Carib Scope

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  • Canawaima onder vergrootglas: onderzoek naar financiële administratie over vijf jaar

    Canawaima onder vergrootglas: onderzoek naar financiële administratie over vijf jaar

    A sweeping forensic audit into the operations of cross-border ferry service Canawaima has been ordered by Suriname’s Minister of Transport, Communication and Tourism (TCT) Raymond Landveld, capping off a tense day of intense parliamentary questioning over persistent operational, financial and governance failures at the bi-national Surinamese-Guyanese entity.

    Landveld confirmed in an address to the National Assembly Tuesday that the probe will cover all financial and administrative activities at the ferry service dating back over the past five years, running parallel to a separate ongoing administrative review already underway. The minister made clear that the issues plaguing Canawaima extend far beyond the well-publicized recent service disruptions that have stranded passengers and disrupted cross-border travel. According to Landveld, every core area of the operator’s work requires fresh review, including corporate governance structures, executive leadership, financial and internal oversight, procurement processes, ticketing systems, technical maintenance protocols, safety management, human resources policies, and institutional reporting practices.

    Canawaima operates under a unique dual-entity structure agreed by the governments of Suriname and Guyana: Canawaima Ferry Services (CFS) is registered under Guyanese law, acting as the formal owner of assets and financial holding vehicle, while the Canawaima Management Company is incorporated under Surinamese law and manages all day-to-day operational activities. This structure itself became a major point of contention during Tuesday’s parliamentary debate, with lawmakers raising sharp questions about unmet transparency standards and unclear cost- and revenue-sharing arrangements between the two countries.

    Opposition lawmaker Raymond Sapoen of the National Democratic Party (NDP) pressed the government for concrete details on how maintenance costs are split between Suriname and Guyana, noting that deferred maintenance is a root cause of repeated service outages that have cut off the critical cross-border link. Sapoen also demanded clarity from the administration on its long-term plan to restore reliable, consistent service for travelers. Other lawmakers echoed concerns about financial arrangements, pointing out that a large share of return tickets are purchased by passengers departing from Guyana, and no clear public accounting exists for how these revenues are allocated between the two nations.

    NDP parliamentary faction leader Rabin Parmessar called for full access to Canawaima’s organizational charts, annual reports, and independent audit statements from recent years. He highlighted that despite being a relatively small operation, Canawaima maintains an overly large, bloated executive management structure, and called for full transparency on executive salaries and benefits paid to company leaders. Fellow NDP lawmaker Ebu Jones argued that much of the public and parliamentary confusion stems from a lack of clear explanation of the bi-national entity’s unusual structure, noting that greater transparency would resolve much of the ongoing debate over its operations.

    Landveld acknowledged multiple ongoing areas of concern, confirming that there remains significant ambiguity around pension contributions and payroll tax withholding from employee salaries. He added that clear directives have been issued to ensure all withheld funds are deposited to the correct authorities, and that this matter will be resolved as part of the audit. The minister also confirmed an ongoing internal conflict at the company that has already led to two senior staff members, including the terminal manager, being placed on administrative leave through the end of August. According to information provided to Landveld by Canawaima’s supervisory board, the conflict erupted when the pair refused to turn over requested operational and financial documents, forcing authorities to engage a court bailiff to gain access to the required materials. An independent external investigative firm is set to deliver its initial report on this internal dispute as early as Monday.

    Beyond operational and financial failures, Landveld also criticized Canawaima’s supervisory board for overstepping its mandate and interfering directly in day-to-day management, rather than maintaining appropriate independent oversight. To address this structural flaw, the minister announced that Canawaima will be required to operate under a formal annual planning framework going forward, which will require executive management to provide regular public accountability reports while allowing the supervisory board to carry out its intended oversight role at an arm’s length.

    The technical safety of the operator’s ferries was also addressed during the debate, with Landveld acknowledging that regulatory inspection findings were not acted on with sufficient urgency earlier this year. After the Suriname Maritime Authority completed its review and ordered all required corrective work to be carried out, the ferry service regained its operating license, and Landveld confirmed that safety standards are currently being met. Despite these acknowledgments and commitments to reform, parliamentary criticism remained firm on Tuesday, with multiple lawmakers arguing that Canawaima’s problems are long-term and structural, requiring far stricter oversight from the Surinamese government. Landveld has committed to providing additional written briefing materials to the National Assembly in the coming days, and acknowledged that systemic, long-term fixes are required to resolve the entity’s deep-seated issues.

  • BACKPAY FRUSTRATION

    BACKPAY FRUSTRATION

    A long-simmering wage dispute at Trinidad and Tobago’s ports is reaching a boiling point, as dockworkers continue to face crippling financial pressure despite a partial payment of overdue backpay issued in July. Michael Annisette, president of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU), made the latest public remarks on the standoff during a recent interview with TV6’s Morning Edition, spelling out the union’s core grievances and warning of growing unrest among frontline port staff.

    At the heart of the conflict is a years-long delay in updating collective pay agreements, which has left thousands of dockworkers earning salaries set according to 2014 pay scales, even as the cost of living has risen sharply across the country. Annisette emphasized that the dispute is rooted in a fundamental fight for workers’ rights, not political retaliation or alignment, rejecting widespread claims that the backpay delay stems from the union’s pre-election endorsement of the United National Congress. “This is not a question of political support or opposition,” Annisette stated. “It is a basic human rights issue: workers are forced to labor for pay that was set more than a decade ago, in a completely different economic climate.”

    While the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) released 20% of outstanding basic wage backpay to workers in July, Annisette confirmed that 80% of the total owed remains unpaid. When including standardized overtime payments that the union says are rightfully owed to staff, the total outstanding figure exceeds $337 million, up from an initial estimate of more than $330 million. The union has repeatedly pushed successive national administrations to resolve the dispute, most recently submitting a formal letter of concern to PATT leadership on July 24, and has already documented seven formal formal notices of grievance on file.

    To move negotiations forward, SWWTU has put forward a concrete proposal: align pay scales for workers at the Port of Port of Spain with those at the Port of Point Lisas, where staff performing identical roles with identical equipment currently earn salaries that are 22 percentage points higher. Annisette noted that closing this pay gap is a critical first step to resolving outstanding collective agreements, after which both parties can shift focus to boosting productivity, efficiency, and adopting international best practices for port operations.

    This reform carries national economic significance, Annisette argued: roughly 90% of Trinidad and Tobago’s total imports and exports flow through the country’s port network, making competitive, fair working conditions critical to retaining operational stability. He also added that the Port of Port of Spain’s strategic location along major global trade routes positions it to become a major regional transshipment and logistics hub, a goal that cannot be achieved with an unresolved, demoralizing wage dispute hanging over operations.

    Annisette acknowledged that other major national unions, including the Public Services Association (PSA) and the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW), are also engaged in separate talks with the government over their own outstanding payment disputes. He reaffirmed that SWWTU remains committed to resolving the issue through negotiated channels, but warned that delaying a resolution risks pushing the dispute into the hands of rank-and-file workers, with unforeseen consequences for port operations. When asked about potential protest action, Annisette noted that even with an existing industrial relations ban on official union action, workers still have mechanisms to express their deep dissatisfaction.

    With growing financial strain pushing workers to their breaking point, Annisette said the union’s executive remains fully united in demanding a fair resolution. “It is completely unacceptable to expect workers to survive on 2014 salaries in 2026 while the cost of living continues to climb,” he said. “The union will continue pressing this case, and we are prepared to confront PATT leadership at every level to secure a fair outcome for our members.”

  • In-person hearings resume Sept 1

    In-person hearings resume Sept 1

    Starting September 1, the vast majority of magistrates’ courts across Trinidad and Tobago will transition back to full in-person judicial hearings, the Judiciary announced in an official statement. The only exceptions to this rollout are the Port of Spain and Scarborough district courts, which will retain their current operational arrangements through 2027 due to ongoing infrastructure works. The return to in-person proceedings is being implemented on a gradual phased schedule, designed as a core step in the Judiciary’s long-term push to expand public access to the justice system. Alongside the changes to magistrates’ courts, 15 criminal high court venues will also open for in-person hearings on the same date: 11 located in Port of Spain, three at the Princes Town Judicial Centre, and one at the Tobago High Court. Masters’ courts will operate under a temporary hybrid model for the time being, with specific administrative protocols to be determined at the local divisional level.

    This planned transition follows a comprehensive nationwide assessment of judicial infrastructure led by Chief Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, who personally toured court facilities across Trinidad and Tobago over recent months. During these visits, the Chief Justice met with court personnel, evaluated the condition, functionality and accessibility of each building, and flagged areas in need of upgrades to meet the needs of court users, staff and judicial officers. “As we return to wider in-person hearings, it is important that our court facilities are ready to meet the needs of everyone who uses them,” Boodoosingh said, emphasizing that the shift to increased in-person proceedings must be supported by safe, fully operational and accessible spaces. “We are committed to improving the court environment and ensuring that our facilities support the effective delivery of justice,” he added. The Judiciary noted the phased rollout was developed following extensive consultations with key justice sector stakeholders, and additional details on specific local arrangements will be released in the coming weeks. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has already been notified of the changes, and is currently reallocating officers to court locations. On Monday, leadership from all 10 policing divisions was briefed, with regional assistant commissioners and divisional commanders ordered to finalize officer deployment plans ahead of the September 1 deadline.

    Legal industry stakeholders have broadly welcomed the announcement, though many have called for a balanced approach that retains virtual and hybrid options for certain proceeding types. The Assembly of Central Legal Practitioners (ACLP) confirmed its support for the Judiciary’s plan, but argued that in-person hearings should be restricted primarily to trials and other matters where a presiding magistrate specifically requires physical attendance. Speaking to local outlet *Trinidad Express*, ACLP executive member and attorney Steven Mawer noted that routine case management conferences, held to update the status of cases moving toward trial, function far more efficiently in virtual or hybrid formats. “The Magistrates’ Court should be open, but in-person hearings should be limited to trial matters, or matters specifically ordered to be in person by the magistrates in charge of their respective courts,” Mawer explained.

    Senior judicial figure Justice Frank Seepersad also echoed this balanced perspective, welcoming the expansion of in-person hearings while warning against abandoning the technological advances adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seepersad stressed that virtual hearings still hold an important place in the modern justice system, particularly for case management, routine procedural applications, and matters where physical attendance adds no meaningful value. However, he cautioned that efficiency cannot be the sole guiding metric for how justice is delivered. “Efficiency, however desirable, cannot be the ultimate measure of justice,” he said. Seepersad placed particular emphasis on criminal trials, where outcomes can result in loss of liberty and permanent reputational harm for accused persons. “A criminal trial is the solemn occasion upon which the coercive authority of the State is brought to bear upon the individual. Liberty, reputation and sometimes the course of an entire life may hang in the balance,” he noted. For such high-stakes proceedings, physical attendance should not be dismissed as an outdated practice, he argued, as it remains a critical safeguard for procedural fairness, human dignity and effective participation by all parties. Seepersad also highlighted the irreplaceable human element of judicial proceedings, noting that technology cannot fully replicate the empathetic dimension of in-person justice. “Justice is, after all, a human undertaking, and there is an empathetic dimension to its administration which no technology can fully replicate,” he said. He further emphasized the core principle of open justice, citing a landmark observation from the Privy Council in *Ambard v Attorney-General of Trinidad and Tobago* that “Justice is not a cloistered virtue.” Judicial authority depends on public scrutiny, Seepersad explained, with transparency fostering accountability and accountability sustaining public confidence in the justice system. “Justice does not derive authority from seclusion, but from its capacity to withstand scrutiny,” he said. Outlining a balanced path forward, Seepersad said the Judiciary should neither reject virtual technology nor cling blindly to traditional practices, but instead use each modality where it is most effective. “Technology must remain the servant of justice, never its master,” he concluded.

    This planned transition aligns with priorities Boodoosingh laid out late last year during the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago’s annual dinner and awards ceremony. At that event, the Chief Justice identified the full reopening and maximum utilization of court buildings as a top personal priority, noting that justice inherently requires in-person human interaction. He pointed out that multiple court buildings, including the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court, have remained closed for extended periods for renovation works that have stretched to more than four years, with both costs and completion timelines ballooning over that period. Boodoosingh also restated his goal of building a more efficient, higher-performing Judiciary with shorter timelines for both hearings and final rulings, noting that all citizens have a fundamental right to have their cases heard and resolved within a reasonable timeframe, and that clear performance standards must be established to improve justice delivery across the system.

  • Alexander: ‘No issue’ with CoP’s absence

    Alexander: ‘No issue’ with CoP’s absence

    Questions over leadership continuity within the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) have emerged in recent days following the unexplained absence of Commissioner Allister Guevarro, but top government officials are moving quickly to dismiss fears of a power vacuum at the head of the national law enforcement agency.

    Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander addressed growing public and political speculation during a televised interview with TV6 on Wednesday, firmly stating that the TTPS remains fully functional despite Guevarro’s unannounced leave, and that no formal crisis exists in the service’s leadership ranks. Per TTPS’s established hierarchical structure, Alexander explained, Deputy Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin — the most senior active officer on duty at present — has stepped into the role of interim leader to oversee all agency operations.

    The controversy ignited after Opposition chairman Marvin Gonzales publicly questioned Guevarro’s whereabouts, and called out the Police Service Commission (PolSC) for failing to confirm whether any formal arrangement for an acting commissioner had been put in place during Guevarro’s absence. An anonymous senior police source confirmed to media outlets that Guevarro had applied for emergency leave, though the source could not verify widespread claims that the commissioner had already left the country.

    In comments to the *Express* over the weekend, Benjamin himself acknowledged that while he is currently the highest-ranking serving officer in the TTPS, he has not received a formal official document appointing him to serve as acting commissioner. That revelation amplified opposition calls for clarification from the government on the TTPS’s leadership status.

    Alexander pushed back against those calls on Wednesday, arguing that the TTPS’s longstanding chain of command eliminates the need for extra formal procedures during a temporary absence. “Who is next in line holds on in the interim. There’s no need for additional action,” the minister said, noting that the government and senior TTPS leadership have full confidence in Benjamin’s ability to guide the service. Alexander added that Benjamin has previously fulfilled interim leadership duties for the TTPS, and that the deputy commissioner continues to receive full support from both the government and rank-and-file officers under his command.

    “As the line minister responsible for this portfolio, I can confirm that there are no issues with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service,” Alexander emphasized.

    The minister also rejected opposition claims that Guevarro’s absence has left the TTPS leaderless, pointing to the agency’s deep bench of senior leadership to back up his argument. “The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has three deputy commissioners and 11 assistant commissioners of police. This is not a one-man job,” he said. Alexander added that temporary absences for senior officers are a routine occurrence across all public institutions, and the TTPS’s clear hierarchy is designed to allow other qualified leaders to step in seamlessly when needed.

    “I don’t know why all this excitement,” Alexander said. “There are a number of persons in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service who from time to time would go here, there and everywhere. And even in their absence, there are persons who can replace them.”

    Alexander also criticized the intense public focus on Guevarro’s personal whereabouts, arguing that even elected and appointed public officials are entitled to a reasonable degree of personal privacy. “It is almost like, when you enter public office, your personal life becomes completely public. Some things that we need to leave alone at times… And when the time comes, we will explain it all,” he said.

    The minister went a step further, questioning the priorities of critics who have continued to press for details on Guevarro’s location. “There are persons who continue to ask a certain question that makes no logical sense,” Alexander said. “I often say this… there are some persons right now asking where the Commissioner is, and they don’t even know where their own children are. They’re asking where the Commissioner is, and their own boss at work is looking for them because they haven’t been seen on the job in days.”

    “Some of the children are not going to school, the parents are not even asking if they went to school or not. But where is the Commissioner? The Commissioner is where he’s supposed to be,” Alexander added.

    Despite Alexander’s assurances, public and political questions persist over whether a formal acting appointment is legally required for the TTPS during Guevarro’s leave. For his part, Alexander has remained firm in his position: the TTPS can continue its core public safety work through its existing command structure, and Benjamin is fully capable of leading the service until Guevarro returns.

  • TSTT drops Cox as acting CEO

    TSTT drops Cox as acting CEO

    In a sudden leadership restructuring at Trinidad and Tobago’s majority state-owned telecommunications giant Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (TSTT), Keino Cox has been replaced as acting chief executive officer after just over 13 months in the role, with industry veteran Reza Hosein tapped to step into the top position effective immediately.

    By Thursday evening, updates to TSTT’s official leadership page had already removed Cox from the company’s executive roster and listed Hosein as the new acting CEO. Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath confirmed the transition in a phone interview with the Express, noting that the TSTT board of directors convened a meeting earlier the same day to review Cox’s performance appraisal and ultimately voted against renewing his temporary appointment.

    Cox’s tenure as acting CEO was approved via a specific board resolution that was set to expire on July 31, 2026. Following that expiration, the board opted not to extend his mandate, Padarath explained. “I spoke with the chairman of TSTT a few minutes ago, he advised me that there was a board meeting this afternoon, which ended after 6 p.m., and the board took the decision to appoint Mr Reza Hosein as the new acting chief executive officer of TSTT,” Padarath shared. “Keino Cox’s appointment as acting chief executive officer came to an end on July 31, 2026. Mr Cox was appointed through a board resolution, and after a review or consideration and an appraisal, the board took the decision to appoint Mr Hosein to act instead of continuing with Mr Cox.”

    Padarath added that he has requested a full briefing on the specific details that drove the leadership change, but emphasized that Cox’s formal authority to serve in the role had already reached its scheduled end. “And upon the expiration, the board met, they considered several different issues, which I am waiting to be briefed on by the board, and they decided to go with Mr Reza Hosein to lead the company at this time,” he said.

    The minister also addressed ongoing concerns around uncertainty at Amplia Communications, TSTT’s subsidiary, where media reports have claimed employees are left in limbo amid plans to end the company’s operating contract. Padarath confirmed he had raised questions about the situation with the TSTT board, only to be informed that the proposed move was brought forward unilaterally without board approval, and that the body has not yet discussed the matter officially, with legal review currently underway.

    Cox first stepped into the acting CEO role in July of the previous year, taking over from outgoing CEO Kent Western when he was serving as substantive assistant vice-president of Emerging Services and Innovation. When contacted by reporters Thursday evening, Cox declined to comment beyond the official statement released by TSTT.

    In its official announcement of the leadership transition, TSTT outlined Hosein’s immediate priorities as acting CEO: sustaining organizational momentum, accelerating progress against the company’s core strategic goals, and driving its ongoing transformation from a traditional telecommunications provider to a full technology-focused enterprise. The company says this transformation leverages cutting-edge technology, expanded digital capabilities, and innovation to boost customer value, improve operational performance, open new diversified revenue streams, and position TSTT for long-term sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive digital market.

    Hosein, who boasts 27 years of specialized experience in the telecommunications sector, joined TSTT’s senior leadership team just last month, when he took over as vice-president of technology following the departure of Rattan Boodram. His career at TSTT has spanned leadership roles across nearly every critical business segment, including technology, residential services, wireless solutions, consumer sales, service delivery and assurance, customer experience, and marketing. This cross-functional experience has given him a holistic, enterprise-wide understanding of TSTT’s operations and the core strategic, technological, commercial, and customer-focused demands shaping the company’s future, the release noted.

    Kern Dass, chairman of TSTT’s board of directors, expressed full confidence in the new acting CEO in a statement accompanying the announcement. “The board welcomes Reza to the role of Acting Chief Executive Officer and is confident in his leadership as TSTT continues to advance its strategic priorities and accelerate its transformation from a Telco to a TechCo,” Dass said. “His extensive experience across technology, commercial operations and customer experience will be important as the Company strengthens its digital capabilities, drives innovation and delivers greater value for our customers and stakeholders.”

    In his first public comment since the appointment, Hosein said he was honored to take on the top leadership role. “I am honoured to assume the role of Acting Chief Executive Officer. I look forward to working with our employees and stakeholders to build on the work underway, maintain our focus on our customers and continue advancing the Company’s strategic priorities,” he said.

    The leadership transition comes as TSTT navigates two key industry moments: a public standoff with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) over a disputed 10% wage increase for employees, and a historic high in financial performance. Just last month, TSTT and its Amplia subsidiary reported the group’s strongest full-year financial results in 17 years. For the 12-month period ending March 31, 2026, the company posted an after-tax profit of $214 million, marking a 103% jump from the prior year’s after-tax profit of $106 million recorded in 2025.

    The current TSTT board, chaired by Dass, recently added a new member when Daniel Thornhill was appointed to the director role just last week. He joins sitting directors Cassilina Kelshall and Randy Ramtahal on the governing body.

  • Boys Continue to Fall Behind Girls at CSEC and CAPE Levels

    Boys Continue to Fall Behind Girls at CSEC and CAPE Levels

    A newly released analysis of 2026 Caribbean regional examination data has confirmed a steadily widening gender participation gap across the education system, with male enrollment dropping sharply as students progress from early secondary schooling to advanced post-secondary assessments.

    Data published by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) lays bare the scale of the disparity: for the 2026 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), the highest-level assessment offered by the council, women made up 62 percent of all registered candidates, leaving men accounting for just 38 percent of the total test-taking pool. At the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level, a qualification for students completing upper secondary school, the gap remains significant, with women representing 59 percent of candidates and men 41 percent.

    Dr. Nicole Manning, CXC’s Director of Operations, outlined these findings during the official launch of the May–June 2026 examination results hosted in Anguilla on Tuesday. She emphasized that the imbalance is not present at the earliest stages of education: enrollment at the primary level remains nearly equal between boys and girls, and even in the first three years of secondary school, the divide remains narrow. For the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC), which is typically taken by early secondary students, men actually hold a slight advantage, making up 52 percent of candidates compared to 48 percent for women.

    This demographic breakdown confirms that the gender gap emerges and expands at later stages of the Caribbean education pipeline. Fewer boys continue their academic careers through upper secondary school and on to the advanced CAPE assessments required for university admission. Manning summed up the trend, noting “It gets less and less as you go higher.”

    CXC has not pinpointed a single root cause for the shrinking male participation in advanced examinations, but the council is calling for urgent, coordinated action across the region’s education sector. Manning stressed that the ongoing trend demands targeted attention from education authorities across all Caribbean territories, and urged educators and policymakers to collaborate on two key goals: first, conducting a deeper, evidence-based investigation into the underlying factors driving male disengagement from advanced education, and second, implementing targeted strategies to keep boys invested in academic study as they progress through secondary school.

    It is important to note that the published data only reflects the proportion of male and female candidates registered for the assessments, and does not include a comparison of pass or performance rates between the two groups.

  • AI Misuse Recorded in CXC Examinations for the First Time

    AI Misuse Recorded in CXC Examinations for the First Time

    For the first time in its history, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has formally recorded misuse of artificial intelligence as an official examination irregularity, marking an uncharted new challenge to safeguarding the fairness and credibility of regional secondary and post-secondary assessments. The revelation was made public this week by CXC Director of Operations Dr. Nicole Manning during the official launch of the May-June 2026 examination results, held in Anguilla on Tuesday. Describing the development as a groundbreaking shift in exam misconduct trends, Manning emphasized that the classification of AI misuse as a formal irregularity has never occurred in any prior exam cycle. While unauthorized electronic devices remain the most prevalent form of rule-breaking documented by the council, followed by candidate collusion and the possession of prohibited study materials, AI-facilitated cheating has now emerged as a rapidly growing concern. Collusion, which encompasses unauthorized collaboration between test-takers and illicit sharing of answers during assessments, and the use of forbidden materials or devices both allow students to access exam content outside the bounds of official testing rules, just as improperly used generative AI can generate full answers that are not the candidate’s own work. Overall, the CXC documented 128 confirmed examination irregularities across the 2026 May-June exam cycle, a sharp increase from the 80 cases recorded in the prior equivalent testing period. Manning added that a subset of candidates have repeated misconduct across multiple different examinations, compounding integrity risks for the region’s assessment system. Students found guilty of confirmed examination irregularities face serious penalties, ranging from cancellation of their exam grades to permanent disqualification from future CXC assessments. The first formal recording of AI misuse comes at a time when education institutions and testing bodies across the Caribbean are navigating the rapid expansion of accessible generative AI tools. While this technology offers tangible benefits for supporting personalized learning and streamlining instructional tasks, it has also sparked widespread alarm over its potential to enable cheating, erode long-held norms of academic integrity, threaten student privacy, and make it far more difficult to verify that submitted work is actually the product of a candidate’s own knowledge and effort. In response to this evolving challenge, Manning confirmed that the CXC has already proactively developed formal standards and comprehensive guidelines designed to govern responsible AI use within education and formal assessment contexts. The council has distributed these guidance materials to all regional ministries of education, and is actively encouraging primary and secondary school leaders across the Caribbean to adopt context-appropriate institutional policies that align with the CXC framework. Beyond addressing cheating risks, Manning also issued a critical public warning to students about broader privacy hazards associated with unregulated AI use: she urged test-takers to avoid entering personally identifiable information into unvetted AI tools and unsecure online platforms, noting that careless sharing of personal data can leave students vulnerable to identity theft, data breaches, and misuse of their private information by third parties. To balance innovation and integrity, the CXC is calling on regional educators to integrate lessons about responsible AI use into their regular curricula, teaching students how to leverage the technology as a legitimate learning tool while ensuring its application never undermines the fairness and public trust that underpin the Caribbean’s regional examination system.

  • WHO: Ebola-uitbraak in DR Congo ‘wereldwijde noodsituatie’

    WHO: Ebola-uitbraak in DR Congo ‘wereldwijde noodsituatie’

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains an active global public health emergency, with the death toll already surpassing 2,300 to make it the deadliest outbreak in the country’s recorded history.
    As of the latest official update, the outbreak has confirmed more than 5,000 infections, and the mortality rate continues to climb. During an emergency meeting held Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that the epidemic is still far from being contained, noting that the virus gained a substantial head start before response efforts were scaled, and response teams are still working to close that gap. This marks the 17th Ebola outbreak the DRC has faced, and it has already claimed more lives than the 2018-2020 DRC outbreak that previously held the grim title of the nation’s deadliest.
    A top-level concern for responders is the specific viral strain driving this outbreak: the Bundibugyo strain, for which no fully approved vaccine or targeted treatment is currently available to the public. Compounding these challenges are multiple systemic barriers that slow containment work: ongoing armed conflict in the mineral-rich eastern regions where the outbreak is concentrated, deep-seated community distrust of outside aid workers, widespread misinformation about the virus, and traditional cultural practices that can increase transmission risk.
    Tedros added that the virus is spreading at an unprecedented rate, and a large share of active transmission chains have not yet been traced and documented. “The epidemic will not end until every single transmission chain is identified and broken,” he stressed.
    Responders have shifted to a targeted new strategy focused on motorcycle taxi drivers, who often transport sick patients and deceased bodies across communities, making them unknowing key nodes in the virus’s spread. Rather than cracking down on this critical local transport network, WHO officials are now recruiting motorcycle drivers to serve as community monitors and frontline outreach workers, alongside expanding access to hygiene supplies and personal protective equipment across at-risk areas.
    While the outbreak was only formally confirmed by public health officials on May 17, genetic sequencing of viral samples shows the virus had already begun circulating undetected in local communities as early as February, allowing it to establish transmission chains before any response began.
    A glimmer of progress has emerged on the vaccine front: the first human volunteer recently received an experimental Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine developed by researchers at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Hundreds of thousands of doses of the candidate vaccine have already been manufactured in India, and the full stockpile could be deployed immediately to the DRC if ongoing clinical trials confirm the vaccine is safe and effective.
    In closing, the WHO issued an urgent appeal to the global international community to scale up funding, personnel, and logistical support for response efforts, stressing that coordinated action is needed now to stop the outbreak from spreading beyond the DRC’s borders and becoming a larger regional or global crisis.

  • OPINION: It’s Time We Recognize Antigua Carnival’s Unsung Heroes

    OPINION: It’s Time We Recognize Antigua Carnival’s Unsung Heroes

    The confetti has settled and the calypso beats have faded after another hugely successful edition of Antigua’s annual Carnival, and now the traditional cycle of post-event gratitude is underway. Every year, well-earned public praise flows to the Antigua and Barbuda Festival Commission, the island nation’s police force and defense force, emergency response teams, media partners, local vendors, corporate sponsors, and the throngs of international visitors who turn out to celebrate the island’s cultural heritage. But one critical group remains conspicuously absent from most shout-outs: the unsung Parade Marshals, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep every event safe and running on schedule.

    Long before the first costumed mas band steps onto the parade route, while most revelers are still preparing for the day’s celebrations, marshals are already on site. They spend hours coordinating band positions, liaising with event organizers, troubleshooting early logistical issues, mapping crowd control strategies, and prepping for any unexpected crises that might emerge. They stay at their posts from the first light of dawn until the final band crosses the finish line, long after most spectators have headed home for the night.

    Contrary to common public misconception, the role of a parade marshal extends far beyond walking alongside bands or directing vehicle traffic. Tasked with preserving the flow and structural integrity of the entire procession, marshals collaborate constantly with police officers, emergency medical teams, band leaders, and other event stakeholders. They maintain constant situational awareness, making split-second real-time decisions to keep the parade moving safely and efficiently for participants and onlookers alike.

    What remains widely unacknowledged, however, are the hardships and unfair treatment many marshals endure while carrying out their duties. It is not uncommon for marshals to face verbal abuse from spectators who resent being asked to move out of restricted areas, or who disagree with on-the-spot calls marshals must make to keep the event on track. In more extreme cases, they have been subjected to aggressive behavior and even physical confrontation, simply for doing the job they volunteered to do. Even more disheartening is the unfair blame they absorb for parade delays that are not their fault.

    A core part of a marshal’s mandate is to keep the procession moving at a consistent, manageable pace. But there are repeated instances where mas camps, bands, or individual participants deliberately slow their pace or hold up the procession, creating large, disruptive gaps between parade sections. When marshals’ repeated instructions to keep moving are ignored, the resulting delays are often wrongfully blamed on the marshals who tried to prevent them. This double standard raises a fair question: how can marshals be expected to deliver a seamless parade when participants deliberately refuse to cooperate with official guidance?

    Marshals cannot be in every section of the parade at once, nor can they physically force groups of participants to adhere to the required pace. Their authority is limited to communicating instructions, monitoring progress, reporting issues, and intervening when appropriate. A successful parade ultimately depends on the cooperation of every group involved: bands, mas camps, participants, spectators, and organizers. It is fundamentally unfair to place all blame for delays on marshals when disruptions stem from parties that refuse to follow established event protocols.

    Even in the face of these constant challenges, marshals continue to show up year after year. They work for hours under the scorching Caribbean sun, they pull all-night shifts during multi-day events, they walk miles along the parade route, they de-escalate tense confrontations between uncooperative spectators and participants, and they often put themselves in harm’s way to protect other attendees when crises arise.

    When the last band completes its route, when crowds disperse and the street cleanup begins, marshals are still hard at work. Their responsibilities do not end when the music stops; they remain on post until every final task is complete and the entire parade operation is wrapped up. The bitter irony of their role is that when they do their job perfectly, their work goes entirely unnoticed. If the parade runs smoothly, everyone simply enjoys the festivities without a second thought for the coordination that made it possible. If something goes wrong, however, marshals are often the first to face public criticism. To be clear, the marshals themselves acknowledge that there is always room for improvement, and teams work every year to refine training and processes for the next event.

    Despite this, the public attitude toward parade marshals is long overdue for a shift. Public recognition for Carnival contributors should not be reserved only for those whose work is visible from the sidewalk. It must extend to the behind-the-scenes workers who keep the entire festival running safely and efficiently. Parade Marshals deserve widespread appreciation not just for the countless hours they dedicate to the event, but for the abuse they endure, the high-pressure situations they navigate, and the personal risks they take to deliver a successful celebration.

    As Antigua and Barbuda celebrates the conclusion of another successful Carnival, it is time to ask why the people responsible for keeping parades safe, organized, and on schedule are so often left off the list of publicly thanked contributors. This piece, written by a former parade marshal who has experienced these challenges firsthand, is a tribute: to every marshal who reported for duty before sunrise, who stayed on post for endless hours, who managed difficult confrontations, who absorbed unfair criticism, who faced verbal or physical aggression, and never wavered in their commitment to getting the job done: thank you.

    Your work matters. You are not just people in vests walking along a parade route; you are an essential cog in the machinery that makes Antigua Carnival the beloved celebration it is today. It is long past time that the nation recognizes Parade Marshals not as an afterthought, but as the indispensable, foundational part of Carnival that they truly are.

  • MP Michael Joseph Encourages Constituents to Take Advantage of Free Eye Screenings

    MP Michael Joseph Encourages Constituents to Take Advantage of Free Eye Screenings

    A proactive public health initiative is bringing no-cost vision care to residents of Michael Joseph’s parliamentary constituency, with the lawmaker urging locals — especially those aged 40 and above — to seize the opportunity to get their eyes checked at the Knuckle Block Community Centre. The screening program is already up and running at the venue, and will remain open to the public for a full two weeks, giving all interested residents ample time to fit a visit into their schedules.

    Beyond complimentary vision tests, the initiative also extends a key additional benefit: any participant found to require reading glasses will receive their new pairs at zero charge, removing financial barriers to essential vision care for community members. In a statement shared this week, MP Joseph expressed his satisfaction with the early turnout for the program, noting that he is encouraged to see constituents already taking advantage of the accessible health resource.

    Joseph is urging local residents to spread the word about the initiative, encouraging constituents to reach out to older family members, neighbors and friends who may benefit from the free screenings to remind them of the opportunity. “Taking care of our health starts with taking advantage of the resources available to us,” Joseph emphasized, adding that prioritizing regular vision checks is a critical step for residents to protect both their short-term and long-term eye and overall health.