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  • Cabinet Receives People’s Forum and Commonwealth Foundation Presentation on Advancing Antigua and Barbuda’s Creative Economy

    Cabinet Receives People’s Forum and Commonwealth Foundation Presentation on Advancing Antigua and Barbuda’s Creative Economy

    On a Wednesday working session, the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda welcomed a high-level delegation representing the People’s Forum for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the Commonwealth Foundation, who brought forward targeted proposals to boost the Caribbean nation’s creative economy and lay out a long-term strategic development blueprint for the sector.

    The visiting delegation brought together top leadership from both international and local bodies, including Razmi Farook, Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation; Carla Cole, the Foundation’s Deputy Director-General; Renee Robinson, an independent creative industries consultant; and local People’s Forum leaders Senator Abena St. Luce and Samantha Marshall.

    During the presentation to Cabinet, Robinson broke down the untapped economic potential of the creative sector for Antigua and Barbuda, especially as a driver of opportunity for the country’s large youth demographic. She emphasized that while the nation already boasts a dynamic, homegrown creative scene spanning music, arts, festivals and film, targeted upgrades — including formalizing informal activity, updating supportive legislation, rolling out industry incentives, improving national data tracking and expanding institutional backing — could supercharge the sector’s contributions to job creation, foreign direct investment and broad-based gross domestic product growth.

    To illustrate the impact of intentional policy action, the delegation shared successful case studies from peer Caribbean nations that have unlocked massive growth in their creative industries. The Dominican Republic’s booming film sector was held up as a key example: after the government introduced purpose-built legislation, tax incentives and streamlined production registration systems, the country saw a dramatic expansion in local and international film output that generated thousands of new jobs and millions in economic activity. The delegation also pointed to Jamaica, where mandatory formal registration for creative enterprises has correlated with improved revenue and business stability, with the sector now contributing an estimated 5% of the nation’s total GDP.

    A core focus of the discussion was exploring synergies between Antigua and Barbuda’s already world-renowned tourism sector and its emerging creative industries. Participants brainstormed innovative cross-sector projects, including the concept of luxury tourism experiences integrated with music residencies and creative retreats that would draw international A-list artists to the islands, create additional revenue streams for local businesses and boost the nation’s global cultural profile.

    Cabinet members were updated that a national White Paper and detailed implementation roadmap for the creative economy is already in development. The process builds on years of prior stakeholder consultations and industry analysis, and is designed to create a clear pathway for enacting the policy and legislative changes needed to support long-term sector growth.

    In response to the proposal, the Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet publicly welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed the national government’s full commitment to investing in and expanding the country’s creative industries. Cabinet members specifically highlighted strong interest in accessing targeted technical assistance from the Commonwealth Foundation to refine national creative arts policy and strengthen the required enabling legislative framework.

    The Cabinet also noted that Antigua and Barbuda already holds an abundance of homegrown talent across music, film, festivals, visual arts, performing arts and other creative disciplines. With the right support, these sectors are positioned to become a core pillar of economic diversification, creating new formal employment opportunities and fostering youth entrepreneurship across the islands.

    Finally, the Cabinet expressed support for ongoing multi-party collaboration between the national government, the Commonwealth Foundation, the CHOGM 2026 People’s Forum and local creative stakeholders, as Antigua and Barbuda prepares to take on the high-profile responsibility of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

  • Estwick: DLP must prepare new generation of leaders after three 30-0 defeats

    Estwick: DLP must prepare new generation of leaders after three 30-0 defeats

    Barbados’ main opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is standing at a critical crossroads this weekend, as party delegates gather for a three-day annual general conference kicking off Friday to select a new president between two veteran former cabinet ministers, Dr David Estwick and Stephen Lashley. The race comes after the DLP suffered three straight 30-0 general election wipeouts dating back to 2018, leaving the once-dominant party mired in political wilderness and tasked with charting a path to recovery ahead of the next constitutionally mandated election in 2031.

    Both contenders hail from the DLP’s established old guard, but Dr Estwick has positioned his campaign around a platform called Renewal With Purpose, laying out a detailed roadmap for the party’s revival in his official presidential proposition ahead of the vote. In outlining his vision, Dr Estwick, a three-time election contender who represented the St Philip West constituency, pushed back on narratives that the party needs full reinvention, arguing instead that incremental, purpose-driven renewal is the correct path forward. He emphasized that the DLP’s repeated defeats stem from systemic shortcomings in leadership, policy development, public messaging and public confidence in the party’s governing readiness—not a lack of quality among its candidates, a trend he says is borne out by the party’s repeated attempts to field new candidate slates that still ended in total defeat.

    Notably, Dr Estwick rejected the urge to deflect blame for the DLP’s current struggles onto other members or later generations of leadership. Having served as a cabinet minister in the DLP’s 10-year administration that lost power in the 2018 wipeout, he acknowledged shared responsibility for the party’s trajectory. “I therefore cannot, and will not, stand before this party and pretend that responsibility for our present circumstances belongs only to those who came after me. We have all travelled this road together. We must now find the courage to rebuild together,” he said.

    He also stressed that the contest is about more than just filling a party office, telling delegates: “The larger question is: what kind of Democratic Labour Party does Barbados now need, and what must we do together to build it? That is the reason I offer myself for service as president of the Democratic Labour Party.” Dr Estwick added that the DLP must not reduce its purpose to simply defeating the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP), noting that defining itself solely by opposition to its rival would erase the party’s core mission to serve the Barbadian public. “If the sole purpose is to defeat the Barbados Labour Party, then we have defined ourselves by our opponents rather than by the people we exist to serve,” he argued.

    Dr Estwick opened his campaign with a pledge to run a constructive race, committing not to undermine his opponent to win votes and vowing to treat Lashley’s supporters as partners in the broader work of rebuilding the party founded by Errol Barrow, Barbados’ National Hero and Father of Independence. If elected president, he has committed to delivering five core outcomes: uniting the fractious party, restoring its founding purpose, rebuilding its grassroots organizational structure, reestablishing it as a credible alternative government, and nurturing the next generation of DLP leadership.

    On the first priority, party unity, Dr Estwick pledged to foster a new political culture where contribution, ability, commitment and integrity—rather than factional affiliation—determine opportunities for service, adding that internal disagreement should be respected while the party unites behind final decisions. For restoring purpose, he said the DLP must translate its decades-old core values into actionable solutions for modern Barbadian challenges, so that both members and the general public can clearly distinguish the DLP’s approach to national development from other parties.

    On organizational rebuilding, Dr Estwick argued that the DLP has become overly election-focused, noting that a party cannot gain strength on the campaign trail if it is inactive between votes. He pledged to rebuild the party from the grassroots up, empowering local branches, constituency groups and ordinary members, while embedding political education and accountability into the party’s daily operations across the island. To reestablish the DLP as a credible governing alternative, he said the opposition must move beyond merely criticizing the ruling BLP and develop concrete, alternative policy platforms across every major issue affecting Barbadians—from the economy and cost of living to health, education, housing and technology—ultimately positioning the DLP to lead national conversation rather than just react to it.

    Finally, on developing new leadership, Dr Estwick said the success of his presidency would not be measured by how much power he consolidates, but by how well he prepares a new generation of leaders to take the reins after he leaves office. He called on senior party members to act as mentors rather than gatekeepers, noting that experience and youth can complement each other rather than compete. “Younger members must receive genuine responsibility. They must have opportunities to develop political judgement, policy knowledge, organisational skills and constituency experience. Senior members must become mentors rather than gatekeepers. Experience and youth are not opposing forces. The strongest Democratic Labour Party will combine both,” he said.

  • Cabinet Calls for Increased Food Production and Expansion of Agricultural Water Infrastructure

    Cabinet Calls for Increased Food Production and Expansion of Agricultural Water Infrastructure

    Against a backdrop of growing global supply chain volatility and mounting climate-related risks, the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a renewed call to ramp up domestic food production, issuing formal instructions to the country’s Ministry of Agriculture to accelerate work on constructing and restoring critical water storage infrastructure including dams, ponds and other rain catchment facilities. The move is designed to address longstanding water access barriers that have limited agricultural output across the twin-island nation.

    During a regularly scheduled cabinet meeting held Wednesday, members held in-depth deliberations centered on advancing national food security goals. Discussions highlighted an urgent need to boost both the volume and diversity of locally grown food products, while steadily cutting the country’s heavy reliance on imported food staples that leave the nation exposed to global market shocks.

    Honourable Anthony Smith Jr., Minister for Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy, updated attendees on the ministry’s ongoing work. He reported that the agency has already been active in constructing new dams, clearing overgrown sites, and restoring existing ponds and other natural water sources in preparation for upcoming seasonal rainfall, aligning with pre-existing national food security frameworks.

    Cabinet members emphasized that maximizing rainwater capture and storage is a foundational step toward building a far more resilient agricultural sector. This urgency stems from Antigua and Barbuda’s well-documented susceptibility to extended dry spells and unpredictable rainfall patterns tied to shifting global climate conditions, which have repeatedly disrupted small-scale and commercial farming operations in recent years.

    Following these discussions, the Cabinet directed Minister Smith and his team of agricultural technical experts to dramatically scale up the ongoing program of dam and pond construction, while continuing proactive maintenance and restoration work on existing water catchment infrastructure. Beyond water infrastructure, the Ministry has also been ordered to strengthen outreach and support programs designed to empower farmers to bring more idle acreage into active production, and to expand the government’s own targeted food production initiatives.

    The latest directives build on a suite of existing policy measures already being rolled out as part of the government’s overarching national food security strategy. One core long-term goal of this strategy is the development of a interconnected national network that can capture and store far larger volumes of rainwater exclusively for agricultural use. Once completed, the network will deliver a more reliable, low-cost water supply for farmers, and cut the agricultural sector’s reliance on expensive desalinated drinking water for crop irrigation.

    The government’s broader food security agenda also addresses systemic barriers to access for productive agricultural land. Earlier in 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture announced that roughly 150 acres of underutilized farmland had been repossessed for redistribution. Cabinet subsequently approved the allocation of 75 of those acres specifically to new young and women farmers, a targeted initiative designed to put productive land in the hands of producers committed to growing output and boosting local food supplies.

    Additional complementary initiatives already in motion include the development of a state-of-the-art Tissue Culture Laboratory in Bethesda, which will supply local farmers with disease-free, high-yield planting material to improve crop quality and yields. The government is also partnering with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) on a range of projects, including developing improved sweet potato varieties, delivering hands-on farmer training, strengthening national seed security systems, and scaling up climate-resilient agricultural practices across the country.

    Cabinet members stressed that all these policy initiatives must ultimately deliver tangible results for consumers across Antigua and Barbuda, with the end goal of getting larger volumes of fresh, local food into households, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and other consumer outlets. To that end, the government is actively encouraging all local producers to take full advantage of the expanded access to land, upgraded water infrastructure, improved planting materials, technical assistance and other support offered through the Ministry of Agriculture to expand their production operations.

    In closing, the Cabinet reaffirmed that national food security remains one of the government’s top national priorities. Officials noted that expanding domestic agricultural production delivers multiple core benefits: it not only cuts the country’s costly food import bill, which frees up public funds for other critical development priorities, but also strengthens Antigua and Barbuda’s overall resilience against external supply disruptions, extreme climate events, and other interconnected global challenges that have strained food systems across small island developing states in recent years.

    In line with this priority, the Cabinet has formally tasked the Ministry of Agriculture with moving forward aggressively on four core priorities: expanding national agricultural water storage capacity, supporting both existing and new entering farmers, bringing additional underutilized agricultural land into active productive use, and ultimately growing more food to meet the needs of all people across Antigua and Barbuda.

  • Ministry pushes ‘Healthy, Active, Smart’ approach for new school year

    Ministry pushes ‘Healthy, Active, Smart’ approach for new school year

    As the 2024 academic year kicks off across Saint Lucia, the nation’s Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition has launched a public awareness campaign centered on student well-being, calling on parents, teachers, and students themselves to make physical and mental health a non-negotiable top priority. Under the campaign theme “Be Healthy, Active, Smart”, ministry officials outline three interconnected pillars that directly underpin stronger academic performance: balanced nutrition, consistent daily physical activity, and intentional mental health care.

    The ministry emphasizes that academic achievement cannot be separated from student wellness: “Academic success is impossible if a child is carrying unmanaged stress or anxiety.” To build a supportive foundation for learning, the campaign stresses that shared responsibility between families and school communities is critical.

    To help families implement healthy habits on any budget, the ministry encourages parents to prioritize affordable, nutrient-dense options for home meals and student lunchboxes, with a specific recommendation to incorporate local, seasonal produce. For school staff, the ministry outlines simple actionable changes to integrate wellness into daily class routines, starting with short scheduled movement breaks and regular check-ins to track student emotional needs.

    The campaign breaks its guidance into three clear, actionable categories for different members of the school community:

    ### Nutrition Guidelines
    – Pack fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole food items to sustain consistent energy levels throughout the school day, avoiding processed snacks that cause energy crashes
    – Replace sugary sodas and sweetened carbonated drinks with plain water to support long-term physical health and steady focus
    – Leverage local, seasonal produce to keep meals both affordable and nutritionally dense

    ### Physical Activity Recommendations
    – Implement 3-minute “Desk-Buster Brain Breaks” between class periods, giving students space to stand, stretch, and move their bodies to reset focus
    – Encourage all students to join school sports teams or recreational activity clubs, ensuring they get at least some daily movement to counteract long hours of sitting at desks

    ### Mental Well-Being Strategies
    – Ask teachers to use regular homeroom periods to conduct quick, informal wellness check-ins with students to identify emerging stress or anxiety early
    – Advise parents to reduce evening screen time, as excessive blue light exposure disrupts sleep quality, a key factor in emotional regulation and academic focus
    – Encourage students to normalize open communication, urging them to share feelings of stress or overwhelm with trusted teachers, school counselors, or family members

    Ministry leaders reaffirmed that educational institutions play a central role in shaping lifelong healthy habits for young people, through consistent promotion of good nutrition, daily movement, and accessible emotional support. The organization closed by extending warm wishes to all teachers, parents, and students for a safe, productive new school year, and calling on every member of the Saint Lucian school community to work together to ensure the nation’s children grow up healthy, active, and fully prepared to thrive in their learning.

  • $625,200 Investment for Bella Vista’s New Market

    $625,200 Investment for Bella Vista’s New Market

    Groundwork is officially set to begin on a transformative $625,200 community market project in Bella Vista, a community located in Belize’s Toledo District, after stakeholders gathered for a launch workshop to align on project goals and next steps. The initiative, which brings together national government leaders, representatives from the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), and local community members, addresses longstanding gaps in local commercial infrastructure that have held back small-scale producers and vendors for years.

    Currently, the vast majority of informal commercial activity in Bella Vista and its surrounding neighborhoods operates out of unregulated roadside stalls, with no access to basic amenities such as weather shelter, clean sanitation facilities, or on-site security. This setup creates disproportionate hardships for local food producers, who often travel dozens of miles to reach existing formal markets. Spoilage of fresh produce during transit and unprotected on-site storage cuts into already thin profit margins, costing farmers time, revenue, and critical product each growing season.

    CDF representative Kyron Barker highlighted that the project carries unique social importance because of the outsized role women play in the local vending economy. Women make up a large share of Bella Vista’s informal vendors, many of whom are the sole breadwinners for their households and currently work full time in exposed, unprotected roadside conditions with no safety net.

    To address these challenges, the new climate-resilient market will be outfitted with a full suite of functional amenities: purpose-built vendor stalls, off-grid solar power for lighting and small equipment access, a steady supply of potable water, enclosed sanitation facilities, and a structured waste management system. Beyond physical construction, the project also allocates resources for business skills training for local vendors, and will develop a formal community-led management framework to ensure the facility remains operational and accessible for decades after construction wraps.

    Carlos Pol, Chief Executive Officer of Belize’s Ministry of Economic Transformation, emphasized that the project extends far beyond building a new physical structure. The market is intentionally designed to open up new income-generating pathways for a diverse cross-section of local residents, including small-scale farmers, single mother households, young emerging entrepreneurs, and other community members looking to grow their small businesses. Pol noted that the facility is expected to act as a catalyst for broader economic growth across the entire region, not just Bella Vista itself.

    The formal project agreement between the CDF and Belize Prime Minister John Briceño was signed just one week before the launch workshop, on August 20, during a ceremony held in Punta Gorda. The launch workshop, held to kick off implementation, focused specifically on clarifying roles and responsibilities for all participating stakeholders, and locking in the requirements needed to release the first round of project funding without delays. Barker explained that the project leadership’s top priority is establishing clear organizational structures from day one to avoid unnecessary hold-ups during the construction phase.

    Co-financed through a $200,000 grant from the CDF, the project is projected to deliver tangible benefits to more than 10,000 residents across Bella Vista and its neighboring communities once completed, replacing precarious informal roadside commerce with a safe, formal, and sustainable commercial hub for the region.

  • Beckles links Arday’s death to anti-Black racism

    Beckles links Arday’s death to anti-Black racism

    The tragic death of pioneering Black academic Professor Jason Arday has sparked a searing indictment of systemic anti-Black racism in British universities, led by leading higher education leader and racial justice advocate Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI).

    Arday made history in 2023 when he became the youngest Black scholar appointed to a full professorship at the University of Cambridge, taking up the role of Professor of Sociology of Education. The groundbreaking appointment drew global attention, but just a year later, on August 14, the 40-something scholar was found unresponsive at his south London home and pronounced dead at the scene. Police have ruled out suspicious circumstances, and an initial coroner’s inquest held this week was adjourned to allow for further investigation into the death.

    Arday’s death came just nine days after he resigned from his post at Jesus College, Cambridge, facing public accusations of plagiarism and intense scrutiny of gaps in his academic record and career trajectory. Before his death, Arday had forcefully denied all claims of academic misconduct and plagiarism. In the wake of the scholar’s passing, Beckles — a prominent historian and chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission — has issued a blistering statement tying Arday’s treatment and untimely death to deep-rooted, institutional anti-Black racism that persists across the United Kingdom’s higher education sector.

    “The public destruction of the living and life of this young, accomplished scholar has resonated globally as a gruesome, networked catastrophe,” Beckles wrote, arguing that Arday’s experience cannot be disentangled from the centuries-long history of anti-Black racism embedded in British public institutions. “It is impossible to separate the loss of Professor Jason Arday’s life from the truth embedded in the resolution. Anti-black racism at its most inhumane and life-destroying intensity has always been implemented by the minds and mostly invisible hands within public institutions.”

    Beckles drew a direct historical parallel to another trailblazing Black Caribbean scholar, Sir Arthur Lewis, the Saint Lucian economist who would go on to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. When Lewis was tapped for a professorship in economics at the University of Liverpool in 1947, Beckles recalled, widespread white resistance blocked the appointment — at the time, no British university had ever hired a Black professor, and Liverpool refused to become the first. Lewis ultimately moved to the University of Manchester, where he built his legendary career, but the incident, Beckles argues, is proof that the systemic racial barriers that blocked Lewis a generation ago remain unaddressed in 21st-century British academia.

    Beckles also challenged the core narrative of academic excellence that leading British institutions promote, noting that most historic UK universities are still grappling with their deep financial and ideological ties to chattel slavery, colonialism, and apartheid. He questioned whether a university can truly claim to deliver world-class excellence when it maintains an unspoken “race ceiling” that limits the advancement and well-being of Black scholars at its core.

    “Excellence is no longer seen as confined to curriculum, teaching, research ranking, and student satisfaction,” Beckles argued. “It is equally about the ethical values of pedagogy and genuine commitment to the enlightenment of humanity.”

    Beyond structural analysis, Beckles placed direct blame on institutional failure, saying Arday was failed by a total lack of formal and public support when he faced public attacks. “The ending of Arday’s life resonates everywhere as evidence of the lack of institutional and public support for a human who deserved a right to public help,” he said. “This is not a ‘who done it’ mystery. Collective ownership is the place to begin looking for the weapon.”

    Beckles added that the crisis triggered by Arday’s death is not unique to Cambridge, warning that similar failures will play out at other institutions unless widespread change is implemented. “The university cannot easily set aside the tangled web of warfare unleashed upon its member. The gauntlet has befallen Cambridge University today, but it will fall elsewhere tomorrow,” he said. He called on all British universities to launch urgent reviews of the institutional support systems available to Black academics facing public scrutiny, and to confront the ongoing racial inequities that shape campus culture. In framing Arday’s experience as part of a broader centuries-long struggle against colonial racism, Beckles said his death must serve as a catalyst for long-overdue institutional reckoning and change.

  • Queen’s College celebrates ten national awardees

    Queen’s College celebrates ten national awardees

    In a standout showing for secondary education across Barbados, Queen’s College has claimed an extraordinary share of the country’s most prestigious 2026 national academic awards, cementing its reputation as a leading institution for student excellence. Of the 12 highly competitive Barbados Scholarships awarded nationwide for the upcoming academic cycle, seven went to students from Queen’s College, alongside three of the 21 available Barbados Exhibitions. The institution finished with a total of 10 national award recipients, a result that principal Mitchelle Maxwell says has filled the entire school community with immense pride.

    The seven Queen’s College students awarded Barbados Scholarships are Azani Blades, Ethan Dear, Chaya Griffith, Kaela Hinds, Joshua Jemmott, Amaris Nicholls and Arrielle Thompson. The school’s three Barbados Exhibition winners are Anaya Moore, Brandon Squires and Daniel Wickham. In an interview with local outlet Barbados TODAY, Maxwell emphasized that this exceptional outcome is not the victory of students alone, but the product of coordinated effort from educators, family members, and the entire school network.

    “Based on what has been made public, we recognize this has been an exceptional year for our school, with these seven scholarships and three exhibition placements,” Maxwell said. “This is a tremendous feat, and it brings a tremendous sense of pride to see what our students and our entire school community have been able to accomplish.”

    She went on to credit the consistent, dedicated work of teaching staff, who have long prioritized student growth at the institution. “Our teachers have worked exceptionally hard, and we are so grateful for the commitment they bring, alongside the support from parents and guardians every step of the way,” Maxwell explained. She added that the award-winning students themselves demonstrated unwavering commitment to their studies throughout their secondary careers. “We are exceptionally proud of our students and their accomplishments, and we recognize that this is the result of dedication, persistence, and commitment on their part.”

    Across Barbados, a total of 34 students received national academic awards for 2026: 12 Barbados Scholarships, 21 Barbados Exhibitions, and one Award of Excellence. Barbados Community College led the count for Barbados Exhibitions with 13 winners, while The St Michael School earned three, and Harrison College took two. When asked if this year’s seven scholarships marked a historic high for Queen’s College, Maxwell declined to confirm, noting that the institution has “always done exceptionally well” in these annual awards, and a full review of past records would be needed to confirm the milestone. Even so, she affirmed that 2026 stands out as a standout year for the school.

    Maxwell shared that school leadership entered this year’s award cycle with quiet confidence, having already seen strong potential in the cohort from their prior academic performance. “We did have a good sense of what was possible,” she said, explaining that students who delivered strong results during their Lower Six studies were identified early as potential contenders for top awards. From that point, the entire school community rallied around the students to support them as they worked toward their goals.

    Reiterating the critical role of educators, Maxwell praised teaching staff for their consistent devotion to student success. “They continue to apply themselves to their task. Every year they give yeoman service to pedagogy, working closely with students to help them reach their full potential,” she said. For younger students at the school who aspire to earn similar recognition in future years, Maxwell shared a clear message of encouragement rooted in the achievements of this year’s awardees.

    “Continue to apply yourself, continue to be committed to excellence,” she advised. “It’s going to require, as it always does, hard work, commitment, dedication. You must remain focused, be intentional, and be purposeful. And of course we always rely on God for steadfastness in everything that we do as a school community.”

    The 2026 national academic awards were officially announced by the Ministry of Education Transformation at a ceremony held Friday, where Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw offered formal congratulations to all award recipients across the country, and recognized the collective work of students, teachers, parents, and guardians in supporting student achievement.

  • DNA-leden vragen uitleg over nieuwe loadshedding EBS

    DNA-leden vragen uitleg over nieuwe loadshedding EBS

    A fresh round of planned rolling blackouts announced by Suriname’s national power utility Energie Bedrijven Suriname (EBS) has sparked intense scrutiny and pointed questions from opposition parliamentary factions this week, putting the government’s energy governance and long-term planning under unprecedented pressure in the National Assembly.

    Two leading opposition faction leaders – Jerrel Pawiroredjo of the National Party of Suriname (NPS) and Ronny Asabina of the Basic Party for Renewal and Democracy (BEP) – have led the call for full transparency from the administration, demanding clarity on why the South American nation is once again grappling with critical electricity shortages, and whether state officials have properly mapped all root causes of the recurring crisis.

    Pawiroredjo opened the debate by questioning whether EBS has adequately tracked and modeled key industry metrics, including growing customer connections, rising electricity demand, and long-term consumption projections. He emphasized that reliable energy access is a non-negotiable strategic foundation for national economic development, arguing that Suriname can no longer afford repeated cycles of crippling power shortages and forced outages that derail daily activity and long-term growth.

    The NPS leader also tied the recurring energy crisis to broader governance quality concerns, noting that persistent problems are too often traced back to a lack of specialized expertise at EBS and the prevalence of political appointments rather than merit-based hiring for key leadership roles. He further pressed for updates on the status of planned renewable energy projects – particularly solar energy initiatives previously developed by state-owned oil company Staatsolie, which have yet to deliver additional generation capacity.

    Asabina echoed these concerns, highlighting that even the National Assembly itself was brought to a standstill earlier this week by an unplanned power outage on Monday. He argued that the public information EBS has released to date about the current load shedding round lacks verifiability, and called on the government to specify the exact triggers of the shortage: whether it stems from spiking fuel costs, insufficient operational funding for the utility, limited overall power generation capacity, or other unaddressed technical constraints. The BEP leader stressed that the administration has a responsibility to provide far clearer details to the public than it has offered so far.

    Asabina also raised red flags over EBS’s lack of financial transparency, pointing out that up-to-date annual reports from the state-owned utility are not accessible to the public or parliamentary representatives. He questioned how accountable, effective policy can be crafted when the utility’s full financial position remains hidden from oversight. He further referenced the national Energy Act and the mandate of the Energy Authority, calling for clarity on EBS’s legally defined responsibilities, and why key components of the country’s formal regulatory energy framework still remain not fully functional after years of implementation.

    Parliament has formally requested the government to deliver a detailed, concrete explanation covering the root causes, expected duration, and immediate mitigation plans for the current round of load shedding. Lawmakers also demand a full outline of the structural long-term measures the administration plans to implement to prevent repeated power crises from disrupting Suriname’s development in the future.

  • CABINET NOTES: Wednesday August 26, 2026

    CABINET NOTES: Wednesday August 26, 2026

    On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda convened its weekly plenary session, opening with a devotional meditation led by a local pastor. Drawing from passages in the Book of Isaiah, the pastor centered his message on themes of divine constancy, national purpose, and collective dependence on wisdom beyond human capacity. He encouraged the Cabinet to seek spiritual guidance in deliberating on matters of national importance, prayed that members would receive wisdom to make just decisions, courage to confront crises, and compassion to prioritize public welfare, and called on all Antiguans and Barbudans to embrace values of unity, forgiveness, respect, and mutual care to build a peaceful, prosperous shared society. The devotional concluded with a dedication of the national government and its people to divine stewardship.

    Following the opening meditation, the Cabinet advanced a series of critical policy and operational agenda items, starting with a renewed push for national food security. Facing persistent risks of prolonged dry seasons and erratic rainfall patterns driven by climate volatility, the administration directed the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy to drastically scale up efforts to build and rehabilitate agricultural water infrastructure, including dams, retention ponds, and other rainwater catchment systems. Minister Anthony Smith Jr. reported that his team had already begun pre-positioning work to capture forecasted rainfall, but the Cabinet called for accelerated expansion of the program to create a robust, interconnected national network of water storage for agricultural use.

    The directive builds on an existing whole-of-government food security strategy that has already delivered tangible progress: earlier in 2026, 150 acres of underutilized public farmland were repossessed, with 75 acres allocated specifically to new youth and women producers to bring idle acreage back into productive use. Additional ongoing initiatives include the operation of a new Tissue Culture Laboratory in Bethesda, which produces disease-free, high-yield planting stock for local farmers, and technical partnerships with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) to develop climate-resilient crop varieties, strengthen seed security, and train producers in sustainable farming practices. Cabinet emphasized that all these efforts must ultimately result in greater volumes of affordable, locally produced food reaching domestic consumers, hotels, and restaurants, cutting the nation’s reliance on costly food imports and strengthening resilience against global supply chain disruptions.

    A second key agenda item focused on finalizing security preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which Antigua and Barbuda is scheduled to host. Senior leadership from the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force delivered a comprehensive joint briefing on the multi-layered security framework under development, which brings together national border security agencies, law enforcement, and defense assets in a coordinated, multi-agency approach supported by regional and international partners. Preparations cover not only protection for the summit venue and visiting delegates but also enhanced border and airport security, public safety protocols, cybersecurity defenses, and critical infrastructure protection, with deliberate planning to minimize disruptions to daily life for local residents and businesses. Cabinet expressed satisfaction with progress to date, called for continued joint training, simulation exercises, and readiness drills ahead of the summit, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing all necessary resources for a safe, successful event.

    In a related development aligned with CHOGM’s people-focused agenda, a delegation from the CHOGM 2026 People’s Forum and the Commonwealth Foundation presented a proposal to accelerate the growth of Antigua and Barbuda’s creative economy. The delegation, which included Commonwealth Foundation Director-General Razmi Farook and local People’s Forum leadership, outlined the significant untapped potential of the creative sector, particularly to create jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for the nation’s youth. While Antigua and Barbuda already has a vibrant informal creative scene spanning music, film, visual arts, festivals, and performing arts, presenters noted that targeted policy interventions—including formalization of business registration, updated legislation, targeted incentives, improved data collection, and institutional support—could grow the sector’s contribution to GDP, mirroring success stories in other Caribbean nations. Jamaica’s creative economy contributes an estimated 5% of national GDP after formalization reforms, while the Dominican Republic’s targeted film industry incentives have driven massive expansion in local and international production. The delegation also highlighted opportunities to integrate creative industries with Antigua and Barbuda’s core tourism sector, including luxury tourism packages centered on music and arts experiences that attract international talent and generate additional economic activity. A White Paper and formal implementation roadmap for the sector is currently under development, and Cabinet welcomed the initiative, expressing strong interest in technical assistance from the Commonwealth Foundation to update national creative policies and build out a supportive legislative framework.

    Turning to public sector labor issues, the Cabinet initiated a review of remuneration for public service heavy-duty equipment operators, a role critical to the delivery of the nation’s infrastructure development and maintenance programs. The work of these operators requires specialized training, advanced technical skill, experience, and carries significant responsibility operating expensive, high-risk machinery. After receiving a briefing on current pay rates and factors influencing the role—including prevailing market rates in the private sector, working conditions, and varying skill levels across job classifications—Cabinet agreed that a full, detailed review was warranted to ensure pay reflects the demands of the role while aligning with the government’s broader public sector wage structure and fiscal sustainability commitments. A dedicated subcommittee, comprising the Minister and Junior Minister of Works, the Attorney General, and the Minister for Social Transformation, was established to lead the review. The subcommittee will compare public sector pay rates to private sector comparables, evaluate job classifications and requirements, and consult with the recognized trade union representing operators to incorporate worker perspectives into final recommendations. Cabinet emphasized that no final decision on pay adjustments will be made until the subcommittee’s work is complete, and the government remains committed to balancing fair compensation for public workers with responsible fiscal management.

    In infrastructure and security news, Cabinet welcomed upgrades to emergency response and aviation security capabilities at V.C. Bird International Airport, Antigua and Barbuda’s primary international gateway and critical economic hub for the nation’s tourism sector. Long-term partner Allen & Co. has delivered two new dedicated emergency response vehicles to support airport fire and medical teams, building on a history of partnership that includes a prior donation of a Jaws of Life rescue tool. The company also announced a new donation of an XRC 60-40 X-ray screening machine to enhance the airport’s aviation security screening capabilities. Allen & Co. outlined a commitment to long-term partnership beyond equipment delivery, including targeted training for operators, ongoing maintenance support, and access to replacement parts— a critical consideration for small island developing states facing unique logistics and sustainability challenges. Cabinet welcomed the partnership, emphasized that equipment investment must be paired with consistent training and maintenance to deliver long-term value, and commended airport personnel for their daily work to maintain safe, efficient operations. The government reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing investment in the airport’s safety and security capabilities to meet evolving international standards and support the nation’s economic growth.

    Finally, Cabinet received an update on progress to implement a regional Passenger Name Record (PNR) framework to strengthen border security and combat transnational crime, with support from the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS). Antigua and Barbuda has already enacted national PNR legislation, a step CARICOM IMPACS has recognized as a critical milestone for both national and regional security. Under the proposed arrangement, Antigua and Barbuda will gain access to CARICOM’s existing regional PNR platform, which enables secure collection, processing, and analysis of passenger data to identify high-risk travelers, while adhering to strict national data protection and privacy requirements. The partnership will also support the establishment of a national Passenger Information Unit (PIU), with CARICOM IMPACS providing support for policy development, operational protocols, and specialized training for PIU officers in risk analysis, data protection, and intelligence development. A regional approach allows Antigua and Barbuda to leverage existing infrastructure and expertise, achieving significant cost savings compared to developing and maintaining a standalone national system. Cabinet approved the arrangement, clearing the way for final implementation planning and timeline development, as part of the government’s broader efforts to modernize border management and deepen regional security cooperation.

  • DOMLEC scholarship programme marks 40 years with four new recipients

    DOMLEC scholarship programme marks 40 years with four new recipients

    Dominica’s primary electricity utility, Dominica Electricity Services Ltd. (DOMLEC), has celebrated a major milestone for its flagship community education initiative — 40 years of supporting secondary school students — by awarding four new five-year scholarships to incoming students across the island.

    The 2026 scholarship presentation ceremony took place on Thursday, August 27, at DOMLEC’s conference room located within its Engineering, Transmission and Distribution complex in Fond Colé, bringing together company leadership, new recipients and a former beneficiary to mark the occasion. This year’s awardees are four students from the general public of Dominica: Merjhana Guiste, who will enroll at Portsmouth Secondary School; Daville Alexander and Kira Bertrand, both set to attend Dominica Grammar School; and Kaley Fabien, who will pursue studies at Arthur Waldron SDA Academy. In a heartfelt symbolic gesture, Fabien gifted DOMLEC an original piece of artwork illustrating her vision for a renewable energy-powered future for the country.

    Unlike one-off education grants, DOMLEC’s scholarship programme provides sustained financial support for up to five years of secondary education, contingent on recipients maintaining solid academic performance, avoiding grade retention and submitting end-of-term report cards each academic year. Each year, scholars must also return their program-provided textbooks in good condition at the close of the school year. The assistance covers core secondary education expenses including textbooks, school supplies, examination fees and daily transportation, easing the financial burden on recipient families.

    From its launch four decades ago, the programme has extended support to two groups: children of DOMLEC employees and qualifying students from the wider Dominican community. This year marks a rare cycle where all four available awards went to community candidates outside of the company’s employee network.

    Speaking at the award ceremony, DOMLEC Human Resources and Administration Manager Claudia Brumant emphasized that the programme’s 40-year milestone stands as a tangible testament to the utility’s long-term commitment to advancing education in Dominica. Brumant offered words of encouragement to the new students, reminding them that secondary education would bring unforeseen obstacles, and that success depends on consistent dedication and resilience. “The choices we make today create the lives we live tomorrow,” she said. “In the five years of secondary school there will be days when the lessons are difficult, when hours are long and when you face challenges you don’t expect. Those moments call for a new level of dedication, commitment and perseverance.”

    DOMLEC Public Relations Officer Ayeola George explained that the programme’s financial support frees up household resources that families can redirect to other areas of child development or toward covering education costs for other siblings. George also highlighted the long-term ripple effect of the initiative, noting that a former beneficiary returned to the ceremony this year to share his journey and inspire the new cohort. “Today we had a past beneficiary return to not just share his experience but inspire a new generation of scholars,” she said. “He advised attendees that he wants to also give back and contribute positively to other youth. This most certainly is an example of the wide-reaching impact of this award.”

    That former beneficiary, LynD Letang — the son of a current DOMLEC employee who himself received support through the programme decades ago — echoed that sentiment, sharing that his experience motivated him to pay the opportunity forward by supporting other young Dominicans in their education journeys.