Carib Scope

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  • H2O Lions register ‘surge’ in medals, personal best times

    H2O Lions register ‘surge’ in medals, personal best times

    One of the region’s emerging competitive swimming programs, the H2O Lions Swim Club, has turned in an impressive performance at the 2024 SVG Gallagher National Swim Championships, held from August 27 to 30 at the Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre. The club’s young athletes not only secured a top-three finish in the team standings but also posted a dramatic jump in total medals across all age divisions, marking a major milestone for the program.

    Over four days of tightly contested racing against some of the country’s top swimming talent, every H2O Lions competitor walked away with a new personal best time, with a large number of the club’s athletes earning spots on the championship podium. The performance highlighted the depth of skill and steady progress the club has fostered among its rising young competitors.

    Standout individual results from the event underscore the promise of the club’s youth development pipeline: In the boys’ 9–10 age group, Calique Grant captured a bronze medal, while 11–12 age category competitor Ezron Quashie took home top honors in the 800m freestyle event, clinching the gold.

    In a statement released after the competition, club leadership attributed the strong team showing to more than just improved speed and refined technique. The surge in medals and faster personal bests, the organization noted, also reflects clear growth in on-race confidence and strategic tactical awareness among all participating swimmers.

    The club’s coaching duo, Josel Williams and Elise Quashie, emphasized that the program’s core mission extends far beyond racking up championship titles or team rankings. The club’s primary focus remains on holistic development, building every member both as a competitive swimmer and as a well-rounded individual.

    “Our goal from the start has been to develop athletes who are stronger, smarter, and more confident both in and out of the pool,” the coaching pair explained. “When we center individual progress — focusing on perfecting core skills like starts, turns, and pacing, while also building mental toughness — strong team results come naturally. This championship performance proved that our approach is delivering real results. We are building a culture where every single swimmer has the opportunity to improve, regardless of their starting skill level.”

    Currently, the H2O Lions Swim Club conducts regular training sessions at Questelles Beach. Local community members and aspiring swimmers can reach the organization directly by phone at 784-432-8701 for more information on membership and training schedules. To follow more local sports coverage from the region, readers can subscribe to the iWitness News WhatsApp Channel.

  • Díaz-Canel: “As long as there are classrooms with students and schools with teachers in Cuba, there is a nation, there is a homeland, there is a Revolution, and there is socialism”

    Díaz-Canel: “As long as there are classrooms with students and schools with teachers in Cuba, there is a nation, there is a homeland, there is a Revolution, and there is socialism”

    On September 2, 2026, Cuba held its national opening ceremony for the 2026-2027 academic year at the historic Paseo del Prado in Old Havana, a location deeply tied to the island nation’s educational legacy — the very spot where teacher Mendive once taught the iconic Cuban independence leader José Martí. Speaking after the ceremony, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, framed the opening of the new school term as an act of national resistance against external pressure, while outlining three core takeaways from this milestone.

    Against the backdrop of intensified U.S. economic blockade and energy restrictions that have created widespread logistical challenges across the country, Díaz-Canel emphasized that opening classrooms to students across the nation is itself a victory. This year’s school launch coincides with the centennial of the birth of Fidel Castro, founding father of modern revolutionary Cuba, adding historic weight to the occasion.

    “As long as there are classrooms with students and schools with teachers in Cuba, there is a nation, there is a homeland, there is a Revolution, and there is socialism,” Díaz-Canel told reporters. He described opening the school year in current conditions as an enormous shared responsibility for all Cubans, noting that the successful launch defies efforts by the blockade to undermine the country’s social fabric.

    “It means having started the school year in the middle of a complex situation that we cannot deny, neither to our teachers, nor to our students, nor to our children, nor to our adolescents,” the president said. “This beginning is also to show the capacity of a country, a nation, a Revolution, where the passion for knowledge and love for the Homeland are imposed on all restrictions, imposed on that genocidal policy of blockade that seeks to drag a country into barbarism.” He added that opening the term despite hardship is a deliberate act of resistance against colonial interference, proving that the Cuban people’s commitment to learning outweighs any adversity.

    Díaz-Canel went on to credit the successful opening to widespread collective effort across all sectors of Cuban society. In the months leading up to the term, he explained, education leaders, government agencies at the local, provincial and national levels, families and community groups all joined forces to upgrade school infrastructure and prepare learning environments despite resource shortages. When Díaz-Canel tasked education leaders with developing a viable academic plan amid the energy and economic blockade, he said, they delivered an innovative, creative proposal in just two weeks — a result he said could only come from deep commitment to revolutionary ideals.

    “It is worthwhile to express our gratitude and recognition to all our teachers, all our professors, all our institutions, parents, families, and communities for what they have accomplished,” the president stated.

    The third core point Díaz-Canel highlighted is the ongoing challenge of delivering high-quality education amid national transformation. Beyond simply opening classrooms, the country’s priority this year is raising educational standards, with every classroom designated a “workshop for solutions” to overcome emerging challenges. He called this year’s term a difficult but dignified undertaking, framing it as a reaffirmation of Cuba’s commitment to protecting education as a fundamental social right.

    “This start of the school year is an embrace of optimism and an expression of the Revolution’s and the country’s determination to continue defending such a sublime and paradigmatic social achievement as the nation itself,” Díaz-Canel said. “It is about giving our children, our grandchildren, our youth the right to an education; and it is also about giving them the right to dream and allowing us to share those dreams.”

    The president also extended targeted calls to key groups involved in the school year. He acknowledged the economic hardships that Cuban teachers face, noting that salaries do not yet match the enormous effort educators put into their work, but emphasized that teachers are the backbone of the country’s cultural resilience. “Our teachers, our professors, our teaching staff, are above all builders of the resilience that distinguishes us as a nation and that distinguishes us as a people,” he said, calling on educators to bring innovation and dedication to supporting vulnerable students.

    To students, Díaz-Canel emphasized that the entire country’s collective effort to open schools is for their benefit, and urged them not to use resource shortages as an excuse to disengage from learning. “On the contrary: dedicate yourselves passionately to your studies, dedicate yourselves passionately to learning, and let that also be part of your contribution to this daily effort and to the great effort that the entire country has made so that the school year could begin today,” he said. He also called on families to partner with schools, noting that successful education requires shared commitment from both household and school communities.

    The opening ceremony, which opened with a tribute to Fidel Castro, featured performances from child, adolescent and young adult artists, drawing emotional responses from attendees in a reminder of what the nation is working to protect. The event was also attended by Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, other party and government leaders, and representatives of youth and student organizations.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Education Minister Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto noted that the bell signaling the start of the 2026-2027 term is no ordinary bell. “It is the heartbeat of a nation that decides, once again, to invest in its future. It is the sound of resistance, of tenderness, and of hope. It is heard with the strength of those of us who know that educating is the noblest and most just thing we can do,” Trujillo said.

    She reaffirmed that access to free education in Cuba is non-negotiable, noting that while the country continues to work toward better infrastructure, materials and uniforms, the value of Cuban education is measured not by physical resources but by its commitment to leaving no student behind. “Even if one resource is lacking, there will be an abundance of creativity, solidarity, and love from our teachers,” Trujillo said.

    Trujillo tied this year’s effort back to the 1961 Cuban Literacy Campaign, a landmark initiative that eradicated illiteracy across the island 65 years earlier, noting that while current challenges are different, the same spirit of determination remains. She added that this year’s academic calendar is designed with flexible, localized decision-making to adapt to varying conditions across different regions and communities, with the core goal of making daily learning sustainable for all students. Closing her remarks, Trujillo thanked teachers for their heroic preparation work, called for continued family partnership, and noted that students’ curiosity and joy of learning are the core motivation for all the effort put into opening the term.

  • Leacock turns Gonsalves’ ‘hook in the gill’ comment on opposition

    Leacock turns Gonsalves’ ‘hook in the gill’ comment on opposition

    In a striking parliamentary address that blends rhetorical flair with blunt policy candor, Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister St. Clair Leacock of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has reworked one of the most recognizable metaphors from opposition leader Ralph Gonsalves, framing the new Godwin Friday administration’s work as a gradual effort to extract a debt “hook from the gill” of the nation while tackling rising gun violence and severe fiscal scarcity.

    Leacock made the remarks while responding to a question posed by opposition senator Carlos James, leaning into the familiar phrasing to reframe SVG’s current economic and security realities for the legislative body. He reminded lawmakers that the original metaphor, coined by Gonsalves before the current administration took office, spoke of placing a hook in the gill of the incoming government. Drawing on SVG’s deep cultural connection to fishing, Leacock unpacked the literal meaning of the phrase: a hook set in a fish’s gill is intended to capture or kill the catch. Today, he argued, that same metaphor describes the difficult position the new government inherited.

    For years, Leacock told parliament, successive administrations turned to borrowing as a default to fund policy priorities, leaving SVG with a legacy of structural debt and stretched public finances. The “hook in the gill” that now constrains the current administration is the overlapping weight of fiscal stress and urgent social pressure, which limits the scope of action for any government, regardless of political agenda. “Everything that we want to do in St. Vincent [in] the last few years… the options are that we either borrow… or we try to reconstruct our circumstances so that we mitigate [against] further debt,” Leacock said. “If you don’t have money, what do you do? Most of us would advocate that we work harder and smarter, and that we strive to cut and contrive and live within our means.”

    Where the original metaphor cast the opposition as the fisherman setting the trap, Leacock reframed the current government’s role: instead of setting the hook, the administration is working slowly to pull it out, one careful step at a time. Rejecting dramatic, sudden policy shifts that could “kill the fish” — meaning destabilize core state institutions — Leacock emphasized a gradual approach to fixing the structural weaknesses left by the previous Unity Labour Party administration. This measured strategy extends to the national security portfolio, which Leacock oversees, where the government is pursuing a “do more with less” approach to address widespread public concern over gun violence and homicides.

    Leacock outlined a series of targeted upgrades to SVG’s police force, noting that many facilities were in dire condition, describing some stations as ramshackle and mould-infested. To address these gaps, the government has relocated officers from the most unsafe facilities and added new patrol vehicles to high-need districts including Calliaqua, Marriaqua and Bequia. It has also redirected investment to targeted capacity building: additional recruits are being assigned to specialized units, a new police drone program is being rolled out with overseas training for operators, and the government is leaning into regional security partnerships including the Regional Security System (RSS) and CARICOM IMPACS to track suspicious vessels and aircraft and build intelligence to crack down on illegal firearms trafficking.

    Acknowledging that public anxiety over violent crime is running high, Leacock also pushed back against what he warns is an overblown narrative of widespread lawlessness, which he says could harm SVG’s vital tourism and foreign investment sectors. He pointed to recent large-scale public events, including the annual Carnival and international cricket matches, that concluded without any major violent incidents, noting that by regional standards, SVG remains a safe nation.

    Leacock made clear that the current fiscal and security pressures were not created by the new administration, but that fixing the challenges is its core responsibility. “We are not for a minute proceeding like the proverbial ostrich,” he said. “We know that this country is under pressure, but we didn’t put it so; we met it so, and we are getting it right, and we are fixing it.”

    Calling on Vincentians to place trust in his administration, Leacock reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a more professional, accountable police force, strengthening border security to disrupt weapons smuggling, and addressing the root social and economic drivers of violent crime. He added that while current police leadership assesses the security situation remains manageable, the administration would not hesitate to request direct intervention from the RSS if conditions worsen in vulnerable communities.

    In the end, Leacock’s reframing of the iconic metaphor casts the current government not as an outside actor trapping the state, but as a steward working to free the nation from the constraints it inherited, while working to keep SVG’s waters safe and stable for all citizens.

  • Rotaract Club of Antigua’s Equipped to Excel Project Supported 209 Students Across 16 Primary Schools

    Rotaract Club of Antigua’s Equipped to Excel Project Supported 209 Students Across 16 Primary Schools

    As the 2026 academic year approached, a youth-led service organization in Antigua turned a targeted community support plan into tangible change for hundreds of school-aged children, beating their own outreach goals to deliver critical learning tools to families facing financial strain.

    The Rotaract Club of Antigua wrapped up its 2026 *Equipped to Excel* Back-to-School Initiative on August 31, a project designed to ease the heavy financial burden many households shoulder when preparing children for a new school term. By distributing pre-packed backpacks stuffed with essential supplies across 16 primary schools in both Antigua and Barbuda, the organization ensured no student would start the year lacking the basic tools they need to thrive in the classroom.

    What started as a goal to support 200 primary school students ultimately grew to reach 209 children, thanks to generous donations from local corporate and community sponsors, as well as coordinated support from Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Education. Education Officer Andrea Airall played a central role in the project’s success, coordinating directly with school administrations across different education districts to identify families with the greatest economic need, ensuring donations reached those who would benefit most rather than being distributed broadly.

    Each supply package given to students included a durable backpack alongside core classroom items: exercise books, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, pencil cases, and organizational folders. These seemingly small items can add up to a significant expense for low-income families, and having them provided for free removes a major source of stress ahead of the first day of class.

    “Our children are the bedrock of our nation’s future, and every single one of them deserves a fair shot at academic success, no matter what their family’s financial situation looks like,” said Alketz Joseph, Director of Community Service for the Rotaract Club of Antigua. “Through the Equipped to Excel initiative, we were able to change the trajectory of the new school year for 209 kids, sending them back to class with confidence and all the tools they need to excel. This project is a reflection of the shared commitment Rotaract and our sponsors have to lifting up our community and investing in the next generation.”

    The organization extended sincere thanks to all partners who made the initiative possible, including corporate sponsors Marshall & Co., Fleetwave, Stargate Imports, CCAA Consultancy, community supporter Mr. Anthony Astaphan, and local children’s nonprofit Happy Kids Antigua. Additional recognition went to Andrea Airall, the Ministry of Education, participating school leaders, club volunteers, and every individual supporter who contributed time or resources to the project.

    *Equipped to Excel* is part of the Rotaract Club of Antigua’s 2026-2027 official service plan, developed under the organization’s presidential theme “Leading with Heart, Serving with Purpose.” The initiative reinforces the club’s longstanding core commitments to expanding educational access, supporting youth development, and creating measurable, positive change for local communities.

    The 16 primary schools that received supplies through the initiative are: Five Islands Primary School, Pares Primary School, J.T. Ambrose Primary School, Old Road Primary School, Willikies Primary School, Mary E. Pigott Primary School, Jennings Primary School, Liberta Primary School, T.N. Kirnon Primary School, S.R. Olivia David Primary School, Buckleys Primary School, Pigotts Primary School, Golden Grove Primary School, Freemans Village Primary School, Potters Primary School, and Bendals Primary School.

    The Rotaract Club of Antigua is a youth-led service organization affiliated with Rotary International District 7030. Its mission centers on developing young leaders, fostering collaborative community fellowship, and improving local quality of life through sustainable, partnership-driven projects focused on the most pressing needs across Antigua and Barbuda.

  • WATCH: Robbery at Brownies Bakery in Herberts

    WATCH: Robbery at Brownies Bakery in Herberts

    A brazen daytime robbery has shaken the small community of Herberts, after two unidentified suspects stormed the popular local Brownies Bakery and made off with an undisclosed sum of cash on Wednesday morning.

    Witnesses at the scene told local media that the men, both wearing dark hooded clothing and face coverings to conceal their identities, entered the store shortly after it opened for business at 7 a.m. One suspect allegedly brandished a knife, threatening the bakery’s two on-duty employees while the other emptied the cash register. No customers were present inside the establishment at the time of the incident.

    Neither of the staff members suffered physical injuries, though police confirmed both were left shaken by the encounter and have received counseling support following the robbery. The suspects fled the scene in a waiting dark-colored sedan, according to preliminary witness descriptions.

    Local law enforcement has launched a full investigation into the robbery, asking any members of the public who were driving through the area between 6:45 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. and have dashcam footage, or anyone with other information about the incident, to come forward to assist with the inquiry. Business owners in the Herberts area have also been advised to review their security protocols in the wake of the theft.

    Brownies Bakery, a long-time local fixture known for its homemade baked goods, closed for the remainder of the day to allow staff to recover and for police to process the crime scene. It has since resumed normal operations, with the bakery’s ownership releasing a short statement thanking the community for the outpouring of support it has received after the incident.

  • Basdeo: A battle cry to her party tied to succession

    Basdeo: A battle cry to her party tied to succession

    A leading Caribbean political analyst has unpacked the combative language used by Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in a recent Independence Day address to her United National Congress (UNC) party, framing the rhetoric as a deliberate battle cry tied to long-running internal leadership succession discussions. Dr. Maukesh Basdeo shared his reading of the controversial remarks during an interview with TV6’s Morning Edition, breaking down the layered messaging in Persad-Bissessar’s two separate addresses delivered on Monday: one directed to the broader national population of Trinidad and Tobago, and a second, more fiery communication to the UNC party base.

    In her message to UNC members, Persad-Bissessar struck an uncompromising tone, declaring that the party requires “steeliness and savagery” to defend its collective interests. She told supporters that there was no middle ground in internal and political struggles, stating bluntly: “It’s either peace or total war, nothing in between.” She also warned that the party’s top leadership must “never fall into the hands of weak men and women,” arguing that diplomacy alone is insufficient to protect the party’s core membership and values, and urging members to “do not crawl on your belly for anyone.”

    Basdeo’s analysis connects this aggressive rhetoric to well-documented internal friction within the UNC. The party has faced growing internal dissent in its ranks, and open discussion of leadership succession has been ongoing for months ahead of the scheduled April 2025 general election. Basdeo argues that Persad-Bissessar’s core goal with the speech was to emphasize that overcoming these existing internal challenges requires unwavering party unity — a prerequisite, he says, for the UNC to secure victory at the polls next year. Beyond unity, Basdeo contends the speech also lays clear groundwork for formal succession planning within the party. By framing the next UNC leader as needing to be a strong, uncompromising figure who can hold the fractious party together, Persad-Bissessar is setting a clear benchmark for whoever succeeds her in the top role.

    The analyst also addressed growing criticism from the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM), which has raised questions about the appropriateness of a sitting prime minister using such militaristic language in a partisan political address. Basdeo noted that it is inherently difficult to separate the dual roles of prime minister and political party leader when the same person holds both positions, a dynamic that creates unavoidable overlap between national and partisan messaging.

    Basdeo also analyzed Persad-Bissessar’s broader national Independence Day message, marking 64 years of Trinidad and Tobago’s independence from colonial rule. In that address, the prime minister urged the nation to move past blaming ongoing social and economic challenges on its colonial history, and instead take full ownership of all policy decisions made in the decades since independence. Basdeo echoed that framing, noting that the country’s current major social and political groups all emerged from the colonial experience, making it long past time for the nation to take full responsibility for shaping its own future.

  • Manning: No documents given to police

    Manning: No documents given to police

    A simmering internal conflict within Trinidad and Tobago’s ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) took another turn this week, as San Fernando East Member of Parliament Brian Malone has confirmed he has not submitted any documentary evidence to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) amid swirling corruption allegations against the constituency’s former PNM executive.

    Manning spoke with reporters on the evening before a closed-door general membership gathering at his constituency office on Navet Road, San Fernando, addressing growing speculation over his handling of the corruption claims. The MP clarified that existing publicly available information already provided sufficient context for his actions, eliminating the immediate need to turn over additional private documents to law enforcement. He also pushed back against characterizations that he had leveled direct accusations against specific individuals, noting that he had only requested the national party leadership launch a formal investigation to resolve constituent concerns and clear public uncertainty.

    “All details will come to light in due course,” Manning told reporters, adding that his request for a probe came directly after local voters raised repeated concerns about improper activity within the constituency executive.

    Top PNM officials have publicly pushed back against Manning’s actions in recent weeks. Party chairman Marvin Gonzales issued a public warning that Manning was “treading a very dangerous path”, while party leader Pennelope Beckles reiterated last week that any credible evidence of corrupt activity should be turned over directly to police for investigation. Despite the public disagreement, both Beckles and Manning confirmed they have held cordial private discussions, and Manning asserted there is no lasting rift between himself and the national party leadership.

    “I have no concerns at all about my standing within the party or my working relationship with party leadership,” Manning said, adding that his absence from the party’s recent Independence Day celebrations was due to a pre-scheduled conflicting commitment, not any personal or political friction.

    The MP emphasized that his primary focus has always been advancing the interests of San Fernando East constituents, and claimed the constituency’s PNM branch is currently stronger than it has ever been. Tuesday evening’s closed membership meeting was organized specifically to address questions from local party members, update attendees on both constituency and national political developments, and the media was barred from attending the closed session per party policy. Manning said he did not expect significant pushback or anger from attending members over his handling of the corruption probe request.

    Following the recent resignation of the entire previous San Fernando East constituency executive, Manning confirmed local representatives have submitted a request to party headquarters at Balisier House to appoint an interim executive, and are currently awaiting a formal response. In the interim, the local branch has continued day-to-day operations to the best of its ability, he said. Notably, former senator Hazel Manning, Brian Manning’s mother, has put herself forward to serve as chairman of the interim executive if approved by national leadership.

    National Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander previously addressed the allegations, telling reporters that any claims of corruption involving misuse of public funds require a full police investigation. Alexander also confirmed he has reviewed existing documents related to the allegations that left him “shocked”, though he declined to publicly release the content of the documents or identify their source.

    At the heart of the conflict is a Florida condominium purchased for $187,000 USD (equivalent to roughly TT $1.26 million), one of multiple undeclared properties that have sparked the falling out between Brian Manning and former members of the now-resigned San Fernando East constituency executive.

  • NCRHA probes ‘gang’ links

    NCRHA probes ‘gang’ links

    The North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) in Trinidad and Tobago has opened a formal investigation following shocking revelations of alleged gang infiltration, systemic indiscipline, and workplace misconduct within its public hospital patient escort and attendant services. The investigation, announced in an official statement earlier this week, uncovered a pattern of gang association, intimidation, bullying, extortion, and violent threats embedded in the department that delivers critical patient mobility support across four regional public hospitals.

    NCRHA chairman Dr Tim Gopeesingh confirmed in an exclusive interview with local outlet *Express* that the internal probe is being led jointly by the authority’s human resources division and in-house legal team. As the investigation remains in its early stages, no terminations have been issued to date, but all 400 employees under review have been ordered to submit all required employment verification documentation to confirm their eligibility for their roles.

    Of the 400 staff members under review, approximately 340 work as patient escorts and 70 as hospital attendants across four major facilities: the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC), Mt Hope Women’s Hospital, Caura Hospital, and Arima Hospital. Collectively, these positions draw $4 million in annual public salary expenditures, making the scale of the alleged misconduct a major drain on public healthcare resources.

    A sweeping internal audit conducted by the new NCRHA administration uncovered multiple layers of long-standing institutional failure, beginning with rampant daily absenteeism that ranges between 30% and 50% of the workforce on any given day. The audit also exposed catastrophic gaps in mandatory pre-employment screening and background checks: in a sample group of 69 audited employees, only five had submitted the legally required police certificates of good character to confirm they had no prior criminal convictions.

    According to the NCRHA statement, the current leadership inherited a broken system from the previous administration, where systemic failures were allowed to fester for years. What the new administration encountered was far beyond routine operational challenges: it found an entrenched culture of non-compliance, poor performance, and organized misconduct that put both patients and healthcare staff at direct risk.

    Beyond absenteeism, the audit documented persistent patterns of staff arriving late to shifts and leaving before their scheduled end of shift, widespread refusal to follow legitimate management directives, and repeated instances where employees refused to transport patients between care areas. These failures have led to frequent delays in patient transfers, which in turn have disrupted diagnostic procedures, delayed care, and created backlogs for ambulance operations across all four facilities.

    Alarmingly, these service disruptions have persisted even after the NCRHA invested in additional resources, including new wheelchairs and ambulances, that the previous administration claimed were necessary to fix delays. Many of the unqualified employees were hired without meeting basic position requirements or submitting mandatory hiring documentation, raising serious questions about the integrity of past recruitment practices in the department.

    To address the crisis, the NCRHA has already implemented sweeping corrective measures, including strengthened on-site supervision, mandatory ongoing professional training, standardized transparent rostering, enhanced daily attendance tracking, and increased senior management oversight. Multiple individual disciplinary cases are now active, with the authority noting that all investigations and potential disciplinary actions will follow established public sector employment protocols.

    Early results from these interventions have already delivered tangible improvements, according to the NCRHA. Workforce attendance has risen dramatically, and the time required to transport patients between hospital areas has been cut drastically. The department has also regained a sense of order and calm that was missing amid the previous culture of indiscipline.

    In a nod to the majority of staff who have continued to perform their duties professionally, the NCRHA emphasized that it recognizes the invaluable work done by compliant patient escorts and attendants who support patients and clinical teams every day. However, the authority made clear that it has zero tolerance for behavior that endangers patients, staff, or the delivery of public healthcare.

    “There is no place within the public healthcare system for gangsterism, intimidation, bullying, extortion or behaviour that threatens employees, compromises patients or interferes with the delivery of healthcare,” the NCRHA said in its official statement. The authority confirmed that all serious allegations are being investigated thoroughly per established procedures, and that decisive action will be taken against any employee found to have engaged in misconduct. Reaffirming its commitment to cleaning up the department, the NCRHA added: “The current administration inherited these problems; it did not create them. It will not allow them to continue.”

  • Opposition Leader denies his govt owed JetBlue $10m

    Opposition Leader denies his govt owed JetBlue $10m

    A sharp political dispute has erupted in St. Vincent and the Grenadines over claims of a multi-million-dollar outstanding debt owed to US-based carrier JetBlue, with opposition leader Ralph Gonsalves pushing back hard against assertions from the incoming New Democratic Party administration. The former prime minister, whose Unity Labour Party was voted out of power in November last year, took to his party’s radio platform on Monday to refute the claim that his government left the new cabinet with an accrued EC$10 million liability to the airline.

    The controversial figure was first raised by current Tourism Minister Kishore Shallow in Parliament last Thursday, during a response to a question from opposition senator Keisal Peters. Notably, neither Gonsalves nor Carlos James, the ULP’s former tourism minister, publicly challenged the number during the parliamentary sitting. But Gonsalves offered a full correction days later, breaking down the terms of the agreement his administration reached to attract JetBlue service to the country.

    Gonsalves confirmed that a revenue guarantee agreement does exist with JetBlue, a standard policy tool used across the Eastern Caribbean to secure new international air routes, which are critical to the region’s tourism-dependent economy. He explained the pact combines initial start-up funding for the new route with a guaranteed minimum revenue floor for the carrier, a common structure to offset the risk of launching service to a smaller market. Contrary to Shallow’s framing, however, the opposition leader said the EC$10 million figure cited is not an actual accrued debt.

    He noted that JetBlue only invoices for any shortfall between actual revenue and the guaranteed threshold on an annual basis. October 2024 marked exactly one year since the airline launched its route to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, meaning no annual shortfall invoice could have been outstanding when the ULP left office. Gonsalves added that the maximum total government exposure over the lifetime of the agreement caps out at roughly US$2 million, equal to EC$5.38 million, and even that is a ceiling, not a pre-determined owed amount. He clarified that the EC$10 million number cited by Shallow refers to the full maximum potential payout across the entire term of the deal, not an accrued liability left by the previous administration.

    Beyond correcting the debt figure, Gonsalves also criticized Shallow’s broader approach to the agreement, saying the minister’s public questioning of the contract’s professionalism and his stated plan to renegotiate the deal is dangerous policy. He warned that this kind of public messaging sends an unhelpful negative signal to JetBlue, putting the future of the critical air route at unnecessary risk, which could harm the country’s tourism sector in the long run.

  • Grinches net first-ever Bequia Basketball U12 championship

    Grinches net first-ever Bequia Basketball U12 championship

    The Bequia Basketball Association’s annual tournament made history over the weekend, as two young squads claimed memorable championship titles across its newly launched and longstanding youth divisions.

    In the tournament’s first-ever U12 Division championship decider, the Grinches turned in a dominant performance to outmatch the Seagulls 20-13 and walk away as the inaugural title holders. The team’s victory was powered by standout forward Zende Lorraine, who earned the Finals Most Valuable Player award after pouring in 10 points — exactly half of his squad’s total score.

    The launch of the U12 division has been celebrated as a landmark achievement for this year’s tournament, BBA executive committee members confirmed. Months before the tip-off of the final rounds, the organization hosted a series of youth development camps and targeted training sessions for young aspiring players. In just four weeks following those introductory programs, organizers noted dramatic improvement across all participating teams, with young athletes growing both their fundamental skills and love for the game.

    Nurturing the next generation of basketball talent remains a top strategic priority for the BBA, with executive leaders expressing their excitement to watch young competitors build their confidence, refine their techniques, and sustain their passion for the sport in coming seasons. Beyond the championship honors, the association also recognized two standout young contributors for their off-court dedication: Tyrese Browne and Agape Stowe took home the Most Enthusiastic Player awards for their consistent energy, commitment, and positive attitude across both the pre-tournament camps and the main competition.

    In the higher-stakes U16 championship decider held Sunday, the underdog Hornets pulled off one of the tournament’s most shocking upsets, holding off the favored Golden Knights 36-30 to claim their first regional championship title in several years. What made the Hornets’ win all the more remarkable was their rocky road to the final: the squad finished at the bottom of the rankings in the first round of play, barely scraping into the knockout stage of the competition. Undeterred by their low seeding, the team mounted a stunning comeback run, taking down the higher-ranked Titans in the semi-finals before upsetting the Golden Knights for the crown.

    Hornets head coach Colson Peters attributed the team’s unlikely success to the relentless commitment his players showed throughout the tournament, highlighting the extra voluntary evening practice sessions the squad held to sharpen their game ahead of the knockout rounds. Leading the charge for the Hornets was River Hacksaw, whose standout play across the final earned him the U16 Finals MVP honor.

    Even in defeat, the Golden Knights earned recognition for their standout play throughout the tournament, with frontcourt star Jeremy Hunte taking home four individual awards: Most Rebounds, Most Blocks, Team MVP, and Overall Tournament MVP. BBA President Sabppa Mitchell formally thanked the Golden Knights Basketball Club for its ongoing investment in youth basketball development across the Grenadines, praising the organization’s consistent work to nurture emerging local talent.