Carib Scope

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  • Fitness Enthusiast Carla Goodwin Earns ISSA Personal Trainer Certification

    Fitness Enthusiast Carla Goodwin Earns ISSA Personal Trainer Certification

    What started as a personal commitment to fitness has reached a major professional milestone, as Carla Goodwin has officially secured her Certified Personal Trainer credential from the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), one of the global fitness industry’s most respected credentialing bodies. For Goodwin, this achievement is far more than a line on a resume—it opens the door to an entirely new professional chapter centered on lifting up other people to reach their own health and wellness targets.

    For years, friends, fellow fitness lovers and contacts have urged Goodwin to pursue two paths: competitive bodybuilding or professional personal training. But from the start, Goodwin has made clear that stepping onto a competition stage has never been her goal. Unlike many fitness professionals who prioritize competitive performance or aesthetic transformations, Goodwin’s core mission has long centered on making accessible, long-term health improvements available to people of all backgrounds. Her work is focused on helping clients build small, repeatable habits that stick, rather than chasing quick, unsustainable changes that do little to boost overall quality of life.

    Working through the ISSA certification process has deepened Goodwin’s professional expertise, giving her a far more nuanced understanding of three core pillars of fitness coaching: human anatomy, evidence-based exercise science, and the critical role regular physical activity plays in chronic disease prevention and long-term health maintenance. Now operating as a certified strength and wellness coach, Goodwin plans to leverage this specialized knowledge to help her clients build functional strength that supports daily activity, build lasting healthier daily routines, and boost their overall everyday well-being.

    Goodwin also paused to acknowledge the community that supported her through this journey, saying the unwavering belief her loved ones and peers had in her ability to succeed was the push she needed to take the leap into professional coaching. With her new ISSA certification in hand, Goodwin is now fully qualified to offer evidence-based, professional personal training services to clients, backed by an internationally recognized industry credential.

  • CARICOM leaders agree to send SG’s appointment to CCJ

    CARICOM leaders agree to send SG’s appointment to CCJ

    CASTRIES, St. Lucia – July 7, 2026 – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have reached a collective agreement to pursue an official advisory opinion from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to resolve a long-running controversy surrounding the five-year reappointment of current CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett.

    The decision comes after the government of Trinidad and Tobago refused to drop its formal objection to the procedural framework used to approve Barnett’s reappointment. CARICOM chair and St. Lucia Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre outlined the consensus in an official statement shared with reporters on Tuesday.

    “CARICOM acknowledged that the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago desires to have the issue of the reappointment of the Secretary General referred to the Caribbean Court of Justice to render an advisory opinion thereon,” Pierre said.

    To accommodate Trinidad and Tobago’s request, regional heads of government have authorized the launch of formal court proceedings under Article 212 of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the foundational legal document governing CARICOM integration. Pierre emphasized that the process aligns perfectly with the core mandate the CCJ was created to fulfill.

    “This is the very purpose for which the CCJ was created, to be a treaty interpretation body,” Pierre added.

    In a 22-page formal correspondence sent to all CARICOM leaders ahead of the meeting, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar argued that regional integration cannot be built on procedural shortcuts or unregulated practices framed as historical precedent. She stressed that the bloc’s unity must be rooted in consistent adherence to the rules all member states have voluntarily agreed to uphold.

    Persad-Bissessar pushed for the CCJ – which serves as the official interpreter of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas for the regional integration movement – to weigh in on the legality of the reappointment process. She also proposed that Barnett remain in office on a month-to-month interim basis only until the CCJ issues its ruling, with the arrangement explicitly stated to not undermine the legal positions of any member state or validate the disputed reappointment process.

    Under Persad-Bissessar’s proposal, Barnett would also fully recuse herself from any decisions directly or indirectly related to the advisory proceedings, with all relevant authority transferred to the CARICOM Deputy Secretary General or an independent third party.

    However, CARICOM leaders opted to maintain the current status quo surrounding Barnett’s reappointment, and the arrangement will remain in place until the bloc reviews and acts on the CCJ’s upcoming advisory opinion. Pierre noted that this path was chosen to resolve the dispute amicably, while allowing CARICOM to continue carrying out its core business without disruption to any member state’s legal standing.

    In tandem with this dispute resolution process, Pierre reaffirmed that CARICOM is moving forward with a long-planned review of its internal governance architecture, a mandate first agreed at the bloc’s previous conference held in St. Kitts and Nevis, aimed at strengthening institutional governance and boosting operational effectiveness across the community.

    Leaders also emphasized that the legal review process does not call into question the integrity of any member state, nor that of any individual involved in the controversy. Instead, Pierre said, the process reflects the bloc’s shared commitment to upholding the highest standards of good governance and pursuing continuous institutional improvement.

    In closing, Pierre reaffirmed that all heads of government remain committed to CARICOM’s core mission and regional integration objectives. Despite the current internal dispute and the wide range of economic and social challenges facing the bloc, leaders remain dedicated to advancing collective regional interests in unity, he added.

  • TNR and Intabaco partner to modernize Dominican tobacco farming

    TNR and Intabaco partner to modernize Dominican tobacco farming

    SANTO DOMINGO — Two leading Dominican agricultural institutions have announced a new collaborative agreement designed to transform the country’s iconic tobacco export sector through targeted upgrades to irrigation infrastructure and farmer capacity building. The National Irrigation Technology Directorate (TNR) and the Tobacco Institute of the Dominican Republic (Intabaco) formalized the partnership this week, with shared goals centered on boosting productivity, cutting environmental harm, and embedding long-term sustainability across one of the nation’s top agricultural export industries.

    Under the terms of the agreement, TNR will take the lead on delivering specialized technical expertise and hands-on training for tobacco producers. This training will cover every stage of working with modern pressurized irrigation systems, from initial installation to ongoing operation and routine maintenance, to ensure farmers can leverage these tools effectively long-term. For its part, Intabaco will act as a liaison between independent producers, training opportunities, public and private financing options, and government subsidy programs designed to lower barriers to adopting new irrigation technology.

    A core component of the partnership is the development of on-ground demonstration plots scattered across key tobacco-growing regions of the country. These plots will serve as living test cases, allowing local farmers to see firsthand the performance and benefits of upgraded irrigation systems. They will also give researchers and institutions the opportunity to collect rigorous data on how modern irrigation impacts both total tobacco yields and the overall quality of the harvested crop, providing actionable evidence to guide future sector improvements.

    Dominican agricultural officials project the partnership will deliver far-reaching economic benefits beyond on-farm productivity gains. The Dominican tobacco sector already contributes more than US$1.3 billion to annual national exports, and institutional leaders expect the modernization push to strengthen the sector’s global competitiveness. Crucially, the partnership is also designed to drive widespread adoption of innovative, water-efficient farming practices that align with the country’s broader environmental sustainability goals, creating a balance between economic growth and responsible resource management.

  • Dominican resorts receive multiple 2026 Travvy Award nominations

    Dominican resorts receive multiple 2026 Travvy Award nominations

    The Caribbean tourism hub the Dominican Republic has earned widespread recognition on a global industry stage, scoring multiple nominations across key categories for the 2026 Travvy Awards. Organized by two leading travel industry outlets, TravelPulse and AGENT at HOME, the annual Travvy Awards stand as a prestigious honor that celebrates outstanding achievement and innovation across the global travel sector, shining a spotlight on destinations and hospitality providers that set new standards for visitor experiences.

    Beyond the national-level nominations, a slate of the Dominican Republic’s most elite resorts have also advanced to the final round of competition. The island nation itself is in the running for five high-profile awards: Best Caribbean Destination, Best Caribbean Culinary Destination, Best Caribbean Wedding and Honeymoon Destination, Best Caribbean Tourism Board, and Best Travel Agent Academy Program. These nominations span every core pillar of the Dominican Republic’s tourism strategy, from its world-famous cuisine to its status as a top romantic getaway and its investment in industry training for travel professionals.

    Four of the country’s newest hospitality offerings — Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa, The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort, W Punta Cana Adult All-Inclusive, and Zemi Miches All-Inclusive Resort — have been named finalists for Best New Hotel in the Caribbean. Another well-established property, Club Med Punta Cana, picked up a nomination for Best Hotel Renovation for its recent guest-focused upgrades. Two of the nation’s top all-inclusive resorts, Cayo Levantado Resort and Sanctuary Cap Cana, are also competing for the coveted title of Best All-Inclusive Overall.

    Industry stakeholders and the public alike can cast their votes for the nominated destinations and properties through September 4. The full list of winners will be formally revealed on November 5 during an awards ceremony hosted at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center in Florida, capping off the annual selection process for one of travel’s most respected award programs.

  • Private clinics announce service suspension for Primera ARS and ARS Futuro patients

    Private clinics announce service suspension for Primera ARS and ARS Futuro patients

    Starting July 14, hundreds of private medical facilities across the Dominican Republic will halt a wide range of routine medical services for patients covered by two of the country’s largest health insurers, Primera ARS and ARS Futuro. The unprecedented service suspension, announced by the National Association of Private Clinics and Hospitals (ANDECLIP), will remain in place indefinitely until the long-running reimbursement dispute between the two sides is resolved.

    ANDECLIP president Rafael Mena confirmed that the controversial move was approved by leaders of roughly 130 private health centers after months of unproductive talks to raise insurer reimbursement tariffs. Mena explained that current payment rates set by the insurers have not kept pace with skyrocketing operational costs across the Dominican private healthcare sector. These growing costs span every core part of clinical operations, from electricity and water utility bills to imported medical supplies, routine equipment maintenance, and competitive staff salaries that have had to be adjusted to match rising inflation across the country. Under the current payment structure, Mena added, private providers are losing money on every patient covered by the two insurers, making continued full service unsustainable.

    Crucially, ANDECLIP has emphasized that life-saving care will not be interrupted amid the dispute. Emergency department services and intensive care unit admissions will remain fully operational for all patients, regardless of their insurance provider. However, the suspension will impact nearly all non-urgent care, including routine scheduled doctor consultations, laboratory and imaging diagnostic tests, elective surgical procedures, and other pre-planned medical services. The association has issued a public advisory urging patients covered by Primera ARS and ARS Futuro to confirm their appointment status directly with their chosen clinic and their insurance provider before arriving to seek non-emergency care.

    The Dominican regulatory body for social security patients, the General Directorate of Information and Defense of Social Security Affiliates (DIDA), has already responded to the announcement, calling for an urgent negotiated resolution that avoids harm to patients. DIDA warned that it will not hesitate to pursue formal legal action against any party that violates the constitutionally guaranteed right to health for Dominican affiliates. As of ANDECLIP’s public announcement, none of the key parties on the other side of the dispute – Primera ARS, ARS Futuro, and the national social health insurance supervisor SISALRIL – have issued any public comment on the planned service suspension.

  • Aircraft makes emergency landing in Haiti; no fatalities reported

    Aircraft makes emergency landing in Haiti; no fatalities reported

    On Wednesday, a small ZED Airlines aircraft registered as HI-1056 in the Dominican Republic was forced to conduct an unscheduled emergency landing in Haiti’s Lafito region, the carrier has officially confirmed. The flight, which was traveling between Haiti’s second-largest city Cap-Haïtien and its capital Port-au-Prince, involved a single-engine Cessna 402B model that carried only three people: one certified pilot and two passengers.

    Contrary to many emergency aviation incidents that result in severe harm or loss of life, this event ended with no fatalities or reported serious injuries among the plane’s occupants. Immediately after the aircraft touched down safely in the Lafito area, all three people on board were provided with on-site medical evaluations and support by response teams, as confirmed by airline representatives.

    As of the latest update from ZED Airlines, the root cause that triggered the emergency landing has not been officially identified. The company announced that it has partnered with national Haitian aviation authorities to deploy a joint investigation team made up of the airline’s own senior technical specialists and independent regulatory officials. This team will carry out a full, detailed review of all available evidence, including flight data, aircraft maintenance records, and pilot statements, to clarify exactly what led to the unexpected incident.

  • Public Health expands rapid tuberculosis testing with two new GeneXpert systems

    Public Health expands rapid tuberculosis testing with two new GeneXpert systems

    SANTO DOMINGO – The Dominican Republic has taken a major step forward in its fight against tuberculosis, upgrading the national public health system’s detection capabilities with the addition of two cutting-edge GeneXpert molecular diagnostic devices. This expansion brings the total number of these advanced testing tools in the country’s public health network to 36, covering communities across all regions of the nation.

    The two new systems were purchased with an investment of 3.38 million Dominican pesos, a strategic allocation of public health funding aimed at closing gaps in rapid TB diagnostics. Unlike traditional testing methods that can take days to deliver results, these molecular platforms can deliver an accurate tuberculosis diagnosis in mere hours. Critically, they can also rapidly identify strains of the disease that are resistant to first-line drug treatments, a breakthrough that removes long delays in connecting patients to appropriate care. By enabling earlier initiation of targeted treatment, the new equipment is expected to slow community transmission of the bacteria and improve long-term patient outcomes.

    Dominican Republic Minister of Public Health Víctor Atallah emphasized that expanding access to this high-end diagnostic technology is a cornerstone of the government’s work to improve early TB detection, which is widely recognized as the most effective intervention to curb the spread of the disease. Atallah noted that the expanded nationwide network of devices moves the country closer to its official public health goal of fully eliminating tuberculosis within its borders. Public health authorities also highlighted that the broader distribution of GeneXpert systems will improve equitable access to rapid, extremely accurate testing for at-risk populations in both urban centers and rural areas that previously faced longer wait times for results.

    This upgrade is an integrated component of the Dominican government’s comprehensive national strategy to strengthen every stage of tuberculosis care, from primary prevention and early diagnosis to targeted treatment and long-term patient follow-up. The national approach is fully aligned with the global tuberculosis elimination targets set by the World Health Organization, supporting international efforts to reduce TB incidence and mortality worldwide.

  • Renowned Dominican architect Cuqui Batista dies at 100

    Renowned Dominican architect Cuqui Batista dies at 100

    The Dominican Ministry of Culture has confirmed the passing of one of the nation’s most celebrated architectural figures, Francisco Manuel “Cuqui” Batista Bisonó, who died at the age of 100. Tributes have poured in from across the country’s cultural and political sectors, honoring the decades of transformative work that cemented his status as a cornerstone of Dominican architectural history.

    Widely regarded as the most influential architect in modern Dominican history, Batista built a portfolio of work that redefined the country’s urban landscape. Among his most iconic creations is the Palace of Fine Arts, a cultural landmark that remains a central hub for arts and performance in the Dominican Republic decades after its completion. Beyond his signature work, Batista contributed his expertise to a string of high-impact national projects, including the Livestock City Stadium, the former Supreme Court of Justice building, and the national headquarters of the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC). Each of these structures carries Batista’s distinct design sensibilities and has become a familiar part of daily life for Dominicans.

    Over the course of his century-long life and decades-long professional career, Batista earned widespread recognition for his contributions to Dominican culture and design. One of the most notable honors came in 2006, when he was officially named the “Living Heritage of Dominican Architecture” in acknowledgment of his ongoing impact and commitment to the field. Dominican cultural authorities note that Batista’s legacy will not fade with his passing. Instead, his body of work—particularly the landmark buildings that dot the nation’s cities—will continue to shape the Dominican Republic’s architectural and cultural identity for generations to come, standing as a permanent testament to his vision and skill.

  • Police probe viral video of officer slapping man

    Police probe viral video of officer slapping man

    A viral video of a police officer striking a restrained man during a high-profile international basketball game featuring the Bahamas National Team has sparked widespread public outrage and triggered an internal investigation by the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF). Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Rolle has publicly stated that the RBPF does not tolerate the inappropriate conduct captured in the footage, which spread rapidly across social media platforms in the hours after Monday night’s game.

    The incident unfolded at a crowded gymnasium venue, where police had been called to intervene in a spectator altercation in the bleachers. Video footage shows two officers detaining the man in question: one officer holds both of the man’s wrists to restrain him, while a second officer in khaki uniform conducts a pat-down search of the man’s clothing. Seconds after the search begins, the uniformed officer slaps the man hard across the face, a move that prompts an immediate audible gasp from nearby spectators watching the confrontation.

    Prior to police arrival, the same man was filmed being attacked by multiple other spectators during the stands altercation, according to additional footage circulating online. Still, the use of force against an already restrained individual has drawn sharp criticism from social media users, many of whom have raised broader questions about excessive use of force by Bahamian law enforcement, particularly at an international event that was being watched by audiences outside the country.

    Online commentary has been uniformly critical of the officer’s actions. One user highlighted the awkward position of the incident on a global public stage, while another argued that the slap reflected a pattern of routine physical abuse among some members of the national police force. A third commentator noted that the officer involved appeared to be a senior member of the force, making the unprofessional conduct even more unacceptable given that the man posed no obvious threat while being held by a second officer.

    ACP Rolle confirmed that the RBPF’s Complaints and Corruption Unit has taken charge of the investigation into the incident. Speaking to reporters, he emphasized that the behavior shown in the video does not align with RBPF standards, saying, “It’s not something that we condone.” He declined to share additional details about the incident or the officer involved, noting that an open investigation requires fairness to all parties involved. Once the internal inquiry is complete, Rolle said investigative findings will be passed to the Commissioner of Police, who will review the full case file and determine what disciplinary or other action is appropriate.

  • Dominican Republic granted over 60,000 residency permits to Haitians since 2018

    Dominican Republic granted over 60,000 residency permits to Haitians since 2018

    Newly released government open data from the Dominican Republic reveals a striking dual approach to Haitian migration, as the Caribbean nation has approved more than 60,000 legal residency permits for Haitian citizens between 2018 and 2026 while carrying out large-scale deportation campaigns for undocumented migrants.

    According to figures from the Dominican central government’s Open Data portal, Haiti outranks every other country for the number of residency approvals granted to its nationals over the eight-year period. In total, 60,306 Haitian applicants received authorization to reside legally in the Dominican Republic, averaging 6,701 permits per year – or roughly 558 approved applications each month. The public database does not currently break down this total by residency type, leaving it unclear how many of the approvals were for temporary, permanent, or definitive legal status.

    These official residency numbers stand in sharp contrast to the Dominican government’s widely reported intensified immigration enforcement actions. Since 2024 alone, Dominican authorities have repatriated roughly 670,500 undocumented Haitian nationals, with the first six months of 2026 accounting for more than a quarter of that total at 196,321 deportations.

    The seemingly contradictory policies stem from the ongoing crisis gripping Haiti, which has been gripped by worsening political instability, prolonged economic collapse, and a deepening humanitarian emergency for years. These overlapping crises have pushed hundreds of thousands of Haitians to cross the border into the Dominican Republic in search of safety, work, and better living conditions. In response, the Dominican government has simultaneously pursued two separate paths: expanding targeted deportation operations to remove migrants without legal status, while continuing to operate established legal residency programs that grant approval to qualifying Haitian applicants.