looking ahead, the Yidan Prize Foundation has opened the nomination window for the 2027 prize, which will run from 27 October 2026 through 2 March 2027. As the world’s highest-profile education award, the Yidan Prize continues to center future-oriented, innovative, sustainable work that delivers transformative impact for communities globally. Founded in 2016, the foundation’s core mission is to build a better world through education, bringing together a global network of education changemakers – including researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and philanthropists – to exchange knowledge, raise standards for the field, shape global education agendas, and accelerate large-scale progress.

  • G20 bereikt akkoord ondanks spanningen over Rusland en China

    G20 bereikt akkoord ondanks spanningen over Rusland en China

    Global finance leaders from the G20 wrapped up two days of high-stakes talks in Asheville, North Carolina on Tuesday, securing broad consensus on a final joint declaration even as deep rifts over Russia’s participation and disagreements with China threatened to derail progress. The summit, hosted by the United States in its rotating 2026 G20 presidency, brought together top financial officials to address a slate of pressing global issues ranging from the ongoing war in Ukraine to Middle East tensions, trade frictions, and systemic global economic imbalances.

    Controversy erupted ahead of the gathering over the invitation extended to Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, a move that sparked fierce pushback from European allies that support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion. European officials formally protested Siluanov’s presence at the summit, resulting in the Russian minister skipping the traditional group photo that is a staple of G20 gatherings. A European Union spokesperson noted that the invitation for Siluanov was announced only at the last minute, creating unnecessary “inconvenience” for participating delegations.

    Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne acknowledged that the debate over Russia’s participation cast a shadow over the summit’s working atmosphere. EU economic commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis emphasized that normalizing Russia’s participation in multilateral global forums is unacceptable at this juncture, pointing to Moscow’s ongoing unprovoked aggression and documented attacks on civilian infrastructure and populations across Ukraine.

    Despite the widespread European frustration, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who opened the summit, defended the decision to include Russia. Speaking to reporters after the summit concluded, Bessent stressed that keeping lines of communication open remains a critical priority for global diplomacy, noting that Siluanov is not currently subject to international sanctions and that productive dialogue is necessary even amid deep diplomatic disagreements. Bessent also confirmed that Russia’s presence did not disrupt the formal negotiations on key agenda items.

    Beyond the dispute over Russian participation, the summit also exposed new divisions between Western nations and China over geopolitical and economic issues. One key provision in the final declaration calls for “free, safe and predictable navigation through the Strait of Hormuz” — a critical global energy chokepoint that has seen repeated disruptions since a new escalation of regional conflict in February. China refused to endorse this specific section of the text.

    Additional disagreements emerged over language addressing persistent global economic imbalances. The U.S. pushed for language calling out that “excessive and sustained imbalances create risks and can cause economic disruption,” a reference to longstanding international criticism of China’s industrial overcapacity, which many trading partners argue creates unfair competition in global markets. Beijing formally objected to this provision in the final statement.

    Founded in the aftermath of the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, the G20 brings together 19 major national economies plus the European Union and African Union, with a core mandate of promoting global financial and economic stability. this year’s finance minister summit serves as a precursor to the full G20 leaders’ summit, scheduled to be hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump in Miami this coming December.

    On the sidelines of the main G20 negotiations, finance ministers from the G7 group of advanced economies held separate talks focused on coordinating continued support for Ukraine, where combat operations have intensified over the past summer. German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil highlighted the recent “surge in brutal missile attacks against civilian populations” in Ukraine and reiterated the international community’s commitment to ending Russian aggression. Ukraine’s finance minister joined the G7’s support coordination discussions remotely, as the country continues to work with international partners to secure long-term financial and military assistance.

  • De Kock century not enough as Tridents suffer third straight loss

    De Kock century not enough as Tridents suffer third straight loss

    The 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) delivered another dramatic twist on Tuesday, as a match-winning century from Quinton de Kock could not prevent the Barbados Tridents from falling to a third consecutive defeat at the hands of the St Kitts Nevis Patriots in Basseterre. The six-wicket loss leaves Barbados rooted at the foot of the league table, deepening their early-season slump despite a standout individual performance from their star wicketkeeper-batter.

    Put into bat first after losing the toss, the Tridents got off to a rocky start when opening batter Brandon King was dismissed for just two runs in the second over. The side stabilized quickly, however, reaching 53 runs for one wicket by the end of the mandatory powerplay, thanks to a growing partnership between Quinton de Kock and young batter Zachary Carter.

    The pair built a commanding 119-run stand until the 13th over, when Carter fell to the bowling after a blistering 57-run knock off just 36 deliveries, decorated by seven towering sixes and a single four. De Kock continued to exploit the high-scoring batting pitch, racing to his 10th career T20 century before being cleaned up by Pakistani fast bowler Naseem Shah with 10 balls remaining in the innings. His 106-run innings came from only 57 deliveries, including 11 fours and six maximums.

    Late contributions from Sherfane Rutherford (26 runs) and Tridents captain Chris Green, who hit an unbeaten 18 from just seven balls, lifted the Tridents to a competitive final total of 217 runs for four wickets – a score that on most pitches is considered a match-winning total. For the Patriots, Shah was the stand-out bowler, finishing with figures of two wickets for 43 runs, while star all-rounders Wanindu Hasaranga and Jason Holder each claimed one wicket apiece.

    The Patriots got off to a flying start in their run chase, reaching 58 runs without loss by the end of the powerplay, and extended their unbeaten opening stand to 110 runs by the conclusion of the 10th over. The Tridents finally broke the partnership two balls later, when Kyle Mayers was run out for 29 off 27 deliveries. Opener Johnson Charles fell in the 13th over for a quickfire 78 from 45 balls, leaving the hosts on 132 runs for two wickets. Charles’ knock, which included seven sixes and six fours, earned him Player of the Match honors despite a controversial mid-innings recall after being initially given out caught.

    Dasun Shanaka chipped in with a rapid 36 runs, and captain Jason Holder added 18, before Andre Fletcher struck the winning runs with five balls still left to bowl. Fletcher finished unbeaten on 22 from just eight deliveries, smashing three sixes in the process, and received valuable late support from Hasaranga, who hit 18 runs from only four deliveries. For the Tridents, Daniel Sams was the most effective bowler, finishing with two wickets for 40 runs.

    Speaking to reporters after the match, Tridents captain Green said he had entered the second innings confident his side’s total would be enough to secure victory. “I’m really proud of our efforts with the bat, especially de Kock getting that hundred,” Green explained. “You never want to lose when one of your top players steps up like that, and you post 220-odd on the board halfway through.”

    Green admitted his bowling unit failed to execute their plans consistently, but saved particular criticism for a key umpiring decision that allowed Charles to return to the crease after he had already walked off following an initial out decision. “We started well, then I think we just lost our way a little with the ball,” he said. “I thought the umpires managed the game poorly with that decision – a player walks off the field, then comes back. That needs to be looked at, it’s not a good look for this tournament.”

    The result gives the Patriots their second win from seven matches, pushing them up the table to five points. The Tridents, who also sit on five points but have played only four matches, remain at the bottom of the standings on net run rate. They will get a chance to climb the table when the CPL moves to Kensington Oval for their next set of matches this weekend.

  • Saint Lucia to Receive First Six Migrants Under Controversial US Agreement

    Saint Lucia to Receive First Six Migrants Under Controversial US Agreement

    The Caribbean nation of Saint Lucia is on the cusp of a significant milestone this week, as it prepares to receive its first group of six non-US, non-Saint Lucian migrants under a widely debated two-year migration pilot program forged with the United States. The inaugural group, composed of five men and one woman, will mark the formal shift of the agreement from months of planning to active implementation, though details of their national identities remain undisclosed as of press time.

    The terms of the bilateral arrangement lay out clear parameters for transfers: US migration authorities are permitted to put forward up to 10 prospective migrants per quarter, equaling a maximum of 40 new arrivals annually. Crucially, the Saint Lucian government holds final authority to vet every individual candidate and reject any application it deems unsuitable. To safeguard the island’s security and public interests, strict eligibility criteria exclude unaccompanied minors, citizens of Saint Lucia, and individuals with documented criminal histories, with only minor immigration-related offenses excluded from this ban.

    As the first migrants prepare to land, public anxiety across the country has mounted over key unaddressed questions: where the new arrivals will be housed, what formal legal status they will hold during their stay, and who will ultimately cover the operational costs of the program. In response to growing public pressure, government officials have moved quickly to clarify widespread misinformation, emphasizing that the transferred migrants are not arriving to serve criminal prison sentences, nor will they receive automatic eligibility for permanent residency or Saint Lucian citizenship.

    International support for the initiative is being coordinated by the International Organization for Migration, which will provide logistical and social support to participants. A core component of the program’s design is the option for voluntary return to each migrant’s country of origin once their participation in the pilot concludes.

    A major sticking point in negotiations remains the question of funding. The Saint Lucian government has repeatedly maintained that local taxpayers should not be responsible for covering program costs, nor should public resources allocated to Saint Lucian citizens be diverted to support the initiative. It has formally requested full financial assistance from the United States, but talks over funding are still ongoing. Neither the total amount requested by Castries nor the projected overall cost of the pilot has been made public.

    With the first group of arrivals just days away, the program now faces intensified public and political scrutiny. Observers across the region will be watching closely to assess how the agreement functions in practice, what financial burden it ultimately places on Saint Lucia’s public coffers, and how the government addresses ongoing public concerns about the pilot’s long-term implications.

  • UB Students Raise Red Flags Over LockDown Browser

    UB Students Raise Red Flags Over LockDown Browser

    Amid the growing shift to digital assessment tools in higher education, students at the University of Belize (UB) are bringing forward a series of pressing concerns regarding the institution’s adoption of LockDown Browser for online quizzes and exams, highlighting technical failures, time-related disruptions, mental health strains, and privacy questions that have yet to be formally addressed by university leadership.

    The core complaint from affected students centers on consistent technical glitches that cut into the limited allotted time for timed assessments. Multiple users have reported that the secure testing browser regularly freezes mid-assessment, crashes unexpectedly, or fails to launch properly during the initial verification process. For students working against strict time limits, these unplanned interruptions leave them with far less time to complete their work, a issue that many fear will ultimately drag down their academic performance.

    Beyond the immediate technical disruption, students warn that poor performance stemming from these avoidable technical issues could carry long-term financial as well as academic consequences, from lost scholarship eligibility to lowered cumulative grade point averages that impact future education and career prospects.

    The National Student Union of Belize (NSUB) has confirmed that it has collected dozens of informal complaints from UB students about the tool, and estimates the actual number of affected students is far higher. NSUB President Tomas Serrut explained that while fewer than 20 students have directly reached out to the union to report issues, most of those respondents noted that dozens of their classmates and friends have also encountered problems with the browser. Serrut added that the time-related disruptions have already created measurable harm to student well-being, driving increased anxiety and chronic stress around high-stakes online testing.

    Privacy concerns have also been raised by some students, who question the extent of access the software grants university administrators to activity on students’ personal devices, which many use for both school and personal life. Serrut noted that while these privacy worries are valid, they must be balanced against the university’s stated goal of upholding academic integrity in online testing, a longstanding challenge for post-secondary institutions that has led to widespread adoption of secure browsing tools to prevent student cheating.

    “I think that we need to look at modern solutions and also respect the privacy of students. But at the same time, we need to understand that we live in a digital age, so the concerns that the administration may have could be very well valid because there’s a lot of cheating that goes on as well in these institutions between students,” Serrut said in an interview.

    When contacted by local outlet News 5, UB officials confirmed that the institution has not received any formal complaints about the use of LockDown Browser to date.

    Serrut and the NSUB are now calling for an open, collaborative discussion between student representatives and university administration to address the growing list of student concerns, work through technical kinks, and find a solution that balances academic integrity protections with student privacy and well-being. “I think it’s important that we have open discussions about the way students are being educated and certain precautions, which we also understand, must be taken in this growing digital world,” Serrut added.

  • Sport Summit “Cannot Simply Become Another Talk Shop”

    Sport Summit “Cannot Simply Become Another Talk Shop”

    On September 2, 2026, Belize launched its first-ever National Sports Summit, an unprecedented gathering that seeks to break the cycle of endless unproductive discussion about the struggles of local athletes and lay the groundwork for a structured national sports framework defined by clear goals, defined responsibilities, and robust accountability mechanisms.

    The summit convenes a cross-section of key stakeholders, from active and retired athletes to sporting federation administrators and national policymakers, to confront a wide spectrum of long-standing systemic challenges plaguing Belize’s sports ecosystem. These issues range from deeply entrenched governance gaps and woefully inadequate training and competition facilities to widespread participation barriers that keep many young Belizeans from accessing sports, and chronically limited support systems for elite athletes looking to compete internationally.

    Top national leadership took center stage at the opening of the summit, including Prime Minister John Briceño alongside several senior cabinet members: Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism, Youth, Sports and Diaspora Relations; Minister of State Gilroy Usher; and Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs and Enterprise.

    In his opening address, Prime Minister Briceño emphasized that the landmark summit cannot become just another unproductive talk shop rehashing problems that all stakeholders already recognize exist. “We are not here to talk in circles about challenges we have known about for decades,” Briceño stated, setting a clear tone for the summit’s outcome-focused agenda.

    The Prime Minister outlined that building a clear development pathway for emerging young athletes starts with strengthening foundational governance across all levels of Belize’s sports institutions. “Good governance is the bedrock upon which every successful national sports system is built,” he explained. “Our federations, associations, government agencies, and all sporting institutions must operate with consistent accountability, full transparency, and a unified commitment to advancing the growth of our athletes. That means every allocated resource must be managed responsibly, with clear outcomes for athlete development in mind.”

    Briceño stressed that long-term success in transforming Belize’s sports landscape depends on coordinated cross-sector partnership, noting that buy-in from government, independent sporting organizations, primary and secondary schools, local coaches, community groups, athletes themselves, family members, and the private sector is all required to drive meaningful change.

    Beyond competitive success, the Prime Minister framed investments in sports as a multi-benefit public good: sports serve as a tool to improve national public health outcomes, prepare elite athletes to compete and win on the global stage, and unlock new inclusive economic opportunities through the fast-growing global sports tourism sector. While he acknowledged that overhauling the current system will require substantial new financial investment, Briceño did not hesitate to pledge his full support to push for increased government allocation to sports development.

    “As a small developing nation, we face countless competing demands, and public resources are undeniably limited,” Briceño acknowledged. “But I am convinced that if we can make a clear, compelling case for how critical sports are to the overall development of Belize — to the long-term health of our people, and to the new economic opportunities it can unlock across every region of our country — I know our cabinet will listen, and will commit more resources to this work. I am pledging to do everything in my power to expand government investment in sports.”

    The Prime Minister also noted that systemic change will require creative approaches to sports financing beyond public allocation, recognizing the broad range of fiscal constraints that small developing nations like Belize navigate as they work to expand public services and infrastructure across all sectors.

  • More Tomorrow School Closure? Ministry Responds

    More Tomorrow School Closure? Ministry Responds

    In response to widespread circulating rumors that More Tomorrow Primary School in Belize’s Cayo District would be permanently closed this week, the country’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology has issued an official written clarification to debunk the false reports.

    The unconfirmed closure claims sparked significant anxiety among parents of enrolled students and local community members earlier this week, prompting urgent demands for a formal response from education authorities. Local media outlet News 5 first attempted to secure direct comment from Dian Maheia, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Education, but did not receive an immediate reply to its inquiry. Shortly after, the ministry released a public statement Wednesday morning to address the growing public concern.

    “There have been unfounded claims circulating that our ministry is moving to shut down More Tomorrow Primary School this week – this information is simply not accurate,” the statement read. “Rather than planning for permanent closure, the Ministry is currently holding active, constructive discussions with parents, school administrators and other members of the school community to work through the multiple challenges the institution is currently facing, most notably critical staffing shortfalls.”

    Ministry officials emphasized that the core goal of these ongoing consultations is to co-develop practical, sustainable solutions that will enable all students attending More Tomorrow Primary to continue accessing consistent, quality primary education on site. No additional timeline for the conclusion of talks or further details on the full scope of challenges at the school have been released to the public as of September 2, 2026.

  • Grenada’s next major export could be technology

    Grenada’s next major export could be technology

    As small island economies across the Caribbean look to diversify their revenue streams and build long-term, resilient economic growth, one Grenadian tech leader is making the case that the nation is primed to unlock massive potential through digital innovation. Speaking at a high-profile panel during the 22nd Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF) and the 5th Caribbean Youth Internet Governance Forum (CYIGF), Cameron Philbert, Managing Director and Co-Founder of local creative technology firm Digital Growth Inc., laid out a clear vision for how information and communications technology (ICT) can transform Grenada’s economic landscape.

    Philbert shared the stage with fellow regional tech leaders Clevon Noel of Metarelic, Chad Fraser of Sonover, and Oluwatosin (Tosin) Ishmeal of Datanexis Technologies for the discussion titled *Beyond Connectivity: How ICT Companies Can Drive Digital Innovation, Cyber Resilience and Economic Growth in Grenada*. The panel focused on moving past the foundational goal of expanding internet access across the region to harnessing that connectivity for tangible, inclusive economic gains.

    In his remarks, Philbert pushed back against the common misconception that small nations cannot compete on the global technology stage. “There is no reason the next major technology success story, even the next tech unicorn, couldn’t come from Grenada. Our size does not have to determine the size of the opportunity,” he told attendees.

    For aspiring local tech founders, Philbert offered targeted, actionable advice that prioritizes impact over trendy ideas. He emphasized that emerging entrepreneurs should center their work on solving pressing, real-world problems rather than building products solely for their novelty or excitement. He also urged new founders to adopt a regional, export-focused mindset from the earliest stages of product development, rather than limiting their ambitions to Grenada’s small domestic market. “Building the technology is only half of the challenge. We have to deliberately build the channels that get that technology into other markets,” Philbert explained.

    To turn early ideas into sustainable, scalable businesses, Philbert argued that Grenada needs more structured support systems for young entrepreneurs and growing ICT firms. He called for expanded investment in dedicated support pathways including business incubators, structured mentorship programs, pilot testing opportunities, and partnerships that let emerging companies test their solutions with established local and regional organizations. These ecosystems, he noted, are critical to bridging the gap between a promising concept and a revenue-generating business.

    For established Grenadian businesses that have yet to fully embrace digital transformation, Philbert highlighted a untapped opportunity to boost efficiency and profitability by integrating targeted technology solutions. To help organizations identify these opportunities, Digital Growth Inc. is currently offering a complimentary digital assessment for businesses. The assessment analyzes current operations, customer engagement strategies, and growth potential, outlining clear recommendations for how technology can deliver measurable, bottom-line improvements.

    Founded in Grenada, Digital Growth Inc. specializes in creative technology and digital transformation services, supporting public and private organizations across the region to leverage technology to streamline operations, build custom digital solutions, and unlock new avenues for sustainable growth.

    This report was featured in NOW Grenada, which notes it does not take responsibility for contributor opinions, statements, or shared media, and provides a formal channel for reporting abusive content.

  • Copper cable stolen from new Demerara River bridge

    Copper cable stolen from new Demerara River bridge

    A brazen theft of critical electrical infrastructure has thrown a last-minute wrench into commemorative plans at one of Guyana’s key river crossings, law enforcement officials confirmed this week. The Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, located along Guyana’s East Bank Demerara, was targeted by copper thieves who made off with at least 90 feet of heavy-duty industrial copper cable, according to an official statement from the Guyana Police Force.

    The stolen cable is a four-conductor unit, with each conductor rated at 350 thousand circular mils (kcmil), a high-capacity specification designed for the bridge’s decorative lighting system. Local authorities estimate the total value of the stolen material at 1.62 million Guyanese dollars, not including the additional costs of repairs and service disruption.

    The theft was only uncovered during preparations for a planned public tribute to neighboring Trinidad and Tobago, which was set to mark its annual Independence Anniversary. On the evening of August 31, 2026, at approximately 6:30 PM, a senior electrical maintenance engineer arrived at the bridge to test a planned illumination: the entire span was scheduled to be lit up in the red, white, and black of Trinidad and Tobago’s national flag as a gesture of cross-border goodwill. To the team’s surprise, only the lighting system along the bridge’s northern span activated correctly, leaving the southern half dark.

    By 9:00 AM the following day, September 1, the engineer and his maintenance crew launched a full inspection of the southern span’s wiring infrastructure. Their investigation quickly confirmed foul play: thieves had cut the copper cable and completely removed it from its protected metal trunking housing, where it was routed along the bridge structure.

    Police investigators have narrowed the window of the incident to a nine-day period between midnight on August 23, 2026, and 9:00 AM on September 1, 2026. The decorative lighting system, which draws power from an on-site generator installed beneath the bridge, was last confirmed to be fully operational on August 23, when it was used for a previous colored illumination display.

    Forensics teams have already processed the crime scene, documenting the damage and capturing photographic evidence of the theft. Investigators are currently reviewing all closed-circuit television footage from cameras near and on the bridge to identify potential suspects and track their movements before and after the incident. Initial assessments confirm the bridge’s decorative lighting system consists of energy-efficient LED fixtures mounted to steel poles along the structure’s high span, all reliant on the stolen high-capacity copper cable to function.

    The incident is the latest in a regional trend of rising copper theft, driven by the commodity’s high market value and demand from scrap metal markets, which often leaves critical public infrastructure facing costly repairs and service disruptions.