Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Haiti after Kenscoff massacre

    UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Haiti after Kenscoff massacre

    In the wake of a brutal gang massacre that claimed 47 lives and sent thousands fleeing their homes, the United Nations Security Council has scheduled an emergency open meeting this Friday to address Haiti’s spiraling security and humanitarian catastrophe. Scheduled to convene at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the gathering will bring global diplomats together to review rapidly unfolding developments on the ground and weigh coordinated intervention options to curb out-of-control gang violence, as the Caribbean nation braces for long-delayed general elections in the coming months.

    The horrific attack that triggered the international response unfolded in the pre-dawn hours of Monday in Kenscoff, a quiet mountainous community located just southeast of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Armed gang members stormed a camp for internally displaced persons that was established on the grounds of a local church, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake. Official UN casualty reports confirm 47 civilians were killed in the assault, dozens more were abducted and held hostage, and more than 2,600 local residents and camp inhabitants have been displaced to safer areas outside the community.

    The massacre has sparked sharp public criticism of Haitian authorities over the chronic lack of police presence in high-risk outlying areas like Kenscoff, prompting the Haitian National Police to launch an urgent full investigation into the attack. Top government officials have vowed a robust, decisive response to the violence and confirmed that active operations are already underway to reestablish stable security in the affected region.

    Acting Director General of the Haitian National Police Vladimir Paraison moved quickly to defend the force’s operational capacity, stating that key security checkpoints across the country remain fully functional, staffed by trained officers and supported by armored military vehicles. Meanwhile, Haiti’s Minister of Justice and Public Security Patrick Pélissier has assembled an emergency strategic working group to coordinate a whole-of-government response to the deepening security crisis.

    International leaders have swiftly condemned the deadly attack, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Organization of American States issuing formal statements denouncing the violence. The massacre has amplified growing international pressure on global bodies to adopt more aggressive, concrete measures to reverse the catastrophic security collapse that has gripped Haiti for months, ahead of the country’s planned democratic transition.

  • ONE launches National Statistical Plan 2025-2028 to strengthen official data

    ONE launches National Statistical Plan 2025-2028 to strengthen official data

    In a formal ceremony held in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic’s National Statistics Office (ONE) has unveiled its third iteration of the National Statistical Plan (PEN) for the 2025-2028 period, a comprehensive strategic framework designed to unify and elevate the nation’s official statistical production, ensuring all public policy decisions are rooted in verifiable, high-quality data.

    As the successor to the 2013-2016 and 2021-2024 national statistical plans, this four-year initiative was developed in compliance with the requirements of Law 1-12, which governs the country’s 2030 National Development Strategy. The planning process included systematic updates to national inventories of statistical operations and administrative records, as well as broad consultation and validation workshops that brought together stakeholders from across the entire National Statistical System.

    A core foundational contribution of the new PEN is a country-wide gap assessment that mapped 880 high-priority indicators aligned with four key national and global frameworks: the National Development Strategy 2030, the National Multi-Year Public Sector Plan, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development. The assessment delivered clear insights into the current state of Dominican statistical production: 47% of the mapped indicators can already be fully measured using existing data resources, 33% require incremental upgrades to current collection and processing systems, and 20% suffer from substantial data gaps. The most severe gaps are concentrated in under prioritized areas including cultural statistics, construction and infrastructure tracking, social security reporting, and cross-cutting demographic and social statistics.

    ONE officials frame the identification of these unaddressed gaps as a core component of the institution’s commitment to governmental transparency and continuous improvement of the national statistical ecosystem. The entire plan is structured around three overarching strategic priorities that address the gaps and weaknesses uncovered in the assessment.

    The first priority is boosting the production and public dissemination of timely, accurate statistics. Key actions under this goal include expanding the use of existing administrative records and integrating non-traditional data sources into official production, as well as generating far more granular data disaggregated by sex, age, and geographic territory. Currently, administrative records already support 65% of the Dominican Republic’s official statistical operations, making expanded use of these resources a cost-effective path to improvement.

    The second priority centers on strengthening the legal and institutional foundation of the National Statistical System through the adoption of a nationwide quality assurance framework that standardizes practices across all participating institutions. The plan formally integrates the National Code of Good Practices for Official Statistics and adopts guidelines aligned with the Generic Statistical Business Process Model to bring consistency to data production workflows across all agencies.

    The third and final priority targets the expansion of technical capacity across the public sector, delivered through ongoing professional training for statistical personnel hosted by the National School of Statistics.

    A public perception survey conducted during the plan’s development process underscored broad confidence in the national statistical system: 94% of responding institutions, academic researchers, and regular data users reported that they trust the output produced by Dominican statistical bodies.

    Speaking at the launch event, ONE Director General Mildred Martínez emphasized that sustained high quality in official statistics is a collective responsibility. Beyond the work of ONE itself, she noted, reliable data depends on consistent standards and careful work across all public institutions and individual professionals tasked with collecting, processing, and documenting raw information.

    Representatives from the Dominican Ministry of Finance and Economy and the United Nations System used the launch to reaffirm the critical link between robust national development planning and trustworthy statistical information. They noted that the PEN will directly strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of all public policies by providing consistent, granular data to track progress toward national development objectives, including the country’s commitments under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    The initiative has received ongoing support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which has provided targeted technical assistance to strengthen Dominican statistical capacity and advance the use of disaggregated data that captures disparities across demographic and geographic groups.

  • Health safety: a strategy to strengthen trust and transform the healthcare system

    Health safety: a strategy to strengthen trust and transform the healthcare system

    Santo Domingo is set to host a pivotal gathering for global healthcare stakeholders next month, as the third edition of the International Health Quality and Safety Forum prepares to bring patient safety to the top of the regional health policy agenda. Organized jointly by two leading Dominican health entities, CEMDOE and INTEGRA, the one-day event is scheduled for September 16, built around the core thematic focus “Safety as a System Strategy.”

    Unlike fragmented approaches that frame patient safety as a narrow clinical concern, this year’s forum is designed to foster cross-sector dialogue that embeds safety protocols into every layer of healthcare operations. Attendees will include senior government health officials, private healthcare industry leaders, and recognized clinical and policy experts from both the Dominican Republic and across the globe. Over the course of the day, participants will dive into actionable strategies for integrating safety standards into the management, governance, innovation and large-scale transformation of healthcare organizations.

    Key discussion topics will unpack the interconnected relationship between consistent safety practices, overall care quality and sustained public trust in national health systems. Attendees will also explore the critical responsibility of institutional leaders in building healthcare entities that can proactively anticipate emerging risks, draw actionable insights from past adverse events, and implement continuous iterative improvements to clinical and operational processes.

    Beyond systemic safety frameworks, the forum will carve out dedicated space to address the future trajectory of clinical research within the Dominican Republic. Central to this conversation will be a focus on upholding rigorous scientific, ethical, regulatory and safety benchmarks that prioritize patient protection while generating the high-quality evidence needed to guide evidence-based care.

    Organizers have also added institutional transformation to the agenda, inviting participants to unpack the persistent challenges of building healthcare systems that are more resilient to public health shocks, operationally efficient, and adaptable to shifting patient needs and global health trends.

    Overall, CEMDOE and INTEGRA frame the third forum as a step toward advancing a holistic, system-wide vision of patient safety that extends far beyond individual clinical encounters. Through cross-sector collaboration and shared learning, the event aims to strengthen core health system management, rebuild and reinforce public trust in healthcare, support responsible medical innovation, and advance the long-term sustainability of Dominican and regional health systems.

  • FEDA promotes agritourism to diversify tourism in the Dominican Republic

    FEDA promotes agritourism to diversify tourism in the Dominican Republic

    As the Dominican Republic’s tourism sector continues on an upward growth trajectory, the country’s Special Fund for Agricultural Development (FEDA) is rolling out a bold new strategy to leverage this momentum: expanding agritourism to diversify the nation’s tourism portfolio, empower rural communities, and elevate Dominican agricultural products to the global marketplace.

    FEDA’s Executive Director Hecmilio Arístides Galván Cruz made the case for this new approach during the recent DominiCoco 2026 event, arguing that the country’s natural agricultural wealth positions it to draw visitors beyond the iconic coastal beach destinations that have long defined its tourism industry. “Agritourism is just beginning,” Galván noted, pointing to the untapped potential of working farms and small rural towns to evolve into unique, immersive tourist attractions while creating new channels to promote the country’s flagship agricultural exports, including cocoa, coffee, bananas, pineapples, avocados, and tobacco, to international buyers.

    The agritourism push is being formalized through the *National Program for the Promotion of Agritourism “Sow Progress,”* which launched in January 2026 in Yaguate, San Cristóbal. This comprehensive initiative includes a range of programming designed to connect visitors and producers: it opens working farms to guided tours, develops scenic agricultural hiking trails, offers farm-to-table gastronomic experiences, builds direct local product marketing channels, and provides critical training for small-scale producers in hospitality services, quality control, and value-added production techniques.

    Several landmark projects are already underway as part of the strategy. In the northern border province of Dajabón, the Tilamiches Fishermen’s Ecotourism Restaurant has launched a hybrid model that integrates sustainable tilapia aquaculture, local culinary experiences, and cross-border tourism to draw visitors from neighboring Haiti and other international regions. Further south in Cambita Garabitos, FEDA has broken ground on the Agroecological Avocado Park, a RD$194 million development project that is projected to deliver direct economic benefits to more than 2,200 local avocado producers once completed.

    Beyond agritourism, Galván highlighted FEDA’s broader portfolio of support for the Dominican agricultural sector, which includes nearly 40 targeted programs and incentives tailored to the needs of different agricultural regions and commodity sectors. These initiatives range from dedicated production support for cocoa, coconut, coffee, and avocado growers, to educational school garden projects, and targeted resources for rural women and young agricultural entrepreneurs.

    Additional programs expand support to non-traditional agricultural settings: they encourage small-scale family farming in residential areas, bring agricultural training and work opportunities to incarcerated individuals in penitentiary centers, and drive economic development in isolated communities across the country’s remote mountain ranges and the protected Sierra de Bahoruco region.

    One notable domestic-focused initiative, the “Consume Our Own” program, works to boost domestic demand for locally grown food and encourage Dominican restaurants and culinary professionals to prioritize native agricultural products in their menus. Galván emphasized that expanding and diversifying the ways Dominican agricultural products are consumed and marketed is foundational to building a stronger, more resilient agricultural sector. Combining growing domestic demand with expanded agritourism opportunities and traditional export channels, he argued, will unlock sustainable new economic opportunities for the country’s farmers and the rural communities that form the backbone of Dominican agriculture.

  • Tourism Ministry launches “Tourism Close to You” program in Puerto Plata

    Tourism Ministry launches “Tourism Close to You” program in Puerto Plata

    The Dominican Republic’s tourism sector has taken a major step toward inclusive, community-focused growth with the official launch of the national initiative “Tourism Close to You”, unveiled by Tourism Minister David Collado in the coastal province of Puerto Plata. The groundbreaking program is designed to unify a broad cross-section of tourism stakeholders — from local communities and small business owners to national authorities and industry operators — to collectively elevate four core pillars of Dominican tourism: destination safety, environmental and cultural sustainability, service quality, and coordinated organizational planning.

    At the launch event, Minister Collado centered his remarks on the program’s foundational principle: that tourism development must be “with the people and for the people”. He stressed that local communities and frontline tourism workers are the backbone of the country’s world-class tourism experience, noting that every memorable visitor experience is rooted in the work of local families, neighborhood residents, and daily industry employees. In line with this community-centered approach, Collado emphasized the Ministry of Tourism’s ongoing commitment to proactive listening and collaborative decision-making with all sectors that contribute to the country’s tourism economy.

    Minister Collado also addressed a key factor in global tourism competitiveness: national security. Drawing on 2024 data from the Inter-American Security Observatory, an agency under the Organization of American States (OAS), he confirmed that the Dominican Republic ranks among the safest major tourist destinations in the Latin American and Caribbean region — a standing that positions the country for continued inbound visitor growth.

    In Puerto Plata, the first region to roll out the program, “Tourism Close to You” has brought together every segment of the local tourism value chain. Participants include municipal and provincial authorities, local business associations, regional tourism boards, hotel groups, independent restaurants, ground transportation providers, tour operators, certified tourist guides, local artisans, airport and port management teams, public health service providers, and grassroots community organizations.

    The entire initiative is structured around three clear, actionable core pillars that guide all programming and investment.

    The first pillar focuses on sustainability and proactive destination management. Work under this umbrella includes long-term strategic planning for tourism growth, responsible land-use management to prevent overdevelopment, improved visitor signage throughout popular destinations, and targeted protection of the country’s unique natural ecosystems and cultural heritage sites.

    The second pillar centers on enhancing tourist security. This includes expanding and improving visitor assistance services for domestic and international travelers, strengthening protections for children and adolescents who interact with the tourism sector, and upgrading on-the-ground surveillance and regulatory oversight in high-traffic tourist areas.

    The third and final pillar covers comprehensive tourism regulation. This involves updating outdated industry rules to match modern tourism needs, ongoing supervision of tourism services to ensure consistent quality, and strict enforcement of national service and safety standards across all industry segments.

    Looking ahead, the Ministry of Tourism outlines a clear long-term vision for the initiative: to ensure that the Dominican tourism industry’s continued expansion delivers tangible, widespread benefits across all levels of society. Rather than concentrating growth in the hands of a small group of stakeholders, the program aims to turn industry growth into greater economic opportunity for local residents, improved community well-being, and higher overall quality of life for Dominican people living in tourism-dependent regions. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to build a national tourism ecosystem that is safer, more sustainable, better organized, more inclusive of local communities, and more competitive in the global travel market.

  • Dominican Republic wins Fuerza Comando Paraguay 2026 for the first time

    Dominican Republic wins Fuerza Comando Paraguay 2026 for the first time

    In a landmark achievement that has resonated across global military circles, the Dominican Republic has secured the top position at Fuerza Comando Paraguay 2026, one of the world’s most grueling international special operations military competitions. The Dominican special operations team rose above elite commando units from 17 other participating nations, turning in a standout performance across every discipline of the multinational contest. Throughout the week of high-stakes challenges, competitors showcased extraordinary physical stamina, sharp tactical proficiency, pinpoint precision, confident leadership, seamless team coordination, and unbreakable mental toughness to outperform their rivals. This historic win marks the very first time the Dominican Armed Forces have claimed the overall championship title at Fuerza Comando, a milestone that cements the nation’s growing standing as a skilled player in international military training and special operations. Dominican Defense Minister Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre of the Dominican Republic Army has publicly celebrated the team’s historic victory. He emphasized that the result is a source of immense national pride, and extended formal recognition to the competing soldiers, instructors, and training staff whose relentless preparation laid the groundwork for the win. General Fernández Onofre noted that the championship reflects the Dominican Armed Forces’ consistent, long-term investment into four core areas: ongoing skills training, institutional professionalization, structural modernization, and the adoption of cutting-edge specialized equipment. These investments, he explained, directly strengthen the nation’s overall operational capacity to address evolving modern security and defense threats. Established as a prestigious global platform for special forces, Fuerza Comando evaluates participants through a series of high-intensity, real-world scenarios designed to test critical capabilities ranging from extreme physical endurance and long-range marksmanship to strategic mission planning, rapid execution, technical mastery, and sound decision-making under extreme pressure. Beyond competition, the event also serves a key diplomatic purpose, fostering closer professional cooperation and relationship-building between military forces from participating nations across the globe. With this unprecedented first-place finish, the Dominican Republic has not only strengthened its international military prestige but also confirmed the world-class level of preparation and capability of its special operations forces, marking a new chapter in the nation’s military development.

  • ECCB Generative AI and Python Summer Camp

    ECCB Generative AI and Python Summer Camp

    Against a backdrop of rapid global digital transformation, regional economic bodies are stepping up efforts to equip young workforces with future-ready technical skills. The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), backed by funding from the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund, has launched the third iteration of its Generative AI and Python Summer Camp, a groundbreaking initiative designed to ready young people across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) for the competitive demands of the modern digital economy.

    Unlike previous editions that centered on simulated learning projects, the 2026 camp introduces a game-changing new component: direct, hands-on collaboration with real enterprise and public-sector clients to tackle tangible, on-the-ground challenges. For the ECCB, this training program is far more than a seasonal youth activity — it forms a core pillar of the bank’s broader strategy to drive regional economic transformation and build a competitive, future-ready local workforce.

    “What the camp does is that it arms our youth to be able to have the competencies to compete at a global level in the digital space. And this is what it’s all about,” explained Sybil Welsh, ECCB Project Manager and Senior Project Specialist. This year’s move beyond simulated projects places participants directly in authentic work environments, where they are tasked with identifying client pain points and co-developing innovative, practical solutions. Welsh emphasized that this immersive model pushes young learners to exceed their own perceived limits: “When you have a real client, what you do is immerse our young people in real-life skills, a real innovation lab. You have real clients, you have real projects, and now you really inspire our young people to do all that they need to do, to dig deep, to go beyond what they thought was possible, to meet and I would say even surpass the expectations of clients.”

    Telly Onu, the camp’s Lead Trainer, Instructional Design Specialist and Chatbot Edition Hub Coordinator, noted that the real-client model fosters holistic professional growth alongside technical coding proficiency. Beyond mastering generative AI and Python, participants build soft skills that are critical for long-term career success. “The key skills that they really learn, number one, is really problem solving. They all had several meetings with their clients. So obviously they learn how to now do consultative engagements. They build their confidence in that way so they can conduct client interviews, do requirements collection. So basically, each team, we train them on how a real development team actually works,” Onu said.

    For the young participants hailing from across ECCU member states, the experience has already delivered transformative personal and professional growth, with many highlighting the unique value of working on live projects. Nia Jack, a 16-year-old participant from St Kitts and Nevis, helped build a custom chatbot for the ASPIRE Programme, a government financial literacy initiative that teaches young people about saving and investing from an early age. “It’s been really fulfilling. I, as a 16-year-old, having the honour of working with the Aspire Programme,” Jack shared.

    Simlet Pierre, a participant from St Vincent and the Grenadines, credited the camp with helping him develop critical leadership and collaboration skills he had previously struggled with. “A lot of persons used to tell me that I’m a bit self-centred, so I’ve worked …in large groups. Now I am leading a group of 20 members, to be exact,” Pierre said.

    Emma Morris, another St Kitts and Nevis participant, described the experience as equal parts challenging and rewarding. “It was stressful at times for sure because, you know, these are real clients and real people with real needs and having to meet their needs and make sure you make a product that is good enough to not only satisfy them, but satisfy their customer engagement,” Morris said. “So it was challenging, but once we got it done, it felt really nice.”

    Alisha Gordon of Grenada called the program transformative, highlighting how it has built foundational skills that will serve her throughout her future career. “It was an incredible and transformative experience. We worked as a team, and we built up a foundation in coding, and I feel like I developed my presentation skills and communication skills,” Gordon said. “The camp has given me the opportunity to learn skills that I know I can use in the future. Working with a real client was especially valuable because we had to listen to their needs, understand the problem and then work together to find a solution.”

    Program facilitators echoed participants’ positive assessments, noting that the camp moves far beyond passive technology education to active problem-solving. Kelvin Pompey, an Assistant Facilitator from St Vincent and the Grenadines, highlighted the shift participants have made in understanding the power of collaborative work: “They realised for themselves what they can do together as a group and as a team.”

    Eugine Whint, an Assistant Facilitator from Grenada, emphasized that the camp places young Eastern Caribbean learners at the cutting edge of global technological development, giving them a years-long head start on in-demand skills. “This programme is really advanced. What (the campers) are doing are things that, to be honest, people in 5 years’ time will be like, wow, why didn’t I do that before? They are at the forefront of technology,” Whint said.

    Co-sponsored by the ECCB and the Republic of China (Taiwan), the 2026 camp also operates in partnership with education ministries across all ECCU member states and specialized delivery partners. The program will conclude on 28 August 2026 with a public showcase, where participating teams will present their completed AI and Python projects to clients, stakeholders and the public, demonstrating the skills and solutions they have built over the course of the camp.

    Through initiatives like this Generative AI and Python Summer Camp, the ECCB continues to invest in building a new generation of digitally skilled young leaders who are prepared not only to participate in the evolving global digital economy, but to shape the future growth of the Eastern Caribbean region.

  • Tropical Storm Dolly Forms in the Atlantic, Leeward Islands on Watch

    Tropical Storm Dolly Forms in the Atlantic, Leeward Islands on Watch

    A new tropical cyclone, named Dolly, has officially developed in the central basin of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, triggering official weather watches for populations and authorities across the Leeward Islands. Regional meteorological services have urged local stakeholders to keep close track of the storm’s trajectory as it moves across the open ocean toward the Caribbean island chain.

    As of 11:00 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time on August 27, 2026, the center of Tropical Storm Dolly was positioned approximately 1,555 miles east of the Leeward Islands. The system is currently progressing westward at a forward speed of nearly 24 miles per hour, a steady movement that forecasters project will persist for the next 48 to 72 hours. On its current path, the remnants of Dolly are expected to approach the Leeward Islands by the end of this weekend.

    At present, the storm’s maximum sustained winds measure around 40 miles per hour, with occasional gusts reaching higher speeds. Meteorological analysis suggests only minimal intensification is likely over the next two days. In fact, the National Hurricane Center’s forecast indicates that Dolly will most likely degrade into an open tropical wave before it reaches the Leeward Islands.

    Even though significant weakening is anticipated before the system reaches populated Caribbean territories, weather officials still warn that heavy precipitation poses a major hazard. Rainfall associated with the decaying system is forecast to begin impacting the Leeward Islands between late Saturday and early Sunday. By Sunday and Monday, the wet weather will extend to the nearby Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola. Forecasters note that the heavy downpours could trigger dangerous flash flooding, especially in hilly and mountainous areas with higher elevation, where runoff accumulates rapidly.

  • Climate Change awareness programme in Grenada’s schools

    Climate Change awareness programme in Grenada’s schools

    On August 27, Grenada’s Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy brought together youth-focused environmental organizations, international partners, and educational groups for a strategic orientation and collaborative planning workshop. The gathering centered on scaling up the Youth in Action for Climate Change Adaptation School Awareness Campaign, an initiative designed to embed climate literacy across the country’s primary and secondary education systems.

    First launched in June 2025, the campaign tailors interactive, age-appropriate learning activities to students from pre-primary through secondary school. Its core goal is to help young learners grasp how climate change uniquely impacts Grenada’s small island ecosystem, and understand the adaptive actions that individuals and local communities can take to build long-term resilience.

    Hosted at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development Conference Room in the national Ministerial Complex, the August 27 workshop aligned with the ministry’s broader strategy to strengthen cross-sector partnerships, expand the campaign’s geographic reach across Grenada, and build the capacity of youth organizations to lead climate education both in classrooms and through community-based extracurricular programs.

    The workshop opened with opening remarks from Permanent Secretary Peron Johnson, who stressed that intentional collaboration with active youth-led groups is critical to expanding the campaign’s impact, deepening meaningful youth engagement on climate issues, and driving collective climate action across schools and local neighborhoods. Following Johnson’s address, Clive Murray, Programme Specialist for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change at UNICEF, outlined UNICEF’s ongoing support for Grenada’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, with a specific focus on integrating child-centered priorities into national climate planning.

    Dr. Roxanne Graham-Victor, Grenada’s National Climate Change Adaptation Officer, then delivered a detailed overview of the country’s updated Revised National Adaptation Plan 2025–2030, explaining how the school awareness campaign aligns with the plan’s targets and Grenada’s broader national goals for sustainable development and climate resilience.

    Attendees at the workshop represented a diverse range of organizations, including the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) Grenada Chapter, the Caribbean Youth Climate Council (CYCC), Akata Farms, UNICEF, 195in365 Be the Change, the T A Marryshow Community College Environmental Awareness Movement (TEAM), the St George’s University Education Conservation Outreach (ECO) Club, and RCC Caribbean. During the session, participating partners were introduced to the range of interactive methodologies already being deployed through the campaign. These include age-adapted activities such as interactive classroom presentations on climate science, traditional storytelling for preschool learners, hands-on prop and visual aid activities, lessons on Grenada’s historical relationship to water resources, creative writing and poetry competitions focused on climate themes, student-led role-play enactments of local climate adaptation projects, and poster-making campaigns that center youth-produced climate messaging. All activities are designed to make climate change accessible, relatable, and engaging for learners across every age group.

    Beyond introducing existing campaign frameworks, the workshop created an open space for participating organizations to share new ideas for strengthening the initiative, and to outline how their unique networks and expertise can support future school outreach efforts. Partners also had the opportunity to outline what types of support — including specialized training, updated educational materials, access to resources, and administrative backing — they would need from the ministry to fully participate in the campaign’s expansion.

    Through this collaborative, stakeholder-driven approach, the Ministry of Climate Resilience aims to build a broad, coordinated network of trained individuals and organizations that can collectively advance climate change awareness and action among Grenada’s children and young people. Ultimately, the Youth in Action campaign supports the full implementation of Grenada’s Revised NAP by translating national climate resilience priorities into hands-on, practical learning experiences. These experiences encourage young people to understand the climate challenges facing their local communities, and empower them to take ownership of building a more climate-resilient future for Grenada.

  • Cabinet Supports Young Antiguan Artist as Part of CHOGM 2026 Outreach Efforts

    Cabinet Supports Young Antiguan Artist as Part of CHOGM 2026 Outreach Efforts

    In a formal display of support for homegrown creative talent, the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has pledged to continue nurturing 21-year-old Antiguan visual artist Kimberly Pimentel, after she presented her original Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026-themed work during Wednesday’s weekly Cabinet gathering.

    Pimentel was handpicked by the CHOGM 2026 Outreach Committee to take on the creative commission: crafting a one-of-a-kind piece that would embody the unique spirit of Antigua and Barbuda as it prepares to host the 2026 iteration of this major international summit. The finished work weaves together iconic elements of the nation’s natural landscapes, centuries-old cultural traditions, and core national identity, while also underscoring the historical importance of Antigua and Barbuda stepping into the global spotlight as the host of this high-profile event.

    During her appearance at the meeting, Pimentel walked Cabinet members through the conceptual framework of her artwork, breaking down the personal and national inspirations that shaped each creative choice she made. In response, Cabinet members voiced widespread admiration for Pimentel’s work, framing continued support for the young artist as a core component of the government’s broader push to elevate emerging local talent and foster a thriving creative ecosystem across the twin-island nation.

    Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the Honorable member for St. John’s City East, publicly welcomed the outreach initiative and extended his personal gratitude to Pimentel for her meaningful contribution to the national preparations for CHOGM 2026.

    Briana Anthony, lead for the CHOGM 2026 Outreach initiative and Public Relations Officer for the planning committee, explained that the project grew out of the committee’s core mission: connecting with everyday Antiguans and Barbudans through a diverse range of accessible platforms, ensuring that the message and excitement around the 2026 summit reaches people across every sector, community, and interest group.

    “We made a conscious decision that our outreach couldn’t be limited to traditional political or policy spaces – it has to meet people where they are, whether that’s in creative communities, local arts scenes, or neighborhood groups,” Anthony noted. “It felt perfectly natural to challenge Kimberly to use her remarkable artistic talent to help us expand our outreach and create a new, relatable pathway for people across the country to engage with CHOGM 2026. Her work does double duty: it showcases the incredible skill of a young Antiguan creator, while also telling a distinctly Antiguan story as we get ready to welcome delegates and visitors from across the Commonwealth.”

    For her part, Pimentel says she is deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the national CHOGM 2026 effort, and for the unwavering support she has received from the government of Antigua and Barbuda as she advances her creative career.

    “This opportunity has allowed me to share my art with the nation and contribute to something that will put Antigua and Barbuda on the global map,” Pimentel shared. “I couldn’t have asked for a better platform to grow as an artist, and I’m thankful for the government’s belief in young creative talent like me.”