Carib Scope

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  • Dominican Government declares environmental terrorism a matter of high national interest

    Dominican Government declares environmental terrorism a matter of high national interest

    Santo Domingo – The Dominican government has formally elevated the campaign against environmental destruction to a matter of supreme national importance and long-term strategic priority via Decree 615-26, rolling out a sweeping set of enhanced measures to crack down on deliberate attacks on the country’s national parks and other irreplaceable natural assets.

    During an official ceremony unveiling the new policy at the National Palace, President Luis Abinader issued a clear warning that any individual involved in the destruction or systematic degradation of the nation’s protected natural areas will face far stricter enforcement and aggressive criminal prosecution – a standard that applies equally to Dominican citizens and foreign nationals.

    Addressing longstanding gaps in the protection of the country’s ecological heritage, Abinader noted that for generations, Dominican national parks have operated without adequate legal backing or state enforcement to safeguard them from exploitation. When his administration took office, he explained, a review uncovered a startling gap: many of the country’s designated protected areas were not even formally registered as state-owned property under Dominican law. To remedy this vulnerability, a nationwide land titling initiative is currently underway to formalize state ownership of all protected natural zones.

    The president also drew a direct connection between recent large-scale wildfire events, including blazes that swept through Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, and illegal activities that erode fragile ecosystems. Beyond damaging biodiversity, these intentional acts put critical public resources – including drinking water supplies and the foundation of the country’s food security – at severe risk, he added.

    To address weaknesses in outdated legal frameworks that previously allowed environmental offenders to avoid meaningful punishment, the new decree mandates that authorities apply existing statutes under the nation’s updated Penal Code with far greater rigor. Under the enhanced rules, the most severe offenses against protected national parklands can carry prison sentences ranging from 20 to 30 years, among the harshest penalties for environmental crime in the region.

    The executive order also assigns formal responsibilities to multiple government agencies: the Dominican Armed Forces, General Directorate of Migration, and national intelligence bodies are all directed to ramp up coordinated efforts to prevent, investigate, and prosecute all parties involved in environmental destruction – including third parties that finance, incite, or facilitate these illegal acts.

    The decree explicitly prioritizes the prevention, early detection, and thorough investigation of acts classified as environmental terrorism, and extends special enhanced protection to a broad range of critical ecological infrastructure: protected wilderness areas, major watersheds, dams, water reservoirs, coastal mangrove forests, inland wetlands, and the source rivers that supply most of the country’s drinking water.

    It further requires the National Anti-Terrorist Committee, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Environment, National Police, and General Directorate of Migration to collaborate on developing a unified National Policy for Prevention and Combat, specifically focused on the growing threat of intentionally set forest fires and targeted attacks on water and energy infrastructure.

    Under the new rules, any documented attack on the Dominican Republic’s environmental heritage must be immediately referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for fast-track criminal prosecution, eliminating procedural delays that previously slowed enforcement. To expand public participation in crackdown, the decree also creates dedicated digital technological platforms and confidential anonymous reporting systems, enabling ordinary citizens to share tips about environmental crime with authorities while protecting the identity and safety of people who cooperate in good faith.

  • Currie wil uniform protocol voor mobiele telefoons op scholen

    Currie wil uniform protocol voor mobiele telefoons op scholen

    On September 2, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Suriname announced a push to develop consistent, nationwide regulations for mobile phone use in primary and secondary schools, following a troubling incident that exposed gaps in how educational institutions manage student technology use.

    Minister Dirk Currie has already held roundtable discussions with principals from both public and private education sectors to align on a shared framework for responsible device use. In an extensive address to the National Assembly (DNA), Currie framed the mobile phone policy debate as more than a disciplinary issue, linking it closely to student mental health and holistic learner support.

    Currie revealed that one local school recently dealt with a serious incident where a group of students used digital devices to create non-consensual pornographic content. The school ultimately expelled all the involved students in response, but Currie argued that this punitive outcome does not resolve the underlying problem. He challenged parliament to reconsider the approach to these young people, asking: “The question remains: how do we avoid simply throwing these children away?” Instead of permanent exclusion, Currie says policymakers and school leaders must explore pathways for these students to re-enter the education system with targeted guidance and support.

    The incident, Currie noted, underscores a broader systemic question: how can schools strike the right balance between embracing modern technology and mitigating its harms? That is why the ministry is pushing for a uniform national protocol that can be adopted by all schools, regardless of their public or private affiliation. One widely discussed proposal requires students to store their personal mobile phones in dedicated lockers or storage spaces upon arriving at school, with access only permitted for structured educational activities during the school day, before students retrieve their devices when heading home.

    But Currie emphasized that any new rules should not be created behind closed doors and imposed unilaterally on young people. Instead, students themselves must be part of the conversation to shape agreements around responsible technology use. “Let’s not pretend that children have no capacity for reason,” Currie told the assembly. He argued that rather than just mandating rules from top-down, educators must explain to students why clear boundaries are necessary, building buy-in instead of resentment.

    At the same time, the minister stressed that the policy push is not an attempt to ban technology from education entirely. On the contrary, the ministry is accelerating its investment in educational digitalization, in large part to address ongoing teacher shortages across the country. The core challenge, Currie explained, is not just restricting inappropriate phone use—it is equipping young people with the skills and judgment to interact with digital technology responsibly for the rest of their lives.

  • AOSIS: 1.5°C Climate Goal Is Non-Negotiable Despite Risk of Overshoot

    AOSIS: 1.5°C Climate Goal Is Non-Negotiable Despite Risk of Overshoot

    The 1.5°C global warming limit is far more than a flexible policy target that nations can abandon or negotiate away – it is a binding commitment enshrined in the Paris Agreement, rooted in the urgent need to shield communities and ecosystems from the worst ravages of climate change. This obligation has further been cemented by the International Court of Justice, which formally recognized that all states hold legal responsibilities to protect the global climate system for current and future generations.

    For generations, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have stood at the frontline of climate impacts, ringing the alarm bell about the catastrophic consequences of uncurbed greenhouse gas emissions. Today, cutting-edge climate science is validating and amplifying those early warnings. Human activity has already pushed the planet far beyond its natural equilibrium, and continued delay in cutting emissions amounts to a reckless game of chance that puts global communities, economic systems, and entire ecosystems at existential risk.

    Every extra tenth of a degree of warming beyond the 1.5°C threshold amplifies the likelihood of irreversible, devastating outcomes. These range from catastrophic sea-level rise that renders low-lying island nations uninhabitable, to widespread glacial and ice sheet collapse, mass forest die-off, the total degradation of tropical coral reef systems, and growing threats to global food and water security. For SIDS, these risks are not abstract projections far in the future – they are unfolding crises that are already disrupting lives and threatening national sovereignty.

    Critically, a recent UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report warning of growing near-term risks should not be misread as a signal to abandon the 1.5°C target. Instead, it must act as a jarring wake-up call to ramp up climate ambition and action with far greater urgency than we have seen to date.

    Crucially, the trajectory of global warming is not yet locked in. The landmark UNFCCC Global Stocktake has already mapped out clear, actionable pathways to close the existing emissions gap and keep the 1.5°C goal within reach. Leading climate science confirms that even if temperatures temporarily overshoot the 1.5°C mark, the length and severity of that overshoot can still be limited with bold immediate action. As such, governments must shift their focus beyond debating whether a temporary overshoot will occur, and instead prioritize every possible measure to minimize the overshoot and return global temperatures to below 1.5°C as quickly as possible.

    To support this goal, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) emphasizes that the next Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment report must be finalized in time to inform the next Global Stocktake. World leaders require the most up-to-date, robust scientific evidence to guide the high-stakes decisions that will shape the course of global warming for decades to come.

    AOSIS is sending a clear, uncompromising message to all nations: it is imperative that we uphold the commitments made under both the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This means accelerating the global transition away from fossil fuels, and deploying every available climate solution to cut greenhouse gas emissions rapidly. Technological innovation must go hand in hand with deep, systemic decarbonization across all global economies. If governments move now with the highest level of ambition, it is still possible to reverse current warming trajectories and stabilize the global climate as close to the 1.5°C threshold as possible.

    Every fraction of a degree matters, for SIDS and for every nation on Earth. As the world grapples with growing climate uncertainty, scaled-up, accessible, and sufficient financing for adaptation, climate resilience, and addressing loss and damage is non-negotiable for vulnerable nations on the frontline.

    In sum, the UNEP report should not be interpreted as a final death sentence for the 1.5°C target. It must be understood for what it is: a stark warning of what stands to be lost if we fail to act. This is a defining call to action for global leaders. Governments must immediately enact ambitious policies that limit the magnitude and duration of any potential temperature overshoot, and keep the pathway back to 1.5°C well within reach. The 1.5°C threshold must remain the guiding North Star for global climate action, and talk of temporary overshoot must never become an excuse for continued inaction.

  • Grenada: Don’t make the mistake the rest of the world is now trying to undo

    Grenada: Don’t make the mistake the rest of the world is now trying to undo

    As a 30-year veteran educator, I have spent years sponsoring Grenadian secondary students to access the textbooks they need to succeed. This year, however, I encountered a stark shift: nearly all core learning materials have moved exclusively to digital platforms. The surprise of this transition left me stunned. Today, Grenada is rushing to join a global trend of putting a personal laptop in every student’s hand — a policy that many early adopter nations are already hastily reversing after witnessing its negative impacts on learning.

    This sudden push toward full digitalization brings my own CXC exam preparation days into sharp focus. I still remember Teacher Henry leading a group of us to Pope Paul’s camp in Palmiste, the site that later became NEWLO, for a weekend of intensive, book-based study ahead of our national exams. Another year, a larger cohort camped overnight at Saint Rose Secondary School, each of us toting 6 to 7 physical textbooks, working through past exam papers until the concepts clicked into place. In those days, A-level students organized their own study groups, meeting in whatever small space they could find — a kitchen corner, a family veranda — to work through course material together. One former student I spoke with put it plainly: “When I sat my A-levels in sociology, it was physical textbooks that got me through. I wrote every essay by hand. If I made a mistake, my teacher caught it, and I rewrote the entire piece from scratch until I got it right.”

    This global reversal of full classroom digitalization is not rooted in nostalgia alone; it is backed by rigorous research and evidence-based policy change. A 2023 Norwegian research study confirmed that handwriting practice builds far greater neural connectivity in the brain regions specifically tied to memory retention and learning, a finding that has already prompted policy shifts across Europe. In February 2024, Sweden rolled back its national digital-first education strategy, allocating hundreds of millions of kronor annually to restore printed textbooks and school library resources, and mandating that all primary and secondary schools become completely phone-free by autumn 2026. This reversal came after pediatricians and neuroscientists sounded the alarm on the harms of early overexposure to screens, prompting the government to overrule the education agency’s original digital-first agenda. The Netherlands implemented a full ban on phones, tablets, and smartwatches in classrooms starting in January 2024, and Finland passed identical restrictions the same year. In Madrid, regional education authorities have introduced age-based caps on classroom screen time, limiting the youngest primary students to just one hour of screen use per week — a policy that impacts more than 500,000 students across the region. These are not trivial, marginal policy adjustments; they are deliberate, data-driven course corrections by national and regional governments that have already lived through the costs of full digitalization.

    We do not need to look across the Atlantic for evidence of the risks of unfettered digital learning. The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), the governing body that accredits Grenadian students’ secondary exam results, announced in July 2025 that it will phase out School-Based Assessments (SBAs) for most subjects. The reason? Generative AI, easily accessible via personal laptops and digital devices, has irreparably compromised the academic integrity of student work. For decades, the SBA was one of the most well-designed components of the CXC syllabus: students selected their own research topics, conducted independent inquiry, wrote up their findings, and defended their work before their teachers. Today, widespread access to digital tools has made it far too easy for students to skip the entire learning process and submit AI-generated work they never created, forcing the regional exam board to rebuild the entire assessment model from the ground up.

    Grenada’s own universal laptop program, which includes e-textbooks and a free Microsoft 365 account for every student, began rolling out to Form One and Form Two students in September 2025, covering all core subjects from mathematics and English to geography, science, agriculture, home economics, and foreign languages. Government officials say parents who prefer physical textbooks can still purchase them independently. While this may hold true on paper, my own trip to local bookstores told a different story: the entire education system has already shifted to prioritize digital materials, with physical textbooks now an afterthought that requires extensive searching to locate, rather than the default learning tool every student receives.

    The nations now reversing course — Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Madrid — are not speaking from abstract theory. They tested universal laptop access for every student, measured the damage to students’ reading proficiency, writing skills, attention spans, and critical thinking abilities, and are now investing significant public funds to undo the policy. This leaves Grenada with a unique advantage these nations did not have: we have not yet locked in this mistake. We can learn from the experience of other countries’ students instead of learning the same hard lesson through our own children’s suffering.

    This is not an argument to ban computers from Grenadian classrooms entirely — digital tools certainly have a valuable role to play in modern education. But that role is as a dedicated subject on the school timetable, just like English, mathematics, agriculture, or social studies. Students should have scheduled computer lab periods where they learn explicit, structured skills: typing proficiency, coding, ethical research practices, and how to use generative AI responsibly. That is where laptops earn their place in education. They should not replace the physical textbook students carry into every other class, nor replace the hands-on practice of handwriting, in-person classroom discussion, and the slow, deliberate work of reading a physical page and developing an independent opinion on its content.

    Every one of the nations rolling back full digitalization is fighting to return to the model Grenada already maintains. Right now, Grenada could be a global leader in evidence-based education: we could stand firm in keeping physical books in students’ hands, and other nations could look to our example. Instead, we are rushing in the opposite direction, heading straight for the exact policy failure the rest of the world is now desperate to escape.

    I am calling on Grenada’s Ministry of Education and on parents across the country to examine closely the 15 years of costly lessons Sweden has learned, and the urgent fixes our own regional exam board is already implementing. Move laptops to the dedicated computer lab where they belong. Put physical textbooks back in every child’s hands, where they have always supported strong learning. If we move forward with putting a personal laptop in every child’s hands today, we are not playing catch-up — we are taking a massive step backward, straight into the mistake the rest of the world is already spending billions to undo. We have a rare opportunity to avoid this mistake entirely, instead of living through it and paying to fix it decades later, just like every other nation that rushed into this policy.

  • Leisure : Did you know ? #55

    Leisure : Did you know ? #55

    In Haiti’s rugged, remote mountain landscapes, where paved roads are scarce and steep, muddy trails block access for most motorized vehicles, one hardworking animal has earned the nickname “the farmer’s truck”: the domestic donkey, locally called bourik. As the latest entry in HaitiLibre’s popular twice-weekly “Did You Know?” general knowledge quiz series reveals, these sturdy equines are far more than livestock—they are the backbone of rural economic life for thousands of high-altitude Haitian families.

    The core question of this 55th installment of the series asks: What is the primary role donkeys play for farming communities in Haiti’s mountain regions? The answer highlights their unique adaptation to the country’s challenging terrain: their sure, stable footing allows them to navigate paths that trucks, motorcycles and even four-wheel drives cannot reach. Every day, donkeys carry critical goods and people across these remote areas, transporting harvested crops from mountain gardens to regional and city markets, hauling firewood for cooking and heating, and delivering drinking water to communities cut off from infrastructure.

    Without donkeys, the cost and physical labor of moving these essential supplies would become prohibitive for small-scale Haitian farmers, who already operate on tight margins. Beyond their traversal skills, donkeys are uniquely suited to rural Haitian life because of their hardiness: they require very little food compared to larger work animals, tolerate extreme fatigue well, and can thrive in the harsh climate of Haiti’s mountain zones. As a critical link in the rural logistics and local commerce chain, they directly sustain the mobility and economic survival of thousands of households across the country’s highlands.

    This fun fact is pulled from the answer key of HaitiLibre’s ongoing livestock quiz, part of the platform’s expanding collection of free general knowledge quizzes. In a recent update rolled out on September 1, 2026, the site added 30 new quiz games, bringing its total catalog of accessible knowledge content to 240 unique games. The platform adds new quizzes every month to keep content fresh for returning users.

    Designed to appeal to learners of all ages and skill levels, HaitiLibre’s exclusive quizzes are 100% free to access and do not require user registration. Every topic is offered across three difficulty tiers—easy, intermediate, and expert—so casual learners and knowledge enthusiasts alike can find content suited to their skills. Quizzes are currently available in both French and English, covering a wide range of topics from Haitian history and culture to global current events and science.

    Users can explore the full catalog of quizzes any time at quiz.haitilibre.com/en, and the platform encourages visitors to share the site with friends and family, and leave feedback via a comment form available at the end of every quiz. For returning readers, the site also archives past “Did You Know?” entries, allowing curious learners to explore dozens of previous fun facts about Haiti and the wider world.

  • World Bank appoints Judith Green to lead Barbados and Eastern Caribbean portfolio

    World Bank appoints Judith Green to lead Barbados and Eastern Caribbean portfolio

    The World Bank Group has announced a key leadership appointment for its Caribbean operations, confirming that Jamaican national Judith Green will take up the post of Country Manager for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean States starting September 1, 2026.

    Per an official press statement from the global development institution, Green will establish her headquarters in Bridgetown, Barbados, and will oversee representation for three distinct arms of the World Bank Group: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

    In her new leadership role, Green will collaborate closely with national governments and private sector stakeholders across the entire sub-region. Her core priorities will center on advancing targeted initiatives that drive inclusive job creation and advance long-term sustainable development goals tailored to the unique economic and social needs of Eastern Caribbean nations.

    Green brings decades of diverse, high-level experience across the public and private sectors to her new position, built over years of service within the World Bank Group and beyond. Immediately prior to this appointment, she held dual roles simultaneously: serving as World Bank Group Country Manager for Malaysia, and IFC Country Manager for Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. In those positions, she successfully partnered with both public and private sector partners to advance critical government regulatory reforms, mobilize billions in new private sector investment across emerging markets, and manage the delivery of large-scale strategic advisory programs that strengthened institutional capacity.

    Green also brings deep firsthand experience working with Caribbean economic governance. Between 2013 and 2016, she took approved external service leave from IFC to lead Jamaica’s Coordination and Implementation Unit. In that role, she oversaw the execution of Jamaica’s four-year Extended Fund Facility agreement with the International Monetary Fund, one of the Caribbean nation’s most ambitious and far-reaching economic reform programs of the past decade.

    Before launching her career with the World Bank Group, Green built her foundational expertise in international finance, holding senior roles at multiple global financial institutions where she specialized in corporate finance strategy and global loan capital markets.

  • WE United FC Leads U-15 League with unbeaten seven-game run

    WE United FC Leads U-15 League with unbeaten seven-game run

    As the 2026 Dominica Football Association Boys Under-15 League moves deeper into its regular season, defending title holders WE United FC have built an unbeatable lead at the top of the table, extending their perfect winning streak to seven consecutive matches. The dominant side has now collected a full 21 points from their opening seven fixtures, turning in a breathtaking attacking performance while holding firm on defense that has left competitors trailing far behind.

    Through seven matchdays, WE United’s forward line has found the back of the net 42 times, while the team’s defense has limited opponents to just four goals against – for an eye-watering goal difference of +38 heading into their seventh fixture. That match, scheduled against fourth-place Dublanc FC, ended in a walkover victory for WE United after Dublanc failed to field a team for the fixture. Per league rules, the default win awarded three points and three goals to WE United, pushing their final goal difference to an impressive +41 six matches into the season.

    Leading the charge for the undefeated side is captain Roqson Coipel, who has emerged as the league’s top goal scorer with a stunning 19 goals already to his name. Coipel most recently earned player of the match honors on the Geneva playing field following WE United’s victory over South City FC on August 29, cementing his status as one of the tournament’s most exciting young talents.

    Right now, Portsmouth Bombers FC and Point Michel FC are the closest contenders to the league leaders, both sitting on 15 points after six matches played. Portsmouth has notched five wins and one loss, scoring 40 goals and conceding six to hold a +34 goal difference. Point Michel shares the same five-win-one-loss record, having put 38 goals on the board and allowed just five, for a +33 goal difference. With only six points separating the table-topping WE United from their nearest challengers, and just three points between the top three sides overall, the race for the end-of-season crown remains wide open as the league progresses.

    In the current full league standings, Dublanc FC occupies fourth place with seven points from five matches, followed by Marigot United FC at six points. Goodwill Runnerz FC sits in seventh with three points, while South City FC and Harlem United FC each have one point from their opening fixtures. Tarish United FC remains rooted to the bottom of the table, still searching for their first point after three completed matches.

  • 20-year-old Haitian immigrant dies amid immigration uncertainty in US

    20-year-old Haitian immigrant dies amid immigration uncertainty in US

    A promising 20-year-old Haitian immigrant living in Springfield, Ohio, died Monday in a death his family attributes to suicide, bringing renewed attention to the mental health toll of shifting U.S. immigration policies on Haitian communities already facing prolonged uncertainty.

    Pierre Damas Bel, who had recently graduated with top academic honors and held ambitions to pursue a career in medicine, grew increasingly distressed after he lost his Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and was ordered to wear an ankle monitor by U.S. immigration enforcement officials. In a final phone conversation with his father shortly before his death, Bel told his parent he felt intense shame and humiliation over being forced to wear the electronic monitoring device, according to a statement from the younger Bel’s father.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Bel entered the United States through legal channels earlier this year, in 2024. His death comes at a moment of widespread precarity for Haitian immigrants across the country, as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security moves to terminate TPS protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitian residents. The policy shift has left many facing the imminent loss of their legal status, putting them at risk of detention and forced deportation to a country marked by persistent political and economic instability.

    In recent years, electronic ankle monitoring has become a routine practice for immigrants navigating the U.S. immigration system, and Haitian communities have been disproportionately impacted. Many people subjected to the devices have reported a range of physical complications, including persistent discomfort, swelling and painful blisters, as well as practical barriers to holding steady employment that have made daily life far more difficult. The psychological stigma of wearing the monitor has also been widely documented as a major source of mental distress for immigrant populations.

    Bel’s death also follows a controversial move by the Biden administration just last week, when multiple deportation flights carrying Haitian migrants were sent back to the Caribbean nation. Media reports confirm that the flights included minor children, among them a 3-year-old who was born in the United States.

    This report follows World Health Organization guidance for responsible suicide reporting, and excludes unnecessary details about the method and specific circumstances of Bel’s death to avoid contributing to further harm. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or severe emotional distress is encouraged to reach out to a licensed mental health professional, a trusted loved one, or a local crisis support service for immediate help.

  • ‘Flavours of the World Festival’ returns to Dominica for creole season

    ‘Flavours of the World Festival’ returns to Dominica for creole season

    One of Dominica’s most anticipated cultural and culinary events is making a comeback this year, kicking off a highlight of the island’s 2026 Creole Season celebrations. The Flavours of the World Festival, a gathering that blends global cuisine, cultural exchange and live entertainment, will welcome attendees from across the island and around the world on Sunday, October 4, running from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the open-air Windsor Park Stadium Forecourt in the capital city of Roseau.

    As an official anchor event on the 2026 Creole Season calendar, the festival is designed to do more than just satisfy hungry visitors. Curated to showcase the rich diversity of global food and drink traditions, the event gives attendees the unique chance to sample authentic, handcrafted dishes from regions across the world while immersing themselves in the cultural customs that shape each cuisine.
    Beyond the extensive culinary offerings, the 2026 iteration of the festival packs a full schedule of activities for guests of all ages. According to an official press statement from the organizing committee, the day’s lineup will feature continuous live musical performances from local and regional artists, vibrant traditional cultural showcases, dedicated interactive activities to keep younger attendees engaged, and an exclusive premium VIP experience for guests seeking enhanced access and amenities.
    A fan-favorite staple of the festival, the Archipelago Chef’s Competition, will also return this year. The live culinary contest pits talented emerging and established chefs against one another in a timed challenge, highlighting the creativity and skill of the region’s culinary community while giving attendees a front-row seat to the action.
    In a new twist for the 2026 event, organizers have added Flavours of Fashion, an inclusive cultural initiative that invites all attendees to join in by wearing clothing that reflects their own cultural heritage, personal ancestral roots, or a global culture they admire. Event leaders note that this new feature is intended to further the festival’s core mission of celebrating cultural diversity, encouraging creative self-expression, and fostering connection between guests from different backgrounds.
    “Flavours of the World Festival is much more than a food event. It is a celebration of diversity that brings people together through culture, cuisine, music, and community,” organizing leaders shared in their press statement. Positioned as a family-friendly gathering, the festival is marketed as a welcoming, inclusive space where both local Dominicans and international tourists can spend quality time with loved ones, exploring new tastes and traditions together.
    For guests planning to attend, tickets are already available for purchase in-person at two convenient locations: Bullseye Pharmacy and Depex. Digital tickets can also be purchased in advance through the official event ticketing portal, 767events.com.

  • Nevis Assembly President and Youth Parliamentarians Participate in 48th CPA Regional Conference

    Nevis Assembly President and Youth Parliamentarians Participate in 48th CPA Regional Conference

    The 48th Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) for the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region kicked off on August 30, 2026 at Jamaica’s Moon Palace Resort, running through September 5. Hosting this year’s gathering, the CPA Jamaica Branch extended invitations to regional member branches, including the Nevis Island Branch, to join critical discussions focused on the future of legislative governance in an increasingly digitized world.

    This year’s conference theme, “Strengthening Parliaments in the Digital Age,” brings together parliamentary delegates from 19 regional territories, including Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, and host nation Jamaica, to address how legislative bodies can adapt to new technologies while upholding core institutional values. Leading Nevis’ delegation is Hon. Michelle Slack-Clarke, President of the Nevis Island Assembly. Slack-Clarke will deliver a featured presentation titled “Maintaining Parliamentary Decorum in the Digital Age,” exploring the delicate balance between adopting innovative digital tools for governance and preserving the long-standing standards, traditions and institutional integrity that underpin credible parliamentary proceedings.

    Slack-Clarke’s participation spotlights Nevis’ active role in shaping regional conversations around the evolving responsibilities of legislatures in the digital era. Beyond the main conference, the event will also host the 19th Regional Youth Parliament, scheduled to take place virtually on September 3, 2026. This year’s youth gathering centers on the theme “Youth Leadership in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” designed to elevate young voices in conversations about AI’s impact on regional governance and development.

    Organizers opted for a virtual format this year to remove barriers to attendance, enabling broader, more inclusive participation from young emerging leaders across the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region. The CPA Nevis Branch has nominated two young delegates, Ms. Shevonne Daniel and Mr. KJel Smithen, to represent Nevis in the virtual proceedings. The pair will join dozens of youth parliamentarians from across the region to debate the core motion: “Artificial Intelligence, Regional Dependence and the Caribbean’s Digital Future,” which examines both the transformative opportunities and unique challenges AI presents for the Caribbean’s digital transition.

    The virtual Youth Parliament session is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. local time on September 3, and will be open to public viewing via a live stream on the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ) YouTube Channel and the official Jamaica Houses of Parliament web portal.

    In a statement ahead of the event, the Nevis Island Assembly expressed that its delegation’s participation in both the main conference and the Regional Youth Parliament underscores Nevis’ long-standing commitment to active engagement in regional parliamentary cooperation. The territory remains dedicated to strengthening democratic parliamentary institutions, and equipping both current legislators and emerging young leaders to successfully navigate the opportunities and challenges of the rapidly evolving digital age. The Assembly also extended its well wishes to Daniel and Smithen, expressing confidence that the pair will deliver thoughtful contributions to this important regional dialogue.