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  • UWI to host first international undergraduate leadership and entrepreneurship conference in September

    UWI to host first international undergraduate leadership and entrepreneurship conference in September

    The University of the West Indies (UWI) is set to mark a historic milestone for global undergraduate education this September, with the launch of its inaugural International Undergraduate Student Leadership Conference and Entrepreneurship Exhibition (IUSLCEE). Scheduled to run from September 23 to 25, 2026, the three-day gathering will be hosted at UWI’s Regional Headquarters in Jamaica, and organized by the institution’s Office of the Board for Undergraduate Studies, according to an official UWI press statement.

    A first-of-its-kind initiative for the regional higher education institution, the IUSLCEE will adopt a hybrid access model that eliminates geographic barriers, enabling student participants from every corner of the globe to join either in person at the Jamaica venue or remotely via digital platforms.

    Centered on the overarching theme “Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s World, Towards 2050: Imagining Roles, Rights, Responsibilities and Relationships,” the conference is crafted to uplift and empower undergraduate learners by creating a dedicated global platform for three core activities: sharing original academic research, showcasing early-stage entrepreneurial projects, and facilitating critical dialogues around modern leadership and global citizenship.

    UWI confirmed that both event registration and content submission portals are now open to eligible students. The core mission of the gathering is to bring together undergraduate learners across diverse academic disciplines, fostering cross-disciplinary idea exchange and collaborative development of solutions that can deliver tangible, positive impact to communities worldwide.

    Professor Canute Thompson, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies and Chairman of the conference, noted that opportunities for undergraduates to present their academic work and entrepreneurial ideas outside traditional classroom settings are often scarce. “This conference changes that, centring student voice and building bridges to graduate studies, industry, and community,” Thompson explained.

    The full conference program will include a diverse lineup of activities tailored to student needs: student-led research presentations, the public entrepreneurship exhibition, moderated panel discussions with industry and academic leaders, and structured one-on-one and group mentoring opportunities that connect participating students with experienced leaders across academia, private industry, and civil society. Students can choose to take part in the event in three different capacities — as presenters, general attendees, or event volunteers — regardless of whether they join in person or online.

    Event organizers have set a target of attracting at least 200 total participants, alongside approximately 30 accepted student research presentations. Preliminary outreach indicates expected attendance and representation from higher education institutions across the Caribbean, Latin America, the United States, Canada, and Europe.

    Beyond providing a presentation platform, the conference carries three core long-term objectives: to foster a culture of undergraduate research across regional and global institutions, to advance student innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, and to strengthen the development of civic-minded leadership among young learners. It also aims to equip students with the connections and preparation they need for successful graduate study and competitive entry into the global workforce. Crucially, it creates structured space for students to build lasting professional networks with mentors, industry practitioners, and peer learners from across the world.

    Currently, UWI is actively accepting submissions for both research papers and entrepreneurship exhibition proposals. All applicants are required to submit a concise abstract of no more than 300 words, which outlines their research topic, core objectives, methodological approach, and key preliminary findings — or for entrepreneurs, a clear overview of their proposed business or social venture.

    All submissions and exhibits are required to align with the conference’s overarching 2050-focused theme. Eligible topic areas include innovation for sustainable development, global digital transformation, social entrepreneurship, student leadership development, and measurable community impact. The final deadline for all submissions is September 3, 2026.

    General conference registration is also open to interested students. Additional information about registration procedures, abstract submission guidelines, and entrepreneurship exhibition proposal requirements is available directly from the Office of the Board for Undergraduate Studies. Interested parties may also contact Conference Secretariat Chair Ms. Karen Smith via email at [email protected] or by telephone at 876-970-0244, with full updated details published on the official UWI conference website.

  • China investeert SRD 245 miljoen in verdere landbouwontwikkeling in Saramacca

    China investeert SRD 245 miljoen in verdere landbouwontwikkeling in Saramacca

    On July 7, a landmark agricultural cooperation agreement was signed between Suriname’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV) and China’s Jiangxi Ganliang Co., Ltd., launching the second phase of the China Aid Agriculture Technical Assistance Project in Suriname’s Saramacca district.

    The 245 million Surinamese dollar initiative is fully funded through China’s official foreign aid program, carrying forward three more years of collaborative agricultural development work between the two nations that delivered tangible progress in the first phase. Minister Mike Noersalim represented the Surinamese ministry at the signing ceremony, while Jiangxi Ganliang Co., Ltd. was represented by Zheng Junjie.

    Building on the outcomes of the first phase of cooperation in Saramacca, the second phase of the project will focus on several key areas of agricultural innovation and capacity building. Core work includes the breeding and research of new field crop varieties, specifically corn and soybeans. Researchers will also develop and screen improved varieties of high-value fruits and vegetables, including dragon fruit, citrus, muskmelon, and watermelon.

    A major component of the new phase will center on Juncao technology, a sustainable Chinese agricultural innovation that uses grass as a growing substrate for edible and medicinal mushroom cultivation, with additional potential for other cutting-edge agricultural applications. The project will carry out technical research, open-air demonstration activities, and targeted skills training for local agricultural workers at a 4-hectare project site in Tijgerkreek, Saramacca.

    Over the three-year implementation period, the program aims to train 900 local participants in total. It will host 18 separate 10-day training courses that combine hands-on practical instruction with theoretical learning, accommodating 50 participants per course. Beyond local training, 30 selected participants will also get the opportunity to attend advanced further training in China to deepen their technical expertise.

  • Women speak out after Dezral apologises over shared ‘voyeuristic images’

    Women speak out after Dezral apologises over shared ‘voyeuristic images’

    A major scandal has unfolded in Saint Lucia’s cultural community, as three women have come forward with shocking allegations against Dezral Long, the current holder of the coveted Power and Calypso Monarch title and 2025 Road March champion, accusing him of secretly capturing voyeuristic images of them in public and sharing the explicit photos in a large X adult content community.

    The women, all unaware their photos had been taken and distributed until one discovered her image online by chance, shared their account of the ordeal in a joint official statement provided to local media outlet St Lucia Times. After the initial discovery, the group began investigating the account responsible for the posts, and uncovered even more non-consensual images of other women in their friend circle — none of whom had given permission for their photos to be captured or shared. One of the affected women was a tourist visiting Saint Lucia, who told reporters her planned relaxing vacation was instead ruined by the traumatic violation.

    The images, which were first brought to public attention via leaked censored screenshots shared by an Instagram user, reportedly focus explicitly on women’s intimate lower body areas, often taken from behind. The screenshots link the account that posted the images, @juliusintuition, to Long, with evidence of account activity stretching back to 2021. The account was part of an X adult community that boasts more than 110,000 members.

    Following the circulation of the screenshots, Long issued a public apology via his Instagram Stories, taking full accountability for his actions. In the brief statement, he wrote: “This is a public apology to [names omitted] for snapping and posting voyeuristic images of them to a public forum. It’s abhorrent and I take full accountability and consequence. Also apologizing to all friends, family and business for being involved in such a situation. I hope I can be forgiven. Thank you for your time.”

    Beyond the immediate harm done to the women who have come forward, the group says they are deeply concerned that dozens more unknowing women may have their own non-consensual images posted on the platform. All affected women have reported ongoing feelings of violation, intense anxiety, disgust, and deep embarrassment in the wake of the discovery. One victim, who does not even reside in Saint Lucia, saw her leisure vacation to the island turn into a traumatic experience that has left her long distressed.

    In their full statement, the women emphasized that their decision to speak out publicly is not intended to stir up unnecessary drama, but to push for meaningful accountability and draw attention to a pattern of behavior that demands serious intervention. “Women should be able to enjoy a day out, attend events, or even visit our island on vacation without worrying that someone may secretly photograph them and share those images online for sexual purposes,” the statement read.

    Long, who also works full-time as a school teacher, is currently scheduled to defend his two cultural titles at upcoming national competitions: the National Soca Monarch contest on July 10, and the National Calypso Monarch competition on July 11. St Lucia Times has attempted to reach out to Long for additional comment beyond his initial apology, but has not received any response as of press time. The women have confirmed they have compiled screenshots and other supporting evidence linking the account to Long, and are calling for a full, thorough official investigation into the incident that matches the severity of the allegations.

  • GASA and Ministry of Sports celebrate 2026 School Swimming Championships

    GASA and Ministry of Sports celebrate 2026 School Swimming Championships

    The Grenada Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), in formal collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Sports, has wrapped up two days of thrilling competitive action at the Good hope Swimming Pool, bringing the 2026 annual school aquatics season to a successful close. The Inter-Primary Swimming Championship took place on July 1, 2026, followed a day later by the widely anticipated Inter-Collegiate Swimming Championship, marking the end of the academic year with a showcase of young athletic excellence across the island.

    This year’s tournaments drew widespread participation from student swimmers representing communities across Grenada. A total of 12 primary schools entered competitors in the opening Inter-Primary meet, while seven secondary and tertiary institutions battled for top honors in the collegiate division. Beyond the excitement of race-day competition, the two-day event highlighted the grit, technical skill, and unwavering sportsmanship that define the island’s emerging generation of swimmers.

    When the final scores were tallied, Alpha Junior School made history by claiming both the boys’ and girls’ overall championship titles in the Inter-Primary division, capping off an undefeated performance across all race categories. In the Inter-Collegiate meet, Presentation Brothers’ College took home the men’s overall crown, while St Joseph’s Convent based in St George’s secured the women’s championship title.

    For decades, these annual national school championships have served as a critical foundation for aquatic sports development in Grenada, acting as a scouting platform to identify promising young talent and give emerging competitors a clear pathway to advance into elite competitive swimming and eventually earn a spot on the country’s national swimming team.

    Nataly Regis, president of GASA, shared her enthusiastic outlook on the future of swimming in Grenada in a post-event statement. “It is truly incredible to see how far swimming has grown in our country year after year,” Regis said. “We are seeing more schools add swimming programs to their athletic offerings, and every meet brings out new young athletes with extraordinary untapped potential. What makes this moment even more exciting is that construction is currently underway on Grenada’s first-ever Olympic-standard competition swimming pool, which will usher in a completely new chapter for aquatics here.”

    Regis emphasized that the new purpose-built facility will unlock unprecedented opportunities for local athlete training, allow Grenada to host larger regional and international competitions, and boost the country’s profile as a competitive swimming contender on the global stage. “We are incredibly optimistic about what comes next, and we can’t wait to welcome more schools and more young swimmers to these annual championships in the years ahead,” she added.

    GASA also extended formal gratitude to every group and individual that contributed to the 2026 event’s success, including competing swimmers, coaching staff, school teachers, event officials, volunteer organizers, and family supporters. GASA noted that the consistent dedication and backing from these stakeholders has been instrumental in growing swimming participation across all levels of Grenadian society.

    The association further reaffirmed its appreciation for the Ministry of Sports’ long-standing partnership, which has been key to establishing the school swimming championships as a staple fixture on Grenada’s national youth sports calendar.

    With the 2026 season now successfully concluded, GASA has already turned its focus to 2027, with plans to expand participation across both divisions and advance its core mission of identifying, nurturing, and developing the next generation of elite Grenadian swimmers.

  • PM Browne Rejects Claims Government Blocked Cassada Gardens Redevelopment

    PM Browne Rejects Claims Government Blocked Cassada Gardens Redevelopment

    A public dispute over the fate of the EC$30 million Cassada Gardens Racetrack redevelopment project has prompted Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne to set the record straight on the government’s position, emphasizing that the administration has not blocked the project itself – only a controversial request to exempt the foreign investor from a mandatory industry levy.

    The controversy erupted after the Antigua Turf Club issued a public statement claiming that negotiations over the revitalization initiative had collapsed, citing an unresolved impasse between the government and the unnamed foreign investor over a key concession demand. In response, Browne published a detailed official statement on Tuesday, breaking down the package of incentives the government has already approved to demonstrate its ongoing support for upgrading the public racetrack facility.

    Per Browne’s account, the administration has already delivered substantial financial breaks to the investor, including a full decade-long corporate tax holiday and the approval of a casino license, alongside other tailored concessions. The sole sticking point, the prime minister explained, is the investor’s last-minute demand to waive the statutory 8% gaming fee that all licensed gaming and racetrack operators in the country are legally required to remit to the government.

    Browne argued that approving the requested exemption would fundamentally undermine fair competition across Antigua and Barbuda’s growing gaming sector, creating an unfair advantage for the foreign backer that would put existing local and compliant operators at a disadvantage. “To waive it would give them an unfair advantage and we declined their offer,” Browne noted, pushing back against widespread narratives that the government had outright rejected the redevelopment project. He questioned the logic of framing the refusal of one specific concession as a total withdrawal of support, asking, “How does that translate into the government not supporting the project?”

    The prime minister also outlined a clear alternative path forward for the initiative, noting that if the project can only move forward with the unfair tax exemption, the government is prepared to redirect the full package of concessions to a local operator instead. “If the foreign investor is depending on that tax waiver to develop the facility, we rather give the concession to a local operator, including the Turf Club itself,” Browne said.

    Closing his statement, Browne reaffirmed the government’s red line on fiscal responsibility, stressing that the administration will not approve concessions that erode public tax revenue beyond what is considered reasonable and fair for the Antiguan public. “No plundering and bartering of government’s tax revenue will be entertained,” he wrote.

    For its part, the Antigua Turf Club has defended the requested concession, arguing that the exemption is a core component of the project’s financial model, which is structured to reinvest all available funds back into upgrading the publicly owned racetrack rather than allowing capital to flow out of the initiative. The club has not walked away from negotiations, confirming that it is preparing an updated proposal to submit to the government and expressing hope that constructive discussions can resume in the near future.

  • Family awaiting justice as 21-year-old shooting victim remains in vegetative state

    Family awaiting justice as 21-year-old shooting victim remains in vegetative state

    More than six weeks after a 21-year-old Saint Lucian woman was gunned down in the Bois d’Orange neighborhood, her grieving family is grappling with an unbearable tragedy: the young woman, Kiokya “Kiki” Inglis, remains trapped in a vegetative state, her future irrevocably altered in a single night of violence.

    With the full consent of Inglis’ family, local anti-violence advocacy organization Voices Beyond Violence has stepped forward to share graphic, unflinching details of the young woman’s condition. The group’s goal is twofold: to jolt the public into recognizing the catastrophic harm of gender-based violence across the island, and to pressure authorities and communities to keep this high-stakes case from fading from public view.

    The shooting unfolded on the night of June 4, 2026, when Inglis was shot multiple times before being rushed by emergency responders to the Owen King European Union Hospital. Upon arrival, she was categorized as critically injured. The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force initially confirmed that one suspect had been taken into custody shortly after the incident; that number has since risen to two people held in connection with the attack, though the full sequence of events and ultimate assignment of responsibility remains under official investigation. As Voices Beyond Violence representative Angel Foster emphasized when speaking with local outlet St Lucia Times, only law enforcement investigators and the judicial system can reach a definitive conclusion on what occurred and who is legally accountable.

    Foster laid out the devastating scope of Inglis’ injuries for the public: she was shot in the head, abdomen, and spine, leaving her completely dependent on medical intervention for basic survival. Diagnosed in a persistent vegetative state by her treating physicians, Inglis requires a feeding tube to receive nutrition, cannot walk, cannot initiate independent movement, and is unable to speak. While medical teams are preparing to discharge her from the hospital in the coming weeks, Foster confirmed that her condition remains extraordinarily serious, and doctors cannot offer any guarantee of long-term improvement or recovery.

    The harm of the attack extends far beyond Inglis herself, tearing through her entire family. Her parents, sister, and closest friend have all been left shattered by the sudden turn of events. Foster shared that the family describes themselves as “devastated and heartbroken,” noting that even speaking about Kiki’s condition is an almost unbearable burden.

    Beyond fighting for Kiki’s care and visibility, the family is demanding formal justice. They want local law enforcement and judicial authorities to acknowledge the severe gravity of the attack, and they hope sharing their story will draw renewed attention to the repeated crisis of gender-based violence in Saint Lucia. Foster also voiced frustration that the case has garnered far less public and media attention than it warrants, pointing out that the shooting occurred just two weeks after another high-profile fatal act of gender-based violence: the May 20 killing of 24-year-old Joy St Omer, whose estranged husband currently faces murder charges for her death.

    “It is shocking that what happened to Kiki came only a fortnight after Joy’s death,” Foster said. “We are deeply disappointed that this pattern of violence against women keeps repeating itself on our island.”

    Voices Beyond Violence has committed to continuing its advocacy work on three core fronts: pushing for stronger legal and social protections for women across Saint Lucia, demanding consistent accountability and justice for survivors and victims of gender-based violence, and building broader public awareness of the scope of the crisis. For their part, Kiki’s family continues to hold out hope for a medical miracle, but they are asking the public to not let the public forget what happened to their daughter — a young woman whose life changed in an instant, and whose future now hangs precariously in the balance.

  • Grenada secures 7 medals at 2026 OECS Championships

    Grenada secures 7 medals at 2026 OECS Championships

    After a nine-year hiatus, the sub-regional ANOCES OECS Senior Track and Field Championships returned in 2026, hosted in Basseterre, St Kitts. Among the competing nations, the tri-island Caribbean state of Grenada fielded a compact but highly effective 8-athlete delegation that defied its small size to deliver a historic, medal-laden performance that cemented the nation’s standing as a competitive force in Eastern Caribbean track and field.

    What stood out most about Grenada’s campaign was not just the medal count, but the unprecedented wave of facility records broken across four different events. Multiple athletes delivered career-best performances that rewrote the host venue’s record books, marking one of the nation’s strongest outings at a senior regional athletics competition in recent memory.

    Fresh off claiming the NJCAA national title in the United States, rising star Suerena Alexander kicked off Grenada’s gold medal run with a win in the women’s javelin. Her winning throw of 48.51 meters shattered the existing facility record, coming within just 1.84 meters of Candesha Scott’s 2016 OECS Championships all-meet record of 50.35 meters. Alexander did not stop there: on the second day of competition, she added a bronze medal to her haul with a 13.28-meter throw in the women’s shot put.

    Post-collegiate standout Gamali Felix claimed Grenada’s second individual gold in the men’s 400-meter dash, stopping the clock at a blistering 45.94 seconds to take the title and notch another new facility record. This victory marked the first time Grenada has claimed gold in the men’s 400-meter event since the modern iteration of the OECS Championships was added to the sub-regional athletics calendar. Felix would go on to contribute a second gold later in the meet as part of the mixed 4x400m relay squad.

    In the women’s long jump, Brinel Thomas delivered a clutch performance to secure Grenada’s third individual gold, leaping 5.48 meters to claim the title and the event’s third facility record of the championships for Grenada.

    The final race of the meet brought Grenada its fourth gold, as the mixed 4x400m relay quartet of Cheffonia Houston, Matthew Paul, Keishawna Phillip, and Gamali Felix put on a masterclass of coordinated racing to dominate the field. Their finishing time of 3:27.60 set a fourth new facility record, missing the 2023 senior national record of 3:27.22 by a mere 0.38 seconds in a near-miss for the history books.

    Beyond the gold medal performances, Grenada athletes added three additional bronze medals to round out the final standings. In the men’s javelin, Jayvonni Neckles threw 56.61 meters to finish third, behind gold medalist Malique Francis of Antigua & Barbuda, who set a new national junior record with a 66.11-meter throw. On the final day of competition, Cheffonia Houston pulled off a rare triple of events: after placing sixth in the open women’s 400-meter with a time of 57.61 seconds, she claimed bronze in the women’s long jump with a 4.51-meter leap, before turning in a brilliant lead-off leg to anchor the mixed relay squad to gold.

    Grenada’s sprinters also turned in solid performances in the individual short sprints: Keishawna Phillip clocked 12.11 seconds to finish sixth in the competitive women’s 100-meter dash, while teammate Shade John placed eighth with a 12.38-second run. The pair were slated to join Thomas and Houston to contest the women’s 4x100m relay, but meet organizers ultimately called off the event before it could be held.

    With every athlete entered in competition delivering points or podium finishes, Grenada completed the championships with a 100% conversion rate from its small roster. The successful outing builds critical momentum for the nation’s senior track and field athletes as they prepare for the major competitions that make up the peak of the 2026 summer athletic calendar.

  • 2026 Sonia Boddie Promising Youth Leader Scholarships Awarded

    2026 Sonia Boddie Promising Youth Leader Scholarships Awarded

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – July 7, 2026 – A decades-long commitment to nurturing young community leaders reached a meaningful milestone Tuesday, as two local graduating primary school students were named the 2026 recipients of the Sonia Boddie Promising Youth Leader Scholarship.

    At an intimate ceremony hosted at Edgar T. Morris Primary School in the coastal Tabernacle Village, benefactor Sonia Boddie-Thompson officially awarded certificates and monetary grants to the two new honorees, Tanella Welcome and Josiah Finch. The award is designed specifically to support students transitioning from primary to secondary education, covering early education costs including school uniforms, textbooks and other learning supplies.

    For Boddie-Thompson, this year’s award cycle carries extra personal significance. Tuesday’s ceremony fell 30 years to the period after she graduated as valedictorian from the same campus, which was known as Tabernacle Primary School at the time of her graduation. The institution, she says, was foundational in shaping her personal and professional growth, and launching her scholarship initiative 13 years ago was her way of giving back to the community that lifted her up.

    “This is the thirteenth year that I have been awarding this scholarship, and I am extremely happy to be able to continue providing this assistance to deserving students,” Boddie-Thompson shared during the event. “This year is particularly special because it marks 30 years since I graduated as valedictorian of this school… which has played a significant role in shaping the woman I have become. It is therefore my prayer that this scholarship will motivate the awardees to continue striving for excellence and inspire them to pay it forward one day.”

    Boddie-Thompson went on to reaffirm her unwavering commitment to supporting the school and its students, saying she intends to continue funding and awarding the annual scholarship for the rest of her life.

    Dale Phipps, principal of Edgar T. Morris Primary School, extended his gratitude to Boddie-Thompson for her consistent generosity and long-standing collaborative partnership with the school. Since the scholarship was first launched in 2014, it has now provided financial assistance to 36 local students making the critical transition to secondary education, removing financial barriers that could otherwise hinder their academic progress.

    This report is based on a press release submitted to SKNVibes.com; the outlet has not edited original content for spelling or grammar, and the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of SKNVibes.com or its partners.

  • DAT president encourages teachers to lead with courage and embrace innovation during summer training

    DAT president encourages teachers to lead with courage and embrace innovation during summer training

    As the Caribbean nation of Dominica prepares for the start of a new academic year in September, hundreds of educators have gathered for the annual Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT) Summer Training Institute, a two-week professional development event designed to equip teaching professionals with the skills and motivation needed to meet the evolving demands of 21st-century education.

    The opening ceremony of this year’s institute was held on Monday at the Convent High School Auditorium, where top DAT leadership urged participating teachers to approach the program as more than a passive training requirement — framing it as a transformative opportunity to reignite their professional passion and recommit to their core mission of supporting student success.

    Mervin Alexander, President of the DAT, opened the event by challenging attendees to move beyond the role of passive listeners during the two weeks of workshops and collaborative sessions. In his opening address, he called on educators to actively engage with new concepts, exchange insights with fellow teachers, and draw on their own classroom experiences to enrich group discussions.

    “I urge you teachers, [during these] two weeks, do not be impassive listeners through this workshop,” Alexander told the gathered crowd. “Challenge the ideas presented, collaborate with the colleague sitting next to you, [and] share your brilliant successes.”

    Alexander encouraged participants to leave the institute with a renewed sense of professional purpose, urging them to build on the training to bring fresh energy to their classrooms when the new school year kicks off. He emphasized that students across the country are counting on educators to return ready to drive meaningful, positive change in their learning journeys. “Live these two weeks with a renewed vow: a vow to teach with passion, to lead with courage and to innovate without fear,” he said. “Build that version right here, starting today.”

    This year’s institute centers on the intentional theme: “Empowering Educators for Inclusive, Innovative, and Effective Teaching and Leadership.” DAT Treasurer Kathleen Cornelius explained in her address that the theme was chosen to reflect the shifting requirements of modern education, and the critical role that continuous learning plays in maintaining a strong, equitable national education system.

    Cornelius noted that as the education landscape continues to evolve to meet changing student needs, educators must also grow their skills and approaches to keep pace. Today’s dynamic classrooms require more than just strong mastery of subject content, she explained: modern teachers must also be prepared to embrace new teaching methodologies, foster inclusive learning environments that support every student, integrate educational technology into daily instruction, lead with confidence, and inspire learners to reach their full potential.

    Against this backdrop, Cornelius argued that ongoing professional development is no longer an optional add-on for teaching professionals — it is a non-negotiable requirement to deliver high-quality instruction. “It enables us to refine our practices, strengthen instructional delivery and ultimately improve the learning outcomes for every child entrusted in our care,” she said.

    She confirmed that the DAT designed the 2026 Summer Training Institute specifically to address these changing sector demands, with programming tailored to give teachers the practical tools and mindset shifts needed to thrive in today’s diverse, technology-integrated classrooms.

  • President should decide on public disclosure of assets- PPP Executive Secretary

    President should decide on public disclosure of assets- PPP Executive Secretary

    A heated political debate over asset transparency has erupted in Guyana, centered on claims surrounding President Irfaan Ali’s agricultural holdings and the origin of his investment capital. The controversy first took shape Sunday, when opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed of the A Partnership for National Unity/People’s National Congress Reform (APNU/AFC) made explosive allegations: that President Ali misused his executive office to secure a 150-acre plot of land along the popular Linden-Soesdyke Highway, and poured at least 2 billion Guyanese dollars into the development of the farm. Mohamed has since doubled down on these claims, calling for the president to step down immediately over the alleged improprieties.

    President Ali has forcefully pushed back against all accusations, pushing back on claims that he has hidden the true origin of his investment. He confirmed that the farm is indeed his property, noting this fact has never been kept secret from the Guyanese public. To counter claims of illicit funding, Ali explained that he has already complied with existing ethics rules by submitting all required financial disclosures to the country’s Integrity Commission annually, and his official banking records confirm he used legitimate borrowed capital to fund the agricultural project.

    The clash has drawn comment from the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), with the party’s Executive Secretary Zulfikar Mustapha weighing in on the growing demand for public disclosure of the president’s full asset records. After initially declining to address the issue with Demerara Waves Online News, Mustapha clarified his stance when pressed on whether Ali should authorize the Integrity Commission to release his full financial documents to the public.

    “That is for the President to decide on that,” Mustapha stated, declining to pressure the country’s leader one way or the other on the disclosure question. He did, however, emphasize that the president has already met all legal obligations for financial transparency, noting that annual mandatory disclosures to the Integrity Commission signal the president has no undeclared assets or hidden misconduct to conceal.

    Mustapha’s comments came just under an hour after the main opposition bloc publicly reiterated its position that the president has a clear democratic duty to release his full financial records to the public in order to put all lingering concerns about alleged financial misbehavior to rest. As of Tuesday morning, no final decision on public disclosure has been announced from the president’s office, leaving the Guyanese public waiting for clarity amid intensifying political pressure.