Carib Scope

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  • National summer camps to expand to 51 sites

    National summer camps to expand to 51 sites

    Barbados’ annual National Summer Camps initiative is entering a transformative new phase this year, with a major expansion that will see the program hosted at up to 51 locations across the island, welcome roughly 3,500 young participants, and introduce long-requested financial compensation for camp leadership alongside upgraded public safety protocols. Youth and Culture Minister Senator Shane Archer officially launched the 2024 iteration of the program during a Tuesday event held at the Division of Youth Affairs located in Haggatt Hall’s Sky Mall, noting that this year’s redesign was crafted specifically to address feedback and concerns raised by participants and organizers in previous years.

    Archer confirmed that the six-week program will get underway on July 13 and wrap up its activities on August 21. A key change responding to years of repeated requests from program staff is the introduction of stipends for camp directors and assistant directors, a policy the minister framed as a long-overdue recognition of the work put in by camp leadership. “We are reintroducing something that has been asked for… the directors and the assistant directors must have some type of stipend,” Archer explained. In addition to leadership stipends, the government has also allocated funding to cover transportation costs for volunteer staff traveling to and from camp locations.

    Most camp sites will be based at existing primary and secondary school facilities across the island, but the program has added community centers and local churches as alternate venues to accommodate ongoing renovation work at many public school properties. “We are preparing to operate up to 51 camps across Barbados, and we are expecting around 3,500 campers,” Archer said.

    The minister emphasized that the summer camp program is far more than a recreational outlet to keep young people occupied during school break, framing it as a strategic long-term investment in Barbados’ next generation. “This is not simply a programme to occupy young people throughout the summer vacation. We must see this as an investment into our young people,” he said.

    Reflecting that investment, the 2024 program features a dramatically expanded curriculum that covers far more than traditional summer activities. Campers will have access to coursework and workshops in financial literacy, emotional regulation, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), sustainable agriculture, national heritage, cultural arts, online safety, public health and wellness, team sports, and foundational life skills. A brand-new Spanish language immersion track has also been added to the program, developed with financial and logistical support from the Colombian, Cuban, and Venezuelan embassies based in Barbados.

    Beyond daily camp activities, the 2024 calendar will include inter-camp tournaments for sports and creative projects, a sharp increase in guided national heritage tours, a island-wide cultural arts showcase, a national “Make a Book” creative writing project, and a special celebration of International Youth Day scheduled for August 12.

    Safety protocols have also received a major upgrade this year, in response to past concerns. Archer reported that the program has added additional frontline camp personnel, mandated expanded first-aid training for all staff, and contracted private security firms to supplement existing government-provided security at all camp sites. Nutritional access has also been improved: all campers will receive a free daily lunch through the Ministry of Educational Transformation’s school meals program, and additional distribution hubs have been added to eliminate the delivery delays that impacted the program in 2023.

    Registration for the 2024 summer camps opened earlier this year, and already roughly 1,800 young people have secured their spots. Program officials have reminded families that registration remains open, but each camp location has a fixed maximum capacity, so parents and guardians are encouraged to complete registration as soon as possible to avoid being waitlisted.

    Senior Youth Commissioner Elizabeth Bowen highlighted three specialized camp tracks designed for older adolescents aged 15 to 17, including the YES Camp and Camp Employing Minds. Unlike the general camps open to a wider age range, these specialized programs focus on targeted skills development for youth transitioning out of secondary school. “They are the ones which have some targeted age groups. We offer soft skills development and kind of help them start planning their roadmap, as they transition into early adulthood and start to think about their plans for whether it’s tertiary education or entering into the world of work,” Bowen explained. “So I am pleased this year, extremely pleased with the offerings.”

  • Ministry of Agriculture Doubles Summer Internship Programme in 2026

    Ministry of Agriculture Doubles Summer Internship Programme in 2026

    Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Agriculture has marked a major milestone for its youth development initiative, welcoming the largest cohort of summer interns in the program’s history in just its second year of operation.

    Following the overwhelming success of the inaugural 2025 internship program, the ministry has more than doubled its intake capacity, growing from 15 positions last summer to over 30 openings for 2026. This rapid expansion is not a random adjustment: it directly responds to surging student interest in agricultural careers, while advancing the ministry’s long-standing mission to deliver high-impact, real-world work experience that nurtures emerging talent for both the agricultural sector and public service.

    Diversity is a defining feature of this year’s cohort, with participants drawn from 10 secondary and post-secondary institutions spanning both Antigua and Barbuda. Represented schools include Antigua Girls’ High School, Princess Margaret Secondary School, Pares Secondary School, Jennings Secondary School, Clare Hall Secondary School, Ottos Comprehensive School, All Saints Secondary School, Sir Novelle Richards Academy, Barbuda’s Sir McChesney George Secondary School, and the Antigua & Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS), bringing together young people from diverse communities across the twin-island nation.

    One particularly encouraging sign of the program’s early success is the return of seven interns who participated in the 2025 cohort. Their choice to rejoin the program speaks volumes about the transformative positive experience they gained a year prior, and underscores how the internship delivers tangible value: building hands-on technical skills, boosting professional confidence, and helping young people clarify long-term career pathways in agriculture and public work.

    Over the course of the summer, interns will dive into a full schedule of immersive, practical activities designed to introduce them to every corner of the national agricultural sector. A core component of the program will be guided visits to working farms and agricultural facilities across Antigua, giving students on-the-ground insight into daily operations, modern farming practices, and supply chain management. These hands-on experiences are designed to do more than build skills: they aim to foster a deeper public appreciation for agriculture, while helping young people understand the sector’s foundational role in driving Antigua and Barbuda’s national economic and social development.

    Ministry leadership has emphasized its pride in the program’s explosive growth in just two years. By doubling participant numbers and expanding outreach to include schools from more communities across both islands, the institution has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in Antigua and Barbuda’s youth, and cultivating the next generation of leaders who will steer the nation’s agricultural future and public service sector.

    In closing, the Ministry of Agriculture extended a warm official welcome to all new and returning interns, extending its well wishes for an educational, rewarding, and successful summer as the group embarks on this professional development journey.

  • Judge slams delays in prisoner transport to court

    Judge slams delays in prisoner transport to court

    A senior High Court justice has issued a blistering rebuke of persistent systemic delays in Barbados’ judicial system, sparked by repeated late transportation of inmates from Dodds Prison to court hearings. On Tuesday morning, when Supreme Court No. 5 finally gaveled into session just before 11 a.m., Justice Pamela Beckles publicly called out the escalating problem that has thrown court scheduling into chaos for weeks.

    Acting Senior State Counsel Maya Kellman confirmed the entire delay stemmed from the court waiting for the named accused to be transported from the Dodds correctional facility to the Supreme Court complex. In unusually pointed public comments from the bench, Justice Beckles emphasized this issue is not an isolated oversight, but a growing crisis that has disrupted court work across the island’s judicial facilities for an extended period.

    She outlined the steady worsening of the delays: what once was a manageable 10-minute wait has stretched to 30 minutes, and on Tuesday, stretched past an hour after court staff and all other parties had arrived by 9:30 a.m. Justice Beckles added that the logjam is not limited to her courtroom, noting that other courtrooms across the judicial complex were also held up, with some having not yet received their scheduled inmates as of 11 a.m.

    Calling the ongoing disruption unacceptable, Justice Beckles appealed to the senior authorities responsible for prison transportation and inter-agency coordination to intervene immediately to fix the broken system. She expressed hope that bringing public attention to the crisis will push the relevant decision-makers to implement the changes needed to restore timely court proceedings for all parties.

  • Constitutional reform process about to kick off

    Constitutional reform process about to kick off

    Guyana’s ambitious national constitutional review process is poised to open public input this weekend, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall confirmed in an announcement on his weekly social media program “Issues In The News” Tuesday evening. The process, led by the Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC), will kick off with a six-month window for written public submissions, to be followed by in-person public consultations held across every region of the South American nation.

    Under the framework outlined by Nandlall, the public can contribute recommendations via multiple channels: hand-delivered submissions to the CRC Secretariat office located on the Fifth Floor of the CRC building at 211 Camp and Lamaha Street in Georgetown, or emailed submissions sent to the official commission address gycrc2024@gmail.com. All submissions must include valid government-issued identification, Nandlall emphasized, ruling out anonymous input entirely. “This is serious business. If you want to make a contribution to such a nationally important process, then you must be able to say who you are and give us some form of ID, so that we can authenticate and verify who you are,” he explained in remarks Tuesday.

    The public engagement initiative comes amid mounting national and international debate around key governance and electoral issues that have divided Guyana’s political landscape in recent years. Top among the contentious topics are calls to clarify citizenship rules for non-Commonwealth migrants and migrant workers, and debate over whether foreign residents including Commonwealth citizens should be granted voting rights in national elections. The country’s opposition has repeatedly pushed for constitutional amendments to mandate periodic fresh voter registration, a change intended to remove names of deceased people and emigrated citizens from electoral rolls, addressing long-running claims of inflated voter lists and electoral fraud.

    Nandlall confirmed that electoral reform will be a core thematic priority for the review process, including potential changes to the composition of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the process for selecting GECOM’s chairman, and the commission’s jurisdiction over national registration and electoral administration. For decades, international election observation bodies have repeatedly called for an overhaul of Guyana’s voter registration system and a restructuring of GECOM to expand its representative base and resolve persistent political deadlock that has delayed past electoral processes.

    Beyond electoral changes, the CRC will consider a broad slate of additional reform priorities. These include strengthening legal protections for all fundamental rights and freedoms for Guyanese, upholding the specific rights of Indigenous peoples and children, eliminating all forms of systemic discrimination, guaranteeing minority representation in national decision-making, and expanding safeguards for economic, social and cultural rights for all citizens. Other key focus areas include measures to preserve and reinforce the independence of the judiciary, enhance accountability for public funds, and strengthen integrity standards for public office. The commission will also review the functioning of the National Assembly, exploring reforms to boost its capacity and effectiveness as a deliberative lawmaking body, and assess the local government system to identify improvements to its delivery and governance capacity.

    Notably, Nandlall stressed that the listed thematic areas are not exhaustive. Members of the public are welcome to submit recommendations on any constitutional matter that is not explicitly outlined in the public call, including proposals to add new provisions not currently included in the national charter. The attorney general issued a broad appeal for full participation from all segments of Guyanese society, including individuals, community groups, civil society organizations and public and private institutions.

    “This is a process of tremendous public importance. It will impact the type of amendments that we will see in the Constitution when the process concludes. Any responsible person, I think, would want to become part of this process,” Nandlall said, framing the reform process as a historic opportunity for Guyanese to shape the future of their national governance framework.

  • Summer camps seek volunteers as minister warns of decline in community service

    Summer camps seek volunteers as minister warns of decline in community service

    As Barbados prepares to mark two major national milestones – its 60th year of Independence and fifth anniversary as a republic – the island’s government is sounding the alarm over a fading culture of community service, launching a public appeal to young people and private enterprises to revitalize volunteering through the 2026 National Summer Camps programme.

    During the official launch of the initiative at the Division of Youth Affairs’ Sky Mall office in Haggatt Hall on Tuesday, Youth and Culture Minister Senator Shane Archer issued a direct call to action, targeting tertiary students in particular. Drawing on his own experience as a beneficiary of government-funded higher education, Archer stressed that students who have accessed state-supported learning have a unique opportunity to give back to the communities that invested in them.

    “I wanted to use the opportunity to really make a call to the students in the tertiary education system. We really need the volunteers to really step forward and to give back,” the minister said, addressing enrollees at all of Barbados’ leading post-secondary institutions, including the Barbados Community College (BCC), the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute (SJPI).

    Archer’s appeal comes amid growing concern that voluntarism across Barbados has fallen to an all-time low, eroding the long-held community spirit that has defined Barbadian national identity. The minister framed the revival of service culture as a critical national priority, particularly as the country gathers to celebrate its foundational national milestones. “Voluntarism in this country is at an all-time low, and we really need to work together to go back to the community spirit and the spirit that is really Barbadian,” he added.

    Beyond appealing to young prospective volunteers, Archer also extended a call to the island’s private sector to deepen investment in youth development through partnerships with the National Summer Camps programme. He highlighted existing support from major financial institutions including Republic Bank and CIBC, but expressed hope that more businesses would step forward to fill gaps in programme resources. In particular, he noted that the initiative is seeking sponsors to cover essential camp supplies, including branded apparel for participants and volunteer staff.

    “I hope that next year we can have a sponsor who will put their name on the shirts. This is also a call to those in the private sector to really invest into what it is that we’re doing,” Archer said. He added that expanded private sector backing would not only strengthen the current programme but also enable it to expand its reach and deliver more enriching experiences for young campers across the island.

  • Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Records EC$121.6 Million Profit

    Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Records EC$121.6 Million Profit

    Against a backdrop of persistent global economic headwinds, geopolitical friction and shifting trade frameworks that have strained small open economies worldwide, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has delivered a resilient financial performance for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2026, according to its recently published 2025-2026 Annual Report. The regional central bank recorded a net profit of EC$121.6 million for the fiscal year, alongside a notable jump in foreign reserve assets that has reinforced both the stability of the Eastern Caribbean dollar and the ECCB’s strong underlying financial position.

    Full breakdown of the bank’s balance sheet shows total assets expanded year-over-year to EC$6.68 billion, up from EC$6.14 billion in the prior fiscal cycle. The bulk of this growth came from a EC$503.5 million increase in foreign reserve assets, while domestic assets contributed a more modest EC$40.8 million rise. By the end of the reporting period, total foreign currency reserves hit the EC$6 billion mark, climbing from roughly EC$5.5 billion 12 months earlier. This reserve growth allowed the ECCB to maintain a 97% backing ratio for the Eastern Caribbean dollar, continuing to underpin the long-standing fixed exchange rate of EC$2.70 per U.S. dollar.

    While the institution remained solidly profitable, the 2025-2026 net profit marked a 3.7% (EC$4.7 million) decline from the previous year’s EC$126.3 million earnings. The report notes that higher operating income, fueled by stronger net interest returns and increased earnings from foreign reserve holdings, was partially offset by rising operating expenses, leading to the slight dip in annual profit.

    Total equity of the ECCB also saw robust growth over the fiscal year, rising 7.8% (EC$37.5 million) to reach EC$520.5 million, up from EC$483 million in 2024-2025. This increase included a EC$25.3 million transfer from annual profit to the bank’s general reserve, alongside a EC$12.2 million expansion in other reserves, which incorporates valuation gains linked to the ECCB’s defined benefit pension plan.

    The strong financial performance of the central bank aligns with steady underlying growth across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), which expanded by an estimated 2.5% in 2025. That growth was driven by a rebound in tourism and sustained large-scale infrastructure investment across the region. Inflationary pressures moderated in the second half of the year, while the regional banking system retained its resilience, boasting strong capital buffers, abundant liquidity and gradually improving asset quality.

    In his foreword to the annual report, ECCB Governor Timothy Antoine emphasized the institution’s unwavering commitment to upholding monetary and financial stability at a time of heightened global volatility. Antoine noted that evolving trade policies, shifting geopolitical alliances and ongoing cross-border tensions have underscored the critical need for prudent macroeconomic governance and coordinated regional cooperation for the ECCU. Looking ahead, the governor reaffirmed the ECCB’s mandate to preserve monetary stability while advancing three core priorities: expanding financial inclusion, accelerating digital transformation, and fostering sustainable long-term economic growth across the union’s eight member states.

    Beyond its annual financial results, the report outlines the ECCB’s bold new 2026-2031 Strategic Plan, branded *“The Big Push: Collective Action for Shared Prosperity in the ECCU.”* The ambitious five-year framework sets a long-term target to double the size of the ECCU’s overall economy over the next decade, with targeted investments and policy support focused on seven key pillars: strengthening food security, expanding access to affordable renewable energy, improving digital and physical connectivity, deepening regional financial markets, investing in human capital development, accelerating digital transformation across the bloc, and building a more diversified, resilient tourism sector.

  • CWI president salutes Windies Women

    CWI president salutes Windies Women

    After the West Indies Women’s cricket team bowed out of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the semifinal stage on Tuesday, Cricket West Indies President Dr. Kishore Shallow has issued a public statement celebrating the team’s determined performance throughout the global tournament, even in the face of an early exit.

    Dr. Shallow extended commendation not only to the entire playing squad but also to head coach Shane Deitz and every member of the team’s backroom support staff. While he openly acknowledged that the team’s failure to advance to the tournament’s final has left fans and cricket stakeholders across the region disappointed, he emphasized that the side has every reason to take pride in their accomplishments.

    “Reaching the semifinals of a World Cup is a significant achievement that reflects the talent, commitment, and fighting spirit that this team has consistently displayed throughout the tournament,” Dr. Shallow noted in his statement. “It further confirms that we remain one of the elite competing nations in global women’s cricket.”

    The president reserved special praise for skipper Hayley Matthews, highlighting her steady and effective leadership across every match of the campaign. He also called out the critical contributions of every player in the squad and support team, stressing that competitive success at the international level is always the product of collective work. This run of form, he argued, is further proof of the strong, positive culture that is taking root in West Indies women’s cricket.

    Looking ahead, Dr. Shallow reaffirmed Cricket West Indies’ unwavering commitment to investing in the ongoing growth and development of the regional women’s cricket program. The governing body’s priority, he said, will continue to be providing elite players with all the resources, training, and opportunities they need to compete consistently for top international honors.

    Dr. Shallow closed by thanking the team for serving as outstanding ambassadors for the Caribbean region, adding: “The entire Caribbean stands with you today, just as we have throughout this campaign, and we look forward with great optimism to what lies ahead.”

  • Qpid says ‘Backup Plan’ is about survival, not distrust

    Qpid says ‘Backup Plan’ is about survival, not distrust

    Veteran Saint Lucian musician Melissa “Qpid” Moses is turning a silent, widespread crisis for women across the Caribbean into a compelling call to action with her brand-new single, *Backup Plan*. Far from targeting romantic relationships or encouraging partner distrust, the track carries a deeply personal message of empowerment, born from decades of observing women trapped in harmful dynamics they cannot escape.

    In an exclusive interview with *St Lucia Times*, Qpid pushed back against early misinterpretations of the track’s core thesis, clarifying that the song is rooted in lived reality rather than cynicism about love. “The song isn’t about promoting distrust at all; it’s about reality,” she emphasized.

    Contrary to some assumptions, *Backup Plan* was not inspired by Qpid’s own romantic experiences. Instead, it grew out of years of witnessing women suffer in abusive, toxic, and unstable relationships solely because they lacked the resources to leave. This unspoken crisis has long been an overlooked elephant in the room across many communities, Qpid explained: women spend years trapped in damaging partnerships because they see no viable exit. Without access to higher education, independent income, or a strong support network, leaving an unhealthy relationship can feel completely out of reach. Watching so many women end up stranded and broken after relationship collapse, with no safety net to catch them, was the catalyst that pushed Qpid to put this message to music.

    The track’s narrative follows a fictional woman who is left with nothing after her long-term partner abandons her for another person. While the story is fictional, Qpid notes that it mirrors the experiences of countless women across the Caribbean region.

    Qpid stresses that building a “backup plan” does not mean going into a relationship expecting it to fail. It is an act of self-love and preparation for life’s inherent unpredictability. When a relationship becomes irreparably harmful, having a backup plan ensures women do not have to remain trapped out of helplessness. For the artist, this preparation extends far beyond just building a savings account. A comprehensive backup plan includes financial independence, emotional resilience, prioritizing physical and mental well-being, and consistent practice of deep self-love. Qpid points out that society already widely encourages people to have contingency plans for their careers and finances, so there is no logical reason to treat personal relationships any differently.

    Beyond economic independence, Qpid also uses the single to challenge the harmful stigma attached to ended relationships. Too often, society frames a marriage or relationship that does not last as a personal failure, but Qpid argues this narrative needs to change. Even when two people give everything they have to a partnership, it can still come to an end. When a partner chooses to leave, women need to be emotionally and financially stable enough to walk away with their dignity intact. There is no shame in Plan A not working out, she says—all that matters is being able to pivot gracefully to Plan B.

    Qpid’s ultimate goal for *Backup Plan* is to spark broad, open conversations about independence and what healthy relationships actually look like. For women, her message is clear: it is possible to love deeply while still investing in your own security and growth. She encourages women to start saving early, build their own support networks, and position themselves so they never have to face being left stranded with no resources.

    She adds that the song’s message is just as relevant for men. Qpic hopes the track encourages dialogue about mutual respect and individual autonomy within partnerships. The core takeaway for all audiences, regardless of gender, is that walking away from an unhealthy dynamic should always be a viable option. No one should ever have to stay trapped in a harmful relationship purely for economic or emotional survival.

  • WhatsApp introduceert gebruikersnamen voor betere privacy: wat verandert er?

    WhatsApp introduceert gebruikersnamen voor betere privacy: wat verandert er?

    One of the world’s most widely used messaging platforms, WhatsApp, which boasts close to 3 billion active users across the globe, is rolling out a transformative privacy-focused update that will redefine how users connect on the service. For years, the platform has relied on phone numbers as the primary identifier for accounts, but that long-standing system is getting a major overhaul later this year: users will soon be able to create and use unique custom usernames to connect with others, eliminating the need to share personal contact information to start a conversation.

    The new functionality is being rolled out in phases, with early access already open to a small test group of users to reserve their preferred handles ahead of a broader launch in the coming months. To secure a username, users are required to update their mobile WhatsApp application to the latest version, then set their unique handle through the app’s settings menu. Notably, the reservation process can only be completed via the native smartphone app, and is not supported on WhatsApp Web or the desktop version of the platform.

    To address ongoing concerns around unwanted contact, spam, and privacy breaches, WhatsApp has built multiple layers of protection into the new system. Unlike many other social and messaging platforms, WhatsApp will not maintain a public searchable directory of usernames, nor will it suggest accounts to users based on existing contacts or usage data. This means that a user can only be found and contacted by a new person if that person already knows their exact username.

    For an extra level of security, users will also have the option to add a unique personal key to their account. With this optional feature enabled, a new contact can only reach out if they know both the user’s username and their personal key, creating an additional barrier that drastically reduces the risk of unsolicited messages from strangers and spam senders.

    The update also includes special provisions for businesses and public figures, who will get the opportunity to reserve their official usernames ahead of the general rollout. WhatsApp will hold control over high-demand and brand-related usernames to prevent impersonation, fraud, and misleading activity on the platform.

    Alice Newton-Rex, Vice President of Product at WhatsApp, emphasized that the entire feature was built from the ground up as a core privacy tool for users. “We recognize that sharing a personal phone number is a big ask for many people,” she explained, noting that users often want to start new conversations without exposing sensitive personal contact information. For years, WhatsApp has only offered reactive tools to address unwanted contact, such as the ability to block individual accounts or mute calls from unknown numbers. This new update marks a shift to proactive privacy protection, giving users control over who can reach them before any contact is made.

    As the rollout progresses, WhatsApp will notify users directly through the app once the feature becomes available in their specific region. The company has advised all users to keep their mobile application updated to ensure they can access the new privacy settings as soon as they launch.

  • Eight Years On, Carlisle Bay Robbery Suspect Still at Large

    Eight Years On, Carlisle Bay Robbery Suspect Still at Large

    It has been eight years since a brazen heist shook the exclusive Carlisle Bay Resort in Antigua and Barbuda, and law enforcement officials are still actively searching for the man they accuse of masterminding the multimillion-dollar theft. Anthony “Thug Life” Govia, the alleged ringleader of the scheme that stole more than 98,000 Eastern Caribbean dollars from the luxury property, remains at large eight years after the 30 June 2018 incident, topping the country’s most wanted list.

    Investigators have pieced together that the plot was a joint conspiracy between Govia and Kathy-Ann Isaac, a long-tenured accounts clerk who had served the resort for 14 years. Initially, the robbery was staged to look like the work of a lone armed intruder. The story that unfolded from security camera footage told a different truth: two insiders had first withdrawn cash from the resort’s on-site safe, before a masked gunman entered the location and fled with the stolen funds. For a time, Isaac was counted among the victims of the crime, with investigators suspecting no internal involvement at first. That changed as the case deepened, and police ultimately brought conspiracy charges against her. She entered a guilty plea in 2019, and was handed a 30-month prison sentence the following year, a penalty she has already fully completed.

    Govia, by contrast, is believed to have fled Antigua within days of the robbery pulling off, and no arrest has ever been made in his case. As the eighth anniversary of the heist approaches, local police have renewed their public appeal for any tips or information that could lead to his capture. Officials have issued a clear warning to the public: anyone found knowingly aiding Govia by providing shelter or assistance will face criminal prosecution themselves.

    The unsolved Carlisle Bay Resort robbery retains its status as one of the most high-profile unresolved theft investigations in Antigua and Barbuda’s recent history, with authorities stressing that the manhunt for the alleged mastermind remains an active priority for the force.